Tope (Galeus canis), a small species of shark abundant on the southern coasts of Britain, more rare towards the north. Its range extends to
Tasmania and California. The name tope is said to be originally Cornish; other local names are Miller's Dog and Penny Dog. The fish attains a length of about 6 feet; its colouring is dark gray above, white below. Numerous young—a score or more—are born viviparously at a birth. In France and Italy the tope is sometimes eaten either fresh or after drying; the liver is also used for oil. The tope is extremely troublesome to fishermen, robbing their lines of the fish which are attached to them, and biting off the hooks, or, if it happens to be itself hooked, often winding the line round its body in many coils and with tangled knots.