Food. 
+0 THORNBACK. Geeae 
were fcattered without any order on the upper part 
of the pectoral fins. 
The mouth was fmall, and filled with granulated 
teeth. 
The upper part of the body was of a pale afh- 
color, marked with fhort ftreaks of black, and the 
{kin rough, with {mall tubercles like fhagreen: 
The belly white, croffed with a ftrong femiluiiar 
cartilaze beneath the fkin: in general the lower 
part was {mooth, having ae a oe {pines en 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. 
This fpecies frequents our fandy fhores, are very 
voracious, and feed on all forts of flat fifh, and are 
particularly fend of herrings and fand eels, and 
fometimes eat cruftaceous animals fuch as crabs. 
Thefe fometimes weigh fourteen or fifteen pounds, 
but with us feldom Roo that weight. 
They begin to generate in pines and bring forth 
their young in July and Augu/t, which (as well as 
thofe of the fkate) before they are old enough to 
breed, are called maids. The thornback 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. 
VI. The 
