GENERA AND SPECIES. 



125 



Pristiurus. Plate xxx. SCYLLIID^E. 



232. melanostomus, BLACK-MOUTHED DOG-FISH. Three rows of ob- 

 long blotches, which are black, with a narrow 

 light margin. 



The first dorsal is close up behind the ventrals, the second dorsal 

 close behind the anal ; the first dorsal is the larger ; the pectorals 

 are the largest fins ; the anal is placed between the dorsals, and the 

 ventrals are midway between it and the pectorals ; the caudal is 

 long, with a row or two of spines arranged like a saw along its upper 

 edge. In colour this shark is greyish brown, blotched with black ; 

 the blotches in the fore part being in rows and edged with whitish. 

 The few British examples have been a little over 2 feet long. 



Raia. Plates xxxi., xxxii., xxxiii. RAIID&. 

 Snout long 



238. 

 241. 

 239- 



batis, 



oxyi'hynchus, 

 macrorhynchus, 



240. alba, 



242. fullonica, 



Snout short 

 244. maculata, 



246. radiala, 



247. circular is, 



245- 



243- 



microcellata, 

 clavata, 



SKATE. Under surface brownish. 

 LONG-NOSED SKATE. Under surface grey. 



FLAPPER SKATE. Under surface white, with black 

 spots. 



WHITE SKATE. Under surface white ; no row of 

 spines round eye ; 3 rows of spines on tail, one 

 row central. 



SHAGREEN RAY. Under surface white ; a row of 

 spines round eye ; no central row of spines on tail- 



Under surface brown, with black 



Under surface brown, without 



SPOTTED RAY. 

 spots. 



STARRY RAY. 

 spots. 



CUCKOO RAY. Under surface white, generally 

 with a dark edging ; upper surface with a black 

 and yellow pater/ on each side of median line. 



PAINTED RAY. Under surface white ; spines con- 

 fined to median line. 



THORNBACK. Under surface white ; spines not 

 confined to median line. 



The Skate has 2 dorsal fins on the tail which are fairly large and 

 nearly equal in size. The skin is smooth ; but there is a row of 

 spines down the middle of the tail, with generally a row on each 

 side. The males have a patch of spines on each wing, where the 

 females frequently have a certain roughness of the skin. The snout 

 is longer in the females than in the males and the eye is smaller. The 

 edge of the disk is undulated in front and rounded behind. The 

 tail is not so long as the body. The colour is brownish or greyish 

 above, brownish below ; the length seems to be at least 7 feet. The 

 Skate, like all the rays, is confined to soft sandy or muddy bottoms, 

 at comparatively moderate depths. None of the family has been 



