146 Gudgei — Notes on Some Beaufort, N. C, Fishes. 



appeared as a finely divided flocculent material grading from particles so 

 small as to show the Brownian movement to large plate-like masses. 

 The enormous increase in size of the young is proof indisputable that the 

 young feed on the milk during the period of gestation. It is probably 

 absorbed at first by the long external gill filaments, but as the young ray 

 grows these disappear and the spiracles become functional and the " milk " 

 is taken in by them. There can be no reasonable doubt that this is the 

 manner in which the young of Dasyatis say and Pteroplatea maclura are 

 nourished. 



The following data were noted in 1010 in regard to the functioning of 

 ovaries and uteri and their relation to each other in 8 specimens of 

 Dasyatis say. Two had both uteri gravid with ovaries insignificant. 

 One had both uteri empty and reduced but the left ovary full of fairly 

 large eggs. Five had the left uterus only with young. Of these five, two 

 had the right uterus almost indistinguishable. ( )ne of these two and one 

 other of the five had the right ovary reduced to a mere shred. Not one 

 had the right ovary with eggs of any size. Four of the eight had the left 

 ovary with eggs approaching maturity, 'and three of these four had the 

 left uterus only with young. 



The summer of 1911 was marked by poorsuccess in getting sting rays 

 with embryos. Three were obtained with young approaching the hatch- 

 ing stage. One, 24 inches wide, had 3 young measuring 5% inches in 

 width, 13 inches long (to end of tail), and b-5%-5% inches from end of 

 snout to end of ventral fins. The other measured 26 inches in width and 

 bore four young. These were 6 inches wide, (> inches long to end of 

 ventrals, and 15 inches over all. The third, which measured 2b% inches 

 between points of pectorals, gave up 3 young averaging li^xfi^xll^' 

 inches, the greatest variation in their measurements being % inch. 



In addition to the above, 3 individuals were taken with eggs in early 

 stages, but these were unfortunately lost. These fish were 23, 33, and 

 35 inches wide respectively. They were [large, heavy, and active. In 

 striking them with a hatchet to quiet them, and in throwing them from 

 the bunt of the seine into the small boat in which they w T ere dissected, 

 the uteri were evacuated and the eggs thrown out into the bloody water. 

 The yolks were in some cases recovered, but all thejembryos were lost. 



Sixteen non-breeding* females, ranging in width from 12 to 33 inches, 

 had the left ovary from twice to three times the size of the right, while 

 13 breeding females, varying in width from 13 to 35 inches, had the left 

 ovary functional and the left uterus greatly dilated, the corresponding 

 organs on the right side showing no signs of fertility. Only li of these 

 bore eggs or embryos as described above. One having early eggs showed 

 by the condition of the ovary that ripe ova had left this organ lint a short 

 time previously. One of those with embryos nearly ready to be born 

 had eggs measuring 12 to 15 mm. in diameter. Another had in the ovary 

 3 eggs measuring 17, 17, and 18 mm. in diameter. The left uterus of this 

 fish was swollen and very villous. Another had in the left ovary 3 eggs, 



* That is with uteri showing no signs of enlargement. 



