Gudger — Notes on Some Beaufort, N. C, Fishes. 151 



head from line joining front edge of pectorals and spiracles 4 :, . t inches, 

 length of snonl proper 2)4 inches. The color wasa chocolate brown with 



whitish spots. 



The larger specimen came into the writer's possession while yet alive 

 and flapping on the beach, and the measurements and notes were made 

 within an hour alter its capture. Its body length was 26% inches, tail 

 only 27^ (this had plainly been amputated in some way), all over 4'.M.j 

 inches: width 37 inches, between eyes 5 inches, between spiracles ?>% 

 inches; longest diameter of spiracles 1^ inches. It had three spines. 

 It-s weight was over 25 pounds, the limit of my little spring balance. 



The general color of this fish was a dark chocolate brown with the 

 spots of a cream color; some of these, however, turned a faint bluish- 

 green after death. The spots were decidedly smaller on the head, and 

 over each eye there was a row of three. Along the anterior edge of each 

 pectoral they were arranged in a very definite succession, while on the 

 scalloped posterior part of each tin there was a row of very small ones. 

 In the posterior dorsal region a number were continent, making dumb-hell 

 shaped markings, and even in the spiracular openings small spots could 

 he seen. There were no striations visible in this fish while fresh. The 

 spiracles of this specimen, the largest the writer has seen, opened forward 

 into the mouth and backward into the gill chambers, and communicated 

 with each other. The spiracular valves swung backward and upward into 

 recesses. The alimentary canal was full of clams without a trace of shell. 



Abundant as have been the writer's opportunities for study of this in- 

 teresting fish, those of Coles have been far more.* While fishing at Cape 

 Lookout in July, 1909, he saw hundreds and killed 50. During the same 

 month in 1910, at the same place, he says he probably saw 40 or 50 and 

 collected 8. The largest captured was 5 feet 9 inches wide, 3 feet long, 

 tail 5 feet 9 inches, total length 8 feet 9 inches, weight 132 pounds. In 

 July, 1904, lie captured a huge ray of this species which was not meas- 

 ured and could not be weighed, but which was estimated at 500 to (300 

 pounds. 



In 1911 Coles found these rays very scarce at Cape Lookout, not more 

 than a dozen being seen. This paucity, where he had before found them 

 in considerable numbers, he thinks to be due to the scarcity of clams, 

 their chosen and apparently only food. The largest caught weighed 90 

 pounds and was 5 feet wide, 2 feet 8 inches long, and had a tail 5 feet 

 t; inches in length. Another and gigantic specimen was harpooned, but, 

 before it could he killed, it dragged the boat into the breakers where its 

 struggles attracted a number of sharks which dismembered it before it. 

 could be secured. Its weight was estimated at 500 pounds or more. 



In comparison with such giant specimens as these the writer's are 

 plainly immature, only the last one being anywhere near grown. The 

 opinion expressed in Notes for 1909 concerning the rarity of this fish at 

 Beaufort needs some modification. It is rare in Beaufort waters, but not 

 so much so as had been thought, < !ole's observation for the open Atlantic at 

 ('ape Lookout. L2 miles away, to the contrary notwithstanding. Further- 



• - rol.-s. mid. 



