1284 EAGLE RAY. 



point. It formed the head of the fatal spear pre- 

 sented by the enchantress Circe to her son Tele- 

 gonus, by which he was rendered superior to all 

 his enemies, and with which he at length uncon- 

 sciously slew his father Ulysses. 



The general habits of the animal are similar to 

 those of the rest of the genus^, often lying flat, and 

 in ambuscade on the soft mud at the bottom of the 

 shores which it frequents, and seizing its prey by 

 surprise, and at other times pursuing it through the 

 depths of the ocean. 



EAGLE RAY. 



Raja Aquila. R. rkombeo-dilatata cinerea, subtus 'pallida, cauda 



tenus, pinnatay armata. 

 Rhombic-dilated cinereous Ray, pale beneath, with slender, 



pinnated, armed taiK 

 Raja Aquila. H. corpora glabro, acuko longo serrato in cauda 



pinnata. Lin. Syst. Nat. 

 Raja Cauda pinnata, aculeoque unico. Block, t. 81. ? 

 Aquila. Will, ichth, p. 64. t. C. 2. 



Shape rhomboid, but with a considerable dilata- 

 tion ; the pectoral fins approaching to a subfalcated 

 form : colour cinereous above ; pale or whitish 

 beneath : head rather large : snout somewhat pro- 

 duced : eyes large and prominent, with yellow 

 irides : tail long, slender, sharp-pointed, and fur- 

 nished, about the middle, with a spine similar to 

 that of the Sting Ray. This species grows to a very 

 great size, sometimes measuring ten, twelve, or 

 even fifteen feet in length, and weighing upwards 



