THORNBACK. 583 



best known of the species of Rays, a term which Mr. Couch 

 considers to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon ' Reoh, 1 which 

 means ' rough, 1 and is particularly appropriate to the Thorn- 

 back, which, on the Cornish coast, is pre-eminently distin- 

 guished as the Ray. The Thornback is also taken com- 

 monly both on the coast of Scotland and Ireland. From the 

 good quality of the flesh of this fish, and the immense quan- 

 tity taken every year, the Thornback, and its female, the 

 Maid, is one of the most valuable of the species. Mr. Couch 

 says that the flesh takes salt well, and in this preserved state 

 affords the poor fishermen and their families many wholesome 

 meals when stormy weather prevents them obtaining fresh 

 supplies. The Thornback is taken in the greatest abundance 

 during spring and summer, because the fish then frequent 

 sandy bottoms in shallower water and nearer the shore than 

 usual, for the purpose of depositing their eggs ; but the flesh 

 of the Thornback at this season is not, as before noticed, so 

 firm as in autumn and winter. It is in the best condition for 

 table about November. Their food is various other fish, par- 

 ticularly flatfish, testaceous mollusca, and Crustacea. 



Blocli's figure, plate 83, represents the female of this spe- 

 cies, under the name of R. clavata ; and the fish next in suc- 

 cession in that work, plate 84, is an old male of the same 

 species, but is called R. rubus, although most of the syno- 

 nymes quoted are those of clavata. 



The figure here given was taken from a young male mea- 

 suring fourteen inches in breadth. The point of the nose is 

 but little produced : the anterior margins of the pectorals are 

 undulated ; the outline behind each lateral angle of the pec- 

 torals nearly straight, or slightly rounded : the eyes and tem- 

 poral orifices rather large, with two or three strong hooked 

 spines both before and behind them. The whole upper sur- 

 face of the body rough with small points, which when examin- 

 ed with a lens have stellated bases. Besides these, there are 



