272 THE PLAGIOSTOMIA. 



much larger inner section which does not reach the inner edge of the nostril by 

 about one third the length of the latter. Mouth bow-shaped, nearly straight. 

 Crown flat, edges not prominent. Spiracle as large as the eye, with one promi- 

 nent fold. Pectorals wide, rounded. Dorsals equal, high, pointed; base of 

 first dorsal less than three times its length from the bases of the ventrals, or 

 from the base of the second dorsal. Small compressed smooth tubercles and 

 enlarged scales above the vertebrae, in two groups on each shoulder, outer 

 smaller, in front of the eye, and above orbit and spiracle. 



Greyish brown, lighter toward edges of pectorals and sides of snout; fins 

 darker; lower surface whitish, with faint indications of darker below the end 

 of the snout. 



Specimen described an adult male, of thirty-one inches, from Cape Good 

 Hope, taken by Captain J. W. Chever. In young individuals the snout is white 

 and there are whitish spots scattered over the back. 



Rhinobatus annulatus. 



Rhinobatus (Syrrhina) annulatus Muller & Henle, 1841, Plagios., p. 116; A. Smith, 1849, Afr. 

 Pisces, pi. 16. 



Snout rather sharp, angle about 60°, blunted, longer than that of R. blochii. 

 Rostral cartilage strong; ridges converging from the fontanel, close together 

 in the anterior half of their length. Distance between the outer angles of the 

 nostrils two thirds of the length of the snout, internarial space about equal to 

 width of nostrils ; anterior valve nearly reaching the middle of the space. Spir- 

 acles almost as wide as the eye, with two folds, the outer larger. 



Small tubercles above the vertebrae, on the orbital ridges and above the 

 spiracles. 



Yellowish brown or grey, to greenish grey; light and tinted with flesh color 

 below; back with numerous ocelli, of two dark rings, a light ring, and a light 

 central spot, somewhat symmetrically placed, and of various sizes smaller than 

 the eye. In life the light ring and the centre of the ocellus is bluish white. 

 Closely allied to R. rhinobatus and R. halavi. 



Southern and eastern Africa. 



Asiatic species. 

 Rhinobatus granulatus. 



Rhinobatus rhinobatus Schneider, 1801, Bloch Ichth., p. 353 part. 

 Suttiwarah Russell, 1803, Coromandel fishes, 1, p. 7, pi. 11. 



