RAIID^B. 341 



3 inches broad (Johnston). A fine example was taken off Yarmouth, October 20th, 

 1883, the first taken for 25 years (Eastern Daily Press, Oct. 22nd). Also along 

 the south coast, where it has been recorded from several localities. Weymouth 

 (Gosse) ; Lyme Regis (Yarrell). Plentiful in Portland Roads, where the young 

 are taken throughout the year (Thompson) ; and in Cornwall not uncommon in 

 deep water (Cornish Fauna). Pennant obtained it off Caernarvonshire, and 

 records one from the Menai Straits, taken in July, 1768, nearly 7 feet long, and 



5 feet 3 inches broad ; when first brought on shore it made a remarkable snorting 

 noise. On its body were Hirudo muricata, which adhered very strongly, and 

 when taken off, left a black impression. Yarrell also records this fish from 

 Liverpool. 



In Ireland it has been recorded in Smith's Waterford ; and Thompson observes 

 that in September, 1851, he saw the perfect tail and other remains of an immense 

 ray of this species on the beach at Annalong. The claspers were about a foot 

 long. 



This is the largest British form of skate, and has been taken nearly 500 lb. in 

 weight. It is much thicker than the common skate. Montagu examined one 



6 feet long to the base of its tail and 5| feet across, and which weighed about 100 lb. 



The specimen figured is in the National collection. 



4. Raia oxyrhynchus, Plate CLXIX. 



Lceviraja, Salvian. p. 149, t. Hi ; Gesner, p. 933 ; Willughby, p. 71, t. C4 ; Ray, 

 p. 26. Rata, spec. no. 8, Artedi, Genera, p. 72, Synon. p. 101. 



Raia oxyrhynchus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 395 ; Briin. Ich. Mass. p. 2 ; Blainville, 

 Faun. Franc, p. 18, pi. iii, f. 1 ; Nilss. Skand. Fauna, iv, p. 740 ; Gunther, Catal. 

 viii, p. 469 ; Moreau, Poiss. de la France, i, p. 403 ; Giglioli, Cat. Pesc. Ital. p. 54. 



Raia chagrined, Turton, p. Ill ; Yarrell, Brit. Fishes (ed. 1) ii, p. 414. 



Raia vomer, Fries. Vet. Akad. Hancll. 1838, p. 161 ; Miiller and Henle, p. 144 ; 

 Krover, Damn. Fiske, iii, p. 1011, c. fig.; Malm. CEfv. Vet. Ak. Forh. 1857, 

 p. 193 ; Dumeril, Ich. i, p. 571 ; Yarrell, Brit. Fish. (ed. 3) ii, p. 548 ; Gunther, 

 Catal. vii, p. 468. 



Raia rostrata, Risso, Ich. Nice, p. 7 and Eur. Merid. iii, p. 156. 



Raia saloiani, Mull, and Henle, Plag. p. 143 (part) ; Dumeril, Ich. i, p. 560 ; 

 Capello, Peix. Port, p. 22. 



Laiviraja oxyrhynchus, Bonap. Faun. Ital. Pesc. ; Canestrini, Fauna dTtalia, 

 Pesc. p. 54. 



Raia mucronota, Yarrell, Brit. Fish. (ed. 2), ii, p 550, c. fig. ; Couch, Cornish 

 Fauna, p. 25. 



Long-nosed skate, Couch, Fish. Brit. Isles, i, p. 93, pi. xix (exclude Synon.). 



The breadth of the fish about equals its length to the root of the tail. The 

 profile from the snout to the angle of the pectoral fin is deeply concave. Snout 

 very elongated and pointed : the width of the interorbital space equals about 6 in 

 the length of the snout. Eyes — of medium size, rather more than one diameter 

 apart. Spiracles a short distance behind the eyes, than which they are larger. 

 The distance from the rather narrow mouth to the end of the snout equals about 

 2.V in the extreme width of the body. Teeth — about 46 rows in the upper jaw, 

 which have a prominent central keel. Fins — outer angle of the pectoral fins 

 angular. iS'/.-;'»- — without large spines, but fine ossicles scattered over both the 

 upper and lower surface of the body. In males there is a roughness at the border 

 of the disk. Tail without any median series of spines, but a lateral row along 

 either side. Colours — grayish brown superiorly, with roundish light or dark 

 spots, and sometimes lines. Under surface grayish. 



Names. — Long-nosed slcate. La Raie oxyrhynque, French. 



Habits. — Frequents deep waters, is not taken during the winter months, 

 and is not so numerous as the common skate. 



Means of capture. — Mostly trawled : when hooked is said to make very violent 



