25 
CAECHAETAS. 
The species have no Kpiracles or hreathing orifices behind the eyes, 
and have an anal fiin. The first dorsal fin much before the ventrals, 
and the second about opposite to the anal. A depression at the origin 
of the upper lobe of the tail. The teeth are generally cornpressed and 
cutting; usually serrated on the edge; but this can scarcely be taken 
into the definition of the genua, since one or two species are without 
it, that in all other respects agree with the others. 
Carcharias is the Greek name of some kind of the larger Sharks. 
WHITE SHARK. 
Sipialus carcharias. Linn^us and Cuviee. 
Canis carcharias. Lamia and Tiburo of Authors ; Artedi. 
“ “ JoNSTON; Artioulus 2, Punctum 1. 
“ ** Willoughby; p. 47. Cuvier rightly observes that 
Willoughby’s figure, B 7, is not worthy of being 
referi’ed to. This was copied among other “ill- 
shaped fishes,” from Gesner, who probably had 
possessed a dried skin of the fish; and from 
him again it was copied by Jonston. But 
Cuvier has overlooked a figure in the appendix, 
tab. 5, f. 1, which Willoughby had copied from 
that accurate Dutch traveller, John Nieuhofs; 
and which, except at the end of the tail, affords 
a very tolerable figure of the species we have 
to describe. — Risso; Icthyologie, p. 25. 
That more than one, or even two species, have been 
confounded together under the name of the White Shark, is 
almost certain. It seems remarkable also that no trustworthy 
figure and description are to be found, of a species which is 
seen in abundance in the West Indies; where it is the dread 
of sailors, who are in constant fear of becoming its prey when 
they bathe or fall into the sea. That it sometimes wanders 
into the British Channel there is much evidence to shew. In 
VOL. I. E 
