514 PISCES (CARTILAG.) PLAGIOSTOMI. [RAIA. 



it at Scarborough, where, he observes, it is called the French Ray. He 

 says that it is fond of Launces, or Sand-eels, which it takes greedily as 

 a bait. Montagu speaks of having seen several of both sexes on the 

 coast of Devon, but none larger than that which he has described. He 

 adds that it is known to some of the west country fishermen by the name 

 of Dun- Cow. 



** Snout short, and rather obtuse. 



203. R. maculata, Mont. (Spotted Ray.) Teeth, 

 in the adult, sharp-pointed : skin smooth : generally three 

 rows of spines on the tail, the middle row continued along 

 the back : colour above brown, with distinct roundish 

 dusky spots. 



R. maculata, Mont, in Wern. Mem. vol. n. p. 426. R. Rubus, 

 Don. Brit. Fish. vol. i. pi. 20. Fuller Ray, Penn: Brit. ZooL 

 vol. in. p. 86. (Synonyms excluded.) Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. m. 

 p. 116. (Syn. excl.) 



LENGTH. From two to three feet. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Rhomboidal; the transverse diameter more than 

 one-third greater than the length from the end of the snout to the vent : 

 snout short and obtuse, projecting very little beyond the pectorals, the 

 anterior margins of which meet in front at more than a right angle : 

 jaws transverse, moderate: teeth small, numerous, very closely com- 

 pacted ; in several longitudinal, somewhat oblique, rows ; roundish at 

 the base, each terminating above in a minute fine sharp point, the 

 points inclining inwards, and much more developed on the inner than 

 on the outer rows, on which last they are sometimes entirely wanting ; 

 in young fish all the teeth are obtuse, the points not shewing themselves 

 till afterwards : nostrils much nearer to the mouth than to the anterior 

 angles of the pectorals : eyes moderate : spiracles large : skin perfectly 

 smooth above and below, excepting along the anterior margins of the 

 pectorals and the upper ridge of the snout, which are rough with very 

 minute spines : two strong spines at the corners of each eye ; an inter- 

 rupted series of spines down the line of the back, with one isolated spine 

 on each side of the series, about mid-way between the eyes and the 

 posterior margin of the pectorals; the dorsal series of spines is con- 

 tinued down the middle of the tail, at the sides of which are more or less 

 indication of two lateral rows ; sometimes, in small specimens, these last 

 are wholly wanting; all the above spines incline a little backwards: 

 tail about the length of the body, rather stout, depressed, with two 

 moderate finlets, of similar size and form, nearly but not quite contiguous ; 

 merely the rudiment of a caudal : pectorals broad, the lateral angles 

 rather obtuse, the posterior margin rounded, the anterior margin straight 

 or nearly so : ventrals moderate. The male, in addition to the spines 

 mentioned above, has the usual series of curved spines on the pectorals, 

 which, however, do not shew themselves till a certain age. (Colours.) 

 Upper parts brown, sometimes reddish brown, distinctly marked all over 

 with roundish dusky spots : under parts plain white. A variety is not 

 uncommon, in which the usual spots are nearly obsolete, but there is 

 more or less trace of one ocellated spot in the middle of each pectoral : 

 Montagu has noticed two kinds of this last variety ; one, with a large 



