PALEONTOLOGY.-PHILOLOGY. 307 



de la Mixteca Alt a," and in it is described the first clear and well- 

 represented Liassic flora from the Western Hemisphere. Meanwhile 

 a study of the stratigraphic results obtained, together with a purely- 

 formal statement of the new facts of plant distribution brought to 

 light, has already been published in the American Journal of Science 

 for September. 



The volume on the structure and taxonomy of the silicified cycads 

 supplementary to pubHcation 34, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 

 and announced as well forward in preparation in the report of last 

 year, is receiving careful attention. It is heartily desired to have 

 this work well illustrated, and a portion of the more difficult illustra- 

 tion has been delayed in order to get the benefit of better equipment 

 now at hand. It will be recalled that a large and remarkable addi- 

 tional series of thin sections has been made for these further studies. 

 Specifically told, there is already prepared for this new volume a body 

 of plate and text illustrations comparable to that of Publication 34, 

 while most of the accompanying text has been written. 



Work on the fossil cycads has thus occupied all of the present year, 

 except a brief time diverted for an interesting study of the huge, 

 ancient silicified seaweeds of Ozarkian time, with some brief notes on 

 the accompanying ooHtes. These studies help to prove that the 

 hitherto hypothetic "age of seaweeds" preceding the acrogens and 

 older gymnosperms was a reality, and the results have been brought 

 into form for early publication. 



One of the most definite as well as significant accomphshments of 

 the year has been the completion of a most excellent and usable 

 private laboratory with space and convenience for work not only far 

 in advance of anything previously available, but fully adequate for 

 the study and safe storage of new collections. 



PHILOLOGY. 



Hempl, George, Stanford University, California. Grant No. 629, allotted 

 December 14, 1909. Researches on the origin and nature of Runic 

 writing and on the Etruscan language. (For previous report see Year 

 Book No. 10.) $1,000 



The year 1912 was devoted chiefly to the deciphering of hitherto 

 unread Mediterranean scripts, and unexpectedly rich results were 

 obtained. 



(1) The resumption of the study of "Old Sabellic," begun in 1908, 

 resulted in the definite determination of its character as an Italic 

 dialect of the p-type, that is, of the group represented by Oscan and 

 Umbrian. 



(2) Success in reading the unique Siculian inscription on the wine 

 decanter from Centuripae (Kuhn's Zeitschrift, v. 35, p. 214) showed 



