60 THE WEST AMERICAN STIENTIST. 



historic value, aside from other literature and the discussion on 

 the topics of the time. 



The American Naturalist: XIX, 7, July, 1885; pp. 91. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



L. Belding will probably make another trip to the mountains of 

 Lower California this season. 



D. Cleveland has returned from the mountains of this county* 

 where he has been botanizing. 



G. W. Michael, Jr., of Morro, has found an apparently new spe- 

 cies of Habenaria, which Rev. E. L. Greene has provisionally 

 named H. Michaeli. 



A correspondent in Florida writes that the well known fan palm 

 of California [Washingtonia filifera, Wendl.] is a failure on the 

 high sandy ridges, though it does tolerably well in the lowlands, 

 especially where there is a clay subsoil. 



Nearly eight hundred living specimens of Tapes staminea from 

 the shores of Puget Sound, W. T., have been received at the 

 Wood's Holl [Mass.] station of the U. S. Fish Commission. Be- 

 tween four and five thousand were shipped from Tacoma, of which 

 only 768 reached Wood's Holl alive after a seven days' journey. 

 A number appear to be active in their new home. This clam is 

 one of the most highly prized of the west-coast species, of which 

 there are several used for food, and is known as the 'hard shell' or 

 'little round clam.' In this connection it is interesting to note 

 that the common east-coast soft-shelled clam, Mya arenaria, which 

 was introduced on the Pacific coast several years ago, has become 

 thoroughly acclimated there, and is now very abundant. — Science. 



SAN DIEGO SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



August 7, 1885. Committee on the preservation of Pinus Tor- 

 reyana reported the favorable action of the city trustees and of 

 the county board of supervisors, by passing ordinances for their 

 preservation. The committee of meteorology reported the estab- 

 lishment of two new stations for making observations. Rev. 

 Frank A. Mansfield's donation of five voiumes of scientific value 

 was reported and Dr. H. W. Gould presented specimens of infuso- 

 rial earth from Santa Catalina Island, and from Lower California. 

 Mr. J. M. Asher made interesting remarks on destructive insects. 

 John N. Young was elected an active member. 



