94 T H O R N B A C K. Class IV. 



The belly white, crofTed with a flrong femilu- 

 nar cartilage beneath the fkin : in general the lower 

 part was fmooth, having only a few fpines on each 

 fide. 



The young fifh have very few fpines on them, 

 and their backs are often fpotted with white, and 

 each fpot is encircled with black. 

 Food. This fpecies frequents our fandy Ihores, are very 



voracious, and- feed on all forts of flat fifh, and are 

 particularly fond of herrings and fand eels, and 

 fometimes eat cruftaceous animals, fuch as crabs. 



Thefe fometimes weigh fourteen or fifteen 

 pounds, but with us feldom exceed that weight. 



They begin to generate in Jiine^ and bring forth 

 their young in July and Auguft^ which (as well as 

 thofe of the fkate) before they are old enough to 

 breed, are called maids. The thorn back begins to 

 be in feafon in November^ and continues fo later 

 than fkate, but the young of both are good at all 

 times of the year. 



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