PART III.

BY PHILIP P. CARPENTER, B. A., PH. D., OF WARRINGTON, ENG.

Genus CORBULA, Lam. (Auct.)

_Corbula luteola_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 587.

C. t. “_C. biradiatæ_,” formâ simulante, sed multo minore; haud obesâ, transversâ, luteo-cinereâ, dorsum versum interdum obscure biradiatâ; angulo plus minusve carinato, postice definito; antice rotundatâ, expansâ; concentrice crebre sed obtuse lirulatâ; umbonibus obtusis; intus, dentibus minoribus; linea pallii angulatâ, haud sinuatâ; cicatricibus adductoribus callosis; margine t. adultâ postice altero alterum amplectante.

Long. 0·42, lat. 0·28, alt. 0·16.

_Hab._ San Diego, San Pedro, 50, alive, at low water.

Genus PLECTODON.[16] Cpr.

Testa tenuis, scaber, rostrata, haud inflata: margo dorsalis sub umbones intus nexa, dentem cardinalem formans: dentes laterales longi, laminati: cartilago fossâ minutâ, sub umbones celatâ, dente laterali postico contiguâ, sita: sinus pallii parvus.

_Plectodon scaber_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 1062.

Pl. t. _ledæ_-formi, tenui, subdiaphanâ, pallidâ; totâ superficie minute pustulosâ; marginibus dorsalibus rectis, ad angulum 150°; antice et ventraliter productâ, marginibus excurvatis; postice valde rostratâ, truncatâ: intus, margine sub umbones interrupto; plicâ ex apice oblique usque ad marginem dorsalem anticum excurrente; dentibus lateralibus laminatis, extantibus, postico longiore; cicatricibus adductoribus parvis, subrotundatis, ad extremitates dentium lateralium sitis; sinu palii lato, haud impresso.

Long. 0·62, lat. 0·34, alt. 0·20.

_Hab._ Catalina Island, two right valves, 40-60 fms, Cp.

This very distinct genus has the aspect of Theora, and appears allied to Neæra. It is probable that the cartilage was strengthened by an ossicle. The great peculiarity is the twisting-in of the dorsal margin, which ascends the umbo in a very loose spiral.

Genus MACOMA, Leach.

_Macoma indentata_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 365.

M. t. “M. sectæ” simili; sed postice valde rostratâ, sinu inter plicam et regionem ventralem valde expansam indentato.

Long. 2·20, lat. 1·40, alt. 0·56.

_Hab._ San Pedro, (young, living, _Palmer_;) large dead valves, _Cooper_.

Differs from _M. umbonella_, Lam., in its _secta_-like post-ligamental wing. This being rubbed off in the large dead valves, the shell has the aspect of a very distinct species.

GENUS ŒDALINA, CPR.

_Œdalia_, Cpr., Brit. Ass. Rep., 1864. (pre-occup.)

Subgenus COOPERELLA, Cpr.

_Œdalina_; cartilagine fossâ semi-internâ, ligamento externo contiguâ, sitâ; dentibus cardinalibus laminatis, haud bifidis, sen uno bifido.

Dedicated to the memory of Judge Cooper, of Hoboken, N.J., author of the Report on the Mollusca of the Pacific Railway Expeditions.

_Cooperella scintillæformis_, Cpr. n. sp. State Collection, No. 533 a.

C. t. tenuissimâ, subdiaphanâ, latiore; forma “_Scintilæ Cummingii_” simulante; extus argenteo-iridescente, striulis incrementi exillimis interdum uudatâ; parte posticâ paullum majore rotundatâ; intus, valvâ dextrâ dent. ii. laminatis, arcuatim divergentibus, extantibus, quorum anticus major, ventraliter sulcatus; v. sinistr. iii., quorum ant. et post. laminati, arcuati, centralis triangularis, bifidus; fossâ cartilaginali parvâ, semi-internâ, sub umbones angustiores, satis prominentes, sitâ; laminâ ligamentali nullâ, nymphis longioribus; sinu pallii oblongo, lato; lineâ pallii anticâ minus declivi.

Long. 0·60, lat. 0·48, alt. 0·32.

_Hab._ San Diego; San Pedro, 2 dredged in 8-20 fms. _Cooper_.

Genus SEMELE, Schum.

_Semele incungrua_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 1061.

S. t. formâ et indole “S. pulchræ” simili, sed sculpturâ diversâ; transversâ, tenuii, subplanatâ, umbonibus prominentibus; pallide carneâ, radiis intensioribus ornatâ; totâ superficie minute et creberrime radiatim striulatâ; marginibus dorsalibus postico rectiore, antico parum incurvato; reliquis regulariter excurvatis, parte anticâ diagonaliter valde productâ; v. sinistr. liris crebris subacutis concentricis, antice sæpe irregulariter interruptis, postice circiter quaternis solum conspicuis, extantibus; v. dextr. liris pancioribus, acutis, antice vix interruptis, postice alternantibus, extantibus: intus; dent, card. parvis, fossâ cartilaginali angustâ elongatâ; dent. lat., v. dextrâ, elongatis, regione cardinali purpureo tinctis; cicatr. adduct. subrotundatis; sinu pallii maximo, ovali, ascendente, per quintas inter sex totius interstitii partes porrecto; colore secundum paginam externam tinctà et radiatà.

Long. 0·58, lat. 0·40, alt. 0·16.

_Hab._ Santa Barbara, 16 fm. 1 valve; Catalina Island, 40-60 fm., not uncommon; _Cooper_.

Genus? VENUS, _Ln._ Subgenus PSEPHIS, Cpr. 1864.

_Psephis salmonea_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 1068.

Ps. t. Parvâ, subinflatâ, subæquilaterali, subtrigonâ; colore salmoneo; extus nitidâ minutissime et creberrime concentrice striatâ; margine ventrali excurvato; dorsalibus antico et postico subrectis: intus, dent. card. iii.-iii., quorum utrãque valvâ anticus porrectus, quasi lateralis, centrales parvi; v. dextr. dente postico in marginem sulcatum decurrente; cicatr. adduct. satis conspicuis, subrotundatis; lineâ pallii satis internâ, vix obsolete sinuatâ.

Long. 0·12, lat. 0·11, alt. 0·06.

_Hab._ Catalina Island, 30-40 fm., rare.; _Cooper_.

Placed under Psephis by analogy; whether the animal be ovoviviparous has not yet been ascertained.

Genus ASTARTE, J. Sby.

_Astarte fluctuata_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 1060.

A. t. valde planatâ, ovoideâ, costis concentricis valde distantibus, angustis, undulatis, ornatâ; marg. dors. post. subrecto, ant. concavo, lunulâ longâ, parum impressâ; ventr. satis rotundato; ant. valde rotundato; post. subquadrato; intus, v. dextr., laminâ cardinali planatâ; dent. card. i. inter fossas ant. parvam, post. triangularem, extante; dent. lat. ant. acutiore, satis elongato, post. nullo; cicatr. adduct. ovalibus, posticâ callo definitâ; margine haud crenato; sulco ligamenti externi elongato.

Long. 0·33, lat. 0·26, 0·10.

_Hab._ Catalina Island, 30-40 fm. _Cooper_.

Only dead right valves having been found, it is not known whether this species be an Astarte (according to Messrs. Adams and Hanley) or an abnormal Crassatella. It scarcely differs from the young of _Astarte omalia_, from the Coralline Crag.

Genus CARDIUM, Ln. Subg. FULVIA, Gray, 1847, [or Lævicardium? Sw., 1840.]

_Cardium (? modestum, var) centifilosum_, Cpr. State Collection 381.

C. t. parvâ, tenuissimâ, inflatâ, subquadratim rotundatâ; umbonibus angustis, tumidioribus; marginibus, dorsalibus subalatis, antico et ventrali æqualiter rotundatis, postico vix truncato; totâ superficie, (nisi umbonibus et dorsum versus utroque latere lævibus,) tenue liratâ; liris circ. centum, quoad magnitudinem extantibus, angustis; interstitiis subæqualibus, subquadratis, interdum punctato-decus satis; parte posticâ à lineâ definitâ, lirulis minus conspicuis, laminis concentricis extantibus, crebrioribus eleganter exasperata; intus, dent. card. validioribus, lat. subdistantibus; cic. adduct. ovalibus, haud impressis.

Long. 0·51, lat. 0·48, alt. 0·34.

_Hab._ (_modestum._) Quelpart Island, China Seas, and Japan; _A. Adams_.

(_Centifilosum_.) Monterey, 20 fms. alive; Santa Barbara 1, Catalina Island, 40 fm. _Cooper_.

Rounder than C. modestum, _Ad. & Rve._, with fewer and sharper ribs; but the Eastern shells vary, and Mr. Adams considers them conspecific.

Genus LEPTON, Turton.

_Lepton meroëum_, Cpr. n. s.

L. t. parvâ, subplanatâ, Meroæ-formi; transversâ, marginibus omnino excurvatis; antice valde productâ; umbonibus acutis, prominentibus; dent. card. (v. sinistr.) uno, celato; lat. ant. prominente, post. subobsoleto; fossâ cartilaginali angusta; cic. adduct. remotis.

Long. 0·11, lat. 0·08, alt. 0·03.

_Hab._ San Diego, 1 broken valve among shell washings. _Cooper_.

Genus PRISTIPHORA, Cpr.[17] n. g.

Syn. _Pristes_, Cpr. Rep. Brit. Ass. 1864, (pre-occupied.)

Testa “_Tellimyæ Adamsiorum_” similis; dentibus cardinalibus nullis; lateralibus utrâque valvâ conspicuis, postice elongatis, antice curtioribus, cardinem versus transversim sulcatis; fossâ cartilaginali inter eos sitâ.

_Pristiphora oblonga_, Cpr. n. s.

P. t. oblongâ, parvâ, subquadratâ, valde inæquilaterali; parte anticâ fere nullâ; marginibus, dorsalibus subrectis, fere rectangulatis, ventrali parum excurvato, postico rotundato; umbonibus antice flectis; lunulâ parvâ, concavâ: intus, v. sinistr., dent. lat. post. per totam longitudinem dorsalem decurrente, parte cardinali acutâ, alte transversim sulcatâ; ant. secundum lunulam incurvato curto, serrato; cicatr. adduct. sub fines dentium sitis.

Long. 0·14, lat. 0·10, alt. 0·06.

_Hab._ San Diego; 1 worn valve among shell washings. _Cooper_.

Genus LEDA, Schumacher.

_Leda hamata_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 984.

L. t. “_L. caudatæ_” simili, sed valde hamatâ; planatâ, valde inæquilaterali; umbonibus angustioribus, lævibus, ad trientem sitis; marginibus, dors. post. maxime incurvato, ant. parum, ventr. valde excurvatis; parte posticâ valde rostratâ, rostro biangulato, curvato, angustiore, biangulatâ; sulcis et costis validis, concentricis, supra rostrum continuis, dorsum versus postice obsoletis.

Long. 0·37, lat. 0·10, alt. 0·10.

Genus ACANTHOCHITES, Risso? (Leach, 1826).

_Acanthochites avicula_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 1072.

A. t. “_A. arragonitei_” formâ magnitudine, pallio, et indole simillimâ; sed sculpturâ et laminis terminalibus diversâ; jugo longitudinaliter sulculis circ. vi. instructis, interstitiis quasi planato-squamosis, umbonibus latis; areis diagonalibus haud definitis; lateribus, squamis (quoad magnitudinem) maximis, planatis, ovalibus ornatis, seriebus indistinctis divergentibus instructis; mucrone parvo, antice sito; colore livido et olivaceo-fusco varie tincto; laminis insertionis valv. lat. ut in _A. arragonite_; anticâ, fissuris v.

Long. 0·16, lat. 0·10.

_Hab._ Catalina Island, 10-20 fm., rare; _Cooper_.

Genus ACANTHOPLEURA, Guilding.

_Acanthopleura fluxa_, _Cpr._? n. s.

A. t. “_A. scabræ_” simili, sed latiore, pallidiore; viridi, rubro-aurantio conspersâ; valvis rectangulatis; suturis marginalibus haud conspicuis; areis diagonalibus satis distinctis; radiis obtusis fluxis ii., alterâ diagonali, alterâ suturali; totâ superficie conspicue granulosâ, granulis acutioribus præsertim albidis; jugo obtuso, vix vallato: laminis insertionis ut in A. scabrâ instructis.

Long. 0·60, lat. 0·40, div. 110°.

_Hab._ Santa Barbara Island, _Cooper_.

Foot, in the only dried specimen seen, extremely thin, flat, and narrow.

Genus ISCHNOCHITON, Gray.

_Ischnochiton veredentiens_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 518 _a_ (bis).

I. t. parvâ, albidâ, rosaceo tinctâ; valvis gothice arcuatis, jugo subacuto; totâ superficie minute granulosâ; areis lateralibus conspicue definitis, minoribus, costis diagonali et suturali validis instructis, bullis valde expressis munitis; valv. term. costulis subobsoletis radiantibus; areis centralibus clathris longitudinalibus utroque latere circ. viii. distantibus, expressis, subgranulosis, supra jugum obsoletis; interstitiis â costulis subradiantibus decussatis; umbonibus conspicuis; marginibus umbonalibus à costis bulliferis valde indentatis, dentibus viii.-x. jugum versus obsoletis, marginibus haud intortis; mucrone submediano, vix extante; marginibus lobatis eleganter à clathris pectinatis: intus, sinu maximo, planato, interdum serrato; laminis insertionis acutis, late unifissatis, valv. term. circ. viii-fissatis, subgrundis conspicuis; limbo pallii squamis majoribus, planatis, tenuibus, vix striatis.

Long. 0·25, lat. 0·10, div. 90°.

_Hab._ Catalina Island, 20-30 fm., _Cooper_.

Subgenus LEPIDOPLEURUS, Risso.

Isch. squamis magnis, ut in Chitone (_Lophyro_) instructis, striatis.

_Lepidopleurus pectinatus_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 1073.

L. t. “_L. Mertensii_” simili, sed omnino olivaceo; areis diagonalibus radiis plerumque iv. dense tuberculiferis, radioque altero suturali tuberculis inflexis, margines valvarum pectinantibus; costis transversis crebris validis; costulis longitudinalibus acutis distantibus superantibus, quarum margines suturas anticas pectinant; valv. term. ut in areis diag. sculptis, seriebus tuberculorum creberrimis; totâ superficie minutissime tuberculatâ: intus, valvis centralibus unifissatis, terminalibus xi.-xv.-fissatis: scalis pallii irregularibus, confertis, minutissime longitudinaliter striatis.

Long. 0·85, lat. 0·50, div. 110°.

Variat: interdum aurantio nebulosâ.

_Hab._ Catalina Island, Santa Barbara Island, beach, _Cooper_.

_Lepidopleurus scabricostatus_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 1071 c.

L. t. parvâ, aurantiâ, elevatâ; valvis gothice arcuatis, jugo acuto; totâ superficie conspicue et creberrime granulata: areis lateralibus majoribus, conspicue definitis; seriebus granulorum majorum iii. radiantibus, subobsoletis; umbonibus haud conspicuis; marginibus umbonalibus colore intensiore pseudodentatis, parum intortis; areis centralibus seriebus costularum angustarum subobsoletarum longitudinalibus, valde distantibus, granulis majoribus instructis; valv. term., costulis granulosis similibus radiantibus; mucrone vix mediano, parum conspicuo: intus, lobis suturalibus separatis, sinu maximo, planato; laminis insertionis lat. unifissatis, term. x.-xii.-fissatis, subobtusis; subgrundis modicis, subconspicuis: limbo pallii latiore, squamis imbricatis, elongatis, transversim striatis, crebris ornatâ.

Long. 0·30; lat. 0·17; div. 100°.

_Hab._ Catalina Island; 10-20 fm., _Cooper_.

Subgenus TRACHYDERMON,[18] Cpr.

Ischnochiton: squamis pallii minimis, confertis.

_Trachydermon Gothicus_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, 518_a_.

Tr. t. parvâ valde elevatâ, viridi, rosaceo et olivaceo eleganter tinctâ; valvis gothice arcuatis, jugo acuto; areis lateralibus parvis, arcuatim distincte definitis, granulosis; umbonibus prominentibus; marginibus umbonalibus colore tessellatis, intortis; areis centralibus longitudinaliter costatis, costis rotundatis, crebris, haud valde expressis, interstitiis parvis, vix interdum decussatis; valv. term. ut in ar. lat. sculptis, posticâ mucrone mediano, subelevato: intus, lobis suturalibus haud separatis, medio latissime sinuatis; laminis insertionis, lat. unifissatis, term. viii.-x.-fissatis, obtusis, subgrundis haud elevatis: limbo pallii minutissime squamuloso, granulis confertissimis, subrotundatis, lævibus; circa marginem pilulis suberectis.

Long. 0·20, lat. 0·10; div. 80°.

_Hab._ Catalina Island, 8-20 fm., _Cooper_.

Genus LEPTOCHITON, Gray.

_Leptochiton nexus_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, 1071a.

L. t. parvâ, albocinereâ, valvice gothis arcuatis; areis lateralibus vix definitis; totâ superficie squamulis subquadratis seriatim ornata; seriebus ar. centr. longitudinalibus, ar. lat. et valv. term. radiantibus, creberrimis, haud interruptis; jugo elevato, sub-acuto; umbonibus inconspicuis; marginibus umbonalibus vix inflectis, lateralibus vix à squamulis serrulatis; mucrone conspicuo, mediano: intus, laminis centralibus valde lobatis, sinu maximo, planato; lam. insertionis obsoletis: pallio, squamulis paleatis, striatis, confertis instructo; pilis elatioribus aciculinis, crystallinis, huc et illuc et circa marginem ornato.

Long. 0·30, lat. 0·18; div. 90°.

_Hab._ Catalina Island, 10-20 fm., _Cooper_.

The appearance of this northern genus among the Mopaliæ and Ischnochitons is very remarkable; as is the character of the mantle-margin.

Genus NACELLA, Schumacher.

_Nacella (? palleacea, var.) triangularis_, Cpr. State Coll. No. 416_c_.

N. t. “_N. palleacea_” simili, sed multo minus elongatâ; apice elato, marginibus rectangulatim divergentibus; albidâ, maculis fuscis perpaucis ornatâ; striulis subobsoletis.

Long. 0·28, lat. 0·12, alt. 0·18, div. 90°.

_Hab._ Monterey, 4 dredged dead, _Cooper_.

Probably a distinct species. The solitary shell sent by Dr. Cooper is shaped like a right-angled triangle, with five large brown spots near the base.

_? Nacella subspiralis_, Cpr.? n. s. State Collection, 416b.

? N. t. parvâ, carneâ, lævi, tenuissimâ; vertice “_Emarginulæ_” simulante, subspirali, sed apice patelloideo, adunco; t. adultâ valde elevatâ; margine laterali antico subrecto, apice projiciente, valde remoto; postico maxime fornicato; aperturæ margine antice et postice prolongato.

Long. 0·26, lat. 0·19, alt. 0·20, div. 80°.

_Hab._ Catalina Island, 10-20 fm., 4 dead, _Cooper_.

This may be the young of the long-lost _Patella calyptra_, Mart. It may be a _Scutellina_. Even the genus cannot be predicated from the shell alone.

Genus ACMÆA, Eschholtz.

_Acmæa (? pileolus, var.) rosacea_, Cpr.

A. t. parvâ, conicâ, tenui, lævi; t. jun. pallide rosaceâ, elegantissime maculis albis et fuscis subradiatim sparsis; t. adulta strigis fusco-rosaceis et albidis pictâ; apice elevato, parum antico; intus rosaceo.

Long. 0·20, lat. 0·16, alt. 0·08, div. 100°.

_Hab._ San Diego, 1 sp. jun. (_Palmer_): Monterey, 1 dead sp. _Cooper_.

The absence of striæ, very thin texture, and regularly conical growth, distinguish this shell from _A. patina_, a rare variety of which has a pinkish tinge. Specimens in Mus. Cuming are marked “_pileolus_, Midd.,” but do not accord with the diagnosis. It is almost exactly like Herm[19] specimens of _A. virginea_. Col. Jewett’s similar shells, marked “Panama,” were perhaps West Indian.

Genus SCURRIA (?), Gray.

_Scurria (?) funiculata_, Cpr. (?) n. s. State Collection, No. 466_d_.

? Sc. t. parvâ, albidâ, regulariter conicâ, apice acuto, elevato, parum antrorsum sito; liris validis, rotundatis, interdum vix nodulosis, irregulariter, huc et illuc duplo vel tripliciter dispositis; margine à costis extus undato; cicatrice haud conspicuo.

Long. 0·50, lat. 0·38, alt. 0·26, div. 80°.

_Hab._ Monterey, 6 dredged dead, _Cooper_.

So different from the most strongly marked young specimens of _Sc. mitra_ that I presume it to be distinct. The genus depends on the animal, which has not yet been seen.

Genus PUNCTURELLA, Lowe.

_Puncturella Cooperi_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection No. 1029.

P. t. “_P. galeatæ_,” fere exacte simulante; sed laminâ internâ solidâ, planatâ, haud antice sinuatâ, haud suffultâ.

Long. 0·30, lat. 0·21, alt. 0·24, div. 70°.

_Hab._ Catalina Island, not rare, 40 to 20 fms., _Cooper_, alive.

Outside like _P. noachina_; but with the lamina like _P. cucullata_, without eye-holes. The latter species is extremely variable in sculpture, but never so fine as this; and the shape is less conical.

Genus GIBBULA, Leach.

_Gibbula optabilis_, Cpr. n. s.

G. t. parvâ, pulcherrimâ, subconicâ; lurida, fusco-purpureo maculatâ; anfr. v. subquadratis, suturis distinctis; carinis principalibus in spirâ ii., aliâ intercalante; carinâ fortiori peripheriali, et lirulis circ. vi. basalibus, regulariter colore punctatis; lirâ posticâ subobsolete suturam attingente; aliis minoribus intercalantibus; interstitiis ubique tenerrime et creberrime decussatis; basi subtumente, ad carinam peripherialem fere rectangulato; aperturâ subquadratâ, columellâ parum arcuata; umbilico magno, infundibuliformi, angulato; liris ii. intus spiraliter ascendentibus.

Long. 0·19, long. spir. 0·10, lat. 0·19, div. 80°.

_Hab._ San Pedro, _Palmer_, one specimen.

Genus CALLIOSTOMA, Swainson.

The names _Calliostoma_ and _Ziziphinus_ having been published in the same year, I have no hesitation in preferring the generic to the specific.

_Calliostoma supragranosum_, Cpr. n. s.

C. t. parvâ; anfr. v. tumentibus; liris acutis cincta, quarum mediæ læves, posticæ granosæ, basales ix. minores.

_Hab._ San Diego; _Cooper_.

The single specimen sent differs as above from the young of the next species.

_Calliostoma gemmulatum_, Cpr. Br. Assoc. Rep. 1863, pp. 612, 653.

Syn. _C. formosum_, Cpr. Proc. Cal. Ac. 1864, 155: non Forbes.

While the sheets of the Report were passing through the press, it was found that the name had been preoccupied by Forbes. As it happened the Californian sheet was being printed simultaneously, and there was no time to make the alteration.

Genus ETHALIA, Adams.

_Ethalia supravallata_, Cpr. n. s.

E. t. parvâ, albidâ, nitente, subdiaphanâ, planatâ; anfr. nucl. ii. et dimidio, lævis, diaphanis; norm. uno et dimidio, rotundatis; postice carinâ valde extante, et fossâ concavâ contiguâ suturam tenus, supra spiram vix planatam ascendente; in medio basis rotundatæ carinâ alterâ plus minusve extante; inter eas, circa peripheriam, lirulis radiantibus minimis, haud expressis, sub lente vix conspicuis; regione umbilicari parum concavo; aperturâ circulari; labro à carinis angulato; columellâ, valde callosâ, porrecta; callositate pyriformi regionem umbilicarem circumambiente.

Long. 0·03, long, spir. 0. (?) lat. 0·45, div. 180°.

_Hab._ San Diego, _Cooper_, shell-washings.

Typical among the Vitrinelloid _Ethaliæ_ described in Maz. Cat., Nos. 310, 318. Remarkable for the small number of turns in the mature shell as compared with the nucleus.

_Ethalia var. invallata_, Cpr.

E. t. “_E. supravallatæ_,” aliter exacte simili; sed vallo spirali omnino carente; basi angulatâ, haud carinatâ.

_Hab._ San Diego, shell-washings, _Cooper_.

These shells would certainly have been regarded as distinct, but for one specimen which began smoothly, yet after a fracture suddenly commenced a (not prominent) keel: an instructive lesson on variations in sculpture.

Genus GALERUS, Humphreys.

_Galerus contortus_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 369.

G. t. parvâ, tenui, albidâ; vertice nucleoso planato, extante, minimo, anfr. uno et dimidio planorbi-formibus, apice conspicuo; dein conoideâ, elevata, solute spirali, suturis impressis; superficie rudi, laminis incrementi interdum conspicuis; laminâ internâ.

Long. 0·26, lat. 0·24, alt. 0·15, div. 80°.

_Hab._ Monterey, 20-40 fm.; Santa Barbara, 16-20 fm.; Catalina Island, 30-40 fm.; _Cooper_.

The vertex stands out like a tiny Planorbis, and is more minute than in any species I have examined.

Genus CÆCUM, Fleming.

_Cæcum crebricinctum_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 388.

