104 
SPOTTED PtAY. 
HOMLIN. XAILT. 
Baia oxyrinque, 
“ miraletus. 
“ maeulata, 
tt »» 
Lacepede. 
Donovan; pi. 103, but witbout those 
staring marks, from which this fish 
has sometimes been called the Mirmr 
Eay; as if they formed an essential 
character, which is not the case. 
Jenvns; Manual, p. 514. 
Yabuell; Br. Dishes, voh ii, p. 570. 
It is surprising that so common and well-marked a species 
as this, should have been so little knotvn and distinguished by- 
writers; I therefore join with M. Jenyns in excluding from the 
list of corresponding names those which perhaps have been 
affi.xed to it; but which by having been applied to other species 
also, would only serve to increase the confusion The con- 
spicuous spots seen in Donovan’s figure, and also in that of 
jMr. Yarrcll, are far more frequently found on other species; 
and I know only one, the R. viiraletiis, which I judge to be 
the young condition of the Shagreen Eay, in which they form 
an important character. Some marks of their younger condition 
remain with the Spotted Eay, and also with the Thornback 
Eay, through the first year of their growth ; about which time 
they measure about fourteen inches in length. The caudal 
portion still remains proportionally longer than at a later period, 
and the third lobe of the tail is still wide along the base, 
which has not yet contracted as it is afterwards found. The 
spines on the disk are fully formed, but of less size than 
afterwards, and the markings in both these fishes are more 
regular and beautiful, although of course differing in each; and 
indeed they are rarely alike in any two individual fishes. In 
the Thornback the disk is sprinkled with ocellated spots or 
