no. 2075. FISHES FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA— GILBERT. 307 



would permit us to determine whether the median row of the back 

 are laid down as a continuous series, as in R. inornata. But three 

 embryos from a previous collection (station 3106, off San Francisco 

 Bay, 77 fathoms) seem to throw light on this question. They are 

 120, 125, and 145 mm. long, and all agree in having the rudiments of 

 the dorsal spines distinctly shown and in having an area along the 

 middle of the back between the anterior of the series and the base of 

 the ventrals in which no rudiments are present. These specimens 

 were identified in a former communication as R. inornata, 1 and an 

 attempt was made without success to trace in older specimens of 

 R. inornata the supposed development of the spines in the gap as a 

 secondary growth. It seems now, however, that these were the young 

 of R. rhina, in which the gap is a primitive feature, while in R. inornata 

 the series is primitively complete and the gap develops by the later 

 suppression of a few of the intermediate spines. 



RAJA MONTEREYENSIS, new species. 

 Plate 14, fig. 1. 



Type-specimen. — Cat. No. 75806, U.S.N.M., a young female, 198 mm. 

 long, from station 4531, Monterey Bay, off Santa Cruz, California, 

 depth 26-28 fathoms. 



Probably most nearly related to R. inornata, differing widely from 

 R. inornata, rhina, and binoculata in having the entire upper surface 

 of the disk, except its posterior margin, covered with rather coarse 

 prickles, which are coarsest near the mid-dorsal line, and grow finer 

 toward the periphery. In R. inornata, rliina, and binoculata of this 

 size no prickles whatever are present. In addition to the prickles, 

 R. montereyensis has a series of spines on the orbital margin and an 

 uninterrupted series of strong spines along the median line of back 

 and tail. The anterior spine of the dorsal series occupies, as usual, a 

 definite position between the diverging posterior ends of two series 

 of pores which lie on either side the median line behind the occiput. 

 The first three spines of the series are stronger than those which follow. 

 The total number is 32, all in advance of the first dorsal fin. Area 

 between the dorsals smooth. The orbital spines are arranged as in 

 R. inornata, rhina, and binoculata. Three primary spines are dis- 

 tinguishable; two are in advance of the eye, one directed inward 

 and backward, the other outward and backward; the third above 

 the posterior margin of the orbit, directed outward and backward. 

 These three, as well as the series of dorsal spines, doubtless here as well 

 as in related species, are definitely formed in the late embryo, and are 

 evident as soft papillae beneath the integument long before the absorp- 

 tion of the yolk. In the type two secondary spines have been formed 

 in the orbital series, one above the middle of the eye, tho other poste- 



1 Report U. S. Fish Comrn. for 1893 (1896), p. 463. 



