CLASS PISCES. 609 



squali. They are recognised by their body, flatted 

 horizontally, and resembling a disk, in consequence of 

 its union with the extremely ample and fleshy pecto- 

 rals, which unite in front one to another, or with the 

 muzzle, and which extend backwards, on the two sides 

 of the abdomen, as far as the base of the ventrals ; 

 the shoulder-blades of these pectorals are articulated, 

 with the spine behind the gills. The eyes and air- 

 holes are at the dorsal face ; the mouth, nostrils, and 

 orifices of the gills, at the ventral face. The dorsal 

 fins are almost always on the tail. Their eggs are 

 brown, coriaceous, squared, with the angles prolonged 

 into points. We subdivide them as follows : 



Rhinobatus ', Schn., 



Connect the rays to the squali, by their thick and 

 fleshy tail, furnished with two dorsals and caudal, all 

 very distinct. The rhomboid formed by their muzzle 

 and their pectorals is sharp in front, and much less 

 broad in proportion than in the ordinary rays. For 

 the rest, they have all the characters of the rays. 

 Their teeth are crowded in a quincunx arrangement, 

 like little flat paving-stones. 



In some, the first dorsal is still over the ventrals 2 . 



1 'PivofjciTog, which Gaza translates by Squalino-raia, is the 

 Greek name of these fishes, which the ancients believed to be pro- 

 duced by the union of the ray and the angel-fish. 



2 Rhin. IcEvis, Schn. 71. Russel, 10. and Rh. Djiddensis, Forsk. 18. 

 which probably make but one species. It is to it that should be 

 referred the figures of Rhinobate, Lacep. V. vi. 3. and that of Du- 

 hamel, Part II. Sect. ix. pi. xv. 



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