TION 



Class IV. SHARP-NOSED RAY. 83 



a few others, which makes us imagine with Mr, 

 Ray, that in this refpecl thefe fifh vary, fome ha- 

 ving one, others more orders of fpines on the tail. 



It is remarked that in the males of this fpecies the 

 fins are full of fpines. 



Skates generate in March and April, at which Genera- 

 time they fwim near the iurface of the water, feve- 

 ral of the males purfuing one female. They ad- 

 here fo faft together in coition, that the iifhermen 

 frequently draw up both together, though only one 

 has taken the bait. The females begin to caft their 

 purfes, as the fifhermen call them (the bags in which 

 the young are included) in May, and continue 

 doing it till September. In Oftober they are ex- 

 ceedingly poor and thin ; but in November they be- 

 gin to improve, and grow gradually better till May, 

 when they are in the higheft perfection. The males 

 go fooner out of feafon than the females, 



3i# Skarf< 



NOSED, 



Bsj? Arift.hijl. an. Lib. V. Wil lah. 7 1, Raiifyn.pifc. ^ lt $h 



c. 5. Oppian Halieut. II. 26. 



141. Raiaoxynnchus.Z/«./J/?. 395, 



Bos Q<vidii ? 94. Pliniiy Lib. Raia varia tuberculis decern 



IX. c. 24. aculeatis in medio dorfo, 



Raia oxyrhincus. Rondtl. 34;. Arted. fyno?i. 101, 



Gefner pifc. 792, 



I 



N fifhing in the Menai (the ftrait that divides 



Anglefea from Caernarvonfiire) July JjCS, we 



G 2 took 



