9 



specimens of Biidgewaler earth, giving pref- 

 erence to the former. 



Dr. H. P. Sartwell, corresponding member, 

 transmitted a series of meteorological obser- 

 vations, made by him at Penn Yan, N. Y., 

 during the months of March and June, 1854. 



Dr. H. Gibbons presented a series of ob- 

 servations on the temperature of the ocean 

 between San Francisco and San Juan Cen- 

 tral America, made by Dr. Fitch, Surgeon of 

 the steamer Pacific, on her trip to and from 

 San Juan in tho month of July, 1854. 



Dr. G. accompanied them with some re- 

 marks on the climate &c, of the coast between 

 the two places. 



Dr. W. P. Gibbons exhibited the skull of a 

 rat caught in this city, showing a curious 

 abnormal formation of the upper and lower 

 incisors. 



David Chambers, Esq., presented as dona- 

 tions to the cabinet specimens of silver and 

 copper ore from the Andicollo mines,40 miles 

 interior from Coquimbo, Chili. 



California Academy of Natural Sciences, ) 

 San Francisco, October 2d, 1854. ) 



Dr. H. Gibbons in the chair. 



Adelestan Jardin was elected Correspond- 

 ing member. 



Dr. W. P. Gibbons exhibited a young rat, 

 of very singular abnormal formation, having 

 two pair of hind legs. The surplus pair are 

 perfectly formed, and placed on a fleshy sub- 

 stance projecting from the posterior extremity 

 of the body ; the feet are turned in a direc- 

 tion opposite to that of the normal feet. 



Mr. Joel Clayton presented as donations to 

 the Cabinet, specimens of coal from Puget's 

 Sound. — also specimens of sand stone com- 

 posing the roof of the coal formation. 



Dr. Kellogg presented a drawing of a Com- 

 melyna, "pretty widow," or " widow's tear," 

 supposed to be a new species, from Salada 

 Creek, Texas. 



Dr. W. 0. Ayres exhibited two new fishes, 

 Morrhua Califomica and Grystes lineatus, 

 with the following descriptions. 



Morrhua Califomica — Ayres. The Tomcod, 

 as this species is called by our fishermen, is, 



without doubt, closely allied to Morrhua pru- 

 inosa, Mitch, the Tomcod and Frostfish of 

 our Atlantic coast, and may be deemed its 

 representative here. It differs from it, how- 

 ever, in form, in the relative proportions of 

 the head, in the position and size of the fins, 

 &c. A description touching the points in 

 which it is distinguished from pruinosa is 

 therefore, all that is needed. 



The specimen employed is seven inches in 

 length ; about their average size. 



The length of the head is one-fourth of the 

 total length ; in pruinosa it is only about one- 

 sixth. 



The protrusion of the abdomen is much 

 less, as compared with the bulk of the body 

 posterior to it, the vertical diameter at the 

 origin of the' third dorsal being two-thirds of 

 the greatest depth, while in pruinosa it is only 

 one-half. 



The first dorsal is one inch in height, three- 

 fourths of an inch in length, acutely triangu- 

 lar, the first ray longest. 



The second dorsal, separated from the first 

 by an interval of one-fourth of an inch, is 

 one inch in length, seven-tenths of an inch in 

 height. 



The third dorsal, distant half an inch from 

 the second, is nine-tenths of an inch in 

 length, three-fourths of an inch in height. 



The first anal, originating opposite the ter- 

 mination of the first dorsal, is one inch and 

 a half in length, which is just double the 

 height. 



The second anal, one-fourth of an inch from 

 the first, equals the last dorsal in length, and 

 is coterminal with it ; it is half an inch high. 



The pectorals are more pointed than in pru- 

 inosa. 



The ventrals, corresponding in situation, are 

 nine-tenths of an inch in height, first and 

 second rays free at tip, second longest. 



Caudal nearly even. 



The lateral line, arching somewhat above 

 the pectoial, does not assume a straight course 

 till nearly opposite the end of the second 

 dorsal. 



Color commonly plain greenish brown above, 

 lighter on the sides, silvery beneath ; irides 

 silvery. 



D. 12-16-18; A. 23-20; P. 20 ; V. 6 ; C. 

 26, with about eleven short ones. 



M. Califomica is taken abundantly in the 

 Bay of San Francisco. 



Grystes lineatus — Ayres. Form elon- 

 gated, compressed. Length twelve inches and 

 one-fourth ; greatest depth a little more than 

 one-fifth the total length ; length of the head 

 equal to the greatest depth. Head somewhat 



