182 NORTH SEA INVESTIGATIONS. 
equal to or rather less than their distance from the tip of the snout. 
The length of the eye from 14 (young) to 2 times (adults) in the dis- 
tance between the supra-orbital ridges, which is equal to, or in large 
examples greater than, the combined length of the eye and spiracle. 
Dentition—Teeth small; obtuse in females and immature males, 
sharply pointed in adult males ; arranged in from less than sixty to 
over ninety rows in the upper jaw. 
In specimens about 9 inches across the disc about 66 rows. 
3) PP) 16 I) 2) 74. PP) 
3) 3 23 +) 3) 78 3) 
3) ) 29 3) +) 93 ) 
Spinulation— Upper surface——A few spines at the end of each 
orbital ridge and along the rostrum in young examples; the former 
frequently, the latter always wanting in adults. A spine on each 
shoulder in young examples may persist until a large size is attained. 
Exclusive of sexual alar spines, the other large spines typically in a 
median row from the head to the dorsal fins, the last spine between 
the dorsals, and in a lateral row on each side of the tail. These 
rows are formed by a young and adult series, the young series of the 
lateral caudal rows being frequently lost before the old series 
appears. The latter usually very imperfect in males, but double in 
its anterior region in females. ‘The young series of the median row 
often imperfectly replaced, except on the tail, in either sex. Very 
large examples may have lost nearly all the adult median series. Of 
the median series in young examples, three or four, always more than 
two, spines are in front of the pectoral region. 
Small asperities confined to the pre-pectoral region of the dise in 
young examples, ewtending all over the disc in half-grown fish of 
either sex and in adult females. Gill region and central area of the 
pectorals smooth in adult males. 
Under surface.—Young examples (9 inches across disc) with a 
narrow border of very closely set asperities along the anterior margin, 
not extending to the angles of the pectorals. A similar border, in 
rather larger examples, along the edge of the tail. Under surface 
otherwise smooth. Some asperities about the region of the coracoid 
and anterior part of the abdomen in half-grown examples of either 
sex, and about the general surface of tail in females. The anterior 
border increases in width with age, and in old males, rarely in old 
females, extends backwards over a great part of the snout. Adult 
females in addition have scattered asperities over the whole under 
surface, except the outer parts of the paired fins. 
Colour.—The upper surface a pale fawn, may incline to chestnut, 
rarely to cold sepia; usually darker over the abdomen and lighter 
on the head than elsewhere. Thickly sprinkled with small dark 
