private function parseType(&$parts) {
		// if the first item that is encountered is not a variable; it is a type
		if (isset($parts[0])
				&& (strlen($parts[0]) > 0)
				&& ($parts[0][0] !== '$')
				&& substr($parts[0], 0, 4) !== '...$') {
					$this->type = array_shift($parts);
			array_shift($parts);
		}
	}