CHAPTER LXVII 

 ORDER OF RAYS AND SKATES 



RAIAE 



THE rays and skates are merely flat-bottomed, side-wheel 

 sharks, built to navigate very shallow waters. From 

 the typical shark down to the broadest and flattest ray, the 

 change of form is shown by a beautifully complete series of 

 living links, several of which it has been my privilege to 

 handle and dissect fresh from their home waters. 



Of these connecting links, the most interesting is the rare 

 and wonderful SHARK-RAY, 1 of the Indian Ocean, a fine 

 specimen of which was caught for me in the shallow waters 

 between Ceylon and India. It is as nearly as possible half 

 shark and half Ray, and is shown in the accompanying 

 illustration. 



Between this and the typical ray stands the BEAKED 

 RAY, 2 much flatter than the preceding, and with the pectoral 

 fins taking on ray-like spread and thinness. But the long, 

 fleshy body and triangular head still proclaim very unmis- 

 takably the line of relationship with the sharks. Several 

 species representing this intermediate type are found in our 



1 Rham-pho-ba'tis an-cy-los'to-mus. 



2 Of the genus Rhi-no-ba'tis. The species sometimes seen on the coast of 

 Florida is R. len-tig-i-no'sus. 



314 



