181 



desiring that such papers as may be found rehiting to a Report 

 on the Infusoria of California, may be given up to him for publi- 

 cation, as originally intended. 



Resolved, That the thanks of the Society be presented to W. 

 M. Bailey, Esq., for the prompt and complete manner in which 

 he has executed the will of his brother, so far as concerns this 

 Society. 



Dr. A. A. Gould, Prof. John Bacon, and Dr. Silas 

 Durkee were appointed the committee referred to in the 

 second resolution. 



The following communication was read from Mr. 

 Charles J. Sprague, on the Botanical Position of the 

 Chinese Sugar Cane: — 



The plant was called Holcus saccharatus by Linnaeus ; but 

 when this genus underwent a subdivision by subsequent botanists, 

 this species was placed by some in that of Andropogon, by others 

 in that of Sorghum. These two genera are closely allied. Some 

 of the best authorities consider the diflferences so slight as to 

 warrant their union into one. Steudel arranges Andropogon, 

 Sorghum, and Trachypogon all under one head — Andropogon. 

 Lindley italicises Sorghum in the last edition of his " Vegetable 

 Kingdom," and places it beneath Trachypogon, evidently consid- 

 ering them equivalent. Dr. Gray retains Sorghum for our only 

 native species (aS*. nutans) in his last edition of the Manual, con- 

 sidering the genus a good one. 



It is between Andropogon and Sorghum, therefore, that we 

 must choose in reference to this particular species. 



The differences between them are these — 



Andropogon. Sorghum. 



Inflorescence spicate. Inflorescence paniculate. 



Spikelets in pairs, only one Spikelets in twos or threes, cen- 



being fertile. tral one only being fertile. 



Glumes herbaceous or mem- Glumes hard, coriaceous or in- 



branaceous. durated. 



Eachis hairy. Rachis smooth. 



