290 PISCES. 



Sqatina, Dumer.(l) 



Spiracles, but no anal, as in the third division of the Squali, but dif- 

 fering from all of them in the mouth, which is cleft in the end of 

 the snout and not beneath, and in the eyes, which are placed on its 

 dorsal surface and not on the sides. The head is round, the body 

 broad and horizontally flattened, the pectorals large and extending 

 forwards, but separated from the body by a fissure where the bran- 

 chial orifices are piercedj the two dorsals are behind the ventrals, 

 and the caudal is attached both above and beneath. The 



Squat, angclus', Squalus squaiina, L.; Bl., 1 16(2) (The Angel- 

 Fish), attains a considerable size in the European seas. Its skin 

 is rough, and the edges of the pectorals are furnished with small 

 spines. 



Pristis, Lath. (3) 



The Saw-fish forms a fourth genus. To the elongated form of the 

 Squali it unites a body flattened before and branchise opening below, 

 as in the Rays^ but its peculiar character consists in a very long de- 

 pressed snout resembling the blade of a sword, armed on each side 

 with stout, bony, trenchant and pointed spines, planted like teeth. 

 This beak, from which these fishes derive their name, is a most 

 powerful weapon, and with it they attack the largest Whales. The 

 true teeth of their jaws resemble small paving stones, like those of 

 a Mustelus. 



The common species, Pristisantiquorum, Lath.j Squal. pristis, 

 L., attains a length of twelve or fifteen feet. 



Raia, Lin. (4) 



The Rays form a less numerous genus than the Squali. They are 

 recognized by the horizontally flattened body which resembles a 



head. N.B. The tail of Bloch's figure is twisted, whence the error of Schn., p. 

 131 Caudse inferiore lobo longiore. 



(1) 'P/v, in Greek, Squatina and Squatus in Latin: the ancient names of this 

 fish still used in Greece and Italy. 



(2) Add Squat, aculeata, Dumer., of the Mediterranean, which has a row of 

 strong spines along the back; Squat. Dumerilii, Lesueur, Ac. Nat. Sc. Philad., 

 I, X, with a granulated skin, &c. 



(3) n^/r/c, saw, the Greek name of this fish. Species: Pristis antiquorum; 

 Pr. pedinatus; Pr. cuspidatus; Pr. microdon; Prist, cirrhatus. See Lath., 

 Trans, of the Lin. Soc. vol. 11, p. 282, pi. 26 a.nd 27 ; Pristis semi-sagiitatus, 

 Shaw. , Russel, I, 13. 



(4) Baia, in Latin, Batjc and Buros, in Greek, are the ancient names of these 

 fishes. 



