The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1894-11-15
SHARKS FRIEND.
The Little Pilotfish is His Con.'
stant Companion.
Great Size and FerOcity Of the
Man-Eater Shark.

Fishermen of Point Iona, San
Diego, Cal, were surprised recently
to capture q specimen of the man-eatei
shark, or Carcharodon carcharias, as
the scientists call it. This kind of
shark, says the New York Sun, is
rarely captured. What caused the
men greater surprise was the fish
found clinging to the sharks side. 1t
was new fish to San Diego fisher
men, who never before saw pilotfish,
nor were they aware of its peculiar
habits. 1t is sharks valet, as 1T
and derives its name from the habit OF
keeping company with ships and large
fish, especially sharks. 1t is the Pom
plus of the ancients, who described
it as pointing out the way to embar-
rassed sailors.
3 A pilotfish is of great use to its big
companion in showing it the way to
its food. The naturalist, DR.. Meyer,
observed from the deck of ship on
three occasions shark led by pilot.
When the shark neared the ship the
pilot swan close to the snout or neAr
one of the pectoral fins of the big fish.
Sometimes he darted rapidly forward
or sideward, as if looking for some
thing, and constantly went back again
to the shark. When the doctor threw
overheard q piece of bacon on shark
hook the shark was about twenty PAGES
from the ship. Instantly the pilottish
came up, smelled at the dainty morsel,
and swan back to the shark, swim
ming MANY times round his snout and
splashing as if to give him exact lnfor-
nation about the bacon. The shark
began to put himself in motion, the
pilot showing him the way, and in
moment he was fast upon the hook.
The pilot obtains most of his food
directly from the shark in feeding on
the parasitic crustaceans with which
sharks and other large fish are in
tested, and ON the smallest pieces OF
flesh which are left unnoticed by the
shark when it tears its prey. The
pilot, being small fish, only about
twelve inches long, obtains greater Sc
curity against attacks from other fish
when in the company of shark. The
shark never attacks pilot fish for the
good reason that the small fish is too
nimble
The man eater shark, such as that
taken by the San Diego fishermen,
grows to enormous size. The British
Museum has the jaws of one which
was SO feet long. Lieut.. Gaillard,
United States Army, showed the writ
err teeth from one of these monsters
which he found in the phosphate beds
of South Carolina. which are SIX inch
es long from apex to the point where
the teeth entered the jaw. These
great teeth belonged to shark fully
70 feet long. The mouth of the man
eater is vide, the teeth sharp, and the
jaws strong. Probably this species
and the tiger shark are the most vora-
cious of their kind. An instance Is
cited of IA boats crew chasing a man
eater off the Massachusetts coast and
throwing harpoon into the fish.
The shark turned and seized the boat
with great ferocity, near the bows,
breaking several teeth. 1t was killed
with lance. A fisherman off Swamp
scot in a small boat was seen to wave
his hat for assistance. Another boat
Immediately started toward him. A
man-eater was seen to slide Off the
fisherman's boat, the angler remain
ing in the frail craft. The shark re-
newed the attack, carrying down the
boat before assistance arrived. 1t
came to the surface bottom up. The
unfortunate fisherman was never seen
again.
Origin of Famous Rose.