THE SKATE. 259 



this species Mr. Y. (in the '2nd edit, of his Fishes) considers British speci- 

 mens which he has seen identical ; and so likewise do I consider the Irish 

 examples, for I am disposed to believe that there is not sufficient evidence 

 for considering that any other species has ever occurred on the British 

 shores. The spiracles have not been described as notched in any indu- 

 bitable British specimen of torpedo ; and even if they be so, I could not 

 conceive two species, properly so called, of any animal of such large size, 

 differing only from each other in the edge of the spiracles being notched 

 or smooth. [Prince Bonaparte confirmed this when visiting the Dublin 

 University Museum. R. Ball. ] 



The Skate, Raia Batis, Linn., 



Is taken around the coast, but less commonly (in the North at least) than 

 R. maculata and R. clavata. 



The following notices of unusually large specimens of skate (species 

 unknown) appeared in the newspapers : — 



"Capture of a Large Skate. — On Thursday, the 22nd instant, one of the 

 Coosheen fishing-boats caught a skate which weighed 2 cwt. (224 lbs.) ; length, 

 from nose to tail, 7 feet 3 inches ; breadth 5 feet 8 inches ; depth, through the 

 body, 7 inches. The liver weighed 14 lbs. This liuge lisli was caught in the 

 following manner : — A small skate got meshed, and was swallowed, with a piece 

 of the trammel of the net, by the large one ; and, being thus entangled in the 

 netting, it was easily secured by the fishermen." — Cork Rejwrter. Copied into 

 Northern Whig, March 29, 1849. 



"Extraordinary Fish. — Two skates of an extraordinary size and weight 

 were taken in the river Quoile, near this town, on Tuesday night last, one of 

 which, a female fish, measured five feet in length, and the tail two feet ; total 

 length seven feet, and five feet two inches in breadth ; it weighed upwards of 

 two cwt. The other fish, a male, measured four and a-half feet in length, tail 

 one foot and three-quarters ; total length, six feet and a quarter, and breadth, 

 four feet and three-quarters ; it weighed upwards of one and a half cwt. There 

 Avere also caught at the same time several very large conger eels, one of which 

 measured sis feet in length, and weighed upwards of forty pounds." — Down- 

 patrick Recorder. Copied mto Belfast Mercury, July 3, 1851.* 



The rays are less known in Ireland than most other fishes, in con- 

 sequence of their being rarely brought to market, and when exposed for 

 sale they are usually in an imperfect state. 



March 3, 1849. Two immense ova, of some species of Raia most pro- 

 bably, were sent me fresh and moist from Belfast fish-market. After 

 being exposed to the dry air for 48 hours, they were weighed in the fore- 

 noon of the 5th, and were respectively 8^ and 9 ounces. Length 10^ 

 inches, breadth 4^ inches. Thickness at outer edge |ths of incli. These 

 ova were brought up on the long lines of the fishermen in dec]) water, 

 about the entrance of Larne Lough ; they had never seen any so large 

 before. Mr. Hyndman obtained one precisely similar at Ailsa. 



The Sharp-nosed Ray, Raia oxyrhynclms, Mont. 



Amongst the species of rays enumerated in Smith's Watcrford, is the 

 *^ Raia oxyrhi/nchnu, called by Kondcletius, R. oxyrhynrha major, the 

 Great Ma'id."' 



Sept. 5th, 1851. I saw the perfect tail and other remains of an immense 



* A skate in the Dublin University Museum measured upwards of 7 feet in 

 length ; in its stomach was a large hake. — R. Ball. 



s 2 



