S H A . S H A 
in the Britifli Seas. A fpecimen examined by 
pennant was thirteen feet in length. 
Shark, Spotted; the Squalus Canicula of 
L.innsus. This fpecies, calJed alfo the fpotted 
dog-fidi, is about four feet in length ; the nofe is 
fliort and blunt; the eyes are oblong, a large ori- 
fice opening behind each to the infide of the 
mouth; the teeth are fmall, iharp, and difpofed 
in four rows; both the dorfal fins are placed much 
behind; and the tail is finned, extending below 
into a fliarp angfe. The v/hole upper part of the 
body and fins are brown, marked with numerous 
large diftinft fpots. Some parts of the flcin are 
tinged with red; and the belly is white. 
Pennant m-ncions a variety which he calls the 
leffcr fpotted Shark or dog-fifii. It fcarcely 
weighs two pounds ; and is little more than two 
feet^in length. The colours are nearly the fame. 
Shark, Smooth; the Squalus Muftelus of 
Linnffius; called alfo the fmooth hound. The 
nofe of this fpecies extends far beyond the mouth, 
and it's extremity is blunt. The firft dorfil fin 
is placed midway above the pectoral and ventral 
fins; the tail is forked; and the teeth, which re- 
femble thofe of a ray, are rough and fliarp. The 
back and fides are afh-coloured, deilitute of 
fpots ; and the belly is fiivery. 
Shark, Beaumaris. This fpecies was firfl: 
obferved by a gentleman of Beaum.aris, from 
which place it has obtained it's diftinftive appel- 
lation. It's length is feven feet ; and it's greatefh 
circumference is four feet eight inches. The nofe 
is obtufe ; and the mouth is armed with three rows 
of flender teeth, fixed to the jaws by certain muf- 
cles capable of ereiftion or deprefllon at pleafure. 
The firft dorfal fin is of a triangular figure ; the 
peroral fins are large and flrong ; and the ventral 
and anal are fmall. The tail is femilunar; but 
the horns are of unequal lengths. The whole 
body is of a lead colour; and the fl<:in much lefs 
rough than is ufual in this genus. 
Shark, Basking ; the Squalus Maximus of 
LinnjEus. A fpecies long known to the inhabi- 
tants of the fouth and weft coafts of Ireland and 
Scotland, and fome parts of Wales. It quits the 
bays of Wales about iMichaelmas ; and the Frith 
of Clyde, and the Hebrides, about the end of 
July.^ 
Thefe animals pofTefs nothing of the fierce and 
voracious nature of the Shark kind; but are fo 
tame as to fuffer themfelves to be ftroked ; lying 
motionlefs on the furface of the water, as if fond 
of funning themfelves; from which circumftance 
they have obtained the appeliation of Bafl'cing 
Sharks. Their food feems to confift entirely of 
marine plants; though Linneeus fays that they 
fubfift on medufa?. At certain times they are feen 
foorting on the waves, and leaping with iurpriling 
agility; though in general they Iwim deliberately, 
and with the dorfal fins above water. 
Some of thefe ftflics meafure upwards of twelve 
~ yards. Their form is flender; the upper jaw is 
much longer than the lower, and blunt at the ex- 
tremity; the mouth is placed beneath; and each 
jaw is furnifned with numbers of fmall teeth. On 
the fides of the neck are five large tranfverfe aper- 
tures to the gills. There are two fins on the 
back: the firft, which is very large, is placed 
nearer the head than the middle; and the other is 
fmall, and fituated near tiie tail. On tiie lov/er 
part of the body t'lierc ca-e five ether fins, two pec- 
toral, two ventral, and one fmall anal fin; near 
thefe the male has two genitals, as is ufual in 
Sharks; and between thefe fins the pudendum of 
the female !s firtiated. The tail is very largej 
having the upper part much longer than the 
lower. The colour of the tipper part of the body 
is a deep lead; the belly is white; the flcin is 
rough like fiiagreen, but lefs fo on the bflly than 
on the back; and withinfide the mouth, near the 
tliroat, there is a fr.ort kind of whalebone. The 
liver is prodigiouHy large; and, when melted, 
yields a pure Iweet oil, fit for lamps, and fome- 
times ufed for medicinal purpofes. 
When thefe animals are ftruck by harpoons, 
and wounded, they fling up their tails, and pluno-e 
headlong to the bottom, coiling the ropes round 
them, and attempting to difengage themfelves 
from the harpoons by rolling on the ground. 
They fwim with fuch rapidity and force,\hat in- 
ftances have occurred of vefTels of fixty or fevcnty 
tons burden being towed away by them ae:ainft a 
frefh gale; and they v ill ibmetim.es occupy t!ie 
fiftiermen a whole day before they are compleatly 
vanquifhcd. A large flih yields about eight bar- 
rels of oil. 
Shark, White; the Squalus Carcharias of 
Linnsus. This fpecies, fometimes limply deno- 
minated the Shark, as being the moft fonr.idable 
of all others, is diftinguifhed by Artedi under the 
appellation of the fqualus with a fiat back, and 
numerous teeth ferratcd at the edges. 
Thefe Sharks are by far the largtft as well as 
moft- terrible of the genus: feme of them have 
weighed four thoufand pounds ; with throats wide 
enough to admit a full-fized man. For this rea- 
fon fome are of opinion that the prophet Jonah 
v/as fv/allowed by a fifh of this kind, and not by 
a whale. Swimmers have frequently perifhcd by 
their means; fometimes lofing an arm or a leg; at 
others, being bit quite afunder: and indeed the 
entire bodies of men have been found in Ibme of 
them when opened. 
The teeth of this creature, which are very fliarp 
and terrible, are difpofed in fix rows, all triano-u- 
lar, and ferrated on their edges: thefe, in the 
v/hole, amount to one hundred and forty-four; 
and are placed in various diredions. When the 
fifti is in a ftate of repofe, they lie quite f^at in the 
mouth; but v/hen he feizes his prey, they are 
erefted by a fet of mufcles which unite them to 
the jaw. The mouth is placed far beneath; for 
which reafon thefe Sharks, as well as the reft of 
their kind, are obliged to turn on their fides in 
order to feize their prey. The back is fliort and 
round. The tail is of a femilunar form, com- 
pofed of two long fins : this metnber has furprifino- 
ftrength, and with it the animal ftrikes with great 
violence. The pedoral fins are large, and well 
adapted for rapid motion in the water. The 
whole body and fins are of a light afh-cclour; the 
flcin is rough; and the eyes are large and round. 
The ancients were acquainted with this fifh; 
and Oppian gives a circumftantial and entertain- 
ing account of it's capture. It's fiefh is feme- 
times eaten; but it is efteemed rank and ccarfe. 
Shark, Blue; the Squalus Glaucus of Lin- 
naeus. Artedi diftinguifncs this fpecies by the 
name of the fqualus with a triangular dent or ful- 
cus in the extreirjity of the back, and without 
any foramina about the eyes. The back is of a 
fine deep blue colour, and the belly of a bright 
fiivery white; the fl<:in is moderately fmooth; the 
nofe is long, pointed, and fomewhat deprelTed, ex- 
tending 
