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PEOCEK DINGS

CALIFORNIA AOADEMV'

(I !•■

KATURAl. SClRNnES

VOLUME II.

;

'

1858-1862

SAN FRANCISCO:

TOWNE & BACON, EXCELSIOR PRINTING OFFICF

1 8 G 3 .

i~i i^» r~i i~i I i~i ■"!

^^ta^^^^^^^i

PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA
ACADEMY OF NATURAL S(^IENCES.

PlIOGEEDINGS

OF T H K

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY

O F

NATURAL SCIENCES

VOLUME II

1858-186J2.

SAN FRANCISCO:

TOWNE & BACON, EXCELSIOR STEAM PRINTING OFFICE.

1863.

FOUNDERS OF THE A(\\DEMY.

APRIL 4tli, 1853.

Henry Gibbons, M.D. Albert Kellogg, M.D.

* T. J. Nevins, Esq. * Andrew Randall, M.D.

liEwis W. Sloat, Es(i. John B. Trask, M.D.

* Deceased.

LIST OF THE MEMBERS

etalifatnia giadenui of §at«val .^dentejsi.

JAIVUARV, 1863.

Corresponding Members.

Acassiz, Prof. Louis Cambridge, Mass.

Andrews, Prof. E. B Marietta, Ohio.

Bache, Prof. A. D Washington, D. C.

Baird, Prof. S. F Washington, D. C.

Barnard, James M Boston, Mass.

Boyntou, C. W Guyamas, Mexico.

Brown, B. B., MD Sacramento, Cal.

Browne, L. A Big Oak Flat, Tuolumne Co., Cal.

Clayton, J. K ^.

Cope, Edward D Philadelphia, Pa.

Craveri, Frederico Bra, Piedmont,

Cutts, R. D., Esq Washington, D. C.

Darlington, William, M.D Westchester, Pa.

Delafield, Joseph New York City.

Dorr, C. H

Dunn, George W Alameda, Cai.

VI LIST OF MEMBERS.

Gill, Theodore Washington, D. C.

Giranl, Charles, A[.D Geneva, Switzerland.

(iray, I'rof. Asa Cambridge, Mass.

Greville, Prof. R. K Edinburgh, Scotland.

Giinther, Albert, M.D London, England.

Hall, Prol'. James Albany. N. Y.

Henry, Prof. Joseph Washington, D. C.

Hobler, Francis London, England.

Holder, W. H Oakland, Cal.

Horn, George H., M.D U. S. Army.

Hough, D. E Oakland, Cal.

Kimball, A. G Big Oak Flat, Tuolumne Co., Cal.

Lanszweert, L., Senr., M.D Ostend, Belgium.

Lapham, I. A., L.L. D Milwaukee, Wis.

Lea, Isaac, L.L. D Philadelphia, Pa.

Leese, Jacob P Monterey, Cal.

Le Jolis, Auguste, Cherbourg, France.

Le Normand, Rene Vire, Calvados, France.

Logan, T. M., M.D Sacramento, Cal.

Longchamps, Selys ... Brussels, Belgium.

Marcou, Prof. Jules Boston, Mass.

Murray, R. R Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Palache, James Murphy's, Calaveras Co., Cal.

Parry, C. C, M.D. Davenport, Iowa.

Pickering, Charles, M.D Boston, Mass.

Pumpelly, Raphael Japan.

Quetelet, Baron A Brussels, Belgium.

Reid, R. K., M.D Stockton, Cal.

Richthofen, Ferdinand Freiherr von Prussia.

Sartwell, H. P., M.D Penn Yan, Yates Co., N. Y.

Scammon, Charles M

Shumard, B. F., M.D St. Louis, Mo.

Stimpson, William, M.D, North Cambridge, Mass.

Storer, D. H., M.D Boston, Mass.

Torrey, Prof. John New York City.

Trowbridge, Lieut. W. P Philadelphia, Pa.

LIST OP MEMBERS. VU

Tryon, George W Philadelphia, Pa.

Van Beneden, Prof. P. J Louvain, Belgium.

Veatch, John A., M.D Virginia City, Washoe.

Verhaeghe, L Ostend, Belgium.

Walsworth, Rev. E. B Oakland, Cal.

Life Members.
PALMER, JOSEPH C.
PIOCHE, F. L. A.

Resident

Ashburner, William
Ayres, W. 0., M.D.

Bayerque, J. B.
Behr, Hermann, M.D.
Behrens, James
Blake, Gorham
Blake, William P.
Bloomer, H. G.
Bolander, H. N.
Bosqui, Edward,
Brewer, W. H.

Gary, Thomas G.
Cooper, J. G., M.D.

Davidson, B.

Eckel, J. N., M.D.
Eloesser, Leo

Gabb, William M.

Hanks, Henry G.
Harris, Robert L.
Hepburn, James
Hewston, George, M.D.

Members.

Holmes, Ahira
Hubbard, Samuel

Kellogg, A., M.D.

Lick. James
Livermore, Charles L.
Lorquin, E. G.

Minns, George W.

Moore, Gideon E.
Moore, S. W.
Moss, J. Mora
• Moss, Theodore F.

Payot, Henry
Petersen, George C.
Pomier, A.

Ransom, Leander
Remond, Auguste

Stivers, Charles H.

Trask, John B., M.D.

Whitney, J. D.
Woodward, R. B.

JANUARY 4th, 1858.

^IsriSrXJA.L MEETING.

President in th.e Ch.air.

The following Officers were elected for the year :

LEANDER RANSOM, .' President.

T. F. MOSS, 7 T7 -o

_ , „ „ y Vice Fresidents.

Dr. J. N. ECKEL,

Dr. W. 0. AYRES, Cor. Secretary.

EDWARD BOSQUI, Treasurer.

Dr. J. B. TRASK, Rec. Secretary.

WM. HEFFLEY, Librarian.

Dr. J. B. TRASK, Geology and Mineralogy.

H. G. BLOOMER, Botany.

Dr. J. A. VEATCH, Conchology.

Dr. L. LANSZWEERT, Zoology.

Dr. AYRES,

Dr. TRASK, ^ Publication.

Col. ransom,
Dr. ECKEL,

Mr. HEFFLEY, \. ; Library.

Dr. TRASK,
Mr. moss,

Mr. HEFFLEY, \- Finance.

Dr. KELLOGG,

JANUARY 11th, 1859.

^^]SrTJA.L MEETING-.

President in the Chair.

The following Officers were elected for the year :

LE ANDER RANSOM, Puesident.

T. F. MOSS, )

T-m-T7T - Vice Presidents.

Dr. J. N. ECKEL, j

Dr. W. O. AYRES, Cor. Secretary.

EDWARD BOSQUI, Treasurer.

Dr. J. B. TRASK, Rec. Secretary.

WM. HEFFLEY, Librarian.

Dr. J. B. TRASK, Geology and Mineralogy.

H. G. BLOOMER, Botany.

Dr. J. A. VEATCH, Conchology.

Dr. W. 0. AY'RES, Zoology.

00:^!^3^^ITTEES.

Dr. AYRES, \

Dr. TRASK, >• Publication.

Col. ransom, )
Dr. ECKEL, J

Mr. HEFFLEY, > Library.

Dr. TRASK, )
Mr. moss,

Mr. HEFFLEY, \- Finance.

Dr. KELLOGG,

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

®iilif<»mm ^ntdcmjj 0i §atuvnl ^m\m.

February 22, 1858.

President in the Chair.

A section of Avood from a tree forming a mark of boundary, was
presented by the president, with the following paper ;

The question is often mooted in our courts, whether the age of a
tree can be determined with any degree of accuracy by referring to
the rings or growth of the wood.

From the observations I have made during a period of twenty years,
or more, I have long since been convinced, that as a general thing
each ring or growth of the timber represented a year of the existence
of the tree.

The specimen presented this evening, goes to substantiate more
clearly, my previous conclusions.

During the month of February, 1853, one of the deputy-surveyors
ran a line extending from the Mount Diablo meridian, in the Sacra-
mento Valley, designated as the 4th standard line north.

On this line, posts were set and monuments erected as the corners
to townships, and sections, and the divisions between sections, called \
section posts.

One of those divisions happened to be at the place occupied by an
oak tree, and, as is usual, the tree was " blazed," or hewn on one side,
and with a marking-iron the figure and letter (" \ S") were cut into
the blazed spot on the tree.

4

On the first of the month, just five years from the date of the marking
of the tree, the same surveyor was connecting the survey of a rancho
with the standard line, and probably from curiosity split out a block
from this oak, uncovering the mark, and forwarded it to me.

The block here presented, it will be seen, shows the commencement
of growths on either side of the blaze, which is some three inches wide.
The next growth extends so as to cover about one-half the space, while
the third meets in the center with the thin bark between. The fourth
growth completely envelopes the crevices and bark, being much
thicker in the center than at the sides, and the fifth forms the perfect
circle of the tree.

It is precisely five years from the period when the tree was marked,
and there are five perfect growths enveloping the blaze.

The new wood, in forming over the blaze, does not unite with the
old wood, but becomes so firmly connected or pressed against it, as to
leave the reverse in possession of the marks (| S) in a very perfect
form.

July 26, 1858.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg exhibited a specimen and drawing of a new species of
Cyelobothra, with the following description :

C. coerulea, (Kellogg) or Blue Stab Tulip. — Stem four to six
inches, infolded by the single radical leaf nearly the whole length ;
umbel five or six flowered ; peduncles one and one-half inches long ;
bracts variable, from minute setaceous to long lance-linear, often col-
ored with pale pinkish bloom. Flowers small, pale blue, decked with
innumerable specks and striae of darker blue ; petals obovate, sub-
acute, serrulate-fimbriate, somewhat ventricose ; base cuneate glabrous,
bearded to the apex ; petaloid sepals lanceolate-acute or convolute-
acuminate, also bluish spotted and streaked, carinated two-thirds the
length of petals, filaments flattened, attenuated upwards, about half
the length of anthers ; anthers large, erect, looking inwards, whitish,
with a pale bluish tinge ; recurved stigmas, beaked at the point ;
capsule oblong-ovate, at length pendulous by the recurved necks of the
peduncles. The soUtary radical leaf long, linear, twisted, erect ; bulb
about the size of an hazel nut.

This specimen was found above Forest City, not far from the region
of perpetual snow. We have seen but three or four specimens ; prob-
ably a rare plant.

In our specimen from Placerville presented to the Society, and
figured Dec. 4th, 1854, there was a manifest effort to form a second

umbel. In this specimen, the stem is apparently a scape, the flowers
are paler blue, smaller, more globose, and bracts colored.
A beautiful species, worthy of the attention of florists.

August 2, 1858.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg presented a specimen, accompanied by a drawing, of
what appears to be a new species of Calochortus.

O. Ulacinus, (Kellogg) or Blue Beard Butterfly Tulip. —
Stem six to eight inches high, two-flowered, on long penduncles, (four
or five in.) flowers pale lilac, one to one and one-half inches diame-
ter ; petals (three) broadly cuneate, apex truncately rounded, erose-
dentate, inner surface bearded below the middle, nectariferous scale
ciUated along the margin, the claw below and laterally glabrous,
adorned with two bright purple spots about the size of a large pin's
head, one on each side of the nectar scale within, also a few purple
lines marking the base without; (three) petaloid sepals lanceolate,
membranous apex convolute-acuminate, revolute, color similar to petals,
but paler ; filaments colored, strongly recurved against the petals, di-
minishing from a broad base to a fine point ; anthers erect, looking
inwards, more than half the length of the filament ; pollen pale blue ;
capsule winged, ovoid ; leaves linear-lanceolate, or broadly linear,
twisted, erect, sheathing, two radical, bracts short linear acute.

Flowers in May and June. Specimens from Napa Valley. The
first we saw was a monster of four petals, eight stamens, four stigmas,
and four cells, etc. The flowers invariably open in the morning
and close at four, p. m., whether indoors or out. AlUed to C. sjylen-
dens, but differs in general by its more diminutive size, truncate erose
petals, nectar scale and variegations, and above all the winged ovoid
capsule, which forms so close a connecting link with the genus Ci/do-
hothra ; in fact, the plant in general more nearly resembles this latter

genus.

The following new species of Campanula was also presented, with
the description. The specimen was presented before the Society July
16th, 1855, but the description delayed for lack of the lower leaves :

C. filiflora, (Kellogg) or Tubular Bellwort. — Stem about a
foot in height, pentangular, with intermediate nerves or slighter ridges,
angles minutely scabrous, alternate leaves small, less than one inch on
very small petioles, ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate ; apex entire,
mucronate-dentate below, scabrous throuffhout.

Flowers from the axils of the leaves in trichotomous fascicles of
three to nine ; pedicels as long as the capsules, bracts minute sub-
ulate, at the base of each pedicel, (except the largest -when it
relates to the leaf). Corolla sub-filiform, tubular, one-half to three-
fourths of an inch in length, sub-pentangular ; throat somewhat con-
tracted, border minutely five-parted, scarcely visibly expanded; color
pale blue.

Anthers (five) included, adherent by their backs to the tube of
corolla, about three times the length of the filaments, filament free,
one eighth of an inch long. Style somewhat enlarged upwards, exsert
in an oblique or curved direction ; upper two-thirds villous, glabrous
below, pale lilac above. Stigma stigmatose, three-parted recurve-
spreading.

Calyx divisions, subulate glabrous ; capsule membranous, inflated,
whitish, marked by ten green lines on salient angles, three-celled.
Seeds oblong-ovate, attached to a central fleshy receptacle depending
from above.

Octoher 25, 1858.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg exhibited a drawing of a species of Brodicea, very
common in this vicinity, supposed to be new.

B. terrestria, {K.~) — Bulb similar to others of this class, of the size and
general form of a hazel nut, i. e. of a flattened base, rimmed at the
origin of rootlets at the flower season ; outer coat dark shreddy fibrous.

Scape very short or subterranean ; umbel many flowered, succes-
sively developed, radiated pedicels two to three inches long. Flowers
funnel-shaped, border six-parted, three outer divisions lance-acute,
three inner somewhat broader, obtuse or emarginate ; stamens six,
three-fertile, opposite the internal divisions, introrse sagittate; another
extending a little beyond the abrupt point of the colored filament,
points incurved ; three sterile stamens petaloid, emarginate, mucro-
nate, infolded, longer than the fertile. Flowers blue on the divisions ;
the deep blue line which streaks the elevated nerve or rigid center
above, is of a greenish tinge below. Style one-fourth of an inch long ;
stigma three-cleft, divisions recurve-spreading, stigmatose ; leaves
radical, long, very narrow, so closely folded as to appear perfectly
rounded (terete ?) or terete-filiform, but by age or drying, opening out
so as to make manifest their canahculate character.

Specimens have often been before the Society, and no plant is more
common. Our botanical curator has cultivated them for many years. If
described, we have not been able to recognize it as the plant in question.

January 17, 1859.

President in the Chair.

Dr. John A. Veatch read the following paper on the occurrence of
Boracic Acid in the sea-water of the Pacific.

The existence of Boracic Acid in the sea-water of our coast was
brought to my notice in July, 1857. I had, in the month of January
of the previous year, discovered borate of soda and other borates in
solution in the water of a mineral spring in Tehama county, near the
upper end of the Sacramento Valley. Prosecuting the research, I
found traces of Boracic Acid — in the form of borates — in nearly all
the mineral springs with which the State of California abounds. This
was especially the case in the Coast mountains. Borate of soda was
so abundant in one particular locahty that enormous crystals of that
salt were formed at the bottom of a shallow lake or rather marsh, one
to two hundred acres in extent. The crystals were hexehedral with
beveled or replaced edges, and truncated angles ; attaining the size,
in some cases, of four inches in length by two in diameter, forming
splendid and attractive specimens. In the same neighborhood, a
cluster of small thermal springs were observed holding free boracic
acid in solution. A few hundred yards from these, a great number of
hot springs, of a temperature of 212° Fr., rose up through the
fissures of a silicious rock. These springs held a considerable quan-
tity of borax, as well as free boracic acid. Many other localities fur-
nished similar indications, but in less extensive form.

In progress of the examination, I found that the common salt (chlo-
ride of sodium) exposed for sale in the San Francisco market, and
which, it was understood, came from certain deposits of that article
on the sea-margin in the southern part of the State, also furnished
boracic acid. I was led to attribute it to the fact of mineral springs
emptying into the lagoons furnishing the salt. It was, therefore a
matter of no small surprise, when on a visit to the localities, I found
no trace of acid in any of the springs in the adjacent district. This
led to an examination of the sea-water, and a detection of an appre-
ciable quantity of boracic acid therein. It was at Santa Barbara,
where I first detected it, and subsequently at various points, from San
Diego to the Straits of Fuca. It seems to be in the form of borate
of soda, and perhaps of lime. The quantity diminishes toward the
North. It is barely perceptible in specimens of water brought from
beyond Oregon, and seems to reach its maximum near San Diego.

This peculiarity seems to extend no great distance seaward. Water
taken thirty or forty miles west of San Francisco gave no trace of
acid. In twelve specimens, taken at various points betwixt this port
and the Sandwich Islands, furnished me by Mr. Gulick, of Honolulu,

8

only that nearest our coast gave boracic acid. In ten specimens
kindly furnished me by Dr. W. 0. Ayres, taken up by Dr. J. D. B.
Stillman, in a trip of one of the Pacific mail steamers from Panama
to this place, no acid was discovered south of the Cortes Shoals.

I have not as yet been able to obtain specimens of water south of
San Diego, nearer the shore than the usual route of the mail steamers.
Neither have I been able to test the breadth of this boracic belt any
further than the fact above stated, of no acid being found at the dis-
tance of thirty or forty miles west from the Golden Gate. I think it
probable that it is confined within the submarine ridge running paral-
lel with the coast, the southern portion of which is indicated by cer-
tain shoals and island groups. The source of the acid is undoubtedly
volcanic, and the seat of the volcanic action is most likely to exist in
this submerged mountain range. It strengthens the probability of
the eruptive character of the Cortes Shoals.

I hope in future to be able to make more accurate and extended
examinations, unless some one more capable of doing justice to the
subject should take it in hand. With this view, I solicited the atten-
tion of Dr. J. S. Newberry to these facts while he was in this city, on
his way to join Lieutenant Ives' Colorado Exploring Expedition, hop-
ing he might think it worthy of investigation during his stay on this
coast. With the same view, I now submit them to the Academy.

January 24, 1859.

Dr. J. A. Veatch in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg exhibited a drawing and specimens of an Abies, from
Fort Langley. Although closely allied to A. canadensis of the
Atlantic slope, he considered it a distinct species.

A. hridgei, (Kellogg) — in honor of Mr. Bridges, to whom he was
indebted for the specimens.

Leaves evergreen, solitary, linear-cuniform, obtuse, somewhat flat-
tened, fleshy, slightly grooved above, ridged beneath, very minutely
scabrous, serrate, petiolate, somewhat two-ranked.

Cones numerous, solitary, terminal, pendant, elliptic-ovoid, about
twice the length of the leaves.

Scales about thirty or more, oblong, roundish above, concave ; mar-
gin entire, thin, translucent, finely corrugate-striate on the back, base
abrupt, sub-auricled, stoutly attached to the ligneous axis. Bracts
three-lobed, ciliate, villous, (about one-eighth of an inch long).

Seeds (including the wing) scarcely less than the scales ; wings
oblong obliquely, broader at the base, somewhat suddenly narrowed

9

above, obtuse, laterally warped or carinated ; seeds proper, ovate,
light brown or drab color, uniformly mai'ked by three minute ovate
glands on the side lookins; towards the base of the cone.

Male aments on long stipes in sub-cylindrical capitula ; the race-
mose clusters of three to seven, (each singly springing from a brown-
ish scaly bud,) arranged towards the base of the coniferous branchlets,
or rather above (speaking with reference to their natural pendent
position,) thus facilitating the fructification of the cones below.

Cones about an inch long, five-eighths broad, pale cinnamon brown.
The bract scales at the base of the cones, persistent, imbricate in*,
several diminishing series ; the five inner linear, membranaceous,
twice the length of the second series which are broad ovate ; the
remainder in similar form successively decreasing. The leaves very
variable in length, exceedingly numerous and somewhat plumosely
scattered on the upper side of the branchlets, uniformly on petioles
one-sixteenth of an inch, bright shining green above, glaucous be-
neath.

A tree eighty to one hundred feet in height, of dark verdure and
graceful appearance ; the branchlets are very villous, slender and
drooping. Abundant on both north and south banks of Frazer river.
The timber is firmer, finer and straighter grained than the Canadian
hemlock spruce, which it represents on the Pacific Coast.

The fruit is remarkably abundant ; e. g.,a, specimen of eight inches
long, has sixty cones.

The branchlets are also equally numerous, and like the Canadian
spruce, it probably varies much in this respect.

April 25, 1859.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg exhibited a drawing, accompanied by specimens of a
new species of Fritillaria, from New Idria, California ; presented by
Dr. Veatch, and cultivated by H. G. Bloomer.

F. viridea, (Kellogg). — Stem eight inches to one foot high, three
to six-flowered.

Leaves lance-linear sub-acute ; fleshy lowermost leaves in a whorl
of three or four, upper alternate. (Its own proper solitary radical
leaf disappearing, when of sufficient age and strength to fruit.)
Radical leaf ovate-lanceolate, entire, glabrous, fleshy ; about eight-
nerved, slightly folding, and tapering into a short grooved petiole.

Flowers pale greenish ; nectariferous portion, darker green ; not
spotted, somewhat translucently nerved, small, about four or five,

10

widely expanded, secund in the axils of the upper leaves ; petals lan-
colate ; apex minutely villous glandular, rostrated. Three parted
pistil long recurved, (one-third longer than stamens) stigmatic apex
rostrated, (as in most, if not all, of our native species).

Root gregarious ; the numerous bulblets, oblong acuminate ; the
flowering stem springing apparently from the base, without a bulb,
and shooting down one or two fusiform radicals. In this respect it
differs essentially from a true Fritillaria.

June 13, 1859.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg exhibited specimens of a new species of CoIUnsia,
found by Dr. Lanszweert, in the vicinity of Oakland.

C. soUtaria, (Kellogg). — Stem simple, or (rarely branched) slen-
der, somewhat articulated, internodes at least twice the length of
leaves, six inches high, minutely pubescent.

Leaves opposite ; lower pair on long, slender petioles, lamina oblong-
ovate or spatulate, three-nerved entire ; the mature stem leaves ses-
sile, and membranously connivent, slightly sheathing the stem, lance-
linear, margins revolute, minutely pubescent, above glabrous, beneath
one-half to three-fourths of an inch in length.

Calyx cleft about one-half or three-fourths the distance ; segments
bright green ; the united sub-membranous portion below, bright purple.

Flowers axillary, solitary, on long (purple) peduncles, (one-third
longer than the leaves) purple blue, tube as long as the calyx ; at the
base of the upper lip, at the lateral margins of the throat, are two
tooth-like processes, also at the base of the lower lip — i. e., two above,
and two below ; lowermost largest ; the two shorter declined stamens
pubescent on the upper surface.

Capsule spherical, half-superior.

Juii/ 18, 1859.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg exhibited a drawing and a specimen of a liliaceous
plant, brought from New Idria by Dr. J. A Vcatch, and cultivated
by Mr. H. G. Bloomer ; a plant closely allied to Hesperescordium,
and probably new. The genus is named in honor of Dr. J. A. Veatch.

11

Veatciiia, (Kellogg). — Flowers six-parted, persistent, articulated
with the pedicel. Filaments inserted into the base of the segments,
inside of a nectariferous fleshy crystalline circle or network ; ovary
sessile.

Veatchia crystalUna, (Kellogg) Veatch's Diamond Flower. — A
bulbous plant, with a scape six to eight inches in height, umbel few-
flowered, flowers white, sub-campanulate rotate, with a narrow funnel-
form base or obsolete tube. Stamens six, opposite the petals, rising
from the mid-rib nerve at the border of the crystalline throat. (N.
B. The inner petals connivent by means of a somewhat enlarged
fleshy crystalline network, entirely separate from the filaments, pass-
ing outside, thus surrounding the bases, which are neither dilated nor
membranous.) Anthers' blue, filament attached near the base ; sub-
sagittate, apex recurved, segments of the perianth with revolute mar-
gins, three outer lanceolate, conduplicate-acute above, apex ascending
as if cornuted ; three inner proper petals ligulate, emarginate, apicu-
late by the terminus of the mid-rib nerve ; style scarcely longer than
the stamens ; stigma sub-three-lobed, stigmatose, continuous with the
capsule ; ovary sessile, broadly pyramidal, sub-triangular, three-
celled ; seeds few, black and angular, shnilar to Brodicea.

Dr. Kellogg also exhibited a drawing and specimens of a new plant
of the Asphodel family, found by Dr. J. A. Veatch at New Idria, and
cultivated by Mr. H. G. Bloomer, botanical curator to the Academy.
For this plant a new genus is also formed.

Bloomeria, (Kellogg). — Perianth six-parted rotate, persistent,
stamens six, fertile, three opposite inner petals longest, filaments sepa-
rately entering a nectariferous funnel-form tube. Flowers in a simple
umbel, root bulbous, solid.

B. Aurea, (Kellogg) Golden Bloomeria. — Scape slender, (one
foot in length) minutely scabrous backwards along the strise of both
scape and pedicel, scape hollow.

Leaves radical, (solitary ?) fleshy, three-nerved, (the other two outer
nerves indistinct or obsolete) three-eighths to one-half of an inch in
width, as long as scape, margin scabrous, otherwise glabrous, narrowed
and channeled towards the base.

Umbel twenty -five to thirty-flowered. Flowers deeply parted to the
base, segments equal, linear-lanceolate, acute, three-nerved, sub-revo-
lute or widely spreading ; apex of the three outer divisions apiculate
beaked. Filaments filiform, glabrous, included each in its respective
tube, and attached to the lowermost bises of the petals, and together
with the petal somewhat adnate to the base of the ovary. These

12

tubes are incurved at their bases ; margins recurve-expanding, outer
margin crcnulate or entire, inner three-toothed ; laterally awned,
obcomprcssed, papillose throughout. (In general form, it may be
remarked, each of the six staminal tubes resembles an awued achenia
of many composites.)

Anthers (verditer blue) two-celled, oblong, affixed below the middle,
apex recurved, introrse ; style scarcely longer than the stamens ; stig-
ma sub-three-lobed.

The three interior membranous involucers broad-acute, five-nerved,
subulate bracts interspersed, pedicels unequal, (one to three inches in
length) inflorescence successive, somewhat centripetal, continuing in
blossom a month or more.

This bulbous plant resembles CaUijjroa lutea, for which it is easily
mistaken, especially in bud, when marked by the strong green lines
on the back of the petals. It is, however, every way a more delicate
plant, one of remarkable beauty ; its bright golden blossoms, in lasting
succession, render it worthy of the attention of florists. It was found
by Dr. J. A. Veatch, at New Idria, and long cultivated by Mr. H.
G. Bloomer, Botanical Curator of the Academy, in honor of whom
we have dedicated it.

August 1, 1859.
President in the Chair.

L. pardalinum, (Kellogg), Leopard Lily. — This splendid native
lily is considered only a variety of L. canadense ; but we think fur-
ther comparative observations made in the growing state, will prove it
to be a different species. It certainly diflers as distinctly from L.
pardalinum, as that does from X. cariadense, (of which we have never
entertained a doubt). We have arrived at this conclusion from care-
ful culture and attentive observations, for more than five years. We
have specimens and drawings of both species. There is, also, a nar-
row-leafed variety, quite common in this vicinity — var. anguntifoUuw.

L. pardalinum may be described as follows :

Leaves lanceolate, acuminate, recurved, three to five-nerved, nerves
glabrous, margins somewhat scabrous, (four to five inches long, about
an inch Avide) colored alike deep green above and below, obscurely
veiny, remotely verticillate (nine to twelve in a whorl) scattered above
and below. Lower leaves spatulate obtuse, clothed with a mealy
bloom.

Flowers on long peduncles, ascending in graceful curves from an
obtuse angle at the stem, recurved above, stiflly nodding ; one to
three flowers terminating the stem, lower whorls of four to six flowers ;

13

broadly bell-shaped petal stronglj revolute ; stamens and style equal ;
stigma not divided.

The color of the flowers orange in the center, with dark brown or
deep purple spots ; the spots of this species larger and more sparsely
distributed ; the outer half of the petal painted bright red with well
defined limits.

This is a remarkably hardy and most singularly prolific lily. The
annual production of bulbs is as abundant as the common potato {So-
lanum tuberosum^. When boiled or roasted, they are rather too bit-
ter to be palatable, but in this respect they do not differ from the
native potato. By suitable washings, they might serve for food ; and,
perhaps, by careful culture, prove a useful addition to the agricultural
resources of colder climates, especially in the damp and unproductive
localities of northern latitndes.

It is well known that the Chinese, among us, make use of the scales
of a species of lily which they import, to a considerable extent. They
are apparently very nutritive, so far as we are able to decide from the
few trials we have made, having very much the flavor of the common
garden bean.

Dr. Kellogg also exhibited a drawing and growing specimens of a
new species of lily from the Sierra Nevada.

The bulb has been cultivated with much care during the last four
years, by Mr. H. G. Bloomer, our Botanical Curator.

L. ivasJdngtonianuni, (Kellogg) Lady Washington Lily. — Leaves
small, (i. e., about two inches long, one-half to three-eighths wide)
approximate, verticillate, (in whorls of six to twelve) somewhat scat-
tered above and below, cuneate -lanceolate, waved, three to six-nerved,
nerves inconspicuous, very slightly scabrous on all parts exept the mid-
rib, which is smooth and shining.

Stem erect, glabrous, three to four feet high, two or more flowered,
on peduncles four or five inches long. Flowers patent, open, tubular
funnel-form ; petals recurved from the upper third of the somewhat
narrow lanceolate lamina, finally becoming revolute ; claw linear-un-
guiculate, (slender claw one and three-fourths inches long) deeply
channeled. Flowers at first white, with barely a discernable blush of
pink, turning to lilac-purple as it fades ; a few delicately shaded spots
in the throat ; the three outer segments quite distinct, without any
ridge or crest ; lamina plain, parallel veins or striae regular.

The general open appearance of the flower is somewhat similar to
the L. Oatesbosi In this respect it differs from any species or variety
of California lilies. They are also remarkable for their fragrance ;
having the odor of the tuberose, but more delicate.

These beautiful flowers look frankly forwards and upwards. It is

14

■worthy of remark, that in all onr specimens the three upper stamens
are a little shorter, and the anthers erect ; while the three lower longer
filaments, have traverse versatile anthers as usual — is this a uniform
feature ? Style (green) exsert (one-half inch longer than stamens)
stigmatose portion somewhat extending down the rounded angles —
three-lobed (not parted). Capsule triangular, somewhat turbinate,
sparsely verrucose, angles deeply channeled, vertical.

A dried specimen of the flower and leaf, accompanied by a figure,
was presented by me before the Acadomy, Nov. 11th, 1854, but with-
out a written description, our materials not being fully satisfactory.
From that time to the present, we have diligently cultivated this bulb ;
we have also another specimen of white lily which has not yet gained
sufficient strength to flower.

We have retained the common name by which this lily was first
known to us. This, and most of our lilies, when cultivated, should be
placed in shady localities.

August 29, 1859.

Mr. Rowlandson in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg presented specimens of a new species of Ledum,
brought from the Sierra Nevada by Mr. Hutchings.

L. calif ornicum, (Kellogg). — Leaves obovoid and oblanceolate,
cuneate mucronate, margins revolute, reticulate granulate, glaucous
beneath, golden glands abundant ; apex obtuse or sub-acute, coriace-
ous petioles minutely pubescent and glandular, about one-fourth of an
inch in length, lamina one to two inches ; mostly crowded at the
extremity of the branches.

Flowers in a terminal fasciculate-corymb ; peduncles filiform, min-
utely pubescent and glandular ; ochreous bracts deciduous, lance
acute, margins villous ; calyx colored, (white, as are also the flowers)
five-toothed, divisions minute acute, terminated by a tuft of hairs.

Petals five, distinct, spreading, oblong, sub-acute, stamens ten exsert,
filaments filiform, hirsute towards the base.

A small shrub from one to two feet in heiirht.

September 19, 1859.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg read a description of two new species of Pentstemon,
accompanied by specimens found by Mr. Hutchings.

15

P. canosobarbatum, (Kellogg) or Grey-Bearded Pentstemon. —
Stern glabrous, glaucous fruticose(?) Leaves lanceolate cuneate at
base, sharply remote serrate, short cuspidate, somewhat recurve
spreading, petioles short, (radical leaves unknown). Peduncles one
to three-flowered, scarlet or red.

Calyx segments equal, ovate-lanceolate, very slenderly acute.

Corolla colored, tube short, (as in P. brevifiorus) one-fourth of an
inch in length, about one-third longer than the calycine segments ;
resupinate(?) Upper lip three-lobed, vertical or slightly reflexed ;
lesser middle lobe lanceolate acute, lateral ones obliquely broader or
rhombic lobes, bearded externally ; lower lip slightly two-notched,
horizontally somewhat ascending carinate, densely bearded below,
mostly at the extremity, with white or long transparent frosted hairs.

Sterile filament short, naked, somewhat erect, villous at the base.
Style longer than the stamens. Stigma simple, slightly capitate.
Stamens exsert, anthers glabrous. Filaments geniculate at the base,
flattened below the prominent angle, margins of the expanded base
villous, glabrous above from the angle, ascending in a corresponding
curve with the lengthened lower lip.

P. rostriflorum, (Kellogg). — Stem glabrous, somewhat ancipital by
the decurrent mid-ribs of the leaves.

Leaves linear-lanceolate, entire, sessile mid-rib sharply prominent,
decurrrent erect or sub-spreading. Peduncles two-flowered, (rarely
more than one fully developed) glandular, second ascending, as long.
or longer than the leaves. Bracts minute. Calyx lanceolate attenu-
ate-acuminate, lower segments scarcely longest, acuminate, glandularly
villous, villi very minute.

Flowers tubular, (nerved) creamy yellow, one inch in length, tube
three-fourths, refracted, not ventricose ; minutely glandularly villous
externally, mostly at the lips ; upper lip longest, staight, somewhat
vaulted, two notched ; lower lip two-lobed, lobes linear acute.

Stamens nearly equal, two longest of the length of the flower,
inserted at the lowermost margin of the tube, declined ascending above,
thickened and compressed at the base ; shorter pair, with the fifth
inserted into the tube one-eighth of an inch above the base ; fifth fila-
ment shorter than the stamens included in the upper lip, glabrous.

Style about the length of the stamens.

ii f

September 26, 1859.
President in the Chair.
Dr. A. Kellogg read the following paper on new genera and species ^^
of plants, found by Dr. John A. Veatch, at Cerros Island. .-^O^' *

n

16

Bhus lentil, (Kellogg). Stem stoutly branched, leafy, the younger
branches somewhat angled.

Leaves ovate, or sub-acute, (one to one and one-half inches long)
alternate, petioles about one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch in length,
quite entire ; margins rounded, corneous, pinnate veins imbedded in
the thick coriaceous lamina. Leaves pale dull velvety glaucous, and
minutely short pubescent above; densely white hoary villous beneath.

Flowers in terminal open compound panicles, peduncles and pedicels
one eighth to one-fourth of an inch long, hoary, short hirsute. Calyx
segments 5, ovate, sub-acute, both surfaces hirsute, thick carinated ;
margins thinner, translucent, very villous. Petals five, ovate, both
surfaces short hoary hirsute, hairs longer towards the inner base of the
short claw. Stamens five, glabrous, inserted into the conspicuous cre-
nated torus, or smooth fleshy disk. Style one, hirsute, stigma two-
parted, sub-capitate about equal.

Fruit large (about 2 an inch in breadth), rhomboid, compressed, the
drupe somewhat fleshy, densely clothed with red acid hairs.

This species closely resembles R. laurina of Santa Barbara and its
vicinity. Our specimens from that locality, however, have dentate
varnished leaves with very prominent veins, and of a different form ;
also crowded axillary and terminal panicles ; flowers in R. lentii
larger, 8 or 4 times the size. Calyx bright scarlet, quite ornamental;
petals of a lighter tinge, about twice the length of the calyx ; flowers
perfect.

This species of Rhus would be considered by some authors as a
Malosma, or more properly Lithrcea of Miers, an originally Chilian
genus.

Linosyris Dentatus, (Kellogg). — Stem two to three feet in height,
suffruticose, light and hoary.

Leaves crowded and fasciculate, cuneate-spatulate, sessile, 3-nerved,
cut-serrate, mostly at the rounded sub-acute apex, remote or entire
towards the base ; teeth very sharp, with a horny mucro, pruinose
ciliate near the stem, scabrous above and below.

Flowers at the extremity of the leaf branches, in compound clus-
tered sub-capitate corymbs, the corymbose subdivisions somewhat um-
belletiform, or three or four pedicels springing from a common point,
with lance-linear bractoid involucels surrounding the common base.
Heads twenty to twenty-five-flowered, obovoid.

Scales of the involucre numerous, unequal, imbricated in five or six
series, outer short, oblong-lanceolate brownish tips, glandular on the
back ; margins thin scarious ; apex acute, dentate, carinate ; inner
scales linear membranaceous, longer than the disk. Receptacle alve-
olate toothed.

17

Achenia oblong, silky villous, angled base ; pappus copious, unequal,
scabrous or plumose hirsute.

Corolla infundibuliform, on a slender tube ; teeth glabrous, about
one-fourth of the length of the tube ; anthers equal or exsert by their
^vhite villous appendages. Style included, brownish purple ; append-
ages shorter than the stigmatic portion, oblong-ovoid.

A new genus is proposed, founded upon a remarkably orvamental
shrub, belonging to the natural order, Scrophularinoi.

Saccularia, (Kellogg). — Calyx five-parted, ovate-oblong, acute,
quincuncial estivation. Corolla tubular, bilabiate ; tube elongated,
sub-cylindrical, saccate below at the base; upper lip erect; lower lip
spreading. Stamens four, fertile, didynamous, without any rudiment
of a fifth ; throat mostly naked ; style filiform. Stigma undivided as in
Pentstemon, simple or lobed. Capsule globose, slightly depressed, and
compressed, ventricose somewhat obliquely; each cell opening by an
irregular eight-toothed orifice, near the apex. Seeds numerous,
oblong truncate, small ; testa ribbed lengthwise, deeply chinked ;
surface of the elevations irregular or toothed, dark brown. Seeds
attached to a roundish rugose-pitted placenta, which is involved, and
fixed by the complete and permanent dissepiment.

S. Veatchii, (Kellogg). — Stem suffruticose, with myriads of slen-
der, twiggy rods, of nearly uniform size, very straight, bright green
or glaucous, glandularly villous and somewhat canescent above ;
branches ternate and opposite ; erect, terminal twigs ; frequently con-
stricted at the bifurcation.

Leaves verticillate by threes or opposite, lanceolate, mucronulate,
acute ; a mucronate gland at the apex ; short petioled, or subsessile,
entire, hirsute above at the base, glandularly villous on the lamina
above, densely glandularly hirsute below; small, (one-sixteenth to
half an inch long) very remote.

Mowers in elongated terminal racemose panicles, (six inches to a
foot in length) whorled in threes; a bract (or leaf) at the base of
each pedicel ; pedicels filiform, erect, ascending, bent above, one-flow-
ered; lower pedicels longer than the flower; upper about half as long.

Tubular flowers about one to one and a quarter inches in length,
minutely glandular villous externally ; upper lip erect, notched,
reflexed at the sides, glandular villous within ; lower lip recurve-
spreading somewhat trifid, lateral portions shorter or sub -equal, mid-
dle lobe rounded, obtuse, folded under, bearded above with glandular
hairs ; a broad line of short stipitate or papillose glands, extends back
from the middle lobe to the base of the tube ; throat otherwise naked.

Style filiform, glabrous, persistent ; stigma simple, acute (minutely

2

18

stigmatose at the point) included, or sub-exsert ; filaments filiform,
glabrous, and slightly thickened above, flattened, and glandularly vil-
lous along the base ; anthers very small, glabrous, lobes divaricate.

This remarkable shrub appears to be closely allied to Galvezia of
Dombey. As at present defined, it however differs in the style, not
being thickened at the top, nor emarginate ; neither is the stigma two-
lobed. Other points of difference of less importance readily suggest
themselves, which must be our apology for distinguishing it from that
Peruvian genus.

This singularly sociable shrub, in general appearance, somewhat
resembles an Ephedra — thousands of straight, apparently leafless
twigs, of almost uniform stems, spring up from a common base to the
height of four or five feet, banded together in exceedingly dense, im-
penetrable groups of two to four feet in diameter. The trim green
twigs are at all times ornamental and attractive by their singularity ;
but when in full bloom, the innumerable long, outward curving
branches laden with long, scarlet blossoms, thick, proudly pouting lips
and pretty spurs, must render it an object of rare beauty. When
fully known, and properly appreciated, we shall expect to see it zeal-
ously sought after by the ornamental gardener and florist.

Diplacus stellatus, (Kellogg). — Stem shrubby, erect, striate, stel-
late, hoary, dry. Leaves lanceolate, narrowed at the base and apex,
quite entire ; margins revolute, clammy, varnished, green above dry,
densely stellate and hoary beneath ; apex terminated by a large gland.

Peduncles short, axillary, solitary (about half the length of the
calyx, or one-fourth that of the leaves).

Calyx tubular, elongated, (three-fourths to one inch in length) five-
angled, angles slightly winged, teeth unequal, two upper longest.

Flowers small, tube long, (one inch or more) somewhat arched.

Stem light cinnamon or orange color.

1

Marah minima, (Kellogg). — Stem herbaceous, filiform, angular,
scabrous along the angles. Tendrils two-parted.

Leaves palmate, cordate-sinuate, three to five-lobed, (seldom cor-
date-angled) one to two inches in diameter, on scabrous petioles, about
the length of the lamina; upper and lower surfaces studded (dotted?)
with minute circular siliceous bullae, or somewhat shagreen scabrous,
minutely repand toothed.

Sterile flowers in compound racemes, two to three inches in length,
from the same axils as the fertile, greenish w^hite, campanulate-rotate,
border five-parted, calyx teeth minute or obsolete.

Fertile flower on a long stipitate tube ; calyx segments minute, acute
or subulate ; stigma with globular lobes obliterated.

19

Fruit minute, (quarter to half an inch in length) echinate, (prickles
very stout, with a broad base) oblong, tapering to either extremity,
often somewhat obliquely inflated, greenish, marked by darker green
lines running back from the acuminate apex, two-celled, longitudinal
dissepiment complete, about two seeds in each cell, attached laterally
to the infolded margins of the dissepiment or parietal.

Seeds erect, or sub-imbricate, ascending, fruit bursting at the apex,
forming a double orifice by the strong marcescent, persistent dissepi-
ment and parietes.

Seeds black, rough, warted, warped, oblong, flattened, somewhat
truncate above, tapering towards the base, margins obtuse.

In general size and outline, the seeds resemble a grape or raisin
seed.

The form of the fruit, foliage, etc., resemble the Marah muricata.

Arctostaphylos veatcMi, (Kellogg). — Leaves oblong, obtuse or sub-
acute, and acuminate, bony mucronate ; margins entire or repand,
scabrous, dentate, revolute, membrano-coriaceous, somewhat varnished,
green, reticulate, wrinkled, sparingly short frosty villous above,
densely short lanate frosty hoary (white) beneath, feather veined,
hoary ; petioles one-fourth to half an inch in length.

The tender branchlets of the season also hoary.

Racemes terminal, (or only lateral by subsequent growth) stout,
rough, irregularly sulcate, naked, erect, berries large, (size of the
largest peas).

Flowers unknown.

The pubescence, it may be remarked, has a granular appearance.

Pentstemon eerrosensis, (Kellogg). — Stem sufFruticose, branching
below, glabrous, glaucous.

Leaves coriaceous, somewhat corrugate or bullate, glaucous above
and below, quite entire, lanceolate and ovate-lanceolate, obscurely
three-nerved, apex recurved, mucronate, lower leaves on decurrently
thickened petioles (about one inch in length), base clasping, a connate
ring encircling the stem, decussate, densely crowded near the base ;
upper leaves sessile, clasping, cordate lanceolate.

Peduncles short, stout, mostly two-flowered. Secund bracts minute,
recurve, lance-ovate.

Calyx divisions ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, stoutly indurate, mucro-
nate striate, and distinctly three-nerved.

Corolla tabular, somewhat obliquely ventricose downwards, slightly
curved or carinate ascending, border five-notched, divisions sub-equal,
very short, throat naked, contracted, yellow.

Stamens glabrous throughout, two or more stamens, (when not

20

inserted into, and thence decurrent along the tube), attached to the
lower margin of the tube, flattened at the base.

Style sub-equal, persistent, simple, glabrous, fifth filament short,
declined, glabrous, somewhat clavate.

Capsule conic, two-celled, four-valved, seeds black and angular.

Dr. Kellogg presented a specimen of Calliproa from Mariposa,
which differs from Callij^roa lutea in many respects, aud it is thought
may prove a new species.

Caurantea, (Kellogg). — Scape striate, regularly scabrous back-
■wards along the strise, six to eight inches in height.

Umbel about twelve-flowered — peduncles (two to three inches in
length) striate, with transparent scabrulous elevations, also hooked
backwards.

Scarious involucres variable, about six in two series — three outer
longest lance acute, conspicuously three to five brown nerved.

Perianth obconic funnel-form, limb scarcely longer than the pointed
tube, three outer segments lanceolate-acute, apex shghtly rostrated on
the back ; the three inner lanceolate-ovate emarginate ; segments
marked by a strong green line along the back, extending down to the
acutely pointed base of the tube (under the glass) consisting of two
parallel veins. Stripe or pedicel of capsule over one-fourth of an inch
in length.

