FISHES OF NEW YORK 47 



rounded, or depressed, with caudal fin small or absent, with two 

 small dorsal fins, close together, near its tip, and with a dermal 

 fold on each side. The skin is more or less covered with prickles 

 and spines, males having rows of erectile hooks near the outer 

 angles of the pectorals. No electric organs. Eggs laid in 

 leathery, four-angled cases, having two long tubular tendrils at 

 each end. Teeth in the middle of the jaws, sharp in males, blunt 

 in females. 



23 Raja erinacea Mitchill 



Common Skate; Prickly Skate; Hedgehog Ray 



Raja erinaceus MITCHILL, Am. Jour. Sci. Arts, IX, 290, pi. 6 (male), 1825; 



DE KAY, N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 372, pi. 78, fig. 246, 1842. 

 Raja egla nter ia GUXTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. VIII, 462, 1870. 

 Raia ennacea JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. 16, U. S. Nat. Mus. 40, 1883. 

 Raja erinacea JORDAN & EVERMAXX. Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mus. 68, pi. IX, fig. 



29, 1896; SMITH, Bull. U. S. F. C. XVII-, 89, 1898. 



Disk rhomboid, with the angles rounded; its length nearly 

 equal to its width; spines largest on the anterior extensions of 

 the pectorals, where they are close set, strong, laterally com- 

 pressed and hooked backward; smaller spines scattered over the 

 head, above the spiracles, above and in front of the eyes, on the 

 back, the median line of which is comparatively smooth, without 

 enlarged spines except in the young; a triangular patch of spines 

 on the shoulder girdle; inner posterior angles of the pectorals 

 nearly smooth. Males have two rows of large, erectile hooks, 

 pointing backward, near the outer angles of the pectorals. 

 Females have groups of small scales on each side of the vent. 

 Tail about as long as the disk; a dermal fold on each side; dorsal 



fins rough, connected at the base; mouth small; jaws curved, 







with small teeth in about 50 rows above and 48 below, the mid- 

 dle ones sharp in males, all blunt in females. Color light 

 brown, with small round spots of dark brown. Length 1 to 2 

 feet. (After Garman) 



A very common species on our coast, from Maine to Virginia. 

 It is one of the small rays and is not much valued for food. 

 Eggs of this skate have been obtained in Gravesend bay in 

 March. In captivity eggs have been deposited in winter. The 



