. The animal creation: a popular introduction to zoology. Zoology. PLAGIOSTOMES. 355 ference. It is harmless to man, but an enemy to whales, biting and tearing these superior monsters when alive, and eating them up. Fig. 2S8.—GREENLAND SHARK. when they die, gorging itself with blubber, like an Esquimaux, scoop- ing hemispherical pieces, each as large as a man's head, out of the whale's body, and swallowing as much as ever it can, until it has so filled itself, that it has no place wherein to stow away any more; heeding no annoyance, not even the stab of a knife at dinner-time, and contenting i
. The animal creation: a popular introduction to zoology. Zoology. PLAGIOSTOMES. 355 ference. It is harmless to man, but an enemy to whales, biting and tearing these superior monsters when alive, and eating them up. Fig. 2S8.—GREENLAND SHARK. when they die, gorging itself with blubber, like an Esquimaux, scoop- ing hemispherical pieces, each as large as a man's head, out of the whale's body, and swallowing as much as ever it can, until it has so filled itself, that it has no place wherein to stow away any more; heeding no annoyance, not even the stab of a knife at dinner-time, and contenting itself with a fasting diet of small fishes and crabs on those days when whale-beef is not to be procured.—Mr. Afsten. Tlie Saw-fishes {Pristis) (Fig. 285) are especially distinguished by their very long snout, in the form of a sword-blade, armed on each edge with strong bony spines, which are pointed and cutting; this terrible weapon enables its possessor fearlessly to attack the largest whales. The teeth covering the jaws resemble a pavement of small pebbles. The common Saw-fish attains a length of twelve or fifteen feet. Tlie Skates (Baia) form a lars^e tribe, of which the common Thornback is a familiar Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Jones, Thomas Rymer, 1810-1880. London : Society for Promoting Knowledge
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Keywords: ., bookauthorjo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjectzoology
