FOREST AND > STREAM 
899 
Natural gjistory. 
THE 
PROCREATION OF SKATES AND 
STINGRAYS. 
Hot Springs, Art., May 14, 1S78. 
Mr. Editor— Last Bummer, while cruising anil llsblog among the 
islands of the Gulf of Mexico, between Bay St Lonla and Penaeoola, 
our party caught quite a number of those most villainous looking In- 
habitants of salt water called stlng-a-rees. One day in the surf, outalde 
of one of the Chandeleurs, a friend, with my assisiance, after the de- 
testable thing was hooked, caught one which meaaored about five feet 
from Up to tip and twenty-eight dr thirty inches aorosa the baolc. It 
was pulled upon the beaoh and turned upon Its back and left lying 
there. Passing by the thing In leas than half an hour, we saw lying by 
(t two smaller ones, about the size of every l.rge saucer, which had 
evidently come from this old one. A year or two before this, Mr. Bob- 
well, a prominent member of the Marooner Club of Vicksburg, caught 
one, and while an Italian was extracting the hook It gavo birth to a 
young one, much smaller than the two young ones mentioned abovo 
I presume all flshermen along the Gulf oast are acquainted with this 
habit of the Btlng-a-ree, but the question with me is whether tills odd 
thlug Is propagated through cggB as other fishes are, and after the 
young arc hutched, carries them in a protecting way, as many reptiles 
do, or whether they breed as do animals 7 I confess an Ignorance on 
this point, aud should like to be enlightened by yon, whom wo all re- 
gard as tue dispenser of gospel when it comes to the denizens of the 
deep. Moxon. 
Mr, Fred Mather, whose opportunities to observe the habits 
of the Raiidse and Trygonidro at the New York Aquarium 
have enabled him to gather information on this subject, has 
very kindly favored us with the following reply to the above: 
The skates are all classed as "viviparous” because the embryo Is 
formed before the horny o .verlog, or “egg case," is laid, and not af- 
terward, as In case of most fishes. I have seen the smooth skate 
(Haiti Imuis) lay Its eggs, and have hatched several species of skats- 
Never did of stlng-a-rees ( Trygon centrums), however, and know but 
little about them. Have looked up authorities; all 6llent on this. 
Have hoard that the Qsh In question had been opened and the young 
found alive without “cases ’’ on, but how true It may be I cannot say. 
The stingrays have the tall slender and whlp-llko, with only rudlmont. 
ary Qua If any, one of the dorsal Hus being usually (but not always) 
replaced by • stout birbed splno. The pectoral fins are oooliuued for- 
ward without Interruption around the snout. Toey are larger animals 
thau the Raiidas, although not the largest of the rays. 
D. S. Jordan. 
P S, While on the s'nbjeot of viviparous fishes, I may note that nu- 
merous small specimens of one of tho famous viviparous fish of Cali- 
fornia (Emblotocidev), the Itysterocirpus traski of Qlbbons, aro in a col- 
lection received at the National Museum from Brownsville, Texas. The 
others In the collection are a 1 genuine Gulf fishes, and unless there 
Is some "hocus-pocus" In the matter, we have hero a vory interesting 
addition to oar Quit of Mexico fanna. D. S. J, 
In reply to our prosecution of the inquiry on this subjest 
Prof. Tarleton H. Bean, of tho Smithsonian Institution at 
Washington, tells us of a young stringray which was taken 
from the inside of the mother— back uppermost— and all of 
the tail outside : 
The strlograys have been supposed to bring forth the young alive, 
but I am not aware that any oue has recorded tho fact concerning 
this species. Tills ray was possessed of all the organs of the adult and 
would have been able to capture Its owa food la the event of separa- 
tion from the parent. The pectorals were folded Bnugly oue ovor the 
other in the uterns to economize space. Tho tall waj proportionately 
longer than In the adult. 
In your Issue of May 30 I stated that a yonngray was taken from 
jEtobatis narinari Instead of from Rhinoptara quadriloba. We received 
both species, but tho young was found in tho latter. 
Tarleton H. Bban. 
Smithsonian Inst,, Washington, June 3. 