C. (_Anellum_) t., quoad genus, magnâ, tereti, solidiore, rufofusca, interdum radiis intensioribus longitudinalibus ornatâ; annulis gracillimis, creberrimis, rotundatis, haud elevatis circ. lxxx. cinctâ; interstitiis nullis; sculpturâ longitudinali nullâ; aperturâ acutâ, vix contractâ, vix declivi; septo subungulato, submucronato; margine laterali recto; apice acuto, ad angulum circ. 45°, maxime elevato; operculo vix concavo, lirâ spirali elevatâ.

Long. 0·14, lat. 0·04.

_Hab._ San Diego, 8-10 fms., 12; Monterey, 20 fms., 20, some alive; Santa Barbara, 20 fms., 3, _Cooper_.

Has the aspect, but not the sculpture, of an Elephantulum.

_Cœcum Cooperi_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 667a.

C. (_Anellum_) t. parvâ, satis tereti, albâ; annulis crebris acutioribus, angustis, circ. xxxiv.-xxxviii., interstitiis subconcavis; septo subungulato; apice obtuso, haud elevato, margine laterali recto; aperturâ declivi, parum contracto et postice expanso; operculo?

Long. 0·09, lat. 0·025.

_Hab._ San Diego and Catalina Island, 8-10 fms., 18, _Cooper_.

Known from similar Mazatlan species by the very numerous but separated and somewhat sharp ribs.

Genus TURRITELLA, Lamarck.

_Turritella Cooperi_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 564.

T. t. valde tereti, tenuiore, cinereâ, rufofusco tinctâ; anf. plurimis, angustis, subplanatis, suturis distinctis; liris ii. et striulis crebris spiraliter ornatâ; basi angulatâ; aperturâ subquadratâ; labro valde sinuato.

Long. 1·80, long. spir. 1·50, lat. 0·45.

_Hab._ San Pedro, 60; San Diego, 16 dead on beach; Santa Barbara, 4 dead, in 16-20 fms. _Cooper_.

As I have seen no complete list of the very numerous fossil species of this genus, it appears allowable, rather than risk a synonym, to name this graceful shell after its discoverer.

Genus? MESALIA, Gray.

_? Mesalia tenuisculpta_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 666 _a_.

? M. t. tenui, regulariter turritâ, fusco-cinereâ; anfr. nucl. lævibus, normalibus, apice acuto; norm. viii. rotundatis, suturis impressis; lirulis spiralibus; haud extantibus, plus minusve distantibus, irregularibus cinctâ quarum anfr. primis duæ anticæ majores; lirulis circa basim rotundatam obtusis, subregularibus; rugulis incrementi irregularibus, interdum decussantibus; aperturâ subrotundatâ, peritremati haud continuâ; labro acuto, postice flexuoso; labio tenui.

Long. 0·28, long. spir. 0·18, lat. 0·10, div. 15°.

_Hab._ S. Diego; 4-6 fms., 15, alive. _Cooper_.

Intermediate in character between _Mesalia_ and _Fenella_.

Genus ISAPIS, H. & A. Adams.

_Isapis obtusa_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 682.

I. t. “_I. fenestratæ_” indole simili, sed magis elongatâ, subnitente, pallide rosacea; vertice nucleoso decliviter immerso, celato; anfr. norm. postice subplanatis, suturis obtusis; costis tumentibus rotundatis circ. vii., suturas et umbilicum minorem versus obsoletis, plus minusve extantibus; interstitiis parvis, irregularibus, haud decussatis; peritremati continuo, labro tenui, secundum costas variantes undulato; labio medio calloso.

Long. 0·23, long. spir. 0·09, lat. 0·16, div. 60°.

_Hab._ S. Diego, 10 fm.; Sta. Barbara, 20 fm.; _Cooper_.

The fortunate discovery of some perfect young specimens displays a nucleus so like _Odostomia_ that, despite the resemblance of the shell to _Fossarus_, which has a tuberoid nucleus, it most probably belongs to _Pyramidellidæ_.

Genus RISSOINA, D’Orbigny.

_Rissoina interfossa_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 387, _b_.

R. t. satis magnâ, crassâ, albâ, satis turritâ, conspicue sculptâ; marginibus spiræ rectis, vertice mamillato; anfr. nucl. ?.. [detritis]; norm. vii. tumidis, angulatis, suturis angulatim impressis; carinis spiralibus validis, in spirâ ii.; alterâ posticâ interdum intercalante; anfr. ultimo duabus quoque peripherialibus, quintâ axim circumeunte; costis radiantibus validis, extantibus, circ. xiv., ad suturas contiguis, liris regularibus spiram ascendentibus, ad intersectiones carinarum nodulosis, ad peripheriam continuis; interstitiis quadratis, alte infossatis; aperturâ ovatâ.

Long. 0·26, long. spir. 0·18, lat. 0·10; div. 28°.

_Hab._ Catalina Is. 8-10 fm. 4; San Diego 1; Monterey, (var.) _Cooper_.

Genus RISSOA, Freminville.

_Rissoa acutelirata_, Cpr. n. s.

R. t. tenui, satis turritâ, rufocinereâ, marginibus spiræ parum excurvatis; anfr. nucl. iii. normalibus lævibus, vertice parum mamillato; norm. iii. subrotundatis, suturis valde impressis; liris radiantibus circ. xviii. acutis, distantibus, ad peripheriam evanidis; lirulis acutis spiralibus distantibus circ. xv., quarum vi. in spirâ monstrantur, liris radiantibus et interstitiis latis, undatis, eleganter superantibus, haud nodulosis; basi rotundatâ, haud umbilicatâ; aperturâ ovatâ, peritremati continuo.

Long. 0·09, long. spir. 0·05, lat. 0·05, div. 35°.

_Hab._ S. Diego; 1 sp. and fragment in shell-washings. _Cooper_.

Genus FENELLA, H. & A. Adams.

_Fenella pupoidea_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 389.

F. t. _Truncatellæformi_, sed apice haud decollato; colore maxime variante; seu unicolori, albido, cinereo, viridescente, rufofusco, seu splendide rubro; seu varie fusco maculato; anfr. nucl. iii. lævibus, globosis, vertice mamillato; norm. v. rotundatis, fere æqualibus, plus minusve solutis, suturis subimpressis; totâ superficie tenue spiraliter striatâ; striis in spirâ majoribus, circ. viii. distantibus, minoribus creberrimis intercalantibus; circa basim rotundatam circ. x. majoribus, contiguis, minoribus paucis; aperturâ circulari, peritremati continuo, solido, ad suturam parum callosam appresso; umbilico nullo.

Long. 0·23, long. spir. 0·16, lat. 0·09, div. 12°.

_Hab._ Monterey, 20 fm. 45, dead. _Cooper._

Genus AMPHITHALAMUS,[20] Cpr.

Testa _Rissoidea_; nucleo magno; apertura labio producto, labro subpostice juncto, subito in adultâ contracta.

_Type._ _Amphithalamus inclusus_, Cpr. Br. Assoc. Rep. 1863, p. 656; Ann. Nat. Hist. Jan. 1865.

_Hab._ Santa Barbara, _Jewett_; S. Diego, in shell-washings. _Cooper._

_? Amphithalamus lacunatus_, Cpr. n. s.

? A. t. adolescente “_A. incluso_” simili; nucleo similiter minutissime et confertissime spiraliter et radiatim striulato; sed majore, latiore, anfr. subplanatis; basi late lacunatâ, haud carinatâ; adultâ ?..

Long. 0·06, long. spir. 0·03, lat. 0·03, div. 50°.

_Hab._ San Pedro. _Cooper._

Two dead specimens in the shell-washings of Dr. Palmer’s consignment to the Smithsonian Institute might have been passed over as the young of _Barleeia subtenuis_, but for the possession of exactly the same remarkable nucleus as _A. inclusus_. It is presumed, therefore, that they are congeneric; if so, the adult has not been seen.

Genus DIALA, H. & A. Adams.

_Diala acuta_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 390.

D. t. parvâ, turrito-conicâ, cerinâ, politâ, nitente; anfr. nucl. ii. naticoideis, vertice mamillato, apice indistincto; norm. v., omnino planatis, suturis indistinctis; peripheriâ acute angulatâ, vix carinatâ; basi omnino planatâ; aperturâ subquadratâ; peritremati continuo; labro postice paullum contracto; labio appresso; columellâ antice angulatâ, vix sinuatâ.

Long. 0·15, long. spir. 0·09, lat. 0·07, div. 29°.

_Hab._ Catalina Is. 8-10 fm.; on beach to Monterey. _Cooper._

_Diala marmorea_, Cpr. n. s.

D. t. solidâ, exacte conicâ, læviâ, nitente; subdiaphane pallidâ, rufo maculatâ; anfr. nucl. rotundatis, planorbeis, sub-oblique sitis, apice celato; norm. vi. planatis, suturis indistinctis; basi planatâ, sub-angulatâ; aperturâ ovali, peritremati continuo, haud varicoso.

Long. 0·17, long. spir. 0·11, lat. 0·08, div. 31°.

_Hab._ Monterey, S. Pedro; _Cooper_. Lower California, off Haliotis. _Rowell._

The description is written from a single perfect specimen in Mr. Rowell’s collection, and some fragments from the shell-washings of Dr. Cooper’s.

Genus STYLIFERINA, A. Adams.

_Styliferina turrita_, Cpr. n. s.

St. t. minimâ, albidâ, solidiore, lævi, turritâ; anfr. nud. iii. subnaticoideis, apice mamillato; norm. v. planatis, angustis, suturis parum impressis; basi subito rotundatâ, haud umbilicatâ; aperturâ subrotundatâ; labro postice parum contracto.

Long. 0·06, long. spir. 0·04, lat. 0·02, div. 20°.

_Hab._ S. Pedro. _Cooper._

A single specimen of this tiny shell was found in the shell-washings of Dr. Palmer’s consignment. The mouth is unfortunately choked up with a grain of coarse sand which I have not been able to extract.

Genus? JEFFREYSIA, Alder.

_? Jeffreysia translucens_, Cpr. n. s.

? J. t. “_Barleeiæ subtenui_” simili, sed tenuiore, tumidiore; corneâ, pallide fulvâ, lævi, nitente, satis diaphanâ; anfr. nucl. normalibus, apice submamillato; norm. iv. subconvexis, suturis distinctis; basi rotundatâ, haud umbilicatâ; aperturâ ovatâ, peritremati vix continuo; labro acuto; labio appresso, regione umbilicari parum calloso.

Long. 0·08, long. spir. 0·045, lat. 0·06, div. 55°.

_Hab._ S. Diego; in shell-washings. _Cooper._

Only one specimen having been seen, without animal or even operculum, the genus is doubtful. In its slight labial deposit it resembles _“Litiopa” dubiosa_, C. B. Adams.

Genus CYTHNA, A. Adams.

_Cythna albida_, Cpr. n. s.

C. t. minutâ, albidâ, lævi, diaphanâ, latâ; anfr. nucl. normalibus, vertice mamillato; norm. iii. tumidis, rotundatis, rapide augentibus, suturis valde impressis; basi rotundatâ, valde umbilicatâ; umbilico subangulato; aperturâ subrotundatâ; peritremati continuo, acuto, t. adultâ nonnunquam à pariete separato.

Long. 0·03, long. spir. 0·015, lat. 0·025, div. 80°.

_Hab._ S. Pedro; in shell-washings. _Cooper._

Known from _C. tumens_, Maz. Cat. No. 421, by the non-keeling of the umbilicus.

Genus CHRYSALLIDA, Cpr.

_Chrysallida pumila_, Cpr. n. s.

Chr. t. minutâ, angustâ, albâ; vert. nucl. subito immerso, dimidium truncationis tegente; marginibus spiræ parum excurvatis; anfr. norm. iv. planatis, suturis vix distinctis; clathris radiantibus rectis, validis, planatis, circ. xx., marginibus spiræ utroque latere parallelis, sæpius attingentibus, circa basim elongatam, rotundatam continuis; interstitiis lirulis acutis distantibus, haud extantibus, circ. x. decussatis, quarum iv. v. in spirâ monstrantur; aperturâ ovali, peritremati vix continuo; plicâ parietem tenus acutâ, haud celatâ, declivi.

Long. 0·06, long. spir. 0·03, lat. 0·025, div. 12°.

_Hab._ S. Pedro. _Cooper._

One specimen and a few fragments were found in the shell-washings of Dr. Palmer’s consignment. Differs from _Chr. ovulum_, in its slender shape and delicate spiral sculpture.

_Chrysallida cincta_, Cpr. n. s.

Chr. t. satis regulari, albâ, marginibus spiræ vix excurvatis; vert. nucl. parvo, celato, dimidium truncationis vix superante; anfr. norm. iv. parum excurvatis, suturis distinctis; costis spiralibus obtusis circ. x, cinctâ, quarum iv. in spirâ monstrantur; costis iii. posticis radiatim subgranulosis, seriebus circ. xv., marginibus spiræ utrinque parallelis, supra quartam subobsoletis; interstitiis latis, delicatim decussatis; basi satis prolongatâ; columellâ antice valde effusâ; plicâ parvâ, medianâ.

Long. 0·11, long. spir. 0·07, lat. 0·05, div. 35°.

_Hab._ Santa Barbara group of islands. _Cooper._

The solitary specimen is probably immature. Intermediate between _Chrysallida_ proper and _Mumiola_.

Genus CHEMNITZIA, D’Orbigny.

_Chemnitzia chocolata_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 428.

Ch. t. “_C. tridentatæ_” magnitudine et indole simili; sed teretiore, dense castaneâ, fasciis pallidioribus sub epidermide adhærente ornatâ; anfr. primis gracillimis; vert. nucl. anfr. iii, helicoideis, valde decliviter sito, marginibus spiræ rectis, angustis, haud superante; anfr. norm. xii. planatis, primis tumidioribus, suturis impressis; costis circ. xxviii. rotundatis, validis, circa basim prolongatam haud subito evanidis, anfr. ult. sæpe obsoletis; interstitiis haud æquantibus, haud undatis, haud sulcatis; totâ superficie sub lente minutissime et creberrime spiraliter striulatâ; aperturâ ovali, columellâ parum contortâ, labro intus tenui, haud dentato.

Long. 0·55, long. spir. 0·43, lat. 0·13, div. 17°.

_Hab._ S. Pedro, S. Diego, Monterey; rare. _Cooper._

One specimen, in Dr. Palmer’s consignment, is known from _Ch. tridentata_ by the very effuse spire, prolonged base, and crowded ribs without waved sculpture between.

_Chemnitzia subcuspidata_, Cpr. State Collection, No. 670, _a_.

Ch. t. parvâ, minus tereti, cerinâ seu purpureo-fuscâ; anfr. nud. ii. et dimidio, valde decliviter sitis, marginibus spiræ parum excurvatis superantibus; norm. viii. planatis, suturis excavatis; costis radiantibus circ. xviii. acutis, circa basim prolongatam vix continuis, ad suturas valde elevatis, subcuspidatis; interstitiis latioribus, undulatis; sulcis spiralibus creberrimis, altis, in spirâ circ. x., costas vix secantibus, circa basim impressis; peritremati vix continuo, labio distincto; columellâ vix tortâ.

Long. 0·23, long. spir. 0·16, lat. 0·06, div. 25°.

_Hab._ S. Diego; 25 dredged in shoal water. _Cooper._

Differs from the figure of _Ch. tenuicula_ (which represents a shell with more numerous ribs than the diagnosis) in its more distant ribs with broader interstices; closer and deeper spiral sculpture; impressed sutures; and especially by the elegant murication of the tops of the ribs, with projecting, curved lines between. This is best seen in the young shells, when the ribs are distinct over the base.

Genus EULIMA, Risso.

_Eulima (? var.) compacta_, Cpr.

Eu. t. “_Eu. micanti_,” jun. simili, sed multo minus tereti; marginibus spiræ parum excurvatis; anfr. nucl. ?.., [detritis], norm. vii.; basi et aperturâ elongatis; labro parum sinuato.

Long. 0·25, long. spir. 0·15, lat. 0·09, div. 22°.

_Hab._ San Pedro; _Cooper_.

A single dead shell was found in Dr. Palmer’s consignment.

_Eulima (? var.) rutila_, Cpr.

Eu. t. “_Eu. micanti_” jun. simili, sed magis tereti; valde nitente, rosaceo et livido tinctâ; anfr. nucl. ut in “_Eu. micante_;” norm. x. elongatis, gracillimis; basi et aperturâ valde prolongatis; columellâ magis tortâ; labro valde sinuato, supra suturam retrorsum calloso; labio angusto.

Long. 0·26, long. spir. 0·19, lat. 0·07, div. 20°.

_Hab._ Monterey; _Cooper_.

Closely allied to _Leiostraca producta_, Cpr. Maz. Cat. No. 551, but displays no varices. The Eulimidæ are very difficult to distinguish, from a few shells alone.

Genus SCALARIA, _Lam._

_Scalaria bellastriata_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 393, _b_.

S. t. curtâ tenuissimâ, albidâ; anfr. vii. valde tumentibus, haud nisi per costas attingentibus; costis circ. xvii. acutis extantibus, reflexis, haud semper in spirâ attingentibus, postice angulatis, parum spinosis; interstitiis circa spiram basimque dense spiraliter lirulatis, lirulis rotundatis, super varicum angulum obsoletis; aperturâ ovatâ, umbilico magno.

Long. 0·78, long. spir. 0·55, lat. 0·38; div. 40°.

_Hab._ Monterey, a fragment; San Diego, 1; San Pedro, 3; _Cooper_.

So different in sculpture from _S. pretiosa_ and other species with which it agrees in shape, that there will be no difficulty in recognizing perfect specimens.

_Scalaria subcoronata_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 393, _a_.

S. t. compactâ, haud elevatâ, albâ; anfr. x. rotundatis, parum attingentibus; costis circ. xiii. acutissimis, expansis, vix reflexis, postice attingentibus, lineis margini spiræ dextro parallelis spiram, ascendentibus, t. adolesc. postice vix coronatis, adultâ simplicibus; aperturâ subcirculari, umbilico nullo; sculpturâ spirali nullà.

Long. 0·45, long. spir. 0·29, lat. 0·22, div. 38°.

_Hab._ Monterey; _Cooper_.

Like _S. communis_, jun., but with the upper whorls slightly coronated.

_Scalaria crebricostata_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, 393.

S. t. gracili, tenui, albâ; anfr. x. rotundatis, haud attingentibus; costis circ. xv., acutis, reflexis, vix attingentibus, lineis irregulariter spiralibus ascendentibus; costis juxta suturam eleganter coronatis; sculpturâ spirali, nisi striulis interdum exillimis, nullâ; aperturâ rotundatâ; umbilico nullo; operculo normali, dense corneo.

Long. 0·70; long. spir. 0·52, lat. 0·18, div. 26°

_Hab._ Monterey, San Pedro, _Cooper_, common.

= “Scalaria, unique” Mus. Cum. No. 32.

Somewhat resembles _S. tenuis_, Sby., but is not so turrited.

Genus OPALIA, H. & A. Adams.

_Opalia spongiosa_, Cpr. n. s.

O. t. turritâ, parvâ, albidâ, marginibus spiræ rectis; anfr. ix. subplanatis, suturis impressis; costis undulantibus circ. xiii., plerumque (nisi ad suturas crenulatas) obsoletis; totà superficie lineis punctorum creberrimis, spiralibus, punctis creberrimis, minutis, altissimis; circa basim imperforatam costa anticâ latissimâ, spirali; aperturâ ovatâ, valde callosâ; operculo aurantiaco, paucispirali.

Long. 0·36, long. spir. 0·26, lat. 0·12, div. 20°.

_Hab._ Monterey, _Cooper_. From shell washings.

The solitary specimen has the general aspect of _O. granulosa_ on a very small scale.

_Opalia retiporosa_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 1014.

O. t. “_O. bullatæ_” formâ simulante, sed sculpturâ omnino diversâ; anfr. nucl. ?... (decollatis); norm. vii. subrotundatis, suturis impressis; costis radiantibus rotundatis, subarcuatis, haud varicosis, circ. xiv., super suturas tenue continuis; anfr. ult. seriebus nodulorum spiralibus irregularibus, vice costarum, instructâ, peripheriâ tuberculosâ; totâ superficie retiporosâ, interstitiis alte interpunctatis, punctulis minutissimis, confertissimis; basi vix costatâ, à serie nodulorum angulatâ; aperturâ rotundatâ; peritremati continuo, varicoso; labro haud sinuato; operculo? paucispirali.

Long. 0·28, long. spir. 0·20; lat. 0·10; div. 20°.

_Hab._ Catalina Island; 3 dead in 40 fm.; _Cooper_.

The texture has a rotten appearance; yet one of the specimens was stained with purple, and contained the dried remains of the animal, with its operculum. In the endeavor to extract this, the shell gave way.

Genus NASSA, _Lam._

_Nassa insculpta_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 1008.

N. t. satis elevatâ, compactâ, tenuiore, elegantissimâ, marginibus spiræ subrectis; albescente, rufo-carneo varie maculatâ; anfr. nucl. iv. lævibus, normaliter augentibus, apice minuto, satis extante; norm. v. subrotundatis, suturis satis impressis; aperturâ subrotundatâ, canali acute reflexâ; totâ superficie sulculis æquidistantibus, quarum x. anfr. penult. apparent, insculptâ; anfr. norm. ii. primis costulis quoque radiantibus circ. xvi. haud expressis ornatâ; labro rotundato, extus varicoso, intus sulcidentato; labio valde calloso, supra basim seu parietem expanso, haud extante, intus ruguloso.

Long. 0·80, long. spir. 0·43, lat. 0·46, div. 45°.

_Hab._ Catalina Island, 30-40 fm.; 15 mostly alive, but few mature; animal white; _Cooper_.

This singularly beautiful species probably belongs to the section _Zeuxis_, H. & A. Adams. The callus is slightly reflexed in the best specimen.

Genus AMYCLA, H. & A. Adams, 1858. (auctum.)

_? Amycla chrysalloidea_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 613.

? A. t. parvà, eleganter effusâ, marginibus spiræ utrinque excurvatis; albidâ, rufofusco concinne punctatâ seu tinctâ; interdum strigâ albida subsuturali, rufofusco tesselatâ; anfr. nucl. iii. lævibus, haud tumidis, apice declivi; norm. v., t. adolescente planatis, dein tumidioribus, suturis distinctis; totâ superficie elegantissime tenuiter sulcatâ, sulcis æquidistantibus, anfr. penult. circ. xx.; aperturâ flexuosâ subpyriformi; canali oblique sinistrorsum truncatâ, axi quasi umbilicatâ; labro intus acuto, postice sinuato, deorsum quasi tumidiore, intus vii-dentato; columellâ tortâ; labio antice rugis paucioribus interdum munito.

Long. 0·37, long. spir. 0·22; lat. 0·14; div. 25°.

_Hab._ San Pedro, 1 on beach; San Diego, 30, some alive in 8 fms. on sand, in upper part of bay. _Cooper._

This is one of the most beautiful, but (without a knowledge of either animal, or operculum) most puzzling of the small shells of California. It has relations with _Euryta_, _Truncaria_, _Metula_, and _Daphnella_.

Genus ANACHIS, H. & A. Adams.

_Anachis subturrita_, Cpr. n. s.

A. t. minuta, angusta, Rissoinoideâ, pallide purpureofuscâ, albido maculosâ; anfr. nucl. ? (decollatis); norm. v. subplanatis, suturis distinctis; costulis radiantibus circ. xx. angustis, vix extantibus, parum flexuosis; sculpturâ spirali nullâ; aperturâ quadratâ; labro acuto deorsum tumente, postice sinuato; labio conspicuo; columellâ tortâ, truncatâ.

Long. 0·13, long. spir. 0·09, lat. 0·05, div. 30°.

_Hab._ San Diego, _Cooper_. From shell washings.

The only specimen seen of this tiny species is not quite mature, and has formed no labral teeth.

Genus TROPHON, Montfort.

_Trophon triangulatus_, Cpr. n. s. State Collection, No. 580, _a_.

T. t. parvâ, tenui, albâ, postice latâ, antice attenuatâ; anfr. nucl. ii. minutis, lævibus, attenuatis, vertice declivi, celato; norm. (t. adolescente) iv. subtriangulatis, postice tabulatis, axi fere rectangulatis; suturis acute impressis; antice rapidissime angustatis, canali longâ, arcuatâ; varicibus circ. vii. laminalis, acutis, ad angulum in spinam apertam compressis, spinis radiantibus, parum superne arcuatis; lineâ seu angulo obsoleto peripheriali, suturam continuante; aperturâ pyriformi; labro antice haud indentato.

Long. 0·35, long. spir. 0·15, lat. 0·15, div. 70°.

_Hab._ Catalina Island, 60 fm.; 4 alive, of equal size, _Cooper_.

Resembles the young of _Murex centrifuga_, Hds., and is related to _Trophon muricatus_, Hds.

Besides the above species, which were entirely new to science, the fresh and perfect specimens collected by Dr. Cooper, on the Survey, from authentic localities have enabled me to make out and complete the diagnoses of many species first found indeed by other naturalists, but in such poor condition, or with such uncertainty of habitat, that it would have been unsafe to have ventured on their description.

[16] From the Greek, for _twisted tooth_.

[17] From the Greek for _a sawyer_; from the serration of the teeth, which is unique in the family.

[18] From the Greek for _rough skin_.

[19] A small island in the British Channel.

[20] From the Greek for _chamber on both sides_.

REGULAR MEETING, SEPTEMBER 18TH, 1865.

President in the chair.

Seven members present.

Mr. P. M. Randall was elected a resident member.

Donation to the Cabinet: Specimen of _Aplodontia leporina_, shot near Lake Tahoe, by Mr. J. M. M’Donald.

