60 FOSSIL FISHES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 



the animal lying prone ; in the second part, of nine segments, these lying 

 supine, the two parts preserved being 15% inches in length. Each seg- 

 ment in the anterior part is 2 1 / 4 times as broad as long, in the smaller part 

 about iy 2 , the anterior ones being about 2!/4 inches in length, the posterior 

 tapering very rapidly backward. 



The anterior part is the imprint of vertebrae lying supine, the blunt 

 lateral wings appearing as quadrate imprints on the side of each verte- 

 bra. The posterior vertebrae lack these wings, and their position is 

 reversed. The impressions of these vertebrae, which are without lateral 

 processes, are marked on the anterior part of each segment by three 

 rounded knobs, becoming more distinct posteriorly. Each of these knobs 

 was a rounded depression in the living animal. These markings on the 

 posterior vertebrae and the flanges on the anterior vertebras correspond 

 almost exactly to the structures on the skeleton of a living California 

 species before us. The latter we suppose to be the Harbor Porpoise, 

 PHOCLENA PHOC^ENA L., although we are not sure as to the identification. 



Near the posterior end of the vertebral column of the type specimen 

 appear a few small vertebrae and part of the caudal fin of a large fish, 

 ALISEA GRANDIS, of the same period. It is evident that this fin does not 

 belong with the rest of the fossil. 



Since these pages were in type we have received from Mr. Edward 

 J. Porteous of Lompoc two bricks of celite containing remains of the ver- 

 tebral columns of a porpoise, doubtless the same as the one noted above. 



No. CXXXVII shows a series of nine large vertebrae as seen from 

 the side and showing the strong dorsal processes. Each vertebra has 

 the length of seven-eighths of an inch and the depth of one and one-eighth 

 inches. 



No. CXXXVIII shows seven large vertebrae, apparently from the 

 caudal region, as seen from below. These measure one and a fifth 

 inches in length and one and a half in depth. The articular surface is 

 spherical, deeply concave. The margins of the centrum are roughened 

 by many ridges and what seems to be a deep V-shaped neural canal. 



We have no means of comparing this porpoise with DELPHINUS 

 OCCIDUUS Leidy, known from a jaw in the Miocene at Half Moon Bay. 



