64 



the flowers, lanceolate acute, numerous, calyx glo- 

 bose campanulate, border expanding, petals roundish 

 shorter than segments of the calyx or sub-equal, pe- 

 dicels very short. 



Fruit globose, glands few, black, with a dense 

 bloom, pulpy and very sweet. 



The Academy and the public are indebted to the 

 generosity of the 1'acific Express Company for these 

 valuable acquisitions. Will our friends please re- 

 member and send as above. 



Dr. W. 0. Ayres presented a specimen of a new 

 species of Whiting, with the following description : 



Merlangus pkoductcs — Ayres. 



Form elongated, subcompressed ; greatest depth 

 just posterior to the head, tapering thence very 

 gradually to the caudal fin. Depth contained about 

 seven and a-half times in the total length. Head 

 somewhat pointed anteriorly, its length about one 

 fourth of the length of the fish, nearly flat on the 

 dorsal surface. 



Mouth large, lower jaw the larger, a vertical line 

 from the extremity of the superior maxillary inter- 

 secting the middle of the pupil. 



Teeth slender, sharp, uneven (larger and smaller 

 intermixed) in both jaws, and on the vomer ; ar- 

 ranged in a crowded, irregular single row in each 

 case ; none on the palatines or the tongue. 



Lateral line very conspicuous, darker in color 

 than the parts adjacent, curving a little downward 

 until opposite about the middle of the second dorsal 

 fin, and running thence straight to the caudal. 



Scales relatively rather large, irregularly oval, 

 concentric striae numerous ; about a hundred and 

 forty scales along the lateral line. Scales covering 

 the whole body, top of the head, operculum and top 

 of preoperculum, and upper part of the cheeks, but 

 not the interoperculum, lower part of preoperculum, 

 sub-orbital and ante-orbital space, nor the lower jaw. 

 Scales ascending on the caudal fin, and on the base 

 of the pectorals, but very slightly on the dorsals or 

 anals 



Eyes large, nearly circular, their diameter con- 

 tained not quite five times in the length of the head; 

 distant a little less than two diameters from the tip 

 of the lower jaw ; interval between the eyes a little 

 greater than one diameter. 



The opercular angle, formed by both operculum 

 and suboperculum, is somewhat acute, not spinous. 



Nostrils immediately anterior to the eyes; posteri- 

 or aperture the larger. 



The first dorsal fin arising a little posterior to the 

 opercular angle is triangular in form, its length be- 

 ing about twice the diameter of the eye ; the first 

 ray is about half the height of the second, third, and 

 fourth, which arc longest, their height being greater 

 than the length of the ffn. 



The second dorsal, separated from the first by an 

 interval equal to one third of the length of that tin, 

 has a length equal to the length of the head. Its 

 greatest height, at the sixth or seventh ray, is half 

 the height of the first dorsal. 



The third dorsal, continuous from the termination 

 of the second, has a height anteriorly nearly equal to 

 the height of the first, tapering thence quite rapidly 

 to the last rays. It is separated from the caudal fin 

 by an interval a little greater than half the diameter 

 of the eye. 



The caudal fin, dilated at base by the numerous 

 accessory rays, slightly concave posteriorly, has a 

 height equal to that of the first dorsal. 



The first anal, arising on nearly the same plane 

 with the second dorsal, is very similar to that fin in 

 form, being a little greater in both height and length. 



The second anal, continuous from the termination 

 of the first, is similar to the third dorsal in form and 

 height, extending a little nearer to the caudal. 



The pectorals are high, somewhat rounded, their 

 height being about three times that of the second dor- 

 sal. When closed, they reach as far as the fourth or 

 fifth ray of the second dorsal. 



The ventrals. anterior to the pectorals, have half 

 their height ; rays not filiform at tip. D., 11. 22. 18. 

 A, 21. 19.; P, 2. 14; V, 1. 7.; C, 9. 1. 10. 9. 1. 7. 



Color grayish brown above, lighter on the sides, 

 abdomen whitish ; margins of scales darker, giving 

 the appearance of waving dark lines. Fins some- 

 what clouded. 



M. productus is not very closely allied to any of 

 the previously known species of the genus. It is 

 very readily separated by the form and size and po- 

 sition of the tins, the size of the scales, the form of 

 the head, itc. It has, indeed, in form and general 

 aspect more resemblance to Merlucius albidus than 

 to any other American species, but from that it is 

 generically distinct. It may be very appropriately 

 called Californian Whiting. 



The species appear to be by no means common 

 along this coast. Only a few specimens, all taken at 

 the same time, have been brought to the markets. — 

 It is said to be found more abundantly further north, 

 along the coast of Oregon and Washington. 



The specimens observed were from eighteen to 

 twenty-four inches in length. 



It is somewhat remarkable that before the disco- 

 very of this species, the little Californian Tomcod 

 (Gadus proximus, Gir.) was the only representative 

 in our waters of the extensive family of the Gadidac, 

 so abundant in other seas. All the larger types 

 were wanting, and Merlangus productus is not with- 

 out additional interest on that account. 



San Francisco, July 23, 1855. 



Dr. Behr in the Chair. 



Donations to the Cabinet. 



From J. G. Swan, of Shoalwater Bay, W. T., spec- 

 imens of Gunnelhis omatus, Gir ; of Leptogunnel- 

 lus gracilis, Ayres ; of a species of the Embiotocoidae, 

 one of Squilla, and one of Anatifa, apparently uude- 

 scribed. 



From Capt. Hanson, of Shoalwater Bay, a fine 

 specimen of fossilized pine wood, and a fragment of 

 a fossil bone, probably from the humerus of an elk. 



From Dr. A. B. Stout, a specimen of Jasper, from 

 Angel Island. 



From Dr. J. N. Hume, a specimen of conglomerate 

 containing marine shells, from the vicinity of Beal's 

 Bar, North Fork of the American River, 300 feet 

 above the stream. 



Dr. Bebr presented a drawing of Chloropyron 

 palustre, Behr. Ill many specimens the leaves were 

 found to be entire ; bracts trifid ; the minor stamens 

 often with a rudiment of a second loculus, forming 

 semi-sagittate anthene. 



Dr. Kellogg presented specimens of the Calycan- 

 thus, or Sweet Shrub, also commonly known as Car- 

 olina Allspice, accompanied by a drawing. 



C. occidentalis ? In all the specimens we have 



