laguna 60arine Laboratory 



and tliree irregularly placed spines in front of these ; a row of 

 twenty-two spines along each rostral cartilage, ending opposite orbit. 

 Above tip of the snout is a broad flap or tentacle, with five short 

 lobes on its apical margin. Skin smooth, and mostly mucus covered, 

 except on inter-orbital where it roughened with minute prickles. 

 Outer margin of pectorals translucent, the rays plainly visible; 

 rostral cartilages converging for most of their length, then diverging 

 at tip, but nowhere confluent. Claspers very small, not reaching tips 

 of ventral rays. In the other specimens the number of dorsal spines 

 along the back varied from twenty to twenty-five in the series before 

 the first dorsal, and also varied a little in the series around the orbits. 



Food Stomachs of adults of this species all contained small 

 Crustacea (crabs, shrimps, etc.), and a number of polychaet worms. 

 No other food was found. 



Platyrhinoides triseriatus (Jordan and Gilbert). Hornback. 



Three specimens were secured in rather deep water off Newport, 

 where it is reported common. 



Family RAJIDAE 



Raja inornata Jordan and Gilbert. Common Skate. 

 A specimen seen at Newport was identified as this species. Its 

 abundance could not be determined. 



Family DASYATIDAE 



Urolophus halleri Cooper. Round String Ray. 

 Common at Newport and probably at Laguna, although no speci- 

 mens were taken by us at the latter place. 



Pteroplatea marmorata Cooper. California Butterfly Ray. 

 One specimen of this species was taken at Newport. No informa- 

 tion could be obtained as to its abundance. 



Family AETOBATIDAE 

 Aetobatus californicus Gill. Batfish. 



(Figures 3 and 4) 



Fairly common at Newport and Laguna. 



The following notes with accompanying figures were taken from 

 a male specimen 470 mm. in length, and 790 mrn. across pectorals : 

 Measurements in huudredths of length. Tip snout to base ventrals, 

 81 ; to mouth, 12 ; to eye, 5.5 ; interocular space, 16 ; width mouth, 14 ; 

 length abdominal cavity, 49 (230 mm.) ; breadth same 28 (130 mm.). 

 The backbone makes a deep ridge in the posterior dorsal part of the 

 abdominal cavity, leaving a deep groove on each side in which the 