Bulb and leaf unknown.

October 2, 1859.

Dii. J. A. Yeatch, in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg read descriptions of the following plants brought from
Cerros Island by Dr. J. A. Veatch.

Rhamnus Insidus, (Kellogg), Cerros Island Buckthorn. —
Branches neither spinescent nor thorny, light spotted gray bark, wood
white, young branchlets with peduncles and petioles minutely villous.

Leaves sempervirent, thin, lucid, membranaceous, prominently retic-
ulated lamina, finely pinnate veined ; colored nearly alike above and
below, rigid, oval obtuse, repand-mucronate dentate ; the scabrous-like
teeth somewhat hooked backward, glabrous and shining above and
below, small (one-half to three-fourths of an inch long) on short peti-
oles (one-tenth of an inch).

21

Fruit axillary, solitary, obovate, greenish black, invariably two-
seeded, on peduncles twice the length of the petiole.

The specimen is without flowers, but appears to be new. We have
also another from Clear Lake, probably undescribed.

Simmondsia pabulosa^ (Kellogg), Goat Nut.

Descriptive Note by Dr. Vcatch. — An evergreen bush, or shrubby
tree, from three to six feet in height ; growing in the ravines as well as in
the crevices and fissures of nearly perpendicular cliffs. Trunk remark-
ably crooked, with short, zig-zag, joint-like bendings. Bark smooth
and whitish. Branches spreading horizontally from the summit ; much
entangled and partaking of the character of the stem. Foliage dense
and green ; leaves and young twigs somewhat succulent. The top
presents something of the appearance of a huge bunch of mistletoe.

Fruit generally abundant, ripening in July and August ; has the
taste of a chestnut, with a slight bitterness.

The goats and deer of the island are exceeding fond of both the
fruit and leaves, and seem to live mostly upon them.

The shrub is ornamental, and deserves to be cultivated for its beauty
as well as for its fruit. The barren spots in which it thrives would
suggest its usefulness upon some of the barren and bleak hills of Upper
California, which are worthless from their strong and arid character,
but which might be valuable when planted with the Simmondsia.

Specific Characters. — Branches opposite, nodose, greyish ; branch-
lets somewhat angled, greenish hoary, hirsute.

Leaves opposite, oblong-ovate, ovate-lanceolate, sub-mucronate, ob-
tuse, and often a few leaves obovate-emarginate, somewhat cuneate at
base ; pale glaucous green above, fleshy, coriaceous, inconspicuously
three-nerved in growing state ; rigid wrinkled, often ochreous beneath
when dry, hirsute above and below ; sharpened entire margins, slightly
scabrnlose, on very short glandless hirsute petioles ; lamina varying
from one-half to one and one-half inches in length.

Sterile flowers numerous in axillary dichotomous panicles, shorter
than the leaves, seldom sessile and solitary, or in small glomerules ;
common and particular pedicels bracted, each separate flower with a
minute ovate hirsute bract scale at the base. Petals imbricate, green-
ish, five in number, unguiculate, carinate ; apex obtuse, inflexed cili-
ate, somewhat erose-dentate, spreading, slightly villous within, hoary
villous hairs without, glandless ; stamens mostly ten, shorter than the
petals.

Filaments shorter than the anthers, subulate from a broad base,
somewhat clustered in parcels of three or more, or imperfectly mona-
delphous, anthers erect, two celled, opening longitudinally.

22

Calyx divisions five, increasing in size as the fruit attains to niaturitj,
the apex of the lobes often elongating to one-half or three-fourths of
an inch, erect or recurved, usually from two to four small scales in a
lower series, quincuncially imbricated.

Capsule a dry chartaceous nut, in a leafy cup, similar to a hazel
nut, obtusely triquetrous ; in appearance beaked like an acorn, with
three persistent, sub-capitate styles, three-celled, three-valved, opening
in three-divisions at the ventral suture, by abortion one-seeded, three-
filiform placentas rising from the axis of the calyx recurved at the
apex to which funicle the ovule is attached or suspended — the per-
fected ovule is obtusely triangular-conic, apex pitted, grooved down
the angle adjacent to the placenta to the truncate base, hazel brown,
sparsely hirsute.

Delphinium flammeum, (Kellogg), or Fiery Larkspur. — Stem
simple, one foot to eighteen inches in height, hirsute, with white some-
what apprcssed hairs throughout, raceme few-flowered, petioles slender,
dilated at the base, digitately five-parted, lobes attenuate cuneate,
trifid, divisions long linear-subulate. Spur long and slender, undu-
late, subulate, apex ascending, (about one inch, or twice as long as
lateral sepals) bright scarlet ; two upper appendiculate, spur-included,
petals yellow; lamina two lobed, upper lobe narrow elongated, recurved,
tipped with pink, one-nerved along the lower margin, erect, lip or limb
of the spur ovate, sub-acute, lateral sepals obovate, obliquely expanded,
claws about five-nerved ; two lower petals relatively very small, obliquely
oval, two-cleft, glabrous unguiculate.

Capsules three, naked ; stigma two-toothed, somewhat unequal teeth.

Bracteoles subulate, approximate to base of the flower ; flower
sparsely hirsute externally, glabrous and naked within.

Octobe7' 10, 1859.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg read descriptions of the following new plants discovered
by Dr. J. A. Veatch at Cerros Island.

Staphylea geniculata (Kellogg). — Stem short, erect, about a foot
or two in height, much branched, with rather slender, crooked ramifi-
cations. The -whole shrub presents a singular and interesting appear-
ance, and not unattractive for its beauty. It was found growing in
sandy ravines, near the sea-shore, on the east side of the Bay of San
Sebastian Biscayno, nearly opposite the guano island of Elide.

Leaves alternate, opposite the cymose-panicles, and sometimes soli-

23

tarj peduncles ; the basilar branch leaves obcordate, or obovate-emar-
ginate, sub-cuneate ; upper leaves mostly ovate on short petioles ;
stipules deciduous, oblanceolate about twice the length of the petiole,
or minute linear lanceolate ; one-sixteenth to one-fourth in length :
lamina dry and thin, pale yellowish green, margins entire, veins prom-
inent, clothed with a dull, hoary, short pruinose pubesence above, and
beneath, a few pellucid dots.

Flowers unknown.

Fruit, a membranaceous inflated, three to six-celled, (usually four
to five) united capsule, in outline ovate- elliptic, pointed by the rigid
styles more or less adjoined, as also are the capsules their whole
length, readily and freely dehiscing along the ventral suture, separat-
ing from the central axis at the base first, and retained only by the
attachment of a pair of fibres from the placental column adherent to
the pistilate apex of each valve. Seeds two in each cell, centrally
suspended, the upper ascending, black, ovate, pointed, arillate.

Capsules, solitary, in pairs, verticillate and in panicles on articulated
peduncles or pedicels, about half an inch in length ; common peduncle
stout, branch-like, about two inches long.

Our specimens agree in the most essential points with the descrip-
tion of the natural order Stapliylaeeoe, in Gray's Genera, but not
with De Candolle's tribe. When carefully examined, this plant will
probably, with some others, require new genera to be instituted. AVe
regret not having complete specimens, in order to make the descrip-
tion more complete.

Teucriiim glandalosum, (Kellogg,) or Glandular Bugle, ok
Germander. — Stem suffruticulose, many straight stolons from a
knotty crown of the root ; branches whorled below, opposite above,
erect, quadrangular, elevated angles truncate-planed ; stem striate
minutely glandular, with glistening glands of a golden hue ; one to two
feet in height.

Lower leaves opposite, sessile, .narrow lanceolate, pinnatilid-lobed
or remotely divaricate-toothnd, base cuneate three-nerved, triplinerved
above. Upper branch and floral leaves lance-linear, sessile three-
nerved, rarely a few remote cut divergent teeth, pitted glandular
above, densely prominent glandular beneath.

Peduncles opposite, axillary, solitary, angular, scabrous backwards
along the upper angles, declined and ascending, about a third shorter
than the leaves.

Calyx campanulate ; tube somewhat turbinate, resting on a minute
ten-nerved capitulum of the peduncle, membranaceous, reticulate.

24

glandular, scarcely scabrous, ten-nerved, five-cleft ; segments sub-
equal, lance-pointed sharply corneous acute, three-nerved ; the two
lateral nerves marginal, uniting into one at the bifurcations.

Flowers bilabiate ; upper lip very short, emarginate, included ;
lower lip trifid, middle lobe elongated, expanded towards the apex, or
somewhat oblong obovate, sub-entire ; lateral lobes oblong divaricate,
intermediate declined ascending ; throat and lip villous within, glandu-
ular without, striate beneath. Below, at the base of the long stamens,
a pubescent ring nearly encircles a little pit or cavity with a dark
colored mons in front. Filaments bearded laterally at the base,
especially the lower longest pair. Stamens exsert, ascending from
the upper cleft, and recurved towards the lower lip. Anthers glan-
dular, reniform, confluent. Style equal ; stigma deeply bifid ; lobes
equal, subulate. Flowers blue.

Achenia four, naked, oblong, sub-triangular, outer angle rounded,
inmost angle warted toAvards the slightly narrowed base ; apex obtuse,
hirsute, covered Avith glands.

Rhus veatchiana, (Kellogg,] Elephant Sumac. — Leaves alter-
nate, oddly pinnate ; if from the older branch buds, in the condensed
fascicles of three to six ; leaflets opposite in about six pairs, small
[one-eighth to one-fourth of an inch in length] ; these lateral leaflets
sessile, ovate sub-acute, obsoletely serrate towards the apex [with
relatively large rounded teeth], terminal odd leaflet obovate, cuneate,
three or more cutlobed, or tridentate ; velvety, hoary villous, with
appressed hairs above, somewhat silvery hoary beneath [leaves about
an inch long, the common petiole occupying about one-fourth its
length.]

Flowers very numerous, in closely clustered, oblong, fasciculoid
panicles occupying the terminal portion of the rigid branchlets ; ped-
icils filiform, attenuate below, enlarging upwards to the continuous
calyx ; very villous, minute subulate bracts at the base of the pedicels
[pedicels three-eighths to one-half an inch long]. Panicles bright red.
Calyx five parted, membranous, bright scarlet, hirsute with white
hairs, a few red glandular hairs intermixed ; segments ovate acute
[about one-third the length of the petals] ; petals five -imbricate,
membranous, paler red, a brighter line along the midrib, oblong-ovate
acute, somewhat carinate, apex slightly incurved [texture translucent
reticulate] hirsute mostly along the prominent midrib on the back.

Stamens ten [seldom eight] inserted upon the scarlet cupped disk
under the ovary ; introrse anthers two-celled, opening together ; sta-
mens very short, white ; anther glabrous, fillets colored villous at base,
shorter than anther. Disk deeply five-lobed, the five stamens oppo-
site the lobes longest.

25

Pistils three to five, three [occasionally four fertile] capitate, hir-
sute, ovary very villous.

A very remarkable species, closely allied to the natural order Sa-
plndacece.

The specific name we give in honor of Dr. J. A. Veatch's son,
Mr. A. A. Veatch, a worthy gentleman, to whose ardent zeal and
enterprise in the cause of natural science we have been frequently
indebted.

October 17, 1859.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Wm. 0. Ayres presented the following paper on new fishes of
this coast :

Sehastes nigrocinctus, [Ayres] . — This species is very closely allied
to S.fasciatus, Grd. and is most readily defined by stating its points
of difference from that type.

The supra-orbital spines are much less regular, the posterior being
merely a thin, angular ridge, having, between it and the occipital
spine, a thick, blunt tubercle. The intra-orbital space, which is free
in fasciatus, is occupied by a pair of longitudinal, thin, angular-top-
ped ridges, terminating in a pair of slender tubercles, on a line with
the blunt post-orbital pair. The preopercular, opercular and scapular
spines are very similar in the two species.

The extremity of the maxillary scarcely reaches the line of the
anterior border of the orbit.

The length of the anal fin is less, being contained three times in
the length of the side of the head.

The undivided rays of the pectorals are in fasciatus free for some
distance at their tips ; in nigrocinctus the same rays are very slightly
free.

In color the two species are entirely unlike ; nigrocinctus is of a
plain reddish yellow, crossed by five to six strongly marked, well-de-
fined, nearly vertical, broad black bands. The head has commonly
a black band from the eye upward and backward, and another from
the eye downward and backward.

The accessory scales are as in fasciatus.

D. XIII, 15, A. Ill, 7, P. 9, 10, V. 1, 5, C. 4, 1, 6, 6, 1.

This species is by no means common. I have seen but three in
San Francisco in six years. The largest was not quite fourteen
inches in length.

26

Sebastes helvomaculatus, [Ayres]. — This species is readily distin-
guished by its colors. It is red, but the red is commonly paler than
that of S. rosaceus, while each side is marked with three oblong pink
spots ; one near the end of the dorsal fin ; another opposite the ante-
rior part of the soft portion of the dorsal, and near the dorsal outline ;
and the third a little more remote from the dorsal outUne, and about
opposite the commencement of the last third of the spinous portion of
the dorsal fin. These spots are quite constant, and furnish a good
specific character. The length of each equals about half the diame-
ter of the eye. In a few instances a fourth spot has been seen.

The accessory scales are not numerous.

In form, and in the spines of the head, this fish somewhat resem-
bles S. auriculatus. The head constitutes one-third of the entire
length, the length of the head being decidedly greater than the depth
of the body. The length of the eye is a little more than one-fourth
of the lenirth of the head. The length of the anal fin is about two-
thirds that of the soft portion of the dorsal. The termmation of the
caudal is nearly square.

D. XIII, 13, P. 8, 9, V. 1, 5, A. Ill, 6, C. 4, 1, 6, 6, 1, 4.

S. Iidvomaculatus is not very rare ; within the last year it has been
brought to the markets in San Francisco in considerable numbers. It
rarely exceeds ten inches in length.

Sehastes elonc/atus, [Ayres] . — This species is readily distinguished
from the others of the genus occurring in our waters, by its much
more slender form, the greatest depth being a very little more than
one-fifth the total length. The length of the head is not quite one-
third the length of the fish ; the longitudinal diameter of the eye con-
tained four times in the length of the side of the head.

The spines of the upper surface of the head are acute, but not
strongly developed ; those of the opercular pieces larger than in most
of the species.

Dorsal fin arising a little in advance of the termination of the
operculum ; the length of the spinous portion double that of the soft ;
the greatest height of the spinous and soft rays about equal.

Anal terminating a little anteriorly to the line of termination of the
dorsal, its length half that of the soft portion of the dorsal.
■ Pectorals in height equaling half the length of the dorsal ; the
undivided rays widely free at their tips.

Accessory scales not very numerous.

Maxillary reaching the line of the posterior border of the pupil.

In color this fish is of a light yellowish brown, with the back and
upper portion of the sides marked with numerous blotches of black-
ish brown, so arranged as to furra an irregular system of longitudinal

27

dark bands. The lateral line lies in a well marked band of the light
ground color, formed bj a dark border above and below.

D. XIII, 13 P. 9, 8, V. 1, 6, A. Ill, 6, C. 4, 1, 5, 5, 1, 4.

S. elongatus can be bj no means common in this vicinity, being
seldom seen in the markets. The largest have been but little over
twelve inches in length.

'o~

Anoplopoma merlangus^ (Ayres). — This fish, for which a new
genus becomes necessary, presents a singular grouping of characters.
It has the general appearance of the Gadidce, in fact resembles the
Pollock so closely as to suggest at once the specific name adopted, but
it has really no relation whatever to that family. It has the soft,
minute scales, and the smooth appearance of skin of the Scomhridoe,
but the vertical fins are scaly, and the air-bladder is well developed.
It has the scaly vertical fins of the Sciaenidce, but lacks their peculiar
contour of head, and is provided with teeth on the palatines and vomer.
It has the suborbital prolonged so as to reach the limb of the preoper-
culum, thus resembling the Ileterolepidce, but the dorsal fins, the form
and structure of the anal, the position of the ventrals, and the nature
of the teeth, exclude it from that family. It differs from the Perddce
in its general smoothness of appearance, the feebleness of the spines of
the first dorsal and ventrals, and the scaling of the vertical fins. It
belongs, however, to this family, and approaches perhaps more closely
to Stizostedion than to any other genus. Its generic characters may
be thus stated :

Anoplopoma, (Ayres). — Head and cheeks almost destitute of
spines. Scales small, inconspicuous, ciliated, covering the entire body
and head, and ascending upon the caudal, second dorsal, anal, and
pectoral fins. Teeth even, numerous, small, on both jaws, palatines,
and front of vomer. Branchial apertures not continuous under the
throat. Two dorsal fins, remote ; rays of first dorsal feebly spinous.
Ventrals posterior to the pectorals.

A. merlangus presents the following features :

Form elongated, slender, slightly compressed. Head forming a
little more than one-fourth of the entire length. Greatest depth
equaling one-sixth of the length. Border of the preoperculura feebly
crenated, sometimes quite smooth ; operculum ending in a flat point,
not spinous. Scales minute, cihatcd, but feeling entirely smooth.

Dorsal fins equal in height, separated by an interval a little less
than their height. The first is one-fourth as long as the fish ; the
second, three-fourths as long as the first.

Anal, opposite the second dorsal, entirely resembling it it in form
and size.

Caudal crescentic ; accessory rays very numerous.

28

Teeth of nearly uniform size in all parts, slender, acute, hooked,
arranged in a double row on the sides of the jaws, more crowded in
front, as they are also on the vomer and palatines.

Color plain greenish brown above, becoming lighter beneath ; fins
of corresponding hue.

D. XXIII, 17, P. 17, A. Ill, 14, V. I, 5, C. 10, 1, 7, G, 1, 10.

A. merlang-us appears to be quite rare, occurring in the markets of
San Francisco only as stragglers. The largest specimen yet observed
was eighteen inches in length.

Stereolepis gigas, (Ayres). — This fish, with the general appearance
of the Sckenidce, and especially their peculiar fins, is yet separated
from that family by the teeth on the palatines and vomer. It is in
fact a Percoidy and not very remotely related to Dioplites. It is of a
new generic type, which may be called Stereolepis, Ayres.

Generic Characters. — Scales small, very hard, ciliated, covering
the body, the cheeks, and the lower parts of the second dorsal, anal,
pectoral, and caudal fins. Two dorsals, remote ; the first with very
stout spinous rays, lower than the second ; the second with thick, fleshy
membrane. Anal similar to second dorsal. Ventrals beneath the
pectorals. Teeth exceedingly numerous, crowded, very fine, in both
jaws, and on the palatines and front of vomer. Operculum and preo-
perculum, without spines or serrations. Branchial apertures not con-
tinuous beneath.

The species on which this genus is founded, is remarkable for the
great size which it attains. Two specimens have been brought into
the market, having been taken in the Bay of San Francisco, one in
1857, the other in 1859. The former measured five feet, eight inches
in length, with a weight of one hundred and eighty-seven pounds ; the
latter was seven feet long, and weighed three hundred and sixty
pounds. They were evidently stragglers in our waters. There is
reason to believe that below Point Conception they are found in some
numbers, becoming perhaps common on the coast of Lower California.

Form compressed, robust ; greatest depth about one-third the total
length. Head large, forming one-fourth of the whole length. Mouth
quite large, but obli({ue, the maxillary only reaching a fine even with
the anterior border of the orbit.

First dorsal of nine, very stout spines, its length equaling about one-
fourth of the length of the fish, its height one-fourth its len<i;th.

Second dorsal not quite half so long as the first, from which it is
distant half its own length. Fin trapezoidal, sloping backward, thick-
ened at base ; scales ascending, membrane so thick that the rays are
enumerated with difficulty.

29

Caudal very large and strong ; its breadth, when expanded, being
one-third the length of the fish.
B. 7, D. IX, III, 8, P. 19, A. II, 7, V. 1, 6, C. 3, 1, 6, 6, 1, 3.

Squatina calif ornica, (Ayres). — This species appears to be by no
means common. But a single specimen has yet been observed, which
was taken in the Bay of San Francisco, September 22, 1857. It
measured thirty-nine inches in length.

The principal points in which it seems to differ from its congener of
the Atlantic coast, S. Dumerili, are the form of the orbits, the form
and number of the teeth, the size and form of the pectorals, the form
of the ventrals and of the dorsals.

Breadth as compared with the entire length, across the pectorals,
about three-fifths ; across the widest portion of the ventrals, a little
less than one-third ; of the body at its junction with the head, one-
fourth.

Eyes small, orbits not elevated, nor any tubercles manifest upon
them.

Distance from the anterior border of the head to the point of attach-
ment of the pectorals, equal to the breadth of the head at the line of
the spiracles, but the free border of the pectorals extends forward
about half this distance, forming the pectoral fissure in which are the
branchial apertures. Posterior flap somewhat shorter, and not pro-
vided with a notch on its inner border. Entire length of the pectorals,
a little more than one-fourth the length of the fish.

Ventrals arising on a line with the posterior border of the pectorals,
increasing in width for rather more than a third of their length, and
then tapering to a point a little posterior to the origin of the first dor-
sal. Their free flap comprises almost their entire posterior half.

Dorsals alike in size and shape ; the first arising at the commence-
ment of the posterior third of the fish ; its length of attachment equal
to the distance from the eyes to the anterior border of the head, its
height equal to the distance between the eyes ; the tip of the first not
quite reaching the origin of the second.

Teeth small, acute, broad at base, rapidly narrowing ; arranged in
five to six rows, each row containing nine to ten teeth. Teeth in the
two jaws very similar.

Color above greyish ash, marked more or less distinctly with small
whitish spots ; the membranous fringe bordering the head, white ; all
below, white.

Hippof/Iossus calif ornicns, (Ayres). — Form elongated, greatest
depth equal to one-third of the entire length. Head small, its length
forming one-fifth of the length of the fish. Mouth large, the angle of
the maxillary reaching a line posterior to the orbits. Teeth in a single

30

row in each jaw, slender, sharp, curved ; about thirty in the upper
jaw, and forty- six in the lower. Eyes on the leftside; distance of
the upper from the snout, equal to one-fourth the length of the head ;
distance between them, one-sixth the same length.

Dorsal commencing a little anterior to the upper eye, with its greatest
height (which is one- third the length of the head), at about the middle
of its length ; the interval between it and the caudal, equal to the
heio;ht of the fin.

Anal arising a little posterior to the line of the pectorals, and distant
by a space equal to its own height from the origin of the ventrals. It
reaches its greatest height, which equals that of the dorsal, at about
the twelfth ray ; it is coterminal with the dorsal.

Caudal concave posteriorly ; its breadth when expanded equaling
one-fourth the length of the fish.

D. 70, A. 55, P. 15, V. 6, C. 4, 1, 6, 7, 1, 4.

Color plain greyish brown above ; white beneath.

This manifestly is a true Ilij^jjoglossus, though the eyes are on the
left side. It is a very distinct species ; the head and the fin-rays
give of themselves sufficient distinguishing characters.

It appears to be by no means common in this vicinity. A few have
been taken at intervals in the Bay of San Francisco. The largest
were a little over four feet in length.

Another species, in which the eyes are on the right side, is occa-
sionally taken near the Farallon Islands, opposite the mouth of the
Bay, which I do not feel Avarranted in separating from 11. vulgaris^
without a direct comparison of the two. Its fin-rays are D. 102, A.
73, P. 16, V. 6, C. 4, 1, 7, 8, 1, 4.

It appears to be seldom quite as large as H. californicus.

Muracna mordax, (Ayres). — Form elongated, almost cylindric
anteriorly, becoming very much compressed toward the tail. Gi'eatest
depth contained not quite fourteen times in the total length. Head
pointed anteriorly ; lower jaw a little the longer. Gape of the mouth
backward equal to the depth of the body at the origin of the anal fin.

Teeth largest in front, sharp, slightly curved backward, arrai)ged
in a single row in each jaw and on the palatines, with one or two large
ones on the anterior part of the vomer.

The eye is situated at the distance of twice its own longitudinal
diameter from the snout, which distance equals half the gape of the
mouth.

The opercular slit, whose length is about equal to the longitudinal
diameter of the eye, is distant from the snout by a space twice as
great as the gape of the mouth.

The dorsal and anal fins, which are continuous around the caudal
extremity, are enveloped in so thick a membrane, and have so little

31

elevation as to seem not much more than fleshy ridges except at their
extreme posterior portions. The origin of the dorsal is at about the
commencement of the second third of the fish in length ; that of the
anal is directly behind the anus, very nearly at the median point in
length. The fin-rays cannot be enumerated.

In color, this fish is almost throughout of a very dark greenish
black, with fine linear short mottlings of a lighter shade.

M. mordax was brought from Cerros Island by Dr. Veatch, and is
stated by him to be not at all uncommon there. Its very savage
habits of biting and plunging at any object approaching it, have sug-
gested the specific name. It grows to the length of four and a half
feet.

Orifiagoriscus analis, (Ayres). — Form much compressed, the
greatest depth equaling about five-ninths of the entire length. Dorsal
outline arching from the snout as far backward as the eye, and thence
nearly straight to the dorsal fin. Abdominal outline nearly similar to
the dorsal. Distance of the eye from the snout contained a little more
than three times in the greatest depth.

The dorsal fin, situated at the posterior extremity of the body, has
a length equal to the distance from the eye to the snout; the anterior
and posterior borders of the fin are nearly parallel; its height a little
greater than its depth.

The anal fin, opposite the dorsal, and with about an equal length of
base, has a height a little less than one-third the length of the fish.

The caudal fin, continuous Avith both dorsal and anal, has its border
rounded very evenly; its height at the middle about equaling the
length of base of the dorsal.

The distance across the body from the tip of the dorsal to that of
the anal, is a little greater than the length of the fish (thirty-two
inches in a fish of twenty-eight and a half).

Color dark greenish brown above, Hghter beneath ; dorsal and anal
fins blackish brown.

D. 19, A. 17, P. (?) C. 15.

This fish is quite closely allied to its Atlantic congener, 0. mola;
its chief points of difference appear to be in the form and proportions
of the dorsal and anal fins, and in the numbers of fin-rays. The pec-
torals, in the only specimen which I have seen, are too imperfect for
comparison.

The specimen, which is in the cabinet of the California Academy of
Natural Sciences, was taken in the Santa Barbara Channel ; it is
twenty-eight and a half inches in length. The species is said to be
not very uncommon from Point Conception southward along the coast
of Lower California.

32

Julis semicinctus, (Ayres). — Bodj elongated, compressed; great-
est depth contained in the entire length not quite four times. Length
of the head equal to the greatest depth. Eye nearly circular ; its
diameter contained in the length of the side of the head about five
and a half times. The branchial rays are six on each side, and are
not covered by the sub and interoperculum.

The first ray of the ventrals is spinous though feeble.

In color the fish is of a dark greenish olive above, becoming lighter
on the sides and beneath. The dorsal and anal fins are dusky. The
caudal fin has numerous, narrow, vertical, waving bands of dark and
light olive green. A broad, bright black band arising on the side, at
about the middle of the body in height, passes down to join on the
abdomen the corresponding band from the opposite side. This semi-
belt is overlaid .by the pectoral fin, whose tip extends a little beyond
its posterior border.

D. IX, 11, P. 13, A. II, 12, C. 5, 1, 6, 6, 1, 5, V. I, 5.

This species is aUied, not remotely, to J. modestiis, G., and in the
above characters are given only the points in which it differs from that
type. It inhabits the coast of Lower California, a single specimen
(nine inches in length) having been obtained at Cerros Island by Dr.
John A. Veatch, to whose kindness I am indebted for its possession.

October 24, 1859.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg read a description of a new and very remarkable
species of (Enothera, brought from Cerros Island by Dr. John A.
Veatch.

(E. arborea, (Kellogg,) Tree Primrose. — Stem woody, erect, six
to eight feet in height, seldom more than two or three inches in diam-
eter; branches short, erect or ascending, twigs scarlet or madder pur-
ple, bark of the body whitish or leaden hued, wrinkled, wood yellow-
ish, very brittle.

Floral portion of the branchlets minutely short villous, with glandu-
lar hairs, often puberulent below.

Leaves linear-lanceolate, entire, undulate, sessile, villous, alternate,
solitary or in fascicles, small, apex glandular, tipped with scarlet.

Flowers in dense spikes, elongating as the fruit matures, floral
branchlets purple, tube of the calyx long tubular-infundibuliform, the
lower third attenuated, or somewhat suddenly contracted into a slen-
der tube, ventricosc above, about one inch in length, the acute reflexed
segments about one-fourth the length of the tube, minutely hoary-vil-

1

33

lous externally, the lower third hirsute -within — on pedicels one-fourth
to half an inch in length, deep scarlet, segments purple, unchanged in
drying.

Petals obovate roundish, shorter than the stamens and pistil or
calyx segments ; buds and flowers erect ; style exsert beyond the sta-
mens; capitate stigma, has a white frosty exudation or flocculose
tomentum attached ; purple-like color.

Stamens exsert — the four opposite the petals shortest, flattened fila-
ments inserted a little lower down ; anthers yellow, striped with a scar-
let line along the back, tipped with a crimson macro or exsert con-
nective, oblong linear, fixed near the middle, versatile. Flowers
diurnal.

Capsules erect, somewhat curved or ascending, from three-fourths
to one inch in length, on stout pedicels from one-fourth to half an inch
in length, persistent for years ; linear, sub-quadrangular, four-celled,
four-valved, opening at the apex ; valves recurve-expanding, separat-
ing from the persistent central placenta, seeds compressed, with a thin
membranous testa, linear-oblong appendiculate, ascending in a single
row in each cell.

This singular and beautiful shrub is found from 600 to 2,000 feet
above the level of the sea, growing on open sterile rocks and clayey
soils.

November 14, 1859.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg read a description of a new species of Mentzelia, from
Cerros Island, presented by Dr. J. A. Veatch.

M. cordata, (Kellogg,) Heartleafed Mentzelia. — Stem from
eighteen inches to two feet in height, branches alternate, densely hir-
sute throughout, with short, white, stiff glochidiate hairs ; few simple
and barbed hairs intermixed.

Leaves alternate, cordate lobed, or rounded cordate palmate lobed,
somewhat irregularly obtusely serrate, hoary hirsute, five to seven-
nerved, on stout petioles about the length of the lamina ; bracteoles
lanceolate, about half the length of the pedicels.

Flowers in a somewhat condensed terminal panicle, on pedicels one-
half of an inch or more in length ; flowers numerous, whitish, petals
oblanceolate cuneate, pubescent upon the back, erect-spreading, united
at the base, (?) about one inch in length. Style simple ; sixty or
more stamens, all filiform, exsert, inserted into the base of corolla (?^
calycine segments linear-lanceolate, one-half the length of petals.

Capsules turbinate, five-valved and five parietal placentas, each
3

34

attached by the back, projecting a three-winged seminal phlage,
densely beset with innumerable minute horizontal ovules.

This is probably a vespertine species. The stem and leaves change
to a dark brown in drying.

November 20, 1859.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg described a new species of Fouquieracece, brought from
Lower California, by Dr. J. A. Veatch.

Idria, (Kellogg). — Sepals five, colored, two exterior roundish entire
or emarginate ; corolla cylindrical, tube straight, limb erect, five-parted,
style included, very short, thick or slightly clavate, sub-three-angled,
undivided.

J. columnaria, (Kellogg). — Calyx colored (light straw yellow) con-
sisting of five sepals in two series — the two exterior orbicular emar-
ginate, three interior rounded — obcordate, rigid, concave, closely imbri-
cated about half the length of the tube. Corolla half an inch long,
erect, segments of the limb rounded, subauricled at the base. Sta-
mens ten, (rarely more) filaments thickened and somewhat flattened,
free (or rarely slightly adherent in parcels) geniculated, papillose,
pubescent below, naked and attenuated above, somewhat unequal.
Anthers oblong-cordate, mucronate, fixed below the middle, introrsc,
mostly erect, versatile, opening laterally. Embryo triangular acute,
three-valved, three-celled, loculicidal, a portion of the placenta parting
and adhering to the center of each valve. Ovules ascending in a
double row in each cell, about three in a row, or six in a cell, con-
sisting of about eighteen. Ovules neither winged nor margined, sub-
an,o-ular (?) with two flattish sides, somewhat rounded on the back,
obiong-cuneate, warped, scarcely sub-acute at the apex. Mature fruit
unknown. Panicles about a foot in length, without spines.

This singular columnar tree grows to the height of twelve to fifteen
feet, and is about ten inches to a foot in diameter. Its appearance is
quite unique, being almost entirely destitute of branches, save the ter-
minal erect arms, sometimes present, which abruptly crown the top of
the trunk and support the long panicles of flowers ; these floral branches
or panicles are usually from a foot to eighteen inches in length, and
being annual they dry up, and persistently remain from year to year,
• stuck or imbedded in the body, as if placed in pits artificially ; finally,
from erect becoming horizontal, and at length refracted.

The tree is spineless and rather smooth, of a soft and spongy tex-

35

ture, like a cabbage tree, so that an ordinary blow with a hatchet or
an axe, sinks the blade to the eye. The flowers are not so brilliant as
the scarlet Bronnia sjnnosa, but its bright golden crown renders it an
attractive object when seen in its glory.

Dr. Kellogg read a description of a new Composite, brought from
Cerros Island, by Dr. J. A. Veatch ; a plant of the natural order
Rudbeckiace, closely allied to the genus Echinacea.

Bahiopsis, (Kellogg). — Heads many flowered, ray flowers in a sin-
gle series, imperfectly pistillate, with rudiments of sterile filaments,
those of the disk tubular and perfect. Involucral scales, lanceolate,
rigid imbricate, appressed in about four series. Receptacle conical,
alveolate, the alveolar margins irregularly lobed ; carinate lanceolate
chaff, mostly three-nerved, serrate, terminated by a somewhat rigid
cusp, partially embracing the flowers ; points purplish, shorter than the
flowers. Corolla of the disk cylindrical, five-toothed ; teeth glandularly
villous, short, slightly expanding, the proper tube very short, villous
within and without. Branches of the style barely exsert, subulate
stigmatose, terminated by a short cone. Achenia of the ray three-
sided, abortive, of the disk compressed, slightly margined, all densely
hirsute ; pappus of about six or more pectinate nerveless scales, two of
which are awned, awns hirsute with ascending hairs. Flowers yellow.

B. lanata, (Kellogg). — A plant with a somewhat woody, perennial,
thickened base, and simple, erect or ascending, attenuated and some-
what naked stem above ; peduncle thickening upwarls to the sohtary
terminal head, six to eighteen inches (perhaps more) in height.
JNIostly opposite, sub-entire, three nerved leaves. Flowers yellow.

Stem striate, lanuginous above, densely appressed lanate below,
simple (or branching) ?

Leaves mostly entire or slightly serrate, opposite ; lower leaves cor-
date, three-nerved, on petioles thickened, amplexicaul at the base about
half the length of the lamina, closely clustered below ; upper cauline
leaves rather remote, opposite or alternate, ovate on very short peti-
oles, densely white appressed lanate.

Rays eighteen, punctate with a few pellucid dots, ligulate, three-
toothed, tubular base, pvibescent on the back and tube ; imperfect
style simple, glabrous, five-nerved, with five lesser intei'raediate nerves.
Chaff of the disk mostly three-nerved, apex purplish and glandular on
the back. Disk-florets five-nerved from the sinuses ; the very short
proper tube pubescent within and without. Corolla, stamens, and pis-
til yellow.

The general form of involucre campanulate ; scales obscurely three-

36

nerved, loosely lanuginous on the back and the upper half within ; one
or two large metamorphosed leaf scales at the base.

The involucral scales in this, the only specimen we have seen, are
successively transformed into chaiF, with an abortive achenial cavity.

November 30, 1859.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg read a description of a new species of Oak, brought
from Clear Lake by Mr. A. A. Veatch.

QuERCUs MoREHUS, (Kcllogg,) Abram's Oak — Leaves oblong-
lanceolate, somewhat narrowed towards the acute base ; coarsely sinuate-
toothed, or obliquely sinuate-toothed ; teeth very sharply acute, with a
broad base, cuspidate-awned ; lamina thin, coriaceous, finely reticulate ;
veins prominent, glabrous, and varnished above and below ; scarcely
a little paler green beneath ; on slender petioles, one-half to three-
fourths of an inch long. Fruit axillary, solitary, on peduncles one-
fourth to one-half of an inch in length. Cup hemispherical, tapering
at the base, margin thin, scales ovate sub-acute, membranous margin,
ciliate below, irregularly serrate above, closely appressed, glabrous.

Nut oblong, obtusely pointed, about one-third embraced by the cup.

A small tree, thirty feet in height, with wide spread straggling
branches springing out at obtuse angles, or horizontally, from the
trunk, within two or three feet of the ground. Bark black and rough
below. Growing near the margin of Clear Lake, on a point above
Dr. J. A. Veatch's Rancho.

A low shrubby species of little value. The leaves are from three
to four inches in length, and one-half to two inches in breadth, resem-
blins; the leaf of the common chestnut, Castanea edulis.

Only one tree is known to us. The acorns are about one inch long,
not very abundant.

December 2, 1859.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg exhibited a drawing of a new species of HJiamnus, to
which the attention of the Academy was drawn nearly two years
since ; but the description was deferred, in hopes of obtaining the
flowers. The long time which has elapsed since the first presentation
of the drawing and specimens, is the apology offered for the present

37

incomplete public notice of it. The Academy are indebted to Dr.
J. A. Veatch, for the former and present specimens, brought from
the vicinity of Clear Lake.

R. ilieifolius, (Kellogg,) Holly-leaf Buckthorn. — Stem six to
ten inches in diameter, twelve to fifteen feet in height, branches often
four inches in diameter, spreading, subdivisions much branched, un-
armed, smaller branches short, villous, and madder purple.

Leaves oval, cordate and sub-cordate, sub-acute, often emarginate,
short, spinosely-dentate, closely pinnate-veined, smooth and shining
above and below, dark green above, (a yellowish shade lighter below)
evergreen, thick, very rigid and coriaceous lamina ; recurved, undu-
late, finely reticulate, on short villous petioles, (about one-eighth of an
inch long) alternate ; stipules subulate, caducous.

The specimens of wood in our possession were obtained by Dr.
Veatch, from an old dry tree ; the color is dark, almost black, similar
to rosewood ; exceedingly compact, with a clear metallic ring when
struck, and almost metallic w^eight.

For its general appearance, fine finishing qualities, and solid un-
brokened texture, there is abundant reason to believe that the engraver,
carver, carpenter, cabinet-maker and turner, will find in it a very
valuable acquisition to the useful native timber trees of California.

Some experiments already made, induce us to beheve that it warps
less than rosewood. If the bark were removed, and the tree left
standing to season before cutting, and the juices thoroughly abstracted,
might we not anticipate its applicability to printing purposes ?

Dr. Kellogg read a description of a new species of Jimiperus,
brought from Cerros Island, by Dr. J. A. Veatch.

J. cerrosianus, (Kellogg,) Cerros Island Juniper. — Leaves
minute, ovate acute, appressed, imbricate in six rows ; an oWong
gland on the back ; on the younger branches of recent growth, oblong
subulate ; on the older, intermediate ; diamond shaped apex, short
subulate incurved.

Berries somewhat oblong-ovoid, of six to eight oblong sub-peltate
mucronate scales, cohering into, a three-seeded bcrrv ; the flattish
mucro eccentric on the back of the upper one-third, erect, or some-
what recurved ; older mature fruit sub-three-angled, more or less tu-
bercled, with oblong ridges or longitudinal ribs ; clothed with a dense
blue bloom.

Fruit very abundant, large, (about one-half of an inch long, and a
little less in transverse diameter) ; ovules numerous in green state.

Male aments very minute, light cinnamon color.

A tree of slow growth, one to two feet in diameter, ten to fifteen
feet in height ; branches horizontal and spreading, dense.

38

The wood is heavy, close, fine grained timber, in texture and color
resembling the apple tree, although far superior. Apparently the
most suitable for engraving of any native timber we have known.
We think it worthy of the attention of artists.

To the turner, carver, and cabinet maker, the wood is invaluable ;
suitable for the finest work, it takes a beautiful polish, and is probably
equal, if not superior, in durability to many others of this almost inde-
structible family of forest trees. We have had in our possession, for
the last two years, a specimen from the main land, from which we
made an incomplete drawing ; but as the fruit was in the green half-
grown state, we had not deemed it proper to take public notice of it,
until the reception of full and complete specimens from Cerros Island,
from Dr. J. A. Veatch. The specimen alluded to was also furnished
by Dr. Veatch from the vicinity of New Idria.

If the bark were removed, allowing the tree to stand and partially
season, before cutting it, with other suitable precautions, perhaps it
would work without warping. We hope those living in its vicinity
will furnish us with the results of their experience.

Dr. J. B. Trask presented the following paper:

Eahthquakes in California during 1858. — During the past
year, we have had occasion to note the occurrence of eight shocks of
earthquake in this State, This number is one-half less than tliat in
1857, and one-third less the number in 1856. The shocks, with one
exception, have been unmarked by anything like violence, being little
else than mere vibrations or tremors, not noticeable by the great ma-
jority of the people. They are as follows :

Feb. 10th. — A smart shock at Kanaka Flat, Sierra Co. No time
noted.

Feb. 15th. — A light shock in San Francisco at 4" 20"". Was
observed in the county of San Mateo ten miles south of the city.

Aui^. 19th.— A light shock in San Francisco at 22'^ 10'". The
motion was east to west and was undulatory.

Sept. 2d. — A smart shock at Santa Barbara, no time given.

Sept, 3d. — A smart shock in San Jos6 at 0*^ 40"^. This shock was
felt at Santa Cruz, 25 miles west, and was evidently more marked in
strength at that locality. No damage.

Sept. 12th.— A smart shock at San Francisco at 19^ 40™. The
motion was from north to south. There were two vibrations with undu-
latory movements lasting about fifteen seconds.

Sept. 26th.— A light shock at San Francisco at 1" 26'".

Nov. 26th. — A heavy shock at San Francisco at C' 34'". This
shock was by far the heaviest during the year, it awoke most people
from slumber and created no little alarm ; persons left their beds and
sought cooler situations with less attire than is usually worn. The iron

39

pillars in the second story of the custom house have separated from
the ceiling above about half an inch, and are supposed to have settled
from the eflFects of the shock ; I much doubt the alleged cause of this
displacement, as the pillars below present no indication of similar dis-
turbance. This shock was felt at Oakland ten miles east of the city,
but was not felt at Stockton, Sacramento, or Marysville. It was evi-
dently confined to an area of ten or twelve miles.

Earthquakes during 1859.

Jan. 25th, 20^ 20™. — A heavy shock of earthquake was felt in
Trinity and Shasta Counties. It was felt at Weaverville, Shasta, and
Horsetown.

April 4th, lo^. — Quite a severe shock was felt at San Jose. There
were several vibrations, apparently from north to south.

August 10th, 22" 35". — A smart shock was felt in this city, (San
Francisco) .

Sept. 26th, 6^ 10"". — A smart shock at San Francisco.

Oct. 5th, 12" 18™. — A very smart shock at San Francisco.

Nov. 27th, 19" 15™. — A Hght shock at San Francisco.

Dec. 1st, 0" 50™. — A smart shock at San Francisco. Felt at Oak-
land and Benicia.

Dec. 2d, 14" 10™. — Several successive shocks were felt at San Ber-
nardino ; several of them were quite heavy, causing much alarm. No
damage was done.

Whole number of shocks during this year was eight.

DONATIONS TO THE LIBRARY,

During 1858 and 1859.

Reports of the Smithsonian Institute for 1855 and 1856. S. Inst.

Contributions to Knowledge, of the Smithsonian Institute. S. Inst.

Terrestial Molluscs of the United States. Bj Dr. Binney.

Suite of the laws of the State of Cahfornia, and Legislative Docu-
ments. State Department.

American Journal of Science and Art, Vols. XXVI and XXVII.

Oassin's Birds, Vol. I. From the Author.

Botany of Pacific R. R. Survey. From the Author, J. M. Bigelow.

Proceedings Boston Society Natural History, Vol. VI and Vol. VII, to
p. 160.

Meteorological Register for 1857, at Penn Yan, N. Y. From Mr. H.
P. Sartwell.

Contributions to the Natural History of the United States. By L.
Agassiz. From J. N. Eckel. 4to.

Proceedings of the Elliott Society Natural History of S. C, pages-

Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London, 1857.

Chemistry of Plants, From Mr. Bloomer.

Proceedings of the Essex Institute of Salem.

Map of Basin of the La Plata. Navy Department.

Charts of the Parana River. Navy Department.

Prodomus Animalium Evertebratorum, Parts I to VI. From Mr.

W. Stimpson.
Stansbury's Report and Maps. From Dr. Eckel.
Pacific Medical and Surgical Journal for 1858 and 1859.
Hutchings' California Magazine for 1^58 and 1859.
Boston Journal of Natural History, Vol. VI, No. 4.
Pacific R. R. Reports, Vols. Ill and IV. From His Excellency, Hon.

John B. Weller.
Pacific R. R. Reports, five Volumes. From Hon. Wm. M. Gwinn.
Pacific R. R. Reports, four Volumes. From Hon. D. C. Broderick.
First Annual Message of Hon. John B. Weller.
Review of Marcou's Geology of North America. From the Author,

Professor J. D. Dana.
Washington Astronomical Observations, 1849, 1850.

