468 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



Order CHONDROPTERYGII Fam. RHIN1DJE. 



ANGEL-FISH. 



Rhina squatina (L.). 

 The Angel-fish or Monk has rarely been captured off the 

 N.W. coast of England. In the autumn of 1793, as Dr. 

 Heysham is careful to tell us, two examples of this species, a 

 male and female, were caught near St. Bees. Having been 

 'dried and preserved/ these specimens 'were carried through 

 the country as a show.' The male was subsequently placed in 

 Crosthwaite's Museum at Keswick, but probably perished prior 

 to the final dispersion of that local collection in 1870. At all 

 events, it was not included in the sale catalogue. Dr. Welby 

 F Anson has seen only one example of this fish, and that was 

 taken on somewhat the same ground as Dr. Heysham's specimens. 

 It was caught in January 1884, and is preserved in the White- 

 haven Museum. The upper surface closely corresponds with 

 the figure given by Day, which is a good likeness. 



Order CHONDROPTERYGII. Fam. TORPEDINIDJE. 



TORPEDO. 



Torpedo hebetans, Lowe. 



This fish owes its inclusion in the Fauna of Lakeland to my 

 friend Dr. Welby I' Anson. He has met with two examples of 

 this species during his long residence at Whitehaven. These 

 specimens, curiously enough, were caught within two years of 

 one another, although they were taken by different fishermen. 

 The first Torpedo was caught off Whitehaven in October 1880, 

 and was brought ashore by the boat belonging to Mrs. Cowman. 

 A second example of this Ray was secured in the month of 

 November 1882. Dr. I' Anson preserved both the skin and the 

 soft parts of the second specimen for the Whitehaven Museum. 

 The cellular batteries of this fish render the soft parts a very 

 pretty preparation, the nerves having been dissected out with 

 great skill. Dr. F Anson tells me that the acrid juice of this 

 fish blistered his hands as he skinned the specimen and pro- 

 duced a severe rash, the unpleasant irritation of which lasted 

 for several days. 



