410 



RAIID^. 



CKONDROPTERYGJI. 



RAUDM* 



THE ELECTRIC RAY. 



COMMON CRAMP-FISH. NUMB-FISH, WeymOUtll. 



CRAMP RAY, Cornwall, 



Torpedo 



CuviER, Regne An. t. ii. p. 369. 

 Cramp-Jish, Willughby, p. 81, D. 4. 



Raia Torpedo, Linn^us. Block, pt. iv. pi. 122. 



,, ,, Electric Ray, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 118, pi. 12. 



„ Don. Brit. Fish. pi. 53. 

 Torpedo vulgaris. Common Cramp-Jish, Flem. Brit. An. p. 169, sp. 17. 



Generic Characters. — 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. 



The earliest notices of this fish on our coasts by English 

 writers were made by Smith in his History of Waterford, 

 and afterwards by Pennant and Walsh ; but as, according to 

 * The family of the Rays or Skate. 



