370 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



THE SMOOTH SKATE. 



RaIA L.EVIS. 



The Smooth Skate, Rata lavis. MiTCHILL,* Am. Month. Mag. Vol. 2, p. 327. 

 R. batis? The Skate. Storek, Report on the Fishes of Massachusetts, p. 193. 



Characteristics. Small spines on the orbits and anterior margins of the pectoral fins ; the rest 

 of the body smooth. Three rows of spines on the tail. Length two to 

 four feet. 



Description {female). Form rhomboidal. Upon the anterior angle of the eyes, upon the 

 upper orbitar margin, and also at the posterior margin, a number of very small spines ; the 

 last situated, smallest. A few spines are also observed upon the anterior margin of the pec- 

 toral fins ; the remainder of the pectorals naked, with the exception of a small number of 

 very minute spines at the posterior base, just in front of the ventral fins. A single row of 

 spines, larger than are found upon any other part of the body, arm the dorsum of the tail, 

 commencing a short distance before the origin of the ventrals, and continue to the second 

 dorsal fin, with the exception of the space occupied by the first dorsal. A row of rather 

 small spines are situated on each marginal edge of the tail, commencing on a line with the 

 posterior angle of the ventrals. Length of the head to the entire length, nearly 1 to 4. 

 Eyes moderate, oblong ; pupils black ; irides silvery, with a beautiful golden fringed curtain 

 suspended from above. A slight depression on the top of the head, extending a consi- 

 derable distance forward towards the snout ; top of the snout covered with small flexible 

 spines ; extremity of the snout naked. Anterior portion of the body tapering from the lateral 

 angles of the pectorals to nearly a point at the snout, which is slightly blunted. Width 



* Having associated these two species, it will be necessary to reproduce the original description of Mitchill. I have 



given above, the elaborate description from Dr. Storer. 



" Raia ljevis, Smooth-backed Skate. With a smooth back, except a row of direct spines along the middle of the tail, and 

 an oblong patch of oblique prickles near the extremity of each wing. Snout pointed, elongated towards the extre- 

 mity. Upper side dark-colored, clouded and smutty. Tail thick and stout, having three rows of short stiff spines ; 

 one along the middle or ridge, and one along the lower margin on each side; they resemble incipient knobs, rather 

 than thorns ; towards the end there were two dorsal fins, of nearly the same figure and size ; tile extremity of the 

 tail itself was soft and flexible, yet it was triangular, like the form of a bayonet. The broad back was of a rather 

 pale ash-color, overspread irregularly with darkish clouds. About the middle of each wing was a spot of a circular 

 form, surrounded as a centre by eight or nine smaller spots, and the central spot itself contained something of fighter 

 and darker shades. There was a roughness, scarcely amounting to prickles, along the margin extending from the 

 tip of the snout to the extremities of the wings. Towards these extremities, there was an oblong patch of about 

 three inches long, and one inch broad, whose surface was beset with rows of prickles placed obliquely, and concealing 

 themselves in channels; they seemed to have a retractile quality. The teeth are distinct, and moveable separately. 

 The curtain of the eye is elegantly fimbriated. The anal fins are large and sinuated, and the appendages between 

 them and the tail are very stout, and of about half the length of the tail. The individual now before me was taken 

 at the city of New-York, beside a wharf in the East river, November 5, 1815. The length was four feet and one 

 inch, and the breadth two feet and four inches; being a large fish." 