Four years ago Com. L. A. Beardslec, US. N., command- 
ing the steamer Blue Light in charge of the U. S. Fishery 
Commission, sent us the following description of the gestation 
of the skate, with the diagrams accompanying: 
“ Not one in a thousand would be puzzled to decide in what 
kingdom, animal or vegetable he would locate the egg, although 
I it is found frequently on our sandy beaches, thrown up by 
I the waves with masses of sea weed and resembling the empty 
husk of some curious nut. The egg of the skale is about two 
inches in length by one and a quarter inches broad, shaped 
like a sack, with four horns at the corners, each about two and 
„ half inches long. This egg is cumpo-ed of a parchmeut-like 
cover, and is of a dark green hue. Cutting one open, tho little 
the upper incisor teeth, and as the teeth grow, they spread 
apart and the animal cannot shorten them. In sharpening 
his teeth, as he is compelled to do in order to enable him lo 
do his work, he sharpens his upper incisors with the under 
incisors and tho under incisors with the upper, or superior 
incisors. Now, if he happens to get a piece of wood wedged 
in his incisors— and more especially the upper ones— and can- 
not dislodge it, his incisor teeth, so wedged, will spread 
apart, and in their growth, which is constant, and in course 
of not a vory long time, the animal is unable to shorten his 
incisors by the process of sharpening them. The consequence 
is what you saw iu that unfortunate woodchuck’s skull. 
This sharpening and shortening the incisors is a positive ne- 
cessity of all the rodents, and it is a curious provision in na- 
ture that their incisors arc continually lengthening by growth, 
and kept to a proper length by process of sharpening. 
Dr. Thro. Gauliok. 
FIG. 1. -Egg of shale, half natural size. 
Would very much like to see it. The “ eggs " of skates, as found on 
the beach, aro properly " embryo cases,” In which tho development be- 
gun In the body Ib completed — a poQon, and not properly an egg The 
ovary la uoprovlded With an excretory duct In these fishes, aud when 
tho ova are set free from the ovary they fall Into the cavity of the ab- 
domen. It may be that some are retained and completely developed 
within the body. 
Yours, Fred Mathbr. 
Prof. D. 8. Jordan, a most eminent authority, has done us 
the favor to write the following opinion : 
Irvington, Ind., May 27, 1878. 
Dear Matlock— l take It that the difference between thorn sharks, like 
the dog fish (Squalus americanus) and the (log-shark {Eustelus canis), 
wnloh are reckoned “ viviparous” and the ordinary “ oviparous” sharks 
and skates Is simply this: Iu the “oviparous" shark or skate, the young 
is luld In the peculiar leathery “ egg case, 1 as described by Mr. Mather 
above, while In tho “ vlviparons ” species the young Is sent out a free 
swimming animal without his “swaddling clothes.” I have, like Mr. 
Mai her, examined tho egg-cases and youog, both in and out of the 
parent, of several species of skate {Raiidat), but not of any of tho 
stingray (Trygonidte). I know of no record of the development of any 
of the latter except the following, which may refer to the same species 
noticed by your correspondent, “ Moxon," bat whether that species la 
our common stingray (Trygon centrurus), or some other member either 
of that family or the allied Stylobatidrs, 1 believe, Is uncertain. Prof. 
Aga's'z save (American Jouin. Scl. Arts, ISM, p. 309): “ Mr. Thayer S. 
Abcrt, of the U. S. Enslneers, informs me that the stingray of the coast 
of North Carolina also brings forth living young. Tils would be, as 
far as l know, the first example of a viviparous species In the family of 
B Your correspondent has, therefore, struck a good lead, and would do 
areal service to science If he wonld seud to the Smithsonian the next 
batch of the young of “ the detestable thing” which ho may Bccure, 
for exact determination. 
As to how the skates (Rail'd®) and stingrays ( Trynonida ) differ : The 
skates have in general the tall comparatlv-ly thick, not whip-like, and 
provided with two rayed dorsal fins and more or less of a caadal fin 
and no large barbed spine, although the skin Is rough with smaller 
prickles. The pectoral fins extend to the snout, but usually not 
around 1L 
FIG. 2.— Figure of clear-nosed skate (Raia eglanteria), showing eggs 
in position In tho oviducts, o. a., Eggs. b. b .Ovaries, with Unmature 
egg. Junction of ovlducta. 
