THE AXLAIAL LIFE OP THE GROUP. 347 



jaws commonly seen preserved as cnriosities in Hawaii, and the thraslier- 

 sharks, are found about the urmip. The latter, sometimes attaining;' a length 

 of twenty feet, may be identified at once by the great length of its cycle-shaped 

 tail-fin. They are not especially ferocious, and the current stories of their 

 attacking whales doubtless arise from mistaking the Orca for this shark. The 

 Orca, or killer, is not a shark at all, but is n mammal belonging to the order of 

 whales and is allied to the porpoise. As a passenger between Honolulu and 

 Kan Francisco I once saw a number of them attack a school of whales. 

 From the deck of the steamer we could see them clinging with their strong 

 teeth about the heads and mouths of tlie great animals. The whales, panic- 

 stricken, would leap clear out of the water, producing a terrific splash in their 

 ett'oi'ts to free themselves from their pursuers. Often they would roll over 

 and over in their frantic endeavors to escape. Occasionally they would dis- 

 lodge one of their tormentoi's, and it woulil l)i' sent whii'ling thi'inigh the air, 

 apparently enjoying the novel experience. As the battle was at close range 

 and lasted for a quarter of an hour or more, I was able to satisfy myself as to 

 the identity of the combatants. 



Rays and Skates. 



Three families of rays or skates are re])resented in Hawaii by five well- 

 defined species. Though differing widely from the sharks in form, they are 

 related to them, and belong to the same sub-class of the great group of fish-like 

 vertebrates. Three species of sting-rays have so far been taken from Ha- 

 waiian waters. These fiat, disk-like animals have very long, slender, whij)- 

 jike tails that are without typical fins, but in lieu of fins the tail is pro- 

 vided witli a strong, jagged spine -covered with slime. The mouth is armed with 

 broad saw-like teeth. The spine iufiicts a dangerous wound, not through the 

 presence of any specific venom, but from the danger of blood poison arising 

 from the slime and the ragged and unclean cut. Specimens six to eight feet 

 in length are not uncommon in Hawaii. They may be distinguished from the 

 eagle-rays or spotted sting-ra.v ' by the fact that with the former the fin on the 

 side of the disk extends forward on both sides to form the tips of the snout, 

 while with the eagle-ray the muzzle is entii'c and free from the fin. 



The Sea DevUj. 



The sea devil,'* or hihimanu of the natives, is even moi-e terrible in ap- 

 pearance than the sharks and rays, and is characterized by resembling the 

 latter, but the anterior lobes of the pectoral fins are developed so as to .stand 

 u]i like I'.orns or ears on the head. They are by no means common about 

 Hawaii, and as all the members of the three families belonging to this order 

 are of little value as food, the.v are seldom seen at the markets in the islands. 

 They differ from the sharks in that they frequent the sea bottom, where they 

 feed principally on shell-fish, which they ci'ush with theii- fiat teeth. 



■ tiloasoclon narinari. » Mobiila jriimnii-a. 



