342 PLAGIOSTOMATA. 



efforts to escape. Off Cornwall Coucli observes that the earliest he had met with 

 was taken in April. 



Uses. — Oil is extracted from its liver. 



Habitat. — The seas of western Europe, from those of the north to France 

 where it is pretty common, and through the Mediterranean, also as far south in 

 the Atlantic as Madeira. Resident in Yorkshire, and reported to be common in 

 the North Sea (Yorkshire Vertebrata) : it is also found along our south coast, 

 and has been obtained in Cornwall (Couch). 



The specimen figured is one-fifth natural size, and in the National collection. 



5. Raia fuUonica, Plate CLXX. 



Raia, sp. no. 6, Artedi, Gen. p. 72, and Synon. p. 101. Shagreen Bay, 

 Pennant, Brit. Zool. (Ed. 1776) iii, p. 87 (Ed. 1812) iii, p. 117; Shaw, Zool. v, 

 p. 281. 



Eaia fullonica, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 396 ; Ascan. Icon. t. sliii ; Bl. Schn. 

 p. 367; Turton, p. Ill; Risso, Ich. Nice, p. 6; Pries. Vet. Ak. Handl. 1838, 

 p. 150, t. ii, f. 2 ; Miill. and Henle, p. 145 ; Yarrell, Brit. Fishes (ed. 1) ii, p. 678, 

 c. fig. (ed. 2) ii, p. 578 (ed. 3) ii, p. 577; Kroyer, Danm. Pisk. t. iii, p. 996, c. fig.; 

 White, Catal. p. 138; Nilss. Skand. Fauna, iv, p. 737; CoUett, Norges Fiske, 

 p. 217 ; Giinther, Catal. viii, p. 467 ; Winther, Prod. Dan. Mar. p. 61 ; Giglioli, 

 Catal. Peso. Ital. p. 54. 



Maia granulosa, Bl. Schn. p. 368. 



Baia jlossada, Risso, Eur. Merid. iii, p. 145. 



liaia chagrinea, Pennant, 1. c. ; Lacep. i, p. 81 ; Turton, p. Ill ; Montagu, Wern. 

 Mem. ii, p. 420, pi. xxi ; Parnell, Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin. 1840, xiv, p. 144, and 

 Wern. Mem. vii, p. 431, pi. xli ; Jenyns, Man. p. 513 ; Thompson, Nat. Hist. Ire- 

 land, iv, p. 260 ; Dumeril, Ich. i, p. 660 ; Moreau, Poiss. de la France, i, p. 401. 



liaia asjiera, Flem. Brit. An. p. 172. 



Lpucorajn fullonica, Malm, Fauna, p. 609. 



8lia(jrec)i Ray, Couch, Fish. Brit. Isles, i, p. 117, pi. xxix. 



Form of body rhomboidal ; the front edge of the disk concave and undulated, 

 and one-third longer than the hind edge, which is convex. Snout cone-shaped 

 and shai'p. Disk rather wider than the distance from the end of the snout to the 

 posterior extremity of the anal fin. The tail not quite so long as the disk. Eyes 

 — large, 4^ to 6 diameters from, the end of the snout, and 3 to 3| apart. Spiracles 

 close behind orbits, than which they are slightly smaller. Mouth large. Teeth — 

 pointed, and in about 6-J' rows in the upper and 56 in the lower jaw. Fins — 

 dorsals rather close together, small, and of equal size ; a rudimentary caudal. 

 iS'Zi'fj — on upper surface granulated to the touch, except at the base of the 

 ventral and anal fins, where it is smooth. About four or six large and bent 

 spines on the snout, and ten or twelve round the upper margin of the orbit. 

 Along the centre of tlie liaok a row of about six spines, which about opiaosite the 

 base of the ventral fin cliange into two rows, arc continued as far as the dorsal 

 fins, and increase in size posteriorly ; while two or three iri'egular rows of spines 

 are situated along either side of the tail. No spines along the central line of 

 the tail. Colours — yellowish brown superiorly ; pure white beneath. Montagu 

 mentions a specimen which had a few black spots. 



Names. — The term Fuller's ray is derived from the instrument fullers use in 

 smoothing- cloth, the back being rough and spiny (Pennant). Long-nosed dinnan, 

 Aberdeen (Sim). Rough flafper, Edinburgh (Parnell). Dim cow. West country 

 (Montagu). Morcath ffreinig, Welsh. La Raie OhagrinSe, French. 



Habits. — Frequents deep waters, and is not captured during the winter. 



As food. — Inferior. 



Habitat. — Along the coasts of western Europe and British Isles ; is taken 

 off France, but becomes rare ip the Mediterranean. In the Moray Firth Mr. 

 McGregor only observed one specimen, which was taken in February on a line 

 at 50 fathoms depth, it was 2 feet 8| inches long (Couch) : Aberdeen (Sim): 

 Firth of Forth occasionally captured in the stake nets in deep water, more 



