NARCACION SINTS PERSICI. 309 



border, fifth largest. On the small specimen the fringes are very distinct, on 

 the large they are more or less rudimentary. Dorsals small, rounded; first 



dorsal much the larger, origin above the vent, end of base in front of the ends 

 of the bases of the ventrals; base of second about three fifths the length of the 

 base of the first. Tail nearly one third of the total length. Caudal little longer 

 than deep on a large individual, deeper than long on a small one, hind margin 

 convex; subcaudal very little shorter; caudal folds low beginning opposite the 

 middle of the second dorsal. 



Brown, rusty, or yellowish, with numerous spots or streaks of darker and of 

 lighter and with some spots of black. 



Total length 18, length of disk 10, length of body 12, and width of disk 13f 

 inches. 



Specimen described from Mauritius ; originally described from Mozambique, 

 and later, N. polleni, from Madagascar. 



A close ally of N. panthera, possibly a variety. 



Narcacion sintjs-persici. 



?Torpedo sinus-persici Kaempfer, 1712, Amoen. exot., 3, p. 509; Valent., 1720, Amph. zoot., 2, p. 115, 



pi. 69. 

 Torpedo marmorata var. 8., T. sinus-persici Olfers, 1831, Torpedo, p. 15; Hexle, 1834, Ueber Narcine, 



p. 31; Muller & Henle, 1841, Plagios., p. 128. 

 Torpedo sinus-persici Dumeril, 1852, Rev. & mag. zool., p. 239; 1865, Elasm., p. 509; Sauvage, 1891, 



Poiss. Madagascar, p. 3, pi. 1. 

 Torpedo smithii Gunth., 1870, Cat. fishes Brit, mus., 8, p. 451. 



Disk broad, subcircular. Snout short, length greater than width of mouth, 

 slightly convex in front. Nostrils small, as wide as the space between them, 

 anterior valves confluent in a broad flap reaching the mouth, angles rounded; 

 outer section of posterior valves turned forward on the outer side of the nostril, 

 inner section turned back toward angle of mouth. Mouth moderate, with a 

 longitudinal fold at the angle. Teeth small, broad-based, with medium sized 

 sharp and slender cusps, in about §{j rows. Eye small. Spiracle little larger 

 than the eye, with seven papillae (the fourth of which is the largest), distant 

 from the orbit about two diameters. Dorsals small, narrow, rounded, without 

 an inner angle between inner and hind margins; first dorsal not twice as large 

 as second, origin little behind the vent, base ending about even with bases of 

 ventrals; length of base of second more than distance from first. Tail short, 

 small, with a stout fold on each side from opposite the middle of second dorsal. 

 Caudal deeper than long, subtruncate, angles rounded. 



Rust}- brown with irregular spots of dark and of lighter, as large as the 