42

Transactions of tlie Academy of Science of St. Louis, for 1858 and

1859.
Jahrbuch der Kaiserlicli — Koniglichen Geologischen Reichsanstalt,

1857 and 1858.
Kongelige Svenska Vetenskaps-Akad. Handliugar, Band I, 1855,

Band 1, 1856.
Academic Royale de Belgique. Observations des Phenomenes Peri-

odiques.
Lettres sur les Roclies du Jura. From the author, Jules Marcou.
Abhandlungen der Mathem-phjsic classe, der Koenligb Baycrischen,

Akad. der Wissenchaften, Band 17, 1853 and 1857.
VerhaudeHngen der KoninkUjke Akademie van Wetanschappen. Am-
sterdam, 1854-1858.
Memoires de I'Academie Imperiale des Sci. Arts et Bclles-Lcttres,

de Dijon, 1852-1859.
Memoires de la Societc Imperiale des Sciences Naturalles, de Cher-
bourg, 1856-1858.
Geology of North America. By Jules Marcou. From the Author.
Kongliga Svenska Fregatten Eugenics, Resa Omkring jorden, under

befal af C. A. Virginaren, 1851-1853.
Stundliche Barometer-Beobachtungen Zu Krakau, 1848-1856.
Zeitschrift fur die Gesammten Naturwisenchaften. Berlin, 1858.
Verhandlungen des Zool-Bot Vereins in Wien. Band. 7, 1857 and

1858.
Oversigt af Konigl Vetenskaps-Akademiens ForhandHnger, Stock-

hohu, 1854-1857.
Annalen der Munchener Sternwarte, 1857-1858.
Magnetische Ertsbestimmungen in Bayern, 1856.
Monatsbericht der Konigl. Preuss. Akad. der Wissenschaften zu

Berlin, 1856-1858.
Verslagen en Mededeelingen der Koninklijke Akademie von Weten-

schapten, Amsterdam, 1853-1858.
Verhandlungen des Naturhistorischen Vereins der Preussischen

Rheinlande und WestphaUens, 1858-1858.
Bericht der Oberhessischen Gesellschaft fur Natur, 1855-1859.
Jarboek van de Konink Akad. Wetenschaften, April, 1857, April,

1858.
Meteorologische Beobachtungen aut an der Konigl Sternwarte, 1825,

1837. Sup. Band.

DONATIONS TO THE CABINET,

DUEING 1858 AND 1851>.

w

wo specimens of Birds from the Sandwich Ishnds. By L. Lanszweert.
Cretaceous Fossils, from Vancouver Island. By Mr. Pease.
Two specimens of Pteroglossus, (Toucan) from Panama. By Dr.

Stillman.
Portion of Fossil Pelvis and Bibs, in sandstone, from vicinity of San

Antonio. By Mr. A. S. Taylor.
Marine Shells, from Panama. By Dr. Stillman.
Minerals from Mexico.
Section of Wood, showing Surveyor's marks within the subsequent

annual growths. By Col. L. Ransom.
A specimen of Hylodes, from Mission Dolores. By Dr. J. A. Veatch.
Skull of Enhydra Marina, from Santa Barbara. By Dr. Veatch.
Specimens of an Ore of Silver, from La Mina San Pedro, La Paz, L.

C. By Mr. Uznay.
Galena, from San Bernardino, giving 20 oz. silver per ton. By Dr.

Trask.
Ores of Copper, from La Mina Mozamique, Sinaloa, Mexico. By Mr.

Walker.
Lithodes spinosissimus, (Brandt). Skin of a small species of Owl,

Marine Fishes, and cast of Baculite, from vicinity of Vancouver

Island. By Rev. Mr. Domville, of H. B. M. steamer Satellite.
A collection of plants, from Napa Valley and vicinity of Clear Lake.

By Dr. Veatch.
Specimen of Crystallized Gold, from Nevada. By Dr. Trask and

Mr. Schotte.
Specimens of Andalusite, from San Bernardino. By Col. Ransom.
Specimen of Crotalus. By Mr, E. Bosqui.

Specimens of Botany, from Santa Clara County. By Dr. Veatch.
Three species of Lilium from California, and one from Oregon. By

Mr. Bloomer.
Fruit of the Marah muricata. By Dr. Kellogg.
Silico-Calcareous Rocks, from the Serpentine of Moccasin Creek,

Tuolumne County, with gold. By Mr. Kemball.
Galena, from San Xavier, G. P., 40 oz. silver per ton. By R. G.

Killaly.

44

Specimen of Native Copper, from Lake Superior. By Mr. Robert

Simson.
Earths from the Artesian Well at Stockton. By Mr. Drew.
Auriferous Quartz, from Stockton Society of Natural History.
Specimen of a Crystal of Gold. By Dr. Trask.
A collection of Plants, from New Almaden. By Dr. Veatch.
Eighty specimens of Minerals, from the Brooklyn Collegiate Institute,

by exchange with Dr. Trask.
Carbonate Soda, from Guaymas. By Mr. Wm. B. Little.
Skin of Crotalus. By L. Lanszweert.

A box of Minerals. By Mr. Theodore F. Moss, from Philadelphia.
Nest of Icterus bullockii, from Red Bluffs, Shasta County. By ]Mr.

T. J. Butler.
Astacus nigricans, (Stimpson). By Dr. Trask.
Specimen of Gold, from South America. By Dr. Trask.
Cinnabar, in Crystals, from New Almaden. By Stockton Society of

Natural History.
Cones and Foliage of Picea bracteata, from San Louis Obispo. By

Mr. Wm. Murray.
One hundred specimens of Plants. By Dr. Kellogg.
Specimens of Herpetology, from Sydney, Australia. By Mr. Horace

T. Moore.
Plants from Contra Costa. By L. Lanszweert.
Specimens of a Human Foetus.

Collection of Plants, from vicinity of Clear Lake. By Dr. Veatch.
Specimens of Helix monodon and H. tridcntatus. By Dr. Frick.
A large collection of Pressed Plants. By Dr. Kellogg.
Specimens of Botany, Radiata, etc., from Cornwallis Island. By L.

Lanszweert.
A collection of Grasses, from Sonoma Valley. By Mr. Rowlandson.
A collection of twenty boxes of Pressed Plants. By Dr. Kellogg.
Specimen of Linura californicum, from Marysville. By Dr. Kellogg.
A collection of Plants, from the Island of Cerros, L. C. By Dr.

Veatch.
A collection of Coniferce. By Mr. Murray, of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Coniferae of California. By Mr. Wm. Murray.

JANUARY 3, 1860.

President in tlie Cliair.

The following Officers -were elected for the year :

LEANDER RANSOM, President.

T. F. MOSS, ) y^^^ Presidents.

Dr. J. N. ECKEL, j

Dr. W. 0. AYRES, Cor. Secretary.

EDWARD BOSQUI, Treasurer.

Dr. J. B. TRASK, Rec. Secretary.

WM. HEFFLEY, Librarian.

Dr. J. B. TRASK, Geology and Mineralogy.

H. G. BLOOMER, Botany.

Dr. J. A. VEATCII, Conchology.

Dr. W. 0. AYRES, Zoology.

Dr. AYRES, \

Dr. TRASK ( Publication.

Col. ransom, )
Dr. ECKEL, \

Mr. HEFFLEY, [ Library.

Dr. TRASK, )

Mr. HEFFLEY,j P^^^^^,

Dr. KELLOGG, i

Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. A

46

March 5, 1860.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg presented the following description of a new genus
of plants :

LiLiORHiZA (Kellogg). — Corolla inferior, six petalled, bell fun-
nel-form, at length spreading ; petals narrowed towards the base,
sessile, somewhat oblanceolate, nectariferous cavity obsolete or at
the base ; stamens shorter than the corolla, inserted into the base
of the petals ; anthers extrorse, erect ; filament inserted a little
below the middle, at length versatile, pistil prismatic, deeply three-
parted, longer than the stamens ; each division grooved within ;
a stigmatic line on each side of the groove extending to the apex,
which is slightly contracted, recurve spreading.

Roots consisting of numerous thickened bulboid scales ; stem
vernating from between the scales or at the base of the outer ;
capsule three celled and sub three-sided, angles obtuse, not winged
and rarely a little produced at the base ; oblong, or somewhat
wheel-shaped. In other respects as in Fritillaria.

Bulbous plants with white or greenish white flowers, rarely varie-
gated, not tessellated, in terminal, mostly secund racemes ; the stem
not springing from the top of a solid bulb, but growing up from
below between the little thickened scales or bulbous scales.

These remarkable plants are closely allied to Lilium, Amhlirion
and Fritillaria.

To Lilium in their clustered, thick-scaled root, usually in threes,
with the flower stem springing from the base or between the scales ;
to Amhlirion in its dwarf habit ; and to Fritillaria in its deep-
ly trifid style and six-angled capsule. It however differs from
Lilium in its corolla, anthers and pistil, although in our Cali-
fornian L. superhum the style is somewhat three-parted, and the
capsule also similar ; from Amhlirion chiefly in the ovary and
style ; ^vom Fritillaria more particularly in the origin of the stem,
which, instead of growing out of the top of a solid bulb, starts from
below, springing out of the base, between the thickened bulboid
scales, in the anthers, different position, (when present) of the nec-
tariferous cavity, form of the flower, and its never being tessel-
lated, etc.

lAliorldza lanceolata (Kellogg). Fig. 1. Stem eight inches to
one foot in height, glancous, obsoletely scabrulous, with minute
frosty granules, very finely striate (under the glass) striae very
minute.

Leaves alternate and remote above, clustered or rarely sub-
whorled below with the petaloid bases always subterranean in the

Fig. 1.

48

native or cultivated state ; the lamina prostrate (upon the ground) ;
sessile, narrow lanceolated, sub acute, rarely a little oblique,
obscurely three to five nerved or more, (2) thiclc and fleshy, mar-
gins thin, translucent, somewhat varnished, about three inches long,
one- quarter to one-half an inch wide.

Flowers are super axillary ; peduncles adnate to the stem (giv-
ing it a double appearance) from one-half to one inch or more above
the leaf, and running parallel with the stem, or gently diverging
also decurrent below in a similar manner ; peduncles one and one-
half to three inches in length, raceme three to four flowered ;
flowers, in general outline, obconic bell-form, at length spreading,
nodding before and shortly after blossoming, but becoming more
and more elevated to the erect state of the fruit.

Petals broadly oblanceolated, sub acute, somewhat carinate ;
greenish veins regularly radiating from the base ; the diffuse green
alono; the mid rib heightenino- toward the base of the flower. The
honey bearing cavity is at the base of the three outer petals, obso-
lete on the three inner ; style longer than the stamens, deeply three
parted, divisions grooved above, about half the length of pistil (or
one-quarter of an inch) a stigmatic hne running along on the
ridge each side of the groove to the apex ; divisions of the trifid style
recurve spreading ; stamens six sub-equal (or three opposite the
inner petals, scarcely longer) ; filaments flattened and expanded
below, inserted into the base of the petals, attenuated to the anther,
and inserted a little (2) below the middle (2) by a very delicate
point, at length recurve spreading, and the anther versatile, mu-
cronate at the apex ; base eraarginate.

This is probably the FritlUaria lanceolata of Pursh ; and F.
liliacea of Lindley, who justly remarks, " It is a most remarkable
plant, with the habit of the lily."

This genus also includes our F. viridia and probably some others.

We take pleasure in acknowledging our obligations to Mr. H. G.
Bloomer, (Bot. Curator to the Academy) for his aid in the ob-
servations made, as well as for the very numerous specimens, both
cultivated and from the native fields — over 100 — which have been
submitted to our examination ; they all uniformly maintain the
characteristics above designated.

May 7, 1860.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg presented the following description of a new species
of Trillium, collected by Mr. Gibbs :

Fig. 2,

50

T. californieum (Kellogg). Fig. 2. Stem glabrous, slightly
decurrent, angled, six to eight inches in height.

Peduncle erect, angular, two and a half to three inches long
(light crimson).

Flowers, erect, spreading, petals greenish white, purple checked
above, oval-lanceolate, acute, flat, distinctly five-nerved, (or obscurely
nine-nerved) reticulate veined, about one-quarter longer than the
sepals, (one and one-half to 2 inches long by one broad) stamens
nearly one-half as long, stigmas recurved ; sepals, broad lanceolate,
one-half an inch wide, acuminate three-nerved, (two other outer
nerves obscure) purplish spotted towards the apex ; fruit, six-
winged (in the one-half grown state) ; leaves rhombic-obovate,
broadly cuneate at base, abruptly short acuminate, five-nerved ;
margin waved, reticulate, sessile, purple checked toward the upper
third.

Leaves about three inches long, and nearly the same in breadth.

This specimen diifers from T. erectam, in the flower not " nod-
ding" nor at all "inclined ;" petals not " acuminate," nor " equal-
ling sepals ; " nor are the leaves " three-nerved," etc.

It is near T. grandijiorum, but the petals are not " connivent,"
nor " obovate," nor " spatulate lanceolate," nor is the flower
'' inclined," neither is the leaf " acute," nor " rhombic-ovate."

June 4, 1860.
President in the Chair.
Dr. Kellogg presented the annexed description :

The following described plant is one very familiar to us for the
last eight years. It is very abundant in damp and boggy localities
in the vicinity of San Francisco. The seeds have been sold in the
city of San Francisco for many years past under various names, as
6« g- " yellow-eyed grass, " yellow Pigmy Lily," Star-grass Lily,
etc. The frail, delicate flower is so ephemeral, and infolds so
quickly, like a Morning Glory, that we have been fain to pass it by
from time to time, hoping to succeed better the next opportunity.
And besides, a plant so familiar to our walks, it seemed fair to pre-
sume must be known. We have examined all the accessible authori-
ties, and find no description answering to it. We therefore give
the subjoined description, and ofier the provisional name of

Sisi/rinchiu7n flavidum (KeWogg) . Fig. 3. Scape simple, erect,
broadly winged or ancipital, six to seventeen inches iu height,
margin sparsely scabrous.

Fig. 3.

fi9
OJi

Leaves radical, broad, compressed, equitant, linear-ensiform,
many nerved (about six to eight). Spathe about five to six flow-
ered, pedicels unequal ; valves usually sub-equal, rarely somewhat
unequal, exterior one about equal to the flowers (variable) ; two or
three extra membranaceous valves (bracts) included ; perianth
bright translucent yellow ; segments broad lanceolate, acute ; nerves
tortuous ; exterior divisions seven-nerved, interior five-nerved, widely
spreading from the base ; filaments free above, monadelphous at the
base, (or barely united at the point of insertion into the ring or
obsolete tube of the corolla) equal to the style, glabrous, apex at-
tenuated.

Anthers (orange yellow) long, linear, somewhat spirally curved,
forked or sagittate at the base, versatile, fixed by the middle ; style
deeply three-parted, filiform lobes spreading, each stigmatic, apex
recurved ; capsule oblong, triquetrous, the three sides slightly hol-
lowed, and the angles more acute than usual in this genus ; base
and apex of equal diameter.

This species appears to be near to Dr. Torrey's >S'. Uneatimi, in
Lieut. Whipple's Report, p. 148 ; but they are not " three-flowered "
but five to six, nor divisions " obtuse," nor is the capsule of our
specimens ovately pear-shaped ; " the leaves are also less grassy,
but quite Iris-leaved, with a sharp or somewhat acuminate sword-
pointed appearance.

The seed vessel turns unusually black as it matures, or in drying.
Its habitat is always in moist or marshy soils ; we have never found
it elsewhere.

Juli/ 2, 1860.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Ayres presented the following paper :

In October, 1854, (Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. vol. 1, p. 13) a
description was given of a species under the name Brosmius marg-
inatus, though doubts were at the same time expressed of the pro-
priety of the generic designation. Several specimens of the same
species have since been obtained, and it is quite manifest that it
should be separated from Brosmius. The new genus, with the
following characters, may be called

Haltas (Ayres) : — Teeth in both jaws, mid on the vomer and
palatines ; dorsal and anal long, not united with the caudal ; no
harhules ; ventrals slender, notjieshj.

The species on which it is based is Ralias marginafus (Ayres).

54

Fig. 5.

The accompanying outline figures represent species described by
me, in a paper read before the Academy, October 17th, 1859 :

Fig. 4. Anoplopoma merlangus (Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat, Sc.
vol. 2, p. 27).

Fig. 6. Orthagoriscus analis (op. cit. p. 31).

Fig 6. iStereolepis gigas (op. cit. p. 28). Since the date of the
original publication, I have had opportunity to examine a number
of specimens of this species. They were all taken below Point
Conception, where, as I ventured the statement of probability, they
are by no means uncommon. They are known by the fishermen as
" Jew fish." The inspection of these specimens has shown that in
one point my generic diagnosis, and the figure, need correction ;
the two dorsals are not " remote " but contiguous, the membrane
from the last spine of the first extending to the base of the com-
mencing spine of the second.

Fig. 7. lihina calif ornica (^Squatina calif ornica op. cit. p. 29).

Fig. 8. Sebastes helvomaculatus (op. cit. p. 26).

Fig. 9. Sebastes elongatus (op. cit, p. 26).

Fig. 10. Hippoglossus californicus (op. cit. p. 29).

Torpedo calif ornica, (Ayres) (op. cit. vol. 1, p. 70) called by
GirsLvd, JVarcine californica (P. R. R. Report, vol. 10, p. 371) is to
be included in Narcacion, (Klein) and becomes therefore Narca-
cion californica.

Fig. 6.

Fig. 7.

Fig. 9.

Fig. 10.

60

Aug-ust 6, 1860.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Ayres presented the following descriptions of new fishes :

Trichodon lineatus (Ayres). Fig. 11. Form elongated, much
compressed, broadest just behind the eyes, tapering in thickness
thence gradually to the caudal fin ; top of the head flattened ; dor-
sal outline very slightly arched ; abdominal outline strongly curved ;
greatest depth about equal to the length of the head, or one-fourth
of the length of the fish ; depth of the peduncle of the tail one-
fourth of the greatest depth.

Mouth almost vertical ; the tip of the lower jaw, when closed,
rising above the level of the top of the head. The extent of the
upper jaw to the tip of the maxillary, is more than half the great-
est depth of the head ; teeth numerous, slender, curved, sharp-
pointed in both jaws and on the vomer ; none on the palatines ; the
largest are on the front and sides of the lower jaw.

Operculum smooth. Preoperculum with five or six long rowel-
like teeth (only four are shown on the plate) radiating from near
its angle ; anterior suborbital bone with two strong teeth directed
forward and downward.

Eye near the top of the head, large ; its diameter being a little
less than one-third the length of the head.

Branchial apertures large, continuous beneath ; branchial rays,
four.

The distance of the origin of the first dorsal fin from the tip of
the upper jaw, is about one-third the length of the fish excluding
the caudal fin ; its outline is arched above, diminishing from the
fifth and sixth spines in both directions, but most gradually poste-
riorly ; its length, which is three times its height, is a little less
than one fourth the length of the fish ; the spines are all slender.

The second dorsal is separated by a short interval from the first,
which it slightly exceeds in both length and height ; the rays are
all articulated but scarcely branched.

The anal, coterminal with the second dorsal, is one-third as long
as the entire fish ; the first two-fifths of the fin are low, of nearly
uniform height ; the height is then suddenly about doubled, and
from that point diminishes gradually to its termination ; the rays
are like that of the second dorsal.

The caudal is nearly even posteriorly ; the accessory rays very
numerous.

D. XV. 18, A. 28, P. 23, V. 5, C. 14, 1, 5. 6, 1, 14.

Color above greenish olive, with two or three somewhat irregular
rows of blackish blotches constituting interrupted longitudinal lines.

Fig. II

Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci.

62

cxten(lin!2; the entire len";th of the fish ; all below the lower ones
of these lines of a bright silvery satin lustre.

This species is apparently quite rare, as but a "Single specimen
has been obtained, which was found in the market in San Francisco.
It is six inches in len2:th.

Osynerus thaleicJithi/s, (Ay res) Fig. 12. — Form elongated,
compressed ; head forming about one-fifth the total length ; great-
est depth one-sixth of the length ; depth at the origin of the
caudal fin a little more than one third of the greatest depth ; eyes "
large, distant about their own diameter from the lip of the upper
jaw, forming one-fourth of the length of the head.

Gape of the mouth wide, the tips of the maxillary reaching a
line nearly even with the posterior border of the orbit ; teeth sharp,
distinct, separate, in the lower jaw, and on the maxillary, premaxil-
lary, vomer, palatine and pterygoid bones, and on the tongue.
Those on the tongue are largest ; those on the palatine bones are
not numerous, and are chiefly on the anterior portion.

Operculum angular posteriorly, the curve continued by the sub-
operculnra ; branchial apertures wide ; branchial rays, eight.

Scales rather large, soft ; those of the back and upper part of
the sides renil,ered somewhat conspicuous by a bordering of brown
points which form decussating lines ; lateral lines at first curving
downward, and then running nearly straight to the caudal fin.

The first dorsal fin arises a Uttle in advance of the middle of the
length of the fish ; it is quadrangular, its height anteriorly about
equal to the depth of the fish ; its length half its height ; the height
of the last rays one third of the height anteriorly.

The adipose fin is distant from the termination of the first dorsal
by a space equal to the length of the head ; it is nearly as high as
the last j-ays of the first dorsal.

The anal fin, extending a little further backward than the line of
the adipose fin, is equal in length to the de])th of the body ; its
greatest height, at the fifth ray, is half the length of the head.

The ventral fins, situated in advance of the line of the first dor-
sal, are rounded, as high as the depth of the body.

The pectorals are rounded, as high as the length of the head,
extending beyond the insertion of the ventrals.

The caudal fin is somewhat concave on its margin ; the height of
the external lays equal to that of the ventrals.

D. 9 ; A. 19, P. 11, V. 8, C. 9. 1. 9. 8. 1. 10.

Color, greenish olive above, sprinkled with minute dark points ;
silvery on the sides and beneath.

This species is quite common in the bay of San Francisco, being
Iroudit in numbers into the market, and sold iudiscriminatelv with

Fig. 12.

64

the other " smelt." I have never seen it exceed seven inches in
length, and very few are over five. *

0. thale'ichtliys presents an entire blending of the characters on
which Giravd proposed to separate the genus Thaleiclitltys from Osme-
7'us. With the eight branchial rays, the large mouth , and the advanced
position of the ventrals of Tlialeiclithys, it has the toothed jaws
and palatine bones of Osmerus ; and it may, by the way, be re-
marked, that the very species which the describer takes as the
type of Thaleicldhys has occasionally teeth on the palatines well
developed ; and one specimen in my possession shows even dentic-
ulations on the maxillaries. It cannot be doubted, therefore, that
ThaleieJitJiys will remain merely as a synonym of Osmerus, and
that the species on which it was proposed will bear the name
Osmerus paeijieus. Nor does Argentina seem much better founded
than Thaleicldhys. The distinguishing characters are too insig-
nificant and too Httle constant to be of value, and unless we adopt
the custom which has been lamentably prevalent, of taking as gen-
eric features those which are only of specific rank, the genus
Osmerus will include the species which have been referred to the
three names.

September 3, 1860.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg read the following paper :

The plant, here figured and described, was raised from seed
(probably brought with bulbs from the interior, and thus accident-
ally distributed) by Mr. H. G. Bloomer, Botanical Curator to the
Academy.

We find no description answering to it fully, either generically
or specifically, yet we think, with a little revision, it probably be-
longs to Hemizonia. 'We shall for the present ofier it as

Hemizonia haJsamifera, (Kellogg) Fig. 13.— Stem annual, one to
two feet high (in cultivation) ; divaricately branchhig from the base ;
branches slender, hairy-pubescent, (white below) glandular and
glandless hairs intermixed above ; heads numerous, loosely pan-
iculate-corymbose, inflorescence centrifugal, involucral bracts erect.

Lower leaves pinnatifid ; the lamina decurrent into a winged
three-nerved ])etiole, somewhat stem-clasping, the lobes in three to
seven pairs ; linear entire, clothed with glandular and glandless
hairs intermixed, three to five inches long ; the upper cauline and

Fig, 13.

66

branch leaves pinnate lobed, toothed or entire linear-lanceolate,
sessile.

Rajs, twenty-five or more, (all fertile) in two series, obovate,
sub-cuneate three-cleft toothed, the middle tooth or lobe much
narrower (rarely two or four-toothed) ; tube long, slender, inserted
laterally at the obtuse summit of the achenia by a short, somewhat
beaked ascending areola, stipitate glandular ; branches of the style
long, filiform, glandular.

Involucral scales at the rays, carinate-infolded, nearly enclosing
the ray achenia, subtended by short linear foliaceous erect bracts ;
outer series more strongly carinated, hairy, and densely stipitate
glandular.

Ray achenia, as seen in the figure ; strongly Incurved, stipe
somewhat inflexed, back slightly rugose, glandular, laterally ridged'
or obscurely triangular (otherwise generically described).

Chaff in a single series of about twenty united scales between
the disk and ray flowers, tips herbaceous, green and glandular,
like the persistent involucre (even in the fully matui-ed heads).

Corolla of the disk (yellow) five-toothed ; teeth glandular-
bearded above, funnel-form, with a slender stipitate glandular tube.

Disk achenia perfect but infertile, cylindrical, attenuate below,
stipitate glandular ; pappus obsolete, or only few very minute, trans-
parent, laciniate squamellae ; anthers dark brown, or nearly black ;
branches of the style exsert (yellow) very hispid, filiform ; append-
ages also hirsute.

Receptacle convex, fimbrillate-hirsute.

A numerously branching California herb, of the class commonly
known as "Rosin Weeds," from their densely viscid-glandular
character so notorious during our autumnal season. This plant
exhales a fragrant balsamic perfume, etherializing and enrapturing
the senses into a state of sweet tranquility ; hence the specific
name, haUamifera.

It differs from the generic description of Hemizonia (T & G)
in its receptacle, not being " flat ; " but this also is the case with
H. pungens, which, like our plant, has even a conico-convex recept-
acle ; besides, the receptacle" is fimbrillate hirsute. The involucral
scales in our plant are in two series — not in a " single series " —
consequently, also the rays. This biserial arrangement gives the
rays the false appearance, as if each alternate petal were longer.
Notwithstanding these and other minor discrepancies, we are unwil-
ling to institute a new genus.

Dr. Kellogg exhibited sketches and specimens of a Lonicera^
recently brought from Washoe by Dr. J. A. Veatch.

67

This plant appears to be very closely allied to Lonieera cerxlea,
but the peduncles are not " very short," but quite the opposite ; it
also in general habit quite resembles L. ohionr/ifolia (Hook) : but
that species has " erect," constanUy erect peduncles, vc'hereas our
Washoe specimen has them divaricate, and the peduncles are prob-
ably strongly reflezed (^'i) m fruit, judging from their tendency as
they approach that state. The L. ohlongifolia is said t<^ liave
" greenish yellow" flowers, whereas these are deep madder purple
internally and externally ; our specimen has not " glabrous fila-
ments," but they are quite strongly bearded below. It s}ioukl be
remarked that the corolla is not " hirsute." Hooker insists upon
the " hairy corolla," as a distinct feature in L. oblongifolia.,
although Dr. Torrey omits the mention of it. There are other
points, e. g. : the general expression, " peduncles much longer
than the Sowers," seems hardly appropriate where there exists so
great a disproportion, if we suppose our plant to be the one
described, and besides, afterwards specifying one inch as the length
of the peduncle, and half that for the flower. The flowers are much
smaller than in any species known to us, and the tube very much
shorter ; the angular stem, and the remarkably sharp quadrangular
buds, it would seem proper to haye noticed, if the plant had been
described.

We therefore furnish the following description, and suggest the
provisional name of

. L. conjuc/ialis, (Kellogg) Bridal Honeysuckle. Fig. 15.
Stem erect, branching ; branches four-angled, buds sharp and
quadrangular, elongated.

Leaves occasionally oval-oblong, cordate and sub-cordate, short
petioled, (petioles one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch long) obtuse,
or sometimes somewhat sub-acute ; lamina thin, reticulate, minutely
soft velvety pubescent throughout, especially beneath, which is
lighter green or somewhat glaucous ; leaves varying from one-half
to two inches long by one-half to one ipch broad.

Peduncles filiform, very minutejy pubescent, longer than the
leaves (about two inches in length) divaricate or declined, ascend-
ing or incurved at the summit ; two-flowered, united to form one
berry ; bracts exceedingly minute (2-3) or obsolete.

Calyx teeth ciliate, minute, subulate, unequal, hirsute ; flowers
dark purple, gibbous at the base on the outside, glabrous, deeply
bilabiate, the lower hnear lip-lobe more than twice the length of the
very short tube ; upper lip with four very short, somewhat unequal
teeth ; stamens and pistil equal, included ; filaments glabrous and

Fig. 15.

69

purple above, quite hirsute below, cat the insertion into the tube ;
anthers Uuear, versatile ; stjle hirsute.

Dr. Kellogg offered some observations on the white-flowered
Rosin Weed, common in the vicinity of San Francisco.

Hemizanialuzulcefolia — Var fragarioides, (Kellogg). Fig 14.
Stem annual, loosely much branched alternately ; branchlets leafy,
very numerous, slender and spreading ; stipitate glandular and hir-
sute, with long, weak hairs.

Lower leaves opposite, spatulate-lanceolate, three to five-nerved,
remotely cut-dentate ; lamina tapering into the petiole, base clasp-
ing, arachnoid- tomentose, and feebly villous ; margins scabrous,
three to five inches long.

Upper cauline leaves oblong, lance-linear, cordate-clasping at the
base ; teeth few, remotely scabrous, obtuse or sub-acute tomentose ;
branch leaves ovate-lanceolate, sessile, entire, somewhat fascicled in
the axils, densely stipitate-glandular, with numerous glandless
hairs intermixed, especially on the upper surface, and tipped with
an extra long stipe to the terminal apex gland ; the nerves near
the margin.

Involucre hemispherical ; scales in two series, (about eleven in
two series) the outer bracted nearly enclosing the achenia, densely
stipitate, glandular.

Rays, five to twelve, broadly cuneiform, deeply three-lobed ;
middle lobe narrowest ; tube short, thick and glandular ; white, pink'
tinge on the back of the lamina ; three-nerved ; the ribs or nerves
red and glandular (the two-parted style slightly flattened on the
inside) ; rays persistent, closing up over the disk.

Disk florets translucent, white, bell funnel-form, border deeply
five-toothed ; teeth short, glandular, bearded ; tube slender, very
slightly swelled at the base, finely stipitate-glandular ; five-nerved
from the clefts of the limb through the achenia also, anthers black ;
styles white, acute appendages hirsute.

Chaff united into a cup, each three-nerved ; apex greenish, stipi-
tate-glandular ; membrane foliaceous, somewhat hirsute, with long,
viscid hairs; disk chaffy throughout, all united and separately
each enclosing its own achenia.

Receptacle convex.

Ray achenia obovoid, sub-triangular, black and shining ; stipe, a
mere fleshy, elevated ring of a diSerent color ; somewhat slightly
obcompressed ; disk achenia infertile, smooth, attenuated below, six
or seven-nerved, entirely destitute of a vestige of pappus.

This plant has the refreshing odor of strawberries. The pinkish

Fig. U.

71

tinged white flowers are very pretty and pleasing to the eye. It is
also worthy of note, that the fruit heads are early deciduous, leav-
ing the terminal tackhead-like torus or base on which the flowers
rested entirely naked, showing the conic elevated centre.

The conico-convex character of the receptacle in H. ^yui^g'ens is
even more remarkable than in this species ; at least, this is the
character of specimens growing in this vicinity. The involucral
scales are clearly in tivo series, instead of one as described. Our
specimens are also densely glandular.

The arachnoid tomentum varies, in same being a strongly marked
feature, while in others it is loosly deciduous and unimportaat.

Dr. Kellogg presented the annexed paper :
The following new species of Abronia was recently brought
from Carson Valley, Washoe, by Mr. Andrew A. Veatch :

A. crux-maltce (Kellogg). Fig. 16. Stem a fleshy, creeping
vine, with viscid and glandular pubescence.

Leaves ovate-oblong, somewhat obtuse ; lamina unequal, acute at
the base, glabrous, (and pitted under the glass) undulate, on long
petioles.

Perianth salver-form, tube long and slender ; the flattish limb
broadly cuneate four-lobed, each lobe deeply subdivided ; the lobe-
lets spreading ; mucronate at the bottom of each broad sinus ; the
entire limb, in general outline, bears a striking resemblance to a
Maltese cross. •

Flowers four-androus ; stamens unequal, inserted in the tube at
the swelled throat, which is closed by a fjew loosely-folded hairs ;
anthers oblong ; filament very short.

A deep purplish rose pink ; the swelled throat a bright emerald
green ; tube pink, or whitish flesh-colored, glandular.

Heads axillary on long peduncles, (about equal to the leaves ?)
ten to fifteen flowered.

Involucre united at the base into a shallow, broadly campanuloid
cup, seven or eight parted above ; the segments narrow, ovate-
lanceolate, acuminate, nerved, membranous ; margins ciliate,
green.

It differs from A. cycloptera (Gray) in the perigonial form and
subdivisions, insertion of anthers, involucre, and perhaps in the
oblique character of the leaves, and greater length of the petioles.

Fig. 16.

73

October 1, 1860.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Ayres presented the following paper :

Atherinojjsis affinis (Ayres). — Two species o^ Atherinojjsis are
constantly sold in the markets of San Francisco, under the general
name of " Smelt." The specimens in the collection of the Smith-
sonian Institution, from which Girard drew his description of A.
calif orniensis, probably comprise both species, though the descrip-
tion is not sufficiently definite to settle the point. But inasmuch as
the figure which he gives represents without doubt the one which
does truly attain the length of " seventeen inches," it is better to
retain the name californiends for the largest of the two species,
Avhich is at the same time the more slender. The smaller species
may receive the name A. affinis ; the diagnostic characters are here
given side by side, for more ready comparison :

Atheriuopsis affinis (Ayres). Fig. 18.
Greatest depth, not quite oue-fourth of
the total leno-th ; length of the head,
about one-tifth of the greatest depth.

Gape of the mouth, extending back
but about half tlie distance from the snout
to the ej'e. (The size of the head rela-
tively to that of the body, and the actual
size of the mouth, are decidedly less in
affinis than in californiensis.)

The tirst dorsal is nearlyits own length
further back, arising nearer to the tips of
the central caudal rays than to the snout.

The height of the second dorsal is
equal to its length.

The ventral rtns are larger, their height
being about one-tenth of the length of
the tisli.

The pectoral fins are lai-ger, their
height being about two-elevenths of the
• total length.

The flesh is iirmer, and the scales
larger and harder.

Fig.

Atherinopsis californiensis (Grd).
17. Greatest depth, a little more than
one-sixtli of the total length. Length of
the head, fully equal to the greatest depth.

Gape of the mouth, extending back
about half the distance from the snout to
the middle of the j^iipil.

Fii-st dorsal arising nearer to the snout
than to the tips of the central caudal
irays.

The height of the second dorsal is a
little over two-thirds of its length.

The height of the ventral tins is only
a little more than one-thirteenth of the
total length.

The height of the pectoral fins is a lit-
tle more than two-thirteenths of the total
length.

The principal points, therefore, by which A. affinis may be dis-
tinguished are, the stouter body, relatively smaller head and smaller
mouth, larger fins, larger scales, and firmer flesh. It is also a
smaller fish, never exceeding eight inches, so far as I have ob-
served, while A. californiensis is frequently fifteen inches long, and
occasionally seventeen.

Both species are constantly in the markets in large numbers, and
in common with Osmerus jjretiosns (Grd.) and Osmerus thaleich-
tJii/s, (Ayres) ai'e sold indiscriminately as " smelt," though almost
all the fishermen are able to recognize the four species, and for

riG. 17.

\

75

customers who are careful they readily select the two species of
Osmerus, as being more delicate than those of AtJiejinopsis.

Atherinopsis tenuis, (Ayres). Fig. 19. Form elongated, some-
what compressed, very slender, the greatest depth being about one-
seventh of the total length.

Head pointed anteriorly, its length constituting a little more than
one-sixth of the length of the fish ; mouth rather small, upper jaw
projecting beyond the lower, its border formed as in the other
species of the genus, by the intermaxillaries ; teeth exceedingly
minute ; depth of the head across the middle of the eye about
equal to half the greatest depth of the body ; diameter of the eye
one-fourth the length of the head ; eye distant rather more than
its own diameter from the tip of the upper jaw.

Scales firm and hard, like those of Atherinopsis qffinis, abou
twelve rows vertically ; each scale beautifully crenate (not dentate)
on its posterior border, appearing as though provided Avith a row of
minute accessory scales ; scales covering the body and head,
excepting the space anterior to the eyes.

Branchial apertures continuous under the throat ; branchial rays,
six.

Colors similar to those of the other species of the genus on our
coast, greenish brown above, silvery on the sides and beneath, with
a bright silvery band occupying the middle of the side from the
head to the caudal fin ; pectorals, dorsals, and caudal fin blackish
brown, ventrals and anal pale.

First dorsal very small ; its length, which is a little less than its
height, being only one-sixth of the length of the head ; its origin
is about equidistant between the tip of the caudal fin and the ante-
rior border of the eye ; it is separated from the second dorsal by a
space equal to twice its own height.

Second dorsal trapezoidal in form, its posterior border being a little
more than half as high as the anterior ; its length, which is a little
greater than its anterior height, equals half the length of the head ;
it is separated from the caudal by a space about equal to the depth
of the fish.

Anal fin elongated, its length being a very little less than one-
fourth the length of the fish ; its origin is a little in advance of that
of the first dorsal, being about on the middle line of the entire
length ; it is concave in its margin, its height anteriorly being
about half the length of the head, while that posteriorly is some-
what less, and tiiat of the mesial portion decidedly less still.

The pectorals are pointed ; their height, which is not quite four
times their length, being equal to the length of the head.

The ventrals, which are rounded, have their origin about even

Fig. 19.

/

77

with the tips of the pectorals ; their height equals twice the length
of the central rajs of the anal.

Caudal fin somewhat deeply forked, the height of the central
rays being but little over half that of the external, which latter is
about equal to the length of the head.

D. V. 1-9, A 1-22, V. 1-5, P. 1-14, C. 10, 1, 8, 8, 1, 12.

Of this species but a single specimen, six and one-fourth inches
in length, has yet been obtained. It was brought into the market
in this city, in company with other " smelts." It is a strongly
marked species, entirely distinct from the other two so common
here — A. caUforniensis (Grd.) and A. qffinis (Ayres). Accord-
ing to the divisions proposed by Girard, (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. VII.
1854) this would be a true BasilicJiiliys, and would take the name
B. tenuis^ but I can see no propriety in such a separation. A
trifling difference in the length of the upper and lower jaw, with
no other distinguishing features whatever, is certainly a very slight
basis for constituting three genera ; and though there may perhaps
be reason in dividing Aiherinopsis from Atherina, (though even
that is doubtful) there is, in my judgment, no question that Basil-
ichthys and Heterognathus can have no generic rank. The entirely
artificial nature of the arrangement is well shown in the fact that
A. tenuis is much more nearly allied to A. caUforniensis than it is
to Basiliclithysmicrolepidotiis^ (Grd.) the Chilian species, on which
the proposed division Avas based. The conical form of the head is
as fully marked in A. caUforniensis and A. aj/biis as in B. micro-
lepidotus or A. tenuis.

November 5, 1860.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Ayres read the following descriptions :

JoJmius nohiUs, (Ayres) Fig. 20. — Form elongated ; dorsal
and ventral outlines gracefully and nearly evenly arched ; trans-
verse section elliptical, somewhat compressed ; head pointed, the
lower jaw a httle longer than the upper ; head in the adult fish con-
stituting a little less than one-fourth of the entire length, being
about equal to the greatest depth ; depth of the peduncle of the
tail not quite one-third of the greatest depth.

Scales soft, rather small, not conspicuous, covering the body and
head, and extending on the pectoral, ventral and caudal fins ; scales
quadrangular, deeper than long ; those on the head smaller than
those on the body.

Troc. Cal. Acad. Mat. Sci. g

78

Mouth of moderate dimensions, the tip of the maxillary reaching
a vertical line about even with the posterior border of the orbit ;
teeth, in both jaws somewhat numerous ; none on the vomer or pala-
tines ; no canines; crowded on the front of both jaws, the larger
ones being on the' posterior portion of this patch, and those of the
upper jaw larger than those of the lower ; on the side of the lower
jaw a row of teeth larger than any of those in front, with small ones
intermixed ; on the side of the upper jaw a double row of teeth
smaller than those in front.

Nostrils anterior to the upper portion of the eye ; anterior one
the larger, vertically elliptical ; eye distant about twice its own
length from the anterior extremity of the head ; its length in the
adult being one-tenth of the length of the head ; in a fish of twenty-
four inches, one-seventh.

Lateral line followhig nearly the curve of the back.

Operculum ending in a flat, partially concealed spine ; the other
opercular pieces spineless ; branchial apertures separated by an isth-
mus ; branchial rays, seven.

The distance of the first dorsal fin from the tip of the upper jaw,
is a little less than one-fourth the length of the fish ; its length is
not quite equal to that of the head ; the third and fourth rays are
the highest, their height nearly equalling half the length of the fin ;
from them the height diminishes to the last, which is about equal to
the first, or one-third as high as the third and fourth. The spines
are not very stout.

The second dorsal, continuous from the termination of the first,
one-fourth as long as the fish, is highest in front, but not quite so
long as the first dorsal, diminishing regularly backward to less than
half the height. It is preceded by a spinous ray, higher than the
last one of the first dorsal.

The length and anterior height of the anal fin are about equal,
being a little more than one-third of the length of the head ; its
height posteriorly is not quite half that of the first soft rays.
There are two spinous rays, the first very short, the second less
than half the height of the first soft ray, rather slender.

The pectorals slender and pointed, have a height about equalling
one-seventh the length of the fish.

The ventrals, arising posterior to the origin of the pectorals, have
a height a little less than half the length of the head. The first
ray is spinous, rather more than half as high as the first soft one.

The caudal, somgwhat concave on the margin, is rather higher
in the external rays than the pectoral fin.

D. X. I. 22, A. II. 9, P. 17, V. I. 5, C. 5, 1, 9, 8. 1. 5.

Color grayish blue above, lighter on the sides, white beneath.

This species is one of the finest of all that are brought to the

Fig. 21

'Tlio. 20.

80

markets in San Francisco. It is universally known as tlie " Basse/'
and t'rom its excellent flavor brings always a high price. It attains
a length of five feet, and a weight of seventy pounds.

In its great size, relative to the other Scicnoid fishes of this coast,
it resembles the Red Drum among th.e Scienoids of the Atlantic;
States, though in no way closely allied to it. It is taken in the bay
of San Francisco from October to March, though never in very
great numbers. It is found as far south at least as the coast of
Lower Califoniia ; a specimen in my possession having been brought
by Capt. Scammon from latitude twenty-seven degrees north, where
it was abundant. Its range to the north I have as yet no means of
determining.

SeripJms pohtus, ^^^^.^^^ ^j^,^ 21. — Form elongated, com-
pressed ; greatest depth contained about four and half times in the
total length ; snout somewhat gibbous ; back of the head and nape
of the neck rising a little abruptly ; the back thence very slightly
arched to the origin of the second dorsal fin, wdience it descends
to the peduncle of the tail ; length of the head a little more th.an
one-fourth of the total length, lower jaw projecting slightly beyond
the upper ; gape of the mouth rather large, the tip of the maxillary
reaching nearly even with the post-erior border of the orbit ; teeth
distinct, sharp-pointed, not crowded, a double row on the front and
sides of the upper jaw, the outer row slightly the larger, a double
row in the front of the lower jaw, with a single row on the sides ;
no teeth on the vomer or palatiuea.

Eye large, its longitudinal diameter being a very little less than
one-fourth of the length of the head, in a fish of seven inches; it
is distant rather more than its own diameter from the tip of the
upper jaw ; nostrils anterior to the upper portion of the eye, the
posterior one the larger, vertically elliptical.

The cavernous nature of the bones of the head is well shown in
the suborhitab and the preoperculum ; with this exception, the oper-
cular pieces are smooth. A longitudinal crest or ridge extends
from the tip of the nasal bone backward, about even with the mid-
dle of the orbit.

Branchial apertures large, continuous beneath the throat ; bran-
chial rays, six ; two piores beneath the sym})hysi3 of the lower jaw ;
no cirrhi.

Scales covering the entire body and head, and extending on the
anal, caudal and second dorsal fins; those on the sides large, soft,
strongly ciliated, deeper than long; the skin, when the scales arc
removed, having a bright silvery satin lustre.

Lateral line nearly straight.

The distance of the origin of the first dorsal from the tip of the

81

upper jaw is one third the length of the fish ; it is separated from
the second dorsal by a space about equal to the height of the fiith
ray ; the spines are all slender ; the height of the third spinal ray,
which is the highest, the first being very short, is equal to the length
of the fin, or a little less than half the length of the head.

The length of the second dorsal is about one-sixth of the length
of the fish ; its greatest height, which is at the second soft ray, is
equal to that of the first dorsal, and three times its height posteri-
orly ; its first two rays are spinous, short.

The anal fin cquaUing the second dorsal in height, and similar to
it in form, but longer, has its first four rays spinous ; its origin is a
little anterior to the line of the jniddle of the second dorsal.

The pectorals are pointed, having a height equal to half the
length of the head, their length being one-thu'd their height.

The ventrals, situated a little posterior to the pectorals, do not
quite equal them in height.

The caudal is slightly concave, the height of its external rays
being about equal to the length of the second dorsal.

D. VIII, IL 19, A. IV. 20, P. 18, V. I. 6, C. 6, 1. 8, 8, 1, 6.

Color grayish brown above, silvery on the sides and beneath.

This species is by no means common, only two or three speci-
mens having yet been observed, none of which exceeded eight
inches in length. They were all obtained in the markets of San
Francisco having undoubtedly been caught in the bay.

