RAIA.] PISCES (CARTILAG.) PLAGIOSTOMI. 509 



in our seas by any other naturalist. It is distinguished from some other 

 allied species by the rostral spines not exceeding in number from eighteen 

 to twenty-four on each side. It is found in various parts of the Ocean, 

 as well as in the Mediterranean. Attains to the length of from twelve to 

 fifteen feet. 



GEN. 76. RAIA, Linn. 



(1. TORPEDO, Dumer.) 

 198. R. Torpedo, Linn. (Electric Ray.) 



R. Torpedo, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 395. Block, Ichth. pi. 122.? 

 Don. Brit. Fish. vol. in. pi. 53. Turt. Brit. Faun. p. 110. 

 Blainv. Faun. Franc, p. 44. Torpedo vulgaris, Flem. Brit. An. 

 p. 169. Torpedo, Walsh in Phil. Trans. (1774.) p. 464. Electric 

 Ray, Penn. Brit. Zool vol. m. p. 89. pi. 10. Id. (Edit. 1812.) 

 vol. in. p. 118. pi. 12. 



LENGTH. From two to four feet. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) "Head and body indistinct, and nearly round: 

 greatest breadth two-thirds of the entire length : thickness, in the middle, 

 about one-sixth of the breadth, attenuating to extreme thinness on the 

 edges: mouth small; teeth minute, spicular: eyes small, placed near 

 each other : behind each a round spiracle, with six small cutaneous rags 

 on their inner circumference : branchial openings five in number : skin 

 every-where smooth : two dorsal fins on the trunk of the tail : tail one- 

 third of the entire length, pretty thick and round ; the caudal fin broad 

 and abrupt : ventrals below the body, forming on each side a quarter of 

 a circle. (Colours.) Cinereous brown above ; white beneath." PENN. 



First ascertained to be a native of the British seas by Mr. J. Walsh, 

 who obtained specimens from Torbay. According to Pennant, it is not 

 unfrequently taken on that coast ; has been also caught off Pembroke, 

 and sometimes near Waterford in Ireland. Donovan mentions the coast 

 of Cornwall; where it has been since noticed by Mr. Couch, though, 

 according to this last gentleman, it is extremely rare. I may add that it 

 occurs also occasionally off Weymouth, where it is called the Numb-Fish. 

 It must be stated, however, that, in the opinion of Risso and Cuvier, 

 several species have been confounded under the name of Raia Torpedo, 

 and the exact one met with in our seas, or whether more than one has 

 occurred, are points not hitherto ascertained *. Fleming thinks that the 



* It may assist future observers in determining the British species, to state the 

 leading characters of four established by Risso in his "Histoire Naturelle de 

 1'Europe Meridionale." 



(1.) Torpedo Narke, Hiss. torn. in. p. 142. T. Corpore supra rubro luteo, 

 maculis quinque ocellatis, in pentagoni figura dispositis. 



La Torpille a taches osillees, Cuv. Reg. An. torn. n. p. 397. Blainv. Faun. 

 Franf. pi. 10. f. 2. 



(2.) T. unimaculata, Hiss. torn. in. p. 143. pi. 4. f. 8. T. Corpore fulvo, 

 albidq punctulato ; ocello unico, oblongo, in medio dorso ; cauda elongata, 

 gracili. 



La Torpille a une tache, Blainv. Faun. Franf. pi. 10. f. 1. 



Risso states that in this species the spiracles are large, and without the tooth-like 

 processes : the electrical apparatus scarcely visible, and giving but very slight 

 shocks. 