REGULAR MEETING, OCTOBER 2D, 1865.

Mr. Fisk in the chair.

Seven members present.

Donations to the Library: Proceedings of the Royal Horticultural Society, Vol. IV, No. 12—Correspondenzblatt des Naturf. Vereins zu Riga, 14te Jahrgang. Mittheilungen aus dem Osterlande 1 Sept. 1-4, 1860-1864; Kongliga Svenska Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar, 1862; Ofversigt of K. V. Ak. Förhandlingar, 1-10, 1863; Meteorologiska Iaktagelser, 1862; Mémoires de l’Académie Impériale des Sciences de St. Petersbourg, Tome V, Nos. 2-9; VI; 1-12. Bulletin de l’Académie de St. Petersbourg, Tome V, 3-8; VI, 1-5; VII, 1-2; Verhandlingen van het Bataviaasch Genootschap, Deel XXIX, 1862. Tijdschrift voor indesche Taal-Land-en Volkenkunde, Deel XI, 4th Serie, Deel III, Afl. 1-6; Sitzungsberichte der K. bay. Ak. der Wissenschaften, zu München, 1863, II, Heft 2-4; 1864, I, Heft 1-4, Supp. 5; 1864, II; Heft 1-2. Annalen der K. Sternwarte bei München, Band XIII, Supplementband, IV. Botanisk Reise of Axel Blytt, 1864. Beretning af G. P. Sars, 1864. Meteorologische Beobachtungen auf Christiania’s Observatorium, Lieferung 1-4. Monatsberichte der k. preuss. Ak. der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, 1864. Journal d’Agriculture, 1862. Mémoires de l’Académie imp. de Dijon, Ser 2, Tomes 10, 11, 1862, 1863. Société imp. des Sciences Naturelles de Cherbourg, Tomes IX, X.

The above-named volumes were presented by the different societies named, through the Smithsonian Institution.

Mr. Stearns announced that _Helix infumata_ had been found as far south as Cape Mendocino.

REGULAR MEETING, OCTOBER 16TH, 1865.

President in the chair.

Five members present.

The following paper was presented by Mr. Bolander.

Remarks on California Trees.

BY HENRY N. BOLANDER.

NOTE.—Localities given with two !! I have not visited myself. I would also further remark that I am by no means sure of having correctly determined the two oaks—_Quercus Douglasii_ and _Garryana_.

It may not be altogether amiss to offer some observations on the distribution and value, as specimens, of some of our trees which I have met with on my various trips over a portion of this State.

1. _Pinus Sabiniana_, Dougl. (Digger Pine.)

Invariably disposed over south-hillsides of the interior, occupying the driest expositions—Mount Diablo! Russian River Valley! Geysers! Auburn and Forest Hill! San José Valley! Near Mission San Antonio!! Mountains east of San Diego!!

As to its value there are a great many contradictory assertions made by farmers; some assert it yields an excellent wood for yokes and similar objects, while others denounce it as entirely useless.

2. _Pinus Lambertiana_, Dougl. (Sugar Pine.)

Pine Mountains near Geysers! Near Cloverdale! Forest Hill! Mountains east of San Diego!! Generally with _Pinus ponderosa_ in groves, occupying the damper localities.

3. _Pinus ponderosa_, Dougl. (Yellow Pine.)

Russian River Valley! south of Clear Lake! Geysers! Auburn and Forest Hill! San José Valley! Blue Mountains!! (Mr. Dunn) Rocky Mountains!! New Mexico!!

4. _Pinus insignis_. Dougl. (Monterey Pine.)

Monterey! Carmelo Valley!

This species covers many thousand acres of land near and by Monterey and Carmelo, forming quite an extensive forest along the coast between these two places. Height, sixty to one hundred feet, and one to three feet diameter; outline very irregular, consisting often of only a few rigid spreading branches; foliage dense and of a vivid green color; cones persistent, often from ten to nineteen whorls; bark very thick and rimose. Wood extremely resinous and rather coarse-grained; excellent for street planks, bridges, and floors. At present it is no more in the market as lumber; the good timber has been all cut, and the saw-mill removed.

Considering that there is, besides this species, only _Pinus muricata_ growing in that forest, which could not be confounded with the species in question—it is certainly most singular to meet with so many synonyms for it. _Pinus radiata_, Don.; _Pinus Sinclairii_ and _Pinus tuberculata_, provided this last should not prove to be a good species. It is the more astonishing since trees and cones are of great conformity throughout the entire forest.

5. _Pinus tuberculata_, Don.

Santa Cruz! Ukiah! Oakland hills! Forest Hill! Eureka!!

In all these localities, it is a small tree, from twenty to thirty feet high, and from six to fourteen inches in diameter. It retains its lowest branches, which spread generally very much, often horizontally. The foliage seems to me less dense and less vivid-green, than that of the preceding. Young trees raised here, side by side, show the same differential characters. The cones from all these different localities are very uniform, and differ essentially from those of _Pinus insignis_ at Monterey. The seeds, however, resemble each other very much. Both species grow near the coast, but on different soil. _Pinus insignis_, on a soil produced by the disintegration of a bituminous slate and granite; _Pinus tuberculata_, in all the above-mentioned localities, on a soil derived from metamorphosed sandstone. Should these two species be definitely united, after a thorough investigation, they would afford a most striking example of the influence of a different soil. It is certainly singular to find such a well-characterized form restricted to one locality only. This fact, however, would not stand isolated with us here; _Abies bracteata_, we find similarly confined to one locality only in California. Isolation is more or less a characteristic feature with all our trees, and there is probably no country where the influences of soil, climate, and exposition are so well and abruptly marked and unmistakably defined.

6. _Pinus muricata_, Don.

Monterey! Mendocino City!

In a moist depression at Monterey, I found a small group of this species, averaging about fifteen feet in height, and five to six inches in diameter. Bark reddish and nearly smooth; branches almost at a right angle with the main axis and generally from five to seven in a whorl; leaves of a darker vivid green, and more succulent and longer, than those of _Pinus insignis_, of which there were trees of the same size by the side of it; cones from three to seven, in a whorl very much aggregated and clustered. I counted seventeen whorls on a tree fifteen feet high. The lower portion of the trunk was clad with dead leaves.

At the same distance (about two miles) from the ocean, and scarcely a mile from the above-mentioned depression, I found another group (mixed with _Cupressus macrocarpa_) in a deeper but drier locality. Here the tree was altogether of a different aspect, inferior in all its parts. This very transition suggested strongly, that this pine and the one previously seen on the plains near Mendocino City, on a similar soil, might be of the same species.

Near Mendocino City, on the so-called plains, I found in great abundance a small pine tree, which I refer for the present to this species.

Height, five to twenty feet, but the greater number averaged only from five to fifteen feet. Only one tree which I noticed which was fifty-five inches in circumference, and twenty to twenty-five feet in height. It had a flattish top with the branches very much imbricated and so completely covered with cones, that it was really difficult to discover its foliage. But this tree was very exceptional, compared with the mass of little trees covering the plains. These had in general upright branches with numerous and slender branchlets; leaves shorter, denser, and of a darker green than _Pinus contorta_? which grows with it and is a larger tree altogether; bark reddish, very thin, exhaling a strong resinous odor, and but slightly rimose; cones two to four inches long (curved when long) and scarcely an inch thick, mostly in pairs, but sometimes in threes, reflexed. I counted fifteen sets of cones on a tree fifteen feet high.

7. _Pinus contorta_, Dougl.?

Head of Tomales Bay! Mendocino City!

Its manner of growth resembles that of _Pinus insignis_ very much. It attains the same height, has the same irregular spreading branches, the same thick rimose bark and very resinous wood. The leaves are invariably in pairs and slightly silvery on the lower surface. The cones are scarcely two inches long with mostly reflex pedicles (umbo) on the slightly gibbous side and persistent for a great number of years.

From the River Albin to Mendocino City, it grows quite near the coast on a fertile and undulating plain, gently descending towards the ocean. At Mendocino City I found it to extend all over the plains about eight miles eastward.

Whether this species is identical with _Pinus contorta_ or not I am unable to decide. Observations made by Mr. Geo. Wm. Dunn, on his recent travels through the Blue and Siskiyou mountains, have rather a tendency to show that _Pinus contorta_ is altogether a different tree. I can state, however, most positively that this species cannot be confounded with _Pinus muricata_. Both species are two-leaved, but in every other respect they differ widely. The object of these remarks is only to point out the different species, met in my travels, and not to decide which name should have precedence. Murray’s discussion on the distribution of our Pines, in his “Notes on California Trees,” has not “struck” me as being so very correct. Endlicher, in his Synopsis Coniferarum, makes _Pinus muricata_ a Taeda, which is also incorrect; it is a true Pinaster. It remains to decide only, whether the species at Mendocino City is _P. contorta_, or _P. Murrayana_, Balf.

8. _Libocedrus decurrens_, Torr. (California White Cedar.)

Forest Hill! (forming quite a large woods there). Rancheria Creek! Mendocino County. East of Salinas River, Monterey County. Dr. Canfield. East of San Diego!!

On the banks of Rancheria Creek, in the south-western part of Mendocino County, I found a small colony of this handsome tree. The largest were about forty to sixty feet high and two to three feet in diameter. Judging from the young after-growth, the tree seems likely to spread. I was informed that this is the only place in the county where it is to be found. In the latter part of September (1865) the tree had its aments strongly developed. Cones decidedly pendulous.

9. _Cupressus macrocarpa_, Hartw. (Monterey Cypress.)

Monterey! Tamal Pais (2,700 feet)! Mendocino City! and south-east of Clear Lake!

This species seems to be extremely variable. At Monterey, about two miles from the coast, I saw, upon exposed granite rocks, but slightly disintegrated, specimens only six inches high, bearing perfect cones. Going westward, at the same distance from the ocean, I found specimens in a depression associated with _Pinus muricata_, from ten to fifteen feet high, full with cones; and extending my walk to Cypress Point, a distance of three to four miles, I was surprised to find a large grove of this species, containing mostly large trees of great beauty and perfection. The average height may be from forty to sixty feet, and as they were (right at the point) almost all alike in thickness, I measured but three, finding their circumference to be one hundred and nineteen, one hundred and four, and one hundred and twenty inches, about four feet above the ground. At this point these trees are almost daily enveloped in a dense fog. Their branches are very densely imbricated and depressed, retaining the moisture to such an extent that the thick clusters of cones are quite mouldy. Between the cones and little dense branchlets settles a great deal of rubbish, which is almost dripping wet. It is undoubtedly owing to this very fact that so many seeds of this species, collected there, prove abortive.

Seeing so great a variation at Monterey, I do not hesitate to refer all specimens, seen at the other localities mentioned above, to this species at present.

On the plain near Mendocino City, that species exhibited about the same gradations, although not so strikingly as at Monterey.

10. _Torreya Californica_, Torr. (California Nutmeg.)

Paper Mill! Marin County. Ukiah! Mendocino City! Forest Hill!

Generally dispersed, only at Ukiah I found quite a group of this species. Wood valuable.

11. _Taxus brevifolia_, Nutt. (California Yew-Tree.)

Devil’s Cañon, near Forest Hill! A handsome tree, twenty to thirty feet high, with extremely slender and drooping branches. Dispersed but plenty.

Wood valuable.

12. _Quercus agrifolia_, Nées. (Live Oak.)

Oakland! Banks of Sacramento River! Clear Lake! Russian River Valley! Anderson Valley! Monterey!

Foliage extremely variable. On river banks and in expositions close to the coast, where it is almost daily enveloped in fogs, this species exhibits quite a uniformity; the figure of _Quercus oxyadenia_ in Sitgreaves’ Report represents this form of it very well. In the valleys of the interior the shape of the leaves of one and the same tree is very different. Some have entire margins, while others have them pretty deeply dentated, often one side is entire and the other dentate. Some trees occur of which the young shoots have the leaves “coarsely sinuate-toothed, or obliquely sinuate-toothed; teeth very sharply acute with a broad base, cuspidate-awned,” and thus agree with Dr. Kellogg’s _Quercus Morehus_—while the older branches have much smaller and entire leaves. In Anderson Valley I saw several trees whose entire foliage agrees admirably with Dr. Kellogg’s. Had I not seen that tree on the shore of Borax Lake exhibiting both forms, I should be inclined to call it a good species. The cups of the acorns of these trees have the scales long and loosely imbricated, and the acorn is almost entirely immerged; but this is also the case with those of some trees that have a far different foliage. Thus far I have not been able to find good, distinctive, reliable characters. There are transitions in all parts, even on the same tree. As the tree has the habit of growing in groups, one might suppose that trees of one group, at least, should show a uniformity in botanical characters; this is not so: just the very extremes may be found in one and the same group. This phenomenon I observed throughout the whole length of Anderson Valley, a distance of some eighteen miles. On dry gravelly hillsides in the interior this tree presents still another form: _Quercus Wislizeni_, Englm.

The acorns ripen annually and differ also essentially in shape and size. Soil, climate, and exposition, offer in this case no satisfactory explanation for so great a variation in one species. Should it not be attributed to intrinsic peculiarities?

13. _Quercus Garryana_, Hook. (White Oak.)

On dry easterly hillsides and in valleys on a poor buff-colored clay. Santa Rosa Valley! Clear Lake! Searsville! Anderson Valley! San José Valley!

Exposition and soil agree in all these localities.

The bark of this tree is rather thin, whitish, and less coarsely rimose than any other of the Californian oaks. It is always a flat-topped, middle-sized tree, apparently of a very slow, almost stunted, growth. The whitish bark of trunk and branches, the glaucous foliage, and the light-green color of the acorns, which it yields, however, quite sparingly, give this tree, compared with other oaks especially, quite a pale and hoary appearance.

Farmers consider the fine-grained wood of this oak very valuable for many farming implements. It ranks highest among our oaks.

14. _Quercus Douglasii_, Hook. (Pale Oak.)

Anderson Valley!

The general aspect and habit of this tree resembles very much that of _Quercus lobata_, with which it grows in the low, flat portions of Anderson Valley. Its branchlets, however, are short, rigid, and erect, while those of _Qu. lobata_ are mostly drooping. In fall, when laden with acorns, it presents a very striking difference by having its rather pale acorns densely aggregated and clustered at the extremities of the branchlets, resting, as it were, on the dark-green leaves. At a distance it may be mistaken for a full-bearing apple tree. It increases rapidly in number in Anderson Valley from south to north, outnumbering almost every other oak at the lower end of the valley. Its wood ranks next to that of _Quercus Douglasii_.

15. _Quercus lobata_, Nées. (Burr-Oak.)

The most common and largest oak in all the valleys of the interior of California. Thus far, I never found it on a hillside. It is this mighty oak, with its peculiar, gracefully-drooping branchlets, that gives character to the landscape of the Californian valleys. It is especially noted for its very long acorns; but they do not always attain that large size, and are never so conspicuously arranged as those of _Qu. Garryana_; they are usually in pairs. It may also be stated that this tree forms, on an average, about the longest trunk of Californian foliaceous trees. The acorns of this species form a principal part of the food of the Indians. On the Coast Range they seem to give, however, preference to those of _Quercus Sonomensis_. The wood ranks next to that of the preceding species.

These above-mentioned three species of oaks, belonging to the section of white oaks, are surely distinct. I met with no transitions thus far. They may be distinguished at a distance; every farmer distinguishes them, for there is quite a difference in the quality of the wood.

16. _Quercus Sonomensis_, Benth. (Black Oak.)

San Diego!! Anderson Valley! Auburn!

Eastern and northern hillsides in the Coast Ranges. It also occupies the more easterly-situated flats, among the redwoods, wherever they are too dry for redwood. Very seldom it is found in the valley; and when found, it occupies that portion of it which is adjacent to the hillsides, where there is generally a gravelly soil. It is always a middle-sized tree, having mostly numerous erect branches arranged like those of _Acer saccharinum_. In fall it sheds its leaves, which become buff-colored, before any other of our deciduous oaks. The wood of this tree is of a poor quality; used for fuel only.

17. _Quercus chrysolepis_, Liebm. (Drooping Live Oak.)

The most rare of all our oaks; it bears acorns but seldom, and even then very sparingly. I have not been able to satisfy myself whether they are biannual or not, but I am rather inclined to believe they are. Northern slopes near Cloverdale! in Anderson Valley! and near Forest Hill! Tree 30-40 feet high, with a rather smooth whitish bark, and mostly long, slender, drooping branches; evergreen. Of the quality of its wood I could not learn anything from settlers. The tree being rare, and occupying always moist slopes along gulches, it is not often cut down.

18. _Quercus densiflora_, Hook. (Chestnut Oak.)

Along the Coast Range, associated with the redwood, increasing northwards; from Santa Cruz to Mendocino City, at least, it occurs only in or close by the redwoods. This tree attains rather a large height in dense woods, and is then but sparingly branched. Leaves and acorns very considerable. Its wood is absolutely useless; it is very coarse grained, and like the redwood wet like a sponge when cut; it is extremely perishable. At Mendocino City log-men call it Water Oak.

19. _Castanea chrysophylla_, Dougl. (Chestnut.)

On the Oakland hills this species is but 3-6 feet high; blooms about the fourth of July, like the Eastern _Castanea vesca_, and bears perfect fruit. On the so-called plains at Mendocino City, however, it is a large tree, averaging from 50-125 feet in height, and 2-3 feet in diameter. Those trees were completely covered with blossoms on the twenty-third of September, 1865; settlers say they never found its fruit. Here, on the Oakland hills, it grows only on the outcropping of a white friable slate, destitute of all vegetable remains; at the Mendocino plains it is found to grow on a cemented gravel, upon which the water rests for some months after the rainy season. The supply of an aerial moisture during the dry season is in favor of the Oakland hills, judging by the lichenose vegetation of the two localities.

20. _Sequoia sempervirens_, Endl. (Redwood.)

This mighty tree belongs exclusively to the foggy regions of the Coast Ranges and the underlying metamorphic sandstone, for wherever either of these conditions is wanting, this tree does not exist. From the northern boundary line of the State down to the head of Tomales Bay it forms a continual forest, increasing in width northward. At Tomales Bay the chain is interrupted by a small bed of lime-rock. The interruption extending from the lower foot-hills of Tamalpais down to Belmont, is undoubtedly owing to the lowness of the hills. A connecting link is found, however, on the Oakland hills. That grove of redwoods, now almost entirely destroyed, affords the strongest evidences of the dependency of that species on the prevalence of heavy mists. From Belmont to a few miles below Santa Cruz is another narrow continuous chain, occupying mainly the leesides of the most western ranges and the deeper gulches eastward. From near the mouth of Salinas River to the head of Carmelo Valley, another long interruption is caused by a bituminous slate. The absence of redwood in this long interval can hardly be ascribed to any other cause, for it is known that Monterey and the adjacent regions are subject to heavier fogs than Santa Cruz. _Pinus insignis_ and _Cupressus macrocarpa_ occupy here those portions naturally belonging to the redwood and _Tsuga Douglasii_. Further south, from the head of Carmelo Valley to San Luis Obispo, the most southern limit, redwood occurs but sparingly, forming nowhere extensive groves. Associated with the redwood we find _Tsuga Douglasii_, a tree of a wide range, _Torreya Californica_, _Arbutus Menziesii_, _Quercus densiflora_, and in Mendocino County _Abies grandis_ Dougl. There are also some shrubs and herbaceous plants truly characteristic to them, the shrubs increasing as underwood northward, belong mostly to the Ericaceous family. It is a noteworthy fact that the arborescent growth of the leeside of the first range of hills generally consists, almost exclusively, of _Tsuga Douglasii_, and that this tree forms the outskirt east and particularly westward. In Mendocino County _Abies grandis_ unites with it for the same cause; there both trees form a dense belt, facing the ocean, and are encroaching fast on the redwood. In fact, the western portion of those redwoods show this encroachment most strikingly by a total absence of young redwood, and a dense, almost impenetrable, undergrowth of the two-mentioned species. The order of things is, however, reversed wherever the redwood has been cut. Its roots are imperishable, and as soon as the tree is cut they sprout and cover the soil rapidly to the exclusion of every other species—none being of so rapid a growth. The indestructibility of the roots prevents the clearing of such land; even large trunks cut down cover themselves, within two or three years, so completely with sprouts that they are hardly seen. The entire after growth now found on the Oakland hills, is owing solely to the indestructibility of its roots and stumps. The tenacity of life in this species, which is rather of rare occurrence in coniferous trees, shows itself also in the resistance it offers to fire, so frequent in those woods. Trees that have been bereft completely of their branches by fire, covered themselves in a few years entirely with young sprouts, giving the trunks the appearance of a pillar, or remind one of those old trunks covered with _Rhus toxicodendron_ in the East. Fire is destructive to the young trees only; after they have obtained a thickness of two or three feet they are not liable to perish.

Another great beneficial feature in this species is the great power it possesses in condensing fogs and mists. A heavy fog is always turned into a rain, wetting the soil and supplying springs with water during the dry season. Springs in and near the redwoods are never in want of a good supply of water, and crops on the Coast Ranges are not liable to fail. The year of 1864 has proved my assertion beyond doubt; this fact is generally known—a great deal of land has been taken up since. It is my firm conviction that if the redwoods are destroyed—and they necessarily will be, if not protected by a wise action of our Government—California will become a desert, in the true sense of the word. In their safety depends the future welfare of the State; they are our safeguard. It remains to be seen whether we shall be benefited or not by the horrible experience such countries as Asia Minor, Greece, Spain, and France have made, by having barbarously destroyed their woods and forests. But with us here it is even of a more serious nature; wise governments would be able to replace them in those countries, but no power on earth can restore the woods of California when once completely destroyed!

REGULAR MEETING, NOVEMBER 6TH, 1865.

Dr. Kellogg in the chair.

Eight members present.

Donations to the Cabinet: Specimen of _Pinus ponderosa_, _Abies Douglasii_, _Taxus brevifolia_, _Larix occidentalis_, _Pteris aquilina_, and _Abies Menziesii_; presented by Mr. Dunn.

REGULAR MEETING, DECEMBER 4TH, 1865.

President in the chair.

Seven members present, and Mr. W. H. Dall as a visitor.

Major Edward Preiss and Count Oswald Thun were elected Corresponding Members.

Mr. Bolander made some remarks on a wild California Grape (_Vitis Californica_) growing near Oakland.

Professor Whitney gave an account of the explorations of Professor Pumpelly in Japan and China. An elaborate memoir, by this gentleman, containing a full account of his very important geological discoveries, will appear in the second volume of the Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences.

Mr. Dall made some observations on the progress of the Russian American Overland Telegraph Expedition, and gave an interesting description of the region which had been traversed by the party.

REGULAR MEETING, DECEMBER 18TH, 1865.

Dr. Kellogg in the chair.

Six members present.

Dr. Ferdinand Stoliczka, Palæontologist to the Geological Survey of India, was elected a Corresponding Member.

Donations to the Cabinet: One box of shells and two of fishes, collected at Tahiti, by Mr. Andrew Garrett.

The following papers were presented.

Notice of a peculiar Astringent Gum or Coloring Substance in the Cones of the Sequoia gigantea.

BY WILLIAM P. BLAKE.

I am not aware that any notice has yet been taken by scientific chemists of a peculiar substance, apparently a gum, which accompanies the seeds of the great trees, and may be shaken out of the dried cones. About twenty cones yielded me an ounce of the material. It does not adhere to either the seeds or the cone, but appears to have shrunk from both in drying. It falls out in loose broken grains with brilliant conchoidal fractured surfaces, and looks a little like dried blood. The color is purplish-red, nearly black by reflected light, and a brilliant carmine-red by transmitted.

The taste is strongly astringent, and suggests tannin; it is somewhat bitter, and is similar also to that of very strong black tea. It softens and becomes gummy between the teeth. It dissolves completely in water and in ordinary alcohol, giving a brilliant claret-colored solution which gradually darkens by exposure to the air. The addition of carbonate of soda darkens the solution and lime-water turns it black, giving a black scaly precipitate. Dilute sulphuric acid reddens the solution and causes a red precipitate.

It is in many respects similar to the _kino_ of the shops, but has a brighter colored powder and streaks. The kino that I have seen has a brownish-red streak; this substance gives a purplish-red.

The reactions with alkalies and acids in respect to color are similar to those of green redwood boards, which may be stained as dark as rosewood by alkalies and red by acids.

This substance may be found to have some peculiar value in pharmacy, or as a coloring matter for tinctures or wine. I hope that this notice will induce a thorough investigation of its nature and properties. If it proves to be new, I suggest that it shall be known as _Sequonin_.

Ammonites in the Auriferous Slates of California.

BY WILLIAM P. BLAKE.

Ammonites occur in the gold-bearing slates of Bear Valley, Mariposa County, in addition to belemnites and other fossils already noted. The specimen I have seen is a cast, somewhat distorted by pressure, but apparently similar to the species from the slates on the American River, which I brought to the notice of the academy last year.

ADJOURNED ANNUAL MEETING, JANUARY 8TH, 1866.

President in the chair.

Twelve members present.

The Curator of Conchology and the Librarian made verbal reports.

The academy then proceeded to the election of officers for the year, and the following persons were chosen.

PRESIDENT.

LEANDER RANSOM.

VICE PRESIDENTS.

R. E. C. STEARNS. W. O. AYRES, M.D.

TREASURER.

SAMUEL HUBBARD.

RECORDING SEC’Y.

T. H. BLOOMER.

CORRESPONDING SEC’Y.

HENRY N. BOLANDER.

LIBRARIAN.

J. D. WHITNEY.

CURATORS.

