R A Z 
R E C 
without a Ihnrp knife, to defend thenifelves from 
the attacks of this formidable animal. 
Ray, Whip. This fpecies, which has been 
confidered by fome authors as the Jaberete of 
Marcgrave, was caught at Scarborough in 1769; 
but the fifherman, through ignorance, deftroyed 
the body, preferving only the tail, which was ex- 
hibited to an ingenious naturalifl: of that place j 
and is defcribed as being three feet long, ex- 
tremely flender and taper, and deftitute of any 
fin at the extremity. 
This fifh is likewife faid to be a native of the 
Sicilian feas; but at prefent it may be confidered 
as an obfcure fpecies. Pennant gives it the ap- 
pellation of Whip from the extreme length and 
flendernefs of it's tail. 
Ray, Sting. See Fire-Flaire and Pasti- 
NACA Marina. 
RAYTE, OR RAYCHE. A term by which 
fome ichthyologifts exprefs the common fl<ate, 
or flaire. 
RAZOR-BILL. A bird of the auk kind ; the 
Alca Torda of Linn^us. It's length is about 
eighteen inches; and the expanfion of the wings 
is twenty-feven. The bill is two inches long, 
arched, very fliarp at the edges, and of a black 
colour; the upper mandible is marked with four 
tranfverfe grooves; the lower with three; and the 
wideft is white, interfering each mandible. A 
white line extends from the eye to the bill; the 
head, tliroat, and entire upper fide of the body, 
are black; the wings are of the fame colour, ex- 
cept the tips of the lefler quill-feathers, which are 
white; the tail is compofed of twelve black fea- 
thers; the wiiole under- fide of the body is white; 
and the legs are black. 
Thefe birds, in company with the guillemots, 
appear in our feas about the beginning of Febru- 
ary, but do not fettle to breed till the beginning 
of May. They take up their refidence on the 
ledges of the higheft rocks impending the fea, 
fitting clofe together, and in rows one above ano- 
ther. The female properly lays but one egg, 
which is of an extraordinary fize in proportion to 
her bulk, being about three inches long, and of a 
white or pale fea-green colour, irregularly fpotted 
with black. Should this egg happen to be de- 
ftroyed, the Razor-Bill will lay another; and if 
that is removed, then a third. However, fhe 
makes no neft, but depofits her egg on the bare 
rock : and though multitudes lie contiguous, by a 
wonderful kind of inftindl, each bird diftinguiflies 
her own. What is alfo very amazing, the Ra- 
zor-Bill fixes her egg on the fmooth rock with 
fo exadl a balance, as to fecure ii from rolling off : 
but fhould it be removed, and then attempted to 
be replaced by the hand of man, it would be ex- 
tremely difficult, if not abfolutely impoflible, to 
bring it to it's former equilibrium. 
The inhabitants of the coafts where thefe eggs 
are laid, efteem them a very defireable kind of 
food; and, in order to fecure it, run the grcatefb 
hazards; being lowered from above by ropes, de- 
pending on the ftrength of their companions at 
the top, whofe footing is often lb unliable, that 
they are forced headlong down the precipice, and 
meet a dreadful and inevitable death. 
RAZOR-FISFI; the Coryphrena Novacula of 
Linnseus. The head of this fifh is large and 
comprelTed; and the whole body is f^at. There 
are fcarcely the very rudiments of a fnout; for the 
line, which terminates the fore-part of the head. 
runs almoft perpendicularly from the top of the 
head to the mouth, which is fmall, and armed 
with little (harp teeth, except four long ones, 
which are placed forwards. The eyes are firiail, 
and placed on the top of the head. At the ori- 
gin of the back there is a fin, which extends from 
thence to the tail; and another rife^ oppofite to 
it on the lower part of the belly, reaching from 
the vent almoft to the tail. The head and covers 
of the gills are marked with ftveral blue lines; 
the belly and tail-fins are yeilowifh and greenifh, 
chequered in a very pleafing manner; the dorfal 
fin is red, fprinkled with a few blue fpots; the 
reft of the body is of a yeilowifh red hue; and 
the tail, which is broad, is covered with large 
fcales. 
This fifh is common in the ifles of Rhodes 
and Malta ; and it's flefh is tender, cafy of di- 
geftion, and exceedingly nutritive. 
RAZOR-SHELL. A genus of bivalve 
fhells, of an oblong figure, and open at both ex- 
tremities. At the hinge, a fiibulated tooth is 
turned back, and often double. 
The Razor-Shell, called alfo the pivot, very 
much refembles the haft of a razor; and, by 
means of this ftiape, it is better enabled to dive 
into the foft fand at the bottom of the ocean. 
All the motions of this little animal are confined 
to finking or rifing about a foot downwards or 
upwards in the fand; for it never quits the fpot 
where it was firft planted. From time to time 
it rifes about half way out of it's hole; but if di- 
fturbed in the fmalleft degree, finks perpendicu- 
larly down again. Exadlly over the place where 
it buries itfelf, there is a fmall aperture, through 
which the animal refpires, or imbibes the fea- 
water. On the defertion of the tide, this hole 
may be eafily diftinguifhed by the fifhermen who 
are in queft of it: and their method of alluring 
the Razor up from the depth of it's retreat is by 
fprinkling a little fea-falt on it's hole; which dif- 
folving, no fooner reaches the creature below, 
tlian it inftantly rifes ftraight upwards, and dif- 
plays about half it's length above the furface: 
this appearance, however, is inftantaneous; and if 
the fifher does not feize the opportunity, the fhell 
with great facility finks to it's former depth; no 
fait can allure it a fecond time; but it remains 
unmolefted, unlefs the fifherman gives himfelf 
the trouble of digging it out. 
Several fpecies of this fhell are found on the 
Britifh coafts, from nine inches to half an inch in 
length. The names of the moft" curious are, the 
pod, fiieath, fcymetar, pellucid, fuboval, and kid- 
ney Razor-Shells; their different appellations ex- 
preifing fome peculiarity in their figure, confor- 
mation, or colour. The ancients ate the inclofed 
animals as well as the moderns: Athensus fpeaks 
of them as great delicacies; and peculiarly grateful 
to widows, but for what reafon we are not in- 
formed. 
RECURVIROSTRA. A genus of birds of 
the order of grallse: the charafters of which are; 
that the bill is long, flender, very thin, depi cffed, 
and bent upwards, whence die appellanon; and 
that the feet are palmated, and have three toes. 
The avofetta is die only known fpecies of this 
genus. 
This bird is fomewhat larger than the common 
lapwing; the beak is about two inches Ions?, 
black, flender, flatted, and bent upwards; the 
head is moderately large, and very round; and 
both 
I 
