T6 



British Coleoptera delineated, &c. 8vo. London, 1840. From 

 E. S. Dixwell 



Essai d' une Carte Geologique du Globe terrestre. From the 

 Geological Society of France. 



December 13, 1845. 

 The President in the Chair. 



Dr. D. H. Storer read a description of a new species of 

 Leptocephalus, drawn up from a specimen belonging to the 

 Essex Natural History Society, and lent to him for that 

 purpose by Dr. Wheatland, of Salem. He also exhibited 

 the specimen, which was taken at Cherryfield, Maine. 



Dr. S. remarked that, up to this time, only one species of this 

 genus had been known, Lepiocephalus Morrisii, Pennant, which 

 is found off the coast of England and in the Mediterranean Sea. 

 The genus is, therefore, new to this continent. The description 

 is as follows : 



Leptocephalus gracilis. In spirits, of a rusty brown color, 

 translucent ; the vertebral column and ribs perceptible throughout 

 its whole length. Head small, snout pointed. Eyes circular, 

 pupils black, irides silvery. Length of the fish four and a half 

 inches ; of head one quarter of an inch ; the greatest depth of the 

 body slightly exceeds the length of the head. Jaws equal. 



Pectorals wanting. The dorsal and anal fins, which require 

 the microscope to be distinguished, are continued to the pointed 

 tail, which is formed by their junction. Small black points are 

 noticed upon the margin of the dorsal and anal fins, and also 

 along the lateral line, by means of the glass. 



It will be perceived by the above description, which is neces- 

 sarily very imperfect, the specimen having been preserved in 

 spirit, that this species resembles somewhat the L. Morrisii, of 

 Pennant, but the relative proportions of the parts in each, point 



