412 MODERN SEA FISHING 



The HOMELYN (Raia maculata), which is also called spotted 

 ray, rough ray, and sandy ray, has much the same habits as 

 the thornback, and is caught with the same baits. It is spotted 

 all over its back, has a triple row of tiger's claws on its tail, a 

 single row up its backbone, and smaller projections of the same 

 kind scattered about its head, nose, and round the fore edges 

 of its fins. Other varieties of this species are the PAINTED 

 RAY (Raia microcellata\ the STARRY RAY (Raia radiata], the 

 CUCKOO RAY or SANDY RAY (Raia circularis). 



There are three fish which in general form much resemble the 

 rays. The first of these is the STING RAY (Trygon pastinaca}, 

 which is worthless as food. The tiger claws are wanting in this 

 family. The tail is something in the nature of a whiplash, but 

 from it projects a poisonous spine which can inflict a fearful 

 wound. The WHIP RAY (Mylobatis aquila) is a somewhat 

 similar fish, with a much larger tail than the trygon, and has 

 on its back very curious markings somewhat resembling a 

 backbone and ribs. It also possesses an extremely poisonous 

 spine near the base of the tail, of which all honest fishermen 

 should beware. Lastly, there is the Ox RAY (Cephaloptera 

 giorncB), which has a long whiplash of a tail, and a body shaped 

 very much like a bat with wings extended. Near the base 

 of the tail is a terrible-looking spine with serrated edges. 

 It is an exceedingly rare fish in British waters, but better 

 known in the Mediterranean, where, I believe, it grows to 

 an enormous size. 



