•?H£ RAY. 
5% 
Section IIL 
Gen. VI. The Ray* 
. nrs genus is eafily diftinguifted froin all other kindil 
fifh, by a broad, flat, and thin conformation. The 
lve branchial apertures on each fide, are placed under the 
atl ional ; they want the bony opercula, and are marked 
y the fame peculiarities, that diftinguilh the other cari 
l daginous tribes. The mouth, in all the fiflies of thi 3 
S e nus, is fituated quite below the head ; while the body 
°f the greater number is befet with fpines or prickles, 
tumbling thofe on the branch of a thorn, a circum- 
ftance from which they obtained their ancient name *; 
l ' lRt of ray, which we now apply to the genus, is derived 
fro ® the latin. 
^ / ^' s genus comprehends all the rays, thombacks, and 
g lrs ’ or Skates, which are diftinguifhed by manners aS 
in gular as their external form. Willoughly has de- 
ribed fourteen different fpecies, and Linnaui nine ; of 
Uc h no lefs than eight frequent the Bf-iti/h coafts f. 
N % With 
G^T* W * UC * t <5gn! ^ es Lhe herry that growl Upon a prickly 
t Nat. and Britifh Zooh 
