103 



D. 12-10; A. 3-12; P. 18; V. 1-5; C. 14. 



In color^ this fish is commonly of a dark blackish-brown, 

 fighter beneath, with the chin nearly white. In many specimens, 

 a broad vertical red band encircles the body, from the angle of 

 the operculum half way to the caudal fin ; this character, how- 

 ever, is not constant. 



Lahrus pulcher is not taken in our immediate vicinity. Those 

 sold in our markets are brought chiefly from near San Diego, 

 and I am not able to learn that the species is found north of Point 

 Concepcion. Indeed, there is reason to believe that that Cape 

 will be shown, by future observation, to indicate a sort of barrier 

 in our maritime Fauna, separating *he north from the south. 



This species is somewhat closely allied to Tautoga Americana, 

 (of which it may perhaps be deemed the Pacific representative,) 

 though the arrangement of the teeth, and the scaly surface of the 

 operculum and preoperculum, will not allow it to be included in 

 the same genus. It is distinguished from Laclinolaiinus by the 

 structure of the pharyngeal teeth, and from Cossyphus by the 

 scaling of the fins, and the smoothness of the preoperculum. 



The following communication from Dr. Ayres, on the 

 American Hydras, was also presented. 



At the first November meeting of the Society, in 1850, (Proc. 

 Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist,, Vol. iii, page 354,) Prof. Agassiz gave spe- 

 cific names to two species of Hydra found in the vicinity of 

 Boston. He accompanied the names, however, with no descrip- 

 tions, basing them simply on the assumption that but two Ameri- 

 can species existed, one brown and one green, corresponding to 

 two European types. In California,! have found another brown 

 Hydra, quite distinct from the one so common in New England. 

 The name carnea, proposed by Prof. Agassiz, has therefore no 

 means of identification, except our local knowledge of the animal 

 for which it was intended. But rather than introduce new names, 

 we will retain those mentioned by him, through restricting their 

 application. Our American Hydras, therefore, as at present dis- 

 covered, are three. 



1. H. gracilis, Agass. Very small, of a bright green, closely 



