500 HlSTOllY OF 



rough ray lias its spines spread indiscriminately over the whole 

 back. The thorn-back has its spines disposed in three rows 

 upon the back. The fire-flare has but one spine, but that indeed 

 a terrible one. — This dangerous weapon is placed on the tail, 

 about four inches from the body, and is not less than five inches 

 long It is of a flinty hardness, the sides thin, sharp-pointed, 

 and closely and sharply bearded the whole way. The last of 

 this tribe that I shall mention is the torpedo •, and this animal 

 has no spines that can wound ; but in the place of them it is pos- 

 sessed of one of the most potent and extraordinary faculties in 

 nature. 



Such are the principal differences that may enable us to dis- 

 tinguish animals, some of which are of very great use to man- 

 kind, from others that are terrible and noxious. With respect 

 to their uses, indeed, as we shall soon see, they differ much ; but 

 the similitude among them, as to their nature, appetites, and 

 conformation, is perfect and entire. They are all as voracious 

 as they are plenty ; and as dangerous to a stranger, as useful to 

 him who can distinguish their diff"erences. 



Of all the larger fish of the sea, these are the most numerous ; 

 and they owe their numbers to their size. Except the white 

 shark and cachalot alone, there is no other fish that has a swal- 

 low large enough to take them in ; and their spines make them 

 a still more dangerous morsel. Yet the size of some is such, 

 that even the shark himself is unable to devour them ; we have 

 seen some of them in England weigh above two hundred pounds ; 

 but that is nothing to their enormous bulk in other parts of the 

 world. Labat tells us of a prodigious ray that was speared by 

 the Negroes at Guadaloupe, which was thirteen feet eight inches 

 oroad, and above ten feet from the snout to the insertion of the 

 tail. The tail itself was in proportion, for it was no less than 

 fifteen feet long, twenty inches broad at its insertion, and taper- 

 ing to a point. The body was two feet in depth ; the skin as 

 ick as leather, and marked with spots ; which spots, in all of 

 this kind, are only glands, that supply a mucus to lubricate and 

 soften the skin. This enormous fish was utterly unfit to be 

 eaten by Europeans ; but the Negroes chose out some of the 

 nicest bits, and carefully salted them up as a most I'avourite pro- 

 vision. 



Yet, large as this may stem, it i:^ vciy probable that wc hyve 