It is with much reluctance that I propose a new generic division
in this family. The allied genera seem to me not well studied, and
to need a careful revision. The arrangement of the teeth, however,
in the present species, is such as to separate it from any genus now
recognized. It may be thus characterized

Seriphus (Ayres). — Dorsal fins, two, distinct; branchial aper-
tures contiiiuous ; branchial rays, six; no cirrhi; teeth iyi both
jaivs, sharp, distinct, nearly even in size, in a. double or sinyle row,
none on the vomer or palatines : anal spines feeble.

The genus is very closely allied to Jolmius.

^ December ^,18G0.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Ayres read the following descriptions :

'' amarina nigricans, (Ayres) Fig. 22. — Form oval, elon-
gated, compact, compressed ; snout blunt ; dorsal and ventral out-
lines nearly evenly arched ; greatest depth a little more than one-
ihird of the total length ; length of the iicad constituting not quite

82

one-fourth of the total length ; eye nearly circular ; its diameter in
a fish of twelve and a half inches, is about one-fifth of the length
of the head ; in a fish of six and three-quarters inches, it is about
one-fourth of the length of the head.

Mouth protractile, small ; the tip of the maxillary reaching but
little beyond half the distance to the eye ; lower jaw shorter than
the upper ; the border of the upper jaw is formed entirely by the
premaxillaries, which are stout and broad, the small maxillaries
lying behind ; teeth numerous in both jaws, none on the vomer or
palatines ; a doubly and sometimes triply ranked row of rather
large, distinct, three-lobed teeth in the front of each jaw ; behind
these a dense patch of similar teeth, but very small, running into a
small row on the side of the jaw ; lips soft, free, thin ; nostrils
slightly tubular, situated in front of the upper portion of the eye,
the posterior one a little the larger.

Scales firm, rather large, strongly ciliated, covering the whole
body and head except the operculum, suborperculum, and intero
perculum, and top of the head, and extending far up on each side
of the fins ; a deep groove extends the entire length of the doreal
fin, separating the scales of the body from the smaller ones cover-
ing the base and sides of the fin ; lateral line following nearly the
curve of the back.

Opercular pieces destitute of spines or serrations ; operculum
ending in a flat point.

The dorsal fin, arising very nearly even with the posterior portion
of the base of the pectorals, is not quite half as long as the fish ;
the spinous part, which is lower than the soft, constitutes almost two-
thirds of the length of the fin ; the spines are strong, rigid, the
height of the hi^ifhest being a little more than one-fourth of the
depth of the fish. The spinous and soft portions are directly con-
tinuous.

The anal fin, whose height and length ai"e equal, is coterminal
with the dorsal ; its first three rays are spinous, much lower than
the soft portion, of which the height is rather more than half the
depth of the fish.

The pectorals are broad and rounded ; their height equal to half
the depth of the fish.

The ventrals, arising a little posterior to the pectorals, are equal
to those fins in height.

The caudal fin is broad, slightly concave on its margin, the
height of the external rays nearly one-fifth of the length of the fish.

D. Xm. 13, A. Ill, 11, P. 18, V. I. 5, C. 6, 1, 7, 6, 1, 6.

Branchial apertures continuous beneath ; branchial rays, four.

Color plain dark blackish brown throughout ; a very Uttle lightes
beneath.

Fig. 22

<l

84

This species appears to be quite rare in this vicinity ; but a single
specimen has been seen. It is perhaps more abundant below Point
Conception, since it was brought by Capt. C. M. Scammon from the
coast of Lower CaUfornia, in a collection of fishes made by him
there. The largest is a httle over twelve inches in length.

This genus, though resembling in general features some species
of Pomocentrus, presents a new grouping of generic characters. It
may be called

Camarina (x\yres). — Scales conspicuous, ciliate, covering the
entire body and the cheeks, and extending far up on all the fins;
dorsal fin single, long, the anterior portion spinous ; anal short, with
three spinous rays ; opercular apparatus loithout spines or serra-
tions ; branchial apparatus continuous ; teeth numerous, crowded,
in both jaivs, those in the front of each jaw large, imbricated,
lobed ; behind these a crowded mass of similar teeth, smaller ; yione
on the vomer or palatines.

Poronotus simillimus, (Ayres) Fig. 23. — Form elongated, oval,
much compressed ; dorsal and ventral outlines nearly evenly
curved to the peduncle of the tail, which is short, with its sides
parallel ; greatest depth a little more than two-fifths of the total
length ; depth of the peduncle of the tail not quite one-sixth of the
greatest depth ; head constituting about one-fifth of the entire
length ; eye nearly circular, distant from the front of the head about
its own diameter, which equals one-fourth the length of the head ;
nostrils near the front of the head, each aperture vertically ellipti-
cal, the posterior a little the larger ; snout blunt, almost vertical ;
mouth rather small, the tip of the maxillary but just passing the
line of the front of the orbit ; teeth small, straight, rather blunt,
somewhat numerous, in a single close set row in each jaw ; none on
the palatines or vomer ; operculum ending in a blunt rounded
angle ; preoperculum very finely denticulated, almost smooth.

Scales rather small, soft, not conspicuous, smooth, rounded,
elliptical ; lateral fines following nearly the curve of the back.

A short distance anterior to the dorsal fin is a concealed horizon-
tal spine directed forward, merely its very tip projecting ; close
behind the anus is another, also directed forward ; while a short
distance anterior to it is still another dii-ected backward. These
spines are similar to those of P. triacanthus, but seem to be less
prominent. The dorsal fin, arising a little anterior to the close
of the first fourth of the fish in length, and extending to the com-
mencement of the slender peduncle of the tail, has its greatest
height (which is not quite equal to one-fourth its length) at about
the fifth ray. The height of the last ray is less than one-fifth of

T'.::. 23.

86

that of the highest. This fin, Hke the anal, is enveloped in a mem-
brane so thick as to render the enumeration of the rays difficult ;
the tips of the rays are free.

The anal, coterminal with the dorsal, is in length equal to half
the distance from the front of the head to the fork of the caudal
fin. The height anteriorly, is not quite half that of the dorsal ;
the height posteriorly is about equal to that of the dorsal.

Pectorals long and pointed, their height being a little more than
one-fourth the length of the fish.

Caudal deeply forked, the central rays being very short, the
height of the external ones equal to the length of the head.

The scales extend up on the membrane, covering the dorsal, anal
and caudal fins.

D. 45, P. 21, A. 31, C. 5, 1, 9, 8, 1, 5.

This species is by no means common in this vicinity, only three
or four specimens having been obtained in the course of seven
years. ^ It is allied very closely indeed to P. triacanthus of the
Atlantic coast, which species it represents in our waters. Slight
differences in the form of the front of the head, in the proportions
of the dorsal and anal fins, and in the development of the horizon-
tal spines, and the absence of the black points on each side of the
dorsal fin, appear to be the only distinguishing features. It cer-
tainly approaches more closely to its eastern ally than almost any
other fish of our waters.

The figure does not give the outline of the abdomen correctly ;
it should follow the regular curve of the remainder of the lower
border.

This species is evidently of the same genus as the Atlantic P.
triacanthus, and I have accordingly called it Poronotus ; but as I
have been unable to examine any diagnosis of that genus, I do so
with doubt, inasmuch as the name indicates a character which I do
not find in my specimens. Until the reception of Mr. Gill's " Cat-
alogue of the Fishes of the Eastern Coast of North America," my
manuscript notes recorded it as Peprilus simiUimus.

JANUARY 7, 1861.

^ISriSrU^lL, MEETIISTG.

President in the Cliaii?.

The following Officers were elected for the year :

LEANDER RANSOM President.

T. F MOSS, j ^ Presidents.

Dr. J. N. ECKEL, i

Dr. W. 0. AYRES, Cor. Secretary.

EDWARD BOSQUI, Treasurer.

Dr. J. B. TRASK, Rec. Secretary.

WM. HEFFLEY, Librarian.

R. J. B. TRASK, Geology and Mineralogy.

H. G. BLOOMER, Botany.

Dr. J. A. VEATCH, Conchology.

Dr. W. 0. AYRES, Zoology.

oo:m:3s^ittees_

Dr. AYRES, \ .

Dr. TRASK, [ ^ Publication.

Col. ransom, )
Dr. ECKEL, \

Mr. HEFFLEY, ( Library.

Dr. TRASK, )

MR.HEFFLEY,j ^^^^^^^

Dr. KELLOGG,

88

January 21, 1801.

President in the Chair.

Dr. W. Ncwcomb, of Oakland, was elected a Corresponding
Member.

Dr. Kellogg presented the following description of a species of
Polypodium. found in the vicinity of San Francisco, sj^ringing from
the crevices of rocks.

P. caDioswn, (Kellogg) Fig. 24. — Fronds deltoid-ovate (the
terminal odd pinna elongated) pinnatcly divided to the rachis, seg-
ments alternate or sub-opposite, oblong, obtuse, crenate-serrate,
teeth ? broad, truncate ; lamina thick, fleshy, brittle, opaque, (the
pellucid veins only obscurely discerned ; the three lower and outer
veinlets clavate at the extremity, lying near the margin — the upper
longer basilar veins bearing the torus) veins dichotomous, the ad-
nate base of junction of the pinnte with the rachis descending above
and decurrent below the lower (longer) pair, slightly decurrent
along the stipe to its articulation at the elevated base of the rhi-
zoma, a dark areola marking the jwint of junction ; rachis and veins
large and prominent above and below, stipe and rachis equal ;
scales upon the stipe and back of the frond ovate-cordate, acumin-
ate, erose-dentate, amber brown, scarious transparent, reticulate,
often deciduous. ^

Sori very large, oval or oblong in two rows on the back of the
segments, somewhat approximating the mid-vein at the terminus of
the upper or first lateral veinlet ; cinnamon brown, and when fully
developed becoming contiguous, but not confluent.

Rhizoma creeping, clothed with membranous ovate peltate acu-
minate tawny scales, irregularly repand-dentate — when denuded or
cut it exhibits a pale greenish white hue — flavor, that of liquorice,
but rather nauseous if much is eaten.

Fronds six inches to a foot in lieight. Of the same group as
Polyjjodium vulgare var. occidentale, but in all respects more ro-
bust than the common species. 3'he fleshy pinnai as readily break
asunder upon being bent as the common House Leek, The venation
is the same as in P. pellucidiuii of Oahu and Sandwich Islands ;
but that is naked and has intermediate translucent siv'vx. from the
marginal crenatures, etc. The Sori in all our specimens are three
or four times as large as in either this or the Peruvian P. macrO'
carpum^ the lamina of the pinnre is from half an inch to an inch in
width ; and the general outline quite uniform, and very unlike
those referred to. As these differ as much from the one before us
as they do from other acknowledged species, we submit the f^icts to
those of more ample means for comparison. The figure should have
represented the lacineie extending to the mid-rib.

I'm u.

Jm

^ /-^

-%

:^/^^

90

Dr. J. B. Trask presented the following account of Earthquakes
in California in 18(30.

During the year last passed this i)ortion of the Pacific coast has
been but little disturbed bj earthquakes. There have been but
three during this period that can be Avell authenticated, and one,
viz: Dec. 21st, whose character is somewhat doubtful.

The shocks that have occurred are as follows :

January 27th. — A severe shock was experienced at Los Angeles
and vicinity, which was not productive of any damage to person or
property. No time is given in the account.

March loth. — A violent shock was experienced at 11 h. 0 m. at
Sacramento ; the wave passed through the counties of Placer,
Nevada, El Dorado and Plumas. At Iowa Hill the church bells
were rung, also in Sacramento. At the latter place and at Forest
City, clocks, in many of the buildings, were stopped. This earth-
quake extended to the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada. At
Carson City it occurred at 10 h. 45m. and very violent; goods
Avere shaken off the shelves in many of the stores, and a general
panic and stampede prevailed.

November 12th. — A smart shock was felt at Humboldt Bay and
its vicinity, but no damage was done.

December 21st. — At 1(3 h. 30 m. at San Francisco a series of
light vibrations of the earth occurred, which continued with but
two remissions for the space of half an hour. These vibrations
were not perceptible to persons in the building otherwise than by
the oscillation of a mercurial column, which was equal to seven
inches of the barometer, and which was the mercury gau;:e of an
air pump that had remained stationary at 24 inches for the space
of four hours. At this time the column in the gauge began to
show much disturbance by oscillating up and down in a very rapid
manner without any apparent cause ; the stop screws (Farraday's)
were all tried at the moment and found perfectly tight, as they had
remained for hours previous.

The oscillations were watched carefully by Mr. J. Roach and
myself for half an hour, at which time they ceased. The maximum
displacement of the column was a •fraction over one incli, which
was attained through vibrations of one-fourth to one- eighth of an
inch rapidly repeated and continuous, and as gradually through a
series of lighter vibrations the displacement would diminish and the
column subside to its former level ; this was three times repeated,
the column at no time being at rest. The period of time occupied
by the column in reaching its maximum of disturbance each time
was from eight to twelve minutes. There was no apparent cause
for this disturbance, unless it be attributable to a series of light
vibrations of the earth occurring in a vertical direction, and to iliat
cause I am disposed to assign it.

91

The passing of carriages on the street below did not affect these
vibrations of the column, for they continued in the same manner
"when those vehicles were not passing. While the oscillations were
going on, I took a sledge and struck some half dozen blows on an
anvil block in the workshop, which did not make any perceptible
difference in the movements of the column ; after it had come to
rest, the same experiment was repeated, but the column did not in
any manner react to the concussion thus produced.

February 4th, 1861.
President in the Chair.
Dr. Newcomb presented the following descriptions of new
shells.

Helix Bridgesii. — H. testa profunde umbihcata, depr^sso globosa,
plicato-striata et undique minute granulata, sub-diaphana, corneo-
grisea intus purpurascenti tincta, centrale linea tenue fuscescenti
cincta ; spira sub-conoidea ; anfr. 6. convexis, ultimus antice paul-
ulum descendens ; sutura bene impressa ; apertura rotundato-
lunaris ; labro expanso, reflexo, pallide lilacino.

Hab. " San Pablo," Cal. Diam. 27 mill.

Alt. 19 •'

Aperturse Diam. 13 "

Alt. 11 "

Shell deeply umbihcate, depressly globose, plicately striate and ■
covered with minute granulations, translucent grayish horn color ;
within tinted with purple, Avith a narrow, encircling central brown-
ish band, spire conical, whorls 6 convex ; suture well impressed,
aperture roundly lunar ; lip expanded and reflected of a pale, lilac
color.

RemarJcs. — But a solitary specimen of this shell has been ob-
tained ; but it differs essentially from any described species. In
its lightness of structure and general aspect it resembles IT.
Bonplandii, from which it is widely separated in most of the details
of character. It nearest approach to any described California
species is to H. ramentosa, (GouH) which is much smaller in size,
more solid in structure, with a more depressed spire, lighter color
and more scaly granulations. From H. JSiicMiniana, Lea it is read-
ily distinguished by its large umbilicus and difference in form.

It is with pleasure I dedicate this fine species to Thomas
Bridges, Esq., of Oakland, an ardent and accomplished naturahst.

Helix Traskii. — H. testa H. Dupetit Thouarsi Desh. persimilis ;
discrepat in eo quod anfr. ultimis non descendit supra ; strias mi-
croscopicas numerosas intertextas ostentat. Testa pallido-cornea,

92

sub-pelluclda ; fusco-cincta ; supra sub-discoidea, infra cinctura
rapida decliva ; perissimplex breviter expansa ; columella et fauces
purpureo-tinctffi. Diam. 26 mill.

Axis. 16 "

Shell verj near to H. Dupetit Thouarsi Desk, but differs in the
last whorl not dcscendin*; above, less thickened lip, in having
numerous microscopical interwoven stride. Shell pale corneous,
somewhat pellucid, brown-banded ; sub-planulate above, (or but
little elevated) below the band shelving down rapidly ; lip simple,
scarcely expanded ; columella and fauces tinged with purple.

Hab. Los Angeles, Cal.

Remarks. — To distinguish this from its nearly allied species, we
may again notice the minutely impressed, revolving and somewhat
undulating strii^, giving the shell under the glass a texturate ap-
pearance.

The absence of the deflection of the outer lip found in all speci-
mens of the Dupetit Thouarsi, and the want of the dark color in
this species, will be sufficient to enable us to distinguish them at a
glance.

No apology is required for my associating the name of Dr. Trask
with this beautiful species.

Vitrina Pfeifferi. — V. testa sub-depr(issa, laevigata, nitida, pel-
lucida, virenti albida ; anfr. 3, ultimus permagnis ; sutura sub-
tillissima marginata ; apertura ampla, obliqua rotundato-ovata ;
peristenue; columella arcuata. Diam. 5 mill.

Axis. 2 "

Shell moderately depressed, smooth, shining pellucid, greenish
white ; whorls 3, the last composing most of the shell ; suture very
finely margined ; aperture large, obliquely and roundly ovate ; lip
thin, columella arched.

Hab. Carson A'' alley.

Remarks. — This species, about the size of V. diapliana, (Drap.)
but much more rounded, can be confounded only with the follow-
ing, viz : V. angelicce (Beck) from Greenland, which has " an-
fractus maximus verticaliter plures strias subfiles subeminentes ; ad
suturam notabiliores," not applicable to this species ;. with V.
limpida (Gould) [^Americana Pfr.] which is smaller, with a lighter
texture and two and one-half whorls only ; finally, with V. mexicana
(Beck) of which I can find no description. Dr. Pfeiffer in his
great work, " Mon. Ilel. Viv." vol. 4, part 2, page 798, refers back
to vol. 2, page 510, where the following observation occurs :
" Praeterea nulla Vitrinarum genuinarum species ex America mihi
innotuit excepta V. mexicana (Beck) [ined]."

The probability is, that V. mexicana is from Southern Mexico,
consequently, from a tropical region, and from a distinct zoological
province.

93

Tornatellina striata. — T. testa acute-turrita, rufo-cornea, minute
et impresso transverse striata ; apice acuto ; sutura mediocriter
impressa ; anfr. 6 ad 8, ultimas 2-5 longitudinis sequans ; apertura
elongate sub-ovata ; columella truncata, excavata, contorta inferiori
parte in plicam.

Hab. Kauai. Insula Sandwichensis. Long. 5 mill.

Diam. 2 "

Shell acutely turretted, reddish horn color, minutely and impressly
striated transversely ; apex acute ; suture moderate ; whorls six to
eight, the last two-fifths of the whole length ; aperture produced sub-
ovate ; columella excavated, truncated, twisted below into a fold.

Retnarks. — This species makes a nearer approach in its general
appearance to the Genus Tornatellina than to any other yet con-
stituted. Though not answering fully the generic description in
the want of a fold or lamellar tooth on the parietal wall, we find it
tranferred as in some of the species of the section of Leptachatina
(Gould) to the termination of the columella. Two other species
have been given from the Sandwich Islands, viz : Tornatellina pepo-
num (Gould) and T. Newcombi Pfr., both of which are of differ-
ent form from the one now described, and are without the transverse
striae characteristic of this last named species.

Achatinella Anthonii, — A. testa conoideo-ovata, solida, nigrito-
brunnea, longitudine striata ; anfr. 6 inflati ; sutura modice im-
pressa ; apice obtuso ; apertura oblique ovata, infra sub-angulata ;
labium simplex intus crassum ; columella brevis, recta, plica paulu-
lum callosa sub media ; infra suturam fascia alba, et regione umbil-
icare sordido-alba.

Hab. Kauai. Long. 15 mill.

Lat. 10 "

Aperturre Long. 6 "

Lat. 4i "

Shell conically ovate, solid, blackish brown, longitudinally striate ;
whorls six inflated ; suture moderately impressed ; apex obtuse ;
aperture obliquely ovate, sub-angulate below ; lip simple, thick-
ened within ; columella short, straight, with a somewhat callous
plication below the middle ; white-banded below the suture, and of
a dirty white in the umbilical region.

Remarks. — Excepting in size, and in being more ventricose, this
species makes a near approach to A. nucleola (Gould). It is more
than quadruple the size of nucleola, and not acute at the summit,
by which it can be at once distinguished from that species. For
this and the preceding species I am indebted to the Rev. Mr. John-
son, of Koloa. It is named after the eminent Naturalist, John G.
Anthony, Esq., of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. 8ci. >7

94

Puidiam occidentale. — P. testa P. variabilis (Prime) affinis ;
rotundato-ovata, obliqua, inequilatera, hyalina vel fusco-cornea ;
natibus approxirnatis vix prominentibus ; striae minutissimoe.

Long. 4 mill.
Alt. 3^ "

Hab. " Ocean House," San Francisco.

Shell near P. variahile (Prfme) roundly ovate, oblique, inequilat-
eral, transparent or brown horn color ; umbones approximate but
slightly prominent ; striae extremely minute.

We are indebted for the discovery of this, and many other
species, to the researches of the Rev. Mr. Rowell, of San Fran-
cisco.

This is the first species of the genus Pisidium found in our
country west of the Rocky mountains.

February ISth, 1861.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg presented the annexed description :

Pibes balsamifera (Kellogg). Fig. 25. Glandular ly villous and
viscid or resinous throughout ; stem and older branches smooth ;
shining mottled greyish and cherry colored bark.

Leaves pHcate in vernation, sub-reniform-cordate, slightly three
to eight-lobed, incisely many toothed, lamina thin, pale glaucous
hue ; translucent nerves numerous, radiating.

Flowers bright yellow (from the same buds as the leaves) about
five, in a condensed raceme (rachis rarely one-half an inch long)
nodding, (?) tubular calyx long, slender below, slightly inflated and
expanding above, segment of the border very short, ovate acute,
apex apiculate, recurved, villous externally.

Petals minute, entire, (rarely a little crenate) broadly obovate
on a slender cuneate claw ; stamens included, filaments shorter than
the glabrous anthers ; pistil exsert, glandularly villous, stigma doubly
capitate.

Bracts foliaceous, obovate, nerved, cut dentate at the broad some-
what truncate summit, entire at the base, about five or six times
the length of the very short pedicels, a subulate bractiole opposite
at the base.

Fruit (in the half-grown state) round ten-nerved, viscid villous.

This plant was brought to us by Dr. J. A. Veatch from Washoe.
We are aware that the habitat causes much variation in the genus
Ribes ; but this appears to be quite distinct. The plant exhales
the refreshing odor of Populus balsamifera, hence the specific
name.

Fig. 25.

r<y}x QiB.

97

February 25, 1861.
President in the Chair,
Dr. Kellogg presented the following descriptions :

G-alium stellatiim, (Kellogg) Starry-haired Cleavers. Fig.
26. This and the following species belong to the Trichogaliums.
Stem suffrnticose at the base (with a light, loose, cream colored
bark) ; branches .mostly simple, erect, with a few short axillary
fruiting branchlets, quadrangular, angles obtuse ; hoary stellate
pubescent ; leaves in whorls of four, sessile or subsessile,
ovate-acute and acuminate, apex subulate ; lamina thick, rigid,
very scabrous throughout ; margins revolute, pale green above,
lighter hoary beneath ; the mid-rib stout and prominent below,
(slightly keeled at the base, one nerved rarely two-nerved).
Flowers unknown ; fruit axillary and terminal, solitary ? (or
only few flowered) ; very densely hirsute with straight white
bristles, longer than the fruit ; one or more bracts closely set
beneath the fruit, pedicels very short. This species approaches
Gr. ti'iclioearpum, \)Vii the stem in tliat is said to be " glabrous ; "
the long hairs of the fruit bring it near Cr. eriocarpum.

It is allied to Cr. Wrightii, but that has " obtuse leaves ; these
are sharp, cuspidately spinose, and the simply " hirsute " stems
" very much branched,'* does not accord with the above char-
acteristics.

This species of Galium was brought from Cerros Island by
Dr. J. A. Yeatch. The plant seldom exceeds a foot iu height.
Fig. 26 exhibits the general outline and natural size of a por-
tion of the stem. We have not endeavored to represent the
peculiar stellate pubescence.

G-alium multiflormn, (Kellogg) Many flowered Cleavers.
Fig. 27. Stem somewhat decumbent at the suffrnticose base,
glabrous, (the bark exfoliates from the perennial base in thin,
shining, hemp-like shreds) ; branches sharply quadrangular,
angles scabrous, branchlets numerous.

Leaves, four in a whorl, roundish-ovate, (about as broad as
long) abruptly short, acuminate, mucronate, with the apex re-
curved, three-nerved, sessile, membraneous ; margins scabrous,
(not revolute) surfaces naked, minutely granular, three or four
times shorter than the internodes, the ultimate' leaves often op-
posite.

Peduncles axillary and terminal in trichotomous cymules,
pedicels erect, short, scarcely longer than the ultimate leaves.

Fig. 27.

st

^^/.--^

^ii/..

mJ ir w ..7i -%

v^/z^i-'l-g

■/ \.> '^Ji^■v.^^ ,1'-

99

Flowers numerous, white ; segments of the corolla ovate-
acute, villous externally, rotate-campanulate.

Fruit globose, very hirsute, with long, slender, soft, white
hairs somewhat flattened and twisted (but not hooked at the
apex) ; fruit subtended by a single ovate-acute or acuminate
floral leaf or bract.

This species seems to be nearly allied to G. chamissonis of
Chili, but in that the angles are said to be " smootli," and leaves
" oblong," " deflexed," etc. Recently brought from Washoe by
Dr. J. A. Veatch. In several instances we observe the leaves
five-nerved, and the cusp occasionally bifid.

Mentzelia veatchiana (Kellogg). Fig. 28. The new species
of Mentzelia, herewith presented, figured and described, was
recently brought by Mr. Andrew A. Veatch, from the vicinity
of Virginia City, Washoe.

Stem low, (about one foot) branching from the base, lustrous,
light flesh-colored, branches alternate, short villous, root annual.

Leaves remote, sessile, lower leaves linear-lanceolate, entire,
or pinnatifid, dentate above the middle ; hispid and scabrous
throughout, with minute barbate hairs ; the white hairs springing
from an indurated corneous base, or submuricate hirsute ; the
hairs with hooked prickles, in whorls, or sometimes scattered, of
diamond-like brilliancy ; upper leaves subcordate, coarsely den-
tate at the expanded base; apex (terminal lobe) long, attenu-
ated and entire (about twice the length of the expanded sub-
clasping lower lamina) ; scabrous margins, and mid-ribs hir-
sute. (N. B Upper leaves sometimes lanceolate pinnatifid.)

Bracts leafy, subpinnatifid, lobed or coarsely (mostly) tri-
dentate, scarcely as long as the capsule. Two other smaller
bracteoles opposite at the base of the capsule, (usually rather
more than one-half the length of the capsule) three-lobed or
tridentate ; the middle lobe a little prolonged, cuneate at base.

Flowers small, (petals scarcely three lines in length) bright
golden yellow deepening to rich orange at the claws or towards
the center ; petals ovate-oblong unguiculate, five in number,
twice the length of calyx segments, emarginate, apex slightly
bristly.

Stamens and pistil equal, shorter than the petals, about twen-
ty, filaments filiform ; pistils connate, apparently simple, in-
cluded.

Capsules cylindraceous, slightly narrower towards the base,
about half an inch long, hirsute calyx segments, crowning the
capsule, subulate one-half the length of the petals ; tuberculate
scabrous seeds somewhat cubical, in three series, six to eight or
more in each row.

Fig. 28.

^:^fr^rf=x^,

101

In condensed clusters of two to five (scarcely axillary and
solitary) terminating the branches.

This species seems to be near M. congesta, (Nutt. Mss., under
Tr achy ijjiy turn) but the stem is not " dichotomous " nor " pol-
ished," nor leaves " short ovate," nor bracts " membranaceous."

Sisymbrium rejiexum (Kellogg). Fig. 29. The figure here
given, and the accompanying Specimen recently brought from
Washoe by Mr. Andrew A. Veatch, show quite a distinct vam^?/,
if not a new species of Sisymbrium. The reasons which lead us
to consider it distinct from S. paucijiorum of Nutt. are, that this
specimen has not " white " flowers but deep rose purple ; nor
are the siliques " pendulous " in any strict sense, but strongly
refiexed against the stem ; nor are they three times the length
of the pedicel, but four or five times. The expressions, " radi-
cal leaves," " narrowly o^Zow^-spatulate," seems hardly allowa-
ble where they are 'so strictly spatulate ; " nearly smooth
above,'' does not at all apply to our specimen. But notwith-
standing these objections, from the meagre description given
and with no figure to aid us, we candidly confess to some mis-
givings whether it may not prove the same when well authen-
ticated specimens can be compared.

Stem biennial, (perennial ?) light greenish gray, with short
white forked or branching hairs throughout ; slender, erect
branches.

Leaves all entire, (?) sessile ; radical ones narrowly spatu-
late, acute ; cauline ones spatulatc-lauceolate, (obscurely five-
nerved) the uppermost lance-linear upon the slender branches
(size from one-half to two inches long, one-sixteenth to one-
quarter of an inch wide.)

Calyx erect, at length recurve spreading;, purplish green,
(slightly purplish at the base) sepals somewhat spatulate, sub-
acute, half shorter than the petals, equal at the base or not
saccate.

Petals beautiful deep rose purple on the lamina, the claws
white ; cuneiform-spatulatc, unguiculate, claw scarcely a little
longer than sepals, five to seven-nerved ; pistil none, stigmas
connate, stamens subequal included, flowers few and nodding,
(or sinister).

Siliques compressed, one-nerved along the center of the
valves, straight or a little curved, strongly reflexed against the
stem ; pedicels scarcely three-eighths of an inch long, siliques
about two inches, somewhat linear-clavate in outline, or taper-
ing back toward tlie pedicel. Seeds in a double series ; sep-
tum a very thin, translucent membrane.

The mature fruit not seen. The rudimental ovules with the
radical obliquely incumbent, seeds in two series.

Fig. 29.

103

March 18, 1861.

President in the Chair.

The accompanying descriptions were presented by Dr. W.
Newcomb, of Oakland :

Helix Carpenteri. — H. testa umbilicata, rotundato-conoidoa,
apice obtusa, albida, obscure fusca una-cinctura, oblique valde
striata, et stride sub-lente spiralibus numerosis iinpressce ; anfr.
5i rotundatis ; sutura bene signata ; apertura circulare cum
marginibus approximatis ; labium mediocriter expansum ad
columellam latam non adnatum.

Diam. 23 mill.

Hab. " Tulare Valley." Alt. 16i "

Shell umbilicate, roundly conical ; apex obtuse, obscurely
marked with one brown liand ; well striated ; under the lens
numerous very minute spiral striations ; whorls five and one-
half rounded ; suture well marked ; aperture circular, with
margins approximating ; lip moderately expanded, at the co-
lumella broadly so, but not adherent.

Mus. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci.

My cabinet.

Remarks. — This shell, about the size of H. ramentosa,
(Gould) can scarcely be confounded with any known species.
It belongs to the Cyclostomoid groupe of Helices, and has the
aspect of a desert species. Dedicated to Philip P. Carpenter,
L. L. D., of Warrington, England.

Belix Ayresiana. — H. testa sub-obtecte umbilicata, rotunda-
to-trochiformis, luteo-alba cum cinctura lata nigra ornata; anfr.
7 l^nte accrescentibus, sub-convexis, supra creberrime costulato-
striata et lineis numerosis spiralibus valde impressis. infra pal-
lidior et minute decussato-striata ; sutura valde impressa ;
apertura orbiculari-ovata; peristomate reflexiusculo ; columella
modice expansa. Diam. 22 mill.

Hab. " Northern Oregon." Alt. 15 mill.

Shell with umbilicus partially closed, roundly trochiform,
yellowish white, (above) furnished with a broad black band ;
whorls seven, slowly increasing, moderately convex, superiorly
with many rib-like striae and numerous spiral lines deeply im-
pressed, inferiorly pale and with minute decussating striations;
suture well marked ; aperture roundly ovate ; lip slightly re-
flected ; columella moderately expanded.

Mus. Society.

My collection.

104

Dedicated to Dr. W, 0. Ayres, Cor. Sec. of Cal. Acad. Nat.
Sciences.

• Remarhs. — The surface of this beautiful shell is cut up by
the strige into reticulations, which su,o-gested that the Helix
reticulata Pfr. was before me. This last named is a California
species, which 1 have not yet seen. The description of that
shell proves them quite distinct, H. reticulata having only five
and one-half whorls and the umbilicus being impervious.

Physa eostata. — P. testa ovato-globosa, cornea vel rufo-cor-
nea ; anfr. 4, ultimus inflatus et supra obtuso-ang.ulatus cum
costis 10 ad 14 prominentibus munitus ; apex aciitus ; spira
brevis ; apertura ovata.

Long. 9 mill.

Hab. " Clear Lake, California," Lat. 6 "

Shell ovate globular, horn colored or reddish corneous ;
whorls four, the last inflated and roundly angulated above,
armed with ten to fourteen prominent longitudinal ribs ; apex
acute ; spire short ; aperture ovate.

Museum Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci.

My cabinet.

For this curious species of Physa we are indebted to Dr.
Veatch, who collected several specimens at Clear Lake, most
of them, however, immature. This is the only species provided
with regularly arranged costae that I have seen, and this char-
acter alone will be sufficient to separate it from all other de-
scribed species of the genus.

April 1, 1861.
President in the Chair.
Dr. Kellogg read a description of a new species of Chlorog-
alum, (Soap Plant) brought from Shasta by Mr. Andrew A.
Yeatch, and cultivated by Mr. H. G. Bloomer.

C hlorogalum angustifolium (KeWogg). Fig. 30. Bulb short-
ovoid with a conic apex slightly ribbed below. OutergCovering
a smooth thin brownish membranaceous coat, closely attached.

The paniculate-scape slender, erect, branching, smooth, light
green, two to three feet in height ; flowers small, abundant,
approximated on attenuated racemose branches ; white, with a
light yellowish green line (or three parallel lines under the
glass) along the back of the petals ; pedicels short (one to
three lines long) and with the subulate bracts incurved.

Fig. 30.

106

Bracts about as long as the pedicels, or a little longer in
flower, and less in fruit ; petals erect and recurve spreading
(not revolute) ; three outer sepals more linear, acute, villous
apex incurved ; three inner often slightly emarginate (marginal
nerves obscure) ; petals and sepals united into a tube one line
long, persistent.

Stamens included, filaments subulate, anthers yellow, fixed
by the back, at length versatile, linear oblong, style longer
than the stamens, attenuated upwards, stigma three-parted, a
seen in fig. 2.

Radical leaves narrow, linear-lanceolate, rather flat, striate-
nerved, rather slightly undulated, subglabrous along the trans-
lucent margin, (two rows of cells not depositing chlorophyl)
green alike above and below, four to eight inches long and
about one-quarter broad ; lower cauline leaves linear ; at the
axils expanded near the base and attenuated upwards, one to
four inches in length.

This species differs from C. pomeridianum in the form of the
root, which instead of being long-ovate, with a thick cylindroid
trunk above, has a short ovo-conic shape ; the bulbs are also
destitute of the loose fibrous texture which distinguishes the
coatings of the former.

O. pomei'idianum is known by its remarkably undulate
leaves, dark brown stems and spreading branches, larger revo-
lute flowers with dark lines, dull purple anthers, longer pedi-
cels and green torus, most conspicuous in fruit.

In C. angustifolium the leaves are plain and as above de-
scribed ; the brown membranous coating is more like the Ro-
man Narcissus ; the insertion of the petals, as indicated, is
quite different, and the base does not remain green, forming a
kind of distinct torus, on which the capsule rests, as in C. po-
meridianum.

These comparative observations are from cultivated speci-
mens, both blooming in June and July, and growing side by
side.

We are indebted to Dr. J. A. Veatch for the following in-
teresting shrub form Cerros Islaiid :

lApochceta hastata (Kellogg). Fig. 31. Stem shrubbery two to
three feet in height; branches opposite, striate, slightly decurrent
angled from the leaves ; leaves opposite, often alternate above,
oblong-hastate-triangular, acute or somewhat acuminate, entire,
repand mucronate-dentate below, with one or more large sali-
ent teeth, at the angles ; lamina rigid coriaceous, (very brittle
in the dry state) tri^linerved , veins prominent, (often sub-reti-

Fio. 31.

\ i I

1

108

culate) decurrent from the broadly cuneate base along the pet-
iole and slightly down the stem ; petioles about half an inch
in length or one-third the lamina, scabrous above and below,
with short slightly appressed aculeate hairs springing from mi-
nutely elevated or tuburcular bases ; peduncles long, mostly
naked, terminated by a single head, arranged in umbeloid-
corymbs, consisting of three, four or more ; involucre in out-
line broadly campanulate, loosely imbricated in three unequal
series, the two exterior foliaceous, subspatulate, obtuse, re-
curved, five to nine nerved, the lowest series short and almost
entirely herbaceous, the inner series similar to the disk chaff,
lance-linear, mostly with sparsely ciliate margins at the base.

Flowers orange yellow ; rays, five to thirteen, narrowly ligu-
late, two to three-toothed (under the glass) claw-sparsely hir-
sute, (subglabrous ?) neutral, seven to nine-nerved ; achenia a
mere rudiment, linear, glabrous, subthree-sided, awnless, umbil-
icus peltate ; disk florets yellowish, short proper tube, filiform
with a bulboid expansion at the base, limb five-toothed, teeth
somewhat erect, acute, glabrous, externally minutely pappil-
lose, bearded within.

Style tortuous or somewhat twining, glabrous with a smooth
bulbous base ; branches of the style exsert linear, recurved,
minutely aculeate scabrous on the back, appendages short, sub-
ulate, hirsute.

Anthers dark brown, appendages lanceolate (see fig. 5).

Fertile achenia turbinate, compressed, four-
angled, subwinged above, chiefly on the outer
angle or margin, contracted at the incurved base
as if shortly stipitate, (as seen at fig. 4, but which
does not represent its true winged character as
well as the more accurate marginal fig. 7). The
point of attachment peltate, or point of articula-
tion raised above the ovary ; the stout persistent
awns upwardly scabrous ; middle or intermedi-
ate ridjje prominent, very hirsute along the an-
gles and separately so throughout. The numer-
ous sterile disk achenia flat, linear, cuniform, mar-
gined by the decurrent awns, which are somewhat
longer, equal, scarcely shorter than the florets.
Receptacle convex, alveolate, alveoli hispid, disk chafly, chaff
membranaceous, three to fi.e-nervcd, conduplicate, nearly clasp-
ing: the floret and achenia, linear-lanceolate slenderly acute,
very minutely mucronulate-serrulate on the waved margins of
the apex, sparsely hirsute, on the back rigid and brittle.

109

April 15, 1861.
President in the Chair.
Dr. Kellogg read the following descriptions of new plants :

Allium anceps (Kellogg). — Bulb broadly ovate, half to one
inch in diameter.

Scape short, (four to six inches, or about half the length of
the leaves) naked, ancipital, somewhat attenuate below, trans-
lucent margins scabrulose (often horizontally cleft by the thin
edges contracting in arid states of the atmosphere as it ap-
proaches maturity).

Leaves two radical, plain, somewhat ancipital nearly the
whole length or very slightly convex beneath at the attenuated
base, which is not sheathing, striate, margins scabrous, lamina
tortuously undulate, sometimes falciform, about twice the length
of the scape, apex subacute.

Spathe two-leaved, equal ovate, acute, seven to nine-nerved,
membranaceous, persistent, base connate.

Heads in general outline obconic convex, twenty to thirty-
flowered ; in this specimen the umbel is loose ; seven to nine-
flowered, on slender, glabrous, slightly compressed pedicels,
subturbinately enlarged at the base of the perianth, half to
three-quarters of an inch in length (twelve or more rudimenta-
ry pedicels occupying the center of the umbel.

Perianth pale pinkish, segments linear-lanceolate acute, cari-
nate, margins scariose, a difi'use green line along the center,
most conspicuous on the back of the three exterior divisions,
curved spreading (base connate.)

Stamens subequal (the three exterior at first shorter, at length
equal ; nearly as long as the segments).

Filaments subulate, base extended, attenuate above, the up-
per third bright lilac, anthers verditer blue. *

Style about half the length of the stamens, simple (sharply
pointed stigma, scarcely three-lobed under a strong glass).

Fruit capsular, obovate, three-celled, each cell two-seeded,
seeds compressed ; cells minutely six-toothed, crested.

A Washoe species collected by Andrew A. Veatch and culti-
vated by Mr. H. G. Bloomer, Botanical Curator to the Acade-
my. We have also specimens from Onion Valley.

Fig. 32.

Pkoc. Cal.*Acad. Nat. Sci.

8

no

May f), 1861.
President in the Chair.
Dr. Kellogg read the following descriptions of plants ;

The following described Onion appears to be new. It was
brought from Shasta by Mr. Andrew A. Ycateh, and cnltivated
by Mr. H. G. Bloomer :

Allium attenuifoUum (Kellogg). — Fig. o3. — Scape terete,
solid, glaucous, smooth, (minutely s])eckled) spi'inging from the
base of a small, roundish, truncated bulb. In other specimens
we have seen, from the top of the bulb as usual.

Leaves two, radical, stem sheathing at the broad membran-
ous base, striate and channeled below, closely canaliculate
above, very narrow and slenderly attenuated toward the fili-
form apex ; margins slightly scabrous.

Bracts three ; outermost larger, broad-ovate or oblong-ovate,
short acuminate, sessile, membranous, four to nine-nerved or
more ; somewhat unequal.

Umbel globose, many-flo\\%red (fifty to eighty or more), whit-
ish (scarcely a pinkish tinge ?) on pedicels half to three-fourtlirf
of an inch long. Flowers (not gibbous at the base) campanu-
late-rotate.

Petals ovoid-diamond-acnte, slightly inflexed from the mid-
dle, mid-nerve pinkish (the three inner a little narrower).

Stamens as long as the perianth, filaments inserted at the
base, subulate, white, anthers cream-colored, at length becom-
ing blueish. Style as long as the stamens. Stigma simple.

Germ, color lively, pinkish capsule, turbinate, sub-three
angled or three rounded cells, eacli cell slightly or obsoletely
two-crested, central axis at the pistil depressed.

Cells two-seeded, rarely more than one perfected ; seeds
roundish, black, minutely pitted.

Collinsia hirstiia (Kellogg). — Fig, 34 — Stem purplish, branch-
ing, eight inches to a foot in height, short, scabruiose, whitish
pubescent.

Leaves oblong ovate, somewhat obtuse, serrate, teeth rounded
or obtuse, each tipped with a red gland ; lamina thick, fleshy
and brittle ; margins scabrous, often revolute, short villous-
above ; pitted below and villous along the midrib ; five-nerved
at the base and triple-nerved above, i. e., the principal cauline
leaves. Lower leaves oblong, short petioled. Cauline leaves
sub-sessile, the short membranous petiole stem-clasping and
connate.

(The uppermost lesser braetoid leaves oblong, linear, obtuse,
entire on shovt petioles verticellate by threes, six to nine in u

Fig. 33.

y^.

dSmmm

I

112

whorl corresponding with the flowers ; hirsute, with long white
hairs, ciliate.)

Flowers whitish with a pink tinge, six to nine in a whorl.

Cal3^x campanulate, wooly, hirsute ; segments oblong or sub-
spatulate, obtuse, tipped by a red gland.

Upper lip of corolla deeply bifid, each segment emarginate,
nearly equal the lower.

Corolla tube curved very slightly, gibbous at the base above.
(See No. 1 in the figure.) No. 2 represents the corolla of C.
bieolor, with its abrupt gibbosity to facilitate comparison.
Keel villous externally, tube villous within, also along the
upper surface of the filaments (chiefly the shorter pair.)

This species of Collinsia is frequently met with in this vi-
cinity. The Society are under obligations to Mr. Dunn for
the specimens herewith presented.

The following Allium is found in the vicinity of Oakland and
about the Bay of San Francisco. We are indebted to Mr.
Dunn for the specimen here figured and described :

Allium unifolium (Kellogg). — Fig. 35. — Scape long (a foot
ormore in length), robust, terete, ascending from an oblique
bulb ; rhizoma repent.

Solitary leaf, radical, sheathing beneath the soil, shorter
than the scape, falcate, plane or slightly convex above ; midrib
somewhat prominent below, obsoletely seven-nerved, ancipital,
margins entire, subacute.

Spathe connate at tlie base, two-leaved, very thin, scariously
transparent, three to seven-nerved, broadly ovate, acuminate,
or ovate-oblong acuminate.

Umbel convex, fifteen to twenty-flowered, capsuliferous, ped-
icels an inch to an inch and a half long, somewhat obconically
thickened at the base of the flower.

Flowers large, pink (of cheerful, lively hue) pctaloid divis-
ions rather thick and fleshy, spreading, rotate campanulate,
slightly gibbous at tlie greenish base ; midrib also green below
on the back, red above ; three outer sepals oblong-ovate, sub-
acute (or subemarginate) plane, entire, three inner narrower,
apex emarginate ; perianth about one-third longer than the
stamens and pistil.

Filaments simple, subulate, the outer slightly narrower, fila-
ments at first shorter, at length equal, the inner a little dilated
at the base.

Style simple, subulate, as long as the stamens.

Fig. 34.

Fig. 35.

115

June 2, 1861.
President in the Chair.
Dr. Kellogg read the following paper :

Leivisia alba (Kellogg). — Pig. 36 — White Spatulum of the na-
tives. Leaves succulent, linear-spatulate, obtuse, grooved be-
lovr the middle, the membranous margins waved, base similar
and expanded ; the upper half thickened and flattened, with
a depressed line along the midi'ib ; surface roughened and cor-
rugated, glaucous, green, turning to red in withering.

Scapes succulent, somewhat shorter than the leaves (two to
three inches in length), subterete, articulated at the crown of
the root by a constricted base, also above the middle, where
they are involucrate (?) with a whorl of about seven unequal
leaves, the two leaves opposite the largest diameter of the
scape about an inch in length, dentate ; all grooved above,
convex on the back, linear, obtuse, articulated at the insertion.

