530 On a new Ray from ilie Mediterranean. 



extremity of snout projecting as a short rounded or some- 

 what pointed process. Vent nearer tip of snout than end 

 of tail. Length of snout about ^ width of disc ; interorbital 

 width 2| to 3 in length of snout, less than length of eye + 

 spiracle, equal to or greater than longitudinal diameter of 

 eye. Teeth small, close-set, with acutely conical crowns, 

 which maj^ be so worn down that the teeth appear quite flat; 

 50 to 60 rows in the upper jaw. 



One to three prseocalar and one to three postocular spines ; 

 a pair of small scapular spines in the very young; 2 or 3 

 median spines in advance of these ; a median series of 

 more than 40 spines extending forward nearly to the 

 scapular region in the smallest specimen ; others with 22 

 to 28 median spines from the pelvic region to the first 

 dorsal fin,' and also with 1 to 4 spines on each side of 

 the anterior part of the tail. Orbital and rostral ridges 

 and rostral projection spinulose ; a median patch of spi- 

 nules in the scapular region ; tail spinulose ; upper surface 

 otherwise smooth, except for spinules near the anterior 

 margin of the disc in males. Lower surface smooth, except 

 for a narrow border of asperities along the anterior margin, 

 extending abont halfway from tip of snout to angles of 

 pectorals. (? Adult male with a single series of alar spines.) 



Pale brownish, with numerous rounded dark reddish-brown 

 spots covering the disc ; near the middle of the base of each 

 pectoral fin a dark ring with pale centre is surrounded by a 

 pale ring with a circle of spots round it; behind this is 

 a pale area encircled by spots; these characteristic markings 

 are most definite in. the smallest specimen. Lower surface 

 white. 



Mediterranean. 



Four specimens (two $ and two ? ), three from Dalmatia 

 and one from Nice, the largest 500 mm. in total length. 



A male of 470 mm. is not quite mature, but Bonaparte^s 

 figure of a male 500 mm. long shows the sexual characters 

 fully developed. 



When specimens of equal size are compared, R. 'poly stigma 

 differs from the Atlantic K. brachyura^ Lafont. {R. blanda^ 

 Holt & Calderwood), in ^the larger eyes, the narrower 

 interorbital region, and the fewer teeth ; also U. hrachyura 

 is more spinulose, has a somewhat different coloration, aud 

 becomes mature at a larijrer size. 



