Note: Some sharks, as the basking shark and the whale shark,
grow to an enormous size, the former becoming forty
feet or more, and the latter sixty feet or more, in
length. Most of them are harmless to man, but some are
exceedingly voracious. The man-eating sharks mostly
belong to the genera {Carcharhinus}, {Carcharodon}, and
related genera. They have several rows of large sharp
teeth with serrated edges, as the great white shark
({Carcharodon carcharias, or Rondeleti}) of tropical
seas, and the great blue shark ({Carcharhinus glaucus})
of all tropical and temperate seas. The former
sometimes becomes thirty-six feet long, and is the most
voracious and dangerous species known. The rare
man-eating shark of the United States coast
({Charcarodon Atwoodi}) is thought by some to be a
variety, or the young, of {C. carcharias}. The dusky
shark ({Carcharhinus obscurus}), and the smaller blue
shark ({C. caudatus}), both common species on the coast
of the United States, are of moderate size and not
dangerous. They feed on shellfish and bottom fishes.
2. A rapacious, artful person; a sharper. [Colloq.]
3. Trickery; fraud; petty rapine; as, to live upon the shark.
[Obs.] --South.
{Baskin shark}, {Liver shark}, {Nurse shark}, {Oil shark},
{Sand shark}, {Tiger shark}, etc. See under {Basking},
{Liver}, etc. See also {Dogfish}, {Houndfish},
{Notidanian}, and {Tope}.
{Hammer-headed shark}. See {Hammerhead}.
{Port Jackson shark}. See {Cestraciont}.
{Shark barrow}, the eggcase of a shark; a sea purse.
{Shark ray}. Same as {Angel fish}
(a), under {Angel}.
{Thrasher} shark, or {Thresher shark}, a large, voracious
shark. See {Thrasher}.
{Whale shark}, a huge harmless shark ({Rhinodon typicus}) of
the Indian Ocean. It becomes sixty feet or more in length,
but has very small teeth.
2. A lyrical poem adapted to vocal music; a ballad.
3. More generally, any poetical strain; a poem.
The bard that first adorned our native tongue Tuned
to his British lyre this ancient song. --Dryden.
4. Poetical composition; poetry; verse.
This subject for heroic song. --Milton.
5. An object of derision; a laughingstock.
And now am I their song. yea, I am their byword.
--Job xxx. 9.
6. A trifle. ``The soldier's pay is a song.'' --Silliman.
{Old song}, a trifle; nothing of value. ``I do not intend to
be thus put off with an old song.'' --Dr. H. More.
{Song bird} (Zo["o]l.), any singing bird; one of the Oscines.
{Song sparrow} (Zo["o]l.), a very common North American
sparrow ({Melospiza fasciata}, or {M. melodia}) noted for
the sweetness of its song in early spring. Its breast is
covered with dusky brown streaks which form a blotch in
the center.
{Song thrush} (Zo["o]l.), a common European thrush ({Turdus
musicus}), noted for its melodius song; -- called also
{mavis}, {throsite}, and {thrasher}.
Syn: Sonnet; ballad; canticle; carol; canzonet; ditty; hymn;
descant; lay; strain; poesy; verse.
2. (Zo["o]l.) A large and voracious shark ({Alopias vulpes}),
remarkable for the great length of the upper lobe of its
tail, with which it beats, or thrashes, its prey. It is
found both upon the American and the European coasts.
Called also {fox shark}, {sea ape}, {sea fox}, {slasher},
{swingle-tail}, and {thrasher shark}.
3. (Zo["o]l.) A name given to the brown thrush and other
allied species. See {Brown thrush}.
{Sage thrasher}. (Zo["o]l.) See under {Sage}.
{Thrasher whale} (Zo["o]l.), the common killer of the
Atlantic.