CEPHALOPTERiDa:. FISHES. ToEPEDiNiDffl. ccli 
Family— CEPHALOPTERID/E. 
Tliis family formerly found a place amoii<>’ the 
I The genus Cephaloptera, which gives name to the 
group, has the pectorals produced into long processes 
at their anterior extremities, presenting the iippear- 
ance of two horns, and this feature suggests the 
generic name, the processes bearing some resem- 
blance to wings; wing-headed. 'I'he teeth are 
slender, and the dorsal tin is small. 'The tail is slen- 
der, and armed with a serrated spine. 
THE DEVIL-FISH [Ceratoptei'a vaminrus. {Mitch.), 
Gill). — Ranges from Gape God south ward to Florida. 
The generic term here used refers to the horn shaped 
wings. DeKay records it as Gephaloi)tera. Mitchill 
describes one that required three pair of oxen, aided 
by a horse and twenty-two- men, to drag it to dry 
land. It was estimated to weigh between foui' and 
five tons. DeKay says : •“ It is known to seize the 
cables of small vessels at anchor. A schooner was 
seen suddenly to move across the harbor with great 
rapidity, impelled by some unknown and mysterious 
power. On reaching the opposite shore the course 
was changed so suddenly as to nearly capsize the 
vessel. These mysterious flights across the harbor 
were repeated several times, and suddenly ceased.” 
The measurements given by DeKay are as follows: 
length to base of tail, ten feet; to the end of tail, 
sixteen feet; width across the pectorals, seventeen 
feet. We have seen this species in the Gulf 
of Mexico, seemingly feeding on small Fishes, like 
Herring, that were in immense shoals. There were 
several of those great sea vampires associated, 
about ten feet in width each. 'I’heir movements 
near the surface of the sea were such as to ex[)ose 
one of the large pectoral wings as they turned to 
follow the Fishes, their great bulk causing con- 
siderable commotion. 
Family— MYLIOBA'ITD^. 
'I’he genus Myliobatis is the typical one, giving- 
rise to the name of this family. 'I'he union of the 
pectoral fins and the body renders it very broad by 
the lateral extension of the latter. The tail is very 
long and attenuated. 'I'he dorsal fin is developed 
near the root of the tail, behind which is one or a 
pair of spines, which are serrated on their lateral 
edges. 'I’here are no spines upon the skin. 
BISHOP KAY {^lohatis narinari {Mull.), Henle.) 
— Ranges, as far as known, from Virginia to Florida. 
It is called Obiseo in Guba. 
COW-NOSED RAY [Rhinoptera guadriloha {Les.). 
Cuv.) — Plate XL, fig. v. — 'I'his little Ray is found 
on our shores from Gape God to Florida. Several 
specimens in the New York Aquarium were taken in 
New York Bay, near Sandy Hook. 'J’hey ai-e ex- 
ceedingly interesting, and very beautiful in form, 
color, and in their movements. 'I’he wing-like fins 
are worked like the wings of a bird. 
SHARP-NOSED RAY {Myliobatis fremenvillei {Les.), 
Storer). — 'I’his ranges from Gape God to Florida. 
Storer figures it as M. actua, Ayres. 
Family— 'I’RIGONID^. 
STING RAY {Trygon centrum {Mitch.), OUT).— 
Ranges from Gape God to Florida. In various por- 
tions of the coast it is called Stino Ray, Whip Ray 
and Stingaree. Mitchill named and described it: 
“A very large species, found on the coast of Long- 
Island, with a tail of five feet or more in length, cov- 
ered all over with prickly shields or scales, and armed 
on its upper side with two naked bones of four inches 
long, inversely serrated.” DeKay i-ecords it as Whip 
Sting Ray (Pastinaca hastata). Pliny treats of this 
species; the term Pastinaca being used to designate 
a form known to the early writers. Rondelet figures 
one which bears the name Le Pastinaque. Belon 
and others figure the same ; all of them represented 
with a very large and long- serrated spine at the base 
of the tail. 
BUTTERFLY RAY {Pteroplatea maclura {Mull.) 
and Henle). — 'I’his species is found ranging from 
Gape God to Florida. 
Family— 'I’ORPEDINID^. 
'I’his family derives its name from the typical 
genus, 'I’orpedo, the ancient name of the species. 
'I’he group is made up of Selachians, of the order of 
Rays, and is notable for the electrical phenomena it 
exhibits. Goncerning this feature. Gill says: “'I’he 
electrical apparatus is situated between the head 
(eyes and spiracles) and the inner concealed bases of 
the pectorals; this is composed of iiumerous approx- 
imated hexagonal columns at right angles with the 
surface of the body, and with their ends often visible 
through the skin above and below, occupying, as the 
apparatus does, the entire depth between the upper 
and under surface of the body. 'I’liese batteries are 
pi ovided with nerves from the eighth pair. 'I’he shock 
is quite subject to the volition of the animal, and is 
used, probably, for offensive as well as defensive pur- 
poses. In ancient days the animal was impressed 
into use for medicinal purposes, and was the original 
electro-therapeutic medium.” Dioscorides, the phy- 
sician who attended Antony and Gleopatra, is said 
to liave made use of its powers. 'I’he species are dis- 
tributed throughout the warmer and temperate seas. 
About twenty species are known. 'I’he genus 'J’or- 
pedo is the only one represented in our waters. 
TORPEDO {Torpedo oceidentalis, Storer). — Ranges 
from Gape God to Florida. 'I’his singular Fish was 
for a long time unrecognized on our coast. Storer 
first described it. He says : “Dr. Mitchill introduc- 
ed the Raia torpedo into his Fishes of New York, 
published in 1815, upon the authority of several fish- 
ermen with whom he had conversed, who had been 
electrified with a species of Ray when they were de- 
taching it from the hook. He had never seen a 
specimen, but had no doubt of its being the Gommon 
'I'orpedo, and consequently catalogued it as such.” 
Storer found no other notice of this Fish afterwards, 
by authors, but gathered testimony of the existence 
of such a form, which the fishermen called Gramp- 
FiSH, that was occasionally found off Gape God. In 
