148 ERYTHEA. 
a bundle of it on their wagon, as a precautionary provision 
for the animals. The orthography of the word, [gietta], is 
various; I judge it to be an Indian word, a true “native 
word” as well as being a native plant; it is sounded as if 
spelled gy-i-ett’-a, almost in four syllables,—-(g — hard, 
i= short e), though the i is very short and slurred over, 
approaching gy-ett’a. 
_ The only other desert grass of eminent value for forage 
is the “grama grass”, Bouteloua spp. of Bot. Calif., which 
grows in similar places,—both grasses growing abundantly in 
their own chosen localities, but always thoroughly desert. 
It has been some years since I have collected many desert 
plants and I am not certain whether I have any specimens 
or not, of either, as my plants are boxed and stored; but if 
you need any, I can probably get them, perhaps from Mr.— , 
if not from my boxes. 
Yours truly, 
. G. WRIGHT. 
Miss Auicz Eastwoop, 
California Academy of Sciences. 
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES AND NEWS. 
THE vacancy in the professorship of botany in the 
University of California has been filled by the election 
thereto of Dr. W. A. Setchell, Instructor in Botany in the 
Sheffield Scientific School, Yale University. He graduated 
from Yale in 1887 where he was a student of Eaton and 
continued his work as a graduate student under Dr. Farlow 
at Harvard where he received his doctor’s degree in 1891. 
Professor Setchell is largely interested in the marine algae. 
As a result of his work in this field he has contributed to the 
Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 
two articles: “Concerning the Structure and Development 
of Tuomeya fluviatilis, Harv.” (xxv., 53, May, 1890) and 
“Concerning the Life-History of Saccorhiza dermatodea, 
