RECORDS OF MEETINGS 199 



Summary of Papers. 



Mr. Andrews exhibited photographs and parts of the skeleton of a new 

 porpoise secured in the summer of 11)10, in Hikuzen province, Japan. 

 This specimen is allied to Phoecena dalli True and with that species 

 forms a distinct group of Phoccena-\\ke porpoises which deserves generic 

 rank. This group resembles Phocosna externally but has white side and 

 ventral areas sharply defined from the black of the upper parts, a falcate 

 dorsal fin and vertebras numbering 95 or more. The type of the new 

 genus to which Phoecena dalli was referred is the specimen which was 

 secured in Japan and has been formally described in a Bulletin of the 

 American Museum of Natural History, now in press. The Japanese 

 porpoise presents characters, both externally and in the skeleton, which 

 distinguish it from all other members of the entire family. The caudal 

 peduncle shows a strongly marked "hump," and ventrally a prominent 

 concavity which gives the posterior portion of the body a most extra- 

 ordinary appearance. The neural spines of the entire vertebral series are 

 extremely long and slender, reaching a height much greater than in any 

 other known member of the Delphinidcs. The transverse processes are 

 also very long and rod-like. The number of vertebrae is 95, approaching 

 closely P. dalli, which has 97. The scapula is unlike that of any other 

 member of the family in that its height almost equals its greatest breadth, 

 and it is in general shape somewhat like that of a Baleen whale. The 

 specimen is, on the whole, one of the most remarkable members of the 

 Delphinida9 that have thus far been discovered. 



Mr. Nichols gave an account of a trip through Florida waters on Mr. 

 Alessandro Fabbri's yacht Tel-la in the interests of the American Mu- 

 seum's department of fishes. Attention was called to the abundance of 

 the white ibis and Louisiana heron, contrasted with the scarcity of 

 aigrette-bearing herons. After a brief mention of the work and the 

 results obtained, the balance of fish-life in a fresh-water outlet of the 

 everglades was compared with the balance of fish-life in the salt water 

 as at Key West. In the former situations, gar pikes (Lepisosteus) were 

 abundant, as were various Centrarchids (among them the large-mouthed 

 bass and blue-gill sunfish) which darted in and out through the little 

 channels among the weed but which did not drive head first through the 

 masses of weed as did the leathery-skinned gars, and only made quick 

 sallies into the shallower and less open waters, where various species of 

 Pceciliids, especially Gamousia, and Fundulus goodei were tremendously 

 abundant. The surprising freedom from mosquitoes was mentioned, 



