Ad. S. Jensen: The Selachians of Greenland. 19 



A female taken in Kangerdluarsuk 25. 7. 1909 in addition to several eggs of various 

 sizes contained 2 mature egg-capsules, 66 — 68 mm long (without the threads). 



The deposited egg-capsules') were likewise frequently taken, either in the stomachs 

 of other fishes (especially ha]il)ut) which had swallowed them, or in the trawl of the 

 "Tjalfe" from the sea-bottom. Of the places where these were taken the following 

 may he given with information regarding the length in the middle of the capsules. 



Depth Number of capsules Length of capsule 



Bredefjord, north district of Julianehaab 368 fm. 1 66 mm. 



— _ _ _ 226—237 — 1 62 — 



— — — — 260—1 60 — 



— _ _ _ 163—174 — 1 ? . 



Godthaab 2 56—57 — 



Kangek at Godthaabsfjord 2 58—60 — 



66°41' N., 56°17' W 150 — 1 ca. 45 — 



66^44' N., 56°08' W ca. 175 — 12 ca. 44—49 — 



66°44' N., 56°16' W ca. 150 — 2 ca. 50 — 



66°50' N., 56°11' W 150—170 — 1 66 — 



68°20' N., 54°03' W 220-280 — 2 ca. 44—45 — 



Godhavn .... 2 ca. 45 — 



Off Niakornak (69°26' N. ) 180 — 2 ca. 55 — 



To judge from all these observations Raja radiala is of common occurrence in the 

 southern part of West Greenland, both in the fjords and at the coasts, on the banks in 

 Davis Strait and outside these. Towards the south it occurs right down to the point 

 of the land ; to the north the boundary of its distribution seems to lie in the central 

 part of Disko Bay, the last specimens (at 69"17' N.) as well as the last egg-capsules 

 (at 69°26' N. ) being taken there (cf. note 2, p. 25). 



Regarding its food Fabricius writes, that it feeds on all kinds of fish, es|)ccially 

 capelan and sea scorpions, and Crustacea (prawns). I have found r(Mnains of (j'ustacea 

 in its stomach from which the soft parts had been "extracted", only the empty, 

 rolled-up cuticles remaining. 



It is taken occasionally on the hand-lines in deep-water and has no importance 

 as food ; in any case the Greenlanders at Narssak threw away the many rays we caught, 

 whilst they willingly accepted such to us unappetising fish as iMacriinis- Fnbricii. 

 Fabricius however remarks, that "it (the ray) is only eaten half-rotten". 



General Distribution. On the American side Disko Bay is thus the northern 



') Regarding the interpretation of tlie "fish", that Fabricius had referred to Zeus Gallus L., 

 as being the eggs of rays cf. pp. 32 - 34. 



3* 