H. S. HANKS MINERALOGY. E. F. LORQUIN ZOOLOGY. H. N. BOLANDER BOTANY. R. E. C. STEARNS CONCHOLOGY. W. M. GABB PALÆONTOLOGY. H. BEHR, M.D. ENTOMOLOGY.

COMMITTEE ON FINANCE.

MESSRS. HUBBARD, STEARNS, AND FISK.

COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION.

MESSRS. WHITNEY, MINNS, AND STEARNS.

Donations to the Library: American Journal of Science, September, 1865, from the editors. Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York, Vol. VIII, Nos. 2-5. Journal de Conchyliogie, (3) V, 1, 2. Sea-Side Studies in Natural History, from Alex. Agassiz. Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, 1864, Sheet 1. Astronomical and Meteorological Observations made at the U. S. Naval Observatory during the year 1863. Check List of the Fossils of California and Nevada, by W. M. Gabb.

The following biographical sketch of Thomas Bridges was read by Mr. Dall.

Memorial Sketch of Thomas Bridges, Esq., F.L.S., F.Z.S., and Member of the Cala. Acad. Sci.

BY W. H. DALL, ACTING DIRECTOR SCI. CORPS, W. U. T. EX.

Mr. Bridges was born at Lilly in Hertfordshire, England, on the twenty-second of May, 1807.

At an early age he became interested in Natural History, and when about nineteen or twenty—having previously studied for some three years under Sir William Hooker, at Kew Gardens—he sailed for Valparaiso. He remained here or passed the time in some of the adjoining provinces, from 1827 to 1844, when he returned to England on a short visit. On again reaching South America, he undertook the explorations in Bolivia, so well known to naturalists, through their magnificent results. During the course of this journey, in June, 1845, he discovered and obtained seeds of the great South American Water Lily, the _Victoria Regia_, Lindley. Although the plant had previously been detected, to Mr. Bridges belonged the honor of first introducing it into the old world, by transporting seeds which subsequently germinated at Kew.

In 1846, he returned to England, where for many months he was prostrated by severe illness contracted in his arduous explorations.

In 1847, he was married to Miss Mary Benson, of Bristol, England, a niece of the eminent collector, the late Hugh Cuming. Soon after he proceeded again to Valparaiso.

In 1851, he visited and explored the island of Juan Fernandez.

In the report of Lieut. Herndon, U. S. N., on his explorations of the Amazon, he acknowledges his obligations to Mr. Bridges, for invaluable information furnished, in regard to the head-waters of that river.

In 1855, he proceeded to Panama, remaining there some six months; and from thence to England, subsequently to France, and finally to California, where he arrived in November, 1856.

About 1857, he went to British Columbia, and remained nearly two years, collecting and exploring. In the winter of 1858, his family, hitherto in Europe, rejoined him. Since then San Francisco has been his home, though travelling in many parts of California.

In April, 1865, he undertook his ill-starred journey to Nicaragua. His explorations here were limited principally to the lake country, where he passed some five months exploring the dense and tangled jungles of the vicinity; ascending the volcanoes of Mombacho and Ometepec, and visiting Leon and Granada. In June, he met at San Juan del Sur, our well-known botanist, Dr. Torry, on his way to San Francisco. These two kindred spirits passed several pleasant days together.

He left Nicaragua on the steamship Moses Taylor, Capt Blethen, on the third of September, 1865, apparently in perfect health. On the fifth, the effects of the insidious malaria of the country were evident. On the ninth, he died; being fifty-eight years old. On the seventeenth, the body arrived in San Francisco, and was afterwards interred at Lone Mountain Cemetery. He leaves a widow, two daughters, and three sons.

Mr. Bridges was of a singularly retiring and modest disposition, and very few publications of his own remain to attest his devotion to Natural Science. But works in every branch of study, particularly of Professor Lindley, and Sir William Hooker, in the department of Botany, bear abundant evidence of his untiring industry and unusual success.

That he died a martyr to his love for Natural History, there is no room for doubt; and his most appropriate memorials are the magnificent evergreens now adorning, through his agency, the groves and avenues of the old world.

With all impartial naturalists, Mr. Bridges and such as he, “who bear the burden and heat of the day,” are entitled to honors; if not precisely of the same character as those due to the students who in their comfortable libraries work up the results of the collector, still to honors quite as high.

REGULAR MEETING, JANUARY 15TH, 1866.

President in the chair.

Eight members present.

Mr. Bolander presented his report, as Curator of Botany, for the year 1865, as follows.

During the past year the Herbarium of the Academy has been increased—

1st. By a set of Hall’s Rocky Mountain Plants.

2d. By a collection of plants from the Western States, made by Mr. Elihu Hall.

3d. By a large collection made by Mr. Canby at Wilmington, Del.

4th. By a small collection from M. S. Bebb, Esq., Washington, D. C.

To the above-mentioned collections, I have added specimens of each plant collected by myself during the past year.

Dr. Kellogg and myself have presented to the Academy quite a number of Australian plants, and both Dr. Kellogg and Mr. Bloomer have assisted me in arranging and classifying our collections.

REGULAR MEETING, FEBRUARY 5TH, 1866.

President in the chair.

Five members present.

Mr. Dall presented the following paper by Dr. Canfield.

Notes on Antilocapra Americana, Ord.

BY DR. C. A. CANFIELD, OF MONTEREY.

The following notes were taken from 1855 to 1858, in Monterey County, California, and were communicated to Prof. Baird in 1859.

About the first of January the old bucks all shed their horns. A few days after, one was shot, with two hairy stumps or horn-cores, several inches long, just tipped with growing horn. This was observed to spread upward and downward till the whole of the process of the frontal bone was covered with horn. The “prong” commenced the same process at its tip, and gradually coalesced with the main horn, leaving no suture. As the horn increases in length it curves forward and inward. It takes several months to perfect the new horn. The females possess small curved horns, one to three inches long, sometimes recurving to the skull, which were not _proved_ to be deciduous.

The horn, when shed, leaves a process of the frontal bone, covered with hair, soon replaced as above by horn at the tip. These facts were more minutely observed in two young bucks, reared by hand to the age respectively of one and two years.

These facts would tend to separate the genus _Antilocapra_ from the family _Cavicornia_, and it may possibly form a family by itself.

Prof. W. P. Blake read a portion of a letter from Dr. C. T. Jackson of Boston, containing a notice of a remarkable spider brought from Georgia by Dr. Wilder, an account of which has been published in the Proceedings of the American Academy and of the Boston Natural History Society.

REGULAR MEETING, FEBRUARY 19TH, 1866.

President in the chair.

Nine members present.

Dr. Colbert A. Canfield, of Monterey, was chosen a Corresponding Member, and Dr. Henry Gibbons and Mr. Henry Janin, Resident Members.

Donations to the Library: U. S. Census, 1860—Agriculture; American Journal of Science, November, 1865, and January, 1866; Proceedings of the Phila. Acad. Nat. Sci., April to October, 1865; Theory of Parallels, by Matthew Ryan; Description of New Species of Pupidæ, by E. S. Morse; Proceedings of Boston Nat. Hist. Soc., Vol. X, Sheet 2.

The following paper was presented.

Earthquakes in California during 1865.

BY DR. JOHN B. TRASK.

As in the preceding year we have had much frequency in shocks of earthquake, with but trifling damage.

JANUARY 9th, 7 h.—A smart shock at Santa Rosa, Sonoma County.

JANUARY 19th, 8 h. 8 m.—A light shock at San Francisco.

MARCH 5th, 8 h. 45 m.—A light shock at Visalia, consisting of a tremulous motion, succeeded by a roll or wave after an interval of about four seconds.

MARCH 7th, 23 h.—A smart shock at San Francisco.

MARCH 8th, 6 h. 22 m.—A smart shock at San Francisco.

MARCH 30th, 7 h. 28 m.—A very smart shock at San Francisco; this was felt at Oakland.

APRIL 15th, 0 h. 40 m.—A severe shock occurred at San Diego, consisting of three waves, following each other in quick succession; the shock was preceded with a loud rushing sound.

APRIL 18th, 13 h. 31 m.—A light shock at San Francisco, and noticed at Angel Island and Oakland. This shock was severe at San Juan (south), and felt at precisely the same hour.

APRIL 27th, 15 h. 56 m.—A shock at San Francisco.

MAY 24th, 3 h. 21 m.—A smart shock at San Francisco, consisting of a single wave. At San Juan (south) the earthquake consisted of two sharp shocks, and at Santa Cruz of one only. At the latter localities it was three and four minutes later than at this city.

SEPTEMBER 22d (no hour).—A smart shock occurred at Yreka.

OCTOBER 1st, 9 h. 15 m.—A very smart shock was felt at Fort Humboldt, and throughout the district of Humboldt Bay.

OCTOBER 8th, 12 h. 46 m.—A severe shock at San Francisco. This earthquake was the most violent of any occurring on this peninsula since the American occupancy, but was not sufficiently heavy to do serious damage; all the injuries sustained to property were of a trivial nature, the principal being the demolition of parts of the parapet walls erected above the roofs, to shield the latter in cases of fire in adjoining buildings; the fracture of walls in every instance occurred in insecure buildings, and heavy buildings erected on the made lands of the city front.

At San José, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz, the earthquake appears to have been equally severe as in this city. At Petaluma, on the north, it was also quite severe. At Sacramento the shock was not marked by the same severity as at the other localities mentioned. At Stockton the shock was heavy, but no damage done, nor was there any damage at Sacramento. The shock was severe at Grass Valley.

The direction of the wave in this earthquake was north fifty degrees west; the limited area over which it extended has not furnished sufficient data to calculate its velocity.

This earthquake differs from all others that have occurred in this locality in this particular: the earth continued to vibrate with increasing and again decreasing degrees of force for ten hours, at no time entirely ceasing during this period.

22 h. 1 m., another light shock, consisting of a single vibration.

23 h. 50 m., another shock. After this shock the vibrations of the earth ceased to be noticeable.

October 9th, 10 h. 34 m.—Another light shock.

11 h. 32 m., another shock. After this shock the earth continued to vibrate at intervals till noon of the tenth.

OCTOBER 13th, 2 h. 5 m.—A smart shock at San Francisco; felt at Oakland and Santa Clara; also at Angel Island.

OCTOBER 14th, 23 h. 45 m.—Another shock at San Francisco.

OCTOBER 15th, 3 h. 40 m.—Another shock at San Francisco.

NOVEMBER 24th, 3 h. 45 m.—A smart shock at Watsonville, Santa Cruz Co.

DECEMBER 7th, 1 h. 15 m.—A light shock at San Francisco.

Professor Whitney presented the plate published by Mr. Haidinger, the distinguished Chief of the Austrian Geological Survey, to exhibit the structure of the Carleton meteoric iron. This plate, together with an elaborate article describing the appearance and structure of this meteorite, is published in the proceedings of the Vienna Academy of Science, Vol. XLVIII, page 301.

Professor Whitney also made some remarks on the nature and distribution of the meteorites which have, up to the present time, been discovered on the Pacific Coast and in Mexico; of these remarks the following is an abstract.

It is remarkable that no meteoric stones have ever been discovered, either near the Pacific coast or, indeed, so far as we know, anywhere on this side of the Rocky Mountains. Masses of meteoric iron, on the other hand, are known to exist in quite a number of localities, and many of these masses are of very large size.

On page eleven, of the third volume of the Academy’s Proceedings, I have given a list of the localities of meteoric iron known in Arizona and Northern Mexico. This was done in order to attract the attention of explorers and prospectors to these remarkable masses, and in the hope of getting more definite information in regard to some of them. Indeed, some additional items have already been obtained in reference to the masses there noticed.

It is stated by several persons who have visited Southern Arizona, among whom Dr. Horn may especially be mentioned, that it is universally believed, and vouched for by apparently trustworthy explorers, that there are many large masses of iron near the summit of the range next east of Tucson. This is called on the latest map of Arizona, (that published by Mr. Gird) the “Sierra de la Santa Caterina.” Whether this is the same as the “Sierra de la Madera,” mentioned by Velasco, as the locality of “enormous masses of pure iron, between Tucson and Tubac,” I have been unable to ascertain.

Dr. J. B. Trask saw, in August, 1849, a large mass of meteoric iron, at the village of Rio Florida, partly buried in the ground at the corner of the plaza. This may, perhaps, be the same mass mentioned by Mr. Bartlett, as existing “at the Hacienda de Concepcion, on the road from Chihuahua to Rio Florida.” Dr. Trask, however, has a distinct recollection that the mass he saw was at the village of Rio Florida, and not at the Hacienda.

Dr. Veatch saw, in 1849, a large mass of iron at Santa Rosa, Coahuila, which was then in use as an anvil, at a blacksmith’s shop, and was informed that many pieces of native iron had been used there for various purposes. The mass which Dr. Veatch saw, was of about the size of an ordinary anvil. It was said to have been brought from the mountains northwest of the town. This statement corroborates that of Schott, in the Mexican Boundary Report. (Vol. I, Part 2, page 34.)

It is a remarkable fact, considering the abundance of meteoric iron near our borders, that no meteorite, either stony or metallic, has yet been found within the limits of California. The piece of iron from Honcut Creek, found by Dr. Trask, and supposed to be of celestial origin, proved, on careful examination, to be ordinary cast iron. A fragment of the mass was referred to Professor Brush, and pronounced by him not to be meteoric. The existence of a piece of cast iron, in the locality where this was discovered, is not easily explained. In connection with what has just been said of the existence of meteoric iron in California, it should be added, that Dr. J. G. Cooper thinks that he observed some small pieces of native iron on the Mohave River, a little above its sink. By accident no specimen of this supposed meteorite were saved, so that it is not possible to say that Dr. Cooper may not have been mistaken. The attention of explorers in that region is invited to this supposed locality.

An additional reason for believing Dr. Cooper’s observations to be correct is, that the locality lies in the prolongation of the path or belt in which a considerable number of masses of meteoric iron have already been found. It is certainly either a very interesting fact, or else a remarkable coincidence, that the localities of meteoric iron in Arizona and northern Mexico, lie nearly in a straight line with each other, which line extends from northwest to southeast, for a distance of twelve hundred and fifty miles, or from the Colorado River, at La Paz, to the province of San Luis Potosi, in Mexico. Along this line, at points from two hundred to two hundred and fifty miles apart, in some places one mass of iron, and in others quite a number of them, have fallen, indicating very strongly a common origin for the whole, or that they may all be fragments of one immense meteor which passed diagonally across the continent, throwing off masses in its progress. The large mass of iron discovered by Dr. Evans, on Bald Mountain, near Port Orford, in Oregon, is in a locality not far distant from the path of the supposed meteor.

The belt of meteoric iron masses may also be prolonged much farther to the south, through Mexico, and in the same general southeasterly direction, as far as the province of Oaxaca. The localities in the provinces of Durango, Zacatecas, Mexico, and Oaxaca lie very nearly in the same northwest-southeast direction from each other; but are in a line a little to the west of the main belt which has been traced down from the Colorado River. It is certain that the central part of Mexico has been highly favored in respect to the distribution of meteoric iron masses, which are not only of frequent occurrence, but often of large size. Perhaps it may be not too wild a speculation to suggest, that the grand disruption of the meteor may have taken place in this part of its course, and that the fragments were scattered far and wide in all directions. It certainly seems difficult to account for the peculiar position of the masses of iron found on the Pacific side of the continent, and their great abundance in central Mexico, on any other theory than the one which has here been suggested.

Authorities are not at hand for comparing the chemical composition of all the masses belonging to this series, or belt, which have been analyzed; but it is my impression that those meteoric irons which have been examined do resemble each other sufficiently, in the nature and proportion of the ingredients they contain, to add to the probability of their having had a common origin. The specimens thus far analyzed do not represent more than half the localities known to exist. A farther and more complete investigation of the physical and chemical character of all the meteoric masses of Arizona and Mexico, with reference to the possibility of their being originally parts of one body, is suggested as an interesting subject for those specially devoted to this class of researches.

The following resolution, introduced by Professor Whitney, at a previous meeting, in accordance with the Constitution, was adopted.

_Resolved_, That any Corresponding Member who may take up his residence in this city, may become a Resident Member, on notifying the Recording Secretary that such is his wish.

Mr. W. H. Dall was elected a Resident Member, December 4th, 1865.

REGULAR MEETING, MARCH 5TH, 1866.

President in the chair.

Eleven members present.

Donations to the Library: Société de Géographie de Genève; Mémoires et Bulletin, Tomes I-III; From F. Berton.

The following papers were presented.

Note on Octopus punctatus, Gabb.

BY W. H. DALL, ACTING DIRECTOR SCI. CORPS W. U. T. EX.

A half-decayed specimen of this species, (described by Mr. Gabb, in Proc. Cal. Acad., Ap. 7th, 1862) discovered in some alcoholic miscellanea, recently, afforded the following observations.

The buccal plates or mandibles, resemble those of _O. tuberculatus_, Blainv. [Woodw. Man. Pl. I. _Fig. 2_] but are more produced longitudinally. They are black and very brittle.

Dental formula, 3·3·3 (_Fig. 27_, A), or 1/(1×1)·2·1·

_Rhachis_ armed with one central quinquedentate tooth, and two lateral, simple, denticles; the insertion of all is broadly arcuate. The _pleuræ_ are provided each with two simple recurved uncini and one rhomboidal plate with a small recurved hook. The central rhachidian tooth is occasionally irregular. (_Fig. 27_, L, X). When immature, the dental laminæ are without color, more slender, compressed, and the dentations are less distinct. (_Fig. 27_, ‛L.) Immature rows, about 15, perfect 60, worn and broken 25, total 100. Mag. 100 diameters. Length of specimen 3 feet. Locality, near San Francisco. From the market.

Professor Whitney communicated the following abstract of the results obtained by M. Rémond in his geological explorations of Northern Mexico, made in 1863 to 1865, and drawn up from his notes and specimens, after reference of the fossils obtained to Mr. Gabb and Dr. Newberry. M. Rémond has gone to Chili to continue his geological investigations, if his health permits; and he expects to write out a more detailed account of his Mexican work, whenever he has an opportunity of doing so. In the mean time, however, it is his desire that this abstract should be drawn up and published, that at least the more important results may be placed as soon as possible in the hands of those interested in the development of the geological structure of those countries which border on the Pacific coast. In presenting this paper, Professor Whitney desired to express his admiration of the courage and endurance with which M. Rémond had prosecuted his investigations in Mexico, where he had to contend with every kind of difficulty and danger, but where, however, he had obtained results of great value, throwing the first rays of light on the age of the formations of a very interesting and economically important mining region—a region which has been often visited, but where, previous to M. Rémond’s examinations, no positive evidence of the geological position of any of the stratified rocks had been obtained, and no clue given to the relations of the metalliferous veins to each other, or to the rocks in which they are inclosed.

Notice of Geological Explorations in Northern Mexico.

BY A. RÉMOND.

[Compiled from his notes, and prepared for publication, by J. D. Whitney.]

1. PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

The mountainous region comprising the central and western portion of Northern Mexico, belongs to the four States of Durango, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Sonora. Considering how celebrated this portion of Mexico has become for its mines and metalliferous veins, and how much has been written about it, it is surprising how little exact information has hitherto been obtained with regard to either its geography or geology. On comparing the principal published maps[21] of the region in question, it will be seen at once how much they differ from each other in their delineations of even its main topographical features, while the details are entirely wanting.

The name of the “Sierra Madre” is usually applied to the main range of mountains of this country, or the western border of the plateau which stretches north through the territories of the United States, forming what may be called the great orographical feature of the continent. In Northwestern Mexico this crumpled border of the great plateau comprises an extensive mountainous region, by no means forming a continuous single chain, but rather several central ranges, with associated groups of parallel ridges, all having the same general course, which is approximately north-northwest, and south-southeast. As the breadth of the chain widens as we go towards the north, so, too, that of the valleys increases in that direction, the whole system of mountains and valleys spreading out in something like a fan shape.

Going north, the chain appears to sink gradually, although determinations of altitude in Northern Mexico are extremely few in number. It is certain that there is, in about latitude 32°, a depression of the mountain ranges which extends entirely across the continent, and which would enable the traveler to cross from the Atlantic to the Pacific, without necessarily surmounting any elevation greater than four thousand feet.[22] The southeastern range is the highest, and the culminating point is said to be the Cerro de Cuiteco, sixty leagues northeast of Jesus Maria, on the western border of Chihuahua. The approximate altitude of the Cumbre de Basascachic is seven thousand four hundred and twenty-nine feet, and that of Guadalupe y Calvo, seven thousand eight hundred and twenty-five feet. To the north, the ranges east of Sahuaripa are also very high; but they have never been measured. No peaks or ridges, however, in this portion of Mexico attain anything like the elevation of the higher portion of the Sierra Nevada, few if any points exceeding ten thousand feet in altitude.

The direction of the sierra is nearly that of a line connecting some of the best mining districts in Mexico, which are situated on or very near the summit of the mountains. These districts are the following, enumerating them in their geographical order from the south towards the north: In Durango, San Antonio de las Ventanas, Guarisamey, and San Dimas, remarkable for their auriferous silver ores, and sixty-two Mexican leagues northeast of Mazatlan; in Chihuahua, Guadalupe y Calvo, and San Pedro de Batopilas, yielding fine specimens of native silver; also, Jesus Maria, in the same State, and the Real del la Cieneguita, Sonora, with silver and gold mines.

2. GENERAL GEOLOGY.

The geological structure of the occidental slope of the Sierra Madre, as well as that of the other parts of this great chain, is exceedingly interesting, and, as yet but very little known, notwithstanding the valuable investigations of Humboldt and other eminent men; for, up to the present time, the age of the different formations has never been fixed with any degree of accuracy, from want of materials and of sufficient observations. In 1863, 1864, and 1865, however, I explored quite a number of localities in northwestern Mexico, and was thus enabled to obtain a pretty good general idea of the geology of that region; and, in Sonora, to which my attention was especially devoted, I succeeded in finding fossils in sufficient quantity to allow of the determination of the age of the principal formations of the northern Sierra Madre. By tracing the connection of these rocks with those of Central Mexico, additional light will be thrown on those districts of which, at present, but little is definitely known.

The igneous rocks, which occur more abundantly on the Pacific slope, are granites, either fine or very coarse-grained; porphyries, more or less feldspathic; and greenstones, all of which are cut by numerous dykes of extremely varied character. The granites, however, are very poor in veins of the precious metals, while the porphyries are highly metalliferous. In Sinaloa (Candelero) and Durango (San Dimas) we see that the granites underlie the metalliferous porphyries, and that the greenstones, in Sonora, (near Hermosillo and in the vicinity of La Haciendita) penetrate through them.

The oldest sedimentary rocks, which I have observed, belong to the Carboniferous series; this is represented in the eastern part of Sonora, by heavy masses of limestone, forming very high and rugged ridges, running a little west of north. The upturned strata are seen, in many places, to rest on granite. Argentiferous veins occur throughout this formation.

The next group of sedimentary rocks, in order, is the Triassic; this forms isolated mountain groups in Sonora, and offers an interesting field for investigation. Instead of limestones, it is made up of heavy beds of quartzites and conglomerates, with coal-bearing clay shales; all of these are disturbed and elevated, and rest on greenstones, feldspathic porphyries, or granite. Wherever metamorphosed, the Triassic rocks are auriferous and contain veins of silver ores. The metamorphic slates and limestones of the Altar and Magdalena districts, which include the richest gold placers of Sonora, may possibly be of Triassic age; but the fossils collected are too imperfect to admit of this being determined. There are some reasons for believing those rocks to be rather of Jurassic than of Triassic age, as they differ in lithological characters from both the Triassic and Carboniferous of Northern Mexico, resembling, rather, the Jurassic gold-bearing slates of the Sierra Nevada, in California; besides, they lie outside and to the west of the Sierra Madre. It may also be noticed that the gold which they furnish does not resemble that obtained from the Triassic strata.

The Cretaceous period is also represented at the foot of the Sierra Madre, at Arivechi, in Sonora. The strata belonging to this series are chiefly argillaceous shales, and they rest upon porphyries and Carboniferous limestone. They have been disturbed and elevated since their deposition. The fossils, which they contain in great number and in a fine state of preservation, will be noticed farther on.

All the above mentioned formations were already in existence before the first eruption of the volcanic rocks took place. These latter are found scattered along the whole Pacific coast, and extend from the Gulf of California up to the very summit of the sierra. It is very interesting to see the volcanic formations spread over so extensive a region, especially as there are no active volcanoes known in Northern Mexico, and not even any indications of ancient craters or vents.

The lithological character of the eruptive materials is extremely varied, and there seem to have been several periods of igneous action preceded by as many disturbances of the strata, all of which took place after the close of the Cretaceous epoch. Three different series of volcanic rocks may be observed in Sinaloa and Sonora, unconformable with each other; and these may again be subdivided into groups, after a thorough examination has been made of the extensive suite of specimens which has been collected. The lower, or oldest series, affords several hundred varieties of porphyries, characterized by crystals of feldspar or augite. There are also very peculiar trachytic rocks, resembling granite in appearance. These volcanic materials occur in beds or in masses, and are frequently cut by dykes; but they are quite destitute of veins containing gold or silver, the only metalliferous ores they contain being those of copper (?) and iron, and these in small quantity. Various volcanic ridges in Sonora belong to this class. The second series consists of extensive beds of micaceous, trachytic tufas, and breccias, all more or less uplifted since their deposition, and covering the different igneous and sedimentary formations as well as the older volcanic porphyries. These attain a great thickness, between San Dimas and San Ignacio, in Durango and Sinaloa.

Above these formations occur ancient alluvial deposits, with bones of extinct animals (elephants) at two localities; near La Noria, northeast of Mazatlan, and in the Arroya de la Palma, two leagues east of La Casita, in Sonora.

