58 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



geny. The size of the young in the first progeny is not different from the size of 

 the young produced by a full grown adult, bearing from 16 to 25 young at one 

 gestation. The number of young, therefore, produced by an individual, in 

 Paludina, corresponds to the size of the parent." 



The deaths of Mr. David March Warren, on the 10th inst., and Dr. 

 Richard Clements, on the 13th inst., members of the Academy, were 

 announced. 



March 26th. 



Mr. Lea, President, in the Chair. 



Thirty-five members present. 



On report of the respective Committees, the following papers were 

 ordered to be published in the Proceedings : 



Remarks on a species of OSMERIIS taken in the Schuylkill, below 



Fairmount Dam. 



BY THAD. NORRI8. 



Form. Elliptical, elongated ; section oval ; breadth compared with its length 

 (exclusive of caudal) as 2 to 11, and head from tip of lower jaw to posterior 

 angle of opercle as 5 to 22. 



Lower jaw projecting, with an upward curve ; scales on all the gill covers, 

 largest on preopercle ; five large recurved teeth on the tongue, the largest on 

 the extreme point ; two of the same kind on the front of the upper jaw ; no 

 teeth on the vomer, but a patch of small ones on the palatine bones and 

 maxillaries. 



Cnlor. Silvery steel above, with light greenish reflections ; a distinct streak 

 of bright roseate purple extending immediately above and along the lateral 

 line ; sides silvery ; belly brilliantly white. Branchial rays 8. D 11, C 20 ; 

 P 11 ; V 8 , A 15. The second dorsal has about twenty minute but distinct 

 cartilaginous rays ; tail forked, upper lobe slightly longest. 



The points of difference between this and the 0. viridescens are the more 

 Southern habitat of the new species, its smaller and more uniform size, and 

 the distinct roseate purple of the streak above the lateral line. 0. viridescens, 

 (the northern smelt,) attains the length of 12 inches. I have seen the new 

 species here described in quantities at New Brunswick, New Jersey, but never 

 exceeding 6] inches exclusive of caudal. 



Storer enumerates 14 rays in the pectorals of 0. viridescens, but on a re- 

 cent examination of that species I found only 11, as in the new species, and 

 that the fin rays of both are identical. 



There are several circumstances of interest connected with this little fish. 

 It is the smallest of all the Salmonida?, except the two genera of Scopulus 

 and Mallotus. It is the only fish of the Salmon family besides the brook trout 

 found in our waters, and the only species of Anadromus salmonidce that 

 visits the Delaware and its tributaries. Whether this fish enters any fresh 

 rivers south of Cape Henlopen is a matter of conjecture, but I have no doubt, 

 if properly sought for, it may be found very early in the spring, in many 

 streams falling into the Delaware, particularly in rapids or near the falls of 

 a dam which obstructs the upward flow of the tide. 



It appears to visit our waters only for the purpose of spawning, and is 

 found at the falls below Fairmount dam for a few days in February or early 

 in March. In those I examined a few days since, I found the milt partly dis- 

 charged from the male and exuding in a semi-fluid state from the vent. 

 Many of the females had cast their spawn, in others it was partially dis- 



[March, 



