NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 165 



of the head of the larva. The oral organs were normal in the number 

 of articulations, but the antennae were folded up, and their joints are 

 shorter and wider than usual : the palpi are also shorter than usual, 

 and the last joint of the maxillaries is acuminate. The eyes of the 

 imago were concealed by the larva skin, but on raising it are distinctly 

 seen. 



June 28th. 

 Vice President Bridges in the Chair. 



Forty-four members present. 



The report of the Biological Department for the present month was 

 read. 



On report of the Committee of the Biological Department the paper 

 entitled An Experimental Examination of the physiological effects of 

 Sassy Bark, tho ordeal poison of the Western Coast of Africa, by S. W. 

 Mitchell, M. D., and Wm. A. Hammond, M. D., U. S. A., was recom- 

 mended for publication in a medical Journal. 



The paper entitled, Synopsis of North American Sphingidas, by 

 Brackenridge Clemens, M. D., was ordered to be published in the Jour- 

 nal of the Academy. 



And the following were ordered to be printed in the Proceedings. 



Description of new generic types of COTTOIDS, from the collection of the 

 North Pacific Exploring Expedition under Com. John Rodgers. 



BY THEO. GILL. 



Ceratocottus Gill. 



Body anteriorly robust, and as broad or broader than high ; thence rapidly 

 declining to the caudal fin. Lateral line with a row of bony scutellse. Head 

 large, with the width greater than the height or length ; profile vertical; pre- 

 opercle and suborbital extended outwards and forwards ; preopercle armed 

 with a long and immoveable spine, and with two smaller ones beneath ; opercle 

 with a muricated longitudinal rib and with a rounded membranous margin ; 

 subopercle with two diverging ridges terminating in spines ; postorbital ridge 

 well developed and elevated near the nape. Branchial apertures separated by 

 a very wide isthmus. Branchiostegal rays six. Mouth moderate, horizontal. 

 Dorsal fins entirely disconnected ; first low and declining posteriorly ; second 

 oblong and corresponding to the anal. Caudal small and posteriorly subtrun- 

 cated. Pectorals with broad and oblique bases, and with obliquely rounded 

 margins. Ventrals small, moderately approximated, behind the bases of the 

 pectorals ; each with a spinous and three simple rays. 



This genus is very closely allied to the Aspicotius of Girard, or Clypeocottut 

 of Ayres, but is easily distinguished by the form of the head, and by the absence 

 of teeth on the anterior portion of the vomer. The latter character has been 

 overlooked by both Ouvier and Bennett, who have both described the species 

 on which the genus is founded, and have referred it to Coitus, although one of 

 the characters which Cuvier has assigned to that genus, rested on the presence 

 of vomerine teeth. 



A single species of this genus is known ; it was long since described by Pal- 

 las under the name of Cottus diceraus. 



1859.] 



