igog.] N. AnnandaIvE : Report on the Batoidei. 15 



into a fold which does not reach or barely reaches the lateral margin of the nostril. 

 The back very flat ; the breadth across the widest part of the pectorals 2| times 

 in the total length. Pectoral fins broadly rounded; tip of pelvic fins nearly 

 reaching base of first dorsal, which is separated from second dorsal by more than 

 twice its own length. Rostral ridges narrowly separated. Back minutely granular 

 with a row of smooth, rounded tubercles extending down the centre from a 

 short distance behind the eyes to the posterior dorsal fin ; a semicircle of 

 similar tubercles extending round the inner margin of each orbit, and a short 

 interrupted row crossing the mid-dorsal line at right angles in the scapular region. 

 Colour of young dark greyish brown with indistinct marblings of a darker shade and 

 with numerous somewhat obscure, round, whitish spots ; edges of snout white in 

 smaller specimens ; all the fins becoming pale at the edge ; ventral surface white. 

 The larger specimens I have examined are darker than the smaller ones and have 

 less white on the snout, which in some is of the same colour as the back. 

 The mouth is straight ; the teeth are small and almost flat, the ridge across them 

 being feebly developed. They are of the same size on all parts of the jaw. 

 Several specimens of this species were obtained off the entrance to the Eastern 

 Channel of the mouth of the river Hughli by the ' ' Golden Crown ' ' in February, 1909. 

 The largest, a male with the claspers evidently immature and not reaching the tip of 

 the pelvic fins, measured 42-9 cm. in length. Except as regards colour, these speci- 

 mens agreed closely with Müller and Henle's figures of R. horkelii, which appears to be 

 separated from R. undulatus mainly on account of its darker snout. A pale snout is 

 characteristic of the young, however, not only in R. columnœ but also in R. djeddensis, 

 R. halavi, R. schlegelii and R. gramtlatus. The same is true as regards white spots, 

 at any rate in the case of R. djeddensis and R. schlegelii. 



Both Günther and Day state that in R. cohimnce ' the continuation of the anterior 

 nasal valve almost meets its pair on the other side. In Bonaparte's original figure, 

 however, this is not represented as being the case. My specimens agree much more 

 closely with Günther' s description of R. undulatus than they do with his description of 

 R. columnœ, but I feel bound to follow Bonaparte's figure in my identification. Some 

 confusion probably exists between these two species, but I have not the material to 

 clear it up. 



Rhinohatis schlegelii, Müller and Henle. 



■ Rhinobatus schlegelii, Gthr., op. cit., p. 445. 

 Snout long, pointed, but shorter than that of R. granulatus ; the central concavity of 

 the rostral ridge elongated and narrow. The two ridges on the posterior border 

 of the spiracle very strongly developed. Anterior nasal valve produced into a 

 flap which ejctends beyond the edge of the nostril inwards towards the middle line 

 but does not nearly meet its fellow of the opposite side. Posterior nasal valve 



^ vSince the above was written I have been able to examine a small Italian specimen of R. columnœ 

 preserved in sprit. It appears to ba browner than my In Han specimens and lacks all trace of white 

 spots. Otherwise it agrees with them very closely, except that perhaps the tubercles on the back and 

 round the orbits are a little less prominent. — April 18th, 1909. 



