these nuisances, when
they attack the "catch" of fish. Or his lines come up from the deep all
tangled round and round a writhing Dog-fish, which had swallowed the
baited hook.

We come now to those flat Sharks, whose flesh you may have tasted. No
Sharks are nice-looking, but these flat ones--the Skates or Rays--are
really hideous, Many of them are of great size and strength, and armed
with spines on their bodies (_see_ p. 52, No. 3) as well as teeth in
their ugly jaws. They have broad, flat bodies, with wide "wings," and a
long thin tail. The whole shape reminds you of a kite, and you would
hardly know the Ray or Skate as the Shark's first cousin.

Yet it is only a Shark with flattened body, and whose side fins are so
large that they spread out like fleshy wings. The mouth is on the under
part, as it is in all Sharks.

[Illustration: FISHES (No.1).
1. Blue Shark.
2. Saw Fish.
3. Starry Ray.
4. Ox Ray.
5. Plaice.
6. Trunk Fish.
7. Blue Striped Wrasse.
8. Malted Gurnard.
9. Muroena.]

These flattened Sharks must be a terror to their neighbours. We shall
see, in our next lesson, what strange weapons are used in the battles of
the fish. The Rays or Skates have their share of spines, stings, and
poisons. One glance at their shape tells you that speed is not their
strong point. If they wish to eat fast-swimming fish--and they often
do--they must use cunning.

The Skate, being sandy-coloured and flat, is nearly invisible as it lies
on the bed of the sea. There it lurks, waiting for the first unwary
fish. A sudden spring, and its wide body smothers its unlucky victim.

Skates also flap their way slowly over the ocean floor, looking for a
dinner. They can eat shell-fish, and are fitted with teeth suited to the
work of crushing such hard fare. But, as we have seen, they have also
the Shark's love of eating other fish.

These Skates are the only members of the Shark family that we value as
food. You can see Skates of several kinds in the fish market. They go by
such names as Thorn-back Ray, Blue Skate, Spotted Ray, Starry Ray,
Cuckoo Ray, Long-nosed Skate and Sting Ray.

EXERCISES

1. Of what use are Sharks? 2. How does the Thresher Shark hunt its prey?
3. Give the names of several Dogfish and Rays. 4. What is the food of
the Skate, and how is it obtained?

LESSON VIII

THE DANGERS OF THE DEEP

The "game" of hide-and-seek is played by most of the dwellers in the
sea. Many of them are "hiders" and "seek