GEN. MYLIOBATIS. EAGLE RAY. 335 



habits, and states that it keeps on the sandy ground 

 at no great distance from land, and in summer 

 wanders into shallow water. It scarcely ever takes 

 a bait. It defends itself by twisting its long slender 

 tail round the object of attack and tears the surface 

 with the serrated spine, lacerating it in a manner 

 calculated to produce violent inflammation.* For- 

 merly this weapon was considered to be of a very 

 formidable character, as it was thought to possess 

 poisonous qualities; this, however, has been com- 

 pletely disproved. It appears to be deciduous at 

 certain intervals (perhaps annually) and to be re- 

 placed by another. These spines are sometimes 

 used as a point to arrows and spears, for which they 

 are well fitted. The flesh of the sting ray is scarcely 

 fit to be used for food. 



Gen. CXX. Myliobatis. — The fishes of this 

 genus have obtained the name of Myliobatis (from 

 (M-jXri a mill and /Sar/g a skate) on account of the 

 form of their teeth, and that of sea-eagles from the 

 wing-like expansion of the pectorals. Some of the 

 species attain to very large dimensions, sometimes 

 weighing no less than eight hundred pounds. 



(Sp. 246.) M. aqidla. Eagle, or Whip Ray. 

 Great doubts existed up to a recent period as to the 

 propriety of admitting this curious fish into our 

 British lists, because the only pretext for so doing 

 was that the tail of a fish had been examined by 

 Pennant, and referred by him to this species, al- 

 though, as Mr. Jenyns remarks, it is equally pro- 

 * Yarreirs Brit. Fishes, vol. ii. 589. 



