•22 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



More than fifty specimens were found on water plants in clear stagnant ponds, 

 two or more often sticking on the back of a larger one. 



The discovery of this little shell in California is of great interest, the only 

 species hitherto kuown being found in Cuba. The generic characters of this 

 shell are strictly parallel with that species, while those mentioned as specific 

 easily distinguish it. The Cuban shell is more elongated, regularly oval, the 

 apex projecting considerably beyond the margin of the aperture, which is not 

 obliquely expanded posteriorly. Its size is about one-fifth larger than that of 

 ours- According to Bourguignat, the young shell is a simple obtuse cone, with 

 a semicircular aperture formed by the edge of the shelf, and the thickened 

 dorsal margin ; but as it grows, the animal changes the form of the aperture 

 until the opening beneath the shelf becomes like the small end of a broad fun- 

 nel, which in some of our specimens is still shown by the white semicircular 

 ring. 



The shell much resembles that of the marine Crypta (Crcpidula), and also 

 Navicella of tropical estuaries ; but the animal is quite different in the Cuban 

 species, and will undoubtedly prove so in the Californian. 



Mr. Hanks mentioned that he had collected about two hundred 

 specimens of minerals for the Academy in Owen's Lake Valley, 

 and that there were also some bones with them from a well thirty 

 feet deep, presented by Mr. H. M. McCormick ; all of which would 

 be forwarded to San Francisco as soon as possible. 



Regular Meeting, May 4th, 1863. 

 President in the Chair. 



Present, eleven members. 



Donations to the Cabinet were received as follows : 



A collection of pine cones, from H. G. Bloomer. A specimen 

 of rock, containing cretaceous fossils, from the vicinity of Fort 

 Tejon (?), by E. T. Schenck. Two specimens of Monocentris 

 •Taponicus Cuv. from Dr. Ayres. 



Donations to the Library : 



Commercial Relations of the United States for the year ending 

 Sept. 30th, 1861, from the Department of the Interior. Classifi- 

 cation of the Coleoptera of North America, by John Le Conte, 

 M.D., Part I. Smithsonian Instructions for collecting eggs and 

 nests of North American birds. Smithsonian Directions for col- 



