THE STING RAY. 441 



the body very much raised and convex, becoming thin towards the 

 edges ; {dimensions) from the tip of the snout to the outer extre- 

 mity of the pectoral, from thence to the middle of the anal fin, equal ; 

 from the tip of the snout to the temporal orifices, one- third the length 

 to the base of the anals ; from the point of the caudal spine to the 

 base of the last anal ray, from thence to the anterior part of the eye, 

 equal. Colour of the upper surface of the body dark olive with a 

 slight tinge of yellow ; under surface white ; flesh with a faint blush 

 of red. Snout small and pointed, extending but a very little beyond 

 the anterior margins of the pectorals ; ventrals wanting ; anals small ; 

 the lower and inner margins rounded, the outer margins straight ; no 

 fins on the tail or back. Body both above and below perfectly smooth, 

 excepting along the central line of the back, where there is a series of ru- 

 dimentary tubercles situated beneath the skin. Eyes small ; temporal 

 orifices large ; teeth small and blunt, arranged in several rows in each 

 jaw ; tail long, round, and slender, equalling in length the transverse 

 diameter" of the body, tapering at the extremity to a fine point. About 

 the middle of the tail is placed a sharp-pointed osseous spine of two 

 inches and a half in length, convex on the upper surface, and grooved 

 from the commencement to half-way down ; on its under surface is 

 an elevated central ridge with a deep groove on each side extending 

 the whole length ; the sides of the spine are sharply serrated wit 

 the points of the teeth directed towards the body of the fish. 



We know nothing regarding the habits of the Sting Ray 

 on the coast of Scotland, as its appearance so far north is 

 very rare. The only example I have met with, is that from 

 which the above description is taken. It was captured in 

 the Firth of Forth in the salmon-nets above Queensferry 

 in the month of August, and sent me as being the only fish 

 of the sort the fishermen had ever seen. Mr Yarrell says, 

 " It is more frequently taken on the southern coast than 

 elsewhere, from Sussex even as far west as the county of 

 Cork in Ireland. It appears, however, otherwise to occupy 

 an extensive range, being found in the Mediterranean, from 

 thence to a high degree of north latitude on the coast of 

 Norway. 11 



According to Mr Couch, " This species keeps on sandy 

 ground at no great distance from land, and, in summer, 

 wanders into shallow water, where it is often entangled in 



