18't3. I'll CEEDING S O F TU E NA TI OX A L M USE U^f. 197 



The description and fignre of Otto represent a skate {Raia intermedia?) 

 with pectoral fins distinct from the head, nevertheless witli iini>erfect 

 {'ephalic appendages. 



A similar monstrosity is noticed and figured in llichardson's edition 

 otYarreirs History of British Fishes,' with the caption, "A monstrons 

 thornbaek maid," — that is, Raia davata. 



III. 



The Hieroptera of Fleming. — In 1841, the Keverend Dr. John Flem- 

 ing gave a "Descrijjtion of a Sjiecies of Skate ncAv to tlie British 

 ranna.'' To him it " appears sufficiently evident that this skate can 

 not be referred to any known British species. 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 peculiar anterior prolongation of the pectoral fins, their 

 synnnetrical character preckiding the notion of monstrosity, justify the 

 belief tlmt it is a new European form, and entitled to be regarded as 

 the tyi)e of a new genus, which [he saysj I proi)Ose to term Eieropiera 

 (;c-/M/c, sacerdos, and nT^pau, ala); and 1 further pi'opose to designate the 

 present species by the trivial name of Abredonensis, to mark the i)ar- 

 ticular locality [Aberdeen Bayj Avhere it was first observed. The 

 newest of the modein genera to which it approaches is perhaps the 

 Fropterygia of Professor Otto, tlie relatiimship to which immediately 

 suggested itself to that profound ichthyologist. Professor Agassiz, 

 when [Fleming remarked] I showed him the specimen during the visit 

 with which he favored me in October last (ISIO). It difters, however, 

 from the Fropterygia in the condition of the pectorals anteriorly, and 

 in the absence of those lateral processes or finlets which occur on each 

 side of the head opposite to the eyes." 



The reverend doctor evidently had some i)eculiar ideas about mon- 

 strosities and their asymmetrical character, and probably such ideas 

 Ijrevented him from recognizing his specimen as the monstrosity 

 which his mind appears to have considered. The Bieroptera, how- 

 ever, did denote a monstrosity, apparently representing a still greater 

 arrest of develoi)nient of thei)ectoral fins than Fropterygia, and a com- 

 plete absence of cephalic fin elements. 



Fleming's specimen was apparently a form of Raia clarata. 



The Hieroptera stage was probably that exemplified by Rafinesque's 

 skate. .It was also represented by a specimen described and illustrated 

 by Dr. Louis Bureau in an article "Sur une monstrosite de la Eaie 

 estellee, Raia asterias,^ Bond." 



' Vol. II, p. 584, 1859. 



- Bull. Soc Zool. Franre, XIV, p)). :nr>-:U(i, 1889. 



