279 



BLACK RAY. 



Kaja Nigra. R. nigra, suhtus alba, spimrum dorsalium serie 



smplici, caudalium triplici. 

 Ray with the body black" above, white beneath, with a single 



row of dorsal, and a triple row of caudal spines. 

 Raja nigra. Cepede, 



Shape rhomboid: snout pointed: from the middle 

 of the back to the end of the tail a row of spines ; 

 and on each side the tail a row of more distant ones: 

 tail very thin : whole fish on the tipper surface 

 black, more or less deep in different specimens : 

 beneath quite white : native of the European seas ; 

 sometimes taken in the mouth of the SeinC;, among 

 'Thornbacks and other Rays: grows to a consider-^ 

 able size. 



PAINTED RAY. 



Raja Picta. J^. JiavescenSj seriehm tortuosis guttarmn alharvm 

 ornata. 



Yellowish Ray, marked with tortuous rows of white spots. 

 Raja picta, Cepede. 



Shape rhomboid : snout rather produced : from 

 the head to the end of the tail a row of spines : 

 two or three spines before each eye ; and a row of 

 five or six on each side the beginning of the tail : 

 colour above yellowish, with very numerous, small, 

 round, white spots, many of which are symmetri- 

 cally arranged in ^a double tortuous series on each 



