352 PLAGIOSTOMATA. 



Family I— MYLIOBATID^. 



Pectoral fins large, developed along the sides of the body, occasioning it to 

 appear very broad : these fins are not present on the sides of the head, but 

 reappear at the end of the snout as a pair of detached fins. 



These fishes are more numerous in tropical than in temperate seas, often 

 attaining to a very large size, when they are known as Devil fish and Eagle rays. 

 When harpooned they dash off with great rapidity, and unless cut loose often 

 upset the boat. 



We possess representatives of the two following genera around the British 

 Isles : — 



I. Myliohatis. Snout with a soft prolongation, supported internally by fin 

 rays. 



II. Cephaloptera. Pectoral fins not extended on to the head, which latter is 

 truncated in front, with on either side a horn-like projection, which is internally 

 supported by fin rays. Page 354. 



Genus I — Myliobatis, Cuvier. 



(Etolatis, Blainville : Leiobatus, Rafin. 



Mead distinct from disk : snout ivith a soft prolongation, internally supported hy 

 fin rays : nasal valves coalescent, forming a quadrangular flap. Teeth hexagonal, 

 flat, the central ones being broader than long : the external rows narrow. Tail very 

 long and whip-like, having a dorsal fin near its base, and usually a serrated spine 

 posterior to it. Body smooth or tuberculated superiorly. 



The dentition alters considerably with the age of the fish. In the very young 

 all the teeth are hexagonal, and of about equal size. 



1. Myliobatis aquila, Plate CLXXVI. 



Aquila marina, Belon. pp. 96, 97 ; Gesner, pp. 75, 76 ; Salvian. p. 147 ; Rondel, 

 p. 338 ; Jonston, p. 33, pi. ix, f. 8, 9 ; Willughby, p. 64, t. C2 ; Ray, Synop. Pise, 

 p. 23. Eaia, sp. no. 5, Artedi, Gen. p. 72, Synon. p. 100. Whip-ray, Pennant, 

 Brit. Zool. (1776) iii, p. 88 (Ed. 1812) iii, p. 128 ; Jenyns, Brit. Vert. p. 519. 

 Mourine, Duhamel, Peches, iii, sect, ix, p. 283, pi. x. 



Baia aquila, Linn, i, p. 396 ; Briinn. Pise. Mass. p. 3 ; Bloch, t. ixxxi ; Gmel. 

 Linn. p. 1508 ; Bonnaterre, Ency. Ich. p. 4, pi. iv, f . 10 ; Bloch, Schn. p. 360 ; 

 Risso, Ich. Nice, p. 9. 



Myliobatis aquila, Cuv. Regne Anim. ; Risso, Eur. Merid. iii, p. 162 ; Yarrell, 

 Proo. Zool. Soc. 1839, p. 145 and Brit. Fishes (ed. 1) ii, p. 446, c. fig. (ed. 2) ii, 

 p. 591 (ed. 3) ii, p. 595; Johnston, Proc. Berwick. Nat. Club, 1839; Miill. and 

 Henle, p. 176; Gray, Cat. Cart. Fish. p. 128; White, Catal. p. 141 ; Thompson, 

 Nat. Hist. Ireland, iv, p. 263 ; Swainson, Fishes, ii, p. 320 ; Lowe, Fishes of 

 Madeira, t. xv ; Capello, Peix. Port. Cat. p. 23 ; Dumeril, Ich. i, p. 634 ; Gunther, 

 Catal. viii, p. 489 ; Canestrini, Fauna d'ltal. Peso. p. 60 ; Giglioli, Cat. Peso. Ital. 

 p. 55 ; Moreau, Poiss. de la France, i, p. 442, f. 75. 



Myliobatis noctula, C. Bonap, Fauna d'ltal. c. fig. ; Canest. Faun, d'ltal. Pesc. 

 p. 60. 



Pastinaca aquila, Gronov. ed Gray, p. 12. 



Whip-ray, Couch, Fishes Brit. Isles, i, p. 135, pi. xxxii. 



Body rhomboidal, rather elevated along the middle line of the back, disk 

 very wide, but with varying proportions, the width being nearly twice its length : 