Sheets of basaltic lavas, somewhat similar to those of California, and probably of the same age, forming with tufas the upper volcanic series, overlie the other formations, occupying a nearly horizontal position.

The most recent formation is that of the terrace deposits of sand and gravel, which occur in Sonora.

Having thus given a general sketch of the principal groups of rocks developed in the region in question, I pass to a more detailed description of the different formations.

GRANITES.

Underlying all the rocks in Durango and Sinaloa, and probably posterior to the Carboniferous limestones, which they have in places extensively metamorphosed, are masses of granite. These may be seen in many places between the coast and San Dimas, either occupying the bottoms of the valleys, or forming independent hills. There are two well-marked varieties: Of these the first are syenites, more or less fine-grained, and consisting of a mixture of feldspar, variously colored, quartz, black or green hornblende, and black or brown mica, the latter usually in hexagonal plates. Localities of this variety are: Haval, Las Higueras, San Ignacio, Santa Apolonia, Candelero, La Noria, Zaragoza, etc., in Sinaloa; San Marcial and Tecoripa valleys, Hermosillo, in Sonora. The other variety is either very coarse-grained, consisting of white feldspar, gray quartz, and plates of silvery mica, or else finer grained, and chiefly made up of feldspar; these occur, forming mountains and ridges in Sonora, in the Sierra del Amolé, near La Magdalena, Sierra del Espinaso Prieto, near Hermosillo, and the Sierra de Mazatan, south of Ures. The fine-grained granites contain argentiferous veins at Zaragoza, in Sinaloa, and east of Topisco, in Sonora. These are traversed by numerous intersecting dykes of diorite, feldspar, and quartziferous and feldspathic porphyries, especially well seen near Hermosillo, and the Cajon de los Carrisos, east of San Antonio de la Huerta. There are no metalliferous veins where the granite is thus intersected by dykes.

METALLIFEROUS PORPHYRIES.

These may be divided into two groups. The first consists of a rock occurring in large irregular masses or beds, and having a dark colored argillaceous base, through which are disseminated small crystals of whitish feldspar. This variety, which is probably older than the granites, includes some of the richest mines of the Sierra Madre; as those of Candelaria, Bolaños, Cinco Señores, etc., near San Dimas, in Durango; and which have yielded over $20,000,000. There are also rich veins in this kind of rock at Candelero, fifty-two leagues northeast of Mazatlan, in Sinaloa. All these veins run northeast and southwest, and are cut at right angles by dykes. The second variety of porphyry is a gray feldspathic rock, apparently made up of labradorite and magnetic iron ore; this overlies the greenstones, and is covered by the Triassic beds at Los Bronces and San Javier, where there are three systems of argentiferous veins. The Nahuila mine, one of the best in Sonora, is in this rock.

METAMORPHIC ROCKS.

Heavy masses of metamorphic rocks may be seen at various localities in Sinaloa and Durango (Tecomate, Tenchoquelite, Arroyo del Ciruelo, Arroyo de San Vincente) resting either on the granites or the metalliferous porphyries. These rocks occur in masses or beds, sometimes distinctly stratified, and sometimes without any traces of the original bedding. They are always much altered and broken up. Their lithological characters are not well marked, although the series is easily recognized. The rocks referred to in this division, are usually fine-grained, of a greenish or bluish color, when not too much decomposed, and somewhat argillaceous in composition. At the base they pass into porphyries. The argentiferous veins cut both the metamorphic and the porphyritic rocks at Tecomate, on the Rio de San Ignacio, where the dip of the formation is to the northeast, at an angle of 70°. Between La Puerta and El Pilar, Arroyo de San Dimas, they occur in jaspery layers, ribboned with green and brown hues, and resemble some of the metamorphic Triassic rocks of Sonora. Near Candelero, the metamorphic rocks are associated with whitish, semi-crystalline limestone. The formation in question may be observed in many other localities in Sinaloa, always resting on granite and passing into porphyry; it is also sometimes associated with metamorphic slates.

GREENSTONES.

These rocks occur in heavy masses or in beds, and are made up of a fine-grained, compact mixture of hornblende and feldspar, often containing mica, and having a greenish color. The greenstone underlies the Triassic rocks, and in many places it protrudes through the granite. This rock is highly metalliferous at Copála, Sinaloa, and also at Los Bronces and San Javier, in Sonora. The greenstones or diorites which occur in the granite, appear to be anterior to the metalliferous greenstones, and the latter are posterior to the Triassic.

CARBONIFEROUS LIMESTONES.

The Carboniferous limestones form high ridges parallel with the general course of the Sierra Madre, from Hermosillo, north of Guaymas, east of Sahuaripa. These ridges become more elevated as we approach the crest of the Sierra. The rocks of this formation are fine-grained and bluish in color, and form heavy beds with intercalated schistose layers; they contain nodules and beds of flint. There are some clay slates at the base of the formation. The thickness of the whole series is probably over five thousand feet. The principal localities where these Carboniferous rocks may be observed are as follows, naming them in order from west to east:

1st. Hermosillo, where they rest on syenitic granite and are highly metamorphosed, the limestones being converted into white saccharoidal marble, and the slates into garnet and epidote rock. Dykes of green porphyry cut through the beds of sedimentary rock, which beds have a strike of about N. 65° W., and stand nearly vertical.

2d. Five leagues from Hermosillo, at La Cruz; in the Cerro de Santa Teresa on the south, and the Sierra de Las Animas on the north. Here the limestones contain crinoids.

3d. Four leagues farther on, between La Noria and El Aguajito; here are high granite ridges with a granite axis.

4th. Twenty leagues from Hermosillo, south of Ures; Carboniferous rocks upheaved on the southwest side of the granitic Sierra de Mazatan. The direction of this range is from northwest to southeast, and its height sixteen hundred varas, according to M. De Fleury; here are a few silver mines.

5th. Haciendita, nine leagues farther northeast. The beds here are metamorphosed and much disturbed, dipping northeast; these outcrops form low hills.

6th. Between Mátape and Batuco; a very high ridge of granite, running in a northerly direction, with limestone resting upon it. To the north and east of Topisco the limestones attain a great thickness and afford fine fossils. At the Cerro de la Bonacina, one of the highest points of the range, a variety of corals, crinoids, and brachiopods may be seen weathered out from the surface of several beds of hard, compact limestone, of various colors; these beds are near the summit of the mountain. This locality was first discovered by Don Antonio Moreno, Engineer of the Bronces mine. The strata here are much disturbed, and appear to have been folded into a mass with a synclinal structure.[23]

TRIASSIC ROCKS.

This formation is usually highly metamorphosed, and passes into porphyries at its base. The strata are more or less inclined, and the lower beds are very much contorted and disturbed. The rocks referred to the Trias extend from Soyopa to San Javier; but they are developed on a more extensive scale between San Antonio de la Huerta and Los Bronces, forty-two leagues northeast of Guaymas. The Triassic rocks form a chain of high and rugged mountains extending from south-southeast to north-northwest. The isolated mining districts of Tecoripa and San Marcial (between Los Bronces and Guaymas) are in the same formation; it also crops out from under the stratified volcanic rocks at the Punta de Agua, between San Marcial and Guaymas. The metalliferous greenstones and porphyries, previously noticed, form the nucleus around which the Triassic beds have been upheaved. These beds are seen near San Javier and Los Bronces, two mining towns which are situated on greenstone, but which skirt the foot of a small ridge of feldspathic porphyry, much less elevated than the metamorphic rocks themselves. They are also seen overlying granite, near the Cerro Colorado, between Soyopa and Los Bronces, and south of Tecoripa. The Cerro de la Nahuila, the highest point but one in the district, lies southeast of the Sierra de Mazatan. There are three principal divisions of the Triassic, which occur in the following order, the first mentioned being the lowest:

{ { Quartzites and clay slates; { { Black, jaspery schistose layers; { 1.{ or, where the rocks are less altered: { { { Black clay shales with beds of coal; { { Argillaceous sandstones.

2. Quartzites, in great thickness.

3. Heavy beds of conglomerate.

The interstratified clay shales and grits of the lower member, crop out in several places along the Cañada de Santa Maria, at the bottom of the ravines below Los Bronces. Here, there are three or four beds of good anthracite coal, with a considerable number of well-preserved plants occurring in the associated clay shales, both above and below the coal.

[A portion of these plants were referred by me to Dr. Newberry for examination, and he has given the following list of them. 1. _Strangerites magnifolia_, Rogers; Trans. Assoc. Am. Geologists, p. 306, Pl. xiv. A species occurring in the Trias (?) of Virginia and North Carolina. 2. _Pecopteris falcatus_, Emmons; Geol. of N. Car., Pl. iv, fig. 9. The specimens are too imperfect to decide on the identity of this plant with _Saccopteris germinans_. ?3. _Pecopteris bullatus_, Bunbury; only in fruit; nervation obscure; identity not certain, but very probable. 4. _Otozamites Macombii_, Newb. At top of “red beds” or “gypsum formation,” at the base of the Cretaceous rocks, copper mines near Abiquiu, New Mexico. There is no doubt about this species, and it forms an important connecting link. ?5. _Pterozamites decussatus_, Emmons; specimens very imperfect. 6. _Pecopteris_, n. sp.; a very neat and peculiar species as yet undescribed. It may be the same as one badly figured by Emmons (Pl. II, fig. 1.) 7. _Alethopteris_, n. sp.; small fragments of the frond of a splendid new species. From this enumeration it will be seen that there can be but little doubt of the Triassic age of the formation in which these plants occur. A large lot of these plants, collected by M. Rémond, has been recently received, and among them are much better specimens of some of the species noticed by Dr. Newberry, and several quite new ones. These will also be examined, described, and figured within a short time. J. D. W.]

The strike and dip of the clay shales in the different ravines vary considerably, but the dip is usually to the southeast. The superincumbent quartzites are more regular in their inclination. There are dykes of feldspathic rock cutting through both the coal and the shales.

The following section represents, in an ascending order, the position of the coal-bearing strata in the Cañon del Retiro, near Los Bronces.

1. Coarse quartzites with conglomerates. 2. Conglomerate, 8 feet. 3. Argillaceous and schistose grits, 3 feet. 4. Clay shales, with impressions of plants, 8 feet. 5. Gray grits, 4 feet. 6. Bluish clay shales with ferns, 12 feet. 7. Coal, 2 feet. 8. Compact black clay shales, 5 inches. 9. Coal, 2 feet 6 inches. 10. Clay shales with leaves, several feet. 11. Coarse grits.

Another section, measured at the foot of the Cerro de la Aguja, was as follows.

1. Compact gray grits. 2. Gray clay shales with seams of coal and plants, 4 feet 6 inches. 3. Bluish argillaceous grits, 2 feet 6 inches. 4. Contorted black clay shales, with seams of coal, 5 feet 6 inches. 5. Coal, 2 feet 6 inches. 6. Black, compact clay shales, 3 feet. 7. Coal, 7 inches. 8. Carbonaceous clay shales, 8 inches. 9. Coal, 3 inches. 10. Clay shales and argillaceous grits.

[Specimens of the coal brought to San Francisco by M. Rémond, are anthracite, evidently of superior quality. J. D. W.]

The middle member of the Triassic series consists of quartzites, or metamorphic sandstones; these are both coarse and fine grained, and sometimes brecciated. They vary in color, from white to red, and are often much altered in the vicinity of the metalliferous veins. The upper member of the series, as seen in the Cañada de la Tinta, is made up of rounded pebbles of black jasper and gray quartzite; in the Cañada de los Mimbres, below Los Bronces pebbles of specular iron are included in the mass. The dip of the formation is very irregular, both in direction and amount.

At San Antonio de la Huerta, Tecoripa, and San Marcial, argentiferous veins of various ages occur in the lower and middle members of the Trias. At San Marcial, marine (?) shells are found in the clay slates, near the silver mines; [but those which have been obtained, are too imperfect for recognition; they were referred to Mr. Meek for examination. J. D. W.]

At San Marcos, between San Antonio de la Huerta and the Real Viejo, metamorphic jaspery slates occur in connection with the carboniferous limestones; they are probably of Triassic age. Gold is found in the gulches between the quartzite ridges, as in the Cañada de la Higuera, near Los Bronces in the Cañada de la Iglesia, between the latter place and San Antonio de la Huerta, and generally where the quartzites occur.

JURASSIC (?) ROCKS.

In the eastern part of the Magdalena and Altar districts, are valleys with low hills and ridges of auriferous clay slates, with interstratified beds of porphyry and diorite. Localities of these rocks are Cerros de la Barajita, between Querobabi and Santa Ana; Cerritos de la Tierra Colorada, where the formation contains beds of variously colored limestones, entirely made up of fossils, South of La Magdalena this formation rests on metamorphic sandstones and shales. [The reasons for referring these rocks, with doubt, to the Jurassic formation, have been already given; see page 246.]

CRETACEOUS ROCKS.

In the Sahuaripa Valley, four miles east of Arivechi, and seventy-two leagues northeast of Guaymas, is a locality of Cretaceous Fossils of great interest. The hill in which they occur is called “Cerro de las Conchas,” or “Shell Mountain.” The rocks exposed are unfossiliferous strata of coarse-grained sandstone at the base, overlain by clay shales and argillaceous limestone filled with fossils. The exposure is very limited in extent: the shales are a few hundred feet thick, and they dip to the east, as do also the beds of carboniferous limestone on which the Cretaceous deposits rest. Masses of porphyry crop out from under the shales, without there being any peculiar indication of metamorphism or disturbance in their vicinity. Other patches of shelly rock are said to occur in the valley on the eastern side, at the foot of the sierra. [A small lot of fossils collected here by M. Rémond were referred to Mr. Gabb for examination; and since that, a considerable number of additional specimens have been received, but have not yet been investigated. Several species were identified as already described from Texas, and figured by Roemer in “Die Kreidebildungen von Texas;” these are, _Ammonites pedernalis_, von Buch; _Natica pedernalis_, Roem.; _Turritella seriatim-granulata_, Roem.; _Gryphæa navis_, Hall; _Cyphosoma Texanum_, Roem.; _Eulima Texana_, Roem. Besides these, two other species are identified, namely; _Cardium multistriatum_, Shum., and _Turbinolia Texana_, Con.

There is a considerable number of new species among the specimens from this locality, among which the following genera are represented: _Turritella_, _Chemnitzia_, _Avellana_, _Cardium_, _Trigonia_, _Panopæa_, _Pinna_, _Cucullæa_, etc. These will be described and figured by Mr. Gabb, who also remarks that the character of the fossils indicates a closer relationship of the formation to the eastern Cretaceous than to that of California.—J. D. W.]

VOLCANIC ROCKS.

Stratified volcanic deposits cover a broad area of the surface between San Ignacio and San Dimas (Sinaloa and Durango); they dip to the west. On the other side of Durango they dip in the opposite direction. The serrated edges of the strata may be seen from a great distance, and are extremely picturesque, towering up like old ruins, their peculiar forms being due to erosion. They are well seen in the Cerro de los Frayles, near Guarisamey, in Durango; visible from Mazatlan. These belong to the second series of volcanic rocks. In Sonora there are three different series of volcanic deposits which form serrated, picturesque, parallel ridges, running north from Guaymas as far as La Magdalena, or over eighty leagues in a straight line. The three main ridges, enumerated from west to east, are, 1, Las Tetas de Cabra; 2, Guaymas de Zaragosa; 3, Range north of the mouth of the Yaqui River. The description of the various volcanic deposits of Northern Mexico may be reserved for a separate memoir, as the number of them is very great.

MINES.

The richest and widest veins are those northeast of Mazatlan, near San Dimas, Guarisamey, etc., in Durango. These veins cut all the rocks older than the Cretaceous, whether igneous or sedimentary. The mines of Sinaloa are richer than those of Sonora. In the former State the ore-bearing portion of the veins is from a few feet to several yards in width: in the latter, generally from one to two feet. In Durango and Sinaloa gold, native silver, and sulphuret of silver occur associated with galena, yellow blende, and iron pyrites. In Sonora the principal ores are argentiferous gray copper, with galena, black blende, copper pyrites, arsenical pyrites, carbonate of lead, ruby silver, arsenical silver, and gold. Each mining district is characterized by a peculiar system of veins; in all as many as twenty different systems have been observed. The most abundant vein stones are quartz, either chalcedonic, crystalline, or massive; brown spar; heavy spar; oxide of iron. The veins occurring in the metamorphic Triassic rocks, are usually parallel with the stratification, so that they lie nearly horizontal where the formation has been but little disturbed. As to the yield of the silver ores, it varies extremely, and it would be necessary to enter into a full description of all the different districts to give an idea of it. It may be noticed, however, that the arsenical pyrites, which is auriferous in the Sierra Nevada, becomes argentiferous in the Sierra Madre. The veins vary in their direction from a little east to a little west of north; the richest ores near San Dimas run northeast and southwest. There are but few rich mines in Sonora, a state of which the mineral wealth has been much exaggerated. There are, however, some deposits of variegated copper, and veins of magnetic and specular iron.

The annexed tabular statement will give the principal facts obtained with regard to the mines examined in Northern Mexico.

TABULAR STATEMENT, SHOWING THE POSITION AND CHARACTER OF THE PRINCIPAL MINES OF NORTHERN MEXICO.

BY A. RÉMOND.—1863-1865.

================+===================+=====================+=========+ Mines. | Location. | Country. | Strike. | ----------------+-------------------+---------------------+---------+ NAGHUILA |Near San Javier |Labrador porphyry |N. 35° W.| EUREKA |Bet. S. Miguelito |Greenstone |N. 45° W.| | & Los Bronces | | | PLEITEADA |Near San Javier |Labrador porphyry |N. 30° W.| SAN JUAN |Near San Javier |Quartzite (triassic) |N. 65° E.| CEBALLOS |Near Los Bronces |Labrador porphyry |N. 25° E.| HIGUERA |Near Los Bronces |Greenstone |N. 5° E.| LA BLANCA |Near San Antonio |Q’tzite and conglom’e|N. and S.| | de la Huerta | (triassic) | | SAN LUIS |Near San Antonio |Quartzite (triassic) |N. 40° W.| | de la Huerta | | | SANTA BARBARA |Near Corral Viejo |Quartzite |N.E.-S.W.| LA SIERRA |Near San Javier |Labrador porphyry |N. 60° E.| SAN JOSÉ |Near Los Bronces |Labrador porphyry |N. 27° E.| EL SECORRO |Near Los Bronces |Labrador porphyry |N. 25° E.| ZARAGOZA |Near Los Bronces |Labrador porphyry |N. 23° E.| SAN LUIS GONZAGA|Near San Javier |Labrador porphyry |N. 30° W.| LA COLORADA |Near Los Bronces |Altered sandst. & |N. 50° E.| | | slate (triassic) | | AGUAJITO |Near San Javier |Labrador porphyry |N. 24° E.| SANTA EDUBIGEN |La Barranca |Quartzite (triassic) |N.E.-S.W.| LA CUADRA |Near San Javier |Labrador porphyry |N. 10° W.| EL ROSARIO |Near San Javier |Labrador porphyry |N. 10° W.| EL ESCRITORIO |Near San Javier |Labrador porphyry |N.W.-S.E.| SANTA ROSA |Bet. Los Bronces |Quartzite (triassic) |N. 10° E.| | and San Javier | | | SOLEDAD |Candelero |Porphyry (metam.) |N. 55° E.| CARMEN |Candelero |Porphyry (metam.) |N. 85° E.| ATOCHA |Candelero |Porphyry (metam.) |N. 45° E.| ROSARIO |Candelero |Porphyry (metam.) |N. 50° E.| CONTRESTACA |Near La Puerta |Metamorphic rocks |N. 63° E.| DESCUBRIDORA |Near La Puerta |Metamorphic rocks |N. 35° E.| SOLEDAD |Bet. La Puerta and |Metamorphic rocks |N. 65° E.| | San Dimas | | | CANDELARIA |Near San Dimas |Porphyry (metam.) |N. 63° E.| BOLANOS |Near San Dimas |Porphyry (metam.) |N. 45° E.| CINCO DE MAYO |Near Zaragoza |Syenitic granite |N. 52° E.| CINCO SEÑORES |Near Copála |Greenstone |N. 20° W.| NAPOLEON |Near Copála |Greenstone |N. 10° W.| ROSARIO |Near Copála |Greenstone |N. 50° W.| PATINO |Near Copála |Greenstone |N. 22° W.| HAVAL |A few leagues from |Syenitic granite |N. 80° E.| | Mazatlan | | | MINA GRANDE |Near San Marcial |Metamorphic slates |N. and S.| | | (triassic) | | LAS CRUZECITAS |Near San Marcial |Metamorphic slates |N. 15° E.| | | (triassic) | | GUIJOSITA VIEJA |Near San Javier |Labrador porphyry | | LA ANTIMONIA |Near San Javier |Labrador porphyry | | DIOS PADRE |Trinidad |Labrador porphyry | | AGUA GRANDE |9 miles from San |Porphyry (volcanic) |N. 38°- | | Marcial | | 40° E. | LA COLORADA |Near Copála |Greenstone |N. and S.| ALGODONA |Near San Marcial |Metamorphic slates |N. and S.| | | (triassic) | | LOS BRONCES |Los Bronces |Greenstone |E. of N. | LA PRIETA |Los Bronces |Greenstone |N. 40° E.| ALTA GRACIA |Near San Antonio |Quartzite (triassic) |N. and S.| | de la Huerta | | | ROSARIO DE |San Javier |Greenstone |N. 70° E.| GUADALUPE | | | | AURORA |Near Los Bronces |Greenstone |N. 10° E.| EL TASTE |Near San Javier |Greenstone |N. 15° E.| PROVIDENCIA |Near Tecoripa |Quartzite (triassic) |N. 10° E.| LA BOJORQUEÑA |Near Tecoripa |Quartzite (triassic) |N. 20° E.| LA CHIPIOÑENA |Near Topisco |Granite | | MINA PRIETA |Near San Antonio |Quartzite (triassic) | | | de la Huerta | | | EL TESORO |Cacachilas |Granite |N.W.-S.E.| ROSARIO |Cañada de la |Quartzite (triassic) |N.E.-S.W.| | Iglesia, near | | | | San Antonio | | | BABICANORA | |Limestone |N.E.-S.W.| | | (carboniferous) | | ================+===================+=====================+=========+

================+============+===========+==========================+ Mines. | Dip. | Width. | Matrix. | ----------------+------------+-----------+--------------------------+ NAGHUILA |50° N.E. |1½ ft. |Crystalline quartz | EUREKA |35°-40° N.E.| |Quartz | PLEITEADA |45° N.E. |1½ ft. |Quartz | SAN JUAN |50° S.S.E. |4 ft. |Quartz and iron ore | CEBALLOS |85° S.S.E. |2 ft. |Magnetic iron | HIGUERA |80° E. |2½ ft. |Magnetic iron | LA BLANCA |15° E. | |Vesicular quartz | SAN LUIS |35° N.E. |1½ ft. |Decomp. quartz and | | | | sulfate of baryta | SANTA BARBARA |30° S.E. |1½ ft. |Quartz | LA SIERRA |80° N.N.W. |3 ft. |Magnetic iron | SAN JOSÉ | |1½ ft. |Sulphate of baryta | EL SECORRO | | | | ZARAGOZA | | |Magnetic iron | SAN LUIS GONZAGA|30°-40° N.E.|8 inches |White quartz | LA COLORADA |80° S. |5 ft. |Iron ore and quartz | AGUAJITO | | |Magnetic iron | SANTA EDUBIGEN |30° N.W. |2½ ft. |Quartz | LA CUADRA |20°-25° E. |1 ft. |Quartz | EL ROSARIO |20°-25° E. | |Crystalline quartz | EL ESCRITORIO |N.E. |1½ ft. |White quartz | SANTA ROSA |55° S. |3 ft. |Quartz and iron ore | SOLEDAD |85° S.E. |30 ft. |Quartz | CARMEN |85° N. |28 ft. |Quartz | ATOCHA |85° N. |14 ft. |Quartz | ROSARIO |70°-80° N.W.|17 ft. | | CONTRESTACA |76° N.W. | |White quartz | DESCUBRIDORA |69° N.W. | |White quartz | SOLEDAD |Perp. | |White quartz | CANDELARIA |63° N.N.W. | |White quartz | BOLANOS |75° S.E. |20 ft. |White quartz | CINCO DE MAYO |75° N.W. |4 ft. |White quartz | CINCO SEÑORES |45° E.N.E. |1 to 4 ft. |Quartz | NAPOLEON |80° E. |2 to 8 ft. |Chalcedonic quartz | ROSARIO |85° E. | |Chalcedonic quartz | PATINO |Perp. |4 ft. |Chalcedonic quartz | HAVAL |80° N. | |Quartz | MINA GRANDE |30° W. |2 ft. |Quartz | LAS CRUZECITAS |65° E. |4½ ft. |Heavy spar | GUIJOSITA VIEJA | | |Quartz | LA ANTIMONIA | | |Crystalline quartz | DIOS PADRE | |9 to 12 ft.| | | | of ore | | AGUA GRANDE |80° N.W. |1½ ft. |White quartz | LA COLORADA |20° W. |40 ft. |Chalcedonic quartz | ALGODONA |30° W. |8 inches |Rotten quartz and iron ore| LOS BRONCES |85° E. | |Heavy spar | LA PRIETA |80° N.W. | |Heavy spar | ALTA GRACIA |30° E. |4 ft. |Brown spar | ROSARIO DE |60° S.S.E. |2 ft. |Quartz | GUADALUPE | | | | AURORA |45-50° E. |2 ft. |Magnetic iron | EL TASTE |50-55° E. |5 ft. |Quartz | PROVIDENCIA |65° E. |1 ft. 2 in.|Quartz | LA BOJORQUEÑA |65° E. | |Quartz (ferruginous) | LA CHIPIOÑENA | | | | MINA PRIETA | | |Brown spar | EL TESORO |75° S.W. |4 ft. | | ROSARIO |85° N.W. |2 ft. | | BABICANORA |75° N.W. |5 ft. |Quartz | ================+============+===========+==========================+

