S'lAKKs: IcnTHV()L(x;icAL Survey Aisour Sax Juan Islands. lO'J 



of the siu)ut to the middli' of tlie e\ c or (3 and 5) twice the distance 

 fri_>in the tij) of the snout to llie posterior edge of the eye. 



In speriniens just hatched, and up to a couple of feet in Icngtli, 

 there are two enlarged spines in front of the eye, and one on the orbital 

 margin opposite the posterior edge of the eye. This is very constant; 

 probably three dozen newly hatched young were observed and no 

 variation was found in this respect. These s])ines are lost in large 

 individuals; no specimen over four feet in length was seen that had 

 them, though in the large ones the spinules of the interorbital space 

 become coarser at the interorbital margins, just as those on the snout 

 become coarser at its tip. But these are not at all like the enlarged 

 hooked orbital spines of the small specimens. In specimens up to 

 two feet in length there is a single row of enlarged spines along the 

 tail, but in large specimens there are three indefinite row's close together. 

 In specimens up to two feet in length there is always a single spine 

 on the median line of the back between the middle of the branchial 

 cavities, which is usually absent in the large ones. The back is every- 

 where covered witli minute prickles in specimens down to sixteen 

 inches in length. Small ones eight to nine inches in length, are smooth, 

 or with prickles only on the median posterior part of the back. 



Color dark olive-brow^n or drab, with a large dusky spot at base of 

 pectoral blending into the body-color. The diameter of the spot is 

 two-thirds of the length of the snout. Light spots as big as the eye 

 are scattered over the body, and form a definite ring around the pec- 

 toral spot. Dusky streaks occur on the edge of the pectorals; on 

 the posterior edge following the direction of the rays as short bars, 

 on the anterior edge forming marginal spots, which anteriorly often 

 cross the snout as tw'O bars. Young specimens just hatched have a 

 large, conspicuous, ocellated spot at the base of the pectoral. This 

 has usually a black center encircled by an Indian-red ring, which is 

 in turn encircled by a black ring. Sometimes, howe\er, this spot is 

 solidly coal-black. One egg-capsule was opened, in w'hich there were 

 four young, representing two of each of these color-phases of the spot. 



This species is said by Dr. Evermann (Bull. Bur. Fish., XXVI, 

 p. 229) to be specifically identical with Raja stellulata and Raja rhina. 

 This question is taken up as to Raja stellulata under that species. 

 Of the nearly two hundred specimens of the other two species which 

 were caught in Puget Sound no difficulty was experienced in separating 

 them easily and completely, and no important intergrading characters 

 were found. 



