214 
Mr. Home's anatomical Account 
and Dr. Grant, an eminent physician (both justices of the 
peace), to take depositions on the spot, from those persons 
who had seen the fish, that its real appearance might be as- 
certained. This examination, however, did not take place till 
six weeks after the fish was thrown ashore. 
These depositions were sent to Sir Joseph Banks, who put 
them into my hands.* I also received, a short time after, from 
my friend Mr. Laing, in consequence of a request I made for 
that purpose, that part of the skull, which contained the brain, 
the upper jaw having been separated from it, a considerable 
number of the vertebrae of the back united together by their 
natural attachments, a portion of one of the pectoral fins, with 
the cartilages that unite it to the spine, and a long and short 
cartilage forming the support of one of the gills. On com- 
paring these different parts, with those of the Squalus maxi- 
mus, they were found to agree, not only in their form, but 
also in their dimensions. This led to the opinion of the fish 
being a Squalus, a very different one from what was formed 
by those who saw it in the mutilated state in which it was 
thrown ashore, and who called it a sea snake. In the different 
depositions, several parts are accurately described, such as the 
valvular intestine, which was taken for the stomach, and the 
bristles of the mane, which are described as ligamentous fibres: 
one of them is in my possession, and is of the same kind with 
the fibres forming the margin of the fins of the Squalus maxi- 
mus. The drawing that was made from memory, and which 
I have annexed, will enable me in a few words to point out how 
much, in some things, those who saw the fish adhered to 
* The depositions are very long, and exceedingly minute; they are preserved in 
the Board-book of the Royal Society. 
