NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 329 was obtained at Cape St. Lucas by Mr. Xantus. The Dicrotus armatus of Giinther was also founded on a young fish, of which it was remarked by its describer, with a happy foresight, that "several of the characters mentioned may be modified in a mature state." That species might, indeed, but for the homogeneity of the dorsal and anal fins, be considered as the young of Pro- metheus prometheoides. As Dr. Giinther has, however, positively denied pinnules to the genus, and, as the pinnules appear to be developed in the young as well as the old, the genus Dicrotus may, until further known, be regarded as distinct. The subfamily of Orcyninae, as characterized in a former paper, might, perhaps, be rather subdivided, if the number of pyloric appendages should be found to be coincident with other characters. In that case the following arrangement might be advisable : Scombkin-e. OKCTNiNiE. Caudal peduncle of adult with a median adipose carina, and two converging backwards, one above and one below. Pyloric caeca dendri- tical or very numerous. Thyrsitin.?e. Caudal peduncle not earinated. Pyloric caeca developed in moderate or rather small numbers, (7 10.) GEMPYLIN-ffi. The genus Acanthocybium* having the spinous dorsal longer than the soft, the proportions of those fins cannot be used in the present state of our know- ledge to distinguish the two subfamilies. The name Orycnus has been, by an unfortunate misapprehension, applied instead of Orcynus ; and it is hoped that the latter will in all cases be sub- stituted as the correct orthography. Note on some Genera of FISHES of Western North America. BY THEODORE GILL. In the Proceedings of the Academy for July, 1861, a number of genera have been established for species previously described from the western waters of North America. In the present article, several aditional genera are introduced ; and to formerly established ones, species described under other generic names have been referred. SCORPiENOIDS. Sebastichthys Gill. This genus embraces all the species referred to the genus Sebastes, which has eleven to twelve (XL -\- 1. XII. -f- I.) spines in the first dorsal fin, pala- tine teeth and the physiognomy of Sebastes (Norvegicus. ) I believe that I may be permitted to announce, that Dr. Ayres, in a letter of May 6th, has informed me that he kncws eleven species belonging to the Cuvierian genus Sebastes to be inhabitants of the Californian waters. Five of them have been referred to the genus Sebastes and six to Sebastodes, the latter having been modified to embrace the species of which the head is "nearly smooth," while the name Sebastes is restricted to those of which "the summit of the head is strongly ridged." Such a division appears to me to be inadmissible, and I believe that Sebastodes must be retained with the characters I have assigned to it, while all othei described species of California belong to one and the same natural genus, for which the name Sebastichthys has been proposed. The * The Cybiumpetus of Poey and C. solandri C. V. are true species of this genus. 1862.] 330 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF. only species of whose affinity I entertain any doubt is the S. elongatus Ayres ; that species, however, appears to be either a Sebastichthys or closely related to that genus. As to the number of species, I am disposed to doubt whether all are valid or even distinct from each other ; the S. helvomaculatus Ayres appears to be identical with S. ocellatus Cuv. et Val. As Dr. Ayres kindly announces his intention to forward a full series, I trust soon to be enabled to satisfy myself regarding such doubtful points. 1. Sebastichthys jiigrocinctus = Sebastes nigrocinctus Ayres. CARANGOIDS. Paratractus Gill.