46 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



finally, to lay open the complete science of language. The investiga- 

 tion of language from its central dominion of thought outward, into 

 the department of words as its vocal manifestations, will constitute the 

 most important epoch in philology. Out of this change in the mode of 

 conducting the study will result a systematized comparative philology, 

 universal in its scope, by the aid of which the acquisition of tongues 

 will be greatly facilitated. 



" In contradistinction from the Phonetic theory," Mr. A. maintains, 

 " that the principle above stated in relation to the meanings of the 

 Chinese spoken words has governed the selection of the written char- 

 acters chosen to represent those meanings, and thus will furnish a com- 

 plete solution of the great problem of the Chinese written system ; and 

 also, that the Chinese is etymologically related to the European stock 

 of languages, and that its relation to the Teutonic family of languages 

 is one of special nearness." 



Professor Gray communicated the characters of some new 

 genera and species of Compositse from Texas, as follows. 



" Vernonia Lindheimeri {Gray ^ Engelm., PL Lindh. ined.): foliis 

 anguste linearibus confertis sessilibus uninerviis margine revolutis supra 

 glabris punctatis subtus cauleque simplici sericeo-tomentosis ; capitulis 

 corymbosis breviter pedunculatis 30-40-floris; squamis involucri 

 cano-tomentosi pappo rubiginoso brevioribus conformibus appressis ob- 

 longis obtusis exappendiculatis ; achseniis glabris 10-costatis glandu- 

 losis ; pappo exteriori multisquamellato. — In rupestribus prope New 

 Braunfels, Texas, legit Lindheimer. — Perennis, bipedalis : folia bipol- 

 licaria : capitula semiuncialia. 



" Ageratum (subgen. ? Micrageratum ; involucrum subbiseriale 

 fere Sclerolepidis, pappus coroniformi-multisquamellatus nunc 5-aris- 

 tulatus) Wrightii {Torr. ^ Gray, Fl. ined.) : diffuso-ramosissimum, 

 hirsutulum ; foliis oppositis alternisve lanceolato-oblongis e basi 

 cordato sessili parce dentatis ; capitulis subglobosis (50-60-floris) ; 

 pedunculis filiformibus. — Prope flumen Colorado Texas legit C. 

 Wright. — Spithamsea, ramis plurimis e caule repente. Variat 1. 

 pappi squamellis setiformibus basi subconnatis tubo corollse plus duplo 

 brevioribus ; 2. squamellis 5 angulis achaenii respondentibus in aristis . 

 tubum corollte sequantibus productis. 



"Brickellta (Bulbostylis) Cylindracea {Gray 4* Engelm.., PI. 



