THE FOOD AND GAME FISHES OF NEW YORK. 263 



allusion to its habit of rolling itself up when caught. At Southampton, L. I., this 

 species was taken in small numbers August 3, 1898. 



3. Spotted Skate (Raja ocellata Mitchill). 





 Raja ocellata MITCHILL, Trans. Lit. & Phil. Soc. N. Y., I, 477, 1815. 



Raia ocellata DEK.AY, N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 369, 1842 (not pi. 65, fig. 212). 



The Spotted Skate reaches a length of nearly 3 feet ; its egg cases are more than 

 twice as large as those of R. crinacca. The species is found from New York to 

 Massachusetts and northward. 



SPOTTED SKATE. 



Dr. Mitchill described a specimen which was 30 inches long and 19 inches wide. 

 Dr. DeKay calls this species the Spotted Ray. He found the stomach of one filled 

 with rock crabs (Cancer irroratus). To the fishermen this and allied species are 

 known as Skate. It has no commercial value in Great South Bay. In the traps at 

 Islip Skates reappear on October I on their fall migration. A female was caught 

 near the inlet, at Fire Island, September 29, 1898. The species was more abundant 

 later in the fall. 



At Woods Hole, according to Dr. Smith, this is the Big Skate or Winter Skate. 

 It is common from February to June and from October 15 to the end of the trap 

 fishing; it is absent or very rare in summer. 



