94 



HALGAN'S SFINE-TAILED RAY. 



Trygon Halgani, LESSON. 



PLATE V. 

 Trygon lymna. Ruppett, pi. xiii. fig. 1. 



THIS species of ray, so very distinct from most of 

 its congeners by the bright spotting which adorn its 

 upper surface, seems to have been known and de- 

 scribed by several travellers, or there may be one or 

 two species which are closely allied by their form and 

 markings ; for the figure of Riippell represents two 

 spines on the tail, whereas Lesson's fish has only one 

 of these organs of defence. It is a small species ; the 

 general size of the species being only about six inches 

 in length, to which may be added about eight inches 

 for that of the tail ; the spine is placed about the 

 middle of the tail, is flattened at the base, and at the 

 point is finely barbed, which would cause it to inflict 

 a dangerous wound. The upper part of the fish, or 

 "back, is thickly marked with azure spots, as we 

 have endeavoured to represent, and which beauti- 

 fully relieves the pale uniform tint which otherwise 

 covers it. Lesson and the expedition met with 

 Balgan's ray very abundant in the Bay of Offack, 



