PISCES. 



53 



this fish, one a ground shark, and the other a " round" or 

 swimming fish. 



The Basking Shark ( Squalus maximus ). Our largest British fish. 

 Not uncommon in summer. 



Pennant's Basking Shark (Selachus maximus: Prof: P. Panesi). 

 A Mediterannean fish. Very rare. It has been wrongly 

 described as the Pashleigh Shark and the Broadheaded 

 G-azer. It feeds as the whale does on medusse or some other 

 exceedingly small marine productions, which it strains 

 through a comb-like arrangement in its gills. Its teeth are 

 rudimentary. 



The Hammer-headed Shark ( Squalus zygcena : Ouvier). Very 

 rare. 



The Monkfish (Squatina angelus). The Angel fish. Common. 

 Viviparous. 



The Centrine [Squalus centrinus : Bloch). The first British speci- 

 men of this fish was taken off the Wolf Bock in the spring 

 of this year (1877). 

 Mr. Couch has, so far as I can see, abandoned the Lewis 



Shark (Squalus Lewis) in his " British Fishes." 



RAIIDM.—(yex Bay Teibe.) 



The Skate (Raia hatis). Common. I do not think the Flapper 



Skate can be distinguished from it. 

 The Long-nosed Skate (Raia mucronata). Not uncommon in 



deep water. 



Burton Skate ( Raia oxyrhynchus). Not uncommon in deep water. 



The Thornback (Raia clavata). Common. I do not think the 

 Starry Ray can be distinguished from it. 



The Homelyn (Raia maculata). This and the Thornback are our 

 chief edible rays. The Homelyn beyond question includes 

 the Cuckoo Pay of Couch. I have seen them of all grad- 

 ations from plain Homelyn to most brilliant Cuckoo. 



Small-eyed Pay (Raia microcellata). The Painted Pay. The 

 Owl. Held in high esteem as an article of food by those 

 who know it, It is a very local fish, but where it is found 

 it is abundant. For instance, off Pra-sancl in Mount's Bay, 

 quite three-fourths of the rays caught are " Owls." 



