EAGLE RAY 
137 
1 prefer to take our description, but in an abbreviated 
form, from Mr. Lowe’s unfinished work, the '‘Fishes of 
Madeira,” rather than from an imperfect specimen obtained in 
England; and the rather that the former was derived from an 
example fresh from the sea, and not from one preserved in a 
museum. 
The pectoral fins are widely spread, and growing narrow at 
their greatest extent; the back raised, and so sloping to the 
snout, and also towards the tail; which organ is long, slender, 
and ending in a fine point, with a fin near its origin, and a 
dart or spine having reversed serrated teeth at the sides, not 
far behind the fin. The eyes are large and prominent, on the 
sides of the head, under a projection of the bone, and close 
behind them wide spiracles. The posterior border of the pec- 
toral fins incurved and waved; ventrals small, and the claspers 
of the males so small as to be nearly concealed by these fins. 
Mouth below, level with the origin of the pectoral fins; the 
jaws with flat grinding teeth in the middle, but none at the 
comas of the mouth. The general surface is smooth, but 
there is often a roughness from the head along the back, and 
spreading a little over the base of the wings. The length of 
the tail is about twice the length of the body, and rather 
exceeding in its extent the whole breadth across the pectoral fins. 
The colour is greenish or olive liver brown; the tail dark 
brown, beneath white. When first taken this fish flourishes its 
tail in all directions; and although the tall is proportionally less 
than in the Sting Eay, it is capable of inflicting formidable 
injury. The length of the purse is six inches and a half; the 
breadth four inches and five eighths; length of the longest 
tendrils about seven inches and a half, flat and thin in shape, 
and ending in a slender cord. The structure of the surface 
is curious and beautiful, difiFering much from that of other 
known Rays; the surface thickly set with raised longitudinal 
lines, closely crossed with dots or raised lines; each longitudinal 
line being thickly studded with raised markings, points, or 
short lines; which, however, do not pass from one line to another, 
although they appear to sink into the minute channel between 
them. ° This description, however, only applies to the middle 
of the case; for towards the ends and sides the longitudinal 
lines are joined in this manner, and the reticulations form 
VOL. 1. ^ 
