9(5 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



One examined by Mr. Pennant described. 



pean seas, the Eastern and American; it does 

 not arrive at the bulk of the other species of 

 rays. Mr. Pennant says, that which he examined 

 was two feet nine inches from the tip of the 

 nose to the end of the tail; to the origin of the 

 tail one foot three inches; the breadth one foot 

 eight. The colour of the upper part of the body 

 is a dirty yellow, the middle part of an obscure 

 blue; the lower side white, the tail and spine 

 dusky. The sting ray is observed to shed its 

 spine annually; sometimes the new one appears 

 before the old spine has dropped off, which give* 

 the fish the appearance of having three tails. 



THE THORNBACK, ROVGH HAY, 

 SKATE, &sc. 



THE thornback, or prickly ray, has its spines 

 disposed in three rows upon the back; a trans- 

 verse cartilage in the belly; the head and body 

 tery flat and depressed ; the figure of the body, 

 exclusive of the tail, is nearly square; the tail 

 long and slender, but a little depressed or flatted ; 

 the belly altogether plain, but rising a little in 

 the middle into a convexity; the eyes stand on 

 the uppermost part of the body, at a considerable 

 distance from the beak, are a little protuberant, 

 and covered with a simple naked skin ; the mouth 

 is situated on the under side of the body, and lies 



