448 PROSE HALIEUTICS. 



catalogued in the order in which we now present them 

 to the reader.* 



The Rays, having for the most part, as the name im- 

 ports, thick and rugose hides, may be considered the 

 rhinoceroses of the deep. In spite however of this un- 

 promising outside, they are reputed to possess, in com- 

 mon with certain men of unpolished exterior, many 

 amiahle internal qualities, hy way of compensation. Thus 

 M. Lacepede reports, amidst other commendatory pas- 

 sages, that their susceptibilities are lively and their at- 

 tachments strong ; that whatever may be the truth with 

 regard to oysters, rays may certainly be ' crossed in love,' 

 and that the whole family displays a warmth of affection 

 beyond any of their briny associates. ' Seuls entre les 

 poissons,' says he, 'ils ne sont pas etrangers, comme 

 tons les autres habitans des eaux, aux charmes de la 

 volupte partagee, et d'une sorte de tendresse, au moins 

 legere et momentanee.'t From this however it may 

 be deduced, even on M. Lacepede's own showing, that 

 they are also fickle in their amours, and make but indif- 

 ferent French husbands at best. But though divorces 

 may be common, and the legitimate Mrs. Ray have too 

 often to make way for some rival De Maiutenon, to oc- 

 cupy her place ad interim, skates carry out their scheme 

 of patriarchal life iu a more amiable particular ; showing 



* The connection between sharks and rays is much more natu- 

 ral; indeed, the analogies here are so many and striking, that, 

 according to M. Lacepede, they constitute two closely allied divi- 

 sions of the same family. As the outward shape of these fish is 

 very unlike, it is singular to find the ancients perfectly acquainted 

 with their natural nearness to each other ; this is shown in their 

 uniting the two names batis (Gr.) raia (Lat.) = ray, and rhinos 

 (Gr.) squatina (Lat.) = dog-fish, in the person of that singular 

 fish rhinobatis (Aristot.) = squato-raia (Pliny), which they con- 

 ceived to be a cross between the two. 



t OthoHelbigius annoTmces thatthey have to Kara^i7j'ia, 'comme 

 les femmes et les femelles des singes,' and are good mothers. 



