18 The West American Scientist. 



northward, and the other a blue cod (Ophioden elongatus), 

 known from Alaska to Santa Barbara, have been taken in our 

 waters. 



The U. S. Steamer Albatross will spend the larger part of 

 March and April in the Gulf of California, investigating the tem- 

 perature and depth of its waters to determine if the conditions 

 are favorable to the shad, which have been planted at the mouth 

 of the Colorado river. The scientific staff will study the shore 

 fauna of Lower Calitornia on their return. 



C. H. and R. S. Eigenmann have devoted the winter to the 

 study of the embryology of our fish, especially of the herring, 

 the smelt, the rock cods (the young of which had never been 

 described), and of the Embriaticoids of San Diego, the eggs of 

 which had never been seen before. 



E. W. Roper, of the Bay State, has collected nearly 200 

 species of mollusks at San Diego during his six weeks' visit, 

 and will visit other localities northward before his relurn East. 

 He visited Todos Santos Bay, Lower California, in January, in 

 company with the editor, where we found a rich harvest of 

 marine forms to gather. 



Pupa Californica, Rowell, has been added to our fauna by the 

 editor, who finds it abundant under the dead decaying plants of 

 the Beach Strawberry (Mesembrianthemum aequilaterale, Haw.), 

 both at San Diego and at Ensenada, Lower California. 



California is to have another observatory to be located near 

 Los Angeles in connection with the University of Southern Cali- 

 fornia. They will seek to surpass even our famous Lick 

 Observatory in power of lens. 



F. Stevens of Ballena visited us recently. He will ' ranch it ' 

 by proxy, and collect birds the present season. 



Dr. Edward Palmer has been exploring the vicinity of San 

 Quintin Bay, Lower California, and has added somewhat to our 

 flora. 



C. H. Townsend, C H. Gilbert and Mr. Alexander of the 

 scientific staff of the Albatross, and C. H. Eigenmann, visited 

 Ensenada, Lower California, in February, returning overland. 

 The common fresh water terrapin (actinemys marmorata) was 

 the only thing reported to us as being collected. 



Robert Douglas, who with his son, Thos. H. Douglas, is in 

 charge of the grounds of the arboretum, to be established in 

 connection with the Leland Stanford, Jr. , University, has favored 

 us with his society recently. Nine hundred acres, or more if re- 

 quired, are to be devoted to the arboretum at Palo Alto, Cali- 

 fornia, making this the largest similar establishment in the world. 

 Every known tree or shrub that can be made to thrive on the 

 Pacific Coast is intended to be included, and especially all of our 

 native species. 



