MITCHILL ON THE FISHES OF NEW-YORK. 479 



tail commence two other rows of prickles, one on each side, reaching 

 quite to the extremity, A very trifling roughness, just sensible by the 

 linger, under the snout. Orbits of the eyes jagged or spinous. All the 

 remaining parts smooth and mucous. 



A highly finished ciliated membrane covers the pupil of the eye. 



The edges of all the fins are neatly fringed with white. 



The snout which is lengthened toward an acute angle, is semi-trans- 

 parent almost to the eyes ; and its clearness allows a finger or a pen to 

 be distinguished through it tolerably well, almost as high up as the eyes. 



4. Prickly-tailed Sting Ray. (Raja centroura.) A very large spe- 

 cies, found on the coast of Long-Island, with a tail of five feet or more 

 in length, covered all over with prickly shields or scales, and armed on 

 its upper side with two naked bones of four inches long inversely ser- 

 rated. 



Tail in Scudder's Museum. 



5. Cow-nosed Ray. (Raja bonasus.) With a blunt snout resembling 

 the nose of an ox. 



This is a large species that visits the coast of New-York, usually 

 about September, in numerous shoals. He enters the bays, and ranges 

 very extensively the flats, where the soft clam (mya arenaria) lives. 

 These shell-fish he is supposed to devour ; for a shoal of cow-noses 

 roots up the salt water flats as completely as a drove of hogs would do. 

 I have seen the water in violent agitation when these fishes were at work 

 in the bottom. They render it so muddy, that they are concealed from 

 sight. Frequently, however, they rise to the top, and may be distinctly 

 observed. I have seen them swim near the surface in clear water. 

 They then support and propel themselves in their element, by their large 

 flaps, as a crow or other bird, with slowly moving wings, passes through 

 the air. They may be said to fly, rather than to swim. 



They are detested by the people who live near the shores, by reason. 



