202 
THE THRESHER. 
on backing as soon as it feels the obstruction, is caught by the tightening of the noose. The 
natives then go off in their canoes, chasing the bewildered Shark, who is unable to dive 
on account of the floating log, and who is so lustily battered about the head with the heavy 
clubs so admirably made by those ingenious natives, that it is soon killed and hauled ashore 
in triumph. 
The color of the White Shark is ashen-brown above, and white below. 
The Great White Shark is named in America Man-eater, and Atwood’s Shark, though the 
latter term, applied in honor of the sea captain of Provincetown, Mass., who assisted greatly 
in contributing to Dr. Storer’s report on the Fishes of Massachusetts, is now dropped, as the 
species is regarded as identical with the European. It is found in all temperate and tropical 
seas, and is one of the largest of Sharks, reaching a length of fifteen feet, and the weight 
of nearly a ton. 
This Shark is especially abundant on the Florida Reef. While resident there, at Fort 
Jefferson, our lads of the garrison had much sport in capturing them. On one occasion, 
one measuring ten feet in length, and very bulky, as this species is, was hooked off shore. 
The boys had one of the flat pontoon boats of the engineers, otherwise they would have been 
taken off seaward. As it was, they had enough to do. Several soldiers went to their 
assistance, and rowed the party in, while the prize, hauled ‘‘short up” to the gunwale, made 
savage resistance. On gaining the moat of the fort planks were laid, and the monster hauled 
over into the confined water of the ditch. Here he remained, restlessly swimming its length 
of waters, steadily refusing any food. In about two months he died, seemingly exhausted. 
The Basking Sharks, or Whale-nosed, are represented in American waters by the Gkeat 
Basking Shark ( Cetorhinus maximus.) It is thought to be the largest existing Shark, being 
nearly forty feet in length. It is quite notable, among other things in being a resident in 
Arctic waters, from whence it strays as far as the latitude of Portugal, and of Virginia. It is 
also strange in being so enormous in bulk, and at the same time quite harmless, as it has but 
a small mouth and quite insignificant armament of teeth. It is called in Europe Sun- fish, 
Sail-fish, and Hoe-mother, from the habit of basking in the sun on the surface of the sea ; 
from the sail-like appearance of its high dorsal fin when near the surface, and from the fact 
that the fishermen affect to believe it to be the Mother of the Hoe, or Piked Dog-fish, 
respectively. 
It seems to be of a rather dull and listless character, allowing itself to be approached quite 
closely by a boat, without giving any signs of alarm until the bow of the boat actual] y touches 
its person. 
The gill apertures of the Basking Shark are extremely long, reaching almost across the 
neck. The head is conical, the muzzle short, and the eyes near the snout. The skin is very 
rough to the touch, whether the hand be passed from head to tail or vice versa , and the color 
is blackish-brown, glossed with a bluish tint. 
Among our fishermen it is known as Bone Shark and Elephant Shark. A specimen 
drifted ashore at Provincetown, Mass., which afforded six barrels of oil, taken from the liver 
alone, which sold for $103. The food of this Shark is probably small mollusks and crustaceans, 
and, according to some authors, marine algae. 
A well-known species, familiar under the names of Thresher ( Alopias wipes), Fox 
Shark, Sea Fox, Sea Ape, Swingle-tail, Long-tail, etc., is at once to be recognized by the 
peculiar form of the head and the wonderfully long upper lobe of the tail, which equals 
in length the body from the tip of the snout to the base of the tail. The lower lobe is quite 
short, and in no way conspicuous. 
This fish is appropriately called the Thresher on account of its habit of using its long and 
flexible tail after the fashion of a quarter-staff, and dealing the most tremendous blows on or 
near any object that may excite its ire. Sometimes it seems to employ its tail in playing off a 
practical joke or frightening away dolphins or other creatures that are disporting them- 
selves in apparent security. The following short account by Captain Crow will give a 
