FLAITKR SKATE. 559 



" It is distinguished from Raia ball's, in the upper sur- 

 face of the body being perfectly smooth, without granulations, 

 and of a dark olive colour spotted with white ; in the ante- 

 rior part of each orbit being furnished with a strong spine 

 pointing backwards ; in the dorsal fins being more remote 

 from each other, and in the anterior margins of the pectorals 

 being rather more concave, giving the snout a sharper appear- 

 ance ; whereas, in Raia batis, the upper surface of the body 

 is rough to the touch, of a uniform dusky grey without spots ; 

 the orbits without spines ; the dorsal fins nearly approximate, 

 and the anterior margins of the pectorals nearly straight." 



" It is likewise removed from Raia oxyrhynchus, in the 

 snout being conic ; the under surface of the body dark grey ; 

 a spine in front of each orbit, and the back of a dark olive- 

 green, spotted with white ; whereas in the Raia oxyrhynchus, 

 the snout is sharp and long, with the lateral margins parallel 

 near the tip ; the under surface of the body pure white, and 

 the back of a plain brown without spots." 



This species is not uncommon in the Frith of Forth, and 

 " I have met," observes Dr. Parnell, " with two examples of 

 a variety of this fish which were taken in the salmon-nets at 

 Queensfcrry. They were both of small size, about eighteen 

 inches in length. The back was of a uniform dark olive 

 green without spots of any description, covered with a thick 

 mucus ; under surface of a dark grey ; body very thin ; snout 

 sharp, conical ; pectorals at their anterior margin rather 

 sinuous, passing off somewhat suddenly at that part, in a line 

 with the temporal orifices, giving the outline of the anterior 

 part quite a different appearance to that observed in Raia 

 intermedia ; the anterior part of each orbit is furnished with 

 a spine ; back perfectly smooth ; tail with one row of spines 

 on the dorsal ridge ; fins, and in all other respects, similar 

 to Raia intermedia.'''' 



A female specimen of this fish, about two feet in length, 



