9 6 STINGRAY. Class IV. 



rows of fome of the South American Indians, and is, 

 from its hardnefs, fharpnefs, and beards, a moil 

 dreadful weapon. 



But in refped to its venemous qualities, there 

 is not the left credit to be given to the opinion, 

 though it was believed (as far as it affected the 

 animal world) by Rondeletius, Aldrovand, and 

 other?, and even to this day by the fifhermen in fe- 

 veral parts of the kingdom. It is in fact the wea- 

 pon of offence belonging to the fifh, capable of giv- 

 ing a very bad wound, and which is attended with 

 dangerous fymptoms, when it falls on a tendi- 

 nous part, or on a perfon in a bad habit of bo- 

 dy. As to any fifth having a fpine charged with 

 actual poifon, we mud deny our affent to it, 

 though the report is fanctified by the name of Lin- 

 naus *. 

 Descrip. This fpecies does not grow to the bulk of the o- 



thers : that which we examined was two feet nine 

 inches from the tip of the nofe to the end of the 

 tail ; to the origin of the tail one foot three inches ; 

 the breadth one foot eight. 



The body is quite fmooth, of a fhape almoft 

 round, and is of a much greater thicknefs, and 



* Syfi. Nat. I. 34S. He inflances the Pajlinaca, the Tor* 

 'pedo, and the Tetrodon /meatus. The firft is incapable of coa» 

 veying a greater injury than what refults from the meer 

 wound. The fecond, from its electric effluvia : and the 

 third, by imparting a pungent pain like the fting of nettles, 

 occalioned by the minute fpines on its abdomen. 



more 



