24 UNUTILIZED FISHES. 



REPRODUCTION. 



Eeproduction in the skate is accomplished by means of eggs 

 deposited singly, each " inclosed within a thin, tough, horny case, 

 ■which may be described as pillow-shaped, with a long tapering tube 

 l^rojecting from each of the four angles. The empty cases are often 

 found cast up along the shore and are popularly known as '" mer- 

 ■ maid's purses." Fertilization is internal, as in the dogfish. As soon 

 as an egg is impregnated it becomes surrounded by a layer of gelatin- 

 ous albumen and inclosed in the chitinous shell, which is secreted by 

 a shell gland. The egg is then laid by the mother in some faA'orable 

 l^lace, and within the shell envelope the young skate develops, well 

 protected. "When fully formed, it escapes by rupturing the case. 

 In spring, summer, and fall a single female skate may deposit a 

 great number of eggs, the production being continued during this 



period. 



USES. 



On our Atlantic coast it may be said that skates in general are 

 little used as food. In other parts of the globe, however, they have 

 no little recognition. To quote Yarrell (1836) : 



The skate as food are hekl in very different degrees of estimation in different 

 places. In London particularly large quantities are consumed, and the flesh 

 is considered delicate and well flavored : but on some parts of the coast, though 

 caught in considerable numbers both by lines and nets, the flesh is seldom 

 devoted to any purpose beyond that of baiting pots for catching crabs and 

 lobsters. 



Skate are in best condition for the table during autumn and winter. In 

 spring and early part of summer they are usually maturing eggs or young, and 

 their flesh is then soft and woolly. 



Gunther (1880) says of the skates that " all are eatable, and some 

 of them are brought to market." 

 Four years later Goode wrote : 



They are all troublesome to the fisherman, clogging his lines and pound nets ; 

 but hone of them are of the slightest economical value, except the so-called 

 "barn-door skate" {Rata Iwvis), which is occasionally salted for use by the 

 fishermen of Portsmouth, N. H., and which has in the last two or three years 

 attracted some notice in New York. Miss Corson, in her cooking school, has 

 called attention to its excellent qualities as a food fish, and skates may be 

 found on the bill of fare at certain restaurants * * ='= Only the " wings " 

 or the fleshy flaps to the pectoral fins are used. 



The most recent mention of skates as food is by Jordan (1905), who 

 says : 



Most of the species belong to the typical genus Raja, and these are especially 

 luimerous on the coast of all northern regions, where they are largely used as 

 food. The flesh, although rather coarse and not well flavored, can be improved 

 by hot butter, and as '* raie au beurre noir " is appreciated by the epicure. 