Sepals eight, somewhat obovate, emarginate, base and mid-
dle portion thick and fleshy, margins thin, sometimes slightly
crenulate above, faintly colored.

Flowers white, about sixteen-petaled, subequal, oblong-ovate,
obtuse or emarginate, base cuneate into an obsolete incurved
claw, summit crenulate.

Staraens extrorse, short ; anthers pink-colored ; style eight-
parted or eight filiform.

Root large, fusiform, branching below, the loose outer bark
dirty white, the inner portion snowy white and farinaceous.

Astragalus hypoglottis (var. strig-osa, Kellogg).— Fig. 37. — A
small plant with relatively large purple flowers in condensed
spikes or heads on long axillary peduncles. A plant of rather
unusual beauty. The calyx deep purple, petals from purple
shading to white on the extreme points and margins.

The specimens in this vicinity have neither " tomentose " nor
" villous " pods, but quite glabrous. It evidently varies much,
for hypoglottis proper has one-seeded cells, and var. polgspermus
three to four-seeded cells, while this has six to eight ; in one
specimen the leaves are acute, while others are emarginate,
besides other particulars uniting the characters of both.

Stem slender, slightly decurrent, angled, branches ascending
from the base, hirsute throughout with black, appressed hairs'.

Stipules cohering with each other underneath the petioles,
triangular-ovate, acute or acuminate, margins conspicuously
ciliate with black appressed hairs, membranaceous, often cut-
dentate.

Fig. 36.

Fig. 37.

^r^i^

m ^»

118

Leaves unequally pinnate, about two inches long ; leaflets
in about six pairs, opposite, linear-lanceolate (half an inch or
more in length.

Peduncles longer than the leaves, angular, minute subulate,
bracts about as long as the pedicels, or one-third the length of
the calyx ; about nine-flowered, in a close capitate spike ; flow-
ers purple, large ; calyx teeth subulate, as long as the tube,
lower tooth diverging from the flower nearly to a right-angle,
clothed with black hairs.

Banner oval, emarginate, one-third longer than the wings,
the lateral margins recurved below, erect.

Legumes curved, acuminate and pointed with the persistent
style, glal)rous, colored and plane above upon the back, cells
somewhat unequal or subtriquetrous, six to eight-seeded cells,
or about sixteen-seeded.

My 7, 1861.
President in the Chair.
The following paper was read :

New Californian Animals. By J. G. Cooper, M. D.

Note. — The animals here described belong to the collection of
the State Geological Survey, and brief diagnoses of them are pub-
lished with the approval of Prof. Whitney, State Geologist, to se-
cure for the survey the priority of description.

•

A. Species neiv to Science.

The first that I undertake to describe may possibly have been
before described from Mexican or South American specimens, but
as Mr, Cassin, of Philadelphia, is unable to identify it with any of
them, 1 venture to name it :

Athene ivhitneyi — Whitney's Owl.

Spec. char. — Above light brownish gray, thickly spotted with
angular pale brown dots, the most densely on head, but those on
back largest ; back also somewhat barred with waving lines of the
same color. A concealed white collar on back of neck, forming a
white bar across middle of feathers, which are plumbeous at base
like the rest. Quills with three to six spots on each web, those on
inner web white, as are those on the outer web of second, third and

119

fourth quills. Rest of spots light brown. A row of white spots
on edges of lesser coverts, four on the upper, seven. on the lower
series, with a row of light brown spots between. A few Avhite
spots also on outer secondaries. A white stripe on outer row of
scapulars, edged by large light brown stripes toward middle of back.
Rest of wing feathers dark brown, the secondaries with light ashy
dots toward their ends. Tail feathers colored like the quills, the
light spots forming five broken bars, and another narrower bar at
the tip. Wings and tail ashy brown beneath, with white bars ;
edge of wing white, a dark brown patch at end of coverts, which
are elsewhere white, tinged with yellowish.

Stiff feathers above eye white, with black spots on middle of
shafts. Feathers below orbit light brown, faintly barred with
darker ; bristles around bill black for their outer half. Chin and
throat feathers white, their" base black, and tips of lower series light
brown, the white thus forming a broad crescent in front of the neck,
extending between outer angles of orbits, somewhat broken at the
median line, and edged with brown, darkest laterally. Sides of
neck narrowly barred with ashy alternating with light and dark
brown ; a large white patch in front of neck, mottled with blackish.
Breast imperfectly barred and blotched with the same colors, the
brown forming large patches toAvard abdomen, margined with gray
and white.

Sides more grayish, tinged yellow, flanks plumbeous. Tibial
feathers narrowly barred with light and dark brown. Tarsal bris-
tles white, those on toes yellowish, soles yellow, claws horn brown,
bill pale green, (black with yellow edges when dry) iris bright
yellow. •

Length 6.25 inches ; extent of wings, 15.25 ; wing from carpus,
4.50 ; tail, 2.25 ; tarsus, 0.90 ; middle toe, O.GO, with its claAv,
0.70 — inner lateral claw reaching to base of middle, outer to base
of inner ; hind toe and claw, 0.50 ; gape of bill, 0.45 ; height,
0.30 ; width at base, 0.40.

No. 208, male, (?) shot at Fort Mojave, lat. 35°, Colorado
Valley, April 26th, 1861 ; the only one met with.

This owl is the smallest species yet discovered in the United
States, being considerably less than the little Glaucidium (/noma.
In colors it much resembles this species, but in generic characters
differs essentially, being in these closely allied to Athene, though
it might perhaps form a distinct genus. Not having access to any
analysis of the South American genera, I have preferred to retain
this bird in Athene.

The next, which is undoubtedly a new bird, I have dedicated to
the interesting Uttle daughter of my kind friend, Prof S. F. Baird.

120

Helminthopliaga luciw — Lucy's Warbler.

Spec. char. — Above light ash-gray, with partially concealed spot
on vertex, and the upper tail coverts chestnut brown. Quills and
tail tinged with brown, edges of primaries and coverts paler ; be-
neath white, tinged with yellowish, this color extending to lores and
around eyes, forming also a faint line above and behind them.
Quills beneath plumbeous, tail feathers also, the outer edged with
white internally, and with a white patch on inner web near the end.
Iris brown, bill black above, bluish below, feet pale lead color.
Length 4.25 inches ; extent of wings, 6.50 ; wing from carpus,
2.25 ; tail, 1.50 ; tarsus, 0.65 ; middle toe and claw, 0.95 ; bill
along ridge, 0.35 ; along gape, 0.45 ; depth at base, 0.15 ; width
a little more. Specimens vary a little, over or under these meas-
urements. Female differs in small size and duller colors only.
Agrees very well in generic characters with the other species, but
has the first quill shorter than the three next, and the tail shorter
in proportion.

This is the second species of the genus discovered in New Mex-
ico since the publication of Prof. Baird's Report on Birds, Vol. IX,
P. R. R. Reports. The other, H. vircriniop, is figured and de-
scribed in the volume of plates published by Baird, Cassin and
Lawrence, to complete the illustrations of new birds of North
America.

This bird was common at Fort Mojave, near lat. 35°, in the Col-
orado Valley, where it arrived about March 25th, and remained
until I left there, the twenty-eighth of May. I saw none along
the Mojave river, on the route westward. I collected five male
specimens and one female.

Prof. Baird thinks with me that the following will undoubtedly
prove a new species, after a comparison of specimens:

Xerobates agassizii — Agassiz Land-Tortoise.

Spec. char. — Young., with the carapax higher and more arching
than in X. caroUnus, the margin serrate all round, the primary
disks of the scales projecting from a tenth to an eighth of an inch.
Color of primary disks entirely pale yellow, the annual rings of
growth only being dark brown. (Young just hatched probably all
yellow.)

Remarks. — Closely resembles X. carolinus, the " Gopher " of
Florida and the other Cotton States, of which no descriptions ac-
cessible are full enough to enable me to point out all the differences.
But as another species intervenes between the range of that and
this one, namely, X. herlandieri of Agassiz, found in Southern

121

Texas and Mexico, I feel confident that comparison of specimens
will show constant distinctions between them. From X. herlan-
dieri it differs even more than from carolinus. Besides the serrate
margin, which is most distinct in my youngest specimens, (four
years) while Agassiz's figure of the young has no serrations, and
different coloration ; it has but twenty-four instead of twenty-six
marginal scales, (abnormal in his figured specimen ?) and the pri-
mary disk of the vertebral scales is more than half as long (antero-
posteriorly) as it is broad, instead of about twice as broad as long.
The other scales also differ in details of form.

Three young specimens — a male of seven years age, two females
of six and four years — obtained from the mountains of California,
near Fort Mojave.

I take the liberty of naming this fine tortoise after the celebrated
Zoologist, whose work on the development, anatomy and classifica-
tion of American Turtles (Contrib. to Nat. Hist, of U. S.) leaves
nothing to be desired in these particulars. We may hope before
long to see his descriptions of the*genera and species, on which he
has been engaged for several years, and which, like the tortoise
itself, though slow in coming, will doubtless prove of solid worth
and durable quality.

This is the first land tortoise ever found west of the Rocky
Mountains, where but one species of the family is known to be
common, the terrapin of our markets, {Actinomys marmorata,
Agass). The latter I found within the great Utah basin, in the
Mojave river, and have also heard of it near Carson Valley and the
Upper Columbia river. Two or three other species live near the
junction of the Gila and Colorado, and I hear that a land tortoise
is common near the Gila, but whether this species or X. herlan-
dieri, we do not know. I saw one full grown specimen in the pos-
session of an Indian, but was unable to procure it. Broken shells
are frequent on the higher parts of the mountains west of the Col-
orado, where the Pah-Utes eat them. Judging from these, it seems
to attain a length of about a foot.

I obtained several other reptiles and fish which will probably
prove new, but have not yet been able to determine them.

B. Known species new to the State of California.
Mammalia.

Vulpes velox, (Aud and Bach). — Swift or Kit Fox, Fort Mo-
jave, one specimen.

Tlwynomys icmbrinus, (Baird). — Sonora Gopher-rat, Mojave
river bottoms and Cajon Pass.

Hesperomys austerus, (Baird). — Slate-colored wood-mouse. Fort
Mojave, two specimens.

122

H. Sonoriensis, (Leconte). — Sonora wood-mouse, Mojave river.
Lepus callotis? (Wagler). — Texan hare, Fort Mojave.

Birds.

Sphyrapicus mtcJialis, (Baird). — Red-necked Woodpecker, Fort
Mojave, one female specimen.

*S'. williamsonii^ (Baird). — Williamson's Woodpecker, Fort Mo-
jave, one male, very rare.

Colaptes clirysoides, (Baird). — Malherbe's Flicker, Fort Mojave,
a male and two females, the first knoivn United States' specimens,
rare.

Panyptila melanoleuca^ (Baird). — White-throated Swift, Cajon
Pass, one specimen, the third known to have been ever collected,
rare in this State.

Chordeiles texensis, (Lawrence). — Texas Night Hawk, Fort
Mojave and Mojave river, four specimens.

Tyrannus vociferans, (Swainson). — Cassins' King bird, Coco-
raongo Ranch, California, one specimen, common.

Empidonax traillii, (Baird). — Traill's Fly catcher. Fort Mo-
jave and westward, common, two specimens.

Pyranga aesliva? (Vieill). — Summer Red bird, Colorado Val-
ley, common. Differs from eastern specimens only in larger size,
and differs v,'holly in color from P. hepatica, as figured in P. R.
R. Rep., Vol. X, etc. It seems to agree with specimens from
Texas.

Ampelis garrulus, (Linn). — Large Waxwing, Fort Mojave, one
specimen, most south-western locality recorded.

T^ireo belli, (Aud). — Bell's Vireo, Mojave river. The first found
west of Rocky Mountains, common, two specimens.

Harp>orhynchm lecontii, (Bonaparte). — Le Contes' Thrasher.
Deserts along Mojave river, common, two specimens ; the only one
ever before obtained was Le Contes'.

Poojnza bilineata, (Sclater) — Black-throated Sparrow, Fort Mo-
jave, common.

Spizella pallida, (Swainson). — Clay-colored Sparrow, Fort Mo-
jave, common in April ; the first found west of the Rocky Mount-
ains, 2 specimens.

Pipilo chlorurns, (Baird). — Blanding's Finch, Fort Mojave, rare,
two specimens.

[Icterus cucullatus, (Swainson). — Hooded Oriole. Many seen
in interior valleys near San Bernardino. Obtained in Lower Cali-
fornia by J. X ant us.]

\_Hydrochelida plumhea ? — Short-tailed Tern, or a new species,

123

with black breast and gray wings ; seen %ing over headwaters of
Mojave river, near Cajon Pass, June 8th, 1856. The above has
never been seen west of the Rocky Mountains.]

Reptiles.

PituopMs hellona, (Baird & Girard).- — Churchill's Bull snake,
Fort Mojave, common, one specimen.

Masticojjkis testaceus, (B. & G.) — Coppery Whip snake. Fort
Mojave and Mojave river, common, three specimens. First of each
found west of Texas ?,

Salvadora grahamiae, (B. & G.) — Graham's Salvadora, For 1
Mojave, not rare, two specimens, first seen in the United States.

Jm/t/ 21, 1861.
President in the Chair.
The following manifestly new species of HosacJcia was col-
lected and presented by Dr. Andrews — specimen No. 116 o
his collection :

II. macrophjlla, (EuJiosackia,) Kellogg. — Fig. 88. — Stem erect,
fistulous, flesuous, villous throughout, somewhat striate-angled ;
a foot or more in height.

Leaves long (four or five inches), sub-sessile ; leaflets eighteen
to twenty one, somewhat alternate or sub-opposite (distributed
about equally from base to apex) obovate, oblong, broadly
cuneate, mucronatc.

Stipules narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, foliaceous (one-quar-
ter to one-half an inch long).

Peduncles short, (about one-third less than the leaves) umbel
six to eight-flowered ; pinnate, bracts large (two to three
inches long), w^ith seven to nine leaflets, situated a little above
the middle of the peduncle, stipules lance-subulate, acuminate
(form as in the cauline leaves, but narrower).

Flowers purplish, (together with calyx and pedicels) vexil-
lum distant on a long claw^ and with the wings much longer
than the obtuse keel. Teeth of th.e calyx minute, triangular,
acute. Fruit unknown.

Dr. Kellogg read a description of a new species of Ceano-
thus, brought by Dr. J. A. Veatch from Washoe.

124

Ceanothus cordulatus, (Kellogg). — Fig. 39 — A shrub four or
five feet in height ; branches erect, flexuose ; branchlets numer-
ous, very short, divaricate, leafy at the base, terminating in a
stout thorn ; whitish glaucous ; stems strictly terete.

Leaves small, (i. e., one-quarter to one-half an inch long,
rarely three-eighths broad) three-ribbed, (with two other outer
obscure nerves) ovate-cordate, entire, often emarginate, reticu-
late, with translucent* veins, short hirsute above and below,
especially conspicuous along the nerves beneath ; petioles short,
hirsute, in the mature state stout, seldom one-sixteenth of an
inch long, in the young state two to three times that length
and very slender, minutely pubescent ; lamina becoming thick-
ened and coriaceous, persistent. •

Stipules cubulate, hirsute. Leaves alternate in fasiculate
•clusters, somewhat canescent beneath.

Flowers in thyrsoid panicles one to two inches in length,
springing from the summit or approximate lateral branchlets ;
peduncle and pedicels sub-glabrous.

Fig. 39.

125

Calyx petals and pedicels white at the time of blossoming, but
bright pea-green before expansion ; panicles sometimes leafy at the
base.

The form of flowers as usual in this genus ; calyx divisions in-
flexed turbinate ; petals saccate or hooded ; unguiculate pistil three-
parted about one-third its length. Fruit unknown.

This species appears to be near C. Mrsutus (Nutt.) ; but the
leaves are not " nearly sessile," nor " glandularly serrulate," nor
" panicles terminal." Nor does it answer to (7. divaricatus (Nutt.)
as the leaves are not " grandularly serrulate," and seldom half the
size ; nor are the flowers " blue."

Dr. Kellogg presented also the following description :

Hosackia balsamifera, (Kellogg).

Stem branching from a perennial crown, ascending, flexuous ;
striate, very villous throughout with short viscid hairs.

Pinnate leaves three to four inches long ; petiole falcate above,
about one-third the whole length ; leaflets broadly obovate, cuneate
two to three-nerved, abruptly very short acurainate-mucronate,
mostly scattered, nine to thirteen leaflets ; axils always foliaceous ;
stipules large foliaceous, rhombic-cordate acuminate, about five-
nerved.

Peduncles axillary, (super axillary ?) about as long as the leaves ;
umbel eight to twelve-flowered ; pedicels purple, about a quarter of
an inch long ; flowers small, purplish mixed with white, the tubular
calyx purple ; teeth very short, minute, subbilabiate, slightly ven-
tricose above the obconic base.

Bracts three or more foliate, subsessile or petioled ; axils foha-
ceous (often merely a few rudimentary leaves, or only one or two
conspicuously developed) ; bracts situated midway or below the
middle of the peduncles.

Legumes an inch or more in length, nearly straight, curved
towards the point, shghtly compressed, seven to nine-seeded, with
spongy partitions between the seeds", seeds oblong, smooth, black ;
position of the radicle quite prominent.

A well marked species, readily recognized by its manifold sensi-
ble properties, e. g. : its viscid character, which renders it difficult
again to restore its natural form if once carelessly pressed together ;
also by the remarkably fragrant aroma which the whole plant ex-
hales, evidently enticing various insects which too often devour the
fruit. The very grateful balsamic exudation mentioned above has
to the taste the delicious sweet, warm carminative flavor of the
common garden anise or fennel.

Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Dec, 1861. "

Fig. 40.

127

To tlie eye of the casual observer the foliaceous axils of the
leaves in particular present the appearance as if two pairs of
stipules existed ! (by some hocus pocus) of which upon closer examin-
ation one pair proves to be two conspicuously developed leaves
with a third rudiment, leaving attached to the stem its proper single
pair of broad foHaceous stipules.

In the general appearance of the umbel of purpHsh flowers, it
reminds one of Astragalus hypogloUis^ but with the flowers smaller.

August 5, 1861.
President in the Chair.
The following paper was read by Mr. R. Pumpelly :

MlNERALOGICAL SkETCH OP THE SiLVER MlNES OF ARIZONA.

Arizona proper, or the Gadsden Purchase, is that part of our frontier
which has the Rio Grande and the Colorado rivers for its eastern
and western, and the Gila river and Mexican boundary line for its
northern and southern limits.

It thus extends over both slopes of the Sierra Madre^ which here
loses its continuous character, giving rise to almost unconnected
mountain groups. It is also traversed from N. W. to S. E. by
granitic sierras seldom over seventy to ninety miles in length, and
distant from each other from twenty to forty miles. This configura-
tion gives rise to a most remarkable occurrence of paralleUsm.

The intervals between these ranges are plains, having a gradual
descent from the sierras on either side. In the western part of the
territory, where but little rain falls, water courses are very rare and
the surface of these tracts is almost unbroken ; but in the central
portion, near the larger mountains, they present the appearance of
extensive valleys and are cut up by river beds and frequent trib-
utary caTwns.

These plains are all connected and form members of the immense
quaternary deposits, extending from the Gulf of California eastward.

The quaternary formation is stratified, and composed of both
rounded and angular rocks with pebbles and sand — the detritus of
the neighboring mountains and the underlying formations. A grad-
ual and regular descent of the surface of the whole quaternary area
towards the Gulf of Cahfornia and the Colorado river is perceptible,
showing that there has been a gradual elevation extending over a
large area, and probably during a long lapse of time. That this

128

upheaval is of very recent date, Is proven by the presence of exist-
ing species of marine shells scattered over the surface.

As I have already said, the majority of the mountain ranges are
granitic, but we find in many places, and especially those where
the parallelism is disturbed, extensive representations of other form-
ations.

Usually, outcroppinsrs of gneiss, micaceous, talcose and clay slates
are observable, underlying the quaternary at the base of the gran-
itic ranges. In many places the plains consist entirely of the detri-
tus of these rocks, showing that they extend from mountain to
mountain. Towards the Gulf of California, these slates are accom-
panied by metamorphic limestone, and often appear forming inde-
pendent ridges, or inclined against the higher granite hills. They
form the gold region of Sonora, and are probably of the same age
as the similar formations of California, of which, indeed, they seem
to be the continuation. We find them rising out of the desert, at
intervals, from Sonora to the Gila river and the Colorado, and again
underlying the tertiary on the western skirt of the Colorado desert,
and at various points in Southern California.

Near the coast, and traversed by the boundary line, is a very
interesting volcanic formation. The country is studded over with
volcanic cones, some containing craters ; immense streams of lava
cross the desert, or cover, as with a mantle, high granite hills.

The next formation of importance is that of the stratified con-
glomerates. These occur in strata of very variable thickness and
texture, but all are composed for the most part of fragments of
quartziferous porphyry, cemented by a feldspathic mass, also quartz-
iferous. This formation is traversed by intrusive dykes of a por-
phyry of a similar character to many of the fragments enclosed in
the conglomerates.

There is also a great variety of porphyries, both quartziferous
and free from quartz ; and these are the rocks which for the most
part stand in the closest connection with the veins of the country.

Many of these porphyries appear to be the result of metamor-
phic action on sedimentary rocks; but others have every character-
istic of an eruptive origin.

Lastly, dykes of a trachytic porphyry, and of a cellular, black
rock usually in connection with a reddish icacke and a sandstone,
are observable at various points through the countiy.

Climatic influences have given the country a marked and peculiar
character of vegetation. Towards the coast, the plains are barren
and arid deserts, and the traveler may ride hundreds of miles with-
out seeing other plants than diy and thorny cacti and scattered
l)ushes of greasewood. The granite mountains bordering these
deserts are even more barren. Not a tree, nor even a cactus, can

129

be seen on their sides. They tower high above the phiins, great
masses of white, reflecting the rays of the sun with dazzhng bril-
liancy.

The only water to be found over an area of many thousand miles
is at a few points in the mountains, where the rains have collected
in natural tanks sufficient to last for a few months. During the
rainy season, which often nearly fails, shallow pools are formed in
slight depressions on the surface, but a few days' sun is sufficient to
exhaust these sources.

Further from the coast the plains begin to show more vegetation ;
gradually appear the palo verde., the mesquite and a greater variety
of cacti, and on the hills scattered sagiiaras (Cereus giganteus) ;
until, in the eastern portion of the Papagoria, the country is more
thickly covered with a low growth of mesquite and palo verde brush,
above which looms a perfect forest of the columnar saguara.

East of the Baboquiveri range, the character of the country
changes ; the plains are cut in the direction of the longer axis by
deep valleys, receiving tributary canons from the mountains on
either side, and all that remains to show their original character are
the cut-up mesas, or table lands, lying between the river and the
sierras.

These mesas retain indeed much of the desert appearance ; but
they are clothed with bunch and gramma grass, and scattered mes-
quite bushes. Many of the valleys have an extensive growth of
mesquite, and along the river beds in the neighborhood of hidden or
running water grow large cottonwood trees, and in some places fine
ash timber. On the hill sides, above the level of the 7nesas, are
scattered the live oak of the country, the trees varying from twelve
to twenty-five feet in height, giving the country the appearance of
an old orchard. As we ascend the mountains, the oaks are mingled
with the cedar; until, at an elevation of about 6,000 feet above the
level of the sea, the pine region commences.

Owing to the peculiar structure of the river beds, which run
through loose quaternary deposits, the water falling during the
rainy season soon sinks out of sight and follows its course under-
ground, appearing only where the underlying older formations rise,
or where the valley is crossed by a' dyke, in either case natural
dams being formed. These occurrences are sometimes of sufficient
extent to form running streams for several miles, although usually
either only a spring is formed, or more frequently water is obtained
by digging.

These valleys of Central Arizona, as well as the mesas and hill
sides, are covered with an abundant growth of different grasses,
forming extensive tracts of grazing country. There are not many
localities suitable for cultivation, these being confined to such places

130

as have running water for a considerable distance, which can be
conducted in canals for irrigation.

Arizona forms a link in the great chain of mining regions that
stretches along the western side of the continent. Though but a
small portion of the country has been explored ; yet, between the
Rio Grande and the Colorado, numerous districts of great mineral
wealth have been discovered, and on some of them more or less
labor expended. The Mexicans have, at various times since the
middle of the last century, commenced workings on a great number
of veins, but owing to the continued inroads of the Apaches, but
little was accomplished by them.

After the conclusion of the Gadsden treaty, Messrs. Poston and
Ehrenberg, with a small party, entered the country, and after pro-
specting a large number of localities found the Heintzelman vein.

The results of an examination of this proved so satisfactory, that
considerable attention was drawn towards that part of New Mexico.
Joint stock companies, with little ready capital and immense ex-
pectations, were formed. Speculators bought in stock for ten per
cent, of its nominal value, and sold out at from fifty per cent, to
ninety per cent, to tradesmen and widows, too poor to meet assess-
ments, when means for working were absolutely necessary. Men
were put in charge who had never seen a mine, and usually with
no professional assistance. The results of enterprises conducted in
a similar manner are Avell known. Eetween the absence of avail-
able funds on the one hand, and of protection to life and property,
on the other, enterprise was already beginning to stagnate, when
the withdrawal of the troops made the abandonment of the country
absolutely necessary.

The most important of the mines already known and worked is
the Heintzelman, or Cerro color-ado, belonging to the Sonora Mining
Company. It is situated west of Tubac, about twenty-four miles
by road. The vein runs north and south, has a nearly vertical
dip, and is enclosed in a broAvn por^jhyry, free from quartz, and con-
taining ill-defined crystals of feldspar. The thickness of the lode is
from twelve to twenty inches. A vertical main shaft has been com-
menced, with the expectation of intersecting the vein at a depth of
two hundred feet, but it is only completed to about one hundred
and twenty feet. This shaft communicates by cross-cuts, at sixty
and one hundred feet, with two galleries.

The ore is separated by hand into two classes, rendered neces-
sary by the difference in their chemical character and in their rich-
ness in silver. The first class consists of the more massive and
richer ore, composed of Stromeyerite, tetrahedrite, blende and ga-
lena, with native silver ; the gangue is quartz, with some barytes
and the carbonates of magnesia and lime. The blende and galena

131

are so predominant in this class as to render the ore unfit for amal-
gamation, while the percentage of silver in the Stromeyerite is too
great to allow of its being treated profitably in the barrels. This
class represents about ten per cent, of the entire amount of ore,
and the average of its yield of silver, calculated on the entire
amount smelted, is nearly $1,000 to the ton of 2,000 pounds, while
the amount contained is about fifteen per cent. more.

The second class contains the same minerals as the first, but they
are more intimately associated with the gangue, which in this class
forms the bulk of the ore. The blende and galena have a moderate
percentage of silver, (thirty to fifty ounces) while the tetrahedrite
■ (Fahlerz, or Gray Copper ore) varies from one to one and a half
per cent., and the Stromeyerite is said to rise as high as twenty-
six per cent. Chlorobromide of silver and native copper have
occurred, and native silver in small flakes is frequent. Two varieties
of quartz are found, one in the ordinary glassy form, often comby ;
and an opaque white variety, very brittle and associated with the
richer minerals.

Crystalhzed specimens are very rare, and of the copper-silver-
glance none have been observed.

I have observed the following well defined paragenetic successions
occurring in cavities :

quartz ; 2 brownspar ; 3 scalenohedral calcite.
brownspar ; 2 barytes ; 3 scalenohedral calcite.
quartz ; 2 galena ; 1 quartz,
quartz; 2 blende ; 3 calcite.

quartz ; 2 blende ; 3 rhombohedral calcite ; 4 native sil-
ver ; 5 scalenohedral calcite.

/. 1 quartz ; 2 brownspar ; 3 barytes ; 4 native silver.

From this it will appear that the general succession in age is :
1st. quartz; 2d. brownspar; 3d. blende, barytes; 4th. calcite; oth.
native silver; 6th. scalenohedral calcite. From this list the rela-
tive ages of blende and barytes do not appear.

Galena, blende and tetrahedrite are usually closely associated
with each other in this ore, while the argentiferous sulphuret of cop-
per is entirely independent of them, but is, at times, mixed with
erubescite.

Native silver occurs in the common filigree form in cavities in
the argentif. copper-glance, and is often observable in minute specks
on the tarnished surface of blende and tetrahedrite.

The reduction works are on the Arivaca ranch, eidit miles dis-
tant from the mme, and connected with it by an excellent road.
The process used is the European barrel-amalgamation for argen-
tiferous copper ores, and was introduced by Mr. Kiistel, a German
Metallurgist, about three years since. The extent of the works is

a.

1

h.

1

c.

1

d.

1

e.

1

132

very small, permitting of the treatment of about one and a half
tons a day. Six dry stamps, a steam arrastra, one reverberatory
roasting furnace, four barrels, a retort and one refining furnace,
together with a ten horse power engine, constitute the works.

The second class ore, after being coarse stamped, is removed to
the arrastra, which is capable of grinding one ton per day to the
necessary fineness. The resulting slime, after drying, is pounded
and sifted. Five hundred pounds of the ore, after being mixed
with from eight to ten per cent, of salt, are subjected to the chlo-
ridizing roasting for about four hours. About one-half hour before
withdrawing the charge, two per cent, of unburnt limestone is
added to reduce the bichloride of copper to protochloride. In this
manner, six roastings are made in twenty-four hours.

The barrels are charged with 1,000 pounds of the roasted ore ;
100 pounds metallic copper in metalHc balls, and 144 pounds of
water. After revolving two hours, to eifect the partial reduction of
salts injurious to the mercury, by the copper, five hundred pounds
of quicksilver are added.

After revolving twenty-four hours in all, including the second
watering to collect the disseminated globules of quicksilver, the
whole is withdrawn and the amalgam separated and retorted. The
resulting silver is simply melted in a small reverberatory refining
furnace, with the addition of a little borax, and cast in bars of dif-
ferent sizes, having a fineness of 0.990 to 0.998. In the absence
of coin, these are used as a circulating medium, and find their way
to Sonora and, ultimately, to England.

The defects of this process, as appHed at Arivaca, are very
great, and are attributable in part to the character of the ores and
absence of some facilities. The roasting is performed too hurriedly,
and the roving character of the Mexicans renders it very difficult
to make them good workmen at the furnace, where so delicate a
process, requiring long practice, is to be well executed. The per-
centage of sulphur in the ore subjected to this operation is so very
low, that the decomposition of the salt must be imperfect, causing
inordinate loss of this material, which is very expensive. Owing
to the small amount of lime added during the roasting there cannot
but be an unnecessarily large loss of quicksilver. The loss of silver
is said to be from twenty to thirty per cent., which destroys the
main advantage of the European barrel process over the cheaper
Mexican amalgamation ; but, by more carefully meeting the require-
ments of the method, this loss could probably be reduced to at least
ten per cent. These works were erected for temporary use, and
consequently the amount of manual labor is more than double that
which is necessary.

The workmen at the furnace receive one dollar per day of twelve

133 ,

hours ; other Mexican laborers twelve to fifteen dollars per month,
and to each man a ration of sixteen pounds of flour per week.
American laborers are paid from thirty to seventy dollars per month
and boarded.

The cost of salt, wdiich is brought from near the coast, is four
cents per pound ; of copper twenty-five cents per pound, and wood
from four to six dollars per cord delivered at the furnace. The
.price of quicksilver is one dollar per pound.

The first class ore was formerly smelted at the mine in Castilian
furnaces, with the addition of an ore of sulphide and carbonate of
lead, litharge and iron ore. The loss of silver was from fifteen to
twenty per cent., and the cost of extracting that metal about sixty
dollars per ton of ore. The yield, as before stated, was nearly one
thousand dollars to the ton.

From the results obtained, in 1859, on one hundred and sixty tons
of amalgamated ore, it appears that about $24,000 worth of silver
was produced. The loss of quicksilver equalled one pound (=one
dollar) for every forty dollars of silver extracted. The consumption
of copper was 1480 pounds, of salt 32,000 pounds, and of wood
three hundred cords.

The production of silver at the Heintzelman mine is estimated at
over '1100,000 (not including large amounts of ore stolen and worked
in Sonora) but had it been well and regularly worked and provided
with reduction works of sufficient capacity, it might have produced
over '$1,000,000 in the same time.

This is the first experiment made in the United States in apply-
ing the barrel process to the treatment of argentiferous copper ores,
and it is not surprising that, in submitting to it ores of the peculiar
character which these possess, and especially when we consider the
absence of necessary facilities, we should find in it important defects,
many of which are remediable.

No experiments have been made in working this ore by the patio
or Spanish-American amalgamation process, so that it is not known
to what extent the rejection of the present method would prove ad-
vantageous ; but the results obtained at Arivaca show conclusively
that, by remedying the defects within the limits of possibility, and
by proper substitution of mechanical for manual labor, the European
method can be used with profit in Arizona for ores of this class and
containing about one hundred and fifty dollars to the ton.

The same may be said of the ores of many other mines which
are free from lead, and in which tetrahedrite or copper-glance is the
principal silver bearer.

Near Arivaca there are said to be twenty-five openings on veins
worked formerly for gold and silver.

The valley of this ranch is a large plain. The soil rests on clay

134

slate, which is also in part covered by a slight deposit of the usual
quaternary. The hills bounding the valley on the north and south
ax'e of (^uartziferous porphyry. This is a fine-grained rock, with
pink crystals of orthoclase and quartz crystallized in double
pyramids.

The northern hne of contact between the clay-slate and porphyry
is marked by a bold vein of quartz running east and west. In this
are several openings, made previous to the Apache war. The ore
which I observed was galena, and its altered products disseminated
in quartz. It is said to contain gold. Several quartz veins travers-
ing the porphyry have been worked for gold, as have also the beds
of the arroyos in the neighborhood.

Arivaca has too little wood for extensive operations. When the
Heintzelman mine is again worked, the reduction should be eifected
at Tubac, where the erection of large works would be an incentive
to the opening of many of the mines in that neighborhood.

Santa Rita. — The mines of the Santa Rita are situated in and
around a beautiful valley, about ten miles east of Tubac, and among
the foot-hills of the Santa Rita mountains. The valley and the hills
to the north are of a metamorphic quartziferous porphyry, while the
hills to the east consist of a feldspathic rock. It is in these two
formations that the veins occur.

The hills to the south are formed in part by the porjihyry con-
glomerates already mentioned, and in part by a remarkable feld-
spathic porphyry. This last rock has a compact light gray ground,
bearing numerous crystals of a white triclinic feldspar and small
prisms of hornblende, but entirely free from quartz. It is appar-
ently older than the conglomerates. In it no veins have been dis-
covered.

The veins in the feldspathic rock are very numerous, and have with
few exceptions a nearly east and west course. Their dip is nearly
vertical, and they vary from ten to twenty-five inches in thickness.
The gangue is almost entirely quartz, and the ore generally ar-
gentiferous gray copper and galena. When this last mineral is
unaccompanied by the tetrahedrite, its yield is rarely over 0,1 per
cent, of silver, but when occurring in proximity to that mineral it
contains often from 0.5 to 0.75 per cent.

The gray copper ores vary from light steel gray to tarnished
black, and contain from one to over two per cent, of silver. This
mineral, when associated with galena in decomposing, is replaced
by a porous vitreous substance of yellowish green color, and con-
sisting principally of antimonate of lead, containing from one to two
per cent, of silver. The " crystal vein''^ is of a massive ore of ga-
lena, with about twenty per cent, of zinc-blende and copper pyrites.

135

The gangue is quartz, but no tetraheclrite was observed. This ga-
lena is very poor in silver, containing from 0.1 to 0.2 per cent. only.
Thus to the presence of tetrahedrite is apparently due the silver of
these ores.

In this vicinity are several veins of gossan, or oxyd of iron, the
cappings of deposits of ore, and themselves containing a moderate
per centagCj about one per cent., of silver.

The wall rock of these veins is a crystalline granular rock, and
has a slightly bluish tint on its fresh fracture, while its weathered
surface is discolored by oxyd of iron proceeding from the alteration
of the httle hornblende contained in the rock. It also has a little
mica and disseminated particles of magnetic iron. It thus ap-
proaches in composition to a dioritic rock.

The veins which occur in the metamorphic porphyry have, so far
as opened upon, shown a different character from the above. The
porphyry itself has a compact gray ground, impregnated with car-
bonate of lime, and bearing numerous crystals of opaque, white,
triclinic felspar, grains of quartz and dark gray mica in six sided
plates. It contains also specks of magnetic iron.

Veins in this rock are of quartz, often comby, containing a black
tetrahedrite, with from four to eight per cent, of silver, and are in
places impregnated with galena in small cubes, which contain 0.5
per cent, of silver. The gangue is discolored by the blue and
green carbonates of copper and black manganese, with films of the
sulphuret of silver and of native silver. Experiments made on
various quantities, of these ores in the j^citio, with the use of salt
and mercury, without roasting or magistral, have given an average
yield of fifty per cent, of silver', and comparison with correct assays
shows that from eighty to eighty-five per cent, of the silver con-
tained can be extracted by the simple action of salt and mercury.
This fact would seem to show that the silver of this tetrahedrite is
contained as mechanically mixed sulphuret. Some of the veins in
this porphyry have been thrown out of position by a large dyke of
granite.

These mines have been but little worked, • although three at-
tempts have been made — twice by the Mexicans and recently by
the Santa Rita Company, but in each case the Apaches have forced
an abandonment.

The ores reduced by the last Company were divided by hand
separation into two classes. The first, containing tetrahedrite in
quartz and brownspar, had an average yield of one hundred and
seventy-six ounces of silver to the ton. The second class, a quartzy
lead ore with little tetrahedrite, averaged eighty-one ounces to the ton.

Cahuabi Mines. — Westward of the Baboquiveri range, on the

136

outskirts of the desert, in a country clothed with only bushy mes-
quite and cacti, and almost destitute of water, there exists a region
which, from the character of its veins, appears to contain greater
mineral wealth than any other part of Arizona yet explored. It is
situated in the center of a large plain, forming part of the Papa-
goria, and about eighty miles by trail northwest of Tubac.

The veins which I observed occur in a quartziferous porphyry
and in an amygdaloid rock. This latter has a brown compact base,
containing numerous acicular crystals of triclinic felspar, and cal-
careous spar in impregnations and small threads. Cavities, some
filled with quartz and others with Delessite, are frequent. In this
formation is the Cahuabi vein. It is from twelve to fifteen inches
thick, and consists of quartz and heavy spar, containing argentifer-
ous copper-glance, galena and black tetrahedrite. The ore of this
vein is said to average from one hundred and fifty to two hundred
dollars per ton.

The Tajo vein, about three miles from the Cahuabi, occurs in
the same rock and is about two feet in thickness. The gangue is
barytes and quartz. The ore consists of copper-glance, galena and
tetrahedrite with some blende. With the copper-glance is associated
copper pyrites. This vein contains also considerable metallic gold.
The ore is said to vary from one hundred and fifty to one hundred
and seventy dollars per ton.

Four miles west of the Tajo is a vein which traverses a quartz-
iferous porphyry of the same character as that which bears the
gold-quartz veins of Arivaca. The gangue is quartz, and contains
black tetrahedrite and some vitreous copper.

A great number of veins of quartz and barytes occur in these
two formations, the latter seeming to prefer the amygdaloid rock.
One vein of barytes, containing a " bonanza " of sulphuret of silver,
was found and worked by the Mexicans, and several specimens of
heavy spar associated Avith silver-glance from various localities were
shown me.

The San Pedro Mines. — These are about thirty-five miles cast
of Fort Buchanan, and were opened by a St. Louis Company. The
ores that I have seen from this locality are tetrahedrite and massive
copper-glance, containing copper pyrites, with quartz and barytes
for gangue from the San Pedro vein, and galena with iron pyrites
from the St. Paul mine.

These veins were being opened and promising well, when the
Company abandoned them on the account of the assassination of
the employf^s by the Peons.

The San Pedro river near these mines is said to be capable of
furnishing sufficient water power for extensive reduction works.

137

From a study of the fissure silver veins of central Arizona it would
appear — firstly, that they have in common, quartz, galena and te-
trahedrite; secondly, that there is a close connection between bary-
tes and copper-glance, more or less argentiferous, in their occur-
rence in a vein ; and thirdly, that the projjortion of silver in the
galena is largely increased when this mineral is associated with te-
trahedrite. A large number of assays made on the gray copper
ores of different mines showed a range of from one to eight and a
half per cent, of silver.. In many, if not all the richer varieties
examined, a large per centage was undoubtedly contained as me-
chanically mixed sulphuret of silver.

In the Santa Cruz mountains, south of Fort Buchanan, is a series
of lead mines, several of which were excavated by Mexicans several
years since. They appear to follow the line of contact between an
argillaceous limestone, in whi«h corals have been found, and a
probably metamorphic porphyry. In places the deposits are of con-
siderable extent, often many yards in thickness, but, apparently,
very irregularly developed. Near the surface the galena is often
entirely changed into carbonate of lead associated with porous
quartz.

At the Patagonia mine the ore consists of galena sufficiently
altered, at the present depth of working, to render its reduction
extremely simple. The average yield of silver from this ore has
been, thus far, about eighty dollars per ton.

There is another class of contact veins bearing both lead and
copper ores.

To this'class belongs the deposit near San Xavier on the Santa
Cruz. The ore is galena with copper pyrites and tile ore, associated
with oxyd of iron and quartz, the whole interstratified with meta-
morphic limestone.

The galena examined contained 0.20 per cent., the copper
pyrites 0.25 per cent., and the tile ore 0.10 per cent, silver.

Near Caborca, in northwestern Sonora, are deposits of a some-
what similar character. The strata of metamorphic limestone are
almost vertical, and near their contact with granite become highly
impregnated with lime garnets. Along the hne of contact between
the two formations, the presence of copper ores is indicated by fre-
quent occurrence of green and blue carbonates and impure red
oxyd. These indications often lead to the discovery of limited de-
posits containing a few hundred tons of copper.

One of these, worked in 1861, yielded from two hundred and
fifty to three hundred tons of twenty-five per cent. ore.

There was no vein ; the ore, which was accompanied by calcareous
spar, being gradually replaced at the bottom of the deposit by the
limestone of the formation.

138

The ore is copperglance, tile ore or impure red oxyd, and some
copper pyrites. Accompanying these deposits, and also where no
copper ore is visible, the line of contact is occupied by masses of
magnetic iron. Where the same limestone comes in contact with
diorite, the former contains large crystals of magnetic iron and
spinel,

Planchas de ba Plata. — In Sonora, just south of the line, and
near the meridian of Tubac, are the Plai^chas de la Plata mines,
still celebrated throughout the Republic. According to the best
Mexican and Jesuit authorities, large masses of native silver were
discovered there in 1769. Pieces of great size were obtained,
(one is said to have weighed 3,600 pounds) and the workings were
being prosecuted with vigor and success, when the Spanish Govern-
ment declared the deposit to be a oriadero, and as such to belong
to the Crown.

The place was therefore abandoned, and every attempt made at
regular working since the revolution has been frustrated by the
Apaches.

The most singular feature connected with the discovery is, that
no vein, from which these masses could have come, was found.
The deposit seems to have been a regular placer. The silver oc-
curred in pieces of every size down to small grains. Several rich
veins were opened in the neighboring mountains, but were also
abandoned from absence of protection. The only specimens that I
have seen from this locahty were apparently a partially decomposed
quartziferous porphyry, from the wall rock of the Mina Colorada,
and were impregnated with grains of silverglance.

General Conclusions. — Before the working of mines in Arizona
can become regular and profitable, many changes will be necessary.
The Apaches must either be exterminated or reduced to complete
submission, and this can only be accomplished by a long series of
campaigns. A port is also necessary, without which all supplies
and machinery have to be transported over deserts from the Gulf
of Mexico or the Colorado river. Guaymas, three hundred and
fifty miles, and Port Lobos, one hundred and fifty miles from Tubac,
are the natural entrances to the country, and so long as these re-
main in the hands of a treacherous and capricious government, no
enterprise can flourish either in Arizona or Sonora. Further, the
present unnatural boundary line will always be a source of trouble,
affording a shelter to the robbers and assassins of both countries.

The substitution of white for peon labor, would probably be a
failure, owing to the debilitating influence which the climate exerts
on northerners. The Mexican labor is good when properly super-

139

intended ; but, to render it advantageous, the recognition of the tra-
ditionary custom of peonage is necessary. A thorough code of
mining laws is also much to be desired, for however Avell the plan
of permitting miners to make their own regulations may be thought
to work in gold districts, it will never place silver mining on a solid
basis ; but cannot, on the contrary, act otherwise than prejudicially
to the interests of both miners and the State.

There is but little doubt, that after a few years of proper devel-
opment, Arizona might become an important source of silver, al-
though its veins do not possess the great thickness of many of the
mines of Mexico, although the average richness of the ore is greater
and more concentrated. Still, it cannot be expected to produce
the brilliant results obtained in Central Mexico.

August 19, 1861.
President in the Chair.

The following communication was presented by Col. L. Ransom :

DECLINATION OF THE MAGNETIC NEEDLE.

Being connected with the United States General's Otiice in Cal-
ifornia from the commencement of the public surveys in 1851 until
1858, I became familiar with the field operations of the Deputy
Surveyor from examinations of the field notes and maps of surveys,
as returned from time to time.

As the regulations of the General Land Office required the varia-
tion of the compass to be taken as often as once in each township,
(of six miles square) I became impressed with the great difference
in the variations bQtween the northern and southern portions of the
State, and at once determined to make a record of those differences.

I therefore ruled a rough jnap to designate the township and
range lines, and from time to time entered the magnetic variations
as taken in each surveyed township and returned by the Deputy
Surveyors ; and since I left the Surveyor General's Office, I have
been enabled, through the courtesy of those having the surveys in
charge, to complete my notes and memoranda, so far as the public
surveys have progressed.

