32 
BLUB SHARK. 
at the bottom of the sea. The mistake of supposing that this fish 
produces its young from eggs, is common to both those 
authors; but the supposition countenanced by the latter, that the 
Galeus produces its young at the mouth, may be regarded as 
no other than an ignorant surmise, by an observer who might 
suppose that what he saw of the return of young ones from 
their hiding place, was really their first appearance in the world 
of waters. 
But it must be admitted that hitherto on this subject we 
may justly be suspected to have been wandering in the region 
of fable; and that facts mentioned by those ancient authors are 
so often mingled with false conclusions, superstition, and errors, 
as to render it difficult to separate one from the other. We 
allege, on the other hand however, that, even when this is 
allowed, the information thus conveyed is so far a matter of 
interest as, according to information afforded us by a commen- 
tator on Oppian, the opinion of its certainty is several times 
referred to by some of the fathers of the church; and thus is 
metaphorically employed towards spiritual uses. 
But incredible as this strange proceeding may appear to us, 
it receives corroboration from the authority of Bondeletius, 
who was a physician of eminence, and Professor of Natural 
History in the College of Montpellier; and whose book on the 
“History of Fishes,” is still held in high estimation. He speaks 
of the Thrasher, ( Alopecias tulpesj as receiving its young in 
this manner when in danger, as we shall shew more at large 
when we treat of that fish; and besides the evidence of those 
whom we may suppose ignorant sailors, 1 have received the 
following information from a gentleman, who was on board a 
ship, of which his father, a captain in the Royal Navy, was 
commander, in or near the tropics. A Shark had seized the 
hook, and was about to be hauled on board, when four young 
ones were seen to escape from it; and being then drawn on 
deck, three more of them were cut out from the stomach or 
mouth. Placed in a vessel of water they were kept alive for 
three days afterwards, and appeared to have suffered nothing 
from their strange confinement. 
The impossibility of surviving such an imprisonment as is 
here supposed, has been urged in proof that even if the young 
have been found inclosed within the stomach, or have been 
