I 
88 SKATR. 
several examples, I have found in one a fishing frog, or 
angler, that weighed upwards of six pounds; in another two 
large plaice; a lobster; a couple of mackerel; a thornback 
rav, about eighteen inches in length; and half a salmon, the 
piece appearing fresh, as if but lately devoured. 
Bloch informs us that at the breeding-season, which is in 
summer, each female is followed by several males, and that 
the latter attach themselves so closely by the elaspers, that 
the capture of the former will often secure that of the latter. 
The egg is contained in a purse, four or five inches long, of 
a texture like leather, and oblong shape, with a short and 
slender tendril at each corner, flexible like leather, and 
brown, and with, at first, separate fibres that are easily peeled 
off. They are shed in pairs, at apparently short intervals, 
without being attached to any fixed body; but on one occa- 
sion an intelligent fisherman reported to me a remarkable 
departure from the usual course of proceeding, arising, it 
cannot be doubted, from some abnormal structure or action 
in the parent fish. On cutting open a fish of unusually large 
size, he was surprised to find in the receptive organ a pair 
of young ones, which were nearly twice the size of such as 
have been newly excluded from the purse; and they appeared 
perfect in all their parts, except that the eyes seemed to be 
obscure. Aware of the extraordinary nature of the occurrence, 
he sought further, when the discovered the purses also, en- 
closed in the same organ, but in a very decayed condition. 
It is clear that in this instance we have an example of internal 
hatching of the egg, but without the power of excluding it 
into life. 
The instances that have been given of the power of the Blue 
Shark to sustain injury are fully equalled by what is known of the 
present species; but a single instance maybe thought sufficient 
to establish the fact. In the month of July, when the warmth 
of the season may be judged to have exerted some influence, 
a large Skate was caught with a line at eight o’clock in the 
evening, but it was not brought to land until the same hour 
on the following morning; soon after which time the stomach 
and entrails were cut out and removed. At three o’clock in 
the afternoon the cavity of the chest was also cut open, and 
in doing this the heai’t was deeply wounded, when it was 
