90 Proceedings of Societies. 



also made a good many observations upon fish while stationed in 

 Alaska. In San Diego Miss Rosa Smith worked on fish, and has 

 the honor of being the first woman to describe any new species. 

 Dr. Eigenmann carried on work at San Diego and San Francisco, 

 and accomplished considerable on the study of the fish of these 

 places. 



For the last three years the United States Fish Commission 

 Steamer Albatross has been at work on deep sea soundings and 

 dredgings, Mr. C. H. Townsend being the naturalist of the vessel 

 during all this time. The results of these dredgings have been of 

 great importance, about three hundred new species having been 

 discovered, many of them very startling and impossible forms. The 

 whole fauna of the abyssal deeps is very strange and peculiar. The 

 fish are soft- bodied and have either very large eyes to enable them 

 to catch the faint glimmerings of light which may reach them, or 

 else are entirely blind. Many species are provided with curious 

 phosphorescent lanterns to enable them the better to find their way 

 about. Practically nothing was known of these remarkable fish 

 before the work of the Albatross brought them to light. Occasion- 

 ally one would be found washed ashore after a storm, or in the 

 stomach of some larger shore fish, but by far the large proportion 

 of them were totally unheard of. 



March 26, i8g2. Mr. J. J. Rivers in the chair. 



Mr. Wm. E. Ritter delivered an address giving an historical 

 account of the development of Tornaria, and of Balanoglossus 

 from Tornaria. The affinities of Tornaria to the larva of Echi- 

 nodermata and of Balanoglossus to Amphioxus were pointed out. 

 One of the chief purposes of the paper was to call the attention of 

 the members of the club to the possibility of finding Tornaria upon 

 this coast, and the speaker described the indications of its presence. 

 It is found upon silty beaches between tides buried in sand or mud, 

 and may always be recognized by the peculiar pyramidal coil of the 

 cast which is thrown out. 



