30 Mindeskrift for J. Steenstrup. XXX. 



lives on the banks ofT Jæderen in Norway; here it is taken in the months of May, June 

 and July in depths of 80 to 120 fm. In 1902 the present author had the opportunity on 

 board the Norwegian research-steamer "Michael Sars" to determine its occurrence 

 N. E. of the Shetlands and east of the Færoes, in depths of 185 — 250 fm. Further, it 

 has several times been taken in recent years by the Danish research-steamer "Thor" in 

 the Skagerrak at depths of 275 — 350 fm. Probably it occurs still further south along 

 the European coasts, but it is not easy to see, whether any of the rays described by 

 English and French authors under other names are identical with the present. 



Bqja spinicauda n. sp. 



PI., figs. 1—5. 



Diagnosis. 



The snout forms a pointed angle ; its length to a cross-line drawn through the centre 

 of the eyes amounts to more than half of the breadth of the disc along the same cross- 

 line and is almost or quite 4 times as great as the least interorbital breadth. The lateral 

 corners of the disc form almost a right angle and are rounded at the tip. The under 

 surface is quite smooth. The dorsal surface is richly provided with quite small spines, 

 situated in particular densely along the mid line of the body and tail, of larger spines 

 there is only one row (21 — 26) along the mid line of the tail, and they are erect or but 

 slightly bent backwards. The colour in the fresh condition is blue-gray on the upper 

 surface, the free border of skin along the sides of the tail white ; the under surface is milk- 

 white with dark-gray spots along the lateral margins of the pectorals behind the angles 

 and along the margin of the pelvic fms as also on the tail, especially the anterior part. 



Of this ray, which is new to science, 6 specimens were taken by the "Tjalfe" Expedi- 

 tion at Southern West Greenland, partly out in the Davis Strait, partly in Tunugd- 

 liarfik Fjord and Skovfjord in the northern part of the Julianehaab district. The fol- 

 lowing are the separate localities: 



a. St. 408. Davis Strait. 64°14' N., 55°55' W. 440 fm. ca. 3.8° C. 2. 6. 1909. Trawl, 

 b & c. St. 565. Mouth of Tunugdliarfik Fjord. 125— 200 fm. ca. 1.7— 3^ C. 30. 7. 1909. 

 Line. 

 d. St. 566. Mouth of Tunugdliarfik Fjord. 125— 200 fm. ca. 1.7— 3° C. 31. 7. 1909. 

 Line. 

 c & f. St. 598. Skovfjord, from Kingitok right across the narrowest place towards the 

 island Igdlokasik. 120— 160 fm. 1.7— 2.3° C. 13.8.1909. Line. 



The specimen a is a female 740 mm long with 26 dorsal spines^); it is the specimen 



which has been figured in the plate, figs. 1 & 2. The specimen b was a female 1390 



') In addition a spine in the distinct interspace separating the comparatively well-developed 

 dorsal fins. 



