41 



the opercular angle ; it communicates with the 

 true lateral line by a branch. 



The dorsal Jin arising over about the anterior 

 third of the orbit, terminates at a distance from 

 f he caudal equal to the breadth of the eye. 



The anal arising a little posterior to the base 

 of the pectorals, is coterminal with the dorsal. — 

 A small abrupt depression exists at the termina- 

 tion of each ; the peduncle of the tail posterior 

 to this is somewhat wedge-shaped. A strong, 

 concealed, pelvic spine, directed forward and 

 downward precedes the anal. 



The pectorals are pointed, their height cqual- 

 ling half the length of the head. 



The ventrals, more than half their own height 

 anterior to the pectorals, resemble these fins in 

 form. 



The caudal is large, somewhat rounded ; its 

 height forming one-sixth of the entire length. 



D. 77; A.. 59; P. 11; V. 6; C, 16. 



Coli, i rather light grayish brown, with lighter 

 clay-colored blotches, on the colored side; left 

 side colorless. 



This Flounder is quite distinct from any other 

 irought to our market. It is allied to P. 

 tin, Mitch., but is readily distinguished by 

 nu calcs and teeth. It is taken in the Bay 

 >>f .'-an Francisco, but is apparently not common. 

 Ii seldom grows to a greater length than four- 

 teen inch 



We find constantly three species of flatfish of- 

 ; ; : Platicltihys rugosus, Gir., 

 called by the fi >hermen "Turbot," weighing often 

 reive pounds; Parophrys vetulus, Gir., 

 'dhij : it 'anostictun, Gir., both of small 

 both sold under the name of "Sole." 

 U ward's Plcuroiiichl/ii/s cmnosus, and Psettickthys 

 lus, though said by him to have been taken 

 • ii Sau Francisco, we have not yet been able to 

 rreat Hippoglossus vulgaris, uni- 

 versally known as the "Halibut," the fishermen 

 assured me is sometimes caught near the 

 lion Islands. .Musi of those sold in our 

 market, however, if not all, are brought from the 

 further north. 



.m Mr. Richardson, 1". S. Deputy Surveyor 

 utedasuite of specimens of mineral 

 waters, from near Clear Lake, Mendocino Co. 

 They contained Sulphur in large percentage, with 

 a decidedly acid reaction. With them were spe- 

 the sulphur &c, deposited by them, 

 ner with volcanic products from their vicin- 

 ity. Heated air issues from the ravines near one 

 of the springs. 



From Mr. .). S. Uuckel wa pre ented a speci- 

 men of .Maple wood, from Washington Territory, 

 the tree growing there to the height of 75 to Ion 

 o a skin of an animal unknown to the 



Indians and Fur Traders of that region. The 

 skin, though much mutilated and very imperfect 

 was apparently that of the Mustcla canaden- 

 sis. 



The Catalogue of the State Library was pre- 

 sented from the office of the Secretary of State ; 

 and Nos. 52, 53, 55, and 56 of the American 

 Journal of Sciences and Arts, by Dr. J. B. 

 Trask. 



Dr. 11. Behr was elected Curator of Botany. 



April 9, 1855. 



Col. L. Hansom in the chair. 



Quincy A. Brooks, of Olympia, W. T., was 

 elected a Corresponding Member. 



Dr. II. Gibbons reported the existence of 

 Dirca palustris, in great abundance, in the ra- 

 vines of Alameda county. 



From Judge Eno was presented a Geode, con- 

 taining a moveable nucleus, and bearing numer- 

 ous pari icles of gold in fissures on its surface ; it 

 was taken from a gold mine in Calaveras county. 

 Also, a specimen of agatized wood/from the same. 

 region, found at thedepth of 1,50 feet. This 

 mineral appears to be extensively dispersed 

 throughout the State. 



Dr. Behr exhibited a species of Smilacina, 

 which he deems quite equal in valuable proper- 

 tie.- to the officinal Sarsaparilla. 



Dr.Trask presented the following descriptions, 

 with the specimens, of fossil shells from the ter- 

 tiary deposites of the lower coast. 



( Ihemkitzia papillosa — Tkask. 



Shell small ; acutely elongate ; sublaueeo- 

 late : substance of the shell rather thick ; eleven 

 slightly oblique rounded whorls, separated by 

 rather deep sutures, those separating the lower 

 five whorls deeper than the upper ; eleven dis- 

 tinct rounded folds on each whorl ; four revolv- 

 ing lines on each whorl, which, upon the last 

 whorl, extend down the base, of the shell, in 

 rather shallow but distinct furrows, easily seen 

 in good specimens. 



Aperture roundly ovate; outer lip moder- 

 ately thick; columella arched ; and terminating 



somewhat acutely anteriorly. 



Length, five-tenths of an inch; breadth, one- 

 i ; iiiii of an inch. From Santa Barbara. 



Dr. Gould has described two species of this 

 genus, from the coasl of Santa Barbara, Cal., 

 viz: C. torquata and C. tenuicula, neither of 

 which appears to be our fossil species. The fo 

 nil differs from C. torquata, in the size of the 



two shell-, in the ninnlier of folds, and ill the ah- 



