LONG-NOSED SKATE. 



lopmcnt of the cylindrical appendages, and the appearance and 

 growth of the clusters and rows of spines on the upper surface 

 at the parts pointed out, may be considered analogous to 

 those sexual distinctions which exist in many species of birds 

 and mammals, and which, have been called by John Hunter 

 and others, secondary sexual characters. These spines on the 

 upper surface of the males occur in the different species of 

 Skate with smooth skins, as well as in the others, and are 

 entirely independent of those spinous productions of the 

 cuticle which distinguish two British species, and will be 

 more particularly noticed hereafter. It may here be stated 

 generally, that the Skate are very voracious : their food con- 

 sists of any sort of fish that they can catch, with mollusca, 

 testaceous or naked, and Crustacea. So powerful are their 

 muscles and jaws, that they are able to crush the strong shell 

 of a crab with ease. As in the Sharks, the females are larger 

 than the males. 



The under surface of the Skate at the head of this subject 

 presents two central circular cavities. The upper one just 

 below the transverse mouth is bounded laterally by the five 

 branchial apertures on each outside ; within this cavity the 

 gills are placed. The circular cavity below is the abdomen, 

 and contains the stomach, intestines, and other viscera. The 

 heart is placed immediately in the centre between the two 

 cavities, and is protected by a broad and strong transverse 

 cartilaginous arch, the situation of which is indicated. 



The young are produced towards the latter part of spring, 

 or during summer. They are deposited by the parent 

 fish in thin horny cases, like those of some of the Sharks 

 already described ; but they are more square in form, as 

 the representation here inserted will evince. These horny 

 cases of the Rays, like those of the Sharks, are also 

 called purses ; and on the coast of Cumberland bear the 

 name of Skate-barrows, from the resemblance in shape to 



