RAYS 83 



rays appear to turn complete somersaults in the water, and 

 they will 'leap into the air to a height of several feet, returning 

 to the water with a tremendous noise. Mr. Holder thus 

 describes the jumping of a big Manta : " There came out of 

 the darkness, near at hand, a rushing, swishing noise ; then a 

 clap as of thunder, which seemed to go roaring and rever- 

 berating away over the reef, like the discharge of a cannon." 

 Travellers have reported that the noise made by these creatures 

 when jumping can be heard several miles away. 



It was frequently stated in older natural history books 

 that the cephalic fins were used for grasping objects, and 

 that a Devil-fish was capable of seizing the anchor of a vessel 

 and of running away with both boat and anchor, " to the 

 wonder and fear of the sailors " Such feats are now believed 

 to be impossible, and it seems likely that the primary use of 

 these fins is to assist in the scooping of the food into the mouth. 

 The diet consists of small crustaceans, young and small 

 surface fishes, and other creatures forming the plankton, and 

 these are pushed towards the wide-open mouth by the action 

 of the cephalic fins. There are peculiar organs within the 

 mouth, known as praebranchial appendages, and these, 

 together with the branchial apparatus, act as strainers in 

 much the same way as the gill-rakers of the Basking Shark 

 or Whale Shark, which feed in the same manner. 



The Manta is said .to be much feared by the pearl divers, 

 who believe that it will cover them with its vast " wings " 

 and then devour them. This belief is, of course, without 

 foundation, and, in spite of its bulk, this ray is quite harmless 

 to man. A blow from one of its pectoral fins, nevertheless, is 

 sufficient to crush or capsize a small boat, and so great is its 

 strength that, when harpooned, it will tow a fair-sized boat 

 at great speed. More often than not, it will dive straight to 

 the bottom when struck, and there defy capture by sheer 

 weight. It can only be captured as a rule after a prolonged 

 battle, and fishing for Sea Devils provides exacting and at 

 times dangerous sport. If, however, a lance can be skilfully 

 planted just behind the brain the fish will speedily succumb. 

 Its vitality when wounded is amazing, and Mantas have been 

 known to escape capture " after being harpooned, lanced, and 

 shot at with rifles of heavy calibre ". 



