July, 1921 
FOREST AND STREAM 
329 
They usually take a bait eagerly and 
when hooked make a most vigorous rush, 
often deceiving the angler into the be- 
lief that he has a large channel bass or 
striped bass hooked. Their first rush is 
ordinarily from seventy-five to one hun- 
dred feet, which is frequently followed 
by sulking at the bottom. Occasionally 
they will leap clear of the water at the 
conclusion of a swift run; the momen- 
tum thus acquired carrying them several 
feet through the air and entirely clear 
of the water. Their appearance at this 
moment is most grotesque. 
In order to secure the necessary speed 
through the water for the leap their 
wings are worked in a most vigorous 
manner, which is kept up at the same 
rate while in the air. This, with their 
long tail trailing behind, makes quite a 
picture and woe to the tackle that might 
be tangled or not in free running order 
at this critical juncture. The best of 
lines would be parted like packthread. 
As their flight and consequent return 
to the water partakes of nothing in the 
way of graceful action, the resounding 
thwack and splash as they hit the water 
is most amusing. At best they are 
brutes and give the angler a most trying 
time in making the killing. When they 
sulk at the bottom they have the habit 
of arching their wings at an acute an- 
gle, thus creating suction which re- 
quires the best of tackle, as well as the 
best of judgment, to overcome. 
When they are finally beached they 
whip their tails most viciously in all 
directions, endeavoring to strike home 
their spear-like spines which are lo- 
cated at the base of the tail. Just how 
the wound is given is not quite clear. 
The poison shafts are peculiarly con- 
structed and as curiously located for 
'such action. They lie where the tail 
and body join, are placed one nearly 
above the other and seem to be incapa- 
ble of any but the slightest lateral 
action. Mother Nature, however, in 
placing the weapon, doubtless endowed 
the creature with wisdom for its use. 
Certain it is they can inflict most dan- 
gerous wounds which are extremely dif- 
ficult to heal. There does not appear to 
be any venom sac at the base of these 
spines, and it would appear that the 
animal in some manner exudes the poi- 
son through the skin. It has been con- 
tended that it is merely the slimy sub- 
stance which is ever present about their 
bodies that causes the infection when 
the wound is inflicted. We perhaps 
are less interested in the cause of the 
poison than in its results. This is 
known to be serious, as many cases are 
on record that were never healed and 
many shriveled arms and legs have re- 
sulted from their attacks. 
The poundnet men dread them and 
have a special form of pike to impale 
them with and hoist their bodies over- 
board. The writer recently killed one 
at New Inlet, N. J., of perhaps forty 
pounds weight which gave birth to 
seven young upon being beached. 
They, like the entire family of rays, 
will take any kind of bait the fisherman 
may offer, and the only joy I ever found 
in the capture of one lay in the knowl- 
edge that there was one less pest to mar 
In Writing to 
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