14 



In color this fish is of a plain dark brown 

 on the head, back, and sides, nearly white on 

 the abdomen, with the throat reddish All 

 the fins are tipped with a very vivid red, and 

 the entire mucous secretion, as already men- 

 tioned is tinged with red. 



I have seen but a single specimen, which 

 was procured in the market: it was taken 

 near the entrance of the Bay of San Fran- 

 cisco. 



The species is classed here under the 

 genus Brosmius, though the absence of any 

 barbule at the chin, and the structure of the 

 ventral tins suggest a doubt as to the propri- 

 ety of such a course. As has been the case, 

 however, in other instances, it has been deem- 

 ed advisable to avoid an attempt at a new 

 generic division, unless such division appears 

 absolutely demanded, since there are in Cal- 

 ifornia, as yet. no means of making accurate 

 comparisons with any 6sb.es of allied form. 



\',. marginatus does not seem to be known 

 to our fisherman, by any distinctive appella- 

 tion. From its resemblance to B. vulgaris it 

 mav be very properly named t 



Syngnathus grixeo-lmeatus, Ayres. — This 

 curious little fish of which I have seen as 

 yet but the single specimen here exhibited, 

 is somewhat closely allied to two or three 

 species already well known: a comparative 

 description is therefore all that is needed. 



The length of the specimen is ten inches 

 and one fourth; its greatest depth, one third 

 of an inch, length of the head, one inch and 

 seven tenths. 



The dorsal fin arises four inches and four 

 tenths from the tip of the jaws, is one inch 

 and one tenth in length, one fourth of an inch 

 in height. The anal is only about one tenth 

 of an inch posterior to the origin of the dor- 

 sal. 



There is a slight depression between the 

 • with a slender median ridge which is 

 prolonged upon the beak; there is no ridu'e 

 on the occiput. There are nineteen plates 

 anterior to the anal tin, thirty nine posterior. 

 There is no sudden depression before the 

 eyes, the greatest depth of the beak being 

 two thirds of that of the head. 



The forms and arrangement of the plates, 

 the angulation of the body, the form and 

 granulation of the opercula, the form of the 

 mouth &c, present nothing demanding no- 

 The color is plain, dark grayish brown 

 becoming a little lighter beneath, with very 

 numerous narrow, irregular, longitudinal 

 lines, of small extent, which are light gray. 

 The fins are plain. 



-I.' A-3; C-10 



From V ,»«, Storer, our only Atlan- 



tic species well determined (though several 

 others have been attempted) i'. gnseo-lineatus 

 is distinguished by the length of the head, ^ 

 the occipital surface, the depth of the beak, 

 the position and form and number of rays of 

 the dorsal fin, and the position of the anal. 

 With S. Californiensis, Storer, it agrees in the 

 length of the head; it differs from it in the 

 depth of the beak, the position and form of 

 the dorsal tin. and the number of plates poste- 

 rior to the anal. 



From S. brevirostris, Girard, it is. at once 

 separated by the length of the head, the anal 

 liu.and the position of the dorsal ; from S. 

 leptorhynchns, Girard, by the form of the 

 beak, the develop'ement of the anal fin, and 

 the color. To S. typhle, L. it is closely allied: 

 it is distinguished by the length of the head, 

 the depth of the beak, the position of the 

 dorsal and the size of the anal. 



Other species of Syngnathus will very 

 probably yet be found in our waters. They 

 may be sought in any of the shallow, shel- 

 tered bays. Commercially they are, of 

 course, from their size, of no value. 



Dr. Kellogg exhibited a drawing of the 

 Hydrocotyle ranuriculoides or Pennywort, from 

 the vicinity of San Francisco. A specimen 

 of a new and undescribed species was also 

 exhibited from the same locality. 



Dr. Kellogg also presented a drawing and 

 specimen of the 



Lavatcra assurgentiftora. K. Royal Mallows. 

 Stem arborescent : leaves cordate seven-lobe- 

 angled ; lobes acute, irregularly toothed, sur- 

 oft, close minute stellate pubesence be- 

 neath: petioles 4 to 5 inches ion-, slender; 

 stipules minute, lance-linear, sessile, cadu- 

 cous : peduncles axillary, solitary as-urgent, 

 (about one-third the length of the petiole) 

 short, articulated (one-half inch) below the 

 (lower : the involucel 3-parted, persistent, 

 segments broad lanceolate, sub-acute : calyx 

 5-parted nearly to the middle, divisions, ovate- 

 lanceo'ate, acute and acuminate, obscurely 3- 

 nerved, stellate pubescent ; petals obcordate 

 on long claws, lateral tufts of silky puhe.sence 

 at the junction with the stamina! tube, petals 

 at leniith reflexed, styles 5, pubescent, stig- 

 mas filiform or simple (not capitate nor stig- 

 matose,) carpelti 8 or 9. 



This deciduous shrub, from the island of 

 Anacapa, oil the coast of Santa Barbara, and 

 now to some extent cultivated, is one of 

 rare beauty and grace J the rising, {ailing' 

 and finally ascending curves ol the flower- 

 stem, are quite characteristic : the rellexed 

 petals as the flowers lade, is also a rare fea- 

 ture with the mallows tribe, which are usu- 



