The Ra>/.'\ OF ORKNEY. l69 



or thornback skates, onl)? the young of all are called maid- 

 ens. 



* * With Blunt Teeth. 



Species 3. — The Thornback. 



Thornback, Wil. Icth, 74. Rail Syn. Pise. 26. Raia clavata, Lin. Sys. 397. 

 Brit. Zool. 69. Raia, the Thornback, Sib. Scot. .i. 



Among the most ordinary captures of our Orkney fisher- 

 men ; has its name from the many rows of thorns, or spurs, 

 on its back and tail. It is so common that every one knows 

 it ; while not too big is fine eating ; but all the rays as they 

 increase in bulk, turn very coarse and strong food, some of 

 the largest little better than horse. Skates of all kinds are 

 taken on the ordinary fishing-grounds round the Orkneys, 

 but, like other flat fish, are most frequently met with in the 

 eddies of the tides, or where two tides meet ; especially when 

 the tides run strong, they are obliged to withdraw to these 

 calmer spots, their shape hindering them to sustain themselves 

 against the force of the current. 



I imagine the thorns on all these creatures increase both in 

 number and bulk as they grow old ; for in a young thornback 

 there are but few large spines, but the rudiments of more may 

 be seen about to succeed ; and whether there is any order in 

 the spines of the back and breast I know not, as those I have 



