132 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



taken. Probably the present species is the most abundant. The 

 protracted cold of last spring is suggested as explaining their 

 scarcity, as they seldom appear at all, unless the water warms. 

 They range along this region from Cape May Point, at least, 

 to Goshen Creek. Throughout this extent large ones are taken 

 in the pounds. At the mouth of Dennis Creek, several years ago, 

 during a single haul of a 25-fathom seine about 39 were taken. 

 The large examples are said to measure about 5 feet across the 

 disk. 



The sting rays reported in Great Egg Harbor Bay about 

 Beesley's Point, Somers Point and Ocean City are probably this 

 species. 



Dasyatis say (Le Sueur). 



Say's Sting Ray. 



Disk rounded. Tip of snout rather truncated. Eyes oblique, 

 rather small. Body smooth. Tail rather smooth, with a wing- 

 like expansion above and below, latter larger and nearly a third 

 broader. Tail a little longer than body, thicker at base and taper- 

 ing to an acute point. Two spines placed nearer base of tail than 

 at its tip', and upper larger. Fins and tail thick and broadest or 

 deepest medianly. Upper fin on tail begins near tip of spine and 

 lower arises near its base. Ventrals rounded and short. Color, 

 when fresh dull brown above, below gray-white. Fins on tail 

 dusky. Entire length about 44 inches. Found at the pounds at 

 Green Creek, in Cape May county, June 9th, 1907. B. W. Grif- 

 fiths, T. D. Keim and H. W. Fowler. 



The above was the only example seen and was undoubtedly this 

 species. It was in poor preservation and nearly decomposed, and 

 therefore not preserved. 



Family MYLIOBATID^. 



Rhinoptera bonasus (Mitchill). 



Cow Nosed Ray. 



The large rays, so destructive at times to clams and oysters, in 

 Delaware Bay off Green and Fishing Creeks, are probably this 

 species. They seem to be less frequently captured than Dasyatis. 