* Paeatkactus bcops. Syn. Trachurus boops Grd. GOBIOIDS. Eucyclogobius Gill. Eacyclogobius differs from Lepidogobius in form, nudity of the head and the smaller second dorsal fin. 2. Eucyclogobius Newbekkyii. Syn, Gobius Newberrii Girard. GOBIESOCOIDS. Caularchus Gill. The present genus differs principally from Gobiesox Lac. (= Sicyogaster Barneville) by the nearly equal size of the dorsal and anal fins, and the nearly horizontal direction of the six compressed trenchant incisors of the lower j aw. 3. Caularchus eeticulatus. Syn. Lepodogaster reticulatus Girard. CYCLOPTEROIDS. EUMICROTREMUS Gill. Differs from Cyclopterus Artedi by the smaller branchial apertures situated at the horizon of the eyes, and by the development of the spinous dorsal fin. The type is the Cyclopterus spinosus of Midler. Eumicrotremus orbis. Syn. Cyclopterus orbis Gthr. SALMONOIDS. Hypsifario Gill. This genus embraces a single known species, distinguished by its com- pressed body, projecting snout, &c. Hypsifario kennerlyi. Syn. Salmo kennerlii Suckley. PLEURONECTOIDS.f Lepidopsetta Gill. Lepidopsetta umbrosa = Psettichthys umbrosus Grd. Hypsopsetta Gill. Hypsopsetta guttulatus = Pleuronichthys guttulatus Grd. Orthopsetta Gill. Orthopsetta soedida = Psettichthys sordidus Grd. TJropsetta Gill. Ueopsetta californica = Hippoglossus californicus Ayres. * Type Caranx pisquetos C. V. = C. chrysos auct. nee Mite. t A synopsis of this family may be soon expected. [July, NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 331 TETRAODONTOIDS. Gastrophysus Miiller. * Gastrophysus politus. Syn. Tetraodon politus Girard. STURIONOIDS. Antaceus Fitz. and Heckel. Antaceus brachyrhynchus. Syn. Acipenser brachyrhynchus Ayres. Antaceus transmontanus. Syn. Acipenser transmontanus Rich. Antaceus medirostris. Syn. Acipenser medirostris Ayres. Antaceus acutirostris. Syn. Acipenser acutirostris Ayres. CHIM^ROIDS. Hydrolagus Gill. Distinguished from Chimaera on account of the absence of an anal fin and the triple division of the sexual organs of the male. Hydrolagus colliei. Syn. Chimaera colliei Lay and Bennett. HETERODONTOIDS. Gyropleurodus Gill. Gyropleurodus francscii == Cestracion francisci Grd. MYLIOBATOIDS. Holorhinus Gill. This genus is founded on a species which differs from Myliobatis by the transverse entire snout. The median teeth are very broad, and the lateral hexagonal ones have nearly equal sides. Holorhinus vespertilio. Syn. Rhinoptera vespertilio Girard. PETROMYZONTOIDS. Lampetra Gray. Lampetra plumbea. Syn. Petromyzon plumbeus Ayres. Entosphenus Gill. Entosphenus tridentatus = Petromyzon tridentatus Rick. = P. lividus Grd. " epihexodon = " tridentatus Grd. (nee Rich.) " ciliatus = " ciliatus Ayres. " astori = " astori Grd. The following list of the genera belonging to the Fauna of the Western coast of America north of Cape San Diego, not presented in Dr. Girard's Report, and exclusive of those in my " Notes," may be of use : Percoids. Stereolepis Ayres. Pimelepteroids. Girella Gray. Sci^noids. Rhinoscion Gill (vice Amblodon Grd.) Menticirrhus Gill (vice Umbrina Grd. fide spec.) Genyonemus Gill (vice Leiostomus Ayres, Grd.) Atractoscion Gill. Cynoscion Gill, (Ayres.) Seriphus Ayres. Labroids. Semicossyphus Gthr. Chcerojulis Gill. Embiotocoids. Hypsurus A. Ag. Holconotus Ag. Cymatogaster Gib. (vice Holconotus Grd.) Hyperprosopon Gib. (vice Ennichthys Grd.) Hypo- critichthys Gill. Brachyistius Gill. Carangoids. Naucrates Rctf., Gthr. Stromateoids. Poronotus Gill, (Ayres.) 1862.] 332 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF Echeneidoids. Echeneis L. Remora Gill. Cottoids. Potamocottus Gill, (Cottopsis gulosus Grd.) Oncocottus Gill. Gymnacanthus Sw. Temnistia Rich. Blepsias Cuv. Agonoid^e. Podothecus Gill,* (= Paragonus Gill.) Chiroids. Oxylebius Gill. Trichodontoids. Trichodon Steller. iobioids. Lepidogobius Gill. Blennioids. Anoplarchus Gill, Giinther. Psychrolutoids. Psychrolutes Gthr. Aulorhynchoids. Aulorhynchus Gill. Alepidosauroids. Caulopus Gill. Salmonoids. Hypomesus Gill, (lapsu calami etiam Mesopus.) Osmerus Art. (vice Thaleichthys Grd.) Ctprinodontoids. Cyprinodon Lac. (Grd.) Clppeoids. Alausa Vol. Mur^enoids. Mursena L. (Ayres.) Ophidiuroids. Myrichthys Girard. Sydjgnathoids. Dermatostethus Gill. Galeorhinoids. Nov. gen. Isoplagiodou Gill, a sp. Rhinoids. Rhina Klein, (Ayres.) Aug. 5 th. Vice-President Bridges in the Chair. Ten members present. The following papers were presented for publication : A Report upon Mr. Buckley's Description of Plants, No. III., Gra- minese. By Asa Gray. Notes on certain Reptiles of the New World. By E. D. Cope. Aug. 26th. Vice-President Bridges in the Chair Thirteen members