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LIFE  AND  WRITINGS  OF  JOHN  I.  NORTHROP 


A  NATURALIST   IN  THE 
BAHAMAS 

JOHN    I.    NORTHROP 

October  12,   1861 — June  25,   1891 

H  flDemorial  IDoIume 

EDITED   WITH   A   BIOGRAPHICAL   IxNTRODUCTION 

BY 

HENRY    FAIRFIELD    OSBORN 


Mi). 


THE   COLUMBIA   UNIVERSITY   PRESS 
1910 


.s 


01 


Copyright,  1910, 
By  the  COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY   PRESS. 


Published  June,  1910. 


J.  S.  Gushing  Co.  —  Berwick  &  Smith  Co. 
Norwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


IN  ADDITION  TO  THE  PAPERS  BY  DOCTOR  NORTHROP,  THE  VOLUME 
CONTAINS  AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  FLORA  AND  NARRATIVE  OF  THE 
BAHAMA  TRIP  BY  MRS.  NORTHROP  ;  A  REPORT  ON  THE  CRUSTA- 
CEANS OF  THE  COLLECTION,  CONTRIBUTED  BY  PROFESSOR  WILLIAM 
H.  RANKIN  OF  PRINCETON  UNIVERSITY  ;  A  REPORT  ON  THE  ACTINIA, 
CONTRIBUTED  BY  PROFESSOR  J.  PLAYFAIR  McMURRICH  OF  THE  UNI- 
VERSITY OF  TORONTO,  FORMERLY  OF  CLARK  UNIVERSITY  ;  A  LIST  OF 
THE  SHELLS,  AS  DETERMINED  BY  PROFESSOR  WILLIAM  H.  DALL  OF 
THE  UNITED  STATES  NATIONAL  MUSEUM  ;  AND  A  DESCRIPTION  OF 
ICTERUS  NORTHROPI  BY  PROFESSOR  J.  A.  ALLEN  OF  THE  AMERI- 
CAN MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY.  OF  THE  BOTANICAL  COLLEC- 
TIONS, THE  MARINE  ALG^  WERE  DETERMINED  BY  MR.  FRANK  S. 
COLLINS  OF  MALDEN,  MASSACHUSETTS,  WHILE  THE  ACCOUNT  OF 
THE  PALMS  WAS  CONTRIBUTED  BY  DR.  O.  F.  COOK  OF  THE  DE- 
PARTMENT OF  AGRICULTURE  AND  THE  UNITED  STATES  NATIONAL 
MUSEUM. 

OTHER  ASSISTANCE  AND  COOPERATION  IS  DULY  NOTED  IN  THE 
SEPARATE  PAPERS  THROUGHOUT  THE  BOOK. 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introduction xi 

Henry  Fairfield  Osborn. 

Bahaman  Trip,  General  Notes i 

Alice  R.  Northrop. 

Notes  on  the  Geology  of  the  Bahamas .27 

John  I.  Northrop. 

Bahaman  Birds 48 

John  I.  Northrop. 

The  Birds  of  Andros  Island,  Bahamas 50 

John  I.  Northrop. 

Description  of  a  New  Species  of  Icterus  from  Andros  Island, 

Bahamas 66 

J.  A.  Allen. 

The  Northrop  Collection  of  Crustacea  from  the  Bahamas         .      69 
W.  M.  Rankin. 

List  of  Shells  collected  by  Dr.  John  I.  Northrop  in  the  Bahamas      99 
Identified  by  Professor  William  Healey  Dall. 

Notes  on  Some  Actinians  from   the   Bahama  Islands  collected 
BY  THE   Late   Dr.    J.    I.    Northrop.      With   Appendix    of 

Date  of  1908 103 

J.  Playfair  McMurrich. 

Flora  of  New  Providence  and  Andros  (Bahama  Islands)     .        .119 
Alice  R.  Northrop. 

Cultivation  of  Sisal  in  the  Bahamas 212 

John  I.  Northrop. 

The  Eruption  of  Krakatoa  in  1883 225 

John  I.  Northrop. 

vii 


viii  TABLE   OF   CONTENTS 


PAGE 


Plant  Notes  from  Temiscouata  County,  Canada     ....    240 
John  I.  Northrop. 

Plant  Notes  from  Tadousac  and  Temiscouata  County,  Canada  .     250 
John  I.  and  Alice  R.  Northrop. 

Notes  on  the  Distributioj^  of  the  Plants  of  Mount  Washing- 
ton, N.H 255 

John  I.  and  Alice  R.  Northrop. 

A   Study  of   the    Histology   of   the  Stem   of   the   Wax    Plant, 

HovA  Carnosa  (L.)  R.  Br 259 

^       John  I.  Northrop. 


LIST   OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 

Portrait  of  Dr.  John  I.  Northrop         .         .         .         .         .         .  Frontispiece 

PAGE 

Ryswick      ...........  Facing  3 

The  Bay  at  Nicol's  Town "  6 

House  at  Nicol's  Town       ........  "  8 

At  Conch  Sound .  "  14 

Fresh  Creek "  19 

Cabbage  Creek "  20 

Coming  to  Anchor  off  the  Dames  Place       .....  "  22 

Goat  Cay,  Andros        .........  "  32 

Ocean  Hole,  Nicol's  Town "  34 

Spruce  Cay,  New  Providence,  showing  Erosion  ....  ''  40 

Icterus  northropi  Alien       .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  ''  66 

Crustaceans         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  .  -97 

Crustaceans 98 

Actinians  from  the  Bahama  Islands     ......  Facing  116 

Map  of  New  Providence  and  Andros "  118 

Main  Street  in  Nicol's  Town       .......  ''  122 

In  the  High  Coppet  near  Deep  Creek "  124 

Aletris  bracteata          .........  "  144 

Hymenocallis  arenicola        ........  "  146 

Vanilla  articulata "  148 

Phoradendron  northropice  .         .         .         .         .         .         .  "  150 

Pithecolobium  bahamense     .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  "  155 

Cassia  caribcea    ..........  "  156 

Linutn  bahainense       .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  "  159 

Erythroxylon  reticulatum    ........  "  160 

Crossopetalum  coriaceum     ...         .         .         .         .         .         .  ''  165 

Reynosia  northropiana        ........  "  166 

Helicteres  spiralis       .........  "  167 

Xylosma  ilicifolia        .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  *'  169 

Terminalia  spinosa     .........  '<  172 

Metastelma  barbata "  176 

ix 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 


Heliotr opium  nanum  .........        Fac\ 

Tecoma  bahamensis     ......... 

CatesbcBa  fasciculata'  ......... 

Anguria  keithii  .......... 

Myrstiphyllum  ligustrifoliimt      ....... 

Eupatorium  bahamense       ........ 


ng 


PAGB 

182 
184 
186 
187 
188 


Swash,  West  Side  of  Andros 218 

Clearing  the  Pine-yard  for  Sisal  near  Nassau,  N. P.      .....     219 

The  House  of  a  Sisal  Planter,  Andros  .         .         .         .         .         .         .221 

Map  of  the  Islands  of  the  Krakatoa  Group  before  Eruption  of  August,  1883      227 
Section  through  Length  of  the  Island  of  Krakatoa       .....     229 

Krakatoa  after  Eruption  of  August,  1883      .         .         .         .         .         .         .231 

Outline  of  Crater  of  Krakatoa     .         .         .         .         .         .         ...     232 

Hoya  carnosa  (L.)  R.  Br .     274 

Hoya  carnosa      .         .         .         .         .         ...         ,         .         .         .     277 


INTRODUCTION 

John  I.  Northrop  was  born  in  New  York  City  October  12,  1861. 
He  was  named  after  his  father,  John  Isaiah  Northrop,  born  near 
Rochester,  N.Y.,  a  pharmacist.  His  mother,  Mary  R.  Havemeyer, 
was  a  sister  of  Frederic  C.  Havemeyer,  a  graduate  of  Columbia  Col- 
lege, after  whom  Havemeyer  Hall  is  named.  His  father  died  when  he 
was  two  years  old. 

Dr.  Northrop  studied  for  some  years  at  a  private  school  in  New 
Windsor,  N.Y.,  then  at  the  Columbia  Grammar  School,  in  which  he 
prepared  for  the  Columbia  School  of  Mines.  He  graduated  with  the 
class  of  1884,  with  the  degree  of  Engineer  of  Mines.  While  in  college 
he  was  very  fond  of  outdoor  life,  was  a  member  of  his  foot-ball  team, 
an  enthusiastic  fisherman,  and  interested  in  all  outdoor  sports.  One 
of  his  former  classmates  narrates  how  he  once  saved  a  companion's 
life  at  the  risk  of  his  own.  They  were  ascending  a  shaft  at  one  of  the 
Lake  Superior  mines  on  a  man  engine  when  his  companion,  some  dis- 
tance above,  missed  a  step  and  was  falling  down  the  shaft.  Young 
Northrop  seized  him  as  he  fell  and  succeeded  in  holding  him  with  one 
arm  while  he  supported  himself  with  the  other,  an  act  which  called 
for  a  strong  arm,  quick  action,  and  steady  nerve,  and  showed  that 
complete  forgetfulness  of  self  which  was  ever  one  of  his  most  prom- 
inent characteristics. 

Immediately  after  graduation  he  accepted  a  position  in  Have- 
meyer &  Elder's  Sugar  Refinery,  but  shortly  afterward  he  journeyed 
to  Deadwood,  So.  Dak.,  where  he  joined  a  former  classmate,  and 
together  they  opened  an  office  as  "mining  engineers,  chemists,  and 
assay ers."  He  returned  to  New  York  in  the  spring  of  1886  because 
of  the  serious  illness  of  his  mother,  whose  death  occurred  shortly 
afterward. 

It  was  evident  that  his  tastes  did  not  lie  in  the  direction  of  engineer- 
ing, and  while  the  circumstances  of  his  coming  back  to  New  York 
were  sad,  they  proved  to  be  the  turning  point  in  his  career.     He 


xii  INTRODUCTION 

immediately  came  under  the  personal  and  most  inspiring  influence  of 
Professor  John  Strong  Newberry,  the  veteran  teacher  with  whom  he 
had  studied  geology  and  palaeontology  in  Columbia  College  while  pre- 
paring for  his  degree.  He  greatly  admired  Dr.  Newberry,  who  perceived 
his  talents  and  showed  great  confidence  in  his  ability,  and  who  also 
was  warmly  attached  to  him,  treating  him  like  "one  of  his  own  boys." 
On  January  9,  1888,  he  was  appointed  Honorary  Fellow  in  Geology  in 
Columbia  College.  Seizing  every  opportunity  which  the  museum  and 
his  close  acquaintance  with  Professor  Newberry  afforded,  young 
Northrop  rapidly  made  himself  familiar  with  the  principles  of  botany 
and  zoology.  He  exhibited  that  breadth  of  interest  which  was  such  a 
marked  characteristic  of  his  master;  but  made  a  specialty  of  zoology, 
and  delivered  a  series  of  lectures  in  this  subject  while  holding  his 
fellowship.  He  became  a  candidate  for  a  higher  degree,  and  in  1888 
was  awarded  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosophy  on  the  presentation 
of  his  two  dissertations:  "Histology  of  Hoya  carnosa'^  and  "Fossil 
Leaves  from  Bridgeton,  N.J."  The  work  on  the  Fossil  Leaves  from 
Bridgeton  was  carried  on  under  Professor  Lester  F.  Ward  of  the  U.  S. 
Geological  Survey  at  Washington,  and  was  ultimately  to  be  published 
at  Washington  by  the  government.  Previous  to  this  he  had  published 
"Plant  Notes  from  Temiscouata  County,  Canada,"  in  the  Bulletin 
of  the  Torrey  Botanical  Club,  November,  1887. 

After  receiving  his  degree,  in  the  summer  of  1888  he  accompanied 
Dr.  Newberry  to  Colorado  and  assisted  him  in  some  geological  work. 

On  June  28,  1889,  he  married  Alice  Belle  Rich,  at  the  time  Tutor 
in  Botany  at  the  Normal  College,  New  York  City,  a  companion  who 
shared  all  his  scientific  tasks  and  the  value  of  whose  assistance  in  all 
his  work  he  never  failed  to  appreciate  and  acknowledge. 

Together  they  spent  much  of  the  summer  of  1889  at  Eastport, 
Me.,  and  Grand  Manan,  N.B.,  dredging,  shore  collecting,  and 
studying  marine  invertebrates.  Dr.  Northrop  was  an  enthusiastic 
and  indomitable  collector  and  most  careful  observer,  sparing  neither 
time  nor  trouble  to  complete  or  render  correct  whatever  he  under- 
took. He  never  could  stifle  his  sense  of  humanity  through  his  enthu- 
siasm as  a  naturalist.  The  following,  as  an  illustration  of  his  love  of 
animals,  is  recited  by  Dr.  Arthur  Hollick :  While  at  Grand  Manan, 
during  the  summer  of  1889,  he  visited  one  of  the  little  islands  which 
the  petrels  had  long  used  as  a  breeding-place.    He  took  several  of  the 


INTRODUCTION  xiii 

young  birds  out  of  their  holes  in  the  ground,  examined  them  carefully, 
and,  to  the  surprise  of  his  companion,  returned  them,  not  taking  even 
one  for  a  specimen,  although  the  birds  were  comparatively  rare,  and  he 
was  not  likely  to  have  such  an  opportunity  again.  He  explained  that 
he  could  not  make  up  his  mind  to  take  one  of  these  birds  because  he 
realized  that  each  mother  bird  had  but  one  little  one  all  summer.  He 
used  to  laugh  afterward  at  what  he  called  his  "foolishness,"  but  this 
consideration  for  animals  was  one  of  his  most  charming  characteris- 
tics. . 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1890  a  journey  to  the  Bahamas  was 
planned.  The  islands  of  New  Providence  and  Andros,  especially,  were 
visited  and  studied  carefully.  The  amount  and  variety  of  material 
collected  during  this  trip,  which  extended  from  January  2  to  July  10, 
was  remarkable;  geology,  botany,  and  zoology  were  all  represented 
both  in  the  collections  and  in  the  notes.  From  observations  made  on 
this  trip  were  published  his  papers  ''Notes  on  the  Geology  of  the 
Bahamas,"  "The  Cultivation  of  Sisal  in  the  Bahamas,"  "Birds  of 
Andros  Island,  Bahamas."  Among  his  unfinished  works  almost 
ready  for  publication  were:  "A  List  of  Starfishes  and  Ophiurans  col- 
lected in  the  Bahamas,"  and  "A  List  of  Sea-anemones  collected  in 
the  Bahamas." 

One  of  the  birds  collected  on  this  trip  proved  to  be  new  to  science, 
^nd  was  described  and  figured  by  Professor  J.  A.  Allen  in  the  Auk. 
January  8, 1891,  under  the  name  Icterus  northropi.  The  sea-anemones 
were  subsequently  handed  over  to  Professor  J.  Playfair  McMurrich 
for  description. 

The  report  on  the  plants  brought  together  on  this  trip  was  pub- 
lished subsequently  by  Mrs.  Northrop  and  forms  part  of  this  volume. 

The  autumn  and  winter  of  1890  Dr.  Northrop  devoted  to  the  study 
and  preparation  of  these  collections.  In  the  meantime  his  abihty  was 
widely  recognized.  He  held  membership  in  the  Torrey  Botanical 
Club,  in  the  American  Institute  of  Mining  Engineers,  in  the  Linnaean 
Society  of  New  York,  in  the  American  Ornithologists  Union,  in  the 
American  Folklore  Society,  in  the  American  Association  for  the  Ad- 
vancement of  Science,  and  in  the  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences. 
He  also  was  enrolled  as  a  member  of  the  International  Geological 
Congress  during  the  1888  meeting. 

During   the  winter  of    1890  President  Low  and  the  trustees  of 


xiv  INTRODUCTION 

Columbia  decided  to  greatly  extend  the  zoological  courses  of  the 
college,  and  Professor  Henry  Fairfield  Osborn  was  invited  from  Prince- 
ton to  plan  a  Department  of  Biology  for  the  institution.  The  result 
was  the  creation  of  a  strong  department,  including  a  number  of  pro- 
fessors and  instructors.  On  the  5th  of  May  Dr.  Northrop  was  ap- 
pointed Tutor  in  Zoology  in  this  new  department,  especially  in  charge 
of  invertebrates.  In  order  to  perfect  himself  for  the  duties  which  he 
expected  to  assume  he  obtained  leave  of  absence  for  a  year  and  in- 
tended to  start  during  the  early  part  of  September,  1890,  for  Germany 
to  study  under  Professor  Her  twig  in  Berlin  and  Professor  Haeckel  in 
Jena. 

At  the  very  opening  of  this  bright  outlook  for  the  future  and  attain- 
ment of  this  splendid  preparation,  in  which  Dr.  Northrop  had  shown 
such  rare  ability  and  resourcefulness,  came  the  tragedy  of  his  sudden 
death,  connected  with  the  performance  of  his  duties  as  curator  of  the 
zoological  collections  in  the  School  of  Mines  Museum. 

In  the  afternoon  of  June  25  Dr.  Northrop  had  occasion  to  obtain 
some  alcohol  for  use  in  the  preservation  of  zoological  specimens.  As  a 
measure  of  safety  the  main  supply  was  stored  in  a  fire-proof  vault 
under  the  School  of  Mines  building.  Two  janitors  accompanied  him, 
and  together  they  proceeded  to  draw  off  some  of  the  alcohol  from  a 
large  cask  into  a  smaller  vessel.  The  vault  was  dark,  and  a  match  was 
struck  in  order  to  see  how  the  vessel  was  filling.  Just  what  happened 
we  shall  never  know ;  but  the  alcohol  ignited,  there  was  a  momentary 
glare  of  flame  around  the  faucet,  a  flash,  an  explosion,  and  a  sea  of  fire 
in  the  vault.  All  three  of  the  men  were  thrown  down  and  badly  burned, 
but  evidently  Dr.  Northrop' s  clothing  had  become  saturated  with  the 
alcohol,  and  his  injuries  were  so  severe  that  he  died  during  the  follow- 
ing night.  On  July  5,  1891,  just  ten  days  after  Dr.  Northrop's  death, 
his  son,  John  Howard  Northrop,  was  born. 

It  is  difficult  to  measure  the  loss  to  Columbia  College,  so  soon 
(1896)  to  become  Columbia  University  and  to  assume  its  important 
part  in  the  scientific  work  of  America.  His  memory  will  be  per- 
petuated in  Columbia  by  the  Zoological  Library  which  he  was  in- 
strumental in  getting  together,  through  the  generosity  of  his  uncle, 
Mr.  Charles  H.  Senff,  and  in  the  zoological  material  which  he  col- 
lected and  arranged  for  the  Zoological  Museum. 

The  finished  and  unfinished  work  which  Dr.  Northrop  left  behind 


J 


INTRODUCTION  xv 

him  gave  evidence  of  acute  powers  of  observation,  of  painstaking 
study,  and  of  strict  regard  for  truth  in  the  recording  of  facts,  qualities 
which  are  the  prime  essentials  of  a  successful  man  of  science.  Per- 
haps the  most  notable  characteristic  of  his  mind  was  his  keen  ap- 
preciation of  underlying  causes  in  the  investigation  of  facts.  His 
excessive  modesty  gave  him  an  appearance  of  reticence  and  reserve 
which  was  not  always  understood  by  those  who  did  not  know  him 
intimately.  To  his  personal  friends  this  reserve  was  merely  one  of 
the  evidences  of  his  high  motives  and  scientific  idealism.  His  ideals 
were  further  manifest  in  the  indifference  with  which  he  regarded  the 
discovery  and  description  of  new  species  as  compared  with  the  study 
of  their  underlying  structure  and  life  history.  He  was  inspired  by  a 
passion  for  scientific  work  and  also  a  passion  for  truth,  which,  with 
the  greatly  enlarged  opportunities  opening  toward  him,  would  surely 
have  enabled  him  to  leave  a  permanent  mark  on  American  science. 

Dr.  Northrop  had  in  mind  the  ultimate  publication  of  a  volume  on 
the  Bahamas  which  would  embody  the  results  of  his  work  there  and 
of  other  contemplated  collecting  trips  to  the  islands,  and  this  memorial 
volume  was  planned  to  represent  the  carrying  out  of  that  project  of 
his  so  far  as  possible.  The  contemplated  work  would  have  been  far 
more  complete  and  more  worthy  of  the  author ;  but  we  trust  that  this 
volume,  which  includes  all  of  his  writings,  largely  brought  together 
through  the  loving  care  of  Mrs.  Northrop,  will  form  a  permanent 
memorial  of  John  Isaiah  Northrop,  so  that  the  memory  of  his  labors 
and  activities,  brief  as  they  were  permitted  to  be,  may  live,  and  the 
influence  of  his  example  be  handed  down  to  future  generations  of  the 
students  of  Columbia  and  of  other  universities. 

Henry  Fairfield  Osborn. 


BAHAMAN   TRIP 

General  Notes 
By  Alice  R.  Northrop 

During  the  summer  of  1889  Mr.  Northrop  collected  and  studied 
the  marine  invertebrates  of  northern  waters  at  Eastport,  Me., 
and  Grand  Manan,  N.B.  He  was  anxious  to  follow  this  up  with 
the  study  of  southern  forms  preparatory  to  taking  a  place  upon 
the  teaching  staff  of  the  newly  organized  Zoological  Department  of 
Columbia  University.  Owing  to  the  wealth  of  their  marine  life,  a  trip 
to  the  Bahama  Islands  was  decided  upon,  and  when  we  found  that 
their  flora  was  only  imperfectly  known,  it  was  planned  to  make  a  col- 
lection of  the  plants  also.  A  leave  of  absence  was  secured  and  over  six 
months  were  spent  on  the  islands,  two  on  New  Providence  and  the 
remainder  of  the  time  on  Andros.  The  scientific  results  of  the  trip, 
as  far  as  the  material  has  been  worked  up,  are  given  in  the  following 
papers.  Below  is  a  brief  account  of  our  journeys  and  such  general 
information  as  has  found  no  place  in  the  special  papers.  The  follow- 
ing narrative  is  compiled  almost  wholly  from  my  husband's  note- 
books and  well  shows  his  keen  powers  of  observation  and  the  pains- 
taking accuracy  of  his  notes. 

We  left  New  York  on  Thursday,  January  2,  1890,  and  at  dawn  on 
the  following  Monday  the  steamer  dropped  anchor  off  the  city  of 
Nassau.  We  found  it  a  picturesque  place,  with  white  roads  bordered 
on  either  side  by  low-roofed  houses,  often  embowered  in  vines  and  set 
in  pleasant  gardens.  "  The  main  thoroughfare  and  principal  business 
street  is  Bay  Street,  running  parallel  to  the  water  and  extending  east 
and  west  for  several  miles.  A  short  walk  to  the  west  brings  us  out  of 
the  town.  The  roads  and  gardens  are  bordered  with  walls  of  coral 
rock,  plastered  all  over  or  often  on  top  only.  In  the  parks  and  gar- 
dens and  planted  along  the  streets  are  cocoanut-palms,  almond  trees 
(Terminalia),  with  their  dark  green  glossy  leaves,  Spanish  cedars  (Cas- 
uarina),  the  sand-box  tree  {Hura),  and  the  silk-cotton  tree  or  ceiba, 

B  I 


2  BAHAMAN  TRIP 

with  its  spreading  horizontal  branches  and  buttressed  trunk.  The 
silk-cotton  trees  that  have  leaves  show  but  few  flowers,  and  the  flower- 
ing branches  are  leafless.  The  trees  that  have  flowers  are  one  mass 
of  buds.  Although  the  silk-cotton  tree  is  a  native  of  more  southerly- 
islands,  it  flourishes  on  New  Providence  and  is  quite  common  about 
Nassau,  as  is  also  the  beautiful  ''flamboyant  tree"  {Poinciana  regia)^ 
from  Madagascar.  The  latter  has  a  dome  of  finely  dissected,  fernlike 
foliage,  amid  which,  at  the  time  of  our  arrival,  hung  the  curious  brown 
pods,  two  feet  or  more  in  length.  On  Andros,  in  June,  the  Poincianas 
were  a  mass  of  scarlet  flower  clusters,  and  as  the  leaves  were  not  yet 
developed,  the  dome  of  flaming  scarlet  could  be  distinguished  several 
miles  from  shore. 

Almost  all  the  inhabitants  of  New  Providence  live  in  Nassau  and 
its  environs,  there  being  only  a  few  small  negro  settlements  on  other 
parts  of  the  island.  In  Nassau  itself,  said  to  have  a  population  of 
about  fourteen  thousand,  probably  five-sixths  of  the  inhabitants  are 
negroes.  These  live  principally  in  the  suburbs  known  as  Grant's 
Town,  Bainville,  and  Fox  Hill.  Here  their  huts  are  close  together 
and  are  generally  surrounded  by  little  gardens  of  cocoanuts,  orange 
trees,  and  bananas.  These  Bahaman  gardens  look  strange  to  North- 
ern eyes,  for  the  vegetation  apparently  springs  from  bare  coral  rock. 
The  surface,  however,  is  much  weathered  and  very  irregular,  and  the 
scanty  soil  and  leaf-mould  that  collects  in  the  holes  is  sufficient  to 
support  the  luxuriant  vegetation." 

The  chief  boast  of  the  people  of  Nassau  is  their  climate,  and  after 
our  six  months'  sojourn  we  concurred  in  their  opinion  that  most  of 
the  time  it  was  as  nearly  perfect  as  a  climate  could  be.  While  we  were 
on  New  Providence,  the  average  temperature  was  about  75  degrees, 
from  which  point  it  seldom  varied.  From  records  kept  by  my  husband 
on  Andros,  the  greatest  heat  was  recorded  at  Lisbon  Creek  on  June 
23,  when  it  was  86  degrees  indoors  and  125  degrees  in  the  sun.  We 
had  one  "norther"  while  on  New  Providence,  when  the  wind  blew  a 
gale  for  several  days,  raising  a  heavy  surf  on  Hog  Island  and  Salt  Cay. 
The  waves  broke  over  the  latter  in  places  where  it  was  thirty  feet  in 
height.  This  was  the  only  storm  of  any  account  experienced  during 
the  entire  trip.  During  the  first  four  months  there  was  very  little 
rain.  Later  in  the  year  heavy  showers  were  frequent,  although  there 
was  rarely  a  day  on  which  the  sun  did  not  shine  for  a  time,  at  least. 


Ryswick. 


BAHAMAN   TRIP 


The  greater  part  of  our  sojourn  on  New  Providence  was  spent  at 
*'Ryswick,"  a  country  place  which  we  rented  of  one  of  the  mer- 
chants in  town.  It  was  about  three  miles  east  of  Nassau  and  near 
the  best  grounds  for  marine  collecting.  The  house  was  situated  on 
the  rocky  coastal  ridge  and  commanded  a  fine  outlook.  The  gray 
walls  of  old  Fort  Montague  were  on  one  side  and  Dix  Point  on  the 
other,  while  we  looked  across  the  bay  to  the  low,  wooded  cays  known 
as  Hog  Island  and  Quarantine.  Beyond  these  could  be  seen  the  long 
narrow  ridge  of  Salt  Cay.  A  man  and  sail-boat  were  engaged,  and 
day  after  day  we  sailed  to  the  outlying  cays  and  reefs  and  collected 
along  their  shores.  The  marine  life  was  so  wonderfully  varied  and 
abundant  that  for  several  weeks  we  daily  brought  back  starfishes, 
holothurians,  crustaceans,  corals,  or  sponges  we  had  not  found  before. 
Dix  Point  and  the  sand  flats  in  front  of  the  house  also  proved  profit- 
able collecting  grounds  at  low  tide.  Occasionally  we  would  try  dredg- 
ing, but  the  coral  heads  and  blocks  made  it  difficult  work,  and  we 
did  not  find  it  as  productive  as  shore  collecting.  What  is  termed  the 
"sea-garden"  is  near  Ryswick.  Here  one  looks  down  into  a  forest  of 
alcyonoid  corals,  pink,  brownish,  and  yellow,  while  scattered  over  the 
bottom  were  large  sponges,  some  round  and  inky  black,  others  clus- 
tered and  purple-tinted,  also  huge  brain  corals  interspersed  with 
many  of  the  delicate  branching  madrepores.  Gaily  colored  fishes 
darted  about,  the  most  striking  being  bright  blue,  while  others 
showed  yellow  bodies  and  blue  tails  or  were  silver  spotted  with  crim- 
son.. The  water  was  so  wonderfully  clear  that  it  was  difficult  to  be 
convinced  that  these  marine  treasures  were  not  within  easy  reach. 
We  also  visited  the  living  coral  reef  off  Rose  Island,  some  miles  to 
the  northeast,  but  the  reef  we  saw  later  along  the  east  coast  of  Andros 
was  much  larger  and  finer. 

The  principal  work  at  New  Providence  was  the  collection  of 
marine  invertebrates,  but  between  times,  and  when  it  was  too  rough  to 
collect,  we  explored  the  island  in  many  directions,  visiting  the  south 
side,  the  southwest  beach,  the  extreme  eastern  end  as  well  as  Lake 
Cunningham  and  the  caves  to  the  west  of  Nassau.  Two  or  three 
hundred  species  of  plants  were  collected  on  these  trips  as  well  as  some 
birds  and  insects. 

January  1 1.  Drove  across  to  south  side  of  island.  The  north  side, 
just  back  of  the  town,  is  a  rocky  ridge;  then  comes  a  comparatively 


4  BAHAMAN  TRIP 

level  space  containing  cocoanut  plantations  and  a  small  patch  of  sisal 
hemp.  In  the  uncleared  lowlands  Pinus  Bahamensis  covers  the 
ground.  The  higher  parts  are  covered  with  angiosperms.  Near  the 
water  the  land  is  very  low,  the  soil  soft  and  calcareous.  The  only 
vegetation  seems  to  be  numerous,  small,  scattered  mangroves  and  a 
few  buttonwoods  (Conocarpus). 

February  3.  To  Lake  Cunningham.  Followed  the  road  through 
part  of  Grant's  Town,  then  a  winding  roacj  leading  through  a  pine 
barren  for  about  five  miles  in  a  general  southwesterly  direction. 
Crossed  a  number  of  ridges  running  north  and  south.  Noticed  some 
large  banana  holes.  The  pines  have  mostly  been  cut  down,  and  the 
ground  is  covered  with  a  second  growth.  At  the  eastern  end  of  the 
lake  is  a  mangrove  swamp.  The  lake  is  perhaps  a  mile  and  a  half 
long  and  about  a  half  of  a  mile  wide.  The  water  is  slightly  brackish. 
A  great  number  of  shells  on  the  bottom,  near  the  shore ;  collected  some 
(determined  as  Area  Jamaicensis  by  Dr.  Dall).  The  drive  home 
showed  the  lake  to  be  quite  close  to  the  sea.  The  country  to  the  west 
of  the  city  is  quite  fiat. 

February  10.  In  evening  walked  to  Fort  Montague.  Water  very 
calm.  Saw  a  worm  about  an  inch  and  a  half  long  swimming  through 
the  water  and  leaving  a  bright  phosphorescent  track.  Came  back  to 
house  to  get  glasses  and  net.  Walked  out  in  water.  The  bottom  was 
phosphorescent,  every  step  causing  it  to  scintillate  for  a  circle  three  or 
four  feet  in  diameter.  Agitation  of  the  surface  produced  no  light. 
Here  and  there  at  the  bottom  were  small  glowing  spots  which  appeared 
to  be  bivalved  crustaceans. 

February  20.  Fishing  at  sea-garden.  The  noise  made  by  market 
fish  and  grunts  is  produced  in  the  following  manner:  The  upper 
pharyngeals  are  drawn  together  and  backward;  the  lower  is  pushed 
upward  and  forward,  thus  grating  on  the  other  two.  The  noise  is 
slight,  resembling  that  made  by  the  finger-nail  in  scratching  across 
the  grain  of  a  board. 

February  21.  Shark  fishing  to  the  north  of  Salt  Cay.  Caught  one 
known  as  a  mackerel  shark.  Color  dark  steel-gray  above  and  on  sides, 
as  far  as  line  between  pectoral  and  ventral  fins,  below  this  a  pure 
white  with  only  few  blotches  of  gray,  to  anal  fin,  behind  which  the  gray 
predominates.  The  nictitating  membrane  is  white  and  slides  over 
the  eye  from  below.    The  teeth  are  serrated,  with  a  deep  notch  in  the 


I 


BAHAMAN   TRIP  5 

outer  side  so  that  the  point  projects  outward.  Nostrils  are  double, 
the  one  nearest  the  median  line  being  covered  by  a  flap  of  skin.  The 
head  viewed  from  above  is  very  obtuse,  almost  truncate,  and  the  eye 
is  just  visible ;  gill  openings  fine.  There  are  two  dorsals ;  one,  slightly 
in  advance  of  half  the  distance  between  the  pectorals  and  ventrals, 
is  about  as  high  as  long,  with  a  point  projecting  behind  half  as  long  as 
base  of  fin.  Second  dorsal  is  almost  opposite  the  anal  fin,  but  slightly 
in  advance  of  it.  There  is  a  pit  at  base  of  caudal  fin,  both  above  and 
below.  The  upper  lobe  of  caudal  fin  twice  as  long  as  lower  lobe  and 
has  notch  in  lower  edge  near  the  end.  The  ventrals  are  quite  close  to 
the  anal,  so  that  the  subcylindrical  claspers  touch  the  anal.  The 
pectorals  are  large  and  are  continued  behind  near  the  base.  Length 
of  shark  from  fork  of  tail  to  end  of  nose,  8  feet  4  inches ;  from  tip  of 
tail,  10  feet  4  inches.  Parasites  taken  from  shark :  (i)  A  Remora-like 
fish;  (2)  a  crustacean  found  in  gill- slit;  (3)  leechhke  parasite  from 
roof  of  mouth  one  and  three-quarters  inches  in  length  when  fully  ex- 
tended. 

March  5.  Dug  for  Balanoglossus  in  the  sand  near  Dix  Point. 
Their  holes  are  marked  by  a  pile  of  castings.  The  holes  extend  down- 
ward, usually  with  a  curve,  to  the  rock.  Followed  one  of  the  holes 
down  straight  about  ten  inches,  then  along  in  a  spiral  for  about  eigh- 
teen inches  to  the  rock,  where  I  found  a  Balanoglossus.  Followed  two 
more  holes,  but  lost  them  before  reaching  the  animal.  When  found,  the 
whole  animal  is  surrounded  by  a  transparent  gelatinous  coating.  Laid 
one  on  paper;  when  extended,  it  is  twelve  inches  in  length.  Put  one 
in  fresh  water,  caused  strong  contraction ;  added  some  alcohol  to  salt 
water,  caused  contraction  and  a  discharge  of  mucus,  like  the  white  of 
an  egg.    Shortly  after  added  considerably  more  alcohol. 

March  6.  Balanoglossus  in  very  bad  condition  this  morning. 
They  are  coated  with  mucus,  and  so  soft  they  will  hardly  hold  together. 

[July  5.  (After  our  return  from  Andros.)  Went  out  to  Ryswick 
and  dug  more  Balanoglossus.  Some  were  over  two  feet  long.  When 
an  animal  was  laid  on  paper,  the  slime  was  strongly  luminous  with  a 
greenish  light  that  was  visible  within  five  feet  of  a  strong  kerosene 
lamp.  The  light  was  strongest  between  the  folds  of  skin  near  the  cen- 
ter of  the  body.] 

After  two  months  collecting  on  New  Providence,  we  found  little 
new  material;  the  supply  of  alcohol  was  nearly  exhausted,  and  we 


6  BAHAMAN  TRIP 

decided  to  select  some  other  island  for  our  botanical  work.  Andros 
was  chosen  as  being  the  largest  and  least  known  of  the  group.  Al- 
though the  nearest  part  of  this  island  is  only  twenty-five  miles  from 
New  Providence,  we  could  get  but  very  meager  information  concern- 
ing it.  The  Nassauans  know  scarcely  anything  of  what  they  rather 
contemptuously  designate  the  ''out  islands."  Every  one  tried  to 
dissuade  us  from  going  to  Andros,  assuring  us  that  "there  were  no 
white  people,  no  roads,  and  nothing  to  eat."  We  were  finally  fortunate 
in  meeting  Mr.  Alexander  Keith,  of  Edinburgh,  who  had  just  bought 
two  thousand  acres  on  Andros  and  started  a  sisal  plantation.  He 
kindly  told  us  of  a  little  house  we  might  hire  at  Nicol's  Town,  the  most 
northerly  settlement.  We  added  a  camping  outfit  to  our  baggage, 
hired  a  sloop,  and  then,  with  all  our  goods  and  chattels  packed,  were 
fain  to  wait  ten  days  on  the  pleasure  of  the  wind.  We  had  just  had  a 
heavy  ''norther,"  and  our  captain  could  not  be  persuaded  to  start  as 
long  as  the  winds  were  high,  the  east  coast  of  Andros  being  fringed 
with  a  dangerous  reef  and  without  a  single  harbor.  Finally  on 
March  14  we  crossed  the  Tongue  of  Ocean,  making  the  thirty-five 
or  forty  miles  in  about  eight  hours.  We  passed  through  a  narrow 
opening  in  the  reef  and  disembarked  at  Nicol's  Town  on  a  beautiful, 
curving,  white  beach  with  thatched  huts  showing  here  and  there 
through  a  fringe  of  waving  palms.  The  justice  of  the  peace,  a  stal- 
wart negro,  welcomed  us  to  Andros  and  led  the  line  of  march  to  the 
"mission  house,"  where  we  were  to  stay.  A  large  contingent  of  the 
villagers  followed,  bearing  our  boxes  and  various  pieces  of  baggage 
on  their  heads.  The  house  was  only  eighteen  and  a  half  by  ten  feet, 
but  it  was  divided  into  two  rooms  and  boasted  two  doors  and  six  win- 
dows. It  was  what  is  called  a  "tabby  house,"  one  made  of  coral 
blocks,  plastered  inside  and  out.  Daylight  could  be  seen  here  and 
there  through  the  shingled  roof.  The  house  was  prettily  situated  on  a 
rise  of  ground,  a  little  apart  from  the  rest  of  the  settlement.  Orange 
trees  were  in  bloom  just  outside  the  windows,  and  gum-elemi  and 
cassada  trees  shaded  the  dooryard.  The  gum-elemi  proved  a  great 
attraction  to  the  birds,  and  there  would  often  be  seven  or  eight  on  it 
at  once,  representing  three  or  four  species.  The  most  frequent  visi- 
tors were  the  mocking  birds,  cat  birds,  the  Tom- James  bird  {Spin- 
dalis  zena),  and  the  grassquit  (Euetheia  hicolor).  When  we  passed 
from  the  coppet  to  the  pine-yard,  these  were  replaced  by  the  blue- 


a 


The  Bay  at  Nicol's  Town. 


BAHAMAN  TRIP  7 

gray  gnatcatcher,  the  pine  warbler,  and  the  beautiful  little  humming- 
bird known  as  the  wood-star. 

We  made  Nicol's  Town  our  base  of  operations  for  about  seven 
weeks,  collecting  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  and  also  making  a 
number  of  more  extended  trips.  As  comparatively  little  seems  to  be 
known  of  the  interior  and  west  side  of  Andros,  the  following  account 
of  our  journeyings  is  given  in  considerable  detail.  "Nicol's  Town. it- 
self was  a  straggling  village,  having,  according  to  Mr.  Davis,  Justice 
of  the  Peace,  a  population  of  'three  hundred  and  odd.'  There  were 
three  churches,  Methodist,  Baptist,  and  Episcopalian,  and  still  another 
was  in  process  of  construction.  There  is  a  schoolhouse  and  a  small 
jail  on  the  hill;  the  latter  is  said  to  be  generally  empty.  The  houses 
here  are  mostly  square  and  are  either  built  of  coral  rock  like  ours  or  are 
of  timber  with  smaller  sticks  interlaced  or '  wattled '  on  which  the  plas- 
ter is  laid.  They  have  sloping  roofs  thatched  with  palms.  There  is 
but  one  well  in  the  village,  and  the  water  in  that  rises  and  falls  with  the 
tides.  It  is  very  poor,  hardly  fit  to  drink;  even  when  boiled  it  has  a 
brackish  taste.  We  mostly  use  jelly-cocoanuts  and  oranges  when  we 
can  get  them." 

March  26.  The  weather  is  cold,  thermometer  62  at  6.40  P.M. 
A  hard  northeast  wind  is  blowing.  In  the  morning  walked  along  the 
beach  north  of  the  village,  passing  through  a  grove  of  cocoanut-palms 
with  here  and  there  a  few  houses.  Some  of  the  trees  had  been  blown 
down,  but  continued  to  grow  so  that  while  about  twenty  feet  of  the 
trunk  lay  on  the  ground,  six  or  eight  feet  was  growing  upwards  at 
right  angles  to  the  rest.  As  the  roots  were  almost  entirely  out  of  the 
ground  and  resting  on  one  edge,  and  as  I  did  not  see  any  secondary 
roots  at  the  bend,  it  would  seem  as  if  the  cocoanut  required  very  little 
nourishment  from  the  soil.  The  beach  along  which  we  walked  for 
about  three  miles  was  fringed  with  the  sea-grape  (Coccoloba  uvifera), 
back  of  this  for  most  of  the  distance  were  three  rows  of  cocoanut- 
palms.  The  few  houses  stood  back  of  these,  and  behind  the  houses 
was  "the  bush." 

March  I  y.  After  breakfast  shot  some  birds.  We  then  walked  a 
short  distance  through  the  village,  turned  south  into  a  path  leading 
past  a  few  scattered  houses,  a  new  sisal  field  and  in  about  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  reached  the  pine-yard.  The  path  was  just  wide 
enough  for  single  file,  and  on  each  side  the  trees  and  shrubs  made  an 


8  BAHAMAN  TRIP 

impenetrable  bush.  The  path  was  exceedingly  rough  and  at  times 
passed  close  to  the  edge  of  deep  banana  holes.  In  the  pines  saw  some 
rain  crows  {Crotophaga  ani).  Insects  seemed  very  scarce;  caught  two 
butterflies.  The  largest  pine  seen  was  about  twenty-four  inches  in 
diameter  and  about  fifty  feet  high.  The  bark  is  gray,  quite  rough  and 
detaches  easily  in  flakes,  leaving  the  exposed  part  dull,  reddish 
brown.  The  branches  are  near  the  top  of  the  tree,  and  the  leaves 
towards  the  ends  of  the  branches.  The  cones  are  very  numerous 
and  are  sessile  below  the  leaves. 

March  i8.  Started  with  Mr.  Davis  (the  justice  of  the  peace) 
to  visit  some  caves  near  Morgan's  Bluff.  On  the  way  we  called  on  a 
Mr.  James,  who  took  us  to  see  his  cave,  a  long,  low  chamber  on  the 
side  of  a  hill.  Some  of  the  openings  were  about  thirty  feet  in  height, 
and  from  the  overhanging  rock,  which  was  about  three  feet  thick,  hung 
down  the  long  aerial  roots  of  a  Ficus,  making  great  bars  across  the 
mouth  of  the  cave.  Near  by  was  what  is  called  the  "  sea-hole  or  ocean 
hole,"  perhaps  a  hundred  feet  in  diameter  and  from  twenty  to  forty 
feet  in  depth.  (See  account  of  the  geology.)  After  visiting  this  we 
continued  our  walk  to  Morgan's  Bluff  at  the  northern  end  of  the  island. 
The  rock  here  was  quite  precipitous,  much  water-worn  and  about 
fifteen  feet  in  height.  The  cave  which  was  near  here  had  a  small 
entrance  about  the  size  of  an  ordinary  door.  A  second  opening  led 
into  a  larger  room  in  which  we  could  stand  erect.  Found  a  human 
humerus  on  the  ground.  Mr.  Colby,  the  owner  of  the  cave,  said  that 
all  the  earth  had  been  taken  out  about  thirteen  years  before,  sold  for  a 
dollar  a  ton  and  taken  to  Port  Royal,  S.C.  He  also  said  that  he  had 
collected  the  bones  and  buried  them  again.  On  the  roof  of  the  cave  a 
number  of  small  stalactites  showed  that  the  water  dissolved  some  of 
the  lime  as  it  trickled  through.  On  the  return  trip  Mr.  Davis  showed 
us  what  are  here  called  ''cinnamon  trees"  (Canella  Winterana),  also 
the  mahogany  and  madeira  trees.  The  so-called  "road,"  in  reality  a 
narrow  path,  was  very  rough,  and  we  were  tired  when  we  reached  our 
cabin,  although  we  had  only  walked  about  eight  miles. 

March  20.  Found  some  large  soldier-crabs  under  a  stone,  and  this 
evening  when  I  went  out  to  open  a  cocoanut,  I  saw  eight  or  nine  of 
them  around  the  place.  I  watched  them  feeding  on  the  cocoanut 
jelly.  They  seem  largely  nocturnal  in  their  habits.  Caught  and  pre- 
served two  males. 


Our  House  at  Nicol's  Town. 


BAHAMAN   TRIP 


9 


March  21.  Boy  brought  some  lizards.  One  had  its  tail  broken 
off.  I  placed  it  on  the  ground,  where  it  opened  its  mouth  and  kept 
facing  my  hand,  at  the  same  time  distending  its  gular  sac  in  evident 
anger.  This  shows  that  the  extension  of  the  gular  sac  is  sometimes  a 
mark  of  anger,  still  it  is  possible  that  it  might  have  been  pain. 

March  29.  In  afternoon  walked  to  Cocoanut  Point,  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  south.  Very  warm.  Road  mostly  over  the  rough  rock  on 
the  shore,  the  rest  on  sand  under  the  cocoanuts.  A  little  distance 
beyond  the  point  were  met  by  Mr.  Keith,  who  sailed  us  to  his  sisal 
plantation  on  Conch  Sound  about  five  miles  away.  We  had  a  fair 
wind  and  soon  entered  the  sound,  and  in  a  short  time  were  sailing 
through  a  winding  creek,  bounded  on  each  side  by  mangroves.  The 
house  stood  in  a  small  clearing  surrounded  by  pine  trees  and  a  coppet 
of  smaller  hardwood  trees.  A  short  walk  through  the  pines  took  us  to 
the  sisal  field.  Mr.  Keith  has  cleared  about  three  hundred  acres  of  his 
land  and  has  it  partly  planted.  Our  path  was  an  old  road,  where  we 
could  plainly  see  the  marks  of  wagon  wheels,  said  to  have  been  made 
about  fifty  years  before,  during  the  slave  time.  Near  the  house  is  a 
large  chimney  and  the  remains  of  a  generous  fireplace.  Many  swal- 
lows were  flitting  over  the  clearing. 

March  30.  Walked  along  a  path  through  the  woods  near  the  shore 
and  found  a  number  of  plants  we  had  not  seen  at  Nicol's  Town.  There 
were  many  bromeliaceous  plants  and  a  number  of  orchids,  some  in 
fruit  and  a  few  in  flower.  On  the  return  to  Nicol's  Town  saw  in  the 
shallow  water  of  the  creek  what  was  known  as  the  "boiling  hole." 
(See  notes  on  geology.)  There  were  a  number  of  large  fish  in  the  hole. 
These  are  sometimes  obtained  by  pounding  up  the  bark  of  one  of  the 
native  trees  {Ichthyomethia  piscipula),  placing  it  in  a  sack,  and  sinking 
it  in  the  hole.  This  is  said  to  stupefy  the  fish,  which  then  float  to  the 
surface. 

Monday,  April  14.  Left  Nicol's  Town  in  a  small  sloop,  the  Her- 
ald, for  a  short  trip  to  the  west  coast.  The  Herald  was  about  one  ton 
burden  and  drew  from  one  to  two  feet  of  water.  It  was  manned  by  a 
negro  captain  and  cook.  Mr.  Keith  accompanied  us.  Passed  the 
end  of  the  reef  a  short  distance  above  Nicol's  Town;  shortly  after 
went  around  Morgan's  Bluff,  the  rocky  precipitous  cliff  fifteen  or  eigh- 
teen feet  in  height  that  forms  the  northern  end  of  the  island.  We 
reached  Lowe  Sound  about  noon,  then  sailed  for  a  long  distance  in 


10  BAHAMAN   TRIP 

shallow  water ;  long  sand-bars,  some  exposed  and  some  under  water, 
and  a  few  cays  showing  to  seaward.  On  one  were  a  number  of  terns 
and  a  pair  of  oyster-catchers.  Shot  one  of  the  latter ;  as  it  fell  in  the 
water  a  barracuda  snatched  at  it,  but  was  beaten  off  by  one  of  the  men 
with  a  harpoon.  There  were  a  number  of  sharks  about,  some  five  or 
six  feet  in  length.  Although  our  boat  drew  less  than  two  feet,  we 
were  stranded  on  a  sand-bar  until  four  o'clock.  As  a  consequence  it 
was  dark  when  we  landed  at  Red  Bays  on  the  west  side  of  the  island. 
As  walking  a,bout  at  night  is  impossible,  we  did  not  attempt  to  reach 
the  settlement,  but  slept  in  a  palm-thatched  chapel  near  by. 

Tuesday,  April  15.  Walked  a  short  distance  back  of  the  settle- 
ment of  Red  Bays.  The  land  was  low,  covered  with  palmettoes  and 
the  brier  tree  (Terminalia,  one  of  the  plants  which  later  proved  to  be 
undescribed).  Returning  farther  down  the  shore,  first  met  with  the 
marly  deposit  so  characteristic  of  the  west  side.  It  is  a  very  fine  de- 
posit, and  so  soft  that  in  some  places  I  sank  in  halfway  to  my  knees. 
It  extends  back  from  high-water  mark  from  an  eighth  to  a  quarter  of 
a  mile.  In  some  places  along  shore  are  mangrove  swamps.  There 
were  also  some  mangroves  beyond  high-water  mark,  but  these  are 
small  and  apparently  not  thriving.  About  two  miles  below  the  little 
chapel  where  we  had  spent  the  previous  night,  we  again  turned  inland 
across  a  savanna,  a  piece  of  level  land  covered  with  grass  and  rushes, 
where  we  found  a  number  of  plants  new  to  us.  (See  account  of  the 
flora.)  We  then  entered  the  pines  and  followed  the  path  to  an  orange 
grove  in  a  coppet,  known  as  Lewis  Coppet,  where  the  house  that  had 
been  vacated  for  us  was  situated.  After  some  discussion  three  shil- 
lings currency  was  agreed  upon  as  the  price  of  rent  per  day  and  two 
shillings  sterling  to  be  paid  the  wife  for  the  five  days'  cooking.  This, 
I  may  say  in  passing,  was  higher  than  the  usual  rates  asked. 

April  16.  Mr.  Keith  left.  Very  warm,  thermometer  82.  The 
walking  is  very  rough,  but  not  as  bad  as  back  of  Nicol's  Town.  There 
are  many  banana  holes.  The  soft  soil  covers  the  depressions  in  the 
rock  for  a  long  distance  from  the  water. 

April  17.  Out  shortly  after  dawn.  Followed  a  path  through  the 
coppet  southwest,  then  on  through  grass  and  palmettoes  to  a  small 
patch  of  woods  beyond.  Near  here  there  was  an  agave  in  bloom,  the 
first  we  had  seen.  The  flower  stalk  rose  about  twenty-five  feet  in  the 
air  and  was  about  eight  inches  thick  at  a  distance  of  four  or  five  feet 


BAHAMAN  TRIP 


11 


from  the  ground.  At  the  top  the  branches  were  thickly  covered  with 
the  golden  blossoms.  These  are  a  great  attraction  to  the  birds,  as  we 
have  seen  about  it  a  number  of  the  cocoanut  birds,  the  Bahama  fly- 
catcher, and  the  Cape  May  warbler.  The  latter  was  seen  sipping  the 
liquid  in  the  flowers.  Many  insects  and  humming-birds  are  also  flit- 
ting about  them.  (It  was  here  that  we  first  saw  the  males  of  the  bird 
that  proved  to  be  an  undescribed  species  of  oriole  later  named  after  us 
by  Dr.  Allen.)    Shot  off  some  of  the  flowers. 

April  19.  Up  at  sunrise;  walked  out  to  the  agave  again  to  take  a 
photograph.  A  short  distance  beyond  the  agave  the  palmettoes  grew 
fewer  and  fewer  until  at  length  there  was  nothing  but  the  scattered 
mangroves  and  here  and  there  a  clump  of  the  prickly  ''brier  tree." 
Farther  yet  nothing  to  be  seen  to  the  south  and  southwest  but  a  level 
plain  dotted  with  small  mangroves.  To  the  north,  a  dark  line  of  pines 
was  discernible.  The  rest  of  the  day  was  spent  in  shooting  and 
skinning  small  birds.  They  were  unusually  numerous  about  the  house. 
For  several  days  numbers  of  warblers  arrived  during  the  night,  evi- 
dently migratory  birds  on  their  way  north.  Having  heard  that  fla- 
mingoes, in  native  parlance  "  filimingoes,"  were  plentiful  some  miles 
farther  down  the  coast,  we  decided  to  make  a  trip  there  after  spending 
five  days  at  Lewis  Coppet. 

April  20.  By  7.30  a.m.  we  were  down  at  the  boat.  Got  in  the 
small  boat  and  were  pushed  out  by  the  men  halfway  to  the  larger  boat 
that  lay  almost  aground  over  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  shore.  About 
12.30  we  landed  at  a  place  called  Cedar  Coppet.  The  beach  at  high- 
water  mark  was  composed  of  the  same  fine  chalky  deposit  as  at  Red 
Bays,  but  it  was  whiter.  The  pines  here  come  within  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  of  the  shore,  only  a  mangrove  flat  lying  between.  We  left  Cedar 
Coppet  about  two  and  sailed  down  the  coast  to  what  the  men  called 
Loggerhead  Creek,  but  which  seems  to  be  the  Deep  Creek  of  the  maps. 
It  was  about  twenty-five  miles  south  of  Red  Bays  and  was  the  first 
creek  of  any  size  passed.  It  was  a  little  over  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in 
width  at  the  mouth,  but  soon  narrowed  to  about  seventy-five  yards. 
Sailed  in  a  short  distance  and  anchored ;  the  tide  falling,  we  were  soon 
aground.  The  shore  was  very  soft,  white  above,  blue  gray  beneath. 
Back  of  the  bordering  mangroves  was  a  bit  of  coppet  on  a  slight  eleva- 
tion where  we  made  a  lean-to  of  palm  leaves  for  the  night. 

April  21.     Went  up  the  creek  about  a  mile  in  the  small  boat,  then 


12  BAHAMAN  TRIP 

left  it  and  walked  to  a  small  pond.  The  land  was  level  as  fair  as  we 
could  see,  with  the  exception  of  a  small  coppet  here  and  there.  A  walk 
of  about  three-quarters  of  an  hour  brought  us  near  a  pond,  and  in  the 
distance  we  could  see  a  scarlet  patch,  our  first  sight  of  flamingoes. 
We  got  within  about  three  hundred  yards  when  they  flew  away.  There 
were  four  of  them.  We  walked  to  another  lake  where  we  saw  five 
more,  and  I  got  within  two  hundred  yards  when  they  too  flew  away, 
looking  very  brilliant  and  showing  the  black  of  their  wings.  Walked 
to  a  large  mangrove  in  the  lake  and  shot  a  switching-neck,  a  blue 
crane,  and  two  long-shanks.  Walking  in  the  lake  was  exceedingly 
difficult,  the  water  being  about  three  inches  deep  and  the  mud,  into 
which  I  sank  at  every  step,  eighteen  or  more.  The  "  tell-bill-willy " 
was  very  common,  its  shrill  notes  being  heard  on  every  side. 

Walked  three  or  four  miles  farther  to  "  Two-camp  Lake,"  which  was 
so  extensive  we  could  see  neither  end  of  it.  All  the  ground  about  here 
is  said  to  be  covered  with  water  in  the  "wet  weather,"  in  June  and 
July.  These  lakes  are  evidently  low  places  from  which  the  water 
does  not  drain.  It  is  strange  that  they  contain  so  few  mangroves, 
only  one  or  two  large  ones,  while  on  the  shores  they  are  scattered 
thickly. 

April  22.  Very  strong  northeast  wind.  Left  our  anchorage  about 
five  o'clock  and  sailed  to  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  where  we  lay  until 
midnight,  when  we  got  under  way.  Skinned  birds  on  deck  all  the  morn- 
ing, and  by  three  o'clock  we  anchored  at  Red  Bays;  spent  the  night 
in  a  thatch  hut  about  nine  feet  square  and  about  six  feet  high  in  the 
center;  it  had  a  door  of  thatch  and  no  windows.  The  ground  back  of 
the  settlement  is  rough,  but  not  as  bad  as  at  Nicol's  Town. 

Wednesday,  April  23.  Beat  all  day  against  wind  and  tide  on  the 
return  trip  to  Nicol's  Town;  wind  blowing  too  hard  to  let  us  go  around 
Morgan's  Bluff,  so  we  landed  at  Money  Cay  in  Lowe  Sound  and  walked 
to  the  village. 

Friday,  April  25.  Walked  to  Cocoanut  Point,  left  the  path  and 
walked  back  into  the  woods,  had  hard  work  to  get  through  the  bush. 
Saw  a  number  of  bromeliaceous  plants  and  found  that  some  of  the 
orchids  were  in  bloom.  In  the  spreading  base  of  the  leaves  of  one  of 
the  former  plants,  a  species  of  Tillandsia  we  had  not  found  before,  a 
colony  of  ants  had  their  home.  The  thorax  was  brownish  red,  the 
abdomen  black  and  pointed  behind.     They  have  stings,  and  when 


BAH  AM  AN   TRIP  13 

running  about  after  being  disturbed  carry  their  abdomens  elevated, 
as  scorpions  carry  their  tails.    A  number  of  pupae  were  noticed. 

Tuesday,  April  29.  Visited  the  reef  this  morning.  Inside  the 
main  reef  is  a  smaller  reef  of  large  coral,  called  ''red  coral"  here,  the 
same  as  the  large  specimens  from  Rose  Island ;  some  were  twelve  inches 
in  diameter.  These  grew  thickly  together,  and  their  flat  spreading 
branches  were  very  handsome.  In  some  places  were  masses  of  dead 
coral  that  showed  cavities  and  holes  similar  to  those  on  shore.  The 
water  inside  the  reef  has  a  depth  of  two  or  three  fathoms  in  the  deep- 
est parts,  but  outside  gradually  deepens.  The  main  reef  is  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  shore.  From  half  to  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
from  shore  the  depth  was  found  to  be  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  fathoms. 
At  ten  fathoms  the  water  was  so  clear  that  we  found  objects  on  the 
bottom  could  be  quite  plainly  seen  through  a  water  glass;  at  eleven  to 
twelve  fathoms  the  bottom  could  be  seen  and  objects  of  different  color 
easily  distinguished.  At  fifteen  fathoms  only  the  dark  and  light  patches 
could  be  made  out.  We  were  taken  to  a  hole  that  proved  to  be  a  sandy 
space  about  a  fathom  deeper  than  the  surrounding  level.  The  bottom 
inside  the  reef,  and  outside  also,  is  said  by  the  sailors  to  be  as  "hard 
as  rock."  In  some  places  fragments  of  coral  lay  on  the  bottom  in  the 
same  manner  as  I  have  seen  them  on  the  land.  [Of  this  Andros  reef. 
Professor  Alexander  Agassiz,  in  his  ''Reconnoissance  of  the  Bahamas 
and  the  Elevated  Reefs  of  Cuba  in  the  Steam  Yacht  Wild  Duck,^^  Janu- 
ary to  April,  1893,  says,  "This  reef,  though  narrow,  is  one  of  the  finest 
reefs  I  have  seen,  and  the  patches  of  corals  and  Gorgonias  which  flour- 
ish between  the  reef  and  the  shore  are  not  surpassed  in  beauty  by  the 
corals  of  any  district  known  to  me."] 

We  had  spent  six  or  seven  weeks  at  Nicol's  Town  collecting  plants 
and  birds,  and  towards  the  close  of  April  prepared  to  go  on  to  Conch 
Sound,  four  or  five  miles  farther  south,  where  we  had  made  a  brief 
visit  a  month  before. 

Wednesday,  April  30.  Mr.  Keith  came  for  us  in  his  boat,  which 
was  soon  loaded  with  our  baggage,  while  we  decided  to  walk.  The 
path  for  the  greater  part  of  the  way  led  through  the  pine-yard,  and 
here  and  there  through  a  coppet,  until  we  neared  Conch  Sound,  when 
it  skirted  the  water  until  we  reached  Mr.  Keith's  house.  The  evening 
was  beautiful  with  a  clear  moonlight  night.  The  "tell-bill-willy" 
of  the  willet  was  almost  constantly  heard,  and  there  were  frequent 


14  BAHAMAN   TRIP 

splashes  in  the  creek,  presumably  made  by  the  barracudas.  Conch i 
Sound  is  a  shallow  inlet  or  bay,  filled  with  small  cays  and  mangroves 
and  with  a  narrow  winding  channel.  In  places  on  the  shore  were 
great  piles  of  the  shells  of  the  conch  {Strombus).  It  is  quite  an  impor- 
tant article  of  food  on  Andros,  and  it  is  in  these  shells  that  the  pink 
pearls  are  found  for  which  the  Bahamas  are  noted.  While  Conch 
Sound  was  our  headquarters,  in  company  with  Mr.  Keith,  we  made  a 
trip  to  London  and  Stafford  creeks,  eight  or  ten  miles  down  the  coast, 
stopping  at  Mastic  Point  on  the  way.    An  account  of  the  trip  follows. 

Friday,  May  2.  Left  Conch  Sound  about  9  a.m.,  wind  nearly  dead 
ahead.  A  hard  rain  fell  just  before  we  reached  Mastic  Point.  When 
it  ceased,  we  had  our  luggage  carried  to  the  house  of  Mrs.  Bain,  where 
we  were  to  stay.  It  is  a  small  settlement  of  not  more  than  ten  or  fifteen 
houses  built  close  together.  It  might  well  be  called  "Bainville"  as 
everybody  was  related  to  old  Mrs.  Bain,  our  hostess,  who  was  the 
patriarch  of  the  settlement  and  whose  mother  and  father  were  full- 
blooded  Congos.  The  houses  were  better  and  neater  than  at  Nicol's 
Town,  some  even  had  a  little  porch  at  one  end,  while  others  had 
brightly  painted  woodwork.  Several  had  flowers  planted  about  the 
dooryard.  Mrs.  Bain's  house  boasted  a  plastered  floor,  which  was 
kept  neatly  sanded,  and  some  fine  pieces  of  mahogany  furniture. 
There  was,  as  usual,  a  table  covered  with  an  array  of  glassware  and 
crockery,  such  as  goblets,  decanters,  wine-glasses,  lamps,  and  lamp 
chinmeys.  It  is  curious  that  these  articles  are  never  seen  in  use, 
but  are  evidently  regarded  purely  as  ornaments. 

In  the  afternoon  walked  a  short  distance  along  a  path  through  the 
mangroves.  In  some  places  where  the  rocks  were  overflowed  by  the 
tide,  there  were  many  sharp  and  jagged  points.  Later  walked  through 
a  field  where  I  noted  corals  in  the  rock  and  picked  up  a  fragment. 
Beyond  and  farther  inland  was  a  slight  elevation,  on  the  south  side  of 
which  the  rocks  were  abruptly  worn  off,  their  appearance  showing  that 
the  sea  had  once  washed  against  the  top  of  the  hill. 

Saturday,  May  3.  Started  about  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  but 
were  no  sooner  under  way  than  there  was  another  hard  shower,  lasting 
nearly  an  hour.  The  men  poled  a  good  part  of  the  way,  and  we  finally 
reached  a  large  mangrove  which  was  about  one  hundred  yards  long 
and  fifteen  to  twenty  wide.  A  pair  of  cormorants  were  perched  on  one 
of  the  top  branches,  and  in  the  mangrove  were  many  Louisiana  herons 


At  Conch  Sound, 


BAHAMAN  TRIP  15 

which  the  men  called  "blue  cranes."  There  were  a  number  of  their 
nests  in  the  mangrove,  a  few  of  which  contained  greenish  eggs.  Shot 
two  of  the  birds.  We  sailed  on  to  Wax  Cut  Cay  where  we  had  lunch. 
Near  the  shore  were  many  Strombus  shells  which  varied  considerably 
in  shape.  In  some  the  outer  edge  of  the  aperture  was  thin  and  ex- 
tended, while  in  others  it  was  much  thicker  and  narrower.  The  men 
called  the  thick-lipped  ones  "sambo"  and  the  others  the  "broad- 
lipped  conchs."  We  found  some  intermediate  specimens  which  were 
thickened  but  otherwise  like  the  broad-lipped,  so  perhaps  the  sambo 
conch  is  only  an  old  broad-lip. 

From  Wax  Cut  Cay  we  sailed  to  Stirrup  Cay,  then  past  Rat  Cay 
and  Stump  Cay,  and  between  four  and  five  o'clock  poled  up  what  we 
supposed  was  London  Creek,  but  after  proceeding  a  short  distance, 
could  see  an  opening  through  the  cays  seaward,  showing  we  were  not 
in  the  creek  at  all.  Went  about  four  miles  farther  and  then  anchored 
for  the  night,  pitching  our  tent  on  low  ground  covered  with  under- 
growth and  with  a  few  pines. 

Sunday,  May  4.  Up  early,  troubled  by  sand  flies.  A  short  dis- 
tance above  our  camp,  we  entered  London  Creek.  The  men  say 
that  the  land  to  the  south  of  us  is  a  cay  without  a  name  and  runs  up  to 
a  lake  at  the  head  of  London  Creek,  with  which  Stafford  Creek  is  also 
connected.  Our  general  course  was  nearly  southwest,  with  many 
turnings.  The  creek  in  some  places  was  narrow,  but  as  a  rule  was 
perhaps  an  eighth  of  a  mile  in  width.  The  water  was  only  two  or 
three  feet  deep,  and  the  bottom  muddy.  In  one  place  the  whitish 
slimy  deposit  was  six  feet  three  inches  in  depth.  The  course  of  the 
creek  was  through  the  pine-yard;  in  many  places  the  pines  and  pal- 
mettoes  came  down  to  the  water's  edge,  while  in  others  it  was  bordered 
with  mangroves.  We  sailed  and  poled  up  about  six  miles  until  the 
water  became  too  shallow  for  us  to  proceed.  We  walked  a  short  dis- 
tance through  some  swash,  and  then  through  pines,  hoping  to  reach  a 
lake  that  the  men  said  was  four  or  five  miles  off,  but  a  heavy  shower 
threatening,  we  made  our  way  back  to  the  boat.  After  the  rain  stopped 
we  sailed  back  out  the  creek  and  down  to  Calabash  Cay,  at  the  mouth  of 
Stafford  Creek.    Spent  the  night  in  an  unoccupied  new  house. 

Monday,  May  5.  Found  Stafford  Creek  entirely  different  in  char- 
acter from  London  Creek.  The  mouth  was  only  about  sixty  feet 
wide,  the  water  six  or  seven  feet  deep,  and  the  current  swift.    After 


16  BAHAMAN   TRIP 

running  west  for  a  short  distance,  it  turned  abruptly  to  the  south  and 
spread  out  into  a  lake-like  expansion  about  half  a  mile  wide.  The 
shores  are  of  hard  coral  rock,  and  the  pines  come  to  the  water's  edge. 
It  narrowed  again  and  finally  became  a  deep  narrow  winding  stream 
that  was  fresh  for  the  last  mile  or  more  of  its  course.  At  the  extreme 
head  the  water  became  shallow,  the  bottom  rocky  in  places,  and  the 
current  quite  strong,  while  numerous  small  streams  trickled  down  the 
steep  banks,  into  which  some  had  cut  quite  deep  channels.  This 
narrow  fresh  part  is  called  the  ''lake."  It  was  here  that  we  col- 
lected two  species  of  bladderwort  (Utricularia),  the  only  fresh-water 
plants  that  we  saw  in  the  entire  island.  We  must  have  penetrated 
twelve  or  thirteen  miles  into  the  interior,  through  pines  and  palmet- 
toes  all  the  way  until  we  reached  the  head  where  we  found  swash 
running  back  perhaps  two  or  three  miles.  In  some  places  the  ground 
was  covered  with  mangroves  for  a  long  distance.  Altogether  the  land- 
scape looked  very  much  like  that  of  the  west  coast.  We  left  the  head 
of  the  creek  at  about  three  o'clock  and  reentered  the  broad  lake-like 
part  about  five,  camping  at  six  on  the  north  shore.  Here  the  creek  is 
half  a  mile  wide ;  to  the  west  it  extends  for  two  miles,  and  you  can  see 
three  or  four  miles  to  the  east.  It  is  bordered  by  pines  with  an  under- 
growth of  palmettoes  and  brier  tree. 

Tuesday,  May  6.  Left  Orange  Landing,  where  we  had  camped, 
a  place  with  a  house  and  a  few  orange  trees,  at  about  8  a.m.,  reached 
the  mouth  of  the  creek  at  about  eleven.  Here  we  saw  Cacti  for  the 
first  time,  the  ''dildo"  (Cereus  Swartzii)  which  grew  ten  or  twelve  feet 
in  height.  (We  found  them  quite  common  at  Deep  Creek  later.) 
Yesterday  the  "doctor  flies"  were  thicker  than  the  men  had  ever  seen 
them.  These  troublesome  flies  attack  the  feet  and  legs  especially  and 
inflict  quite  a  painful  wound.  They  troubled  the  men  much  oftener 
than  they  did  us.  About  half-past  eleven  we  started  on  our  return 
trip  and  reached  Conch  Sound  about  half-past  eight  in  the  evening. 

May  13.  Our  next  undertaking  was  a  walk  across  the  island,  from 
Conch  Sound  to  the  west  side.  Apparently  no  one  had  ever  gone  that 
way,  for  the  men  were  unable  to  give  any  idea  as  to  how  long  it  would 
take.  On  May  13,  8  a.m.,  we  left  Mr.  Keith's  with  four  men  and  pro- 
visions for  four  days.  Took  a  road  through  the  pines,  and  in  a  half 
hour  reached  the  beginning  of  Johnson's  Coppet,  a  rocky  ridge  rising  in 
the  midst  of  the  pines  and  covered  with  a  hardwood  growth.    Here 


BAHAMAN  TRIP  17 

the  banana  holes  were  more  numerous  than  anywhere  we  have  been. 
Some  of  them  were  twenty-five  feet  in  depth,  but  the  majority  only  ten 
to  twenty  feet  deep  and  perhaps  eight  to  ten  feet  in  diameter.  Others 
again  were  shallower  and  only  four  or  five  feet  across.  Many  of  these 
holes  were  lined  with  drooping  fern  fronds,  the  most  conspicuous  being 
the  maiden-hair  (Adiantum  tenerum)  and  the  creeping  Goniopteris, 
the  latter  with  fronds  often  two  feet  or  more  in  length  and  rooting  at  the 
tip.  After  a  short  rest  entered  the  pines  again.  There  was  no  path 
beyond  this,  and  we  were  obliged  to  cut  our  way  through  a  dense  growth 
of  brake,  the  fern  commonly  called  "Maypole"  here  (Pteridium 
caudatum).  It  was  eight  or  nine  feet  in  height.  The  ground  was 
exceedingly  rough,  and  the  weather  warm.  The  course  thus  far  has 
been  nearly  southwest,  and  we  have  gone  about  four  or  five  miles.  The 
pines  here  are  mostly  seven  or  eight  inches  in  diameter  three  feet 
from  the  ground.  Some  of  them  are  larger  and  very  tall,  eighty  feet 
at  least.  Passed  through  a  tract  covered  with  what  the  men  call  "bed- 
grass,"  a  species  of  Andropogon;  then  through  Maypole  again.  A  few 
palmettoes  and  cycads  begin  to  appear.  The  rock  is  soft,  but  very 
jagged.  Measured  a  large  pine  here  and  found  it  to  be  4  feet  9 
inches  in  circumference,  about  seventy  feet  high.  A  short  time  after 
this  the  pines  began  to  be  smaller  and  smaller,  the  palmettoes  more 
numerous,  the  rocks  rougher  and  harder,  and  banana  holes  more  fre- 
quent. Now,  at  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  pines  are  only  three 
or  four  inches  in  diameter;  keeping  on  over  a  very  rough  piece  of 
ground,  we  finally  see  light  through  the  pines.  We  reach  the  end  of 
them  about  two  o'clock  and  look  out  over  a  level  stretch  of  ground  like 
a  prairie  with  a  coppet  on  the  horizon  in  the  distance,  the  men  say  it 
is  mangrove.  To  the  southwest  a  long  point  of  pines  with  water 
showing  on  this  side.  The  level  ground  before  us  is  very  soft  and  damp, 
a  sheath-knife  does  not  reach  rock. 

