236 BULLETIN OF THE 



seems likely that these young skates represent a variety of R. Ackleyi. Whether 

 they are more distinct can only be determined by comparison of adults and 

 young of each. 



Raja plutonia, sp. no v. 



Disk, including ventrals, broader than long, subquadrangular, broadly 

 rounded in front and on the lateral angles ; snout forming a very blunt angle ; 

 margin opposite the gill openings nearly straight. Tail about one and one half 

 times the length of the disk, slender, depressed, with a cutaneous fold on each 

 side near the extremity. Rostral cartilage short, not extending to the end of 

 the snout. Mouth moderate, slightly curved, width equalling the distance be- 

 tween the outer angles of the nostrils, and contained twice in its distance from 

 the end of the snout. Teeth about thirty-two series (a young specimen). Eyes 

 large, longitudinal diameter of orbit greater than their distance apart. Inter- 

 orbital space concave, narrow, width rather more than two and one half times 

 in the distance of the eyes from the end of the snout. Spiracles small. Ante- 

 rior nasal valve tubular ; posterior reaching the mouth, free on its outer margin. 

 Hinder extremity of pectoral broad, rounded. Yentrals deeply notched, an- 

 terior portion narrow, extending farther from the middle of the pelvis than 

 the posterior. Dorsals small, near the end of the tail, radial portion of bases 

 narrow, anterior fin connected with the base of the posterior by a membranous 

 expansion, posterior reaching almost to the extremity of the tail. 



Back and tail covered with small, closely set, stellate-based scales, which bear 

 elongate, slender, compressed, backward-directed points. Larger spines form a 

 supraorbital row, and a single one stands on each side of the back of the head. 

 The largest on the body form a close vertebral series on back and tail. On 

 each side of the shoulder girdle there is an irregular series of five, and a short 

 distance in front of each of these stands one or a pair. On each side of the tail 

 there are two series, little smaller than those of the medial row. Smooth below. 

 Very small specimens have not so many spines. 



Brown, grayish in small to purplish in the largest specimens at hand, with 

 more or less irregular transverse series of indistinctly defined spots of brown, 

 often confluent into short bands, interspersed among which are spots of white 

 of varying size and shapes. Tail with cross bands of light and of dark. Dor- 

 sals dark. Entire lower surface white. 



The following measurements are taken from the largest. Width of disk 

 4.5 ; length of disk, including ventrals, 4.25 ; snout to hinder margin of vent 

 3.38 ; vent to end of tail 6.38, and total length 9.7(5 inches. The smallest 

 epecimen ha.s a total length of 2, and a length of disk of .8 inches. 



I.at N. Ix)ng. W. Depth. No. of Cast. 



1 ex. 31° 57' 0" 78° 18' 3.5" 333 fath. CCCXVIL 



5 ex. 32° 7' 0" 78° 37' 30" 229 " CCCXVI. 



1 Without locality. 



1 32° 43' 25" 77° 20' 30" 233 " CCCXXL 



