0?i a Species of Skate neiv to the British Fauna, 237 



apart, and situate two inches and seven-tenths from the extre- 

 mity of the snout. Iris yellowish, with a projection above. 



The blowers are situate immediately behind the eyes, in- 

 clining outwardly, with their anterior margins as if denticu- 

 lated with white points. Nostrils two inches from the extre- 

 mity of the snout. The mouth two inches and seven-tenths 

 from the extremity of the snout, and armed with blunt teeth. 

 The branchial orifices are five on each side, in rows one inch 

 and three- tenths long. 



The body is smooth below, with the exception of a little 

 roughness towards the base of the pectorals and sides of the 

 flattened tail. The whole of the upper surface is rough, with 

 small spinous tubercles pointing retrally. One large falcate 

 spine, with a smaller subsidiary one at the base, in front and 

 beliind each eye. A short blunt spine occurs on each side at 

 the shoulders or transverse cartilage. A single row of similar 

 spines, beginning a little behind the blowers, extends along 

 the back to the extremity of tail, where not interrupted by the 

 fins. The spines on the dorsal ridge are thick and blunt ; 

 those on the tail are more pointed and recurved, and unequal 

 in size. A row of similar spines, but of smaller size, occurs 

 on each side of the tail. 



The head, in front of the eyes, is translucent and colour- 

 less, while the rest of the body has a dusky tinge, with nume- 

 rous small blackish spots, and upwards of a dozen of large cir- 

 cular whitish spots, especially towards the base of the pecto- 

 rals. There is a general translucency pervading the whole 

 body of the animal. 



The specimen was a female, and caught in Aberdeen Bay 

 July 22. 1840. 



From the above description it appears sufficiently evident 

 that this skate cannot be referred to any known British spe- 

 cies. The form of the snout, of the ventrals, and of the spines, 

 and the distribution of the latter on the back and tail, furnish 

 satisfactory distinguishing characters. But above all, the pe- 

 culiar anterior prolongation of the pectoral fins, their symme- 

 trical character precluding the notion of monstrosity, justify 

 the belief that it is a new European form, and entitled to be 

 regarded as the type of a new genus, which I propose to term 



VOL. XXXI, NO. LXII. OCTOBER 1841 » Q 