Wednesday,  May  14.  Left  camp  and  started  on  the  return  trip 
a  little  after  nine,  reached  Mr.  Keith's  about  half-past  two. 

Leaving  Conch  Sound  May  22,  we  next  went  to  Mastic  Point, 
four  miles  below,  where  we  stayed  at  Mrs.  Bain's,  as  before.  Made 
several  trips  to  "the  big  mangrove"  three  miles  below,  where  I  secured 
a  man-of-war  bird.  Also  got  a  number  of  other  birds  and  plants  not 
collected  before.  A  number  of  the  days  were  more  or  less  rainy.  After 
exploring  the  neighborhood,  we  secured  the  Herald  again  for  a  month's 


18  BAHAMAN  TRIP 

cruise  about  the  southern  end  of  the  island.  Left  Mastic  Point 
Tuesday,  June  5.  Our  first  stopping  place  was  to  be  Fresh  Creek, 
fifteen  miles  or  so  down  the  coast.  We  passed  Rat  Cay,  Stump  Cay, 
Saddleback  Cays,  Calabash  Cay,  and  the  wind  getting  light,  we  ran 
into  Stafford  Creek  and  spent  the  night  there. 

Wednesday^  June  14.  Beat  all  day  against  a  southeast  wind; 
reached  Fresh  Creek  in  the  evening.  There  is  quite  a  large  settlement 
here,  and  the  creek  more  nearly  resembles  a  river  than  any  we  have 
seen.  At  its  mouth  it  is  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  yards  wide.  The 
banks  are  rocky  on  one  side,  eight  or  nine  feet  high,  the  water  deep  and 
the  current  very  swift.  There  is  said  to  be  no  reef  off  the  mouth  of 
this  creek. 

Thursday,  June  5.  In  the  afternoon  walked  along  the  "govern- 
ment road,"  the  only  path  at  all  worthy  of  the  name  that  we  had  seen 
on  the  entire  island.  It  was  about  ten  feet  wide  and  connected  Fresh 
Creek  with  a  settlement  at  Calabash  Bay,  about  four  miles  northwest. 
It  runs  through  the  coppet  all  the  way,  with  here  and  there  a  field. 
Found  a  number  of  plants  not  seen  before,  among  them  a  pretty  orchid. 
The  great  white  land  crabs  are  unusually  abundant  about  here.  We 
have  had  numbers  of  them  about  the  house,  and  several  times  have 
seen  long  processions  of  them  walking  near  the  edge  of  the  bluff. 
They  frequently  touched  the  ground  with  their  claws  and  put  them  in 
their  mouths.  Were  they  feeling  for  water  ?  The  people  here  say 
they  go  to  the  water  to  breed.  I  think  there  were  more  males  than 
females,  and  the  latter  had  no  eggs  under  the  abdomen.  These  crabs 
are  common  all  over  Andros  and  do  great  damage  in  the  fields,  eating 
the  melons,  tomatoes,  corn,  and  even  the  bananas,  we  were  told. 
Whole  boat  loads  are  taken  to  Nassau  for  sale  in  the  market,  and  the 
men  said  they  were  less  plentiful  than  formerly ;  on  New  Providence 
they  have  been  largely  exterminated. 

Friday,  June  6.  Went  out  to  Goat  Cay,  that  lies  off  and  slightly 
above  the  mouth  of  Fresh  Creek.  It  is  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
long  and  perhaps  fifty  yards  wide.  Here  were  numbers  of  the  bridled 
tern  {Sterna  anathetus)  which  the  men  called  ''  egg  birds."  They  flew 
about  us  and  followed  us  around  in  an  inquisitive  manner,  uttering 
among  other  notes  a  sharp  "cur  cur  cur-r-r."  They  were  so  tame  it 
seemed  a  pity  to  shoot  them.  A  flock  of  noddies  {Anous  stolidus) 
flew  back  and  forth  on  the  seaward  side  of  the  cay  but  they  were  much 


^ 


Fresh  Creek. 


BAHAMAN   TRIP  19 

more  shy.  The  southern  end  of  the  cay  was  lower  than  the  other, 
being  about  six  feet  above  the  water.  The  surface  was  exceedingly 
rough,  the  rock  being  worn  away  so  as  to  leave  vertical,  more  or  less 
cylindrical,  columns  varying  from  a  few  inches  to  over  a  foot  in  height. 

Monday,  June  9.  Left  about  7  a.m.  and  sailed  up  the  creek 
with  a  southeast  wind.  The  course  of  the  creek  is  first  through  the 
coppet  and  then  enters  the  pines.  It  widens  once  or  twice  and  seven 
or  eight  miles  from  its  mouth  spreads  out  into  a  lake-like  expansion, 
from  three  to  five  miles  wide,  containing  small  cays  and  mangroves. 
We  sailed  to  the  head  of  navigation  and  then  poled  in  the  small  boat 
until  we  reached  fresh  water.  Fresh  Creek  has  two  or  three  arms  and 
must  penetrate  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  into  the  interior.  In  very  wet 
seasons  there  is  said  to  be  water  communication  with  Wide  Opening 
and  the  lakes  on  the  west  side.  We  spent  a  couple  of  weeks  at  this 
settlement,  finding  the  flora  more  varied  than  farther  north.  The 
thermometer  ranged  between  82  and  84.  The  mosquitoes  were  very 
troublesome  for  the  first  time. 

June  15.  Left  Fresh  Creek.  Continuing  our  course  south,  we 
passed  High  Cay  and  numerous  smaller  cays,  finally  reaching  Bearing 
Point  (called  Salvador  Point  on  the  charts)  at  the  entrance  to  the 
Northern  Bight  about  five  in  the  evening.  Here  the  ridge  seemed  very 
high,  apparently  the  highest  land  on  the  island. 

June  16.  The  next  morning  walked  to  a  high  point  from  which  a 
good  view  was  obtained.  It  was  about  seventy  or  eighty  feet  high,  and 
one  could  look  westward  across  the  bight  to  the  horizon,  where  a  few 
cays  could  be  seen.  The  bight  is  three  or  four,  in  some  places  five, 
miles  from  the  northern  shore  to  the  cays  that  are  scattered  through 
it.  One  of  the  largest  of  these  is  Wood  Cay.  The  coppet  at  Bearing 
Point  has  pines  beyond  it,  and  there  are  pines  on  some  of  the  cays  in 
the  bight.  Going  on  board  again,  our  next  landing  was  at  Cormorant 
Cay,  a  small  cay,  perhaps  a  hundred  yards  long  by  forty  or  fifty  wide. 
Many  cormorants  were  nesting  here,  and  both  old  and  young  birds 
were  numerous.  Some  of  the  latter  were  still  in  the  nests,  but  the 
majority  were  able  to  walk.  The  little  ones  opened  their  mouths  and 
darted  at  my  finger.  Later  we  entered  what  the  men  called  Loggerhead 
Creek,  one  of  the  channels  of  the  North  Bight,  and  sailing  through  this 
to  the  west  side,  made  north  and  reached  Purser  Point  at  evening. 
This  point  is  near  the  southern  side  of  what  is  called  the  Wide  Opening* 


20  BAHAMAN   TRIP 

a  shallow  bay  or  estuary  two  or  three  miles  wide.  We  reached  the 
point  about  five  o'clock.  The  sun  was  just  setting  back  of  the  white 
chalky  beach  which  was  fringed  with  an  unbroken  line  of  palmettoes ; 
here  and  there  was  a  mangrove  clump,  and  beyond,  nothing  but  water 
and  sky.    A  desolate  scene  with  no  sign  of  life  anywhere. 

Thursday,  June  17.  Walked  back  from  Purser  Point.  The  whole 
shore  deposit  is  much  whiter  than  at  Red  Bays.  In  some  places  along 
shore  the  white  mud  has  been  washed  by  the  ripples  so  as  to  resemble 
miniature  cliffs.  These  were  made  very  noticeable  by  the  dense  blue 
shadows.  In  places  the  water  had  washed  out  the  foraminifera  and 
left  them  here  and  there,  in  little  masses  along  the  water  line.  The 
deposit  is  very  soft.  I  ran  a  pole  into  it  nine  feet  at  a  distance  of  a  mile 
and  a  half  from  shore,  where,  nevertheless,  the  water  was  only  about 
eighteen  inches  deep.  Birds  were  plentiful.  We  saw  many  flamingoes, 
some  summer  ducks,  long-shanks,  night-hawks,  and  herons.  There 
were  many  ponds  where  the  water  was  about  a  foot  and  a  half  deep. 
Returned  to  the  boat  and  about  three  o'clock  started  up  Wide  Open- 
ing, proceeded  about  a  mile.  Spent  the  night  in  the  rowboat.  The 
mosquitoes  innumerable. 

Wednesday,  June  18.  Sailed  up  as  far  as  possible,  but  we  grounded 
opposite  the  narrow  channel  marked  on  one  of  the  charts  as  the  River 
Lees  which  connects  Wide  Opening  with  the  large  body  of  water 
known  as  Turner  Sound.  It  was  an  unusually  dry  season,  and  to  our 
disappointment  we  found  it  impossible  to  cross  the  bar  at  the  mouth  of 
the  channel.  Our  supply  of  water  was  exhausted,  so  we  were  obliged 
to  turn  back  and  run  down  the  coast  again  to  what  the  men  called 
Cabbage  Creek,  which  seems  from  the  chart  to  be  the  other  entrance 
to  Turner  Sound.  Anchored  for  the  night  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
shore. 

Thursday,  June  19.  Aground  again  about  a  mile  and  a  quarter 
from  shore,  took  to  the  skiff,  but  were  soon  obliged  to  leave  that  also, 
and  finally  to  drag  the  boat  over  the  flats  to  the  channel  that  runs  out 
for  about  half  a  mile  beyond  the  mouth  of  the  creek.  The  creek  itself 
is  about  half  a  mile  wide  at  first,  but  soon  narrows  to  about  seventy-five 
yards,  which  width  it  retains  for  a  long  distance.  The  water  in  the 
center  is  about  ten  feet  deep  and  the  sides  so  steep  that  it  is  difficult  to 
"set"  up  it.  The  shores  are  fringed  with  mangroves  and  palms.  The 
creek  is  very  winding,  and  the  palms  always  grow  on  the  outside  curve, 


Cabbage  Creek. 


BAHAMAN   TRIP  21 

the  mangroves  on  the  inside.  We  went  up  four  or  five  miles  to 
where  the  creek  narrowed  at  the  beginning  of  a  large  salt-water  sound. 
Here  the  tide  overflowed  the  land,  and  we  found  the  same  white  deposit 
as  on  the  shore.  Redwing  blackbirds  and  willets  are  common  on  the 
swashes.  Got  out  of  the  creek  in  the  afternoon,  and  with  a  southwest 
wind,  started  back  for  Loggerhead  Creek.  On  the  way  passed  a 
sponging  schooner  of  less  than  twenty  tons,  with  eight  boats  in  tow. 
Two  men  to  a  boat  and  the  cook  made  seventeen  men  at  least  on  the 
vessel. 

Friday,  June  20.  Loggerhead  Creek.  In  the  morning  the  men 
coming  on  shore  with  sponges  for  the  crawls  passed  us,  some  of  the 
boats  sculled  by  small  boys  from  seven  to  ten  years  of  age.  Later 
passed  a  sponge-crawl,  built  of  stakes  and  resembling  a  weir.  The 
sponges  are  soaked  in  these  inclosures  for  about  five  days,  and  are  then 
cleaned  by  holding  them  in  the  left  hand  and  beating  them  with  a 
stick.  They  are  then  left  on  shore  until  ready  to  be  taken  home. 
About  noon  the  sky  darkened  to  the  north,  and  rain  fell  in  torrents 
for  about  an  hour.  We  took  the  passage  known  as  the  Middle  Bight, 
passing  many  cays  covered  with  palmettoes  or  with  pines. 

Saturday,  June  21.  Continued  beating  through  Middle  Bight, 
finally  reached  our  destination,  Mangrove  Cay,  towards  evening.  This 
is  one  of  the  largest  settlements  on  the  island,  and  it  is  here  that  the 
magistrate  of  the  island  lives.  Both  he  and  Mr.  Mathews,  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  Episcopal  Church  on  Andros,  are  white  men.  Spent 
the  night  with  Mr.  Mathews.  The  next  day  walked  back  a  short 
distance.  There  are  many  small  hills,  the  surface  is  rough,  and  there 
are  numerous  banana  holes. 

June  23.  Walked  to  Lisbon  Creek,  about  four  miles  south  of  the 
settlement.  The  creek  forms  the  southern  boundary  of  the  Cay.  The 
road  ran  along  the  beach  towards  a  long  point.  Near  the  head  of  the 
point  was  a  deep  hole  close  to  the  shore  in  which  Mr.  Mathews  said 
the  water  was  twelve  or  sixteen  fathoms  deep.  The  diameter  of  the 
hole  was  perhaps  a  hundred  feet.  We  crossed  the  point  and  walked 
along  the  southern  shore  to  a  house  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  where 
we  planned  to  stay  several  days.  The  coppet  about  here  is  largely  log- 
wood (HcBmatoxylon  campechianum).  It  is  said  that  when  once 
planted  this  will  soon  drive  out  all  the  native  trees.  Thermometer  86 
in  the  shade. 


22  BAHAMAN  TRIP 

Tuesday,  June  24.  Up  at  sunrise.  Sailed  up  Lisbon  Creek.  Not 
far  above  its  mouth  it  widens  and  is  no  longer  a  creek,  but  a  large  lake- 
like body  of  water,  shallow  and  containing  a  number  of  large  cays 
covered  with  pines.  On  these  large  cays  are  quite  a  number  of  iguanas. 
We  saw  several ;  they  run  with  almost  incredible  swiftness.  Got  two 
small  ones.  They  are  said  to  occasionally  attain  a  length  of  five  or 
six  feet.  The  negroes  hunt  them  with  dogs  which  drive  them  in  holes, 
when  they  are  easily  caught.  We  were  told  they  were  formerly  much 
more  abundant. 

Wednesday,  June  25.  Walked  back  to  "high  coppet."  The 
land  was  high  and  contained  many  banana  holes.  The  trees  were 
larger  and  taller  than  in  the  surrounding  region.  The  largest  was  a 
"  horse-flesh"  that  measured  five  and  a  half  feet  in  circumference, 
four  feet  from  the  ground. 

Thursday,  June  26.  Left  Lisbon  Creek,  continuing  our  trip  south, 
stopped  a  short  time  at  Kemp  Sound.  Saw  a  small  gray  owl  and  found 
some  new  plants.  Shore  bordered  with  cocoanuts  and  houses  for  a 
long  distance,  the  high  coppet  behind  them.  No  pines  to  be  seen. 
Slept  in  the  rowboat. 

Friday,  June  27.  Sailed  to  Henry  Dames,  a  short  distance  below 
Deep  Creek.  There  are  five  houses  here,  surrounded  with  cocoanut- 
palms.  We  found  Mr.  Dames  hospitable  and  intelligent.  He  gave 
us  considerable  information  as  to  medicinal  plants  and  the  commercial 
value  of  the  different  kinds  of  wood. 

Saturday,  June  28.  Walked  back  into  the  coppet  about  four 
miles  over  the  "road"  made  by  the  surveyors.  No  pines  in  sight. 
The  ground  was  high  and  very  rough,  and  banana-holes  were  numer- 
ous. The  place  is  known  as  the  "  high  coppet, "  and  the  trees  are  the 
largest  we  have  seen  on  the  island.  Horse-flesh  (Lysiloma)  and  Ma- 
deira (Swietenia  mahogani),  between  two  and  three  feet  in  diameter, 
were  common,  and  a  number  of  "nakedwood"  trees  (Myrtus  punc- 
tatus)  were  over  a  foot  through.  We  found  many  new  plants.  Igua- 
nas are  said  to  be  plentiful  farther  back  and  to  sell  for  sixpence  a 
pound.  The  negroes  consider  them  a  great  delicacy.  The  rare  blue 
thrasher  and  the  white-headed  pigeon  were  abundant  about  here. 

Sunday,  June  29.  Left  Dames  at  six  o'clock.  Continued  on  our 
way  south.  Beat  against  adverse  winds  all  day,  only  got  within  two 
or  three  miles  of  Grassy  Creek.  Scenery  along  shore  much  the  same  as 
farther  north,  except  the  trees  were  slightly  lower. 


Coming  to  Anchor  off  the  Dames'  Place. 


I 


BAHAMAN  TRIP  23 

Monday,  June  30.  Sailed  to  Grassy  Creek,  which  is  within  a  few 
miles  of  the  southern  end  of  the  island.  The  creek  is  about  seventy- 
five  yards  in  width.  The  men  said  that  the  swash  began  only  a  short 
distance  back.  There  was  a  party  of  turtlers  on  shore  cutting  up  live 
hawksbill  turtles.  A  storm  threatening,  we  did  not  sail  up  the  creek  any 
great  distance,  but  turned  back  for  Smith's  place.  Thunderstorm  very 
heavy,  but  we  were  not  in  the  worst  of  it.  The  sky  to  the  north  was 
very  black;  saw  a  water-spout  in  that  direction,  the  column  slanted  to 
the  westward.  There  was  a  dead  nurse-shark  on  the  shore,  found  it 
to  be  7  feet  11  inches  in  length,  steel  color  below,  darker  above. 
Near  Smith's  house  was  the  largest  ocean-hole  I  have  seen.  Smith 
says  he  has  found  no  bottom  with  a  twenty-fathom  rope.  Surrounding 
it,  there  is  at  low  water  nearly  three-quarters  of  a  mile  of  sand  fiat,  the 
water  being  only  about  two  feet  deep  at  that  distance  from  the  shore. 

Tuesday  J  July  i.  Walked  back  over  surveyor's  line.  The  trees 
and  bush  had  been  cut  down  and  left  where  they  fell.  The  ground  very 
rough  with  large  banana-holes.  The  swash  was  seen  only  a  half  mile 
back  so  that  the  coppet  is  here  much  narrower  than  at  Deep  Creek. 
Back  to  boat  and  waited  until  four  o'clock  for  the  tide  to  rise.  Reached 
Dames  that  night,  just  below  Deep  Creek.  Arrived  at  Lisbon  Creek 
the  evening  of  July  2. 

Thursday,  July  3.  Packed  and  put  specimens  on  schooner  for 
Nassau.  We  started  about  midnight,  slept  on  deck.  Very  slight  dew. 
Reached  Nassau  evening  of  July  4,  having  been  becalmed  much  of  the 
day.     A  few  days  later  we  took  the  steamer  for  home. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  say  something  here  of  the  inhabitants  and  in- 
terests of  Andros  Island  as  we  found  them  in  1890.  All  the  settlements 
were  on  the  eastern  ridge,  with  the  exception  of  the  small  one  at  Red 
Bays  in  the  extreme  northwest  corner.  The  remainder  of  the  western 
coast  was  practically  uninhabited  and  was  visited  only  by  the  spongers. 
The  writer  believes  she  enjoys  the  distinction  of  having  been  the  first 
white  woman  to  set  foot  on  this  part  of  the  island.  On  the  east  coast 
Nicol's  Town  was  the  most  northerly  settlement,  then  came  Mastic 
Point,  Stanniard  Creek,  Fresh  Creek,  Bearing  Point,  at  the  entrance  to 
the  North  Bight,  then  Mangrove  Cay,  Long  Bay  Cay,  and  Deep  Creek. 
At  the  time  of  our  visit  Nicol's  Town,  Fresh  Creek,  and  Mangrove  Cay 
were  the  largest.  All  communication  between  the  different  settle- 
ments was  by  water,  as  there  were  no  roads,  the  government  road  at 


24  BAHAMAN   TRIP 

Fresh  Creek  being  the  nearest  approach  to  one.  What  the  negroes 
termed  roads  were  only  the  roughest  kind  of  footpaths  leading  back  to 
their  fields.  The  ground  was  on  the  whole  very  much  rougher  than  on 
New  Providence,  and  walking  was  often  extremely  difficult. 

The  people  all  seemed  to  be  very  poor.  The  majority  of  the  men 
were  engaged  in  sponging,  and  the  women  in  consequence  did  most  of 
the  work  in  the  fields.  Some  few  owned  their  land,  but  the  majority 
cleared  a  piece  of  coppet  and  started  a  "field"  wherever  they  fancied, 
often  four  or  five  miles  back  in  the  bush.  They  raised  corn,  cassava, 
sweet  potatoes,  bananas,  and  sometimes  a  few  beans,  pigeon-peas, 
yams,  and  tomatoes,  usually  only  a  few  plants  of  each,  set  out 
at  random.  Their  principal  tool  was  the  machete,  with  which  they 
cut  down  the  weeds  and  bushes  and  turned  up  what  little  soil  there  was 
in  the  cavities  of  the  rock.  A  number  of  the  gentlemen  of  Nassau  had 
interests  and  plantations  on  the  island.  There  were  extensive  cocoa- 
nut  groves  near  Lowe  Sound  and  Nicol's  Town;  sisal  plantations  at 
Conch  Sound,  and  at  Kemp  Sound  just  above  Deep  Creek,  and  a  large 
pineapple  plantation  near  Long  Bay  Cay.  These,  with  the  two  sponge 
warehouses,  one  at  Nicol's  Town  and  one  near  Mangrove  Cay,  com- 
prised the  business  interests  of  the  island. 

At  the  time  we  were  on  Andros  there  were  only  seven  white  people 
on  the  island,  and  for  weeks  at  a  time  we  did  not  see  a  white  face.  We 
found  the  negroes,  without  exception,  courteous,  hospitable,  and 
obliging.  More  than  that,  as  far  as  we  were  concerned,  we  found 
them  perfectly  honest.  We  frequently  left  our  house  open  and  un- 
guarded all  day,  yet  not  a  single  article  was  ever  missed. 

We  heard  that  many  changes  took  place  shortly  after  we  left.  A 
large  English  company  bought  up  a  number  of  square  miles  and  began 
the  cultivation  of  sisal  on  an  extensive  scale.  After  a  few  years'  trial  it 
was  found  that  the  financial  returns  did  not  come  up  to  the  company's 
expectations,  and  the  work  has  since  been  entirely  abandoned. 

SUMMARY  OF  THE   COLLECTIONS   BROUGHT  BACK 

VERTEBRATES 

Mammals.' — The  only  mammals  on  Andros  were  bats  and  rats.  The  bat  was 
Macrotus  waterhousei,  kindly  determined  by  Dr.  J.  A.  Allen.     The  rat  was  Mus 

rattus. 


BAHAMAN   TRIP  25 

Birds.  —  Two  hundred  and  eighty-six  specimens,  representing  twenty-seven 
families  and  seventy-four  species. 

Reptiles.  —  Lizards,  many  specimens  in  alcohol.  The  collection  was  sent  to 
Dr.  Cope  for  determination,  but  unfortunately  the  list  returned  by  him  was  lost. 
The  following  note  is  from  one  of  his  letters:  "There  is  no  new  species,  but  the 
Sphcerodactylus  spectator  is  brought  from  the  Bahamas  for  the  first  time,  to  my 
knowledge."     There  were  several  iguana  skins  in  the  collection. 

Snakes.  —  A  number  of  specimens  in  alcohol,  representing  about  eleven  spe- 
cies.    The  largest  was  a  species  of  boa-constrictor. 

Fishes.  —  About  twelve  species  represented. 

INVERTEBRATES 

Mollusks.  —  Four  or  five  hundred  specimens,  representing  one  hundred  and 
nine  species.  See  list  of  shells  named  by  Dr.  Dall.  There  were  also  four  or  five 
Ascidians  and  Cephalopods. 

Crustaceans. — About  375  specimens,  representing  sixty-seven  species.  See 
report  by  Dr.  Rankin, 

A  number  of  centipedes,  spiders,  beetles,  moths,  and  butterflies  were  also 
collected. 

Annelides.  —  Numerous  specimens. 

Echinoderms  include,  in  addition  to  the  starfishes  (a  list  of  which  appear  be- 
low), many  specimens  of  holothurians  and  sea-urchins. 

Ccelenterates.  —  Numerous  corals,  including  a  number  of  alcyonoid  corals. 

Actinia.  —  Fourteen  species.  See  report  by  Professor  McMurrich.  There 
were  also  a  number  of  hydroids  and  several  medusae.  Of  one  of  the  latter  which 
was  sent  to  Dr.  J.  Walter  Fewkes  he  wrote  "the  large  black  specimen  I  take  to  be 
a  Linerges.  The  color  is  brown  yellow  in  nature.  Linerges  mercurius  Haeckel 
is  figured  in  my  Acalypha  from  Key  West  and  Tortugas." 

There  was  also  a  set  of  Bahaman  sponges. 

Plants.  —  About  seven  thousand  specimens,  representing  five  hundred  and 
seventy  species.     See  report  on  Flora  of  New  Providence  and  Andros. 

A  collection  of  woods. 

Various  geological  specimens,  including  fossils,  specimens  illustrating  erosion, 
and  samples  of  soil  from  various  places. 

With  much  of  the  material  were  full  notes,  for  it  was  my  husband's  hope  to 
embody  the  results  of  the  trip  in  a  volume  which  would  be  a  contribution  to  the 
physical  history,  fauna,  and  flora  of  the  Bahamas.  The  following  pages  show 
all  that  it  has  been  possible  to  do  towards  fulfilling  this  plan.  The  greater  part 
of  the  zoological  material  Dr.  Northrop  expected  to  work  up  himself.  After  his 
death.  Professor  Rankin  kindly  consented  to  determine  the  crustaceans  and  Profes- 
sor McMurrich  to  complete  the  work  on  the  Actinia.  It  has  unfortunately  been 
found  impossible  to  have  the  rest  of  the  collection  worked  up.  It  was  stored  for 
several  years,  owing  to  the  removal  of  the  University,  and  many  labels  were  lost 
and  misplaced. 


26  BAHAMAN   TRIP 

The  entire  collection  is  at  Columbia  with  the  exception  of  some  of  the  dupli- 
cates.    A  set  of  the  plants  is  in  the  University  Herbarium  in  Bronx  Park. 


LIST    OF   STARFISHES  1  l^  J 

Determined  by  John  I.  Northrop 

Linckia  Guildingii  Gr.     Collected] at  [Nassau  and  [also  on  Andros. 

Echinaster  lentus  ?     Nassau. 

Ophiocoma  echinata  Ag.  Common  in  pools  and  under  stones  at 
low  water. 

Ophiocoma  pumila  Liitken.  Nassau.  Twenty-one  specimens.  In 
one  the  upper  arm-spines  are  flattened  vertically,  and  the  tip  is 
indented  or  sometimes  toothed.  A  few  spines  are  much 
broader  at  base  and  prolonged  backward  in  a  point  over  the 
upper  arm-plates,  making  them  appear  arrow-shaped. 

Ophiocoma  Riisei  Liitken.     One  specimen  from  near  Nassau. 

Ophiura  brevicauda  Lyman.  One  specimen  from  near  Nassau, 
under  stones. 

Ophiura  cinerea  Lyman.  Nassau.  The  seventh  joint  [of  arm  has 
ten  spines  instead  of  eight. ' 

Ophiura  appressa  Say.     Nassau.     Four  specimens. 

Ophiomyxa  flaccida  Liitken.  Nassau.  Single  specimen  from  near 
Quarantine  Station. 

Ophiothrix  (Erstedii  Liitken.  One  specimen.  Lyman  states  that 
this  is  the  most  abundant  species  of  Florida  and  the  West 
Indies.     It  did  not  seem  to  be  at  all  common  in  the  Bahamas. 

Ophiothrix  Suensonii  Liitken  ?  Five  specimens  found  on  sponges  in 
the  sea-garden  near  Nassau,  seem  to  have  but  three  or  four 
spines.  ^ 

^  Owing  to  their  incompleteness  the  critical  notes  have  been  omitted. 


NOTES    ON  THE    GEOLOGY   OF   THE   BAHAMAS^ 

John  I.  Northrop 

(Abstract) 

By  far  the  greater  number  of  the  islands  known  as  the  Bahamas 
are  situated  on  the  Great  and  the  Little  Bahama  Banks.  The  former 
occupies  a  large  area  southeast  of  Florida  and  north  of  Cuba,  and  is 
penetrated  in  the  northern  part  in  a  remarkable  manner  by  a  tongue 
of  the  ocean  in  which  the  water  is  over  seven  hundred  fathoms  in 
depth.  Little  Bahama  Bank  lies  north  of  the  Great  one  and  is  much 
smaller. 

The  islands  lie,  almost  without  exception,  on  the  northern  and 
eastern  edges  of  the  banks,  the  main  exception  being  the  island  of 
Great  Bahama,  which  is  situated  on  the  southern  edge  of  Little  Bahama 
Bank.  Southeast  of  the  Great  Bank  is  a  small  one,  on  which  are 
Crooked  and  Acklin  islands,  the  former  on  the  northern,  the  latter  on 
the  eastern  edge. 

The  Caicos  Bank  lies  still  farther  southeast  and  contains  on  its 
northern  border  a  number  of  small  islands.  The  rest  of  the  group  — 
viz.  the  islands  of  San  Salvador,  Rum  Cay,  Atwood's  Cay,  Mariguana, 
and  Little  and  Great  Inagua  —  are  differently  situated  from  those  pre- 
viously mentioned,  rising  almost  abruptly  from  the  deep  ocean. 

The  time  spent  in  the  Bahamas  was  a  little  more  than  six  months, 
two  of  which  were  passed  in  New  Providence  and  the  rest  in  Andros. 
The  former  is  well  known  as  the  seat  of  government  and  as  a  health 
resort.  It  lies  on  the  northern  edge  of  a  portion  of  the  Great  Bahama 
Bank,  and  is  about  twenty  miles  long  and  seven  in  width.  A  ridge 
runs  along  the  northern  side,  the  highest  point  of  which  is  109  feet 
above  sea-level,  and  is  occupied  by  an  old  fort  —  Fort  Fincastle.  Here 
a  fine  view  of  the  general  features  of  the  island  may  be  obtained.  To 
the  south  stretches  a  low  level  country  dotted  here  and  there  with 


^  Trans.  N.  Y.  Acad.  Sciences,  October  13,  1890,  pp.  4-22. 
27 


28  NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS 

cocoanut  groves,  and  in  the  distance  is  seen  a  lower  ridge,  known  as  the 
Blue  Hills.  To  the  north  we  look  over  the  harbor,  half  a  mile  in  width, 
to  Hog  Island,  a  cay  about  four  miles  long,  perhaps  half  a  mile  wide, 
and  about  twenty  feet  high.  The  eastern  end  is  separated  by  a  narrow 
piece  of  water,  known  as- the  ''Sea  Garden,'^  from  Athol  or  Long 
Island,  locally  known  as  Quarantine  Station,  a  cay  about  two  miles 
long  and  but  a  quarter  mile  wide,  and  continued  eastward  by  narrow 
shoals.  West  of  Hog  Island  is  the  channel,  or,  as  it  is  called,  "the 
bar,"  on  the  other  side  of  which  a  number  of  small  cays  continue  the 
same  general  direction  as  the  longer  axis  of  the  island.  Seaward  of 
Hog  Island,  and  separated  from  it  by  about  one  mile  of  water,  is  Salt 
Cay,  an  island  about  two  miles  in  length  and  a  quarter  in  width.  Far- 
ther to  the  north  and  outside  of  Quarantine  Station  is  Rose  Island, 
another  long  narrow  cay.  Outside  of  all  lies  the  reef.  These  facts 
have  been  given  with  perhaps  more  detail  than  is  interesting,  but  which, 
nevertheless,  is  necessary,  as  it  has  a  bearing  upon  what  follows. 

Andros  Island  is  the  largest  of  the  Bahama  group,  being  over 
ninety  miles  long  and  between  forty  and  fifty  miles  wide.  The  northern 
portion  is  separated  from  the  southern  by  a  broad  shallow  sheet  of 
water  that  contains  many  cays,  large  and  small,  and  the  passages 
through  from  the  eastern  to  the  western  coast  are  known  as  bights. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Andros  is  not  only  the  largest  of  the  Ba- 
hama islands,  but  the  largest  coral  island  in  the  world,  its  northern 
half  alone  having  a  superficial  area  of  over  1200  square  miles,  while 
the  area  of  the  whole  island,  so  called,  is  over  1900.  It  Hes  near  the 
eastern  edge  of  the  bank  that  faces  the  tongue  of  ocean  referred  to 
above. 

The  eastern  side  of  Andros  is  occupied  by  a  ridge,  of  which  the 
highest  point  that  I  visited,  and  I  think  the  highest  on  the  island,  is 
marked  on  the  chart  as  Salvador  Point,  locally  known  as  Bearing 
Point.  Its  height  I  had  no  means  of  determining,  but  I  judged  it  to  be 
about  100  feet.  At  the  extreme  southern  end,  as  at  Grassy  Creek, 
this  ridge  is  absent  and  the  land  is  low. 

When  one  has  crossed  the  ridge,  which  is  covered  with  angiosper- 
mous  trees,  he  enters  a  large  forest  of  Pinus  hahamensis  which  occu- 
pies the  greater  portion  of  the  interior  of  the  island.  The  land  is  here 
almost  level,  and  in  some  places,  as  near  Loggerhead  Creek  and  Wide 
Opening,  there  are  extensive  lakes  of  fresh  water.     Upon  passing 


NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS  29 

through  the  pines  and  reaching  the  west  side,  one  comes  to  the  most 
remarkable  feature  of  the  island.  Here  one  sees  spread  out  before 
him,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  a  low  swampy  country  covered 
with  small  mangroves,  Conocarpus  and  Avicennia,  bounded  on  one 
side  by  the  water,  and  sometimes,  in  the  distance,  by  a  dark  line  of 
pines.  The  pines,  however,  frequently  jut  out  in  points  that  approach 
quite  close  to  the  water's  edge.  This  level  swampy  land  is  locally 
known  by  the  very  appropriate  name  of  "  swash."  To  the  west  of  the 
land  stretches  the  Great  Bahama  Bank  for  a  distance  of  from  fifty  to 
seventy  miles,  and  the  slope  of  the  bottom  is  so  exceedingly  slight  that 
at  the  distance  of  seventy  miles  from  shore  the  water  is  but  three  or 
four  fathoms  deep.  The  bank  then  plunges  suddenly  into  the  ocean 
beyond. 

There  are  many  creeks  on  the  island,  and  the  water  in  all,  at  a 
distance  of  ten  or  fifteen  miles  from  the  mouth,  is  drinkable.  Many 
little  streams  of  fresh  water  flow  into  these  creeks,  thus  partially  drain- 
ing the  immense  area  of  swash. 

The  creeks  are  generally  narrow  and  winding,  and  by  wearing 
away  the  land  on  the  convex  side  of  the  curves  change  the  character 
of  the  surface  of  the  country.  This  was  most  plainly  seen  up  Cabbage 
Creek,  near  Wide  Opening,  on  the  west  side.  Here,  as  the  creek  wore 
its  way  into  the  land,  it  was  followed  on  the  concave  side  by  a  growth 
of  small  mangroves,  while  its  convex  side  was  fringed  with  palmettoes. 
As  the  creek,  in  winding,  changed  its  course,  the  palmettoes  and  man- 
groves changed  sides,  as  it  were,  the  former  always  on  the  outside  of 
the  curve,  thus  making  quite  a  striking  alteration  in  the  appearance  of 
the  landscape. 

The  surface  on  the  western  side  of  Andros  is  composed  of  an 
exceedingly  fine,  almost  impalpable,  calcareous  coral  "mud,"  that  also 
forms  the  bottom  of  the  shallow  water  that  covers  the  bank.  As  we  go 
back  from  the  water's  edge  this  deposit  becomes  harder  and  harder, 
until  finally  it  is  cemented  into  a  hard,  very  fine-grained  rock  that  is 
very  different  in  appearance  from  the  rock  of  the  eastern  coast.  The 
latter  is  ^olian  and  varies  in  texture.  In  some  places  it  is  quite  coarse 
and  in  others  fine,  but  always  composed  of  rounded  grains  of  coral 
sand  or  comminuted  shells.  In  some  places,  as  at  Conch  Rock,  near 
Conch  Sound,  the  rock  has  been  so  altered  as  to  resemble  a  dark  gray 
crystalline  limestone.    In  one  place  only  did  I  see  the  contact  between 


30  NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS 

the  JEoliaii  formation  and  the  true  coral  rock.  This  was  on  Andros 
near  the  entrance  to  Fresh  Creek,  where  a  vertical  face  about  ten  feet 
in  height  was  exposed.  The  lower  four  feet  were  composed  of  frag- 
ments of  coral  stems,  mostly  a  madrepore,  probably  Madreporus  cer- 
vicornus,  but  so  eroded  as  to  make  identification  impossible.  Above 
this  lay  the  ^Eolian  rock,  the  contact  being  sharp  and  distinct,  and  the 
contrast  between  the  laminated  appearance  of  the  one  and  the  irregu- 
lar surface  of  the  other  being  very  striking.  While  no  masses  of  corals 
were  to  be  seen,  that  were  undoubtedly  standing  as  they  grew,  the 
fragments,  some  of  them  about  a  foot  in  length,  were  crowded  to- 
gether and  presented  the  same  appearance  as  I  had  seen  in  places  in 
the  reef  at  Nicol's  Town,  where  the  branches  of  M.  cervicornus  had 
been  broken  off  and  lay  in  a  heap  on  the  bottom.  The  striking  con- 
trast between  the  ^Eolian  rock  above  and  that  in  which  the  corals 
were  showed  plainly  that  the  two  rocks  were  formed  under  different 
circumstances,  and  that  the  lower  stratum  had  been  formed  under 
water,  for  it  showed  none  of  the  characteristics  of  beach  or  wind-drifted 
deposits.  Although  this  is  the  only  place  where  elevated  corals  were 
found  in  profusion,  in  many  other  localities,  as  at  Nicol's  Town  and 
Mastic  Point,  Andros,  a  few  fossil  corals  were  found  embedded  in 
the  rock  and  evidently  in  place.  The  most  common  coral  thus  found 
was  a  Maeandrina,  probably  the  same  as  that  now  living  on  the 
shore  near  low-water  mark  —  a  circular,  flat  species. 

In  Nassau  excellent  sections  of  the  rock  can  be  seen  in  an  old 
quarry,  the  *' Queen's  Staircase,"  and  in  the  present  quarry.  In  the 
first  of  these  places  the  section  is,  I  believe,  ninety  feet  high,  and  the 
rock  is  entirely  ^olian.  The  most  common  fossil  is  a  species  of  Stro- 
phia  that  I  suspect  will  prove  different  from  those  now  living  on  the 
island.^  A  few  helicoid  shells  were  collected,  and  parts  of  a  crab  were 
noted,  but  only  one  or  two  marine  shells,  a  Fissurella,  and  fragments 
of  a  lamellibranch  were  obtained.  These  facts  all  indicate  the  ^Eolian 
origin  of  the  deposit. 

*  My  thanks  are  due  to  Professor  Dall,  who  has  kindly  examined  my  Strophias, 
and  who  is  inclined  to  provisionally  refer  some  of  the  fossil  forms  to  S.  maritima  Pfr., 
and  states  that  others  seem  to  connect  maritima  with  forms  like  Glans  Kust.,  which  I 
found  living  on  Andros. 


NOTES    ON   THE   GEOLOGY   OF  THE   BAHAMAS     31 


Surface  Deposits 

There  is  practically  no  soil  either  on  New  Providence  or  Andros, 
except  the  little  that  collects  in  the  caves  and  holes  in  the  rock.  From 
the  caves  a  large  quantity  of  cave  earth  has  been  taken  and  sold  as  a 
fertilizer,  with  what  result  I  do  not  know.  I  was  told  that  guano  had 
been  found  on  Andros,  but  I  saw  none,  The  earths  I  collected  I  have 
treated  with  hydrochloric  acid,  and  the  results  indicate  a  great  varia- 
tion in  composition.  In  some,  most  of  the  material  is  soluble  with 
strong  effervescence,  but  in  others  the  residual,  I  suspect,  will  prove 
greater  than  the  soluble  portion.  The  residue  seems  to  be  composed  of 
organic  material,  with  some  mineral  constituents  that  contain  an  appre- 
ciable quantity  of  iron.  Dr.  Waller,  of  the  School  of  Mines,  Columbia 
College,  has  kindly  offered  to  analyze  my  material,  and  we  hope  from 
the  results  to  draw  some  conclusions  as  to  its  origin.  At  present  it 
seems  as  if  the  earthy  deposits  are  composed  of  the  insoluble  portions 
of  the  coral  rock  mixed  with  vegetable  particles. 

The  absence  of  any  large  quantity  of  fallen  leaves  is  very  noticeable. 
In  the  *' Pine-yard, '^  as  the  pine  woods  are  locally  called,  we  did  not 
see  a  single  fallen  pine,  but  the  depressions  in  the  ground  showed 
where  one  had  formerly  stood,  and  a  long  shallow  trough  plainly  indi- 
cated where  the  fallen  trunk  had  lain.  Desiccation  and  decay  take 
place  with  astonishing  rapidity,  and  I  believe  that  the  deposits  found 
in  the  caves  are  greatly  added  to  by  the  comminuted  particles  of  dried 
vegetable  matter,  and  the  residue  of  the  decomposed  portions,  both  of 
which  would  be  washed  in  by  rain-water. 

On  the  "swash"  on  the  west  coast  of  Andros  a  peculiar  ash-like 
deposit  was  noticed  that  covered  small  circular  areas.  This,  on  exam- 
ination, proved  to  be  composed  of  soft  elastic  lumps  coated  with  cal- 
careous material.  These  lumps  under  the  microscope  were  seen  to  be 
composed  of  one  of  the  small,  probably  fresh-water,  algae  that  had 
grown  in  the  pools  of  water,  and  which  had  been  left  when  the  pools 
had  dried. 

Erosion 


One  of  the  most  striking  geological  changes  taking  place  in  the 
Bahamas  is  the  erosion  of  both  the  surface  and  the  shore  line  of  the 
islands. 


32  NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS 

West  of  Nassau,  on  the  beach,  are  many  places  where  the  waves 
have  cut  narrow  passages  into  the  rocks  and  ground  the  fragments 
into  sand.  There  are  also  a  number  of  ''pot-holes" ;  these  were  circu- 
lar in  horizontal  sections,  and  the  bottom  and  sides  were  smooth.  They 
contained  the  worm  coral  heads  that  had  evidently  been  the  means  of 
making  the  holes. 

On  the  beach  of  the  cays  north  of  Nassau  great  blocks  of  coral  rock 
are  seen  that  have  been  dislodged  by  the  waves,  and  in  some  places 
fresh  fractures  show  where  large  fragments  have  been  broken  off.  On 
the  south  side  of  the  cays  the  erosion  is  different.  Here  the  water  is 
quiet  and  eats  slowly  under  the  rock,  so  that  a  projecting  ledge  is 
formed  that  marks  the  height  of  the  tide. 

At  some  places  on  Andros,  as  at  Fresh  Creek  and  Nicol's  Town, 
the  shore  is  undermined,  and  great  slabs  in  places  have  fallen,  thus 
making  large  cracks.  Similar  cracks  are  found  inland  higher  above 
high-water  mark,  and  have  evidently  been  formed  in  the  same  manner 
as  those  on  the  shore.  Where  the  edges  of  the  crack  were  in  contact 
they  had  been  firmly  cemented  together,  and  at  intervals  along  the  line 
of  the  crack  were  numerous  large  holes  that  had  evidently  been  worn 
out  by  the  action  of  rain-water  running  over  the  edge.  Leading  into 
these  holes  were  channels  almost  as  perfectly  formed  and  rounded  as  a 
tin  gutter. 

The  erosion  of  the  surface  will  impress  every  one  that  visits  the 
Bahamas.  Sharp  jagged  points  project  so  as  to  make  walking  tire- 
some and  annoying.  Although  there  is  some  sand  near  the  beach  west 
of  the  Barracks  at  Nassau,  there  are  no  great  moving  masses  such  as 
Heilprin  describes  as  being  found  in  Bermuda.^ 

In  some  places,  as  on  Goat  Cay,  near  Fresh  Creek,  Andros,  the 
surface  is  eroded  in  a  peculiar  and  striking  manner.  There  the  rock  is 
worn  so  as  to  leave  vertical  cylindrical  masses  two  or  three  feet  high, 
some  connected  below  or  halfway  up  with  each  other,  others  separate. 
Their  sides  and  tops  are  pitted  and  eroded,  so  they  have  evidently  been 
affected  by  atmospheric  agencies.  On  the  ocean  side  of  this  cay  the 
erosion  from  the  action  of  the  surf  was  so  exceedingly  rapid  that  the 
rock  remained  a  light  yellowish  color  instead  of  the  dull  or  dark  gray 
it  commonly  assumes.  The  form  the  rock  here  presented  was  even 
more  striking  than  the  cylindrical  masses  described  above.    It  was 

^  "The  Bermuda  Islands,"  p.  31. 


Goat  Cay,  Andros. 


NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS  33 

worn  into  innumerable  peaks  and  pinnacles  like  a  miniature  mountain 
range,  the  points  and  edges  of  the  pyramidal  projections  being  sharp 
and  clean.  As  we  walked  back  from  the  edge  of  the  cay,  every  grada- 
tion could  be  found  between  the  miniature  peaks  and  the  cylindrical 
masses  higher  up.  And  I  believe  that  the  latter  are  what  remains 
after  the  edges  of  the  little  peaks  and  pyramids  have  been  slowly  worn 
away  by  the  action  of  atmospheric  agencies ;  for  we  have  only  to  round 
off  the  points  and  deepen  the  connecting  ridges  to  produce  the  vertical 
cylindrical  masses.  But  in  order  that  this  could  have  occurred,  it  will 
be  necessary  to  suppose  that  the  island  has  been  elevated,  and  this,  as 
I  hope  to  show,  I  believe  has  been  the  case. 

Outliers 

In  many  places  near  Andros,  as  at  Mastic  Point  and  Golden  Cay, 
there  are  cays  separated  from  the  island  by  water  but  a  few  feet  in 
depth,  and  in  some  places  these  cays  make  a  prolongation  of  a  point 
with  which  I  believe  they  were  formerly  connected,  and  have  been  cut 
off,  not  by  subsidence,  but  by  erosion.  There  are  other  cays,  as  those 
near  Nassau,  that,  as  I  hope  to  be  able  to  show,  owe  their  origin  to 
another  source. 

Caves 

One  of  "the  sights''  at  Nassau  are  "The  Caves,"  about  seven 
miles  west  of  the  city.  One  of  these  is  an  irregular  opening  in  the  north 
side  of  a  hill  that  faces  the  sea.  The  floor  is  considerably  above  high- 
water  mark.  In  the  back  of  the  first  chamber  is  a  small  opening  through 
which  can  be  seen  a  deeper  chamber,  in  the  bottom  of  which  is  water. 
This  chamber  is  said  to  connect  with  the  cave  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  same  hill.  This  second  cave  is  a  long  chamber  about  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet  in  height,  and  the  roof  contains  holes  through  which  the 
roots  of  trees  pass  and  fasten  into  the  floor  below.  The  side  wall  of  the 
cave  for  a  distance  of  about  four  feet  from  the  ground  projected  about 
six  inches  beyond  the  upper  part  of  the  wall,  thus  forming  a  shelf  that 
was  quite  level  and  ran  the  entire  length  of  the  chamber,  a  distance  of 
perhaps  one  hundred  feet.  I  could  only  explain  the  formation  of  this 
shelf  by  supposing  that  it  represented  the  contact  between  two  depos- 
its, and  that  the  upper  had  yielded  more  rapidly  than  the  lower  to  ero- 
sion. 


34  NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS 

On  Andros  I  saw  a  number  of  caves  near  the  northern  part  of  the 
island.  All  were  in  the  sides  of  the  elevated  portions.  The  openings 
in  some,  as  one  near  Nicol's  Town,  were  small,  barely  as  large  as  an 
ordinary  door.  Others  were  simply  excavations  in  the  side  of  the 
hills. 

In  some  places,  as  near  Nicol's  Town  and  Mastic  Point,  small 
caves  were  found,  twenty  to  forty  feet  above  high- water  mark;  and  the 
low  vertical  cliffs  in  which  they  were,  indicated  the  existence  of  an  old 
shore  line,  for  the  rocks  were  undermined  in  the  same  manner  as  those 
we  now  see  on  the  present  shore. 

In  some  of  these  caves  Indian  relics  have  been  found,  and  also 
human  bones,  and  I  obtained  a  portion  of  a  human  humerus  from  one 
on  Andros. 

Ocean  Holes 

Near  the  caves  at  Nicol's  Town  was  a  hole  known  as  the  "  Ocean 
Hole."  It  was  about  one  hundred  feet  in  diameter  and  perhaps  forty 
feet  in  depth,  and  contained  a  pool  of  brackish  water.  In  one  place 
the  wall  had  been  excavated  so  as  to  form  a  small  cave,  while  the  rest 
was  quite  steep  and  covered  with  trees  and  large  blocks  of  coral  rock. 
In  one  place  was  a  very  marked  unconformability  in  the  rock,  the 
seeming  strata  below  lying  at  an  angle  of  about  30  degrees,  while 
above  the  layers  were  horizontal.  This  was  probably  only  an  unusual 
arrangement  of  the  ^Eolian  formation;  but  in  the  Queen's  Staircase, 
where  an  unusually  fine  section  is  exposed,  the  layers  lie  at  different 
angles,  but  are  wedged  in  between  each  other,  as  it  were,  and  no  such 
sharp  unconformability  as  that  above  described  is  to  be  seen. 

The  name  ''ocean  hole"  is  also  applied  by  the  natives  of  Andros 
to  deep  holes  under  the  water.  Some  of  these  are  remarkable.  The 
first  that  I  saw  was  near  Mangrove  Cay.  Here,  close  to  the  shore,  was 
a  nearly  circular  hole  at  least  100  feet  in  diameter,  and  in  which  the 
water  was  said  to  be  over  18  fathoms  (104  feet)  in  depth.  I  did  not 
have  an  opportunity  of  sounding  it,  but  the  dark  blue  color  of  the  water 
told  its  own  story. 

While  sailing  up  Fresh  Creek,  Andros,  we  came  to  another  ocean 
hole,  which  I  examined.  It  was  about  ten  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
creek,  close  to  the  northern  bank,  and  about  one  hundred  feet  in  diam- 
eter.   From  the  shore  the  water  for  a  distance  of  about  fifteen  feet 


I 


Ocean  Hole,  Nicol's  Town. 


NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS  35 

was  two  feet  in  depth,  and  then  suddenly  deepened  to  eighteen  feet  over 
a  projecting  ledge.  Sounding  across  the  hole  did  not  show  a  greater 
depth.  The  bottom  of  the  hole  was  of  soft  coral  mud.  The  bottom 
of  the  creek  surrounding  the  hole  was  covered  with  about  two  feet  of 
water,  and  in  some  places  gradually  sloped  into  the  hole.  Still  farther 
up  the  creek  another  hole  was  seen,  but  was  not  examined.  The  most 
remarkable  ocean  hole  that  I  saw  was  one  near  Grassy  Creek,  near 
the  southern  end  of  the  east  side  of  Andros.  The  diameter  was  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  and  the  shore  itself  formed  one  edge  of  the 
hole.  The  sides  were  of  sand  at  its  angle  of  repose  for  a  depth  of  about 
six  or  seven  feet  below,  and  resting  on  an  overhanging  ledge  of  rock. 
Where  the  tide  had  fallen  it  left  the  hole  surrounded  by  at  least  a  quar- 
ter mile  of  sand  flat  on  the  ocean  side,  while,  as  stated  above,  the  shore 
formed  the  rest  of  the  boundary.  This  hole  I  sounded  with  all  the 
line  I  possessed,  but  at  twenty  fathoms  the  weight  was  cut  off,  and  I  was 
unable  to  obtain  another  to  continue  the  sounding.  The  captain  of 
our  boat,  a  reliable  man,  told  me  that  in  the  "Pine-yard"  was  a  hole 
similar  to  this  one,  in  which  he  had  found  no  bottom  with  a  line  over 
thirty  fathoms  in  length.  Before  attempting  to  explain  the  formation 
of  these  ocean  holes  it  will  be  well  to  describe  what  the  natives  call 


Boiling  Holes 

The  first  of  these  I  was  shown  on  Andros  in  a  small  creek  that  runs 
into  Conch  Sound.  The  top  of  the  hole  was  about  a  foot  under  water 
at  low  tide,  and  close  to  the  mangroves  that  formed  the  side  of  the  creek. 
It  was  about  seven  feet  in  length  and  about  two  or  three  wide.  Below 
the  diameter  increased,  forming  an  overhanging  ledge.  When  the  tide 
was  low  in  the  creek,  but  rising  outside,  the  clear  sea-water  could  be 
distinctly  seen  ascending,  thus  producing  the  same  appearance  as 
that  presented  by  a  mixture  of  sulphuric  acid  and  water.  Suspended 
particles  could  also  be  seen  rising. 

While  sailing  past  Rat  Cay,  near  Mastic  Point,  another  "boiling 
hole"  was  seen  that  was  apparently  about  ten  feet  in  diameter,  and 
from  a  distance  we  could  see  a  perceptible  "boil"  on  the  surface  that 
was  undoubtedly  caused  by  the  rising  water.  Our  captain  said  that 
when  the  tide  was  falling,  the  water  in  the  hole  went  "down  and 
round"  — which  statement  I  believe,  as  the  water  was  rising  with  some 


36  NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS 

force,  and  probably  ran  out  again  with  sufficient  rapidity  to  cause 
a  small  whirlpool.  In  another  boiling  hole  near  Mangrove  Cay  the 
water  was  seen  ascending. 

These  facts  prove  not  only  that  an  underground  connection  exists  be- 
tween these  holes  and  the  ocean,  but  that  the  connection  is  an  open  one, 
so  that  the  water  can  flow  freely  through  it,  and  thus  the  pressure  result- 
ing from  the  passing  tidal  wave  is  shown  before  the  tide  commences 
to  rise  on  the  shore.  The  ocean  holes,  I  believe,  can  be  explained 
by  supposing  them  to  be  old  boiling  holes  in  which  the  connection  has 
been  stopped  up,  and  their  greater  size  caused  by  the  falling-in  of  the 
ledge  on  the  edge,  which  would  aid  in  the  stoppage.  I  regret  that  I 
have  no  facts  to  offer  on  the  depth  of  the  boiling  holes,  for  the  only  one 
I  stopped  to  examine  was  at  Conch  Sound,  and  this  one  ran  under  the 
ledge,  so  that  its  depth  could  not  be  determined.  The  ocean  hole  at 
Nicols  Town,  described  above,  is  also,  I  believe,  an  old  ocean  hole 
now  elevated. 

Banana  Holes 

These  are  holes  found  mainly  on  the  elevated  parts  of  the  land  on 
both  New  Providence  and  Andros.  They  contain  a  quantity  of  earth 
in  the  bottom,  in  which  the  natives  plant  their  bananas,  hence  the 
name. 

In  shape  and  dimensions  these  holes  vary  greatly.  Some  are  cylin- 
drical, about  four  feet  in  diameter,  but  at  the  same  time  twenty  feet  or 
more  in  depth.  Others  are  from  ten  to  twenty-five  feet  across,  and 
some  even  larger,  and  often  of  an  irregular  shape  and  much  longer 
than  wide. 

The  walls  are  often  excavated  below,  so  that  the  side  becomes  an 
overhanging  ledge  and  forms  a  small  cave.  In  some  a  cave  begins  at 
the  side  of  the  hole  and  runs  backward.  It  is  hence  hard  to  draw  the 
line  between  these  holes  and  the  caves.  There  are  also  holes  that  are 
not  called  banana  holes,  but  which  may  be  here  described,  as  they  dif- 
fer only  in  shape.  In  some  the  opening  is  barely  large  enough  to  allow 
a  man  to  pass.  One  such  I  descended,  and  found  that  below  it  was  over 
five  feet  in  diameter  and  cylindrical.  The  top  had  been  excavated  so 
as  to  form  a  domed  roof. 

Other  holes  were  connected  by  a  horizontal  passage  through  which 
I  could  crawl  from  one  to  the  other.    One  of  these  I  saw  near  Conch 


NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS  37 


Sound,  where  the  passage  ran  from  the  bottom  of  one  hole  to  the  side 
of  the  other,  which  was  much  deeper. 

Near  by  I  saw  two  shallow  holes  that  were  connected  by  a  horizon- 
tal passage,  so  that  they  resembled  a  large  tube  bent  up  at  each  end. 
It  is  not  unusual  to  find  openings  in  the  ground,  barely  large  enough 
to  admit  an  ordinary  pail,  and  sometimes  much  smaller.  These  are 
simply  openings  in  the  roof  of  a  cave  or  hole  of  unknown  dimensions, 
and  frequently  in  the  bottom  is  a  quantity  of  fresh  water  that  is  used  by 
the  people. 

The  subject  of  banana  holes  has  been  briefly  discussed  by  Dr. 
C.  S.  Dolley,^  who  accounts  for  their  formation  by  "the  action  of 
decaying  vegetable  matter,  that  undergoes  fermentative  changes  by 
the  products  of  which  the  soft  calcareous  rock  is  dissolved  and  leaches 
away."  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  rock  is  in  many  places  eroded  in 
this  manner,  as  the  small  saucer-shaped  depressions  so  common  on 
the  surface,  and  each  often  containing  leaves  and  water,  plainly  testify. 
But  I  doubt  if  this  agent  alone  would  cause  the  deep  vertical  cylindri- 
cal holes,  or  those  in  which  the  sides  recede  into  caves  or  the  horizontal 
passages.  And  if  the  holes  were  formed  in  the  manner  described  by 
Dr.  Dolley,  should  we  not  find  them  in  the  low-level  land  as  well  as 
on  the  ridges  ?  But,  as  stated  before,  the  holes  are  found  in  far  greater 
number  on  the  ridges,  and  in  places  where  the  surface  is  such  as  to 
indicate  that  formerly  the  erosion  from  the  waves  was  very  great.  If 
we  could  have  a  good  view  of  the  proper  bottom  of  a  banana  hole,  we 
might  be  able  to  account  for  their  formation;  but,  unfortunately,  the 
bottom  is  always  filled  with  a  deposit  of  earth  or  blocks  of  coral  rock, 
and  generally  covered  with  vegetation. 

It  is  not  improbable  that  the  deep  cylindrical  ones  were  formed  in 
the  same  manner  as  pot-holes.  And  others  might  have  originated  in 
the  same  way  as  the  spouting  holes,  where  the  waves  undermine  the 
shore  and  afterward  break  an  opening  in  the  rock  above.  Should 
some  of  the  boiling  holes,  described  above,  become  elevated  and  their 
bottoms  filled  up  with  fallen  blocks  of  coral  rock  and  deposits  of  earth, 
they  would  form  banana  holes.  The  holes  in  the  cracks  at  Fresh  Creek 
can  be  easily  explained,  but  if  all  banana  holes  were  formed  in  this 
manner,  we  should  find  them  in  a  line  with  others,  which  I  was  told  was 
the  case,  but  I  was  never  able  to  satisfy  myself  that  it  was  so.    The 

^  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Philadelphia,  1889,  p.  132. 


38  NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS 

caves  are  often  the  result  of  the  former  action  of  the  sea,  and  some  of 
them  have  probably  been  washed  out  by  rain-water;  but  in  either  case, 
should  a  portion  of  the  roof  fall  in,  it  would  make  a  banana  hole  if 
small,  or,  if  large,  an  ocean  hole  like  the  one  near  Nicol's  Town.  The 
horizontal  passages  are  evidently  washed  out  by  water,  but  whether  by 
the  sea  or  rain-water,  I  do  not  know,  but  I  believe  either  might  have 
accomplished  it.  It  is  difficult  to  understand  how  underground  chan- 
nels could  be  formed  under  water,  yet  the  boiling  holes  prove  that  such 
exist;  but  there  is  no  means  of  determining  whether  they  were  formed 
under  the  present  circumstances  or  at  some  previous  period  when  the 
land  might  have  been  elevated. 

I  was  told  that  holes  were  as  common  under  the  water  as  they  were 
on  the  land,  but  did  not  myself  observe  this  to  be  the  case;  but  then 
my  opportunities  for  observation  in  this  direction  were  limited.  I  infer 
from  the  facts  I  have  given  that  banana  holes  and  caves  pass  gradually 
into  each  other,  and  that  they  have  been  formed  by  the  action  of  the 
sea-water  and  afterwards  modified  by  the  action  of  rain-water,  aided 
by  the  products  of  the  decomposing  vegetable  material  and  in  some 
cases  by  the  falling-in  of  the  roofs  of  the  caves. 

Effects  of  Vegetation  on  the  Surface  ' 

One  of  the  facts  that  I  noticed  shortly  after  my  arrival  in  the  Baha- 
mas was  the  occurrence  of  great  numbers  of  blocks  of  coral  rock  scat- 
tered irregularly  over  the  ground,  and  I  first  thought  that  they  were 
the  result  of  the  excessive  erosion  that  I  saw  taking  place  around  me. 
But  on  some  of  the  cays  —  as  on  Goat  Cay,  described  above  —  where 
the  erosion  was  most  rapid,  there  were  no  loose  blocks,  and  if  these 
had  been  formed  by  erosion  alone,  it  was  there  that  we  should  have 
found  them  most  numerous. 

I  had  often  noticed  the  gnarled  and  stunted  appearance  of  the 
bushes  and  trees  that  grew  near  the  shore,  and  where  there  was  evi- 
dently a  severe  struggle  between  the  sea  on  the  one  hand  and  the 
plants  on  the  other. 

At  Quarantine  Station  I  was  shown  a  small  bush,  Rhacicallis 
rupestris,  and  was  told  that  it  was  over  twenty-two  years  old,  by  a  man 
who  said  he  could  remember  the  plant  as  ''long  as  he  could  remember 
anything."    I  cut  away  the  rock  surrounding  the  bush,  and  found  that 


NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS  39 


its  roots  proceeded  downward  a  few  inches  through  the  soHd  rock.  At 
the  surface  the  trunk  expanded  so  as  to  form  a  projecting  mass  that 
rested  on  the  rock.  The  bush  was  only  about  eighteen  inches  in  height 
and  evidently  stunted  by  lack  of  nourishment.  I  then  pulled  up  a 
number  of  shrubs  in  the  vicinity,  and  found  that  their  roots  ran  under 
the  hard  crust  that  formed  the  surface  of  the  rock.  Further  observa- 
tion showed  that  in  many  places  the  crust  had  been  lifted  and  broken  by 
the  growth  of  the  roots,  and  then  trees  were  noticed  with  the  base  of 
their  trunks  surrounded  by  slabs  of  rocks  that  leaned  against  them. 
Finally,  when  the  rock  becomes  eroded,  the  roots  of  trees  penetrate  the 
holes  and  crevices,  and  by  their  growth  crack  off  large  fragments  that 
subsequent  erosion  forms  into  boulders.  And  these  boulders  are  found 
most  abundant  where  the  trees  are  the  largest,  and  hence  where  the 
action  of  their  roots  is  most  vigorous.  Hence  we  may  infer  that  these 
blocks  are  formed  by  erosion  and  the  growth  of  the  roots  of  the  shrubs 
and  trees. 

While  at  Nassau  I  noticed  on  the  shore  in  some  places  —  as  near 
Dix  Point  —  vertical  masses  of  rock  that  ran  in  an  irregularly  curving 
or  straight  line  on  the  surface.  The  projections  were  sometimes  about 
one  foot  high  and  two  to  four  inches  in  width,  and  containing  on  their 
upper  edge  a  number  of  holes,  about  half  an  inch  in  diameter,  that  were 
often  shallow  and  sometimes  mere  pits,  but  quite  regularly  distributed 
in  a  single  line.  These  little  ridges  could  sometimes  be  traced  for  a 
distance  of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet,  and  had  evidently  been  left  standing 
while  the  surrounding  rock  had  been  eroded.  For  a  long  time  I  was 
unable  to  explain  their  formation.  Sometimes  the  ridges  intersected 
and  formed  small  or  large  triangles,  as  the  case  might  be.  When  I 
visited  the  south  side  of  New  Providence,  I  saw  growing  in  the  water, 
in  the  calcareous  mud  that  there  forms  the  bottom,  the  black  mangrove 
or  salt  bush  (Avicennia  nitida),  and  radiating  from  it,  projecting  about 
five  or  six  inches  above  the  ground,  were  small  vertical  shoots  about 
three  or  four  inches  apart  and  looking  very  much  like  the  teeth  of  a 
very  long  wooden  rake.  These  shoots,  I  afterward  found,  come  from 
the  long  sucker-like  roots  of  the  Avicennia  and  also  of  the  button- 
wood  (Conocarpus  erectus).  Later,  on  the  west  side  of  Andros,  I  found 
these  plants  growing  near  the  water  and  also  higher  up  on  the  beach, 
which  here  was  a  very  fine  calcareous  deposit.  This  deposit  had  been 
slightly  raised  by  the  growth  of  the  shoots,  and  higher  up  on  the  shore, 


40  NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS 

where  in  contact  with  the  shoots,  it  had  hardened  into  rock.  This, 
I  beheve,  explains  the  ridges  described  above,  for  the  roots  are  fre- 
quently a  foot  below  the  surface,  and  the  action  of  fresh  water  follow- 
ing down  the  shoots,  and  probably,  also,  the  action  of  the  juices  of 
the  plant,  have  slightly  dissolved  the  calcareous  material  and  then 
cemented  it  into  a  rock  harder  than  the  surrounding  deposit.  The 
latter,  when  erosion  commences,  wears  away  and  leaves  the  harder 
ridge  standing.  The  manner  in  which  the  ridges  are  formed,  and  the 
holes  in  the  tops  of  them,  all  strengthen  this  conclusion.  The  trian- 
gular spaces  enclosed  by  the  ridges  are  almost  identical  in  appearance 
with  the  triangular  spaces  marked  off  by  the  sucker-like  roots  that 
cross  each  other  in  all  directions. 

Rhizomorphs 

While  visiting  the  quarry  at  Nassau  my  attention  was  drawn  to 
some  cylindrical  masses  of  coral  rock  that  apparently  hung  root-like 
over  the  edges  of  the  quarry  and  were  about  four  feet  in  length.  They 
were,  however,  cemented  to  the  wall.  I  broke  one  off,  and  on  examin- 
ing it,  found  that  the  particles  of  which  it  was  composed  were  arranged 
in  a  concentric  manner  about  a  central  axis.  On  the  way  back  from 
the  quarry  I  pulled  up  a  small  shrub,  and  found  its  roots  penetrating 
the  rock,  which  had  been  eroded  so  as  to  leave  cylinders  surrounding 
them.  Dr.  Dolley  ^  has  called  attention  to  these  cylindrical  and  tubu- 
lar forms,  and  has  explained  their  formation  by  supposing  that  they 
represent  the  "ramifications  of  a  now  exterminated  flora,"  and  also 
that ''  the  juices  of  the  roots,  acting  on  the  sand  immediately  surround- 
ing them,  formed  a  compact  layer.  Through  erosion  and  subsidence 
the  vegetation  was  afterward  exterminated,  the  looser  particles  of  drift 
rock  worn  away,  and  the  surface  left  covered  by  myriads  of  tubes  of 
all  sizes,  formerly  occupied  by  plant  roots  and  rootlets."  Later,  on 
Spruce  Cay,  near  Nassau,  and  at  many  other  places,  I  found  a  number 
of  these  cylindrical  projections,  some  of  which  contained  a  small  hole 
in  the  center,  which  in  others  was  filled  with  calcareous  material.  I 
believe  Dr.  Dolley's  theory  of  the  formation  of  these  cylindrical  and 
tubular  projections  is,  in  the  main,  the  correct  one;  for  I  collected 
specimens  with  the  roots  still  in  them,  and  the  concentric  arrangement 

^  Loc.  cit.f  p.  131. 


I 


I 


Spruce  Cay,  New  Providence,  showing  Erosion. 


I 


NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS  41 

shown  on  cross  section  shows  very  plainly  that  the  solvent  action  of  the 
water,  following  the  path  of  the  root,  had  been  from  within  outward. 
As  these  masses  are  conspicuous  and  characteristic,  I  would  suggest 
that  they  be  called  rhizomorphs ;  and  this  name  would  also  cover  the 
tubular  masses  that  have  evidently  been  formed  in  the  same  manner, 
and  which  I  have  found  in  the  ferruginous  clays  of  New  Jersey  and 
elsewhere.  The  action  of  the  water  in  the  latter  case  has  been  on  the 
iron  contained  in  the  clay. 

Dr.  Dolley  is  inclined  to  think  that  the  rhizomorphs  were  formed 
while  the  sand  was  in  a  loose  state;  and  while  I  do  not  deny  that  this 
might  be  possible,  I  believe  that  all  that  I  saw  had  been  formed  by  the 
roots  penetrating  the  already  hardened  rock;  and  I  furthermore  found 
no  rhizomorphs  being  formed  by  the  plants  growing  in  the  loose  sand. 

Dr.  Dolley  also  states^  that  the  "small  islands  exhibiting  these 
peculiar  formations  [rhizomorphs]  are  indications,  therefore,  of 
erosion  and  subsidence."  I  admit  the  erosion ;  but  as  the  rhizomorphs 
are  found  twenty  and  thirty  feet  above  the  sea-level,  I  think  that 
subsidence  has  taken  no  part  in  their  formation. 

These  rhizomorphs  are  not  to  be  confounded  with  the  cylindrical 
masses  described  on  Goat  Cay,  for  the  latter  were  vertical  and  did  not 
exhibit  the  concentric  arrangement  of  the  particles  so  plainly  shown 
in  the  rhizomorphs,  which  are  found  at  all  possible  angles.  And  if  we 
suppose  the  masses  on  Goat  Cay  to  be  due  to  the  same  process  that 
formed  the  rhizomorphs,  we  must  suppose  that  the  roots  that  produced 
them  grew  vertically  downward,  which  is  extremely  improbable.  It 
may  be  well  to  state  that  a  few  rhizomorphs  were  found  on  Goat  Cay, 
and  the  difference  between  them  and  the  cylindrical  masses  was  very 
marked. 

It  might  be  asked,  if  these  rhizomorphs  have  been  formed  in  the 
manner  described,  why  is  it  that  we  do  not  find  them  everywhere 
on  the  islands  ?  And  in  answer  to  this  objection  it  may  be  said  that 
roots  of  most  of  the  trees  spread  out  over  the  ground  or  slightly  under 
the  crust,  but  do  not  penetrate  the  rock;  and  that  the  roots  of  the 
smaller  plants  are  those  that  have  formed  the  rhizomorphs,  and  that 
these  latter  show  only  where  there  is  but  little  vegetation,  and  where 
the  erosion  is  active  and  not  helped  by  the  roots  of  trees  breaking  up 
the  surface  into  blocks  as  described  above. 

^  Loc.  cit.,  p.  132, 


42  NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS 

Evidence  of  Subsidence  and  Elevation 

The  facts  bearing  on  the  question  of  subsidence  and  elevation 
have  already  been  given,  but  it  may  be  worth  while  to  briefly  review 
them  and  give  my  inferences. 

