f * 28 3 
lhefe have not been duly taken notice of, except I 
think by Bellonius , who mentions two Holes, with- 
out adding any thing eife about them. But they are 
of fo lingular a Nature, that 1 think there is Ionic En- 
couragement to make the following Conjc&ure. 
The branchial Holes are three on each Side, which 
are firuated deep in the Mouth, and open into thele 
Marfupia , the Sides of which are the Branchcojitg, 
having feveral long {lender cartilaginous Bo es run- 
ning longitudinally for their Support, analogous to 
the brancheoftegal Bones of other Fifhes, fo that 
probably thefe Sacks may anfwer two Ends; firfl, ro 
form the Membwn# hr anchecfleg^ ; and, fccondly, 
to make a convenient Receptacle for the Young till 
they arc able to fhift for themfelvcs. Perhaps the 
following Conje&ures may ferve to ftrengthen this 
Opinion for if this End was nor to be anfwer'd, 
the Branchiae might have been terminated near their 
Origin in the Mouth, as it is in other Fifhes. 
Authors have ranked this F.fh among the cartila- 
ginous Tribe, who are faid to be viviparous j but 
of this there are Dilputes among them as yet unde- 
termined Now if this Fifh does not bring forth its 
Young perfect, there can be no Ufe aflign’d to thefe 
Sacks ; for Eggs are depolited by the oviparous Tribe 
in S;.nd, Weeds, or any other proper Nidus ; nor 
could the Creatures by any means place Eggs in them, 
bccaufe they open in a wrong Direction for fuch a 
Purpofe. But if they are viviparous, then the Young 
may probably be harbour'd in them, being capable 
of crawling into them, as we may fee by the pe&o- 
ral Webs on the under Side. 
f 
And 
