A second example of Xystreurys liolepis, taken at Santa Barbara, is sinistral. The species is, therefore, like Paralichthys maculosus and Platichthys stellatus, both dextral and sinistral. In the second example the small accessory scales are extremely numerous. Two more examples of the species, noticed by us as Platysomatichthys stomias, have been obtained in trawl-nets from near the Farallones. This species is apparently not congeneric with Platysomatichthys hippoglossoides, differing in the long and slender gill-rakers and the ctenoid scales, as well as in the dentition, narrow interorbital space, and other minor details. The large teeth in both jaws, and the small teeth in the outer row in the upper jaw, are distinctly arrow-shaped, being abruptly widened toward the tip, thence acutely triangular. We propose to consider this species as the type of a distinct genus, which may be termed Atheresthes, from the arrow-shaped teeth. It may be thus defined: Atheresthes gen. nov. Eyes and color on the right side. Body long and slender, closely compressed, tapering into a long and slender caudal peduncle. Mouth extremely large, oblique, the long and narrow maxillary extending beyond the eye. Both jaws with two irregular series of unequal, sharp teeth, which are anteriorly long and slender, posteriorly short. All the long teeth of both jaws, and the outer series of small teeth in the upper jaw, arrow-shaped. Some of the anterior teeth freely depressible. Interorbital space narrow. Gill-rakers long and strong, numerous. Scales comparatively large, ciliated, thin, and readily deciduous, those on the blind side similar, smooth. Lateral line without arch. Fins low and rather fragile, the dorsal beginning over the eye, its anterior rays low. Caudal lunate; no anal spine. Pectorals and ventrals small, the latter both lateral. Type, Platysomatichthys stomias Jor. & Gilb. NOTES ON SHARKS FROM THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA By DAVID S. JORDAN and CHAS. H. GILBERT, The following species of sharks, not hitherto recorded from the Pacific coast of the United States, have been observed by the writers during the present winter (1880): 1. Isurus oxyrhynchus Rafinesque. (?) The jaws of a species of Isurus were obtained by us at San Pedro, the shark having been taken off Santa Catilina Island. The teeth agree essentially with those of Isurus oxyrhynchus (Lamna spallanzani of authors). Isurus glaucus has, however, also the same dentition, hence we are unable exactly to determine the species. 2. Carcharodon rondeleti Müller & Henle.-Man-eater Shark. A large individual of this species was lately harpooned at the whaling station of Point Carmelo, near Monterey. Its jaws, now in the possession of Mr. A. C. Keating, a druggist at Monterey, are about two feet across. Schools of this species are said to be occasionally noticed in the open sea from Monterey southward.` 3. Cetorhinus maximus (Linnæus) Blainville.-Basking Shark; Ground Shark. An individual of this species, 31 feet in length, was taken March 25 by the whalers at Monterey, and another somewhat larger on March 26. Several others were noticed, but only two were secured. We are told that eighteen or twenty years ago several of them were taken at Monterey, since which time few or none have been noticed in the bay. 4. Carcharhinus glaucus (L.) Blainville.-Blue Shark. A young individual of this species, taken in San Francisco Bay, is in the museum of the California Academy of Sciences. A "Blue Shark" is found in the open sea along the southern coast of California, but I do not know whether it is this species. 5. Galeorhinus galeus (L.) Blainville. As already noticed, this species is the most abundant shark of Southern California. It is common at Santa Barbara, and I am told is not unfrequently taken at Monterey. 6. Galeocerdo tigrinus Müller & Henle.-Man-eater Shark. As already noticed by us, jaws of an individual of this species were seen by us at San Diego, near which place the animal was obtained. 7. Cephaloscyllium laticeps (Duméril) Gill.-Ground Shark. The occurrence of this species at San Pedro has been already noticed by us. At Santa Barbara it is, next to Triacis semifasciatus, the most abundant of the sharks. It is there taken daily in the lobster-pots set for the "craw-fish" (Palinurus interruptus). Its habit of inflating itself, when caught, by swallowing air, is very remarkable. 8. Pleuracromylon lævis (Risso) Gill. Two specimens of this species have been obtained by us at Monterey. One of them, a female, taken March 26, had the young about 8 inches long, each of them connected by a long umbilical cord to a placenta which is attached to the uterus. The occurrence of this shark, in connection with its relative, Mustelus hinnulus (vulgaris, canis, etc.), on the Pacific coast, is very interesting. MARCH 26, 1880. ON THE GENERIC RELATIONS OF PLATYRHINA EXASPERATA. By DAVID S. JORDAN and CHARLES H. GILBERT. A short time since a small ray was described by the present writers, from San Diego, under the name of Platyrhina exasperata. (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1880,-.) Soon after a second species was described by us, from Santa Barbara, as Platyrhina triseriata. (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1880,-.) The two species are certainly not congeneric. The former species has the skin above covered with stellated prickles of different sizes, and resembles the genus Raia. The latter is covered over by a uniform fine shagreen, and resembles the species of syrrhina and rhinobatus. So far as we can ascertain from the description given by Duméril and Günther of Platyrhina sinensis and Platyrhina schonleini, these two species agree with Platyrhina triseriata in the character of the dermal covering, as well as in form