The  caves  and  old  beaches  now  above  the  sea  plainly  show  where 
the  level  of  the  water  formerly  was.  The  section  at  Fresh  Creek 
proves,  as  do  the  other  cases  of  elevated  corals,  that  the  island  has  been 
elevated.  As  the  formation  on  top  of  the  corals  at  Fresh  Creek  is 
^olian,  it  follows  that  it  could  have  been  deposited  only  above  water; 
and  as  the  caves  and  old  beaches  are  at  least  thirty  feet  above  the  sea- 
level  and  in  the  ^Eolian  formation,  they  could  not  have  been  formed 
until  the  islands  had  subsided.  Hence  we  are  justified  in  assuming 
that  at  some  previous  time  in  their  history  the  islands  were  at  about  the 
same  level  as  now.  Then  followed  a  period  of  subsidence  of  at  least 
thirty  feet,  during  which  the  caves  and  old  shore-lines  were  formed. 
After  this  subsidence  the  islands  were  elevated  to  about  their  present 
position.  It  only  remains  to  sum  up  the  facts  that  bear  on  the  question 
of  the  most  recent  movement  in  the  Bahamas. 

The  fact  that  on  the  west  coast  of  Andros,  where  the  slope  seaward 
is  so  exceedingly  slight,  the  soft  calcareous  mud  grows  gradually 
harder  and  harder  as  we  go  inland,  indicates  to  my  mind  that  the  island 
has  been  recently  rising ;  for  if  it  were  subsiding  or  had  recently  sub- 
sided, we  may  suppose  that  time  enough  would  have  elapsed  since  its 
elevation  to  allow  the  calcareous  deposit  to  harden  into  rock,  and  then, 
as  the  subsidence  took  place,  the  surface  at  the  edge  of  the  water  would 
be  hard  rock,  which  would  finally  probably  extend  under  the  water  as 
the  latter  encroached  on  the  land.  The  depth,  close  to  the  shore,  of 
the  fine  calcareous  deposit  also  points  to  elevation,  for  in  it  I  ran  a  pole 
nine  feet.  How  much  deeper  it  was  I  had  no  means  of  determining, 
owing  to  the  length  of  the  pole.  Now,  had  subsidence  been  taking 
place,  should  we  find  this  depth  of  calcareous  mud  close  to  the  shore  ? 
It  is  perhaps  possible,  and  it  might  be  claimed  that  the  greater  the  sub- 
sidence, the  greater  would  be  the  depth  of  the  mud ;  but  by  the  time 
that  nine  feet  of  sediment  had  been  laid  down  it  is  reasonable  to  sup- 
pose that  the  mud  on  the  shore  would  have  hardened,  and  then  should 
we  not  find  the  water  washing  against  a  rocky  shore  ? 

As  we  approach  the  west  side  of  Andros  from  the  interior,  the  pines 


NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS  43 

grow  smaller  and  smaller,  and  the  forest  is  often  prolonged  into  points 
that  run  out  in  the  swash  and  are  composed  of  young  and  vigorous 
trees.  There  are  also  in  the  swash  small  and  slightly  elevated  pieces 
of  land  barely  above  the  level  of  the  surrounding  ground,  and  on  these 
are  growing  young  pines.  These  facts  show  that  the  pines  are  advanc- 
ing as  fast  as  the  conditions  admit.  Now,  we  may  fairly  suppose  that 
within  very  recent  geological  times  the  atmospheric  conditions  were 
practically  the  same  as  now,  and  that  the  outward  growth  of  the  pines 
is  limited  by  the  elevation  of  the  land  from  the  influence  of  the  salt 
water.  Now,  had  the  land  once  been  as  high  as  at  present,  it  is  fair  to 
suppose  that  the  pines  would  have  taken  possession  of  the  places  they 
now  occupy;  and  if  subsidence  was  in  progress,  they  would  now  be 
being  driven  back  from  their  vantage  ground.  And  we  may  also  sup- 
pose that  before  the  change  from  elevation  to  subsidence  had  taken 
place,  time  enough  to  allow  the  pines  to  grow  old  would  have  elapsed ; 
and  hence  were  the  island  now  sinking,  or  rather  had  it  recently  been 
sinking,  we  should  expect  to  find  on  the  western  shore  the  pine  forest 
with  an  array  of  old  and  dying  trees  facing  the  sea,  and  it  would  not 
be  surprising  if  some  dead  pines  were  found  standing  in  the  water. 
None  of  these  appearances  are  to  be  found. 

The  mangroves,  too,  point  to  elevation,  for  I  find  recorded  in  my 
note-books  instances  of  mangroves,  far  above  high-water  mark,  that 
were  apparently  dying,  but  none  were  seen  in  situations  that  indicated 
that  the  water  was  becoming  too  deep  for  them,  as  would  probably  be 
the  case  if  the  land  had  been  recently  sinking. 

These  facts  have  perhaps  been  treated  with  too  much  detail;  but 
when  I  had  been  only  to  Nassau,  and  had  seen  the  active  erosion  that 
was  taking  place,  I  was  inclined  to  think  that  the  islands  were  sinking, 
and  was  afterwards  forced  by  the  facts  given  above  to  alter  my  conclu- 
sion. That  most  of  the  cays  are  being  worn  away  and  reduced  in  size 
is  evident.  The  vegetation  is  being  driven  backward,  as  indicated  by 
the  old  and  gnarled  appearance  of  the  bushes  and  by  the  rhizomorphs 
that  remain  where  the  plants  once  grew.  But  on  the  west  side  of  Andros 
the  water  is  so  shallow  for  a  long  distance  seaward  that  there  is  practi- 
cally no  erosion  of  the  land  by  the  waves.  A  little  bank  of  coral  sand 
and  foraminifera  raised  slightly  above  the  level  of  the  swash  is  the  only 
evidence  of  the  action  of  the  water. 


44     NOTES    ON  THE    GEOLOGY   OF   THE   BAHAMAS 


Formation  of  the  Cays  north  of  New  Providence 

The  position,  size,  and  shape  of  these  larger  cays  have  already  been 
noted.  Before  attempting  to  explain  the  manner  in  which  I  believe 
they  were  formed,  I  will  briefly  describe  the  appearance  of  the  reef 
at  Nicol's  Town,  Andros,  and  also  that  at  Rose  Island,  near  Nassau. 

At  Nicol's  Town  the  reef  was  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
shore,  and  the  water  varied  from  ten  to  eighteen  feet  in  depth.  The 
reef  was  almost  entirely  composed  of  the  great  Madrepora  palmarum, 
with  some  small  patches  of  M.  cervicornus.  Both  of  these  corals  were 
growing  luxuriantly,  and  their  tips  were  close  to  the  surface  of  the 
receding  waves.  The  reef  at  Rose  Island,  however,  contained  very 
few  specimens  of  M.  palmarum,  but  many  of  M.  cervicornus,  and  also 
large  heads  of  what  are  popularly  known  as  ''brain  corals,"  but  which 
of  the  genera  so  designated  I  am  unable  to  state.  The  receding  waves 
left  the  top  of  the  reef  bare,  and  exposed  the  sea  fans  and  alcyonoid 
corals  that  were  growing  on  the  top.  Toward  the  shore  the  reef  sloped 
gradually  downward  into  a  bank  of  sand,  or,  in  other  words,  the  sandy 
bottom  sloped  upward  to  the  top  of  the  reef,  which  thus  presented  a 
very  different  appearance  from  the  one  at  Nicol's  Town,  where  the 
corals  rose  from  the  bottom.  These  facts  show,  I  think,  that  the  Rose 
Island  reef  is  an  old  one,  while  the  Nicol's  Town  reef  is  in  what  we  may 
call  its  prime.  A  study  of  the  chart  of  New  Providence  shows,  running 
along  its  northern  shore,  a  number  of  reefs,  some  of  which  are  marked 
nearly  dry  at  low  water.  Now,  in  order  to  convert  these  reefs  into  land 
it  is  only  necessary  that  they  should  be  slightly  elevated  or  that  sand 
should  be  deposited  on  top  of  them.  And  this,  I  believe,  is  the  way 
in  which  the  cays  known  as  Hog  Island,  Rose  Island,  Salt  Cay,  and 
Quarantine  Cay  have  been  formed.  In  other  words,  I  believe  they 
have  been  formed  in  the  same  manner  as  L.  Agassiz  explained  the 
formation  of  the  cays  of  southeastern  Florida.  He  argues,  however, 
that  as  the  cays  nearest  the  land,  and  hence  those  first  formed,  are  no 
higher  than  those  farther  seaward,  it  follows  that  during  their  formation 
the  land  was  stationary.  Professor  Heilprin,^  on  the  other  hand,  has 
proved  that  the  Florida  peninsula  is,  or  has  lately  been,  rising.  I 
think  I  have  shown  that  the  Bahamas,  or  at  least  the  islands  of  New 

^  Trans.  Wagner  Free  Inst.  Sci.,  Vol.  I. 


NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS  45 

Providence  and  Andros,  have  very  recently  been  rising;  and  yet, 
although  I  have  no  measurements,  I  venture  to  state  that  Salt  Cay,  the 
most  seaward  one,  is  as  high  if  not  higher  than  Hog  Island,  that  lies 
inside  of  it. 

To  return  to  Florida.  It  would  seem  at  first  as  if  the  conclusions  of 
Professor  Heilprin  precluded  the  possibility  of  the  cays  being  formed 
as  suggested  by  Agassiz ;  for  if  we  suppose  a  cay  to  be  formed  while  the 
land  is  rising,  and  then  that  another  forms  to  seaward,  and  this  process 
to  continue  until  three  or  four  cays  were  formed  one  outside  of  the 
other,  it  seems  as  if  the  first  one  would  be  higher  above  the  level  of  the 
sea  than  the  last,  and  this  Agassiz  ^  states  is  not  the  case.  When  I  first 
read  Agassiz' s  memoir  I  was  much  impressed  with  the  strength  of  his 
arguments.  But  Heilprin's  in  regard  to  elevation  are  conclusive;  and 
although  he  did  not  visit  the  lower  part  of  the  peninsula,  it  is  probable 
that  its  movement  is  in  the  same  direction  as  that  portion  examined. 

It  will,  however,  be  noticed  that  Agassiz  lays  no  stress  on  the  eiffects 
of  the  erosion  that  takes  place  so  rapidly  on  all  islands  of  coral  forma- 
tion. 

I  believe  that  the  views  of  these  two  eminent  observers  can  be 
brought  into  harmony  by  considering  the  effects  of  erosion.  Let  us 
suppose  a  cay  has  been  formed  of  calcareous  material  thrown  up  by  the 
waves  to  a  height  of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet.  Then,  while  the  cay  to 
seaward  was  being  formed,  the  erosion  would  take  place  on  the  one 
already  made,  and  whether  its  height  above  the  sea  increased,  remained 
constant,  or  decreased  would  depend  upon  the  relative  effects  of  the 
elevation  and  erosion.  It  is  not  improbable  that  these  two  forces  might 
balance  each  other;  and  if  this  were  so,  it  is  easy  to  show  diagrammati- 
cally  that  any  number  of  cays  could  form,  one  after  the  other,  to  sea- 
ward, and  yet  the  first  be  no  higher  than  the  last  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  And  this  argument  also  applies  to  the  cays  near  Nassau.  It  is 
probable  that  the  ocean  would  throw  up  some  of  the  cays  higher  than 
the  others,  and  also  that  a  slight  difference  in  height  would  not  be 
observed  by  the  unaided  eye. 

1  "Report  on  Florida  Reefs,"  Mem.  Mus.  Comp.  Zool.,  Vol.  VII,  No.  i,  p.  36. 


46  NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS 

The  Formation  of  the  Bahamas 

As  previously  stated,  the  islands  lie  on  the  eastern  and  northern 
edges  of  the  Great  and  Little  Bahama  Banks.  The  only  exceptions 
axe  Great  Bahama  Island,  the  Biminis,  and  some  others  that  are 
exceedingly  small. 

As  I  have  visited  only  New  Providence  and  Andros,  I  hesitate  to 
do  more  than  suggest  that  the  other  islands  of  the  banks  have  been 
formed  by  the  action  of  the  waves  and  wind  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
cays  near  Nassau. 

A  visit  to  the  other  islands  of  the  group  would  be  well  repaid,  for 
some  of  them,  as  San  Salvador,  Rum  Cay,  and  Inagua,  have  appar- 
ently been  formed  in  a  different  manner  from  those  on  the  Great  Bank. 
And  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  Dr.  Bryant  ^  describes  Inagua  as  a 
raised  atoll.  And  Crooked  Island  and  Acklin  together  resemble  in  a 
remarkable  manner  the  shape  of  the  Keeling  Atoll.^  Should  these  be 
proved  portions  of  an  elevated  atoll,  it  would  be  interesting,  as  they 
would  be  only  exceeded  in  size  by  the  atolls  of  the  Maldiva  Archipelago, 
which  are  the  largest  known.^  The  islands  of  the  Caicos  Bank  also 
resemble  the  form  of  an  old  atoll,  and  the  bank  is  still  larger  than  that 
on  which  Crooked  and  Acklin  islands  are  situated. 

In  conclusion,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  Darwin  and  Professor 
Dana,  although  they  never  visited  the  Bahamas,  have,  from  a  study  of 
the  charts,  come  to  diametrically  opposite  conclusions  in  regard  to 
the  evidence  they  present  of  elevation  or  subsidence.  Professor  Dana 
states*  that  ''the  Bahamas  show  by  their  form  and  position  that  they 
cover  a  submerged  land  of  large  area,"  and  that  "  the  long  line  of  reefs 
and  the  Florida  cays  trending  away  from  the  land  of  southern  Florida 
are  evidence  that  this  Florida  region  participated,  though  to  a  less 
extent  than  the  Bahamas.  ...  *  Thus  the  size  of  the  islands,  as  well 
as  the  existence  of  coral  banks  and  also  the  blankness  of  the  ocean 
beyond,  all  appear  to  bear  evidence  to  a  great  subsidence." 

Darwin,  on  the  contrary,  says:^  proofs  of  elevation  within  recent 
Tertiary  periods  abound  over  nearly  the  whole  area  of  the  West 

^  Proc.  Bost.  Soc.  Nat.  Hist.,  Vol.  XI,  1866,  p.  63. 

2  Darwin,  "Coral  Reefs,"  3d  ed.,  PI.  I,  Fig.  10. 

3  Dana,  "Corals  and  Coral  Islands,"  p.  190. 
*  "Corals  and  Coral  Inlands,"  p.  368. 

6  "Coral  Reefs,"  3d  ed.,  p.  268. 


NOTES  ON  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  BAHAMAS  47 

Indies,  and  hence  it  is  easy  to  understand  "the  origin  of  the  Great 
Bahama  Banks,  which  are  bordered  on  their  southern  and  western 
edges  ^  by  singularly  shaped  islands  formed  of  sand,  shells,  and  coral 
rock,  some  of  them  about  loo  feet  in  height,  is  easily  explained  by  the 
elevation  of  banks  fringed  on  their  windward  side  by  reefs." 

I  think  the  facts  I  have  given  justify  my  conclusion  in  regard 
to  the  recent  elevation  of  Andros  and  New  Providence.  It  is  probable 
that  the  elevation  extended  over  the  rest  of  the  Bahamas,  as  caves 
exist  on  the  other  islands.  What  the  Bahamas  are  doing  to-day,  of 
course,  we  cannot  tell ;  but  until  we  have  proof  to  the  contrary,  we 
may  assume  that  they  are  rising. 

^  I  have  quoted  this  as  given  by  Darwin.  It  is  evidently  a  slip  of  the  pen,  as  the 
islands  are  on  the  eastern  and  northern  edges  of  the  banks. 


BAHAMAN  BIRDS 


By  John  I.  Northrop 
(Abstract  of  address  before  the  N.  Y.  Academy  of  Science) 

After  a  few  preliminary  remarks  upon  the  situation  and  size  of  the 
Bahamas,  the  speaker  stated  that  a  paper  giving  the  details  of  the 
collection  of  birds  would  appear  in  the  Auk  for  January.  He  stated 
that  all  the  species,  seventy-four  in  number,  were  represented  by  the 
specimens  on  the  table,  but  that  he  would  only  call  attention  to  the 
most  interesting. 

The  following  birds  were  then  exhibited  and  remarked  upon: 
Mimocichla  plumbea,  Mimus  polyglottos,  Mimus  Gundlachi,  Poliop- 
tila  ccerulea  ccEsiogaster,  Seiurus  aurocapillus,  Geothlypis  rostrata  (a 
local  form,  slightly  differing  from  the  typical  species  found  on  New 
Providence),  Callichelidon  cyaneoviridis,  Doricha  evelyncB,  Sporadinus 
ricordi,  Chordeiles  minor,  Icturus  northropi  (a  new  species  of  a  genus 
not  before  reported  from  the  Bahamas,  and  which  has  been  described 
and  named  by  Dr.  J.  A.  Allen),  Coccyzus  minor  Maynardi,  Saurothera 
bahamensis,  Phoenicopterus  ruber  (the  habits  and  mode  of  capture 
being  described),  Nycticorax  nycticorax  ncBvius  (new  to  the  Baha- 
mas), Rallus  coryi,  Ardea  bahamensis,  and  several  other  water  birds. 

The  speaker  also  mentioned  finding  in  the  stomach  of  Antrostomus 
carolinensis  an  entire  humming-bird  sufficiently  undigested  to  identify 
as  Sporadinus  ricordi. 

He  stated  that  the  only  mammals  on  Andros  were  bats,  rats,  and 
mice.  The  bat  was  Macrotus  waterhousei,  and  the  rat  Mus  rattus. 
The  skin  of  the  iguana,  Cychera  bcBolopha,  was  exhibited,  and  the 
method  of  capture  described.  A  few  lizards  were  also  shown,  eight  or 
nine  species  having  been  collected.  The  speaker  had  collected  a 
number  of  species  of  snakes,  the  largest  of  which,  a  species  of  boa- 
constrictor,  was  exhibited. 

48 


BAHAMAN   BIRDS 


49 


He  briefly  mentioned  the  large  collection  of  invertebrates,  and 
stated  that,  for  the  most  part,  it  had  not  yet  been  worked  up.  One  of 
the  Anemones,  however,  is  probably  new.  In  this  connection  the 
speaker  called  attention  to  the  interest  connected  with  the  geographi- 
cal distribution  of  the  Actiniaria,  as  Professor  McMurrich  considered 
them  to  be  related  to  Pacific  forms. 

In  conclusion.  Dr.  Northrop  mentioned  the  collection  of  plants, 
comprising  about  seven  thousand  specimens,  and  representing  about 
six  hundred  to  seven  hundred  species.  These,  he  stated,  were  being 
worked  up  by  Mrs.  Northrop,  and  twenty  or  thirty  of  the  species 
were  in  all  probability  new. 

The  plants,  as  well  as  the  birds,  are  decidedly  Antillean  in  char- 
acter and  affinities. 


THE   BIRDS   OF   ANDROS    ISLAND,   BAHAMAS^ 
By  John  I.  Northrop 

The  island  of  Andros  is  the  largest  of  the  Bahama  group,  being 
about  ninety  miles  long,  and  forty  or  fifty  miles  across  at  the  widest 
part.  The  southern  portion  is  separated  from  the  northern  by  shallow 
waters  called  "bights" ;  but  these  are  so  filled  with  cays,  as  to  make  it 
convenient  to  include  all  the  islands  under  the  general  name  of  Andros. 

Like  all  the  others  of  the  group,  Andros  is  entirely  of  coral  forma- 
tion. The  country  is  described  by  the  natives  as  either  "coppet," 
"pine-yard,"  or  "swash."  The  first  term  is  applied  to  the  thicket 
of  angiospermous  trees  and  shrubs  that  occupies  the  ridge  along  the 
eastern  coast.  In  most  places  this  belt  is  very  narrow,  but  near  the 
southern  end  it  extends  several  miles  into  the  interior.  Back  of  the 
coppet  the  land  is  comparatively  level,  and  is  covered  by  a  forest  of 
the  Bahama  pine  {Pinus  hahamensis).  As  one  approaches  the  west 
coast,  the  pines  become  smaller  and  are  mingled  with  palmettoes ; 
finally  both  cease,  and  one  sees  spread  before  him  thousands  of  acres 
of  level  plain,  supporting  scarcely  any  vegetation  except  countless  dwarf 
mangroves.  Here  the  ground  is  soft,  and  in  wet  weather  almost  en- 
tirely under  water;  hence  the  peculiar  appropriateness  of  the  local 
term  "swash."  Such  is  a  brief  description  of  the  physical  features  of 
Andros.  As  might  naturally  be  supposed,  the  coppet  proved  the  best 
collecting  ground  for  land  birds,  while  the  swash,  and  the  lakes  it 
contained,  were  well  stocked  with  many  aquatic  species. 

Although  Andros  is  the  largest  of  the  Bahama  Islands,  it  seems 
never  to  have  been  thoroughly  explored  by  naturalists.  The  first 
record  of  Bahama  birds  is  given  by  Catesby^  who  visited  Andros. 
In  1859  and  again  in  1866  Dr.  Bryant  made  a  collecting  trip  through 
the  Bahamas  and  published  the  results  in  the  Proceedings  of  the 
Boston  Society  of  Natural  History.    His  two  papers  are  devoted  to 

^  The  Auk,  Vol.  VIII,  No.  i,  January,  1891,  pp.  64-80. 

'  Natural  History  of  Carolina,,  Florida,  and  the  Bahama  Islands. 

SO 


THE   BIRDS    OF   ANDROS   ISLAND,   BAHAMAS      51 

ornithology  and  contain  several  references  to  Andros.  Mr.  C.  J. 
Maynard,  in  1884,  spent  some  time  on  Andros  and  has  published  a  few 
notes  on  its  birds  and  described  some  new  species.^  Mr.  Cory  also 
made  an  ornithological  trip  through  the  Bahamas,  during  which  he 
visited  the  eastern  coast  of  Andros.  The  results  of  his  work  are  pub- 
lished in  a  well-illustrated  volume  entitled  the  "  Birds  of  the  Bahama 
Islands."  Mr.  Ingraham  has  also  visited  Andros,  but  I  have  been 
unable  to  find  any  notes  by  him  on  its  avifauna.  These,  I  believe,  are 
the  only  naturalists  who  have  ever  honored  Andros  with  a  visit. 

As  this  island  is  separated  from  both  Florida  and  Cuba  by  nearly 
the  same  distance  (about  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles),  the  writer 
thought  that  a  collection  of  its  birds  might  prove  interesting.  It  may, 
however,  be  well  to  state  that  the  object  of  the  visit  to  Andros  was  not 
to  make  a  collection  of  birds,  and  that  lack  of  time  and  assistance  pre- 
vented us  from  obtaining  larger  series.  Before  going  to  Andros,  some 
time  was  spent  on  the  island  of  New  Providence,  the  western  end  of 
which  is  about  twenty-five  miles  from  the  nearest  point  of  Andros. 
There  a  few  birds  were  collected,  and  these  will  be  referred  to  in  the 
list  that  follows.  I  was  accompanied  during  the  trip  by  Mrs.  Northrop, 
who  made  notes  on  the  occurrence  of  the  birds,  and  more  particularly 
on  their  songs  and  habits ;  and  many  thanks  are  due  her  for  aid  in  the 
preparation  of  this  paper. ' 

We  reached  the  northern  part  of  Andros  on  March  14,  1890,  and 
left  the  southern  end  on  the  3d  of  July,  during  that  time  sailing  almost 
completely  around  the  island ;  exploring  the  majority  of  the  creeks  on 
both  the  east  and  west  coasts,  and  passing  through  the  bights  in  the 
central  part.  But  the  greater  portion  of  the  time  was  spent  in  the  vari- 
ous negro  settlements  that  were  scattered  along  the  eastern  coast,  hence 
we  had  ample  opportunities  for  observation,  and  for  obtaining  what  is 
probably  a  quite  complete  collection  of  the  birds  of  the  island. 

Dr.  Allen  has  kindly  annotated  the  list,  and  thanks  are  due  to 
him  and  to  his  assistant,  Mr.  Chapman,  for  aid  in  determining  several 
of  the  species. 

The  collection  includes  286  specimens;  and  in  it  are  represented 
12  orders,  27  families,  56  genera,  and  74  species.  Of  these  one,  that 
Dr.  Allen  has  done  us  the  honor  to  name  Icterus  northropi,  is  new  to 
science;  and  Nycticorax  nycticorax  ncBvius  is  new  to  the  Bahamas, 

^  American  Exchange  and  Mart  and  Household  Journal,  Vol.  III. 


52  THE    BIRDS    OF   ANDROS    ISLAND,    BAHAMAS 

while  Geothlypis  rostrata  has  hitherto  been  found  only  on  New  Provi- 
dence. 

Unless  otherwise  stated,  all  the  birds  mentioned  in  this  paper  were 
actually  obtained,  and  are  now  in  the  Museum  of  the  School  of  Mines, 
Columbia  College.  I  have  added  to  the  usual  common  names  the 
local  names  of  the  birds. 

I.  Mimocichla  plumbea  Linn.  Blue  Thrasher.  — This  Thrush  was  com- 
mon in  the  high  coppet  near  Deep  Creek,  not  far  from  the  southeastern  ex- 
tremity of  the  island.  Two  specimens  were  also  obtained  near  the  northern  end, 
but  none  were  seen  in  the  pines  or  in  the  swash  on  the  west  side.  The  bird  hops 
about  on  the  ground  or  on  the  lower  branches  of  the  trees,  its  black  throat  and  red 
legs  rendering  it  quite  conspicuous.  The  stomach  of  one  examined  contained 
fruits.    Those  shot  on  June  28  were  in  condition  to  breed. 

*2.  Galeoscoptes  carolinensis  Linn.  Catbird. — The  Catbird  was  very 
common  at  Nicol's  Town  near  the  northern  end  of  Andros  during  March  and  April, 
and  the  last  specimen  was  seen  at  Mastic  Point  about  May  23. 

3.  Mimus  polyglottos  Linn.  —  Locally  known  as  Brown  Thrasher  and  Mock- 
ing-bird. My  specimens  were  all  collected  near  the  northern  end  of  Andros, 
the  first  on  March  25,  the  last  on  April  16.  They  were  quite  common  about  our 
house  at  Nicol's  Town,  and  their  song  could  be  heard  at  almost  any  hour  of  the 
day.  It  was  loud  and  varied,  each  syllable  being  usually  repeated  three  times. 
While  on  the  western  coast  in  June,  we  noticed  one  of  these  Mocking-birds,  perched 
on  the  top  of  a  palmetto.  He  was  singing,  apparently  with  all  his  heart,  and  at- 
tracted our  attention  by  springing  up  into  the  air  a  few  feet,  then  dropping  to 
his  perch  again.  This  he  repeated  three  times,  singing  all  the  while  ;  we  after- 
wards saw  another  bird  go  through  the  same  performance. 

The  stomachs  of  the  specimens  examined  contained  the  remains  of  the 
fruit  of  the  gum  elemi  {Bur sera  gummifera),  white  ants,  and  pieces  of  snail 
shells. 

[The  three  specimens  referred  to  this  species  are  indistinguishable  from 
M.  polyglottos  of  the  Carolinas  or  Florida.  They  are  hence  very  unlike  the  small 
form  of  Mimus  from  Inagua,  recognized  by  Mr.  Sharpe  as  M.  elegans.  —  J. 
A.  A.] 

4.  Mimus  gundlachi  Cuban.  — This  was  more  common  than  the  species 
above  described,  as  we  found  it  wherever  we  landed.  Its  song  is  louder,  clearer, 
and  more  varied  than  that  of  M.  polyglottos.  Its  food  consists  of  fruits  of  various 
kinds,  but  in  the  stomach  of  one  specimen  some  small  bones  were  found,  probably 
those  of  an  Anolus.  The  ovaries  of  a  specimen  shot  on  May  15  were  much  en- 
larged. The  inhabitants  of  Andros  do  not  distinguish  between  these  two  species, 
calling  both  either  Brown  Thrushes  or  Mocking-birds. 

*  The  star  prefixed  to  a  number  indicates  that  the  species  was  observed  by  Mr. 
Scott  at  the  Dry  Tortugas.     See  note  on  page  87. 


THE   BIRDS    OF   ANDROS   ISLAND,   BAHAMAS      53 

[The  series  of  seven  specimens  presents  a  wide  range  of  variation  in  both  size 
and  color.  In  the  largest  specimen  the  wing  measures  4.73  inches,  the  tail  5.33; 
n  the  smallest  specimen  the  wing  measures  4.23,  the  tail  4.60.  In  one  specimen 
the  cheeks,  sides  of  the  throat,  and  the  lower  throat  are  thickly  and  heavily  spotted, 
and  the  streaks  on  the  flanks  are  very  broad.  In  another  the  cheeks  and  sides  of 
the  throat  are  scantily  barred,  and  the  lower  throat  is  without  spots.  The  other 
specimens  are  variously  intermediate  between  these.  The  difference  in  size  may 
be  in  part  sexual.  —  J.  A.  A.] 

5.  Polioptila  caerulea  caesiogaster  Ridgw.  Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher.  —  This 
species  was  very  common  in  the  low  shrubs  that  grew  in  the  pine-yard.  It 
was  a  most  confiding  little  bird,  and  would  sit  within  a  few  feet  of  you,  twitching 
its  head  from  side  to  side  and  uttering  its  low,  wheezy  little  song,  apparently 
very  well  pleased  with  its  own  efforts. 

*6.  Compsothlypis  americana  Linn.  Parula  Warbler.  — This  Warbler  was 
collected  in  the  northern  part  of  Andros  on  March  26  and  April  19.  It  was 
only  seen  in  two  localities,  and  was  not  common. 

*7.  Mniotilta  varia  Linn.  Black-and-white  Warbler.  —  First  seen  at  NicoFs 
Town  on  March  17.  In  a  week  or  two  they  became  quite  numerous  about 
the  house,  but  none  were  seen  after  the  end  of  April.  The  three  specimens  pro- 
cured were  all  males.    Their  stomachs  contained  the  remains  of  beetles. 

*8.  Dendroica  tigrina  Gmel.  Cape  May  Warbler.  —  This  species  was  not 
common.  Specimens  were  collected  on  March  22,  and  on  April  20,  two  on  the 
northeast  coast,  one  near  the  west  side. 

9.  Dendroica  petechia  Linn.  Antillean  Yellow  Warbler.  —  But  a  single 
specimen,  a  female,  was  obtained  near  Mangrove  Cay  on  June  24. 

*io.  Dendroica  caerulescens  Gmel.  Black-throated  Blue  Warbler.  —  One 
specimen  was  brought  to  us  in  Nicol's  Town,  April  11;  others  were  collected  on 
April  19  at  Red  Bay  on  the  northwestern  end  of  Andros.  They  were  quite  com- 
mon about  the  house  for  a  few  days,  but  none  were  seen  after  the  above  date. 

*ii.  Dendroica  striata  Forst.  BlackpoU  Warbler.  — The  specimens  were 
all  obtained  at  Conch  Sound  on  May  19  and  20,  although  it  was  seen  a  little  far- 
ther south  on  May  23,  and  even  a  day  or  two  later. 

12.  Dendroica  vigorsii  Aud.  Pine  Warbler.  — This  bird  was  one  of  the 
most  common  species  in  the  pine-yard.  The  five  specimens  collected  all  proved  to 
be  females.    The  stomachs  of  those  examined  contained  insects  and  small  fruits. 

13.  Dendroica  discolor  Vieill.  Prairie  Warbler.  —  This  was  by  far  the  most 
common  of  the  migratory  Warblers.  It  was  collected  on  the  northern  end  of 
Andros  from  March  22  to  April  12,  and  a  few  were  seen  during  the  latter  part  of 
April. 

*i4.  Dendroica  palmarum  Gmel.  Palm  Warbler.  —  A  single  specimen,  a 
female,  was  shot  at  Mastic  Point,  May  2;  it  was  hopping  about  on  the  ground 
under  the  small  mangroves. 

*i5.  Seiurus  aurocapillus  Linn.  Ovenbird.  — This  species  was  collected  in 
several  localities  on  the  northern  end  of  the  island.  At  Red  Bay  on  the  west  side 
it  was  quite  common,  and  the  natives  knew  the  bird  well  under  the  name  of  the 


54      THE   BIRDS    OF   ANDROS    ISLAND,    BAHAMAS 

** ground  walker."  All  whom  we  questioned  on  the  subject  were  certain  that  the 
bird  remained  throughout  the  year,  and  some  said  that  they  had  seen  its  nest.^ 
A  specimen  was  collected  by  the  writer  on  New  Providence  during  January,  and 
the  last  time  that  we  observed  it  was  in  the  first  week  of  May.  The  stomachs  of 
those  examined  contained  the  remains  of  insects. 

[Four  specimens  taken  on  Andros  Island,  near  the  end  of  April,  probably 
represent  a  local  resident  form,  differing  slightly  from  the  North  American  stock 
in  having  the  bill  rather  larger,  the  crown  patch  deeper  orange,  and  the  black 
lines  bordering  it  and  the  black  streaks  below  slightly  heavier.  Should  these  dif- 
ferences prove  tolerably  constant,  they  are  too  slight  to  render  it  desirable  to  des- 
ignate the  form  in  nomenclature.  —  J.  A.  A.] 

i6.  Geothlypis  rostrata  Bryant.  Nassau  Yellowthroat.  — This  species  is  new 
to  the  island,  all  the  specimens  previously  known  being  from  the  neighboring 
island  of  New  Providence.  The  first  we  saw  was  brought  to  us  by  a  boy  at  Nicol's 
Town,  March  21.  It  was  afterwards  seen  at  Red  Bays,  Conch  Sound,  and  later 
at  Mangrove  Cay  on  June  25.  It  frequents  the  thick  underbrush  of  the  coppet, 
and  was  always  seen  quite  close  to  the  ground.  G.  trichas  was  also  collected,  but 
the  difference  between  the  two  birds  was  very  noticeable,  G.  rostrata  being  consid- 
erably larger  and  much  lighter  in  color.     Its  song  was  also  louder  and  sweeter. 

[The  single  specimen,  male,  is  nearer  G.  rostrata  than  any  other  of  the  de- 
scribed forms,  differing  from  it  in  its  much  shorter  and  slenderer  bill,  with  the 
crown  of  a  deeper  and  more  bluish  gray.  Mr.  Ridgway,  who  has  examined  the 
specimen,  says:  "Intermediate  between  type  of  G.  rostrata  and  G.  tanneri ;  bill 
entirely  like  the  latter;  color  above  brighter  olive-green  than  in  either."  While 
doubtless  representing  a  well-marked  local  race,  it  seems  hardly  worth  while  to 
give  it  a  name  on  the  basis  of  a  single  specimen.  —  J.  A.  A.] 

*i7,  Geothlypis  trichas  Linn.  Maryland  Yellowthroat. — This  species  was 
seen  on  both  the  east  and  the  west  side  of  Andros  from  April  12  to  19,  but  there 
is  no  note  of  its  appearance  later.  Of  the  five  specimens  collected,  four  were  males. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Dr.  Bryant  states  that  of  a  flock  of  birds  flying  past  his 
vessel  in  the  harbor  of  Grassy  Creek,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  island,  on  April  20, 
1859,  all  were  males. 

*i8.  Setophaga  ruticilla  Linn.  American  Redstart.  — This  Warbler  was 
first  seen  at  Nicol's  Town  on  April  10,  and  the  last  specimen  was  taken  May  20; 
one  was  seen  a  month  later,  however,  on  the  west  coast. 

Since  this  paper  was  written  an  interesting  article  by  Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  has 
appeared  in  the  Auk,^  on  the  "Birds  observed  at  the  Dry  Tortugas,  Florida, 
during  Parts  of  March  and  April."  As  I  was  collecting  on  Andros  during  the  same 
time,  I  thought  it  would  be  interesting  to  note  the  species  common  to  both  places 
and  have  hence  prefixed  an  asterisk  to  those  mentioned  in  Mr.  Scott's  paper.  A 
reference  to  his  paper  will  show  that  he  secured  many  Warblers  that  I  did  not,  and 
a  comparison  of  his  dates  with  mine  shows  that  with  the  exception  of  Mniotilta 

^  Cory  states  that  it  is  migratory.  —  "Birds  of  Bahamas,"  p.  71. 
2  Vol.  VII,  p.  301. 


THE   BIRDS    OF   ANDROS   ISLAND,   BAHAMAS      55 

varia,  Dendroica  tigrina,  D.  caerulescens,  and  Geothlypis  irichas,  the  birds  were 
observed  later  in  Andros  than  at  the  Dry  Tortugas.  The  commonest  Warbler  at 
the  latter  place  was  D.  palmarum,  of  which  I  only  secured  one  specimen,  and  no 
more  were  seen,  while  D.  discolor,  the  commonest  Warbler  in  Andros,  was  "not 
uncommon"  with  Mr.  Scott.  I  doubt,  however,  if  any  inference  of  importance 
can  be  drawn  from  these  facts. 

In  regard  to  the  occurrence  of  the  Warblers  above  mentioned  it  may  be  worth 
while  to  state  that  they  appeared  in  "waves."  The  most  noticeable  of  these  was 
on  April  i8.  We  had  been  at  Red  Bays  on  the  west  side  for  a  week,  and  had  seen 
very  few  birds  about,  but  a  bird  wave  must  have  arrived  during  the  night  of  the 
i8th,  for  the  next  day  the  grove  about  the  house  was  full  of  birds,  —  the  Black- 
throated  Blue,  the  Blue  Yellow-back,  the  Redstart,  Black-and-white  Warbler,  and 
Vireo  altiloquus  barbatulus  were  seen  here  for  the  first  time,  and  in  considerable 
numbers. 

19.  Coereba  bahamensis  Reich.  Bahama  Honey-creeper.  "Banana  Bird." 
—  Common  throughout  the  island  except  in  the  swashes.  The  state  of  the  genera- 
tive organs  of  those  taken  near  the  end  of  March  indicated  that  the  birds  were 
nearly  ready  to  breed. 

*2o.  Callichelidon  cyaneoviridis  Bryant.  Bahama  Swallow.  — This  beauti- 
ful Swallow  was  first  seen  on  New  Providence  and  was  afterwards  found  to  be 
abundant  on  Andros,  particularly  in  the  clearings.  They  generally  flew  quite 
close  to  the  ground.  Dr.  Bryant  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Boston  Society  of 
Natural  History,  Vol.  VII,  page  in,  says  that  of  those  collected  by  him  up  to 
April  28,  the  genital  organs  exhibited  no  appearance  of  excitement.  On  April  15 
I  collected  a  male  with  the  testes  much  enlarged.  The  people  told  me  that  the 
Swallow  breeds  on  the  island,  building  under  the  rocky  ledges,  but  we  were  not 
fortunate  enough  to  find  a  nest. 

21.  Vireo  crassirostris  Bryant.  Large-billed  Vireo.  — Common  at  most  places 
on  the  island,  and  its  cheery  little  song  was  almost  constantly  heard  from  the 
bushes  and  low  trees  that  the  bird  frequents.  On  May  24  the  generative  organs 
of  the  male  were  enlarged. 

[The  four  specimens  seem  distinctly  referable  to  V.  crassirostris.  —  J.  A.  A.] 

*22.  Vireo  altiloquus  barbatulus  Cab.  Black -whiskered  Vireo.  — The  first 
specimen  of  this  bird  was  seen  at  Red  Bays  on  the  western  side  of  the  island,  about 
April  18.  On  our  return  to  the  east  coast  we  found  it  common,  and  later  noted  it 
as  quite  abundant  at  all  our  stopping  places;  and  its  song,  so  well  described  by 
Dr.  Bryant  as  "whip  Tom  Kelly,  phew,"  was  one  of  the  most  common  notes  of 
the  coppet.  Dr.  Bryant  says  that  the  seven  specimens  collected  by  him  were  all 
males,  and  thinks  that  the  females  "had  not  arrived  by  the  13th  of  May."  As  I 
collected  the  first  female  on  May  24,  having  previously  shot  two  males,  this  sur- 
mise is  probably  correct.  The  genital  organs  were  noted  as  being  enlarged  from 
May  10  to  June  5,  when  the  last  specimen  was  shot.  Some  of  the  birds  were 
mated  and  apparently  ready  to  breed. 

23.  Spindalis  zena  Linn. — This  bird,  called  by  the  natives  "Tom  James' 
Bird"  and  "Robin  Redbreast,"  was  very  common  in  the  coppet  and  the  pines.     It 


56      THE   BIRDS    OF   ANDROS   ISLAND,   Bx\HAMAS 

is  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  birds  of  the  island,  as  well  as  one  of  the  tamest, 
being  quite  often  caught  by  the  children.  They  seemed  to  be  particularly  fond  of 
the  fruit  of  the  gum  elemi  {Bursera  gummifera)  and  of  the  ripe  figs.  About  May  20 
the  genital  organs  were  enlarged. 

*24.  Piranga  rubra  Linn.  Summer  Tanager.  —  A  single  specimen,  a  male, 
was  taken  at  Red  Bays,  April  19.  We  showed  it  to  some  of  the  natives,  but  they 
had  never  seen  any  like  it.  As  its  color  would  render  it  conspicuous,  we  may 
infer  that  it  was  not  a  regular  visitor,  but,  as  stated  by  Cory  in  his  "Birds  of  the 
West  Indies,"  p.  85,  is  only  accidental  in  the  Bahamas. 

25.  Loxigilla  violacea  Linn.  Violet  Grosbeak.  —  Known  by  the  natives  as 
the  "Spanish  Paroquet,"  and  quite  abundant  both  in  the  coppet  and  the  pines. 
The  males  vary  much  in  color,  some  being  a  brilliant  black,  while  others  are  only 
dusky;  this  difference  is  more  apparent  in  living  than  in  dead  specimens.  Both 
sexes  also  vary  in  size.  Some  of  these  birds  were  brought  to  us  alive  by  the  negro 
children,  and  I  soon  learned  by  experience  that  they  not  only  were  pugnacious  but 
could  inflict  quite  a  painful  bite  with  their  strong  beaks.  The  generative  organs 
of  a  male  collected  May  30  were  considerably  enlarged. 

26.  Euetheia  bicolor  Linn.  Grassquit.  —  Very  common  both  in  the  pine- 
yard  and  in  the  coppet,  and  the  most  abundant  species  of  land  bird  on  the  island. 
They  were  very  tame  and  allowed  one  to  approach  within  a  few  feet,  and  while  we 
were  at  Nicol's  Town,  several  of  them  flew  through  the  house  at  various  times. 
They  seemed  to  vary  a  great  deal,  some  of  the  males  having  the  head  and  breast 
black,  while  others  were  much  lighter  with  only  the  throat  and  chin  black,  more 
like  the  average  female;  in  these  the  under  mandibles  were  also  much  lighter. 
They  seemed  to  have  mated  even  in  April,  as  they  were  usually  seen  hopping 
about  in  pairs. 

27.  Icterus  northropi  Allen.  Northrop's  Oriole.  —  (See  PI.  I.)  Description 
and  notes  of  this  bird  were  published  in  the  Auk  (Vol.  VII,  p.  343,  October, 
1890). 

28.  Agelaius  phoeniceus  bryanti  Ridgw.  Bahaman  Red-winged  Blackbird.  — 
This  bird  was  found  generally  distributed  over  the  island,  and  was  the  presiding 
genius  of  its  creeks  and  swashes.  On  the  west  coast  especially  his  flute-like  "okra- 
lee"  was  the  most  familiar  note.  The  birds  were  usually  in  small  flocks,  but  there 
always  seemed  to  be  a  great  preponderance  of  males.  Beyond  doubt,  however, 
the  latter  knew  that  their  plainly  dressed  mates  were  near,  much  oftener  than  we, 
for  a  number  of  times  we  saw  one  half  raise  his  wings  so  as  to  expose  his  brilliant 
epaulets,  and  sing  with  all  his  heart,  fluttering  his  wings  at  every  note.  On  two 
occasions  while  visiting  a  large  mangrove  near  Mastic  Point,  we  remained  until 
after  sunset  and  watched  the  Redwings  fly  out  to  roost  there.  The  mangrove, 
about  two  miles  from  the  shore,  was  very  large,  and  accommodated  hundreds  of 
feathered  guests  nightly.  There  were  Man-o'-war  Birds,  White-headed  Pigeons, 
and  Louisiana  Herons,  but  the  most  numerous  as  well  as  the  noisiest  lodgers  were 
the  Red-winged  Blackbirds.  They  began  to  arrive  about  five  o'clock,  flying  in 
from  the  mainland  by  twos  and  threes,  or  sometimes  singly,  until  at  last  the  por- 
tion of  the  mangrove  that  they  occupied  was  seemingly  alive  with  them.    There 


i 


THE   BIRDS    OF   ANDROS   ISLAND,    BAHAMAS      57 

must  have  been  several  hundred,  males,  females,  and  young,  and  they  kept  up  a 
constant  chorus  of  hoarse  chirps,  screams,  and  gurgling  "okralees"  until  quite  a 
while  after  the  sun  had  set. 

29.  Pitangus  bahamensis  Bryant.  Bahama  Kingbird.  "Fighter." — Not 
uncommon  in  many  parts  of  the  island.  I  have  nothing  to  add  to  Dr.  Bryant's 
account  of  its  habits,^  except  that  in  the  stomach  of  one  some  fruits  of  the  gum  elemi 
were  found,  showing  that  its  diet  was  not  entirely  insectivorous. 

30.  Blacicus  bahamensis  Bryant.  Bahaman  Wood  Pewee.  — This  small 
species,  of  which  Dr.  Bryant  says  he  only  saw  three  specimens,  all  in  the  month  of 
March,  we  found  common  on  the  island,  not  only  in  the  coppet,  but  also  in  the  pine- 
yard,  and  even  occasionally  in  the  swashes.  At  one  of  our  stopping  places  two  or 
three  were  always  to  be  seen  flying  about  near  the  house.  They  were  very  fear- 
less, and  several  times  flew  so  close  as  to  touch  us.  One  seemed  to  be  particularly 
tame  and  would  fly  in  at  the  door  or  window  or  about  our  heads  with  perfect  un- 
concern. He  had  several  favorite  perches  about  the  house,  on  one  or  another  of 
which  he  was  to  be  found  at  any  time  of  day,  cocking  his  little  head  from  side  to 
side,  in  wait  for  unwary  flies. 

31.  Myiarchis  lucaysiensis  Bryant.  Rufous -tailed  Flycatcher.  —  Not  as  abun- 
dant as  the  preceding  species,  but  quite  often  noted,  especially  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  island.     Seven  specimens  were  collected,  all  of  which  were  males. 

[The  series  of  seven  specimens  agrees  with  one  of  Bryant's  original  specimens 
in  the  Lawrence  Collection  at  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  and 
differs  from  a  small  series  of  M.  sagrce  in  being  much  larger,  with  the  bill  narrower, 
and  in  lacking  the  strong  yellow  suffusion  of  the  lower  abdomen,  crissum,  and 
axillaries,  which  in  M.  lucaysiensis  are  either  nearly  pure  white  or  only  faintly 
tinged  with  pale  yellow.     It  is  apparently  a  strongly  marked  form.  —  J.  A.  A.] 

*32.  Tyrannus  dominicensis  Gwe^.  Gray  Kingbird.  "Fighter." — Quite  com- 
mon on  the  island,  but  most  abundant  near  the  coast.  On  May  31  we  found 
a  nest  of  this  species  in  a  small  mangrove  between  tide  marks.  We  had  often 
seen  similar  nests  before,  but  could  not  be  certain  what  bird  had  made  them.  The 
nest  was  composed  of  small  sticks  rather  compactly  arranged.  It  was  about  nine 
inches  in  diameter  and  four  or  five  inches  in  depth.  In  the  center  was  the  cup, 
about  three  inches  in  diameter  and  two  or  three  deep,  very  neatly  lined  with  a  fiber 
from  some  palm,  probably  from  the  spathe  of  the  cocoanut  palm.  While  exam- 
ining the  nest,  the  old  birds  flew  from  the  shore  and  swooped  over  us,  much 
agitated.  There  were  no  eggs.  On  June  19  another  nest  was  found  in  a  man- 
grove on  the  west  side  of  the  island.  This  time  I  shot  both  birds  and  secured 
the  nest  and  the  one  egg  it  contained.  The  latter  was  ovate  in  shape,  1.94  inches 
long,  and  .70  wide;  white  with  a  few  small  brownish  and  lavender  spots  and 
blotches,  mostly  near  the  larger  end.  It  is  stated  that  in  Jamaica  the  nest  of  this 
bird  "is  seldom  found  in  any  other  tree  than  that  of  the  palm  kind."  ^  In  Florida, 
however,  it  builds  in  the  same  situations  as  in  the  Bahamas.     We  found  it  a  rather 

1  Proc.  Bost.  See.  Nat.  Hist.,  Vol.  VII,  p.  108. 

^  Baird,  Brewer,  and  Ridgway,  "North  American  Birds,"  Vol.  II,  p.  322. 


58      THE   BIRDS    OF   ANDROS    ISLAND,   BAHAMAS 

quiet  bird,  although  it  has  been  described  as  noisy.  Once  we  saw  it  attack  a  Buz- 
zard, and  persistently  drive  it  away. 

^^.  Chordeiles  minor  Cab.  Cuban  Nighthawk. — Quite  abundant;  some- 
times a  dozen  or  more  were  seen  flying  about  in  the  dusk.  It  is  called  "Pira- 
midig"  by  the  natives,  on  account  of  its  cry,  which  to  us,  however,  sounded  more 
like  "  Pir-ra-me-quick-quick."  Those  procured  were  shot  in  the  daytime,  on  the 
western  side  of  Andros,  on  June  1 7.  They  were  sitting  motionless  on  the  hot  dry 
plain,  and  did  not  fly  until  we  were  within  a  very  few  feet  of  them.  Even  when 
disturbed  they  would  alight  again  very  shortly,  and  crouch  close  to  the  ground  as 
before. 

*34.  Antrostomus  carolinensis  Gmel.  Chuck -will's-widow. — Three  speci- 
mens were  taken,  two  of  which  were  disturbed  in  the  woods  during  the  daytime,  and 
the  other  shot  at  dusk.  Upon  examining  the  stomach  of  the  first  one  I  shot,  I 
found,  amid  an  indistinguishable  mass  of  brownish  matter,  a  small  bone,  about 
half  an  inch  long,  that  looked  like  the  leg  of  a  small  bird.  The  next  one  examined 
contained  in  its  stomach  the  partially  digested  remains  of  an  entire  Humming-bird, 
enough  of  which  was  preserved  to  identify  it  beyond  doubt  as  Sporadinus  ricordi. 
"The  remains  of  a  small  bird  are  said  to  have  been  found  within  the  stomach  of 
one  of  this  species."  ^  One  collected  on  May  15  contained  remains  of  beetles  and 
winged  ants  in  its  stomach.  The  testes  were  much  enlarged,  being  about  half  an 
inch  in  length,  but  I  am  not  sure  that  the  bird  breeds  on  the  island. 

35.  Doricha  evelynse  Bourc.  Bahama  Woodstar.  —  Well  distributed  over 
both  New  Providence  and  Andros,  and  as  common  in  the  pines  as  in  the  coppet. 
They  are  both  pugnacious  and  curious,  for  one  day  we  watched  one  chase  a  Den- 
droica  discolor  off  a  tree,  and  follow  it  some  little  distance,  and  while  walking 
through  the  woods  one  of  these  birds  would  often  alight  close  by  or  hover  over  our 
heads,  as  if  examining  us,  and  they  flew  through  the  house  a  number  of  times. 
They  seemed  to  alight  on  the  branches  quite  as  frequently  as  other  birds,  and  we 
often  watched  them  perch  and  preen  their  feathers.  Their  little  silvery  trill  was 
a  quite  common  note  in  the  pines,  and  for  a  while  we  thought  it  the  song  of  some 
bird  in  the  distance  until  we  caught  sight  of  the  tiny  songster  almost  above  our 
heads.  They  do  not  always  confine  their  attention  to  flowers,  for  one  day  a  Dori- 
cha,  after  fluttering  about  the  basket  of  flowers  in  my  hand,  made  a  dart  at  a  good- 
sized  spider  in  a  web  close  by,  and  to  our  surprise  demolished  it  and  was  off  again 
in  a  moment.  Of  the  numbers  that  we  saw  at  New  Providence,  none  were  adult 
males,  and  of  those  collected  on  Andros  there  was  a  large  preponderance  of  females. 

On  one  occasion  we  had  the  good  fortune  to  see  a  male  who  was  evidently  dis- 
playing his  charms.  The  female  was  perched  on  a  branch  of  a  low  shrub  and 
before  her  the  male  was  performing.  His  wings  were  vibrating  rapidly  in  the 
usual  manner,  and  thus  supported  in  the  air  he  swung  rapidly  to  and  fro,  at  the 
same  time  rising  and  falling,  a  movement  very  difficult  to  describe,  but  almost 
exactly  like  that  of  a  ball  suspended  by  an  elastic  thread  that  stretches  and  con- 
tracts as  the  ball  swings  back  and  forth.    This  exceedingly  graceful  movement 

^  Baird,  Brewer,  and  Ridgway,  "North  American  Birds,"  Vol.  II,  p.  413. 


THE    BIRDS    OF   ANDROS    ISLAND,   BAHAMAS      59 

was  executed  through  a  small  arc  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  was  suddenly- 
changed.  The  male  expanded  his  tail,  showing  the  cinnamon  of  the  webs,  and 
then  threw  himself  rapidly  and  violently  from  side  to  side  in  an  almost  hori- 
zontal line.  During  this  latter  part  of  the  display  a  rustling  sound  was  produced, 
probably  by  the  vibrations  of  the  wings,  and  a  few  short  sharp  notes  were 
uttered.  He  then  darted  suddenly  at  the  female  who  all  the  while  had  been  sit- 
ting apparently  unconcerned,  seemed  almost  to  touch  her  with  his  bill,  and  then 
flew  rapidly  away.  Shortly  afterward  the  female  left,  flying  in  another  direction. 
During  all  of  the  display  the  two  birds  were  facing  each  other  and  not  more  than 
six  or  eight  inches  apart,  and  the  gorget  and  tail  of  the  male  were  exposed  to  their 
fullest  advantage. 

36.  Sporadinus  ricordi  Gerv.  Ricord's  Humming-bird.  — This  was  abundant 
on  Andros,  where  all  my  specimens  were  obtained,  none  being  seen  on  New 
Providence.  Curiously  enough,  in  this  species,  there  seemed  to  be  a  great  prepon- 
derance of  males,  and  out  of  the  seven  specimens  collected,  but  one  proved  to  be  a 
female.  It  may  safely  be  said  that  most  of  those  we  saw  were  males,  as  the 
females  are  quite  different,  being  smaller  and  lacking  the  beautiful  blue  green 
gorget.  The  ovaries  of  the  bird  collected  May  16  were  not  enlarged.  It  is  prob- 
able that  both  Doricha  evelynce  and  Sporadinus  ricordi  breed  on  the  island;  that 
one  of  them  certainly  does  was  evidenced  by  a  nest  that  I  was  shown.  It  was 
lined  with  cotton,  and  was  evidently  the  nest  of  a  Humming-bird. 

37.  Crotophaga  ani  Linn.  Ani.  Rain  Crow.  —  Frequently  seen  on  both  New 
Providence  and  Andros,  and  always  in  small  flocks  of  three  or  more.  They 
were  not  as  tame  as  most  of  the  land  birds,  being  on  the  contrary  quite  shy,  and 
it  was  a  difficult  matter  to  get  very  close  to  them,  as  one  of  the  flock  was  almost 
certain  to  espy  you,  and  to  notify  the  others  with  his  loud  warning  ^'wee-eep,'^  a 
note  in  which  the  second  syllable  was  much  higher  than  the  first,  and  more  pro- 
longed. On  one  occasion  while  walking  through  the  woods  during  a  rain,  we  no- 
ticed what  looked  like  a  square  black  board  suspended  to  a  pine  some  distance 
from  the  path.  On  investigation  the  black  object  was  discovered  to  be  seven 
Crotophagas,  sitting  in  a  row  on  a  small  dead  branch,  and  crowded  as  closely 
together  as  possible.  They  were  not  asleep,  however,  for  when  I  had  approached 
within  thirty  or  forty  feet,  a  warning  note  was  heard,  then  another  and  another, 
as  they  one  by  one  took  flight.  ' 

38.  Saurothera  bahamensis  Bryant.  Great  Bahama  Cuckoo. — The  "Rain 
Crow,"  as  the  natives  call  this  bird,  was  said  to  be  abundant,  but  we  got  but  one 
mature  specimen  and  two  young  ones.  Dr.  Bryant  states  that  they  were  quite 
common  on  New  Providence  in  1859.  They  fly  about  with  a  weak,  wavy  motion, 
and  the  people  told  us  that  they  could  catch  them  after  a  short  chase,  as  they  soon 
grew  tired.  Our  specimens  were  obtained  on  the  following  dates,  May  20,  May  26, 
June  13;  all  on  the  eastern  side  of  Andros.  The  one  taken  on  May  20  was  a  ma- 
ture female,  and  the  ovaries  were  enlarged,  some  of  the  ova  being  over  one-fourth 
of  an  inch  in  diameter.  In  the  stomach  were  grasshoppers  and  a  small  lizard. 
The  stomachs  of  the  others  contained  the  remains  of  insects.  Their  bills  were 
soiled,  probably  from  investigating  the  leaves  of  the  epiphytic  Tillandsias,  as  these 


60      THE   BIRDS    OF    ANDROS    ISLAND,   BAHAMAS 

ants  found  in  their  stomachs  seemed  to  be  of  the  same  species  as  those  inhabiting 
these  plants.  The  description  given  by  Cory  ^  agrees  with  the  two  young  speci- 
mens, but  the  adult  has  a  black  band  near  the  end  of  the  tail-feathers,  which  are 
tipped  with  dirty  white,  except  the  two  middle  ones.  This  agrees  with  the  de- 
scription given  by  Bryant.- 

39.  Coccyzus  minor  maynardi  Ridgw.  Maynard's  Cuckoo. — This  bird, 
like  the  last  species,  was  said  to  be  common,  but  we  succeeded  in  getting  but  four 
specimens,  and  during  our  stay  saw  about  as  many  more.  Their  note  was  quite 
frequently  heard,  however,  and  usually  from  the  mangroves  or  near  by.  The 
stomachs  contained  the  remains  of  small  insects  and  grasshoppers.  On  June  28 
the  testes  were  much  enlarged  (one-half  inch  long). 

*40.  Ceryle  alcyon  Linn.  Belted  Kingfisher.  —  Not  uncommon  on  either 
New  Providence  or  Andros,  but  no  specimen  was  obtained.  One  was  noted  on 
the  west  side  on  April  23,  and  another  on  the  east  side  two  days  later,  although  Dr. 
Bryant  states  that  he  saw  none  after  April  i.  We  thought  that  we  saw  one  May  26, 
but  were  not  near  enough  in  this  instance  to  be  certain. 

41.  Dryobates  villosus  maynardi  Ridgw.  Bahaman  Hairy  Woodpecker.  — 
All  our  specimens  were  taken  on  Andros,  where  the  bird  was  abundant,  especially 
about  the  clearings. 

*42.  Sphyrapicus  varius  Linn.  Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker.  —  A  single  speci- 
men, a  female,  was  shot  near  Nassau  about  February  5. 

43.  Strix  pratincola  Bonap.  American  Barn  Owl.  —  Although  but  few  of 
these  birds  were  seen,  I  judge  from  what  the  people  said  that  they  are  common. 
One  that  I  shot  at  Nicol's  Town  had  its  home  under  an  overhanging  ledge  on  the 
precipitous  side  of  a  large  hole  about  one  hundred  feet  in  diameter,  known  as  the 
''ocean  hole."  Here,  in  a  deep  recess,  on  March  25,  we  found  two  young  ones  not 
yet  able  to  fly;  and  near  by  were  the  remains  of  the  common  rat  of  the  island  {Mus 
rattus).  As  is  usual  with  this  species,  there  was  no  nest,  the  birds  resting  on  the 
ground.  Around  them  for  some  distance  the  ground  was  covered  with  the  re- 
jected food  balls,  composed  of  the  bones  and  hair  of  the  rodent  above  mentioned, 
and  as  no  other  bones  were  noticed,  it  is  probable  that  the  Owl's  principal  article 
of  diet  was  rat. 

44.  Speotyto  cunicularia  dominicensis  Cory.  Burrowing  Owl.  — The  speci- 
men doubtfully  referred  to  this  subspecies  was  shot  at  Nassau  in  February. 
Another,  presumably  of  the  same  subspecies,  was  seen  on  the  southern  part  of 
Andros  in  June,  flying  about  the  low  shrubs  near  the  shore,  but  we  were  not  for- 
tunate enough  to  get  it. 

[A  single  specimen  is  referred  to  this  form,  which  it  much  more  resembles 
than  it  does  the  Florida  form,  being  much  darker  than  the  latter.  —  J.  A.  A.] 

*45.  Falco  columbarius  Linn.  Pigeon  Hawk.  —  A  single  specimen,  a  male, 
was  shot  at  Mastic  Point  on  Andros  on  May  2.  The  bird  was  rare.  A  larger 
Hawk  also  was  seen,  but  no  specimens  were  obtained. 

*  "Birds  of  West  Indies,"  p.  159. 

2  Pj-oc.  Best.  See.  Nat.  Hist.,  Vol.  IX,  p.  280. 


THE   BIRDS    OF   ANDROS    ISLAND,    BAHAMAS      61 

46.  Cathartes  aura  Linn.  Turkey  Buzzard.  "  Crow."  —  Very  common 
on  Andros,  but  more  were  seen  on  New  Providence. 

47.  Columba  leucocephala  Linn.  White -crowned  Pigeon.  —  Very  abundant 
during  the  spring  and  summer.  In  the  evening  we  often  watched  them  flying 
from  Andi-os  in  the  direction  of  New  Providence.  The  people  said  that  they  were 
going  to  Green  Bay,  a  distance  of  fifty  miles.  A  female  shot  on  June  28  was 
almost  ready  to  lay. 

48.  Columbigallina  passerina  Ziww. — Called  "Ground  Dove,"  and  "To- 
bacco Dove"  by  the  natives.  Exceedingly  common  both  on  Andros  and  New 
Providence.  They  generally  fly  about  in  small  flocks  of  three  to  six,  and  are  very 
tame. 

49.  Zenaida  zenaida  Bonap.  Zenaida  Dove.  —  Not  as  abundant  as  the 
White-crowned  Pigeon,  but  not  uncommon  in  the  coppet.  They  were  shy,  and 
were  heard  much  oftener  than  seen. 

50.  Charadrius  squatarola  Linn.  —  A  pair  of  Black-bellied  Plovers  was 
shot  on  the  shore  near  Red  Bays,  Andros,  on  April  14. 

51.  ^gialitis  vocifera  Linn. — The  Killdeer  was  first  seen  near  Fresh 
Creek  on  the  ist  of  June,  and  on  the  7th  two  were  shot.  They  both  proved  to  be 
males,  with  the  testes  enlarged  to  about  .5  inch  in  diameter.  The  species  was  not 
abundant,  and  but  few  were  afterward  seen. 

52.  -^gialitis  wilsonia  Ord.  Wilson's  Plover.  —  Abundant  and  very  tame. 
It  was  found  on  almost  all  the  sandy  beaches,  where  it  would  sometimes  run  along 
just  ahead  of  us  for  nearly  half  a  mile,  appearing  quite  to  forget  that  it  could  get 
out  of  our  way  by  flying.    This  species  is  known  to  breed  in  the  Bahamas.^ 

53.  Haematopus  palliatus  Temw.  American  Oyster-catcher.  "Sea-pie."  — 
One  of  these  birds  was  obtained  near  Red  Bay  on  April  15.  It  was  feeding  on 
the  extensive  sand  flats  at  low  tide.  Later,  others  were  occasionally  seen  in  similar 
places.     It  is  said  to  breed  in  the  Bahamas.^ 

54.  Himantopus  mexicanus  MUll.  Black-necked  Stilt.  —  A  flock  of  these 
birds  was  seen  in  one  of  the  lakes  on  the  west  side  of  Andros  on  April  21,  and  a 
pair  were  secured.  We  afterwards  found  them  occasionally  in  the  marshes.  On 
June  17  we  saw  quite  a  number  of  these  birds  in  the  swash  near  Wide  Opening. 
Our  man  said  that  this  was  the  kind  of  place  in  which  they  bred,  and  later  we 
found  a  nest.  It  was  simply  a  slight  depression  in  the  ground,  and  contained 
four  ovate  eggs  of  an  olive-green  color,  blotched  with  brown,  measuring  i^  to  i^ 
inches  by  i^. 

55.  Symphemia  semipalmata  Gmel.  Willet. — Commonly  known  as 
"  Tell-Bill-Willy."  Very  abundant  in  all  the  creeks  and  swashes.  The  ovaries 
of  those  shot  on  May  31  were  much  enlarged. 

*56.  Actitis  macularia  Linn.  Spotted  Sandpiper.  "Sandbird." — One 
specimen,  a  female,  was  shot  on  the  west  side  of  the  island,  April  21,  and  was  the 
only  one  seen  during  our  trip.  As  Cory  obtained  only  three  specimens  in  1879, 
it  is  doubtful  if  it  is  a  resident. 

^  Cory,  "Birds  of  Bahamas,"  p.  14. 

2  Bryant,  Proc.  Best.  See.  Nat.  Hist.,  Vol.  VII,  p.  121. 


62      THE   BIRDS    OF   ANDROS   ISLAND,    BAHAMAS 

57.  Rallus  coryi  Maynard.  Bahaman  Rail. — A  single  specimen  from 
Conch  Sound,  Andros,  April  15.  It  was  shot  and  skinned  by  Mr.  Alexander 
Keith,  a  Scotch  gentleman,  to  whom  the  writer  takes  pleasure  in  acknowledging 
his  indebtedness  for  this  and  many  other  favors,  while  on  Andros.  This  bird  was 
known  as  the  Marsh  Hen,  and  is  said  by  the  people  to  be  common,  but  we  never 
met  with  it  again.  On  May  28  a  woman  brought  us  three  eggs  that  she  said  were 
those  of  a  Marsh  Hen.  They  are  ovate  to  elongate -ovate  in  shape,  and  are  nearly 
cream  color  with  chocolate  spots  and  blotches  irregularly  distributed  over  the 
entire  surface  but  much  more  numerous  at  the  larger  end.  Mingled  with  these 
chocolate  spots  are  others  of  a  lavender  gray.  The  eggs  are  of  the  following  di- 
mensions:  1.60  X  1.30;   1.70  X  1.22;   1.70  X  1.20  inches. 

[A  single  specimen  in  fine  (unworn)  plumage  is  provisionally  referred  to  Rallus 
coryi.  It  is,  however,  about  the  size  of  ordinary  R.  crepitans,  from  which  it  dif- 
fers in  the  gray  edgings  of  the  plumage,  being  much  broader  than  in  even  extreme 
examples  of  that  form,  resulting  in  a  generally  grayer  effect.  —  J.  A.  A.] 

58.  Ardea  herodias  Linn.  Great  Blue  Heron.  "Arsnicker."  —  Not  un- 
common. 

59.  Ardea  rufescens  Gmel.  Reddish  Egret.  —  Abundant  in  the  swashes. 
The  white  phase  of  this  bird  was  also  common;  many  were  seen,  and  three  speci- 
mens were  collected. 

60.  Ardea  tricolor  ruficollis  Gosse.  Louisiana  Heron.  "Switching-neck." 
—  Two  pairs  were  obtained  at  Mastic  Point  in  May.  They  were  breeding  in  a 
large  mangrove,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  shore.  These  birds  agree  with 
Ridgway's  description  ("Manual  North  American  Birds,"  p.  131)  except  that  the 
upper  part  of  the  throat  is  not  white,  but  rufous  mixed  with  white.  These  also 
agree  with  Cory's  description  of  A.  cyanirostris.  But  a  specimen  collected  on  the 
western  side  of  Andros  answers  to  Cory's  description  of  A.  leucogastra,  var.  leuco- 
prymna,  and  differs  from  the  above  specimens  in  the  following  points.  The  fore- 
head and  crown  are  much  darker,  being  quite  black;  the  throat  has  more  rufous, 
and  the  neck  is  darker.  The  nest  of  the  Mastic  Point  birds  was  composed  of 
small  mangrove  sticks,  laid  so  as  to  make  a  circular  structure  nine  inches  in 
diameter  and  three  or  four  deep.  There  was  a  slight  depression  in  the  top,  in 
which  were  placed  a  few  sticks,  parallel  to  each  other,  and  on  these  were  four  eggs. 
The  latter  vary  in  shape;  some  being  ovate,  while  others  are  almost  equally  pointed 
at  both  ends.  They  are  nearly  malachite  green  ^  in  color,  but  with  a  slightly 
bluer  tinge.    The  measurements  are  as  follows:  1.71-1.84  x  i. 29-1.34  inches. 

*6i.  Ardea  caerulea  Linn.  Little  Blue  Heron.  —  One  specimen,  shot  at 
Stafford  Creek  May  5.  No  more  were  seen,  which  seems  curious,  as  Dr.  Bryant 
regarded  this  as  the  most  common  species  of  Heron;  ^  and  Cory  states  that  it  was 
abundant  during  the  winter,  but  no  adults  were  taken  by  him.^  My  remarks,  how- 
ever, only  apply  to  Andros,  and  the  bird  might  be  common  in  other  localities. 

62.   Ardea  bahamensis  Brewster.     Bahama  Green  Heron.  —  Locally  known 

^  Ridgway,  "Nomenclature  of  Colors." 
2Proc.  Bost.  Soc.  Nat.  Hist.,  Vol.  VII,  p.  120. 
8  "Birds  of  the  Bahamas,"  p.  171. 


THE   BIRDS    OF   ANDROS   ISLAND,   BAHAMAS       63 

by  the  expressive  name  of  "Poor  Joe."  We  found  it  quite  abundant  in  the 
creeks  and  swashes,  and  at  Fresh  Creek  collected  what  is  very  probably  the  young 
of  this  species,  hitherto  undescribed.  The  top  of  the  head  is  clove-brown  with  a 
slightly  greenish  gloss,  streaked  with  cinnamon-rufous.  The  rest  of  the  head, 
front  of  the  neck,  and  the  breast  are  white  striped  and  mottled  with  sepia  and 
bistre.  The  back  and  the  remainder  of  the  neck  are  olive,  having  the  feathers 
edged  with  cinnamon-rufous.  The  tail  is  similar  to  the  adult.  Lower  parts  are 
gray,  the  feathers  being  edged  with  white;  and  the  scapulars  and  wings  are  clove- 
brown,  the  coverts  having  an  elliptical  mark  of  wood-brown  and  being  edged  with 
cinnamon-rufous;  the  rest  of  the  wing-feathers  having  a  deltoid  mark  of  white  at 
the  end.  The  bill  is  ochre  yellow,  darker  above,  and  shading  into  black  near  the 
end  of  the  upper  mandible.    Legs  olive. 

*62.  Nycticorax  nycticorax  naevius  Bodd.  "Golden." — The  Black- 
crowned  Night  Heron  is  new  to  the  Bahamas,  and  is  said  by  the  people  to  be  abun- 
dant, although  we  did  not  see  very  many  individuals.  Two  were  secured  at  Conch 
Sound,  March  30. 

*64.  Nycticorax  violaceus  Linn.  Yellow-crowned  Night  Heron.  — 
About  as  abundant  as  the  last  species.  Both  the  above  species  of  Nycticorax  are 
locally  known  as  "  Goldens,"  pronounced  ''gaulings." 

