RAIA.] PISCES (CARTILAG.) PLAGIOSTOMI. 511 



under surface mostly smooth, but a little rough in places, more especially 

 beneath the snout : a row of strong spines along the mesial line of the 

 tail, with the points directed backwards ; a lateral row on each side of 

 the same, with the points standing out or directed forwards ; sometimes 

 the lateral rows are wanting, or simply indicated (especially in young 

 specimens) by small osseous tubercles: generally no spines above or 

 behind the eyes, or on any part of the back : tail as long as the body, 

 depressed, not very stout; furnished with two moderately-sized finlets 

 near the extremity, a little remote from each other ; scarcely the rudi- 

 ment of a caudal : pectorals broad, rounded at their lateral extremities, 

 the anterior margins nearly straight, the posterior rather convex : vent- 

 rals moderate, divided into two lobes; the upper lobe polliciform; the 

 appendages (of the male) very small in young specimens, and not extend- 

 ing so low as the ventrals themselves, but in the adults much longer and 

 more developed. Obs. The Males in this, and in all the other species of 

 this family, besides possessing the ventral appendages, are characterized 

 by several parallel rows of sharp hooked spines on the anterior lobe, and 

 at the angle, of each of the pectorals. 'These spines are always very 

 much reclined, and partly concealed, with the points directed inwards. 

 They are quite independent of the other, generally larger and more erect, 

 spines, which are more or less characteristic of the particular species. 

 The number of rows, and the number in each row, depend upon age, 

 being greatest in the oldest individuals: sometimes, in very young males, 

 these sexual spines (as they may be termed) hardly show themselves at 

 all. It may be added that the teeth also often differ in the two sexes ; 

 the males generally having them sharper and more pointed than the 

 other sex; in the young, however, they are sometimes similar in both 

 sexes. (Colours.) Upper surface of a uniform dusky, brown, tinged with 

 cinereous : under surface dusky gray, sometimes grayish white, studded 

 with black specks, having a white centre, most abundant beneath the 

 snout. The colours of both sides become paler with age. 



Not uncommon on many parts of the coast, though less plentiful than 

 some other species. Attains to a very large size, weighing sometimes 

 nearly two hundred pounds. According to Pennant, the ova, or purses, 

 are cast by the females from May to September. The young are some- 

 times called Maids. Obs. By some authors the skin of this species is 

 represented as smooth ; and it is not quite certain whether two have not 

 been in some instances confounded under the name of R. Batis. 



200. R. Oxyrhynchus, Linn. ? {Sharp-nosed Ray.) 

 Snout sharp, slender, and very much elongated, the lateral 

 margins parallel near the tip : skin smooth : one or three 

 rows of spines on the tail : colour beneath plain white, 

 without spots. 



R. Oxyrhinchus, Mont, in Wern. Mem. vol. n. p. 423. Sharp- 

 nosed Ray, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 83. Id. (Edit. 1812.) 

 vol. in. p. 113. but not pi. 11. 



LENGTH. Six feet and upwards. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Differs from the last species, which it very much 

 resembles, in having the snout more slender, the margins, in a mode- 

 rately sized fish, running nearly parallel to each other for three or four 

 inches at the extremity: teeth longer, and not so closely compacted: 

 skin perfectly smooth : three rows of spines on the tail, when arrived at 



