TORPEDINID.E. XV. 21 



20. RAJA (Artedi) Linnseus. (Raid or Raja, the Latin name.) 



a. Middle line of back and tail behind shoulders, unarmed in adult, with a row 

 of spines in young; outline of disk before spiracles obtuse, without 

 acute angle at tip of snout. 

 5. Rows of teeth about -|$-. 



25. R. erinacea Mitchill. COMMON SKATE. TOBACCO-BOX. 

 Spines largest on front of pectorals ; smaller ones on head, back, 

 and shoulder girdle. Light brown, with round dark spots. L. 1 

 feet. Smallest and commonest of our skates, from Va. northward. 

 (Lat., hedge-hog.) 



bb. Rows of teeth about |i>. 



26. R. ocellata Mitchill. BIG SKATE. Similar to preceding, 

 but much larger, and with additional rows of spines along the back 

 and on sides of tail. Light brown, with dark spots ; usually a large 

 white ocellus with a dark centre on P. behind. L. 3 feet. Mass. N. 



aa. Middle line of back and tail with a row of spines at all ages; outline of 

 disk before spiracles forming a more or less marked angle at tip of snout. 

 c. Angle at tip of snout short, obtuse; teeth 4.3.; body and tail with 

 strong spines with broad stellate bases. 



27. R. radiata Donovan. A median dorsal row of large spines 

 or bucklers ; others about head. L. 1| to 2 feet. N. Atl. ; rather 

 rare, S. to Cape Cod. (Eu.) 



cc. Angle at tip of snout acute, moderately long; teeth AO ; no coarse spines 

 or bucklers. 



28. R. eglanteria Lacepede. Prickles small and sharp ; a large 

 spine on each shoulder. Brown, with darker bars and blotches. 

 L. 2 feet. Cape Cod southward ; not common. (Eglantine, brier- 

 rose.) 



ccc. Angle at tip of snout much produced, blunt; teeth |~o. 



29. R. laevis Mitchill. BARN-DOOR SKATE. Spines of body 

 very few and small, on head and back ; a row of larger ones on 

 median line of tail ; female rougher, as is usual among rays ; snout 

 very long, somewhat spatulate. Color brownish, with paler spots 

 mostly ringed with darker. L. 4 feet. Va. N. ; not rare. (Lat. 

 smooth.) 



FAMILY XV. TORPEDINID^E. (THE ELECTRIC RAYS.) 

 Trunk broad and smooth, the tail short and thick, with rayed 

 caudal and usually two rayed dorsals, the first over or behind ven- 

 trals ; a large electric organ made up of hexagonal tubes, between 

 head and pectorals. Genera 6, species 15, found in most warm 

 seas ; noted for their power of giving electric shocks. 



a. Dorsal fins two ; ventral s separate; spiracle placed nearly an eye's diameter 

 behind eye TOKFEDO, 21. 



