562 



RAIID.E. 



to distinguish it from the Thornback and Homelyn, which 

 are also popularly called Skate, is not so/ commonly taken 

 as either, but is still better than either as an article of food. 



It appears to be found among the Orkneys, in the Forth, 

 and on the coast of Scotland, where it is called Blue Skate 

 and Grey Skate. From thence southward as far as Kent, 

 and again westward to Cornwall, it is found along the whole 

 line of coast. In Ireland, the Skate is taken from Cork up 

 the east coast to Antrim, and from thence northward and 

 westward to Londonderry and Donegal. At Lyme Regis, 

 on account of its dusky grey colour, it is called the Tinker. 



Dr. Storer includes this species in his Report on the 

 Fishes of Massachusetts. 



In this species both sexes when adult have sharp teeth, the 

 points beginning to elongate by the time the body of the 

 fish has attained the breadth of twelve or fourteen inches. 

 The females are generally called Maids ; and fishermen dis- 

 tinguish the females of the three species of most frequent 

 occurrence by the names of Skate Maid, Thornback Maid, 

 and Homelyn Maid, frequently calling the old male of the 

 Skate with his two long appendages the Three-tailed Skate. 

 In each of these species the females are observed to be much 

 more numerous as well as larger than the males. Pennant 

 mentions having seen a Skate that weighed two hundred 

 pounds : it is very voracious, and Mr. Couch has known five 

 different species of fish, besides Crustacea, taken from the 

 stomach of a single individual. There is reason to believe 

 that the true Skate produces its young later in the season 

 than either the Thornback or the Homelyn. 



The breadth of the body is to its length nearly as four to 

 three ; the form of the nose conical : the lines from the nose 

 to the extreme lateral angle of each pectoral fin slightly con- 

 cave ; from thence to the ventral fins, the posterior free mar- 

 gins are rather convex ; the eyes are slightly elevated above 



