24 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



tion and usually broken, but the following species have been identified : — 

 Phyllonotus nigritus Mensch., Strombus gracilior Soy., Area grandis 

 Brod., Chione dioncca Menke, Cardium procerum Sby., and Cardium con- 

 sors B. & S. These species, which formed part of the food-supply of the 

 former inhabitants, are abundant in the fauna of the Gulf of California 

 at the present day. 

 February 22, 1878. 



ARSENIC ACID FOB PROTECTING ANATOMICAL PREPARATIONS 



FROM INSECTS. 



By J. B. S. JACKSON, M. I>. 



Arsenic acid is most intensely strong, and comes in the form of a 

 solid and of a liquid, and the two are of about equal strength. Half 

 an ounce (avoirdupois) of the one, or one-half of a fluid-ounce of the 

 other, is to be added to a pint (f 5 xvj) of soft water, and it is ready 

 for use. Any membranous preparation that is to be distended and 

 dried, as a portion of the alimentary canal, any of the hollow organs, 

 an ovarian cyst, an aneurism, and many preparations that are not to 

 be distended, will be most thoroughly protected, I believe, by the arsen- 

 ical solution. A solution of corrosive sublimate will probably prove 

 an equal protection ; but the membrane, when dried, has a disagreeably 

 opaque and ash colored look, whereas, after the arsenical solution, it 

 dries without any change. I cover the preparation fairly with the solu- 

 tion, and leave it for about twenty minutes, then take it out, let it 

 drain, then inflate or distend it, and, lastly, hang it up to dry. 



Boston, Mass., February 19, 1878. 



THE OCEANIC RONITO ON THE COAST OF THE UNITED STATES. 

 By O. BROWN GOODS and TARLETON If. BEAN. 



A specimen of the Oceanic Bonito, Orcynus pclamys (Linne) Poey, 

 was captured off Provincetown, Mass., in July or August, 1877, and 

 taken to the Museum of Comparative Zoology by Mr. James H. Blake. 

 The specimen was lent to the Fish Commission for study. Drawings 

 have been made, and a table of measurements and description are here 

 presented. 



The specimen measures 447 millimetres (17.G inches) to the end of 

 the caudal carina. In form it closely resembles Orcynus alliteratus. The 

 caudal rays are frayed, and their length cannot be exactly determined. 

 The height of the body is a trifle more than one-fourth (0.2G) of the 

 length. The circumference of the body (0.71) is equal to the distance 

 from snout to origin of anal (0.70). The length of the head (0.30) is 



