340 SEASIDE DIYINITY. 



for the work of destruction for which they are 

 destined. 



The family of fishes, known as Rays or Skates 

 Raiidce are also numerous in our seas. They 

 belong, like the sharks and lampreys, to the carti- 

 laginous division of fishes. Of the rays there are 

 many varieties, some scarce, and others occurring 

 in great plenty. 



Several of the shark tribe bring forth their 

 young alive ; but others produce eggs, as also do 

 the rays, and these are not deposited in large 

 multitudes, like those in the spawn of other 

 fishes, but in comparatively very small numbers, 

 and each egg is contained in a case formed of a 

 substance like thin horn, and of a very remark- 

 able shape. Those produced by the skate are 

 about four or five inches in length, of a dark 

 brown colour, similar indeed to the darkest sea 

 weed when dried ; their shape is as near as possible 

 that of a four-handed barrow, but with these our 

 readers are probably familiar, as they are fre- 

 quently found empty on the sea-shore : they are 

 called mermaids' purses or skate-barrows. 



Those belonging to the dog-fishes are very much 

 like the purses of the skate, but are of a clear yel- 

 lowish horn-colour. From each of the four corners 

 of the purse issues a long tendril which coils round 

 the sea weeds or other substances near which the 

 parent fish deposits it, and it is thus so fixed as to 

 be free from danger of being driven ashore by the 

 waves. Both kinds of purses are furnished with 

 openings at the ends through which the sea water 



