126 
THE BLUE SHARK,' 
Ron dele tius afcribes to this fpecies, only two rows of 
teeth; but their number probably depends upon the fillies 
age ; and if fo, no couclufion can be drawn with regard 
to it, from a fingle initance * : They are granulated, and 
of a triangular fliape f. This naturaliil declares, that 
he was an eye witnefs of the blue (harks fondnefs f 0 r 
human ile(h ; having feen one purfue a boy a confiderable 
way along the (hore, and making a fpring at him, near- 
ly bit of his legs. 
It is concerning this fpecies, that Mian relates fuch 
extraordinary inllances of parental affeftion J. It is faid 
by him, that the blue (hark permits its fmall brood, 
when in danger, to fwim down its mouth, and take (hel- 
ter in its belly. This faft is faid to have been obferved 
by Rondeletius , an able naturalift ; and it is narrated by 
Pennant, a very accurate ichthyologift, as a part of the 
hiltory of this whole genus that is entitled to belief. In 
fad, it is no more incredible, than that the young of the 
oppojjum, Ihould feek an affylum in the ventral pouch 
of its parent ; a fa£t too well known to be contefted $, 
* De Pifcibns. f Lin. Syft. 
f JE lai. An. lib. i. cap. 1 6. 
S Britiffy Zool. article, Blue Shark* 
