130 Mr. Ray to Dr. Lifter. 



lives only upon them. That which I obferved moft 

 remarkable in it was, that the Tail confifted only of 

 two very long Feathers : At leaft, I was informed 

 that it had only two Feathers in the Tail, and there 

 were but two left remaining in the Cafe, which ac- 

 cords well with what Dr. Towne writes : Yet I am 

 fufpicious, that befides thofe two long Feathers, there 

 are other fhorter in the Tail. 



Having finifhed the Hi ft or y of Birds , I am now be- 

 ginning that of Fijhes, wherein I fhall crave your Af- 

 liftance, efpecially as to the flat cartilagineous Kind, 

 and the feveral Sorts of Afelli : Efpecially I defire In- 

 formation about the Cole-fiflo of Turner* which I fup- 

 pofe may fometimes come to York. When I was in 

 Northumberland I faw of them faked and dried, but 

 could not procure any of them new taken. Befides 

 the common Cod-fifh, the Haddock^ Whiting and Ling, 

 I have in Cornwall feen and defcribed three other 

 Sorts of Afelli, from which I would gladly know 

 whether the Cole-fiflh be fpecifically diftinft. I am al- 

 fo at a Lofs about the Codling of Turner, what man- 

 ner of Fifh it fhould be, and how certainly differenced 

 from the Codflftj. Of the flat Cartilagineous I have 

 feen and defcribed 4 or 5* Sorts > but I am to feek 

 what our Fifhei men mean by the Skate, and what by 

 Flair, and what by Maid. By the Affinity of Name 

 one would think that the Skate fhould be Squatina, 

 which yet I believe it is not. The Sorts of Rata 

 that I have feen and defcribed, are the Thornback, or 

 Rata clavata, a certain and characteriftick Note of 

 which is want tif Teeth. 2. The Rata tevis vulg. 

 3 . Rata lavfa oculata, with only two black Spots on 

 the Back, one on each Side. 4. The Raia Oxyrhyn- 

 chos. f. The Rhinobatos, or Squatino-raia. Ronde- 

 letius, and the following Authors out of him, have 

 many more Sorts. But I have not Time-to add more, 

 than that I am, &c. 



Mr 



