The natural history of fishes, amphibians, & reptiles, or monocardian animals . ecies, or whether, as on the present occasion,it had been broken off accidentally or purposely, (for itis universally considered by fishermen of all countriesto be poisonous,) is a question which must be undecided;certain it is, however, that some of the rays, both in thisand the last sub-families, appear to be totally devoid ofa sting. The next genus is Rhinoptera of Kuhl. Inthis the head is equally free; but thesnout is so deeplycleft in front, that in some species it assumes the aspectof two horn-like protuberan
The natural history of fishes, amphibians, & reptiles, or monocardian animals . ecies, or whether, as on the present occasion,it had been broken off accidentally or purposely, (for itis universally considered by fishermen of all countriesto be poisonous,) is a question which must be undecided;certain it is, however, that some of the rays, both in thisand the last sub-families, appear to be totally devoid ofa sting. The next genus is Rhinoptera of Kuhl. Inthis the head is equally free; but thesnout is so deeplycleft in front, that in some species it assumes the aspectof two horn-like protuberances, not in substance, but inshape. In one species, the R. quadrilobata of LeSueur *, here represented from an exquisite plate by thatnaturalist (fig. l;-j.), there are two other processes, one on each side I the under part ofthe snout («), whichare obviously thefirst developmentof those fin-likepaddles seen inthe next mouth, bothof this and Mylio-bates, is placed un-derneath (lj) ; butthe sting does notappear constant: itexists in the specieshere figured (c), but. * Amer. Trans, vol. i. pi. SO. 176 CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. is absent in that described by Dr. Russell. The twoprocesses just mentioned conduct us at once to thegenus Ceratoptera M. and H., where these appendagesassume the form and office of lobed fins, as representedby the same artist {fig. 20.), the head is completely
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubj, booksubjectfishes, booksubjectreptiles
