19 



men* slightly concave) in its dorsal outline, 

 its depth at the origin of the nape a little 

 more than half its own length ; length of the 

 head not quite one-fourth of the total length. 

 Greatest depth of the body equal to the dist- 

 ance from the snout to the border of the pre- 

 operculum, being one-sixth of the total length; 

 thickness of the body anterior to the dorsal 

 fin, equal to the depth of the head. 



Mouth oblique, lower jaw the shorter, the 

 tip of the intermaxillary reaching the plane 

 of the middle of the pupil. Eye nearly cir- 

 cular, distant two-and-a-half times its own 

 diameter from the snout, which diameter is 

 contained seven times in the length of the 

 head. 



Lateral line curving gently downward, for 

 about two inches, thence running nearly 

 straight to the caudal. 



The dorsal fin, arising at a point midway 

 between the snout and the tip of the central 

 caudal rays, has its length equal to the depth 

 of the head at the line of the pupils, and its 

 anterior height equal to the greatest depth of 

 the head, which is just double the height of 

 the last ray. The first two rays, which are 

 not articulated, are short, (the first being 

 scarcely perceptible:) the third is the longest 

 of all. 



The ventrals are rounded, situated a little 

 in advance of the dorsal; their tips do not 

 reach to the vent. 



The anal arising just posterior to the point 

 to which the rays of the dorsal fin reach, is 

 similar to that tin in form, but a little less in 

 both length and height. 



The pectorals are somewhat pointed, their 



height a little greater than that of the dorsal, 



The caudal is concave, the height of the 



central rays being two thirds of that of the 



outer ones. 



D. 2-8; A. 2-8; V. 1-10; P. 17; C. 19 with 

 accessories. 



Scales moderate in size; about seventy 

 eight along the lateral line, and fourteen in 

 aa oblique line above it, counting from the 

 origin of the dorsal fin. 



Color greenish brown above, becoming 

 lighter on the sides; silvery beneath. 



G. grandis is by far the finest fish, of its 

 family, known to inhabit the waters of this 

 continent. The size to which they attain, 

 their beauty of form, their rigor, and activi- 

 ty give them a place among our Cyprinidae 

 such as the Salmon has among the Trouts. — 

 They bite with great sharpness, and might 



[JAN. 1] 



afford much sport to those piscatorially in- 

 clined. But in this land of intense activity 

 few can as yet afford the leisure for such 

 recreation, and rod-fishing is here almost en- 

 tirely unknown. This species, which is very 

 abundant in the Sacramento and San Joaquin 

 and their branches, is taken in nets, and 

 brought in large quantities to this city. They 

 are sold under the name of Salmon Trout, 

 though a greater misnomer could scarcely 

 have been devised. Those of twelve to six- 

 teen pounds are very common, and I have 

 been assured by intelligent fishermen that 

 specimens have been offered here for sale 

 weighing thirty pounds. The largest I have 

 seen was thirty-six inches in length. 



As an article of food they are not held in 

 high estimation. 



The interesting anatomical peculiarity 

 which I demonstrated six years since in the 

 structure of the genus Leuciscus (Proc. B. S. ■ 

 N. H. vol. 3, page 46,) viz : the existence of 

 two supplementary needle-like bones, sus- 

 pended beneath the interbranchial series, to 

 afford a point of origin for the delicate mus- 

 cles which separate the inferior pharyngeal 

 bones, is fully manifested in this species, as 

 well as in the other California types, allied to 

 this, to be presently described. 



Dec. 18th, 1854. 

 Dr. A. Kellogg in the chair. 



A communication was read from Mr. J. G. 

 Swan of Shoalwater Bay, giving the results 

 of a series of experiments concerning the 

 application of Tar to cordage, made by him 

 in 1845, at the Navy Yard in Charlestown, 

 Massachusetts, by order of the Navy De- 

 partment. 



The object aimed at was, to prevent the 

 rigidity in cold weather, and the loss of 

 strength, consequent upon the common mode 

 of tarring. To accomplish this, Mr. Swan 

 made use of a mixture containing twenty 

 five parts of oil of tar, three parts of sperm 



