110 



BORDERED RAY. 



Raia marginata, Jenyns; Manual, p. 512. 



" " Yarrell; Br. Fishes, vol. ii, p. 564, the figure 



from a dry skin. 

 Gray; Cat. of Br. Museum, p. 138. 

 Baie petit museau, 



B. rostellata, Risso. 



The length of the specimen was eleven inches and a half, 

 of which the body, to the origin of the caudal portion, was 

 six inches and a half; the greatest breadth nine inches. The 

 snout projects, slender; and, from it to the extremities of the 

 pectoral fins, the border is much waved. Eyes five eighths of 

 an inch asunder, and one inch and six eighths from the snout. 

 Spines in front of the eyes, and in three rows along the tail, 

 long, and sharp. Dorsal fins near each other, and not close 

 to the end of the tail. Colour pale yellow, white below; but 

 what has rendered this fish remarkable, and given it a name, 

 is a very dark or black border which passes round the disk, 

 both below and on the upper side, from about the middle 

 of the body to the hinder part of the pectoral fins. 



I am indebted to the kindness of William Thompson, Esq., 

 of Weymouth, for a specimen of this fish, which lays claim 

 to the distinction of being regarded as a separate species; 

 and the best account I am able to give of it, is contained in 

 the letter of that gentleman, which accompanied the gift. "The 

 Marginata Ray," says he, "is rather plentiful in Portland 

 Roads, on a sandy bottom, and is caught both in seans and 

 trawls. It is a shallow water species, and at present I have 

 never heard of one exceeding fifteen inches. The fishermen 

 here will have it to be the young of some other species, but 

 can give no reasons. It is, however, taken all the year round, 



