236 



THOKNBACK STING EAY. 



Dutch : Bog; French : Fude houcUe) is dispersed through- 

 out the British seas, and almost everywhere caught in 

 numbers. There is no difficulty in distinguishing it, as 

 it is known at once by being studded at intervals all over 

 the surface with rounded nail-like tubercles, which ter- 

 minate in strong cm'ved spines. The tail is armed with 

 several rows of s^^ines, and a single row runs up the 

 dorsal ridge. The prevailing colour is brown, with 

 numerous lighter spots ; the colour beneath is xoiure 

 white, with a few spines only. 



The Small-eyed, or Painted Eay {Kaia microceUatajy 

 and the Starry Eay are both very rare and little 

 known. 



The Sting Eay, Fire Flare, or Fiery Flaw (German : 

 Dei' Stechrochen ; Danish : Pilrokke), is frequent on the 



STING EAY {Eaia pastinaca, Trygon pastinaca). 



southern coasts, from Sussex as far west as the county of 

 Cork in Ireland. The manner in which it defends itself 

 is by twisting its long, slender, and flexible tail round 

 the object of attack, and tearing the surface with the 

 serrated spine, lacerating it in a manner calculated to 

 produce violent inflammation. I have dissected and 



