Identifier: oceanwonderscomp00damo (find matches)
Title: Ocean wonders: a companion for the seaside
Year: 1879 (1870s)
Authors: Damon, William Emerson, 1838-
Subjects: Marine animals Aquariums
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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n any other direction. It is vivipa-rous. I have never succeeded in placing it in the aquariumalive, though I have made thorough and repeated efforts todo so. Whether they die from fright, or whether the eyes,which are in such an exposed position, and are organicallyconnected with the brain, get injured by contact with thecan or vessel in which they are transported, it is difficult totell; but it is certain they do not make an effort to liveafter capture. They are sometimes found in Long IslandSound. Their range is from Brazil to Cape Cod, and exceptby accident they are not found north of the latter. SOME CUKIOUS DENIZENS OF THE SEA. 117 The Skate or Rat (genus Raid) contains many varieties,such as the clear-nose, the spotted, the whip, the prickly-tailed or sting ray, and the smooth skate (Rata lazvis). Speci-mens of all these kinds of rays may frequently be seen hungup in the markets to attract attention, which they do fromthe ludicrous, serio-comic facial expression. They are often
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The Under-sipe of Skate. taken in company with the cod, and are occasionally eatenby the buyers of cheap food, though their substance is chieflygelatinous and the flavor disagreeable. Some observers haveimagined that the under-side of the head bears a resemblanceto the human countenance, but we think no one would care 118 THE OCEAN. to claim relationship with these nondescript-looking subjects.The whip-ray is so named from the use he makes of his verylong, narrow tail, from five to six feet in length, which heslashes around in fine style when excited. The tail of theprickly or sting ray is beset with fine spines. The smoothskate or ray is distinguished by a nearly total absence ofthese spines. The eggs of the ray are of a curious shape—a sort of oblong, with four ribbon-like threads attached, one

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