Btcttanart? of 8mmatelr $ature. 567 



torals, are two other lines passing from be- 

 hind the expansion circularly to the neigh- 

 bourhood of the abdominal fins, the convexity 

 of the arch inwards ; on the more central 

 part of the disc are a few whitish spots, 

 those of botli sides answering to each other ; 

 the extreme edge of the disc posterior to its 

 greatest expansion, and also the abdominals, 

 as well as the fin-like margin of the tail, are 

 edged with white." Length thirty-three 

 inches ; breadth across the fins twenty-four: 

 the eyes very small, three inches apart, and 

 five inches and a half from the snout : the 

 body covered with rough granulations, but 

 altogether without spines, except a row that 

 runs along two-thirds of the back, and down 

 the middle of the tail to the fins : and an 

 irregular row of similar hooked spines, ex- 

 tending along each side of the tail. 



The STING RAY. (Eaia pastinaca.) The 

 shape of this fish is subrhomboidal, but 

 somewhat approaching to ovate, snout 

 pointed, and body rather convex : colour 

 yellowish olive above, and whitish beneath : 

 tail without fin, of eon.-iderable length, very 

 thick at the base, and gradually tapering to 

 the extremity, which is very slender : near 

 the middle, on the upper part, it is armed 

 with a very long, flattened, and sharp- 

 pointed bone or spine, finely serrated in a 

 reversed direction on both sides : with this 

 the animal is capable of inflicting very 

 severe wounds on such as incautiously at- 

 tempt to handle it ; and it answers the pur- 

 pose both of an offensive and defensive wea- 

 pon. It is annually cast ; and as it fre- 

 quently happens that the new spine has 

 arrived at a considerable size before the old 

 one has been cast, the fish is occasionally 

 found with two, in which state it has some- 

 times been erroneously considered as a 

 distinct species. This species, which is 

 numbered among the edible Kays, is an in- 

 habitant of the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and 

 Indian seas. On account of the danger at- 

 tending the wounds inflicted by the spine, it 

 is usual with the fishermen to cut off the 

 tail as soon as the fish is taken, and in some 

 countries it is illegal to sell it oefore this 

 has been done. The spine was formerly 

 supposed to contain a most active poison ; 

 but that notion, like many others in zoology, 

 equally erroneous, has long since been ex- 

 ploded. 



_ The general habits of the Sting Ray are 

 similar to those of the rest of the genus, 

 often lying flat on the soft mud at the bottom 

 of the shores which it frequents, and there 

 seizing its prey by surprise ; while at other 

 times it pursues it through the depths of the 

 ocean. 



RAZOR-BILL. (Aka torda.) [See AUK.] 

 RAZOR-SHELL. [See SOLEN.] 

 RECURVIROSTRA. [See AVOSET.] 



RED ADMIRAL [BUTTERFLY]. A 

 name given by collectors to Butterflies of the 

 species Vanessa Atalanta. 



RED-BIRD, of SURINAM. (Ampelis 

 carnifex.) [See CIIATTEKEK, RED.] 



RED-BIRD of CAROLINA. (Cardmnlis 

 rubra.) This bird is of the size of a Sky- 

 lark : the bill is thick, strong, and of' a 

 palish red colour, with a black ring round 

 the base ; on the head is a crest, which it 

 can raise and depress at pleasure ; and the 

 whole body is of a fine scarlet colour, except 

 the back and tail, which are of a dark red. 

 The hen is brown, with a reddish hue on the 

 wings, &c. In America this bird is caged 

 for its song as well as for its beauty. 



REDBREAST. (Rubecula familiaris. ) 

 This well-known favourite song-bird, called 

 also the Robin-Redbreast or simply the 

 Robin, has a slender and delicate bill ; 

 large, black, and expressive eyes ; and a 

 mild familiar aspect : the head and all the 

 upper parts are brown, tinged with greenish 

 olive ; the forehead, throat, and breast are of 

 a fine deep reddish orange colour ; the belly 

 and vent dull white ; arid the legs dusky. 



ILIABIS.) 



In spring the Redbreast retires to woods and 

 thickets, where, with its mate, it prepares 

 for the accommodation of its future family. 

 The nest, constructed of moss and dried 

 leaves, intermixed with hair and lined with 

 feathers, is placed near the ground, by the 

 roots of trees, and sometimes in old build- 

 ings, but always artfully concealed as much 

 as possible. The female lays from four to 

 eight eggs, of a dull white, with reddish 

 spots. During the time of incubation, the 

 male sits at no great distance, and makes 

 the woods resound with his enlivening 

 strains ; while he exerts no common watch- 

 fulness in driving all intruders from his 

 little settlement. As soon as the business 

 of incubation is over, and the young are able 

 to provide for themselves, he leaves his re- 

 tirement, and again draws near the habita- 

 tions of mankind : when the frost grows 

 severe, and the snow covers the ground, he 

 approaches the house, taps at the window 

 with his bill, and solicits an admission, 

 which is always cheerfully granted. 



" Half afraid, he first 



Against the window beats; then brisk alights 

 On the warm henrth ; then , hopping o'er the floor 

 Eyes all the smi'ing family askance, 

 And pecks, and starts, and wonders where he is: 

 Till, more familiar Rrown, the table crumbs 

 Attract his slender feet." THOMSON. 



Most of the soft-billed birds, such as 

 the famed Nightingale, and its congeners, 

 leave us in the winter, when their insect 



3c S 



