664 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 

 Family TORPZDINIDJE. 



Electric Rays. 



Body smooth, sharply marked off from thickish tail ; rayed caudal 

 fin ; longitudinal fold on each side of tail ; two dorsal fins ; spiracles 

 well behind eyes ; electric organs present. 



TORPEDO, Dum. 

 T. occidentalis, Stor. Crampfish. Torpedo. Numbfish. 



Mouth small, with pointed teeth ; first dorsal fin more than 

 twice as large as second ; edges of spiracles smooth ; color black, 

 with obscure darker spots. Atlantic coast. Not common. 



Family RAIIDJE. 



Skates. 



Disk rhombic, rough ; tail long, spiny ; pectorals extend to snout ; 

 ventrals large ; eggs laid in horny cases with two " horns " at each 

 end. 



RAIA, L. 



R. erinacea, Mitch, (eglanteria.) Common Skate. Hedge-hog Ray. 

 Little Skate. Tobacco-box. 



No angle to disk at snout ; about fifty rows of teeth ; large, 

 close-set, hooked spines on front of pectorals; middle of back 

 nearly smooth ; groups of small scales on each side of vent, in 

 females; middle teeth sharp in males, blunt in females; color 

 light brown, with small darker spots; females larger. The 

 smallest of our skates ; abundant northward. 



" This species is rare. Dr. Mitchill found one on our coast, 

 which is the only specimen recorded as having been seen from 

 New Jersey." 



R. ocellata, Mitch, (diaphanes in part, Stor.) Big Skate Ray. 



Much like last, but attains length of three feet and has more 

 spines on back, and nearly one hundred rows of teeth. 



