THE RAYS AND SKATES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 667 



THE SKATES. 



Of the Skates, Raiida:, there are five species on our Atlantic coast, a list of which, with their 

 common and scientific names and a statement of their geographical distribution, will be found on 

 the check-list in the appendix. They are all troublesome to the fisherman, clogging his lines and 

 pound-nets; but none of them are of the slightest economical value except the so-called " Barn-door 

 Skate," Raia la-pis, which is occasionally salted for use by the fishermen of Portsmouth, New 

 Hampshire, and -which has, within the last two or three years, attracted some notice iu New York. 

 Miss Corson, in her cooking school, has called attention to its excellent qualities as a food-fish, 

 and Skates may be found on the bill of fare at certain restaurants, such as Mouquin's, on Fulton 

 street. Only the " wings," or the fleshy flaps to the pectoral fins, are used. 



THE TOKPEDO TORPEDO OCCIDENTALIS. 



The Torpedo is found north as far as Cape Ann, a specimen having been taken at Lanesville 

 in the summer of 1878. It is more or less abundant along the Southern New England and middle 

 States coast. 



The Torpedo is occasionally thrown upon the shore, and its capture in the pound-nets is not 

 unusual. It is of no economic importance, but is of great interest to physiologists on account of 

 its powerful electric apparatus. The fishermen know its peculiarities, and carefully avoid handling 

 it, since a shock from a living individual is sufficient to knock a man down. It is usually called 

 the "Cramp-fish," and, iu pursuance of the old idea of the influence of signatures in medicines, 

 the oil made from the liver is prized by fishermen as a specific for rheumatism and cramp. Captain 

 Atwood writes: 



"I have seen considerable many. They run ashore, and they have been harpooned from the 

 shore. I have seen five hundred, 1 think. I used to go and look for them for their livers, for the 

 oil. The oil is one of the best lamp oils that I ever saw. It has been used sometimes beneficially 

 in cases of cramp. I got a gallon of oil from one liver. I don't know but I have seen a Cramp- 

 fish big enough to make three gallons of oil." 



THE RAYS AND SKATES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 



Of the numerous Rays on the Pacific coast only two or three are of economic value, being 

 brought into the market of San Francisco, when their pectoral fins are sold to the French and 

 Italians. These are of little importance, as they are so cheap that there is no profit in bringing 

 them to the city at all when any transportation charges are paid. One of the Sting Rays (Ptcro- 

 platea marmorata) sometimes comes into the market of Los Angeles, and the tails of Rhinobatus 

 productus are sometimes preserved and eaten by the Chinese and Mexicans. 



The following is a, full list of the species now known: Mania lii-rostris, the Devil-fish, the largest 

 of all Rays; sometimes coine north to San Diego. Myliobatis clifrnicu.i, the common Sting Ray, 

 from Cape Meiidociuo southward; is destructive to oyster beds, which are always shut in with a 

 sort of picket-fence to keep these animals out. The "sting" of this and other species often pro- 

 duces severe flesh wounds, which may be accompanied by blood-poisoning, and sometimes causes 

 death. 1 Ptcroplatca marmorata, Trygon dipterurus, and Urolophnu llallerl, all Sting Rays, found 



'On Thursday week, as I). 1C. Williams, of Anaheim, was at the landing amusing himself fishing with a net, he 

 was severely stung l>y a iish kno'.vn as tin Slingarer. lie was lifting a frw .small tisli from' the net. and among oth-Ts 

 picked up what appeared (.1 lie ;i small flounder, when lie received a lien e sting from the tail of the reptile on his 

 right I'nr lin:,ri-. Mr immediately commenced .sucking the poison from the wound, init in a lew moments he sulfered 

 great agony and became delirious. His friends took him at once, to a house ,-i:;il gave- him three pints of whisky, 

 which, together with constant attention, brought him through safely in about lifteen hours, and ho is now entirely 

 recovered. Anaheim (lazclte, April 14, 1871. 



