46 



the middle of the month three points arranged 

 in radiating lines. External to this row is an- 

 other of still smaller "teeth," forming a ring im- 

 mediately within the lips. 



The first dorsal fin arises a little anterior to 

 the middle of the length ; it increases gradually 

 to its greatest height, which is only twice the di- 

 ameter of the eye, its length being not quite one 

 sixth of the length of tne fish. 



The second dorsal, which is separated from the 

 first by an interval of about one third the length 

 of this latter fin, rises more abruptly so as to be 

 obtusely angular in its outline as it commences 

 decreasing toward to tail, until at about two in- 

 ches from the termination of the body, its height 

 having become very small indeed, it begins to 

 rise again, forming a sort of third dorsal or up- 

 per lobe of the caudal. This again, after attain- 

 ing a height nearly equal to that of the first 

 dorsal, decreases so that with the lobe which is 

 continuous from it on the inferior border it makes 

 nearly a right angle at the caudal extremity. — 

 The inferior lobe is about equal to the superior 

 in both length and height. Ventral surface an- 

 terior to this entirely smooth. 



Anal orifice a little posterior to the origin ot 

 the second dorsal. 



Color plain uniform greenish olive, quite simi- 

 lar to that of the Common Eel of our Eastern 

 States, lighter on the throat, with some fuliginous 

 blotches. 



This Lamprey is clearly the Pacific represen- 

 tative of the one known as the lamprey or"Lain- 

 per Eel" in the rivers of New England during 

 the months of spring and summer (P. American- 

 us, Le S.) It is distinguished by the arrange- 

 ment of the "teeth," the relative position of the 

 dorsal fins, the form of the fins at the caudal ex- 

 tremity, and the colors. It has little need of 

 comparison with either of the species previously 

 known on this coast P. tridentatus, Gaird., or 

 P. plumbeus, Ayres ; the "teeth" are sufficient at 

 once to separate it from them. The specimen 

 from which the description is drawn, was taken 

 in the Bay of San Francisco. But if examina- 

 tion could be made, at this season of the year, in 

 the parts of the rivers accessible from the tide- 

 waters of the Bay, the Lampreys would in all 

 probability be found in them, perhaps in consid- 

 erable numbers. Very possibly their presence 

 might be indicated by conical heaps of stones in 

 the river beds, such as the eastern species is in 

 the habit of constructing. 



Dr. Kellogg exhibited a drawing of a new 

 species of Bahia ; the specimens were received 

 to-day by Fix press from Win. A. Wallace of Los 

 Angeles. 



Bahia Wallacii, — Gray. This species is very 

 small, growing only a few inches high ; it is cloth- 

 ed with a dense cottony pubescence., and its radi- 



ant yellow flowers, tinged 'with' orange are in 

 pleasing harmony with its neat white dress. Dr. 

 Gray named this plant after its discoverer, to 

 whom we are indebted for the specimen, a very 

 ardent lover of nature. 



The leafless plant Ogured and noticed at the 

 last meeting of the Academy is the Anoplanthus 

 unifiorus, a small parasite allied to Orobancke or 

 the Beech Drop3 &c, the stem a mere bristle, 

 with a single blue flower, lower lip with a doub- 

 ly prominent palate, thoat yellow, the colored 

 stripe extending down the tube, in some respecta 

 differing from the figure of Lindley, of which we 

 have seen no specific description. 



Two numbers of the Proceedings of the Boa- 

 son Society of Natural History were received, 

 from the Society. 



April 23, 1855. 

 Col. Ransom in the chair. 



Mr. G. M. Burnham, and Mr. M. G. Read 



were elected resident members. 



Donations to the Cabinet — 



From Dr. Behr, specimens of Lactophrys and 

 Acanthiirus, from Tahiti ; 



From Mr. Freebel, land aud fresh water shells 

 from Texas near Port Lavaca ; 



From Dr. Randall, Sienitic Granite from Mor- 

 mon Island ; Copper ore from the Gadsden Pur- 

 chase, 80 miles northeast of Fort Yuma ; and 

 Aluminous Sandstone, from the Cosumnes River 

 22 miles from Sacramento ; 



From Dr. A. Kellogg, specimens and draw- 

 ings of the following plant. 



Leptabrhena inundata, — Behr. 



Rhizoma foliorum lapsu cicatricatum. Folia 

 serotina. Scapus totus hispido-glandulatus. — 

 Flores cymosi, mediocres. Petala obovata, bre- 

 vissime unguiculata, calycis sepalis reflexis multo 

 majora. 



In rivulorum marginibus inundatis prope Pla- 

 cerville. 



A plant belonging to the saxifrages, growing 

 in ravines, rivulets, and in the watery margins of 

 our larger mountain streams. The root is tuber- 

 ous, elongated, 1 to 2 inches in diameter, in folds 

 or broad shoulders, formed by the scars of the 

 old decayed leaves; scape 18 inches to 2 feet 

 high, naked, or only a vestige of abortive foli- 

 age, woolly and glandularly pubescent, flowers 

 numerous, large, corymbose, pale pink. The foli- 

 age not developed, probably roundish and lobed. 

 It is hoped these will be sent to complete the 

 drawing. The tender fleshy inner portion of the 



