[From the Proceedings of tlie Califoruia Academy of Sciences, July, 1, 1872.] 



Remarks on Marine Paunal Provinces on "West Coast of 

 America. 



BY ROBT. E. 0. STEARNS. 



Mr. Stearns called the attention of the Academy to certain pro- 

 vincial divisions in the marine faunae of the West Coast of Amer- 

 ica, suggested by Prof. A. E. Verrill, in the transactions of the 

 Connecticut Academy for 1871 ; and remarked more particularly on 

 that part of the coast from Cape St. Lucas, northward, that to 

 divide this portion upon the data at present known, so as to make 

 provinces which shall correspond with those of the Atlantic side, is 

 not warranted by the knowledge possessed at the present time ;, 

 that the topography and geology of the portion of the West Ameri- 

 can Coast, specified by him, was much more uniform in its charac- 

 ter, as well as in the temperature of its waters, than a correspond- 

 ing extent of the Atlantic coast, to say nothing of the influence of 

 the coast currents wdiich upon this side are peculiar and enter 

 largely in the matter of distribution of species ; furthermore, 

 that the M>^S. data in his possession which were, to say the least 

 fully as important as what had already been published, and quite 

 likely more authentic, indicated a greater range for each province, 

 and therefore a less number of provinces than suggested by Prof. 

 Verrill. 



Though much had been done by himself and other members of 

 the Academy co-operating with him in the accumulation of data 

 bearing upon the geographical distribution of the moUusca of our 

 coast, still so much remained to be done, in order to make the 

 work thorough and reliable, that it would be merely arbitrary, and 

 necessarily requii-ing frequent readjustment, to propose at this time 

 any new divisions or subdivisions of the coast into zoological 

 provinces. 



As to that part of the West Coast of North America from 