From these, I have been enabled to present the Academy with
a small skeleton map of the State, on which are delineated the town-
ship and range lines, as they have been and are intended to be
established by actual survey, with fines of equal variation of the

140

compass, or magnetic needle, at intervals of thirty minutes of dis-
tance. These hnes are approximate, yet as nearly correct as the
materials from which they are drawn would permit.

Innumerable difficulties at once present themselves in an under-
taking of this kind. Returns of variations are too often made by
those styling themselves surveyors, who are not sufficiently conver-
sant with the mode of ascertaining them. Others, who are com-
petent, are often too intent on gain to spend sufficient time to insure
accuracy in their observations. Defects in the instruments used,
and occasional local attractions, have their influence in producing
inaccuracies.

The expression, " as true as the needle to the pole," has obtained
credence from the very common belief that the magnetic needle
invariably points to the polar star ; and further, that if any varia-
tion does exist — when ascertained-^it will be found to be constant.

From observations, it is ascertained that at the south line of the
State the magnetic needle, instead of pointing to the true north,
varies to the east about 12'^ 40', while at the north line of the
State it exceeds 18°.

It will be perceived, in tracing the lines of equal variation on the
map, that they are not in a direct line, but in many places very
much curved ; and .that these curves are also very irregular. In
several of them there appears a decided " sag," or rapid depres-
sion to the south soon after crossing the crest of the coast range
2;oing east.

At a few points in the State, extraordinary local attraction is
experienced. This is particularly the case a few miles westerly of
the tow^n of Sonora, in townships one and two south, ranges twelve,
thirteen and fourteen east, where the variation is from fourteen
to eighteen degrees. The district of country bordering on the
" Buttes," west of the city of Marysvilie, in townships fourteen,
fifteen and sixteen north, ranges one, two, three and four east, indi-
cate changes of variation from fourteen and one-half to seventeen
degrees. West of " Lassen's Peak," in townships thirty and thirty-
one north, ranges, one, two -and three east, the variation is from
fourteen to seventeen degrees. In the vicinity of " Shasta Butte,"
in townships forty-one and forty-two north, ranges one, two, three
and four west, the variation is from fourteen to eighteen degrees.
About the Humboldt, Mount Diabolo and San Bernardino very little
if any local attractiqn is experienced. This is especially the case
on what is styled the " Desert."

xVdded to these difficulties in tracing lines by the magnetic needle
may be mentioned the constant but irregular changes termed " di-
urnal " and " annual."

From observations continued during a series of years in different

141

portions of the Northern Hemisphere, it is undoubtedly known to
the academy that the needle is never " at rest," but continually
vibratino;, or changing, either to the east or to the west. These
observations of change have been reduced to something like regu-
larity. For instance, it is ascertained that somewhere about eight
o'clock in the morning, the needle is at its greatest eastern position.
At near two o'clock in the afternoon it is at its greatest western
position. Then it moves east again until eight or nine in the after-
noon. Then west until two or three in the morning, returning to its
eastern position at about eight o'clock in the morning of each day.
These hours vary somewhat in different places, and the oscillations
*or changes are greater in summer than in winter. In Cambridge,
it is said to be fifteen minutes in summer and ten in winter. In
Paris, it is sometimes twenty-five minutes in summer, and in St.
Petersburgh sixteen minutes m summer and only two in winter.

Observations tending to show the extent of the diurnal variations
or changes in this State, are limited. I am informed that for a few
years past the President of Santa Clara College has paid some
attention to the subject, but the result of his labors has not yet
transpired. In conversation with some of the more intelligent sur-
veyors of the State, they appear to be aware of the existence of
important changes during the day, but no experiments have been
made by them to ascertain the range.

Some casual observations made by me in Amador Valley, in Ala-
meda county, in August, 1851, between the hours of eight A. M.
and two P. M., showed a variation of nine minutes during that
period.

The annual variation is subject, it is believed, to greater irregu-
larity and less system. The observations taken in tliis State, so far
as known to me, are meager.

Lines run m 1850 near the old San Jos^ Mission, in Alameda
county, at the true variation at that time, were retraced in 1856
by the same person with the same instrument, at a variation show-
ing an average annual change of seven minutes. Lines run in
1852 some ten miles west of Santa Clara, in Santa Clara county,
now indicate a chano-e in tracing them of about two and one-half
minutes per annum. Lines run in the vicinity of San Francisco in
1852, now show changes averaging near four minutes per annum.
Lines run in 1851 near the base of Mount Diablo, were retraced
recently at a variation amounting to some two and one-half minutes
per annum.

Col. Lewis, an intelHgent surveyor and mathematician of this city,
informs me that his observations for the last ten years go to show an
annual increase east in the variation, in this section of the State, of
about four minutes.

Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci., April, 1862. ^^

142

Observations for the last half century, collected by the Coast
Survey, as taken along the coast, the larger portion of which are
not considered by them reliable, show the average annual variation
eastward to have been something over one minute.

These observations, however meager, go to show disturbance and
change. It is not supposed or believed that these amuial changes
are anything like regular.

The occasional earthquakes with which we are visited in this
State, notwithstanding they do no material injury other than to
frighten the timid, are believed to have more or less effect on the
magnetic forces, and to cause sudden changes in some locaUties.

Mr. W. P. Blake exhibited specimens and read a notice of the
" Bailey Silver Ore," so called, which has recently attracted much
attention in San Francisco. He had made a qualitative examina-
tion, whose results he gave, stating that he was " obliged to conclude
that this substance is either a new and undescribed species or an
artificial compound ; the latter is most probable. It has the general
aspect of an alloy rather than of a mineral."

September 2, 1861.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg presented the follo\\ing paper ;

• The following new and quite anomalous plant, was recently sent
us from the head-waters of the Carson River, by Mr. CD. Gibbs,
who remarks that " the specimens, Avhich are much the same, were
collected on both sides of the summit of the SieiTa Nevada."

The plant is about four feet in height, mth a stout, simple stem,
obtusely quadrangular and nearly smooth, springing from a peren-
nial fusiform root. The flowers are pale blue and speckled with
darker blue, arranged in a compound panicle, occupying the upper
half of the stem ; the cauline leaves in whorls of four, narrowly
lanceolate and nerved ; the radical leaves broader.

As we find no genus answering to this plant, we offer it as
Tesseranthium, (Kellogg.)

(The name significant of the ruling quadniple form of the flower ;
as also of the prevalence of the number four or integers of four, in
all its parts.)

Cfeneric character. — Flowers perfect, perianth spreading, with-

144

eiing-persistent, segments cohering at the loweimost base, calyx
di^'isions four, Hnear-lanceolate ; petals four, base.broad, ovate-oblong,
lance-pointed, biglandular, gibbous on the back ; filaments flattened,
subulate, short, the attenuated apex outwardly recurved resuj)inat-
ing the anthers ; the expanded base cohering Avith the perianth
opposite the calycme segments (or at the sinus of the petals).
Anthers introrse, twO|Celled, cells distinct, oblong sagittate or lobed
at the base, fixed by the middle. Styles two, contiguous, short,
stigmas flattened and shghtly expanded. Capsule sessile, chartaceo-
ligneou^ one-celled, two-valved, ovoid-conical, gibbously caiinate.
Seeds numerous, flattened, sub-winged, parietal in several series
perpendicularly attached or parallel with the valves.

T. radiatum, (Kellogg.) [Specific name from the remarkable
radiations of the pedicels, similar to the rays of an expanded fan.]
Fig. 41.

Stem upright, obtusely quadrangular, slightly pubei-ulent ; from
a fusiform rhizoma.

Radical leaves broadly-lanceolate, striate, nerved, margins sca-
brous, narrowed and clasping at base ; cauline leaves narrower,
chiefly three to seven-nerved verticillate (by fours) , margins scabrous.

Bracts merely reduced leaves in whorls of four ; bracteoles at
the secondary subdivisions in pairs, from the edges of the rachis ;
inflorescence definite, in a terminal somewhat elongated pyramidal
raceme-panicle, the superaxillary pedicels opposite, in long fan-
shaped radiations of two to four ascending from each angle and
more or less cohering together at the base, pedicels one-flowered,
two-edged or obcompressed, expanding above, sharply four-angled
just beneath the base of the flower, the capsular valves correspond-
ing to the two principal scabrous angles, those of the stem or prin-
cipal rachis in whorls of four in the subdiiisions opposite.

Calyx divisions four about ecpial (or alternately a httle longer)
linear-lanceolate acute, three-nerved, green (or only slightly colored
towards the base), translucent margins somewhat waved, alternate
ing with the petals. Petals four, ovate-oblong lance-pointed some-
what acuminate, nerved (chiefly three or more), the two large
oblong contiguous glands are situatec^ above the broad base, flowers
spreading, at length strongly carinate, withering-persistent, in the
blooming state pale li\ad 'blue speckled with darker blue, mid-vehi
also dark })lue. Filaments glabrous, cohering with the perianth o}>
posite the calycine segments — short (about half the length of the
petals), flattened-subulate with an expanded three to five-nerved
base shghtly inter-connected by a hirsute margin attenuated up-
wards to a fine point ; anthers oblong, two-celled, bifid at the base,
fixed by the middle, introrse — but apparently cxtrorse by resupina-
tion (the base being turned up over, ^. e. uppermost, from the out-

Fig. 42.

--<3-

146

ward recurving apex of the filament). Styles two, closely contiguous
(or one, and ])artible), very short, plane on the inside, stigmatic
apex flattened and slightly expanded. Ovary sessile, ovate acute,
coriaceous and somewhat rugose, one-celled, two-valved, ovides
parietal, attached by the edge parallel Avith the valves, m three to
five rows, the series laterally ascending. Mature capsule coriaceo-
ligneous, oblong-ovoid conic above, slightly compressed valves opening
at the median ventral suture from above, the apex of each valve
reflex-spreading, gibbously carinate ridged and rugose on the back,
seeds flattened and somewhat margmed.

No. 1 in the Fig. exhibits the outline, size and form of a portion
of the root and its crown or base of the amiual stem. No. 2, a
section from the lower portion of the cymose panicle, showing the
mature capsules with petals, stamens and calyx, as they appear in
the withering-persistent state. No. 3, the flower a little enlarged,
showhig the glands and relative position of its parts. No, 4, a valve
of the capsule of natural size laid open with the seeds in situ on one
side, while the opposite side exhibits the scars or umbilical attach-
ment of the seeds. ,

OctQher 6, 1861.

President in the Chair.

Mr. W. P. Blake noticed the occurrence of some veiy beautiful
crystalhzations of silver in the cavities and slags of a brick furnace
which had been used in this city for smelting ores of silver with lead.
The crystals are found in caAaties, and are in bead-like strings or
linear groupings of octahedra, with brilUant surfaces, about the
twentieth part of an inch across the bases. Other crystals are flat-
tened octahedrons, forming thin triangular plates. The specunens
are much like some of the crystallizations of silver occm-iing m mines,
and would not generally be recognized as artificial .

Dr. Kellogg read the amiexed descriptions :

The following plant is from Mr. C. D. Gibbs, from the head-

Avaters of Carson River.

Echinosperuum nervosum, (Kellogg.) Fig. 42.
Stem herbaceous, simple, upright, minutely strigose throughout,
upper floriferous branches erect, spreaduig, elongated into lax ratlier

Fig. 43.

148

naked \'irgate racemes ; the lower, axillary and solitary. Bracts
foliaceous, bracteoles (when present) minute, ovate, acute.

Leaves sessile, ovate-lanceolate, or oblong-lanceolate, acute, three
to five-nerved, minutely silvery strigose above, liirsutely strigose
beneath. Calyx segments lance-pointed, rarely somewhat obtuse,
three-nerved, about half the length of the corolla tube, shorter than
the pedicels. Salver-form corolla imbricated, throat closed by five
slightly emarginated scales, stamens and pistil included, the pistil
slightly compressed, stigma-capitately sub two-lobed.

Nuts four, muricate.

Flowers with a blue border, the tube pale whitish.

The fruit and veins of the leaves often purplish.

The specimens of 3Iertenda herewith presented Avere collected
near the head-waters of the Carson River by Mr. C. D. Gibbs.

Mertensia stomatechoides, (Kellogg.) Fig. 43.

Stem herbaceous, erect, smoothish, (or beset throughout with a
few callous globules, which see magnified at No. 1, Fig. 43 ;) angled
by the decurrent ribs and margins of the leaves.

Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acuminate mucronate (by a callous pro-
longation), three-nerved, sessile, erect, sub-clasping, decurrent ; the
upper canline leaves lanceolate, (radical leaves unknown.)

Lamina membranaceous, green, somewhat roughened by very
minute rugae ; also minutely tubercled — chiefly above — with nu-
merous white callous gland-like globules or prominent points beauti-
fully clothed with frosty radiating villi, (see No, 1, Fig. 43, as they
appear under the common pocket [Stanhope] lens ;) villous globules
fewer beneath, scarcely a few hairs rarely seen ; margins scabrously
serrulate, (the remote mmute marginal callosities obtuse or pappillose
scabrous).

Inflorescence axillary and terhiinal in sub-corymboid racemes,
sub-revolute, nodding, a fcAV of the lower ones bracted at the base.
Pedicels nearly as long as the flowers, also studded with the white
stellular globules. Calyx short (about one-tliird the length of the
tube), segments lance-linear, acute, mucronate, short-ciliate, three
to five-nerved. Corolla purplish blue, tubular-funnel-form, lobes very
short, obtuse, spreading, each three-nerved — which together with
the intennediate nerve from each filament makes the tube twenty-
nerved ; five small purplish, emarginate, mnuitely pappillose scales
or folds between the stamens of the open throat. Filaments ecpial,
short, flat, membranaceous, one-nerved ; anthers oblong-linear, ob-
tuse, sub-sagittate at base, longer than the filaments. Pistil per-
sistent, glabrous, fihform, sub-compressed, two-nerved, much exsert ;
stigma minutely icapitate sub-two-lobed. Nuts triangular, erect,
acute with a callous apex, one to two rows of tubercles on the mar-
gin, wrinkled on the slightly convex back.

Fig. 44.

150

Octoher 20, 1861.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg read the annexed paper :

The following species of Lifthyrus was sent from Washoe by Dr.
Lanszweert.

Lathyrns Lanszioerfii, (Kellogg.) Fig. 44.

Stem slender, acutely quadrangular and striate naked, below ;
sparsely somewhat appressed pubescent above, ascending one to two
feet in height.

Leaflets three to four pairs, lineai'-oblanceolate, cuneate, entire,
sub-acute, mucronate, sub-sessile, opposite, five to seven-nerved,
sub-pubescent, lamina rather rigid, thin, veins prominent, petiole
sulcate, striate, angled, tendrils three-parted, pubescence loosely ap-
"pressed. Stipules semi-sagittate, linear-lanceolate, sub-falcate, en-
tire, very acute or nearly subulate pointed, upper third sparsely
pubescent, ciliate, nerved.

Peduncles shorter than the leaves (one to two inches long),
angled, one to four-flowered, flowers pale flesh-colored, rather large.
Calyx tubular-campanulate, somewhat two-lipped, teeth broad or
triangular-lanceolate, two upper deeply cleft, short ; all one to three-
nerved (the marginal veins scarcely to be regarded as lateral
nerves). Calyx also nerved from the sinuses, margins ciliate.
Vexillum obovate, emarginate, cuneate, margins minutely waved ;
wings adherent to the keel, oblong, wrinkled, the internal tooth-hke
process large, causing a conspicuous swell or outward curve at the
origin of the claws, tufted, bearded on the upper side below the
stigma, and thence a scabrously bearded line extending down nearly
the whole length. Embryo legume straight, oblanceolate, com-
pressed, four to six-seeded, glabrous. Mature fruit unknown.

Remarks. — The plant appears to be closely alhed to L. i^olymor-
phus, Nutt. But that species is from six to ten foliate above,
leaflets obtuse at each end, crowded at the base of the stem, which
is erect and branched — the leaflets are also scattered and the petio-
les terminated by a small bristle ; besides, the stipules are minutely
semi-sagittate at the base. The peduncles longer than the leaves
and many flowered — flowers purple. The calyx segments by no
means agree, for they are as remote as possible from being subulate^
— " someAvhat unequal " is not applicable.

It is also near L. myrtifolius, but that has obtuse glabrous leaf-
lets and scabrous marginal stipules, peduncles longer than the
leaves, &c.

Fig. 45.

152

November 3, 1861.
^ • President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg read the annexed paper :

The following fonn of Ceanofhus was found ui the Yo-Semite
Valley, by Madam Werthermann.

Ceanothus nevadensis, (Kellogg.) Fig. 45.

Stem bright green, similar to the leaves, nearly glabrous, warted,
scarcely angled.

Leaves ovate, sub-acute, mucronate by a conic gland, entire,
lamina thin, sub-coriaceous, dull lustrous pitted above (not varnished
nor resinous) ; glaucous, reticulate, and very short appressed pub-
escent beloAv, three moderiltely prominent ribs from the base ; the
smaller leaves often ovate-oblong, sub-acute or somewhat obtuse.
Petioles very slender, appressed pubescent, half an inch or more in
length, a few dark purple conic glands above scattered along the
upper third, stipules subulate, acuminate, ciliate. Panicles elon-
gated, terminal, five or six inches' in length, leafy at the base, sec-
ondary subdivisions very short, filiform, pedicels glabrous like the
calyx. Flowers white, small, calyx segments incurved.

Remarks. — This species appears to be closely aUied to C. velio-
timis. But the leaves are not rounded, cordate, nor serrate ; nei-
ther is the slender elongated racemoid-panicle " thrice compound,"
nor m the general appearance is it so large and robust. Could the
shaded damp and lofty habitat of this plant cause so great difference
as we have observed ? The leaves, we observed, are not at all var-
nished, shming, nor resinous, nor exhahng the strong odor of C.
velufinus. •

Torrey says C. velutinus has " axillary panicles," This is probar
bly a mistake, if we recollect rightly. These certauily are not
axillary.

Streptanthus torfuosus, (Kellogg.) Fig. 46.

Stem simple or branching, glabrous and glaucous throughout.

Lower leaves petiolate, lamina somewhat spatulate, cuneate at base,
entu'e, serrate above, obtuse, or sub-acute.

Middle cauline leaves oblong, sub-acute, serrate above, entire
below, and slightly narrow^ed towards the sagittate base.

Bracts orbicular, clasping, entire, or minutely repand-denticulate ;
about two to four, distributed at the base of the branches and lower
siUques.

Racemes simple or branching, pedicels erect (about one-eighth of
an inch in flower, increasing to one-fourth or half an inch in frait),
shorter than the calyx.

Fig. 46,

154

Closed calyx Liiglit purple or lilac-red, base gibbous, apex of the
sepals acuminate recurved, two lateral largest ; petals a little exsert
on a linear tortuous claw, lamina narrow spatulate, margin undulate.

Mid-vein and veinlets purple, margins whitish. One pair of the
longer filaments usually united, another linear-sagittate. Siliques
long (two to two and one-half inches), narrow linear compressed,
recurved valves one-nerved, areolation tortuous.

Seeds wing-margined ; funiculi free above, somewhat adnate at
the base.

Specific name from the unusually tortuous lines of the areolar
reticulations. The specimens presented by Mr. C. D. Gibbs, from
the copper region of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

November 17, 1861.
President in the Chair.
Dr. Kellogg read the annexed paper :

Lonicera intermedia, (Kellogg.) Fig. 47.

Stem upright, glabrous, four-angled.

Leaves deciduous, opposite, elliptic, acuminate or nearly ovate-
acuminate, margins minutely soft ciliate, pubescent beneath, paler
green, lamina thin, flaccid and veins prominent ; glabrous above,
petioles one-fourth to one-half an inch hi length, ciliate at the base.

Peduncles Avinged, the margins stipitate glandular, short (about
one inch in length), two-flowered.

Bracts four, in two pairs : the exterior ovate short-acuminate,
about nine-nerved, membranous, sparsely glandular hirsute ; in-
terior pair somewhat obcordatc, deeply two-lobed, enclosing the
ovaries and mature fruit, thick, fleshy, purple, densely stipitate
glandular (often divided quite down to the base).

Corolla tul)ular, curved, somewhat irregular, border deeply lobed
the fifth inner lobe or lip somewhat smaller, or often partially devel-
oped, tube gibbous at the base (on the outside), slightly hirsvite
within, externally hirsute, a few glandular hairs and sessile glands
intermixed.

Style sub-wmged above ; sparsely bearded below, as are the fila-
ments, scarcely exsert.

Berries small, purple, distinct; very sparsely pubescent and
glandular in the embryo state, at length glabrous.

This plant was sent to us by Mr. C. D. Gibbs.
Without the flower it might be easily mistaken for some forms of
L. involucrata.

PlO. 47.

156

December 1, 1861.

> President in the Chair.

Dr. Ayres presented the following description of a new ichthjic
form, from the coast of Lower California.

Cynoscion parvipinnis, (Ayres.)

Form elongated, somewhat compressed, head pouited, dorsal out-
line more arched than the abdominal. Length of the head one-
fourth of the total length ; greatest depth a httle less than one-fifth
of the length. Lower jaw longer than the upper. Mouth of moderate
dimensions, the maxillary scarcely reaching a hne even with the
posterior border of the orbit. Teeth very small on the sides of the
upper jaw, becommg larger anteriorly, while in front are two or three
quite large canines ; those on the sides of the lower jaw are larger than
those of the upper, decreasing in size toward the front. Eye distant
not quite twice its own length from the anterior border of the upper
jaw, its length being contamed a httle over sLx times m the length
of the head. Scales soft, covermg the entire body and the head
except the jaAvs.

The origin of the first dorsal fin is a little posterior to the line of
the tip of the operculum ; its height at the third spme, which is the
highest, is about half the depth of the fish ; the last two spines are
very short and almost concealed, causing the fin to appear as though
se})arated by quite an interval from the second dorsal, though it is
in fact continued to it. Its length is more than twice its height.

The second dorsal is liighest at the first soft ray, (which is pre-
ceded by a short spinous one,) and diminishes thence regularly. Its
gi'eatest height, which is contained three times in its length, is a
little less than that of the first dorsal.

The pectorals are somewhat pointed, theii' height less than one-
umth of the length of the £sh.

The ventrals, arising posterior to the origin of the pectorals, have
a height equal to half the length of the head.

The anal a little posterior to the hne of the middle of the second
dorsal. Like that fin, it is highest at the first soft ray, (which is
preceded by a short spinous one,) and diminishes thence regularly.
Its length and height, which are equal, are equal to the height of
the second dorsal.

The caudal fin is even posteriorly ; the height of the outer rays
is about half the length of the second dorsal.

D. X ; 1-22 ; P. 10 ; V. 1-5 ; A. I-IO ; C. 4-1-8-7-1-3.

Fig. 48.

Proo. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci., Sept., 1862. -i i

I

158 •

Tliis species, -«'hich until recently would have been called Otoli-
thus, belongs, quite manifestly, to that division to which Mr. Gill
has given the name Cynoscion. The species is well marked, and
easily recognized by the characters given. A single specimen only
has yet been seen. This was brought from the coast of Lower Cal-
ifornia, in about Lat. 21^ N., by Capt. C. M. Scammon ; it is
nineteen inches in length.

December 15th, 1861.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg read the following description of a plant brought
from the coast range at some point north of San Francisco :

Walilenhergia Californica, (Kellogg). Fig. 49.

Stem simple, weakly, ascending slightly, two wing margined
edges retrorsely aculeate, glabrous ; flowers mostly solitary and
terminal on long peduncles, (or rarely an axillary rudiment below)
about four to six mches in height.

Leaves alternate, ovate, sub-acute, mucronate, dentate ; teeth
mucronate, margins retrorsely aculeate, lamina thin, veiny, naked,
sub-three-nerved at the base, sub-sessile. Calycine tul)e obconically
campanidate, border five-lobed, strongly ten-nerved — five of which
are from the sinuses ; segments lance-lmear, very acute, con-
spicuously one-nerved or obscurely five-nerved ; margms retrorsely
aculeate, about one-fourth of an inch in length, or half the length of
the corolla. Corolla monopetalous, erect, funnel-form, border five-
cleft, division lanceolate acute, about ten-veined, twice the length
of the calyx ; pale blue.

Pistil as long as the tube, minutely pubescent, stigma two-parted ;
stamens shorter than the style, filaments somewhat flattened below,
minutely short pubescent.

Mature fruit unknown.

Remarks. — The extreme delicacy of the flowers and fewness of
specimens have prevented us from obtaining as thorougli a knowl-
edge of the plant as is desirable. Our figure is from a dried 'speci-
men.

From such investigations as we have been able to make, no plant
of this genus appears to have been collected on this coast. They
are chiefly found at the Cape of Good Hope, and in India and Japan,
also Australia and on the Islands ; a few are found on the calcareous
soils of mountains in the Southern hemisphere. We hope to be
able to return and do more ample justice to the plant at some future
time.

Fig. 49

JANUARY 6th, 1803.

^ISriSrUAL MEETING-

President in tlie Chair.

The following Officers were elected for the year :

LEANDER RANSOM, President.

DK.J. KECKEL, j Vice Presidents.

Dr. S. B. bell, )

Dr. W. 0. AYRES, Cor. Secretary.

Prof. W. H. BREWER, Rec. Secretary.

WM. HEFFLEY, Treasurer.

Prof. J. D. WHITNEY, Librarian.

W. M. GABB, PALiEONTOLOGY.

Dr. J. B. TRASK, Conchology.

Dr. J. G. COOPER, Zoology.

Dr. H. BEHR, Entomology.

H. G. HANKS, Mineralogy.

H. G. BLOOMER, Botany.

Dr. AYRES,

Dr. TRASK, \ Publication.

Col. RANSOM,
Dr. ECKEL,

Mr. HEFFLEY, y Library.

Dr. TRASK,

Mr. HEFFLEY, ) p,^^^,^.

Dr. TRASK, )

161

January 2Qth, 1862,

President in the Chair.

Professor J. D. Whitney exhibited a specimen of cinnabar, found
about fifteen miles north-west of Black Rock, in Nevada Territory,
where it is said to occur in considerable quantities. It was discov-
ered by Mr. C. F. Hoffman, Topographer to the Lander Wagon
Road Expedition. Accompanying the cinnabar was silica resem-
bling that occurring with the ores of mercury, in the Coast Ranges
of CaUfornia.

Dr. Kellogg presented the following paper :

The Society acknowledge their obligations to Mr. G. W. Gibbs
for the following new species of Astragalus, from the Sierra Nevada,
near the head waters of Carson river :

Astragalus Gribbsii, (Kellogg). Fig. 50.

Stem erect, (?) herbaceous, fistulous, flexuous (simple or) branch-
ing, striate, canescently short (sub-wooly) villous, one to two feet
in height. Leaves on short petioles (quarter to an inch in length) ;
leaflets dght to ten pairs, obcordate, cuneate ; on the upper stem
obovate, retuse, cuneate at the base, minutely villous above and
below, on very short petiolules, (leaflets half to an inch long, rarely
half an inch wide). Stipules fohaceous, triangular, acute, adnate
to the lowermost base of the petiole, (scarcely cohering with each
other beneath the petiole by a base line, which curves along the
insertion of either stipule to its middle, and is thence strongly
decurreut to the leaf below) ; upper stipules . ovate, acuminate,
nerved. Axillary spikes on very stout, long and striate peduncles,
(eight to ten inches in length) or twice as long as the leaves.

Flowers large, (an inch long) pale-purplish tinge, nodding, rather
crowded at the extremity, about fifteen to twenty flowered. Bracts
ovate, acute, at length about as long as the pedicels.

Calyx tubular-campanulate, the obtuse base somewhat abruptly
and obliquely prominent above," sub-two-Upped, two upper teeth
approximated, five-nerved from the teeth ; teeth very short, (about
quarter the tube) broadly acute, subulate pointed, calyx colored,
the pubescence dense, creamy white.

Vexillum erect, broad, emarginate, plaited or folded in the center,
and villous on the back along the ridge, rcflexed at the sides.
Wings oblong, the acute apex more or less tortuous, upper margin
ciliate ; keel short, very obtuse. Ovary stipitate, (stipe half as
long as the calyx) or included, pubescent, upper suture thickened,
slightly inflexed from above, six to seven seeded.

Our specimens are without mature fruit.

Fig. 50.

163

February Sd, 1862.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Ajres stated some remarkable facts connected with the
recent floods in this State.

For the last two months, the fishermen who supply the markets
of this city with fish have taken in the bay of San Francisco many
fresh water fishes, of species generally found in the rivers, not those
inhabiting the smaller creeks. These have been caught at all the
various points in the bay, at Avliich salt water fishes only have pre-
viously been found. It is well known that the surface waters of
the bay have been nearly fresh during these floods, and the fishes
in question must have followed down and hved this length of time
in the fresh surface water. They have not been seen in the bay
before this. The following species have been noticed :

Archoplites interruptus.

Catostomus occidejitalis.

Gatostomus labiatus.

Orthodon mierolepidotus.

Algansea formosa.

Lavinia compressa.

PtychoeJieilus graridis.

Mylopliarodon robustus.

Many serpents have also been brought down, and have been cast
up in numbers ahve on the beach. Even rattlesnakes have been
caught m the nets, it is said.

In connection with this, Dr. Ayres mentioned, as a curious result
of civilization, that immediately in Oakland rattlesnakes have
increased much in numbers since the lands have been fenced, and
the hogs, which previously destroyed these serpents, thus restricted
m their range.

February llth, 1862.

Dr. Kellogg presented the annexed description.

The following Boraginaceous plant, collected by Mr. H. G.
Bloomer, Botanical Curator to the Academy, is common in the
vicinity of San Francisco :

Eritrichium connatifolium, (Kellogg). Fig. 51.

Stem simple or sometimes branching from the base, ascending,
subglabrous below ; loosely appressed strigulose hirsute above ;

164

lower racemose branches axillary, mostly opposite ; terminal spikes
(bi or) triparted, re volute, bracted throughout ; flowers white with
a yellowish throat, few, rather remote, on long, lateral, superaxiUary
pedicels.

Lower cauline leaves opposite, connate and vaginate, stem sheath-
ing at the base, long (two to four inches in length, one-quarter in
breadth) linear, sublanceolate, acute or subacute ; lowest leaves
more attenuated towards the base ; upper cauline leaves alternate,
Hnear or linear-sub-spatulate, appressed, strigulose, with white hairs ;
all ciliate, ciUae subappressed, three-nerved, nerves submarginal,
inconspicuous, lamina of the lower leaves often subglabrous or with
a few hairs chiefly beneath on the mid-rib.

Bracts large ; pedicels long, (from half an inch to one inch and
three-quarters in length, in a much smaller specimen than the one
here figured) tliickening upwards at the base of the calyx ; calyx
half as long as the flower, and twice as long as the short corolla
tube, segments lanceolate, acute, densely appressed, hirsute "vvithin
and without, Avith taAvny piU, closed and persistent in fruit.

Corolla rotate-salver form, lobes rounded, stamens and pistil in-
cluded.

Nuts rugidose on the back below, slightly granular near the
margin above, the subcarmated back of the apex smoothish.

This plant appears to be closely allied to E. Chorisianum ; but
the leaves are opposite and sheathing, and the pedicels lateral and
superaxiUary, and very long, and not very short ; nor are the seg-
ments of the calyx simply bearded at the apex, but throughout.
The three-nerved character also is omitted.

It is also near E. Californicum, but that is described as leafy at
the base only of the racemes ; and the pedicels very short, or only
one-third the length of the calyx, or nearly sessile ; and the calyx
longer than the flower, besides being spreading in the fruit state.

It approaches E. iSeouleri, but that is many flowered, and the
racemes without bracts, and short, pedicellate flowers, small and
yellow.

Dr. Torrey, in the Mexican Boundary Report, says : " We have
a strong suspicion that E. Californicum, E. Chorisianum, and E.
Scolder i are not distinct." This may also prove to be only another
variety, but its form is so pecuhar, we scarcely feel authorized to
make so large an allowance in the present state of our observations.

Pig. 51.

166

March M, 1862.
President iii tlie Chair.
Tlie following paper was read bj Mr. W. M. Gabb : —

DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW SPECIES OF PENNATULIDAE FROM THE
PACIFIC COAST OP THE UNITED STATES.

Pennatula tenua. — Elongated, slender. Naked portion between
two-thirds and three-fourths the length of the pennate division of
the shaft ; elongated, narrow, fusiform, narrowed and bluntly round-
ed at the lower end. Widest part, two-thirds of the length from the
end ; surftice deeply wrinkled longitudinally, and minutely, in a
transverse direction (in an alcoholic specimen.) Back of shaft
deeply grooved fi-om the origin of the pinnae to the upper extrem-
ity, on each side t)f this groove roughened by numerous rounded
papillae, smaller than the polype cells. Pinnae about forty in number
on each side on the only specimen I have seen, placed entirely on
the front of the stalk, with a groove between them ; narrow at the
base, about twice as wide at the outer edge, wdiich is folded, in
the larger ones, towards the middle of the series, into a number of
wrinkles like a ruffle. Anteriorly, the polypes extend along the mar-
gin as far as the end where it unites with the stalk ; posteriorly,
there is a half-inch which is naked ; internal support somewhat flex-
ible, nearly as long as the stalk, square with rounded corners, taper-
ing at both ends to a fine point, spirally coiled at the upper end ;
curved into a long hook, with the terminal branch straight, at the
lower end. This branch is about as long as the distance of the
hook from the end of the stalk.

Total length 8-5 in., greatest circumference of the naked part of
the stalk -o in., length of the same 3-9 in., length along the polypif-
erous edge of one of the largest pinnae 2*2 in., width of ditto .6 in.,
length of internal support, exclusive of curves, 5'7 in., length of
lower hook -9 in., greatest diameter of support, -10 inch.

From Cape Flattery, Washington Territory, in eighty feet of
water. Coll. Cal. Academy Natural Sciences. Presented by Dr.
Sproat.

The long slender general form of this species will distinguish it.
I have only seen one specimen, which has been ])i'eservod in alco-
hol so lonii, that I cannot determine what was the color during life.
The whole surface is now of a nearly uniform drab color, somewhat
lighter in the protected portions than elsewhere.

167

Virgularia elongata. — Colony long, slender. Stem flexible and
elastic to some extent even in the dried state ; at the base attenu-
ated and cylindrical, above thicker and grooved, somewhat sub-
quadrate and marked by numerous fine longitudinal lines ; broken
section, radiate as in a belemnite or the spine of an echinoderm.

Polypiferous lobes exsert, arranged on opposite sides and alter-
nating ; below very small, and with a groove between the two se-
ries. Each lobe has ten or twelve fusiform translucent (calcare-
ous ?) spines, projecting considerably beyond the margin of the
fleshy portion (in dried specimens) of the lobe itself, and each
spine appears to correspond to a polype cell, or the boujidary be-
tween two. Below the lobes, the fleshy covering is dilated into an
elongate fusiform mass.

Length 18 inches, (upper end broken off from all the specimens);
from tip of lower extremity to commencement of lobes, 2-8 in.;
width of largest lobes, -12 in.; greatest diameter of stem, -05 in.;
width of fleshy expansion below the lobes, '15 m.; smallest diameter
above the expansion, -07 in.

This species has been found only on one occasion in San Fran-
cisco Bay, when it was w^ashed up in immense numbers on the
beach. 1 have seen a fragment of the same species from Monte-
rey, Cal., collected by Dr. Cooper, of the Geological Survey.

3Iarc1i 11th, 1862.

President m the Chair.

Dr. H. Behr read the annexed paper on certain Butterflies of

California :

Genus Danais is represented by one species, and this is the most
common and -widely spread, Danais archippus Cramer, that on the
Western Contment occupies the same position as Danais chrysip-
pus, on the Eastern. D. ai-chippus extends from the Northern
States through all tropical America to Buenos Ayres, and is
equally numerous on the Atlantic as the Pacific side of the conti-
nent. The Gcrontageic species, [chrysippus Cramer] that repre-
sents our archippus in Asia, Africa and Australia, does not extend
so far north as our Danais, and is only occasionally met with in
Mediterranean Europe, the northermost locality where it ever was

168

found being Naples. The insect is equally common on the Cape
Verde Islands as in Manila, Adelaide, etc., but it is an interesting
fact, and worth mentioning, that the Sandwich Islands possess our
American, and not the Gerontageic and Polynesian species D.
chrysippus. I account for this anomaly in its geographical distri-
bution, by considering the Sandwich Islands archippus a Califor-
nia colony. We see through our whole Summer and Autumn our
Danais in the very streets of the city, struggling against the west-
ern gale that sweeps this peninsula. The food of the caterpillar
consists extensively of plants of the Asclepias family. Our bot-
anical members know best that the nearest habitat of any of
the plants, is on the other side of the bay ; so that evidently the
brown-winged visitors are an immigration. And really in crossmg
the bay you may observe frequently the uncouth but powerful flight
of this large butterfly, always in an easterly direction. There is
a great gathering of this Danais on the outer Telegraph Hill, and a
considerable number is constantly seen sea-faring themselves out
on the Pacific.

Now it is my opinion that somehow or other single individuals,
favored by concurring circumstances, may have reached, and
reach now these distant islands, and be the founders and maintain-
ers of this unexpected colony. For instance, they might get into
a strong northerly breeze, get carried by that into the trade-winds,
and amongst hundred thousands, perhaps one pregnant female may
chance to alight on an island, deposit her eggs on some of the
Asclepias family, with which group of plants the islands are well
stocked, and the colony is there. If the Gerontageic and Polynesian
species Chrysippus exists on the Sandwich Islands, I do not know»
I always received from there Archippus. It remains now to ac-
count for that singular propensity of an insect species to get drowned
in the Pacific.

There seems to exist a law in the animal kingdom that compels,
not only single individuals, but extensive flocks, to strive against
a current, may it be one of water or of air. Dr. Ayres, our Ichthy-
logical friend, will have observed that instinct frequently hi fishes,
and there it seems to have a cause, namely, to keep a station, or a
certain range, that would be immediately lost if the animal would
trust itself to the current. More difficult it is to account for this
instinct in certain insects, that by that very propensity are carried
to locahties, where the individual perishes without propagating the
species. It appears to me that this instinct has the same cause
that compels certain Mammalia, of the family of the Glires, for in-
stance, the Norwegian Lemming, by wandering in one straight line
to seek a destruction that they are pretty certain to meet. It is

169

this instinct in that great economy that we call Nature, one of the
safety-valves, or to express more properly, one of the compensation
•weights of that mechanism, that prevent a species getting too
numerous and superseding their neighbors and contemporaries in
creation.

Amongst the Lepidoptera, I know df very few instances of real
migration, and on a later occasion, I shall state those few instances ;
but that instinct to seek a current of air, and to strive on against
it, is very generally spread to that whole class. This instinct or
law of nature compels, not only its victims to drown themselves ; it'
also forces them up to the summit of mountains, and to freeze to
death there, far above the boundary of all vegetation, in the soli-
tude of an irrespirable rarified atmosphere. It is especially the
group of the Pierides and true Papihonides that long for this most
romantic death, and it is one of the most curious, and in the first
time, unaccountable sights, to witness, in a solitude of snow, and on
a barren rock, swarms of brilliant Butterflies, glowing in all the
brilliant coloration of the tropics.

The genus to which our Danais belongs seems not to be subject
to this dangerous propensity. The Danais, with her congeners,
Euploea and Heliconia, shun the mountains, and seem to affect sea-
coasts. These butterflies frequently are to the sailors bearers of
terrestrial welcome, before the coast is seen ; and I think the Asi-
atic genus Euploea, bears its name from this peculiarity. I con-
sider the name derived from Eu, " well," and Ploion, "vessel," well,
meaning to navigators ; or it may be derived from Eu and Pleo, " I
navigate," and means an inseet that is a good navigator. In this
case it is the current of cold, densified air that by its specific
weight, presses back the extended, and by heat, rarified atmosphere
of the tropical lowlands. A current of cool air is daily rusliing
down certain gulches, and they are the very same gulches that are
most frequented by those Lepidoptera we ar& to meet beyond the
limits of vegetation.

Danais evidently is also a good navigator — without such nautical
talents it never would have reached Honolulu ; and this accounts,
perhaps, for its extensive geographical distribution.

170

April 1th, 1862.

President in the Chair.^

The following paper was presented by Mr. W. M. Gabh.

Descriptions of two new species of Cepiialopodes in the
Museum of the California Academy of Natural Sciences.

Octoptis punctatus. — Body ovate, rounded at the extremity.
Head moderately large, without any well marked neck ; compressed
above, about one-fifth as long as the body, abruptly truncated in
advance of the eyes, so that the constriction below the arms is
barely more than half as wide as the greatest diameter of the head.
Eyes of medium size ; not prominent ; color destroyed by alcohol.
Abdominal aperture wide, the ends being directly behind the eyes ;
lip simple and acute. Siphon broad at the base, rapidly narrowing
and extending a little beyond the origin of the arms. Arms sub-
quadrate in section, the largest about four times the length of the
body ; proportionate length beginning with the dorsal side, 2, 1, 4,
3, varying very httle in length, and bemg of about the same thick-
ness. Cupules moderate, about half the diameter of the arms,
largest just beyond the termination of the umbrella ; short, robust,
tapering almost imperceptibly, and slightly constricted just below
the top. Umbrella small, not extending between the ainns for one-
fourth of their length, but continued as a very narrow membrane,
for about one-half of their length along the side farthest from the
dorsal side. Mouth very small, surrounded by small 'hps. Sur-
face smooth, flesh-colored, and profusely marked by very minute
reddish-brown, or chocolate-colored points. These points arc so
closely placed on the dorsal surface of the body and arms, as to
produce a nearly uniform, dirty-brown appearance ; on the inside
of the arms, the inner surface of the umbrella, and the Avhole ven-
tral surface they are sparsely scattered. Length of body and head
to origin of the anus, 3-5 inches. Circumference of body, at its
broadest part, 4-3 inches. Length of body to the opening in the
abdomen, 2-5 inches. Breadth of head, 14 mches. Length of
the longest arm, from the mouth, 10*8 inches. Length of shortest,
9-25 inches. Circumference of one arm, 2 inches. Diameter of
largest cupule, -3 in. Length of siphon, -7 in. Diameter at
base, -7 in. Diameter at apex, (flattened) -3 in.

Locahty — common in the neighborhood of San Francisco. Also
found on the coast of Lower California, having been brought from
Scammon's Lagoon, in abundance, by Capt. C. M. Scammon. The

171

specimen from which the species is described is comparative small.
Dr. W. 0. Ayres told me that he had seen them several feet in
length, and spoke of one in wliich the arms were over seven feet
long.

It appears to approach most nearly to 0. megalocyatlius Couth-
Guy, (Gould, Mollusca of Wilkes' Expedition, p. 471) but differs
in the absence of the lateral membrane, the size of the mouth, the
size of the cupules and the general coloration. There may be
other differences, but I have not had an opportunity of examining
the figures of Couthouy's species.

Onyclioteuthis fusiformis. — Body slender, fusiform, prolonged
and sharply acuminate posteriorly, truncated sinuously above, hav-
ing a slight projection in the median dorsal region, and being
equally emarginate on the ventral side. Head small, narrower
than the body, subquadrate ; eyes moderate and prominent, lachry-
ma^l sinus large. Sessile arms, not half so long as the body, nearly
of the same size ; formula of relative size, counting from the dorsal
side, 1, 2, 4, 3, the second and last, being almost exactly of the
same length, the dorsal the smallest. The dorsal arms are con-
nected at their base by a minute membrane, which does not run up
their sides ; the second and third arms, and the tentacles have this
membrane on one side, running to the extreme tips ; the ventral
and the adjoining arms are united by a larger membrane, but like
the dorsal, the ventral arms are unprovided with it beyond the base, •
and are not united to each other ; the tips are laterally com-
pressed. The cupules on the sessile arms are strongly constricted
at their base., and are pedunculated ; they are arranged in a double
series, without being either m pairs, nor yet alternating. They
commence a short distance from the base of the arms, and are con-
tinued to the extreme tips, becoming smaller and scattered as they
approach the end. Tentacles, nearly two-thirds the length of the
body, exclusive of the head, the club forming about one-third of the
whole ; the club is httle if at all widened ; tentacle naked to the
base of the club, where the " sucker " is placed, consisting of a
small, irregularly rounded disc, bearing eight or nme sessile cupules.
Beyond, as far as the extreme tip, are large and small, strongly
hooked claws, arranged in an irregular line, and each one pierced near
the base, and above grooved for half its length on the concave side.
Mouth small, surrounded by a thin, simple lip, and outside of that,
by a seven-lobed fold of skin, two lobes of which are placed opposite
the base of the ventral arms — one opposite the space between the
dorsals, and the other four opposite the laterals. Mandibles black.
Siphon small, hardly projecting beyond the mantle. Fms dorsal.

172

triangular, terminal, half as long as the body, outer angle rounded.
Internal plate long, very slender, Avidest in the middle, tapering
both ways, median ridge as high as the lateral plate, conical por-
tion at the base, minute, laterally compressed, tip curved.

Color, light yellowish-brown, on the under surface and inside of
the arms ; back purplish-brown, nearly black on the median line
and the posterior portion of the head, caused as in the preceding
species, by the peculiar arrangement of dark spots. On the back
of the fins these spots are of two sizes — large ones surrounded by
an uncolored space, and small ones of a lighter color, interspersed.

Length of horny plate, 3-2 inches ; width, -15 inches ; length of
ternunal cone, -15 inches ; circumference of body, 2 inches ; length
of fin, 1'6 inches ; breadth of fins, 24 inches; length of longest ses-
sile arm, 1-5 inches ; length of shortest, -9 inches ; length of ten-
tacle, 2-1 inches.

Said to have been caught ofi" Cape Horn.

