13 



of the mouth is about on the plane of the 

 front of the pupil. 



Teeth small, in many rows, flat, somewhat 

 acute, each with a central point and one or 

 more pairs of tubercles at its base. 



Branchial apertures five, the largest an 

 inch in extent, the posterior one being above 

 the base of the pectoral tin. 



The first dorsal fin is fifteen inches from 

 the snout. It forms nearly an equilateral 

 triangle, three and a half inches in height ; the 

 posterior portion of its base for two inches 

 and a half is free. 



The origin of the second dorsal is fifteen 

 inches from that of the first. The height of 

 the two tins is about equal: the base ol the 

 second is a little less than that of the first. 



The origin of the anal is nearly on the 

 same plane with that of the second dorsal, 

 but as its base is Ionizer it reaches nearer the 

 caudal than that fin; it is two inches in height. 



The ventrals are about midway between 

 the two dorsals. 



The pectorals are narrow, pointed, their 

 height equalling the depth of the body. 



The caudal exhibits beneath two triangular 

 lobes, the anterior one being both higher and 

 longer than the posterior. 



In color this fish is of a light bluish gray, 

 ■with numerous irregular dark slate colored 

 spots upon the back and sides; beneath near- 

 ly white. The spots, which are of all sizes 

 from those five inches across to mere points, 

 give it at a little distance so much the ap- 

 pearance of one of the spotted Cats, as to 

 suggest the specific name which has been 

 adopted. 



.1/. felis is allied in many respects to 31. 

 canis. Mitch., so common on our Atlantic 

 coast; it may be deemed its Pacific represen- 

 tative. 



The November No. of The American Jour- 

 nal of Arts and Sciences was received from 

 the publishers. 



Dec. 11, 1854. 



Dr. A. Kellogg in the chair. 



Dr. C. W. Brink was elected a resident 

 member. 



Dr. Kellogg exhibited specimens of a Pohj- 

 poilvtm from Mr. Swan of Shoalwater 

 Bay, also OaviOuria thatton, Ph. called 

 by the Indians "Sallal.'" from the same source; 

 the Indians use the Polypodium in the pre- 

 paration of their tobacco, calling it "Wild Li- 

 quorice." 



Dr. \V. P. Gibbons presented a drawing of 

 a Mollusk, from Suueulito, promising a de- 



scription at a future meeting; also, on behalf 

 of Mr. Burr, a specimen of Sylvicola Town- 



sendi, Nutt. 



read the following de- 



Dr. Win. 0. Ayres 

 scriptions of fishes. 



Catostomus occidentalis, Ayres. — This fish 

 is very closely ailied to C. Bostonicnsis, Le S. 

 so closely indeed that a full description is 

 not here needed; the points only in which 

 the two fail to agree reqnire to be noted. 



In C. occidentalis the head is relatively 

 broader, the distance between the eyes being 

 equal to the distance of the eyes from the 

 snout. 



The posterior aperture of the nostrils is 

 nearly circular, much larger than the ante- 

 rior. 



The dorsal fin arises, in advance of the 

 middle of the body, not including the caudal 

 tin: its length and height are equal being 

 one sixth of the distance from the snout to 

 the tip of the central caudal rays. The first 

 four rays are simple, not articulated, the first 

 three being very short; the fifth is simple, 

 articulated, not quite equalling the sixth 

 which is the highest. 



The pectorals arise from a base so narrow 

 that their length is contained in their height 

 about four times and a half; their height is 

 not quite equal to that of the dorsal. 



The origin of the ventrals is a little poste- 

 rior to the middle of the dorsal. 



The anal is somewhat pointed, its length 

 contained twice and a half in its height; its 

 tip does not quite reach the base of the cau- 

 dal. 



The caudal fin is concave, the height of 

 the central rays being contained once and a 

 half in that of the external. 



D. 4-12; A. 2-7; V. 1-9; P. 18; C. 17 with 

 accessories. 



In general form and proportions, structure 

 of the mouth, lateral line, scales, gill covn-, 

 color &c, the two species can scarcely be 

 distinguished. 



C. occidentalis appears to be quite common 



in the Sacramento and San Joaquin. Those 

 which we see in the markets here average 

 about a pound in weight; they probably grow 

 but little larger than that. They are not held 

 in great esteem. 



', \yrt-.. — My desctiption is ta- 



ken from a specimen sixteen and three fourth 



inches in length. 



Form elongated, snbeompressed. Nape 

 riaing ■ little abruptly from the head: back 

 thence bat little arched in ita entire length. 

 Head small, nearly straight (in lai 



