8o 
THE HIVING WORLD. 
(ecHineis remora) from the ancient superstition that it attached itself to vessels 
and prevented their progress through the waves. It was currently believed, for 
instance, that Mark Antony’s vessel at the time of his defeat at sea was held 
fast in one position by remoras , which wantonly attached themselves to his keel. 
While these mythological stories have for the scientists only the value of stimu¬ 
lating to investigation, and to the discovery of more wholly natural explanations, 
they form so large and so beautiful a contribution to the resources of the writer 
and- speaker that they have an office in a popular work upon natural history so 
long as the line is drawn between the facts of science and poetical fictions. 
The Dog Fish is numerous alike in species and in its communities. 
Like the shark, it lays its eggs, attaching them to the weeds near the land 
by means of tendril-like projections. The large spotted dog-fish is common 
in English waters, where it is called the bounce; a smaller species infests 
the coasts of Scotland. It is abundant on the fishing banks of New York 
and Massachusetts, as amateur fishermen have occasion to remember, for 
many an anticipated catch of mackerel has been blighted by the appear¬ 
ance of a school 
of dog-fish. 
There are well- 
authenticated 
instances of 
man-eating by 
schools of dog¬ 
fish, where, as 
in one case, the 
victim was in¬ 
dulging in a. 
salt-water bath, 
and in another, 
when a child, 
fell from the 
deck of a ship. 
The famous 
Captain Paul 
Boynton, while 
swimming i n 
the Straits of 
Messina, was pursued and finally attacked by an immense dog-fish, but by 
the vigorous use of his knife, the captain was able to drive the creature 
away. On another occasion, two boys were regularly besieged by a school of 
dog-fish. While amusing themselves upon a half-sunken vessel, their own skiff 
floated away and left them without the means of regulating the length of their 
stay. Presently they become aware of the presence of a school of dog-fish, 
which for several hours made active war upon them. The fish would jump 
high into the air in their attempts to reach the human prey. The poor boys 
grew more and more frightened at their novel and perilous situation, and during 
the time which elapsed before they were discovered and released by a steamer 
they underwent every variety of thrilling and dreadful foreboding. 
The Rays ( Raice ) form a connecting link between the shark and the 
remora (Echineis neucrates ). 
