338 Description of a new species of Liairis. 



shoot chiefly in the month of August after a hot time, at least in 

 Belgium, Leyden, and Utrecht." t. ii, p. 1061. 



5. In Forster's Encyclopedia before quoted, under date of Au- 

 gust 10th, in the Rustic Calendar, it is distinctly affirmed, that 

 " Falling stars and meteors most abound about this time of year." 



6. Dr. James Eights, in the " Naturalist's Every Day Book," 

 (Zodiac, vol. 1, p. 44, Albany, 1835-6,) under date of August 

 22, 1835, remarks : " Meteors and falling stars have been quite 

 common for the last few weeks, and this is the month in which 

 it is generally believed that they most commonly occur : and they 

 were very numerous to night." 



7. M. Gluetelet, at the session of the Royal Academy of Brus- 

 sels, Dec. 3, 1836, announced his belief, that shooting stars were 

 unusually numerous about the 10th of August. In consequence 

 of his efforts, observations at the next occurrence of that season 

 were made in various parts of Europe, and as is well known, the 

 result verified the prediction. The attention of the writer of this 

 was first attracted to the subject, by the display accidentally ob- 

 served here on the night of August 9, 1837. 



A few references, by various writers, to the occurrence of me- 

 teors in August, but all of them pertaining to years which have 

 been already noticed in this Journal, might be mentioned here. 

 None of them, however, appears to recognize the periodicity of 

 the phenomenon. 



New Haven, Conn., Sept. 11, 1839. 



Art. XXI. — Description of a Neio Species ofLiatris; by David 



Thomas. 



Specific Character. — L. flexuosa. Stem ^exuous. Leaves few, upper lance- 

 linear, semi-amplexicaul. Peduncles from the upper axils, bracted, supporting one 

 flower. 



Observations. — Root, tuberous. Stem, a foot high, simple, 

 smooth, striate. Leaves, 12 to 15, clasping the stem half round, 

 acute, nerved ; ciliate near the base, slightly pubescent on the 

 upper surface, smooth beneath. Lower leaves linear, somewhat 

 tapering towards the base, from 6 to 10 inches long, but short- 

 ening from the middle of the stem upwards, until the upper 