================+======================================+=============== Mines. | Ores. | Yield. | | (Per Ton.) ----------------+--------------------------------------+--------------- NAGHUILA |Sulph’ts of zinc, lead, iron |1st class $1200 | arsenical & copper pyrites; ruby |2nd class $125 | silver & native silver | EUREKA |Mispickel, blende, galena | PLEITEADA | | SAN JUAN |Galena, zinc, carbonate of lead, iron | | pyrites | CEBALLOS | | HIGUERA |Copper pyrites and gray copper ore | LA BLANCA |Gold and chloro-bromide of silver |$43 SAN LUIS |Blende, galena, mispickel, sulphuret |1st class $787 | of iron, native silver |2nd class $125 SANTA BARBARA |Galena, carbonate of lead, iron |$67.75 | pyrites, gold | LA SIERRA |Gray copper, iron pyrites | SAN JOSÉ |Magnetic iron & iron pyrites | EL SECORRO | | ZARAGOZA | | SAN LUIS GONZAGA|Galena, blende, mispickel, iron | | pyrites | LA COLORADA | | AGUAJITO | | SANTA EDUBIGEN | | LA CUADRA |Arsenical pyrites, blende, and galena | EL ROSARIO | | EL ESCRITORIO | | SANTA ROSA |Carbonate of lead, iron ore, galena, | | blende, iron pyrites | SOLEDAD | |$266.65 CARMEN |Silver and gold, sulph. of silver |$186.65 ATOCHA |Silver and gold, sulph. of silver |$213.35 ROSARIO |Silver and gold, sulph. of silver |$160 CONTRESTACA |Blende, galena, sulph. of silver | DESCUBRIDORA |Blende, galena, sulph. of silver | SOLEDAD |Blende, galena, sulph. of silver | CANDELARIA | |1st class $3210 | |2d class $133 BOLANOS |Galena | CINCO DE MAYO |Galena, blende, iron pyrites, brittle |1st class $800 | silver glance, native silver |2d class $180 CINCO SEÑORES |Galena, blende, iron pyrites | NAPOLEON |Galena, blende, copper pyrites, etc. | ROSARIO | | PATINO |Galena, blende, copper pyrites | HAVAL |Oxide of lead, native silver | MINA GRANDE |Sulphuret of antimony, mispickel, | | copper pyrites, blende, iron pyrites| LAS CRUZECITAS |Tepustete with copper and iron |1st cl. $90-100 | pyrites, and gray copper ore |2d cl. $35-40 GUIJOSITA VIEJA |Galena, arsenical pyrites, blende, | | copper pyrites | LA ANTIMONIA |Sulphuret of antimony and lead | DIOS PADRE |Gray copper ore, galena, iron pyrites,| | native silver | AGUA GRANDE |Indigo copper, chrysocolla, | | chalkosine, chalcopyrite | LA COLORADA | | ALGODONA |Chlorobromide of silver | LOS BRONCES |Magnetic iron, gray copper, copper |1st class $350 | and iron pyrites |2d class $40-60 LA PRIETA |Magnetic iron, gray copper, copper | | and iron pyrites | ALTA GRACIA |Copper pyrites and gray copper | ROSARIO DE |Black blende, iron pyrites and galena | GUADALUPE | | AURORA |Gray copper ore and copper pyrites | EL TASTE |Galena, blende, copper and iron |$100 | pyrites (petanque) | PROVIDENCIA | |1st class $200 | |2d cl. $35-40 LA BOJORQUEÑA |Black blende, iron pyrites, galena, | | copper pyrites | LA CHIPIOÑENA | | MINA PRIETA |Copper pyrites, gray copper | EL TESORO | |1st class $220 | |2d class $90 ROSARIO |Galena and blende |$60 BABICANORA |Galena, iron pyrites, fahlerz, ruby |$34.65 | silver ore; gold and silver | ================+======================================+===============

[21] The best map of Northern Mexico is that of M. de Fleury, published in San Francisco, in 1864; but this makes little pretense to a delineation of the topography; the courses of the principal streams and the position of the larger mining towns are often very far from being correct, as must be expected on a map constructed without a basis of instrumental surveys. J. D. W.

[22] See Emory, in Mexican Boundary Report, vol. 1, page 41.

[23] Only a few specimens of the Carboniferous fossils collected by M. Rémond have ever been received, owing to circumstances connected with the present political condition of Mexico. It is hoped, however, that they are not lost, and that they may yet be recovered. Among the few specimens received is a coral, not to be distinguished from the _Lithostrotion_ (_L. mamillare_) found near Bass’s Ranch, in Shasta County, California. J. D. W.

REGULAR MEETING, MARCH 19TH, 1866.

President in the Chair.

Twelve members present.

Donations to the Cabinet: Sections of the _Sequoia gigantea_ and a roll showing the annual growth of the “Old Maid,” one of the trees in the Calaveras grove of Big Trees; from Mr. Henry Hentsch.

Mr. Dall stated that Dr. Cooper had discovered, in the vicinity of Santa Cruz, _Helix redemita_, _H. Vancouverensis_, _H. Columbiana_, and _H. arrosa_; also, in the small rivulets near the town, _Margaritana falcata_, besides several univalves, and also an undetermined _Helix_, which may prove to be new. Mr. Dall also remarked that Rev. J. Rowell had obtained at Hayward’s, Alameda County, a number of specimens of _Helix Cronkhitei_, which is a new locality for that species.

Mr. Dall remarked that in dissecting a specimen of _Trochiscus Norrissii_, the position of which has for some time been doubtful, sufficient evidence was obtained to decide that it did not belong with the Proboscidians, to which group it had been doubtfully referred by several naturalists.

REGULAR MEETING, APRIL 2D, 1866.

Mr. Stearns in the Chair.

Five members present.

Mr. Bloomer presented some Diatoms, from the coast of California, supposed to belong to the genera _Melissa_ and _Meridion_; they were both found growing upon calcareous sea weeds. The genus _Meridion_ has not heretofore been recorded as occurring in California.

Mr. Dall presented, in the name of Dr. Cooper, the following paper:

Description of a new California Helix, with notes on others already described.

BY J. G. COOPER, M.D.

HELIX (Arianta) SEQUOICOLA, Cooper.

Sp. ch. _H. testa_ rotundata, umbilicata, spira depressa, anfr. ult. nonnunquam subangulata; anfr. vi ad vii et dimidium, perist. obliqua superne parum deflecta; labio tenui, reflexo, infra crassiore, acuta. Colore atrobrunnea, vel olivacea, zona nigra, lata, inter duabus ochraceis sita, in spira semicelata, labio albo; intus læte purpureo, zonis duabus albis. Epidermide nitente, infra polita, striis incrementis læve perspicuis, interdum tenuissime malleata, rugis spiralibus; supra punctis piliferis creberrime induta; pilis brevissimis junioris deciduis.

_Animal_ schisto-colore; corpore cylindraceo rugosa, tentaculis longis, pede postice elongata, cuneata.

_Testæ_ lat., major, 0.93 ad 1.20; minor 0.76 ad 0.96; alt. 0.42 ad 0.54 poll. Angl.

_Hab._ Santa Cruz, California, in ligno carioso, locis humidissimis.

_Specific characters._ Shell rounded, umbilicate, spire depressed, last whorl sometimes subangulate, whorls 6 to 6½, peristome oblique, little deflected above; labium thin, reflexed, thickest below; acute. Color dark brown or olivaceous, with a broad black band between two yellow ones, half hidden on the spire, lips white; within a fine purple with two white bands. Epidermis shining, polished below, the lines of growth faintly visible, sometimes very lightly malleated, and with spiral ridges; above with crowded scars bearing very short bristles in the young shell which fall off in the adult.

_Animal_ slate colored, body cylindrical, rugose, tentacles moderate; foot elongated, behind wedge-shaped.

_Shell_—large diameter 0.96 to 1.20; smaller diameter 0.76 to 0.96; height 0.42 to 0.54 hundredths of an inch.

_Hab._ Santa Cruz, Cal., among decayed trees in the dampest places.

This beautiful species is quite rare, only three adult and twelve young specimens having been found after long searching. It will probably occur more commonly in some part of the redwood forests which I have been unable to explore. It approaches nearest to _H. Dupetithouarsi_ and _H. fidelis_, being between them in form and size as well as colors, but the pilosity at once distinguishes it. Its distinct bands and rounded whorls separate it from _H. infumata_ and _Hillebrandii_, the latter when perfect having also much longer hairs. The animal is lighter colored than those of _H. arrosa_, _Nickliniana_, _redimita_, _ramentosa_, _tudiculata_, (which are all very similar) but much darker than that of _Dupetithouarsi_, and I believe also of _fidelis_ and _infumata_. The form of the shell is a link connecting these with _Mormonum_.

In the tabular arrangement adopted in my State Survey Report, it would come in as the pilose analogue of _H. Dupetithouarsi_, and _H. exarata_, which are also its nearest geographical neighbors, as follows:

=====================+====================+==================== § =A.= Shining; | § =B.= Dark; | § =C.= Brown; band triple, | hirsute in | band single, not rugose, | the young, | rugose, sculptured, l. whorls 6 to 8. | l. whorls 6 to 6½. | l. whorls 6 to 7. ---------------------+--------------------+-------------------- H. fidelis. | H. infumata.[24] | H. arrosa. H. Traskii.[25] | H. sequoicola. | H. exarata. H. Dupetithouarsi. | H. Hillebrandii. | H. Ayresiana. ---------------------+--------------------+--------------------

Judging from the form of _H. Mormonum_, it is possible that the young will be found to be hirsute.

The table referred to includes twelve other banded species of California, arranged under the same headings. It is interesting to observe that the § A 1 and B 1 groups inhabit coniferous forests, and probably feed chiefly on fungi found in decaying wood while § C, including also H. _Nickliniana_, _Bridgesii_, _redimita_, _ramentosa_, _tudiculata_, _Californiensis_ (and _Carpenteri_?) are found in woods of oak, etc. Another group which I place in § A (as not being rugose) are found in dry, treeless localities where they seem to represent those last mentioned, the size, form, and number of whorls furnishing parallels, but being usually less in size, as might be expected of species from arid regions, and often with the band single or obscured; these are H. _Tryoni_[25], _rufocincta_, _Kellettii_, _crebristriata_, _Gabbii_, _facta_.[25]

The bandless species, of which there are few on this coast, present analogous sections as to surface characters, and exhibit much greater varieties in the form of their apertures, by which they can be arranged in groups, having a greater development of species in the Atlantic States and more distinguishable by form than by surface.

_H. Townsendiana_ alone approaches § C in its rugose sculpture, but otherwise differs greatly from the usual types of California.

From the shells alone, five subgenera may be established out of the banded group, which I will describe in a future article.

NOTE.—There is a single specimen of Helix in the State Collection, supposed to have been obtained in the Mount Diablo range by Prof. Brewer, which closely resembles the small form of _H. Sequoicola_ in shape, but being nearly bleached is too imperfect to describe minutely, though very likely a new species.

It is remarkable for having seven whorls, while the former and _H. Mormonum_ of the same size have but six; it is also less compressed than the latter, and the umbilicus is less covered. The color where remaining is shining gamboge yellow (faded?) with a _single_ very narrow band _above_ the middle, not showing the pale band on each side of it that is so marked in others of the group. The sculpture seems to have been very _slightly_ malleated, and with the faint lines of growth cut by smooth depressed waved grooves transversely, and thus obliquely to the sutures (while those of _H. Traskii_ are parallel).

Diam. maj. 0.95; alt. 0.40 inch.

A region so near San Francisco ought to furnish more and better specimens.

There is a form referred to _H. fidelis_, from Humboldt Bay, which may also prove a new species. It is entirely purplish black, _without bands_, the lips white inside, and differs from _infumata_ chiefly in great elevation and thicker lips, having even the subcarinate body whorl of the latter, and the same number of whorls (6½). There is, however, no trace of bristle marks, and some specimens appear to connect it with _fidelis_, suggesting a possibility of its being a hybrid.

The State Collection contains one specimen, obtained from the late Dr. Frick.

Diam. maj. 1.24; min. 1.09; alt. 0.70 inch.

[24] In this the band seems obscured in the general blackness of the shell; occasional varieties of several others are found without the band, as if from disease, as in _H. anachoreta_.

[25] These species have parallel spiral grooves, not _rugæ_.

REGULAR MEETING, APRIL 16TH, 1866.

President in the chair.

Five members present.

Mr. Horace F. Cutter was elected a Resident Member.

The Committee on rooms reported that two rooms had been hired for the Academy on the southeast corner of Montgomery and Sacramento streets.

REGULAR MEETING, MAY 7TH, 1866.

President in the chair.

Eight members present.

Mr. Harford presented some ivory nuts from Panama.

Dr. Gibbons made some remarks explanatory of a series of tables which he exhibited, showing the variations of rain fall at San Francisco, and their relation to the phases of the moon. He showed that the greatest amount of rain fell immediately before the time of full moon, and that, following the day of the full, the diminution in quantity was very rapid. The series of observations from which the tables were prepared extended over a period of fifteen years.

Dr. Gibbons remarked that he proposed continuing the investigation of the subject of the connection of the moon’s phases with the fall of rain, and that he would prepare a paper on the subject.

Considerable discussion followed on the subject of the weather of this coast, in which nearly all the members present took part.

REGULAR MEETING, MAY 21ST, 1866.

Mr. Stearns in the chair.

The Academy met for the first time in its new rooms on the corner of Montgomery and Sacramento streets; twelve members were present.

Donations to the cabinet: Two boxes of shells, from the Smithsonian Institution.

Donations to the Library: Bulletins de l’Académie Royale des Sciences de Belgique (2) XVIII, XIX, 1864-5. Annuaire de l’Académie Royale de Belgique, 1865; 31me Année. Sitzungsberichte der königl. bayer. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu München, 1864, II, 3, 4; 1865, I, 1-4; II, 1-4. Annalen der königlichen Sternwarte bei München, Band XIV. Entstehung und Begriff der naturhistorischen Art, von Dr. Carl Nägeli, 2te auflage; München, 1865, 8vo. pamphlet. Induction and Deduction, von Justus von Liebig; München, 1865, 8vo. pamphlet. Vorträge über die Florenreiche, von Dr. C. F. Ph. von Martius; München, 1865, 8vo pamphlet. Elfter Bericht der Oberhessischen Gesellschaft für Natur-und Heilkunde; Giessen, 1865. Verslagen en Mededeelingen der koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen; Afdeeling Naturkunde, 17de Deel; Amsterdam, 1865: same; Afdeeling Letterkunde, 8ste Deel, 1865: same; Iarboek, 1863, 1864. Musee Vrolik, Catalogue de la Collection d’ Anatomie, etc. de M. M. Ger. et W. Vrolik; 1 vol. 8vo. Amsterdam, 1865. Meteorologische Waarnemingen, 1864; 1 vol. long 4to Utrecht, 1865. Kongliga Svenska Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar; Ny Följd, 5te Bandet, 1sta Häftet, 1863. Ofversigt of Kongl. Vetenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar, 21sta Argangen; 1 vol. 8vo. Stockholm, 1865. Meteorologiska Jaktagelser i Sverige, utgifna af Kongl. Svenska Vetenskaps-Akademiens: 5te Bandet, 1863. Meteorologiske Jagttagelser paa Christiania Observatorium, 1864; Christiania, 1865. Meteorologische Beobachtungen, aufgezeichnet auf Christiania Observatorium; 1, Band, Letzte Lieferung, 1837-63, Christiania, 1865. Oversigt af Norges Echinodermer ved Dr. Michel Sars; 1 vol. 8vo Christiania, 1861. Zologisk-Botaniske Observationer fra Gudbrandsdalen og Dovre, af R. Collett; 8vo. pamphlet, Christiania, 1865. Beretning om en botanisk Reise i Valders, foretagen i Sommeren 1864, af H. C. Printz; 8vo. pamphlet, Christiana, 1865. Oversigt af Christiania Omegns ornithologiske Fauna, af R. Collett; 8vo. pamphlet, Christiania, 1864. Norges Ferskvandskrebsdyr: Förste afsnit, Branchiopoda, 1, Cladocera ctenopoda, af G. O. Sars; 4to pamphlet, Christiania, 1865. Hestiæ Planetæ Minoris XLVI, Elementa Nova, deduxit F. M. Karlinski, Cracoviæ, 1865. Jahrbücher des Vereins für Naturkunde im Herzogthum Nassau, 17tes and 18tes Heft, 1 vol. 8vo. Wiesbaden, 1862-3. Jahrbuch der k. k. geologischen Gesellschaft, 1865, Band XV 1, 2, 3. Der Zoologische Garten; VI Jahrgang, Nos. 1-12, 8vo. Frankfort a. m., 1865. Flora, oder allgemeine botanische Zeitung; Neue Reihe, XXIII Jahrgang, 8vo. Regensburg, 1865. Sitzungs-Berichte der naturw. Gesellschaft Isis zu Dresden; Jahrgang, 1864, 8vo. Dresden, 1865. Verhandlungen des naturhistorischen Vereins der preuss. Rheinlande und Westphalens; 21ter Jahrgang, 1 volume in two parts, 8vo. Bonn, 1864. Verhandlungen der k. k. zool-bot. Gesellschaft in Wien; XIV Band, 8vo. Wien, 1864. Mémoires de l’Académie Impériale des Sciences de St. Petersbourg; Tome V, 1, VII 1-7 (complete), VIII, 1-16 (complete), 4to, St. Petersburg, 1864-5. Bulletin de l’Académie Impériale des Sciences de St. Petersbourg; Tome VII, Feuilles 12-36, VIII 1-36. Royal Horticultural Society’s Proceedings; vol. IV, No. 10, vol. V, Nos. 4-9, 8vo. London, 1865. Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society; new series, vol. 1, part 1., 8vo. London, 1866. Defense des Colonies, III, par Joachim Barrande; 8vo. Prague, 1865. Fragmenta Phytographiæ Australiæ, F. Müller; vol. IV. 8vo, Melbourne, 1863-4. Vegetation of Chatham Islands, F. Müller, 8vo. Melbourne, 1864. Analytical drawings of Australian Mosses, edited by F. Müller, 1 Fascicle, 8vo. Melbourne, 1864. Plants indigenous to the Colony of Victoria, Lithograms, by F. Müller, 4to, 1864-5. Review of American Birds in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, by S. F. Baird; Part 1, Middle and North America, 8vo. Washington. Illustrated Catalogue of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, No. II, North American Acalephæ, by A. Agassiz; 4to, Cambridge, 1865.

All of the above publications were presented by the authors or the Societies publishing the same; those published in Europe were forwarded and received through the medium of the Smithsonian Institution.

Mr. Dall presented the following paper:

On a New Subfamily of Fluviatile Mollusca.

BY W. H. DALL, ACTING DIRECTOR SCI. CORPS, W. U. T. EX.

A paper was read by Dr. Isaac Lea, before the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, April 1st, 1856, in which he described a new genus (_Pompholyx_) and species (_P. effusa_, Lea) of fluviatile mollusca, from California. He placed it in the _Family_ LYMNÆANA without remark.

In the “_Genera of Recent mollusca_,” by H. & A. Adams, it is referred to (Vol. II, p. 645, Pl. CXXXVIII, fig. 11) as the only species of the genus and is placed in the _Family_ LIMNÆIDÆ.

It is not mentioned by Chenu, in the “_Manuel de Conchyliologie_.”

In the “_Supplementary Report to the British Association_,” by Dr. P. P. Carpenter (page 674), are given the views of Mr. W. G. Binney, one of the most eminent of American conchologists and particularly devoted to the Pulmonates. He places the mollusk in question, between the genera _Limnæa_ and _Physa_, in the _Subfamily_ LIMNÆINÆ, of the _Family_ LIMNÆIDÆ.

Investigations as to the animal, however, suggest the propriety of separating it, if not (as a _Family Pompholidæ_) entirely from the _Family_ LIMNÆIDÆ, at least in a subfamily by itself.

In the few specimens which I have been able to examine with regard to the dentition, the dried animal has not yielded very satisfactory results, and I do not, therefore, feel justified in entirely separating it until more is known.

In the following table, a West Coast species is given as a type of each genus:

CLASS PULMONATA.

_Family_ LIMNÆIDÆ, H. & A. Ads.

_Subfamily_ LIMNÆINÆ, H. & A. Ads.

West Coast Genera:

=Limnæa=, Lam.

Subgenera: _Limnæa_, Type _L. stagnalis_, Lin. _Limnophysa_, Fitz., Type _L. palustris_, Müll.

=Physa=, Drap.

Subgenera: _Physa_, Type _P. heterostropha_, Say. _Bulinus_, H. & A. Ads., Type _B. hypnorum_, Lin.

_Subfamily_ PLANORBINÆ.

W. C. Genera:

=Planorbis=, Guett.

Subgenera: _Planorbis_, Type _P. subcrenatus_, Cpr. _Helisoma_, Sw., Type _H. ammon_, Gld. _Menetus_, H. & A. Ads., Type _M. opercularis_, Gld.

=Carinifex=, W. G. Binney. Type _C. Newberryi_, Lea.

_Subfamily_ ANCYLINÆ.

W. C. Genera:

=Ancylus=, Geoffr. Type _A. Newberryi_, Lea.

=Acroloxus=, Beck. Type _A. Nuttallii_, Lea.

=Gundlachia=, Pfr. Type G. _Californica_, Rowell.

_Subfamily_ POMPHOLINÆ, Dall.

_Testa depressa, paucis spiralis, anf. ult. maxima. Columella recta, sine plica._

_Animalis tentaculis longis, oculiferis, et alius par oculorum, in bases interiores tentaculorum._

Characters, _Shell_; depressed, few whorled, last whorl the largest, without fold on the columella. Inoperculate.

_Soft parts_; foot rounded, tentacles long, bearing eyes; another pair of eyes situated on the inner bases of the tentacles. Fluviatile, phytophagous.

Genus =Pompholyx=, Lea.

Proc. Phil. Acad., Ap. 1st, 1856.

Type P. effusa Lea, sp. unica. [FIG. 28.]

_Shell_; small, swollen, with three whorls, the last much the largest. Above, rounded planulate, suture deep but not channelled. Below, not umbilicated, rounded convex. Aperture large, effuse, internally shining. Columella flattened, not folded; externally, in fresh specimens, greenish horn color; dead ones nearly white or waxy brown. Alt. 0.14 in., major diam. 0.2, min. diam. 0.16 in.

_Soft parts._ Foot rounded truncate; short, bluish-ash color, darker on the margin. Lips broad, semilunar. Tentacles long, eyebearing; tips pale yellow, eyes black; a second pair sessile on the inner bases of the tentacles. Body delicate brownish olive green; a light streak just behind and outside of base of each tentacle.

Localities: Sacramento River (Trask), Lea; Eagle Lake, Horn; Klamath Valley and Frazer Spring, Gabb.

I am indebted to Mr. Wm. M. Gabb, of the State Geological Survey, for notes and drawings, confirmatory of previous doubts in regard to this rare and interesting mollusk. They were taken from the living animal, and coming from a distinguished Palæontologist may be relied on as correct.

[N.B.—Through inadvertence in drawing, the shell is represented as reversed in the figure.]

Professor Whitney made some remarks on the geology of the State of Nevada, of which the following is an abstract.

Having recently received a small but very interesting collection of fossils, made in Nevada by Mr. J. E. Clayton, the examination of which has added considerably to our scanty stock of information in regard to the geology of an extensive region comprised between the meridians of 115° and 120°, and the parallels of 38° and 41°, I take this occasion to set forth, in a very concise manner, the information which I have collected, up to the present time, in regard to the age of the sedimentary formations of the regions in question.

The State of Nevada occupies a portion of the continent which, during the last few years, has received a large share of attention from the public and excited the greatest interest among scientific men; but where, up to the present time, detailed geological work has been impossible, owing to the absence of any geographical map of the State approaching even to accuracy.

The U. S. Pacific Railroad Surveys furnished no geological information whatever in regard to the territory embraced within the present area of the State of Nevada. The route from Salt Lake to Humboldt River, at Lassen’s Meadows, was hastily explored by Captain Beckwith, in May, 1854, and he was accompanied by Mr. Schiel as Geologist; but no information of any value is given in regard to the geological structure of the region traversed by the party, nor were any fossils discovered, although portions of the rocks along their route have since been proved to be prolific in organic remains.

On all the geological maps of the whole territory of the United States which have been published up to the present time, the region west of the Rocky Mountains has been so misrepresented that it is quite impossible to trace any approximation, or first hinting, at either the age or the outline of the principal formations. On these maps the region lying between the Salt Lake and the Sierra Nevada is usually left uncolored, or vaguely designated as “metamorphic” with patches of “volcanic” and “desert quaternary” scattered through it at random.[26]

The first paper or publication issued, in which any definite information in regard to the geology of Nevada was given, was that of Messrs. Meek and Engelmann, published in the Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, for April, 1860. This paper gives the results of the examination by Mr. Meek, of the fossils obtained by Mr. H. Engelmann, who accompanied Capt. J. H. Simpson on his explorations of 1858-59, or what is generally known as “Simpson’s Wagon Road Expedition.” As the full report of this expedition has never been published, we have no other information in regard to the geology of the region traversed by Capt. Simpson’s party than that given in the paper above alluded to. The route followed on this survey was one near the present Overland Stage Road, passing through a region then entirely uninhabited by white men, but now dotted with mining camps and even towns of considerable size—a region which has been proved to contain a large number of argentiferous veins, and where mining operations have been carried on most energetically and extensively during the last two or three years.

