DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 29 



Angles of the disk more acute tliau iu the other North Aiuericnu Raias; muzzle iiiucli 

 produced. Spines of the body few and small, some present above the eyes and .si)iracles, on 

 the sncmt, along the an.terior border of the pectorals, and on the back (very smiill). ;\[cdi:iTi 

 dorsal row of larger hooked spines extending along the posterior portion of the back ;ind 

 the tail. TJsually two lateral rows on the tail. Female rougher. Coloi' variable, l)r()wiiish, 

 with j)aler spots, usually ringed with darker. 



Specimens of a large skate, apparently of this sjiecii's, lia\e been taken below the lOO- 

 fathom line by tiie Fish Hawk and Alhutrosx, and also by the fisiiermen. 



RAIA GRANULATA, (iii.L. (Figure HO.) 



Eaia gi-aniilata, Gill MS.— Goode and Be.4X, Bull. Essex Institute, xr, 1879, 2S.— .Iokdan, Cat. Fish. N. A., 

 1885, 11. — GiiXTHEK, Challenger Repurt, xxii, 10. 



"A remarkable species with back and ventral surface covered with ndnute sliarji granular 

 ossifications, obtained by Capt. Joseph W. Collins on Le Have Bank. A species of the same 

 type as R. keris, and having 'M)-M teeth on each side; the back granulated and slate-c(d- 

 ored; the ventrals distinguished by reticulate markings, and the claspers slender and 

 scarcely expanded." 



This form is closely allied to if not identical with 7i'. lavi.s. 



RAIA BATIS, LiNN.EU.S. 



Saja batis, LiNN.EU.s, Syst. Nat., x, 1, 17.")8, 231.— (ifrxTHER, C;it. Fish. Brit. Mus., via, 1875, 463.— Strom, 

 Norsk. Videusk. Selsk. Skrift., 1881, 80; 1881, 46.— Collktt, Nj't Mag. f. Naturrid., xviii, 1884, 119. 



The "commcm skate" of Europe, which is generally found near the coast in rather slial- 

 low water, has been observed on the Norwegian coast to descend to 150 fathoms. It is very 

 similar to the North American Raid Iwvis. 



RAIA FULLONICA, Linn^i;s. 



Enja /'ill 1 III CM , Lisn.eits, Syst. Nat., ed. X, 1758, 231. — Guxiher, Cat. Fish. Brit. Miis., viii, 467. — Collett, 

 Forhaudl. Vidensk. Sel.sk. Christ.. 1880, 106; Nyt Mag. f. Naturvid., xvn, 1884, 119.— Vaillant, Travail- 

 leur et Talisman, Poissons, 1888, 79. j)l. iv, figs. 1, la. — (iiGLiou, Elenco, 1883, 114. 



This form, the •' Shagreen Ray" of English writers, is reported by Collett to occur locally 

 on the Norwegian coast at depths of from SO to li50 fathoms, and also taken by the Trarnil- 

 leur, in ISSl!, at C>M meters, off the entrance to the .Mediterranean. It occurs also in the 

 Mediterranean, especially oft" Sicily. 



KAIA VO.MER, FrtiES. 



iJo/a i)0(»ei-, Collett, Forhandl. Vidensk. Selsk. Christ., 1880, 106; Nyt Mag. f. Naturvid.. 1884, xviii, 119.— 

 Stri>m, loc. cit., 1881, 81; 1884, 46.— GOxtuhr, Challenger Report, xxii, 11. 



Rata vomer is found on tlie Norwegian coast at greater depths than the common skate, 

 not rare at a depth of 70 fathoms, and descending to, or even beyond, IJO fathoms. 



RAIA NIDROSIENSIS, Collett. 



Baju iiidroKieims, Collett, Forhandl. Vidensk. Selsk. Christ., 1882, No. 7. 2. e. tab.; Nyt Mag. f. Naturvid., 

 xviiL 1884, 121.— Stro.m, Norsk. Videu.sk. Selsk. Skrift., 1881. 80; 1884, 47.— (Jumtukr. Challenger 

 Report, XXII. 11. 



" Snoutlong and pointed; tliewidthof the interorbital space iscontained about four times 

 and one half in the length of the snout. Body ;ibove sinoDth, rough only on the snout and 

 the upper margin of the eye, in some old s])ecimens ;vlso along the front margin of the disk; 

 the body below thickly covered with minute ii.spcrities. No larger spines on the disk. The 

 tail in the males with a median series (containing about forty spines), but none on the sides: 

 the old females with three .series, the medi;in series containing a varying number of spines, 