Ajyril 21st, 1862.
President in the Chair.

Dr. H. Behr read the following paper :

Our Calif ornian Argynnides. — The genus Argynnis is one of
the most natural ones in its group, and it is so well defined in its
characters that the boundaries between it and neighboring genera
are nearly the same with all authors.

But that very facility we find in circumscribing the genus, is a
great disadvantage, when we come to draw the Unes between the
different species. The easy definition of the genus has its ciuse
in an unusually great uniformity of character. Even the well
examined and since long time known species of Central Europe are
in some instances doubtful.

In studying our CaHfornian species the perplexity is the greater,
as the scarcity of the material in collections has produced a series
of diagnosis that occasionally refer to varities instead of the regu-
lar form. For the purpose of avoiding to render greater the confu-
sion that does exist, we will give only numbers with the diagnosis of
species that we were not able to ascertam from the descriptions
that were within our reach.

1. Argynnis calippe Bd.

I find nothing to add to the masterly diagnosis and description
of this species. It is the only Argynnis that is found near our city

1 1^0

lid

and it seems pretty universally distributed throughout the State.
There exists only one generation, and the imago is found in June.

2. ^7V7?/nm's(sp.) Alae denticulate fulvae maculis ordinariis
ornatae ; posticae sulcus fuscac usque ad I'asciam niaciila:-em inter-
mediam partim dilutiores, a fascia media ad marginem fulvae ; lunu-
lae marii-inales semilunares, maculae fasciae intermediae subrotundae
mediae fasciae tres radicales subquatuo)-, cunctae cum costa margin-
eque abdominali argenteae.

This species is very similar to C'aUppe, but actually differs by the
upper side being colored in the usual way of the genus, and not
showing the pale lunulae and s|:ots of the disc, like A. Calippc that
resembles in this respect more an Eu[ toieta than a true Argynnis.
The lunulae are not triangular, nor are the silver spots of the inter-
mediate fascia egg-shaped as in Callppe.

This species frequents several locaUtiss near the Bay of San
Francisco, but is not very common.

3. Argynyiia Leto milii.— xllac maris fulvae, radicem versus fuscae
ubicjue sigaaturis ordinariis nigris instructae. [losticae subtus dilute
ferrugineae, a radice usque ad mediam alam cinnamomeae, maculis
marginalibus semilunaribus argenteis, fascia media e septem inter-
media e tribus maculis coni'iositae, atque duabus maculis punctifor-
mibus radicem versus positis, cuuctis argenteis.

Cyhcle Boisd. in literis.

This species, although Dr. Boisduval pronounces it, in a private
letter directed to Mr. Lorqviin, identical with A. Cyhele, Godt. is
certainly a distinct species peculiar to the w-estern slope. The upper
side of male is like that of il GybehAQvixilQ:, and the Zicf.^ female has
the hind wings black, with a band of white spots in the middle, and of
orange ones near the margin in a similar way as in the A. Idalla male.
The under side of the hind wings differs most essentially as the mar-
ginal silver spots are always semilunar, never triangular as in A.
Oybele.

This species has been discovered by our indefatigable entomolo-
gist, Mr. Lor(piin, m a sequestered valley near Carson City.

A. Aylaja has been mentioned as an inhabitant of California.
I have not yet seen any specimen captured in this country, but
would not be much astonished if really this European and Siberian
species should extend to Arctic America, and from there following
the high ridges of the Pacific coast to Alpine California. Never-
theless it would be strange to have here a Gerontogeic spec"es when
all the Neogcic ones diifer ; for there is not one Atlantic Argynnis
met with here ; in case A. Aglaja really should prove to be a Califor

ruoc CA.L. VcAD. Nat. sci., Dec, 1862. 19

174

man, it would not be difficult to recognize this sj)ceies from its near-
est California relations bj the greenish hue of the under side
of the hind wings ; for there is no green about any of the Califor-
nia species.

In Morris's Catalogue of North American Lepidoj)tora, there arc
now six species very closely related amongst themselves, but deci-
dedly distmct. Most of them have been described, and only one
or two are new. Of course it is very difficult to recognize the spe-
cies from a mere diagnosis, and even the diagnoses of Boisduval,
being interspersed here and there into the Annales de V Entomohgic
are not altogether within my reach. I have therefore adopted the
plan to give the characteristics of the species, without a name, but to
add a figure and leave it to others that are in a better position for
researches, to add the name.

Their names are Zerene, Mormonia, Hydaspe, Egleis, Adiaste.
Amongst these, for instance, the diagnosis that Dr. Boisduval gives
of Zerene, certainly comprises two species, of which one seems to
be not yet known in Europe. All those species a[)proach, in their
markings, nearest to the Eurojjean T. Adippe, and A. 2\iohe, but
differ constantly by the want of the series of eye spots that is
always found in either species between the marginal lunulae and
middle fascia of the hind wings.

4. A. Adippe similis, sed alac posticae serie ocellorum inter
maculas marginales fasciamque mediam destitntae. Maculae cunctae
argenteiB marginales tri<|uetrae, fasciae intermediii.e quadrangulares.
A. Egleis, Boisd V

This and the following species are not so intensely colored on
the upper side as most of the related species are, and the colora-
tion of the female partakes even a little of that of A. Calippe. Under
side of the hind wings reddish-brown, with a few diluted spots ;
from the intermediate fascia to the margin, straw-colored ; and the
intermediate fascia also towards the margin bordered by buff color.

This species is found high up in the mountains.

6. A. Adippe similis, sed alae posticae serie ocellorum inter
lunulas marginales fasciamque intemediam destitntae Macu-
lae marginales certe argenteie, reli(juae pruina (juadam metallica
obductae ; marginales semilunarcs, fasciae iutermediae ovales, rad-
icem versus nigro raarginatae.

This species is found in different localities, but always ui moun-
tainous regions. It is much more common than No. 4, and easily
recognized by the black bordering of the spots of the intermediate
fascia, their oval, not quadrangular shape, and the rounded form of
the marginal spots.

175

6. A. Adijqje similis, sed alae posticae serie ocellornm. inter
lunulas marginales fasciamque mediam destitutae. Maculae mai>
ginales certe argenteae, reliquae pruina quadam metallica obductae.
Umbra radicalis ultra fasciam macularem mediam porrecta.

Size of A. Niohe — coloration of the upper side, orange-brown ;
markings as usual ; underside similar to No. 1, but much darker;
and the maculae where they have no silver, dark-yellow ; and the
saturated coloration of the radical half of the hind winii extended
beyond the middle fascia.

From the Sierra Nevada.

7. A. Adippe similis, sed alae posticae serie ocellornm inter
lunulas marginales fasciamque mediam destitutae. Alae posti-
cae subtus pallide ferrugineae, fasciae maculares ordinariae vix
pallidiores nunquam argenteae.

Size more considerable ; about that of the A. Adippe. Upper
side of this species characterized by the greater part of the ordi-
nary marks on the hind wing wanting, so that they a})pear almost
covered by the fiery brown that forms the ground ; markings of the
under side are very indistinct ; even the black bordering on the
radical side of the maculae common to all species of this group, is
here scarcely perceptible.

8. A. Adippe similis sed alae posticae serie ocellornm inter
lunulas marginales fasciamque mediam destitutae. Alae posticae
subtus ferruginete, fasciae maculares opacae pallidae marginales
lunulatae. Zerene, Boisd V

Size even more considerable than that of the preceding ; under
side of the hind wings of a deep brown, approaching violet, on the
more diluted spots ; the maculae pale brown and well Jjordered with
black, especially on the radical side.

This species is found in several localities of the Sierra Nevada.

9. ^4. Adippe similis, sed alae posticae subtus serie ocellorura
inter maculas marginales fasciamque mediam destitutae. Alae
posticae subtus cinnamomeae a fascia media usque ad marginem
pallide ferruginae maculae gilvescentes opacae, marginales trique-
trae.

Size like the preceding ; radical side of the maciilae on the under
side in a very decided manner bordered by deep black.

This species was found by Mr. Lorquin on the road between
Nevada City and Bear Valley.

All these species, related as they are amongst themselves and
to exotic species, are undeniably distinct. They inliabit different

176

localities ; they vary as little as our European Aglaja, and in a long
series of specimens I find them constant to their respective diagno-
ses and without anything that should look intermediate or like a
transition. Of great importance for the diagnosis of these speci-
mens, is the shape of the marginal lunulae, and the silvery or
opacpie nature of the different fasciae maculanim. I must confess
that in the first time I paid little attention to this separating mark.
I concluded from the European A. Adippe and JViobe, in which
species the presence or absence of the metallic hue is of no account,
that it Avould be similar in these their California relations ; but it is
quite different with the California species, and the more or less
opaque or silvery hind Avings constitute well-marked and constant
specific characters.

The only representant of the Arctic form of Argymiis as now
known in California is A. Epithore Boisd. But there may be dis-
covered several other species by a closer examination of the Alpine
mountains of California.

All those species are only known in the imago state. It is to be
expected that the caterpillars feed like the majority of the geron-
tageic Argynnides on species of Viola. On this occasion I may
venture the remark that the geographic distril>ution of the genus
Argynnis seems exactly parallel to that of the Viola, and not only in
occupying the same regnum, but also having the centre of variety
and multiplication of species in the very centre of the regnum
Violas. Indeed we find the greatest variety of the genus Argynnis
and the genus Viola in the northern, temperate and arctic zones;
from there they diminish in number, and degenerate gradually in
osculant genera, like Atelia and Cirrhochroa in the old world, Agra-
ulis and EupAoieta in the new. The true Argynnides seem nowhere
to pass the line, and only far in the southern extremities of America
and Australia w"here the antartic represeutants of A^iola begin,
begin also a few scattered but normal forms of Argynnis. We know^
very well that even the typical species of Argynnis are not altogether
restricted to the genus Viola, but nevertheless there exists an inti-
mate connection between this entomological and botanical genus that
makes them not only coincide in their geographical distribution, but
shows itself even in the osculant genera of the tropics that feed, as
much as we could ascertain, on Parietales — that is, on relations of
the Viola tribes, ^o Enptoieta Claudia ^n(\ Agraidis VanillaeXwQ
in the larva state on species of Passiffora ; and we once raised, in
Manila, a Cithosia insularis from a caterpillar we had found on a
species of Blackivellia.

As to our California Argynnides, they all, with one exception,
belong to the type of A. Aglaja, a type that is more numerously
represented, and altogether more developed on this continent than

177

in the old world, where the type of A. Af/Iaja is very poorly rep-
resented, and where the type of A. Papliia takes its place. This
last-mentioned form is wanting here and on the whole continent.

May 5th, 1862.
President in the Chair.

Mr. H. N. Bolander read the following paper :

Of the grasses found in the Academy's Herbarium, I determined
the following species :

1. Aira elongata. Report of the P. R. R. Expedition.

2. Brizopyrum Douglasii, Captain Beechy's Botany, p. 404.
Syn. Brizopyrum strictum, Torr.

Poa Michauxii, Kunth.
Poa Douglasii, Stend.

3. Koeleria cristata, Gray's Man.

4. Agrostis microphylla, P, R. R. Report.

5. Melica pooeoides, Phil. Journal.

6. Melica imj.erforata. Captain Beechy's Botany.
Melica imperfecta, P. R. R. Report.

7. Stipa Neesiana, " " "

8. Elymus villosus, " " "

9. Festuca microstachys, Phil. Journal (new series).

10. Lohum tremulentum, (?) Gray's Man.

11. Beckmannia crucieformis.

12. Polypogon Monspeliensis and maritima.

13. Gasfcoidium Lendigerum.

The grains of No. 10 are said to be noxious to cattle. Lindley
remarks : " The effects of this grass are undoubtedly deleterious,
although perhaps exaggerated." It grows in abundance in the
meadows back of Oakland, and if it should prove to be that grass
and possess those noxious quahties so generally attributed to it, we
must certainly hear somethino- about it before lona;. It was not
advanced sufficiently to determine it with safety.

Gray says: "Almost the only histance among gi-asses ;" but
there are Cjuite a number of grasses which possess noxious qualities.

Festuca quadridentata is the poisonous grass in Quito.

Mohnia varia is injurious to cattle.

Paspalum scrobiculatum of India is poisonous ; it renders the
milk of cows grazmg upon it narcotic and drastic.

178

About the grass No. 2, Brizopyrum Douglasii, is to be remarked
that it is dioecious, which is rare among grasses.

Bucliloe dactyloides, the so-called Buffiilo-grass, and Monantho-
chloe littoralis, are tv,o instances of dioecious grasses in Nortli
America.

The so-called Buff (do-grass grows in abundance on the Western
plains, from Canada down to Northern Mexico ; it is the grass on
Avhich the buffaloes principally subsist. Its true nature was for a
long time miknoAvn. Nuttall described the male [jlant as Sesleria
dactyloides ; also Torrey, in the Report of the P. R. R, Kunth
gives it under the name Calanthera dactyloides. The female plant
is given by Stendel under the name Antephora axillifloi-a.

The latter, Monanthochloe, grows in Florida and Island of Gal-
veston, Texas, where it covers large tracts of moist, sandy, sahne
soil.

In East India is kno^vn the genus Spinifex, with, six species,
which are only incompletely dioecious ; in South America the genus
Gynerium, with five species.

The so-called " bunch grass " is the Festuca scahrella. The so-
called " grama grass " of Texas and New Mexico is the Festuca
macrostachya. It is said of the bunch grass that it fattens (juicker,
but gives not the amount of strength and muscle as the grama grass.
Grasses in the vicinity of San Francisco which I saw this season :

Aira elongata.

Brizopyrum Douglasii .

Agrostis macrojihylla.

Melica poteoides, and imperfecta.

Stipa Neesiana.

Elymus, 2—3 species.

Festuca, 2-3 species.

Lolium tremulentum (?).

Spartina, 1 species.

Uniola, 1 species.

Phalaris, 2 species.

Hordeum, 2 species.

Cynodon Dactylon.

Lophochliena Califomica.

A vena, 4 species (?).

Ccratochloa, 2 species (?).

Poa, 3 species (?).

17 genera, Avith 29-30 species.

179

June 2d, 1862.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg presented the annexed description :

Lilmm parvum (Kellogg). Fig. 52.

Stem terete, sub-glabrous, eighteen inches to two and a half feet
high.

Leaves scattered, oblanceolate, sub-acute, glabrous above, three-
nerved, margins scabrulose, nerves smooth beneath, lamina very
minutely scabrulose ; bracts foliaceous, lanceolate, or ovate acu-
minate, ciliate, five to seven-nerved, the lowermost whorled.

Flowers aboi\t five to nine, verticillate by threes and alternate or
opposite above ; erect, tubular-bell-shaped, sepals revolute above
the middle, tube and throat yellow and purple spotted within ; rev-
olute limbs red, with well-defined limits ; three inner petals some-
what narrower, glabrous and slightly grooved above, sub-glabrous
and abruptly ridged on the back ; outer broader sepals plain, some-
what more spotted ; claw thickened, grooved within and convex on
the back ; pistil scarcely a little longer ; stigma simple or sub-three-
lobed, not parted ; stamens sub-equal, regularly spreading ; ovary
half the length of the style.

We are indebted to Mr. H. G. Bloomer, Botanical Curator to the
Academy, for his worthy zeal in cultivating .this little native lily,
from which our sketch is taken ; also to Mr. Stivers for specimens
from the mountains, and to Mr. C. II. Dorr for specimens from
Nevada Territory.

The most obvious characteristics are the small erect or sub-erect
flowers, and the scattered leaves ; the peduncles in some instances
appear to be somewhat tortuous, and the flowers only partially
erect. In their native habitat, more extended observation leads us
to conclude that they seldom exceed the size indicated in the accom-
panying sketch.

July 7th, 1862.
President in the Chair.

Mr. Bolander read the following descriptions of plants ;

Juncus Leseurii. — Outer sepals linear-lanceolate, sharply acu-

Firx 52,

OA$t>

181

minate (one-fourth of an inch long), the green back faintly six-
nerved below ; the involute hjalino margins several lines wide, of a
dark-brown color, and slightly exceeding the inner sepals. Inner
sepals scarcely involute, acuminate, green on the back, faintly three-
nerved below, broadly hyaline-margined of a broAvn and white color.

Ovary oblong ; style as long as the ovary ; stigmas three, long,
spirally twisted ; stamens six, on very short filaments (about one-
third the length of the anthers) ; pod obovate-triangular, abruptly
long-pointed, scarcely exceeding half the length of the outer sepals
(one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter) ; seeds oblong, smooth.

Scape naked and simple, furnished below with leafless, obtuse
sheaths of a tawny color, terete, scarcely striate, l-o feet high.
One-fourth peduucled, corymbose and cymose panicles produced
from the side of the scape, at about 3—7 inches below the prni-
gent tip.

Peduncles flat inside or triquetous, smooth 1-2 inches long (one
sometimes sessile^ ; each peduncle and pedicel subtended by two
taAvny, unequal, ovate-oblong, abruptly-pointed or obtuse, many-
nerved or nerveless bracts or scales.

Flowers almost sessile, secund, subtended by two broadly-ovate,
obtuse or minutely-jiointed, tawny, hyalinous scales.

Salt-marshes of the bay of San Francisco, October — November.

Panicum thermale. — Spikelets two-flowered ; lower neuter,
upper hermaphrodite. Glumes two, very unequal, herbaceous,
pubescent ; lower very minute, ovate ; upper ovate, distinctly 5-7
nerved, acute.

PalccTS of the neuter flower, two ; lower ovate-oblong, acute, five-
nerved, pubescent ; upper hyaline, one-half the size of the lower.

PaleiTe of the hermaphrodite flower, ovate, cartilaginous, smooth,
lower enclosing partly the u})per.

Ovary smooth ; styles terminal ; stigmas plumose ; stamens
three ; anthers purple ; squamulne two, smooth ; a low grass grow-
ing in large tufts ; roots fibrous ; culms (3-8 inches high, weak, com-
pressed, very branchy u})wards and leafy ; leaves short, flat, tliickish,
tomentose-pubescent, spiny-acuminate, very scabrous on the iiiar-
gins ; sheaths short, striate, peculiarly punctate ; ligula scarcely
visible, ciliate ; panicle very small, few-flowered, partly vaguiate,
shorter than the terminating leaves.

The Avhole plant is like velvet to the feel. There are, however,
some specimens which are rather smooth.

Habitat : On hot rocks and in hot water flowing from the Geyser
springs and Geyser mountauis, in the northern part of Sonoma
County.

182

Danthonia Calif ornica (California Wild Oat Grass). — Sj.ikclets
5-10-flowered, distichous, imbricated, the uppermost abortive, one-
half to three-cjuarters of an inch long.

Glumes two, nearly etpial, mem])ranaceous, lanceolate, 4-5-
nerved, pointed, hyaline-margined, as long as the flowers or nearly
so, tinged with purple, persistent.

Pale?e two ; lower, broadly ovate-oblong, round on the back,
smooth, chartaceous, bearing between the sharp-pointed or awn-like
teeth (half of the palea long) of the tip a flattish and spirally-
twisted awn (about the length of the palea), a tuft of silky hairs at
the base, and on each side of the margins, about the middle, many
striate-nerved ; upper, lanceolate, bicarinate, ciliate-hairy on the
two nerves, obtusely-pointed, fully as long as the lower palea, mem-
branaceous.

Ovary stalked, subpyriform, concave at the apex, glabrous ;
styles two, terminal, distant and divergent ; stigmas plumose, fully
twice the length of the ovary (iiilis) denticulate ; stamens three ;
anthers dark purple ; squamulie two, broadly wedge-shaped, either
undulate-sinuate or unequally repand at the ajjcx, with several
subdivided strong veins ; caryopsis ovate-oblong, three-sixteenths of
an inch long and one-sixteenth wide, smooth, convex on the back,
slightly concave on the other, bearing two small divergent teeth at
the beak.

Root perennial ; culms decumbent, many arising from the same
root and spreading in opposite directions, terete, smooth, striated,
from six inches to three feet long ; leaves linear, convolute-pointed ;
sheaths long and bearded at the throat ; ligula scarcely visible ;
panicle simple and sub-compound, spreadmg 3-7-1 0-flowered,
branchlets scabrous.

Habitat : On borders of cultivated fields near the bay at Oak-
land ; hills near Mission Dolores, San Francisco.

August 4th, 1862.

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg read the following paper on a species of Trixis
brought from Cerros Island by Dr. J. A. Veatch :

Trirls Calif ornica (Kellogg). Fig. 53.

Stem slirubby, branches spreading, branchlets purf)lish, appressed
pubescent with short white hairs, also glandular and stipitate glandu-
lar ; bark light ashy hue below.

Fig. 53.

184

Leaves sessile or sub-sessile, lanceolate and ovate-lanceolate,
acuminate, mucronate ; base somewhat cuneate, sub-decurrent,
obscurely three-nerved ; margins quite entire, sub-re volute, short
appressed pubescent chiefly above, glandular-scabrous throughout,
densely sub-papillose-glandular beneath ; fohage rather dry and
rigid, green alike above and below.

Bracts four or five, apparently reduced leaves, lanceolate, sessile,
three to five-nerved.

Heads few, small, campanulate, in loose paniculoid-corymbs or
sub-solitary ; pedicels long or variable. Flowers yellow.

Involucre of eight e(jual, long, linear, acuminate scales, very
villous at the attenuated apex (see No, 6), sparsely apiiresscd
pubescent and glandular on the back, three-nerved, one or two slen-
der scales of an inner series.

Receptacle alveolar, densely villous, with white hairs from between
the entire alveoli ; disk heterocarpous ; florets similar, outer ones
expanded ; external ligule three-toothed about twice the length of
the opposite two-toothed (not "bi-parted") sub-re volute lip, teeth
villous or bearded on the back (as seen at No. 4) ; long throat
dilated upw^trds from a very short tube, five-nerved sparsely sca-
brous upwards, at length nearly concealed in the elongated tawny
pappus.

Central florets erect, often unexpanded ; lips sub-equal, the larger
enfolding the lesser two-toothed lip ; pistil purplish, the recurve
spreading branches semi-cylindric, glabrous ; stigma obtuse, sub-
two-lobed ; pappillose bearded below (see No. 5) ; anthers yellow ;
hnear lance-pointed.

The larger, outer and chiefly fertile achenia, oblong, obovate,
cuneate, slightly compressed, rostrate ; beak erect, glabrous, other-
wise pap})illos8-glandular and sparsely appressed pubescent, slightly
ribbed ; pappus sessile, somewhat lateral at the summit (see No.
2), or the ovary often partially separated from the pajipoid calyx
tube (as at No. o) ; capillary pappus scabrous upwards, articu-
lated (?) above the base, and deciduous, or very fragile, leaving
the bases attached (as seen at No, o) ; central achenia linear
cylindrical when infertile, or fertile and tcretish, long and tapering
at each end, minutely five-ribbed, sub-pappillose-scabrous ; pappus
sub-stipitate (No. 1).

This s[;ecies aj)j;eai-s to diflcr from its allies chiefly in the nerved
leaves and bracts, &c. — its appressed pubescence — the florets also
are not pilose, nor the lesser lip bi-parted, as geuerically noted ;
and where so much importance is attached to the stigma, its sub-
lobed form is Avorthy of note. The alveolar receptacle, and perhaps
the bearded teeth of the flowers, will be found to be quite char-
acteristic.

185

September 2d, 1862.
President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg read the following descriptions :

Viola aurea (Kellogg). Fig. 54.

Stem short, erect, ridged bj the decurrent petiole to the leaf
below.

Canescent hirsute (but beneath the dense white hairs the hue of
the w^hole plant is yellowish green, more observable on the stem,
petioles, veins and peduncles).

Stipules adnate, subscarious, lanceolate acuminate, entire, ob-
scurely nerved.

Leaves ovate, sub-acute ; base cuculate, entire, tapering into the
petiole and thence decurrent, coarsely sub-repand dentate, three-
nerved triplinerved above ; densely canescent hirsute above and
below ; petioles one to two inches in length, or about twice the
length of the lamina, sub-winged, base and stipule encircling the
stem.

Peduncles longer than the leaves ; bracts opposite, minute.

Sepals ovate, acute, three-nerved, glabrous vt'ithin ; margins
ciliite.

Corolla pure brilliant yellow ; wings sraooth ; lower petal simply
saccate.

Style capitate, curved, laterally bearded ; foramen nearly central.

Capsule (in embryo state) villous at the apex.

Brought by Mr. C. W. Dorr from Nevada Territory. An Alpine
species, almost woolly in its external appearance.

Viola Sequoiensis (Kellogg). Fig. 55.

Minutely pubescent throughout : somewhat angular stem, flexu-
ous ; base ascending from a radical four to six inches in length.
Lower stipules ovate-lanceolate acumhiate, rarely entire ; middle
ovate-oblong, cut-lobed (or dentate) ; middle lobe elongated, all
cuspidate-acuminate, about five-nerved ; upper stipules broadly
ovate, acute, dentate ; teeth abruptly acuminate-cuspidate or finely
subulate-pointed.

Leaves sub-cordate and reniform (often ten to twelve-lobed and
three to four inches broad, on robust specimens of a foot in height),
cordate, palmate, three to nine-lobed ; segments more or less oblong-
lanceolate, mostly entire, acute, sub-acute or obtuse, glandvdarly
mucronate ; margins pubescent and scabrulose ; also beneath, chiefly
along the nerves ; on the upper surface less conspicuous.

Fig. 54.

187

Peduncles pubescent, two to three inches in length (or twice or
thrice the length of the petiole).

Bractioles toothed on one side and scabrous at the base, opposite
or alternate and separate, mostly situate above the middle.

Sepals lanceolate-acuminate, somewhat produced and emarginate
at base, three-nerved, point tipped with a gland, pubescent.

Flowers jellow, large (at length the two upper petals become
brownish, especially on the back, which is glabrous) ; lateral petals
bearded ; three lower petals brownish at the base, with a few striate
radiating veins ; spur short ; claws rather long.

Style gradually attenuated to the pubescent base, compressed,
laterally bearded, rostrate, foramen-margined ; capsule ovate-acute,
scabrous near the sutures of the valves.

Abounds in the redwood forests (^Sequoia sempervirens') of Sierra
Nevada mountains, Nevada City. In exposed localities it becomes
more dwarfed and pubescent. At an elevation of 3,000 feet.

Closely aUied to V. lobata, but that species is described as
" glabrous ;" the leaves also are scabrous as well as pubescent ;
the stipules appear to differ ; the bracts arc also scabrous on the
marginal base, and with a lateral stipuloid tooth on one side ; the
sepals also are rather linear-lanceolate and very acuminate ; besides
many other points.

Dr. Kellogg read the following description of a Spraguea brought
by Mr. C. H. Dorr, from Nevada Territory.

Spraguea panieulata. — (Kellogg.) Fig. 56.

Stems decumbent or prostrate, leafy paniculate, radiating (8 to
10 from the crown of minute fibrous radicals.)

Leaves mosly radical, in a rosulate cluster, about as long as the
stems, (or relatively very large) spatulate, obtuse or emarginate,
obscurely three-nerved, very minutely villous, lamina thick and suc-
culent. Flowers somewhat secund scorpoid, and with the sepals
pedicillate, petals oblong, stamens exsert, anthers oblong, pink.
Growing in a dense ball or cluster prostrate upon the ground, and
seldom three inches in height ; at length melting into an excretory
mucilaginous, watery mass. Found in a ravine extending to the
west, about six miles from Virginia City, Nevada Territory, at an
altitude of 3,000 feet. Flowers in May and June.

Fig. 55

Fio. 56,

/> fT
t':'''

Ws

, <. ^ .'V'-C' '/""<'' * ^ ' i^ *^ ^ ?= '^ J-/

T^'-^^^\\J //A Q^'')-J^-ii:Z^

Proc. California Acad. Kat. Sci., Jan., 1863.

13

190

October GtJi, 1862.
President iii the Chair.
Dr. Kellogg read the following descriptions :

Audihertia Dorrii. — (Kellogg) Fig. 57.

Stem suffi'uticose, branches opposite, spreading, hoary-pubes-
cent Avith minnte frosty villi, striate, terminated by ju-oliferous
or condensed whorls, whorls often remote or separated, of about
three or more.

Leaves entire, the lower caullne obovate cmieately decurrent
into the short petioles (leaves about one inch in length, and one-
third in breath), obtuse or emarginate, whitish hoary on both sur-
faces with very minute villi, punctate with dark colored glands,
middle cauline more spatulate, lamina roundish, cuneately decur-
rent, the uppermost somewhat oblong, obtuse sub-sessile or sessile,
at length iDecoming l^ractoid at the terminal whorls, rounded and
obovate.

Bracts persistent membranaceous, reticulate, three to five-nerved
roundish, (sometimes emarginate, rarely short cuspidate) smaller
forms varying to oblong, glabrous ^^•ithin, externally somewhat
strigose, margins ciliate, numerous, imbricated, covermg the calyx
purpleish, sessile or sub-sessile.

Calyx campanulate with the upper lip truncate, subentire or
shortly tridentate, the middle tooth smaller, loAver lip two cleft,
toothed lobes lanceolate acute, points mucronate, margins ciliate ;
seeds naked, oval.

Flowers purple, in whorls either separate and somewhat remote,
or condensed, as seen in the figure ; tube assert about as long again
as the calyx, slightly expanding, upper lip arched, tridentate,
lower hp three-lobed, lobes mostly lanceolate, spreading. Naked
within, minutely pubescent externally. Style exserted ; stigma une-
qually two-hpped, the subulate lobes glabrous, stamens exserted, con-
nective, continuous in the same direction with the connective, very
slightly produced backwards, and naked, point subulate.

This plant is probably an Audibeiiia although the genus is
described as only " bifid" instead of trifid, as the upper lip is seen
to he in our specimens — the middle lobe of the lower lip also is
neither " very broad " nor " cmargmatc " ; the lobes also are
equal.

It is certainly very closely allied to A. ineana ; but has the
upper lip of the calyx " entire," and lower lobes obtuse. The
racemes also are simple; these are often oppositely branched, and
he numerous flowers in remote whorls; calyx and bracts purple.

Fig. 57.

192

Liipinus Stiverii, (Kellogg). Fig. 58.

Stem, sviffi-uticose, appressed, canescent pubescent, fistulous,
somewhat striated 1)v deciuTent ridges from the leaves.

Leaflets six to seven, an inch to an inch and a half long,
(scarcely half the length of the petiole) oblong, obovate-spatulate,
attenuately cuneate at base ; obtuse, (or rather sub-acute) ab-
ruptly, very short acute mucronate, appressed pubescent above,
margins canescent, more densely appressed pubescent beneath ;
petiole about half the length of the raceme, base expanded, stem
clasping, strongly three-nerved at the point of insertion ; stipules
adnate, persistent, hnear-lance sub-falcate, canescently villous.

Racemes condensed, conical, somewhat paniculate, long pedun-
culate, (three to six inches in length) rachis flexuous ; flowers
alternate, large ; banner bright yellow, a few red spots in the
center, rhomboid ; wings pale blueish purple, oblong, projecting,
longer than the vexillum, ciliate on the posterior margin of the
tooth at the base ; carina whitish, sub-falcate, short rostrate,
obtusely pomted, a little longer than the wings, margms some-
what ciliate towards the base above, strongly ciliate underneath,
(along the proper keel portion).

Calyx mumtcly bracteolate, upper lip deeply two-parted, seg-
ments lanceolate acute, naked witliin ; lower-lip minutely three-
toothed, middle tooth a little longer ; pedicels very short, villous :
bracts sub-caducous, setaceous, shorter than the calyx.

Legumes small, (similar to L. 7nieranthus^ toiiilose, constricted,
but not shortened, naked, six to seven seeded, pods colorless or
very pale gi-eenish hue, opening at maturity with twisting valves,
persistent at their base. Seeds slightly longer than broad, angled
compressed, pale shining umber with dark spots chiefly above and
below.

Found on the Sien-a Nevada Mountams, at the Summit Mead-
ows, on the INIariposa trail to Yo Semite, by Mr. Stivers.

The first plant in blossom, growing within fifty yards of the snow.
Allied to L.foUosus, but in this the leaflets arc glabrous above —
the lower lip of the calyx entire, and the legumes pilose. It ap-
pears to approach X. subeai'nosus, but in the number of seeds and
naked pods, and color of the flowers, &c., it differs.

Liipinus confertus, (Kellogg). Fig. 59.

Stem leafy, silky-hirsute, with long Aveak or soft white hairs
throughout; (the hairs under a strong glass are scabroid-tuber-
culate) .

Leaflets five (or three) to seven, oblanceolate, acute or very
shortly acuminate, apex somewhat recurved, narrowed at the base,

Fig. 59.

%.

mm

^

195

obcordate, very short, (scarcely an inch in length, and about one-
third in breadth,) about one-third to one-fourth the length of the
petiole ; sUky alike on both surfaces.

Stipules persistent and adnate, subulate, acuminate.

Spike cylindrical, very densely flowered, strictly verticillate,
whorls contiguous, peduncle about three inches m length, or rather
more than half the length of the rachis ; twelve to fourteen whorled.

Bracts persistent, subulate, acuminate, as long as the calyx, sUky
pubescent, with long loose weak white hairs.

Calyx cleft nearly to the base, or gaping-campanulate, stipules
none, or obsolete, with a mere point or tuft of hairs ; upper lip two-
toothed, lower hp obscurely three-toothed, shghtly longer ; pedicels
very short.

Flowers persistent, blue, small or twice the length of the calyx ;
banner oblong, sub-acute, sub-cuneate, scarcely clawed, wings
oblong.

Keel silky-ciliate.

Stigma (bearded).

Pods included in the marescent flowers oval, acute or acumin-
ate by the style, circumscription somewhat elliptic, much com-
pressed, silvery-silky with short hairs, three-seeded, seeds oblong,
(obhquely pendulous backwards).

November M, 1862

President in the Chair.

Dr. Kellogg read the following descriptions of new species of
iMpinus.

iMpinus calcaratus (Kellogg). Fig. 60.

Stem erect, eight to ten inches in height, somewhat appressed,
sUky pubescent throughout, leafy ; leaflets seven to ten, arcuate,
canaliculate, lance-linear acute, mucronate, narrowed at the base,
silk alike on both surfaces, half the length of the petiole, the upper
nearly equal ; stipules ovate, acuminate persistent.

Flowers numerous, in a rather close alternate raceme ; bracts
lance-subulate, as long, or often twice the length of the pedicels,
caducous.

Calyx silky villous, base spurred, and -with the upper Hp colored
(white), minutely bracteolate, upper lip two-toothed, short, erect;
lower lip carinate, ovate, acute, entire, color pale green, inclining

Fig. 60.

Mo

197

to white. Banner roundish, -with a long reflected claw, pubescent
on the back ; wings oblong, externally puberulent towards the
apex, &c.; keel cihate ; stigma naked ; pods hairy, four-seeded.

This species is near L. laxifiorus. The spur is remarkably long,
exceeding the pedicels ; but (X. laxifloi'us) is described as havmg
blue flowers. This, as before stated, has no white flowers, but half
the calyx, including the spur, is also white ; the stem certainly is
not " glabrous," as some have described laxifiorus, nor are the
petioles of the leaves short, nor the points of the leaflets obtuse ;
the stiprdes are neither subidate nor caducous, nor is the raceme
what we should designate as loose and elongated.

Finally, the white flowers and half colored calyx, Avhich could by
no means be spoken of as slightly saccate, induces us to consider it
as a new species.

Lupinus caudatus (Kellogg). Fig. 61.

Stem persistent, somewhat decumbent ; leafy and branching, sil-
very or satiny, appressed pubescent throughout.

Leaflets five to seven, hnear-lanceolate, acute, mucronate, nar-
rowed towards the base, about as long as the petiole.

Stipules persistent, small lance-acumuiate.

Flowers blue, scattered and sub-verticillate, floral portion about
twice the length of the peduncle, or two or three times the length
of the petioles.

Bracts caducous, twice the length of the pedicels ; calyx tubular
campanulate, upper lip straight,, two-toothed, (not colored) short
and somewhat subulately spurred at the base, (spur erect nearly
half the length of the pedicel) ; lower hp entu-e, elongated, carin-
ate ; hnear bracts conspicuous ; banner satiny pubescent on the
back, chiefly along the middle portion ; wings with an erect claw.

Keel, silky-cihate.

Stigma, naked.

Legumes (embryo) linear, silky ; seeded.

Closely aUied to L. calcaratus (Kellogg). But the general
appearance is quite distinct, being very silvery sericeous, with blue
flowers. The calyx is not colored ; the upper Up straight ; the spur
short, sharp and erect ; the leaflets straight and radiating, only
five or six in number ; the flowers also fewer, and the spike less
crowded. Found in the same localities, but more rare.

Fig. 61.

199

The following communication was received from Mr. W. P.
Blake on the Great Trees of Mariposa and other locaHties in Cali-
fornia :

The now celebrated Mariposa grove of trees (^Sequoia gigantea)
is nearly on the line between Mariposa and Fresno counties, and
but a fe^v miles south of the trail leading from the ]\Iariposa estate to
the Yo-Semite valley. It is about 5,000 feet above the sea, and on
the western slope of a high ridge of the Sierra Nevada, from
which there is a fine view of the desert-like plains of the San
Joaquin in the distance.

From Clark's, in the valley of the South Fork of the Merced
river, the ascent to the trees is over undulating spurs and ridges,
covered with magnificent forests of pines, firs, and spruces, and
almost without undergrowth, the smooth surface bemg broken only
at wide intervals by out-crops of gneissic rocks. The trees are
spread along a lateral valley, on the flank of the main ridge, in
two groves, about half a mile apart, known as the Upper and
Lower Grove.

The visitor, in passing through the lower grove, fii-st meets a
tree which is uprooted, and hes at full length on the ground, as
complete a barrier to progress as a wall thirty feet high. Ascend-
ing the side of this huge trunk, by means of a ladder, and steps cut
in the bark, I was enabled to make an accurate measurement of its
length with a tape-line, and found it to be two hundred and fifty-
SLX feet from the upper part of the swell of the roots to the top,
w^here it was still eighteen inches in diameter ; all beyond this
having been burned away. Mr. Clark, who first saw the tree in
1837, says it measured two hundred and sixty-eight feet before it
was burned. Being partly imbedded in the soil near the roots, its
size or diameter could not be readily ascertained, but it probably is
about twenty-five feet.

Beyond this, there is a very fine tree known as the " Grisly
Giant," standing on a dry and rather rocky point, and visible to
great advantage from the absence of many other trees around it.
This ti-ee is remarkable for the great size and number of its
branches, which give it a considerable breadth of top, while in
height it is inferior to many that are much more slender, and even
to many of the pines and firs of moderate diameter. It measures
eighty-nine feet around the trunk, about three feet above the
ground, but an additional ten feet may be allowed for a large por-
tion which is burned out of the side, making it, if perfect, about
mnety-nine feet in circumference, or thirty-three feet in diameter.
Another tree beyond, and about the same girth, is bifurcated about
seventy-five feet from the ground ; the two parts being nearly equal

200

in size and height. The trunks of two more trees were measured
around with nearly the same result, and from thirty to thirty-three
feet may be considered the greatest diameter of the trees in this
grove, as it also is of those in Calaveras county. There are many
a few feet smaller than this, but of those ranging from ten to
twenty feet in diameter there are more than can be conveniently
counted, besides groves and thickets of young trees of all sizes
from seedlmgs upwards.

The fires which have swept through the forest have destroyed
most of the young trees, and ruined many of the largest and finest
by burning off the roots, and running upwards through the trunk,
in many cases burning out an arched way from side to side high
and broad enough for horsemen to pass tln-ough witliout touching.
The fii-e burns out the centre of the tree most rapidly, and makes
hollow cylinders of those that have fallen, through one of which my
party rode erect for many feet. A year ago there was a hollow
trunk, now consumed, through which horsemen could ride upright
for one hundred and fifty feet, going in at the roots, and coming
out half-way along the trunk.

In a low, marshy part of the valley a line of medium-sized trees
may be seen growmg on each side of a very ancient trunk, now
completely decayed and moss-grown. All the appearances indicate
that trees have grown and fallen across each other for ages, giving
extraordinary depths of vegetable mould.

The form or taper of the trunks of these trees is worthy of
remark. When standmg at their bases and looking up, the trunk
appears to taper off very suddenly towards the top, and to end in a
stump-like point instead of running up in a slender spire. The
great size of the body, also extends high up. These peculiarities
are better shown m the trees that are standing than in the fallen
one, in which, at one hundred and fifty feet above the stump, the
diameter is about twelve feet ; seventy-five feet higher up, it is
reduced to six feet, and thirty feet higher to eighteen inches. The
swell at the roots is very regular, and the trunks, almost without
exception, are cyhndrical and free from deep furrows.

In this gi'ove, it is probable that the trees do not reach a greater
height than three hundred feet. In the Calaveras grove, they
have been estimated to be from three to four hundred feet high,
and in 1854, when I A^sited them, I saw no reason to doubt it, but
there was no good opportunity to measure a perfect prostrate tree.
They are more sheltered from high winds than the Mariposa trees,
and probably are taller.

The 0})portmiities for determining the age of these trees is not
as good as at the Calaveras grove, Avhere one has been cut down

201

and cleanly cross-cut, so as to fully expose the rings. From a
partial count at the end of one of the Imnied trunks, I judged that
there might be from 1,800 to 2,000 annual lings. There are more,
apparently, than in the stump of the Calaveras tree.

The chmate of the locality is very similar to the Calaveras grove.
In summer, it is warm and dry. In winter, the snow falls and
rests about sLx feet deep, but nearly ail disappears bv the first of
May. Rain seldom falls. This will account for the great depth of
soil ^'hich hides the rocks. The snow melts gradually, and runs
off without cutting the ground. At the Calaveras grove, the
gi'ound appears to be lower aud much more wet during the summer
than at the Mariposa ; and at the latter, the trees are more widely
spread on the slopes and high knobs of ground, where there is good
drainage.

Mr. Clark, who is very familiar with the trees and has been col-
lecting their seeds, says that the cones require two years to mature
or yield seeds that will gei-minate. Formerly, trees of medium size
were cut down so that their cones could be reached, but it is found
that squirrels cut off and dro]) the cones in great numbers for food.
By visiting the trees often, a plentiful supply may be picked up
from the ground.

The number of trees of fair size in the upper grove is said to be
four hundred and thirty ; in the lower, nearly two hundred, or
about six hundred in all. There are about two hundred at the
Calaveras grove, which is about fifty miles distant to the north-
west. A tliird grove, containing about five hundred trees, has
been found eight miles south-east of the Mariposa trees, and in
Fresno county. Some trees in this grove are probably taller than
any in the Mariposa, being in a valley sheltered from high winds.
Mr. Clark, who has visited them, says that tAvo of the largest
measure each eighty-one feet around the trunk three feet above
the ground. Another grove is reported further south and east
upon the Kaweeab or four Creeks — or about fifty mile i'rom Visa-
lia. It thus appears that there is a zone or belt of these interesting
trees parallel with the crest of the Sierra Nevada, and at about the
same elevation on the flank of the chain ; much broken it is true
by the many river-valleys and deep cailons, but indicating a conti-
nuity ])efore the river valleys ^vere excavated to their present great
depth.

These giant trees are well known and much admired by the
Indians, who call them Wa-tvo-nah — meaning Great Tree,

202

Dr. J. G. Cooper read the following paper on some new genera
and species of California Mollusca collected by liim.

The collection of the Geological Survey, made during the years
1861-62, contains many species of mollusca and shells, of which no
descriptions are to be found, and which we may therefore believe
to be new. But as they may have been collected either by the
Northwest Boundary Survey north of us, or by Mr. J. Xantus, at
Cape St. Lucas, it has been considered safest, in order to avoid
confusion, to send specimens or drawings of them to ]Mr. P. P.
Carpenter of England, ayIio has the above collections in his hands,
in order that he may compare our species with them and decide
whether they are really new. Meanwhile there are several species
of soft mollusca (without shells) which are so difficult to preserve
m a condition fit for description, that it may be presumed that they
are still undcscribed, and will not be described if in the collections
mentioned. Having made careful colored drawings of them wliilc
alive, the writer is enabled, with the assistance of the specimens in
alcohol, to prepare the following descriittions. Careful comparison
with the figures and descriptions of the nearest aUied forms, de-
scribed in the late works of H. & A. Adams, Cheuu, Gould and others,
make it probable that the determinations here made are correct :

Strategus, nov. gen.

From the Greek word for a general, m allusion to its l)rilhant
colors, resemblmg a mihtary uniform edged with blue and gold, and
hberally spotted with gilt buttons. It seems also to hold the high-
est rank in its order.

Strategus inennis, n. sp. is the only species yet known.

Ge7i. Char. — Form elongated cylmdrical, the body included in
the Avide reflexed borders of the foot, which nearly meet in the
median line above. Head and tail uncovered, each forming about
one-third the length of the animal. Foot extending forward as far
as the mouth, and backward nearly to the end of the tail. When
disturbed, the animal rolls over on its back and the foot envelopes
its whole body hke a cloak. The foot has no adhesive power,
motion being effected by gliding and twisting much as with ser-
pents— assisted by the support of the grass among which it hves.

Head obtuse with an ear-hke fold of the skm at each corner,
resembhng a cat's head seen from above. Eyes moderate, placed
on the top of the head at the base of these folds. Tentacles two,
short, m front of the head on a hne with the eyes. Mantle little
developed, extending from the ear-like folds back to the posterior
thii'd of the body, and ending abruptly by a transverse fold.

203

Body contracted a little behind the mantle, ending in a broad
bifid tail, the divisions equal, ovate, resembling somewhat the
"flukes" of a whale.

