when stretched out. are flat, oblong, lanceolate, consisting o f a white cartilaginous substance, striated like the
lateral fin, and on the inside checkered black and w h ite ; exteriorly, they are o f the same colour with the back.
W h en half curled up, they bear a resemblance to two e a r s ; but, when more closely contracted, to two horns.
T lie eyes lateral, near the base o f the above processes, round, flat, proportionally not la r g e ; the pupil perpendicular.
oblong-oval, narrow. T h e usual foramina behind the eyes, are here wanting.
T h e nostrils beneath, gaping, a little more advanced than the eyes. T h e mouth three-fourths o f an inch
behind, more than three inches long, straight, linear, with a narrow stripe o f granular teetli, in each jaw .
T w o oblong, rounded, ventral fin s ; a triangular dorsal fin situated high at tire beginning o f the ta il; the tall
remarkably short, slender, and without either spine or fin.
T h e colour o f the back, an uniform dark-brown, the b e lly whitish.
Feet. Indies.
T h e length, from the rostrum to the dorsal fin - - - i t
from tip to tip o f the lateral fins - - - 4 5
length o f the tall - - - - - - - - ^
distance between the eyes - - - - - 5
R EM A R K S .
T h e specimen now described was brought to me in the month o f February, 1788. I never saw another.
T h e fishermen asserted that it was very rarely met with, which they are very apt to say. b y w a y o f enhancing the
value o f what they bring. In the present instance, however. I have reason for thinking they spoke the truth.
I have since my return to England, received a drawing from St. Helena, o f a fish caught there which appears
to be e xactly the same species, only much larger in size. It was sent to me b y Mr. Brooke, the Governor. In
order to show the mouth, and under parts of the fish, I had Mr. Brooke’s drawing reduced, and have given an
engraving o f it.
T h e only account I have met with, o f this singular fish, is in the T hird Volume o f Duhamel. Traité
S Pesclies, Sect. ix. p. 293. PI. X V I I .
No. X.
R a j a corpor e o b lo n g o ; ros tro p r o d u c t io r e ; a c id é is r e p x i s o rd in a tim in m edio dorso m a cula,
n ig r a a li i s a lb is c ir c ú n d a la , p r o p e p in n a s p ec to ra le s ; cau d a p in n a ta , in e rm i.
T h e R a j a w ith a n o b lo n g b o d y , th e ro s trum e lo n g a ted a n d p o in te d ; a series o f reflex
p ric k le s o n th e m id d le o f th e b a c k , a n d a b la c k sp o t, su rro u n d e d b y th re e o r fo u r w h ite
sp o ts, n e a r e a ch p e c to ra l fin ; th e ta il p in n a te d , u n a rm e d .
C a l l e d b y th e N a t i v e s W a l a w a h T e n k e e .
T h e body oblong, roundish, the lateral fin on each side slanting towards the tail, angular, not rounded, the
posterior an gle and interior edge distinctly separate from the body, and distant from the ventral fin.
T h e head broad, very little convex; the rostrum v ery long, trigonal, channelled, pointed. T h e eyes small,
oval, in deep orbits, the anterior edge o f which is set with small prickle s ; the foramina behind, oval, with a
small dent. T h e mouth and nostrils b ene ath; the teeth granulous.
T h e trunk. A regular line o f prickles, runs along the ridge o f the ba ck, and others, on each side, are disposed in
opposite pa irs; behind which, are three round white spots, at equal distances, on each side o f the prickly line. On
each lateral fin, is a larger oval, black spot in the middle o f three or four white spots, like those on the back.
T h e fn s . T h e two distinct ventral fins are rather distant from the lateral, and o f the same triangular form ;
T h e first dorsal is nearly opposite to the ventral, the second two inches lower down ; both are falcate, at the
anterior as w e ll as posterior edge, but the posterior point is obtuse. T h e tail becomes rounder below the first
dorsal, and tapers rapidly to the caudal fin, which is long, broad, and obliquely falcate.
T h é colour o f the fish a light brown. T h e skin, when stroked upwards, has a harsh rough feel, but a soft,
velvet-like feel, when stroked downwards.
T h e length, from the point o f the rostrum to the dorsal fin - - - 8x
from the dorsal fin to the point o f the tail - - - - - 9
from the orbit to the point o f the rostrum - - - - - 4 i
R EM A R K S .
T h is fish, in some respects, resembles the Raja rhinobatos, but is widely different in others. T h e spots on
the lateral fins, and on the back, render it remarkable.
No. XI.
R a j a c o r f ore oblongo ; rostro f r o d u c t lo r c , a cu lo , a cu lé is r e p x i s d u f l i c e se r ie e x a s fe ra to , tu ber -
c id is s fiu o s is , ord in e u n ica inm e d io d o r si d i f t e r y g i i ; c a u d a f in n a ta .
T h e R a j a w i th a n o b lo n g b o d y ; a n elo n g ated , p o in te d ro strum , a rm ed w ith a d o u b le row
o f r eb e x p r i c k l e s ; a single row o f sp in o u s tu b e rc le s a lo n g th e m id d le o f th e b a c k , an d
b e tw e e n th e two dorsal fins ; th e tail p in n a te d .
Called b y th e N a tiv e s S ü t t iw a e a h .
T h e body oblong, depressed.
T h e bead broad, and flat, but raised sufficiently from the surface to be distinguished from the body, and lines
corresponding to the spiracula, arc visible behind. T h e rostrum long, trigonal, pointed, with two diverging
rows o f prickles in the middle, extending from near the edge o f the foramina ; similar prickles are thick set
between the eyes, and on the sides. T h e eyes and foramina, the mouth, teeth, and nostrils, as described in the
last subject. T h e trunk. A row o f spinous tubercles, on the middle o f the back, are continued as far as the
second dorsal fin; small prickles and smooth tubercles being interspersed.
T h e > s . T h e lateral fin, rising higher than the eyes, at first bends gently in, but soon bellying outwards,
forms a lobe nearly semicircular on each side. T h e ventral are immediately behind, much smaller, but o f the
same shape, and form a second circular expansion. T h e two dorsal fins are on the middle o f the tail, with two
spinous tubercles between tliem ; the caudal is oblique, and entire.
T h e colour, a light brown, the underside as usual, white.
T h e length, from the point o f the rostrum to the tail - - - - 8
o f the tail - - - - - - - - - - 7
from the eyes to the point o f the rostrum - - - 3*
R EM A R K S .
T h e spinous tubercles on the back, somewhat resemble those on the Raja oxyrinchus.