RAJA BADIA. 23 
base, covered with dentine, and bearing at its hinder edge a sharp slender cusp 
directed obliquely back and upward. Spiracle smaller than the eye. Gill 
openings small, width of the widest less than the length of the eye. 
Dorsal fins equal, small, length less than half the width of the mouth, not 
separated by a spinous interspace, not united by membrane, close together, 
posterior nearly its length forward of the end of the tail. Ventrals divided 
by a deep notch into two lobes, of which the outer is narrow, slender, and 
equal in length to half the width of the mouth, while the inner is as wide as 
long and is broadly rounded on the hind margin from the notch to the 
blunted angle at the side of the tail. Tail slender, narrow, depressed, taper- 
ing gradually, acute, with a narrow dermal keel along the lower edge of 
each side. 
Upper surfaces of disk and tail with rather closely set sharp spinules, 
closer together and finer on the sides of the tail which are without large 
tubercles. A large tubercular spine stands in front of each orbit; another 
is located between the orbit and the spiracle, and a third behind the latter. 
A group of three large tubercles appears on each shoulder, the inner one 
being smaller than the outer pair. Between the occiput and the first dor- 
sal fin there is a series of twenty-nine tubercles ; and on the hinder portion 
of each pectoral, behind the shoulder, there is a scattered group of smaller 
ones. On the top of the outer end of the rostral cartilage there is a group 
of medium sized spines in a couple of series. Each of the larger tubercles 
is compressed and consists of a high swollen pedestal or base with sharp 
vertical ridges upon which is a sharp slender hooked spine, subtriangular in 
trans-section, excavated behind, resembling the claw of a bird. All of the 
tubercles are high; those on the tail are more compressed, becoming very 
narrow, blade-like, and more hooked. Entire lower surface smooth. 
Chocolate brown, blackish on the tail; ventral surface like the dorsal or 
a trifle darker, except in a white area about the mouth and a smaller trian- 
gular one behind the middle of the shoulder girdle. 
A couple of eggs which may or may not belong to this species were taken 
at stations 3357 and 3359. One of them is figured on Plate VI., figure 3. 
The egg case itself, without the tendrils, is two and one half by three and 
one half inches. The “horns” are mutilated; evidently they were of con- 
siderable length; their bases are stout and thick. Over the entire surface 
the case is covered with fine villi or pile, in longitudinal series, which 
though harsh to the touch gives the appearance of a soft rich black velvet. 
