ENGLISH FISHES. 



425 



sharp, with a broad base, but those of the skate 

 are not near so long, and are more closely con- 

 nected. The sexes of both species are discrimi- 

 nated by the formidable reclined hooks, as well as 

 by the posterior appendages, both peculiar to the 

 males. 



All I have examined of both species, were of a 

 plain brown colour, without spots or lines on the 

 upper parts, and not as represented in the figures 

 before mentioned ; but the Sharp-nose is never of 

 so dark a colour as the Skate. 



The spines on these fishes are not to be depend- 

 ed on as characters. I have never observed the 

 Skate with a spine at the angle of the eye, as 

 sometimes described. One of four feet in length, 

 had no spines on the tail, but only two or three 

 buds or bony tubercles on the sides. The Sharp- 

 nose appears to grow to a very superior size. I 

 have been assured by fishermen, that they have 

 taken them above five hundred pounds weight by 

 computation, and were obliged to cut them adrift 

 from their lines, for, could they have hoisted them 

 in by the common means of manual exertion of 

 two men, (the complement of each boat), they 

 could not have stowed them. Computing, from 

 the dimensions of one I examined of about a hun- 

 dred pounds weight, which measured six feet in 

 length independent of the tail, and about five feet 

 and a half in breadth, those of the former weight 

 could not be less than double this dimension. If 



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