SHAGREEN RAY. 57!.) 



south ; at least I have not as yet been fortunate enough to 

 obtain one. 



According to the late M. Fries of Stockholm, the Shagreen 

 Ray of English authors, so called from the rough shark-like 

 texture of the skin, is the Raia fullonica of Linnaeus, and is 

 probably, though this is not allowed by some writers, the 

 same species as that called fullonica by Rondeletius, p. 856 

 of the Latin edition of 1554, and p. 283 of the French 

 edition, printed at Lyons in 1558, illustrated by figures from 

 the same wood-blocks. This species is also probably the 

 R. fullonica of the Danish naturalist, M. Muller. 



In the Frith of Forth, according to Dr. Parnell, " The 

 Shagreen Ray is occasionally taken in the stake-nets set in 

 deep water, more especially in the months of May and June, 

 when a few may be seen in the Edinburgh market along with 

 Grey Skate and Thornbacks. It is known to the fishermen 

 under the name of Rough Flapper, and its flesh is considered 

 inferior as food to that of the other species of Skates, it being 

 soft and dry. It feeds on small starfish, and crustaceous ani- 

 mals in general."" 



Pennant met with a specimen at Scarborough, where he 

 says it is called the French Ray, and that it is caught on 

 hooks baited with sand-eels or sand-launce. 



Montagu has noticed it on the Devonshire coast, and men- 

 tions having seen several of both sexes, but none larger than 

 that which he has described. He adds, that it is known to 

 some of the west country fishermen by the name of Dun Cow. 



The Shagreen Ray has been taken on the north-east coast 

 of Ireland, by the collectors under the directions of the Ord- 

 nance Survey ; and Mr. Thompson has included this species 

 in his Report to the British Association on the Vertebrata of 

 Ireland, which is published in the volume for the year 1840. 



This species appears to be the Raia aspera of the Fishes 

 of the Fauna Fran9aise by M. Blainville, p. 22. 



2 P 2 



