258 Slorer's Synopsis of the Fishes of North America. 



FAMILY XXXIV. RAIIDiE. 



Body very much flattened out, resembling a disk. Pectorals very large, 

 uniting in front with the snout, and extending backwards to near the base of 

 the ventrals. Tail more or less long and slender. Mouth, nostrils, and 

 branchial openings beneath. Eyes and temporal orifices above. Dorsals 

 (when present) almost always on the tail. 



GENUS I. RAIA, Lin. 



Disk rhomboidal. Tail slender ; with two small dorsals near the tip, and 

 sometimes the vestige of a caudal fin. Teeth slender, close set, arranged in 

 quincunx. 



1. Raia diaphanes, Mitchill. 



Body rhomboidal. Of a light brown color, thickly sprinkled, over its entire surface, with 

 more or less circular black spots or blotches. Sides, anterior to pectorals, concave. Snout 

 slightly projecting- The space between the anterior orbitar ridges and the snout is diapha- 

 nous. In the male, two rows of prominent sharp spines, pointed inwards, about a dozen in 

 each row, towards the outer portion of the pectorals. Two rows of spines on each side of 

 the tail above ; between the two central rows a naked groove. 



Length, 2 to 3 feet. 



Massachusetts, Stoker. Connecticut, Linsley. New York, Mitchill, Deejiy. 



R.iia diaphanes, Clear-nosed Ray, Mitchill, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N. Y., l. p. 478. 

 " " " Dekay's Report, p 366, pi. 77, fig. 218. 



" " " " Linsley's Cat. of Fishes of Connecticut. 



2. Raia ocellata, Mitchill. 



Body rhomboidal, depressed, with the anterior margin of the pectorals slightly sinuous ; 

 the posterior margin undulated, rounded behind, and much attenuated at its junction with 

 the body. Patches of spines on the nose, over the eyes, and near the centre of the pecto- 

 rals. A series of minute spines upon the dorsum, and on each side of the tail. Snout prom- 

 inent. Chocolate-brown above, with numerous ocellated dusky or black spots, which are 

 sometimes confluent, surrounded by lighter margins ; beneath dusky white, with light brown 

 in the centre, and faint pink on the edges. 



Length, 2 to 3 feet. 



Connecticut, Linsley. New York, Mitchill, Dekay. 



Raia ocellata, Ocellated Ray, Mitchill, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N. V., L p. 477. 

 Spotted Ray, Dekay's Report, p. 369, pi. 65, fig. 212. 

 " Ocellated Ray, Linsley's Cat. of Fishes of Connecticut. 



Dekay considers -this and Lesueur's R. Chantenay synonymous. But the coloring of the 



