EAGLE RAY 137 



1 prefer to take our description, but in an abbreviated 

 form, from Mr. Lowe's unfinished work, the "Fishes of 

 Madeira," rather than from an imperfect specimen obtained in 

 Enghand; and the rather that the former was derived from an 

 example fresh from the sea, and not from one preserved in a 

 museum. 



The pectoral fins are widely spread, and growing narrow at 

 their greatest extent; the back raised, and so sloping to the 

 snout, and also towards the tail; which organ is long, slender, 

 and ending in a fine point, with a fin near its origin, and a 

 dart or spine having reversed serrated teeth at the sides, not 

 far behind the fin. The eyes are large and prominent, on the 

 sides of the head, under a projection of the bone, and close 

 behind them wide spiracles. The posterior border of the pec- 

 toral fins incurved and waved; ventrals small, and the claspers 

 of the males so small as to be nearly concealed by these fins. 

 Mouth below, level with the origin of the pectoral fins; the 

 jaws with flat grinding teeth in the middle, but none at the 

 corners of the mouth. The general surface is smooth, but 

 there is often a roughness from the head along the back, and 

 spreading a little over the base of the wings. The length of 

 the tail is about twice the length of the body, and rather 

 exceeding in its extent the whole breadth across the pectoral fins. 

 The colour is greenish or olive liver brown; the tail dark 

 brown, beneath white. When first taken this fish flourishes its 

 tail in all directions; and although the tail is proportionally less 

 than in the Sting Ray, it is capable of inflicting formidable 

 injury. The length of the purse is six inches and a half; the 

 breadth four inches and five eighths; length of the longest 

 tendrils about seven inches and a half, flat and thin in shape, 

 and ending in a slender cord. The structure of the surface 

 is curious and beautiful, differing much from that of other 

 known Rays; the surface thickly set with raised longitudinal 

 lines, closely crossed with dots or raised lines; each longitudinal 

 line being thickly studded with raised markings, points, or 

 short lines ; which, however, do not pass from one line to another, 

 although they appear to sink into the minute channel between 

 them. This description, however, only applies to the middle 

 of the case; for towards the ends and sides the longitudinal 

 lines are joined in this manner, and the reticulations form 

 VOL. L X 



