ICHTHYOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 397 
Disk very broad, the outer angles of pectorals behind its middle. Anterior profile 
“convex opposite the orbits, strongly concave both in front of and behind this region. 
Interorbital space deeply concave, the cranial cartilage apparently thin and weak. 
:. 31-31. Claspers very long and slender, dilated distally, everywhere so readily 
exible as to be easily bent at an acute angle. A wide lateral fold along either side 
f tail. Dorsals very high and near together; caudal fold but little higher than the 
lateral ones, with which it becomes confluent at tip of tail. 
_ The following table of measurements in millimeters will give the proportions of the 
type : 
Greatest width of disk....... Scan MeTaaCRee OF 730 | Distance from tip of snout to front of eye.... 185 
Meidth at front of eyes ...-.....--...--....... 185 | Distance between eyes........---.----.------- 60 
| Tip of snout to axil of pectoral...........---- OOH Width Ot spiracles +S.) /Jose. leases cee eeee ee 33 
| Axil of pectoral to axil of ventral............ 125), AMeLST Of: OVO. o. = -.6-408 2 adeseuee ese aeek oe 33 
fixil of ventral to tip of tail.................. 655 | Distance from snout to front of upper jaw--.. 190 
Origin of first dorsal to tip of tail...........- 148 | Distance from snout to nostril. ....-......---. 158 
ETE TG CT ee eee 48 | Distance between outer edges of nasa] flaps.. 103 
Oblique height of first dorsal..........-...-.-- dor Width Ot Mouths. +52 eee se edness 105 
(Distance between dorsals..-.......-....---.-- 13 | Distance from snout to first branchial slit.... 310 
Imease of second dorsal ..-.............-.------ 46 | Distance from first to fifth slits.............-- 112 
Beano thiot claspers)- = +... 5.) -.2.2..060-2-25. 255 | Distance between inner edges of first slits... 212 
| Distance from tip of snout to outer pectoral Distance between inner edges of fifth slits... 133 
TS oe eeecosecinceepocnps: pbeee seererbepoes 555 | Distance from snout to vent................-- 610 
| 6. Raja aleutica sp. nov. (Plate 21.) 
_ Asingle young male specimen, 835 mm. long, from station 3257, north of Sannak 
| Pass, Aleutian Islands; taken at a depth of 81 fathoms. 
; Closely related to &. stellulata and Rf. parmifera, but reaching a much larger size than 
either, and having the disk everywhere uniformly covered above with very fine close- 
set stellate prickles very much finer and more numerous than in either species. The 
species agrees with RF. parmifera and differs from R. stellulata in having the median 
‘spines in an uninterrupted series. They are 34 in number and extend from just 
‘behind the occiput to the dorsal fin. Two strong spines on the shoulder; orbital 
‘rim without spines or enlarged prickles; a wide band of coarser prickles on each 
side of tail; the extreme margin of disk and the greater part of ventral fins naked; 
under parts without spines or prickles. 
The disk is not so wide as in R. stellulata, and the snout is longer and narrower. 
The anterior margin is gently concave toward outer angle and gently convex in front, 
| the rostral angle being about 90°, the extreme tip forming a slightly projecting 
‘rounded lobe. The cranium is abruptly constricted in front of nostrils, as in 2. 
' abyssicola, leaving a slender flexible cartilaginous rod extending to tip of snout. In 
{the present species the space between the rostral cartilage and the base of the 
| rostral portion of pectoral fin is membranous and lighter in color than the rest of the 
(disk. Interorbital space deeply concave, its width 34 in length of snout, the latter 
/ 2% in distance from tip of snout to axil of pectorals. Spiracles narrow, $ diameter 
‘ofeye. Distance from tip of snout to front of mouth 2% in distance from tip of snout 
(to vent; the latter equals the length of tail. Teeth 33. Claspers not reaching 
(margin of ventrals; pectoral hooks not developed. Color, brown above, with large, 
‘obscure, dusky blotches; white below; the edges of disk, the anal area, and the 
under side of the tail brown. 
This species evidently reaches a very large size. The following is a description of 
-aspecimen 4 feet across, taken at station 3223, and supposed to belong to the same 
species. The specimen was too large for preservation. 
Snout long but very broad, thus appearing short and blunt, asin R. stellulata, the 
‘rostral angle bemg about 100°, the extreme tip of snout projecting. Anterior 
‘lateral profile of disk convex, becoming strongly concave posteriorly near angle. 
‘Interorbital width (of cartilage) one-third length of snout measured from its tip to 
‘aline joining front of orbits. Interorbital area strongly concave. Eye a trifle less 
| than length of spiracle, one-half interorbital width. No elevated supraocular rim. 
“Length of snout (as above defined) a trifle more than half its greatest width. 
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