ON MOLLUSCA OF THE WEST COAST OF NORTH AMERICA, 631 
110. At the time of the preparation of the first Report, not a single 
naturalist was known in Europe to be resident on the western slope of North 
America, to whom communications could be addressed on the subject of it. 
There was, however, even at that time, a “ Californian Academy of Natural 
Sciences,” which met at 8. Francisco, and published its ‘ Proceedings.’ This 
Academy is now in a flourishing condition, under the presidency of Col. L. 
Ransom. The general zoological department is under the care of Dr. J..G. 
Cooper; the shells under that of Dr. J.B. Trask, Vice-President of the Academy, 
whose name has already appeared in Judge Cooper’s Report, anted, p. 597 ; 
and the fossils under that of Mr. W.M.Gabb. The corresponding secretary 
is Dr. W. O. Ayres; and the librarian Prof. J. D. Whitney, the director of 
the State Geological Survey. Already the nucleus has been formed of a very 
valuable collection, many of the critical species in which have been sent to 
England for identification. The coasting-trade between 8. Francisco and 
many stations in L. California, the Gulf, and the Mexican coast, offers pecu- 
liar facilities for obtaining valuable information. Two of the contributors to 
the Californian Academy require special and grateful mention, Dr. Wesley 
Newcomb.(whose labours had greatly enriched. the State Collection at his 
native city, Albany, New York, and whose researches among the Achatinelle 
in the Sandwich Islands are well known) is stationed at Oaklands, near Fran- 
cisco, and has already furnished valuable papers, an abstract of which is here 
given, as well as emendations and additions to the British Association Report, 
which are included in their appropriate places*. The Rev. J. Rowell has long 
been a regular correspondent of the Smithsonian Institution, and has sub- 
mitted the whole of his West-coast collections for analysis. He has dis- 
played peculiar industry in searching for small species on the backs of the 
larger shells, especially the Haliotids of the Californian coast, and the Ostrea 
tridescens, which is imported in large quantities from Acapulco for the San 
Francisco market +. . 
In the ‘ Proc. California Ac. Nat. Sc., vol. i. pp. 28-80, Feb. 1855, Dr. 
J. B. Trask published descriptions of Anodonta Randall, Trask, Upper San 
Joaquin ; Anodonta triangularis, Trask, Sacramento River; Anodonta rotund- 
ovata, Trask, Sacramento Valley ; Alasmodonta Yubaénsis, Trask, Yuba River. 
In the ‘ Ann. Lye. N. H. New York,’ vol. vii. 1860, p. 146, Dr. Newcomb 
describes the first Pupa found on the Pacific slope, viz. Pupa Rowellit, Newe. 
Near Oakland, Cal. ‘* Approaches nearest to P. ovata, Say.” 
* The “ Chiton amiculatus,’ Newc., MS.,=Cryptochiton Stelleri. ‘Rare near 8. Fran- 
cisco ; somewhat more abundant in the Bay of Monterey.” His “‘ Panopea generosa,” in 
the Albany Museum, was found to be Schizotherus Nuttalliz. 
. + As an instance of the way in which mistakes arise, may be placed on record a series 
of shells sent to Mr. Rousseau, of Troy, New York, by Mr. Hilman, formerly of that 
city, now a resident at San Francisco. They were sent as Californian ; yet, of the thirty- 
four species which it contained, only one could be called a native of that province. - All 
the rest were tropical, and of that peculiar character which belongs to Acapulco. No 
doubt, the gentleman had obtained them from a trader to that city. If only a few species 
had been sent, mixed with Californian shells, they might have puzzled the learned ; for they 
were obtained, on the spot, bya gentleman of known integrity. As itwas, the magnitude of 
the error led to its discovery: but in how many similar cases such error is thought impos- 
sible !—Strigilla carnaria; Donax carinatus, puncto-striatus; Heterod. bimaculatus; Cal- 
lista aurantia, chionea; Petr. robusta; Card. consors, biangulatum; Liocard. apicinum ; 
Trigona radiata, Hindsii; Anom. subimbricata ; Lima tetrica ; Stphonaria gigas, lecanium ; 
Patella discors, pediculus; Fiss. rugosa; Crue. imbricatum, spinosum, umbrella; Crep. 
aculeata; Hipp. antiquatus, barbatus; Cerith. uncinatum; Modulus disculus; Natica 
maroccana, catenata ; Polinices uber; Leuc. cingulata; Atneta harpa; Purp. triangularis. 
The single shell from the temperate fauna is Glyphis aspera, which has not yet been found 
so far south as San Francisco. 
