374 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



The branchial apertures disposed in an obhque series, approaching each otlier behind ; the 

 posterior pair six inclies apart. Vent longitudinally oval, an inch and a half long. Liver 

 large, and composed of two large unequal lobes. Flesh firm, white and flaky. Pectoral fins 

 broadly rounded. Ventrals broader than long; the outer margin concave, wider than the 

 base ; at their junction beneath the tail, there is a rounded emargination. 



Color, of the body and base of the tail, a uniform olive brown ; beneath white ; under side 

 of the tail dark brown. Eyes light grey. 



Length of the body, 36-5. Width, 42-0. 

 Length of the tail, Cl'O. Weight, 110 pounds. 



This description is taken from a female captured in September, off the coast of Rhode- 

 Island, by Mr. Carson Brevoort of this city. I am indebted to him for an excellent figure 

 made on the spot. On the plate, we have annexed the figure of one of those black horny 

 cases which arc often seen along the coast ; and as they are empty, they have been jocularly 

 named Sailors purses. They are excluded from the female ray or skate, and contain the 

 embryo. 



Remarkable as the Whip Sting-ray is for its size, it appears to have been overlooked by 

 our naturalists, unless it may have been the R. centroitra of Mitchill described above. It has 

 probably been supposed identical with the Common Sting-ray of Europe.* Schoepff merely 

 remarks that he "noticed two different kinds of skate at Rhode-Island, neither of which 

 " exactly agrees with the species described by Linneus, but I neglected to describe them 

 " particularly." 



Mr. Brevoort informs me that they appear to associate together, as he noticed many of 

 similar size and appearance swimming about at the same time. They moved slowly together 

 through the water, along the edges of the rocks, about three feet below the surface. When 

 captured, this individual whipped its tail about with great activity in all directions. It receives 

 the common name of Whip Rai/ from this circumstance, although the name is also applied to 

 another species, which I have not been so fortunate as to obtain. 



* The Sling-ray of Europe, P. vulgaris ot Tnigon paslinaca. Tail equaling in length the transverse diameter of the body, 

 with a single spine. Smooth above, except along the central line of the back, and on the upper and posterior part of 

 the pectoral fins, where there is a series of rudimentary tubercles under the skin. Snout sharp, but very short ; 

 scarcely projecting beyond the pectorals, etc. etc. It is, moreover, a smaller species than the one above described. 



