THE SHARKS AND RAYS. 429 



7 feet. Its food consists largely of flat-fish. In repro- 

 duction it is viviparous, producing a score of young at a 

 birth, it is said, in July (Couch). Among the many other 

 names by which it is known are " Shark - Ray " and 

 " Mongrel Skate, v having allusion to its affinities to both 

 groups, "Fiddle-fish,'* in reference to its shape; and 

 "Kingston," a Sussex name the meaning of which I 

 was never able to trace. 



2. THE RAYS. 



In this, the second subdivision of the sub-order, we find 

 a number of characters distinct from those of sharks. 

 In the first place, the body is flattened; the tail is 

 slender and whip-like, with or without a notched spine ; 

 the pectoral fins are enormously developed, the dorsal 

 fins, if present, lie on the tail, the anal fin is absent. 

 The mouth is beneath the fish, but farther back than in 

 sharks ; the teeth flat and adapted for crushing ; the gill- 

 openings, five in number, lie, with the mouth, on the under 

 surface. Large spiracles are present behind the eyes, 

 which are without nictitating membrane, but have in most 

 cases a fringed eyelid. As already mentioned, the spiny 

 dog -fishes have strong affinities with the present group, 

 and should indeed be considered with them. With this 

 reservation, however, it is convenient in an introductory 

 work to adhere to the older division of sharks and rays. 

 They deposit their eggs in the same kind of " purses " as 

 some of the sharks, but these have no filaments, as, for ex- 

 ample, those of the nurse. Mr Dunn of Mevagissey tells 

 me that they have, in place of these, an adhesive matter 

 that keeps them fast to weeds and stones. 



The typical family and genus embrace nearly a dozen 



Common British species. One of the most familiar 



Skate. an( j largest is the Common Skate, otherwise 



"Grey Skate," "Blue Skate," or "Tinker," in which the 



