. The American natural history : a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America . Natural history. THE SAWFISH 435 wise, thereby giving a sweeping sidewise stroke with its saw, and swiftly repeating it in the op- posite direction. On a Sawfish fourteen feet in length, the saw is about four and a half feet long, and the teeth project about one and a half inches from the bone. This creature is an intermediate form between the sharks and the typical rays, and in reality it is a shark-ray. Its eyes are a-top of its head, its mouth is underneath, its body in front of the do
. The American natural history : a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America . Natural history. THE SAWFISH 435 wise, thereby giving a sweeping sidewise stroke with its saw, and swiftly repeating it in the op- posite direction. On a Sawfish fourteen feet in length, the saw is about four and a half feet long, and the teeth project about one and a half inches from the bone. This creature is an intermediate form between the sharks and the typical rays, and in reality it is a shark-ray. Its eyes are a-top of its head, its mouth is underneath, its body in front of the dorsal fin is quite well flattened, and its pectoral fins have "ray" written all over them. The maximum tends outward to the very tips of the wing-like fins. Upon this is laid a thin layer of flesh, and over all is spread the rough and tough skin. The tail is like a long, stiff whip, with a many-barbed bone stiletto midway,—a very dangerous weapon to be so carelessly exposed. To a taxidermist, the mounting of a large ray is about the most calamitous task he can possibly encounter. The trouble lies in the perpetual shrinking after mounting. The Sting Ray,' or, by corruption, "Stinga- ree," is one of the greatest pests of the eastern. THE SAWFISH. length attained by it is said to be 15 feet. Because of the long, flat beak of this creature, it has become associated in many minds with the swordfish, but structurally the two are as far apart as a deer and a bear. Notwithstanding the fact that there exists a group called the Order of Fiat-Fishes (halibuts, flounders and soles), the rays are by far the flattest of all fishes. For example, the Spotted Ray of Ceylon is about 5 feet across, 5 inches thick at the centre of the body, and at the edges its great wings flatten out into thin air. From the body, which really is quite small, and centrally located, a thin sheet of cartilage, consisting of a great number of very long, jointed rays firmly joined together, ex- co
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