Regular Meeting, February 1st, 1864.

President in the Chair.

Eleven members present.

Donation to the Cabinet: A collection of dried plants from Arizona, by Mr. Spence.

Prof. Brewer presented the following papers:

Description of a New Species of Virgularia from the Coast of California.

BY WM. M. GABB.

Virgularia Lam.

V. gracilis Gabb.

Polypidom long and very slender. Decorticated stem circular or elliptical in section, smooth on the surface. Polypiferous lobes, slender, exsert, lunate, acute at the tips and broad at the base; arranged obliquely and alternately on the antero-lateral face of the stem. These lobes occupy the upper half of the polypidom; retaining their full size to the extreme apex, but diminishing below, so that on the middle of the stem they are exceedingly minute; and an inch or two below, are only represented by a slight ridge on the sheath, in which are two or three cells. The lower fourth of the sheath is dilated to about three times the thickness of the rest of the stem.

Length 19 inches; diameter of the naked stem .03 in.; smallest diameter of stem, with the sheath, .04; diameter of expanded base .13 in.; length of largest lobes .15 in.

Locality, Bay of Monterey, 20 fms. Collected by Dr. J. G. Cooper, of the State Geological Survey.

This species can be at once distinguished from V. elongata, G. (Proc. Cal. A. N. S., vol. 2, p. 167) by its more slender form, its proportionally large polypiferous lobes, its cylindrical stem, without any grooves, and by the comparatively smaller portion of the stem bearing the lobes.

Notice of Plants found Growing in Hot Springs in California.

BY PROF. WM. H. BREWER, OF THE STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

More than two years ago I laid before this Society some facts in regard to the growth of plants in the thermal waters of this State. Since that time we have more observations, and some of the facts are worthy of record, although the fact is not new that plants will grow in hot water.

At the Geysers in Lake County, there are numerous hot springs and steam jets, in and around which there is an abundant growth of a low form of vegetation (Nostoc?) growing on the soil and covering it with a bright green coating. In some of the warm springs and streams it accumulates in considerable quantities in the water. The highest temperature of water observed at the time of our visit, in 1861, was 207° F.; the water of many of the springs boiling violently at temperatures ranging from 196° to that stated. This vegetable flourished in waters of the temperature of 200° F., but was most abundant where the temperature ranged from 125° to 140° F. It coated the soil around the steam jets, where it would be alternately exposed to the jets of steam issuing at a higher temperature than that of boiling water, and of the cooler air.

In water of the temperatures of 100° to 125° there are filamentons algæ.

At the Little Geysers similar facts were observed.

In Plumas County, near Lassens Peak, there are three groups of hot springs, at all of which the same form of vegetation is abundant under similar conditions, especially around steam jets. Various gases, especially sulphohydric and sulphurous acids, accompanying the steam in all of these localities, and the soil is generally impregnated with various saline substances. All the specimens of the plants were unfortunately lost, so that no microscopic examination has been made, further than could be done on the spot with a pocket lens.

Near all of these springs, the Panicum thermale Bolander, grows on the saline soils, sometimes where the soil is warm and the grass is subjected to steam; but its station appears to depend more upon the saline character of the soil than upon its temperature. It was frequently found on soil saturated with sulphates of soda, lime, etc., and having a strongly acid reaction.

None of these forms are universally found about all the hot springs of the State; many springs have been visited where neither of them occur, but where one is found the other is generally found also.

Dr. Cooper presented the following paper for Dr. Newcomb, corresponding member:

Description of a New Species of Pedicularia.

BY W. NEWCOMB, M. D.

Pedicularia Swainson.

Pedicularia Californica Newc.

P. testa depresa-globosa, coccinea, minute transverse striata, supra rotundata, infra late aperta; labio expanso, semi-circulare; columella crassa, dilatata, intus recta; apertura elongato sub-ovata; extremitatibus effusis:

Long. 0.4 pol.

Lat. 0.3 ”

Alt. 0.25 ”

Hab. California.

Shell depressly globose, crimson colored, minutely transversely striated, above rounded, below broadly open; lip expanded, semicircular; columella thick, dilated within, straight; aperture elongately sub-ovate; extremities broadly notched.

The Genus Pedicularia was established by Swainson for the reception of a single species (P. sicula) of that author. During the past year another species has been added by that eminent Naturalist, G. P. Deshayes, of Paris.

In a work published, on the shells of the Isle of Bourbon, he describes a beautiful violet-colored species under the name of P. elegantissima. The California species (of which only one specimen has been obtained) can scarcely be surpassed in brilliancy by its Indian Ocean congener, although bearing the exquisite name of elegantissima.

For the specimen of the species here described, I am indebted to the extreme liberality of D. N. Robinson, Esq., of San Francisco, who obtained it from a coral growing on a monster crustacean of the genus Echidnocerus, which was taken in very deep water at the Farallones Islands.