Delcr. 
72, Sl, [SN (Gort Ave. Clafs TV. 
But in refpedt to. its venemous qualities there is 
not the left credit to be given to the opinion, tho? 
it was believed (as far as it affected the animal 
world) by Rondeletius, Aldrovand, and others, and 
even to this day by the fifhermen in feveral parts 
of the kingdom. Jt is in faé the weapon of of- 
fence belone ing to the fifh, capable of giving a very 
bad een a which is attended with dangerous 
fymptoms, when it'falls on a tendinous part, or on 
a perfon in a bad habit of body. As to any fith 
having a {pine charged with a¢tual poifon, we muft 
deny our affent to it, tho’ the report is fanctified by 
the name of Linnzus*. 
This fpecies does not grow to the bulk of the 
the others: that which we examined was two feet 
nine inches from the tip of the nofe 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 fmooth, of a fhape almoft 
round, and is of a much ereater thicknefs, and 
more elevated form in the middle than any other 
Rays, but grows very thin towards the edges. 
The nofe is very fharp pointed, but fhort; the 
mouth fmall, and filled with granulated teeth. 
The irides are of a gold color: behind each eye 
the orifice is very large. 
* Sy. Nat. I. 348. He inftances the Paftinaca, the Torpedo, 
and the Tetrodon lineatus. ‘The firft is incapable of conveying 
a greater injury than what refults from the meer wound. ‘The 
fecond, from the vehemence of its fhock: and the third, by im- 
parting a pungent pain like the fting of nettles, occafioned by 
the minute {pines on its abdomen. 
The 
