ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 63 



much in the form of the animal, and the shell being wholly external, forming 

 one of those connecting links which make it difficult or impossible to divide the 

 Helicidcc into distinct groups. 



Habitat. So far this animal has been found only in Santa Barbara Island, 

 one of the group within this State. It there inhabits but one station, so far as 

 I could discover after very careful search. That is the head of a ravine facing 

 the south-east and about two hundred and fifty feet above the sea. During the 

 wet season there may be a little water springing from this place, but for at least 

 five months it is not even damp, while the remainder of the island is entirely 

 destitute of water. Myriads of Helix kelletii and two other species (probably 

 new) inhabit it, but during the dry season retire into a torpid aestivation, not 

 disturbed by the fogs and mists of summer. The Binneya, the rarest of all, 

 and not protected from drought by its shell, burrows down to the under surface 

 of thick succulent roots, and contracting to about twice the size of its shell, 

 covers the rest of its body with a white mucrous secretion, which appears to be 

 impervious to the moisture within, and dries into a tough leathery shell.* When 

 moistened for a few hours, the animal separates the edge of this box from that 

 of its true shell, and becomes active. 



The figures [Fig. 15] represent three positions of the shell, the animal acti- 

 vating and also crawling. 



I found but three alive, and eighteen dead shells. 



Dr. Trask presented, in the name of Mr. Garrett, the following 

 paper : 



Descriptions of New Species of Fishes. 



BY ANDREW GARRETT, OF HONOLULU, S. I. 



Julis Cuv. 



Julis ornatissimus Garrett. 



D. 9-13 ; A. 2-13 ; V. 1-5 ; P. 12 ; C. 2, 1, 6, 6, 1, 2. 



The body of this Julis is rich green, which gradually passes into light blue 

 on the breast and belly. The scales on the green ground are margined with 

 vermillion red, and there is a slight tinge of the latter color on the abdominal 

 scales. Four alternate oblicpie light red and blue vittae pass from the middle 

 of the gill-opening, and gradually fade away beneath the anterior portion of the 

 abdomen. The head, which is emerald green, is ornamented with vermillion red 

 stripes, which have their margins shaded off with brilliant blue. The stripes are 

 disposed as follows : one traverses the upper line of profile, two extend from the 

 upper lip to the eye, one follows the lower line of the head, passing up the 

 hinder margin of the gill covers ; two horizontal ones on the cheek, and, poste- 

 riously to the eye they assume reticulations. Irides golden yellow, with shades 

 of light red ; cornea dusky green. The dorsal, anal and caudal fins are carmine 

 red, margined with pale blue. The former with a basal row of large spots, and 



* In this it resembles the Testacellce of Europe, which are otherwise very different. 



