28 DEEP-SEA FISHES OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN. 



back and tail without spines, or with a few only; several series of spines on each side of the 

 median line of the body and tail. Generally a round black spot, marbled with yellowish, on 

 each side of the body. Old examples without this ocellated spot, or with a few scattered 

 small white round spots. 



•■ Adult male with the additional patches of spines usual in this genus.'' (Giinther.) 

 This species, the " Sandy Ray " of British writers, is closely allied to Raia erinacea, 

 Mitchill ( = Kaia cijlanteria, as defined by Giinther), the most abundant of all skates on the 

 coast of New England, which has, however, not yet been found below the 100 fathom line. 

 Giinther speaks as follows of the abyssal range of I\'. cireularis: 



"One specimen, a female, 15 inches long, was obtained on the cruise of the Triton, in 

 the Faroe Channel, at a depth of 516 fathoms (station 111. August 24, 1882). Also, Collett 

 reports its occurrence in 130 and 370 fathoms off t lie coast of Norway. The Faroe specimen 

 does not differ in its armature from specimens obtained on the south coast of England, only 

 the spines on the upper side of the snout and the interorbital space are somewhat more 

 developed, though in this respect litoral specimens show likewise some variation. With 

 regard to color, it is notable that the spot on each side of the back which, in littoral spec- 

 imens, is variegated with yellow, is much smaller in the deep sea specimen, and uniformly 

 black, without yellow. The lower parts are nearly uniform blackish brown, which color laps 

 over to the upper side of the ventral fins. Tail with irregular brownish cross bands." 



EAIA HYI'KRBOREA, Collett. (Figure28.) 



Raja hyperborea, Collett, Forh. Vidensk. Selskab., Christiania, ISTS. No. 14. 7 [115 kilometers West >>i 

 (Torek I'ds, Spitzbergen., 459 fathoms, ^ r 518 m,n long]. — Collett, Fiske, Norsk. Nordhavs-Erpedition, 

 Christiania, 1880, 9, )>1., i, figs. 1, 2. — GOnther, Challenger Report, xxii, s, pi. iv. 



The margins of the snout form a right or nearly right angle, its extremity being 

 rounded; the margin of the body between the snout and the extremity of the pectoral fin 

 is undulated. Width of the interorbital space considerably exceeding that of the orbit and 

 spiracle; eye rather small, about as long as the spiracle. Distance between the nostrils a 

 little more than their distance from the end of the snout. Teeth very slender, acutely 

 pointed, widely set, with narrow base. Outer pectoral angle nearly a right one. 



Sides of the trunk nearly smooth, but the greater part of the pectorals and the, margin 

 of the head, also the snout and interorbital space, are studded with minute or very small 

 spines resting upon a stellate base. A series of larger spines runs along the median line of 

 the back and tail, commencing immediately behind the occiput. A group of three similar 

 spines occupies each side of the shoulder; a short series composed of three or tour spines 

 along the supraorbital margin and above the spiracle. The spines along the ridges of the 

 snout are also somewhat enlarged. Grayish brown above with a trace of a darker spot on 

 each side of the body. Lower parts white with large subsymmetrical brown patches. In 

 very young specimens the lower parts are uniform white. 



"The only example hitherto met with is the male specimen now described, taken in hit. 

 about SO N. and Ion. 0° E., at sea, west of the northern coast of Spitzbergen, the most 

 northerly locality, too, in which this genus is yet known to occur." (Collett, op. cit., 1880.) 



A large mah 1 specimen, 244 inches long, was obtained on the cruise of the Knight Errant, 

 at station 0, on August 23, 1880, in 608 fathoms, together with three small ones, of which 

 two are males G4 inches long, and one a female 8 inches long. A fourth very young speci- 

 men was caught at station 4 in about 400 fathoms. 



Dr. Giinther's remarks on the peculiar characters of this species (Challenger Report, loc. 

 cit.) should be carefully considered. 



RAIA LyEVIS, Mitchill. (Figure 29.) 



Raja lamis, Mitchill, Amer. Mouth. Mag., n, 1817, 327.— De Kay. Zool. N. Y.. Fishes, 1842, 370.— Stoker, Syn. 



Fish. N. Amer., 184(5, 259.— Garmax, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xvn, 1874, 179. 

 Raja bath, Storer, Rept. Fish. Mass., 1839, 193. 

 Raja ocellata, Storer, Syn. Fish. N. Amer., 1846, 259. 

 Raja lams, Storer, Hist. Fish. Mass., 1867, 266, pi. xxxix. fig 2. 



