346 PLAGIOSTOMATA. 



nearly smooth on the surface of the disk, except a spine at either shoulder, and a 

 single row down the centre of the back : two spines in front of the orbit, and two 

 near to its hind edge and to the margin of the spiracle, a few small ones along the 

 snout and sometimes a few along the edge of the pectoral fin, but not continued 

 beyond its angle. A central row of strong spines passes along the tail on which 

 a spine divides the two dorsal fins which are well developed : no caudal fin. Along 

 either side of the tail, are one sometimes two rows of spines which are smaller 

 than those along its upper surface. In the adult male there are four rows of 

 hooked spines on either wing, increasing in number and size with age. Colours 

 various : generally of a rich brown covered all over with black spots, and which 

 in the specimen figured are rather close together. Donovan observed they were 

 distant asunder. A variety is figured by Donovan, showing a large ocellated spot 

 on the wing. Montagu observes a white circle may exist surrounding a large 

 dark spot, or a black spot may be within a wdiite circle, the whole surrounded by 

 five equidistant dark spots. 



Varieties. Thompson 1. c. remarks upon several Irish varieties of the Homelyn. 



Names. The Homelyn ray : rough ray : sandy ray : taily : spotted ray, 

 denoting its mode of colouring : land ray, Pembrokeshire and Devonshire : 

 eel-pot, Aberdeen. Geffyl gwyn, Welsh. De Gladde Bog, Dutch. 



Habits. Is found nearer inshore than the thornback, with w T hich, observes 

 Couch, it is equally valued by the fishermen. It is very partial to sand launces. 



Means of capture. Similar to those employed for the preceding forms. 



Breeding. Couch remarks that the purse is smaller than in the thornback 

 and shed in such shallow water as, during winter storms, to be often thrown on 

 shore with their precious burdens within them. He obtained young from the 

 purses in November and January, the length at that time being about five inches, 

 of which the tail was two inches and three-eighths, the breadth three inches, with 

 the spines even then developed. In the first week in June, 1878, one of these 

 fishes deposited an egg in the Brighton Aquarium, and five months subsequently 

 a young one emerged from its horny case (Hardw. Sc. Gossip, 1873, p. 276). 



As food. This species is esteemed in places. 



Habitat. From the British coasts to the Mediterranean. 



Banff occasionally taken (Edward) : Aberdeen (Sim) : Firth of Forth, one of 

 the rarest species (Parnell) : Yorkshire (Pennant) : common in Norfolk (Lowe) : 

 Hampshire and Sussex (Yarrell) : common from Devonshire along the south 

 coast to Cornwall : Pembrokeshire (Donovan). In Ireland it appears to be found 

 around the coast. 



The example figured is one-fifth the natural size, and came from Plymouth. 

 Montagu observes that this fish attains to a much larger size than the 

 thornback, but is not so large as the skate. Couch's specimen was 3 feet 9 inches 

 long. 



8. Raia microcellata, Plate CLXXII A. 



Baia microcellata, Montagu, Wern. Mem. ii, p. 430 ; Fleming, p. 171 ; Jenyns, 

 Manual, p. 515 ; Mull, and Henle, p. 142; Yarrell, Brit, Fish. (ed. 1) ii, p. 433, c. 

 fig. (ed. 2) ii, p. 567 (ed. 3) ii, p. 567 ; White, Catal. p. 139 ; Dumeril, Ich. i, 

 p. 538 ; Moreau, Poiss. de la France, i, p. 417. 



Bainted-ray, Couch, Fish. Brit. Isles, i, p. 107, pi xxv. 



Disk of moderate width, being about one-fourth wider than long, but these 

 proportions varying with size. Front of the head obtuse, the snout being slightly 

 produced at its extremity. The length of the tail rather less than that of the 

 disk. Anterior edge of the disk undulated, and scarcely passes beyond a line 

 drawn from the end of the snout to its rounded angle : the hind edge of the 

 disk convex, and of less length than its anterior border. Eyes small, 3 

 diameters apart and 5 diameters from the end of the snout. Spiracles placed 

 close behind the orbits, than which they are larger. Mouth wide, and equalling 

 two-thirds of its distance from the end of the snout. Teeth 45 to 55 rows, 

 flattened in the females, pointed in adult males. The body and tail covered with 

 rough grains, occasionally quite smooth : about midway between the hind edge of 

 the spiracles and the base of the tail a single row of small spines commences, 



