FAMILY RAIIDiE — RAIA. 367 



which the blood-vessels may be seen beautifully displayed. Mouth transverse, sinuous ; a 

 loose membrane at the angle of the mouth, with a deep furrow extending to the nostrils. The 

 nostrils are furnished with long duplicated fleshy membranes, acting as valves ; within, the 

 olfactory nerve is seen expanded in a plumose form, between two oblong brown bodies. 

 Within the mouth, a bilobate membrane behind the upper jaw, and the rudiments of another 

 behind the lower jaw. Teeth in each jaw very minute, arranged with great regularity, and 

 becoming more acute behind. Branchial openings five, with four bony arches. 



Two adipose dorsals, small and subequal, ovate, rough, contiguous to each other, and con- 

 nected behind to the tail by a smooth pellucid membrane ; a thin membrane behind the last 

 dorsal, connects it with the extremity of the tail, which has no vestige of a caudal fin. Pecto- 

 rals rounded, and so much enveloped in the common teguments of the body, that its rays are 

 diflicult to be enumerated ; they appear to consist of from fifty to sixty rays. Ventrals thick 

 and fleshy, concave on their margins, and contain each from twenty-two to twenty-five rays. 

 The male organs about six inches long, cylindrical, slightly tapering, and, for the greater part 

 of that distance, divided by a deep fissure between two bony cartilages. 



The female smaller than the male, and its teeth much smaller. The double series of long 

 concealed prickles noticed on the pectorals of the males, are wanting. A cruciform group of 

 prickles on the back, which unite with the longitudinal row on the back and tail. Behind the 

 vent, two narrow apertures leading into the abdominal cavity. Opening of the rectum nar- 

 row, and anterior to that of the uterus, which is large. 



Color. Above brownish grey, sprinkled with numerous small irregular rounded and oblong 

 darker spots ; beneath white, immaculate. 



Length of the body to the vent, 18 '0. Extreme breadth, 24 "0. 



The stomachs of several which I opened, were filled with remains of fishes, squids, crabs 

 and soft clams. The rectum had eight spiral valves ; and the appendix vermiformis of Monroe, 

 near its extremity, is very distinct. At the will of the animal, the end of the male organ 

 expands, and discloses three white tubercles, which are received into corresponding cavities 

 when closed. Passing a probe along the fissure, we notice a cartilaginous canal, which leads 

 into a large cavity in the posterior lobe of the ventral fin. In this cavity, an oblong gland, 

 surrounded by strong muscular fibres ; this gland was homogenous, yellow, and divided by a 

 deep furrow into two distinct portions. While examining the animal, there was a sudden 

 and profuse discharge of a milky fluid through the appendages. 



The Clear-nosed Ray is usually most abundant in our markets about the middle of March, 

 when they may be seen of all sizes from one to three feet. They are caught along with 

 codfish, and are eaten by the poorer classes, although they are insipid gelatinous food. 



