THE SPOTTED RAY. 435 



surface of the body, nearly in a vertical line with the eyes ; teeth 

 small and blunt, arranged in several rows in each jaw. In adult 

 individuals the teeth are sharp pointed in both sexes. Body on the 

 upper surface smooth ; in some specimens it is slightly granulated 

 on the anterior part of the pectorals and between the eyes ; round 

 the inner margin of each orbit are four or five strong hooked spines 

 with their points directed towards the tail ; on the dorsal ridge is a 

 row of spines which commences immediately behind the nape, and 

 runs down the back, along the central ridge of the tail as far as the 

 first dorsal fin ; the spines on the tail are stronger than those above ; 

 a solitary spine is often placed at each extremity of the transverse dor- 

 sal cartilage ; in adult specimens there are three rows of spines on 

 the tail, but when young the lateral rows are wanting. The series 

 of spines down the line of the back is frequently interrupted, and 

 sometimes rudimentary. The males, besides possessing the usual 

 ana] appendages, have their pectorals armed with two or three rows 

 of strong bent spines with the points directed towards the dorsal 

 line, which, however, do not shew themselves till a certain age. 



There are four species of skate met with on the English 

 shores, belonging to the short-nosed division of rajs, three 

 of which are found to occur on the coast of Scotland ; and 

 although the spotted ray is one of the rarest of the species 

 met with in the Firth of Forth, it is said to be one of the 

 most common along the line of the southern coast. Seldom 

 more than six or eight examples of this fish are observed in 

 the Edinburgh market during the season, and the largest 

 scarcely ever exceeding the length of twenty inches, while, 

 on some parts of the English coast, they are occasionally 

 found from two and a half to three feet in length. 



The Spotted-Ray is distinguished from the rays al- 

 ready described, in the snout being short and obtuse, ex- 

 tending but a little beyond the anterior margins of the pec- 

 torals, and in the upper surface of the body being marked 

 with a number of distinct, dusky spots, about the size of the 

 temporal orifices. It is at once distinguished from the two 

 next species to be noticed by the smoothness of the upper 



surface of the pectorals. 



Ee2 