FIG. 3.— Young skate, natural alzo. 
skate is found within, lyin ' quiet, as though lifeless, with its 
long tail coiled closely around its body and head; if very 
young the fish is hardly discernible at first, for he is but little 
more than a little transparent lice, resting on an oval muss re- 
sembling the yoke of an egg (which, for that matter it is) 
nearly an inch in diameter ; but carefully removed to a dish of 
water he soon gains vitality, and with corkscrew movements 
of his tail endeavors to swim atyay, but is too securely an 
chored by the ovarian sac, and can only wriggle. In this slate, 
to tho naked eye, no fins are visible — simply a little hue 
enlarged at one CDd a trifle, where two specks denote the eye 
A li'tle later in life, had we left him alone, he wou d nave 
presented an appearance more akin to that of the lull grown 
skate. But between these extreme stages of bis existence ho 
has passed through many changes. At first a mere transparent 
line, with no fins nor gills, gradually little threads or branc/ua 
have formed from near to his head ; he grows broader by de- 
grees. and the tail, which at first represents nearly the whole 
of him, grows shorter in proportion; the l/rancliia become 
transformed into gills, and a portion of the tail is either ab- 
sorbed or dropped off, for at first there is a fair proportion of 
it reaching beyond the caudal flu, and in the older fish the fin 
completes the creature as in other fish. These ebaoges occur 
while it is still too young to cut clear of its locker of fresh pro- 
visions, which its ovarian sac supplies. But now grown 
stronger, it can carry this with it as it swims. The beaut fill 
pink aod transparent straw color which marked the earlier 
stages of its existence have deepened into brown and yellow, 
and the spots acd markings of the mature fish begin to appear, 
and finally it emerges from its egg, left thinner at one end, 
ready to goon its own way and seek its own living. Ilia 
skate has one peculiar feature, the teeth of the female are very 
different from those of the male. In the former they are sharp 
and shaped like the teeth of a saw. In the latter, flat winders, 
like those of the sheepshead. As they probably feed on the 
same food, the ‘reason why’ I can’t find out. 
J. D. Hill, of Nashville, Tenu., mentions having seeD a 
very large stingray caught at Pass Christian, Lake Borgue, 
Gulf of Mexico, which, upon being landed, gave birth to at 
least a dozen young, each about the size of a man s band. 
Maokkbel.— We have a most valued and interesting paper 
on the '• Habits of Mackerel," which we shall print in our 
next issue, from the pen of Dr. Bernard Gilpin, of Halifax. 
Nova Scotia, who is perhap3 the most eminent naturalist ot 
that Province. 
Deformity in WooDcnuoKS’ Teeth— Toe Cause— Bat- 
forth 0 June 13 —Mr. Editor: I intended to hav ® 5 Y"J[SS 
an article fa your P a P er in reference to those distorted 
woodchuck't^eeth. 1 have 6een the skulls of two woodchucks 
as°tnxdly distorted as the one shown in your paper. ' and _I 
once shot a porcupine, whose upper incisors wore ' « 
nletelv coiled as a pair of ram s horns, the points or ooiu 
teeth passing completely through the upper lip. I 8U PP?‘® 
you know these distortions are caused by » 
K2H?. but I have inquired diligently of 
KaVr 1 ^ *£™orKb^ iHS wM 
Carnivorous Tastes of this Bed Squirrel. — Our corres- 
pondent, Mr. A. W. Greeley, of Nashua, N. II., says : 
“ It muy be that the red squirrel decs not mutilate the gray, 
hut that he destorys young birds there can tie no question; but 
what he does it for, I cannot conceive. Will some one ex- 
plain? He certainly does not kill them for food ” 
[Undoubtedly it does ; but just why, it is hard to say As 
horses, though strictly vegetable feeders, are said sometimes 
to relish a slice o! rare beef, so the squirrel muy incline to 
more nutricious food iban buds and tender sprouts at a season 
when the more substantial nuts, which forms his winter diet, 
are not to be obtained. There is n great variety in the diet 
of the different rodents, and it is difficult to say why the com- 
mon rat and mouse should be carnivorous, while nearly all 
wild species couflnc themselves to an exclusively vegetable 
regimen. Iu the West various specicB of Spermophilus feed 
largely on grasshoppers, and we have seen Tamias quadrivit- 
tatus, devouring with evident satisfaction the remains of a 
Hesperoruys— Ed.] 
