BORDERED RAY. 
Ill 
and all are nearly of the same size. The Margined Ray 
prefers sandy bays, partially landlocked, and not very deep 
■water;” from which cause it is more frequently caught in the 
sean than in the trawl, the fishing with which is at a greater 
distance from land. I learn from a later communication of 
Mr. Thompson, that the Bordered Ray has of late become much 
more scarce near Weymouth, if not altogether disappeared. 
Besides its small size, there are on the disk of this fish 
numerous marks of blood-vessels, and perhaps nerves, which 
are usually to be discerned in the young of the various kinds 
of Rays, and in them only. I feel therefore strongly inclined 
to adopt the opinion of the fishermen, even although it may 
be opposed to that of so good an observer as Mr. Thompson, 
and of such other able naturalists as have taken the other 
side of the question. H.’he only difficulty I feel is in assign- 
ing it to any other recognised species, of which the Burton 
Skate is the only one to which it bears a near resemblance. 
That the black border exists in different degrees in diflerent 
individuals or situations, appears probable from a comparison 
of the figures given by Risso with those of Mr. Yarrell and 
our own; and it is also probable that it is a local colour 
derived from particular food, or some special character of the 
ground, disappearing altogether in the further growth of the 
individual, which then also may change its haunts for some 
at a greater distance. No example has yet been discovered 
in the condition of producing eggs, which circumstance will 
still further tend to strengthen the opinion of its being the 
young condition of another species. 
