ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 341 



tion at ihe latter point would in all probability affect the height of the lower 

 fall at the Dalles. 



The sandy substratum of the coarse conglomerate at the Cascades is evidently 

 an old river or beach deposit. It is accompanied by layers of round water-worn 

 rocks, and is filled with trunks of trees lying prostrate. These trees are fossil- 

 ized. Some of them are half coal and half stone. The central portions are 

 usually coal-like or carbonized, and the outer parts silicified. They vary in size, 

 from a few inches to six feet in diameter, and are nearly all flattened by pressure. 

 This stratum is evidently the source of the great quantities of silicified wood 

 which are found about the Cascades. 



Mr. Steams read the following note on a large specimen of 

 Orthayoriscus analis, Ayres : 



In passing through the Italian Fish Market in this City, in the month of 

 October, 1866, I noticed an unusually large specimen of Orthagoriscus onalis, 

 commonly called ' ; Sun Fish," described by Dr. Ayres on page 31 of Vol. II 

 of the Academy Proceedings. Curiosity led me to make a measurement, which 

 I find in my note-book as follows : length from snout to extreme caudal point, 

 5 feet 8i'4 inches ; from tip of dorsal to tip of anal fin, 7 feet 6 inches. I found 

 the anal and dorsal fins to be nearly the same length, measuring from the tip to 

 junction with body 23 inches. Weight, as stated by the fishermen, 632 pounds. 

 It will be seen that the measurement from tip to tip of fins as above, exceeds 

 the length by 21% inches. 



Mr. Stearns made the following remarks as to the true habitat of 

 Helix Ayresiana, Newc. : 



On page 103, Vol. II, of the Academy's Proceedings, may be found, under 

 date of March 18th, 1861, the description by Dr. W. Newcomb of a Helix H. 

 Ayresiana, the habitat of which was, as I learn from Dr. N., doubtfully assigned 

 at that time to " Northern Oregon." Recently Dr. Newcomb has himself de- 

 tected it on Santa Cruz Island, off the Coast of California, near Santa Barbara. 



Professor Whitney exhibited a sample of the coal used at Salt 

 Lake City, taken by Mr. Ives, chief of one of the Central Pacific 

 Railroad surveying parties, from a Avagon on its way from the 

 mines to the city. The locality from which it was obtained is in 

 Webber Canon, and the geological age of the deposit is supposed 

 to be cretaceous. The quality of the coal seems to be good ; but 

 nothing very definite could be communicated in regard to the extent 

 or geological position of the bed. 



Professor Whitney also exhibited a specimen of very pure rock 

 salt, obtained from the Salt Mountain on the Muddy River, a 

 branch of the Virgin, nearly a hundred miles south of Pahrana- 



