178 GENUS TRYGON. 



; n April 1839, on its lowest level. As they afford 

 tolerably good eating, we took some pains to secure 

 them. The Indian is always armed with a sharp- 

 pointed pole, which he thrusts before him when he 

 is wading through shallow water which he thinks 

 frequented by the sting-ray. The yellow colour of 

 that fish, so much like the sand in which it buries 

 itself, makes it the more dangerous; and as it 

 strikes with the swiftness of an arrow, the wound 

 itself would be frequently the first token of the 

 approaching danger. The pole, therefore, serves as 

 a protection to dislodge the ray, which darts swiftly 

 forward when it finds that the enemy is superior in 

 strength. The Indian rushes after it, and is gene- 

 rally skilled enough to pierce and transfix the ray 

 with the pointed pole. His first operation, if he 

 has been successful, is to cut off the tail with its 

 dangerous weapon, which he cuts afterwards out, 

 ind preserves it carefully for arrow-points. 



" I have frequently observed that the rays, no 

 doubt in consequence of the anguish when secured 

 and transfixed by the poles, brought forth young 

 ones. The embryos are, no doubt, as this is the 

 case with Squall, developed in the ova-ducts or in 

 the uterus. The spawn is otherwise wrapped in a 

 strong flat shell of horny substance. 



" Shagreen is prepared from several species of 

 rays in Europe ; whether the rays of Guiana would 

 ever become of economical use in that regard is 

 much to be questioned, although they are to be 

 found in such numbers; nor will they prove of 



