AN ELECTRIC RAY AND ITS YOUNG FROM THE WEST 

 COAST OF FLORIDA. 



By Barton A. Bean and Alfred C. Weed, 



Of the Division of Fishes, U. S. National Museum. 



Under date of July 21, 1910, Mr. A. G. Reynolds, of Veteran, 

 Hillsboro County, Florida, addressed the U. S. National Museum as 

 follows : 



A few days ago an electric ray or torpedo (Torpedo) fish (Tetronarce occidental is 

 Storer) 17 by 9 inches in size, gave birth in my laboratory, to fourteen young ones, 

 nine males and five females, about 3^ by 2 inches in size. Is this fact of any special 

 interest, or would the specimens themselves be an acquisition to the Museum? 



In answer to a memorandum sent Mr. Reynolds by the Museum, 

 the following letter, dated August 13, 1910, was received from him: 



Yesterday I sent you by express the torpedo and fourteen young ones mentioned 

 in a previous letter. The specimens are cured in formaldehyde. I fear I did not 

 make it very clear about the young ones. The mother was dead when received, 

 the birth of the family being forced. She was caught in a net off Long Key (opposite 

 here) by a pornpano fisherman. 



I think by your letter you were expecting these fish to be alive, but trust the pre- 

 served specimens will be of use to you. 



The ray and fourteen young in a fine state of preservation wore 

 duly received and proved to be Narcine hrasiliensis. Excellent 

 photographs were taken by Mr. T. W. Smillie, the photographer of 

 the U. S. National Museum. The following comparisons between 

 the adult and young, as well as with the variety umbrosa, are given as 

 a slight addition to our present knowledge of this interesting species : 



The size of the specimens is sufficiently indicated in the letter 

 quoted. 



A few facts concerning the coloration, and other characters of these 

 and the other specimens in the U. S. National Museum should be 

 noted. 



1 . The dark patch across the snout seems to be a constant character 

 which appears more or less prominently at all ages and in all the 

 color varieties. 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. 40— No. 181 6. 



231 