65.  Phoenicopterus  ruber  Linn.  —  A  few  Flamingoes  were  seen  on  the  western 
coast  of  Andros  in  April;  but  later,  in  June,  when  the  breeding  season  had  com- 
menced, we  found  them  very  abundant.  A  pair  were  shot  on  June  18,  and  they 
were  then  ready  to  lay.  We  were  told  that  one  of  their  breeding  places  was  near 
Big  Cabbage  Creek,  and  a  day  was  spent  in  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  find  their 
nests.  They  were  described  to  us,  however,  by  reliable  people,  who  also  stated 
that  the  birds  sat  upon  their  nests  "like  any  other  bird,"  and  not  with  their  legs 
hanging  down  on  either  side.  The  birds  are  exceedingly  shy,  and  in  the  open 
swashes  it  is  difficult  to  get  within  shot;  for  while  stealing  warily  toward  them, 
you  are  very  apt  to  hear  a  warning  "gong,  gong,"  and  off  flies  the  entire  flock, 
a  streak  of  flame  against  the  sky.  The  Flamingoes,  when  feeding,  push  their  head 
into  the  mud  under  water;  and  this  fact  is  taken  advantage  of  to  secure  them. 
While  the  head  is  under  water  the  negro  walks  rapidly  forward,  taking  about  ten 
steps  and  then  stopping.  By  that  time  the  bird  will  probably  lift  its  head  and 
look  around.  The  negro  stands  motionless  and  screens  his  face  with  a  branch  of 
a  tree  until  the  Flamingo,  apparently  satisfied  that  the  new  object  is  inanimate, 
quietly  resumes  his  feeding,  and  the  negro  advances  as  before.  I  was  assured  by 
intelligent  men  that  in  this  way  they  had  sometimes  captured  the  birds  alive  with 
their  hands.  That  the  bird  feeds  in  the  manner  described  above  is  well  shown  by 
its  mouth,  which  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  sifting  from  the  mud  any  moUusks  or 
crustaceans  that  might  serve  as  food,  and  the  gape  of  the  bill  when  opened  to  its 
fullest  extent  is  only  about  half  an  inch.  We  were  also  told  that  a  screen  is  some- 
times built  of  palm  leaves,  and  behind  this  the  native  can  easily  advance  within 
shot  of  the  flocks.  A  large  number  of  young  birds  are  yearly  destroyed  by  the 
people  for  food.  We  ate  the  bodies  of  those  we  obtained  and  found  the  flavor  most 
delicious.     We  had  for  a  long  time  been  living  practically  upon  flour  and  hominy, 


64      THE   BIRDS    OF   ANDROS    ISLAND,   BAHAMAS 

and  this  may  have  made  the  Flamingo  seem  better  than  it  really  was;  nevertheless 
I  think  it  would  bear  comparison  with  any  of  the  much  sought  after  game-birds. 
The  stomachs  of  the  pair  I  obtained  contained  no  fish,  but  many  small  shells  and 
much  mud. 

66.  Dendrocygna  arborea  Linn.  Tree  Duck.  —  A  flock  of  Ducks  was 
seen  in  a  lake  on  the  west  side  on  April  21,  but  we  could  obtain  no  specimens.  A 
negro  who  was  with  us  said  that  they  were  "Whistling  Ducks,"  and,  as  Cory  ^ 
states  that  this  species  was  quite  abundant  on  Andros,  the  negro  was  probably 
right.  I  was  told  that  earlier  in  the  year  the  Ducks  were  very  numerous  on  the 
swashes.  The  ground  about  the  lake  mentioned  was  pitted  with  shallow  holes 
about  two  to  four  inches  in  diameter  which  our  man  said  had  been  made  by  the 
Ducks  while  feeding,  when  the  place  had  been  covered  with  water.  I  also  saw  a 
smaller  Duck  near  Wide  Opening  on  June  17.  In  answer  to  my  questions,  I  was 
told  that  it  was  a  "Summer  Duck." 

*67.  Fregata  aquila  Linn.  Man-o'-war  Bird. — A  number  of  these  birds 
had  their  roosting  place  in  the  large  mangrove  near  Mastic  Point/already  spoken 
of  in  connection  with  the  Red-winged  Blackbirds.  We  were  told  that  formerly 
they  used  to  breed  there,  but  that  of  late  years  they  had  gone  farther  from  the 
settlement. 

*68.  Pelecanus  fuscus  Linn.  Brown  Pelican.  —  A  few  seen,  and  one,  a 
young  bird,  obtained. 

*69.  Phalacrocorax  dilophus  floridanus  Aud.  Florida  Cormorant.  —  Cory, 
in  his  "Birds  of  the  Bahamas,"  states  that  this  is  an  abundant  species,  but  in  his 
"West  Indian  Birds"  says  it  is  accidental  in  the  Bahamas.  We  often  saw  it,  and 
on  June  16,  while  sailing  through  the  Northern  Bight,  found  them  breeding  on  a 
small  island  known  as  Cormorant  Cay.  Here  were  old  and  young  birds,  some  not 
able  to  leave  the  nest,  but  the  majority  able  to  walk.  Those  still  in  the  nest  were 
covered  with  a  soft  sooty  down,  and  their  gular  sacks  were  pale  yellowish  white, 
darker  near  the  bill.  The  nests  were  about  eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  and  about 
one  foot  in  height,  roughly  constructed  of  sticks. 

*7o.  Anous  stolidus  Linn.  Noddy.  —  A  flock  of  these  birds  was  seen  near 
Fresh  Creek,  on  June  6.    They  were  occasionally  seen  afterward. 

*7i.  Larus  atricilla  Linn.  Laughing  Gull.  —  Abundant.  First  noted  early 
in  April. 

*72.  Sterna  maxima  Bodd.  Royal  Tern.  —  One  specimen  shot  April  14 
on  Long  Sound  on  the  northern  coast  of  Andros.  A  few  more  were  seen,  but  the 
bird  was  not  common. 

*73.  Sterna  fuliginosa  Gmel.  Sooty  Tern.  —  Since  our  return  a  specimen  of 
this  bird  has  been  kindly  sent  to  us  by  Mr.  Alexander  Keith  of  Andros.  We  saw 
none  of  this  species  while  on  the  island. 

74.  Sterna  anaethetus  Scop.  Bridled  Tern.  —  Abundant  on  a  small  bay  near 
Fresh  Creek,  where  they  breed.  The  people  call  this  and  the  preceding  species 
"egg  birds,"  and  during  the  season  collect  and  eat  their  eggs.    They  were  not 


"  Birds  of  Bahamas,"  p.  183. 


THE   BIRDS    OF   ANDROS   ISLAND,   BAHAMAS      65 


breeding  when  we  were  at  Fresh  Creek  early  in  June,  but  they  were  almost  ready 
to  breed. 

*75.  Sterna  antillarum  Less.  Least  Tern.  —  Abundant  off  Fresh  Creek  on 
a  small  cay  near  the  larger  one  occupied  by  the  Bridled  Tern;  neither,  however, 
seemed  to  trespass  on  the  ground  of  the  other. 


DESCRIPTION     OF     A     NEW     SPECIES    OF     ICTERUS 
FROM    ANDROS   ISLAND,    BAHAMAS^ 

By  J.  A.  Allen 

Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  John  I.  Northrop,  of  the  School  of 
Mines,  Columbia  College,  New  York,  I  have  the  pleasure  of  making 
known  a  new  species  of  Icterus  from  Andros  Island,  one  of  the  larger 
islands  of  the  Bahaman  group.  During  four  months  spent  recently 
on  Andros  Island,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Northrop  devoted  much  attention  to 
birds,  collecting  about  seventy  species,  among  them  several  new  to  the 
Bahamas,  as  well  as  the  novelty  about  to  be  described,  which  adds  not 
only  a  new  genus  to  the  Bahaman  fauna,  but  a  new  species  to  science. 
The  species  is  represented  by  nine  specimens,  three  of  which  are  adult 
males,  one  immature  male,  one  adult  female,  three  immature  females, 
and  another  immature  specimen  of  which  the  sex  could  not  be  deter- 
mined. As  shown  by  Mr.  Northrop' s  notes  given  below,  he  found  the 
species  not  uncommon.  It  is  known  to  the  residents  of  the  island  as 
the  ''Cocoanut  Bird,"  and  is  said  to  be  resident  throughout  the  year. 

Icterus  northropi,  sp.  nov. 

Adult  Male.  —  Whole  anterior  half  of  the  body,  as  far  as  the  middle  of  the 
breast  below,  and  including  the  interscapulium  above,  together  with  the  wings 
(except  the  lesser  and  median  coverts),  and  tail,  deep  black;  rest  of  the  body, 
the  thighs,  lesser  and  median  wing-coverts,  edge  of  the  wing,  lower  wing-coverts 
and  axillars,  rich  lemon-yellow;  greater  wing-coverts  and  primaries  very  narrowly 
edged,  and  the  outer  tail-feathers  very  narrowly  tipped  with  white.  Bill  and  feet 
black;  lower  mandible  with  the  basal  third  bluish.  In  one  specimen  the  longest 
two  lower  tail-coverts  are  mixed  yellow  and  black;  in  the  other  specimens  they 
are  all  wholly  yellow. 

Adult  Female.  —  Similar  to  the  male,  except  slightly  smaller,  and  with  the 
black  a  little  less  lustrous. 

Young.  —  Immature  birds  of  probably  the  second  year  are  olivaceous  gray 
above,  brighter  and  more  yellowish  on  the  front  of  the  head ;  lesser  wing-coverts, 
lower  back,  rump,  upper  tail-coverts,  and  whole  lower  surface  greenish  yellow, 

^  The  Auk,  Vol.  VII,  No.  4,  October,  1890,  pp.  344-346. 
66 


THE  AUK,  Vol.  viii. 


PLATE    L 


ICTERUS  NORTHROPI  allen. 


1.  ADULT  MALE. 

(%   NAT.   SIZE.) 


2.  YOUNG  MALE. 

(%    NAT.  SIZE.) 


DESCRIPTION    OF   A   NEW   SPECIES    OF   ICTERUS     67 

brightest  on  the  rump  and  middle  of  the  abdomen;  median  wing-coverts  pale 
sulphur-yellow;  greater  coverts  brown,  edged  with  whitish;  chin,  throat,  and 
cheeks  much  mixed  with  black,  which  here  prevails  over  the  yellow;  there  are 
scattered  black  feathers  over  the  breast  and  head,  and  in  one  specimen  blackish 
patches  on  the  outer  edge  of  the  scapulars  and  sides  of  the  breast;  wings  and  tail 
brown,  the  remiges  edged  with  whitish,  and  the  rectrices  with  olive. 

Other  specimens  in  a  less  advanced  stage  are  similar,  except  that  there  are 
fewer  black  feathers  intermixed  with  the  yellow,  the  chin  and  the  front  edge  of  the 
cheeks  alone  being  decidedly  blackish,  and  the  back  is  less  olivaceous. 

Measurements. — Length  (from  skins)  .205  mm.  (195-215  mm.);  wing 
94  mm.  (90-99  mm.);  tail  94  mm.  (90-97  mm.);  culmen  22  mm.  (21-22  mm.); 
tarsus  25  mm.  (24-27  mm.). 

Types.  —  No.  49,911,  Am.  Mus.  Nat.  Hist.,  d  ad.,  Andros  Island,  Bahamas, 
June,  1890;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  I.i^Northrop.  No.  49,912,  Am.  Mus.  Nat.  Hist., 
V  ad.,  Andros  Island,  Bahamas,  April  16,  1890. 

The  extent  and  distribution  of  the  black  and  yellow  in  the  adults 
are  the  same  as  in  P.  wagleri  except  that  the  tail-coverts  are  yellow 
instead  of  black;  the  tint  of  the  yellow  is  nearly  as  in  I.  dominicensis, 
from  which  it  differs  in  having  the  whole  lower  parts  yellow  from  the 
middle  of  the  breast  posteriorly,  instead  of  the  yellow  being  confined 
to  the  sides  of  the  abdomen  and  crissum.  The  two  species  agree  in 
general  size,  but  in  /.  northropi  the  bill  is  much  stouter  than  in  /. 
dominicensis. 

It  is  surprising  that  a  bird  so  conspicuous,  and  apparently  so  com- 
mon, as  this  should  hitherto  have  escaped  observation,  Andros  Island 
having  been  several  times  previously  visited  by  ornithologists. 

Mr.  Northrop  has  kindly  presented  the  types  of  this  species  to  the 
American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  and  contributes  the  following 
notes  on  its  habits  and  distribution :  — 

"  The  above  species  of  Icterus  was  first  collected  by  us  at  Nicol's 
Town,  near  the  northern  end  of  Andros,  on  April  8,  1890.  We  had 
been  there  nearly  a  month  when  one  morning  a  new  note  called  us  out 
of  the  house,  and  we  saw  three  or  four  of  these  birds  flying  about  the 
shrubs  near  by.  They  were  so  tame  and  unsuspicious  that  when  one 
was  shot,  the  others  kept  their  positions  undisturbed  until  they  met 
a  similar  fate.  Of  the  three  we  got  then,  one  was  a  male,  one  a  female, 
and  one  we  could  not  determine,  but  they  were  all  in  immature  plu- 
mage. Two  weeks  or  so  later,  while  on  a  trip  to  the  west  side,  we  saw  a 
number  of  these  birds  near  Red  Bays,  and  this  time  were  fortunate 


68     DESCRIPTION   OF   A   NEW   SPECIES    OF    ICTERUS 

enough  to  get  a  male  and  female  in  full  plumage.  They  were  flying 
about  the  palmettoes,  and  the  flower  stalk  of  an  agave  which  was  a  mass 
of  golden  blossoms  and  a  great  attraction  to  all  the  birds  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, as  the  flowers  contained  a  large  amount  of  nectar.  While 
near  here  one  day,  we  heard  a  great  commotion,  and  approaching 
the  scene,  found  two  of  these  young  birds  fighting  so  violently  that  we 
got  almost  near  enough  to  take  them  up  in  our  hands.  The  only 
sound  we  heard  them  utter  here  was  a  rather  plaintive  call  of  two  notes ; 
but  a  month  later,  on  May  22,  we  heard  their  song.  It  was  a  sort  of 
whistle  of  eight  or  nine  notes,  very  sweet  and  pleasing,  and  almost 
always  given  with  the  same  intervals,  and  the  same  arrangement  of 
notes.  The  bird  was  observed  in  two  other  localities,  the  last  time,  June 
18,  near  Wide  Opening  on  the  west  side.  It  seems  to  inhg^bit  the  more 
open  portions  of  the  island,  near  the  coast,  as  we  never  saw  any  inland. 

"The  natives  say  that  it  builds  its  nest  in  the  cocoanut  trees,  and 
is  always  about  them,  hence  its  local  name  of '  Cocoanut  Bird.'  They 
also  told  us  that  it  remained  throughout  the  year ;  that  the  eggs  were 
pure  white;  and  that  the  young  birds  differed  from  the  old  in  plumage. 
From  the  condition  of  the  organs  of  generation,  it  seems  that  the  bird 
breeds  during  the  month  of  June. 

"  The  stomachs  of  those  examined  contained  the  remains  of  a  grass- 
hopper, beetles,  and  seeds ;  hence  it  may  be  inferred  that  its  food  con- 
sists of  fruits  and  insects." 


THE  NORTHROP  COLLECTION  OF   CRUSTACEA  FROM 

THE  BAHAMAS ' 

By  W.  M.  Rankin 

(Pis.  XXIX-XXX) 

The  Crustacea  collected  by  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Northrop  in  the  Ba- 
hama Islands  in  1890  were  sent  to  me  by  Professor  Osborn,  with 
the  request  that  I  prepare  a  report  on  them.  The  following  list  is  the 
result.  Such  a  list  is  of  necessity  largely  a  mere  catalogue  of  names, 
but  it  is  hoped  that  it  may  be  of  service  in  the  preparation  of  a  more 
extensive  fauna  of  the  Bahamas  when  such  a  work  shall  be  undertaken. 
It  has  been  with  the  idea  of  giving  a  little  wider  interest  to  the  list  that 
with  each  species  the  range  of  distribution  has  been  given,  and  also 
the  West  Indian  islands  noted  where  the  species  has  been  found,  al- 
though this  latter  record  is  no  doubt  incomplete.  I  hope  at  least  these 
notes  of  distribution  may  serve  as  a  suggestion  for  the  fuller  record  of 
the  distribution  of  these  species  among  the  West  Indies.  The  synon- 
ymy I  have  made  brief,  merely  citing  the  original  author  and  usually 
a  reference  to  the  work  where  a  complete  synonymy  may  be  found. 

The  letters  (a),  (b),  etc.,  in  many  species  indicate  the  various  series 
of  specimens  in  the  collection  as  they  were  arranged  originally  or,  in 
some  cases,  sorted  out  by  me  after  their  receipt.  To  these  series  I  have 
fortunately  been  able  to  add  some  notes  made  by  Dr.  Northrop  when 
the  collections  were  made,  and  recently  sent  me  by  Mrs.  Northrop. 

Among  the  sixty-seven  species  collected  I  have  determined  four  as 
new  species,  and  one  I  have  ranked  as  a  new  variety.  There  is  also 
published  for  the  first  time  a  figure  of  Stenopus  IcBvis.  For  the  careful 
drawings  of  the  figures  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  R.  Weber.  I  wish  to 
express  my  obligations  to  Miss  Rathbun,  of  the  National  Museum,  for 
assistance  in  identifying  a  few  species;  and  also  to  Dr.  Ortmann,  of 
Princeton,  who  has  kindly  assisted  me  in  many  ways  and  to  whom  this 
report  owes  much  of  any  value  it  may  possess. 

^  Ann.  N.  Y.  Acad.  Sci.  XI,  No.  12,  August,  1898,  pp.  225-258. 

69 


70  CRUSTACEA   FROM  THE    BAHAMAS 

DECAPODA 

f 

BRACHYURA-CATOMETOPA 

Family  Ocypodidae  Ortmann 

I.   Ocypode  arenaria  (Catesby) 

Cancer  arenarius  Catesby,  History  of  the  Carolinas,  II,  p.  35,  177 1. 

Kingsley,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phil.,  1880,  p.  184. 

Ortmann,  Z06.I  Jahrb.,  VII,  p.  765,  1894. 

(a)  5  ^  ,  2  $  .    Near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  24,  1890. 

Range :  South  shore  Long  Island  to  Rio  Janeiro. 

Collected  at  Cuba,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas,  New  Providence. 

2.   Uca  platydactyla  (Milne-Edwards) 

Gelasimus  platydactylus  Milne-Edwards,  Hist,  des  Crustaces,  II, 
P- 51.  1837. 

G.  heterocheles  Kingsley,  I.e.,  1880,  p.  137. 

(a)  4  $ .  Under  sides  of  stones,  Dix  Point,  near  Nassau,  N.P., 
Feb.  4,  1890. 

(^')8^,7?. 

Range :  East  and  west  coasts  Central  America,  West  Indies. 

Collected  at  Jamaica. 

3.   Uca  vocator  (Herbst) 

Cancer  vocator  Herbst.  Naturder  Krabben  u.  Krebse,  III,  pt.  IV, 
1804. 

Gelasimus  vocator  Martens;  Kingsley,  I.e.,  1880,  p.  147. 

(a)  I  Z.    Bahama  Islands. 

Range:  East  coast  of  America,  west  coast  of  Mexico,  Panama, 
West  Indies. 

Collected  at  Bahamas,  Cuba,  Hayti,  Jamaica. 

4.   Uca  stenodactyla  (M.  Edwards  et  Lucas) 

Gelasimus  stenodactylus ,  M.  Edwards  et  Lucas  in  D'Orbigny's 
Voyage,  1843. 

Kingsley:  I.e.,  1880,  p.  154.    Ortmann:  I.e.,  p.  760,  1894. 

(a)  I  ^ .  Common  in  mud  on  west  side  of  Andros  Island,  near  Red 
Cays,  April  17,  1890. 


CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE    BAHAMAS 


71 


Range :  West  Indies,  Central  America,  east  and  west  coast.  - 
Collected  at  Cuba. 

5.   Uca  leptodactyla  (Guerin  Ms.) 

Gelasimus  leptodactylus  Guerin  Ms.  (types  in  Phila.  Acad.). 

Gelasimus  stenodactylus  Kingsley,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila., 
p.  155  (part),  1880. 

(a)  10  ^ ,  5  9  .  Holes  in  sand  between  tides  about  5-6  in.  deep, 
very  shy,  near  Ft.  Montagu,  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  28,  '90. 

Some  of  these  specimens  were  sent  to  the  United  States  National 
Museum,  where  they  were  identified  by  Miss  Rathbun,  and  to  whom 
I  am  indebted  for  the  following  note  of  description : 

"  Uca  leptodactyla  belongs  to  the  division  of  the  genus  in  which  the 
front  between  the  eyes  is  broad  and  the  body  is  short,  broad  and  sub- 
cylindrical.  It  is  most  nearly  related  to  U.  stenodactyla ;  the  chief  dif- 
ferences are  as  follows :  in  U.  stenodactyla  the  body  is  much  higher 
than  in  leptodactyla,  being  usually  higher  than  long.  The  anterior 
margin  of  the  carapace  from  the  base  of  the  eyestalk  to  the  antero- 
lateral angle  is  much  more  oblique  in  leptodactylo,  and  the  lateral  mar- 
gins are  much  more  convergent  posteriorly.  The  carapace  of  lepto- 
dactyla is,  therefore,  more  pentagonal  than  that  of  stenodactyla.  In 
stenodactyla  the  lateral  margin  is  much  dilated  behind  the  antero- 
lateral tooth,  which  is  not  the  case  in  leptodactyla.  The  inner  surface 
of  the  hands  differs  as  follows :  the  short  ridge  on  the  palm  at  the 
base  of  the  dactylus  is  perpendicular  to  the  base  of  the  propodos  in 
leptodactyla;  while  it  is  oblique  in  stenodactyla.  In  both  species  the 
tubercular  ridge  running  obliquely  upward  from  the  lower  margin 
makes  an  angular  turn  at  the  middle  of  the  inner  surfaces,  and  is 
continued  until  near  the  upper  margin.  In  leptodactyla  this  continua- 
tion runs  parallel  to  the  line  of  tubercles  at  the  base  of  the  dactylus ; 
in  stenodactyla  the  continuation  is  directed  obliquely  towards  the  line 
at  the  base  of  the  dactylus." 

Family  Gecarcinidae  Dana 

6.   Gecarcinus  ruricola  (Linnaeus) 

Cancer  ruricola  Linnaeus,  Sys.  Nat.  Ed.  10, 1,  p.  626,  1758. 
Gecarcinus  ruricola  Leach.  Edin.  Encyc,  VII,  430,  1814.     Ort- 
mann.  I.e.,  p.  740,  1894. 


72  CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE   BAHAMAS 

(a)  I  $  ,    Bahama  Islands.    (Dry.) 

Q))  1  $ ,    Nicol's  Town,  Andros  Island,  March  9,  1890.    (Dry.) 

Range :  West  Indies,  Mexico. 

Collected  at  Cuba,  Jamaica,  Hayti,  Martinique. 

7.  Cardisoma  guanhumi  (Latreille) 

Latreille,  Ency.  Meth.,  Hist.  Nat.  Insectes,  X.,  685,  1825. 
Ortmann,  I.e.,  p.  735,  1894. 

(a)  I  ^ ,  I  $ ,  $  I,  juv.  Move  sluggishly,  make  holes  in  the  ground 
by  side  of  road  under  trees,  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  25,  1890. 

Range :  East  and  west  coasts  of  Central  America,  West  Africa.    • 
Collected  at  Cuba,  Jamaica,  Hayti,  St.  Thomas,  Barbadoes. 

Family  Grapsidae  (Dana) 

8.  Leiolophus  planissimus  (Herbst) 

Cancer  planissimus  Herbst,  I.e.,  p.  3,  PI.  LIX,  1804. 
Miers,  Ann.  Mag.  Nat.  Hist.,  Ser.  5, 1,  1878,  p.  153. 
(a)  3  ^  ,  I  $ .    On  shore,  just  south  of  Ft.  Montagu,  Nassau,  N.P., 
Jan.  22, 1890. 

{h)  2  $  juv.    Ocean  side  of  Salt  Cay,  N.P.,  Jan.  31,  1890. 
Range :  ''  Cosmopolitan,  except  the  colder  seas.'*     Ortmann. 
Collected  at  Jamaica. 

9.   Plagusia  depresse  (Fabricius) 

Cancer  depressus  Fabricius,  Entom.  Sys.  Suppl.,  p.  406,  1775. 

Miers,  Challenger,  Brachyura,  p.  272. 

{a)  2$  .    Salt  Cay,  New  Providence.     (Dry.) 

Range :  Charleston  to  Brazil,  Mediterranean  to  St.  Helena. 

Collected  at  Cuba,  Jamaica. 

10.   Sesarma  cinerea  (Say) 

Sesarma  ricordi  Milne-Edwards,  Annal  Sci.  Nat.  (3)  Zool.  t.  20, 
p.  183,  1853. 

Ortmann,  Carcinologische  Studien,  Zool.  Jahrb.,  Bd.  X,  p.  329, 
1897. 

{a)  I  $  with  ova.  Under  side  of  stones,  Dix  Pt.,  near  Nassau, 
N.P.,  Feb.  4,  1890. 


CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE   BAHAMAS  73 

Range :  West  Indies. 

Collected  at  St.  Domingo,  Hayti,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas,  Virgin 
Islands. 

II.   Pachygrapsus  transversus  (Gibbes)] 

Gibbes,  Proc.  Am.  Ass.  Adv.  Sci.  Ill,  p.  i8i,  1850. 

Kingsley,  I.e.,  1880,  p.  198. 

(a)  4  ^ ,  juv.,  3  ?  with  ova.  Nassau,  N.P.,  under  stones  Jan., 
1890. 

Range:  ''Warm  and  temperate  waters  of  both  hemispheres." 
Ortmann. 

Collected  at  Cuba,  Jamaica,  Virgin  Islands,  Barbadoes. 

12.   Grapsus  grapsus  (Linnaeus) 

Cancer  grapsus    Linnaeus,  Sys.  Nat.  ed.  X,  I,  p.  630,  1758. 
Smith,  Trans.  Conn.  Ac,  IV,  1880,  p.   256.     Ortmann,  I.e.,  p. 
703,  1894.    Kingsley,  1880,  p.  192;  1879,  p.  401. 
(a)  I  ^  ,  2  9 .    Near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.,  1890. 
Range :  Warm  waters  of  both  hemispheres. 
Collected  at  Cuba,  Jamaica,  Hayti. 

13.   Goniopsis  cruentatus  (Latreille) 

Grapsus  cruentatus  Latreille,  Hist.  Nat.  des  Crust.,  VT,  p.  70,  1803. 

Kingsley,  I.e.,  1880,  p.  190.    Ortmann,  I.e.,  p.  701,  1894. 

{a)  It.    (Dry.) 

(&)  2  !? .    On  shore  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  23, 1890. 

Range :  American  and  African  coasts  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 

Collected  at  Cuba,  Jamaica,  Hayti. 

BRACHYURA-CYCLOMETOPA 

Family  Oziidae  (Ortmann) 
14.   Eriphia  gonagra  (Fabricius) 

Cancer  gonagra  Fabricius,  Sp.  Ins.,  p.  505,  1781. 
Ortmann,  I.e.,  p.  480,  1894. 

(a)  I  $ .   In  pools  on  shore,  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  21, 1890. 
{h)i  ? .    Dix  Point,  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  4, 1890. 
(c)  I  ^.    Salt  Cay.    Ocean  side,  near  New  Providence,  Jan.  31, 
1890. 


74  CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE   BAHAMAS 

Range :    Atlantic  coast  from  Carolina  to  Rio  Janeiro. 
Collected  at  Bahamas,  Cuba,  Jamaica,  Hayti,  Barbadoes. 

15.   Domoecia  hispida  Eydoux  et  Sbuleyet 

Eydoux  et  Souleyet,  Voy.  Bonite,  I,  Crust.,  p.  235,  1842.  Ortmann, 
I.e.,  p.  478,  1894. 

(a)  I  $ ,  juv. 

Range :  West  Indies,  Florida,  Cape  Verde  Islands,  Senegal,  Pacific 
islands. 

Collected  at  Cuba,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas,  Guadaloupe. 

16.   Panopeus  herbstii  Milne-Edwards 

Milne-Edwards,  Hist.  Nat.  Crustaces,  I,  p.  403,  1834. 

Benedict  &  Rathbun,  Proc.  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  XIV,  p.  358,  1891. 

(a)i$.    Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.,  1890. 

Range :  ^  Rhode  Island  to  Brazil. 

Collected  at  Bahamas,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas,  Curasao,  Trinidad. 

17.  Panopeus  occidentalis  Saussure 

Saussure,  Rev.  et  Mag.  de  Zool.  (2),  IX,  p.  502,  1857. 
Benedict  &  Rathbun,  I.e.,  p.  360. 

(a)  I  9  .    Near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.,  1890. 

(b)  1  $  ,    On  shore  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  22,  1890. 
Range :  Atlantic  from  South  Carolina  to  Brazil. 

Collected  at  Jamaica,  Old  Providence,  Guadaloupe,  Curasao, 
Trinidad. 

18.  Panopeus  americanus  Saussure 

Saussure,  Rev.  et  Mag.  de  Zool.  (2),  IX,  p.  502, 1857. 
Benedict  &  Rathbun,  I.e.,  p.  380. 

(a)  I  ^,4  <?.  Near  New  Providence,  Bahamas,  Jan.-Feb., 
1890. 

{h)  I  $ .    On  shore,  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  22, 1890. 
{c)i$ .  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  24, 1890,  Dix  Point. 
Range :    West  Indies  to  Brazil. 
Collected  at  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas. 


CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE    BAHAMAS  75 

Family  Xanthidae  Ortmann 
19.    Chlorodius  floridianus  Gibbs 

Gibbs,  I.e.,  p.  175,  1850. 

(a)  I  9  .    Collected  in  pools  and  under  stones,  New  Providence, 
and  neighboring  cays. 

(^)  I  $.    Dix  Point,  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  24,  1890. 

(c)  I  ,?  ,  2  ?  .    Near  New  Providence,  Jan.-Feb.,  1890. 

(d)  1  <? ,  3  9 .    On  shore  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  22, 1890. 
Range :  Florida  to  Brazil. 

Collected  at  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas,  Barbadoes. 

20.   Lophactaea  lobata  (Milne-Edwards) 

Cancer  lobatus  Milne-Edwsivds,  Hist. Nat.  Crustaces,  I,  p.  375, 1834. 
LophactcBa  lobata  A.  Milne-Edwards,  Nouv.  Arch.  Mus.  Hist.  Nat., 
I,  p.  249,  PI.  XVI,  fig.  3,  1865. 

(a)  I  ?.    Quarantine  Station,  Jan.  25,  1890. 
Range :  West  Indies,  Gulf  of  Mexico,  Bermuda. 
Collected  at  Jamaica  and  the  Antilles. 

21.  Heteractaea  ceratopa  (Stimpson) 

Pilumnus  ceratopus  Stimpson,  Ann.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist.  N.Y.,  VII, 
p.  215,  1862. 

Heteractcea  ceratopus  Kingsley,  I.e.,  1879,  p.  396. 
(a)  I  2  .    Dix  Point,  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  24,  1890. 
(6)  I  $ .    Quarantine  station,  N.P.,  Jan.  25,  1890. 
Range :  Florida  and  West  Indies. 
Collected  at  Guadaloupe. 

22.  Actaea  acantha  (Milne-Edwards) 

Cancer  acanthus  Milne-Edwards,  Hist.  Nat.  Cr.,  I,  p.  390,  1834. 
ActcBa  acantha  A.  Milne-Edwards,  Nouv.  Arch.,  I,  p.  278,  PL  XVI, 
1865. 

(a)  I  $  .    Quarantine  station  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  10,  1890. 
Range :    Florida  Keys,  West  Indies. 
Collected  at  Jamaica,  Guadaloupe. 


76  CRUSTACEA   FROM  THE   BAHAMAS 

PORTUNINEA 

Family  Portunidae  (Ortmann) 
23.   Callinectes  larvatus  Ordway 

Ordway,  Boston  Jour.  Nat.  Hist.,  VII,  p.  573,  1863. 

Rathbim,  The  genus  Callinectes,  Proc.  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  XVIII  ,j 
p.  358,  1896. 

(a)  I  ^ ,  I  $ ,  spur.  juv.  On  shore,  just  south  of  Ft.  Montagu, 
Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  22,  1890. 

Range :  Florida  to  Brazil,  West  Indies,  Cape  Verde  Islands,  Africa. 

Collected  at  Bahamas,  San  Domingo,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas. 

24.   Callinectes  tumidus  (Ordway) 

Ordway,  I.e.,  p.  574, 1863. 

Rathbun,  I.e.,  p.  359,  1896. 

(a)    I  £^.   Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  21, 1890,  common  in  shoal  water. 

Range :   Florida  to  Brazil,  West  Indies. 

Collected  at  Jamaica,  Hayti,  Old  Providence. 

25.  Acheloiis  depressifrons  (Stimpson) 

Amphitrite  depressifrons  Stimpson,  Ann.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist.  N.Y., 
VII,  p.  58,  1862. 

Acheloiis  depressifrons  Stimpson,  ibid.,  p.  223. 

{a)  1  $  .    Quarantine  station,  N.P.,  Jan.  25,  1890. 

Range :  South  Carolina  to  Florida,  Bermuda,  West  Indies.  Be- 
sides this  specimen  from  New  Providence,  the  Princeton  Museum  pos- 
sesses one  from  the  Virgin  Islands;  the  only  two  localities  reported 
from  the  West  Indies. 

26.  Acheloiis  ordwayi  (Stimpson) 

Stimpson,  Notes  on  N.  Am.  Crustacea,  Ann.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist., 
N.Y.,  p.  224, 1862. 

Smith,  Trans.  Conn.  Acad.,  II,  p.  9. 

(a)  I  $  .    Quarantine  station,  N.P.,  Jan.  25,  1890. 

{h)  1  $  ,  with  ova.    Dredged  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  22, 1890. 

Range :  Florida  and  West  Indies. 

Collected  at  St.  Thomas. 


CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE   BAHAMAS  77 

27.   Acheloiis  tmnidulus  Stimpson 

Stimpson,  Bull.  Mus.  Comp.  ZooL,  II,  p.  149,  1870. 

{a)  I  $.    Dredged  near  Nassau,  N.  P.,  Jan.  22, 1890. 

Stimpson  describes  two  specimens  from  the  coast  of  Florida. 
The  species  is  probably  only  the  young  of  A.  ordwayi,  as  it  only 
differs  from  the  latter  (as  noted  by  Stimpson)  in  the  less  prominent 
frontal  spines. 

MAIOIDEA 

Family  Periceridae  Miers 
28.   Macrocoeloma  eutheca  (Stimpson) 

Pericera  eutheca  Stimpson,  Bull.  Mus.  Comp.  ZooL,  II,  p.  112, 1870. 
Rathbun  in  Proc.  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Vol.  XV,  No.  901,  p.  251, 1892. 
(a)  I  $  .    Dredged  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  22,  1890. 
Range:  Florida,  West  Indies. 
Collected  at  Cuba. 

29.   Microphys  bicomutus  (Latreille) 

Pisa  hicornuta  Latreille,  Encyc.  Meth.,  Hist.  Nat.  Insectes,  X, 
p.  141,  1825. 

Microphys  bicomutus  A.  Milne-Edwards,  Nouv.  Arch.  Mus.  Hist. 
Nat.,  VIII,  p.  247,  1872. 

Rathbun,  I.e.  (No.  901),  p.  253. 

(a)  2  ^ ,  5  $  .  Common  under  rocks  between  tides  and  in  pools, 
New  Providence,  Jan.,  1890. 

{h)  1  t.    Quarantine  station,  N.P.,  Jan.  25,  1890. 

(c)  I  ?  .    Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.,  1890. 

(d)  1  $  .  On  shore  near  Nassau,  just  south  of  Ft.  Montagu,  Jan. 
22,  1890. 

{e)  I   $  ,  juv.    "Sea  gardens,"  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.,  1890 

(f)  1  $,  juv.    Ocean  side  of  Salt  Cay,  Feb.  6, 1890. 

(^)  I  $,  juv.    Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  15,  1890. 

(h)  1  $  ,  juv.    Salt  Cay,  N.P.,  ocean  side,  Jan.  31,  1890. 

Range :  Florida,  West  Indies  to  Brazil,  Bermuda. 

Collected  at  numerous  islands  of  the  West  Indies. 


78  CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE   BAHAMAS 

30.   Othonia  aculeata  (Gibbes) 

Hyas  aculeata  Gibbes,  I.e.,  p.  171,  1850. 
Rathbun,  I.e.,  p.  255,  1892. 
(a)  I  ^.    On  shore  just  south  of  Ft.  Montagu,  Nassau,  N.P., 
Jan.  22,  1890. 

Range :  Florida  and  West  Indies. 

Collected  at  Cuba,  Bahamas,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas,  Guadaloupe. 

31.   Othonia  Iherminieri  Schramm 

Schramm,  Crust,  de  la  Guadaloupe,  20,  1867. 
{a)  1  $ ,  2  $  .    On  shore  near  Nassau,  Jan.  22, 1890. 
The  three  specimens  in  the  collection  are  broken  and  imperfect. 
I  place  them  doubtfully  in  this  species. 

Range:  Atlantic  coast;  South  Carolina  to  Brazil. 
Collected  at  Cuba,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas,  Guadaloupe. 

32.   Mithrax  pilosus  Rathbun 

Rathbun,  I.e.,  p.  262,  PI.  XXXIX  (No.  901),  1892. 

(a)  1  $.    Near  New  Providence,  Jan.,  1890. 

(b)  2  $,  fragmentary.       Salt  Cay,  ocean  side,  New  Providence, 
Jan.  31,  1890. 

Miss  Rathbun' s  four  specimens  were  collected  in  Abaco,  Bahamas. 

33.   Mithrax  cinctimanus  (Stimpson) 
Mithraculus  cinctimanus  Stimpson,  Ann.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist.  N.Y., 
VII,  p.  186,  1862. 

Rathbun,  I.e.,  p.  268  (No.  901),  1892. 

(a)  1  $  .    Dix  Point,  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  24,  1890. 

(b)  1  $.    Quarantine  station,  N.P.,  Jan.,  25, 1890. 

(c)  I  $  ,  broken.    Near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.,  1890. 

(d)  I  Q  ,  juv.    Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.,  1890. 

Range :  Florida  coast.  West  Indies,  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

Collected  at  Andros  Island,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas,  Guadaloupe. 

34.   Mithrax  forceps  (A.  Milne-Edwards) 
Mithraculus  forceps  A.  Milne-Edwards,  Miss.  Sci.  au  Mexique, 
pt.  5, 1,  p.  109,  1875. 


i 


CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE   BAHAMAS  79 

Rathbun,  I.e.,  p.  267  (No.  901),  1892. 

(a)  6  $  ,  mostly  young.    Ocean  side  of  Salt  Cay,  Feb.  6,  1890. 

(b)  1  $ ,  fragmentary.    Nassau,  N.P. 

(c)  3  $.    "Sea  gardens,"  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.,  1890. 

(d)  1  $,2  $,  juv. 

Range :    From  North  Carolina  to  Brazil  and  Guiana. 
Collected  at  Nassau,   Bahamas,   Old  Providence,   St.  Thomas, 
Curasao. 

35.   Mithrax  sculptus  (Lamarck) 

Maia  sculpta  Lamarck,  Hist.  Anim.  sans  Vert.,  V,  p.  242,  1818. 
Rathbun,  I.e.  (No.  901),  p.  271,  1892. 
{a)  1  $  ,1  $  .    Quarantine  station,  N.P.,  Jan.  25, 1890. 
Range :  Florida,  West  Indies  to  Venezuela,  Surinam. 
Collected  at  numerous  localities  in  the  West  Indies. 

36.   Mithrax  coronatus  (Herbst) 

Cancer   coronatus  Herbst,  Natur.  der  Krabben  u.  Krebse,  I,  p. 
184,  PL  XI,  fig.  6^,  1785. 

Rathbun,  I.e.  (No.  901),  p.  272,  1892. 

{a)  1  $.    Salt  Cay,  ocean  side,  near  New  Providence,  Jan.  3,  1890. 

(b)  1  $ ,  juv.    Ocean  side  of  Salt  Cay,  Feb.  6,  1890. 

Range:    Florida,  West  Indies,  Central  America,  Brazil. 

Collected  at  Abaco,  Bahamas,  Jamaica,  Cuba,  St.  Thomas,  Guad- 
aloupe. 

Family  Inachidae  Miers 

37.   Acanthonyx  petiverii  Milne-Edwards 

Milne-Edwards,  Hist.  Nat.  Crust.,  I,  p.  343,  1834. 
(a)  1  $,  broken.  Under  rocks,  between  tides  and  in  pools.    Nassau, 
N.P.,  Jan.,  1890. 

Range :   West  Indies  to  Brazil  and  California  to  Chili,  Galapagos. 
Collected  at  Cuba,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas,  Guadaloupe,  Martinique. 

DROMIIDEA 

Family  Dromiidae  Dana 

38.   Dromidia  antillensis  Stimpson 

Stimpson,  Notes  on  N.  Am.  Crust.,  Ann.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist.  N.Y., 
VII,  p.  71,  1862. 


80  CRUSTACEA   FROM  THE   BAHAMAS 

(a)  I   $  .    Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  15,  1890. 
Range :  Florida,  West  Indies,  Brazil. 
Collected  at  Antilles,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas. 

HIPPIDEA 

Family  Hippidae  Stimpson 
39.   Remipes  cubensis  Saussure 

Saussure,  Rev.  et  Mag.  de  Zool.  (2),  IX,  p.  503,  1857. 

Ortmann,  Die  geog.  Verbreit.  der  Decap.  gruppe  der  Hippidea, 
Zool.  Jahrb.  IX,  p.  219, 1896. 

Remipes  scutellatus  (Fabricius) ,  Henderson,  Challenger  Anomura, 
Z^,  1888. 

{a)  19  5  with  ova.  Beach  at  Nicol's  Town,  Andros  Island,  April 
4,  1890. 

(&)  2  ^ ,  9  <? .  Quarantine  station  near  New  Providence,  Jan. 
25,  1890. 

(c)  I  ? .    Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.,  1890. 

Range:  ''American  and  African  shores  of  Atlantic.'^  Ortmann 
(1.  c.  supra) . 

Collected  at  Cuba,  Jamaica,  St.  Christophers,  Barbadoes. 

GALATHEIDEA 

Family  Porcellanidae  Henderson 
40.   Porcellana  sayana  Leach 

Pisidia  sayana  Leach,  Diet.  d.  Sci.  Nat.,  XVIII,  p.  54,  1820. 
Porcellana  ocellata  Gibbes,  I.e.,  p.  190,  1850. 
Henderson,  Challenger,  Anomura,  p.  109,  1888. 
{a)  1  $ .    Came  out  of  a  shell  inhabited  by  a  large  hermit  crab. 
Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  26,  1890. 

Range :   West  Indies  and  Southern  shores  of  United  States. 
Collected  at  Antilles,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas. 

41.   Pachycheles  panamensis  Faxon 

Faxon,  Mem.  Mus.  Comp.  Zool,  XVIII,  p.  75,  Tab.  15, 1895. 

Ortmann,  Zool.  Jahrb.,  X,  1897,  p.  293. 

(a)  I  ^ ,  2  <? .    Ocean  side  of  Salt  Cay,  Feb.  6, 1890. 


CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE    BAHAMAS 


81 


Size  of  ^  5 J  mm.  long,  5  mm.  broad;  of  $  5  mm.  long,  6  mm. 
broad.  These  specimens  have  been  kindly  examined  for  me  by  Dr. 
Ortmann,  who  finds  them  identical  with  Faxon's  type  from  Panama, 
and  also  very  close  to  the  Cape  Verde  P.  harhatus  A.  Milne-Edwards. 
This  is  the  first  recorded  specimen  of  P.  panamensis  from  the  West 
Indies. 

42.   Petrolisthes  armatus  (Gibbes) 

Porcellana  armata  Gibbes,  I.e.,  p.  190,  1850. 

Petrolisthes  armatus  Stimpson,  Ann.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist.  N.Y.,  VII, 
p.  73,  1862. 

Ortmann,  Zool.  Jahrb.,  X.,  1897,  p.  280. 

(a)  I  ^,1  <?.     Ocean  side  of  Salt  Cay,  Feb.  6,  1890. 

Ortmann  (I.e.  supra)  gives  full  synonymy  of  this  species  and  makes 
its  distribution  circumtropical ;  West  Indies  to  Brazil,  Gibraltar,  Cali- 
fornia to  Panama,  Indo-Pacific. 

Collected  at  Cuba,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas,  Barbadoes. 

43.   Petrolisthes  tridentatus  Stimpson 

Stimpson,  Ann.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist.  N.Y.,  VII,  p.  75,  PI.  I,  1862. 
(a)  I  $  .    Along  shore,  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  20,  1890. 
(6)  2  ^  ,  5  $ .    Salt  Cay,  N.P.,  ocean  side,  Jan.  31,  1890. 
{c)  2  $  ,1  $.    Under  sponges,  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.,  1890. 
Range:  West  Indies. 
Collected  at  St.  Thomas,  Barbadoes. 


PAGURIDEA 

Family  Coenobitidae  Dana 
44.   Ccenobita  diogenes  (Latreille) 

Pagurus  diogenes  Latreille,  Encycl.  pi.  284,  fig.  2  and  3. 
Milne-Edwards,  Hist.  Nat.  Crust.,  II,  p.  240,  PL  22,  1837. 
{a)  2  $  .    Nicol's  Town,  Andros  Island,  March  23,  1890. 
{h)  2  $  ,  I  9 .    Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  16,  1890. 

(c)  2  $.     On   beach,   Quarantine   station,    near   Nassau,  N.P., 
1890. 

(d)  1   9 ,  juv.    In  pools  and  under  stones.  New  Providence  and 
neighboring  cays. 


82  CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE   BAHAMAS 

Range :    Florida  to  Brazil,  West  Indies,  Bermuda. 
Collected  at  Antilles,  Cuba,  Jamaica,  Hayti,  Turks  Island,  St. 
Thomas,  Barbadoes. 

Family  Paguridae 

45.   Petrochirus  granulatus  (Olivier) 

Pagurus  granulatus  Olivier,  Encyc.  Meth.,  VIII,  p.  640,  181 1. 
Henderson,  in  Challenger,  Anomura,  p.  58,  1888. 

(a)  3  $  .    Largest  about  8  in.  long. 

(b)  I  $ ,  I  9 '  In  shell  of  Strombus  gigas,  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  26, 
1890. 

Range:  West  Indies,  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  Brazil,  Cape  of  Good 
Hope. 

Collected  at  Antilles,  Cuba,  Jamaica. 

The  common  large  West  Indian  hermit  crab. 

46  (?).   Clibanarius  vittatus  (Bosc.) 

Pagurus  vittatus  Bosc,  Hist,  des  Crust.,  II,  p.  8,  pi.  XII,  1802. 
Kingsley,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Phil.,  p.  236,  1878. 

(a)  I  $  ,  imperfect.  In  small  shell  of  Strombus  gigas,  beach  near 
Nassau,  N.  P.,  Jan.,  1890. 

(b)  I  (?),  fragmentary.    Near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  i,  1890. 
Range :  Ft.  Macon  to  Florida,  West  Indies,  Brazil. 

I  refer  these  imperfect  specimens  doubtfully  to  this  species.  The 
chelie  are  wanting  in  (a) ,  and  (b)  is  too  much  broken  to  be  of  any  value 
in  the  determination. 

47  (?).   Clibanarius  tricolor  (Gibbes) 

Pagurus  tricolor  Gibbes,  Proc.  Amer.  Assoc,  p.  189, 1850. 

(a)  Several  specimens. 

(b)  1  $.  South  side  New  Providence,  in  small  shells  of  Strombus 
gigas. 

The  determination  is  doubtful,  as  the  specimens  are  very  poor 
and  have  almost  entirely  lost  their  color.  They  are  all  withdrawn  into 
the  shells  of  various  littoral  mollusks. 


CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE   BAHAMAS  83 

Family  Parapaguridas  Smith 
48.   Parapagurus  sp. 

(a)  2  9.    Dredged,  Jan.  22,  1890,  Nassau,  N.P. 
Length  of  thorax  3  and  5  mm.  respectively. 
I  refer  these  imperfect,  colorless  specimens  doubtfully  to  some 
species  of  Parapagurus. 

LORICATA 

Family  Palinuridae  Bate 
49.   Palinurus  argus  (Latreille) 

Palinurus  argus  Latr.,  Milne-Edwards,  Hist.  Nat.  Crust.,  II,  p. 
300,  1837. 

(a)  I  ^,1  ?.  New  Providence,  Jan.  27,  1890.  Holes  in  sand 
between  tides,    about  5-6  in.  deep,  ''very  shy."  ^ 

(6)  I  ? .    Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.,  1890.    (Dry.) 

Range :  West  Indies  to  Brazil. 

Collected  at  Antilles,  Cuba,  Jamaica. 

STENOPIDEA 

Family  Stenopidae  Bate 
50.  Stenopus  hispidus  (Latreille.)     (PI.  XXIX,  fig.  i.) 

PalcBMon  hispidus  Olivier,  EncycL,  VIII,  p.  666,  181 1. 

Stenopus  hispidus  Latr.,  Regne  animal  de  Cuvier,  ed.   2,   IV, 

P.93- 

Bate,  Challenger,  Macrura,  p.  211,  PI.  XXX. 

Herrick,  The  Life  History  of  Stenopus,  Nat.  Acad,  of  Sciences, 
Vol.  V,  p.  339. 

(a)  1  $  .  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  22,  1890.  "In  life  the  antennae  are 
carried  in  front,  not  bent  back." 

I  note  the  characters  of  special  importance  in  order  to  compare 
this  already  described  species  of  Stenopus  with  the  two  species  follow- 
ing. Rostrum  with  a  median  dorsal  row  of  6  spines  bifurcated  at 
extremity,  a  lateral  row  of  3  or  4  spines  on  each  side  of  rostrum ;  no 
ventral  spines.     Back  of  the  sixth  dorsal  spine  a  double  row.     Rostrum 

^  This  label  is  marked  as  doubtfully  belonging  to  this  specimen. 


84  CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE    BAHAMAS 

does  not  reach  to  end  of  peduncle  of  inner  antennae.  Carapace  of  thorax 
very  rough,  with  firm,  sharp  spines  which  are  longer  on  the  dorsal 
than  on  the  lateral  regions.  Abdomen  thickly  armed  with  outwardly 
projecting  spines.  Third  pereiopod  long,  abundantly  armed  with 
spines.  The  propodos  with  six  rows  above  and  below  and  two  on  each 
lateral  surface. 

Measurements:  total  length  50.5  mm.,  length  of  cephalo-thorax 
16.5  mm.,  of  abdomen  34  mm.,  of  rostrum  6  mm.,  of  telson  9.5  mm. 

Unless  the  eastern  form  should  prove  distinct  from  the  West 
Indian,  we  have  a  widely  distributed  species  occurring  in  the  warm  wa- 
ters of  both  hemispheres.  It  has  been  reported  from :  Indian  Ocean 
(Olivier),  Australia  (Peron  and  Lesneur),  Borneo  and  Philippines 
(Adams  and  White),  South  Pacific  (Dana),  Ambonia  (DeMan), 
Fiji  Islands  and  Bermuda  (Bate),  Cuba  (Von  Martens),  Bahama 
Islands  (Herrick). 

I  introduce  a  figure  of  this  specimen  (PL  xxix.  Fig.  i),  although  not 
a  new  species,  in  order  to  compare  it  with  the  two  following  species, 
figures  of  which  have  not  yet  appeared. 

51.    Stenopus  semilaevis  Von  Martens  (PL  xxix,  Fig.  2) 

Von  Martens,  Ueber  Cubanische  Crustaceen,  Arch.  f.  Naturgesch., 
Bd.  38,  p.  144,  1872. 

(a)  I  $,  1  9  with  ova.  Under  large  sponge.  New  Providence, 
Jan.,  1890. 

My  specimens  correspond  very  closely,  except  in  certain  minor 
particulars  noted  below,  with  the  description  given  by  Von  Martens  of 
a  species  "probably  from  the  West  Indies,"  which  he  found  unde- 
scribed  in  the  Berlin  Museum  and  which  he  called  S.  semilcEvis. 

Von  Martens'  description  (I.e.  supra)  I  reproduce:  "Cephalo- 
thorax  spiny;  abdomen  smooth;  rostrum  short,  not  longer  than  the 
peduncle  of  the  inner  antennae,  compressed  laterally  and  prolonged  as 
a  ridge  nearly  to  the  sharply  marked  cervical  furrow,  above  with  four 
teeth,  below  teeth  wanting.  Carpus  of  third  pair  of  pereiopods  quad- 
rangular as  in  S.  hispidus,  but  the  chelae  compressed,  with  smooth 
sides  and  not  so  long;  chelae,  including  the  dactyl,  twice  as  long  as 
broad ;  the  upper  margin  sharper  than  the  under  and  smooth,  the  under 
serrated.  The  dactyl  half  as  long  as  the  palma;  the  back  of  the  dactyl 
keeled,  serrated.    Length  from  tip  of  rostrum  to  tip  of  telson  12  mm. 


CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE    BAHAMAS  85 

Length  of  third  pereiopod  13  mm.  Breadth  of  chela  3  mm.  The 
fourth  pereiopod  shorter  than  third." 

I  note  the  following  peculiarities  in  my  specimens :  Dorsal  surface 
of  rostrum  with  six  teeth;  the  fourth  and  sixth  have  each  a  minute  sub- 
sidiary tooth.  Ventral  surface  with  a  single,  not  very  prominent  tooth. 
Both  margins  of  the  chelae  of  the  third  pereiopods  very  finely  serrated, 
a'^rather  prominent  keel  on  the  upper  margin.  The  third  pereiopod  of 
the  right  and  left  sides  similar.  Telson  spiny.  The  large  specimen 
(?)  is  15  mm.  long,  the  Z  slightly  smaller.  Length  of  chelae  in  ? 
6  mm.,  breadth  2.5  mm. 

Not  having  the  opportunity  of  comparing  the  Bahama  specimens 
with  Von  Martens'  type  I  prefer  to  consider  these  slight  variations  as 
possibly  due  to  imperfect  description,  and  to  place  my  specimens, 
provisionally,  at  least,  with  Von  Martens'  species. 

S.  semilcBvis  differs  from  5.  hispidus  mainly  in  the  teeth  of  rostrum, 
the  shorter  rostrum,  the  proportionately  shorter  and  thicker  hand,  the 
less  spiny  carapace  of  cephalo-thorax  and  the  smooth  abdomen. 

52.    Stenopus  scutellatus  n.  sp.     (PL  xxix,  Fig.  3) 

(a)  I  ( ?)  Z .     Under  coral,  near  low  water.  Silver  Cay,  N.P. 

Total  length  from  tip  of  rostrum  to  tip  of  thorax  18  mm.  Length 
of  rostrum  3  mm.,  of  cephalo-thorax  7  mm. 

Rostrum  has  a  single  row  of  ten  spines  on  median  dorsal  line ;  back 
of  the  tenth  a  double  row  of  three  spines  extend  to  the  cervical  furrow. 
On  median  ventral  line  of  rostrum  are  six  spines ;  no  lateral  spines  on 
rostrum.  Rostrum  longer  than  in  S.  hispidus,  extending  beyond  the 
peduncle  of  inner  antennae.  Whole  surface  of  carapace  covered  with 
delicate  spines  obscurely  arranged  in  rows;  usually  curved  forward, 
with  a  somewhat  reflexed  tip.  Spines  on  dorsal  surface  of  first  two 
abdominal  segments  short  and  straight  in  a  double  row  pointing  for- 
wards; on  third  segment  several  rows,  stouter,  pointing  outwards; 
on  the  fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth  segments  spines  are  longer,  pointing  back- 
wards. In  the  middle  of  the  posterior  portion  of  the  tergum  of  the 
third  abdominal  segment  there  is  a  polished,  slightly  elevated,  shield- 
shaped  area,  with  crenellated  margins,  about  i  mm.  in  length.  The 
median  tergal  region  of  fourth  segment  is  smooth  and  polished,  sur- 
rounded by  a  row  of  appressed  spines,  the  same  being  true  to  a  less 
extent  of  the  fifth  segment.    I  have  taken  the  specific  name  from  this 


86  CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE   BAHAMAS 

peculiar  scutellar  area  on  the  third  abdominal  segment.  This  feature 
seems  to  correspond  to  a  triangular  but  less  prominent  area  on  the 
similar  segment  in  S.  hispidus  which  is  prolonged  into  a  smooth  dorsal 
ridge  on  the  next  segment. 

Telson  lance-shaped,  with  a  double  row  of  spines  between  which  is 
a  longitudinal  groove  about  as  long  as  the  uropodal  lamellae,  which  are 
finely, serrated  on  their  margins,  and,  as  the  telson,  fringed  with  stiff 
hairs. 

Eyes  on  short  peduncles  which  are  armed  above  with  three  short 
spines  projecting  over  the  cornea,  and  with  a  few  spines  at  the  anterior 
margin.  Cornea  (in  alcoholic  specimen)  bluish  black.  Inner  anten- 
nae ;  peduncle  with  a  few  weak  spines  at  distal  end  of  segments.  Outer 
antennae;  peduncles  with  strong,  forwardly  projecting  spines.  Scale 
lined  on  inner  margin  with  long  closely  set  hairs  and  prolonged  into  a 
ciliated  bristle.  Flagella  more  than  twice  the  length  of  body.  Third 
maxillipedes,  when  extended,  reach  a  little  farther  than  extremity  of 
rostrum;  the  three  distal  segments  about  equal  in  length. 

First  pair  pereiopods  wanting  in  my  specimen.  Second  pair 
slender,  chelate,  segments  of  equal  length.  Third  pair  of  similar  pro- 
portions to  those  in  S.  hispidus;  chelae  7  mm.  long;  propodos  laterally 
compressed  and  somewhat  triangular  in  cross  section,  broad  above; 
on  the  dorsal  margin  a  double  row  of  eleven  spines  each,  on  the  ventral 
margin  a  single  row  of  nine  spines ;  two  or  three  rows  of  minute  spines 
on  lateral  surfaces.  A  number  of  long  soft  hairs  over  the  fingers, 
especially  at  the  tips.  Hands  of  the  two  chelapods  similar  in  size.  Car- 
pus and  ischium  together  about  equal  to  propodos,  each  armed  with 
rows  of  spines.  Fourth  pair  long  and  slender ;  dactylus  bifid ;  propodos 
slightly  spiny,  one-half  length  of  carpus.  Carpus  and  propodos  ob- 
scurely articulated.  Fifth  pair  pereiopods  undeveloped.  Pleopods 
biramous,  except  first,  with  two  or  three  spines  each  on  the  protopodite. 

From  the  single  specimen  at  my  disposal  I  would  compare  this 
species  with  S.  hispidus  as  follows :  rostrum  proportionately  longer, 
nearly  one-half  length  of  cephalo-thorax,  in  n.  sp.  (J  in  hispidus),  longer 
than  peduncle  of  inner  antennae.  Six  ventral  teeth  (hispidus  none),  no 
lateral  teefh,  single  dorsal  row  of  ten  teeth  (hispidus  six).  Flagella 
of  outer  antennae  fully  twice  the  length  of  body ;  proportion  2  :  i  f or 
n.  sp.,  7:5  for  hispidus.  Tergum  of  third  abdominal  segment  with 
shield-shaped  area.    Third  maxillipedes  proportionately  shorter  than 


CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE   BAHAMAS  87 

in  hisptdus.    Spines  on  cephalo-thorax  equally  long,  but  less  rigid  than 
in  hispidus,  giving  in  general  a  less  thorny  character  to  the  new  species. 

EUCIPHIDEA 

Family  Palaemonidae  Bate 
53.   Palaemon  savignyi  Bate 

Brachycarpus  savignyi  Bate,  Challenger,  Macrura,  p.  795,  PL 
129,  fig.  4,  1888. 

Ortmann,  Zool.  Jahrb.,  Bd.  V,  p.  727. 

{a)  I  specimen.    Near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.,  1890. 

{h)  I  specimen.    Nassau,  N.P.,  1890. 

{c)  5  ?  with  ova.    Nassau,  N.P.,  1890. 

Bate's  specimen  was  from  Bermuda,  ''in  shallow  water." 

"This  is  the  most  northern  limit  of  genus  Palaemon."     Ortmann. 

The  species  has  not  been  described  from  any  other  localities. 

54.   Leander  northropi  n.  sp.     (PI.  xxx.  Fig.  4) 

{a)  I  specimen.    Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.,  1890. 

A  single  specimen  with  a  total  length  of  30  mm.  Length  of  cephalo- 
thorax  to  tip  of  rostrum  11.5  mm. 

Cephalo-thorax  with  small  tooth  below  orbit  and  a  very  minute  tooth 
below  this  and  a  little  back  from  the  anterior  margin  on  the  lateral 
surface. 

Length  of  rostrum  to  posterior  end  of  orbit  7  mm.,  slightly  curved 
upwards  toward  apex.  Ten  teeth  above, /owr  below;  the  first  dorsal 
tooth  forms  with  the  tip  of  rostrum  a  bifid  extremity.  A  long  interval 
between  first  and  second  tooth ;  interval  between  second  and  third  one- 
third  the  length  of  that  between  first  and  second ;  fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth 
teeth  follow  at  slightly  diminishing  intervals,  the  sixth  being  over  the 
posterior  part  of  orbit  of  eye.  Seventh,  eighth,  and  ninth  teeth  close 
together,  posterior  to  orbit  of  eye. 

The  first  ventral  tooth  is  a  little  in  front  of  second  dorsal,  second 
ventral  below  second  dorsal;  third  and  fourth  at  equal  intervals  be- 
tween second  ventral  and  orbit  of  eye. 

Inner  antennae :  peduncle  reaches  beyond  second  ventral  tooth  of 
rostrum ;  proximal  segment  about  equal  to  the  two  distal.  Upper  flagel- 
lum  bifid;  united  proximal  portion  of  14  segments;  the  shorter  branch 


88 


CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE    BAHAMAS 


has  12  segments ;  united  therefore  for  more  than  half  its  length.  The 
longer  branch  reaches  beyond  the  undivided  flagellum. 

Outer  antennae :  scaphocerite  with  lamellar  portion  slightly  longer 
than  spinose,  reaches  beyond  first  ventral  tooth  of  rostrum ;  flagellum 
exceeds  the  length  of  the  body. 

Third  pair  maxillipedes  reach  to  end  of  peduncle  of  inner  antennae. 

First  and  second  pereiopods :  long,  slender,  and  chelate ;  second 
longer  than  first ;  chela  in  second  as  long  as  carpus.  Third  and  fourth 
pereiopods  terminate  in  claws. 

Pleopods  biramous,  setose.  Telson  lanceolate,  4  mm.  long,  notice- 
ably shorter  than  uropods,  distal  extremity  with  two  sharp  spines. 
Outer  uropod  imperfectly  divided  transversely,  the  proximal  division 
ending  in  a  lateral  spine. 

This  species  is  allied  to  L.  petitinga  F.  Miiller,  from  Brazil  (see 
Ortmann,  Revista  do  Museu  Paulista,  II,  p.  191,  1897)  and  to  L. 
maculatus  Thallwitz  (Abh.  Mus.  Dresd.,  Ill,  p.  19,  1891)  from  West 
Africa. 

I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  Ortmann  for  the  preparation  of  the  following 
table,  which  exhibits  the  relationship : 


L.  maculatus 

T  -  f  12-13  segments  united 

Inner  antennae-^         ^     ° 

(8  segments  free. 

6  + 1  f  I  posterior  to 

orbit. 


Teeth  of  rostrum 


+  1  ("  I 

3     1 


L.  northropi 

114  segments  united 
12  segments  free. 
9  +  1(4  posterior 
4     [      to  orbit. 


L.  petitinga 
1 9  segments  united 
[  20  segments  free. 
6  + 1  r  I  posterior 
5  —  6  1      to  orbit. 


Family  Hippolytidae  Ortmann 
55.   Tozeuma  carolinense  Kingsley 

Kingsley,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Phila.,  p.  90,  1878. 

(a)  I  <?,  with  ova.  Dredged  in  about  16  ft.  Near  Quarantine 
station,  Jan.,  1890. 

Kingsley 's  specimens  are  from  Ft.  Macon  and  Beaufort,  N.C., 
and  Charlotte  Harbor,  Fla. 

Measurements  of  Bahama  specimen:  total  length  41  mm.,  rostrum 
12  mm.,  cephalo-thorax  (without  rostrum)  7  mm.,  abdomen  22  mm. 


CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE    BAHAMAS  89 

Family  Alpheidae  Bate 
56.  Alpheus  edwardsii  Audouin 

Athanas  edwardsii  Audouin,  Planches  de  la  descrip.  de  I'Egypte 
par  M.  Savigny,  Crust.,  PI.  X,  fig.  11,  1810. 

Bate,  Challenger,  Macrura,  p.  542,  1888. 

{a)  4  specimens.    Near  Nassau,  N.P.,  along  shore,  Feb.  20,  1890. 

{b)  I  specimen.    Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.,  1890. 

{c)  3  specimens.  Under  coral  and  in  pools  between  tides,  New 
Providence. 

{d)  I  specimen.  Under  coral  and  in  pools  between  tides,  Nassau, 
N.P.,  Jan.,  1890. 

{e)  2  broken.    Near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.,  1890. 

The  distribution  of  this  species  is  circumtropical. 

57.   Alpheus  hippothoe  De  Man 

bahamensis,  n.  var.     (PI.  xxx.  Fig.  5) 

{a)  24  specimens.  Under  coral  and  in  pools  between  tides,  New 
Providence. 

(6)  3  specimens,  one  with  ova.    Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.,  1890. 

(c)  2  specimens,  one  with  ova. 

This  species  is  most  closely  allied  to  the  variety  edamensis  of 
Alpheus  hippothoe  De  Man,  from  the  Bay  of  Bengal  and  Indian 
Archipelago  (Arch,  de  Naturg.,  Bd.  53,  p.  518,  1887).  I  am  indebted 
to  Dr.  Ortmann  for  a  communication  from  Professor  de  Man  com- 
paring specimens  from  my  material  with  his  own  hippothoe.  As  there 
are  certain  differences  between  the  West  and  East  Indian  specimens, 
I  propose  to  make  a  new  variety  for  the  West  Indian. 

Total  length  from  rostrum  to  telson,  largest  24  mm.,  smallest  15 
mm.  Rostrum  reaches  nearly  to  end  of  first  segment  of  inner  antenna, 
sharp,  laterally  compressed,  prolonged  backwards  as  a  distinct  keel. 
Between  keel  and  the  prominent  eyes  a  rounded  depression.  No  ocular 
spines. 

Inner  antennae :  first  joint  of  peduncle  with  small  spine  on  outer 
surface;  second  joint  nearly  twice  the  length  of  proximal;  terminal 
joint  one-half  the  length  of  second.  Shorter  flagellum,  about  the 
length  of  peduncle.  Longer  flagellum  slender,  about  thrice  the  length 
of  shorter. 


90  CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE    BAHAMAS 

Outer  antennae :  peduncle  a  little  longer  than  that  of  inner,  small 
spine  on  basal  joint.  Flagellum  one-third  longer  than  long  ramus  of 
inner  antenna,  spinose  portion  of  scaphocerite  a  little  longer  than  the 
peduncle.  Flabellar  portion  (scale)  a  trifle  shorter ;  not  quite  so  long 
as  the  peduncle. 

Third  pair  of  maxillipedes  do  not  reach  beyond  end  of  peduncle  of 
the  outer  antennae. 

First  pair  pereiopods:  large  chela  of  largest  specimen  has  a 
length  of  1 8  mm.,  of  smallest  specimen  8  mm.  The  large  chela  has  a 
somewhat  quadrangular  depression  on  the  outer  surface,  the  distal 
end  of  which  is  continued  upwards  into  a  well-marked  depression  on 
the  dorsal  margin  and  extends  backward  as  a  groove  along  the  inside 
of  the  dorsal  surface.  A  distinct  but  less  marked  depression  on  the 
ventral  margin.  Inner  surface  of  the  hand  slightly  hairy,  outer  surface 
nearly  smooth.  Fingers  contorted,  color  in  alcoholic  material  pale 
blue.  Movable  finger  slightly  longer  than  thumb.  In  the  small 
chelapod,  which  may  be  on  the  right  or  leftside,  the  finger  is 
one-third  the  length  of  palm.  Carpus  of  chelapods  short.  Meros 
triangular  in  section;  ends  distally  in  a  sharp  spine  on  the  outer  and 
inner  angle.  Distal  end  of  meros  reaches  to  end  of  peduncle  of  outer 
antennae. 

Second  pair  of  pereiopods  very  long.  Distal  end  of  meros  reaches 
beyond  antennal  peduncle.  First  and  second  joints  of  carpus  sub- 
equal,  each  a  little  longer  than  third  and  fourth  together.  Third  and 
fourth  subequal.  Fifth  about  two-thirds  length  of  first ;  equal  in  length 
to  fourth  and  fifth  together.  Finger  about  one-half  length  of  thumb. 
(Fifth  joint  a  little  too  short  in  figure.) 

Third  and  fourth  pereiopods  short  and  stout,  not  quite  reaching  to 
distal  end  of  meros  of  second.  Length  of  meros  less  than  three  times 
its  breadth.  Carpus  one-half  length  of  meros.  Both  carpus  and  meros, 
with  spines  on  lower  margin  of  distal  end.  Propodos  serrated  on  pos- 
terior surface. 

Fifth  pair  of  pereiopods  shorter  and  more  slender.  Telson  with 
median  furrow.  Two  small  spines  on  either  side  of  furrow.  Outer 
plate  of  uropod  minutely  serrated  on  end.  A  sharp  spine  on  its  outer 
distal  angle. 

Principal  variations  from  A.  hippothoe: 

In  new  variety:   peduncle  of  outer  antennae  longer  than  that  of 


CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE    BAHAMAS  91 

inner.  Lamellar  portion  does  not  reach  end  of  peduncle.  Third 
maxillipedes  do  not  reach  beyond  antennal  peduncle.  Relative 
lengths  of  carpal  joints  of  second  pereiopods  differ. 

Variations  from  var.  edamensis : 

Finger  of  small  hand  shorter  than  palm  (longer  in  edamensis). 
A  quadrangular  rather  than  a  triangular  depression  on  side  of  large 
hand. 

First  joint  of  carpus  of  second  pereiopod  is  equal  in  length  to  second 
(shorter  in  edamensis).  Third  and  fourth  pereiopods  less  broad  than 
in  edamensis. 

58.  Alpheus  Websteri  Kingsley 

Kingsley,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Phila.,  p.  416,  1879. 

(a)  3  specimens,  one  with  ova.  Along  shore,  near  Nassau,  N.P., 
Feb.  20,  1890. 

(b)  2  specimens,  one  with  ova.    Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  10,  1890. 

(c)  3  specimens,  fragmentary.    Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.  10, 1890. 
Kingsley's  type  specimens  were  from  Key  West;  it  has  been  re- 
ported by  Herrick  from  Nassau,  N.P. 

A.  Websteri  is  very  probably  the  same  as  A.  formosus  Gibbes 
(Proc.  Am.  Ass.  Ad.  Sci.,  p.  196,  1850).  The  descriptions  apparently 
tally,  though  Gibbes  makes  no  mention  of  the  small  black  spine  on  the 
uropod  which  is  mentioned  as  a  characteristic  feature  by  Kingsley, 
and  which  is  very  evident  in  my  specimens. 

59.  Alpheus  nigro-spinatus  n.  sp.     (PL  xxx.  Fig.  6) 

(a)  2  specimens.  Under  coral  and  in  pools  between  tides.  New 
Providence. 