The localities of fossils mentioned by Messrs. Meek and Engelmann, and included within the limits of Nevada, are as follows: Long. 114° 45´, Lat 39° 45´, near what is now called Egan Cañon, fragments of Trilobites, either of Upper Silurian or Devonian Age, and “closely resembling Hamilton Group Forms:”—Long. 115° 58´, Lat. 39° 33´, and Long. 115° 36´, Lat. 39° 30´; at these two localities, situated in what are now the Eureka and White Pine Mining Districts, a “group of fossils of decided Devonian type” was found. This group consisted of _Atrypa reticularis_, _A. aspera_, or a closely allied species, a small _Productus_, and three new species of _Spirifer_. This is the most westerly point, on our territory, at which any fossils belonging to formations older than the Carboniferous have, up to the present time, been discovered, so far at least as any published record shows. Between Lon. 115° and 115° 30´ and Lat. 40° 10´ and 39° 20´, is a group or series of hills, trending nearly north and south, and made up “of light yellowish gray, more or less argillaceous and arenaceous subcrystalline limestones and slates.” From these hills fossils were collected which are referred by Mr. Meek to the Upper Carboniferous series. Most of the species were new; among them were three species of _Productus_, two new species of _Spirifer_, and another apparently identical with _S. cameratus_; also, _Athyris subtilita_ and a new species of _Chonetes_ closely allied to _C. Verneuiliana_; these localities are near what is now known as Ruby Valley and Fort Ruby.

The above are all the localities of fossils, in Nevada, known to have been published up to this time, excepting those which have been described or noticed in the publications of the Geological Survey of California. Messrs. Meek and Engelmann state, at the end of their paper, that igneous rocks predominate west of the 116th degree of longitude as far as the Sierra Nevada, and that only a few traces of stratified rock were found in that district in none of which any organic remains were observed. The exploration of this region, supposed to be destitute of fossiliferous rocks, has proved, however, that it contains immense ranges of stratified beds which, in a considerable number of localities at least, are highly prolific in well preserved fossils.

As soon as the Humboldt mining region began to be resorted to by miners, which was in 1861 and 1862, fossils were discovered by several persons, who about the same time furnished us with collections of value and interest. The most important of these collections were those of Mr. Gorham Blake and of Mr. R. Homfray. The specimens obtained by these gentlemen, as well as others of the same age obtained by the Survey, near Dayton, Nevada, and also in Genesee Valley, California, were figured and described by Mr. Gabb in the first volume of the Palæontology of California, forming a part of the series of publications of the Geological Survey. The geological age of the formation is that of the Hallstadt Limestone of the Austrian Alps, or the Upper Trias, there being several species at the above cited localities which are identical with European species from this geological position, as determined by Mr. Gabb, and confirmed by Von Hauer, the eminent palæontologist of the Austrian Geological Survey.[27]

Since the publication of the Palæontology of California, Vol. I, our stock of information with regard to the range and extent of the Upper Trias, in Nevada, has been considerably increased by the explorations of members of the Survey, and other persons who have furnished us with specimens from their collections, or given us information as to the character of the rocks noticed by them on their lines of travel. We now know that the Triassic rocks occupy a broad belt of country extending from the 117th meridian west to the line dividing the States of Nevada and California, and lying between the parallels of 38° and 40°. Within the area thus designated, Triassic fossils have been found at several localities, some of which are remarkable for the number and good state of preservation of the various species. Among these localities that of the Volcano District is remarkable for the size and beauty of the Ammonites found there. This is about thirty miles east of the south end of Walker’s Lake. New Pass District, twenty miles west of Austin, is also a rich locality of Triassic fossils At two or three points within this Triassic area there are indications of the existence of fossiliferous rocks occupying a higher position than the Trias, and perhaps of Liassic Age; but the collections have not yet been sufficiently studied to justify a positive opinion on this point.

The sedimentary strata in this region are much broken up and metamorphosed by intrusive rocks, of which there is a great variety, granite being one of the most abundant. In the southern portion of the area designated above as including stratified rocks of Triassic age, a very large part of the surface is occupied by volcanic materials, apparently a continuation of the very recent volcanic masses near Mono Lake. Lava is said to be the predominating rock over the region to the southeast of Walker’s Lake, and as far in that direction as the State line between Nevada and Arizona. The same is true of the region to the north and northwest of Humboldt River, where granitic and volcanic rocks are reported as occurring, and where, so far as known, no fossils have yet been obtained. This, however, is a region as yet but little explored, on account of the number and warlike disposition of the Indians.

Between the 116th and 117th meridians is a region of granitic and volcanic rocks, including two principal north and south ranges, and many spurs and side ranges. The Toiyabe range, in which are the mines of Austin, or the Reese River mines, and which is a little east of the 117th meridian, is mostly granitic. Stratified but highly metamorphosed rocks are said by Mr. Blatchley to occur on its east flank, a few miles south of Austin; these rocks contain fossils, which, however, are nearly obliterated by metamorphism. A box of these, forwarded some time since, has never been received, so that no positive statement can be made as to the age of the formation. From Mr. Blatchley’s description of the forms observed by him, it would appear that we may have here rocks older than the Carboniferous.

East of the 116th meridian, our collections indicate the existence of a broad area covered chiefly by rocks of Carboniferous age, which seem to occupy most of the space between the 115th and 116th meridians. The most western locality of Carboniferous fossils known to us is that on the west side of Diamond Valley, about 70 miles east of Austin, and in lon. 116°. Here, in a dark, crystalline limestone, a variety of species have been obtained by Mr. Clayton, all in a poor state of preservation, but of which the Carboniferous age may be without difficulty made out. Among the genera represented at this locality are _Productus_—two species, one of which is _P. semireticulatus_—_Spirifer_, and _Fusulina_, probably _F. gracilis_, besides some indistinctly marked corals. The indications are that these beds are of Lower Carboniferous age. On the east side of Diamond Valley some imperfectly preserved corals have been found, probably Devonian, or possibly belonging to a still older group. The collections from the region included between the 115th and 116th meridians indicate the association of rocks of both Devonian and Carboniferous age in the outcrops. Here our collections do not enable us to do anything more than to corroborate the previously published statements of Messrs. Meek and Engelmann in regard to the age of the formations.

From the Silver Peak District, near lon. 117° 20´, and lat. 38°, an interesting collection of fossils has been brought by Mr. Clayton. The specimens are unfortunately in a very imperfect and fragmentary condition, but they contain the first trilobites which have been brought to our office from any of the Pacific States or Territories. The rock in which they occur is a dark yellowish brown limestone, with intercalated layers of light grey argillaceous shales. Some of them appear to belong to the genus _Dalmania_, and, if so, the formation is probably of Upper Silurian age, although possibly Devonian. The careful examination of the corals which have been obtained in this district by Mr. Clayton, and also by Mr. Blatchley, will probably throw some additional light on the geological position of these rocks.

[26] On Professor Hall’s Map “illustrating the general geological features of the country west of the Mississippi River,” which accompanied Emory’s Mexican Boundary Report, and was published in 1857, all of a broad central strip running along the parallel of 40° through the center of Nevada, is colored as “lava and other igneous rocks,” while the western portion of the State has several broad belts of “Upper Carboniferous Limestone,” running north and south across it from Walker’s Lake to Goose Lake. So far as I know, no Carboniferous fossils have yet been found in that part of Nevada.

[27] See Jahrbuch der K. K. Geologischen Reichsanstalt, 1865, page 233 of the Proceedings.

REGULAR MEETING, JUNE 4TH, 1866.

President in the chair.

Eleven members were present.

The following named persons were elected Resident Members: C. R. King, Frederick Gutzkow, Theodore Blake, W. A. Goodyear, Charles Bonner, C. W. Lightner, Hugo Hochholzer, James T. Gardner.

Donations to the Cabinet: Copper Ore, from Yarrow mine, near Lexington, Santa Clara county, and Molybdenite, from Coloma, El Dorado county, from Mr. Hanks. Land, river, and marine shells collected in Central and South America by the late Thomas Bridges; presented by Mrs. Bridges. Two birds from Mr. Lorquin. A collection of Australian plants, from Dr. Ferdinand Müller. Lichens from Plover Bay, collected and presented by Mr. Dall.

Donations to the Library: Verhandlungen der kaiserlich en Leopoldino-Carolinischen deutschen Akademie der Naturforscher, Band XXXII, 1ste Abtheilung; 4to Dresden, 1865. Amtlicher Bericht über die 39te Versammlung Deutscher Naturforscher und Aerzte in Giessen im September, 1864; 4to, Giessen, 1865. Jahrbuch der k. k. geolgischen Reichsanstalt; 1865, Band XV. No. 4, roy. 8vo. Wien. Nachrichten von der k. Gesellschaft und der Georg-Augusts-Universität, aus dem Jahre 1865; 12mo. Göttingen.

The above were presented by the different Societies named, and forwarded through the Smithsonian Institution.

Mr. Dall made some remarks on the shells which have been collected by various naturalists at and near Monterey.

He remarked that he himself had collected in two weeks no less than two hundred and nineteen species, which number, added to forty-four which have been previously reported as occurring there, but which he did not obtain, gives two hundred and sixty-three as the whole number of species of shells now known to have been found at Monterey.

Of these were previously obtained only to the south of Monterey, twenty-four; previously obtained only to the north of Monterey, forty-two; previously obtained to north and south, but not at Monterey, twenty-nine; previously obtained at Monterey, one hundred and one; not obtained by Mr. Dall, forty-four; new, or not reported, twenty-three.

Collections of shells are greatly needed from points between San Francisco and the mouth of the Columbia river, and also from points between San Diego and Cape St. Lucas, in order to determine questions of geographical distribution.

A curious fact was noticed in _Chiton scabra_, of Reeve, which, although belonging to a class of strictly marine animals, was observed clinging to the rocks beyond the reach, except in storms, of the highest spray. That it does not migrate is proved by the fact that, living in nooks and crevices of the rocks, it grows into the very form of the hole in which it lives.

Mr. Dall also mentioned that, having visited and thoroughly searched the original locality for _Helix Californiensis_, a small island off Point Cypress, accessible only at low tide, this species was found to be nearly exterminated. A letter received from Dr. Canfield of Monterey since the visit of Mr. Dall, confirms the fact of the extinction. This has been caused apparently by a large millipede, which exists in great numbers, and is extremely voracious.

Several of the shells found commonly at Monterey, are identical with others collected during the past season on the coast of Russian North America.

Professor Whitney made some remarks on the absence of the Northern Drift formation from the western coast of North America and from the interior of the continent, throughout the region to the southwest of the Missouri River.

The term “Northern Drift” is understood to include the masses of unstratified detrital materials and boulders which have been transported and distributed by some general cause independent, in a great degree, of the present conformation of the surface and of the direction of the existing river courses. The investigations of geologists have shown that the surface of Canada, New England, and the States north of the Ohio and north of the parallel of 39°, as far west as the Mississippi, and even for some distance beyond it in that direction, are covered by detrital materials which have been carried from the North towards the South, and often for a great distance and in immense masses.

The explorations of the Geological Survey of California have demonstrated however, that there is no true Northern Drift within the limits of this State. Our detrital materials, which often form deposits of great extent and thickness, are invariably found to have been dependent for their origin and present position on causes similar to those now in action, and to have been deposited on the flanks and at the bases of the nearest mountain ranges by currents of water rushing down their slopes. While we have abundant evidence of the former existence of extensive glaciers in the Sierra Nevada, there is no reason to suppose that this ice was to any extent an effective agent in the transportation of the superficial detritus now resting on the flanks of the mountains. The glaciers were confined to the most elevated portions of the mountains, and although the moraines which they have left as evidences of their former extension are often large and conspicuous, they are insignificant in comparison with the detrital masses formed by aqueous erosion. There is nothing anywhere in California which indicates a general glacial epoch during which ice covered the whole country and moved bodies of detritus over the surface, independently of its present configuration, as is seen throughout the Northeastern States.

The same condition of things prevails in Nevada and through Oregon, as far as explored by the members of the Survey. The detritus seems always to be accumulated at the base of the mountains—gravel, boulders, and sand lying below and not far distant from the beds of rock of which these materials once formed a part, and from which they appear to have been detached by weathering and aqueous erosion.

From the observations of Messrs. Ashburner and Dall, it would appear that no evidences of Northern Drift have yet been detected on this Coast, even as far north as British Columbia or Russian America. Neither of these gentlemen has observed any indication of a transportation of drift materials from the north towards the south, or of any condition of things similar to that which must have existed in the Eastern States during the diluvial epoch.

On examining the published records of explorers in the central portion of the Continent, it will be noticed that there is strong reason to believe that the absence of the Northern drift formation is not peculiar to the States along the Pacific Coast; but that the whole region west of the Rocky Mountains is also destitute of any indications of a detrital formation moved over the surface in one direction by any great general cause. Judging from our present stock of evidence, I am inclined to draw the line which limits the Northern Drift formation on the south and west approximately from the mouth of the Ohio to the headwaters of the Saskatchewan River.

It is evident that these facts should be taken into account in theorizing on the origin and cause of the drift. If, as stated above, the transporting agent has been limited in its field of action to the eastern and northeastern portion of our Continent, the phenomenon is seen at once to have become, in a measure, a local one—at least much more local than has hitherto been usually assumed by those geologists who have adopted the glacier theory of the drift.

Professor Whitney remarked that he was particularly desirous of introducing the subject on this occasion, in order that he might have an opportunity of impressing on Mr. Dall, who is about to leave for the Northern Coast, on the Telegraph Expedition, the importance of making a thorough examination of the detrital formations and surface geology of the country he may traverse.

REGULAR MEETING, JUNE 18TH, 1866.

Mr. Stearns in the Chair.

Thirteen members present.

The following named gentlemen were elected Resident Members: Baron F. von Richthofen, E. B. Dorsey, W. W. Palmer, W. S. Keyes, M. L. Stangroom, J. T. Watkins, Jr., W. G. W. Harford, Louis Falkenau.

Mr. H. G. Bloomer stated that he had identified the plant commonly known as the Pepper Tree, as _Schinus mollis_.

Mr. W. H. Dall called attention to several errors in geography made in a short chapter on geographical distribution of marine forms, forming the conclusion of Agassiz’ “Sea Side Studies in Natural History,” recently published. The errors were in regard to the Coast of California.

Mr. Stearns mentioned that in an hour and a half at Baulines Bay he had collected about fifty species of mollusca.

Dr. Gibbons spoke of the progress of his observations on the connection of the phases of the moon and the weather. His remarks were followed by an animated discussion.

REGULAR MEETING, JULY 2D, 1866.

President in the Chair.

Ten members present, and Dr. Hillebrand, of Honolulu, a visitor.

The following gentlemen were elected Resident Members: Vitus Wackenreuder, Sherman Day, Thomas Price, E. Wertheman.

Donations to the Cabinet:

Ores from the Eureka Mine, Grass Valley, and from the Othello Mine, Pahranagat District, by Mr. Hanks; Steatite from Baulines, by Capt. Morgan; Fungi from timber in the mines of Nevada, by Mr. Ewer.

Donations to the Library:

Congressional Documents, from Hon. John Conness. Transactions of the Royal Society of Victoria, 1861-1864, vol. vi, 8vo., Melbourne, 1865; Fragmenta Phytographiæ Australiæ, Nos. xxxi-xxxiv, 8vo.; Third and Fourth Annual Reports of the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria, 2 8vo. pamphlets, Melbourne, 1864: from F. Müller, M.D.

Dr. Gibbons called attention to the experiments and deductions of Dr. Salisbury, of Ohio, in regard to malarial diseases and their supposed vegetable origin. A discussion followed, in which Drs. Behr and Blake took part.

Dr. Hillebrand gave an account of the Botanical Garden of Batavia. It contains, among other plants, two hundred and sixty-two species of Palms. He also gave an account of the introduction of the Cinchona, of various species, into India and Java.

REGULAR MEETING, July 16th, 1866.

Mr. Stearns in the Chair.

Twelve members present, and Mr. J. S. Hittell and Dr. Macgowan as visitors.

Dr. P. Comrie was elected a Corresponding Member, and Dr. S. Pawlicki a Resident Member.

Donations to the Cabinet:

Land and Marine Shells from the East Indies and the Pacific Islands, by Dr. Eckel.

Mr. Stearns presented the following paper:

List of Shells collected at Baulines Bay, California, June, 1866.

BY ROBT. E. C. STEARNS, CURATOR OF CONCHOLOGY, CAB. ACAD. NAT. SCIENCES.

The comparative scantiness of molluscan life in the immediate vicinity of San Francisco, and of the coast for many miles in a southerly direction, led me to believe that an exploration of the small bays to the north of the Golden Gate would reveal a very considerable increase both of species and individuals; accordingly, upon the 14th, 23d, and 24th of last June, I visited the small inlet known as Baulines Bay, and made an examination of the sandspit which makes out from its southerly shore, also the beach inside of and as far north as Duxbury reef, which latter connects with the coast at a point about a mile above the entrance to the bay. The unfavorable condition of the tides prevented an exploration of the reef; as most of the specimens were obtained from the drift, without doubt the following list can be largely increased by a more thorough examination of the locality, especially the reef, at extreme low water and at different seasons of the year.

All of the specimens were in a condition sufficiently perfect to make identification easy; a few forms, of which I had some doubt, were submitted to Dr. J. G. Cooper.

Species marked with a * one specimen; thus † two specimens; of the remainder from three specimens upwards were collected.

1. Zirphea crispata, Linn.* 2. Pholadidea ovoidea, Gould. 3. Parapholas Californica, Conr.* 4. Saxicava pholadis, Linn. 5. Platyodon cancellatus, Conr. 6. Cryptomya Californica, Conr. 7. Schizothærus Nuttalli, Conr. 8. Clidiophora punctata, Conr.† 9. Solen sicarius, Gould.* 10. Machæra patula, Dixon. 11. Macoma secta, Conr. 12. Macoma var. edulis, Nutt. 13. Macoma nasuta, Conr. 14. Tellina Bodegensis, Hds. 15. Semele rubro-lineata, auct. non Conr.* 16. Tapes staminea, Conr. 17. Tapes var. diversa, Sby. 18. Tapes var. ruderata, Desh. 19. Saxidomus aratus, Gould. 20. Petricola carditoides, Conr. 21. Rupellaria lamellifera, Conr.* 22. Chama exogyra, Conr.* 23. Cardium corbis, Mart. 24. Lazaria sub-quadrata, Carp. 25. Mytilus Californianus, Conr. 26. Mytilus edulis, Linn. 27. Adula stylina, Carp.† 28. Pecten hastatus, Sby.* 29. Hinnites giganteus, Gray. 30. Placunanomia macroschisma,—Desh.† 31. Cryptochiton Stelleri, Midd. 32. Tonicia lineata, Wood.* 33. Mopalia muscosa, Gould. 34. Mopalia vespertina, Gould.* 35. Trachydermon Nuttallii, Carp. 36. Nacella insessa, Hds. 37. Nacella instabilis, Gould.* 38. Nacella ? var. triangularis, Carp.† 39. Acmæa persona, Esch. 40. Acmæa spectrum, Rve. 41. Acmæa pelta, Esch. 42. Acmæa var. asmi, Midd. 43. Acmæa patina, Esch. 44. Acmæa scabra, Rve. (var.) 45. Scurria mitra, Esch. 46. Clypidella (bimaculata, Dall, ms.)* 47. Glyphis aspera, Esch. 48. Glyphis densiclathrata, Rve. 49. Haliotis rufescens, Swains.* 50. Chlorostoma funebrale, A. Ad. 51. Chlorostoma brunneum, Phil. 52. Chlorostoma Pfeifferi, Phil. 53. Calliostoma costatum, Mart.† 54. Phorcus pulligo, Mart. 55. Margarita acuticostata, Carp.* 56. Crepidula adunca, Sby. 57. Hipponyx cranioides, Carp. 58. Cerithidea sacrata, Gould. 59. Bittium filosum, Gould. 60. Bittium armillatum, Carp.* 61. Littorina scutulata, Gould. 62. Lacuna unifasciata, Carp. 63. Lacuna solidula, Lov. 64. Scalaria indianorum, Carp. 65. Opalia borealis, Gould.† 66. Lunatia Lewisii, Gould.* 67. Olivella biplicata, Sby. 68. Olivella intorta, Carp. 69. Nassa fossata, Gould. 70. Nassa mendica, Gould. 71. Nassa Cooperi, Fbs.* 72. Amycla carinata, Hds. 73. Amphissa corrugata, Rve. 74. Purpura crispata, Chem, (smooth var.) 75. Purpura var. ostrina, Gould. 76. Monoceras engonatum, Conr. 77. Ocinebra lurida, Midd. 78. Ocinebra var. aspera, Baird. 79. Ocinebra var. munda, Carp. 80. Ocinebra interfossa, Carp. 81. Cerastoma foliatum, Gmel. 82. Cerastoma Nuttallii. Conr.* 83. (?) Muricidea Californica, Hinds.* 84. Chrysodomus dirus, Rve.

Of No. 8, two odd valves, and of No. 9, a single perfect specimen on sandspit; 15, an odd valve, one perfect specimen found by Col. Jewett, who accompanied me; 49, one specimen; (I am informed by the residents of the town that this species is abundant at a point about ten miles up the coast); 50 and 51, very common (young specimens frequently and mature shells sometimes umbilicated); 68, frequent; a well-marked species; (often confounded with the young shells of 67; the young shells of 67 are sometimes adorned with zigzag brown markings upon a light ground, otherwise, no resemblance between them; 68 is in shape between 67 and O. _bœtica_, of Carpenter); 71 is but an extreme form of 70, as I am convinced by an examination of not less than one thousand specimens, received by me from Monterey; 72—if “_gausapata_” and “_Californiana_” belong to “_Amycla_,” this certainly should be placed with them; 76, particularly abundant (some 2000 living specimens collected; June 23d, this species had just commenced depositing their pink-tinted eggs, a few of which were obtained); 83, the immature shells of this species closely resemble some specimens of 78.

Professor Whitney exhibited a portion of a human skull recently deposited at the office of the State Geological Survey, by Dr. Thomas Jones, of Murphy’s Camp, Calaveras County. He read the following:

Notice of a Human Skull, recently taken from a Shaft near Angel’s, Calaveras County.

BY J. D. WHITNEY.

This skull was taken from a shaft sunk on a mining claim at Altaville, near Angel’s, in Calaveras County, by Mr. James Matson. By him it was given to Mr. Scribner, of Angel’s, and by Mr. Scribner to Dr. Jones. Mr. Matson states that the skull was found at a depth of about one hundred and thirty feet, in a bed of gravel five feet in thickness, above which are four beds of consolidated volcanic ash, locally known as “lava”; these volcanic beds are separated from each other by layers of gravel, and Mr. Matson gives the following as the section of the various deposits passed through in sinking the shaft, which is one hundred and fifty-three feet deep, to the bed rock:

1. Black lava 40 feet. 2. Gravel 3 ” 3. Light lava 30 ” 4. Gravel 5 ” 5. Light lava 15 ” 6. Gravel 25 ” 7. Dark brown lava 9 ” 8. Gravel 5 ” 9. Red lava 4 ” 10. Red Gravel 17 ” --- 153 feet.

The skull was found, according to Mr. Matson, in bed number 8, just above the lowest stratum of lava. With the skull were found fragments of silicified wood, the whole being covered and partly incrusted with stony matter, so that the fact of its being a skull was not recognized until after it had passed into Mr. Scribner’s hands, by whom it was cleaned and presented to Dr. Jones.

The skull is said by Mr. Matson to have been taken from the shaft February 25th, 1866, and it came into my hands in the July following, when I immediately proceeded to the locality; but found the shaft temporarily abandoned and partly filled with water, so that it was impossible at that time to make any farther search in the bed from which the skull was procured. A careful inquiry into all the circumstances of the alleged discovery, and an interview with all the persons who had been in any way connected with it, impressed upon my mind the conviction that the facts were as stated above, and that there was every reason to believe that the skull really came from the position assigned to it by Mr. Matson. Still, as it is evidently highly desirable that as large an amount of evidence as possible should be accumulated in regard to a discovery of so much importance, I made arrangements that I should be notified whenever the shaft was reopened and the water taken out, and hope at a future meeting to be able to lay before the Academy the results of a personal examination of this interesting locality, and of further excavations in the bed from which the skull was taken.

Assuming the correctness of Mr. Matson’s statements, this relic of human antiquity is easily seen to be an object of the greatest interest to the ethnologist as well as the geologist. The previous investigations of the Geological Survey have clearly demonstrated the fact that man was contemporaneous with the mastodon and elephant, since the works of his hands have been repeatedly found in such connection with the bones of these animals that it would be impossible to account for the facts observed on any other theory. (See Geology of California, Vol. I, p. 252.) But in the case of the skull now laid before the Academy, the geological position to which it must be assigned is, apparently, still lower than that of the mastodon, since the remains of this animal, as well as the elephant, which are so abundantly scattered over this State, are always (so far as our observations yet extend) limited in their position to the superficial deposits, and have never been found at any considerable depth below the surface. There is every reason to believe that these great proboscidians lived at a very recent date, (geologically speaking) and posterior to the epoch of the existence of glaciers in the Sierra Nevada, and also after the close of the period of activity of the now extinct volcanoes of that great chain. In fact, they belong to the present epoch. The bed, on the other hand, in which this skull was found, must have been deposited at a time when the volcanoes of the Sierra were still in vigorous action, and, as seems to us highly probable from a careful consideration of the geological structure of the region, previous to the glacial epoch of the Sierra, and also previous to the erosion of the cañons of the present rivers. No pains will be spared, however, to investigate all the conditions of the occurrence of this skull, and they will be fully reported on at a future time.

