Catalogue of the Fishes of Connecticut. 79 



*167. Myliobatis acuta, Ayres, Grindstone Ray, Brook Haven, 

 Long Island. 



•168. Rhinoptera quadriloba, Le Sueur, Cow-nosed Ray, New- 

 York and Stratford. 



t 



Order III. Cyclostomi. 



Family Petromyzonidce. 



*169. Petromyzon Americanus, Le Sueur, American Lamprey, 



Stratford. 



170. Petromyzon nigricans, Le Sueur, Bluish Lamprey, Ston- 

 ington. 



variable number of spines is mentioned here with a view to show what I have not 

 elsewhere seen noticed ; the impropriety of designating any species of ray with 

 e specific name of " bispinous" or any other numerical prefix; as, in my hum- 

 ble opinion, such designation would probably lead to error in any species of this 

 amily yet known. I suggest this, however, with great deference to the opin- 

 ion of my highly esetemed friend Dr. Storer. Vide B. J. N. History, Vol. IV, 

 P a ge 188, and the Society's Proceedings, page 53. 



*Jo7. This species of Myliobatis has been taken by Mr. Ayres, at Long Island, 

 opposite Stratford. It is described in the Journal of Proceedings of the B. S. of 



N- History, page 65. Length 3 feet, icidth 2 feet 5 inches. 



a Lapt. Porter of this place, recently presented me with the tail of a Ray, 

 e " "ere, Ver y uncommonly small for its length, being three-tenths of an inch 

 . noriz °ntal)y, five-tenths perpendicularly at the distance of 3 feet from its 

 P * nt - It has neither fin nor spine attached. As regards the specific marks of the 

 rom w h«mce he took it, he made no observation. Dr. Dekay, however, re- 

 in his Report, that this is an exceedingly common species about New York, 

 us slender tail, though too long for Dr. Dekay's measured specimen, appears 

 e that of any species I have seen. In view of all these considerations, 

 c ,s ' nser ted here. It is well known by " its spade4ike snout," and its great tact in 

 s mgour common round clams (V. mercenaria,) with its rolling-mill-teeth. 



he H° te " ° Ur ° ld fishermen here in 1840 > ,eft at the sho P of Wm ' chester > what 

 , ea " lhev > (as he informed me,) called a" thorn-baek" and unlike any rays that 



een known to be caught here, with a request to have him send it to me. But 



°rtunately it was subsequently kept too long, and being spoiled was thrown 



r " Stor er supposes the thorn-back (Raia clavata of Don, or radiata of Lin- 

 j US ') ty the reports of fishermen, has been taken in Massachusetts, but I do not 

 J 1 at it has ever fallen under the eye of a naturalist in New England. 



e Torpedo occidentalism of Storer, so well described in Vol. xlv, of this 

 a > I am not informed that any specimen has ever been taken in America, ex- 

 v on the south side of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where they have been caught 

 «* many years. 



j c ♦ * * * obtained a specimen of this lamprey in May last, taken in the Housaton- 

 not na , Seine draw « for shad. Length 2 feet. The peculiar mouth of this animal, 



standing its variegated color, serves to render it a very disgusting object. 



J 



