ENGLISH FI^HESa 



419 



and It is only occasionally that many spines are 

 observable on the under part. The spines on the 

 tail of the Thornback, are equally subject to much 

 variation, as I have noticed it with one, three, and 

 five rows, and rarely without any ; but the males 

 have usually three rows, which is the number 

 Bloch, Gmelin, and some other writers, give to 

 the Rubus^. The species captured by Pennant 

 in Loch Broom, and which he considered as the 

 Rubus or Rough Ray, was entirely covered with 

 small spines, (meaning, it is presumed, that spiny 

 asperity with which the skin of many species is 

 covered), equally above and beneath. If such is 

 his meaning, it certainly does not belong to the 

 Thornback, as neither that, nor any other species 

 that has come under my examination, had the 

 skin of the under part rough f . Dr Shaw says, 

 the under part of the Rubus is beset with very 

 numerous scattered spines, but less strong than 

 those of the back ; an expression, that does not 

 convey the idea of a rough skin, but detached 

 aculeiy as we find occasionally on the Thornback. 

 This naturalist expresses a suspicion, that the 

 Rubus and Fullonica are only varieties of the 

 same species. Had it not been for the teeth of 



* Sometimes described with five. 



t Pennant says, the teeth were flat and rhomboidai, ak 

 though placed in the division with sharp teeth. 



