the scales. Between the two lateral keels are traces of another keel; traces also exist between the two dorsal keels in front.

The spines are developed on all the keels except in front and behind on the two abdominal ones. The two dorsal keels, at about the eighth scale in front of the caudal fin, coalesce, after which the median furrow is obliterated and the spines continue double.

Just below the point of junction the abdominal keels also unite. The two lateral ridges remain distinct throughout. At the base of the tail, on each side, is a median spine between the lateral ridges.

The abdominal ridges are farthest apart behind the base of the ventrals, in front of which and behind which they converge, but anteriorly they do not meet. Breast with six or eight polygonal plates. Belly transversely convex, with traces of a furrow, into which the ventrals are depressible. Vent just behind the middle of the length of ventrals. Lateral line about forty.

Dorsal beginning behind the seventh dorsal scale, and extending over eight scales, four scales intervening between it and the soft dorsal, which covers seven scales. The anal begins under the end of the first dorsal, and extends over eleven scales. Dorsal spines very delicate and flexible. Pectorals reaching the eleventh scale in the upper lateral series. Ventrals beginning opposite the fifth scale and extending to the tenth.

Color nearly obliterated-dark brown, with blackish cross-bars, involving the fins. One bar across caudal, one across posterior part of soft dorsal and anal, one across posterior part of spinous dorsal and front of anal, and one across front of spinous dorsal. Pectorals black, with whitish edging. Caudal and ventrals blackish. Belly white.

Dimensions, in hundredths, of length to base of caudal fin.

This species is known to us from about ten specimens picked ont of piles of prawns in the San Francisco market. They are taken in the sweep-nets of the "Paranzelle" off Point Reyes.

It belongs to the group or genus termed Podothecus by Professor Gill (typified by Agonus acipenserinus), which is distinguished from Agonus cataphractus by the longer spinous dorsal and by the greater number of plates on the breast. Agonus vulsus differs from Agonus acipenserinus in the much rougher head, the narrow suborbital, and in the slight development of the barbels, as well as in many minor respects.

Agonus acipenserinus is rather stouter, the head broader and smoother above, the turbinal bones more widely separated. The nasal spines are similar in the two species, as well as the position of the mouth. The preocular spine is obsolete, the interorbital space is broader and not corrugated, with two longitudinal ridges. Posterior part of head comparatively smooth, without pit at the occiput. Ridges and spines on posterior part of head continuous with those on the body, as in A. vulsus, but higher than those on the body, instead of smaller, as in the latter. latter. Opercular ridge small, the bones feebly striate.

Suborbital region quite broad and smooth, with a strong ridge beneath, on which are three strong retrorse spines, below which is a groove. Preopercle with two radiating ridges, each ending in a spine. About 28 spinous projections on the head in all, the number on the suborbital region much less than in vulsus. Eye much smaller than in A. vulsus, much shorter than snout, nearly 4 in head. Ocular ring not serrated, developed only above the eye. Body similarly armed, but the spines rather blunter and the back and belly less concave. There are no series of spines along the bases of pectorals and caudal. The abdominal series join behind close to the end of the ventrals, as the dorsal series close behind the second dorsal. The dorsal fins are separated by about two scales. The ventral fins are short, the fin scarcely half the length of the snout, the vent close behind its base; no visible groove ("Podothecus") at their base. Pectorals reaching about to front of anal. Breast with about nine large plates. Isthmus present.

D. IX, 7; A. S. Lat. 1. 37.

Barbels greatly developed, as long as the diameter of the eye, arranged in three tufts, one at each angle of the mouth and one under the snout. None on the branchiostegal region. The type of the present description of Agonus acipenserinus is in the museum of the California Academy of Sciences, and came from Vancouver's Island. It does not agree well with the account of Podothecus peristethus of Gill, although Professor Gill considers the two identical.*

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., March 1, 1880.

*See also Steindachner (Ichthyol. Beiträge, ix, p. 18), where the same opinion is expressed. In this article ("Ueber zwei neue Agonus-Arten aus California") Brachyopsis verrucosus Lockington is described as Agonus (Brachyopsis) Barkani, and Brachyopsis xyosternus Jor. & Gilb, as Agonus (Brachyopsis) Annæ. The date of publication of B. verrucosus is May 24, of B. xyosternus, July 2, while 4. Barkani and A. Annæ were "Vorgelegt in der Sitzung am 15 Juli 1880." It is certain, therefore, that the American names are entitled to the right of priority.-D. S. J.

LIST OF SPECIES AND VARIETIES OF MINERALS IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE UNITED STATES IN 1879.

DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF HEMIRHAMPHUS (HEMIRHAMPHUS ROSÆ), FROM THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA.

By DAVID S. JORDAN and CHARLES H. GILBERT.

Hemirhamphus rosæ, sp. nov.

Allied to Hemirhamphus unifasciatus and other typical species of the

genus.

Body rather elongate, moderately compressed; the greatest depth being one-ninth of the length from the snout to the base of the caudal. Length of the whole head, including the lower jaw, contained 23 times in the length from tip of lower jaw to base of caudal. Length of the lower jaw beyond the tip of the upper jaw 4 times in the same length. The length of the head from the tip of the upper jaw is contained 34 times in the trunk (without head or caudal).

The triangular part of the premaxillaries is convex, slightly carinated above, and about as broad as long. The eye is rather large, somewhat less than the interorbital space, and about half of the postorbital part of the head. Mandible elongate, the narrowed tip slightly bent downward; the bone bordered on each side for its entire length by a conspicuous membrane, the membranaceous part being about as wide as the bony portion itself. Upper surface of mandible convex, grooved. Teeth in both jaws small, even, all of them apparently unicuspid. Top of head nearly plane, very slightly convex. Preorbital rather long; its diameter two-thirds that of the eye.

Scales rather small, very deciduous, about 63 in a longitudinal series. Fin rays: D. I, 13; A. I, 14.

Dorsal and anal fins not at all scaly; the dorsal a very little longer than the anal and inserted slightly in front of it; the anterior rays of dorsal and anal moderately elevated. Caudal fin moderately forked; the lower lobe the longer; the middle rays nearly twice the diameter of the eye. Pectoral fin a little longer than the postorbital part of the head. Insertion of ventral fin slightly nearer the tip of the caudal fin above than the eye, and midway between the gill-opening and the base of the caudal. Ventrals a little shorter than the postorbital part of the head, not reaching vent.