FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 193 



somewhat like a shark's tooth ; the ventrals of the female have 

 not these appendages. Besides this sexual character, in the 

 female, there are fewer spines upon the surface of the body 

 generally, and particularly upon the fleshy portions of the pec- 

 torals. The anal orifice of the male, is circular : of the female^ 

 a simple incision ; the teeth of the female are more prominent, 

 and sharper ; the male has fewer spots. 



R. batis. Lin. The Skate. 



Pennant's British Zoology, vol. iv. p. 72, et fig. 



Mc Murtrie's Cuv. vol. ii. p. 293. 



Yarrell's British Fishes, vol. ii. p. 421, et fig. 



This species sometimes attains the weight of 200 pounds. 

 From a female specimen, three feet three inches in length, and 

 two feet in width from the extreme points of the pectorals, 

 brought me by my brother in law, Thomas M. Brewer, M. D., 

 I have made the following description : 



Above, of a light ash color, sprinkled over its entire surface, 

 with blackish ocellated spots, more or less large. Margin of 

 the pectorals, reddish. 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 

 pectoral fins : the remainder of the pectorals naked, with the 

 exception of a small number of very minute spines at the pos- 

 terior 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 be- 

 fore 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 smaller spines are situated on each mar- 

 ginal edge of the tail, commencing on a line with the posterior 

 angle of the ventrals. Length of the head, to the entire length 

 of the fish, nearly 1 to 4. Eyes moderate in size, oblong ; pupils 

 black ; irides silvery, with a beautiful golden fringed curtain 

 25 





