THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.. *337' 



65. MusTELus — CANis, DeKay.- 



The Ho2md-Flsh — Dog-sharh 



Mnstchis, Mitch., canis, DeKay, New York Fauna, Fishes, 355, plate 



Ixiv, fig. 200. 



The little dog-shark was sufRciently abundant to constitute a griev- 

 ous pest to those who aimed alter something more edible. It was no 

 uncommon thing to see fi-om ten to twenty taken in a few hours' fish- 

 ing. They bite at almost any bait, and their presence is generally 

 fatal to much success among other species. The fiesh is not very pa- 

 latable, having much of the coarse and rank flavor of the sea cat-fish- 



66. ZygvEna tiburo, Val. 



Zygana tiburo, Val. — ^Yarrell, Brit. Fish., 1, 507 — Squalus tiburo, 

 Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 399, 6. 



Only one specimen of this shark was obtained, although several were 

 taken by the fishermen. This one was caught by Mr. Charles Ash- 

 mead, in the bay, and measured about eighteen inches. The Z. malleus 

 is also said to occur even more abundantly than the present species. I 

 do not find this species recorded hitherto as occurring on the American 

 coast. 



67. Pastinaca hastata, DeKay. 



Tlie Whip Sting-ray. 



Pastinaca hastata, DeKay, Nev/ York Fauna, Fishes, 373, plate Ixv, 



fig. 214. 



This species was found to be abundant in the bay and elsewhere. It 

 was frequently taken tvith the hook, and every haul of the seine in the 

 surf brought in numbers. The smallest caught were about the size of 

 a breakfast plate, the largest measured about four ieet across, with a 

 tail five feet long. 



The wounds inflicted by means of the serrated spine on the tail of 

 the sting-ray are justly dreaded by the fishermen, who use the greatest 

 care in handling them. The usual practice is to cut off the tail at 

 once, and thus render the fish hors dii combat. Instances have been 

 known of this spine being driven through the hand with such violence 

 as to render it necessary to pull it out trom the opposite side. 



The large ones, when brought in by the seines, are so heavy as mate- 

 rially to impede the hauling of the net. In this case some of the men 

 were in the habit of thrusting the handle of an oar into the orbit, and 

 with this convenient point (Tappui sliding the monster out upon the 

 bank. 



Mis. Doc. 24 23* 



