PROCEEDINGS 
OP THE 
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 
VOL. 1. SAN FRANCISCO. 1854- 
Sept. 4tb, ISo-t. 
Dr. A. Kellogg in the chair: 
Mr. TV. *T. Steene, by the Ed. of the Pacific, 
preseated a curious specimen of cabbage, grown 
on the Sacramento bottoms, which, instead of 
a bead formed of leaves in the usual manner, 
has a globular head formed by an enlargement of 
the top of the main stock, five inches in diame¬ 
ter, and weighing some two pounds or more, 
perfectly sound, with a thin rind, and of the 
consistency* of the inner portion of a common 
cabbage stump. It has the shape and appear, 
ance of a round, field turnip, except that it has 
perfectly formed cabbage leaves on its sides and 
top, occurring at intervals, as on the ordinary 
cabbage stock. 
Dr. Kellogg exhibited a drawing and speci¬ 
mens of a plant from the sea shore and salt 
marshes of the Bay of San Francisco, the Fran- 
Icenia grandifolia. This plant is often coated 
with crystals of salt, which has given it the 
common name of Salt-weed. It is a low herb 
very much branched, the limbs opposite, with 
dense clusters of somewhat wedged-shaped leaves 
folded back or rolled up ; within these, are un¬ 
bosomed small pink flowers—stamens usually 6, 
pistils 3. 
Dr. Ayres presented descriptions of the fol¬ 
lowing species of fish, believed to be new : 
Cobras pulcher, Ayres. This species, one of 
he finest of our fishes, makes its appearance in 
the market about the first of August, and con. 
timies in season till ueariy :he close of February. 
They arc sold by the fishermen under the name 
of Blackfisb. and are also no: unfrequently call- 
| ed i beeps head.—Specimens are often seen weigh¬ 
ing six to eight ponods. My description is 
taken from one sixteen and a haif inches in 
length, weighing two pounds and a half. 
Form very similar to that of Tautoga Ameri¬ 
cana. Greatest depth one-fourth the total length. 
Length of the head, five inches aud one-fourth. 
Forehead protuberant, especially in large indivi¬ 
duals, from an accumulation of fat immediately 
above the eyes. 
Lips thick, loose and fleshy. 
Teeth on the intermaxilUries and in the lower 
jaw alike—consisting externally of a single row, 
stout and conicie, of which the two anterior 
pairs are moch larger than the others and pro¬ 
ject forward : within this external row is a band 
of blunt, rounded teeth, not arranged in regular 
rows, scarcely projecting above the membranes. 
No teeth on the palatine bones or the vomer. 
Teeth on the pharyngeals, erely flat, tesselated 
tubercles; on the inferior pharyngeal, a few of 
the anterior ooe3 are distinct, conicie. 
Edges of the operculum and preoperevdum 
destitute of spines or serrations. Scales deeply 
imbedded, not coospicious, elongated sabqua- 
drangular, covering the body, the operculnm, 
and the sub-operculum; extending but slightly 
on the verticle fins. 
The rays of all the fins are enveloped in a 
thickened, partially opaque membrane. 
The spinous portion of the dorsal fin is four 
inches aod four-tenths in length ; the spines are 
stout and strong, and one is continued by a flesh? 
prolongation one to two-fifths of an indi in exi 
tent; thus making the height of this portion 
Proceedings of the California Academy of Natural Sciences 
published on 25 September 1854 
The first page is numbered page 3 to allow for the issuance of a title page, 
thus page 1 and 2, with the closure of the volume at a later date. 
