BORDERED KAY. Ill 



and all arc nearly of the same sizr. The Margined Ray 

 prefers sandy bays, partially landlocked, and not very deep 

 water;" from which cause it is more frequently caught in the 

 sean than in the trawl, the fishing with which is at a greater 

 distance from land. I learn from a later communication of 

 Mr. Thompson, that the Bordered Ray has of late become much 

 more scarce near Weymouth, if not altogether disappeared. 



Besides its small size, there are on the disk of this fish 

 numerous marks of blood-vessels, and perhaps nerves, which 

 are usually to be discerned in the young of the various kinds 

 of Rays, and in them only. I feel therefore strongly inclined 

 to adopt the opinion of the fishermen, even although it may 

 be opposed to that of so good an observer as Mr. Thompson, 

 and of such other able naturalists as have taken the other 

 side of the question. The only difficulty I feel is in assign- 

 ing it to any other recognised species, of which the Burton 

 Skate is the only one to which it bears a near resemblance. 

 That the black border exists in different degrees in different 

 individuals or situations, appears probable from a comparison 

 of the figures given by Risso with those of Mr. Yarrell and 

 our own; and it is also probable that it is a local colour 

 derived from particular food, or some special character of the 

 ground, disappearing altogether in the further growth of the 

 individual, which then also may change its haunts for some 

 at a greater distance. No example has yet been discovered 

 in the condition of producing eggs, which circumstance will 

 still further tend to strengthen the opinion of its being the 

 young condition of another species. 