Mouth circular — situated in front, without teeth or liorny jaws,
or even a denticulated tongue, the food being apparently swallowed
whole, (though none was found in the specimens) openuig du-ectly
into a large stomach occupying the anterior third of the body, from
which a short S-shaped mtestine passes through the Hver, ending
at the cloacal opening under the middle of the tail. In this part
of the canal are three corneous bodies, probably intended for
reducing the harder portions of its food by grmding.

Branchia single, plume-shaped, rising on the right side of the
anus and curving over it towards the left, being completely covered
by the tail. No shell.

Spec. Ohar. — Vinous-purple, ornamented with numerous rounded
or oblong yellow spots : mner surface of enveloping folds, flesh-
color. Edge of mantle and taU orange, with a narrow band of rich
blue, forming a scolloped edgmg alternately blue and gold ; a row
of alternating spots of the same along the centre of the ear-like
processes. Under surface of tail deep purplish-blue. Whole sur-
face perfectly smooth and shining. Eyes white with a black pupil.
Length, 3^ inches ; breadth, | inch.

This beautiful animal inhabits muddy parts of San Diego Bay,
where I found it not uncommon in spring. It creeps among the
grasses slowly and looks hke a large caterpillar. Though without
any apparent means of escape or defense, it seems httle molested
by other animals. As an o])ject for study in an aquarium for the
investigation of the metamorphoses it doubtless vmdergoes, from the
egg to its perfect state, it would be highly mteresting. It is more
highly organized than any other genus of Opistho-hranchiata,
resembhng Aplysia more nearly than any other, and probably
carnivorous or a carrion-eater.

Pleuropht/Uidia Calif orniea, n. sp.

Sp. Ch. — Form ovate, obtusely rounded in front, subacate pos-
teriorly, back nearly smooth, gray, with about fifteen slightly
elevated white stripes, arising alternately from either end, and inter-
locking regularly together at various distances, each terminating
m a sharp, bluish point. Broad expanded veil black, with a white
margin. Low^er tentacles very small, (eyes none ?) upper tentacles
on vertex. Foot narrower than mantle, ovate, sharp behind, later-
ally expanded into a narrow membrane. Color reddish ; branchiae
of a darker shade. Length, 2i inches ; breadth, 1 j inches.

204

This species closely resembles P. Uneata of southern Europe,
with which a comparison will be required in order to point out the
essential differences. From the distance of locality there can,
however, be no identity of species. Inhabits San Diego Bay,
where I found them very numerous in December, crawlmg and
burrowing on the sandy flats. After the floods in January, none
were to be found.

Doris monteret/ensis, n sp.

jSj). ch. — Pale yello^vish with scattered black spots (or entirely
brown?), mantle rough tuberculate, or nearly smooth, dorsal ten-
tacles knob-shaped, branchial rays bipinnate, short, in eight divisions,
forming a crown-shaped expansion on the posterior third of the
dorsum. Foot expanded into a broad, thin margin, as wide as the
mantle. Length, 3 inches ; breadth, 1 inch ; height, | inch ; form
elongated oval.

Dredged in six to ten fathoms, in Monterey Bay, adhering to
fragments of sandstone — only two obtained in September. Small
specimens, a^pparently the same species fomid in San Francisco
Bay by Dr. Frick.

Doris (^Asteronotus) sanguined, n. sp.

Sp. ch. — Brilhant red, mth a few large black spots irregularly
distributed. Surface smooth ; dorsal tentacles short ; branchiae
composed of eight simply pinate rays, expanding close to the pos-
terior end of the body. Length, J inch ; breadth, I inch ; height
about the same.

Found under stones in San Diego Bay. Rare.

Doris {Asteronotus f) alabastrina, n. sp.

Sp. ch. — Alabaster white, opaque, form depressed-oval dorsal
tentacles short, acute, branchiae of twelve simple rays expanding in
the posterior fifth of the body. Length, four tenths in., breadth,
three tenths of an inch.

Under stones at San Diego Bay. Only one found,

Doris (Actinocyclusf^ Sandiegensis, n. sp.

Pale bro^vnish yellow, with large annular bro^ii spots irregularly
scattered, varymg from twelve to twenty, or entirely brown. Sur-
face shghtly rough, sometimes a little tuberculated. Dorsal tenta-
cles conical, retractile; branchiae large, rising in five parts which
become tripmnately dinded, expaudhig so as to cover the posterior

205

fhird of the body like an umlirella. Mouth, prohoscidiform, wltli
two short lateral tentacles. Length, 3i mches ; breadth, 21 mches ;
height, i an inch.

Numerous among grass on mud flats in San Diego Bay at or near
low water mark, from November to May ; but many were destroyed
by the fresh water flood of January. A very active and interest-
ing species for the aquarium.

None of these species of Doridae seem to agree exactly with the
descriptions of the genera as divided up by the latest authors ; and
further generic names may be required when oppoi-tunities of study-
ing the living animals are presented. At present, the names and
descriptions here given will sufHce for identifying the species. The
same remarks will apply to the Molidae, next described.

JEolis {FlabelUna?^ opalescens, n. sp.

Spec. char. — Bluish white, pellucid, somewhat quadrangular, pos-
teriorly wedge-shaped ending in a sharp point. Foot anteriorly
with two short spreading appendages, laterally thin and flattened.
Head short ; tentacles two, long, acute, (the lower pair replaced
bj the appendages of the foot.) Two erect, elul>shaped append-
ages (dorsal tentacles) on the anterior pai-t of the back, of an
opaline color, with an orange stripe between them. Branchiae in
five pairs of fascicuh along the upper edges of back, each bundle
of about four rows, longest above their color yellowish, with a pur-
ple or blood-red spot near the end. A rosy tint often visible from
the string of ova sliining through the abdominal walls.

This elegant species is numei'ous in San Diego Bay m the wni-
ter, living among the grass, and depositing its ova on any fixed
object it meets with. Length, 1^ in., breadth, i inch.

^olis (^Phidianaf^ iodinea, n. sp.

Spec. char. — Rich violet purple, narrow wedge-shaped, high in
front, tapering to an acute point behind, shghtly constricted in five
pai'ts of the body corresponding to divisions of the branchiae. Foot
very narrow, shghtly expanded. Head obtuse, with fjur tentacles,
the upper longer and turned" upward, the lower deflexed. Two
club-shaped, orange-colored appendages a little behind the upper
tentacles. Branchiae short in a double row, close together near the
median line, their color, orange red. Length, 2^ inches ; breadth,
one fifth of an mch.

On rocks, among algse outside of San Diego Bay. Rare inside.

Pkoc. Calijforkia Acad. Nat. Sci. Jan., 1863. 1 (

x:5. es.

207

Tritonia Palmeri, n. sp.

Sp. ch. — Form ovate, anteriorly subquadrate, posteriorly rounded,
the back sloping down from the head backwards to a tliin margin
wliich is reflected upwards, forming the foliated branchiae ; these
extending around nearly the entire upper margin. Whole animal
translucent and pale-reddish bro^vn. United tentacles, expanded
into a broad thin membrane in front of head, squared and fimbri-
cated, resembhng part of the branchiae. Dorsal tentacles (eyes ?)
widely apart, large, and pedunculated, the peduncles enclosed in a
membranous sheath. Foot rather broader than back, strongly
adhering to any surface. Length, 2i inches ; breadth, li inches.
Corneous jaws very large and strong, the only opaque or hard part
of the animal. Teeth very nvunerous, inserted like a pavement
behind the jaws, with an arrangement like the plume of an ostrich
feather from left to right.

This singular animal was numerous at San Diego in the same
locahties and season as the Diphyllidia. It comes nearer to Tritonia
than to any other genus. I have named it after Mr. Edward Pal-
mer, a zealous naturahst who assisted me while at San Diego.
Judging from the recorded habits of the genus, they inhabit float
ing algae, and are carnivorous — though the specimens I found were
crawling on the sand.

Dr. Ayres read the following brief statement :

In September, 1854, (Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sciences, vol. I,
p. 7) I pubhshed a notice of a species of Sebastes, to which I
apphed the specific name ruber. Shortly before that date Mr.
Girard had characterized jSebastes rosaceus (Pro. Phil. Acad. Nat.
Sciences, vol. VII, p. 146) ; in P. R. R. Rep., vol. X, p. 78, he gives
my ruber as a synonym of his rosaceus. In this he Avas douljtless mis-
led by the color, as the two species have little close resemblance m
any other respect. They belong in fact to what must now be
recognized as two distinct genera. His species is of the smooth
headed type ; mme is of that division in which the head is ridged
and spinous. A figure of each is here given. Their points of dif-
ference are at once seen. I may remark that the figures are accu-
rate, and may be trusted for comparison by means of measurement.

Sebastes ruber grows to a greater size than any other species of the
group in our waters, sometimes weighing twenty-five pomids, and
reported by the fishermen as larger still ; while aS'. rosaceus seldom
exceeds five or six pomids.

Sebastodes rosaceus, Gu'. Fig. 62.
Sebastes ruber, Ayres, Fig. 63.

Pig. 63,

209

Dr. Ayres presented the following descriptions of Fishes believed
to be new :

Sebastodes plavidus (Ayres). Fig. 64.

This species is very closely aUied to /S. melanops, Gir., and is
scarcely to be distinguished from it except by color. It is generally
a httle more slender, with the soft dorsal somewhat higher, and the
lower jaw a trifle more protuberant. But otherwise the proportions
are exceedingly ahke, and it was not till after comparison of multi-
tudes of specimens that I felt warranted in separatmg the two
species. In general appearance, however, they are entirely dis-
tinct, and as they lie in heaps upon the fish-stalls there is no possi-
bility of confounding them, for there are no intermediate forms.
S. flavidus is always of a dark greenish brown above, becoming
yeUowish green on the sides, and still hghter beneath. S. inelanojjs
is nearly black above, becomuig merely hghter on the sides and
beneath. The points of distinction as expressed thus in words
appear very shght, but for the reasons given above I regard the
two species as clearly separate from each other. To illustrate them
more fully an outline figure of each is given, to which reference
may be made for their proportions as the figures are strictly accu-
rate in all the details, and may be used for measui-ement with
entire confidence.

S. flavidus is taken in no inconsiderable quantities, being
brought to the markets almost as abundantly as *S'. melanops. It
seldom exceeds two pounds in weight.

The reasons for placing this species, together with others, in. the
genus Sebastodes will be given in another place. The characters
of that genus as originally defined by Mr. Gill appear to me to be
merely the specific characters of the single species, S. paucispinis ;
modified, as I believe it must be, the genus includes several
species.

Sebastodes ovalis (Ayres). Fig. 65.

This species is of the type of S. flavidus, which it resembles
almost completely in color. It is a stouter fish, the depth being
about .32 of the length, while m flavidus it is about .28. In ovalis
the spinous dorsal retains in'" a large degree its height, of spmes
and membrane, to its junction with the soft portion, the twelfth
spine being about two-thirds as high as the fifth ; while in flavidus
the twelfth is less than one-thnd as high as the fifth, its membrane
joming the thirteenth almost at its very base. In ovalis the soft
dorsal is long and rather low, its height being less than one-half its
length ; in flavidus it is high and rounded, the height bemg about
two-thirds of the length. In ovalis the anal fin is smaller, its

Fig. 64.

211

height being only equal to the length of the soft portion — the
second spine is stronger and higher than the third, being as high
as the soft portion ; in flavidus the height of the soft portion is one-
half greater than in ovalis — the height of the second spme is much
less than that of the third and does not equal half the height of the
soft portion. In ovalis the height of the pectorals is about one-
fourth the leng-th of the fish ; in flavidus the same fins are much
smaller, their height beini^ but a little over one-sLxth the total
length. In ovalis the mouth is smaller, the tip of the maxillarj
reaching only about the line of the anterior border of the pupil ;
while in flavidus it reaches the fine of the posterior border of the
same.

jS. ovalis is by no means common here, only an occasional speci-
men being brought to the market. In size it appears to be about
the same as jS. flavidus.

Sebastodes melanops. Gir. Fig. 66.

Syn. Sebastes melanops, Gir. P. R. R. Rep., Vol. X. p. 81.

For the purpose of comparison with the preceding I introduce a
figure of this species. The description by Girard (loc. cit.') is
tolerably accurate, but no illustration has hitherto been pubHshed.

Dr. Ayres made the following remarks in relation to the fishes
of California, which are included in Cuvier's genus Sebastes.

Of fishes of this type we have on our Coast a greater number of
forms than are known to exist at any other point. All the species
here mentioned are brought to the markets of San Francisco, and
are taken either in the Bay, or on the rocky shores and islands
immediate adjacent. They are all sold under the absurd name of
" Rock Cod."

As late as July, 1861, no attempt had been made to separate
them into groups. At that date, Mr. Theodore Gill proposed to
place S. paucispinis, (Ayres) in a new genus, calling it Sebastodes,
" distinguished by the longer body, the very protuberant lower jaw,
which has a symphiseal swelling beneath, the minute scales, the
foiTU and armatui-e of the hea;d, the deep emargination of the dorsal
fin, and the emarginated caudal." A year later, in July, 1862,
he proposed to include all our other species (a number of which I
should judge he had not seen,) in a new genus Sebastichthys, with
" eleven to twelve (XI.-[-I. — XII.+I.) spines in the first dorsal
fin, palatine teeth and the physiognomy of Sebastes (^Norvegicus').''''

In these two propositions he appears to me to have been mifor-
tunate, having based his decision, perhaps, upon the examination

Pig. 65

Fig, 66.

214

of an insufficient amount of materials. The grouping of the charac-
ters which he has assigned to Sehastodes, belongs only to the single
species paucispinis; but the " longer body" is equalled in elongatus,
a species of very different type ; the " protuberant lower jaw,"
with its " symphiseal swelling," and the " form and armature of
the head," are common to five of our species ; the " deep emargin-
ation of the dorsal fin " is most strongly marked in flavidus,
while the border of the caudal fin changes insensibly in the succes-
sive species from the slight emargination of paucispinis to the
slight rounding of nebulosus and niyrocinctus.

Equally vuisatisfactory is the definition of Sebasticlithys. The
number of spines of the dorsal fin is the same m all our species,
paucispinis included ; they are XIII, or if a division is preferred,
XII-|-I. The " palatine teeth " are found in all our species, pau-
cispinis included, as they are also in Norvegicus and its allies. The
" physiognomy " can scarcely apply as a feature for distinction, for
Mr. Gill has grouped in his Sehastiehthys the very extremes ; no
two, for instance, can be more unlike than niyrocinctus and mel-
anops.

A careful investigation of all the species, with the comparison of
very numerous specimens of all (except ovalis') has satisfied me,
however, that they should be arranged in two groups, — in one of
which the summit of the head is strongly ridged and spinous, while
in the other it is almost entirely smooth. Other features, it is true,
accompany these, but they are of subordinate import. In place
now of introducing new names, it may be better to call the smooth
headed division Sehastodes, though it will necessarily be of different
limits from that proposed under the same name by Mr. Gill. For
the rough headed division we retain the old name Sebastes, as there
is no apparent vaUd reason for separating them from that group
of which jSebastes Nbrveyicus is the type. A difference in number
of one, or at most two, dorsal spines, is scarcely sufficient to consti-
tute a genus.

The synonymy, therefore, of our Califomian forms, will be as
follows : —

GEN. SEBASTES.

With the characters of Sebastes as yiven by Cuvier, except that
the top of the head is always marked by spinous ridyes, the orbits
being commonly crested, so as to leave a depression between them.

1. Sebastes nigrocinctus. Ayres. Proc. Cal. Acad., Vol.
II, p. 25, and p. 217, Fig. 67.

215

Syn. Sebastichthys nigrocinctus. Gill. Proc. Phil.
Acad., 1862, p. 278.

2. Sbbastes NEBULOSUS. Aji'es. Proc. Cal. Acad., Vol. I, p. 5.

Syn. S. fasciaUis. Gir. Proc. Phil. Acad. 1854, p.

146, and P. R. R. Rep., Vol. X, p. 79, PI.

XXII.
(non. S. fasciatus. Storer. Proc. Bost. Soc.

Nat. Hist, Vol. V, p. 31.)
Sehastichthys nebulosus. Gill. Proc. Phil. Acad.

1862, p. 278.

3. Sebastes auriculatus. Gir. Proc. Phil. Acad. 1854,

and P. R. R. Rep. Vol. X, p.80.
Syn. Sebastichthys auriculatus. Gill. Proc. Phil.
Acad. 1862, p. 278.
Sebastes auriculatus. Ayres. Proc. Cal. Acad.
Vol. II, p. 218, Fig. 68.

4. Sebastes ruber. Ajres. Proc. Cal. Acad., Vol. I, p. 7.

(non. ;S'. rosaceus. Gir. P. R. R. Rep., Vol.
X, p. 78.)

5. Sebastes helvomaculatus. Ayres. Proc. Cal. Acad.,

Vol. II, p. 26, Fig. 8.
Syn. S. ocellatus? Cuv. (fide Gill. Proc. PhU.
Acad. 1862, p. 278.)
Sebastichthys ocellatus. Gill. (loc. cit.)

6. Sebastes elongatus. Ayres. Proc. Cal. Acad., Vol.

II, p. 26, Fig. 9.

GEN. SEBASTODES.

With the characters of the typical Sebastes, except that the top
of the head is always smooth, the spinous ridges being so little
developed as to be barely discernible, the orbits not elevated.

1. Sebastodes paucispinis.

Syn. Sebastes paucispinis. Ayres. Proc. Cal. Acad.,
Vol. I, p. 6.
Sebastes paucispinis. Gir. P. R. R. Rep., Vol.

X, p. 88, PI. XXII A.
Sebastodes paucispinis. Gill. Proc. Phil. Acad.,
1861, p. 165.

2. Sebastodes ovalis. Ayres. Proc. Cal. Acad., Vol. II,

p. 212, Fig. 65.

3. Sebastodes flavidus. Ayres. Proc. Cal. Acad., Vol.

II, p. 210, Fig. 64.

4. Sebastodes melanops. Gir.

Syn. Sebastes melanops. Gir. Proc. Pliil. Acad.,

216

Vol. Vm, p. 135, and P. R. R. Rep., Vol.

X, p. 81.
Sebastes melanops. Ayres. Proc. Cal. Acad.,

Vol. II, p. 213, Fig. QQ.
Sebastes variabilis. Ayres. (non. Cuvier). Proc.

Cal. Acad., Vol. I, p. 7.
6. Sebastodes rosaceus. Gir.

Syn. Sebastes rosaceus. Gir. Proc. Phil. Acad.,

Vol. VIII, p. 146, and P. R. R. Rep., Vol.

X, p. 78, PL xxi.
(non. Sebastes ruber. Ayres. Proc. Cal. Acad.,

Vol. I, p. 7).
Sebastodes rosaceus. Ayres. Proc. Cal. Acad.,

Vol. II, p. 206, Fig. 62.

In addition to the species here indicated, I have seen another
form, with transverse dark bands of the nigrocinctus type, which
will probably eventually prove distinct.

I may add, in connection with this synopsis, that all these species
are to a certain degree ovo- viviparous. The development of the
yomig takes place within the body of the mother, but to what ex-
tent, I have not yet the means of stating with absolute accuracy.
I have traced them from the first stages of cell-division to such
an advancement as that the mouth, the intestinal canal, the ver-
tebral divisions, and the vertical fins, are all plainly discernible,
and of course the eyes strongly marked and pronunent, the embryo
bemg fully half an inch in length. Whether they are born, capa-
ble of independent motion, as in the Embiotocoids, I have yet to
learn. The spawning time is from March to Jmie.

The httle " accessory scales " mentioned by Gii'ard are not con-
fined to the three species stated by him, but are common to all.

A more full exposition of these fishes, I trust to give at another
time.

To complete the list of illustrations of this series, outhne figures
of the two following are given.

Sebastes nigrocinctus. Ayres. Fig. 67.

Sebastes auriculatus. Gir. Fig. 68.

Fig. 67.

PlO. 68.

210

December IbtJi, 1862.
President in the Chair.

Prof. J. D. Whitney read the following paper :

Which is the highest Mountain in the United States, and which
in North America ?

It is a curious fact, that, up to the present time, the greatest
uncertainty exists as to the height of the loftiest mountain peaks,
not only of the United States, but of the North American Conti-
nent. The greatest errors are being constantly repeated in our
school geographies ; and, on looking farther back into our Gazet-
teers and Encyclopaedias, we find the same condition of things.

The object of this communication is to set forth, as far as can be
done fi'om materials accessible in California, what is known in regard
to the height of the dominating peaks of the mountain ranges of
North America.

It is well known that the elevations of the loftiest portion of the
Appalachian chain are but trifling compared with those of the
Rocky Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada and Cascade range, or
of the ranges intermediate between these two gi-eat chains. The
highest point of the Appalachian chain, as detennined by Guyot, is
Black Mountain, or the Black Dome, in North Carolina, which is
6,707 feet above the sea level, or less than half the height of sev-
eral of the peaks of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade range.

In the Rocky Mountain chain proper, by which term I designate
the group of ranges haring a general north and south direction,
extendmg from the southern boundaiy of the United State to lati-
tude 43° north, and lying between the 105th and 107th meridians,
the culmuiating points are Pikes', Long's and Laramie peaks ; but
it is not known that either one of these has been acciirately meas-
ured. Dr. Parry has recently given the names of Torrey, Gray, and
Engelmann, to three peaks hi the range east of the Middle Park ;
but he has not measured their height. In his interesting paper on
the botany of this region, he speaks of the highest points as being
over 12,000 feet.

At present the culminating points of the Rocky Mountain ranges,
usuig the term here to include all the groups of mountain chains
east of Salt Lake, are behoved to be in the Wind River Mount-
ains ; the highest point of this chain was ascended by Fremont and
measured barometrically, and is now known as Fremont's Peak. It
was measured, however, by a single barometer, not in perfect or-

220

der, so that the result (13,570 feet) can only be looked on as an
approximation, which may vary several hundred feet from the
truth.

The culminating points of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade range
are beUeved to be the highest mountain elevations Avithin the limits
of the United States ; but to which of these pomts the supremacy
is to be given is not yet absolutely known ; although, as Avill be at-
tempted to be shown in this communication, it is at least highly
probable that Mt. Shasta has the honor of standing at the head.

These lofty peaks, all volcanoes, either extinct or active, senti-
nelled along a granite range and towering far above it, enumeratmg
them from south to north, are as follows :

Mt. Shasta, Cahfornia.

Pitt,
Diamond Peak
Three Sisters,
Mt. Jefferson,

\

V Oregon,

Hood.

J

Mt. St. Helens,

RaS > Washing-ton Territory.

Baker. J

In regard to the height of the first of these, namely Mt. Shasta,
there is at present no uncertainty. A carefal and elaborate series
of barometrical observations by the State Geological Corps, made
in September, 1862, has fixed the elevation of this mountain at
11,440 feet. Previous to this, the height of Shasta had been vari-
ously estimated at from 13,905 to 18,000 feet. The number
13,905 Avas the result of a barometrical observation made by Mr.
W. S. Moses, August 20th, 1861 ; 18,000 feet was the height as
estimated by the Pacific Rail Road expedition, under Lieut. Wil-
liamson ; Fremont's estimate was 15,000 feet, Avhich is much nearer
the truth than Wilhamson's. It is a very curious fact, that the
height of Mt. Shasta, as given by the editor of Colton's Atlas and
author of the article on California in the New American Cyclopsedia,
is 14,390 feet, Avhich is a very close approximation. Where these
figures were obtained, I have been unable to ascertam.* It is
pretty certain that they AYere not the result of any actual measure-

* Wilkes says " it is said to be 14,350 feet ; but Lieut. Emmons thinks it is not
so high."

221

ment, as it is known that Mr. Moses was the first person to ascend
the mountain with a barometer.

The heights of Mt. Pitt, Diamond Peak, the Three Sisters, and
Mt. Jefferson, are usiiallj given at 10,000 to 11,000 feet, from
guess, as none of them have ever been measured, so far as can be
ascertained. It is clear that neither of them is as high as several
of the peaks farther north. The Pacific Rail Road partj in charge
of Lieutenants Williamson and Abbot, although circulating for
sometime through that part of the Cascade range, never ascended
any of those peaks, neither have they given any estimates of their
heights.

Mt. Hood, the peak or cone next north of Mt. Jefferson, and
about twenty-five miles south of the Columbia River, has been the
object of more speculation as to its height than any other of the
high points of the range, unless it be Mt. Shasta. As far as can
be ascertained, it has never been ascended with a barometer. Many
persons have considered it the highest point of the chain ; Avhile
others, whose opinions seem more reliable, have asserted that it is
inferior in height to Shasta, Rainier, Adams, and perhaps others.
Thus Lieut. Abbot speaks of Mt. Shasta as the " largest and grand-
est peak of the Cascade range," while Dr. Newberry of the same
expedition, calls Mt. Hood the " loftiest peak in the chain." The
statements in the books with regard to the height of Hood, vary
from 7,710 to 18,3<30 feet. Grewingk, in his usually exact work
on the Orography of the Northwest Coast of North America, gives
1,203 toises, or 7,710 feet, as the result obtained by Gardner for
the height of this mountain ; but there is certainly some great error
here, as there can be no doubt that the mountain is much higher
than that. Berghaus giv^es 16,500 feet, and another German
authority 18,360 feet. The New American Cyclopedia and Col-
ton's Atlas give 13,000 feet. It is certain that no barometer has
ever been carried to the top of Mt. Hood, and there is no published
record of any accurate trigonometrical measurements of it. It
was not ascended by Wilkes' expedition, although he several times
speaks of intending to do so ; nor by any of the Pacific Rail Road
Surveying parties. The story current in the newspapers of the
mountain having been ascended by a party to a height of over
18,000 feet, is beheved, on enquiry, to be without foundation. It
is this newspaper account which seems to have led the German
authority above referred to (^Zeitschrift filr Allgemeine Erdhmde)
into error. I learn from Dr. J. G. Cooper, however, that a rough
trigonometrical measurement of Mt. Hood was made, at the Dalles,
by Dr. A^ansant, L"". S. A., in 1860, which gave the height of
Hood as 11,934 feet. It was done bv measurement of the angle

Proc. California Acad. Nat. Sci. Jan., 1363. 1 ^

222

of elevation of the mountain (by a sextant, probably) and taking
the distance of the summit from Williamson's map. Dr. Cooper,
who is familiar with the mountains of Oregon and Wasliington Ter-
ritory, considers that there is no doubt that Mt. Hood is not as high
as some other peaks of the same range. Other experienced observ-
ers have stated the same thing to me.

On the Avhole, then, we conclude that Mt. Hood, although un-
doubtedly a grand object, is not as high as Mts. Shasta, Rainier, or
Adams, and by no means entitled to the supremacy of the chain,
although one of the highest points in it.

Mt. Adams, the next high point north of Hood, was made by
Dr. Vansant, Avith the same instrument by which Hood was mea-
sured, 13,258 feet high.

Mt. Rainier was measured by Capt. Wilkes trigonomctricaUy,
from Fort NisquaUy. He gives the height resulting from his obser-
vations at 12,330 feet. As the mountain is nearly sixty miles from
Nisqually, and, if 12,300 feet high, would only subtend an angle
of a little over two degrees at that distance, the observation can
hardly be considered as more than an approximation, — but there is
here a margin of 2,000 feet, before the height of Shasta would be
reached.

Mt. Baker, the most northern of these volcanic cones, is given
by Simpson at 12,500 feet; and by Davidson, in the Coast Survey
Report for 1858, at 10,500 feet. In neither case are any data
fm-nished, by which it may be inferred whether these figures are
estimates or the result of actual measurement.

From the above review of what is known m regard to the heights
of the culminating points of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade range,
it will 1)0 seen that there is little doubt that Shasta is entitled to the
preeminence among them, and that it may perhaps be a thousand
feet, or more, higher than either Rainier or Adams.

Of the prominent points in the Sierra Nevada chain, south of
Shasta, none have been measured accurately. There are so many
which are nearly of a height, that they are not easily dLstinguished
from each other, except in a few cases. The liighest portion of the
range is supposed to be that between Lake Bigler and Mono Lake,
in which are beheved to be several summits over 12,000 feet in
elevation. Castle Peak, near Mono Lake, is put do^vn on Goddard's
map at 13,000 feet. I am mformed by Mr, Goddard, however,
that its height was measured with an aneroid barometer, the obser-
vations being taken at a point supposed to be 1,000 feet below the
summit.

Lassen's Butte is also variously estimated at from 10,000 to
12,000 feet. Prof. Brewer tliinks it cannot be less than 12,000
feet high.

223

If, then, Mt. Shasta is the highest mountain of the Cascade
and Sierra Nevada range, it is almost certainly the highest point
within the hmits of the United States, as we have reason to be-
heve that there are no peaks in the chains to the East of this as
high as those which form the Western border of the Continent.
The volcanic cone of San Francisco, which is given by Humboldt
at 16,000 feet, on the authority of Marcou, is m reality only between
12,000 and 13,000 feet high.

The question, which is the highest mountain in North America ?
may here be briefly touched on. It will be remembered by every
one, that in the school geographies and books of a popular kmd
relating to geograpliical science, Mt. St. Elias is always mentioned
as claiming supremacy over all the mountains of America. It is
curious to see how this really qviite erroneous statement, in regard
to a point of so much interest, has been handed down from genera-
tion to generation by the book-makers ; even in the latest editions
of the best Atlases, Cyclopaadias and Gazetteers, we find this
statement in regard to the height of Mt. St. Ehas repeated with-
out qualification. The height usually assigned to St. Ehas is
17,854 feet, and is derived from measurements made by Malespina,
in 1791, as discovered by Humboldt from ^lalespina's manuscripts
in the archives of Mexico. Were this height correct, it would be
almost beyond doubt that St. Ehas is the highest mountain in North
America, although even then less than one hundred feet lower than
Popocatapetl ; but the following circumstances will, I think, justify
us in believing that Malespina's measurements were, in all proba-
bihty, grossly hicorrect. In the first place, La Perouse measured
this mountain in 1786-8, and made it only 12,661 feet high:
again, on the English Hydrographical Charts, it is given at 14,970
feet. But, secondly, Vancouver, in his description of the mountain,
says expressly that the snow fine does not descend very far down
its sides, which w^ould be an absurdity, if it was really 17,000 feet
high in a latitude of sixty degrees. It is probable that the height
given by the British Charts, probably from Captain Denham's mea-
surement, is nearer the truth ; and, if so, then St. Ehas is nearly
3,000 feet lower than Popocatapetl, and also lower than several
other points in Mexico, and lower than Mt. Brown and jMt. Hooker.
in British Columbia, according to the usually adopted figures, viz :
16,000 and 16,750 feet. But, it may be said with truth, that these
figures given by Douglas are of little value, and that they are con-
siderably above the real heights.

In regard to the height of the Mexican volcanoes, there is no
uncertainty. They have been carefully measured by Sonntag,
whose barometrical observations agree with the trigonometrical ones
of Humboldt, made more than fifty years before. According to

224

Sonntag, Popoeatapetl is 17,783 feet in height, and must, there-
fore, be allowed the honor of standing at the head of the mountains
of the North American continent.

Dr. Kellogg read the following description of new species of
plants :

CoUinsia septemnei'va. — (Kellogg.) Fig. 69.

Stem simple, erect, sub-glabrous or puberulent below ; short
somewhat wooly pubescent above.

Leaves cordate-oblong, acute, entire, (or sub-entire ?) sub-sessile,
sub-glabrous above, (only a few remote hairs along the nerves) very
short pubescent beneath, margins scabrous and short pubescent,
seven-nerved.

Flowers creamy yellow, streaked with dark purple lines, in whorls
of six to eight.

Calyx segments lanceolate, acute.

Corolla slightly scabrous and pubescent, thrice the length of the
calyx, gibbosity of the tube large, prominent and obtuse, lateral
v.ing-lobes long, and somewhat ligulate, apex emarginate ; upper
lip-lobes very short, entire.

Allied to C. tinctoria, but the stem is not " glabrous," nor upper
leaves sessile, nor the floral leaves two to three mches long, nor are
they " coarsely dentate"; the calyx, also, is not "glandular," etc.
The color of the flower is similar, but the form is long and slender.
The seven-nerved character of the leaf is worthy of note.

(Enotliera Nevadensis. — (Kellogg.) Fig. 70.

Stem robust, sub-decum'oent, six to eight inches high, glabrous
below, minutely strigulose pubescent above, strongly decurrent
angled.

Lower leaves oblong-lanceolate, iiregularly and also coarsely
erose-repand-dentate, petioles short, sub-winged and expanding at
the base, sparsely strigulose throughout, veiny, upper bractoid leaves
lance-linear, entire, corneously acute, on very slender petioles, about
the same len«;th as the lamina, or three or four times the Icnii-th of
the ovary ; slightly scabrulose and minutely strigulose throughout.

Flowers small, white, in a dense, obtuse tcrmhial leafy spike,
Tieither circinate nor drooping. Calyx tube linear-funnel-form,
somewhat ridged, scarcely shorter than the ovary, segments cari-
nate, (or from a closely reflexed base erect beyond the middle) as
long as the tube ; petals ovate or obovate on a short claw ; stamens
somewhat unequal, mostly slightly exsert; anthers oblong, fixed by
the middle, versatile ; stigma sub-capitate scarcely a little longer.

Fig. 69.

?5S-1N2?x>

Fig. 70.

227

Capsules sessile, subulate tapering from a broad base, quadran-
gular or strongly four-ridged, valves one-nerved, scabrulose and
strigulose puberulent, arcuately tortuous ; seeds oblong ascending.

This plant belongs to the subdivision Siilioirostigma, and is closely
allied to (Enothera gaurcefiora ; but that has linear-lanceolate vein-
less leaves, and yellow flowers : the bracts, also, are shorter than
the ovary, and linear or subulate. The ovary, also, is said to be
glabrous.

We have not seen the base of the stem ; the leaf only accompa-
nying the spike, as exhibited in the figure.

(Enothera cruciformis. — (Kellogg.) Fig. 71.

Stem perennial (?) leafy, erect, sub-glabrous or puberulent, de-
current angled, fistulous, succulent (?) sLx to eight inches in height,
many-flowered in a nodding somewhat secund terminal spike, elon-
gating m fruit.

Leaves alternate, fleshy, veiny, glabrous, subcordate-ovate, acute,
or short acuminate, repand-denticulate, the lower ones on long peti-
oles ; the upper at length much shorter ; the uppermost bractoid
sub-sessile and sessile, obliquely ovate, acuminate, sometimes adher-
ing to the pedicels.

Flowers a pure bright lemon or straw yellow unchanged in dry-
ing ; petals broadly obovate, entire, (or rarely sub-ocordate) longer
than the sepals, four in number (in one instance five, with ten sta-
mens) ; alternate stamens a little longer (as long or longer than
the petals) ; anthers linear oblong, (about two lines long) attached
below the middle, versatile ; style exsert, (viEous at the base,)
stigma capitate, calyx tube broadly obconic or funnel-form, early
deciduous, about half the length of the segments ; segments ovate
or oblong, acute, reflected, somewhat twisted, puberulent, colored
yellowish, capsules linear-oblong, sub-cylindrical or somewhat sub-
four obtuse angled and strongly four-nerved ; valves one-nerved,
membranaceous (similar to the cruciferse), apex sub-acute, base
acute, on spreadmg ascending pedicels about half an mch in length,
or about half as long as the capsules, bracted at the base, or the
pedicel bracteolate a little above by the aduate bract.

A plant with mostly radical leaves ; in depauperated specimens
only a few small leaves are seen just above the base ; in its normal
state, however, the plant exliibits the leafy character seen in the
figure.

Growing in beds of silicious deposit on the top of Steamboat
Springs, Nevada Territory.

Fig. 71.

229

Viola cTirysantha var. JVevadensis. (Kellogg.) Fig. 72.

Stem short, partly subterranean, slightly pubescent, cespitose.

Leaves both radical and canline, on long petioles, bipinnatifid,
segments linear-lanceolate, acute, glabrous above, pubescent or
scabrulose beneath, margins scabrous and sometimes also pubescent,
points tipped with a gland.

Stipules linear-lanceolate, falcate, entire or sparsely dentate, often
half to three-fourths of an inch in length, and when thus fully de-
veloped, sub-lobed and similar to the lea,ves. Peduncles longer
than the leaves, sub-glalDrous, rarely a few scabrous elevations and
scattering hairs. Bracts mmute, lanceolate, acuminate ; margins
subscarious, swelled or produced at the base on the back, situated
above the middle ; sepals ovate-oblong, acute, produced and emar-
ginate at base, margins naked or scabrous, (rarely a few scattering
hau"s on the back), three nerved.

Flowers very large, petals obovate-cuneate, the two upper yel-
lowish in front, purple on the back, claw also purple in front, (a
variety with smaller flowers has the upper petals deep indigo on
both surfaces) ; lateral petals somewhat papillose bearded from a
little mons nearer the upper margin ; lower petals brightly yellow,
with dark purple veins at the base, lowest with a short spur. Style
clavate, curved, sub-rostrate, sub-lipped, compressed, short bearded
below the summit, foramen large, nearer the somewhat protuberant
obtuse beak.

In no specimens of this plant from the interior have we been able
to find all the stipules " entire," as V. cJiri/santha is described by
Sir Wm. Hooker ; the sepals also are not " cilliate," nor the lateral
petals " glabrous ;" the spur, although short, is not wanting, cer-
tainly not " slightly saccate." The scabrous and glandular leaves,
it would seem, are features worthy of notice.

Lupinus eervvniis. (Kellogg.) Fig. 73.

Stem herbaceous, silky appressed pubescent throughout, with
short fulvous villi. A robust plant of a pale greenish, ocherish hue,
six inches to one foot high.

Leaves large, petioles stoirt, strongly three to five nerved at the
somewhat clasping base ; stipules very short, subulate, adnate,
(about one-quarter of an inch in length). Leaflets large, (one to
two inches long, or one-quarter to one-third the length of the peti-
ole) six to seven, obovate, cuneate, obtuse, (rarely sub-acute)
acutely mucronate, mid rib thickened, more ferruginous satiny be-
neath ; flowers pale blue, (?) somewhat verticillate in an elongated
pedunculate spike ; bracts very short, subulate from a broad base,

Fig. 72.

i>'-,V'

%'^-

/

:^ ;-'

--i^Afeffl

I.

«^:|^

-^-'

232

caducous ; pedicels short, (about half the length of the calyx)
much thickened at the base or sub-clasping, attenuated upwards
to the calyx ; calyx very minutely bracteolate, (often a mere tuft
of villi marking its locality) base saccate above and below, upper
lip sub-equal two toothed, lower lip three toothed, middle tooth a
little longer; wings very broad, naked, as long as the vexillum;
vexillum orbicular, without spots, sparsely pubescent externally ;
keel sub-cilliate, with a few scattering appressed hairs above and
below.

Embryo legume, fulvous villous, seven seeded.

The specimen is from the Randall purchase of the Academy, No.
119, collected by Mr. Lobb, on the Santa Lucia Mountains, m
piney woods. The proper stem is low, and the leaves somewhat
clustered by the condensed hitcrnodes ; fistulous below. A very
marked, fine, robust species, worthy of cultivation.

INDEX OF AUTHORS.

X8SS— ISSS-

AyrEs, W. 0., M.D.—Descriptions of new species of Pishes, 25-32 ; 52-04 j

73-^86: 15G-158; 209-218"

Kotice of fresh water fishes taken in the Bay of San Francisco 163

Statement in regard to Sebastes rosaceus and S. ruber. ^ 20?

Behr, H., M.D.— On certain Butterflies of California 167-169

Californian Argyunides 172-177

Blake. W. P.— Notice of the Bailey " silver ore " 142

Crystallized silver in slags 146

On the great Trees of Mariposa and other localities in California. 199-201

BoLANDER, H. N. — On Grasses in the Herbariiira of the Academy, and

Grasses fotind in the vicinity of San Francisco 177-178

Description of New Plants 179-182

Cooper, J. G., M.D. — New Californian Animals 118-121

Known species of Animals new to California 121-123

New species of Californian Mollusca. . . . , 202-207

Gabb, W. M. — Description of two new species of Fennatulidic, from the

Pacific coast of the United Stdtes 1G5-167

Description of two new species of Cephalopodes, in the Museum of the
California Acaderay 170-172

Kellogg, Dr. A.— Description of New Plants— (For names of species see

General Index) -4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15-25, 32, 33-38,46-52,
64-72, 88, 94-102, 104-118, 123-127, 142-146, 146-155, 158-159, 161-
162,163-165,179. 182,198.

234

Newcomb, Dr. S.— Description of New Shells 91-94, 103-104

PoMPELLY, R. — Mineralogical Sketch of the Silver Mines of Arizona. 127-139

Ransom, L. — Growth of Trees 3

Declination of the Magnetic Needle 130-142

Tkask, J. B., M.D.— Earthquakes in California in 1858 and 1859 38-39

In 1860 90

Veatch, John A., M.D. — Boracic Acid in the Pacific Ocean.

Whitney, J. D. — Notice of Cinnabar from Nevada Territory 161

On the Heights of the Highest Mountains of North America 219-223

GENERAL INDEX.

Abies bridgei 8

Abronia crnx-maltse 71

Achatinella Antbonii 93

Aeolis opalescens 205

" iodinea 205

Allium anccps. 109

'' atteuuifolium 110

•' uiiifolium 112

Animals new to California 118

Ancplopoma 27

" merlangas 27

Arctostaphylos Veatchii 19

Argynuides of Caliibruia 172

Arizona, Silver Mines of. 127

Athene Whitueyi 118

Athineropsis affinis 73

'• tenuis 75

Astragalus hypoglottis var. strigosa 1 1 5
Gibbsii 161

Bahiopsis 35

" lanata 35

Bailey Silver Ore 142

Bloomeria aurea 11

Boracic Acid in Sea-water 7

Brodia^a terrestria 6

Butterflies of California 167

Cabinet, donations to 1858-1859 43-44

Calliproa aurantea 20

Calochortus lilacinus 5

Camarina nigricans » . 81

Campanula filiflora 5

Ceanotlius Nevadeusis 152

Cblorogalum angustifolium 104

Cinnabar in Nevada 161

Collinsia solitaria 10

Cyclobothra coerulea 4

Cyuoscion parvipinuis 156

Danthouia Californica 182

Decliuation of the Magnetic Needle

in California , 139

Delphinium flamraeum 22

Diplacus stellatus 18

Doris alabastrina 204

" montereyensis 204

" sandiegensis 204

" sanguinea 204

Earthquakes in California in 1858. .39

" " « in 1859.. 39

in I860.. 90

Echinospermum nervosum 146

Eritrichium connatifolium 163

Floods of 1862 affecting the Fish of

San Francisco Bay. 163

Fritillaria viridea 9

Galium stellatum, 97

" multiflorura ; . 97

Grasses described 177

Ilalias 52

Helix Ayresiana. 103

" Bridgesii 91

" Carpenter! 103

Traskii 91

Helmiothophaga luciie 120

Hemizouia balsamifera , 64

" luzulai folia 69

Hippoglossus Californicus 29

Hosackia macrophylla 123

Idria columnaria 34

Johnius nobilis 77

Julis semicinctus 32

Juucus Lesueurii 179

Juniperus cerrosiauus 37

236

Latliyi'us Lnu.?Jiwc-rtii 150

Ledum Californicum 14

Lewisia alba 1 1 •"'

Library, donations to, l8o8, '59.41-42
Llliorhiza 46

" lanceolata 4{)

Lilium pardalinuin 12

parvum 179

" Wa^hiugtouiamim 1.3

Linosyris d'litatr.s 1 C

Lipochaeta hastala lOG

Lonicera conjugialis 07

" intermedia 154

Lupinus calcai'atus 195

" caudatus 197

•' confertus 192

Stiverii 192

Marah minima 18

Mariposa Big Trees 199

Mcutzelia cordata 33

" Yeatcliiana 99

Mertensia stomatechoides 148

Oenothera arborca 32

Octopus ponctatiis 170

Officers elected for IBGO 45

" 1861 87

" 1862 160

Ouycboteuthis fusiformis 171

Orthagoriscus anulis .31

Osmcrus tlialeichtliys 62

Pauicum tliermale IK

Peunatula teuua 166

Peutstemon canosobarbatum 15

" cerro-sensis 19

" rostriflorum 15

Plij'sa costata 1 01

Pisidium occidentale 94

Pleurophyllidia Californica 203

Polypodium carnosnm 88

I'oronotus simillimus 84

Quercus morehus 36

Rhamnus ilicifolius 37

" insulus 20

Rhus Lentii 1 G

" Yeatchiana 24

Ribes balsamifera 94

Saccularia 17

" Veatchii 17

Sebastes elongatus 26

" helvomaculatus 26

'■ nigrocinctus 25

'• remarjcs on 211

ruber 207

Sebastodes 215

flaviduB 2i 9

" raclanops 211

ovalis 209

" rosaceus 207

Seriphus 81

" politu? 80

Silver in slags 146

Simmondsia pabulosa 21

Sisymbrium reflexum 101

Sisyrinchium flavidura 50

Spraguea paniculata 187

Squatina Californica 29

Staphylea genicuh^ta 22

Stereolepis 28

'• gigas 28

Strategus 202

" inermis 202

Streptanthns tortuosus 152

Tcsseranthium 142

" radial urn 144

Teucviuin glandulosum 23

Tornatellina striata . , i)3

Trees of Mariposa 199

Trichodoii iineatus 60

Trillium CaUforiiicum 50

Ti'itouia Palmcri 207

Trixis Californica 182

Veatchia crystallina 11

Yiola aurea 185

" sequoiensis 185

Yirgularia clongata 167

Yitrina Pfeifferi 92

Xerobates Agassizii 120

COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION, 1873.

GsoRGE Davidson, Robert E. C. Stearns,

Charles G. Yale, Henry Edwards,

Albert Ivellogg, M.D.

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