60 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Mitcliill also states tliat the fishermen usually allow these 

 rays to decay on the shores, but sometimes take out their livers 

 for conversion into oil. 



According- to l)r Smith, the cow-nosed ray is common at 

 Woods Hole Mass. 



Subclass TELEQSTOMI 



True FisJies 



Series ganoidei 



Ganoid Fishes 



Order SELACHOSTOMI 



Paddlefislies 



Family folyodontidae 



Paddlefislies 



Genus polyodon Lacepede 



Body fusiform, elongate, somewhat compressed; skin smooth 

 or with minute ossifications; snout produced into a very long 

 spatulate process, the inner part composed of the produced 

 nasal bones, the sides flexible and supported by a bony network; 

 mouth wide, terminal, but overhung by the snout, without max- 

 illaries, but with toothed premaxillaries; numerous fine, decidu- 

 ous teeth in the jaws and on palatines; no tongue; nostrils 

 double, immediately in front of the eye; spiracles present; oper- 

 culum rudimentary, its skin produced behind into a long acute 

 flap; no pseudobranchiae; no barbels; no opercular gill; gills 

 four and one half; gill rakers numerous, very long and slender, 

 in a double series on each arch, the two series divided bv a 

 broad membrane; gill membranes connected but free from isth- 

 mus; one broad branchiostegal; lateral line continuous, its lower 

 margin willi short branches; air bladder cellular, entire, com- 

 municating with the dorsal wall of the esophagus; pyloric caeca 

 in Die fonii of a short, broad, leaflike organ, with four or five 

 larger divisions, each being subdivided; rectum with a fully 

 developed spiral valve; dorsal fin posterior, without spines; anal 

 Bimiiar. and more }os(erior; tail heterocercal, with well devel- 



