26 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



the ventrals and anal, as well as those parts of the opercles where the 

 bone is close to the outer skin, were of a chalky white. The corslet is 

 bronzed brown in the alcoholic specimen. 



There are four distinct bluish lines upon the sides, which are nearly 

 parallel with the lateral line, and which constitute the most prominent 

 specific character. The first of these begius directly under the tip of 

 the pectoral, the second at the margin of the corslet, at a point in the 

 line from the upper to the lower axillary angles of the pectoral. The 

 third and fourth are rather indistinct anteriorly, but are very distinct 

 in the posterior half of the body, and are about as far distant from each 

 other as are the first two, the interval between the two pairs being 

 slightly greater than that between the members of each pair, and equal 

 to the diameter of the orbit. The first or uppermost line is nearly 

 straight, the others, following the lower contour of the body, curve 

 upward over the anal fin, and all four become lost in the darker color 

 of the caudal peduncle. 



This is without doubt the Scomber Pelamis of Linne, characterized by 

 him as " Scomber pinnulis inferioribus VII, corpore liueis utriuque qua- 

 tuor nigris" (Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 1758, i, p. 297), and given by Giinther 

 as Thynnus pelamys (Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. ii, 1860, p. 364). It is hope- 

 lessly confused by Cuvier and Valenciennes with Pelamys sarda. Pro- 

 fessor Poey assigned it to its present generic relations in 1868 (Syn. 

 Pise. Cubens. p. 362). 



The geographical distribution of this species is not very well known, 

 owing to the uncertainty of its synonymy. The British Museum has 

 two stuffed specimens, one from the Cape Seas, and one from YarrelPs 

 Collection of British fishes. Couch records it from the Frith of Clyde 

 (July), and from Cumberland, England, and Ireland. Poey has it from 

 Cuba. It has also been recorded from the seas of India and China. 



The presence of this form upon our coast was first suggested by Messrs. 

 E. G. Blackford and Barnet Phillips of New York, who recognized the 

 species in New York Market from the plates in Couch's History of Brit- 

 ish Fishes. Only one was seen, and it was unfortunately not preserved. 

 This was in the summer of 1873; and as none have since been found, 

 it may be said, with some certainty, that the species is at present only 

 accidental in our fauna. 



DISTRIBUTION OF CALIFORNIA^ TERTIARY FOSSILS. 



By W. II. DALL. 



Further information has been received from Mr. Hemphill in regard 

 to the Tertiary fossils enumerated lately in these Proceedings. These 

 facts, having an important bearing on geological and faunal changes, 

 are now summarized. 



