42 GENUS KAJA. 



one third the length of the body, destitute of a fin, trian« 

 gularj one or two spines very near the base. 



Heaa above a little elevated, flattened on the top; pec- 

 toral fin forming with the body a transverse rhomboid, 

 rounded at the angles. 



Eyes very small, situated near the edge of the snout; 

 pupil black, round; iris green, radiated with black; spi- 

 racles large, immediately behind the eyes. Nostrils, 

 rounded, very near the mouth and disumt from each other 

 nearly one half its widtlj; tip of the nose truncated and 

 extending on each side under the nostrils, not covering 

 the upper lip; septa very short. Mouth with minute, 

 numerous, triangular, acute teeth, each emarginaie at 

 the base for the reception of the hind teeth, w^hich are 

 affixed by a short peduncle to the skin of the jaw and 

 moveable. Branchial apertures equal, equidistant; placed 

 perpendicularly behind the angles of the mouth ; ventral 

 fins short, rounded; skin shagreened, greenish blue, with 

 small black, vermicular, interrupted lines, and larger dis- 

 tant pale spots. Body beneath pale red. 



This description was taken from a specimen found at 

 Newport, Rhode- Island. Widdi six feet seven inches; 

 length three feet six inches from the anterior extremity 

 to the tip of the ventral fins. Eyes eight inches asunder. 

 Width of the mouth seven or eight inches. It is not used 

 for food. It arrives to a large size, measuring sometimes, 

 it is said by fishermen, fifteen or eighteen feet in width, 

 and appears to be an inhabitant of the sea coast of the 

 United States generally. 



2. R, Say. Body suborbicular; two elongated, ver« 

 tical, opposite fins on the tail; behind the spine. 



