62 
BASKING SHARK. 
tliorougWy relished by all tastes. Ilondeletius goes further, aud 
says that the smell itself was so nauseous as to destroy the 
appetite for all besides that was on the table. Ihe Leading 
Whale, {Delphinus melas,) which exceeds the length of twenty 
feet, was one of those that were thus elevated into a dainty 5 
for it is to this that I would without hesitation refer the account 
given in “Notes and Queries” for June 27th., 1857, as an 
extract of an ancient chronicle of -Jersey, hrotn this we learn 
that in the month of May, 1575, a herd, eighty-seven in number, 
ran themselves ashore on that island, and were taken posses- 
sion of by the Governor. Each one was a load for a waggon; 
but they were sent as presents, not for their oil, but as delicacies, 
to the principal persons of the island. Pomet, an apothecaiy, 
who wrote a History of Drugs in French, gives an account of 
the value then set on these Whales; but by comparing his 
te.xt will, die figure he gives of the creature so highly esteemed, 
there is no mistaking the fact that the Basking Shark is the 
species represented; and which had thus been advanced to an 
honour not properly due to it, without the discovery of that 
error by the guests; their politeness of course preventing the 
expression of dislike, however nauseous the taste of the dish 
might be. 
This fish performs a regular migration along the west coast 
of Ireland, to the western islands of Scotland; and it is at this 
time that a regular fishery is carried on for taking them, of 
wdiich the following description is given by W. Lrabazon, Esq., 
in his account of the fislicrics of Ireland; — “If the end of Apiil 
is hot, the Sunfish (locally so named) are certain to shew above 
the water, and remain on the (Clew) bank till the middle of 
Itlay. This large shoal of Sharks yiass annually at this season 
along the west coast, on their u. from the southern to the 
northern seas. They are taken on the Sunfish bank, situated 
about a hundred miles W'est of Clew bay, and extending many 
miles north and south. The fishermen there reckon it a day’s 
sail of sight of land. They are found on the bank in 
great ..uibers, and their large dorsal fin is seen at a great 
distance, as it rises three or four feet out of the w'ater, while 
they lie motionless on the surface basking in the sun. At this 
time they are easily approached, and struck with a harpoon; 
the boat employed for this purpose approaches the fish with a 
