16 



ing equal to the breadth of the head; head ' 

 forming one fifth of the total length. 



Eves midway in the length of the head, i 

 half an inch in diameter. Mouth with its an- 

 terior border just behind the plane ot the 

 middle of the pupils. Distance between the 

 eves one inch and three fourths. 



Dorsal outline sloping gradually from about 

 the third plate to the tip of the snout. Top 

 of the head with a longitudinal depression 

 between the eyes. Head covered in all parts 

 with very sharply granular plates. 



Plates of the body all carinate, spinous, 

 like those of aadirostru. Skin between the 

 rows of plates studded with numerous stella- 

 ted tubercles. 



Two pairs of barbels, each about an inch 

 Ions, nearer to the mouth than to the snout. 

 er lobe of the caudal fin not so slen- 

 der as in -acutirostris." scarcely equalling 

 the head in length. Pectorals somewhat 

 pointed, three inches in height. Anal situa- 

 ted almost wholly behind the dorsal, its ori- 

 gin only being beneath the posterior portion 

 ot that fin. 



Plates of the dorsal series eleven or twelve: 

 of the abdominal ten or eleven: ot the later- 

 al twenty five to twenty seven. These plates 

 are larger and more prominent than in 

 chvryincuus." scarcely so large as in --acutir- 

 ostris. 



D. 35: A. 24: V. 27; P. 42: C. 20-75. 

 Color grayish brown, lighter beneath. 

 A. ircdiroftris appears to be by no means 

 common in our waters. It is taken in com- 

 pany with -A. bracbyrynehus. though in 

 small numbers. 



enscr brachyrynchv-. Ayres — This spe- 

 cies attains a greater size than any other fish 

 sold in the markets of San Francisco. They 

 commonly weigh from twenty five to fifty 

 pounds, though those of one hundred pounds 

 to one nundred and sixty are by no means 

 uncommon. But even this is not their limit: 

 .•eon have been otlered here for sale 

 _. ling more than three hundred pounds. 

 - is allied, very closely indeed. 

 to Le Sueur's "A. rubicundus" which inhab- 

 tke Erie and the connected waters. — 

 The relative dimensions therefore, and other 

 points by which it may be distinguished from 



.A that need here be . 

 My description is taken from a specimen on- 

 ly thirty six inches in leaf 



H-'ad sloping gradually 1mm the first dor- 

 sal plate. Hat trai. between the 

 with the snout very short, blunt, rounded, 

 extending but two inches in advance of the 

 e between the round vertical 

 I than one 

 gth. 



Greatest depth of the body one eighth of 

 the length. 



The anterior border of the mouth lies fur- 

 ther back than the posterior margin of the 

 orbits. Four barbels are placed about one 

 third of the distance from the snout to the 

 mouth. 



The length of the rounded anal fin is half 

 that of the dorsal, with which it is cotermi- 

 nal. The pectorals are rounded, their height 

 not quite equalling the depth of the body. — 

 The lower lobe of the caudal tin is relatively 

 larger than in ••acutirostris" : or "rnedirostris; 7 ' 

 the upper lobe is a little longer than tne head. 



The plate* of the body are small, and by 

 no means prominent. Those of the dorsal 

 series are scarcely carinate, the others some- 

 what more rigid, the posterior ones of the 

 lateral series becoming even spinous. Dor- 

 sal plates 12 or 13; abdominal 9 or, 10 lat- 

 eral -4-2 to 47. 



D. 49 (highest at the tenth ray:) A. 31; V. 

 36: P. 45: C. 20-86. 



Color greenish brown, lighter beneath; 

 plates grayish white. 



A. brachyry7ichus is very abundant in our 

 waters, and is the one sold by all the fisher- 

 men as the Sturgeon, the other species being 

 seldom seen. Those offered in the markets 

 of San Francisco are taken chiefly in the 

 Bay of San Pablo, though they are com- 

 mon also in the Bays of San Francisco 

 and Suisun, and in the lower waters of the 

 Sacramento and San Joaquin. They are ta- 

 ken at all seasons of the year with hooks, 

 small fish being used as bait. The amount 

 sold annually, in this city alone is very great, 

 and the fishery consequently one of much 

 importance, though there are no means of 

 arriving at any very precise data in regard to 

 it. The manufacture of caviare from the 

 roe. and of isinglass from the swimming 

 bladders of these fish, may hereafter become 

 in California, from the abundance of the ma- 

 terial, a source of very profitable employment 

 and much wealth. 



That other species of Sturgeon remain to 

 ; discovered within tha State is very- 

 probable. 



Dr. C. F. Winslow read a note from 1 

 Smith of Auburn, Placer Co., accompanying 

 meat of a tusk recently exhumed on 

 i ;i Bar. The portion waa not ot 



be accurately identified. 