of body. We propose therefore to consider Platyrhina exasperata as the type of a distinct genus, Zapteryx, distinguished from Platyrhina by the presence of detached, unequal, stellated prickles on the skin above, instead of the uniform shagreen covering found in Platyrhina, and from Raia by the convex outline of the ventrals and by the greater development of the dorsal and caudal fins. In Raia the ventrals are always emarginate. MARCH 26, 1880. REMARKS ON THE SPECIES OF THE GENUS CHIRUS FOUND IN SAN FRANCISCO MARKET, INCLUDING ONE HITHERTO UNDE SCRIBED. By W. N. LOCKINGTON. Four species of the genus Chirus occur in the markets of this city. The two most abundant of these are C. constellatus and C. guttatus Grd. Of the others, one is C. pictus Grd., while the other has until now remained undescribed. C. pictus is separated from the others by some sufficiently obvious external characters, beside those of color, as will be evident from the subsequent remarks, but the writer is unable to find any constant character except that of the coloration by which to distinguish the other three species. As, however, he has now seen several hundred examples of C. guttatus and C. constellatus, and a large number of both the other species, and as, notwithstanding the considerable variation in the size, number, and position of the marking of each species, neither on any occasion shows the slightest tendency to approach the pattern of another, he submits that in this group the pattern of the coloration may be considered specific. Difficult though it may be to prove upon paper the distinctness of these forms, there do not exist on this coast any other four species belonging to one group which can be so unerringly separated by the eye. This form is more inconstant in the number of its fin-rays and in the coloration than any of the others. Six specimens now before me vary as follows in the rays of the dorsal and anal: No. 1. Locality, San Francisco market. D. XX,; A. 21 D. XXI,; A. 22 D. XXI,; A. 21 D. XIX,; A. 21 No. 3. Locality, San Francisco market.. D. XIX, '; A. 21 No. 2, when fresh, was of a brilliant green upon the belly, and lower part of the flanks, deepening into brown above, and blotched with bright purple. After exposure, the ground tint becomes first reddish, and finally dull purplish brown, while the purple blotches gradually fade into dirty white. The dorsal and anal are blotched like the body, and the pectorals barred with the same tints. In all the examples examined, the ventrals are shorter than the pectorals, and fall considerably short of the vent; and the lowest pair of lateral lines unite much nearer to the ventrals than to the vent. I can perceive no constant difference between specimens from Alaska and those found in our market. The most ordinary number of rays in the first dorsal appears to be nineteen. No. 1 differs from all the others in the total absence of brighter blotches upon the sides, but the pectorals are barred, and all other characters coincide. Chirus constellatus. First dorsal, in all the individuals examined, with twenty-one rays, and ventrals overpassing pectorals and reaching nearly or quite to the vent. Lowest lateral line usually forking about midway between ventrals and vent. Pectoral spotted all over with light and dark spots. Common in the bay of San Francisco. Chirus guttatus. First dorsal with twenty or twenty-one rays, ventrals and pectorals usually about even posteriorly and scarcely reaching to the vent; position of the fork of the lowest lateral line somewhat variable. Spots on sides bright orange when fresh, but becoming dark on exposure to air or alcohol. Chirus maculo-seriatus nov. sp. D. XXI,; A. 22-23; P. 19; V.; C. (principal rays) 15; L. lat. 110. Body elongate, compressed, the greatest height about one-fifth of the length (caudal included); greatest thickness, at opercles, about threefourths of the greatest height; depth of caudal peduncle about 1 of the greatest depth; head about one-fourth of total length. Dorsal outline rising at an angle of about 20°, with a slight curve to the origin of the dorsal, or to about its fifth ray, whence it descends gradually in a straight line to the caudal peduncle, which is wedgeshaped, increasing in width towards base of tail. Abdominal outline descending slowly to the scapular girdle, thence nearly level to anal; anal base sloping upwards with a slight curve. Snout longer than orbit; interocular width slightly less than length of orbit; forehead slightly curved transversely, summit of ascending premaxillary processes rising slightly above the profile of the snout. Anterior nostril with the edges raised into a short tube. Eyes lateral, elliptical; a fimbriated flap over the orbit. Jaws subequal, the upper slightly projecting; posterior extremity of maxillary reaching slightly beyond anterior margin of orbit, that of mandible below the center of the pupil. Cardiform teeth in both jaws, in several rows in front, diminishing to a single series at the sides, the outer row larger than the others; a patch of similar teeth upon the vomer, and occasionally a few on the anterior part of the palatines, a character which certainly cannot be of generic value in this group. Branchiostegals six; gill-openings continuous below, no isthmus; gill-rakers obsolescent, transverse. Dorsal arising above the flap of the opercle, slightly in front of the pectoral base, deeply notched; the first dorsal strongly arched on its upper margin; the first ray much shorter than the second; the other rays increasing in height to about the fourth, thence diminishing to the twentieth, which is considerably shorter than the unarticulated ray at the commencement of the second portion of the dorsal. Second dorsal lower than the first, the rays increasing to about the |