RAIID^E. 339 



Raia rostrata, Blainv. F. France, p. 30. 



Raia intermedia, Parnell, Proc. R. S. Edin. 1837, p. 166, and Trans?. R. S. 

 Edin. 1839, xiv, p. 148, pi. vi and Wern. Mem. vii, p. 429, pis. xi and xli ; Yarrell, 

 Brit. Fishes (ed. 3) ii, p. 557 ; Kroyer, Danm. Fisk. iii, p. 1015 ; McCoy, Ann. 

 and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1811, vi, p. 406 ; White, Catal. p. 139. 



Raia batis, Yarrell, 1. c. (ed. 1) ii, p. 421, c. fig. (ed. 2) ii, p. 561. 



Loeviraja macrorhynchus, Bonap. Faun. Ital. c. fig. ; Canestr. Fann. Ital. Pesc. p. 54. 



Flapper-slcate, Couch, Fish, Brit. Isles, i, p. 87, pi. xviii. 



Shape rhomboidal ; disk about one-fourth wider than long. The length of 

 the tail from the origin of the ventral fin equals about one-half of the total, or 

 even less. The anterior edge of the disk concave and of greater extent than 

 the posterior edge, which latter is rounded. Eyes — rather small in the young, 

 equalling about one-fifth of the distance to the end of the snout, and one-sixth to 

 one-seventh in adults ; spiracles placed close behind the orbits, and in size are less 

 than the eye. Mouth slightly arched and situated a little anterior to the middle of 

 the distance between the end of the snout and the vent. The length of the snout, 

 anterior to the mouth, slightly exceeds that of the preorbital space. The distance 

 between the nostrils equals one-half to two-thirds of the distance from the end of 

 the snout. Teeth — differ with age ; in the young of both sexes they are in oblique 

 rows ; while in large specimens they are more in vertical rows ; in the- young 

 males they have a little point directed backwards ; in adults the form is angular, 

 with a central point similarly directed, while each tooth is in more or less direct 

 contact with six others. I find 48 rows in the upper, and 40 in the lower jaw, of a 

 large example from Plymouth, but they are said to increase with age. Generally 

 two spines near the anterior angle of the orbit ; usually none along the middle of 

 the back, but many little asperities on the disk. The tail has three rows of spines, 

 the centre one usually commencing above the base of the ventral fin ; the lateral 

 rows are often more or less deficient. Fins — the two dorsals of about the same size, 

 separated by a short space where there exists a spine : a small caudal. Colours — ■ 

 vary with age, being generally brown above and white beneath where there 

 are numerous black dots : or the upper surface many have numerous white 

 spots. 



McCoy observes that two specimens of this skate, taken in Dublin Bay, agreed 

 perfectly with each other : neither of them were spotted ; besides the one large 

 spine before the eye, each had another of equal size behind the orbit, and one small 

 blunt one external and a little anterior to the one before the eye. Those two 

 specimens, it will be found, agree perfectly with two fishes obtained by Dr. Parnell 

 at Queensferry, considered by him as a mere variety of his R. intermedia. Length, 

 13 inches. 



Names. — Flapper skate. La Raie macrorhynchus, French. 



Habits. — These have not been recorded, but are probably identical with those 

 of the common skate. 



Habitat. — It is found around the French coast to the Mediterranean. It has 

 been recorded in our seas by Parnell from the Firth of Forth. I have obtained 

 it at Plymouth. McCoy has recorded it from Dublin Bay. It is said to attain to 

 a large size. I have figured one of Parnell's specimens which is 26 inches long. 



3. Raia alba, Plate CLXVIII. 



7?in'(T. hvvis, major, Duhamel, Poches, p. 2, sect, ix, p. 285, pi. xi,f. 3,4. Sharp- 

 nosed ray, Pennant, Brit. Zool. (Ed. 1776), iii, p. 83 (Ed. 1812), iii, p. 113, pi. xi ; 

 Low, Orkneys, p. 160. 



Raia alba, Lacep. v, p. 663, pi. xx, f. 1 ; Blainv. F. France, p. 14 ; Moreau, 

 Poiss. de la France, i, p. 412. 



Raia marginata, Lacep. v, p. 663, pi. xx, f. 2 ; Blainv. 1. c. p. 19, pi. iii, f. 2 ; 

 Risso, Eur. Mend, iii, p. 148; Muller and Henlc, p. 140; Flein. Manual, p. 172; 

 Bonap. Faun. Ital. Pose. <■. fig. ; Yarrell, Brit. Fishes fed. 1), ii, p. 426. c. fig. (ed. 2), 



