ZOOLOGY. 
367 
ACANTHIAS SUCKLEYI, Grd. 
Western Dog-fish. 
Sp. Cn.—Head constituting somewhat more than the sixth of the entire length. Snout very much depressed and elongated ; 
nostrils nearer its apex than the angle of the mouth. Eyes large, elliptical, situated immediately in advance of the mouth. 
Anterior margin of first dorsal fin nearly equidistant between the pupil and the anterior margin of the second dorsal. A 
shallow caudal groove along the base of the upper lobe of the caudal. Dark grayish, with a few light irregularly scattered 
spots. 
Syn. —Spinax (Acanthias) suckleyi, Gkd. in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VII, 1854, 196.— Ibid. Gen. Rep. Pishes, p. 368. 
This shark is common at Shoalwater bay, and, in habits, seems to resemble closely its 
Atlantic congeners, being also commonly known by the same name, “ dog-fish.” It is equally 
troublesome to persons fishing in deep water, as it bites at anything used for bait, and, indeed, 
on the only occasion when I tried that style of fishing, it formed the principal part of our 
captures. Its usual size is from three to four feet long. 
Its colors, when fresh, are as follows: Adult , pale liver-color above, with white spots, beneath 
white; slight bronze reflections above; iris pale 'sea-green. Young , grayish-brown above, with 
more brilliant gold-bronze tints, especially near the tail, spots purplish white; dorsal fin and 
tail tipped with brick red, more or less blood red on lower lobe of tail and belly, fading 
anteriorly; belly white, with gold reflections. These are the colors of the young when just 
produced. The specimens were caught in October and November.—C. 
The present dog-fish is found abundantly in the waters of Puget Sound, and at certain 
seasons of the year repairs in vast numbers to the more shallow bays and flats off the mouths of 
its affluent streams. They attain, when adult, an average size of about three and a half or four 
feet; they are a voracious fish, readily caught with hook and line, and are not unfrequently 
taken by the natives with spears; their livers are large and very fat, the oil furnished by them 
being highly prized by the natives. It is for this latter that they are generally taken. The 
whites get much of the oil in trade, and use it for all purposes to which whale oil is applied. 
I have been assured, by an intelligent oil refiner, that the oil of this fish, when properly refined, 
is of a very excellent quality. I have used it, when fresh , as a substitute for cod-liver oil, as a 
medicine for consumptive patients. It seemed equally efficacious, and, in one or two cases, 
where the procurement of the latter was impossible, I was led to believe that it saved the 
lives of those taking it. It was given with alcoholic liquors, in doses, commencing at two 
teaspoonfuls, increased gradually to a wine glass full, three times a day. 
I obtained many specimens of the young, which, although six or eight inches long, were still 
attached by an umbilical cord to the “yolk-bag.” 
Note.— A very large shark was captured at Port Discovery in December, 1856. My 
informants told me that from its liver four barrels of oil were extracted! Mr. Gibbs 
subsequently obtained the skeleton and transmitted it to the national collection. Large sharks 
are very rare in Puget Sound; so rare that it is not improbable that they are stragglers which 
have followed the warm “Pacific gulf stream” from more southern regions. 
RAJA COOPERI, Grd. 
The Northwestern Skate. 
Raja cooperi, Grd Gen. Rep. Fishes, p. 372. 
Length from tip of snout to root of tail, three feet six inches. Length of tail, two feet. Breadth across middle of belly, 
four feet two inches. Tip of snout to margin of mouth, eleven inches. Color, above entirely dark brown below dull white. 
