100 NEW SOUTH WALES 
line, when hooked, it exhibits great power, and often have I seen it 
towed into beaches to enable the amateur fisherman to get a firm and 
steady pull to land him. The angular form of its pectoral fins frequently 
reach the distance of 8 or 10 feet, and the weight exceeds 100, 200, or 
even 300 pounds. 
“ Rays in their season retire to deep water, and their habit is that of 
sharks, to which, as cartilaginous fishes, they are the gradation. At 
the breeding season they approach the coast, and enter our bays and 
harbours. In some of the species the large and well-developed pectoral 
fins form a broad flat disc, with a thin and slender tail.” 
The weight of some of these fishes may be readily understood by 
quoting from Captain Cook, when he visited Botany Bay in 1770 :-— 
“¢ He had observed that the large sting-rays, of which there is a great 
plenty in the bay, followed the flowing tide into very shallow water. 
He therefore took the opportunity of flood, and struck several in not 
more than 2 or 3 feet of water. One of them weighed no less than 240 
pounds after his entrails were taken out. The next morning, as the 
wind still continued northerly, I sent out the yawl again, and the people 
struck one still larger, for when his entrails were taken out he weighed 
336 pounds.’ ” 
With regard to the spine or sting with which these fish are armed, 
though it inflicts a ragged and even a most dangerous wound, yet. 
whether it is a poisonous one or not, has not been clearly established. 
Dr. Ginther unhesitatingly says that it is, and this is the almost 
universal belief. I have seen two or three cases of such wounds, and 
the agony complained of was too great to attribute to the puncture alone. 
Yet no serious consequences followed once the pain had subsided. 
The Torpedo. 
Our Torpedo or Electric Ray is Hypnos subnigrum, that of Tasmania 
is Varcine tasmaniensis, The difference is in the teeth, which are flat 
in Warcine and tricuspid in Hypnos, while the latter has the nostrils 
round and open, and in the former they are confluent with a quad- 
rangular valve. I quote from Mr. Hill a few facts concerning this 
remarkable fish, which has an electrical apparatus at each side of the 
head. It is a small fish, rarely exceeding 40 lbs., which for a ray is trifling. 
In Middle Harbour, on the clear sand bottoms, at night, they are 
frequently hauled in with the seine. “On one occasion, when we were 
more inclined to play than to assist with the net, we amused ourselves 
‘with a large torpedo which had been hauled in. Four of us, after 
feeling a shock individually, joined in a circle holding hands, and those 
at the extremity touching the fish ; simultaneously we completed the 
circle and experienced a shock similar to that from a galvanic battery. 
On another occasion, and at another place, we endeavoured to continue 
some experiments on one of these fishes which had been caught, but it 
was so enfeebled that the shock was scarcely perceptible. This we 
attributed to having expended its power upon the net with which it had 
been in constant contact during the capture. In about half an hour 
afterwards the fish had apparently somewhat recovered, as the shocks 
were appreciably stronger, but ceased with death.” 
