60 



Dr. K. exhibited a drawing of Echinosphace, Ben- 

 tham. or "Ch.a" 1 of the Mexicans, by the Americans 

 called also Tower Castle, and Castle plant. 



The specimens presented were raised by T. J. Ne- 

 vins, Esq., in his garden at Alameda, from seeds fur- 

 nished by Col. L. Ransom, U. S. Survey. 



We have seen no specific description. Only one 

 species, we believe, has been noticed ; there are, 

 however, two distinct species, at least. It is a plant 

 ot much beauty and use, closely allied to the Sage. — 

 It his been long cultivated for the seeds, although 

 growing abundantly wild ; a cold infusion in water 

 is held in high estimation by the Spanish population 

 of California. It forms a v« ry pleasant and delicate 

 cooling mucilage for fevers, inflammations, etc., and 

 is well worthy of further investigation from the med- 

 ical profession. 



Sax Francisco, June 18, 1855. 



Col. L. Ransom iu the Chair. 



Mr. Charles E. Rich, of Sacramento, was elected a 

 Corresponding Member. 



Donations to the Cabinet. 



From Mr. Geo. H. Ensign, a specimen of the sedi- 

 mentary rocks at Clark's Point, San Francisco, ex- 

 hibiting many perforations by shell-fish. 



The thanks of the Academy were voted for the do- 

 nation. 



From Dr. J. B. Trask, two specimens of Cebedich- 

 thys cristagalli, Ayres, and two of Porichthys no- 

 tat u.s. Gir., from Tomales Bay. 



From Dr. Lanszweert, the nest and young of the 

 Chestnut Crowned Titmouse (Partis minimus, Aud.) 

 nest and eggs of Yarrell's Goldfinch (Carduelis 

 Yarrellii, Aud.), and of the Brown Song Sparrow 

 (Passenlta cinerea), from the vicinity of the Mission 

 Dolore". 



From Mr. T. J. Kevins, specimens of various plants, 

 Abronia rosea, Oenothera viminca, &.C., from Ala 

 meda. 



From Dr. J. B. Wells, a specimen of silicious de- 

 posite. taken from a tunnel at Table Mountain, Tu. 

 olumne Co., at a depth of about sixty feet. 



The thanks of the Academy were voted for the do- 

 nation. 



The May No. of Silliman's Journal, one No. of the 

 Monterey Sentinel, and two new sheets of the Pro- 

 ceedings of the Academy were reoeived. 



Col. Abert presented a volume of Tables and For- 

 mula for the use of the U. S. Topographical Engi- 

 neers, by Capt. T. J. Lee, U. S. A. 



A paper by Mr. W. P. Blake, Geologist to the 

 Southern Pacific Railroad Survey, was read, d< Ml i- 

 bing the polishing of rocks and Band B tones by wind- 

 driven Band. Mr. Blake's obscrva tons were made In 

 the Colorado Desert, and in the pass below Mount 

 Bernardino, and are very valuable, as Illustra- 

 ting the possible forces that may have produced the 

 well-known drift scratches and furrows. The paper 

 will be published in full. 



A letter was read from the Societe Imptriale des 

 Sciences Naturelles, Cherbourg, France, proposing 

 interchange of communications with the Academy. 



Dr. Kellogg presented specimens of an Azalea 

 from the interior, accompanied by a drawing. 

 A. xcdifi.ora var. ciliata. — Kellogg. 



California White Honeysuckle. 



These little shrubs are among the most beautiful 

 and fragrant ornaments of our moist aud shady for- 

 ests : and are deeply enshrined with the earliest rec- 

 ollections of every American heart. 



The plants of this genus vary so much, that it is 

 confessedly difficult to establish uniform characters. 

 For this reason we furnish such evidences as we find 

 in the forms and figures before the Academy. It is 

 with the hope of ascertaining the irregularities occa- 

 sioned by different soils and situations that we desire 

 to contribute our mite to the general stock of knowl- 

 edge by offering the following description : 



Flowers large, irregular, white, (a shade of pink on 

 the back) lower largest segment ochroleucous, vil- 

 lous viscid without, also the calyx and peduncles ; 

 one or two upper sepals 3 or 4 times longer than the 

 others, obtuse, ciliate, sub spatulate ; lower seg- 

 ments short, rounded, stamens declined, longer than 

 the corolli, filaments hirsute below, style exsert, 

 capitate hirsute at the base. 



Leaves obovate-lanceolate, sub-acute cuneatc at 

 base, lucid, colored alike on both sides, minutely pu- 

 bescent above and below, mid rib sub-hirsute be- 

 ne ith, entire, ciliate, a colored gland at the mucro- 

 nate point. 



A shrub 3 to 6 feet high, young branches glabrous, 

 many membranous rudiments of linear or linear- 

 lance leaves at the base ; old bark light gray satiny, 

 somewhat shreddy, in silky fibres. Flowers in dense 

 clustered racemes at the extremity of the branches, 

 appearing with the leaves, from large bracteacous 

 caducous bud-scales, on peduncles 1 inch long, seg- 

 ments of the flower not very deeply divided, sub- 

 compressed funnel-shaped. 



Also a specimen and drawing of Anoplanthus ttni- 

 florus from the interior, differing in color, size, &c- 

 with the specimens on the sea-coast ; about 10 inches 

 high, their flowers 1 inch in length. Ac. 



Also specimens and drawing of (Enothera uimrna 

 or Red Spotted Primrose. A beautiful rose-colored 

 species, from the hills in this vicinity ; petals red 

 spotted at the base. 



Also a drawing of a purple flowered (Enothna, 

 from Alameda, the specimens furnished by T.J. Nev- 

 ins, Esq. 



(E. vimixea, Doag. var. intermedia— Kellogg, 

 or the Willow-leaf Primrose 



Ith sub-division of T. and G.. xx lobes of the stig- 

 ma nnii, short, dark purple, capsule sessile, ohlonja 

 tapering near the summit . ii i Js ax-/ tiding in u sin 

 nil series. 



Stem - to 3 feel high, erect, branching above,] 

 twin's very long and slender, bark fibrous and 

 shreddy, membranous, Batiny, silvery hue below/ 

 flesh colored and reddish above, somewhat pubescent. 

 Leaves narrow lanceolate, nearly entire, or rarely 

 minutely and remotely dentate, very minutely satiny 

 pnbernlent on both Bides. Flowers in long racemes/ 

 dark lilac-purple, petals ! of an inch long, or twice 

 m long as the stamens, sepals about | the length of 

 the petals, calyx tube from i to i the length ot the 

 segments, anthers white, filaments Sat, widening be- 





