342 I N A G U A 



them in their own element. The ocean will remain to the very 

 last the farthest boundar)^ 



The subject of shark fins is by no means exhausted with 

 mention of the threshers. For there remain the rays and skates, 

 including the giant devil fish, which are little more than sharks 

 which have become modified for a bottom existence. A ray 

 or skate is, in a sense, a set of shark pectorals equipped with an 

 almost indistinguishable body; they are all fin. The transition 

 from shark to skate is proved by the existence of the angel 

 sharks which are neither true sharks nor yet quite progressed 

 to the point of being full-fledged rays. There were large num- 

 bers of these skates and rays all about Inagua, and at the settle- 

 ment they frequently came to within a few yards of shore to 

 feed on the entrails and other refuse which the local fishermen 

 cast into the water while cleaning their catch. 



One of these rays gave me quite a fright. I was walking in 

 the shallow lagoon behind the barrier reef looking for shells. 

 Suddenly I felt something rubbery beneath my foot. Startled 

 I jumped high in the air and came down just in time to miss 

 the lashing tail of a large stingaree. The fish went dashing off 

 into deeper water, swimming rapidly with graceful undula- 

 tions of its broad wings. I was very happy not to have stepped 

 in the way of the tail for it was equipped with a dangerous, 

 saw-edged spine which can inflict a nasty and very painful 

 wound. These wounds often take months to heal because the 

 spine is frequently coated with a layer of germ-ridden mucus 

 that starts a festering infection. This spine is simply one of 

 the skin teeth of their shark relatives which has become en- 

 larged as a weapon of defense. 



If I were to make a catalogue of strange and wonderful ani- 

 mals, I would place the hammerhead shark that I saw late one 

 afternoon at the top of the list. I had been diving for about an 

 hour in a spot midway between the patrolling grounds of the 



