48 



FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



This huge ray, which inhabits the tropical waters of America, strays north- 

 ward to New Jersey and has been observed a number of times on the North 

 Carolina coast. It is the largest of the rays, and one of the largest of water 

 animals, reported to attain a width of more than 25 feet and a weight of over 

 10,000 pounds. It is said to feed on shellfish, and in the Gulf of Mexico is reputed 

 to do considerable damage to oyster beds, but the character of its teeth would 

 seem to preclude any such feeding habits, and the fish has undoubtedly been 

 confounded with other large rays. 



Fig. 11. Sea-devil. Manta birostris. 



This fish is reported by the fishermen of Cape Lookout as occasionally seen 

 and is called by them the " devil-fish", a name which in North Carolina is shared 

 by most of the large rays. Judging, however, from the size of some of the exam- 

 ples observed, there can be no doubt that the Manta sometimes occurs. Lawson 

 (1709) has this to say of the giant ray in North Carolina: 



The divel-fish lies at some of our inlets, and, as near as I can describe him, is shaped like a 

 scate, or stingray; only he has onhis head a pairof very thick strong horns; and is of a monstrous 

 size; for this fish has been known to weigh a sloop's anclior, and run with the vessel a league 

 or two, and bring her back, against tide, to almost the same place. 



The horn-like appendages which give this creature its name of sea-devil 

 or devil-fish are freely movable and serve the purpose of carrying food to the 

 mouth. Mr. Hector von Bayer, of the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries, who has 

 observed the animal in the Gulf of California, states that each of these append- 

 ages may be curved on itself like an elephant's trunk, and can firmly grasp 

 objects within reach. 



