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Description of a Species of Skate new to the British Fauna, 

 By John Fleming, D.D., Professor of Natural Philosophy 

 in the University and King's College of Aberdeen. With 

 two Plates. Communicated by the Author. 



Length of the body nine inches, and the tail is likewise nine 

 inches, so that the total length is eighteen inches. Length of 

 the head to opposite the anterior attached extremity of the 

 pectorals three inches and three-tenths, at which place the 

 breadth of the head is four inches. Breadth of the body across 

 the pectorals thirteen inches. Length of the anterior lateral 

 projections of the pectorals two inches, and their breadth at 

 the base one inch and eight-tenths. 



The snout is somewhat pointed, with an angle at each side 

 opposite the nostrils, and another midway to the apex. 



The pectorals are of a subtriangular form, projecting far- 

 thest at the middle. Posteriorly they are free and rounded, 

 while anteriorly the free triangular projections extend on each 

 side of the head to within about an inch of the snout. Towards 

 their extremities the pectorals are tinged of a reddish colour. 



Ventrals divided into two lobes. The external or lateral 

 lobe narrow and subtriangular, the anterior edge even and 

 about an inch and a half in length, the posterior, or inner 

 edge, jagged or unequally denticulated. The inner lobe (or 

 true anals of some authors), with the free edge next the tail, 

 upwards of an inch, and having the margin of the fin rounded 

 posteriorly. 



The front of the first dorsal is three inches and eight-tenths 

 from the extremity of the tail. It is about an inch and three- 

 tenths long, and one inch and eight-tenths high, sloping back- 

 wards anteriorly, and rounded posteriorly ; the anterior and 

 superior portion being fleshy and rough, while the posterior and 

 inferior portion is membranaceous and smooth. The front of 

 the second dorsal is one inch and nine-tenths from the extre- 

 mity of the tail. It is narrower than the first dorsal, of the 

 same structure, and having the posterior membranaceous por- 

 tion uniting with the narrow fin on the upper side of the ter- 

 mination of the tail. 



Eves semicircular, with a lateral aspect, one inch and a half 



