Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-30
Surprising Facts About the Sea
11gers NoW Mfesting Our North
Atlaf1t1c Coast---Thei Monstr0u,
Ancestors, and Ho1u We Got
Our Ears from Then,
BY Prof. w. H. BalIou, Sc. D.


science. The extraordinary in.
vasion Of North Atlantic waters by
thousands of them is only the latest
mystery that this interesting fsh-to
which, by the way, We owe our own ears
and movable jaws-has provided.
For instance, strange as it. may seem
scientists have been at odds as to whether
shark is really a "maneater"-that is.
"hether sharks actually have taste for
man flesh and can and do snap off arms
and legs and in some cases sever bodies
because they like the. flavor of humanity.
Inc opposing camp has held that the
shark only does this when it is extraor.
oinarlly hungry or frightened. The
affirmative has held that there exists the
appetite Tor human flesh among certain
sharks, and that this appetite is, steadily
increasing, They have the weight of eyi.
dence on their side.
onarks are OF two kinds, broadly speak
ing: Inc oviparous or egg-laying spocies.
ana the viviparous species which bring
1orth 'helr young alive. Science has de.
cidreu that the egg-laying sharks are the
Only ones that are maneaters. The vivi-
parous. although the largest and includ-
Ing the baskinS shark and whale shark
Whlch attain size Of thirty.two feet.
nave been classed as harmless. This ia
ontS because no instance has ever been
observed OF this species attacking man
IoI MS Hesh. Nevertheless it is not we'll
10 take chance with the big ones.
The shark is the hrainiest of fish, with
the exception or its close cousin the
mania. also called the flying ray and devil
nsn Inc shark by its brain ranks among
inc nshcS as man does among mammals.
Inc ray would he classcd on earth as a
superman cndo'ed with flight and devil
ISM ingenuity. The ray has gained this
greater brain power by the fact that il
can Skim along the surface of the water
IKE hydroplane. If We could suddenly
breed man with Il pair Of wings AMI
the aodltional motor and brain centres
necessary to manipulate the wings sc
would nave an exact parallel between the
shark and its cousin
Despite the fact that the shark is the
brainiest fish it is also the most bone
headcf. This is because its gigantic an.
cestors OF the Eocene period, some mil
mons OF years ago, were forced to crack
open armorplated fishes for their food.
lheso Eocene sharks which began lie
ABOUT 2oo,O00.000 years ago were mon
sters indeed Fossil jaws at the Amari-
can Museum OF Natural History, New
York, show a stretch of from twelve 70
eishteen feet In other words, such a
SHARK could easily bite in two a motor
boat These sharks grew 100 feet long
Inc shark is the only fish with what
may be called true ears Indeed we owe
our ears and our movable Jaws To this
ferocioYS sea dweler. In the ascent of
animals il is Notable that some speciaI
organ is developed as each stage is
passed. AS the beginning OF the brain
as rea! brain goes back TO the worm
AinpnioHus. in the common ancestors
OF shark and man two very imoort
ant developments OF structure frst
appear. These are the hinged laws
movable AZ the will OF the animal and in
addition as if preparing the way for the
cooperation OF the jaws 10 utter sounds.
ears. G. ~ nave
To put it in a few words. in the nroc.
ess OF evolution, had il not been for tho
stage OF the common ancestor of sbart
ahG man man would have been both deaf
ana dnmo for speech is absolutely
dependant upon a movable law. ar
ARTICULATION would be impossible. And
,oesldes. unless we hear. and we cannot
talk. ieHin 10
Sharks have a strong sense of smell
ana thelr vision is limited to one hun.
~ .ec' uhder water and possibly to
emerges from their native eleme,,
II IS nearly impossible to compare tne
ID" o. shark with that of a human
oe4As or other mammal A man chews
ra'AeT IMAM bites his meats. because HE
teelh are built that way The mammal
teeth are largely for mastication While
81 course one man can give another
ads'E bie he cannot crash his teeth
;a,, ZONES or even muscle. The
81 shaTk the same size as the
''' nave IL mas been conservatives