326 THE PLAGIOSTOMIA. 



above or below. Scales stellate-based, closely set over disk and tail, especially 

 so on the head. Large broad-based bucklers in a vertebral series, a pair on each 

 shoulder, one in front of and one behind each eye and one behind each spiracle. 

 A pair of similar stellate bucklers on each shoulder, others in a group above 

 the snout, smaller ones opposite each eye on the pectoral, and others in one or 

 two rows parallel with the vertebral. Males with a band of hooked tenacula 

 near the outer angle of the pectorals. 



Rusty brown with or without small round spots of dark, and without or 

 with symmetrically placed small spots of light. The specimens described were 

 sent from Norway by Professor Esmark. The measurements of one were in 

 total length 13 1, snout to pores 6f, and in width 9 inches; of another the total 

 length was 12|, the distance from the snout to the pores 6J, and the greatest 

 width 8| inches. 



This species appears to be of smaller size and to be much rougher than the 

 American form which has heretofore been identified with it. A specimen 

 described by Yarrell, 1836, was a fully developed male at 19 inches in length. 



Northern Europe to Iceland and probably Greenland. 



Raia c lav ata. 



Raia proprie dicta Belon, 1553, Aquat., p. 79. 



Raia clavaia Rondelet, 1554, Hist, poiss., p. 353, 354; Salviani, 1554, Aquat., f. 149; Gesner, 1558, 

 Aquat., p. 936, 937; Aldrovandi, 1613, Pise. & Cet., p. 460; Willughby, 1686, Pise, p. 74, 78, 

 pi. D 2, f. 3, 4; Artedi, 1738, Ichthyologia, p. 103, no. 1, Syii. p. 99, Gen., p. 71, no. 2; 

 Gronow, 1754, Mus., 1, p. 63, no. 140; 1763, Zoophy., 1, p. 36, no. 154. 



Raia clavaia Linne, 1758, Syst., 1, p. 232; 1766, Syst., 1, p. 397; Valmont, 1768, Diet, d'hist. nat., 3, 

 p. 704; Duhamel, 1782, Traite, 4, sect. 9, p. 279, pi. 9, f. 1-2; Bloch, 1785, Ausl. fische, 1, p. 65, 

 pi. 83; Bonnaterre, 1788, Ichth., p. 4, f. 9; Gmelin, 1789, LinnS Syst., 1, p. 1510; Walbaum, 

 1792, Artedi, p. 526; Lacepede, 1798, Poissons, 1, p. 128; Schneider, 1801, Bloch Ichth., p. 366; 

 Donovan, 1803, Br. fish., 2, pi. 26; Risso, 1810, Ichth. Nice, p. 11; Montagu, 1815, Mem. Wern. 

 soc, 2, p. 416; Risso, 1826, Hist, nat., 3, Poissons, p. 146; Jentns, 1835, Man. p. 516; Wright, 

 Fries & Ekstrom, 1836, Skand. fisk., p. 154, pi. 35; Parnell, 1S38, Mem. Wern. soc, 7, p. 436, 

 pi. 42; Fries, 1839, Vet. akad. Handl., p. 15, pi. 2, f. 1, pi. 3, f. 1-3, 7; Muller & Henle, 1841, 

 Plagios., p. 135; Kroyer, 1853, Damn, fiske, 3, p. 962; Gray, 1854, Gron. syst., p. 9; Nilsson, 

 1855, Fisk. Skand., 4, p. 735; Kessler, 1859, Bull. Soc. nat. Mosc, 2, p. 475; Dumeril, 1865, 

 Elasm., p. 528; Gunth., 1870, Cat. fishes Brit, mus., 8, p. 456; Moreau, 1881, Poiss. France, 1, 

 p. 391; Day, 1884, Brit, fishes, 2, p. 343, pi. 171. 



The thornback Brookes, 1763, Nat. hist., 3, p. 39; Pennant, 1769, Zool., 3, p. 69; Yarrell, 1836, 

 Brit, fishes, 2, p. 436. 



Raia ruber Bloch, 1785, Ausl. fische, 1, p. 67, pi. 84; Lacepede, 17S9, Poissons, 1, p. 107. 



Dasybalus clavaia Walbaum, 1793, Index Kleinii, p. 35; Blainv., 1830, Poiss. Fr., p. 33, pi. 5, f . 2; Bona- 

 parte, 1841, Icon. Fauna Ital., Pesci. 



Raia cuvieria Lacepede, 1798, Poissons, 1, p. 141, pi. 7, f. 1; Schneider, 1801, Bloch Ichth., p. 367; 

 Neill, 1811, Mem. Wern. soc, 1, p. 554; Fleming, 1828, Brit, anim., p. 172. 



Raia aspera Risso, 1810, Ichth. Nice, p. 5; 1826, Hist, nat., 3, Poissons, p. 147. 



Raia punctata Hollberg, 1822, Goth. vet. Handl., 4, p. 25. 



Dasybalus rubus Blainville, 1830, Poiss. Fr. p. 21, pi. 3c, f. 1. 



Raia pontica Pallas, 1831, Zoog. Rosso-Asiat., 3, p. 58; Rathke, 1837, Mem. sav. etrang. St. Peterb., 

 3, p. 309, pi. 9, 10. 



