RAY 
their nets for that purpofe: the five-men-boats 
always take foine nets for that end. Next to her- 
rings are the lefTer lampreys, which come all win- 
ter by land carriage from Tadcafter. The next 
baits in efteem are fmall haddocks cut in pieces, 
fand-worms, mufcles, and limpets: and laftly, 
when none of thefe can be found, bullock's liver 
is ufed. The hooks employed are much fmaller 
than thofe ufed at Iceland and Newfoundland. 
Experience has fiiewn, that the larger fifh will 
take a living fmall one on the hook fooner than 
any bait that can be put on; therefore fuch are al- 
ways ufed as the fidi can fwallow. The hooks 
are two inches and a half long in the fhank, and 
nearly an inch wide between the fiiank and the 
point. The line is made of fmall cording, always 
tanned before it is put in ufe. All the Rays and 
turbots are extremely delicate in their choice of 
baits: if a piece of herring or haddock has been 
twelve hours out of the fea, and then ufed as a 
bait, they will not touch it.' 
Such is the method of catching the!e fifh, which 
ufually keep near the bottom, particularly on the 
Englifn coa[ls; and Duhamel obferves, that the 
beft weather for fucceeding is a half calm, when 
the waves are jufl curled with a filent breeze. 
But the extent of line ufed in this country 
(though, as heretofore obferved, fometimes three 
miles in length) is inconfiderable when compared 
with what the Italians throw out in the Mediter- 
ranean. Their fifhing is carried on in tartanes, 
veffels confiderably larger than any of ours. They 
bait a line generally no lefs than twenty miles 
long, with about ten or twelve thoufand hooks j 
to which they give the appellation of parafina; 
and the fifhing is known by that of pielago: this 
line is not regularly drawn every fix hours, as 
with us, but is fjffered to remain in the fea con- 
fiderably longer, and then requires the fpace of 
twenty-four hours to draw it. By means of this 
prodigious apparatus they take Rays, (harks, and 
other fillies ; fome of which often v/eigh above a 
thoufand pounds. When any of this enormous 
magnitude are caught, the fiiliermea ftrike them 
through with a harpoon, in order to get them on 
board, and then difpatch them with all pofiible 
expedition. 
This method of catching fifh is obvioufly both 
fatiguing and dangerous ; but the value of the cap- 
ture is generally adequate to the rific. The fi<ate 
and tiie thornback are excellent food; and their 
fize, which is from ten to two hundred pounds 
weight, compenfates for whatever trouble and 
expence there may be in the acquifition. But it 
fometimes happens that the lines are vifited by 
very unwelcoiTie intruders, namely, the rough 
Ray, the fire-fiaire, or the torpedo: to thefe the 
filhermen have a mortal antipathy; and, on dif- 
covering them, even fhudder at the fight. How- 
ever, they are not always fo much on their guard, 
but that they fometimes experience the different 
refentments of this noxious tribe; and then, in- 
ftead of a prize, they meet a vindictive enemy. 
Ray, Clavated. See Thornback. 
Ray, EllCtric or Smooth. See Torpedo. 
Ray, Fuller; the Raia Fullonica of Lin- 
njeus. Tiiis fprcics derives ir's name from that 
inftrument which fullers ufe in fmoothing cloth, 
the back being rough and fpiny; the nofe is fhort 
and fiiarp; there are a few fpines at the angle of 
each eve; the niftitating meivibrane is fimbriated; 
and the teeth are fmall and fiiari;. On the upper 
Vol. II. 
RAY 
part of the peroral fins there are three rows of 
fpines pointing tov/ards the back, and crooked; 
on the tail there are three rows of flrong fpines, 
the middle row extending up part of the back; 
and the tail is (lender, and fomewhat longer than 
the body. The upper part of the body is cine- 
reous, ufually marked with black fpots; and the 
lower part is white. This fifli is equal to the fkate 
in fize. At Scarborough, where it is very com- 
mon, it is called the white hans, or gullet. 
Ray, Rough ; the Raia Afberia Afpera of Ron- 
deletius. Pennant inforins us that he caught this 
fpecies in Loch Broom, in Scotland. It's length, 
from the nofe to the tail, was two feet nine inches ; 
and the tail was nearly of the fame meafure. The 
nofe was fhort; before each eye fi:ood a large 
hooked fpine; and behind, another befet with 
fmaller ones. The upper part of the body was 
of a cinereous brown colour mixed with white, 
fpotted with black, and entirely covered with 
fmall fpines. On the tail were three rows of 
large fpines; befides which, it was interfperfed in 
every part with fmaller ones, irregularly difpofed. 
The fins and the under fide of the body were 
equally rough with the upper. 
Ray, Shagreen. This fifh, called alfo the 
French Ray, caught near Scarborough, is nearly 
equal in fize to the fkate. It is narrower than 
the more common Rays; the nofe is long, and 
very (harp; the pupil of the eye is fapphirine; 
there are two fhort rows of fpines on the no'e; on 
the corner of each eye there is a femicircular row; 
on the tail are two rows, continued a litde way 
up the back, fmall, fiender, and very (harp; and 
along the fides of the tail there is a row of m.inute 
fpines, intermixed with innumerous little fpiculas. 
The upper part of the body is of a cinereous 
brov/n hue, clofely fet with minute (hagreen-like 
tubercles, nearly refembling the fkin of the dog- 
fifh; and the under fide of the body is white. The 
teeth are flender, and extremely (harp; and from 
the nofe to the origin of the peftoral fins there is 
a tuberculated fpace. 
Ray, Sharp-Nosed ; the Raia Oxyrinchus of 
Linnaeus. This fifli fometimes meafures feven 
feet in length, and upwards of five in breadth: 
the nofe is long, flender, and (harp-pointed; the 
body is fmooth, and very thin in proportion to 
the fize; and the upper part is afli-coloured, 
marked with numerous white fpots, and a few 
black ones. The tail is thick; towards the end 
there are two fmall fins; on each fide there is a 
rov/ of fmall fpines; and in the middle a fingle 
row, which runs fome way up the back. The 
lower part of the body is v^holly white; and the 
mouth, which is large, is furnifhed with a number 
of fmall teeth bending inwards. 
This fifh has been fuppofed to anfwer the de- 
fcription of the bos of the ancients; which was 
unqueftionabiy fome enormous fpecies of Ray, 
though we cannot pretend to determine the par- 
ticular kind. Oppian fliles it the broadeft among 
fiflies; and adds an account of it's predileflion 
for human flefti ; with it's method of deftroying 
men, by overlaying them till they are drowned. 
Philen gives us nearly a fimilar relation. And 
UUoa confirms their defcription, giving the very 
fame account of a creatm-e found in the South 
Seas, the terror of thoie who fifh for pear] -: the na- 
tives term it manta,orthe quilt, from it's furround- 
ing and enfolding the unfortunate diver till he is 
fuffocated; therefore the negroes never defcend 
3 M without 
