54 



From Dr. Winslow, a Tropidonotus, allied to T. 

 tcenia, found near the Mission Dolores. 



From Mr. James O'Meara, a suite of specimens of 

 volcanic products, from Hawaii. The thanks of the 

 Academy were voted for the donation. 



Dr. Behr exhibited a very beautiful specimen, pro- 

 bably the larva of an Elater. showing strong phos- 

 phorescence. 



May 21, 1855. 



Dr. Kellogg in the Chair. 



Donations. 



From Ellery & Doyle a synoposis of the contents of 

 the British Museum. 



From Dr. Lanszwecrt, a nest and young of the 

 Humming Bird, so common in this vicinity, Polytmus 

 Anna, from the Mission Dolores. 



Also from Dr. Lanszw T eert, specimens of the Mist- 

 letoe ( Viscum flavescens, Pursh), found on the Red- 

 wo id. ( Taxodium sempervirens ) at Nevada. 



From Mr. Nevins, the skin of a Pituophis, from 

 Alameda. 



From Dr. Enscoo, a specimeu of Pituophis cateni- 

 fer, B. & G. known as the Gopher Snake, from Santa 

 Clara. The thauks of the Academy were voted for 

 the donation. 



From Mr. Boiijui, two speciniiiis of the Mole 

 which is found here. 



From .Mr. Carlton, one specimen of the same. 



From Mr. Nevins, two specimens of the same. 



In connection with these Dr. Ayres presented the 

 following description : 



The Ground Mole, so common in tins vicinity, and 

 often so trou'.; i gardens, furnishes another 



illustration of the fact already many times referred 

 to, that species occurring iu the Atlantic regions of 

 this continent seldom extend th'jir range to the Pa- 

 cific slope, but arc on the contrary in many instances 

 represented here by their analogues. The animal iu 

 question is closely allied to a Mole found in New 

 England, and as far south as Virginia, Sea/ops Bre- 

 weri, Bach. It is, however, quite distinct from that 

 eastern type, and we propose to call the western 

 species 



Scalops CiXIFORNIOOS — Ayres. 



Teeth forty-four. In the upper jaw are two inci 

 s.iih. large, rounded in front, flattened posteriorly — 

 following these are fix false, molars, nearly cylindri- 

 cal, obtusely pointed, the first three sub-equal, the 

 fourth much the smallest, the fifth a little larger, the 

 sixth scarcely as high as the first; behind these are 

 four true molars, the first smallest with a single 

 point, the second and third larger. In the lower jaw 

 are four incisors, the anterior pair very small, cylin- 

 drical, blunt ; the pair behind them, larger, cylindri- 

 cal, pointed ; following tins:' are six false molars. 

 the first fire sub-equal, similar in form to those of 

 ipperjaw; the sixth larger, pointed, sometimes 



lobed ; behind these are three true molars, each con- 

 sisting of two transverse prisms connected by an 

 isthmus, the points of the anterior prism being more 

 elevated than those of the posterior. The dental 

 formula is there: ore 



2 12 8 



Incisors - false molars — true molars - =44 

 4 12 6 



Color of the fur, in the specimens seen, dark glossy 

 brown, almost black, above and beneath ; this, how- 

 ever, as in other species, is probably subject to vari- 

 ation. Feet sparsely covered with hairs, light flesh 

 color. 



Cartilaginous snout tapering, flattened beneath. — 

 Nostrils intermediate in position between those of Sc. 

 Breweri and Sc. aquaticus, not as directly terminal 

 as those of the former, and not as plainly on the upper 

 surface as those of the latter. Palm broad, not elon- 

 gated. Tail not flattened, nearly circular in section, 

 somewhat constricted near the body, then enlarging, 

 and thence tapering ; clothed, but not thickly, with 

 hairs about two lines in length. 



Length of the head and body five inches and one 

 tenth ; of the caudal vertebrae one iueh and two* 

 tenths. Breadth of palm six and a-half tenths ;-l 

 length of palm, to end of middle claw, eight-tenths. 

 Length of skull, one inch and three-tenths. 



Sc. Califomicus is. as mentioned, nearly allied to 

 S. Breweri with which it agrees in the number of 

 teeth, the form of the skull, and in general appear- 

 ance. It is, however, a smaller animal ; the hand is 

 very differently proportioned, the tail is round and 

 more naked, and longer ; and the skull is relatively 

 larger. From S. aquaticus. the animal universally 

 known in New England as the "Mole;'' it is distin- 

 guished by its smaller size, and more widely by the 

 number of teeth. From S. Townsendi, the only 

 species hitherto known on this side of the mountains, 

 it is at once separated by its size and color, though 

 it is similar to it in dentition. 



This Mole is quite common in this part of Califor- 

 nia, and appears to be entirely identical in its habits 

 with the eastern species. From information recently 

 obtained, it seems probable that another type takes 

 the place of this in the vicinity of Monterey,* 

 which, however, no specimen has yet been receive! 



Dr. Kellogg exhibited a drawing of the Ta.rut 

 canadensis or Yew-tree, illustrating the appropriate 

 origin of the generic name Taxodium, which includes 

 the Washington Cypress, Cypress of the South am 

 the common Redwood. 



Also a drawing of Chryseis cccspitosus, Lindl ■ 

 Dwarf California Poppy. 



A drawing and specimen of Ribes subvestitum. 

 Mountain Gooseberry, a splendid species, flowi 

 about an inch in length, the divisions of the cal; 

 bright purple on the inside. The stem is not " v 

 bristly," as usually described, but smooth and brS 

 cinnamon color. The segments of the reflexed ca 

 .ire not "oblong/' but long, acute, with a subulfl 



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