RAWSON, Edward Kirk, American edu cator: b. Albany, N. Y., 21 Feb. 1846. He was graduated from Yale in 1868, from Andover Theological Seminary in 1872. and was ordained in the Congregationalist ministry. In 1871-90 he was chaplain in the United States navy, serv ing at the Naval Academy from 1886, and in 1888-90 professor of ethics and English there. In 1897-1902 he was superintendent of naval war records; in 1902-08, head of the department of English and law at the Naval Academy; in latter year retired. He published (Twenty Famous Naval Battles: Salamis to Santiago (1899).
RAY, Anna Chapin, American author of juvenile fiction: I). Westfield, Mass., 3 Jan. 1865. She was graduated at Smith College 1885; received the degree of A.M. in 1888, and re moved to Quebec, Canada, in 1903. She pub lished 'Half a Dozen Boys) (1890) ; 'Half a Dozen Girls' (1891); 'In Blue Creek ,(1892).; 'Dick' (1896); series of six 'Teddy' books (1898-1904) ; 'Each Life Unfulfilled' (1899) ; '13iimpep and Baby John" . (1903) ; Orhe Dominant Strain' (1903) ; the Good Sainte Anne' (1905); series of six 'Sidney books (1905-10) 'The Bridge Builders' (1909); 'A Woman with a Purpose' (1911) ; three books (1911-13), etc.
RAY, George Washington, American ju rist: b. °tulle, Ghenango County, N. Y., 3 Feb. -1844. He was educated at Norwich Academy; -served in the Civil War as private and brigade clerk; was admitted; to the bar and began prac tice at Norwich, N., Y., in 1867. ' He was a representative in Congress in 1883-85 and 1891 92, resigning in the latter year to become United States district judge in the Northern District of New York. He opposed the free silver bill of 1892, was chairman of the com mittee on invalid pensions and of the com mittee) on judiciary. ' .
Isaac, American physician: b. Mass., 16 Jan. 1807; d: Philadelphia Pa., 31 March 1881. He was graduated f Bow ow doin , f 147, PT actisod medicine, and. in .1841-45 was superintendent of the State insane.asylum Maine. In.1,845-66 he had' charge of, the Butler Hospital for the Insane at Prow deuce, R I., and.then removed. to Philadelphian, wher•he engaged in, medical practice. He pub« fished 'OmiverratiOns, on. Animal Anatomy' (1829); 'Medical.. nriaprudence of Insanity' (1838) • 'Education in Relation to the Health of the Brain' (1851); 'Mental, I-Wene'. (1863); Contributions to Mental .Paogy) (1873), etc.
(at an earlier spelled by him Waal?), English naturalist: b. Black Not ley, near Braintree, Essex, 29 Nov. 1627; ct there, 17 Jan. 1705. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, was made Greek lecturer in 1651; mathematical lecturerin 1653; humanity reader in 1655 and junior dean 'in 1658. He made long botanical end • zoological • tours in . England, and Vales, and''it 1663-66 traveled about Europe with Francis Willoughby in an attempt to accomplish a systematic de scription of the entire organic world. It is thought that much of the credit bestowed on Ray as the founder of English natural history should properly ' attach to Willoughby. Ray was elected F.R.S. in 1667. Among his works are (Catalogus Plantarum Anglin' (1670), the basis of all subsequent English flora; 'Methodus Plantarum Nova? giving a new system Of classification ;' 'Histona Plantarnm)(1686 1704)'; 'Synopsis Methodica Animallum Quad rupedum et Serpentini Generis' (1693), and three posthumous volumes on birds, fishes and insects. He also arranged and classified Wil
loughby's collection of materials for an ex tensive work on the animal kingdom, published under the titles of 'Ornithologia' (1676) and 'Historia Piscium' (2vols. 16%). These volumes noted many specks of birds and fishes not observed by previous naturalists. In 1844 The Ray Society was founded at London for the pubhcation of scientific works of established merit. Consult the 'Memorials' by Lankester (1844).
RAY, ,a group of elastnobranchs forming the suborder Batasdei. The skates and the rays are nearly allied to each: outer, and are recog nized, by their broad ,flattened bodies, which are generally of a shape, and consist in greater part of the enormously developed pee toral or breast fins, which are supported upon emodified portion of the anterior skeleton. On the upper surface of the disc-like body the eyes are borne,. with or apertures, by which water, tnay , be admitted to the gill sacs. The moutk nostrils and gill-openings .(five on, each side) are in thc lower• surface of the body. The. mouth. is generally , furnished with broad flat teeth of rhomboidal shape, and is of small size.. The tail is elongated and slender, and is generally armed • with sharp spinous processes., (See STING-BAY), Two or more dorsal fins may exist, whilst the caudal or tail fin is heterocercal. These fishes produce eggs, like those of sharks, are enclosed In cartilaginous capsules, known as *Mermaids' Purses,* etc. Occasionally the rays may attain very large dimensions and weights. They are bottom-fishes, and 'feed upon other small fishes, crustaceans and mollusks. They swim chiefly by peculiar undulating motions of the edges of the pectoral fins, In the true rays (Raiide) the snout is more or less pointed and prolonged, and two dorsal fins exist near the end of the tail. The most common members • of this group are the sting-rays The European sharp nosed ray (R. eryekyncliat) is a favorite French food-fish; the homelyn ray (R. mom Iota), also, is frequently sold in the London markets. The American Species are called skates (q.v.). The rays (Mytiobaiider) possess projecting heads, with the pectoral fins extended laterally in a great degree so as to imitate wings. The 'teeth are hexagonal, fiat and pavement-like. The slender tail possesses one dorsal fin' and is armed with a notched spine. These include' the California *banish* (Myliobatis rolifornicat), and a famous' whip tailed• species of the Mediterranean (M. Allied to these are the 'huge blanket-rays (MO,ttidE), so much dreaded•y swimmers and • , . f .
divers in all warm . SPecimens 'Weighing more than 1,000 pounds have been taken in the Mediterranean. (See Devn.visn). Other fam ilies are the sawfishes (Pristida), the guitar fishes (Rhinobatidx) and the electric rays or •torpedoes• (Narcobatieku); elsewhere described. See ICHTHYOLOGY.