Carapace  compressed.  Rostrum  short,  acuminate,  no  longer  than 
spines  of  ocular  hoods;  extended  backwards  as  a  ridge  between  the 
eyes,  from  each  of  which  it  is  separated  by  a  rounded  depression. 
Spines  of  ocular  hoods  short,  acuminate.  The  front  of  carapace  is 
thus  marked  by  three,  nearly  equal,  small  spines.  Inner  antennae: 
basal  segment  of  peduncle  with  small  spine  (stylocerite) ;  second  and 
third  segments,  no  spines  but  scattered  hairs ;  second  segment  a  little 
more  than  twice  as  long  as  the  terminal ;  outer  flagellum  stouter  and 
shorter  than  the  inner.  Outer  antennae:  outer  angle  of  the  basal 
joint  of  peduncle  with  a  sharp  short  spine;  scaphocerite  broad  at 


92  CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE    BAHAMAS 

base,  outer  margin  produced  into  a  strong  spine  which  is  longer  than 
the  inner,  lamellar,  portion;  distal  end  of  terminal  segment  of  peduncle 
reaches  to  tip  of  scaphocerite.  Third  pair  of  maxillipedes  reach  about 
to  the  end  of  shorter  flagellum  of  inner  antennae ;  strongly  tufted  with 
hair. 

First  pair  of  pereiopods :  larger  hand  much  inflated,  a  slight  but 
distinct  constriction  on  the  upper  margin  near  the  articulation  of  the 
dactylus,  and  a  deep  constriction  on  the  lower  margin.  Thumb  con- 
torted ;  a  groove  on  the  outer  margin,  the  inner  surface  thickly  covered 
with  hairs  and  punctate.  Dactylus  contorted ;  extends  slightly  beyond 
thumb ;  inner  surface  with  tufts  of  hair.  Small  hand  (which  on  the  one 
specimen  is  left,  the  other  right)  has  a  longer  and  more  slender  dactylus 
and  thumb.  Length  of  large  hand  i6  mm.,  breadth  6.5  mm.  Length 
of  small  hand  9  mm.,  breadth  4  mm. 

Second  pair  of  pereiopods :  carpus  five-jointed,  proximal  segment 
the  longest,  slightly  longer  than  the  second  and  third  together ;  second 
and  fifth  segments  each  a  little  longer  than  one-half  the  length  of  first ; 
third  and  fourth  the  shortest,  subequal.  Posterior  pereiopods: 
meros  without  spines.  Telson  broadly  triangular ;  extremity  truncate ; 
two  small  spines  on  either  side  of  median  line  of  dorsal  surface;  the 
outer  ramus  of  uropod  bears  on  its  external  distal  angle  a  large,  very 
black  spine,  which  is  distinguished  from  the  similar  black  spine  of  A. 
Websleri  Kingsley  (I.e.,  p.  416,  1879)  by  its  much  larger  size  and  con- 
sequently more  prominent  appearance.  Length  of  specimens  25  mm. 
and  22  mm.  respectively. 

60.   Alpheus  minor  Say 

Say,  Jour.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Phil.,  I,  p.  245,  1818. 
Kingsley,  Bull.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  IV,  p.  190,  1878. 
Bate,  Challenger,  Macrura,  p.  558,  PL  C,  1888. 

(a)  numerous  specimens,  from  brown  sponges. 

(b)  1  9,  with  ova.    Along  shore  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  20,  1890. 

(c)  10  specimens,  from  brown  sponges. 

Range:  From  Cape  Hatteras  (U.S.F.C.  1885)  to  St.  Paul's 
Rock  (Bate,  Challenger).    Both  shores  of  Central  America. 

Collected  at  Jamaica,  New  Providence. 

Lot  (c)  may  possibly  be  a  variety,  as  the  thumb  is  shorter  than  the 
typical  minor,  but  otherwise  there  seems  no  difference. 


CRUSTACEA   FROM  THE    BAHAMAS 


93 


6i.   Alpheus  saulcyi  Guerin 

Guerin,  in  Hist,  du  Cuba,  1857. 

Herrick,  Memoirs  Nat.  Acad.  Sci.,  Vol.  V,  p.  381. 

{a)  5  specimens,  from  green  sponges,  Feb.,  1890. 

{h)  I  specimen,  near  Nassau,  Feb.  5,  1890. 

(c)  I  specimen,  $ ,  from  green  sponge. 

{d)  I  specimen,  from  sponge,  March  i,  1890. 

(e)  I  specimen,  from  sponge,  March  i,  1890. 

(/)  2  specimens,  Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.,  1890. 

Range :  West  Indies. 

Found  at  Nassau,  Martinique. 


62.   Athanas  ortmanni  n.  sp.     (PI.  xxx,  Fig.  7) 

(a)  I  specimen.    Along  shore,  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  20,  1890. 

Rostrum  slender  and  pointed,  reaching  a  little  beyond  the  second 
joint  of  peduncle  of  inner  antennae.  Antero-lateral  margin  of  carapace 
extends  obliquely  backward,  prolonged  in  front  of  eye  into  minute 
spine.  Eye-stalk  short,  not  projecting  beyond  carapace.  The  eye  is 
seen  through  the  somewhat  transparent  carapace  as  in  Alpheus. 
Inner  antennae,  with  stylocerite  reaching  to  distal  end  of  second  seg- 
ment of  peduncle.  From  the  peduncle  arise  two  flagella  of  nearly 
equal  length,  the  upper  somewhat  more  slender  than  the  lower,  bearing 
on  the  fourth  segment  from  base  a  minute,  subsidiary  flagellum. 

Outer  antennae  with  scaphocerite  nearly  as  long  as  the  peduncles  of 
inner  antennae,  broad  and  fringed  with  hairs.  Third  pair  of  maxilli- 
pedes  reach  slightly  beyond  the  distal  end  of  scaphocerite. 

First  pair  of  pereiopods:  that  on  the  right  side  is  robust  with 
swollen  chela,  terminating  in  slender  hooked  fingers  which  are  minutely 
serrated  on  the  opposing  edges.  Margin  of  chela  entire,  length  5  mm., 
breadth  2.5  mm.  Carpus  short.  Distal  end  of  meros  reaches  to 
extremity  of  third  pair  maxillipedes.    Left  chelapod  lacking. 

Second  pair  of  pereiopods  slender,  with  very  small  chelae.  Carpus 
five-jointed;  proximal  segment  equal  in  length  to  the  four  distal  seg- 
ments. Remaining  three  pairs  of  pereiopods  similar  to  each  other  and 
equal  in  length  to  the  second  pair.  Pleopods  narrow  and  biramous. 
Telson  narrow  and  compressed,  with  smooth  margins.  Uropods 
slightly  longer  than   telson. 


94  CRUSTACEA   FROM  THE    BAHAMAS 

Total  length  of  specimen  i6  mm. 

The  species  above  described  agrees  generically  with  Athanas 
Leach  (Edin.  Ency.,  VIII,  p.  432),  with  the  exception  that  the  eyes 
are  entirely  covered  by  the  carapace.  I  propose,  rather  than  found  a 
new  genus  on  the  single  specimen,  to  amend  Leach's  definition  of 
Athanas  by  changing  the  statement,  "  Opthalmopoda  short,  scarcely 
reaching  beyond  frontal  margin  of  carapace"  (Bate,  Challenger, 
Macrura,  p.  528),  to  opthalmopoda  short,  covered  by,  or  scarcely  reach- 
ing beyond  the  frontal  margin  of  carapace. 

There  are  four  hitherto  described  species  of  Athanas :  — 

A.  nitiscens  Leach.  England  and  Norway,  Mediterranean  to 
Cape  Verde  Islands. 

A.  veloculus  Bate  (I.e.,  p.  529).    Cape  Verde  Islands. 

A.  mascarenicus  Richters  (Beitrage  zur  Merresfauna  von  Mauri- 
tius u.  d.  Seychellen,  p.  164,  1880),  Mauritius. 

A.  dimorphus  Ortmann,  Crust,  in  Semon's  Forschungsreise  (Jena. 
Denks.,  VIII,  1894,  p.  12).    East  Africa:  Dar-es-Salaam. 

From  all  these  species  A.  ortmanni  may  be  distinguished  at  a  glance 
by  the  form  of  the  large  chela. 

PENiEIDEA 

Family  Penaeidae  Bate 

63.   Penaeus  constrictus  Stimpson 

Stimpson,  Ann.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist.  N.Y.,  p.  135,  1871. 
Miers,  Notes  on  the  Penaeidae,  Proc.  Zool.  Soc,  London,  p.  308, 
1878. 

(a)  I  Z.    Near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  i,  1890. 

(6)  I  ?.    Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  5,  1890. 

Range:   East  coast  United  States. 

Not  before  reported  from  West  Indies. 

Collected  by  Stimpson  at  Beaufort,  and  Charleston,  S.C. 

STOMATOPODA 

Family  Squillidae  Latreille 

64.   Pseudosquilla  ciliata  Miers 

Miers,  Ann.  and  Mag.  Nat.  Hist.  (5)  V,  p.  108,  PI.  Ill,  figs.  7  and  8, 
1880. 


CRUSTACEA   FROM   THE    BAHAMAS  95 

Brooks,  Challenger,  Stomatopoda,  p.  53,  1886. 
(a)  I  ^  ,  broken.    Near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.,  1890. 
Range :  Widely  distributed  over  Atlantic  and  Pacific. 
Collected  at  Cuba,  Bahamas,  St.  Thomas. 

65.   Gonodactylus  oerstedii  Hansen 

Hansen,  Isopoden,  Cumaceen  und  Stomatopoden  der  Plankton 
expedition,  1895. 

(a)  I  9.     Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  5,  1890. 

(b)  I  9 ,  fragmentary.  Quarantine  station,  near  New  Providence, 
Jan.  25,  1890. 

(c)  1  9 .    Along  shore  near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.  20, 1890. 

(d)  I  ?.     Nassau,  N.P.,  Jan.,  1890. 

(e)  I  ^ ,  I  9 ,  I  fragmentary.  Under  coral  and  in  pools  between 
tides,  near  Nassau,  N.P. 

(J)  I  $.  (label  erased). 

(g)  2  juv.  Dredged  in  about  16  ft.  near  Quarantine  station,  Jan., 
1890. 

Hansen,  I.e.  supra,  p.  65  (and  footnote),  calls  the  West  Indian 
Gonodactylus:  G.  oerstedii  n.  sp.  and  retains  the  name  G.  chiragra 
Fabr.  for  the  East  Indian  form. 

He  says  (footnote) :  *'This  species  {cerstedii)  maybe  distinguished 
from  the  East  Indian  form,  G.  chiragra  Fabr.,  especially  by  the  char- 
acter, that  it  possesses  a  small  keel  inside  of  and  close  to  the  keel  that 
ends  in  the  sublateral  process  of  the  posterior  margin,  while  such  a 
secondary  keel  is  wanting  in  the  Indo-Australian  species." 

Collected  at  Bahamas,  Cuba,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas. 

CIRRIPEDEA 

Family  Lepadidae  Darwin 

66.   Lithotrya  dorsalis  Sowerby 

Sowerby,  Genera  of  shells,  April,  1822. 

Darwin,  A  Monograph  of  the  Cirripedia,  p.  351,  PL  VIII,  fig.  i, 
a,  1851. 

(a)  10  specimens.    Salt  Cay,  N.P.,  in  rocks  in  surf,  Jan.  28,  1890. 
{h)  8  specimens.     Salt  Cay,  Nassau,  N.P.,  ocean  side,  Feb.  6, 1890. 


96  CRUSTACEA    FROM   THE   BAHAMAS 

Range :   West  Indies,  Venezuela,  Honduras. 
Collected  at  Barbadoes. 

Family  Balanidae  Darwin 
67.   Acasta  cyathus  Darwin 

Darwin,  A  Monograph  of  the  Cirripedia-Balanidae,  p.  312,  PL  IX, 
1854. 

(a)  4  specimens,  in  sponge.     Dredged  Jan.  22,  1890. 

(b)  2  specimens.   Near  Nassau,  N.P.,  Feb.,  1890. 
Range:  Madeira,  West  Indies  (Darwin). 

ISOPODA 

Two  species  of  Isopoda,  one  probably  a  Lygia  of  which  there  are 
several  specimens.  Another  parasitic  on  a  fish,  probably  one  of  the 
CirolanidcB. 

AMPHIPODA 

Several  small  amphipods  undetermined. 


I 


PLATE   XXIX 


RWeOer,  cfel. 


Fig.  I.  —  Stenopus  hispidus  Latreille. 


Fig.  2.  —  Stenopus  semilaevis  Von  Martens. 


Ji.Weberj  del.. 


Fig.  3.  —  stenopus  scutellatus,  n.  sp.  Rankin. 
97 


PLATE   XXX 


Fig.  4.  —  Leander  northropi,  n.  sp.,  Rankin. 


Fig.  5.  —  Alpheus  hippothoe  De  Man. 

var.  bahamensis,  n.  var.,  Rankin. 


Fig.  6.  — Alpheus  nigro-spinatus,  n.  sp.,  Rankin. 


R.mber,  del. 


Fig.  7.  — Athanas  ortmanni,  n.  sp.,  Rankin. 
98 


LIST     OF     SHELLS      COLLECTED      BY     DR.     JOHN     L 

NORTHROP      IN     THE      BAHAMAS,     IDENTIFIED 

BY    PROFESSOR    WILLIAM    HEALEY   DALL, 

SMITHSONIAN    INSTITUTION 

The  following  list  was  made  from  Dr.  Northrop's  specimens  which 
were  sent  to  the  National  Museum  for  the  purpose.  So  many  shells 
have  been  collected  at  the  Bahamas  during  the  last  two  hundred  years 
that  the  fauna  is  fairly  well  known,  and  it  was  not  to  be  expected  that 
any  very  remarkable  additions  to  it  could  be  made  on  such  a  collect- 
ing trip.  Well-identified  species,  however,  always  have  a  certain  value 
for  science,  in  their  bearing  on  geographical  distribution,  as  the  locali- 
ties given  by  the  earlier  collectors  were  often  vague  or  inaccurate. 

That  Cyrena  floridana  and  Macroceramus  pontificus  should  occur 
was  interesting,  and  a  number  of  the  other  species,  though  known  to 
belong  to  the  general  region,  had  not  heretofore  been  specifically 
located  in  the  Bahamas. 

The  shell  identified  as  Mitra  flammea  is  bleached  and  worn,  and 
may  be  another  species.  It  is  not,  however,  any  of  those  commonly 
known  as  Antillean. 

PELECYPODA 

138.   Area  occidentalis  Philippi.     Deep  Creek,  Andros. 

103.  Arcafusca  Brug.     Salt  Cay. 

35.   Area  jamaicensis  Gm,     Lake  Cunningham,  N.  P. 

39.   210.*  Glycymeris  undulata  Lam.     Salt  Cay. 

16.   Pinna  carnea  Gm.     Nassau. 

92.   Melina  ohliqua  Lam?    Salt  Cay. 

46.   Melina  ephippium  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 
134.   Pteria  atlantiea  Linn.     Deep  Creek,  Andros. 

59.   Margaritiphora  radiata  Leach.     Salt  Cay. 
136.   Ostrea  frons  Linn.     Deep  Creek,  Andros. 

65.   Peeten  ornatus  Lam.     Salt  Cay. 
60;  137.   Spondylus  spathtdiferus  Sby.     Salt  Cay  and  Deep  Creek,  Andros. 
123.   Lima  scabra  Born.     Nassau. 

104.  Lithophaga  antillarum  Phil.     Salt  Cay. 

102;    130;   224.     Mytilus  exustus  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 

99 


100     LIST  OF  SHELLS  COLLECTED  IN  THE  BAHAMAS 


151. 
125. 
72; 

76. 
44. 
48. 
66. 

51; 
40; 

43. 

99. 

128; 

41. 

17- 

74. 

46a. 

45- 

75- 


Cyrena  colorata  Prime.     Cedar  Coppet,  west  side  of  Andros. 

Cyrena  Jloridana  Con.     Low  Sound,  north  end  of  Andros. 
129.   Chama  macerophylla  Chemn.    Salt  Cay,  N.  P.,  and  Deep  Creek,  east  side 
of  Andros. 

Chama  sarda  Rve.     Salt  Cay. 

Phacoides  pensylvanicus  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 

Codakia  Linn.     Beach  near  Nassau. 

Divaricella  quadrisulcata  Orb.     Salt  Cay. 

96.   Cardium  serratum  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 

222.   Cardium  medium  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 

Cardium  isocardia  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 

Anomalocardia  cuneimeris  Conr.     Salt  Cay. 

133.   Chione  cancellata  Gm.     Wide  Opening,  west  side  of  Andros  and  Deep 
Creek,  Andros. 

Chione  paphia  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 

Asaphis  deflorata  Linn.     Near  Deep  Creek,  Andros. 

Tellina  fausta  Don.     Salt  Cay. 

Tellina  interrupta  Wood.     Beach  near  Nassau. 

Tellina  magna  Spengl.     Salt  Cay. 

Semele  reticulata  Gm.     Nassau. 


TERRESTRIAL   GASTROPODA 

121.  Polygyra  cereolus  Muhl.     Red  Bays,  west  side  of  Andros. 

119.  Cepolis  albersiana  Pfr.     Red  Bays,  west  side  of  Andros. 

122.  Cepolis  Duclosiana  Fer.     Red  Bays,  west  side  of  Andros. 

118.  Cepolis  varians  Mke.     Red  Bays,  west  side  of  Andros. 

120.  Cepolis  troscheli  Pfr.     Red  Bays,  west  side  of  Andros. 
18;  80.   Pleurodonte  auricoma  Fer..   Nassau. 

228.*  Orthalicus  undatus  Brug. 
112.   Tralia  pusilla  Gm.     Salt  Cay. 

155.  Melampus  bidentatus  Say.     Cedar  Coppet,  west  side  of  Andros. 
62 ;  223.*  Melampus  coffeus  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 
28.   Opisthosiphon  Bahamense.     Nassau. 

2.  Cerion  (Strophiops)  Sagraianum  Pfr. 
183-184.   Cerion  (Strophiops)  glans  Kiister.,  and  var. 

119.  Cerion  (Strophiops)  injlatum  Mayn. 

3.  Cerion  (Strophiops)  glans,  var.  cinerea  Mayn. 

4.  Cerion  (Strophiops)  cyclostomum  Kiister. 

5.  Cerion  (Strophiops)  lentiginosum  Mayn. 
6;  7;  8.   Cerion  (Strophiops)  maritimum  Pfr. 


MARINE   GASTROPODA 

150.  Bullaria  striata  Brug.     Cedar  Coppet,  west  side  of  Andros. 
58.  Bullaria  occidentalis  A.  Ad.     Salt  Cay. 


LIST  OF  SHELLS  COLLECTED   IN  THE  BAHAMAS     101 

53.    Terehra  casta  Hds.     Salt  Cay. 
157a.   Terehra  protexta  Con.     Cedar  Coppet,  west  side  of  Andros.  ^ 

6.   Conus  mus  Hwass.     Salt  Cay. 
4;   105a.    Thais  patula  Linn,  {operculum).     Beach  near  Nassau.     Salt  Cay. 
91.   Thais  hcBmastoma  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 
47.    Thais  deltoidea  Lam.     Salt  Cay. 
85.   Leucozonia  ocellata  Gm.     Salt  Cay. 
85a.  Leucozonia  leucozonalis  Lam.     Salt  Cay. 
9.   Turbinella  scolymus  Gm.     Nassau. 
8.   Fasciolaria  tulipa  Linn.     Nassau. 
^  I.   Oliva  reticularis  Lam.     Nicholas  Town,  Andros. 
36;   95.   Columbella  mercatoria  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 

63.  Nitidella  nitida  Lam.     Salt  Cay. 
94.   Mitra  Barbadensis  Gm.     Salt  Cay. 

162.  Mitra  Jlammea  Quoy.  ?     Salt  Cay. 

12.  Marginella  guttata  Dill.     Near  Nichol's  Town,  Andros. 

113.  Marginella  lactea  Kiener.     Salt  Cay. 

124.  Marginella  apicina  Mke.     Low  Sound,  north  end  of  Andros. 

154.  Marginella  apicina  Mke.  ?     Cedar  Coppet,  west  side  of  Andros. 

89.  Cymaiium  pileare  Linn.  (juv.).     Salt  Cay. 

III.  Septa  tritonis  L.,  var,  nobilis  Con.     Stafford  Creek,  Andros. 

22.  Cassis  testiculus  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 

21.  Cassis  injlata  Shaw.     Salt  Cay. 

105.  Morum  oniscus  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 

no.  Tonna  perdix  Linn.     Nichol's  Town,  Andros. 

3c.*  Cyphoma  gibbosa  Linn. 

3.  Cyprcea  spurca  Linn.  ?    Salt  Cay. 

3a.  Cyprcea  cinerea  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 

7.  Cyprcea  exanthema  Linn.     Mastic  Point,  Andros. 

64.  Trivia  pediculus  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 

31.   Cerithidea  costata  Wood.     Border  of  pond.  Salt  Cay,  near  Nassau. 
162a.   Cerithium  literatum  Born.     Salt  Cay. 

157.   Cerithium  uncinatum  Gm.?     Cedar  Coppet,  west  side  of  Andros. 
127.    Vermetus  radicula  Stimp.     Wide  Opening,  west  side  of  Andros. 
55 ;  126.   Littorina  angulifera  Lam.     Mangroves,  Mastic  Point,  Andros  and  Nas- 
sau. 

25.  Littorina  ziczac  Dillw.    Tide  pools,  Nassau. 

30.  Littorina  mespilum  Mke.     Tide  pools,  Salt  Cay. 
107;   116.  Tectarius  muricatus  Linn.     Nassau;   Salt  Cay. 
49;   117.   Echinella  nodulosa  Pfr.     High  tide,  Nassau. 

87.  Hipponix  antiquatus  Linn.     Salt  Cay. 

13;   32;   69;    149.     Natica  canrena  Linn.     Near  Nichol's  Town,  Andros;   Salt 
Cay,  Nassau;   Cedar  Coppet,  west  side  of  Andros. 

24.  Acmcea  melanoleuca  Gm.     Rocks  between  tides,  Nassau. 

67.   Acmcea  puncturata  Lam.     Salt  Cay. 


102     LIST  OF  SHELLS   COLLECTED  IN  THE  BA.HAMAS 

15.   AstrcBa  ccBlata  Chemn.     Cays  near  Nassau. 
81;   227.*  Astrcea  longispina  Liaim.    Salt  Cay. 

93.   Tegula  scalaris  Anton.     Salt  Cay. 
loi.   Tegula  fasciata  Born.     Salt  Cay. 
10;  208.*  Livona  pica  Gm.     Nassau. 
68;  217.*  Nerita  tessellata  Gm.     Tide  pools,  Salt  Cay. 
212.*  Nerita  versicolor  Lam. 
213.*  Nerita  peloronta  Linn. 
164.  Neritina  virginea  Linn,     Andros  ( ?) . 

29.  Neritina  pupa  Linn.    Tide  pools,  Salt  Cay. 

88.  Fissurella  alternata  Say.     Salt  Cay. 
2.  Fissurella  Listeri  Orb.     Salt  Cay. 

2a.  Fissurella  Barbadensis  Gm.     Salt  Cay. 

CEPHALOPODA 

37.  Spirula  australis  Lam.     Gulfweed  on  beach,  Nassau. 

N.B.  —  The  numbers  with  an  asterisk  had  no  localities  given  for  them. 


NOTES  ON  SOME  ACTINIANS  FROM  THE  BAHAMA 
ISLANDS,  COLLECTED  BY  THE  LATE  DR.  J.  I. 
NORTHROP ' 

By  J.  Playfair  McMurrich,  Ph.D. 

(Read  April  ii,  1896.) 

The  Actinians  which  form  the  subject  of  this  paper  were  collected 
by  the  late  Dr.  J.  I.  Northrop,  of  Columbia  College,  during  a  visit  to 
the  Bahama  Islands  some  years  ago.  It  had  been  Dr.  Northrop's 
intention  to  work  over  the  collection  himself.  Before  his  lamented 
death  he  had  studied  several  species  more  or  less  thoroughly.  The 
drawings  and  preparations  which  he  had  made  were  intrusted  to  me, 
together  with  the  collection,  by  Mrs.  Northrop,  and  have  proved  of 
great  assistance  in  determining  the  affinities  of  certain  forms.  Espe- 
cially was  this  true  in  regard  to  Heteractis  lucida,  whose  systematic 
position  Dr.  Northrop  had  correctly  determined,  and  the  notes  on 
Diplactis  bermudensis  and  Isaurus  duchassaingi  were  also  very  full. 

I  have  taken  pains  to  verify  all  the  important  facts  contained  in  the 
notes,  and  it  has  seemed  more  convenient  for  the  present  purpose  to 
describe  in  my  own  words  the  various  forms  to  be  considered,  rather 
than  to  attempt  a  rearrangement  of  Dr.  Northrop's  notes  with  such 
additions  as  might  seem  necessary. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  species  in  the  collection. 

HEXACTINI^ 
Suborder  Actininae 

Family  SAGARTID^ 

1.  Aiptasia  tagetes  (Duch.  &  Mich.)  Andr. 

2.  Heteractis  lucida  Duch.  &  Mich. 

Family  ANTHEAD^ 

3.  Condylactis  passijiora  Duch.  &  Mich. 

1  Annals  N.  Y.  Acad.  Sci.,  Vol.  IX,  July,  1896.  —  13. 
103 


104      ACTINIANS   FROM  THE   BAHAMA  ISLANDS 

"  ""^~  Family  DENDROMELID^ 

4.  Lebrunea  neglecta  Duch.  &  Mich. 

Family  PHYLLACTID.E 

5.  Diplactis  bermudensis  McMurr. 

Suborder  Stichodactylinae 

Family  DISCOSOMID^ 

6.  Discosoma  anemone  (Ellis)  Duch. 

Family  RHODACTIDiE 

7.  Rhodadis  sancti-thomce  (Duch.  &  Mich.)  McMurr. 

8.  Ricordea  florida  Duch.  &  Mich. 

Family  PHYMANTHID^ 

9.  Phymanthus  crucifer  (Lesueur)  Andres. 

ZOANTHE^ 

10.  Zoanthus  sociatus  (Ells)  Lesueur. 

11.  Zoanthus  nymphcBUs  Lesueur. 

12.  Isaurus  duchassaingi  Andres. 

13.  Palythoa  flava  (Lesueur)  Duch.  &  Mich. 

14.  Gemmaria  isolata  McM. 

Certain  of  these  forms  I  have  already  described  ('89),  and  conse- 
quently shall  not  consider  in  detail  here ;  a  few  others  require  but  brief 
notice,  while  three  others  require  a  more  thorough  description.  I  shall 
consider  the  forms  belonging  to  the  last  two  groups  in  the  order  in 
which  they  are  named  in  the  above  list. 

Family  SAGARTID^ 

Heteractis  lucida  Duch.  &  Mich. 

Synonyms:  Capnea  lucida  Duch.  &  Mich,      i860  (PI.  VI,  Figs.  9  and  12). 
Heteractis  lucida  Duch.  8z:  Mich.     1866. 
Ragactis  lucida  Andres.     1883. 

Several  specimens  of  this  form  were  contained  in  the  collection 
which  offered  accordingly  opportunities  for  an  accurate  determination 
of  its  systematic  affinities. 


ACTINIANS   FROM   THE   BAHAMA   ISLANDS      105 

In  the  contracted  condition  the  animal  is  generally  somewhat 
flattened,  measuring  in  height  1.5-2.0  cm.,  and  in  diameter  about  2  cm., 
the  base  being  usually  a  little  smaller  than  the  upper  part  of  the  col- 
umn. Dr.  Northrop's  notes  contain  no  statement  as  to  the  coloration 
of  the  living  animal,  but  according  to  Duchassaing  and  Michelotti  the 
mouth  is  white,  surrounded  by  a  band  of  brilliant  yellow,  and  the  ten- 
tacles have  the  appearance  of  white  glass. 

The  mesogloea  of  the  column  walls  is  rather  thin,  and  in  much  con- 
tracted forms  may  appear  as  if  provided  on  its  endodermal  side  vdth 
numerous  distinct  processes,  which  give  to  the  column  wall  a  ridged 
or  checkered  appearance.  Toward  the  upper  part  of  the  column  are 
numerous  cinclides,  not  readily  distinguishable  in  all  preserved  speci- 
mens and  apparently  without  any  very  definite  arrangements,  though 
they  are  confined  entirely  to  the  upper  part  of  the  column,  none  being 
found  below  the  middle. 

There  is  a  distinct  collar  and  fosse  in  the  preserved  specimens  just 
above  the  cinclidal  region  of  the  column,  and  at  that  portion  of  the  wall 
which  forms  the  floor  of  the  fosse  the  endodermal  muscle  processes 
are  considerably  higher  than  elsewhere  in  the  column  wall,  and  form 
what  may  be  termed  a  diffuse  endodermal  sphincter.  The  true 
sphincter  lies,  however,  higher  up,  just  below  the  point  where  the  tenta- 
cles arise,  and  is  a  weak  structure  embedded  in  the  mesogloea,  which  is 
hardly  appreciably  thickened  for  its  reception.  It  consists  of  a  few 
rather  scattered  cavities,  arranged  practically  in  a  single  row  and  con- 
taining the  remains  of  muscle  cells;  it  is  not  strong  enough  to  produce 
complete  inclosure  of  the  tentacles. 

On  account  of  the  position  of  the  sphincter  the  collar  cannot  be 
regarded  as  the  margin.  Indeed  there  is  no  distinct  margin,  the  upper 
part  of  the  column  wall  passing  directly  over  into  the  bases  of  the 
tentacles,  so  that,  in  the  usual  formula,  it  is  necessary  to  say  that  the 
margin  is  tentaculate.  The  tentacles  are  rather  numerous,  apparently 
somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  192,  though  an  accurate  count  is 
difficult  in  the  preserved  specimens  on  account  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  cycles  are  crowded  together  towards  the  margin.  They  vary  some- 
what in  length  in  the  various  specimens  I  have  examined,  owing  to  dif- 
ference of  contraction,  but  the  average  may  be  put  at  i  cm.  The  most 
interesting  feature  of  the  tentacles  is,  however,  the  occurrence  upon  them 
of  a  large  number  of  spherical  protuberances  scattered  over  their  sur- 


106      ACTINIANS   FROM   THE   BAHAMA   ISLANDS 

face  without  any  apparent  regularity,  though  more  abundant  upon  the 
oral  than  on  the  aboral  surfaces.  In  section  (pi.,  fig.  i)  these  are  seen 
to  be  hollow  outpushings  of  the  wall  of  the  tentacles.  The  wall  of  the 
tentacle  proper  has  a  moderately  thick  mesogloea,  the  ectodermal  and 
endodermal  muscle  processes  being  rather  low,  the  ectoderm  possess- 
ing but  few  nematocysts,  and  the  endoderm  being  thin  with  only  a  few 
Zooxanthellae.  The  wall  of  the  protrusion  differs  not  a  little  from  this ; 
thus  the  mesogloea  is  much  thinner,  the  muscle  processes  are  aborted, 
the  ectoderm  is  richly  provided  with  nematocysts,  so  that  the  protru- 
sions might  be  termed  batteries  of  nematocysts,  and  the  endoderm  is 
thick  and  abundantly  packed  with  Zooxanthellag. 

The  tentacles  leave,  exposed  a  considerable  portion  of  the  disk, 
perhaps  about  half  its  breadth,  and  this  portion  is  smooth  and  slightly 
concave.  Its  mesogloea  is  rather  thin,  and  the  muscle  processes  are  but 
moderate  in  length.  No  muscle  cells  are  inclosed  within  the  mesogloea. 
The  mouth  is  not  elevated  above  the  disk,  and  is  almost  circular  in  the 
preserved  specimens,  the  gonidial  angles  being  but  slightly  marked. 

In  the  single  specimen  in  which  I  counted  the  mesenteries  there  were 
forty-eight  pairs,  a  number  which  agrees  with  that  found  by  Dr. 
Northrop  in  another  specimen.  Of  these  forty-eight  pairs  but  six 
are  perfect,  forming  the  first  cycle;  the  six  pairs  of  the  second  cycle 
nearly  equal  the  first  cycle  in  size,  but  are  imperfect ;  the  twelve  of  the 
third  cycle  are  considerably  smaller,  though  still  quite  muscular;  while 
the  twenty-four  pairs  of  the  fourth  cycle,  though  extending  some  dis- 
tance in  from  the  body  wall, -yet  have  their  musculature  but  feebly 
developed.  Two  pairs  of  directives  are  present  and  are  attached  to  a 
greater  extent  of  the  stomatodaeum  than  are  the  other  mesenteries  of 
the  first  cycle.  The  longitudinal  muscles  are  well  developed  and  have 
in  section  the  form  represented  in  fig.  2.  The  parieto-basilar  muscles 
are  but  feebly  represented  and  do  not  require  special  description. 
Numerous  acontia  occur,  a  fact  that  was  discovered  by  Dr.  Northrop. 
None  of  the  specimens  examined  possessed  reproductive  organs,  so 
that  nothing  can  be  said  regarding  the  distribution  of  these  organs. 

There  seems  to  be  no  room  for  doubt  but  that  this  form  is  identical 
with  that  described  by  Duchassaing  and  Michelotti  in  their  first  paper 
('60)  as  Capnea  lucida  though  later  ('66)  assigned  to  the  genus  Heter- 
actis,  a  genus  established  by  Milne-Edwards  for  the  reception  of  the 
Actinia  aurora  of  Quoy  and  Gaimard.    Andres  {'8^)  has  referred  it  to 


ACTINIANS    FROM   THE    BAHAMA   ISLANDS       107 

the  genus  Ragactis,  which  he  established  for  a  species,  R.  pulchra, 
discovered  by  him  in  the  Mediterranean.  The  distinction  between 
Ragactis  and  Heteractis  concerns  practically  the  tentacles  only,  the 
evaginations  upon  these  structures  being  in  the  former  genus  small 
and  appearing  as  tubercles,  while  in  the  latter  they  involve  the  entire 
circumference  of  the  tentacle,  which  thus  becomes  moniliform.  How 
far  this  distinction  is  valid  can  only  be  determined  by  further  examina- 
tion of  the  anatomy  of  the  various  species  assigned  to  the  two  genera, 
and  for  the  present  it  seems  to  me  more  convenient  to  retain  for  the 
species  under  discussion  the  name  proposed  by  its  sponsors. 

An  interesting  fact  which  has  developed  from  the  examination  of 
H.  lucida  is  that  it  is  unquestionably  a  Sagartid.  The  occurrence  of 
acontia  (to  which  my  attention  was  first  called  by  Dr.  Northrop)  and 
of  cinclides,  the  existence  of  only  six  perfect  mesenteries  and  the  meso- 
gloeal  sphincter  point  indubitably  to  this  relationship,  and  it  will  be 
interesting  to  know  whether  Ragactis  pulchra  and  the  other  species 
assigned  to  the  genus  Heteractis  are  likewise  Sagartids.  Andres  has 
grouped  together  in  the  family  Heteractidae  several  genera,  e.g.  in 
addition  to  the  two  already  mentioned,  Eloactis,  Rhopalactis,  and 
Stauractis.  Of  these,  as  I  have  already  suggested  ('93),  the  genus 
Eloactis,  as  judged  by  the  species  E.  Mazeli,  is  probably  with  greater 
propriety  referable  to  the  family  Halcampidae,  and  I  have  now  shown 
that  one  at  least  of  the  members  of  the  genus  Ragactis  must  also  be 
transferred  to  another  family.  Families  based  upon  mere  external 
characters  have  no  firm  foundation,  tentacles  may  vary  enormously 
in  shape,  warts  or  tubercles  may  be  absent  or  present  within  the  limits 
of  the  same  family,  and  cases  like  the  present  show,  if  proof  be  still 
wanting,  that  the  criteria  for  a  proper  classification  of  the  Actiniaria 
are  to  be  obtained  only  by  the  careful  study  of  the  internal  anatomy  of 
the  various  forms. 

We  must  add  then,  provisionally,  to  the  genera  included  in  the 
family  Sagartidas,  the  genus  Heteractis,  since  one  of  the  forms  assigned 
to  it  has  proved  to  be  a  typical  Sagartid.  Whether,  however,  tlie  type 
species  of  the  genus,  H.  aurora,  will  also  prove  to  be  a  Sagartid,  or 
whether  it  will  be  necessary  to  remove  H.  lucida  from  the  genus  Heter- 
actis, remains  to  be  determined.  And  furthermore  the  affinities  of 
Ragactis  pulchra  must  also  be  accurately  studied  before  the  proper 
generic  term  for  H.  lucida  can  be  finally  determined. 


108      ACTINIANS   FROM   THE   BAHAMA   ISLANDS 

Family  DENDROMELID^ 

In  my  earlier  paper  ('89)  on  West  Indian  Actiniaria  I  proposed  a 
new  subtribe  Dendromelinae  for  the  reception  of  the  peculiar  form 
Lebrunea  neglecta  discovered  by  Duchassaing  and  Michelotti  ('60) 
and  proposed  to  place  in  it  also  the  genus  Ophiodiscus  described  by 
R.  Hertwig  ('82).  Since  that  time  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
I  gave  the  group  too  high  a  mark  and  have  suggested  ('93)  its  reduction 
to  a  family  of  the  subtribe  Actininae.  With  the  two  forms  already  men- 
tioned it  seems  that  a  third  should  be  associated,  namely,  the  Hoplo- 
phoria  coralligens  described  by  H.  V.  Wilson  ('90),  which,  as  I  have 
already  pointed  out  elsewhere  ('93),  seems  to  be  identical  with  the 
Viatrix  glohulifera  described  by  Duchassaing  and  Michelotti  ('60). 

Lebrunea  neglecta  Duch.  &  Mich,     i860 

A  single  specimen  of  this  form  was  in  the  collection,  and  being 
unwilling  to  injure  it,  I  have  nothing  to  add  to  the  description  of  the 
structure  given  in  my  earlier  paper.  It  may  be  stated,  however,  that 
the  number  of  pseudotentacles  is  in  this  individual  six,  just  as  they 
were  in  the  other  specimens  examined;  one,  however,  is  considerably 
smaller  than  the  others. 

Family  PHYLLACTID.E 

Diplactis  bermudensis  McMurrich.     1889 

This  species  I  described  ('89^^)  originally  from  alcoholic  specimens 
from  the  Bermudas  and  was  pleased  to  find  it  represented  in  the 
present  collection  by  several  specimens,  together  with  a  drawing  (here 
reproduced  in  pi.  xvii,  fig.  3)  and  a  description  of  the  living  animal. 
I  have  nothing  to  add  to  my  original  account  of  the  anatomical  char- 
acteristics of  the  species,  but  am  able  to  complete  it  by  abstracting 
from  Dr.  Northrop's  notes  a  description  of  the  coloration  and  form  of 
the  living  animal. 

The  column  is  chocolate-brown  in  color,  and  when  the  animal  is 
expanded,  has  a  greater  diameter  at  the  base  and  at  the  upper  part 
than  in  the  middle  of  its  length,  the  upper  part  forming  a  slight  parapet 
projecting  above  the  level  of  the  disk.  The  tentacles  are  brownish  red 
in  color  and  the  disk  rufous,  that  is  to  say,  somewhat  paler  than  the 
tentacles.     The  papillae  which  represent  the  fronds  Dr.  Northrop 


ACTINIANS    FROM   THE    BAHAMA   ISLANDS      109 

apparently  overlooked,  inasmuch  as  they  would  be  completely  hidden 
by  the  expanded  tentacles,  and  even  in  preserved  specimens  they  are 
only  to  be  found  by  careful  examination.  What  their  appearance  and 
form  may  be  in  the  living  condition  cannot  therefore  be  stated  here. 

The  occurrence  of  this  species  in  the  Bahamas  as  well  as  in  the 
Bermudas  suggests  the  possibility  of  its  identity  with  one  of  the  forms 
described  by  Duchassaing  and  Michelotti,  and  in  studying  their  de- 
scriptions two  species  are  found  to  be  worthy  of  remark  in  this  connec- 
tion. The  first  of  these  is  the  Actinia  aster  mentioned  by  Ellis  ('86) 
and  described  by  him  as  having  "  a  thick,  fleshy,  smooth,  and  almost 
cylindrical  stem,  ending  abruptly  at  the  top,  w^hich  is  provided  with 
circular  rows  of  tentacles."  This  description  contains  nothing  that  is 
particularly  distinctive,  but  nevertheless  Duchassaing  and  Michelotti 
('66)  have  identified  with  it  a  form  which  they  describe  as  about  an 
inch  in  height  and  with  the  tentacles  ringed  with  white  and  brown,  while 
the  body  and  disk  are  ^^  color es  en  rougedtre  et  en  bleu  tres-clair.^'' 
Taking  this  latter  description  as  a  guide  for  the  identification  of  A. 
aster,  it  will  be  seen  that  while  making  the  necessary  allowances  for  the 
uncertainties  which  are  associated  with  color  descriptions,  there  is  a 
certain  vague  approximation  of  the  coloration  to  that  of  Diplactis 
hermudensis ;  nevertheless,  the  discrepancies  are  too  great  to  allow  of 
an  identification  of  the  two  forms.  Dr.  Northrop's  notes  contains  no 
statements  as  to  variations  in  color  of  D.  hermudensis,  and  until  it  is 
found  that  these  exist  and  that  they  approximate  the  coloration 
described  for  A.  aster,  it  seems  better  to  consider  the  two  forms  dis- 
tinct. 

Another  form  also  presents  possibilities  in  this  connection,  viz. 
the  Anemonia  depressa  of  Duchassaing  and  Michelotti  ('6o),  a  form 
with  a  large  disk  yellowish  in  color,  with  tentacles  shorter  than  the 
diameter  of  the  disk,  and  tinted  with  shades  of  blue  and  reddish 
{^'leurs  nuances  sont  le  bleu  et  le  rougedtre'^).  A  figure  is  given  of  the 
disk  and  tentacles  of  this  form  and  might  answer  for  those  of  D. 
bermudensis,  and  if  the  mention  of  ^'le  bleu^^  were  omitted,  the  color 
descriptions  would  correspond  fairly  well.  Of  the  two  possibilities 
I  think  the  identity  of  Diplactis  bermudensis  with  A  nemonia  depressa 
is  the  more  probable  one,  but  even  here  the  uncertainty  is  too  great 
to  justify  the  identification  without  further  evidence,  and  for  the 
present  it  seems  wiser  to  allow  the  name  used  here  to  stand. 


110      ACTINIANS   FROM   THE   BAHAMA   ISLANDS 

Family  RHODACTID^ 
Ricordea  florida  Duch.  and  Mich,     i860 
Synonym:  Heteranthus  floridus  (D.  &  M.)  McMurrich.     1889. 

In  my  paper  on  the  Bahama  Actiniaria  I  described  this  form  as  a 
species  of  Klunzinger's  genus  Heteranthus,  disregarding  the  name 
bestowed  upon  it  by  Duchassaing  and  Michelotti  on  the  ground  that 
the  characters  assigned  to  the  genus  by  those  authors  were  specific 
rather  than  generic,  and  therefore  insufficient,  while  Klunzinger's 
definition  of  his  genus  was  quite  adequate.  Although  this  criticism 
still  seems  to  me  to  be  just,  yet,  nevertheless,  according  to  the  strict 
laws  of  priority,  Duchassaing  and  Michelotti's  name  is  the  one  which 
should  be  employed,  and  I  take  this  opportunity  of  correcting  my  error 
in  the  matter. 

Attention  may  also  be  called  to  the  probability  of  the  genus  Ho- 
mactis  established  by  Verrill  ('69),  being  identical  with  Klunzinger's 
Heteranthus,  so  that  it  too  has  a  claim  prior  to  Heteranthus,  the 
latter  genus  not  having  been  established  until  1877.  Ricordea  is, 
however,  prior  to  both,  and  therefore  should  supplant  them. 

Family  ZOANTHID^ 

Zoanthus  njmiphaeus  (Les.) 

Synonyms:  Mammillifera  nymphcBa  Lesueur.     181 7. 
Palythoa  nymphosa  Dana.     1849. 
Palythoa  (Mammothoa)  nymphosa  Andres.     1883. 

In  181 7  Lesueur  established  the  genus  Mammillifera  for  the  recep- 
tion of  two  Zoanthids  (which  he  named  M.  auricula  and  M.  nymphcea), 
and  characterized  the  genus  as  containing  those  forms  which  possess 
"  a  large  cuticular  expansion,  serving  as  the  base  of  numerous  animals, 
which,  when  contracted,  assume  the  form  of  mammae."  Andres  (^S^) 
unites  this  genus  with  Palythoa,  making  it  a  subgenus  for  which  he 
proposes  the  name  Mammothoa,  but  this  is  evidently  an  error,  since 
he  characterized  the  genus  Palythoa  as  having  sandy  incrustations  in 
the  column  walls,  while  Lesueur  distinctly  gives  it  to  be  understood  that 
his  species  of  Mammillifera  have  fleshy  walls.  Erdmann  in  '85 
revived  Lesueur's  genus,  though,  as  Haddon  and  Shackleton  (^91) 
have  pointed  out,  it  is  questionable  if  the  form  he  referred  to  the  genus 


ACTINIANS    FROM   THE    BAHAMA   ISLANDS      111 

can  be  associated  with  Lesueur's  type  species,  and  it  is  interesting 
accordingly  to  have  an  account  of  the  structure  of  one  of  Lesueur's 
species,  in  order  that  the  true  position  of  his  genus  may  be  determined. 

Among  the  slides  which  Dr.  Northrop  had  prepared  I  find  a 
number  of  a  Zoanthid  which  he  had  provisionally  designated  No.  3, 
and  also  a  number  of  drawings  of  the  same  form,  one  of  which  was  the 
figure  of  the  group  of  individuals  taken  from  preserved  specimens 
(fig.  4).  Unfortunately,  in  the  material  forwarded  me  there  were  no 
examples  of  this  No.  3,  but  there  were  specimens  of  a  form  which  the 
accompanying  label  stated  to  have  been  collected  by  Dr.  E.  A.  An- 
drews at  Green  Turtle  Cay,  Bahama  Islands.  This  form  resembled  in 
general  appearance  the  drawing  of  No.  3,  and  preparations  which  I 
made  of  it  demonstrated  with  certainty  its  identity  with  Dr.  Northrop's 
No.  3. 

As  regards  its  identity  with  Lesueur's  M.  nymphcea,  there  must 
necessarily  be  a  certain  amount  of  uncertainty.  It  agrees  with  the 
figure  of  M.  auricula  given  in  Lesueur's  paper,  and  it  answers  the 
generic  description ;  unfortunately,  I  find  no  memoranda  of  its  colora- 
tion, and  base  the  identification  with  nymphcea,  rather  than  with  auri- 
cula, on  the  number  of  tentacles,  which  is  about  fifty,  and  which 
Lesueur  states  to  be  about  fifty  in  the  former  species  and  from  twenty- 
six  to  thirty  in  the  latter. 

The  individual  polyps  composing  a  colony  are  seated  close  together 
upon  a  coenenchymatous  expansion,  and  reach  in  preserved  specimens 
a  height  of  about  2-3.5  mm.,  the  measurement  being  taken  from  the 
point  of  attachment  to  the  coenenchyme.  The  diameter  of  the  column 
is  about  3  or  4  mm.  at  the  top,  slightly  less  lower  down,  and  the  capitu- 
lum  shows  clearly  a  number  of  radiating  ridges. 

The  column  wall  is  smooth  and  without  embedded  particles  of 
foreign  matter.  In  structure  it  resembles  closely  what  has  been 
described  ior  Zoanthus  sociatus,  the  same  large  lacunar  spaces  occurring 
in  the  mesogloea,  while  the  ectoderm  is  enclosed  within  the  outermost 
portion  of  the  mesogloea,  being  covered  by  a  mesogloeal  subcuticula, 
and  by  a  cuticle,  much  more  distinct  in  some  specimens  than  in  others. 
The  sphincter  muscle,  which,  for  diagnostic  purposes  seems  to  be  of 
great  importance  in  the  Zoantheae,  is  double,  the  two  parts  being  well 
marked  off  from  one  another.  The  arrangement  is  shown  in  fig.  5, 
and  from  this  it  will  be  seen  that  the  upper  portion  of  the  sphincter  is 


112      ACTINIANS    FROM   THE   BAHAMA   ISLANDS 

small,  while  the  lower  is  of  some  length  and  in  its  upper  part  is  com- 
posed of  a  few  large  cavities  which  occupy  the  entire  thickness  of  the 
mesogloea,  lower  down  the  cavities  becoming  smaller,  but  being  for 
the  most  part  more  or  less  circular.  The  figure  will,  however,  give  a 
better  idea  of  its  arrangement  than  many  lines  of  description,  and  from 
it  it  will  be  seen  that  in  the  number  and  arrangement  of  the  muscle 
cavities  the  sphincter  differs  from  that  of  any  other  form  which  has 
hitherto  been  described,  particularly  from  that  of  the  form  described 
by  Hertwig  ('88),  as  [Z.  Dance j  the  sphincter  of  which  has  been  de- 
scribed by  Erdmann  ('85),  and  which  might  possibly  be  considered 
identical  with  the  form  under  consideration. 

The  tentacles  are  completely  infolded  in  the  majority  of  the  indi- 
viduals of  the  colonies  I  have  examined,  being  visible,  however,  in  a 
few  cases.  They  are  short,  as  is  usual  in  Zoanthids,  and  are  arranged 
in  two  cycles,  their  number  being  in  the  neighborhood  of  fifty — fifty-six 
in  one  specimen  in  which  they  could  be  counted.  Nothing  worthy  of 
note  was  observed  in  connection  with  the  disk,  but  in  connection  with 
the  stomatodaeum  it  may  be  stated  that  its  siphonoglyph  was  deep, 
about  one-third  of  the  total  surface  of  the  stomatodaeum  being  occu- 
pied by  its  smooth  walls. 

The  mesenteries  are  arranged  in  the  microtype  (brachycnemic, 
Haddon),  and  there  are  about  twenty-eight  to  thirty- two  pairs.  Each 
has  a  single  lacunar  space  near  its  point  of  attachment  to  the  column 
wall,  and  its  mesogloea  is  thinner  than  is  usual.  Three  of  the  individuals 
were  sexually  mature,  and  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  both  ova  and 
spermatozoa  were  present  in  the  same  individual,  this  species,  like  that 
observed  by  Erdmann  ('85),  being  hermaphrodite. 


Isatirus  Duchassaingi  (Andres) 

Synonyms:  Zoanthus  tuberculatus  Duch.  &  Mich.  i860. 
Antinedia  tuberculata  Duch,  &  Mich.  1864. 
Antinedia  Duchassaingi  Andres.     1883. 

This  species  was  originally  described  by  Duchassaing,  in  a  paper 
('50)  to  which  I  have  notjaccess  at  present,  as  Zoanthus  tuberculatus, 
the  generic  name  being  supplanted  in  a  subsequent  paper  ('64)  by 
Antinedia.  In  my  paper  on  the  Actiniaria  of  the  Bermudas  ('89a) 
I  considered  this  latter  genus  to  be  identical  with  the  genus  Mammilli- 
fera  as  defined  by  Erdmann  ('85) ;  since  then  Haddon,  in  a  paper  writ- 


ACTINIANS    FROM   THE   BAHAMA   ISLANDS      113 

ten  in  conjunction  with  Miss  Shackleton  ('91),  has  shown  that  there 
is  little  probability  that  the  species  assigned  to  the  genus  Mammillifera 
by  Erdmaun  present  the  characters  of  the  forms  upon  which  that  genus 
was  founded  by  Lesueur  ('17),  and  employs  the  generic  term  used  by 
Gray  ('28)  for  a  tuberculate  Zoanthid.  I  agree  with  Haddon's  con- 
clusions as  to  this  matter,  and  have  therefore  followed  his  example  in 
using  the  name  Isaurus. 

The  form  described  by  Gray  was  from  an  unknown  locality  and  was 
given  the  specific  name  tuherculatus.  I  found  among  the  Bermudan 
forms  which  I  studied  a  species  which  seemed  to  agree  closely  with 
Gray's  descriptions,  and  I  identified  it  with  his  species.  At  the  same 
time  I  also  identified  the  species  described  by  Duchassaing  and 
Michelotti  with  this  same  form,  an  identification  I  now  find  to  have 
been  erroneous.  The  tuberculate  Zoanthid  in  the  Northrop  collection 
is  undoubtedly  identical  with  the  form  described  by  Duchassaing  and 
Michelotti,  but  it  presents  unmistakable  differences  from  the  Bermuda 
species,  and  must  be  regarded  as  distinct  from  it.  The  specific  name 
given  by  Duchassaing  and  Michelotti  being  preoccupied  by  Gray's 
species,  a  new  name  must  be  bestowed,  and  the  term  proposed  by 
Andres  ('83)  seems  most  appropriate.  Duchassaing  and  Michelotti's 
species  may  therefore  be  known  as  Isaurus  duchassaingi. 

The  appearance  of  the  living  animal  in  its  contracted  condition  is 
shown  in  fig.  6,  and  I  take  the  following  description  of  it  from  Dr. 
Northrop's  notes.  The  animals  are  found  growing  in  groups  of  five  or 
six,  for  the  most  part  disconnected,  though  one  specimen  had  con- 
nected with  it  a  smaller  individual,  evidently  produced  by  budding, 
and  it  may  be  presumed  that  each  group  owes  its  existence  to  this 
process,  the  various  individuals  separating  from  one  another  after  a 
time.  Duchassaing  and  Michelotti  figure  two  individuals  united  by  a 
stolon-like  coenenchyme,  but  in  the  preserved  individuals  I  examined 
separation  had  taken  place.  In  color  the  polyps  were  yellowish,  closely 
resembling  their  surroundings,  the  disk  and  tentacles  being  of  the  same 
color  as  the  column.  The  base  is  firmly  adherent,  and  the  column  is 
"nearly  cylindrical,  but  generally  contracted  near  the  base  and  often 
at  intervals  above,  giving  the  animal  a  rather  grotesque  appearance. 
When  slightly  contracted  the  column  bears  a  number  of  tubercles, 
which,  though  irregularly  distributed,  are  more  numerous  near  the 
top.     In  preserved  and  contracted  specimens  these  tubercles  are 


114      ACTINIANS   FROM   THE   BAHAMA   ISLANDS 

quite  conspicuous."  I  can  add  to  this  statement  as  to  the  distribution 
of  the  tubercles  the  fact  that  the  tubercles  are  more  numerous  and  more 
perfectly  developed  upon  one  side  of  the  column  than  on  the  other,  the 
arrangement  described  by  Haddon  and  Miss  Shackleton  ('91)  for 
I.  asymmetricus  being  thus  recalled. 

The  column  wall  is  very  much  thinner  than  that  of  /.  tuherculatus, 
and  in  addition  does  not  show  any  of  the  large  canals  filled  with  cells,  so 
abundant  in  the  Bermudan  form.  Numerous  canaliculi  and  scattered 
cells,  the  latter  frequently  placed  in  the  canaliculi,  occur,  the  mesogloea 
being  otherwise  structureless.  The  ectoderm  of  the  column  presents 
the  arrangement  which  is  usual  in  Zoanthids,  being  covered  by  a  layer 
of  mesogloea,  the  subcuticula,  from  which  trabeculae  extend  inwards 
to  unite  with  the  general  mesogloea,  cavities  being  thus  formed  which 
inclose  packets  of  ectoderm  cells  (fig.  7).  Externally  to  the  subcuticula 
is  a  delicate  cuticula  to  which  foreign  particles  adhere,  and  the  ectoderm 
cells  contain  numerous  Zooxanthellae.  This  arrangement  is  identical 
with  what  I  have  described  for  /.  tuherculatus  ('89a),  and  agrees  in  its 
essential  particulars  with  the  accounts  of  the  majority  of  the  authors 
who  have  given  the  matter  their  attention.  Quite  recently  Von  Heider 
('95),  in  his  account  of  Zoanthus  chierchice,  has  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  trabeculae  which  separate  the  various  packets  of  ectoderm  are 
cells,  and  that  the  subcuticula  is  formed  by  the  fusion  of  their  outer 
ends.  Such  an  interpretation  of  the  appearances  is  certainly  not 
applicable  to  either  of  the  species  of  Isaurus  I  have  examined;  the 
trabeculae  are  so  thick  that  their  continuity  with  the  mesogloea  is  be- 
yond question,  and,  furthermore,  the  structure  of  the  subcuticula  shows 
it  to  be  identical  with  the  matrix  of  the  mesogloea.  Nor  do  the 
appearances  presented  by  such  a  form  as  Zoanthus  sociatus  warrant 
the  belief  that  the  trabeculae  are  otherwise  constituted  than  in  Isaurus, 
and  so  far  as  my  observations  are  concerned  they  tend  to  show  that 
the  conclusions  of  Von  Heider  are  erroneous. 

The  tubercles  are  thickenings  of  the  mesogloea,  but  each  contains 
also  a  cavity  lined  with  cells  continuous  with  the  endoderm.  Dr. 
Northrop's  notes  contain  the  following  description  of  the  tubercles: 
"  In  places  the  mesogloea  contains  on  its  inner  side  deep  cavities  which 
axe  lined  by  the  endodermis.  The  muscular  layer  of  the  mesogloea, 
however,  does  not  enter  the  cavity,  but  forms  a  ring  aroimd  its  base 
(i.e.  its  mouth),  so  that  when  contraction  takes  place,  the  base  of  the 


ACTINIANS   FROM   THE   BAHAMA   ISLANDS      115 

cavity  is  drawn  up  like  a  purse  and  the  body  wall  bulges  out  and  forms 
a  tubercle." 

The  upper  portion  of  the  column,  which,  in  completely  contracted 
individuals,  forms  the  apex,  is  destitute  of  tubercles  and  is  furnished 
with  numerous  longitudinal  ridges.  The  sphincter  muscle  is  strong 
and  has  the  form  represented  in  fig.  8,  being  simple,  though  showing 
a  tendency  to  be  divided  into  two  parts,  an  evident  constriction  (cr) 
occurring  upon  it.  This  is  not  an  individual  peculiarity,  as  I  have 
found  it  in  three  individuals  examined,  and  it  is  interesting  as  forming 
an  intermediate  condition  between  the  simple  sphincter  of  I.  tuhercula- 
tus  and  the  double  one  of  the  genus  Zoanthus. 

The  tentacles  are  arranged  in  two  rows,  and  their  number  seems  to 
be  double  that  of  the  pairs  of  mesenteries. 

The  mesenteries  are  arranged  on  the  microtype,  and  vary  in  num- 
ber in  the  different  individuals  from  eighteen  to  twenty-three  pairs. 
They  are  much  more  slender  than  those  of  /.  tuberculatus,  and  though 
thickened  towards  their  insertion  with  the  column  wall,  yet  this  thick- 
ening is  slight  when  compared  with  that  of  tuberculatus.  Two  or  three 
slightly  elongated  (in  section)  canals  are  found  in  the  thickened  portion 
of  the  perfect  mesenteries,  the  imperfect  ones  containing  but  one  canal. 
No  reproductive  organs  occurred  in  any  of  the  specimens  examined. 

The  stomatodasum  presents  a  well-developed  siphonoglyphe,  and 
its  surface  is  thrown  into  numerous  marked  ridges  which  correspond 
in  a  general  way,  but  not  accurately,  with  the  intervals  between  suc- 
cessive pairs  of  perfect  mesenteries. 

LIST  OF   REFERENCES 

1886.  Ellis,  J.  —  The  Natural  History  of  Many  Curious  and  Uncommon  Zo- 
ophytes collected  from  Various  Parts  of  the  Globe,  systematically  arranged 
and  described  by  Daniel  Solander.     London.     1786. 

1817.  Lesueur,  C.  a.  —  Observations  on  Several  Species  of  the  Genus  Actinia; 
illustrated  by  figures.  —  Journ.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Philadelphia.  Vol.  I. 
1817. 

1828.   Gray,  J,  E.  —  Spicilegia  Zoologica.    London.     1828. 

1850.   DucHASSAiNG,  P.  —  Animaux  radiaires  des  Antilles.     Paris.     1850. 

i860.  DucHASSAiNG,  P.  ET  MiCHELOTTi,  G.  —  Memoire  sur  les  Coralliaires  des 
Antilles.  —  Mem.  de  VAcad.  Sci.    Turin.     Ser.  II.     Tome  XIX.     i860. 

1864.  DUCHASSAING,  P.  ET  MiCHELOTTi,  G.  —  Supplement  an  Memoire  sur  les 
Coralliaires  des  Antilles.  Mem.  de  VAcad.  Sci.  Turin.  Ser.  II.  Tome 
XXII.     1864. 


116      ACTINTANS   FROM  THE   BAHAMA   ISLANDS 

1882.  Hertwig,  R.  —  Report  on  the  Actiniaria.  Scient.  Results  of  the  Voyage  of 
H.  M.  S.  Challenger  during  the  Years  1873-1876.  Zoology.  Vol.  VI, 
Part  XV.     1882. 

1883.  Andres,  A.  —  Le  Attinie.     Atti  dei  Lincei.     Ser.  3.     Vol.  XIV.     1883. 
1885.   Erdmann,  a.  —  Ueber  einige  neue  Zoantheen.     Ein  Beitrag  zur  ana- 

tomischen  und  systematischen  Kenntniss  der  Actinien.     Jenaische  Zeit- 
schr.  Naturwiss.     Bd.  XIX.     1885. 

1888.  Hertwig,  R.  —  Report  on  the  Actiniaria.  Supplement.  Scient.  Results 
of  the  Voyage  of  H.  M.  S.  Challenger  during  Years  1873-1876.  Zoology. 
Vol.  XXVI,  Part  LXXXIII.     1888. 

1889.  McMuRRiCH,  J.  P.  —  The  Actiniaria  of  the  Bahama  Islands,  W.I.  Jour- 
nal of  Morphology.    Vol.  III.     1889. 

1889a.  McMuRRiCH,  J.  P.  —  A  Contribution  to  the  Actinology  of  the  Bermudas. 
Proc.  of  the  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.     Philadelphia.     1889. 

1890.  Wilson,  H.  V.  —  On  a  new  Actinia,  Hoplophoria  coralligens.  Studies 
from  the  Biolog.  Labor.  Johns  Hopkins  Univ.    Vol.  IV.     1890. 

1891.  Haddon,  a.  C,  and  Shackleton,  Alice  M.  —  Reports  on  the  Zoological 
Collections  made  in  Torres  Straits,  by  Professor  A.  C.  Haddon,  1888-1889. 
Actiniae.  I.  Zoantheae.  Scient.  Trans.  Royal  Dublin  Soc.  Ser.  II.  Vol. 
IV.     1891. 

1893.  McMuRRiCH,  J.  p.  —  Report  on  the  Actiniae  collected  by  the  U.  S.  Fish 
Commission  Steamer  Albatross^  during  the  Winter  of  1887-1888.  Proc. 
U.  S.  Nat.  Museum.    Vol.  XVI.     1893. 

1895.  Von  Heider,  A.  —  Zoanthus  Chierchiae,  n.  sp.  Zeitschr.  fur  wiss. 
Zoologie.     Bd.  LIX.     1895. 

EXPLANATION   OF   PLATE  XVII 

Fig.  I.  Transverse  section  through  tentacle  of  Heteractis  lucida.  /6  =  tubercle. 
Zeiss  C  2. 

Fig.  2.  Transverse  section  through  a  pair  of  mesenteries  of  the  first  cycle  of 
Heteractis  lucida.     Zeiss  A  2. 

Fig.  3.   Diplactis  bermudensis,  natural  size.     Drawn  by  Mrs.  Northrop. 

Fig.  4.   Zoanthus  nymphcBus,  x  3.     Drawn  by  Mrs.  Northrop. 

Fig.  5.  Longitudinal  section  through  the  upper  part  of  the  column  wall  of  Zoan- 
thus nymphceus,  showing  the  sphincter.  sp'  =  upper  and  sp  =  lower  part 
of  the  double  sphincter.     Zeiss  a  2. 

Fig.  6.   Isaurus  Duchassaingi,  natural  size.     Drawn  by  Mrs.  Northrop. 

Fig.  7.  Portion  of  a  transverse  section  through  the  column  wall  of  Isaurus  Du- 
chassaingi. cw  =  cuticula;  jcw  =  subcuticula ;  ec  =  ectoderm;  m^  =  meso- 
gloea. 

Fig.  8.  Longitudinal  section  of  the  upper  part  of  the  column  wall  of  Isaurus 
Duchassaingi,  showing  the  sphincter,  cr  =  constriction  almost  dividing 
the  sphincter. 


ACTINIANS   FROM   THE   BAHAMA   ISLANDS       117 

APPENDIX 

Since  the  above  notes  were  published  in  1896  additional  observations  have 
shown  the  advisability  of  modification  of  the  systematic  position  assigned  to  two 
of  the  forms  described. 

Heieractis  lucida  was  retained  in  the  genus  to  which  Duchassaing  and  Miche- 
lotti  had  referred  it  thirty  years  earlier,  on  account  of  the  peculiar  structure  of  the 
tentacles.  Duerden/  however,  in  1898,  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  tubercles 
borne  upon  the  tentacles  were  equivalent  to  the  bands  of  nematocysts  which  occur 
upon  the  tentacles  of  another  West  Indian  form,  Aiptasia  annulata  Lesueur, 
and  consequently  assigned  it  to  the  same  genus,  repeating  his  conclusion  that  this 
was  its  proper  position  in  a  subsequent  paper.^  In  its  other  structural  peculiari- 
ties, notably  in  its  weak  mesoglceal  sphincter,  lucida  closely  resembles  other  species 
of  Aiptasia,  and  I  now  agree  with  Duerden  that  it  ought  to  be  assigned  to  that 
genus. 

The  other  species  which  calls  for  mention  is  Diplactis  hermudensis.  My 
original  description  of  this  form  was  based  upon  specimens  from  the  Bermudas, 
and  in  1898  Verrill '  described  a  form  from  the  same  locality  which  is  apparently 
identical,  so  far  as  may  be  judged  from  the  description  of  the  external  form  and 
coloration  which  is  all  that  Verrill's  account  includes.  Verrill,  however,  assigns 
his  form  to  the  genus  Actinia,  naming  it  A.  hermudensis,  and  this,  I  now  believe, 
is  the  position  to  which  my  Diplactis  hermudensis  should  also  be  assigned,  its 
structural  peculiarities  being  more  in  harmony  with  those  of  the  genus  Actinia 
than  with  those  of  the  family  Phyllactidae  to  which  I  originally  assigned  it.  I  have 
already  stated  elsewhere  my  altered  opinions  on  this  matter  and  merely  reaffirm 
them  here.^  The  correct  name  for  the  species  is  Actinia  hermudensis  (McMurrich) 
Verrill,  and  it  should  therefore  be  referred  to  the  family  Actinidae  instead  of  to  the 
Phyllactidae. 

*  Duerden,  J.  E.,  "The  Actinaria  around  Jamaica,"  Journ.  Inst,  of  Jamaica,  II, 
1898,  p.  457. 

^  Duerden,  J.  E.,  Report  on  the  Actinians  of  Porto  Rico,  Bull.  U.  S.  Fish  Com.  for 
1900,  Vol.  2,  p.  355.     Washington,  1902. 

^  Verrill,  A.  E.,  Descriptions  of  new  American  Actinians,  with  critical  notes  on 
other  species  I.     Am.  Journ.  Sci.  (IV),  VI,  1898,  p.  495. 

*  McMurrich,  J.  P.,  "  A  Revision  of  the  Duchassaing  and  Michelotti  Actinian  types 
in  the  Museum  of  Natural  History,  Turin,"  Boll.  Mus.  Zool.  ed.  Anat.  Comp.  R. 
Univ.  di  Torino,  XX.     1905. 


118 


FLORA    OF    NEW    PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS  ^ 

WITH    AN    ENUMERATION    OF    THE    PLANTS    COLLECTED   BY 
JOHN  I.   NORTH^ROP  AND   ALICE   R.   NORTHROP   IN   1890 

By  Alice  R.  Northrop 

Introduction 

During  the  latter  part  of  1889  a  report  of  the  work  in  the  Bahamas 
of  the  Danish  botanist,  Baron  Eggers,  was  received  at  the  herbarium 
of  Columbia  University,  and  with  it  a  letter  from  Sir  William  Thiselton- 
Dyer,  expressing  a  hope  that  American  botanists  would  continue  the 
exploration.  My  husband,  Dr.  John  I.  Northrop,  Instructor  in  Zo- 
ology at  Columbia  University,  was  at  that  time  contemplating  a 
Southern  trip  for  the  purpose  of  studying  and  collecting  marine  inver- 
tebrates. Sir  William  Thiselton-Dyer's  letter  was  brought  to  his  notice, 
and  the  result  was  that  a  Bahaman  trip  was  planned  with  both  objects 
in  view.  Over  six  months  were  spent  on  the  islands,  from  January  to 
July,  1890.  Of  this  time  two  months  were  passed  on  the  island  of 
New  Providence,  where  the  time  was  mainly  taken  up  with  zoological 
work,  and  the  remainder  on  Andros,  where  the  most  interesting  plant 
collections  were  made. 

In  order  to  understand  properly  the  distribution  of  the  plants  and 
the  relations  of  the  flora,  it  will  be  necessary  to  give  a  general  idea  of 
the  position  and  conformation  of  the  two  islands  visited.  New 
Providence  is  one  of  the  smaller  islands  of  the  group,  being  only  about 
twenty  miles  long  and  seven  wide.  It  lies  on  the  northern  edge  of  a 
portion  of  the  Great  Bahama  Bank.  Nassau,  the  seat  of  government 
and  a  well-known  health  resort,  is  situated  on  the  slope  of  a  ridge  that 
runs  along  the  northern  shore  of  the  island.  The  highest  point  of  this 
ridge.  Fort  Fincastle,  is  about  one  hundred  feet  above  sea-level.  From 
here  one  has  an  excellent  view  of  the  city  and  harbor,  the  latter  pro- 
tected by  the  narrow  outlying  cays  known  as  Hog  Island,  Long  Island, 

^  Memoirs  Torrey  Botanical  Club,  Vol.  XII,  No.  i,  1902. 
119 


120     FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND   ANDROS 

or  Quarantine,  and,  farther  seaward.  Salt  Cay.  In  the  opposite  direc- 
tion a  low  level  country,  covered  with  trees  and  dotted  here  and  there 
with  cocoanut  groves,  stretches  away  to  the  Blue  Hills. 

Roughly  speaking,  the  physical  features  of  New  Providence  may  be 
described  as  a  rocky  ridge,  about  one  hundred  feet  above  sea-level  at 
its  highest  part,  extending  along  the  north  side  and  covered  with  a 
growth  of  angiospermous  trees  and  shrubs ;  a  low  central  plain  out  of 
which  rises  a  second  ridge,  the  Blue  Hills,  like  the  first,  but  narrower 
and  lower ;  then  a  slightly  undulating  region  covered  with  the  Bahama 
pine,  extending  to  the  low  and  swampy  south  shore.  The  depressions 
of  the  central  plain  are  occupied  by  two  quite  large  bodies  of  brackish 
water.  Lake  Cunningham  and  Lake  Killarney.  The  latter  is  the  larger 
and  contains  numerous  mangrove  islets. 

The  rock  of  both  islands  is  of  ^Eolian  formation ;  it  is  very  hard  at 
the  surface,  but  becomes  so  much  softer  below  that  it  is  sawn  into 
blocks  for  a  building  stone.  The  surface  erosion  is  most  striking  and 
characteristic.  In  many  places  the  rocks  are  fairly  honeycombed  with 
holes,  pits,  and  cavities  of  all  sizes;  often  sharp  jagged  points  project, 
making  walking  extremely  difficult.  The  largest  of  the  pits  are  locally 
known  as  "banana  holes"  because  they  usually  contain  considerable 
earth  in  which  the  people  plant  their  bananas.  They  vary  greatly  in 
size  and  shape,  the  majority  being  probably  from  eight  to  ten  feet  in 
diameter ;  they  are  occasionally  twenty  feet  in  depth,  but  are  usually 
much  shallower.  Their  sides  are  often  lined  with  delicate  ferns,  many 
of  which  grow  nowhere  else. 

