THE SHAGREEN RAY. 431 



The back was of a uniform dark olive-green without spots of 

 any description, covered with a thick mucus ; under surface 

 of a dark grey ; body very thin ; snout sharp, conical ; pec- 

 torals at their anterior margins rather sinuous, passing off 

 somewhat suddenly at that part, in a line with the tempo- 

 ral orifices, giving the outline of the anterior part quite a 

 different appearance to that observed in Raia intermedia ; 

 the anterior part of each orbit is furnished with a spine ; 

 back perfectly smooth ; tail with one row of spines on the 

 dorsal ridge ; fins, and in all other respects, similar to Raia 

 intermedia. (Plate XL I.) 



Rata chagkinea.* — The Shagreen Ray. 



Specific Characters. — Body on the upper surface very rough ; on 

 the under surface of a pure white ; a row of spines round the inner 

 edge of each orbit ; two rows of large bent spines on the tail. (Plate 

 XLI.) 



Description. — From a female specimen three feet two inches in 

 length, tail included. Body of a rhomboidal form ; the transverse 

 diameter rather greater than the distance between the tip of the snout 

 and the end of the anal rays ; from the point of the snout to the tip 

 of the pectoral, from thence to the base of the ventral fin on the op- 

 posite side, equal ; the length of the tail equal to the distance from 

 its base to the posterior margin of the orbit ; from the tip of the snout 

 to the middle of the eye, one-seventh of the whole length, caudal 

 included ; the transverse cartilage is situated mid-way between the 

 extremity of the nose and the termination of the base of the anal fin. 

 Snout sharp, conate ; the anterior margins of the pectorals slightly 

 sinuous ; the posterior margins rounded ; ventrals narrow, being three 

 or four times longer than their breadth, placed between the termi- 

 nation of the large broad pectorals and the commencement of the 

 anals, composed of five rays, of which the second is the longest. Anals 

 rounded at their outer margins, and terminating free below, about 

 five times the breadth of the ventrals, each furnished with about 

 twenty-one rays. Dorsals approximate, small and thin, situated 

 nearly at the extremity of the tail, both of equal size, rounded at their 

 posterior free margins ; each fin furnished with eight rays, which ap- 



* Raia chagrined, Mont., Perm., Jen. 



