1826.] Dr. Mitchillon the Hedgehog-Ray. 113 



and the back the outer side. The tail, at the time, was in- 

 curv'ated so much as to enter the mouth, or project beyond it. 

 When in this posture, the fish seemed capable of presenting 

 the globular or spherical form of the back, with its armature 

 and prickles, to its enemies or pursuers. For, even when held 

 in the air, its rotundity remained until the muscles were relaxed 

 by death ; and, even then, after animation was extinct, there 

 was a curvature of the rim, or periphery, showing its tendency 

 to a concave figure. The only other individual of the species 

 I ever saw, was one that was catched, in my presence, on board 

 the boat that went to the fishing banks, south-east of Sandy- 

 Hook, on the 23d July, 1822. I examined it while alive, and 

 immediately on being raised from the depth of five fathoms. I 

 then named it 



Raja Erinaceus, 



with this specific character : " having a tail bearing two dorsal 

 fins, with the vestige of a third at the extremity ; thickly acue- 

 lated on the sides, though destitute of the spines called stings ; 

 having a pale brown prickly skin, over which dark brown spots 

 are distributed ; and having also a patch of about 20 spines on 

 each wing, or flap, which, while the wings or flaps are extended, 

 and lie flat, are concealed or covered by the skin ; but, 

 when the wings or flaps are contracted, come forth and are 

 erected like the claws of a cat, when they are capable of ar- 

 resting or tearing soft objects presented to them." 



The length of the specimen now before me is 17 inches, and 

 the breadth 9-l inches. The head is roundish, though ending 

 in something like a pointed snout. The cheeks (if they may- 

 be so called) are parting projections, of a curved form, on the 

 sides of the snout, and are laterally anterior to the eyes. The 

 pectoral fins (wings or flaps) are circular or roundish, and, 

 viewed in connexion, present a sort of elliptical figure. The 

 ventral fins have three little elevations or protuberances back- 

 ward, that might almost be called digitations, as there are 

 traces, within the common integuments, of concealed fingers. 

 The anal fins have no striking peculiarities. Near the base of 

 these, and under the tail, the two appendages, pecuhar to these 

 creatures, proceed obliquely to the length of five inches. 



The whole body is so semi-diaphanous that the bones can 

 be discerned on holding it up between the eye and the light. 

 This quahty distinguishes the marginal parts of the flaps par- 

 ticularly, and yet more distinctly characterizes the snout. 



Tail thick and stout, like that of the skate ; and, measured 

 from the base to the ventrals, nine inches long. Toward the 

 extremity, it supports two fins, which are faintly radiated. The 

 foremost of these is jagged behind with several shts or notches : 

 the hindermost has no such divisions. There is a trace of a 



New Series f vol. xi. i 