The portions of the skull which are preserved are, the frontal bone, the nasal bone, the superior maxillary bone of the right side, the malar bones, a part of the temporal bone of the left side, with the mastoid process and the zygomatic process, and the whole of the orbits of both eyes. The base of the skull is embedded in a mass of bone breccia and small pebbles of volcanic rock, incrusted with a thin layer of carbonate of lime, which appears once to have extended over the whole surface of the skull and of which a considerable portion still remains, the rest having been removed apparently in the process of cleaning. Under the malar bone of the left side, a snail shell is lodged, and partly concealed by the breccia of bone wedged in the cavity. This shell is the _Helix Mormonum_, according to Dr. Cooper, a species now living in the region where the skull was obtained. Although not competent to express a decided opinion on the subject of the ethnological relations of this skull, I should suppose that it belonged to the type of the Indians now inhabiting the foot-hills of the Sierra. It is certain that the facial angle is not one indicating a low order of intellect. The skull, however, seems to have been very thick and solid. It will be placed in the hands of competent craniologists for examination and description, as soon as reliable information has been obtained with regard to its occurrence, or whenever all has been ascertained that can be.

Dr. Macgowan made some remarks on the occurrence of earthquakes on the coast of China. He stated that, since the historic period, no great damage has been done by them.

Dr. Kellogg stated, that on a trip from San Rafael to Baulines Bay he had discovered a species of oak said to be equal to the live-oak for ship building.

REGULAR MEETING, AUGUST 6TH, 1866.

President in the chair.

Twenty members present.

Dr. D. J. Macgowan was elected a Corresponding Member.

Dr. Behr presented the following paper:

Enumeration of the Californian species of Lycæna.

BY H. BEHR, M.D.

The genus _Lycæna_ is much more extensively represented in California than in the Atlantic States, where, with the exception of a few Arctic species, only the most cosmopolitan types are represented, such as that of _Argiolus_ and that of _Amyntas_.

California has about the same number of species as a corresponding area in the Mediterranean basin. The species are never identical with gerontogeic forms; but there is scarcely a single European type that does not find its analogue on the Pacific coast: a circumstance of which the celebrated lepidopterologist, Dr. Boisduval, has made good use in naming many Californian species with reference to the best known European species of the same type, thus:

_Europe._ _California._

Pheretes, Pheres, Acis, Antiacis, Aegon, Antægon, Icarius, Icarioides.

1. _Lycæna Pardalis_, Behr.

Alæ ♂ ris superne omnes cæruleæ, marginem versus fuscescentes, limbo albido cinctæ.

Alæ ♀ næ superne omnino fuscæ, marginem versus magis obscuræ, anticæ linea discoidali instructae.

Alæ subtus cinereæ, linea discoidali serieque punctorum atrorum, halone parum distincto cinctorum signatæ. Posticæ marginem versus lunulas exhibent pallidiores quam puncta seriei et lineæ discoidalis.

This species is the only Californian yet known that approaches the type of the European species _L. Arion_, _L. Euphemus_, _L. Iolas_, _L. Alcon_, _L. Erebus_. It approaches most nearly to _L. Alcon_ of Europe, and is intermediate between that and the European _L. Acis_.

The only habitat of this species yet known to me, is in the Contra Costa Coast Range, in the vicinity of San Antonio, where it frequents steep, grassy hill-sides. It is found at the end of May and beginning of June, and is rather rare.

2. _L. Antiacis_, Boisd.

May. Different localities.

3. _L. Xerxes_, Boisd.

May. Lone Mountain, near San Francisco; rather rare.

There exists no European analogue to this very peculiar type.

4. _L. Piasus_, Boisd.

Very common throughout middle California. It replaces the Atlantic _L. Pseudargiolus_, and _L. neglecta_, Edw., as well as the European _L. Argiolus_; and belongs to one of the most cosmopolitan types of the genus. The caterpillar feeds on the flowers of the _Pavia_, unlike its European representative, which feeds on the leaves of _Rhamnus frangula_.

5. _L. Pheres_, Boisd.

May and June. Lone Mountain, near San Francisco. I do not know of any other locality.

6. _L. Heteronea_, Boisd.

Several localities. May and June. Likes to repose on _Eriogonum_, and is only to be found where some species of this genus is abundant. Probably the caterpillar feeds on the flower of this plant. This species is a very fine analogue of the _L. Daphnis_ of Europe.

7. _L. Lorquini_, Behr.

Alæ ♂ ris et ♀ næ superne fuscæ, a radice ultra medium pruina cærulea obtectæ, limbo tessellato. Alæ ♀ næ vitta marginali pallide fulvescenti instructæ.

Alæ subtus cinereæ, anticæ puncto duplici radicali, linea discoidali serieque punctorum necnon lunulis marginalibus instructæ; posticæ macula alba pro linea discoidali signatæ vittaque alba quæ occupat spatium inter seriem punctorum et lunulas marginales.

I possess a pair of this _Lycæna_, through the kindness of our celebrated entomologist, Mr. Lorquin, who caught the species in the higher Sierra Nevada.

8. _L. Icarioides_, Boisd.

May and June, Marin County.

9. _L. Dædalus_, Behr.

Icarioidi similis sed subtus, quæ puncta in Icarioide sunt rotundissima, in Dædalo sunt transverse producta, lineaque discoidalis alarum posticarum, quæ in Icarioide deest et pro qua macula alba subtriquetra militat, hac in specie linea transversa distinctissime nigra vindicatur.

The three specimens in my collection, I received through the kindness of Mr. Chas. Hoffman, of the Geological Survey, who collected them in the Alpine regions around the head waters of the Tuolumne River.

10. _L. Sæpiolus_, Boisd.

11. _L. Aehaja_, Behr.

Alæ utriusque sexus supra fuscæ, margine lineaque discoidali nigriscente, vittaque fulva marginali signatæ ♀ næ magis obscuræ.

Alæ subtus cinereæ, linea discoidali serieque punctorum nigrorum dilutius cinctorum refracta signatæ. Posticæ punctis tribus nigris dilutius cinctis radicalibus insuper instructæ. Lunularum series duplex, interior nigra exterior dilutior, apicem versus analem puncta nonnulla aurantiaca amplectens.

This species I received also from Mr. Hoffmann, who found it associated with _L. Dædalus_. It is the Californian analogue of the European _Agestis_, and produces on one somewhat the impression of a Polyommatus.

12. _L. Cilia_, Behr.

Alæ ♂ supra argenteo glaucæ, anticæ margine fusca lata, posticæ angusta instructæ; anticæ linea discoidali posticæ serie punctorum marginali, cui intus lunulæ submarginales præcedunt signatæ. Limbus subtessellatus.

Alæ ♀ næ fuscæ æque ac ♂ ris signatæ. Limbus distincte tessellatus.

Alæ ♂ ris anticæ subtus albidæ linea discoidali, serie punctorum necnon puncto radicali duplici ornatæ; lunulæ marginales duplices; posticæ a radice ad seriem punctorum cinereæ, punctis tribus radicalibus, serieque punctorum nigrorum lactea cinctorum, maculaque discoidali lactea ornatæ; a serie punctorum usque ad marginem alæ posticæ lacteæ, serie lunularum duplici versus angulum analem luteo tincta instructæ.

♀ næ alæ subtus æque signatæ ac ♂ ris sed anticæ æque ad posticæ dimidiatæ et quæ pars est cinerea in ♂ colore fusco obtegitur.

This species I also received from the Geological Survey. It was found at an elevation of 11,000 feet and over, on the snowy heights surrounding the headwaters of the Tuolumne River. It belongs to the type of the European _Orbitulus_, which is found in similar regions of the Alps.

13. _L. Argyrotoxus_, Behr.

Alæ ♂ cinctæ supra lilacinæ fusco marginatæ albo limbatæ, ♂ næ supra fuscæ, in anticis fascia in posticis lunulis marginalibus fulvis signatæ.

Alæ ♀ ris subtus albidæ, ♀ næ lacteæ. Linea discoidalis parum distincta. Series punctorum vix halone cinctorum in anticis stricta, in posticis refracta. Pars radicalis anticarum concolor, posticarum nonnullis punctis minimis sed distincte halone cinctis signata; lunularum series marginalium duplex sed parum distincta, spatia fulva amplectens, quæ tamen non semper distingui possunt, in posticis lunulæ exteriores seriei splendore metallico micantes.

Alæ ♀ næ subtus magis distincte signatæ; spatia fulva submarginalia nec non splendor metallicus lunularum distinctius videtur.

This species is found in the Sierra Nevada. It is very similar to _L. Scudderi_ of the Atlantic coast, and may prove to be only a local variety of that species, from which it differs chiefly in the shape and arrangement of the submarginal markings, which, however, in the Atlantic coast specimens, are much more distinct than in those from California.

14. _L. Calchas._

♂? Alæ ♀ næ supra fuscæ radicem versus pruina cærulea abductæ, anticæ linea discoidali, posticæ punctis marginalibus nigrescentibus, lunulisque submarginalibus fulvis signatæ.

Alæ subtus cinereæ, linea discoidali, serieque punctorum quadrangularium albo marginatorum signatæ. Lunularum series submarginalis duplex, lunulas fulvas includens, in posticis intus triangulis albis suffulta. Lunulas marginales in posticis metallice micant.

Of this species I possess only one specimen; but this differs so much from the other California Lycænæ, that I consider myself justified in giving a diagnosis of it, although, as a rule, descriptions of Lepidoptera belonging to complicated and difficult groups should not be given without ample material on which to base them.

This specimen is from Mono Lake, and was collected by the Geological Survey.

15. _L. Battoides._

Alæ ♂ ris supra azureæ, late nigro marginatæ tessellato limbatæ, ♀ næ fuscæ, posticæ lunulis nonnullis fulvis submarginalibus instructæ, omnium limbus tessellatus.

Alæ utriusque sexus subtus albidæ, punctis radicalibus duobus, in anticis in fasciam transversam valde refractam nigram confluentibus, linea discoidali, serie punctorum ordinariorum quadrangularium nigrorum, duplici serie submarginali, necnon margine nigro instructæ. Alæ posticæ tribus punctis radicalibus nigris et ad seriem punctorum submarginalium internam fascia fulva ornatæ, quæ nec seriem punctorum externam neque apicem anteriorem attingit.

This species was collected at an elevation of eleven thousand feet, on the head-waters of the San Joaquin River, by the Geological Survey. It represents the European _L. Battus_.

16. _L. Enoptes_, Boisd.

Hills near the Mission Dolores, and in the San Bruno Hills. This species is rather rare. It represents the European _L. Aegon_.

17. _L. Antægon_, Boisd.

The most common species near San Francisco, and found nearly everywhere through Central California. There are several generations succeeding each other through the year. A specimen I received from the head-waters of the San Joaquin River differs somewhat from this; but as I have only one of this variety, I will not venture to express a decided opinion in regard to it. It is, perhaps, an Alpine variety, and corresponding with a similar one of _L. Sæpiolus_, of which I received several specimens forming a series of transitions from the common type.

18.

There is a species approaching the European _L. Agestis_, and which I received from the head-waters of the San Joaquin River; but the specimens in my possession are too imperfect to allow of an accurate description being given.

19. _L. Amyntula_, Boisd.

From the Contra Costa hills, where, in May and June, it frequents the flowers of the Pavia, on which the caterpillar probably feeds, as does that of _L. Piasus_.

20. _L. exilis_, Boisd.

This species is rare, and so small that it might easily be overlooked. It frequents low meadows and salt marshes, where it loves to repose on the succulent stems of Salicornia, and on the flowers of Frankenia. At present it seems to be the only Californian representative of _L. Telicanus_ and _Boeticus_ of Europe; but I think that several species of this type will be found in Southern California, when that part of the State has been better examined. I have a specimen of _L. exilis_, collected by Baron de Terloo, in the Sierra Madre, between Mazatlan and Durango; and I received, from the same gentleman, several species of the same type from that locality.

It is this type which is so numerously represented in the tropical regions of the old world, and also in extra-tropical Australia. Our depauperated species, _L. exilis_, with its two European congeners, are, so far as I know, the only ones of this type which are found in the northern hemisphere beyond the tropics.

All the other Californian species belong to types of the temperate zone, and are such as are rarely met with in tropical countries, or in the southern hemisphere even out of the tropics. The type of _Amyntula_ is the only one which has a series of species in tropical Asia; but, as far as I know, none in tropical America. The type of _Piasus_, also, has some representatives in the tropics of both continents, one of them being even identified with a species of Southern Europe.

As to the other types, these species are essentially endemic; and even among the Arctic species there seems not to be any amphigeic one. As the males vary very little, and the females only on their upper side, there is little difficulty in transcribing and recognizing them. If among our species there is any one which is identical with an Atlantic one, it is probably Argyrotoxus, which may be a local modification of _L. Scudderi_, Edw.

Mr. Stearns read the following paper:

List of Shells collected at Santa Barbara and San Diego by Mr. J. Hepburn, in February-March, 1866.

WITH REMARKS UPON SOME OF THE SPECIES,

BY ROBT. E. C. STEARNS, CURATOR OF CONCHOLOGY, CAL. ACAD. NAT. SCIENCES.

Through the kindness of Mr. Hepburn, well known as an enthusiastic and intelligent collector, I have been permitted to examine the collections made by him at the localities referred to, from which I have compiled the following list.

The remarks in connection with a few of the species are not wholly based upon the specimens obtained by Mr. Hepburn, but rather upon specimens received by me from various sources, and forming a portion of my private collection.

The figures in the left hand column refer to the numbers in Mr. P. P. Carpenter’s Supplementary Report (1863) to the British Association.

12. Pholadidea penita; San Diego. 13. Pholadidea ovoidea, Gld.; Santa Barbara. 17. Saxicava pholadis, Linn.; Santa Barbara. 20. Platyodon cancellatus. Conr.; Santa Barbara. 21. Cryptomya Californica, Conr.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 22. Schizothærus Nuttallii, Conr.; Santa Barbara. 35. Mytilimeria Nuttallii, Cour.; Santa Barbara. 43. Macoma secta, Conr.; San Diego. 54. Tellina Bodegensis, Hinds.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 59. Semele decisa, Conr.; San Diego. 64. Cumingia Californica, Conr.; Santa Barbara. 65. Donax Californicus, Conr.; San Diego. 74. Amiantis callosa, Conr.; San Diego. 75. Pachydesma crassatelloides, Conr.; San Diego. 77. Psephis Lordi, Baird; San Diego. 81. Chione succincta, Val.; San Diego. 82. Chione excavata, Carp.; San Diego. 84. Chione fluctifragra, Sby.; San Diego. 85. Tapes tenerrima, Carp.; Santa Barbara. 88. Saxidomus aratus, Gld.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 93. Petricola carditoides, Conr.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 97. Cardium corbis, Mart.; Santa Barbara. 103. Liocardium elatum, Sby.; San Diego. 110. Lazaria subquadrata, Carp.; Santa Barbara. 112. Lucina Californica, Conr.; Santa Barbara. 118. Diplodonta orbella, Gld.; San Diego. 119. Kellia Laperouseii, Desh.; Santa Barbara. 134. Adula falcata, Gld.; Santa Barbara. ?160. Pecten ventricosus, Sby.; San Diego. 162_b_. Pecten latiauratus, Conr.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 162. Pecten monotimeris, Conr.; Santa Barbara. 165. Hinnites giganteus, Gray; Santa Barbara. 166_c_. Ostrea var rufoides, Gld. 171. Bulla nebulosa, Gld.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 175. Haminea virescens, Sby.; San Diego. 199. Melampus olivaceus, Carp.; San Diego. 243. Acmæa patina, Esch.; Santa Barbara. 247. Acmæa spectrum, Rve.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 245. Acmæa persona, Esch.; Santa Barbara. Nacella vernalis, (Dall Ms.); Santa Barbara. 249. Lottia gigantea, Gray; Santa Barbara. 250. Scurria mitra, Esch.; Santa Barbara. 252. Rowellia radiata, Cooper; Santa Barbara. 253. Fissurella volcano, Rve.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 261. Haliotis splendens, Rve.; San Diego. 265. Phasianella compta, Gld.; San Diego. 266. Pomaulax undosus, Wood; Santa Barbara. 269. Leptothyra sanguinea, Carp.; Santa Barbara. 275. Trochiscus Norrissii, Sby.; Santa Barbara. 277. Chlorostoma funebrale, A. Ad.; Santa Barbara. 279. Chlorostoma brunneum, Phil.; Santa Barbara. 281. Chlorostoma aureotinctum, Fbs.; Santa Barbara. 282. Omphalius fuscescens, Phil.; San Diego. 283. Calliostoma canaliculatum, Mart.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 305. Crucibulum spinosum, Sby.; San Diego. [28]306. Crepidula aculcata, Gmel.; Santa Barbara. [28]307. —— ?dorsata, Brod.; Santa Barbara. [28]308. —— excavata, Brod.; Santa Barbara. [28]311. —— navicelloides, Nutt.; Santa Barbara. [28]311. —— var. nummaria, Gld.; Santa Barbara. [28]311. —— var. explanata, Gld.; Santa Barbara. [28]314. Hipponyx cranioides, Carp.; Santa Barbara. 328. Cerithidea sacrata, Gld.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 329. Bittium filosum, Gld.; Santa Barbara. 329_b_. —— var. esuriens, Carp.; Santa Barbara. 333. —— armillatum, Carp.; Santa Barbara. 337. Littorina scutulata, Gld.; Santa Barbara. 366. Trivia Californica, Gray; Santa Barbara. 367. —— Solandri, Gray; Santa Barbara. 368. Erato vitellina, Hinds; Santa Barbara. 371. Drillia inermis, Hds.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 374. Drillia torosa, Carp.; Santa Barbara. 388. Conus Californicus, Hds.; Santa Barbara. 409. Scalaria Indianorum, Carp.; San Diego. 424. Cerithiopsis assimilata, C. B. Ad.; Santa Barbara. 436. Ranella Californica, Hds.; Santa Barbara. =A= Surcula Carpenteriana, Gabb.; Santa Barbara. 437. Mitra maura, Swains; Santa Barbara. 442. Volvarina varia, Sby.; Santa Barbara. 443. Olivella biplicata, Sby.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 444. —— bœtica, Carp.; San Diego. 445. Nassa fossata, Gld.; Santa Barbara. 446. —— perpinguis, Hds.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 448. —— mendica, Gld.; Santa Barbara. 449. —— Cooperi, Fbs.; Santa Barbara. 450. —— tegula, Rve.; San Diego. 457. Amycla carinata, Hds.; Santa Barbara. 456. Amphissa corrugata, Rve.; Santa Barbara. 460_d_. Purpura saxicola, Val., var. ostrina, Gld.; Santa Barbara. Purpura triserialis, Blainv.; Santa Barbara. 461. Monoceras engonatum, Conr.; Santa Barbara. 466. Cerastoma foliatum, Gmel; Santa Barbara. 467. —— Nuttalli, Conr.; San Diego and Santa Barbara. 473. Muricidea Californica, Hds.; San Diego. 483. Fusus ambustus, Gld.; Santa Barbara.

REMARKS.

269. _Leptothyra sanguinea_, Carp. Common at Monterey; all shades of color from light red to very dark purple; sometimes broadly banded with white; another variety is marked with irregular whitish streaks, causing a resemblance to the young shells of 282, _Omphalius fuscescens_.

275. _Trochiscus Norrisii_, Sby. The apex whorls of the young shells have a spiral band tesselated with white and red.

388. _Conus Californicus_, Hds. When young, the shells of this species are ornamented with yellowish brown markings upon a light bluish ground.

=A= _Surcula Carpenteriana_, Gabb. The most perfect recent specimen of this rare species that I have seen (described by Mr. Gabb in Vol. III, Cal. Acad. Pro. p. 183) was obtained by Mr. Hepburn; when perfect, one of the finest shells of the upper Californian province; the specimen referred to is of a clear light salmon color, traversed spirally by narrow bands or broad lines of reddish brown, and resembling in its general coloring that equally fine shell _Narona Cooperi_, Gabb, described as above, p. 186.

460_d_. _Purpura_ var. _ostrina_, Gld. Deposits its yellowish eggs on the rocks at Black Point and the Cliff House near San Francisco, in the latter part of June (1865) and the middle of July (1866).

75. _Pachydesma crassatelloides_, Conr. Valves frequently marked with broad radiating bands of light brown.

266. _Pomaulax undosus_, Wood. Young shells approach closely to the immature form of Pachypoma gibberosum, Chemn.

281. Mr. Carpenter remarks in his supplementary Report to the B. A., in connection with _Chlorostoma aureotinctum_, Fbs.: “mouth orange spotted.” I should amend this so as to read _umbilicus_ stained with orange.

456. _Amphissa corrugata_, Rve. This species assumes nearly every shade of color and an innumerable variety of markings; the latter being generally some shade of brown upon a lighter colored ground.

74. _Amiantis callosa_, Conr. An aberrant form of this species in my collection suggests, in outline, Dosinia.

88. _Saxidomus aratus_, Gld. A single specimen of a young shell of this species (Coll. Stearns) is prettily marked with brown upon the posterior dorsal portion of the valves.

[28] Compared and agree with Smithsonian Inst. types in Cal. Acad. Collection.

Professor Whitney read the following:

Notice of the Occurrence of a Tungstate of Lime and Copper in Lower California.

BY J. D. WHITNEY.

Among some specimens brought from the vicinity of La Paz, Lower California, by Mr. Rémond, about three years since, was one which attracted my attention, as it seemed to contain an undescribed mineral. I therefore made an analysis of it and found it to consist of tungstic acid, oxide of copper, and lime, with a small quantity of water, probably not essential to its composition. The results of the analysis were as follows:

Tungstic Acid 79.69 Oxide of Copper 6.77 Lime 10.95 Protoxide of Iron .31 Water 1.40 ----- 99.12

On examining to ascertain if there was any known mineral having a composition similar to this, I found that a tungstate of lime containing copper had been described by Domeyko as occurring in the copper mines of Llamuco, near Chuapa, in the province of Coquimbo, in Chili, where it was discovered by M. Gay (Annales des Mines (4) iii, 15). That mineral, however, only contained 3.3 per cent. of oxide of copper, while the one of which the analysis is given above contains 6.77 per cent. of that substance. M. Domeyko calls the mineral analyzed by him “Scheelin calcaire cuivreux,” but does not attempt to give a formula for it, or to decide whether it is entitled to rank as a distinct species.

The Lower California mineral, of which the analysis is given above, occurs in a red metamorphic rock, associated with black tourmaline. It is crystalline-granular in structure, with a distinct cleavage in one direction, and seems to be homogeneous throughout. Its hardness is about that of Scheelite; luster, highly vitreous; streak, very light greenish-gray; color, pistachio green, passing to olive and leek green. Before the blowpipe in the glass tube it blackens, and gives off a little water. On charcoal it blackens instantly, becomes rounded on the edges, with a little intumescence, and gradually acquires the appearance of a slag, in which numerous fine points of metallic copper are seen. With the fluxes it gives the reactions of tungstic acid and copper. It is easily dissolved by chlorohydric acid, with separation of tungstic acid.

From the appearance of the mineral, I am inclined to regard it as having a definite composition, represented by the formula CuO WO₃+2 (CaO WO₃); this formula would require the following composition:

Tungstic Acid 78.43 Oxide of Copper 8.95 Lime 12.62 ------ 100.00

This agrees pretty well with the results of the analysis, although it is desirable that more specimens should be examined, and if possible from other localities. I am informed by Mr. Ashburner that he has noticed this mineral at more than one mine in Lower California.

At all events, I would suggest for the mineral in question the name of _Cuproscheelite_, as convenient for designating it, and as expressing its chemical and mineralogical relations, whether it be considered as a mineral substance having a distinct and fixed composition, or only as a variety of Scheelite, containing a large but uncertain amount of oxide of copper.

Dr. Ayres called attention to the fact that a carcase of a Black fish could be procured at the Potrero, at a small expense, and a subscription was raised for its purchase.

Professor Whitney exhibited a branch of _Sequoia sempervirens_, taken from a small tree growing near San Rafael, of which the leaves are entirely white. The tree presents a very singular appearance, surrounded as it is by other redwoods of the usual color. The fact was elicited that similar blanched redwoods exist in other localities in the Coast Ranges; but no explanation or theory was offered to account for this curious, abnormal blanching of the foliage of a single species—a similar condition of things not having been noticed, so far as known, in any other species than the redwood.

REGULAR MEETING, AUGUST 20TH, 1866.

Dr. Kellogg in the chair.

Ten members present.

Messrs. W. H. Knight and A. Godefroy were elected Resident Members.

Donations to the Library: Bibliography of North American Conchology previous to the year 1860; by W. G. Binney, Parts 1 and 2, 8vo., Washington, 1864. Cretaceous Reptiles of the United States, by J. Leidy, 4to., Washington, 1866. Palæontology of the Upper Missouri; Invertebrates, by F. B. Meek and F. V. Hayden, Part 1, 4to., Washington, 1865. List of the Coleoptera of North America, by J. L. Leconte, M.D.