Giant Fish of Florida 



As a trophy, the back of this ray, with its black ground 

 and small white rings within larger ones, characteristic of old 

 fish, makes a handsome table cover. The tail is about six feet 

 in length, and less in thickness than a cedar pencil, and at its 

 base are three or four barbed spears. It feeds entirely on 

 Crustacea, never taking a fish bait, and is caught only by foul 

 hooking. In the roof of the whip ray's mouth will be seen a 

 series of processes like corrugated grinding stones, and there is 

 a corresponding series on the lower jaw. It is between these 

 that the shell fish are thoroughly triturated. I have some- 

 where read that the male rays have sharper teeth and no 

 grinding arrangement, but I am not sufficiently acquainted 

 with the sex distinctions to bear this out. 



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