present. On report of the respective Committees, the following papers were ordered to be published in the Proceedings : A Report upon Mr. S.B. Buckley's " Description of PLANTS, No. 3, Graminese." Published in the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- delphia, February, 1862. BY ASA GRAY. As it appears to have been impracticable to act upon the suggestion with which I concluded my remarks upon Mr. Buckley's preceding botanical papers, (vide p. 168,) all that remains is, to repair the damages sustained by this * Deceived by the comparisons of authors, the identity of Podothecus perisihethus with Agomis acipenseroide.i was not recognized until an opportunity was afforded of examin- ing Tilesius' description and figure. [August, NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 333 foray as well as we can, sincerely hoping that it may be the last. The speci- mens which Mr. Buckley has here described having been kindly collected (a few excepted which have not yet been found) by the Botanical Curators, I re- ferred them, in the first instance, to our best instructed agrostologist, Professor George Thurber. His careful and conscientious notes (except in a few in- stances) form the basis and substance of the following report. I have, how- ever, verified them as far as I could ; and I hold myself responsible for the statements herewith presented. If some of my comments be thought severe, it should be understood that Mr. Buckley was duly warned of the injury he was about to infliet upon science, and was besought to submit the specimens of his supposed new species of grasses to some competent agrostologist be- fore publication. This disregard of good counsel and reckless miscalculation of scientific fitness for such undertakings, and the astonishing breach of comity and confidence (to use the gentlest words) by gross appropriation or suppression of the names of Nuttall and others, recorded in a public herba- rium, which the following pages disclose, are traits which seem to illustrate and explain each other. Polypogon alopecuroides, Buckley. The first thing to notice is, that Mr. Buckley has suppressed Nuttall's name, under which he communicated the plant to the Academy's herbarium, and doubtless to the Hookerian, if not to other herbaria, viz.: Deyeuxia alopecuroides! Then he has mistaken the genus at least as widely as Nuttall did. In fact, this grass differs from Agrostis exarata, Trin. in nothing notable except in its denser and lobate panicle and in the awn ; which last Bongard detected in some specimens of A. exarata. If distinct, Nuttall's specific name will be adopted, unless the plant is already published under some other; i. e., it will be Agrostis alope- curoides. We have a far larger form of it from Hooker's Oregon duplicates, without a name. Vilfa agrostoidea. No specimens so ticketed have yet been found. But one of Sporobolus cryptandrus, ticketed by Mr. Buckley "Agrostis, North- ern Texas," is probably the plant in question. Sporobolus (Vilfa) angustus is Sporobolus Indicus, R. Br., Agrostis In- dica, L. Having adopted the genus Vilfa in the preceding and following cases, Mr. Buckley has a curious way of including it under Sporobolus besides. Vilfa r i g i d a is Calamagrostis gigantea, Nutt., also C. longifoha, Hook. Vilfa (Sporobolus) alba. Here, vice versa, Sporobolus is subordinated to Vilfa ; and the present new species of this double-headed genus is Eatonia obtusata ! Sporobolus (Vilfa) arenaceus, (again this side up !) is described from No. 737 of Wright's collection, and the fact suppressed : it is Sporobolus asperifolius, Nees and Meyen, fide Munro. Uralepsis (Tricuspis) elongata, which is the same as 2054 of Wright's coll., and 307 of one of Drummond's collections, is Tricuspis trinerviglumis, Munro, MSS., near T. mutica, Torr. Vilfa (Sporobolus) varians, described from some specimen of Nuttall's, which is not yet found. Sporobolus (Vilfa) diffusissimus is S. airoides Torr. Vilfa (Sporobolus) Sabeana is S. Coromandelianus, Kunth (nou Trin.), an old and widely diffused species, to which, according to Col. Munro, belong S. commutatus, Kunth and Trinius, S. argutus, Kunth, S. Arkansanus, Trin., and Vilfa ambigua, Steud. 1862.]