There  is  little  or  no  soil.  Mark  Catesby,  the  first  naturalist  to 
visit  the  islands,  wrote  in  1754:  ''The  Bahama  Islands  may  not  only 
be  said  to  be  rocky,  but  are  in  reality  entire  Rocks,  having  the  surface 
in  some  Places  thinly  covered  with  a  light  Mould  which  in  a  series  of 
Time  has  been  reduced  to  that  Consistence  from  rotten  Trees  and 
other  Vegetables.  Thus  much  of  the  Character  of  these  Islands  being 
considered,  one  would  expect  that  they  afforded  the  disagreeable  Pros- 
pect of  bear  Rocks :  But  on  the  Contrary  they  are  always  covered  with 
perpetual  Verdure  and  the  Trees  and  Shrubs  grow  as  close  and  are  as 
thick  cloathed  with  Leaves  as  in  the  most  luxuriant  Soil."  In  some 
places  the  soil  is  reddish,  and  this  is  considered  the  most  fertile. 

Six  weeks  of  our  stay  were  spent  at  Ryswick,  a  country  place  that 
we  rented  on  the  shore  about  three  miles  east  of  Nassau.    Although 


FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     121 

the  greater  part  of  this  time  was  given  to  the  zoological  work,  still 
between  times  we  collected  over  two  hundred  species  of  plants,  cross- 
ing the  island  several  times  and  exploring  it  in  many  directions.  The 
collection,  of  course,  included  many  cosmopolitan  weeds  and  intro- 
duced plants  that  were  found  in  Nassau  and  its  environs.  Among  the 
latter,  growing  commonly  about  the  city,  were  the  glossy-leaved  almond 
tree  (Terminalia  Catappa),  the  graceful  Spanish  cedar  (Casuarina 
equisetifolia) ,  the  buttressed  ceiba  or  silk-cotton  tree,  the  sand-box  tree 
{Hura  crepitans),  and  the  beautiful  flamboyant  {Poinciana  regia) 
with  its  fern-like  foliage. 

Having  completed  the  zoological  work  that  had  been  planned,  we 
made  a  diligent  study  of  the  chart,  and  finally  decided  to  visit  Andros 
next  as  the  largest  and  least  known  of  the  islands,  and  the  one  from 
which  no  botanical  collections  had  ever  been  made.  Although  the 
nearest  part  of  Andros  is  only  twenty -five  miles  from  New  Providence, 
we  could  get  but  little  information  concerning  it  until  we  met  Mr.  Alex- 
ander Keith,  of  Edinburgh,  who  had  a  sisal  plantation  on  Andros. 
To  him  we  were  indebted  for  many  favors  both  at  this  time  and  later. 
A  "norther"  delayed  our  sailing  for  ten  days,  but  we  finally  reached 
Andros  March  14,  and  remained  there  until  July  3. 

Andros  is  by  far  the  largest  island  of  the  group,  being  nearly  one 
hundred  miles  long  and  forty  or  fifty  wide  in  its  broadest  part  and  hav- 
ing an  area  of  over  nineteen  hundred  square  miles.  It  is  in  reality  not 
one  island  but  a  group  of  islands,  the  larger  northern  portion  being 
separated  from  the  southern  and  central  parts  by  shallow  channels 
known  as  "bights."  There  is  a  northern,  a  middle,  and  a  southern 
bight,  but  they  are  so  filled  with  cays  that  the  whole  archipelago,  as  it 
might  be  termed,  is  called  by  the  general  name  of  Andros.  In  its 
prominent  physical  features  Andros  resembles  New  Providence, 
although  its  greatest  length  runs  north  and  south  instead  of  east 
and  west,  as  in  the  case  of  New  Providence.  It  has  a  rocky  ridge 
extending  along  the  east  coast,  except  at  the  extreme  southern  end, 
extensive  pine  barrens  in  the  interior  and  low  mangrove  flats  on  the 
opposite  side.  On  Andros,  however,  the  last  cover  a  much  greater 
portion  of  the  island  and  constitute  its  most  characteristic  feature. 
The  local  name  of  this  region  is  "swash,"  ^  a  most  appropriate  term,  as 
in  wet  seasons  it  is  half  under  water.    The  pine  belt  is  always  spoken 

^  See  illustration  —  page  218. 


122     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS 

of  as  the  "pine-yard,"^  and  the  hardwood  growth  on  the  rocky, 
elevated  portion  is  called  the  "coppet." 

The  pines  are  most  abundant  on  the  northern  part  of  the  island, 
and  at  the  extreme  southern  end,  below  Grassy  Creek,  where  the  rocky 
ridge  is  wanting,  there  were  said  to  be  no  pines.  None  could  be  seen 
from  the  shore,  but  we  did  not  cross  the  island  so  far  south.  At  Nicol's 
Town,  the  most  northerly  settlement,  the  belt  of  coppet  is  only  about 
three  quarters  of  a  mile  wide ;  the  pine-yard  then  begins  and  extends 
to  the  swash  on  the  other  side.  At  Conch  Sound,  a  few  miles  south  of 
Nicol's  Town,  the  pines  come  down  to  the  eastern  shore,  but  below 
Mastic  Point,  the  next  settlement,  the  belt  of  coppet  becomes  much 
wider.  The  swash  is  more  extensive  than  the  other  two  regions  put 
together  and  covers  hundreds  of  square  miles ;  next  in  extent  are  the 
pine  barrens,  while  the  coppet  is  scarcely  more  than  a  comparatively 
narrow  belt  or  fringe  along  the  east  coast.  The  pines  sometimes  extend 
in  long  points  far  out  into  the  swash. 

Numerous  creeks  drain  the  island,  the  majority  being  on  the  east 
side ;  in  very  wet  seasons  there  is  said  to  be  water  communication  be- 
tween those  of  the  east  and  west  side.  The  creeks  are  generally  nar- 
row and  winding,  but  they  occasionally  spread  out  into  lakelike  expan- 
sions in  the  interior.  The  largest  of  these  lakes  are  on  the  west  side, 
near  Wide  Opening.    A  number  of  the  creeks  are  fresh  at  their  source. 

All  the  settlements  are  on  the  east  side,  with  the  exception  of  a  small 
one  at  Red  Bays  on  the  northwestern  end  of  the  island.  Nicol's  Town 
is  one  of  the  largest,  and  when  we  were  there  had  about  three  hundred 
inhabitants.  At  the  time  we  visited  Andros  there  were  but  seven  white 
people  on  the  entire  island.  There  were  no  roads,  and  communication 
between  the  settlements  was  entirely  by  water,  the  reef  making  a  safe 
channel  for  small  boats  all  along  the  eastern  coast.  The  west  coast  is 
exceedingly  shallow,  so  much  so  that  our  boat,  drawing  only  about  two 
feet  of  water,  had  sometimes  to  anchor  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
shore.  Even  at  the  edge  of  the  Great  Bahama  Bank,  sixty  or  seventy 
miles  farther  west,  there  are  but  three  or  four  fathoms  of  water.  The 
only  visitors  to  this  coast  are  the  "spongers." 

During  the  four  months  spent  on  Andros  we  explored  it  quite 
thoroughly,  crossing  it  several  times  and  almost  circumnavigating  it, 
making  stops  at  the  various  settlements  on  the  way  or  camping  out  on 

*  See  illustration  —  page  219. 


Alain  Street  in  Xicol's  Town. 


FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     123 

the  west  side  where  there  were  no  settlements.  From  one  to  six  weeks 
were  spent  at  each  of  the  following  places:  Nicol's  Town,  Conch 
Sound,  Mastic  Point,  Fresh  Creek,  Lisbon  Creek,  and  Deep  Creek 
on  the  east  side,  and  Red  Bays  on  the  west.  We  sailed  through  the 
northern  and  middle  bights  and  partly  through  the  southern,  and  pene- 
trated the  following  creeks,  most  of  them  to  the  head  of  navigation  for 
a  rowboat ;  London,  Stafford,  Fresh,  Lisbon,  Deep,  and  Grassy  creeks 
on  the  east ;  Loggerhead  and  Big  Cabbage  creeks  and  Wide  Opening 
on  the  west. 

Botanical  Regions 

The  following  botanical  regions,  each  with  markedly  characteristic 
plants,  were  well  defined  on  both  islands :  First,  the  maritime  or  coast 
flora  of  the  northern  side  of  New  Providence  and  the  east  side  of 
Andros.  These  shores  were  rocky  with  scattered  sandy  beaches.  The 
following  plants  were  common  on  both  islands:  the  sea-grape 
{Coccolohis  uvifera),  the  buttonwood  (Conocarpus  erecta),  the  sandfly 
bush  (Rhacciallis  rupestris),  and  Strumfia  maritima.  The  wild  sapo- 
dilla  (Mimusops  dissecta),  Joe-bush  (Jacquinia  Keyensis),  Cordia 
Sebestena,  Borrichia  arborescens,  and  the  ram's  horn  {Pithecolobium 
Unguis-cati)  were  always  found  near  the  shore,  while  on  the  sandy 
beaches  flourished  the  cocoa-plum  {Chrysobalanus  Icaco),  SccBvola 
Plumieri,  Suriana  maritima,  Tournefortia  gnaphaliodes,  the  bay 
lavender  {Ambrosia  hispida),  Euphorbia  buxifolia,  the  widely  dis- 
tributed Salicornia  ambigua,  Sesuvium  Portulacastrum,  Cakile  CBqua- 
lis,  and  the  horse-bean  (Canavalia  obtusifolia) . 

Second,  the  ''coppet,"  or  growth  of  angiospermous  trees  and 
shrubs  found  on  the  more  elevated  parts  of  the  islands  and  on  the 
rocky  ridges.  The  highest  elevation  on  either  island  was  about  one 
hundred  feet,  but  the  ridge  was  in  most  places  considerably  lower  than 
this.  On  Andros  the  highest  point  was  near  the  center  of  the  island, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  northern  bight,  marked  as  Salvador  Point  on  the 
charts,  but  locally  known  as  Bearing  Point.  The  surface  erosion  was 
much  more  marked  on  Andros  than  on  New  Providence.  In  some 
places  the  rock  was  honeycombed  with  pits  of  all  sizes,  in  others  it 
was  covered  with  sharp  knife-like  projections.  Banana  holes  were 
far  more  numerous.  On  both  islands  the  elevated  ridges,  covered  with 
the  *'coppet,"  showed  the  greatest  amount  of  erosion.     The  trees 


124     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

most  commonly  met  with  were  the  gum  elemi  {Bur sera  Simaruha)^ 
the  poison  wood  {Metopium),  the  wild  cassada  {Dipholis  salicifolia), 
the  horseflesh  (Lysiloma  paucifoliola) ,  and  the  Madeira  (Swietenia 
Mahogani).  As  a  rule  the  trees  were  comparatively  small,  not  more 
than  a  few  inches  in  diameter.  The  largest  and  tallest  were  seen  in 
what  was  called  the  "high  coppet"  near  Deep  Creek,  Andros.  One 
horseflesh  there  measured  five  and  a  half  feet  in  circumference  at  a 
distance  of  four  feet  from  the  ground,  another  six  feet  four  inches, 
while  the  largest  mahogany  seen  was  between  two  and  three  feet  in 
diameter.  Common  among  the  underbrush  were  the  cockspur  thorn 
{Pisonia  aculeata),  the  chawstick  (Gouania  Domingensis),  hardhead 
{Phyllanthus  epiphyllanthus),  Erithalis  fruticosa,  and  Duranta  re  pens. 
Among  the  climbing  plants  the  dream  vine  {Eckites-  umhellata)^ 
Triopteris  rigida,  and  Ipomxa  sinuata  were  common.  The  coppet 
was  usually  quite  difficult  to  penetrate,  the  trees  being  mostly  small 
and  close  together  and  the  underbrush  dense. 

The  third  region  was  the  "  pine-yard  "  or  pine  barrens.  This  was  a 
comparatively  level  region  occupying  the  interior  of  both  islands  and 
covered  almost  exclusively  with  the  Bahaman  pine  {Pinus  Bahamen- 
sis).  Where  the  ground  was  a  little  elevated  there  were  small  coppets 
or  islands,  as  it  were,  of  angiospermous  trees ;  where  it  was  lower  and 
more  moist,  occasional  clumps  of  palmetto  varied  the  monotony.  The 
Bahaman  pines  are  tall  and  slender  and  do  not  branch  until  quite  near 
the  top.  The  tallest  we  saw  was  about  seventy  or  eighty  feet  in  height, 
and  the  largest  was  four  feet  and  nine  inches  in  circumference.  They 
do  not  grow  close  together,  but  are  usually  from  ten  to  twenty  feet 
apart  even  when  small.  A  tall  brake  known  as  the  "May-pole" 
{Pieridium  caudatum)  was  very  characteristic  of  the  pine  belt.  It 
often  formed  almost  impenetrable  thickets  six  or  seven  feet  in  height, 
while  at  one  place  on  Andros  we  found  it  growing  nine  feet  in  height. 
The  cinecord  {Acacia  choriophylla)  was  common  in  the  pines,  as 
were  also,  among  the  lower  plants,  Ascyrum  hypericoides,  Tetrazygia 
bicolor,  Linum  Bahamense,  Ernodea  littoralis,  and  Vernonia  Bahamen- 
sis.  The  showy  sedge  {Dichromena  colorata)  and  the  purple  orchid 
{Bletia  verecunda)  were  abundant  in  the  pines  and  were  also  occasion- 
ally found  on  the  savannas.  In  many  parts  of  the  pine  barrens  on 
Andros  there  was  no  underbrush,  nothing  but  a  coarse  grass  called 
"bed-grass"  (a  species  of  Andropogon),  relieved  here  and  there  by 


Tn  the  "High  Coppet"  near  Deep  Creek. 


FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     125 

the  crimson  flowers  of  Ipomosa  repanda.  As  one  approached  the 
western  edge  of  the  pines,  the  ground  became  less  rocky,  the  trees 
smaller  and  smaller,  and  the  palmettoes  more  numerous  until  one 
finally  emerged  on  either  swash  or  savannas. 

The  savannas,  constituting  a  fourth  distinct  botanical  region,  were 
found  only  on  Andros.  They  were  level  prairie-like  stretches,  lying,  as 
a  rule,  between  the  pines  and  the  swash.  They  were  most  common  in 
the  northwestern  part  of  the  island.  The  ground  was  not  rocky  and 
was  covered,  for  the  most  part,  with  a  coarse  sedge  called  ^'saw-grass" 
(Cladium  Jamaicense) ;  there  were  also  occasional  clumps  of  palmetto 
or  brier  tree  (Terminalia  spinosa).  This  region  proved  excellent 
botanizing  ground,  and  by  far  the  greater  number  of  the  plants  found 
there  were  met  with  nowhere  else.  Flaveria  linearis,  Polygala  Boy- 
kinii,  Eustoma  exallafum,  Aletris  bracteata,  Gyrostachys  tortilis,  and 
Gerardia  purpurea  were  common  and  in  some  places  Limodorum 
tuberosum,  Buchnera  elongata,  and  Samolus  ebracteatus. 

The  fifth  plant  region  was  the  "swash."  On  Andros  this  region, 
as  has  been  said,  was  very  extensive  and  comprised  hundreds  of  square 
miles.  Here  the  eroded  coral  rock,  such  a  prominent  feature  of  the 
coppet  and  the  pine  barrens,  was  replaced  by  soft,  calcareous  mud,  in 
some  places  more  or  less  hardened,  in  others  very  soft.  There  were 
numerous  ponds  and  lakes  in  this  region  which  we  were  told  became 
connected  in  wet  seasons,  making  a  network  of  waterways  navigable 
by  small  boats  for  many  miles.  We  were  there  in  a  comparatively  dry 
season,  and  the  ponds  were  very  shallow,  having  about  three  inches  of 
water  and  eighteen  inches  of  marl. 

The  scenery  was  monotonous  and  desolate.  In  many  places,  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  the  ground  seemed  perfectly  flat  and  covered 
with  small  mangroves,  the  salt-bush  {Avicennia  nitida),  and  a  low 
form  of  buttonwood  (Conocarpus  erecta),  none  more  than  a  few  feet 
in  height.  The  plants  were  in  reality  quite  scattered  and  a  consider- 
able distance  apart,  but  seen  at  a  distance,  the  effect  was  that  of  a 
smooth  expanse  of  lawn.  Here  and  there  a  dark  line  of  pines  showed 
on  the  horizon  or  one  caught  the  gleam  of  water,  but  as  a  rule  only 
clumps  of  palmettoes  or  a  few  shrubs  varied  the  monotony.  In  some 
places,  especially  near  the  creeks,  palmettoes  were  abundant,  the 
most  common  being  the  silver  thatch  {Thrinax  Bahamensis),  the 
hog  cabbage   {Cyclospathe  Northropi),  and  the  saw-tooth  cabbage 


126     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

{Paurotis  Androsana)  were  occasionally  seen;  all  were  of  small  size. 
Toward  the  southern  end  of  the  island  the  mangroves  sometimes  at- 
tained considerable  size  and  formed  the  most  prominent  feature  of 
the  landscape.  This  desolate,  uninhabited  region  is  a  paradise  for 
water  birds,  which  were  found  here  in  great  numbers.  The  flamingoes 
were  the  most  interesting,  and  these  we  often  saw  while  on  the  west 
side  pf  the  island. 

I  have  described  the  botanical  regions  in  such  detail  because  since 
we  collected  in  the  Bahamas  many  of  the  localities  we  visited  have  been 
destroyed,  botanically  speaking,  by  being  cleared  for  the  cultivation  of 
sisal.  The  work  was  just  beginning  when  we  were  there,  a  few  sisal 
plantations  having  been  started  on  both  New  Providence  and  Andros. 
Several  years  later  thousands  of  acres  had  been  cleared  and  planted 
with  sisal.  For  this  purpose  both  coppet  and  pine  barrens  were  avail- 
able, but  not  the  swash.  Large  companies  were  formed,  a  great  amount 
of  money  was  spent  in  clearing  and  planting,  in  making  roads,  and  I 
believe  even  a  small  railroad  was  built  on  Andros.  It  was  confidently 
expected  that  large  fortunes  would  be  made,  but  after  three  or  four 
years'  trial  these  hopes  proved  to  be  visionary,  and  I  have  since  heard 
that  many  of  the  plantations  have  been  given  up  and  the  land  allowed 
to  lapse  into  its  former  wild  state.  It  is  highly  probable,  however,  that 
the  flora  of  Andros  has  suffered  more  or  less  change  through  the  exten- 
sive clearing  and  the  probable  introduction  of  cosmopolitan  weeds. 

Previous  Collectors 

Mark  Catesby  explored  and  collected  along  the  southern  Atlantic 
coast  from  1 731  to  1743  and  during  that  time  made  a  trip  to  the  Baha- 
mas, visiting  New  Providence  and  also  touching  incidentally  at  Andros. 
Some  of  the  plants  he  collected  were  figured  in  his  ''Natural  History  of 
Carolina,"  published  in  1754.  The  next  record  we  have  of  Bahaman 
plants  were  the  collections  sent  to  Sir  William  Hooker  by  Mr.  Swainson 
between  1838  and  1842.  These  were  described  by  Grisebach  and  in- 
corporated in  his  "Flora  of  the  British  West  Indies,"  published  in  1864. 
Less  than  two  hundred  species  were  there  recorded  from  the  Bahamas. 
Between  1880  and  1887  Mr.  L.  J.  K.  Brace,  of  Nassau,  sent  to  Kew 
through  Governor  Robinson  a  large  number  of  Bahaman  plants.  A 
list  of  these  has  been  incorporated  in  a  Provisional  List  of  the  Plants 


FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     127 

of  the  Bahama  Islands,  by  Gardiner,  Brace,  and  DoUey,  which  was 
published  by  Dr.  Dolley  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Academy  of  Natural 
Sciences  of  Philadelphia  in  1889.  This  list,  however,  is  not  always 
clear  as  to  which  are  native  and  which  cultivated  species,  and  in  the 
majority  of  cases  the  place  of  collection  is  not  given.  A  small  collection 
of  plants  made  by  a  Mr.  Cooper  were  presumably  sent  to  Dr.  Torrey 
at  Columbia  University,  as  they  form  a  part  of  the  Torrey  herbarium. 
With  very  few  exceptions  all  the  above  collections  were  made  on  the 
island  of  New  Providence. 

In  1887  a  grant  was  made  by  the  British  Association,  for  the  inves- 
tigation of  the  Bahaman  flora,  and  the  Danish  botanist.  Baron  Eggers, 
undertook  the  work.  He  spent  from  November,  1887,  to  April,  1888, 
in  the  islands  and  brought  back  314  species.  A  few  were  collected  on 
Fortune  Island  and  Long  Island,  but  the  great  majority  were  from  New 
Providence.  Professor  T.  H.  Herrick,  of  Johns  Hopkins,  visited  Abaco 
in  1886  and  collected  a  small  number  of  plants  noted  in  the  Johns 
Hopkins  Univ.  Circ.  6,  46.  During  the  winter  of  1 890-1 891  Professor 
Albert  S.  Hitchcock,  of  the  Missouri  Botanical  Garden,  accompanied 
a  party  of  naturalists,  headed  by  Dr.  J.  T.  Rothrock,  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania,  on  an  exploring  trip  through  the  Bahamas.  Eleu- 
thera.  Cat  Island,  Watling's  Island,  Crooked  and  Fortune  islands,  and 
Inagua  were  visited,  as  were  also  the  islands  of  Jamaica  and  Grand 
Cayman.  The  report  of  the  plants  collected  was  published  in  1893  by 
Professor  Hitchcock  in  the  Report  of  the  Missouri  Botanical  Garden. 
The  total  number  of  plants  there  noted  from  the  Bahamas  was  380, 
and  of  these  two  were  described  as  new. 


Analysis  of  the  Collection 

The  collection  enumerated  in  the  following  pages  consists  of  542 
species  (461  exclusive  of  the  cryptogams)  to  which  are  to  be  added  six 
varieties  and  twenty-one  cultivated  plants.  Two  of  the  collection 
proved  indeterminable  on  account  of  insufficient  material,  while  fifteen 
could  only  be  determined  generically  for  the  same  reason.  The  total 
number  of  families  of  flowering  plants  represented  is  93,  the  number  of 
genera  304.  The  families  most  largely  represented  are  Leguminosae, 
with  45  species ;  Compositae,  with  34;  Rubiaceae,  with  24,  and  Euphor- 
biaceae,  with  21;  while  Orchidaceae,  Convolvulaceae,  and  Verbenaceae 


128     FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

come  next.  The  genus  most  largely  represented  is  Ipomoea,  of  which 
we  collected  13  species;  eight  species  of  Cassia  were  found,  and  six 
species  each  of  Euphorbia,  Coccolobis,  and  Tillandsia,  while  Passi- 
flora  and  Eupatorium  each  have  five  species.  As  will  be  noticed,  there 
is  a  very  large  proportion  of  genera  to  the  number  of  species,  in  the 
majority  of  cases  a  genus  being  represented  by  but  a  single  species. 

Of  the  plants  collected  a  new  Chara  was  described  and  published 
by  Dr.  T.  F.  Allen,  an  Anastraphia  by  Mr.  J.  M.  Greenman,  of  Cam- 
bridge, a  Jacquinia  by  Professor  Mez,  and  new  species  of  Ccesalpinia, 
Phyllanthus,  Reynosia,  and  Casearia  by  Professor  I.  Urban,  of  Berlin 
in  "  Symbolae  Antillanae."  In  addition  new  species  of  Hyrnenocallis , 
Aletris,  Vanilla,  Phoradendron,  Pithecolobium,  Cassia,  Linum,  Ery- 
throxylon,  Crossopetalum,  Rhamnidium,  Helicteres,  Xylosma,  Termi- 
nalia,  Heliotr opium,  Tecoma,  Catesbaa,  Myrstiphyllum,  Anguria, 
Metastelma,  and  Eupatorium  are  described  in  this  paper,  as  well  as 
two  new  genera  of  palms,  Paurotis  and  Cyclospathe.  The  type 
specimens  are  in  the  herbarium  of  Columbia  University.  Sets  are  also 
at  Kew,  the  Royal  Botanical  Garden  at  Berlin,  the  Gray  Herbarium, 
the  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History,  and  Geneva.  As  far  as  I  can 
discover,  the  following  genera  have  never  before  been  reported  from 
the  Bahamas:  Coccothrinax,  Inodes,  Aletris,  Vanilla,  Broughtonia, 
Polystachya,  Cranichis,  Limodorum,  Hypoxis,  Pedilanthus,  Maba, 
Mitreola,  Voyria,  Trianosperma,  and  Aster. 

My  sincere  thanks  are  due  those  who  have  assisted  me  in  the 
preparation  of  this  report,  especially  to  the  following  specialists  who 
kindly  determined  the  cryptogams :  Mr.  Frank  S.  Collins,  of  Maiden, 
Mass.,  the  algae;  Dr.  Albert  Schneider  the  lichens;  Professor  Lucien 
M.  Underwood  the  fungi ;  Mrs.  Elizabeth  G.  Britton  the  mosses ;  and 
Professor  D.  C.  Eaton  who  determined  a  number  of  the  doubtful  ferns 
in  1890.  The  report  on  the  palms  has  been  prepared  by  Mr.  O.  F. 
Cook,  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  at  Washington,  to  whom  I  here 
w^ish  to  express  my  obligations.  Dr.  Nathaniel  L.  Britton  and  Mr. 
George  V.  Nash  kindly  named  the  grasses,  and  Dr.  Britton  the  sedges. 
I  am  also  greatly  indebted  to  Dr.  Britton  for  advice  on  many  points 
and  for  his  kindness  in  comparing  and  identifying  a  number  of  our 
plants  at  Kew  in  189 1,  also  to  him  and  to  Dr.  John  K.  Small  for  revis- 
ing the  nomenclature  in  many  instances,  and  to  Professor  Underwood 
for  revising  the  names  of  the  ferns  and  other  kindly  assistance.     A 


FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     129 

number  of  doubtful  specimens  were  compared  by  me  at  Cambridge  in 
1897,  and  I  take  this  opportunity  of  thanking  Dr.  Benjamin  L.  Rob- 
inson and  his  assistants  for  the  kindness  then  shown  me  and  for  a 
number  of  determinations  they  were  good  enough  to  make  for  me 
the  following  year.  I  also  wish  to  acknowledge  gratefully  several 
determinations  made  for  me  by  the  authorities  at  Kew  in  1897. 

The  new  species  have  been  most  successfully  drawn  by  Miss  Mary 
V.  Thayer,  of  Holbrook,  Mass.,  to  whom  I  wish  to  express  my  thanks 
for  her  careful  work.^ 

LIST  OF  PLANTS 

THALLOPHYTA 

MARINE   ALGiE 

Determined  by  Mr.  Frank  S.  Collins,  of  Malden,  Mass.,  1891. 

CHLOROPHYCE^ 

Cladophorace^ 

CH.ETOMORPHA  sp.  ?    Lake  Waterloo,  near  Nassau,  Jan.  (209). 
Cladophora  sp.  ?    Ft.  Montagu,  Nassau,  Jan.  (163). 

Caulerpace^ 

Caulerpa  clavifera  Ag.  Quarantine  Cay,  Nassau,  Jan.  (182). 
Caulerpa  ericifolia  Ag.  Lake  Waterloo,  Nassau,  Feb.  (301). 
*Caulerpa  plumaris  Ag.     Lake  Waterloo,  Nassau,  Jan.  (208). 


CODIACE^ 

Penicillus  capitatus  Lamour.    Quarantine,  Nassau,  Jan.  (187). 
•j-Rhipocephalus  phcenix  J.  Ag.    Quarantine  Cay,  Nassau,  Jan. 
(190). 

tllDOTE A  CONGLUTINATA  Lamour.    Salt  Cay,  Nassau,  Jan.  (233). 

*  The  long  period  that  has  elapsed  since  the  collection  of  these  plants  and  the 
publication  of  this  report  may  call  for  a  word  of  explanation.  My  husband  was  work- 
ing up  the  zoological  collections  and  I  the  plants  when  his  sudden  death  occurred  in 
June,  1891.  Since  then  ill-health  has  year  after  year  prevented  any  continuous  work, 
and  the  frequent  lapses  of  time  have  made  much  revision  necessary.  My  husband 
greatly  assisted  me  in  the  beginning  of  the  work,  and  my  sole  motive  in  continuing  it 
was  because  of  his  interest  in  my  doing  it. 
K 


130     FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

Udotea  flabellata  Lamour.  Quarantine  Cay,  Nassau  (183, 
300). 

•j-Halimeda  tridens  Lamour.  Salt  Cay,  Nassau.  Quarantine 
Cay,  Nassau,  Jan.  (191). 

*Halimeda  tuna  Lamour.    Salt  Cay,  Nassau,  Jan.  (232). 

Valoniace^ 

*Valonia  yEGROPHiLA  Ag.  ?    Lake  Waterloo,  Nassau,  Jan.  (210). 
•j-DiCTYOSPH^RiA  FAVULOSA   Decne.     Quarantine  Cay,  Nassau 
(188). 

MiCRODiCTYON  Agardhianum  Decne.     Salt  Cay,  Nassau,  Feb. 

(273)- 

Dasycladace^ 

•f Dasycladus  occidentalis  Harv.  Ft.  Montague,  Nassau,  Jan. 
(161). 

f  AcETABULARiA  CRENULATA  Lamour.  Lake  Waterloo,  Nassau, 
Jan.  (211). 

Cymopolia  barbata  Lamour.     Silver  Cay,  Nassau,  Jan.  (156). 

Cymopolia  Mexicana  J.  Ag.     Silver  Cay,  Nassau,  Jan.  (155). 

Blodgettia  confervoides  Harv.  Doubtful  position  and  value. 
Quarantine  (192). 

PH.EOPHYCE.E 

•     FUCACE^ 

Cystoseira  myrica  Kiitz.  Nicol's  Town,  Andros,  March  (337). 
*TuRBiNARiA  VULGARIS  Ag.  Quarantine  Cay,  Nassau,  Jan.  (185). 
Sargassum  filipendula  laxa  J.  Ag.  Ft.  Montague,  Jan.  (158). 
SARGASSUMsp.    Salt  Cay,  Nassau,  Feb.  (268-275). 

DlCTYOTACE^ 

DiCTYOTA  DiCHOTOMA  Lamour.     Quarantine,  Jan.  (177). 
*DiCTYOTA  FASCiOLA  Lamour.    Salt  Cay,  Feb.  (274). 
*Padina  pavonia  Gaillon.    Silver  Cay,  Nassau,  Feb.  (154). 
ZoNARiA  LOBATA  Ag.    Salt  Cay,  N.P.,  Jan.  (259) ;    Goat  Cay, 
Andros,  June  (632). 


FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE    AND   ANDROS     131 

RHODOPHYCE^ 

Helminthocladiace^ 

LiAGORA  Cheyneana  Harv.    Salt  Cay,  Nassau,  Feb.  (272). 
LiAGORA  ELONGATA  Zan.    Silver  Cay,  Nassau,  Jan.  (153). 
fLiAGORA  VALiDA  Harv.    Goat  Cay,  Andros,  June  (748). 

Ch^tangiace^ 

*Galaxaura  lapidescens  L amour.  Salt  Cay,  Nassau,  Feb. 
(260,  271). 

Rhodomelace^ 

Laurencia  paniculata  J.  Ag.  Quarantine,  Nassau,  Jan.  (179). 
Some  specimens  near  L.  ohtusa  Lamour. 

*DiGENiA  SIMPLEX  Ag.    Quarantine  Cay,  Nassau,  Jan.  (180). 

fPoLYSiPHONiA  Havanensis  Mont.  Ft.  Montagu,  Jan.  (160, 
181). 

fPoLYSiPHONiA  Pecten- Veneris  Harv.  Ft.  Montagu,  Nassau, 
Jan.  (159). 

PoLYSiPHONiA  sp.  ?    Goat  Cay,  Andros,  June  (749). 

fDASYA  GiBBESii  Harv.    Ft.  Montagu,  Nassau,  Jan.  (162). 

Ceramiace^ 

*Centroceras  clavulatum  Mont.  Quarantine  Cay,  Nassau, 
Feb.  (302). 

CORALLINACE^ 

LiTHOTHAMNiON  ?     Quarantine  Cay,  Nassau,  Feb.   (304,  305). 
*Jania  RUBENS  Lamour.    Quarantine  Cay,  Nassau,  Jan.  (178). 


Notes  on  Distribution.  —  The  species  of  marine  algae  marked  * 
are  generally  distributed  in  warm  waters.  The  species  marked  f  are 
limited  to  the  West  Indian  and  Florida  region.  ^'Liagora  elongata 
and  Cystoseira  myrica  are  characteristic  Red  Sea  plants;  Liagora 
Cheyneana  is  an  Australian  species.  Liagora  elongata  and  Cymopolia 
Mexicana  are,  I  think,  new  to  the  West  Indian  region,  although  it 
is  now  considered  rather  doubtful  whether  the  last-named  species 
is  distinct  from  C.  barbata.^^     (F.  S,  Collins.) 


132     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

CHARACE^ 

Chara  depauperata  T.  F.  Allen.  New  species.  Bull.  Torrey 
Club,  21,  267.     1894.     Fresh  Water  Pond,  Hog  Island,  N.P.,  Feb. 

(258). 

Chara  sp.  ?    In  brackish  water.     Stafford  Creek,  Andros,  May 

(547)- 

LICHENES  1 

Cladonia  gracilis  (L.)  NyL?  (Not  mature.)  Nicol's  Town, 
Andros  (346). 

Cladonia  Flcerkeana  Fr.    Nicol's  Town,  Andros  (347). 

Cladonia  sp.  ?    On  palmetto.    Red  Bays,  Andros,  April  (484). 

Leptogium  pulchellum  (Ach.)  Nyl.    Nicol's  Town  (444). 

Leptogium  tremeloides  (L.)  Fr.    Nicol's  Tow^n  (382). 

Ramalina  pusilla  (Prev.)  Tuck.    Nassau  (755). 

With  the  exception  of  484,  all  are  quite  common  and  widely  dis- 
tributed species. 

FUNGI  2 

ScHizoPHYLLUM  ALNEUM  (L.)  Schrot.   Nicol's  Town,  March  (351). 
Clathrella  crispa  (Turpin)  E.  Fischer.    Andros  (798). 
DiPLOCYSTis  Wrightii  B.  &  C.     Andros  (777).     Also  reported 
from  Inagua  by  Hitchcock. 

Trametes  cinnabarina  (Jacq.)  Fr.  Andros  (793). 
AuRicuLARiA  auricula  (L.)  Schrot.  Andros  (794). 
FoMES  igniarius  (L.)  Fr.    /Vndros  (797). 

BRYOPHYTA  ' 

ToRTULA  agraria  (Sw.)  Hcdw.  Nassau  and  Nicol's  Town  (34, 
341,  168). 

Hyophila  Barbula   (Schwaegr.)    Hampe.     Nassau  (169,  170). 
Macromitrium  insularum  Mitt.    Nicol's  Town,  Andros,  March 

(342,345)- 

Sematophyllum  sericifolium  Mitt.    Nicol's  Town  (343,  530). 

Syrrhopodon  flavescens  Mueller.    Nicol's  Town,  March  (344). 

OcTOBLEPHARUM   ALBiDUM    Hedw.     Ncw    Providcncc,     Nicol's 

Town,  Feb.  (348,  746). 

^  Determined  by  Dr.  Albert  Schneider  at  Columbia  University. 
2  Determined  by  Professor  Lucien  M.  Underwood. 
^  Determined  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  G.  Britton  at  Kew. 


FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     133 
PTERIDOPHYTA 

SCHIZiEACE^ 

Ornithopteris  adiantifolia  (L.)  Bernh.  Common  and  variable ; 
abundant  in  the  pines.  Nassau,  Jan.;  Nicol's  Town,  March  (12, 
15.  83,  300). 

*Ornithopteris  cicutaria  (Kunze)  Underw.  (Anemia  cicutaria 
Kunze,  Linnsea,  9,  22.  1835.)  On  rocks,  not  common.  Nassau, 
Jan.  (165). 

POLYPODIACE^ 

*Dryopteris  patens  (Sw.)  Kuntze.  In  banana-holes  and  rocks 
along  roadsides ;  common  and  variable.  Nassau,  Jan. ;  Nicol's  Town 
and  Red  Bays,  April  (173,  240,  441,  469). 

*Dryopteris  asplenioides  (Baker)  Kuntze.  Clefts  of  rocks, 
uncommon.  Indusium  small,  pinnae  narrow  and  distant.  Conch 
Sound,  March  (416). 

Tectaria  TRiFOLiATA  (L.)  Cav.  On  sides  of  banana-holcs ;  not 
common.    Conch  Sound,  May  (562). 

Davallia  clavata  Sw.  Common.  Nassau,  Jan.  (133).  Same 
as  Wright  961. 

*Asplenium:  dentatum  L.  Pinnae  large  and  close  together.  Caves 
near  Nassau,  Feb.  (286). 

Blechnum  serrulatum  Rich.  Caves  near  Nassau,  Feb.  (285). 
Same  as  Fendler  133. 

Adiantum  tenerum  Sw.  In  banana-holes.  Near  Nassau,  Feb. ; 
Red  Bays,  April  (288,  489). 

Pteridium  CAUDATUM  (L.)  Maxon.  "May-pole."  Very  common 
on  both  New  Providence  and  Andros ;  makes  dense  thickets  in  the 
pine-yard  six  to  eight  feet  high  (313). 

Pteris  longifolia  L.    Common  on  walls.    Nassau,  Jan.  (18,  94). 

ViTTARiA  LiNEATA  (L.)  Sm.  On  palmcttocs,  not  common.  Red 
Bays,  April  (472). 

Cheilogramma  LANCEOLATUM  (L.)  Bloumc.  Leaves  10-14  inches 
in  length.    On  trees,  not  common.    Nicol's  Town,  March  (356). 

AcROSTiCHUM  AUREUM  L.  "Wild  ginger."  In  low  ground,  not 
common.  Conch  Sound,  May;  Deep  Creek,  June  (408,  714).  714  was 
growing  in  a  banana-hole ;  the  leaves  were  shorter  than  in  408,  fertile 
almost  to  the  base,  and  the  rachis  was  deeply  sulcate. 


134     FLORA    OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND   ANDROS 

Phlebodium  aureum  (L.)  R.Br.  Common  on  palmettoes.  Hog 
Island,  N.P.,  Feb.;  Purser  Point,  Andros,  June  (249,  625,  665,  720). 
No.  665  is  a  sport  with  leaves  very  glaucous  and  pinnae  deeply  crenate. 

PoLYPODiuM  POLYPODioiDES  (L.)  A.  S.  Hitche.  On  trees,  not  un- 
common.   Nicol's  Town,  April;  Conch  Sound,  May  (442). 

Campyloneuron  Phyllitidis  (L.)  Presl.  In  banana  holes,  not 
uncommon.    Conch  Sound,  May  (566). 

PoLYPODiUM  SQUAMATUM  L.  On  trees.  Conch  Sound,  March. 
Determined  by  Professor  Eaton  (406). 

*Phymatodes  Swartzii  (Baker)  Underw.  In  banana  holes,  rare. 
Leaves  difform,  there  being  a  number  of  short  and  broad  sterile  leaves. 
Conch  Sound,  May  (581).    Same  as  Wright  799. 

GoNiOPTERis  REPTANS  (Sw.)  Presl.  In  banana  holes.  Conch 
Sound,  May.    Determined  by  Professor  D.  C.  Eaton  (583). 

GoNioPTERis  REPTANS  CORDATA.  In  banana  holes.  Conch 
Sound,  May.    Determined  by  Professor  D.  C.  Eaton  (576). 

PsiLOTACEiE 

PsiLOTUM  NUDUM  (L.)  Griscb.  In  hollows  in  trunks  of  trees,  not 
common.     Cocoanut  Point,  Andros,  April;  Fresh  Creek,  June  (515). 

SPERMATOPHYTA 

CyC ADAGES 

Zamia  sp.  "Bay  rush."  Common  in  the  pines  in  certain  localities. 
Leaves  15-25  cm.  in  length,  leaflets  but  ten  pairs,  seldom  opposite, 
thick,  with  revolute  margins,  3.5-5  cm.  long,  6-9  mm.  broad.  Seems 
to  be  nearest  Z.  pumila  L. ;  resembles  Wright  3193.  Stafford  Creek, 
Andros,  May  (550). 

CONIFERyE 

PiNUS  Bahamensis  Griseb.  Covers  large  tracts  in  the  interior  of 
both  New  Providence  and  Andros.  N.P.,  Jan. ;  Nicol's  Town,  April; 
Conch  Sound,  May  (84,  440). 

JuNiPERUS  Barbadensis  L.  Not  common.  Southwest  Beach, 
N.P.,  Feb. ;  Nicol's  Town,  Fresh  Creek,  June  (321,355). 

*  Species  marked  with  a  star  were  verified  by  Professor  D.  C.  Eaton,  1891. 


FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     135 

TyPHACEiE 

Typha  Domingensis  Pers.    Nicol's  Town,  March  (353). 

Naiadace^ 

RuppiA  MARiTiMA  L.  Stafford  Creek,  Andros,  May.  Determined 
by  Rev.  Thomas  Morong  (536). 

Gramine^  * 

Andropogon  sp.  "Bed  grass."  Purser  Point,  Andros,  common 
(659).    Specimens  not  in  flower. 

Paspalum  fimbriatum  H.  B.  K.    Nassau,  Jan.  (118). 

Panicum  divaricatum  L.  ?  (Not  in  flower.)  Deep  Creek,  Andros, 
July  (732). 

Panicum  proliferum  Lam.    Fresh  Creek,  June  (620). 

Panicum  sp.    Hog  Island,  Nassau,  Feb.  (248). 

Cenchrus  tribuloides  L.  ''Devil  grass."  Nassau,  Jan.;  Deep 
Creek,  July  (148,  719). 

Sporobolus  Virginicus  Kunth.  Deep  Creek,  July.  On  sandy 
shores  (728). 

Stenotaphrum  Americanum  Schrank.  Common  along  shore. 
Nicol's  Town,  April  (520). 

Chloris  Swartz;ana  Doell.  "Finger  grass."  Nicol's  Town, 
April  (521). 

Cha^tochloa  glauca  (L.)  Scribn.    Fresh  Creek,  June  (618). 

Eragrostis  ciliaris  (L.)  Link.    Nassau,  Jan.  (167). 

Uniola  paniculata  L.  "Bay  rush."  Quarantine  Cay,  Nassau, 
Feb.  (314). 

Phragmites  or  Arundo  ?  Only  glumes  remaining.  Near  South- 
west Beach,  N.P.,  Feb.  (315). 

DiSTiCHLis  sp.  "Rabbit  grass."  Big  Cabbage  Creek,  June. 
Common  on  edge  of  swash.    Red  Bays  (485). 

Arthrostylidium  capillifolium  Griseb. ?  "Old  man's  beard." 
Not  in  flower.  Nassau;  common,  climbing  over  shrubs  and  bushes. 
Branches  leafy,  leaves  fascicled,  wiry,  filiform  (93). 

^  Determined  by  Dr.  Nathaniel  L.  Britton  and  Mr.  George  V.  Nash. 


136     FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

Cyperace^  ^ 

Cyperus  brunneus  Sw.  Common.  Hog  Island,  N.P. ;  Nicol's 
Town,  April  (435). 

Cyperus  ferax  Rich.    Nassau,  Feb.  (287). 

Cyperus  ochraceus  Vahl.    Nassau,  Jan.  (144). 

Eleocharis  camptotrichus  schweinitzii  C.  B.  Clarke.  Conch 
Sound,  April  (745).  Determined  by  C.  B.  Clarke,  Kew,  1891.  "  Same 
as  the  plant  collected  in  Guadeloupe  by  Bertero,  taken  as  E.  tenuissima 
by  Boeck.,  called  by  me  as  above;  also  mixed  in  Wright  3367  from 
Cuba." 

Eleocharis  capitata  (Willd.)  R.  Br.  Freshwater  Pond,  Hog 
Island,  Nassau  (247). 

Eleocharis  ochreata  Nees.  In  banana-holes  in  the  pines.  New 
Providence  (327). 

DiCHROMENA  COLORATA  (L.)  A.  S.  Hitch.  Common  in  the  pines, 
also  found  in  abundance  on  the  savannas  at  Red  Bays,  Andros,  New 
Providence,  Jan.;  Red  Bays,  April  (100,  466). 

FiMBRiSTYLis  MONOSTACHYA  (L.)  Hassk.  Fresh  Creek,  Andros, 
June  (634). 

FiMBRiSTYLis  SPADiCEA  (L.)  Vahl.  Mastic  Point,  Andros,  June; 
Purser  Point,  June  (596,  667). 

Rhynchospora  microcarpa  Baldw.  Red  Bays,  April  (493). 
Same  as  Eggers  4308  from  Bahama. 

Rhynchospora  cyperoides  (Sw.)  Mart.    Nassau,  Feb.  (288). 

Cladium  Jamaicense  Crantz.    "Saw-grass."    Fresh  Creek,  June 

(635)- 

ScLERiA  FiLiFORMis  Sw.    Mastic  Point,  Andros,  June  (603). 

Palms  from  the  Bahamas^ 

The  palms  have  been  neglected  so  generally  in  botanical  collec- 
tions that  many  striking  novelties  still  remain  to  be  secured  by  those 
who  brave  the  inconvenience  of  handling  plants  so  unmanageable  by 
ordinary  herbarium  methods.  The  present  small  series  of  Bahama 
palms  shows  what  may  be  expected  in  many  parts  of  the  tropics,  though 

^  Determined  by  Dr.  Nathaniel  L.  Britton. 

^  The  families  Sabalaceae  and  Arecaceae  were  contributed  by  O.  F.  Cook,  Wash- 
ington, D.C. 


FLORA    OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     137 

for  the  benefit  of  botanists  who  may  wish  to  emulate  the  example  of 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Northrop  it  may  be  permissible  to  add  that  when  other 
material  is  being  secured,  ripe  fruits,  or  even  the  naked  seeds,  are  ex- 
tremely desirable,  and  may  usually  be  picked  up  at  the  base  of  the  tree 
long  after  the  fruiting  season  has  passed. 

The  present  list  recognizes  five  palms  from  the  Bahamas,  though 
two  of  these  are  not  named  specifically  for  lack  of  adequate  material. 
One  may  be  the  species  reported  by  Professor  Hitchcock  as  Thrinax 
argeniea,  while  our  Thrinax  Bahaniensis  may  correspond  to  his  T. 
parviflora,  though  numerous  species  of  this  group  are  doubtless  to  be 
found  in  the  Bahama  archipelago.  Grisebach  reported  only  Sahal 
umhraculifera,  a  name  no  longer  tenable.  It  has  been  stated  also  that 
the  Bahamas  have  a  cabbage  palm  {Euterpe)  and  a  royal  palm  {Oreo 
doxa),  but  these  names  are  also  not  available  for  West  Indian  palms. 
Moreover,  it  is  not  known  that  specimens  exist  from  which  better 
identifications  could  be  made. 

Sabalace^ 

Thrinax  Bahamensis  sp.  no  v. 

Leaves  and  inflorescence  resembling  Coccothrinax  jucunda  Sargent 
{Bot.  Gaz.,  27,  89.  1899),  but  apparently  to  be  associated  rather  with 
Thrinax  Keyensis  Sargent  {Bot.  Gaz.,  27,  86.  1899)  in  view  of  the  short 
pedicels,  distinctly  lobed  calyx,  broad  filaments  and  short  styles. 

Petiole  48  cm.  long,  15  mm.  broad  at  base,  narrowed  to  12  mm.  near 
the  apex ;  equally  convex  on  both  sides,  becoming  flat  above  toward  the 
base ;  segments  of  middle  of  leaf  about  53  cm.  long,  and  32  mm.  broad ; 
lateral  segments  reduced  to  30  cm.  by  5  mm. ;  texture  thin  and  brittle ; 
venation  also  closely  similar  to  C.  jucunda,  but  the  surface  distinctly 
less  pubescent,  or  the  pubescence  much  more  fugacious,  as  in  other 
species  of  true  Thrinax;  inflorescence  with  secondary  branches  slender, 
subtended  by  narrow  scarious  bracts,  8  to  10  mm.  in  length;  bracts 
with  a  distinct  midvein  and  a  pencil  of  hairs  at  the  tip;  pedicels  of 
flowers  seldom  i  mm.  in  length,  with  6  distinct  subtriangular  lobes ; 
filaments  triangular,  often  united  at  base  to  form  a  complete  cup; 
stigma  truncate  or  somewhat  funnelform,  about  0.5  mm.  in  length. 

This  species  is  evidently  much  smaller  in  all  its  parts  than  Thrinax 
Keyensis.  The  comparison  of  its  leaves  with  those  of  Coccothrinax 
jucunda  is  based  on  A.  H.  Curtis's  No.  262  from  Big  Pine  Key,  which 


138     FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

seems  to  correspond  well  with  Sargent's  description,  though  there  is  the 
possibility  that  the  leaf  and  fruit  were  not  taken  from  the  same  tree. 

Locality.  —  Big  Cabbage  Creek,  Andros  Island,  June.  Another 
specimen  (257)  from  Freshwater  Pond,  Hog  Island,  N.P.,  February, 
consists  of  a  leaf  and  an  old  inflorescence,  the  latter  with  the  spathes 
still  coated  in  patches  with  dense  white  pubescence. 

In  comparison  with  Thrinax  Ponceana  (Bull.  Torrey  Club,  28,  536. 
1 901)  from  Puerto  Rico  the  leaves  of  the  present  species  are  smaller, 
with  the  petioles  less  flattened  and  more  distinctly  ribbed  on  the  upper 
side  near  the  apex.  The  transverse  or  oblique  veinules  are  more 
numerous  and  more  prominent ;  also  the  veinules  of  the  lower  surface, 
which  lacks  the  glaucous  or  waxy  covering  distinct  in  T.  Ponceana. 

COCCOTHRINAX   Sp. 

A  single  leaf  with  the  form  and  veination  of  C.  Garberi  (Chapman), 
but  somewhat  less  densely  pubescent.  Locality:  New  Providence, 
Nassau,  February,  1890  (No.  284). 

Mr.  Lyster  H.  Dewey,  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture, 
recently  brought  back  from  New  Providence  Island  a  leaf  probably 
belonging  to  a  Coccothrinax  and  popularly  called  "  silver  thatch."  The 
leaves  are  commonly  used  for  weaving  into  hats  and  baskets.  The 
trunk  seldom,  if  ever,  exceeds  about  2.5  m.,  and  is  about  15  cm.  thick. 
A  photograph  secured  by  Mr.  Dewey  shows  that  the  surface  is  largely 
free  from  leaf  bases,  and  fairly  smooth,  the  leaf  scars  being  but  slightly 
impressed.  The  diameter  seems  to  be  rather  uneven,  with  a  tendency 
to  become  somewhat  thicker  in  the  middle. 

Paurotis  gen.  nov. 

A  small,  slender  palm  with  spiny  petioles  like  Copernicia,  but  with 
only  the  primary  branches  of  the  slender  inflorescence  subtended  by 
spathes. 

Paurotis  is  probably  more  nearly  related  to  Serenoa  than  to  Coper 
nicia,  but  differs  in  the  larger  size,  the  erect  trunk,  the  stronger  ligule, 
the  absence  of  the  ligule-like  inferior  scales,  the  presence  of  a  rudimen- 
tary midrib,  and  in  the  more  deeply  divided  segments.  Inflorescence 
much  more  slender  throughout  than  in  Serenoa;  flowers  much  smaller, 
with  free  sepals  and  short  valvate  petals. 


FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     139 

The  long  naked  and  apically  scarious  and  bilabiate  spathes  are 
strikingly  different  from  those  of  Copernicia.  The  inflorescence  is 
much  longer  and  more  slender  than  that  of  Serenoa,  but  in  other  re- 
spects has  greater  resemblance  than  to  that  of  Copernicia.  The  leaves, 
on  the  other  hand,  are  more  like  Copernicia,  though  the  presence  of  a 
true  midrib,  even  if  very  small,  with  one  or  two  segments  inserted 
somewhat  above  the  base  may  be  taken  as  a  further  sign  of  affinity 
with  Serenoa. 

The  present  genus  will  probably  accommodate  the  palm  from 
Puerto  Rico  {Sintenis,  6512)  referred  by  Professor  Drude  to  Coper- 
nicia, but  having  no  spathes  on  the  branches.  Grisebach  and  Wend- 
land  described  from  Cuba,  Copernicia  Wrightii,  which  may  also  belong 
to  Paurotis. 

Hitherto  Copernicia  has  been  the  only  known  West  Indian  genus 
of  fan-palms  with  spiny  petioles.  The  type  of  Copernicia  is  C.  cerifera 
(Arruda)  from  Brazil,  but  the  Cuban  species  of  the  genus  seem  to 
resemble  Paurotis  even  less  than  the  Brazilian,  since  they  have  the 
inflorescence  more  robust  and  compact  and  the  spathes  more  strongly 
developed.  The  species  listed  by  the  Index  Kewensis  as  Copernicia 
maritima  (Coryphamaritima  H.  B.  K.)  and  Copernicia  pumos  (Corypha 
pumos  H.  B.  K.)  have  smooth  petioles  according  to  the  original  de- 
scriptions, and  should  have  been  transferred  to  Thrinax  rather  than 
to  Copernicia.  Although  treated  as  a  synonym  of  Copernicia  in  the 
Index  Kewensis  the  generic  name  Crysophila  Blume  had  priority  of 
publication,  as  shown  by  the  fact  that  it  is  cited  by  Martius  in  connec- 
tion with  the  original  description  of  Copernicia.  It  seems  probable, 
however,  that  Crysophila  is  distinct  from  Copernicia  as  indicated  by 
Drude.  Its  type,  C.  nana  (H.  B .  K. ) ,  came  from  the  region  of  Acapulco, 
Mexico.  The  petiole  is  unarmed,  and  other  characters  are  quite  at 
variance  with  those  of  Paurotis. 


Paurotis  Androsana  sp.  nov. 

Trunk  3  to  4  m.  high,  very  slender,  5  to  6.5  cm.  in  diameter,  rough 
with  irregular  scalelike  leaf  bases;  leaves  tufted,  flat,  orbicular; 
petioles  52  cm.  long,  15  mm.  thick  at  base,  10  to  12  mm.  at  apex,  not 
including  the  spines,  5  mm.  thick  at  base,  3  mm.  at  apex ;  upper  face 
moderately  concave,  subcarinate  in  the  middle  distad;  lower  face 
strongly  convex  in  the  middle,  concave  on  each  side;  upper  surface 


140     FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

with  fine  longitudinal  or  oblique  impressions,  doubtless  from  the  next 
leaf ;  lower  surface  nearly  smooth,  very  finely  grooved  longitudinally ; 
both  surfaces  covered  with  a  thin  layer  of  waxy  scales ;  toward  the 
margins  are  small  scattering  brownish  longitudinal  scars,  more  nu- 
merous on  the  upper  side ;  occasionally  there  arises  from  such  a  scar  a 
narrow  scarious  ribbon  2  mm.-  or  less  in  length ;  these  evidently  corre- 
spond to  the  peltate  scales  of  the  leaf-bases  and  petioles  of  Inodes; 
margins  of  petioles  thickened,  smooth,  corneous,  in  color  pinkish 
brown  (vinaceous-cinnamon,  Ridgway)  at  base,  and  dark  brown  distad ; 
teeth  somewhat  irregularly  placed,  usually  about  i  cm.  apart,  but 
sometimes  2  cm.  and  sometimes  close  together  or  with  two  points; 
points  commonly  curved  forward,  sometimes  straight  or  curved  back- 
ward ;  length  about  3-5  mm. ;  size  decreasing  toward  the  apex  of  the 
petiole,  but  occasional  teeth  are  mere  rudiments ;  ligule  very  broadly 
subtriangular  after  losing  a  rather  broad,  thin,  subscarious  margin; 
lateral  angles  of  the  ligule  coalescing  with  the  margins  of  the  lateral 
segments  as  in  Thrinax  and  related  genera;  each  side  of  this  terminal 
widening  of  the  petiole  bears  a  strongly  curved  marginal  tooth. 

Apex  of  petiole  on  the  under  side,  broadly  triangular,  about  5  mm. 
long.  The  oblique  edges  which  subtend  the  insertion  of  the  segments 
do  not,  however,  meet  in  the  middle;  the  middle  rib  is  slightly  thicker 
than  the  others  and  has  one  or  two  segments  inserted  on  each  side 
beyond  the  apex  of  the  triangle,  so  that  Paurotis  may  be  said  to  have 
passed  the  stage  of  Thrinax  and  to  have  a  true  midrib. 

Leaves  about  52  cm.  long,  composed  of  about  36  segments;  middle 
segments  longest,  the  lateral  shortened  nearly  by  half.  Segments 
united  for  about  20  cm.  in  the  middle  of  the  leaf,  but  only  for  i  to  3 
cm.  at  the  sides.  The  segments  are  split  20  cm.  or  less  from  the  tips. 
The  margins  of  the  notch  are  somewhat  thickened,  but  there  is  no  fiber 
like  that  of  Inodes.  The  edges  of  the  ribs  both  above  and  below  are 
nearly  square,  and  bear  along  the  angles  rows  of  irregularly  placed 
brown  scars  like  those  of  the  margins  of  the  petiole.  Both  surfaces  of 
the  leaf  have  a  thin  film  of  wax.  There  are  from  8  to  11  longitudinal 
veinlets  larger  than  the  others  and  i  mm.  or  more  apart ;  between  these 
are  similar  numbers  of  finer  equal  veinlets,  the  middle  one  sometimes 
slightly  larger ;  oblique  veinlets  distinct,  but  very  fine,  not  close. 

Inflorescence  80-90  cm.  long,  the  main  axis  bearing  from  9  to  10 
tubular  spathes.  Base  of  inflorescence  flattened  and  the  lower  spathe 
with  compressed,  winglike  margins.  The  spathes  are  open  only  at 
the  bilabiate  apex. 


FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     141 

Locality.  —  ''Loggerhead  Creek,  Andros,  April  22.  Not  common. 
Said  by  negroes  to  be  more  common  on  Eleuthera  and  islands  south." 
The  specimen  (509)  consists  of  two  leaves  and  two  inflorescences  with 
young  flowers. 

Inodes  sp. 

The  genus  Inodes  is  represented  by  a  single  inflorescence.  The 
calyx  and  corolla  are  longer  than  in  /.  Palmetto  (I^oddiges),  the  calyx 
more  deeply  lobed  and  the  margins  of  the  petals  more  distinctly  papil- 
late-denticulate. The  two  unequal  triangular  scales  which  subtend 
the  flowers  are  also  somewhat  larger.  These  facts  indicate  specific 
distinctness,  but  in  the  absence  of  other  data  the  application  of  a 
name  may  be  postponed. 

Locality.  —  "In  swamps  along  road  near  Nassau,  February  5." 
The  leaf  which  bears  the  same  number  (284)  is  here  referred  to 
Coccothrinax. 

A  large-leaved  fan-palm  from  which  material  for  weaving  hats  and 
baskets  is  obtained  was  noticed  by  Mr.  Lyster  H.  Dewey  growing  in 
swampy  places  on  New  Providence  Island.  It  attains  a  height  of 
about  5  m.  and  is  possibly  different  from  the  palm  reported  from 
Cat  Island  by  Professor  A.  S.  Hitchcock  (Report  Mo.  Bot;  Gar.,  4, 
138.  1893)  as  Sabal  umbraculifera.  This  occurs  in  dry  situations^ 
attains  a  height  of  about  8  m.  and  has  an  inflorescence  1.2  m.  long. 
The  berries  are  12  mm.  in  diameter,  the  seed  concave  at  base  and 
the  embryo  lateral.  As  already  explained  elsewhere  (Bull.  Torrey 
Club,  28,  531.  1891),  the  name  umbraculifera  was  not  available  for 
transfer  from  Corypha  to  any  American  palm,  and  the  application  of 
the  next  available  name  Inodes  Blackburniana  (Glazebrook)  has  not 
yet  been  fixed. 

Arecace^ 
Cyclospatheae,  new  tribe 

To  accommodate  the  following  genus  Cyclospathe  and  Pseudo- 
phoenix  Wendland.  The  association  of  the  latter  with  Morenia, 
Gaussia,  and  Synechanthus  as  proposed  by  Professor  Drude,  seems  to 
have  little  warrant. 

The  Moreniaceae  are  monoecious  palms  with  numerous  cylindrical 
partial  spathes  and  sessile  flowers    arranged  in  rows.     The    Cyclo- 


142     FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

spatheae  are  apparently  dioecious  palms  with  a  single  complete  spathe 
and  pedicellate  flowers,  without  orderly  arrangement.  The  Cyclo- 
spatheae  may  also  be  recognized  at  once  by  their  strongly  conduplicate 
leaf  segments,  a  feature  in  which  they  are  especially  divergent  from 
ChamcBdorea  and  the  related  genera,  which  have  the  bases  of  the  seg- 
ments more  open  than  in  most  of  the  pinnate-leaved  palms. 

Cyclospathe  gen.  nov.    . 

A  small  palm  obviously  allied  to  Pseudo phoenix  Wendland,  but 
distinct  in  having  the  trunk  short  and  with  short  internodes,  the 
inflorescence  infrafoliar,  and  the  calyx  deeply  lobed ;  also  in  the  pos- 
session of  a  curious,  short,  collar-like  spathe  completely  encircling  the 
main  axis  of  the  spadix  near  the  middle  of  its  base. 

The  leaf  segments  are  strongly  folded  together  like  those  of  Pseudo- 
phoenix^  but  the  lower  margin  is  not  incurved  to  bring  it  against  the 
upper  as  in  Pseudo phcenix.  The  "dark  conspicuous  gland-like  ex- 
crescences" described  by  Sargent  (Silva,  lo,  33)  on  the  sides  of  the 
rachis  at  the  base  of  the  pinnae  are  evidently  much  smaller  in  Cyclo- 
spathe, and  are  mostly  confined  to  the  angle  of  insertion  of  the  upper 
margin  of  the  pinnae. 

Further  differences  between  Cyclospathe  and  Pseudophcenix   are 

discussed  in  connection  with  the  following  description  of  the  type 

species : 

Cyclospathe  Northropi  sp.  nov. 

Trunk  less  than  3  m.  in  height,  about  22  cm.  in  diameter,  slightly 
bulging  in  the  center;  leaf  scars  distinct,  about  2.5  cm.  apart;  leaf 
bases  very  glaucous,  also  the  rachis; 'rachis  distally  subtriangular  in 
section,  the  leaf-bases  completely  crossing  the  lateral  faces  and  even 
prominent  above  the  narrow  crest;  upper  and  lower  margins  of  the 
pinnae  inserted  on  the  same  plane  at  the  lateral  angles  of  the  rachis ; 
segments  are  not  so  strongly  plicate  as  in  Pseudophcenix,  the  two  edges 
meeting  the  rachis  about  5  mm.  apart,  and  not  thickened  and  incurved 
as  in  the  heavier  and  larger  leaf  of  Pseudophcenix. 

The  specimens  studied  have  about  20  of  the  apical  pinnae  on  each 
side ;  lower  pinnae  about  47  cm.  long  by  23  mm.  broad ;  apical  pinnae 
gradually  reduced  to  27  cm.  by  10  mm.  and  smaller,  the  terminal  divi- 
sions not  completely  separated.  The  distal  pinnae  are  farther  apart 
than  the  proximal. 


FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     143 


In  Pseudo phoenix  pinnae  43  cm.  long  have  a  width  of  2)Z  ^^-  The 
texture  of  the  pinnae  of  Cyclospathe  is  also  much  thinner  and  more 
fragile  than  in  Pseudophosnix,  and  the  decurved  and  thickened 
anterior  margin  is  broader.  The  upper  surface  shows  several  rather 
prominent  veinules  not  regularly  spaced ;  below,  the  veinules  are  very 
numerous,  close,  and  equal.  The  upper  surface  is  smooth  and  shining, 
the  lower  dull  and  uniform,  the  space  between  the  veinules  being 
minutely  roughened.  In  Pseudophcenix  both  surfaces  appear  more 
distinctly  glaucous. 

The  spadix  at  the  flowering  stage  is  about  35  cm.  long,  and  about 
12  mm.  broad  at  the  flattened  base.  There  are  nearly  20  primary 
branches  decreasing  in  size  from  the  lowest,  which  is  11  cm.  long  and 
3  mm.  thick  at  base.  The  branches  are  twice  or  thrice  subdivided,  the 
ultimate  divisions  being  about  15  mm.  long  and  bearing  solitary  flowers 
at  intervals  of  about  i  mm.,  but  without  regularity  of  arrangement 
apparent  in  the  dried  specimen.  -Each  branch  and  flower  is  subtended 
by  a  triangular  pointed  bract,  those  of  the  primary  branches  being  5  to 
8  mm.  long,  strongly  acuminate  with  a  very  broad  base  which  at  the 
lowest  fork  is  continued  halfway  round  the  stem.  A  similar  growth  is 
probably  referred. to  by  Sargent  as  a  "thickened  ear-like  body"  on  the 
upper  side  of  the  base  of  the  branches  of  the  inflorescence  of  Pseudo- 
phosnix. 

The  most  curious  peculiarity  of  Cyclospathe  is  a  further  extension 
of  such  a  bract  or  rudimentary  spathe  to  form  a  complete  frill-like 
band  or  collar  about  the  middle  of  the  basal  stalk  of  the  inflorescence. 
This  structure  is  about  5  mm.  wide,  of  a  light  brown  color;  texture 
firm,  but  thin  and  rather  brittle  in  the  dried  state. 

Flowers  (perhaps  immature)  about  2  mm.  long.  Calyx  tubular 
forming  a  pedicel-like  base  i  mm.  long;  at  apex  splitting  into  three 
triangular  slightly  imbricate  lobes.  Corolla  thick  and  fleshy,  the  petals 
valvate.  No  stamens  or  staminodia  were  made  out,  and  the  indications 
are  that  Cyclospathe  is  dioecious.  Sargent  characterizes  Pseudophcenix 
as  monoecious,  but  apparently  without  reason,  as  he  says  afterward 
"flowers  unknown"  and  describes  only  the  persistent  "staminodia" 
of  the  ripe  fruit. 

Locality.  —  Andros  Island.  The  leaves  (508)  were  collected  on 
Loggerhead  Creek  in  April,  1890,  the  inflorescence  (671)  on  "Big 
Cabbage  Creek,  west  side"  in  June.    The  local  name,  "hog  cabbage 


144     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

palm,"  appears  with  both  labels  and  increases  the  probability  that  the 
specimens  were  properly  associated.  In  the  event  of  doubt  on  this 
point  the  inflorescence  should  be  treated  as  the  type. 


Cocos  NUCiFERA  L.    Common  in  cultivation. 


Bromeliace^ 


TiLLANDSiA  Balbisiana  R.  &  S.  ''Wild  pine."  Common  and 
variable.  Red  Bays  and  Conch  Sound,  April;  Lisbon  Creek,  June 
(491,  528). 

TiLLANDSiA  BULBOSA  Hook.  "Wild  onion."  On  mangroves  in 
the  swash.    Purser  Point,  June.    Not  common  (654). 

TiLLANDSiA  FASCicuLATA  Swartz.  "  Dog-drink-water."  Com- 
mon.   Nicol's  Town,  Red  Bays,  April  (439). 

TiLLANDSiAF  LEXUOSA  Sw.  Nicol's  Town,  March.  Like  Blodg- 
ett's  specimen  from  Key  West;  not  like  Wright  3271  (369). 

TiLLANDSiA  RECURVATA  L.  Not  common.  Fresh  Creek,  Kemp 
Sound,  Andros,  June  (617). 

TiLLANDSiA  UTRicuLATA  L.  More  than  1.5  m.  in  height. 
Flowers  whitish.  Larger  than  any  specimens  examined.  Fresh  Creek, 
June  (612). 

COMMELINACE^ 

CoMMELiNA  NUDiFLORA  L.    Nassau,  Jan.  (7). 
Rhcea  DISCOLOR  (L'Her.)  Hance.     (Tradescanlia  discolor  L'Her.) 
Nassau,  Jan. ;    Conch  Sound,  April  (26). 

LlLIACE^ 

Aletris  bracteata  sp.  no  v. 

Roots  numerous,  fibrous;  basal  leaves  numerous,  spreading, 
grayish  green,  lanceolate  or  linear-lanceolate,  apex  acuminate,  rigid, 
narrowed  at  the  base,  6-10  cm.  long,  6-10  mm.  wide;  scape  5-6  dm. 
in  height,  bearing  small,  scattered  bract-like  leaves;  raceme  erect, 
many-flowered,  pedicels  about  i  mm.  in  length,  bracts  subulate,  4-6 
mm.  in  length,  almost  equaling  the  corolla;  perianth  tubular-oblong, 
sometimes  slightly  contracted  below  the  lobes,  white,  6-S  mm.  long, 
about  3  mm.  wide,  slightly  roughish  on  the  outside ;  lobes  six,  oblong- 
lanceolate,  about  one-fourth  as  long  as  the  tube;  stamens  included. 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,  12 


Pl.i 


ALETRIS  BRACTEATA 


HELIOTYPE    CO.,    BOSTON. 


FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     145 

oblong-lanceolate,  apiculate  at  the  apex,  longer  than  the  filaments; 
pistil  included;  ovary  adherent  to  the  perianth  for  the  lower  half, 
style  flattened  and  broad  at  the  base,  slightly  three-cleft  above :  stig- 
mas three;  ovules  numerous;  fruit  not  seen  (463). 

Common  on  the  savannas  near  Red  Bays,  Andros,  April. 

Closely  related  to  A.  farinosa  L.,  but  differs  in  the  grayish  green 
longer  and  narrower  leaves,  with  more  rigid  apex,  the  longer  bracts 
and  the  broader  flattened  style. 

Plate  i.  Aletris  hracteata.  Entire  plant  X  f ;  />,  interior  of  perianth;  e,  stamen; 
r,  pistil. 

SMILACACEiE 

Smilax  auriculata  Walt.  New  Providence,  March;  Conch 
Sound,  April,  Purser  Point,  June.  Common.  Peduncles  longer  than 
pedicels  (339,  527). 

Smilax  Havanensis  Jacq.  "Saw-brier."  Nassau,  Jan.;  Purser 
Point,  Deep  Creek,  June. 

Specimens  from  Nassau  and  Purser  Point  unarmed;  Deep  Creek 
specimens  have  prickles  on  midrib  of  many  of  the  leaves  as  well  as  on 
margin  (59,  663). 

Smilax  sp.  ?  Unarmed  or  with  very  few  prickles,  branchlets 
angular,  leaves  mostly  broadest  at  the  apex,  obovate  or  oval,  4-5  cm. 
long,  3-4  cm.  wide,  thickish,  smooth,  apex  retuse,  mucronate,  base 
acute,  margin  entire,  veins  prominulous  on  both  sides ;  tendrils  usually 
inserted  a  little  below  the  middle  of  the  petiole:  staminate  flowers, 
peduncles  longer  than  the  petioles,  flower-buds  globose,  petals  ellip- 
tical, blunt,  3-4  mm. ;  anthers  oblong.  Pistillate  flowers  not  seen. 
Collected  on  border  of  swash  at  Purser  Point,  Andros,  June  (664). 

