THE SKATE. 97 



Singular virtue of the flesh. 



in a transverse direction ; is very large, and stands 

 at the same distance from the extremity of the 

 beak as the eyes do. 



The rough ray has its spines spread indiscri- 

 minately over the whole hack. 



The sharp-nosed ray has ten spines that are 

 situated towards the middle of the back. 



The skate has the middle of the back roueh, 



o * 



and a single row of spines on the tail. This is a 

 well-known fish, long and flat, if not caught be- 

 fore his full growth, when he is from five to six 

 feet in length. His skin is black, and so very hard 

 and rough, that it is often employed in polishing 

 wood and ivory like the skin of a sea-dog. This 

 fish is extremely voracious, and armed with ter- 

 rible teeth; nevertheless he has recourse to stra- 

 tagem in catching his living food, by concealing 

 himself under the sands. The French make of 

 its ashes an excellent soap for a certain cutane- 

 ous disease which is generally cured by sulphur, 

 and by them called Savon d'slnge. Pliny attri- 

 butes to the flesh of this fish a singular virtue, 

 when applied fresh to the necks of women, that 

 of preventing them from growing too large: it is 

 certain it was very much used by the Romans: 

 and Rondelet, one of the first naturalists of the 

 sixteenth century, assures us, that he tried the 

 experiment with success. 



It is well known that the English fishermen 

 have often caught ray-fish that have weighed 

 VOL. v. NO. 32. w 



