46 
TOPEE. 
young I have met with was thirty-two, but fifty- two have been 
found. They remain near us in the winter, for I have met 
with them in January; being then about twenty inches in length, 
with three rows of teeth; the outer or oldest row of which had 
only one notch on its edge. At this time the older fishes have 
left the coast, and perhaps have retired to deeper waters. 
Among ourselves this fish is little _ regarded as food: but 
Willoughby found it exposed for sale in the market at Rome; 
and fishermen inform me that French people freely purchase it 
for the same purpose. 
It grows to the length of six feet, but is not often found of 
that size. The shape is somewhat round and slender, especially 
towards the tail. The snout depressed and lengthened, and 
diaphanous towards the borders; in fish of full size a narrow 
fold of skin passes over the eye, but I have not observed it 
in the young examples. Spiracles small and near the eye. 
Nostrils small, near the border, and not lobed; mouth far be- 
neath; teeth triangular, serrated on the posterior or inner edge 
only; their position alternate in the rows. Gill openings above 
the origin of the pectoral fins. The first dorsal fin nearer the 
head than the tail, the second opposite the anal, the pectorals 
wide near their origin. Upper lobe of the tail notched. Colour 
a dark ash above, white below. The eye is oval, and the tablet 
on which the globe of the eye is placed in most, if not all the 
Sharks, as already mentioned, is less elevated or clearly marked 
than in the other species with which I am acquainted. There 
are also -ome other particulars connected with the eye of this 
fish, which appear to imply diflerent powers of vision from those 
of other species of Sharks. The outer coat or capsule of the 
eye-ball is firm, but it becomes thinner and more yielding at 
the transparent cornea; wlirn, couaequentlv, when pressed by 
the direcror muw.tes, must become more coiiver; as we also 
find in some birus, wh-cn thus possess itie faculty oi adjusting 
vision to difiVent dfcg<e.'’S of di.std.ace The pupi! it vmy small. 
A nictitant meaiorac.e, foivned of a doubling ol the eyelid, is 
capable of being raised from the inner angle of the eye, to 
cover two thirds of the eye-hall. 
