THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 75 



Harbor and Cape May. It may be taken frequently, however, 

 when young and confused with the former. It is easily recog- 

 nized by the long snout, smooth back without median series of 

 thorns beginning till tail, fewer teeth and as the largest of our 

 skates, sometimes reaching a length of 5 feet. Dr. Abbott records 

 an example taken in the Delaware, in i860, where, however, it 

 was only a straggler, as it never wanders much out of salt water. 



Raia Icevis Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 829. — Bean, Bull. 

 U. S. F. Com., XII, 1892, p. 358.— Smith, Bull. U. S. F. Com., 

 XII, 1892, p. 368. 



Raia chantenay LeSueur, Journ. Acad. X^at. Sci. Phila., IV, 

 1824, p. 106, PI. 5, hgs. 1-8. 



Family DASYBATID^. 



The Sting Rays. 



Disk usually more or less broader than long. Mouth rather 

 small. Teeth small, paved, usually more or less pointed or tuber- 

 cular. Nostrils close together. Nasal valves forming a rect- 

 angular flap joined to upper jaw by a narrow frenum. Skull not 

 elevated, eyes and spiracles superior. Spiracles large, placed 

 close behind eyes. Species ovo viviparous. Skin smooth, vari- 

 ously prickly or spinous, roughest in adult. No differentiated 

 spines on pectorals in males, sexes similar. Tail various, usually 

 whip-like, sometimes short and stout, sometimes bearing a single 

 dorsal or caudal fin, never 2 dorsals. Usually i or more 

 vertical folds of skin on tail, rarely a lateral fold. Ventrals not 

 emarginate. 



Found in most warm seas, some in fresh waters of South 

 America. The large jagged spine on the muscular tail is capable 

 of inflicting a severe and even dangerous wound. 



Key to the genera. 



a. Tail stout, with rayed caudal fin. urolophus 



aa. Tail slender, without caudal fin. whip-like and longer than rounded 



disk. DASYBATUS 



