42 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



and hence is sometimes known as the Spotted Ray and as the Painted Ray. It is found nearer into 

 shore than the Thornback, and deposits its eggs, which are smaller than those of the Thornback, iu 

 shallow water, so that they are often thrown on the beach in stormy weather. The young are hatched 

 from November to January, and then have a breadth of three inches and a length of five inches, half 

 of which is formed by the tail. 



Closely allied to this British species is the Sandy Ray (Raja circularis}, a variety of which, 

 known as the Cuckoo Ray, has usually only two large spots 011 the back, while the Raja circularis 

 has from eight to sixteen small spots, each about the size of a pea. 



THE THOKNBACK.* 



The Thornback is one of the commonest of British Rays, and is taken all round the shores, 

 on the Dutch coast, and along the Mediterranean Sea as far as the Golden Horn ; and it is also met 

 with at Madeira. It is of a dark-brown colour, with fainter-coloured spots. The whole upper surface 



THORNBACK. 



is covered with asperities, and a variable number of large spines like recurved nails, which are more 

 abundant in the female than in the male, but always extend down the tail in a median line. In 

 spring and summer it is taken abiindantly, because it then comes into shallow water to deposit its 

 eggs, but is in the best condition for table in November, though the flesh is firm throughout autumn 

 and winter. It is a favourite food with fishermen, and is frequently salted ; but in the Moray Firth 



* Raja clarata. 



