HISTORY 



FISHES 



IIU 



24 



i 



materials, I 



prepared a description and draw 



© 



i 



Yarrell in his gem- 



of the genus myliobatis, which I had examined, speaks only of 



.. 



ated spin 



upon 



whereas, Dumeril, in his 



of the genus, Bays, ".sometimes th 



are two or more spines." My specific name, heretofore 



evidently untenable 



and as Ayres published the first accurate description, his name myliobatis acuta should 

 undoubtedly be acknowledged. I have never seen a perfect* specimen, and have there- 

 fore given Ayres' description and figure. 



Massachusetts, Storer. Connecticut, Ayres. 



GENUS IV. TORPEDO. Dum. 



The disk of the body nearly circular; pectoral fins large ; two dorsal fins placed so far 

 back as to be on the tail; surface of the body smooth; tail short and rather thick; teeth 

 small and sharp.. 



Torpedo occidentals, Storer. 



The Cramp-Fish. 



(Plate XXXIX. Eig. 5.) 



Torpedo occidentalis , Storer, Amer. Journ. of Arts and Sciences, 45, p. 165, pi. 3 



« 



a 



a 



Synopsis, p. 516. 



Color. The whole upper surface of this species is of a dark brown, with a few almost 

 black spots distributed over it ; beneath, white. 



Description. The entire length of the specimen before me, which is a female, is four 

 feet and two inches, and its greatest breadth is three feet. The globe of the eye, which 

 is circular, is an inch and a quarter in diameter ; the cornea is oval ; its longest diameter 

 is one half of an inch, and is directed obliquely outward; its shortest diameter is three 

 eighths of an inch. 



The spiracles are oval and smooth at their edge ; they are one and a quarter inches in 



their largest d 

 ward and a li 



and one inch in their shortest diameter, and are directed 



for 



On the 



and inner surface of the spiracles, just 



within the orifice, is a plaited membrane, the folds of which resemble somewhat 



pt 



of these folds are next to the median line, and they gradually d 



minish 



o 



they 



fr 



The mouth, when closed, measur 



from the angles, and when opened to its widest 



measures from the mid 



die of the upper to the middle of 



jaw, five inches. The teeth are numerous 



small, and sharp, — broad at their bases, and pointed 



extremities, like spines. 



