NOTE ON A LARGE SAW-FISH. 
137 
A DESCRIPTIVE NOTE ON THE CAPTURE OF A LARGE 
SAW-FISH (PRISTIS CUSPIDATUS) CONTAINING 
INTRA-UTERiNE EIYSBRY0S. 
By T. Southwell, A.R.C.Sc. (Lond.), F.L.S., 
■Scientific Adviser to the Ceylon Company of Pearl Fishers , Ltd., 
and Inspector of Pearl Banks. 
D URING trawling operations which were being conducted by 
the ss. “ Violet ” at the mouth of Portugal Bay (Ceylon 
Pearl Banks) on December 15, 1909, a large specimen of this fish 
(Pristis cuspidatus) was caught. It was a female measuring 15J 
feet, extreme length. The rostrum (or saw) measured 4J feet, and 
the breadth across the pectoral fins was 5J feet. The weight was 
approximately 170 lb. The interest attached to this capture lies 
purely in the fact that it contained 23 embryos, which will be 
referred to later. 
A small male was also captured at the same time, having an 
extreme length of 6f feet and a breadth of 1| feet. 
Both these specimens occurred on mud in 4 fathoms. Two years 
ago a specimen was trawled by the “ Viplet ” off the east coast of 
Ceylon, but not being present I have no details, save that it 
measured “ just over 18 feet.” 
The flesh of this species is dried and salted, and is considered 
excellent by the Tamil fishermen, whilst the fins are a delicacy of 
some rarity. The Tamil name is “ Veila, ” and refers to the rostrum 
or saw. 
Day (“Fauna of British India, Fishes,” vol. I., 1889) refers as 
follows to the family 
“ Snout much produced, flattened, and having a saw-like 
appearance, due to the existence of large teetli on its lateral edges. 
Trunk passing gradually into the tail. 
“ The endoskeleton of a tooth of the saw of one of these fishes 
consists of from three to five hollow tubes tapering towards their 
extremity, and covered with an osseous deposit, which is perforated 
with fine holes. The teeth vary both in size and number in the 
same species, rendering them unsuitable as specific, but admissible 
as individual distinctions. 
“Great injuries can be inflicted by these fishes, which strike 
sideways with their formidable snouts ; and although not personally 
a witness to the fact, I have been informed on native authority 
that large ones have been known to cut a bather completely in two. 
6 ( 8)10 
x 
