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Catalogue of the Fishes of Connecticut 77 



*156. Lamna caudata, Dekay, Long-tailed Shark, Rhode Isl- 

 and and New York. 



*157. Squalus raaximus, Linn., Basking Shark, L. I. Sound. 

 *158. Mustelus canis, Mitchill, Dogfish, Stratford. 

 159. Spinax acanthias, Linn., Piked Dogfish, common. 

 160. Zygaena malleus, Valenciennes, Hammer-headed Shark, 

 Long Island Sound. 



Family Raiidce. 



*16l. Pastinaca maclura, Le Sueur, Broad-sting Ray, Saybiook 

 and New Haven. 



162. Raia ocellata, Mitchill, Ocellated Ray, common. 



163. Raia batis, Linn., Skate, common. 



*164. Raia diaphanes. Mitchill, Clear-nosed Rav, Stratford. 



l^o. The L. caudata of Dekay, appears by his figure and description very near- 

 ly allied to the punctata, and is doubtless found in our waters. 



lo7. A shark of uncommon size was taken here a few years since, the opened 

 ]aws of which (after taken from the fish) passed easily over the shoulders of the 

 largest man in town, (Mr. I. Thorp.) I saw the jaws, but not the fish. It was 

 said to measure 15£ feet in length, and I conclude it must certainly have been this 

 species. It is found on the whole coast of New England, as well as farther south, 

 loo. I obtained two of this species on our shore, taken in a white-fish seine ; 

 engih over 3 feet each, and agreeing well with Dr. Dekay's description, and figure 

 Wj plate 64. It is the most slender fish in proportion to its length of any of the 

 ra, iy, that has fallen under my observation. The mouth and teeth much re- 

 semble those of the Raia diaphanes. 



loO. The hammer-headed shark has not only been taken repeatedly in Massa- 

 chusetts, and seen by sailors from this port, at Martha's Vineyard Sound, but Dr. 

 e «ay has "seen them in Hurl-gate, 4 feet long ;" and several have been cap- 

 ped in the harbor of New York. " It ranges from Brazil to Nantucket. 



161. This was erroneously called Raia maclura by Le Sueur, is changed to 

 Pastmica by Dekay. Mr. G. Landon, of Bridgeport, assures me that " he once 

 * aw a ra y taken near the mouth of the Connecticut river that weighed 900 pounds. 

 ln directing his attention to the figures in Dr. Dekay's Report, he thinks it difler- 

 ed rrorn all these, but most resembled the P. maclura. Le Sueur mentions this 

 8 Pecies as found at Newport, R. I., and frequently measuring 15 to 18 feet in 

 * n 8 ln - A fisherman informs me that he caught one of the same last summer at 

 ^ w Haven that weighed 200 pounds. There is indubitable evidence, therefore, 

 lh »t this fish inhabits our waters. 



*64. Of the clear-nosed ray, I sent a male and female specimen to Dr. Storer, 

 (for the Society.) I selected the male from a great number on the shore in this 

 own, in the summer of 1842. The female was picked up at the lighthouse by Mr. 

 udin gton, the keeper, and brought to me alive, Feb. 10th, 1843. The stomach 

 Was We 'l filled with shrimp, and one Lib inia caniculata , Say. In the ovarium were 

 several eggs resembling the unlaid eggs of a pullet before a shell is attached, and 

 a °ut the size of a song sparrow's eggs. One was £ inch in diameter. 



* r onathe different sizes and shapes of the egg-cases, (popularly denominated 

 sailor '$ pocket-books,) and by some naturalists erroneously considered sharks' eggs 7 



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