Class IV. STING RAY. 127 



This species does not grow to the bulk of the Descrip- 

 others : that which we examined was two feet 

 nine inches from the tip of the nose to the end 

 of the tail; to the origin of the tail one foot 

 three inches ; the breadth one foot eight. The 

 body is quite smooth, of a shape almost round, 

 and of a much greater thickness, and more 

 elevated form in the middle than any other 

 Rays, but grows very thin towards the edges; 

 the nose is very sharp pointed, but short; the 

 mouth small, and filled with granulated teeth ; 

 the irides are of a gold color ; behind each eye 

 the orifice is very large ; the color of the upper 

 part of the body is a dirty yellow, the middle 

 part of an obscure blue ; the lower side white, 

 the tail and spine dusky. The tail is very thick 

 at the beginning j the spine, placed about a 

 third of the length of the former from the body, 

 is about five inches long, flat on the top and 

 bottom, very hard, sharp pointed, and the two 

 sides thin, and closely and sharply bearded the 

 whole way ; the tail extends four inches beyond 

 the end of this spine, and grows very slender at 

 the extremity. These fish are observed to shed 



veying a greater injury than what results from the meer wound. 

 The second, from its electric effluvia : and the third, by impart- 

 ing a pungent pain like the sting of nettles, occasioned by the 

 minute spines on its abdomen. 