CouRTsnip of tup. Prairie Chicken — Editor Forest and 
Stream: On several occasions recently I have had the good 
fortuno to be an eye witness of the pinnated grouse while 
going through his booming tactics. First he raises his tail 
vertically, stretches his neck out to its full length, and brings 
both body and neck to a horizontal position, he then ruff-i tho 
feathers of his neck, and runs violently in diagonal tacks of a few 
yards each, stoppiug a few seconds at lira end of each run. 
After he has worked his temper up to the required pitch, ho 
inflates his sacs until they stand out in purple bulbs, over an 
inch in diameter, on either side of his neck cl )so to Ike head, 
then with downward and slightly inward motion of head aud 
neck, dipping perhaps an inch or a little more, and with a 
.longer interval between the first and second than the second 
and third, he produces his amorous note : boom— bom-bom. 
All this time tbe object of his affections may have been 
close to him, or several hundred feet off The males seem to 
prefer the kuolls and higher parts of the prairie, but I have 
seen them in large coveys, at eveuing, gathered around sloughs 
and lakes. At such times the cock* divide their time between 
booming and fighting, ull present often Joining in a promiscu- 
ous rough-and-tumble. Often several pairs will fight fiercely 
for several minutes, acting very much like domestic fowls iu 
like circumstances, find then suddenly make for some neigh- 
boring cocks. Vbju> Mont. 
Sleepy Eye , Drown (Jo. , Minn., May 20, 1878. 
Variation in Color of the Baltimore Oiieole. — I have 
recently skinned out two golden robins (/. DaltimorensU), 
one of which had a solitary white feather in the cheek ; 
otherwiso very black, as usual. Tho other was very high 
colored in breast, and running all through the black oil heud 
were feathers of much the same high color as tho breast. 
Both the above were males. Yours. R. L. N. 
Salem, Muss., May 31, 1878 
A Nest Full — Woodstock, Ohio, June 3 .—Dear Editor : 
The prospects for good quail shooting this fall were never 
better, the weather and feed all that could be asked to batch 
and feed the young. While slaking some slumps in my wheat 
field this week I came upon a quail nest contniafog lorty two 
eggs. Now, is it common for more than one quail to lav in 
the same DC6t ? It is my opinion there must have been more 
than one that did the lajing in this insrance, ns the eggs 
seemed to differ materially in size, although there is only ouo 
bird sitiing on them. T. M. Owen. 
[It is said to be a common occurrence for two hen quails to 
lay their eggs in the same nest.— E d.] 
Animals Received at Central Park Mbnaobkik for Week End 
ISO June 15, 1S78.— One horseshoe era'). Limvlvs polyphmus.pies uted 
by Mr. loud, New York City; ooo larger-oili myuah, Qr acuta 
intermedia, pressed by Mrs. L. Grty, New York C t> ; one Runner, 
Suia fiber, p-csented by Dr. Samuel W. Francis, Newport; one Horned 
owl, Bubo virginlanus, presented by Mr. E. Wore, Elyria, Ohio ; ono 
red lox, Kuluti fulvue, presented by Sergeant Wm. A. Hawell, N w 
York Cl y. Born in Menagerie : Three Rngliah pheasants, PhasUimes 
eolehis ; one white swan, Cygnus olor ; one fallow dr or, Cervus daina. 
W. A. Conklin, Director. 
Arrivals at tub Philadelphia Zoological Garden* ron wkes 
Ending Tcje.day, June is.— T wo gray gopher*, .Sr*rmophlto /rankLn 
presented ; two oommon marmosets, Ilapalt jaeebus, presented ; ono 
stoat, Putoriu* erminea, presented ; one screech owl, Scops asio, pre- 
sented ; one fallow deer, Dama vulgaris, born In garden. 
We call our readers’ particular attention to the advertise- 
ment of the old firm of Messrs Dodd, Mead & Co , 751 Broad- 
way who make a specialty of wo ks in natural history l hey 
solicit correspondence with libraries, reading clubs, and book 
buyers generally. 
«ST Forest and Stream will be sent fi r fractions of a year 
as follows : Six inonilis, $2 ; three months, $1. To clubs of 
two or more, $3 per annum. 
