Chapters 3 and 4 Summary and Analysis

A Missile of Teeth

As was the shark that was eventually responsible for the 1916 attacks, newly born white sharks measure up to five feet and weigh up to eight-five pounds. As soon as they are born, they display predatory behaviors. Though young sharks can seem slow-moving, when stimulated they can reach speeds of thirty miles per hour. The thousands of denticles that cover their skin aid in their maneuverability and speed. As the waters turn frigid, the great whites of the North Atlantic migrate southward. The immature shark's head expands rapidly. Twenty-six teeth are contained in the top row and twenty-four in the bottom row. Successive rows of additional teeth are poised behind the functional teeth, ready to replace them when they are discarded. Every two or three weeks, a new, serrated set of teeth replaces the current set...