Amaryllidace^ 

Agave  rigida  Mill.  "Bamboo."  On  savannas  at  Red  Bays, 
April.  Not  common.  Flowers  bright  yellow.  Determined  by  Mr. 
J.  G.  Baker,  at  Kew%  1897. 

Agave  rigida  Sisalana  Engelm.  "Sisal."  Cultivated  and 
escaped.    Nassau,  Jan.  (164). 

FuRCRCEA  Cubensis  Haw.  Specimens  imperfect.  Nassau,  Jan. 
(203). 


146     FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

Hjrmenocallis  arenicola  sp.  no  v. 

Bulb  large ;  leaves  erect-spreading,  fleshy,  smooth,  dark  green, 
lance-oblong,  4-5.5  dm.  in  length,  4-5.5  ^^-  wide,  rounded  at  the  apex 
and  narrowing  at  the  base  to  2.5-3.5  c^-  5  scape  almost  equaling  the 
leaves;  bracts  large,  scarious,  ovate  or  lanceolate,  3-6  cm.  long,  1-2.5 
cm.  wide;  flowers  seven  to  thirteen  in  a  sessile  umbel,  white,  fragment ; 
tube  filiform,  white,  5-7  cm.  long,  shorter  than  the  lobes ;  divisions  of 
the  perianth  8-1 1  cm.,  narrowly  linear,  recurved;  crown  infundibular, 
3-4  cm.  in  length,  less  than  half  as  long  as  the  stamens,  teeth  prolonged 
into  the  filaments;  anthers  linear,  1.5  cm.  long,  attached  below  the 
middle;  ovary  ovate,  three-celled,  about  2  cm.  long;  style  filiform, 
longer  than  the  stamens,  about  equaling  the  lobes  of  the  perianth; 
stigma  small,  capitate. 

Common  on  sandy  beaches  on  the  eastern  side  of  Ahdros.  Col- 
lected at  Nicol's  Town,  April;  Fresh  Creek  and  Deep  Creek,  June. 
Most  nearly  related  to  H.  Caribcea  Herb.  (519). 

Plate  2.     Hymenocallis  arenicola,  inflorescence  and  leaf  X  f . 

Hypoxis  juncea  Smith.  On  border  of  swash.  Red  Bays,  April, 
May.  Not  common  (476).  The  same  as  Wright  3745,  except  that  it  is 
smaller  and  more  delicate. 

DlOSCOREACE^ 

Rajania  hastata  L.  Common  on  both  islands.  Nassau,  Jan. ; 
Deep  Creek,  June.  Leaves  very  slender,  i  cm.  in  width,  or  less  above 
the  base,  otherwise  like  Wright,  Cuba,  171 2  (203). 

Orchidace^ 

Bletia  verecunda  R.  Br.  Common  in  the  pines  on  both  islands 
and  on  the  border  of  the  swash  on  west  side  of  Andros.  Nassau,  Jan. ; 
Red  Bays,  March.  There  seems  to  be  no  distinction  between  this 
species  and  B.  purpurea  DC,  reported  as  endemic  in  the  Bahamas 
(91).    Same  as  365  Plant.  Guat.,  J.  Donnell  Smith. 

Epidendrum  fucatum  Lindl.  "Wild  Indian."  Common  in  the 
coppet.  Conch  Sound,  May;  Mastic  Point,  June;  Mars  Bay,  July 
(584,  711).    Same  as  Wright  3329. 

Epidendrum  nocturnum  L.  Conch  Sound,  March.  In  fruit 
only  (414). 


L 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,  12 


Pl.  2 


-pr 


HYMENOCALLIS  ARENICOLA 


HELIOTYPE  CO.,   BOSTON. 


FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     147 

Epidendrum  odoratissimum  Lindl.  Growing  in  sandy  soil,  near 
the  shore,  occasionally  on  trees  near  ground,  in  that  case  being  smaller ; 
flowers  very  fragrant,  having  an  odor  like  birch.  Collected  at  Calabash 
Cay,  near  Stafford  Creek,  Andros,  June  (606). 

Epidendrum  Phceniceum  Lindl.  ''Wild  Indian."  Not  uncom- 
mon in  the  coppet.  Fresh  Creek,  June  (609).  Differs  from  Rugel 
814,  in  having  the  bracts  much  shorter,  5-7  mm.  long,  more  obtuse, 
and  the  lip  more  strongly  crispate. 

Epidendrum  sp.  ?  Single  specimen  from  Stafford  Creek,  June. 
Aerial,  tubers  small,  one-phyllous,  leaf  5-6  cm.  in  length,  linear-oblong, 
crenulate :  scape  3  dm.  in  height,  few-flowered :  flowers  white,  2  cm. 
long,  divisions  of  perigone  narrow  (674). 

Epidendrum?  In  fruit  only.  Aerial,  tuber  two-leaved,  leaves 
3  dm.  in  length,  5  mm.  in  width :  capsule  oblong,  2  cm.  long,  8-10  mm. 
wide.    In  the  pines,  Lisbon  Creek,  Andros,  June  (679). 

Broughtonia  lilacina  Henfr.  (Lceliopsis  Domingensis  Lindl.) 
Common  in  the  coppet.  Cocoanut  Point,  April;  Fresh  Creek,  Lisbon 
Creek,  June  (437,  448,  546). 

PoLYSTACHYA  LUTEOLA  Hook.  Ontrces,  in  coppct.  Conch  Sound, 
April  (525). 

PoLYSTACHYA  sp.  ?  Closc  to  P.  luteola,  but  much  smaller ;  leaves 
12-14  cm.  long,  I  cm.  broad:  flowers  5-7  mm.  long,  lip  three-lobed, 
callous  at  base,  column  very  short.    Conch  Sound,  March  and  May 

(407). 

GovENiA  UTRICULATA  Lindl.  In  fruit  only.  Conch  Sound,  March. 
Determined  by  Mr.  J.  M.  Greenman,  at  Cambridge  (418). 

Oncidium  sylvestre  Lindl.  ?  Not  uncommon  under  the  pines. 
Conch  Sound  and  London  Creek,  May.  It  has  the  habit  of  O.  sylves- 
tre, but  the  white  pink-spotted  flowers  are  smaller  and  leaves  shorter ; 
lip  8-10  mm.  in  width:  leaves  8-12  cm.  long  (543). 

Oncidium  variegatum  Sw.  On  trees.  Conch  Sound,  May. 
Leaves  longer  and  narrower  (3-4  mm.  in  width),  than  in  Wright  668 
and  Eggers  1796  from  St.  Domingo  (587). 

Oncidium  sp.  On  trees,  rare.  Fresh  Creek,  June.  Near  O. 
variegatum  Sw.  Flowers  deeply  spotted,  divisions  of  perigone  nar- 
rower, 2-4  mm.  wide,  abruptly  pointed :  leaves  6-8  mm.  wide  (647). 

Oncidium  sp.  ?  Near  O.  sphacelatum  Lindl.  Single  specimen 
from  Mastic  Point,  June;  terrestrial,  1.5  m.  in  height;  scape  lateral; 


148     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

greenish  yellow  flowers  panicled ;  leaves  equitant,  recurved,  rosulate 
from  flattened  tubers  (602).  No.  750  collected  at  Mars  Bay,  Andros, 
in  July  is  probably  a  smaller  specimen  of  the  same  species  and  No,  405 
from  Conch  Sound,  an  Oncidium  in  fruit  only,  may  perhaps  be  referred 
to  the  same  species. 

Vanilla  articulata  sp.  nov.     "Link-vine,"  "wormwood" 

A  tall  climber  with  aerial  roots,  growing  over  trees  and  shrubs, 
aphyllous ;  stems  jointed,  joints  fleshy,  smooth,  subangular,  2-3  dm. 
in  length;  flowers  in  short  axillary  spikes,  6-12  flowered;  bracts 
broadly  ovate  or  triangular,  blunt,  5  mm.  in  length;  flowers  about  6 
cm.  long,  fleshy,  white  with  faint  pinkish  tinge,  parts  of  perigone 
jointed  at  the  base;  sepals  erect,  spreading,  fleshy,  oblanceolate, 
involute  at  the  tip,  3-4  cm.  long,  about  i  cm.  wide ;  petals  oblanceolate 
or  spatulate,  equaling  the  sepals  but  thinner,  keeled  on  the  back; 
lip  adnate  to  the  column  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  way,  convolute, 
broadly  obovate  or  triangular,  about  3  cm.  in  width,  channeled  on  the 
back,  three-lobed,  lobes  obtuse,  crispate,  lateral  lobes  papillose  below, 
central  lobe  sparingly  crested  above,  bearded  below  (thick  tuft  of  cilia 
5-6  mm.  long),  column  elongated,  about  2.5  cm.;  anther  terminal 
jointed  at  the  base,  pollinia  two;  stigma  shortly  transverse:  ovary 
fleshy,  flattened,  sometimes  slightly  two-edged,  incurved,  3-3.5  cm. 
long,  5  mm.  wide;  capsule  elongated. 

Collected  on  both  islands,  not  common.  New  Providence,  Feb. ; 
in  bloom,  July;  London  Creek,  May;  Deep  Creek,  June  (545). 

Plate  3.  Vanilla  articulata.  Cluster  of  flowers;  e,  lip;  a,  n,  sepals;  d,  petal ;  0, 
column,  side  view ;  v,  column,  front  view ;  m,  cross  section  of  buds. 

Cranichis  sp.  ?  IsiesiTC.  tenuis  Reich.  Leaves  lanceolate,  6-8  cm. 
in  length;  petioles  equaling  or  exceeding  the  leaves;  scape  very 
slender,  few-flowered,  22  cm.  in  length,  few  small  sheathing  scales. 
Two  specimens  only.  Conch  Sound,  May  (567). 

Cranichis  sp.  ?  In  fruit,  possibly  C.  muscosa  Sw.,  but  the  scape  is 
much  more  densely  flowered  than  in  Wright  620  from  Cuba.  Conch 
Sound,  March  (417). 

Stenorhynchus  orchioides  Rich.  Not  common.  Flowers 
greenish.    Conch  Sound,  May  (412). 

Gyrostachys  Peruviana  (Aubl.)  Kuntze?  Common  and  vari- 
able. Collected  on  both  sides  of  Andros,  Conch  Sound,  March ;  Red 
Bays,  April  (399,  574)-  Bracts  more  acuminate  than  in  Wright  3296. 
{Spiranthes  tortilis  Rich.  ?) 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,  12 


-/\f^ 


VANILLA  ARTIENLATA 


HELIOTYPE  CO.,    30ST0N. 


FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     149 

LiMODORUM  TUBEROSUM  L.    Coromon  on  savannas  on  west  side 

of  Andros.    Variable,  some  specimens  approach  L.  graminifolium  (Ell.) 

Small.    Red  Bays,  April,  May  (430-500).    Same  as  Wright  3317  from 

Cuba. 

Casuarinace^ 

Casuarina  equisetifolia  Forst.     ''Spanish  cedar."     Nassau, 

Feb.    Common  in  cultivation  (297,  454).    454  was  collected  on  the 

west  shore  of  Andros,  miles  from  any  settlement.    It  is  also  reported 

from  the  Florida  Keys. 

Myricace^ 

Myrica  cerifera  L.  "Wax-berry,"  "mickle-berry."  Common 
on  Andros.    Nicol's  Town,  March;  Lisbon  Creek,  July  (357). 

MORACEiE 

Ficus  DiMiDiATA  Griscb.  "Fig  tree."  Nassau,  Jan.;  Nicol's 
^Town,  March  (119,  377,  378).  119  is  the  same  as  Wright  542.  377 
and  378  are  probably  F.  dimidiata  with  young  leaves. 

Ficus  pedunculata  Willd.  "Fig  tree."  Nassau,  Jan.  (46). 
Same  as  Wright  1684. 

Ficus  pertusa  L.  Mastic  Point,  Andros,  May  (586).  Same  as 
Wright  545.  

Ficus  Indica  L.    "Banyan."    Cultivated,  Nassau,  Jan.  (295). 
Artocarpus  incisa  L.  f.     "Breadfruit."    Cultivated  (261). 

Ulmace^ 

Trema  Lima  (Lam.)  A.  S.  Hitch.  ?  {Sponia  Lamarckiana  Desc.) 
"Wild  birch,"  "wild  fig."  Common  in  the  coppet  at  Red  Bays 
(Lewis  Coppet),  April;   Deep  Creek,  June. 

A  low  tree,  not  tortuous  branching.  In  general  appearance  and 
mode  of  branching  seems  between  T.  mollis  Desc.  and  T.  Lima.  The 
leaves  are  larger  than  any  specimen  of  T.  Lima  examined,  4-5  cm. 
long,  .5-2.5  cm.  broad;  upper  surface  very  scabrous,  apex  acute.  It 
is  the  same  as  Cooper  21  from  New  Providence  and  Eggers  2326,  un- 
named (485,  683). 

URTICACEiE 

Fleurya  tESTuans  Gaud.    Nassau,  Jan.  (30). 

Adicea  microphylla  (Sw.)  Kuntze.    Nassau,  Jan.  (29). 


150     FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

LORANTHACEiE 

Dendropemon  emarginatus  (Sw.)  Steud.  Nicol's  Town,  March. 
On  fig,  gum  elemi,  etc.  (373).  Agrees  with  Wright  1303,  except  that 
racemes  are  shorter  and  the  pedicels  longer. 

Dendropemon  sp.  "Mistletoe."  Mars  Bay,  Andros;  on  Pelto- 
phorum,  July  (713).  Plants  smooth,  branchlets  and  peduncles  much 
compressed. 

Phoradendron  racemosum  Krug  &  Urban.  ''  Snake-root,"  "  big 
man."  Deep  Creek,  June;  on  Nectandra  (704).  Same  as  Eggers 
1 741  and  Wright  12^2  p.  p. 

Phoradendron  Northropiae  Urban,  sp.  nov. 

Ramis  teretibus  v.  junioribus  plus  minus  compressis,  superne  di-v. 
-trichotomis :  vaginis  cataphyllaribus  ad  omnia  internodia  supra  basin 
obviis  solitariis,  raro  binis :  foliis  obovatis  v.  breviter  obovatis  antice 
rotundatis  v.  sub-truncatis,  plerumque  late  emarginatis,  basi  sensim 
V.  satis  abrupte  in  petiolum  2-6  mm.  longum  angustatis,  3-7  cm.  longis, 
2.5-4  cm.  latis,  vix  dimidio  usque  duplo  longioribus  quam  latioribus, 
partissime  et  obsolete  pinnatinervibus,  crasse  coriaceis;  spicis  ad  no- 
dos  pluribus  lateralibus,  1.5-2.5  cm.  longis;  4-6  articulatis:  articulis 
androgynis,  10-14  floris  v.  1-2  supremis  6-2-floris;  floribus  in  seriebus 
4  depositis,  imparibus  2  sub  apice  cujusque  articuli  adjectis,  hisve 
masculis,  caeteris  femineis,  baccis  non  visis. 

Rami  inf erne  3-5  mm.  crassi,  glaberrimi,  internodiis  4-10  cm.  longis. 
Folia  in  sicco  olivacea  v.  brunnescentia,  nervis  lateralibus  utrinque 
plerumque  2,  altero  supra  basin,  altero  ad  medium  e  nervo  medio 
abeunte,  supra  vix,  subtus  paullo  melius  conspicuo.  Spicae  interdum 
revera  ex  axillis  euphyllorum  solitariae,  sed  utrinque  accessoriis  autae 
ideoque  pro  axilla  specie  ternae,  sed  plerumque  ad  nodos  vetustos 
inordinate  plures,  ex  axillis  squamarum  minutarum  orientes,  3-5  mm. 
longe  pedunculatas. 

Hab.  in  Ins.  Bahamas,  Andros  Island  and  Conch  Sound  and  Lisbon 
Creek,  in  June  flor.  Northrop  No.  551  (in  Mimusops  depressa  Pierre). 

Plate  4.     Phoradendron  Northropice.     Portion  of  plant  X  f ;  a,  inflorescence. 
ARISTOLOCHIACEiE 

Aristolochia  passiflor^folia  Rich.  Conch  Sound,  May. 
In  the  pines  (568).    Same  as  Wright  3665. 

Aristolochia  pentandra  L.  Nicol's  Town,  March  (385). 
Same  as  specimens  of  Garber  and  of  Curtiss  from  South  Florida. 


i 


EM.  ToRREY  Club,  12 


Pl.  4 


PHORODENDRON  NORTHROPIAE 


HEUOTYPE  CO.,  BOSTON. 


FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     151 

POLYGONACE^ 

CoccoLOBis  DiVERSiFOLiA  Jacq.  Nassau,  Jan.  (143).  Deter- 
mined at  Kew  by  Dr.  N.  L.  Britton.  Same  as  Brace  142  "var.  foliis 
minoribus"  Lindau. 

CoccoLOBis  RETUSA  Griseb.  ''Pigeon-plum."  Deep  Creek, 
June  (705) ;  Purser  Point,  June  (662) ;  low  in  fruit.  Same  as  Wright 
2252. 

COCCOLOBIS  TENUiFOLiA  L.  Nicol's  Town,  April  (443).  Deter- 
mined at  Kew  by  Dr.  N.  L.  Britton.  Same  as  Wright  3368.  Same  as 
Brace  151, 193,  and  205. 

COCCOLOBIS  uviFER^  (L.)  Jacq.  ''Sea-grape."  Nassau,  Jan. 
Common  everywhere  along  north  shore  of  New  Providence  and  east 
shore  of  Andros  (80). 

COCCOLOBIS  Wrightii  Lindau.  "Pigeon-plum."  Deep  Creek, 
July  (721).  Determined  at  Kew  by  Dr.  N.  L.  Britton.  Same  as 
Wright  1395. 

COCCOLOBIS  pBTUSiFOLiA  Jacq.  "Pigcon-plum."  Deep  Creek, 
June  (706).  Determined  at  Kew  by  Dr.  Britton  to  be  the  same  as 
Eggers  4486,  which  according  to  Lindau  is  C.  microstachya  ovalifolia 
Meisn. 

Polygonum  Portoricense  Bertero.  (P.  densiflorum  Meisn.) 
Fresh  Creek,  June.    Not  common  (621). 


Antigonum  leptopus  H.  &  A.  Common  in  cultivation.  Nassau 
and  Mastic  Point,  June  (604). 

Chenopodiace^ 

Atriplex  cristata  H.  B.  K.    Deep  Creek,  June  (709). 

Salicornia  ambigua  Michx.  Common  along  the  east  coast. 
Nassau,  Jan.  (171). 

Salicornia  Bigelovii  Torr.  (5.  mucronala  Bigel.)  In  the 
swash  on  "the  west  side  of  Andros.  Wide  Opening,  June  (669). 
3  dm.  in  height,  branches  very  strict. 

DoNDiA  FRUTICOSA  (Forsk.)  (SucBda.)  Red  Bays,  April  (455). 
7-8  dm.  in  height,  rigid,  much  branched. 

DoNDiA  linearis  (Ell.)  Millsp.    Common.    Nassau,  Jan.  (194). 


152     FLORA   OF   NEW    PROVIDENCE   AND   ANDROS 

Amarantace^ 

Alternanthera  muscoides  Sw.     Lake  Waterloo,  Nassau,  Jan. 

(15°)- 

Alternanthera  paronchyioides  St.  Hil.     Nassau,  Jan.  (197). 

Same  as  Eggers  2571  (not  named  specifically),  except  that  the  plant  is 

more  compact  and  the  petioles  shorter,  3-4  mm. 

LiTHOPHiLA  VERMicuLARis  (L.)  Uline.  "  Sampire."  Ft.  Mon- 
tagu, Nassau,  Jan.     Common  on  sandy  shores  (147). 

Ire  SINE  PANicuLATA  (L.)  Kuntze.  (/.  celosioides  L.)  "  Newburn 
weed."     Nicol's  Town,  March;  Stafford  Creek,  June  (362). 

Batide^ 

Batis  maritima  L.  Mastic  Point,  May;  Cormorant  Cay,  Andros, 
June  (595). 

Phytolaccace^ 

Rivina  humilis  glabra  L.  Common  on  N.P.  and  Andros. 
Nassau,  Jan.  (20). 

Phytolacca  octandra  L.    "  Poke-bush."     Nicol's  Town,  March 

(354). 

Nyctaginace^ 

Mirabilis  Jalapa  L.  "  Four-o'clock."  Naturalized  in  Nassau, 
Jan. 

BoERHAAViA  ERECTA  L.     Near  caves.  New  Providence,  Feb.  (280). 

BoERHAAViA  PANICULATA  Rich.    Mastic  Point,  Andros,  May  (732). 

BoERHAAViA  SCANDENS  L.  Near  caves.  New  Providence,  Feb. 
(281). 

PisoNiA  ACULEATA  L.  ''  Cockspur."  Common  in  the  coppet  of 
both  islands.     Nassau,  Jan.  (73,  196). 

PisoNiA  OBTUSATA  Sw.  In  the  coppet,  Nicol's  Town,  April  (517). 
Same  as  a  specimen  of  Blodgett's  from  Key  West,  named  by  Torrey. 

PisoNiA  ROTUNDATA  Griscb.  In  the  coppet,  not  common.  Fresh 
Creek,  June  (636).  Same  as  Wright  3369,  also  specimens  of  Blodgett's 
from  Pine  Key,  Fla. 

BouGAiNViLLEA  SPECTABILIS  Poir.  Common  in  cultivation  at 
Nassau  (142). 


FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     153 

AlZOACE^ 

Sesuvium  portulacastrum  L.  Common  on  sandy  beaches  on 
both  islands,  variable.    Nassau,  Jan.  (149). 

PORTULACACE^ 

PoRTULACA  OLERACEA  L.  Common  prostrate  form,  collected  at 
Nassau,  Jan. 

PoRTULACA  OLERACEA  L.  var.  ?  Plants  2-2.5  ^^'  high,  ascending, 
nearly  erect;  leaves  1-2.25  cm.  in  length,  obtuse  or  sometimes  retuse, 
axils  shortly  and  sparsely  pilose :  flowers  larger  than  in  the  common 
form,  clustered :  petals  4-5  mm. :  sepals  strongly  carinate-winged : 
style  3-4-parted:  seeds  small,  less  than  .5  mm.,  rugose.  Found 
growing  abundantly  on  Cormorant  Cay  in  the  Northern  Bight,  west 
side  of  Andros,  June  (658). 

PoRTULACA  HALiMOiDES  L.  Conch  Sound,  May.  Common  on 
rocks  (580). 

ANONACE.E 

Anona  palustris  L.  "Custard  apple."  Not  uncommon  in 
swampy  parts  of  the  coppet.  Conch  Sound,  March  (408).  Same  as 
Rugel  710. 

Anona  squamosa  L.     "Sugar  apple."     Nicol's  Town,  cultivated 

(513)- 

Ranunculace^ 

Clematis  dioica  L.  Collected  by  Mr.  Alexander  Keith  at  Conch 
Sound,  1894.    Not  common  (742). 

Laurace^ 

Nectandra  sanguinea  Rottb.  "Sweet  torchwood."  Common 
in  the  coppet.  Conch  Sound,  Red  Bays,  April;  Fresh  Creek,  June 
(487,  613).  Agrees  with  Wright  484  except  that  the  leaves  are  narrower 
(2.5-3  cm.). 

Cassytha  filiformis  L.  Common  on  shrubs  and  low  trees. 
Nassau,  Jan.  (78,  104,  512).  A  more  slender  form  with  yellow  stems 
was  found  on  low  grasses  at  Loggerhead  Creek  on  the  west  side  of 
Andros,  also  found  on  Rose  Island,  N.P.  (266). 


154     FLORA   OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

Persea  Persea  (L.)  Cockerell.  "Avocado  pear."  Common  in 
cultivation.    Nicol's  Town,  March  (371). 

Papaverace^ 
Argemone  Mexicana  L.    Common  about  Nassau,  Jan.  (51). 

Crucifer^ 

Brassica  arvensis  (L.)  B.  S.  P.  {B.  Sinapistrum  Boiss).  Nassau, 
Jan.  (225).    Leaves  almost  entire. 

Lepidium  Virginicum  L.    Nassau,  Jan.  (140). 

Cakile  ^qualis  L'Her.  Common  on  sandy  beaches.  Salt 
Cay,  Feb.  {%^,  278).    Same  as  Wright  1863. 

Capparidace^ 

Pedicellaria  pentaphylla  (L.)  Schrank.  ''Wild  mustard." 
Fresh  Creek,  June  (630). 

Crassulace^ 

Bryophyllum  pinnatum  (Lam.)  S.  Kurz.  {B.  calycinum 
Salisb.)     "Live-for-ever."    Nassau,  Jan.;  also  on  Andros  (199). 

Rosacea 

Chrysobalanus  IcAco  L.  "Pigeon  plum."  Common  on  sandy 
shores.  Nassau,  Jan. ;  Fresh  Creek,  June.  Many  specimens  at  latter 
locality  had  white  drupes  (115). 

MiMOSACEiE 

Acacia  choriophylla  Benth.  "Cinnecord."  Common  in  the 
pines  on  both  islands.  New  Providence,  Feb. ;  Nicol's  Town,  March 
(312,  364). 

Acacia  Farnesiana  (L.)  Willd.    Nassau,  Jan.  (44). 

AcuAN  DEPRESSA  (Kunth.)  Kuntzc.  (Desmanihus.)  Red  Bays, 
April  (495). 

AcuANViRGATA  (Willd.)  Kuntzc.  {Desmanthus.)  Mastic  Point, 
May  (731). 

Mimosa  pudica  L.  "Sensitive  plant."  Collected  by  Mr.  Keith, 
1891.  Uncommon  on  Andros,  but  said  to  be  abundant  on  Eleuthera. 
Mastic  Point  (735). 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,  12 


Pl.5 


PITHECOLOBIUM  BAHAMENSE 


HELIOTYPE   CO.,    BOSTON. 


FLORA    OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     155 


Leuc^na  glauca  (L.)  Benth.  "  Jumby-bean."  Nassau,  Jan., 
Feb.;  Bearing  Point,  Andros,  June  (43,  282,  657).  Nos.  282  and  657 
were  shrubs,  1.5-2  m.  in  height. 

Lysiloma  PAUCiroLiOLA  (DC.)  A.  S.  Hitch.  (Sabicu  Benth.) 
^'Horseflesh,"  "sabicu."  Common  in  the  coppet;  one  of  the  most 
valuable  timber  trees.    Nicol's  Town,  April;  Deep  Creek,  June  (434). 

Lysiloma  Bahamensis  Benth.  "Wild  tamarind."  New  Provi- 
dence, Feb.  (309).    Same  as  Wright  3542. 

Calliandra  FORMOSA  Benth.  Hog  Island,  Nassau,  Feb.  (255). 
In  fruit  only.    Determined  by  Dr.  B.  L.  Robinson  at  Gray  herbarium. 

PiTHECOLOBiUM  Hystrix  Benth.  (P.  calliandrcBfolium  Wright.) 
In  the  pines,  not  common.  Conch  Sound,  May;  Deep  Creek,  June 
(575).    It  is  the  same  as  Wright  2401. 

PiTHECOLOBiUM  Unguis-cati  (L.)  Benth.  "Ram's  horn." 
Common  near  the  shore  on  both  islands.  Nassau,  Jan. ;  Cocoanut 
Point ;  Andros,  April  (66,  235,  449).  66,  collected  at  Nassau,  has  the 
leaves  two-jugal  and  agrees  with  Eggers  (3830). 

Pithecolobium  Bahamense  sp.  nov.     "Ram's  horn" 

A  shrub,  1.5-2  m.  in  height,  with  slender,  drooping  branches, 
armed  with  delicate,  stipular  spines,  3-7  mm.  in  length ;  leaves  bipin- 
nate,  pinnae  one-jugal,  leaflets  one-jugal ;  petiole  1-4  mm.  in  length, 
petiolules  1-3  mm.,  channeled  and  with  a  single  stipitate  gland  at  the 
base,  leaflets  oblong  to  oblanceolate  or  obovate,  1.25-2  cm.  long,  a  little 
over  half  as  broad,  obtuse  or  mucronate  at  the  apex,  oblique  and  slightly 
unequal  at  the  base,  chartaceous,  glabrous,  shining  above,  entire,  sub- 
sessile  with  a  stipitate  gland  at  base ;  inflorescence  capitate,  many- 
flowered;  peduncles  2-3  cm.  in  length,  much  exceeding  the  leaves; 
calyx  tubular,  less  than  one-half  the  length  of  the  corolla  with  five  ovate 
acute  lobes;  corolla  crimson,  tubular,  3-5  mm.  in  length,  five-lobed, 
lobes  acute,  about  one-half  as  long  as  the  tube;  stamens  numerous, 
crimson,  exserted,  more  than  twice  the  length  of  the  corolla;  anthers 
small,  rounded ;  ovary  stipitate :  style  much  exserted,  about  2  cm.  in 
length,  four  times  as  long  as  the  corolla ;  stigma  small ;  immature  fruit 
compressed,  slightly  curved,  puberulent;  mature  fruit  9  cm.  in  length, 
I  cm.  in  width,  dark  brown,  curved ;  seeds  ariled. 

Collected  in  fruit  near  Nassau  in  January,  and  in  flower  in  the 
coppet  at  Mastic  Point,  Andros,  in  June  (605).  The  plant  belongs  to 
the  section  Unguis-cati  and  is  related  to  P.  circinale  Benth. 

Plate  5.  Pithecolobium  Bahamense.  Portions  of  plant  in  flower  and  in  immature 
fruit.      X  f . 


156     FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND   ANDROS 

C^SALPINACE^ 

Cassia  Bahamensis  Mill.  ''Stinking  pea."  New  Providence 
Jan.  (103). 

Cassia  biflora  L.    Nassau,  Jan.    Leaflets  strongly  emarginate 

(55)- 

Cassia  ligustrina  L.    Common.    Nassau,  Jan. ;  Conch  Sound, 

March  (123,  422).    Same  as  Wright  1190. 

Cassia  mimosoides  L.  Nassau,  Jan.  Pods  2-2.5  cm.  long,  very 
hairy  (134). 

Cassia  occidentalis  L.    Nassau,  Jan.  (105). 

Cassia  polyadena  DC.  Nicol's  Town,  March.  In  the  pines, 
strict  and  unbranched,  7-9  cm.  in  height,  not  as  pubescent  as  Wright 
2376. 

Cassia  villosa  Mill.  Nassau,  Jan.  Determined  by  Miss  Anna 
Murray  Vail  at  Columbia  herbarium  (14). 

Cassia  Caribaja  sp.  nov. 

Shrubby,  6-9  dm.  in  height,  stem  gray,  smooth;  leaves  2-3.5  cm. 
long,  with  from  two  to  four  pairs  of  leaflets,  mostly  three ;  petiole  2-5 
mm.  long,  channeled ;  a  stipitate  gland  between  the  leaflets  or  slightly 
below  (often  wanting  between  the  lowest  pair) ;  leaflets  sessile,  eUip- 
tical,  1.5-2  cm.  long,  about  one-third  as  wide,  unequal  and  oblique  at 
the  base,  apex  mucronate,  margin  entire,  thickish,  glabrous,  shining 
above,  resinous-dotted  below ;  veins  numerous,  parallel  and  prominent ; 
stipules  about  3  mm.  in  length,  subulate,  subspinescent,  ribbed  and 
often  with  appressed  white  hairs  on  the  margin,  persistent;  flowers 
large,  solitary,  axillary;  peduncle  2-3  cm.  long;  calyx  deciduous: 
sepals  lanceolate,  acuminate,  about  i  cm.  long,  the  three  outer  ones 
keeled,  keel  pilose,  petals  yellow,  oblanceolate  or  obovate,  nearly 
twice  as  long  as  the  sepals  and  about  i  cm.  in  width ;  stamens  10,  the 
three  upper  difform,  anthers  linear,  puberulous  along  the  furrow, 
bursting  at  the  top  by  two  short  clefts ;  ovary  about  5  mm.  in  length, 
shorter  than  the  flattened  style  and  covered  with  appressed  white 
hairs;  legume  purplish  brown,  linear-oblong,  3-5.5  cm.  long,  5-7  mm. 
wide,  bivalved,  compressed,  mucronate,  with  a  few  scattered  hairs: 
seeds  about  eight,  oblong,  compressed. 

Collected  in  the  coppet  at  Fresh  Creek,  Andros,  June  10,  most 
closely  related  to  C.  lineata  Sw.  (6^S). 

Plate  6.   Cassia  Caribcsa.     Portions  of  plant,  natural  size;  i,  leaflet. 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,  i3 


Pl.  6 


CASSIA  CARIBAEA 


HELIOTYPE    CO.,    BOSTON, 


FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     157 

Tamarindus  Indica  L.  "  Tamarind."  Fresh  Creek,  June ;  Deep 
Creek,  July  (642,  717). 

H^matoxylon  Campechianum  L.  "Logwood."  Nassau,  Jan. ; 
Lisbon  Creek,  Andros.    Naturalized  (195). 

C^SALPiNiA  OVALIFOLIA  Urban.  "Nicker-bean."  Nassau,  Jan. 
(116).    Described  in  SymbolaeAntillanse,  2273.    O.  1900. 

C^SALPiNiA  CRISTA  L.  (C.  Bofiducella  L.)  "Nicker-tree." 
Nassau,  Jan.  (106).  Both  species  quite  common  on  New  Providence 
and  Andros  on  sandy  beaches. 

C^SALPiNiA  RuGELiANA  Urban.  Common  in  the  pines.  Conch 
Sound,  March  (426).    Same  as  Wright  2364. 

Peltophorum  ADNATUM  Griseb.  "Horse-bush."  Upper  surface 
of  leaflets  hirsute.  Otherwise  same  as  Wright  2359.  Deep  Creek, 
July  (712).  

PoiNCiANA  REGIA  Boj.  "Poinciana,"  "flamboyant."  Cultivated 
at  Nassau,  Mastic  Point  and  Deep  Creek,  Andros  (591). 

C^SALPiNiA  PULCHERRiMA  Sw.  "  Pride  of  Barbadoes."  Cultivated 
at  Nassau  and  Mastic  Point  (10). 

Papilionace^ 

SoPHORA  TOMENTOSA  L.     Conch  Sound,  March;  Deep  Creek, 

July  (411,  727).    Same  as  Eggers  2573,  but  is  not  nearly  as  tomentose. 

Crotalaria  pumila  Ort.     Nassau,  Jan.  (67).     Same  as  Curtiss 

533- 

Crotalaria  retusa  L.    Nassau,  Jan.  221.    Same  as  Wright  117. 

Crotalaria  VERRUCOSA  L.    Nassau,  Jan.  (54). 

Indigofera  Anil  L.    Nassau,  Jan.  (175). 

Cracca  Schottii  Vail.  In  old  field,  Lisbon  Creek,  Andros,  June 
(678).  Agrees  with  specimens  from  Cartagena,  Schott,  No.  16.  Deter- 
mined by  Miss  Anna  Murray  Vail. 

Stylosanthes  hamata  (L.)  Taub.  (5.  procumhens  Sw.)  Nassau, 
Jan.  (37). 

Meibomia  INC  ana  (Sw.)  Kuntze.  (Desmodium  incanum  (Sw.) 
DC.)    Nassau,  Jan.    Common  (224). 

Abrus  precatorius  L.  "Crab's  eyes,"  "Black-eyed-Susan," 
"Wild  licorice."    Nassau,  Jan.  (239). 

Bradburya  Virginiana  (L.)  Kuntze.    {Centrosema.)    Very  com- 


158     FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS 

mon,  fruit  and  leaves  variable.  Nassau,  Jan. ;  Fresh  Creek,  June 
(82,  227,  629). 

Bradburya  Virginiana  angustifolia  (DC.)  Griseb.  Fresh 
Creek,  June  (756). 

Galactia  rudolphioides  (Griseb.)  Wright.  Common.  Nas- 
sau, Jan. ;  Nicol's  Town,  March,  April  (214,  219,  395).  Agrees  with 
Wright  1 181. 

Galactia  Cubensis  H.  B.  K.  (G.  spiciformis  T.  &  G.)  Nas- 
sau, Jan.;  Fresh  Creek,  June  (60,  226,  648).  Agrees  with 
Wright  2332. 

Canavalia  OBTUSiFOLiA  (Lam.)  DC.  ''Horse-bean."  Common 
on  sandy  beaches.  Nassau,  Jan.;  Conch  Sound,  April  (112,  452). 
Legume  2.5  cm.  wide.  Same  as  Curtiss  682,  and  Eggers  2724, 
unnamed  specifically. 

DoLiCHOLUS  MINIMUS  (L.)  Medic.  Nassau,  Jan.  (215).  Same 
as  Curtiss  656. 

Phaseolus  semierectus  L.  Common.  Southwest  Beach,  N.P., 
Jan.;    Mangrove  Cay,  Andros,  June  (329).     Same  as  Wright  137. 

ViGNA  REPENS  (L.)  Kuntzc.  Nicol's  Town,  March  (386).  Same 
as  J.  Donnell  Smith  181,  PL  Guat. 

Cajanus  Cajan  (L.)  Millsp.  "Pigeon-pea."  Cultivated  and 
escaped  on  both  islands.     Nassau,  Jan.  (98). 

Dalbergia  Brownei  (Pers.)  Kuntze.  "Ti-ti."  Kemp  Sound, 
Andros,  June  (680). 

IcHTHYOMETHiA  PisciPULA  (L.)  A.  S.  Hitchc.  (Pisctdia 
Erythrina  L.)     Conch  Sound,  May  (588).     Same  as  Curtiss  685. 

Arachis  hypog^a  L.  "Groundnut."  Cultivated.  Mastic 
Point,  May  (600). 

Erythrina  Corallodendron  L.  "Lightning  tree."  Culti- 
vated.    Nassau  (308). 

OXALIDACE^ 

OxALis  CORNICULATA  REPENS  Zucc.     Nassau,  Feb.  (330). 

OxALis  sp.  Acaulescent,  bulbs  scaly;  leaflets  broadly  obcor- 
date,  about  5  cm.  wide  and  2  cm.  long;  petioles  14-16  cm.,  a  little 
longer  than  the  scape:  flowers  pale  purple,  about  i  cm.  wide. 
Near  O.  latifolia  Kunth.     Nassau,  Feb.     Probably  escaped  (331). 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,  12 


Pl 


•  7 


LINUM  BAHAMENSE 


HELIOTYPE  CO.,   BOSTON. 


FLORA    OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     159 

Linages 
Linum  Bahamense  sp.  nov. 

Suffruticose,  3-6  dm.  in  height,  corymbosely  branched,  branches 
erect- ascending ;  stems  sulcate;  leaves  numerous,  alternate,  sessile, 
appressed-ascending,  whitish,  linear-lanceolate,  8-1 1  mm.  long,  a 
little  more  than  i  mm.  wide,  one-nerved,  the  midrib  prominent  on 
the  under  side  and  projecting  at  the  apex  so  as  to  form  a  mucro, 
margin  entire  or  the  younger  leaves  glandular-ciliate,  glabrous  or 
with  a  few  scattered  hairs  at  the  base  or  along  the  midrib  on  the 
upper  side;  two  dark  stipular  glands  at  the  base  of  the  leaves; 
flowers  corymbose,  numerous;  pedicels  short,  2  mm.  in  length, 
bracts  ciliate-glandular ;  sepals  5,  lanceolate,  acuminate,  2-3  mm. 
long,  ciliate-glandular,  keeled,  persistent;  petals  bright  yellow,  more 
than  twice  the  length  of  the  sepals,  obovate;  stamens  5,  united  at 
the  base  included;  anthers  oblong;  styles  5,  distinct,  filiform;  ovary 
globose,  imperfectly  lo-celled,  ovules  10,  capsule  globose,  2-3.5  ^"^• 
in  diameter,  about  as  long  as  the  calyx,  splitting  into  10  valves;  seeds 
oblong,  compressed,  reddish-brown  (204,  496). 

Common  in  the  pines  on  both  islands.  Collected  at  Lake 
Waterloo  near  Nassau,  Jan.  25;  near  Southwest  Beach,  N.P.,  Feb. 
26;  at  Red  Bays  on  the  west  side  of  Andros,  April  17;  also  col- 
lected in  N.P.  by  Eggers,  No.  4181. 

This  is  related  to  L.  sulcatum  Riddell,  but  the  styles  are  dis- 
tinct, the  leaves  are  one-nerved  and  the  septa  of  the  capsule  are 
not  glandular. 

Plate  7.  Linum  Bahamense.  Entire  plant,  X  f ;  /,  flowers  and  buds ;  r,  sepal ; 
a,  petal;  s,  stamen;  u,  anther;  p,  fruit. 

Erythroxylon  brevipes  DC.  "Rat- wood."  Deep  Creek, 
June  (692).  Same  as  Wright  2134  and  Eggers  2435  unnamed 
specifically. 

Erythroxylon  obovatum  Macf.  Mastic  Point,  May  (597). 
Same  as  Eggers  4345  from  Bahama;  leaves  thicker  and  veining 
more  conspicuous  than  in  Wright  2140  from  Cuba. 

Erythroxylon  reticulatum  sp.  nov. 

Tall  shrub  with  slender  branches;  reddish  brown  verrucose 
bark,  branchlets  strongly  compressed;  leaves  oblanceolate  or 
oblong,  2.5-3  cm.  long,  half  as  wide,  broadly  obtuse  and  mucron- 
ulate  at   the   apex,   narrowed  below   to   a   short  petiole,    2-3   mm. 


160     FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS 

long,  glabrous,  thickish,  entire,  dull  green  above,  pale  below,  are- 
olate,  the  reddish  connecting  veins  circumscribing  a  central  area 
4-6  mm.  wide;  midrib  reddish,  prominent,  veins  delicate,  promin- 
ulous  above;  stipules  persistent,  triangular,  acuminate,  shorter 
than  the  petioles,  reddish  brown;  flowers  axillary,  appearing  with 
the  leaves,  solitary  or  sometimes  in  pairs;  pedicels  5-8  mm.  long, 
slender  below,  gradually  thickening  and  wing-angled  above;  calyx 
spreading,  sepals  5,  lanceolate,  about  one- third  the  length  of  the 
petals;  petals  white,  3-3.5  mm.  in  length,  deciduous,  elliptical-ob- 
long, slightly  keeled  on  the  back,  internal  scale  2-lobed  and  con- 
torted at  the  apex;  stamens  10,  4-5  mm.  long,  exserted,  filaments 
united  over  one-third  of  the  way,  tube  extending  a  little  beyond 
the  sepals;  ovary  oblong,  3-celled;  styles  3,  distinct;  stigmas  flat- 
tened, reddish;  young  drupe  oblong,  pointed,  purplish  black,  5 
mm.  in  length. 

Collected  at  Deep  Creek,  Andros,  June  27;  growing  in  sand 
(682).     Most  nearly  related  to  E.  areolatum  L. 

Plate  8.  Erythroxylon  reticulatum.  Portion  of  plant,  xf ;  a,  flowering  branch; 
d,  flower  without  corolla ;  w,  petal. 

Malpighiace^ 

Byrsonima  lucida  Rich.  Common  on  Andros  on  the  edge  of 
the  coppet.  Our  specimens  resemble  those  from  Florida  more 
closely  than  they  do  the  West  Indian  specimens;  the  latter  all  have 
broader,  and  obovate,  instead  of  oblanceolate  or  spatulate  leaves. 
Nicol's  Town,  March  (367).  Same  as  Curtiss  501.  Largest  speci- 
men seen  one  foot  in  diameter  and  about  twenty  feet  in  height. 

Malpighia  setosa  Spr.  "Touch-me-not."  Fresh  Creek, 
June  (737).  Determined  by  Dr.  Britton  at  Kew  to  be  "the  same 
as  a  specimen  marked  M.  setosa  by  Jussieu;  collected  also  by  Brace 
No.  114." 

A  number  of  specimens  were  collected  at  various  times  which 
seem  to  vary  greatly;  possibly  more  than  one  species  is  repre- 
sented. No.  737  was  coflected  in  the  pines  at  Fresh  Creek.  It 
was  a  tall  shrub  with  whitish  bark,  oblong  leaves,  2-3.5  cm. 
long,  12-20  mm.  wide,  entire  or  nearly  so,  hairs  few  on  mar- 
gin and  under  surface;  inflorescence,  two-flowered  umbels;  pedi- 
cels 8-13  mm.;  flowers  rosy,  12-15  "^^-  wide;  drupe  globose, 
furrowed. 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,   12 


ERYTHROXYLON  RETIENLATUM 


HELIOTYPE  CO.,   BOSTON. 


FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     161 

No.  538  was  a  single  specimen  from  the  pines  at  Stafford 
Creek,  collected  in  May,  differing  from  the  above  in  having  the 
leaves  thicker  but  only  half  as  wide,  2-3  cm.  long  and  8-10  mm. 
broad,  pointed  at  base  and  apex,  margin  dentate  or  strongly  den- 
ticulate. No.  538a  is  a  specimen  in  fruit,  collected  at  Conch 
Sound,  leaves  broader  than  in  above,  denticulate  and  with  hairs 
on  both  sides  of  the  leaf;  5386,  also  from  Conch  Sound,  sent  by 
Mr.  Keith,  has  oval  or  ovate  leaves  2-2.5  c^-  wide,  with  strongly 
dentate  margins,  hairs  beneath  and  on  the  margin,  flowers  smaller 
than  in  737.  All  the  above  specimens  differ  very  much  from  Wr. 
No.  99,  marked  M.  setosa,  which  is  in  leaf  only;  that  has  leaves  less 
than  half  the  size  of  any  of  ours,  hairy  above  and  strongly  hirsute  be- 
neath. 

Stigmatophyllon  Sagr^num  Juss.  Not  uncommon  in  the 
pines.  Conch  Sound,  March;  Red  Bays,  April  (401-468).  Same 
as  Rugel  157. 

Triopteris  rigida  Sw.  Common  in  the  coppet.  Nassau, 
Feb.;  Conch  Sound,  May;  Calabash  Cay,  Andros,  June  (217). 
Same  as  Wright  96.  217a  from  Deep  Creek  has  the  leaves  oblance- 
olate  or  obovate,  12-17  ^^-  wide;  all  the  other  specimens  col- 
lected have  oblong  or  elliptical  leaves  7-10  mm.  wide. 

RUTAC^E 

Fagara  flava  (Vahl)  Krug  &  Urban.  (Xanthoxylon  crihrosum 
Spreng.)     "Satin-wood."     Deep  Creek,  June  (695).. 

Fagara  coriacea  (A.  Rich)  Krug  &  Urban.  {Xanthoxylon 
emarginatum  Wright.)  "Hercules'  club."  Common  in  the  coppet. 
Nicol'sTown,  March;  Mastic  Point,  April;  Deep  Creek,  June  (372). 
Same  as  Eggers  4034,  4503,  Brace  510.  Carpels  globose,  not 
oblique. 

Fagara  Fagara  (L.)  Small.  (Fagara  lentiscifolia  Willd.) 
Nassau,  Nicol's  Town  (747). 

SlMARUBE^ 

SuRiANA  MARiTiMA  L.  "Bay-ccdar."  Common  along  the 
shore  on  both  islands.  New  Providence,  Jan.  (86).  Same  as 
Eggers  2728. 

PiCRODENDRON  BACCATUM  Bahamense  Krug   &  Urban.     Conch 

M 


162     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND   ANDROS 

Sound,  April   (453).     Determined  at  Kew  by  Dr.  Britton.     Same 
as  Eggers  4402,  Brace  476. 

BURSERACE^ 

BuRSERA  SiMARUBA  (L.)  Sarg.  "Gum  elemi,"  "West  Indian 
birch."  Common  on  both  islands.  Nassau,  Jan.;  Conch  Sound, 
May  (64,  560). 

SwiETENiA  Mahogani  L.  "Madeira."  Nassau,  Jan.;  Man- 
grove   Cay,    June    (137,    676).     Same    as    Eggers    1836,    Wright 

1153- 

POLYGALACE^ 

PoLYGALA  BoYKiNii  Nutt.  Common  on  savaimas  on  west 
side  of  Andros.     Red  Bays,  April  (473). 

PoLYGALA  BRizoiDES  St.  Hil.  Common  in  savannas  on  west 
side  of  Andros.  Red  Bays,  April  (465).  Determined  at  Kew 
by  Mr.  A.  W.  Bennett  —  "sed  racemi  quandoque  axillares." 

PoLYGALA  SPATHULATA  Griscb.  Conch  Sound,  March  (402). 
Determined  by  Mr.  A.  W.  Bennett  at  Kew. 

EUPHORBIACE^ 

Buxus  Bahamensis  Baker.  On  savanna.  Near  the  shore  at 
Red  Bays,  April  (460).  Determined  by  Dr.  B.  L.  Robinson  at 
Gray  herbarium. 

Phyllanthus  Epiphyllanthus  L.  (P.  falcatus  Sw.)  "Hard- 
head." Conmion  on  both  islands.  Nassau,  Feb.;  Nicol's  Town, 
March  (146-325).  Same  as  Eggers  7234.  Branchlets  narrower 
than  in  Wright  1951.  No.  146a  and  146&  have  branchlets  very 
narrow,  8-10  cm.  long  and  6-8  mm.  wide,  apex  more  acute, 
pedicels  longer  and  more  slender,  3  mm.  in  length. 

Phyllanthus  distichus  L.  "Gooseberry  tree.''  Fresh 
Creek,  June,  escaped  (653). 

Phyllanthus  Niruri  L.    Nicol's  Town,  March  (338). 

Phyllanthus  Bahamensis  Urb.  Lewis  Coppet  near  Red 
Bays,  Andros,  May  (488).     Same  as  Eggers  4241,  4464. 

Savia  erythroxyloides  Griseb.  "Maiden-bush."  Not  un- 
frequent  in  the  coppet.  Fresh  Creek,  Deep  Creek,  June.  In  fruit 
only  (610).     Determined  by  Mr.  M.  L.  Fernald. 

Croton  linearis  Jacq.    (C.  Cascarilla  linearis  Jacq.)    "  Granny- 


FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     163 

bush."     Common  along  the  eastern  shores  of  both  islands.     Nassau, 
Jan.;   Fresh  Creek,  June  (113,  615). 

Manihot  Manihot  (L.)  Cockerell.  {Jatropha  Manihot  L.) 
"Sweet  cassava."     Cultivated  and  escaped.     Nicol's  Town,  March 

(363)- 

AcALYPHA  ALOPECUROiDES  Jacq.  Nassau,  Jan.  (32).  Same  as 
Wright  571. 

Lasiocroton  macrophyllus  Griseb.  "Wild  oak,"  "Light- 
wood,"  "Bitters."  Deep  Creek,  June  (689).  Agrees  with  speci- 
men of  March  from  Jamaica  except  that  the  upper  surface  of  the 
leaves  is  smooth  instead  of  velvety,  and  the  apex  is  obtuse  instead  of 
acute. 

ExccECARiA  LUCiDA  Sw.  "Crab-wood."  Nicol's  Town,  March; 
Fresh  Creek,  June  (375).  ' 

ExccECARiA  Sagr^i  J.  Mlill.  Stafford  Creek,  Andros,  May 
(589).     Same  as  Wright  2006. 

HipPOMANE  Mancinella  L.  "  Manchinecl."  Not  uncommon 
on  Andros.  Conch  Sound,  May;  Fresh  Creek,  June  (556,  622). 
In  662  the  sap  did  not  seem  at  all  milky.  All  the  herbarium  specimens 
examined  showed  the  leaf  apex  acute  or  acuminate,  while  all  of  ours 
have  the  apex  very  blunt. 

BoNANiA  EMARGiNATA  DC.     Fresh  Creek,  June  (628). 

Pedilanthus  sp.  ?  possibly  P.  angustifolius  Poit. 

Shrubby,  7-9  cm.  high,  half  scandent  with  green,  rather  fleshy 
stems,  very  little  branched.  All  the  plants  seen  were  destitute  of 
leaves  though  alternate-  leaf  scars  are  discernible,  4-5  cm.  apart, 
scars  of  [the  floral  leaves  opposite;  flowers  in  terminal  cymes,  pe- 
duncles 4-5  cm.  in  length;  involucre  bright  red,  pubescent,  about 
8  mm.  long,  irregular,  with  a  sharp  spur  at  the  side,  5  mm.  long; 
spurred  part  of  involucre  with  four  glands  at  base :  staminate  flowers 
indefinite :  pistillate  ones  exserted :  style  10  mm.  in  length. 

Collected  in  two  localities  in  the  coppet  at  Deep  Creek,  June 

(693)- 

Resembles  P.  angustifolius  Poit.  as  shown  by  769  PL  Sintensis 
in  Gray  herbarium,  but  specimen  not  in  good  flower. 

Euphorbia  Blodgettii  Engelm.  Nassau,  Jan. ;  Nicol's  Town, 
March  (41,  379). 

Euphorbia    buxifolia    Lam.     Common    on    sandy    beaches. 


164     FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS 

Southwest  Beach,  N.P.,  Jan. ;  Red  Bays,  April  (87,  457).  No.  672, 
a  form  with  leaves  not  appressed,  was  collected  at  Big  Cabbage 
Creek  on  the  west  side  of  Andros  in  June.     Same  as  Wright  2016. 

Euphorbia  cassythoides  Boiss.  Rare,  Deep  Creek,  June 
(702).     Determined  at  Kew,  1897. 

Euphorbia  heterophylla  L.-  Common  in  the  pines.  New 
Providence,  Jan.  (96). 

Euphorbia  heterophylla  graminifolia  Engelm.  Same  lo- 
cality (92). 

Euphorbia  nutans  Lag.  Common.  Nassau,  Jan.;  NicoPs 
Town,  March  (229,  380).  Our  specimens  agree  with  Professor 
Hitchcock's  in  having  the  upper  internodes  slender,  especially  in 
229,  and  no  dark  spots  on  the  leaves.  (See  Hitchcock's  Report, 
Plants  of  the  Bahamas,  Jamaica  and  Grand  Cayman.) 

Euphorbia  serpens  Kunth.  Nassau,  Jan.  (277).  Same  as 
specimen  of  Rugel,  No.  148  marked  E.  serpens  var.  ?  Much  branched, 
delicate,  with  slender  wiry  stems,  enlarged  nodes,  leaves  3-4  mm.  in 
length. 

Euphorbia  PULCHERRiMA  (Graham)  Boiss.  "Poinsettia."  Nas- 
sau, common  in  cultivation. 

Euphorbia  antiquorum  L.     Nassau,  cultivated. 

HuRA  crepitans  L.     "Sand-box  tree."     Nassau,  cultivated. 

ANACARDIACEiE 

Metopium  Metopium  (L.)  Small.  "Poison- wood."  Com- 
mon in  the  coppet  on  both  islands.  Nassau,  Jan.;  Conch  Sound, 
May  (70,  552).     Same  as  Wright  2287,  Curtiss  448. 

MORINGACE^ 

MoRiNGA  MoRiNGA  (L.)  Small.  "Horse-radish  tree."  Nassau, 
cultivated  (310). 

Celastrace^e 

El^odendrum  xylocarpum  DC.  Nassau,  Jan.  (71).  In 
fruit  only.     Determined  by  Mr.  M.  L.  Fernald,  Cambridge. 

Maytenus  buxifolius  (Rich.)  Griseb.  Fresh  Creek,  June. 
Differs  from  Wright  2215  and  all  other  specimens  examined  in  having 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,  12 


Pl.  9 


CROSSOPETALUM   CORIACEUM 


HELIOTYPE    CO.,    BOSTON. 


FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     165 

the  leaves  narrower  and  more  spatulate,  2-2.5  cm.  long,  6-9  mm. 
wide  (626). 

Crossopetalum  fallens  (Smith).  (Myginda  pallens  Smith.) 
Cocoanut  Point,  April;  Deep  Creek,  June  (447,  718).  Like  Eggers 
4140  and  4438  from  New  Providence,  ''put  with  M.  pallens  at  Kew." 
Differs  from  the  Florida  specimens  in  having  much  narrower  leaves, 
oblanceolate  or  spatulate,  2-2.5  cm.  long,  4-9  mm.  wide. 

Crossopetalum  coriaceum  sp.  nov. 

Low  shrub;  branches  ascending,  bark  grayish,  branchlets 
tetragonal,  ends  somewhat  wing-angled;  leaves  numerous,  opposite, 
subsessile,  coriaceous,  broadly  oblanceolate,  1.5-2  cm.  long,  about 
I  cm.  wide,  apex  obtuse  or  sometimes  slightly  retuse,  base  cuneate, 
margin  entire,  somewhat  revolute,  veins  inconspicuous;  flowers 
minute,  reddish,  in  axillary  subsessile  cymes,  2-5-flowered,  pedicels 
1-2  mm.  in  length,  jointed,  pedicels  and  calyx  puberulous;  calyx 
campanulate,  persistent,  lobes  4,  rounded,  reddish,  obtuse;  petals  4, 
orbicular,  longer  than  the  calyx,  spreading  or  at  length  reflexed; 
stamens  4,  inserted  on  the  edge  of  the  disk;  filaments  subulate; 
anthers  small,  globose;  ovary  immersed  in  the  disk,  globose:  style 
short :  stigmas  4 :  fruit  a  red  drupe,  slightly  obovate,  about  3  mm. 
in  length,  one-celled,  one-seeded  (480). 

Plate  9.  Crossopetalum  coriaceum.  Portion  of  plant  X  f ;  j-,  stamens ;  w,  ovary ; 
a,  fruit. 

Collected  on  the  savannas  at  Red  Bays.  Andros,  April.  Allied 
to  C.  pallens  (Smith),  but  differs  in  having  thicker  entire  leaves  and 
smaller  subsessile  cymes. 

ScH^FFERiA  FRUTESCENS  Jacq.  Deep  Creek,  June  (697). 
Same  as  Wright  77. 

Ilicace^ 

Ilex  Krugiana  Loes. ;  Engler's,  Bot.  Jahrb.  15,  317.  Conch 
Sound,  May.  Upper  surface  of  the  leaves  shining,  apex  acute 
(553)-  Same  as  Cooper  17  from  New  Providence,  and  Eggers 
1889  from  St.  Domingo  (unnamed). 

Sapindace^ 

Serjania  diversifolia  Radlk.  "Fowl-foot  vine."  Common. 
Conch  Sound,  May;  Fresh  Creek,  Deep  Creek,  June  (578,  687). 
Same  as  Wright  109. 


166     FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

Serjania  subdentata  Juss.  &  Poir.  "Fowl-foot  vine."  Com- 
mon in  the  coppet.  New  Providence,  Jan.;  Fresh  Creek,  June 
(236).     Same  as  Wright  2162. 

Cardiospermum  Halicacabum  L.  "Balloon  vine."  Nassau, 
Jan.  (237). 

Thouinia  discolor  Griseb.  "Quicksilver  bush."  Nicol's 
Town,  March;  Conch  Sound,  May;  Deep  Creek,  June  (368,590, 
686). 

ExoTHEA  PANicuLATA  (Juss.)  Radlk.  Nicol's  Town,  March 
(392).     Same  as  Wright  1169. 

Hypelate  trifoliata  Sw.  "Ebony."  Deep  Creek,  June  (690). 
Same  as  Wright  2 171. 

Alvaradoa  amorphioides  Liebm.  Nassau,  Jan.  (145).  Same 
as  Wright  2189. 

RHAMNACEiE 

Krugiodendron  ferreum  (Vahl)  Urban.  (Condalia.)  Fresh 
Creek,  June  (611). 

Reynosia  Northropiana  Urban,  Symbolae  Antillanae  3:  315. 
1902. 

Plate  10.  Reynosia  Northropiana.  Portion  of  plant  x  f ;  g,  flower;  m,  interior 
of  calyx   showing  stamens  and  petals;   a,  stamen  and  petal;    n,  petal;   d,  pistil. 

Red  Bays  on  the  west  side  of  Andros,  April  23,  and  at  Nicol's 
Town  on  the  east  side,  April  28  (510). 

Reynosia  latifolia  Griseb.  Common  on  border  of  swash  on 
west  side  of  Andros.     Purser  Point,  June  (661). 

CoLUBRiNA  FERRUGiNOSA  Brongn.  "Bittcrs."  Deep  Creek, 
June  (684).     Same  as  Wright  1139. 

GouANiA  DoMiNGENSis  L.  "  Chcw-stick."  Common  on  both 
islands.     Nassau,  Jan.  (69). 

VitacetE 

ViTis   ROTUNDiFOLiA    Michx.     Common.     Conch    Sound,    May 

(559)- 

Cissus  MiCROCARPA  Vahl.  "Bull-vine."  Common  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  Andros.     Deep  Creek,  June  (694).     Same  as  Wright  72. 

Cissus  sicyoides  L.  Conch  Sound,  May  (582).  Same  as 
Wright  74. 

Cissus,  sp.     "Bull-vine."     Quite  common  in  the  northern  part 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,  12 


Pl.  10 


:^f  A§/  IS 


d^  ^ 


REYNOSIA  NORTIIROPIANA  URBAN 


HELIOTYPE    CO.,    BOSTON. 


ToRREY  Club,  12 


Pl.  I 


HELICTERES  SPIRALIS 


HELIOTYPE    CO.,    BOSTON. 


FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS     167 

of  Andros.     Conch  Sound,   March,  May   (398).     Same  as  Wright 

3514. 

Parthenocissus  quinquefolia  (L.)  Planch.  {Ampelopsis 
quinquefolia  (L.)  Michx.)  Carmichael,  New  Providence,  Feb. 
(322).     Single  specimen. 

TlLIACE^ 

Triumfetta   semitriloba  L.     Common   about   Nassau.     Jan. 

(4,  47)- 

CoRCHORUS  HiRSUTUS  L.  Common  on  both  islands.  Nassau, 
Jan.;  Nicol's  Town,  March  (202).     Same  as  Wright  2091. 

CoRCHORUS  siLiQUOSUS  L.  Common  about  Nassau;  very- 
variable  in  the  size  of  the  leaves.     Nassau,  Jan.  (139,  222). 

Malvaceae 

SiDA  CARPiNiFOLiA  L.  Common.  Nassau,  Jan.  (35).  A  very 
strict  form  with  crenate  leaves  found  at  Nicol's  Town,  April  (433). 

SiDA  supiNA  L'Her.     Nassau,  Feb.  (306). 

Abutilon  crispum  (L.)  Medic.     Nicol's  Town,  March  (370). 

Pavonia  spicata  Cav.  (P.  racemosa  Sw.)  Collected  by  Mr. 
Alexander  Keith  at  Conch  Sound,  1891  (736). 

Hibiscus  cryptocarpus  Rich.  "Wild  cotton."  Nicol's  Town, 
March;   Deep  Creek,  June  (397).     Same  as  Wright  1575. 

Hibiscus  esculentus  L.  "Gumbo,"  "okra."  Conch  Sound, 
May.     Cultivated  and  escaped  (549). 

Hibiscus  tiliaceus  L.  Not  uncommon  along  the  east  coast 
of  Andros.     Conch  Sound,  May  (564).     Same  as  Eggers  2632. 

Ceiba  pentandra  (L.)  Gaertn.  {Eriodendron  anfractuosum 
DC.)  "Silk-cotton  tree,"  "Ceiba."  Nassau,  cultivated  and  es- 
caped?    Nassau,  Jan.  (152). 

Sterculiace^ 
Helicteres  semitriloba  Bertero.     Fresh  Creek,  June  (664). 

Helicteres  spiralis  sp.  no  v. 

A  tall  shrub;  young  branches  and  leaves  tawny  tomentose; 
leaves  lance-ovate,  acute,  unequal  and  cordate  at  base,  6-9.5  c^- 
long,  2.5-4  cm.  wide,  3-5-ribbed,  margin  crenulate-denticulate, 
sometimes  with  a  few  large  teeth,  upper  surface  pubescent,  under 


168     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

tomentose,  hairs  tawny,  stellate;  petiole  about  i  cm.  in  length; 
stipules  subulate;  inflorescence  fascicled,  few-flowered,  peduncles 
1.5-2  cm.  long,  pedicels  glandular  at  base;  calyx  campanulate, 
1.5-2  cm.  long,  slightly  bilabiate,  unequally  5-toothed,  lobes  acute, 
densely  tomentose,  about  one- fourth  the  length  of  the  column ;  petals 
5,  white,  shortly  exceeding  the  calyx,  oblong,  clawed,  subequal,  the 
lower  auricled  near  the  base;  column  7-8  cm.  in  length,  declined, 
covered  with  long  mostly  simple  hairs ;  stamens  10,  arranged  in  pairs, 
anthers  divergent-oblong,  staminodia  5,  ligulate;  ovary  tomentose, 
5-celled ;  styles  united,  thickened  at  the  apex ;  pod  twisted,  oblong, 
about  4.5  cm.  in  length;  convolutions  about  10,  tomentose  or  at 
length  glabrous. 

Collected  near  the  mouth  of  Fresh  Creek,  Andros,  June;  also 
collected  at  Conch  Sound  by  Mr.  Alexander  Keith,  1891  (645). 

Plate  ii.   Helicteres  spiralis.     Portions  of  plant  in  flower  and  fruit  X  ^   nearly. 

Melochia  nodiflora  Sw.     Nassau,  Jan.  (45).    Same  as  Wright 

39- 

Melochia  tomentosa  L.     Common  on  both  islands.     Nassau, 

Jan.;    Nicol's  Town,  March  (253).     Same  as  Wright  40;    same  as 

Eggers  1991. 

Waltheria  Americana  L.  Common  on  both  islands;  very 
variable.     Nassau,  Jan.;   Nicol's  Town,  March  (89,  230,  429). 

W.  Americana  var.  ?  (136,  207).  Collected  at  two  different 
stations  in  Nassau,  differing  from  all  specimens  examined  in  hav- 
ing leaves  smaller,  1-2  cm.  long,  7-13  mm.  wide,  marginal  teeth 
not  as  acute,  and  in  having  both  leaves  and  stems  covered  with 
stellate  hairs ;  plant  tall,  less  stout  than  the  type. 

HYPERICACE.E 

AscYRUM  HYPERicoiDES  L.  Common  in  the  pines  on  both 
islands.  Nassau,  Jan.;  Conch  Sound,  May  (323).  Same  as  Wright 
2129  and  Eggers  2047  (unnamed). 

BlXACEiE 

Xylosma  ilicifolia  sp.  no  v. 

Shrub  2-3  m.  in  height,  bark  grayish,  verrucose,  usually  armed 
with  slender  spines  1-4  cm.  long,  spines  often  much  branched ;  leaves 
alternate,  variable  in  shape,  oval,  oblanceolate  or  obovate,  2-3  cm. 
in  length,  1-2  cm.  wide,  coriaceous,  shining  above,  apex  acute  and 


[em.  Torre y  Ciatb,  12 


XYLOSMA  ILICIPOLIA 


HELIOTYPE  CO.,   BOSTON. 


FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND   ANDROS     169 

strongly  mucronate  (or  sometimes  obtuse),  margin  entire  or  frequently 
with  one  to  three  large,  mucronate  teeth  on  the  upper  half  of  the  leaf, 
base  cuneate  or  sometimes  obtuse,  petiole  1-2  mm.  in  length;  flowers 
dioecious,  minute;  staminate  greenish,  in  axillary  fascicles  of  5-6, 
very  short-pediceled,  bracts  minute,  ciliate;  sepals  4-5,  ovate, 
ciliate  at  apex;  stamens  8-10,  filaments  recurved,  longer  than  the 
anthers,  anthers  globose,  disk  annular;  pistillate  flowers  2-3  in  a 
cluster,  pedicels  about  i  mm.  in  length;  sepals  4,  lanceolate,  ciliate 
towards  the  apex,  pistil  more  than  twice  the  length  of  the  sepals, 
about  I  mm.  long,  ovary  globose,  styles  two,  thick,  short,  stigmas 
two,  disk  annular,  berry  globose,  bluish  black,  about  5  mm.  in 
diameter,  one-celled  and  four-seeded  (124,  388). 

Collected  at  Nassau,  Jan. ;  Nicol's  Town,  Andros,  March  27 
and  April  9;  Fresh  Creek,  June  10.  It  is  the  same  as  Cooper's 
13  from  New  Providence,  marked  in  pencil  by  Gray  "  Xylosma 
infestum?^^ ;  also  collected  by  Governor  Robinson  322;  Brace  98  and 
Eggers  446.  Seems  to  be  between  X.  infestum  Griseb.  and  X.  huxi- 
folium  A.  Gray ;  differs  from  the  latter  in  having  the  upper  surface 
of  the  leaves  shining,  apex  mucronate,  sepals  ciliate,  petioles  and 
pedicels  shorter,  and  in  the  shape  and  margin  of  the  leaves. 

Plate  12.  Xylosma  ilicifolia.  Portion  of  plant,  X  f;  n,  fruit;  &&,  flower; 
a,  sepal;    c,  stamens;    e,  ovary. 

Canellace^ 

Canella  WiNTERANA  (L.)  Gacrtn.  (C.  a/6d^  Murray.)  "Wild 
cinnamon,"  "Bahama  whitewood  bark."  Not  uncommon.  Nassau, 
Jan.;   Deep  Creek,  June  (79,  708).     Same  as  Wright  2122. 

TURNERACE^ 

TuRNERA  ULMiFOLiA  L.  Common  on  both  islands.  Nassau, 
Jan.  (57).     Same  as  Wright  209. 

Passiflorace^ 

Passiflora  angustifolia  Sw.  Nicol's  Town,  Conch  Sound, 
March  (389,  427). 

Passiflora  cuprea  L.  "Wild  watermelon."  Common  on 
both  islands.     Nassau,  Salt  Cay,  Jan.;    Nicol's  Town,  March  (121, 

243)- 

Passiflora  minima  L.  Common.  Nassau,  Jan. ;  Salt  Cay, 
Conch  Sound,  March  (216,  242,  428).     Same  as  Wright  1245. 


170     FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

Passiflora  multiflora  L.  NicoPs  Town,  March  (374).  De- 
termined at  Kew  by  Dr.  Masters. 

Passiflora  pectinata  Griseb.  Common  on  Andros  in  the 
pines.     Nicol's   Town,    Conch   Sound,    March;     Red    Bays,    April 

(391)- 

Determined  at  Kew  by  Dr.  Masters,  who  noted,  "I  do  not  like 
to, separate  this  from  P.  pectinata,  though  it  differs."  The  following 
constant  characteristics  were  found  in  all  the  specimens  collected. 
Leaves  deeply  contracted  below  the  middle  with  marginal  stipitate 
glands ;  petiole  with  a  few  stiputate  glands  towards  apex ;  peduncles 
as  long  or  longer  than  the  leaves ;  leaflets  of  involucre  bipinnatipartite, 
secondary  segments  long-setaceous;  excurrent  in  a  gland;  calyx 
segments  ovate-lanceolate;  petals  oblong;  tendrils  longer  than  the 
leaves. 

Caricace^ 

Carica  Papaya  L.  "Papaw."  Deep  Creek,  July.  Culti- 
vated (132). 

Cactace^ 

Cereus  Swartzii  Griseb.  "Dildo."  On  borders  of  creeks  in 
the  southern  part  of  Andros.  Deep  Creek,  June  (699).  4  mm. 
in  height,  7.5-10  cm.  in  diameter. 

Opuntia  spinosissima  Mill.  Along  the  shore.  Fresh  Creek, 
June  (652). 

Opuntia  Tuna  (L.)  Mill.  Along  the  shore.  Fresh  Creek, 
June  (633). 

Lythrace^ 

Parsonsia  Parsonsia  (L.)  Britton.  (Cuphea  Parsonsia  (L.) 
R.  Br.)  Near  Southwest  Beach,  N.P.,  Feb.  (318).  Same  as 
Eggers  1657. 

Rhizophorace^ 

Rhizophora  Mangle  L.  "Mangrove."  Common  on  both 
islands;  the  chief  vegetation  of  the  swash.     Nassau,  Jan.  (193). 

Myrtace^ 

Calyptranthes  pallens  Griseb.  "White  stopper."  Com- 
mon in  the  coppet.     Fresh  Creek,  Dssp  Creek,  June  (641). 


FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     171 

Myrtus  punctata  Griseb.  {Anamomis.)  "Naked  wood." 
Deep  Creek,  June  (696). 

Eugenia  axillaris  (Sw.)  Willd.  ''Stopper."  Deep  Creek, 
June  (707). 

Eugenia  longpies  Berg.  Red  Bays,  April;  Conch  Sound, 
May  (471).     Same  as  Curtiss  985  from  Florida. 

Eugenia  monticola  DC.  Deep  Creek,  July.  In  fruit  only 
(725).     Same  as  Curtiss  987. 

Eugenia  sp.  ?    Near  E.  longipes  Berg. 

A  tree  with  smooth,  white  bark,  branchlets  slender,  smooth; 
leaves  thick,  at  length  leathery,  pale  green,  shining  above  with 
pellucid  dots;  oblanceolate  or  elliptical,  obtuse,  mostly  cuneate  at 
base,  10-17  ^^-  long,  5-7  mm.  wide,  petioles  1-2  mm.,  veining 
indistinct;  flowers  solitary  or  in  pairs  on  long  slender  pedicels,  2- 
2.5  cm.  long,  bibracteolate,  bractlets  oblong,  about  equaling  the 
calyx  lobes.  Flowers  smaller  than  in  E.  longipes.  In  general 
appearance  the  tree  resembles  Myrtus  punctata  except  that  the  leaves 
are  smaller. 

A  single  tree  seen  in  the  coppet  at  Deep  Creek,  July  (722). 


PsiDiUM  GuAYAVA  L.  "  Guava."  Common  in  cultivation. 
Nassau,  Conch  Sound  (579). 

Combretace^ 

CoNOCARPUS  ERECTA  L.  "  Button-wood."  Abundant  on  both 
islands.     Nassau,  Jan.;  Cocoanut  Point,  May  (53,  298). 

CoNOCARPUS  ERECTA  SERiCEA  Fors.  Nassau,  Cocoanut  Point 
(81,  532).  Same  as  Eggers  2608.  At  Cocoanut  Point,  both  the 
glabrous  type  and  the  variety  were  growing  together  with  no  inter- 
mediate forms. 

Laguncularia  racemosa  (L.)  Gaertn.  "Bastard button-wood." 
Common,  especially  in  the  swash.     Fresh  Creek,  June  (594). 

Terminalia  spinosa  sp.  nov.     "Brier  tree,"  "Prickly  tree" 

A  low,  spreading,  flat -topped  tree,  height  about  5  meters,  1.5- 
2  dm.  in  diameter,  bark  lightish,  ridged;  branches  horizontal, 
branchlets  divaricate,  spiny;  leaves  fascicled,  subsessile,  oblanceo- 
late or  spatulate,  1-1.5  cm.  long,  4-6  mm.  wide,  thick,  glabrous, 
yellowish  green  below,  obtuse  or  retuse  at  the  apex,  tapering  into 


172     FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

a  short  petiole  at  base  (1-2  mm.),  margin  entire,  slightly  revolute; 
spines  axillary,  slender,  3-7  mm.  in  length,  mostly  in  threes  at  the 
end  of  the  branchlets;  flowers  small,  greenish,  growing  in  axillary 
spikes,  the  5-7  flowers  approximate,  so  as  to  resemble  a  head;  pe- 
duncle 6-10  mm.,  bracts  small,  ovate;  calyx  valvate,  tube  1-2.5  ^^* 
long,  prolonged  beyond  the  ovary,  constricted  above  it,  limb  campan- 
ulate,  subtruncate,  1-2  mm.  long,  with  5  small  teeth,  villous  within, 
deciduous,  disk  of  4  brownish,  villous,  two-lobed  glands  at  mouth  of 
calyx  tube;  stamens  8  (9),  exserted,  about  3  mm.  in  length,  alternate 
ones  inserted  lower  down  on  the  calyx,  filaments  slender;  anthers 
cordate;  ovary  i-celled;  ovules  3,  flask-shaped  or  oblong,  suspended 
from  the  top  of  the  cell;  style  simple,  equaling  or  slightly  exceeding 
the  stamens,  subulate,  a  little  thickened  at  base,  villous;  stigma 
simple,  young  fruit  ovoid.  Foliage  closely  resembling  that  of  T. 
angustifolia  but  inflorescence  very  different. 

A  few  monstrous  flowers  were  found  like  those  described  by 
Grisebach  as  occurring  in  Bucida  Buceras  L.  Collected  on  the  sa- 
vannas at  Red  Bays  in  April  and  near  the  source  of  Fresh  Creek 
in  June,  no.  (502). 

Plate  13.  Terminalia  spinosa.  Portion  of  plant,  natural  size;  n,  cluster  of 
flowers;    a,  flowers  showing  disk;    p,  stamen. 

Buceras  Catappa  (L.)  A.  S.  Hitch.  "Almond  tree."  Nassau, 
Jan.     Cultivated. 

Melastomace^ 

Tetrazygia  bicolor  (Mill.)  Cogn.     {T.  elceagnoides  DC.)    Com- 
mon in  the  pines  on  both  islands.     Nassau,  Jan.;    Conch  Sound, 
May  (127).     Same  as  Wright  1222. 
> 

Onagrace^ 

Jussi^A  suFFRUTicosA  L.  Near  Southwest  Beach,  N.P.,  Feb. 
(320).     Same  as  Wright  159. 

Samydace^ 

Casearia  l^tioides  (Rich.)  Cocoanut  Point,  Andros,  April 
(514).     Same  as  Wright  1108. 

Casearia  Bahamensis  Urban.  Nicol's  Town,  March,  April 
(384).     Distributed  as  Thioidia  serrata  Endl. 

Banara  reticulata  Oris.  Conch  Sound,  May  (558).  Same 
as  Wright  1882.     Determined  at  Kew  by  Dr.  N.  L.  Britton. 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,  12 


Pl.  13 


TERMINALIA  SPINOSA 


HELIOTYPE    CO.,    BOSTON. 


FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     173 

Umbellifer^ 

Hydrocotyle  pygm^a  Wright.  Red  Bays,  Conch  Sound, 
April  (499,  524).  Determined  at  Gray  herbarium  by  Mr.  J.  M. 
Greenman. 

Centella  Asiatica  (L.)  Urban.  {Hydrocotyle  Asiatica  L.)  In 
low  ground  in  the  pines.     Red  Bays,  April  (494). 

Anethum  graveolens  L.  "Dill-seed."  Nicol's  Town,  April. 
Escaped  (438). 

MYRSINACEiE 

Rapania  Guyanensis  Aubl.  {M.  Floridana  A.  DC.)  Nicol's 
Town,  March  (387). 

IcACOREA  PANicuLATA  (Nutt.)  Sudw.  (Ardisia  Pickeringia  T. 
&  G.)  "Stopper-tree."  New  Providence,  Jan.  (234).  Same  as 
Curtiss  1799. 

Jacquinia  Keyensis  Mez.  "Joe-bush,"  "iron  wood."  Com- 
mon on  the  cays  and  along  the  eastern  shores  of  both  islands.  Rose 
Island,  N.P.,  Feb.;  Fresh  Creek,  June;  Mars  Bay,  July  (251). 
A  new  species  described  in  Symbolae  Antillanae,  1890. 

Primulace^ 

Samolus  ebracteatus  Kunth.  Common  on  the  savannas  at 
Red  Bays,  April  (478). 

Plumbaginace^ 

Plumbago  scandens  L.     Common  about  Nassau,  Jan.  (11). 

Sapotace^ 

Chrysophyllum  oliviforme  Lam.  "Saffron-tree."  In  the 
pines  on  both  islands.     New  Providence,  Feb.  (262). 

BuMELiA  CuBENSis  Griscb.  London  Creek,  Andros,  May.  In 
fruit  only.  "Rather  small-leaved."  Determined  by  Dr.  B.  L. 
Robinson,  Gray  herbarium  (544). 

BuMELiA  MiCROPHYLLA  Griscb.  In  the  swash  on  the  west  side 
of  Andros.  In  fruit  only.  Purser  Point,  June  (666).  Same  as 
Brace  234  and  Eggers  4418.     Determined  by  Dr.  Britton  at  Kew. 

LucuMA  PAUCiFLORA  A.  DC.  "Egg  fruit."  Deep  Creek,  June 
(703).     Same  as  Wright  346. 


174     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

SiDEROYXLON  MASTiCHODENDRON  Jacq.  In  fruit.  Cocoanut 
Point,  Andros,  April  (450).     Same  as  Wright  1324. 

DiPHOLis  SALiciroLiA  A.  DC.  "Wild  cassada,"  "bustic." 
Common  in  the  coppet  on  both  islands.  Nassau,  Feb.;  Fresh 
Creek,  June;   Deep  Creek,  July  (326).     Same  as  Eggers  4106. 

MiMUSOPS  DissECTA  R.  Br.  "Wild  sapodilla."  Common  near 
the  shore  on  both  islands.     Hog  Island,  N.P.,  Feb.  (263). 

MiMUSOPS  Floridana  Engelm.  "Wild  sapodilla."  Conch 
Sound,  May;  Deep  Creek,  July  (734).  Same  as  Curtiss  1766, 
Determined  at  Kew  by  Dr.  N.  L.  Britton. 

AcHRAS  Sapota  L.  "Sapodilla."  Common  in  cultivation. 
Nassau  (42). 

Ebenace^ 

Maba  Carib^a  (A.  DC.)  Hiern.  {Macreightia.)  Fresh  Creek, 
June  (640).     Same  as  Wright  133 1. 

OLEACEiE 

Adelia  porulosa  (Poir.)  Engler.  Savannas  back  of  Red  Bays. 
April  (511).     Determined  by  Dr.  B.  L.  Robinson,  Gray  herbarium. 

Adelia  sp.  Coppet,  Conch  Sound,  May.  Staminate  flowers 
only.  Near  A.  porulosa^  but  leaves  are  broader,  1.5-2  cm.  wide, 
5  cm.  long,  more  tapering  at  the  base  and  apex;  veins  inconspicuous, 
not  shining  above;  filaments  broader  (589). 

Loganiace^ 

Spigelia  Anthelmia  L.  Mastic  Point,.  May  (599).  Same  as 
Wright  390. 

Cynoctonum  Mitreola  (L.)  Britton.  (Mitreola  petiolata  T.  & 
G.)  In  savannas  on  the  west  side  of  Andros.  Differs  from  all  speci- 
mens examined  in  having  the  branches  of  the  cymes  much  more 
divergent,  and  the  inflorescence  scarcely,  if  at  all,  unilateral.  Red 
Bays,  April  (492). 

Cynoctonum  sessilifolia  (T.  &  G.)  Britton.  12-15  cm.  in 
height,  strict,  leaves  rather  rigid,  0.5-1  cm.  in  length,  like  specimen 
from  East  Florida  collected  by  Palmer,  no.  436;  also  like  speci- 
men from  Key  West  (573).  In  savannas  on  west  side  of  Andros, 
Red  Bays,  April. 


XORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     175 

Gentianace^ 

EusTOMA  EXALTATUM  Griscb.  Abundant  in  the  savannas  on  the 
west  side  of  Andros;  occurs  sparingly  elsewhere.  New  Provi- 
dence, Jan. ;  Red  Bays,  April  (201,  456). 

Sabbatia  campanulata  (L.)  Torr.  {S.  gracilis  Salisb.)  Quite 
common  on  both  islands.  On  New  Providence  growing  in  sand  near 
the  shore;  on  Andros  on  the  savannas  near  Red  Bays  and  also  near 
fresh  water  in  the  interior.  Very  variable,  flowers  often  white. 
Hog  Island,  N.P.,  Feb.;  Red  Bays,  April;  Stafford  Creek,  May 
(322,  464,  744). 

VoYRiA  Mexicana  Griseb.     Conch  Sound,  March  (415). 

APOCYNACEiE 

ViNCA  ROSEA  L.     Nassau,  Jan.  (in). 

Plumiera  obtusa  L.  "Frangipani,"  ''milkweed."  Not  un- 
common near  the  shore.     Fresh  Creek,  June  (651). 

EcHiTES  Andrewsii  Chapm.  "Wild  unction."  Common. 
Conch  Sound,  April,  May  (522). 

EcHiTES  BiFLORA  Jacq.  Conch  Sound.  Collected  by  Mr. 
Alexander  Keith,  1892  (740).     Same  as  Eggers  2676. 

EcHiTES  Sagr^i  a.  DC.  Common.  Nassau,  Jan.;  Conch 
Sound,  March;  Red  Bays,  April  (128,  431,   461). 

EcHiTES  umbellata  Jacq.  "Devil's  potato-root,"  "dream- 
vine."  Very  common  and  variable;  leaves  range  from  lanceolate 
to  orbicular,  2-10  cm.  in  width.  Nassau,  Jan.;  Conch  Sound, 
March;  Red  Bays,  April;   Deep  Creek,  June  (61,  403,  673). 

Plumiera  rubra  L.  "Frangipani,"  "jessamine  tree."  Mastic 
Point  (601).  _^ 

Thevetia  Thevetia  (L.)  Millsp.     Cultivated  at  Nassau  (75). 

ASCLEPIADACE^ 

AscLEPiAS  CuRASSAViCA  L.     Common  about  Nassau,  Jan.  (21). 
Metastelma  Bahamense  Griseb.     Conch  Sound,  March  (410). 


Metastehna  barbatum  sp.  no  v. 

Stem  smooth,  twining;  leaves  linear  or  linear-lanceolate,  occa- 
sionally oblong,  1-2.5  cm.  in  length,  2-3  mm.  in  width,  apex  cuspidate 


176     FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

or  obtuse  and  mucronate,  occasionally  acute,  base  obtuse,  margin 
entire,  slightly  thickened,  midrib  prominulous  on  the  under  side, 
petioles  2-3  mm.,  umbels  five-  to  eight-flowered,  peduncle  1-1.5 
mm.,  pedicels  about  i  mm.;  calyx  lobes  smooth,  ovate,  obtuse, 
about  one-fourth  the  length  of  the  corolla;  corolla  greenish  white, 
urceolate-campanulate ;  petals  lanceolate-oblong,  obtuse,  united 
about  one-third  of  the  way,  the  upper  third  densely  villous  within 
and  with  a  few  scattered  hairs  in  the  center  of  the  petal  below, 
crown  segments  attached  to  the  base  of  gynostegium  and  of 
the  corolla,  equaling  the  column  in  length,  somewhat  incurved, 
ligulate,  bifid  at  the  apex,  teeth  often  unequal,  rarely  obtuse ;  gynos 
tegium  about  half  as  long  as  the  corolla;  stigma  depressed;  follicle 
slender,  acuminate,  3  cm.  in  length  (474). 

Plate  14.  Metastelma  barbata.  Portion  of  plant;  e,  crown;  a,  calyx  and  pistil; 
c,  petals;    hy  part  of  gynostegium;   ^,  pollinia. 

A  low,  twining  plant,  common  on  the  savannas  near  Red  Bays 
on  the  west  side  of  Andros,  April  15.  The  same  as  a  specimen  at 
Kew  collected  by  Governor  Robinson  in  the  pine  barrens  of  New 
Providence,  April,  1877. 

The  species  is  closely  related  to  Metastelma  Blodgettii  Gray,  but 
differs  in  having  no  lines  of  pubescence  on  the  stem,  umbels  5-8- 
flowered,  peduncles  and  pedicels  shorter  and  the  flowers  smaller 
with  the  calyx  shorter  in  proportion  to  the  corolla,  scales  of  the 
crown  slightly  incurved,  broader  and  toothed  at  the  apex. 

Metastelma  palustre  Schltr.  (Seutera  maritima  Decsn.) 
Hog  Island,  N.P.,  Feb.;  Red  Bays,  April  (333,  475). 

CONVOLVULACE^ 

Ipomcea  Batatas  Lam.  "Sweet  potato."  Cultivated  and 
escaped  on  both  islands.     Nassau,  Jan.   (77,  223). 

Ipomcea  cathartica  Poir.  Nassau,  Jan.  (220).  Determined 
by  Dr.  Britton  at  Kew. 

Ipomcea  coccinea  L.     Nassau,  Jan.   (120). 

Ipomcea  commutata  R.  &  S.     Nassau,  Jan.  (231). 

Ipomcea  fastigiata  Sweet.  Nicol's  Town,  April  (518).  Com- 
pared at  Kew  by  Dr.  Britton.  Same  as  Eggers  4370,  4541  from 
Bahama. 

Ipomcea  heptaphylla  Griseb.  In  the  pines.  Conch  Sound, 
May  (569).     Same  as  Wright  1371. 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,  12 


Pl.H 


METASTELMA  BARBATA 


HELIOTYPE    CO.,    BOSTON, 


FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     177 

Ipomcea  Jamaicensis  Don.  "Glory-morning."  Common  and 
very  variable.  Nassau,  Feb.;  Conch  Sound,  April;  Fresh  Creek, 
June;  Mars  Bay,  July  (77,  254,  451,  623,  710).  Determined  by 
Dr.  Britton  at  Kew. 

Ipomcea  grandiflora  Lam.  (/.  longiflora  R.  Br.)  On  sandy 
beaches.     Salt  Cay,  N.P.,  Jan.;   Deep  Creek,  June  (244). 

Ipomcea  Pes-capr^  (L.)  Sweet.  ''Bay-hop."  Very  common 
on  sandy  shores  on  both  islands.     Cocoanut  Point,  Andros,  May 

(533)- 

Ipomcea  repanda  Jacq.  (/.  arenaria  Steud.)  Common  in  the 
pine-yard.  Conch  Sound,  March  (394,  404).  Same  as  Wright 
3102.     No.  394  has  the  leaves  deeply  cordate  at  base. 

Ipomoea  sidifolia  Chois.  "Christmas  gambol,"  "Christmas- 
flower."     Common  about  Nassau.     Nassau,  Jan.  (13). 

Ipomcea  sinuata  Ort.  (/.  dissecta  Pursh.)  Common  in  the 
coppet  on  both  islands.     Nassau,  Jan.;   Fresh  Creek,  June  (16,  76). 

Ipomoea  triloba  L.  Conch  Sound,  March;  Fresh  Creek,  June. 
Leaves  1.5-2  cm.  long,  plant  smaller  and  more  delicate  than  any 
specimens  examined;  closely  resembles  an  unnamed  specimen  of 
Blodgett's  from  Key  West,  in  Torrey  herb  (423). 

Jacquemontia  Jamaicensis  (Jacq.)  Hall.  Common  on  both 
islands.     Nassau,  Jan.   (135). 

Jacquemontia  verticillata  (L.)  Urban.  Conch  Sound,  March 
(424).     Same  as  Wright  455. 

EvoLVULUs  ARBUSCULA  Poir.  Frcsh  Creek,  June  (607).  Re- 
sembles Wright  1658;  differs  from  Wright  456  in  being  more  slen- 
der, not  as  erect,  flowers  smaller,  3-4  mm.,  white;  calyx  and  corolla 
sericeous;  calyx  shorter,  about  1.5  mm.  long.  Plant  about  6  dm. 
in  height,  leaves  1-2  mm.  long. 

DicHONDRA  repens  Forst.  Nassau,  Jan.  (172).  Same  as 
Wright  459. 

CuSCUTACEtE 

CuscuTA  Americana  L.  Growing  on  shrubs  in  low  ground. 
Red  Bays,  April  (497).     Same  as  Wright  1659. 


Hydrophyllace^ 
Nama  Jamaicense  L.     Nassau,  Jan.  (166), 


178     FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

BORAGINACE^ 

CoRDiA  ANGUSTiFOLiA  R.  &  S.  Fresh  Creek,  June  (619). 
Agrees  with  Wright  3 114  except  in  having  spatulate  leaves  and 
surface  much  less  pubescent. 

CoRDiA  LIMA  R.  &  S.  "  Granny-bush."  Common  on  Andros. 
Nicol's  Town,  March  (376).     Ex.  desc. 

CoRDiA  Sebestena  L.  Common  along  shore  on  both  islands. 
Same  as  Cooper  52;  agrees  with  Wright  3554  except  in  the  shape  of 
the  leaves.  All  the  Bahaman  specimens  examined  have  the  leaves 
oval  instead  of  ovate  (107). 

BouRRERiA  Havanensis  (Willd.)  Miers.  ^'Strong-back."  Com- 
mon on  both  islands  in  the  pines  and  coppet.  Nassau,  Jan. ;  London 
Creek,  May;  Fresh  Creek,  June  (74,  542). 

TouRNEFORTiA  GNAPHALODES  (Jacq.)  R.  Br.  Common  on 
sandy  beaches  on  both  islands.     Nassau,  Jan.  (63). 

TouRNEFORTiA  voLUBiLis  L.  Nassau,  Jan.;  common  on  both 
islands  (212).         . 

Heliotropium  Curassavicum  L.  Nassau,  Jan. ;  Middle  Bight, 
Andros,  June  (198). 

Heliotropium  parviflorum  L.     Nassau,  Jan.  (24). 

Heliotropium  nanimi  sp.  nov. 

Low,  shrubby,  corymbose-branching,  8-1 1  cm.  high,  branches 
erect-ascending,  entire  plant  strigose-canescent ;  leaves  numerous, 
appressed,  alternate,  sessile,  about  2  mm.  long  and  i  mm.  wide, 
elliptical-oblong  in  shape,  acute,  margin  entire;  flowers  scattered, 
solitary,  sessile,  about  as  long  as  the  leaves  and  opposite  them; 
calyx  persistent,  segments  5,  imbricate,  slightly  unequal,  lanceolate, 
acute,  about  i  mm.  in  length,  strigose-canescent;  corolla  white, 
campanulate,  shortly  exceeding  the  calyx,  hairy  on  the  outside, 
lobes  5,  ovate-oblong;  stamens  inserted  about  the  middle  of  the  corolla 
tube,  anthers  lanceolate,  appendiculate  appendage  almost  as  long 
as  the  anther,  disk  fiat,  ovary  free,  globose;  style  short;  stigma 
annular  with  a  conical  tip;  fruit  depressed-globose,  separating  into 
four  one-seeded,  hairy  nutlets;   seeds  curved  (757). 

Collected  at  Red  Bays  on  the  savannas.  In  flat,  rather  marly 
ground  near  the  shore. 


FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND   ANDROS     179 


Heliotropium  manum.     a,  Plant  X  | ;  &,  ovary ;  c,  calyx. 

Verbenace^ 

Lantana  Camara  L.  Not  uncommon.  Nassau,  Jan.;  Red 
Bays,  April  (129,  490). 

Lantana  crocea  Jacq.  Nicol's  Town,  March;  Conch  Sound, 
^3,y  (352,  561).  352  has  larger  leaves,  3.5-4.5  cm.  in  length,  and 
shorter  peduncles  (1.5-2  cm.)  and  may  be  L.  polyacantha  Schauer, 


180     FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

as  it  much  resembles  a  specimen  collected  by  Eggers  at  St.  Thomas 
and  so  named  by  Watson. 

Lantana  involucrata  L.  "Wild  sage,"  "big  sage."  Com- 
mon on  both  islands.     Fort  Montague,  Nassau,  Jan.     (56). 

LippiA  CANESCENS  Kth.     Nassau,  Jan.  (114). 

LiPPiA  NODiFLORA  (L.)  Michx.  Hog  Island,  N.P. ;  Red  Bays, 
April  (250,  481).     Same  as  Eggers  1537,  St.  Domingo  (unnamed). 

Abena  Jamaicensis  (L.)  A.  S.  Hitch.  {Stachytarpha  Vahl.) 
Roadsides,  Nassau,  Jan.  (19). 

CiTHAREXYLUM  Berterii  Sprcng.  Calabash  Cay,  Andros, 
June  (608).  Leaves  much  longer  than  in  Wright  (1356),  10-12  cm. 
long,  1-2.5  c^-  wide. 

CiTHAREXYLUM  LUCiDUM  Cham.  &  Schlccht.  Leaves  oblance- 
olate,  cuneate  at  base,  shining  and  leathery  when  old,  apex  obtuse 
or  emarginate,  corolla  puberulous,  raceme  erect  in  fruit.  Conch 
Sound,  May  (571). 

DuRANTA  REPENS  L.  {D.  PlumieH  Jacq.)  Common  on  both 
islands.     Nassau,  Jan.  (39). 

Petitia  Domingensis  Jacq.  Nicol's  Town,  March  (358). 
Compared  at  Kew  by  Dr.  Britton.  Same  as  Eggers  4203  and  Robin- 
son 55. 

ViTEX  iLiciFOLiA  Rich.  Fresh  Creek,  June  (625).  Deter- 
mined at  Kew  by  Dr.  Britton.     Same  as  Wright  3180. 

AviCENNiA  NiTiDA  Jacq.  "Salt  bush,"  "black  mangrove." 
Common  in  the  swash  and  along  the  shore.      Mastic  Point,  May 

(593)- 

OviEDA  FRAGRANS  (W.)  A.  S.  Hitch.  (Clerodendrofi.)  "Wild 
jessamine."  New  Providence,  along  the  roadside.  Naturalized. 
Feb.  (328). 

OviEDA  ACULEATA  (L.)  A.  S.  Hitch.  Nassau,  March.  Escaped? 
(296). 

Labiate 

MiCROMERiA  Brownei  Benth.  Conch  Sound,  April  (526). 
Petioles  4-5  mm.,  equaling  or  exceeding  the  leaves  and  peduncles: 
under  surface  of  leaves  and  stem  purplish. 

Salvia  occidentalis  Sw.     New  Providence,  Feb.  (265). 

Salvia  serotina  L.     Silver  Cay,  Nassau,  Jan.  (157). 


FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     181 


Leonurus  Sibiricus  L.     Common  about  Nassau,  Jan.  (2). 
Leonotis  nepet^folia  (L.)  R.  Br.     Nassau,  Jan.  (31). 
Teucrium  Cubense  L.     Nassau,  Jan.  (108). 
Mesosph^rum  pectinatum  (Poit.)  Kuntze.     Red  Bays,  Andros, 
April  (505). 

SOLANACE^ 

SoLANUM  ACULEATissiMUM  Jacq.  Nassau,  Jan.;  Fresh  Creek, 
June. 

SoLANUM  Bahamense  L.  '' Cankerbcrry."  Common  on  both 
islands.  Variable.  Nassau,  Jan.;  Salt  Cay,  Jan.  (174,  241). 
174  has  prickles  on  both  veins  and  midrib  of  the  leaves  as  well  as  on 
the  stems  while  241  is  entirely  unarmed  and  has  racemes  10-12  cm. 
long,  recurved  at  the  apex. 

SoLANUM  NIGRUM  L.     Nassau,  Jan.  (126,  228). 

SoLANUM  NIGRUM  NODiFLORUM  Gray.  Conch  Sound,  May; 
Fresh  Creek,  June  (557,  614). 

SoLANUM  VERBASCiFOLiUM  L.  "  Salvc-bush."  Common  on  both 
isla^ds.     Nassau,  Jan.  (131). 

Physalis  angulata  L.     Fresh  Creek,  June  (616). 

Physalis  Barbadensis  Jacq.     Conch  Sound,  March   (421). 

Capsicum  baccatum  L.  "Bird-pepper."  Hog  Island,  N.P., 
Feb.  (256). 

Oestrum  pallidum  Lam.     Nicol's  Town,  April  (432). 

Datura  Metel  L.  Deep  Creek,  June.  Probably  escaped 
(700). 

Scrophulariace^ 

Antirrhinum  antirrhiniflora  (Willd.)  A.  S.  Hitch.  {A, 
maurandioides  Gray.)     Nassau,   Jan.     Probably  escaped   (95). 

Russelia  juncea  Zucc.     Escaped.     Nassau,  Jan.   (122). 

Stemodia  maritima  L.     Nassau,  Jan.  (265). 

Capraria  biflora  L.  Common  on  both  islands.  Nicol's 
Town,  March  (27,  381). 

BucHNERA  ELONGATA  Sw.  Common  on  savannas  on  the  west 
side  of  Andros.     Red  Bays,  April  (467). 

Gerardia  maritima  Raf.  Common  on  savannas  on  west  side 
of  Andros.     Red  Bays,  April;   Purser  Point,  June.     Variable  (751). 


182     FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

Gerardia  purpurea  L.  4-4.5  ^^'  ^^  height,  mostly  simple 
and  strict.     Red  Bays,  April  (459). 

Lentibulariace^ 

Utricularia  foliosa  L.  Stafford  Creek,  Andros,  May.  ''No 
certain  determination  possible  without  flowers :  the  bladders  appear 
like  those  of  U.  foliosa  which  is  common  in  the  West  Indies."  Dr. 
Thomas  Morong  (543,  547). 

Utricularia  gibba  L.  Stafford  Creek,  Andros,  May.  No 
flowers.  "Leaves  and  bladders  much  resemble  those  of  U.  gibba 
which  occur  in  Florida."     Dr.  Thomas  Morong  (548). 

PiNGUicuLA  PUMiLA  Michx.  Rare;  on  the  edge  of  the  swash 
on  the  west  side  of  Andros.     Red  Bays,  May  (572). 

BiGNONIACEiE 

Tecoma   lepidophylla   Griseb.      Purser   Point,   Andros,  June 
(660).     Same  as  Wright  13 41. 
Tecoma  sp. 

Medium-sized  shrub,  twigs  rusty-lepidote ;  leaves  digitate,  with 
three  or  five  leaflets,  petioles  1-2  cm.  long,  channeled  above,  spar- 
ingly rusty-lepidote,  petiolules  2.5  mm.  long,  central,  one-half  as 
long  again  as  the  lateral;  leaflets  2.5-4.5  cm.  long,  1.5-2.5  cm. 
broad,  obovate  or  oval,  retuse  or  emarginate  and  mucronate  at  apex, 
►obtuse  and  usually  unequal  at  base,  margin  crenulate,  veins  promi- 
nent below;  leaves  thick,  sparingly  lepidote  above;  scales  abundant 
b)eneath,  the  larger  ones  rusty,  giving  the  under  surface  a  slightly 
brownish  tint;  flowers  not  seen;  calyx  bilabiate,  rusty-lepidote,  at 
length  deciduous,  7-10  mm.  in  length,  lobes  acute;  capsule  linear, 
pointed,  subcompressed,  6-9  cm.  long,  rusty-lepidote;  valves  slightly 
keeled. 

Collected  at  Long  Ridge  Cay,  Andros,  June  20  (758). 

Tecoma  Bahamensis  sp.  nov.     "Beef-bush" 

A  tall  shrub,  twigs  light  brown,  lepidote;  leaves  opposite,  pal- 
mately  compound,  with  five  leaflets,  petioles  3-5  cm.  in  length, 
flattened  and  channeled  above;  leaflets  all  petiolulate,  petiolule 
of  the  central  leaflet  about  i  cm.  in  length,  being  slightly  longer 
than  those  of  the  lateral  leaflets  and  more  than  twice  as  long  as  those 
of  the  basal  leaflets,  leaflets  oblong  or  oblong-elliptical,  sometimes 
oblanceolate,  2-4  cm.  long,  1-2.5  ^^-  wide,  the  central  leaflet  largest, 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,   12 


TECOMA  BAHAMENSIS 


HELIOTYPE    CO.,    BOSTON. 


FLORA    OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND   ANDROS     183 

thickish,  apex  obtuse  or  retuse,  margin  entire  or  slightly  undulate, 
veins  prominulous  beneath,  4-7  pairs  diverging  from  the  midrib  at 
nearly  right  angles,  surface  lepidote  on  both  sides,  pale  green  above, 
white  beneath  owing  to  the  confluent  white  scales;  inflorescence 
terminal,  sessile,  many-flowered  cymes;  flowers  showy,  pale  pink, 
pedicels  rusty-lepidote,  about  i  cm.  in  length;  calyx  rusty,  campanu- 
late,  closed  in  the  bud,  about  1.5  cm.  in  length,  bilabiate,  lower  lip 
subtruncate,  upper  longer,  usually  rounded;  corolla  funnel-shaped, 
veiny,  pink,  about  four  times  as  long  as  the  calyx,  limb  spreading, 
lobes  rounded,  slightly  unequal,  margin  sometimes  undulate,  tube 
pubescent  within ;  stamens  4,  didynamous,  less  than  half  the  length 
of  the  corolla,  inserted  near  the  base  of  the  tube,  filaments  incurved, 
anther  cells  linear-oblong,  divaricate,  straight;  pistil  about  2.5  cm. 
in  length;  ovary  lepidote,  two-celled;  style  slender;  stigma  two- 
lamellate,  lamellae  cuneate  or  obovate;  disk  pulvinate;  capsule 
elongated,  linear,  about  8  cm.  in  length  and  7-8  mm.  in  width, 
slightly  compressed,  rusty-lepidote,  valves  coriaceous,  subcarinate, 
veiny ;  seeds  oblong,  slightly  notched  below,  about  as  long  as  the  striate 
hyaline  wing  (218). 

Collected  on  New  Providence,  near  Nassau,  Jan.  26;  in  the 
interior  of  the  island,  Feb.  26,  and  at  Nicol's  Town,  Andros,  March  26. 

Note  from  Kew,  1899:  "This  matches  a  plant  collected  in  the 
Bahamas  by  Brace  no.  643  and  Eggers  no.  3962  which  has  been 
called  Tabebuia  leucoxyla  DC,  but  according  to  Bureau  T.  leucoxyla 
is  identical  with  T.  obtusifolia  Bureau,  a  totally  different  plant  with 
simple  leaves."  Also  resembles  a  specimen  at  Cambridge  from  the 
Bahamas  1859  marked  T.  leucoxyla  ?  by  Gray. 

Plate  15.     Tecoma  Bahamensis.     Portion  of  plant  in  flower,  X  f. 

Tecoma  stans  (L.)  Juss.  ''Yellow  elder."  Common  about 
Nassau,  Jan.  (8). 

Jacaranda  Bahamensis  R.  Br.  "Boxwood,"  "cancer  tree." 
Deep  Creek,  June  (701).     Determined  at  Kew  by  Dr.  Britton. 

Jacaranda  ccerulea  Griseb.  Nassau,  Jan.  (213).  Same  as 
Eggers  4427. 

ACANTHACEJE 

Thunbergia  fragrans  Roxb.  Probably  escaped.  Nassau, 
Jan.  (130). 

Blechum  Brownei  Juss.     Nassau,  Jan.  (49). 

Anth ACANTHUS  AcicuLARis  (Sw.)  Nces.     Common  in  the  coppet 


184     FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS 

on  Andros.     Nicol's  Town,  April;    Fresh  Creek,  June  (396).     The 
same  as  a  specimen  of  Cooper's  from  New  Providence. 
DiCLiPTERA  ASSURGENS  Juss.     Nassau,  Jan.  (72). 

RUBIACE^ 

ExosTEMMA  Carib^um  (Jacq.)  R.  &  S.  "Princewood."  Kemp 
Sound,  Andros,  June  (685).     Same  as  Wright  2674  and  Curtiss  1132. 

Rhacicallis  Americana  (Jacq.)  A.  S.  Hitch.  (R.  rupestris 
DC.)  ''Sand-fly  bush,"  "salt-water  bush,"  ''seaweed,"  "wild 
thyme."  Common  along  the  rocky  shores  of  both  islands.  Red 
Bays,  April;   Fresh  Creek,  June  (458).     Same  as  Wright  2696. 

Hamelia  patens  Jacq.  Nassau,  Jan.  (40).  Same  as  Curtiss 
5500  from  Florida. 

Catesb^a  spinosa  L.  "Prickly  apple."  Fresh  Creek,  June 
(624). 

Catesbaea  fasciculata  sp.  no  v. 

A  low,  spiny  shrub  with  long,  slender  branches;  leaves  fascicled, 
obovate  or  oblanceolate,  5.7  mm.  in  length,  3-4  mm.  in  width,  ob- 
tuse, tapering  into  a  short  petiole  at  base,  thick,  shining  a'bove, 
margin  entire  or  slightly  revolute,  surface  of  the  stem,  spines  and 
upper  surface  of  leaves  minutely  papillose;  spines  axillary,  slender, 
in  pairs,  about  as  long  as  the  leaves;  flowers  scattered,  small,  soli- 
tary, sessile  in  the  axils;  calyx-tube  short,  ovoid,  lobes  4,  subulate, 
persistent;  corolla  valvate,  campanulate,  white,  5-7  mm.  in  length, 
lobes  4,  short,  1-2  mm.  long,  obtuse,  spreading;  stamens  4,  inserted 
at  the  base  of  the  corolla  tube,  filaments  glabrous,  slightly  exceeding 
the  tube,  anthers  linear,  ovary  2-celled,  2-flattened,  pendulous 
ovules  in  each  cell ;  style  smooth,  a  little  longer  than  the  stamens ; 
fruit  (immature)  a  berry. 

Collected  at  Fresh  Creek,  Andros,  June  6.  The  same  as  Eggers 
4508  from  Hog  Island  (627). 

Plate  16.  Cateshcea  fasciculata.  Portion  of  plant,  about  natural  size;  0,  flower 
with  corolla  removed;   w,  interior  of  corolla  showing  stamens. 

SCOLOSANTHUS  Sp. 

A  low,  tortuous  branching  shrub,  slightly  resinous,  with  slender 
scattered  spines,  5-6  mm.  in  length;  leaves  and  stem  minutely 
papillose;  leaves  fascicled  or  opposite,  minute,  2-2.5  ^^-  ^^  length, 
short-petioled,  ovate,  obtuse  with  revolute  margins,  thick,  shining; 
stipules  small,  connate;   flowers  not  seen;  drupe  ovoid  or  globose, 


CM.     lORREY    CLUB,    12 


CATESBAEA  FASCICULATA 


4ELI0TYPE  CO.,   BOSTOh 


f       FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS     185 

sessile,  axillary,  white,  about  2  mm.  in  length,  and  containing  one  com- 
pressed seed. 

A  single  specimen  collected  on  the  south  side  of  Fresh  Creek, 
Andros,  June  (646). 

Randia  aculeata  L.  Common  on  both  islands.  Nicol's 
Town,  March  (383).     Same  as  Wright  392  and  Curtiss  11 29. 

Genipa  clusi^folia  (Jacq.)  Griseb.  "Seven-year  apple," 
Spruce  Cay,  N.P.,  Feb.;  Mastic  Point,  Fresh  Creek,  June  (299). 
Same  as  Wright  3574  and  Curtiss  1130. 

GuETTARDA  ELLIPTICA  Sw.  Stafford  Creek,  Andros,  May; 
Lisbon  Creek,  June  (540,  677). 

GuETTARDA  SCABRA  Lam.  Stafford  Creek,  May;  Fresh  Creek, 
June;  Conch  Sound,  July  (535,  649,  730).  The  specimens  from 
Stafford  and  Fresh  Creek  535  and  649  are  identical  but  differ  greatly 
from  730;  the  former  have  thicker,  rigid  leaves,  paler  in  color,  with 
an  entire  revolute  margin  and  the  veins  prominently  raised  on  the 
under  surface.  No.  730  has  the  leaves  strongly  mucronate,  margin 
crenate  and  the  upper  surface  much  more  scabrous  than  in  Wright 
2707.  No.  730  is  the  same  as  Brace  186  and  197  as  compared  at 
Kew  by  Dr.  Britton. 

Antirrhcea  lucida  Gaertn.  Deep  Creek,  July  (724).  Same 
as  Wright  1270. 

Antirrhcea  myrtifolia  Griseb.  Red  Bays,  April;  Fresh 
Creek,  June  (470).  Same  as  Wright  2782  and  Brace  445.  Deter- 
mined at  Kew  by  Dr.  Britton. 

Erithalis  fruticosa  L.  ''Black  torch."  Common  on  both 
islands.  Nicol's  Town,  March;  Red  Bays,  April;  Deep  Creek, 
June  (365,  482,  691).     Same  as  Curtiss  11 27. 

Erithalis  rotund  ata  Griseb.  Deep  Creek,  June  (739). 
Same  as  Wright  1268. 

Chiococca  parvifolia  Wulschl.  ''Snake-root."  Common  in 
the  coppet  on  both  islands.  Nassau,  Jan. ;  Deep  Creek,  June 
(138,  6SS).     Same  as  Wright  3584. 

Chiococca  alba  (L.)  A.  S.  Hitch.  (C.  racemosa  Jacq.)  Nassau, 
Jan.  (28). 

Chiococca  sp.     Red  Bays,  April  (477). 

The  latter  was  a  depressed  form  found  in  the  savannas  on  the 
west  side  of  Andros.     Stems  erect,  unbranched ;   plant  low,  about  3 


186     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

dm.  in  height,  with  smaller,  thicker,  more  rigid  leaves,  lanceolate  with 
a  blunt  apex,  2-2.5  c^-  ^^^gj  flowers  yellowish  brown.  Resembles 
a  specimen  of  Blodgett's  from  Key  West  in  the  Gray  herbarium. 

Phialanthus  myrtilloides  Griseb.  "Candlewood."  Staf- 
ford Creek,  May;  Fresh  Creek,  June  (541,  642,  728). 

Strumpfia  maritima  Jacq.  Common  on  the  cays  and  along 
the  shores  of  both  islands.  Nassau,  Jan.;  Lisbon  Creek,  Andros, 
June  (151). 

MoRiNDA  RoYOC  L.  "Wild  mulberry,"  "wild  pineapple."  Not 
uncommon  in  the  pines  on  Andros.  Conch  Sound,  March  (425). 
Same  as  Wright  2757.     Plants  1.5-2  m.  in  height. 

Myrstiphyllum  pubescens  (Sw.)  a.  S.  Hitch.  (Psychotria.) 
Conch  Sound,  May  (585).     Same  as  Wright  243  and   1278. 

Myrstiphyllum  undatum  (Jacq.)  A.  S.  Hitch.  {Psychotria.) 
"Wild  coffee."     Nicol's  Town,  March  (361). 

Myrstiphyllum  ligustrifolium  sp.  nov. 

A  low  shrub  with  smooth  dark  bark;  branchlets  slightly  angled; 
leaves  opposite,  petioles  2-4  mm.  in  length,  blade  elliptical  or 
oblanceolate,  3-6  cm.  long,  1-2  cm.  broad,  thickish,  paler  beneath, 
apex  acuminate,  base  cuneate  or  tapering,  margin  entire,  slightly 
revolute,  glabrous  or  with  a  few  scattered  hairs  beneath  on  the  midrib 
or  in  the  axils  of  the  veins,  veins  rather  inconspicuous  above ;  stipules 
rusty  membranaceous,  truncate,  sheath  deciduous,  about  5  mm.  in 
length;  flowers  in  three-  to  five-rayed  terminal  panicles,  peduncle 
about  2  cm.  in  length,  pedicels  about  i  mm.  or  flowers  sessile,  bracts 
minute,  ciliate;  calyx  deciduous,  tubular-campanulate,  1-2  mm. 
long,  lobes  5,  very  short,  acute,  ciliate;  corolla  whitish,  somewhat 
funnel-form,  about  three  times  as  long  as  the  calyx,  throat  bearded, 
lobes  5,  valvate,  half  as  long  as  the  tube,  lance-oblong,  obtuse,  thick- 
ened and  involute  at  the  apex,  at  length  reflexed;  stamens  5  (6), 
inserted  in  the  throat  of  the  corolla,  included,  filaments  short,  anthers 
oblong;  ovary  two-celled,  globose;  style  smooth,  dilated  upwards^ 
two-cleft  at  apex;  drupe  dark  red,  globose  or  ovoid,  5-6  mm.  high, 
4-5  mm.  broad,  pyrenae  flat,  four-furrowed,  crests  broadly  obtuse  (206). 

Collected  at  two  places  in  the  neighborhood  of  Nassau,  Jan. 
The  same  as  Eggers  4052  from  Hog  Island.  It  is  related  to  M. 
celastroides  Gris. 

Plate  17.  Myrstiphyllum  ligustrifolium.  Branch  in  leaf  and  flower,  about  natu- 
ral size;  h^  fruiting  branch;  5,  single  flower;  a,  interior  of  corolla  showing  stamens; 
c,  pistil. 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,   12 


Pl.  17 


MYRSTIPHYLLUM  LIGUSTRIFOLIUM 


HELIOTYPE  CO.,   BOSTON. 


Mem.  Torrey  Club,  12 


Pl.  18 


A'r 


ANGURIA  KEITHII 


HELIOTYPE  CO.,   BOSTO^ 


FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND   ANDROS     187 

Ernodea  littoralis  Sw.  Common  in  the  pines  on  both  islands 
(sometimes  near  the  shore).  Flowers  red  or  white.  New  Provi- 
dence, Jan.;  Rose  Island,  N.P.,  Feb.;  Nicol's  Town,  March  (102, 
264). 

Spermacoce  tenuior  Lam.  In  the  pines,  N.P.,  Feb.  (319). 
Same  as  Eggers  4441. 

Galium  hispidulum  Mx.  Conch  Sound,  April  (523).  Plants 
glabrous,  in  leaf  only. 

CuCURBITACEiE 

Anguria  Keithii  sp.  nov. 

Stem  climbing,  glabrescent,  somewhat  sulcate;  leaves  deeply 
divided  with  seven  narrowly  elliptical  segments,  4-6.5  cm.  long, 
.5-1  cm.  wide,  outside  segments  lobed  near  the  base;  central  segments 
the  narrowest,  apex  mucronate,  tapering  at  base,  margin  entire 
above  but  the  three  or  five  central  segments  with  a  few  large  mu- 
cronate teeth  (one  to  five  on  each  side);  petiole  .5-2  cm.;  leaves 
rather  thin,  somewhat  punctate  beneath;  tendrils  simple,  much 
longer  than  the  leaves;  inflorescence  racemose,  the  3-6  flowers 
approximate  at  the  top  of  the  peduncle;  peduncle  about  8  cm. 
long,  longer  than  the  leaves,  pedicels  5-9  mm.  long;  staminate 
flowers,  calyx  tubular-campanulate,  constricted  at  the  throat,  tube 
5-7  mm.  long,  lobes  5,  2-3  mm.  long,  lanceolate,  acuminate;  petals 
orange,  elliptical,  about  i  cm.  in  length,  obtuse  or  shortly  mucronate ; 
stamens  2,  included,  anthers  inserted  about  the  middle  of  the  tube, 
sessile,  lanceolate,  acuminate  or  acute,  about  6  mm.  in  length,  repli- 
cate below  about  one-third  of  the  way ;  pistillate  flowers  and  fruit  not 
seen  (556). 

Collected  at  Conch  Sound,  Andros,  May  8.  Comes  nearest  to 
A.  pedata  Jacq.,  but  differs  in  having  leaves  7-cleft,  segments  narrower, 
margin  more  deeply  toothed,  and  leaves  thinner ;  flowers  fewer,  sepals 
longer  and  acuminate. 

Named  for  Mr.  Alexander  Keith,  of  Edinburgh,  on  whose  sisal 
plantation  the  plant  was  collected. 

Plate  18.  Anguria  Keithii.  Portion  of  vine,  X  f;  a,  stamen,  front  view;  n, 
stamen,  rear  view. 

Trianosperma  racemosa  (Griseb.).  T.  &  G.  Conch  Sound, 
March  (419).     Same  as  Wright  1243. 


188     FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

GOODENIACE^ 

Sc^voLA  Plumieri  (L.)  Vahl.  Common  on  the  sandy  beaches 
on  both  islands.     South  Beach,  N.P.,  Jan.  (85). 

COMPOSIT.E 

Vernonia  Bahamensis  Griseb.  Common  in  the  pines  on  both 
islands.     Nassau,  Jan.  (loi).     Same  as  Eggers  4187  and  Brace  118. 

Ageratum  conyzoides  L.     Nassau,  Jan.  (22). 

EuPATORiUM  AGERATiroLiUM  DC.  Nassau,  Jan.  (176).  Same 
as  Wright  2803. 

Eupatorium  Bahamense  sp.  no  v. 

Shrubby,  branching,  branches  cylindrical,  striate,  tips  pubes- 
cent, somewhat  rusty;  leaves  opposite,  petioles  3-10  mm.  in  length, 
lanceolate  or  ovate-lanceolate,  2-4.5  c^-  lc)^gj  •1S~^  cm.  wide,  base 
cuneate,  apex  obtuse,  margin  entire  or  slightly  repand,  triply  nerved 
(in  some  young  leaves  obscurely  so),  the  lateral  nerves  usually  start- 
ing 2-5  mm.  above  the  base,  glabrous  above,  glabrate  and  densely 
dotted  with  glands  beneath,  glands  mostly  black ;  corymbs  numerous, 
trichotomous,  peduncles  with  a  few  scattered  glands ;  heads  shortly 
pedicellate,  often  in  pairs,  pedicels  2-6  mm.  in  length,  ten-  to  thirteen- 
fiowered;  flowers  blue,  receptacle  cylindrical,  flat  on  top;  involucre 
cylindrical,  8-10  mm.  long,  about  2  mm.  broad,  scales  imbricate  in 
about  four  rows,  innermost  linear-lanceolate,  about  6  mm.  in  length, 
outer  lanceolate  or  oblong-lanceolate,  apex  rounded,  sometimes 
somewhat  spatulate,  the  outer  somewhat  thickened  at  the  top  and 
darker,  mostly  three-striate,  inner  scales  sometimes  slightly  toothed 
near  the  base;  corolla  light  blue,  clavate,  3-4  mm.  long,  teeth  less 
than  I  mm.;  pappus  white,  spreading,  about  as  long  as  the  corolla; 
achenia  black,  tapering  at  the  base,  three-,  four-  or  five-angled,  mostly 
three,  with  the  other  angles  obsolete,  angles  scabrous  (359). 

Collected  in  the  coppet  at  Nicol's  Town,  March  17.  Not  un- 
common.    Same  as  Eggers  4424  and  Brace  225. 

Related  to  E.  conyzoides  Vahl,  but  differs  in  having  the  leaves  and 
branches  less  divaricate,  leaves  obtuse,  involucral  scales  tapering  at 
the  apex,  heads  fewer  flowered,  and  achenia  often  3-4-angled. 

Plate  19.    Eupatorium  Bahamense.     Portion  of  plant,   x  f ;  a,  head  of  flowers. 

Eupatorium  capillifolium  (Lam.)  Small.  {E.  foeniculaceum 
Willd.)     Hog  Island,  N.P.,  Feb.  (252). 


[em.  Torrey  Club,  12 


Pl.  19 


ENJATORIUM  BAHAMENSE 


HELIOTYPE  CO.,   BOSTON. 


FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS     189 

EuPATORiuM  ODORATUM  L.     Nassau,  Jan.  (6).     Same  as  Wright 

295- 

EuPATORiUM  viLLOSUM  Sw.     Common  and  variable.     Nassau, 

Nicol's  Town,  March,  Conch  Sound,  April  (307,  340,  563).     No. 

307  from  Nassau,  and  563  from  Conch  Sound  are  almost  entirely 

glabrous  forms. 

WiLLUGHB^YA  SCANDENS  (L.)  Kuntze.  (Mikania  Orinocensis 
H.B.K.)  Not  uncommon  in  wet  places  Hog  Island,  Feb. ;  Conch 
Sound,  May  (245).     Same  as  Wright  3600. 

Aster  exilis  Ell.  In  damp  places.  Hog  Island,  N.P.,  Feb. ; 
Conch  Sound,  April;  Fresh  Creek,  June  (246,  650). 

Baccharis  dioica  Vahl.  "Broom-bush."  Common  near  the 
shore.     Nassau,  Jan.  (68). 

Erigeron  quercifolium  Lam.  In  the  pines.  New  Providence, 
Feb.;  Nicol's  Town,  March  (324,  360). 

Pluchea  fcetida  (L.)  B.S.P.  Damp  ground  in  the  pines. 
Red  Bays,  April  (498).     Same  as  Eggers  4103. 

Pluchea  camphorata  DC.  Banana  holes  in  the  pines.  N.P., 
Feb.  (317). 

Pluchea  odorata  (L.)  Cass.  "Cough-bush."  New  Provi- 
dence, Feb, ;   Nicol's  Town,  March  (283). 

Parthenium  Hysterophorus  L.     Nassau,  Jan,  (i). 

IvA  CHEiRANTHiFOLiA  Kth.  Ncw  Providcncc,  Feb,  (311).  Same 
as  Eggers  4286. 

IvA  IMBRICATA  Walt.  Common  on  sandy  shores.  Deep  Creek, 
July  (716). 

Ambrosia HISPIDA  Pursh.  "Bay  lavender,"  "sweet  bay,"  Com- 
mon on  sandy  beaches  of  both  islands,  Nassau,  Jan. ;  Mastic 
Point,  May  (62). 

IsocARPHA  OPPOSiTiFOLiA  R.  Br.  "  Boston  catnip."  Deep 
Creek,  June  (681).     Determined  at  Kew  by  Dr.  Britton. 

BoRRiCHiA  ARBORESCENS  DC.  Common  on  both  islands. 
Glabrate  and  canescent  forms  found  growing  together  in  several 
localities.  Nassau,  Jan.  (90).  Canescent  form  the  same  as  Eggers 
1609,  the  glabrous  the  same  as  Wright  2899. 

Amellus  aspera  (Jacq.)  Kuntze.  {Melanthera  deltoidea  Rich.) 
Common  on  both  islands.  Nassau,  Jan.;  Red  Bays,  April  (58, 
503)- 


190     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

Salmea  petrobioides  Griseb.  Nassau,  Feb.  Common  along 
shore  (303). 

BiDENS  LEUCANTHA  Willd.     "  Shepherd's  needle."     Nassau,  Jan. 

(36). 

Tridax  procumbens  L.     Nassau,  Jan.  (25). 
Flaveria  linearis  Lag.     Red   Bays,   April     (462).     Same   as 
Wright  2859. 

PoROPHYLLUM  RUDERALE  Cass.     Lisbon  Creek,  Andros,   June 

(675). 

Pectis  linifolia  L.     "Tea-blinkin."     Nassau,  Jan.  (200). 

Neurol^na  lobata  (L.)  R.  Br.     Red  Bays,  April  (486). 

Erechthites  hieracifolia  (L.)  Raf.     Red  Bays,  April  (504). 

Emilia  sonchifolia  (L.)  DC.     Nassau,  Jan.  (3,  5). 

Anastraphia  Northropiana  Greenman.  "Candlewood." 
Fresh  Creek,  June  (743).  Differs  from  the  following  species  in 
having  the  "  leaves  mostly  entire,  scales  of  the  involucre  more  numerous 
and  strongly  revolute."  Named  at  Gray  herbarium  by  Mr.  J.  M. 
Greenman,  1897.     Same  as  Combs  no.  521  from  Cuba,  1895. 

Anastraphia  pauciflosculosa  Wright.  "Candlewood."  Lis- 
bon Creek,  June.  Same  as  Eggers  ^866.  Determined  at  Kew 
by  Dr.  Britton  (639). 

Chaptalia  ALBICANS  (DC).  Conch  Sound,  March  (400).  Same 
as  Wright  2873. 

SoNCHUS  OLERACEUS  L.     Nassau,  Jan.  (48). 

Relations  of  the  Bahama  Flora 

Professor  Hitchcock  has  treated  this  subject  very  fully  in  his 
"Report  on  the  Plants  collected  in  the  Bahamas,  Jamaica,  and  Grand 
Cayman."  It  is  only  taken  up  here  because  the  exploration  of  Andros 
has  furnished  additional  data.  In  this  connection  it  may  be  well  to 
describe  briefly  the  character  and  position  of  the  Bahama  Islands  in  re- 
lation to  the  Greater  Antilles  and  North  and  South  America.  "  The 
Bahamas  naturally  divide  themselves,  first,  into  sunken  banks  like  the 
Navidad,  Silver,  and  Mouchoir  banks;  next,  islands  occupying  the 
whole  or  nearly  the  whole  summit  of  the  banks  from  which  they  rise, 
like  Watlings,  Rum  Cay,  Conception,  Samana,  Mariguana,  the  Plana 
Cays,  Inagua,  Little  Inagua,  and  the  atoll  of  Hogsty;  then  banks 
having  the  semblance  of  atolls,  like  the  Crooked  Island  and  Caicos 


FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     191 

banks,  which  are  fringed  by  low  islands  forming  a  crescent  with  an 
open  lagoon  or  flat  between  its  horns;  next,  Salt  Cay  Bank,  which 
from  its  structure  holds  a  position  intermediate  between  the  group 
of  sunken  banks  like  the  Navidad  and  that  resembling  Caicos  Bank, 
and  finally,  such  composite  banks  as  the  Little  Bahama  and  Great 
Bahama  banks  with  the  characteristics  of  a  combination  of  banks 
resembling  all  the  others."  ^ 

The  Little  Bahama  Bank,  lying  in  26°  to  27°  north  latitude, 
is  the  most  northerly.  From  it  rise  the  islands  of  Great  Bahama 
and  Abaco  with  a  number  of  small  cays.  The  Little  Bahama  Bank 
is  separated  from  the  Great  Bahama  Bank  lying  south  of  it  by  the 
Northeast  and  Northwest  Providence  channels,  which  are  from 
twenty  to  thirty  miles  wide  and  have  a  depth  of  from  500  to  2000 
fathoms. 

"The  Great  Bahama  Bank  is  irregularly  V-shaped  and  has  an 
extent  of  four  hundred  miles  from  northwest  to  southeast  and  is 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  its  greatest  width."  ^ 

The  water  on  the  bank  is  usually  only  three  or  four  fathoms 
deep,  but  it  is  indented  on  the  north  by  a  tongue  of  the  ocean  which 
extends  nearly  two  thirds  across  it  and  has  a  depth  of  from 
700  to  1200  fathoms.  Along  the  western  edge  of  this  tongue 
of  ocean  lies  Andros,  while  New  Providence  is  on  the  eastern 
side,  twenty-five  miles  or  more  distant.  On  the  eastern  border 
of  Great  Bahama  Bank  lie  the  long  narrow  islands  known 
as  Eleuthera,  Cat  Island,  Exuma,  and  Long  Island,  the  first  two 
being  separated  from  the  third  by  another  indentation  in  the  bank 
from  the  south  known  as  Exuma  Sound.  To  the  southeast  of  Cat 
Island  are  the  isolated  islands  of  Rum  Cay  and  San  Salvador,  or 
Watlings  Island,  while  east  of  the  southern  end  of  the  Great  Bahama 
Bank  is  the  much  smaller  bank  on  which  are  situated  Crooked, 
Acklin,  and  Fortune  islands.  Still  farther  southeast  lie  Mariguana, 
the  Caicos  Bank  and  Islands  and  Turks  Islands,  while  the  entirely 
isolated  island  of  Inagua  is  off  to  the  west.  Inagua  lies  in  a  latitude 
of  about  21°  and  is  the  most  southerly  of  the  Bahamas.  It  is  about 
fifty  miles  from  the  east  end  of  Cuba  and  about  sixty  miles  north  of 
the  western  end  of  Haiti.  From  both  islands  it  is  separated  by  water 
over  1500  fathoms  in  depth. 

^  "A  Reconnoissance  of  the  Bahamas  and  of  the  Elevated  Reefs  of  Cuba  in  the 
Steam  Yacht  Wild  Duck,  January  to  April,  1893,"  Alexander  Agassiz. 


192     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS 

The  Little  Bahama  Bank  is  separated  from  Florida  by  a  distance 
of  fifty  miles  and  a  depth  of  less  than  450  fathoms  of  water.  The 
Great  Bahama  Bank  extends  west  and  northwest  of  Andros  for  a 
distance  of  from  fifty  to  seventy  miles.  At  its  western  edge  it  is  only 
forty  miles  distant  from  Florida,  and  the  channel  is  about  450  to  500 
fathoms  deep. 

The  Great  Bahama  Bank  is  separated  from  Cuba  on  the  south 
by  the  Old  Bahama  Channel,  about  300  fathoms  in  depth,  the  narrow- 
est part  of  which  is  only  about  twelve  miles.  Beyond  this  point  the 
water  deepens  rapidly  to  500  and  1000  fathoms. 

The  following  is  quoted  from  Professor  Hitchcock's  admirable 
account :  "  If,  from  any  cause,  the  depth  of  the  water  of  the  ocean 
should  be  lessened  by  100  fathoms,  there  would  be  exposed  the  Little 
Bahama  and  Great  Bahama  banks  and  several  of  the  smaller  banks 
to  the  southeast.  The  Bahamas  would  be  separated  from  the  sur- 
rounding islands  and  from  Florida  and  the  important  channels  would 
still  occupy  the  same  places.  If  reduced  by  300  fathoms,  the  Great 
Bahama  Bank  would  be  united  with  Cuba.  If  the  water  were  500 
fathoms  shallower  than  at  present,  the  Little  and  Great  Bahama  banks 
would  be  united  with  Florida  and  some  of  the  Windward  Islands 
would  be  connected.  It  is  not,  however,  until  a  layer  of  water  1000 
fathoms  deep  is  removed  that  important  changes  would  occur.  Ja- 
maica would  be  united  with  Honduras,  Cuba  with  Florida  and  also 
with  South  America  through  the  Windward  Islands.  There  would 
be  a  narrow  channel  between  Cuba  and  Yucatan,  between  Jamaica 
and  Haiti,  and  a  wide  and  deep  channel  between  Jamaica  and  Cuba. 
Watlings,  the  Acklin  Island  group,  and  Inagua  would  still  be  isolated 
and  the  distances  between  them  and  the  neighboring  land  would  not 
be  materially  diminished.  .  .  .  The  Greater  Antilles  are  of  ancient 
formation  and  may  have  been  connected  with  Mexico  and  Central 
America  at  some  remote  period.  But  the  Bahamas,  the  Windward 
Islands,  and  the  southern  extremity  of  Florida  are  of  recent  origin." 

Professor  Hitchcock  thinks,  however,  as  does  the  writer,  that 
the  ordinary  methods  of  dissemination  are  sufficient  to  account 
for  the  Bahaman  flora  and  that  the  theory  of  an  ancient  land  connec- 
tion is  not  necessary. 

The  following  table  shows  the  distribution  of  the  plants  collected 
by  us  on  New  Providence  and  Andros  and  bears  out  the  conclusion 


FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND   ANDROS     193 

arrived  at  by  Hitchcock  and  others  that  the  bulk  of  the  Bahaman 
plants  have  come  from  the  south. 

Although  Andros  is  very  nearly  as  close  to  Florida  as  it  is  to  Cuba, 
its  plants  are  most  closely  allied  with  those  of  Cuba,  comparatively 
few  species,  apparently,  having  come  from  the  north.  Our  explora- 
tion of  Andros,  however,  has  shown  that  this  northern  contingent 
is  considerably  larger  than  was  supposed,  a  distinct  colony  of  northern 
plants  having  found  a  foothold  on  the  west  side  of  Andros.  Many 
of  these  have  never  been  reported  from  either  Cuba  or  any  of  the 
other  islands  of  the  group. 

It  was  to  be  expected  that  the  majority  of  the  Bahaman  plants 
would  have  a  southern  origin,  on  account  of  the  greater  similarity 
of  the  climate  and  because  the  prevailing  winds  and  currents  are 
from  that  direction.  There  are  occasionally  heavy  "northers"  during 
the  winter,  when  the  wind  blows  hard  from  the  northwest  for  a  number 
of  days  at  a  time.  The  velocity  of  the  Gulf  Stream  as  it  flows  through 
the  Florida  Straits  tends  to  prevent  seeds  being  brought  from  the  north 
by  water. 

In  compiling  the  table  found  below,  giving  the  distribution  of 
the  plants  collected  by  us,  the  following  volumes  have  been  the 
principal  ones  consulted:  Grisebach's  Flora  of  the  British  West 
Indies,  Grisebach's  Catalogus  Plantarum  Cubensium,  Plants  col- 
lected in  the  Bahamas  by  Hitchcock,  Plants  collected  in  the  District 
of  Cienfuegos,  Cuba,  by  Robert  Combs,  1895;  Jamaica,  List  of 
Fawcett ;  Flora  of  St.  Croix  and  the  Virgin  Islands,  Eggers ;  Chap- 
man's Flora  of  the  Southern  United  States,  and  other  works  on  the 
North  American  flora. 


194     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS 


Tabulated  Distribution 


Name  of  Species 

1 

1 

£ 

^ 

d 

c/3 

en 

SCHIZ^ACE^ 

Ornithopteris  adiantifolia  (L.)  Bernh. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  3>  4,  5- 

Ornithopteris  cicutaria  (Kuntze)  Un- 

.  derw. 

+ 

6. 

POLYPODIACE^ 

Tectaria  trifoliata  (L.)  Cav. 

4- 

+ 

+ 

I,  3,  4,  5- 

Dryopteris  patens  (Swz.)  Kuntze. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  4,  5,  widely  dist. 

Dryopteris  asplenioides  (Bak.)  Kuntze 

+ 

+ 

I,  3»  4,  5- 

Davallia  clavata  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

ij  3- 

Asplenium  dentatum  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  3,  4- 

Blechnum  serrulatum  Rich. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

3,  4,  5- 

Adiantum  tenerum  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  4,  5. 

Pteridium  caudatum  (L.)  Maxon. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  4,  5-    . 

Pteris  longifolia  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Vittaria  lineata  (L.)  J.  E.  Smith. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  3y  4,  5>  widely  dist. 

Cheilogramma  lanceolata  (L.)  Blume. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3. 

Acrostichum  aureum  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Phlebodium  aureum  (L.)  R.  Br. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  4,  5. 

Polypodium  polypodioides  (L.)  Hitch. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Campyloneuron  Phyllitidis  (L.)  Presl. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  4,  5. 

Polypodium  squamatum  L. 

+ 

I. 

Phymatodes  Swartzii  (Baker)  Underw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I.  3- 

Goniopteris  reptans  (Swz.)  Fee. 

+ 

+ 

I,  4,  5- 

Goniopteris  reptans  cordata. 

+ 

+ 

PSILOTACE^ 

Psilotum  nudum  (L.)  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Cycadace^ 

Zamia  sp. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

1,6. 

Conifers 

Pinus  Bahamensis  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

Juniperus  Barbadensis  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I.  3- 

Naiadace^ 

Ruppia  maritima  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Typhace^ 

Typha  Domingensis  Pers. 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  4,  5. 

Gramine^ 

Paspalum  fimbriatum  H.  B.  K. 

+ 

i»  3»  5- 

Panicum  divaricatum  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,    Cat,    Crooked, 

Panicum  proliferum  Lam. 

+ 

.+ 

+ 

+ 

3»  5- 

Cenchrus  tribuloides  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 
Crooked,  Inagua,  i. 

Sporobolus  Virginicus  Kth. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 
Crooked,  Inagua. 

Note.  —  i,  Jamaica;  2,  Virgin  Islands;  3,  Windward  Islands;  4,  Mexico  and  Central 
America;  5,  South  America;  6,  Haiti.  When  a  plant  is  reported  from  all  the  preceding 
localities  (or  all  but  Haiti)  and  also  as  being  found  in  the  Eastern  Hemisphere,  it  is  marked 
"  Widely  distributed." 


FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND   ANDROS     195 


Name  of  Species 

Ph* 

1 

3 

(/3 

'z, 

^ 

6 

c/5 

C/3 

Gramine^.  —  Continued 

Stenotaphrum  Americanum  Schrank. 

+ 

.+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Chloris  Swartziana  Doell. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  4,  5- 

Chaetochloa  glauca  (L.)  Scribn. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 
Inagua,  Eleuthera. 

Eragrostis  ciliaris  (L.)  Link. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Inagua,  5. 

Uniola  paniculata  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,    Cat,  Crooked, 
4,  5. 

Cyperace^ 

Cyperus  brunneus  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,    Cat,    Crooked, 
Inagua,  i,  2,  3,  4. 

Cyperus  ferax  Rich. 

+ 

+ 

I,  3>  4,  5- 

Cyperus  ochraceus  Vahl. 

+ 

+ 

i>  3- 

Eleocharis  camptotriche    Schweinitzii 

Clarke. 

+ 

+ 

Guadeloupe. 

Eleocharis  capitata  (Willd.)  R.  Br. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  I,  2,  5. 

Eleocharis  ochreata  Nees. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I. 

Dichromena  colorata  (L.)  A.  S.  Hitch. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Crooked,  Fort.,  Inagua,  4, 5. 

Fimbristylis  spadicea  (L.)  Vahl. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Crooked,  Fortune,  In- 
agua, I. 

Fimbristylis  monostachya  (L.)  Hassk. 

+ 

+ 

I. 

Rynchospora  cyperoides  (Sw.)  Mart. 

+ 

+ 

Inagua,  i,  3,  4,  5. 

Rynchospora  microcarpa  Baldw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Bahama,  5. 

Cladium  Jamaicense  Crantz. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Crooked,  4,  5. 

Scleria  filiformis  Sw. 

+ 

Palm^ 

Thrinax  Bahamense  Cook. 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,    Cat,  i,  2,  4,  6. 

Paurotis  Androsana  Cook. 

+ 

Cyclospathe  Northropi  Cook. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Bromeliace^ 

Tillandsia  Balbisiana  R.   &  S. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I. 

Tillandsia  bulbosa  Hook. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Inagua,  i,  5. 

Tillandsia  fasciculata  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Crooked,  Inagua,  i,  3,  4,  5. 

Tillandsia  flexuosa  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Inagua,  i,  5. 

Tillandsia  recurvata  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  I,  2,  3,  4,  5. 

Tillandsia  utriculata  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Inagua,  i,  2,  3,  5. 

Commelinace^ 

Commelina  nudiflora  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  dist.,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Rhoea  discolor  (L'Her)  Hance. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  4. 

LlLIACE^ 

Aletris  bracteata  Northr. 

■  + 

Smilace^e 

Smilax  auriculata  Walt. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Smilax  Havanensis  Jacq. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

2,  4,  5,  6. 

Amaryllidace^ 

Agave  rigida  Mill. 

+ 

4. 

Agave  rigida  Sisalana  Engl. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

4- 

Hymenocallis  arenicola  Northr, 

+ 

Furcroea  Cubensis  Haw. 

+, 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  s. 

Hypoxis  juncea  Smith. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

196     FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND   ANDROS 


Name  of  Species 


DlOSCORACE^ 

Rajania  hastata  L. 

Orchidace^ 
Bletia  verecunda  R.  Br. 
Epidendrum  fucatum  Lindl. 
Epidendrum  nocturnum  L. 
Epidendrum  Phoenicium  Lindl. 
Epidendrum  odoratissimum  Lindl. 
Limodorum  tuberosum  L, 
Stenorrhynchus  orchioides  (Rich.). 
Gyrostachys  tortilis  (Rich.). 
Oncidium  sylvestre  Lindl. 
Oncidium  variegatum  Sw. 
Govenia  utriculata  Lindl. 
Polystachya  luteola  Hook. 
Broughtonia  lilacina  Henfr. 
Vanilla  articulata  Northr. 

Casuarinace^ 
Casuarina  equisetifolia  Forst. 

Myricace^ 
Myrica  cerifera  L. 

MORACEiE 
Ficus  dimidiata  Griseb. 
Ficus  pedunculata  Willd. 
Ficus  pertusa  L. 

Ulmace^ 
Trema  Lima  (Lam.)  A.  S.  Hitch. 

Urticace^ 
Fleurya  aestuans  Gaud. 
Adicea  microphylla  (Sw.)  Kuntze. 

LORANTHACEiE 

Phoradendron  racemosum  Kr.  &  Urb. 
Phoradendron  Northropiae  Urb. 
Loranthus  pauciflorus  Sw. 
Loranthus  uniflorus  Jacq. 

Aristolochiace^ 
Aristolochia  passiflorgefolia  Rich. 
Aristolochia  pentandra  L. 

POLYGONACE^ 

Coccolobis  diversifolia  Jacq. 
Coccolobis  retusa  Griseb. 
Coccolobis  tenuifolia  L. 
Coccolobis  uvifera  (L.)  Jacq. 

Coccolobis  Wrightii  Lindau. 
Coccolobis  obtusifolia  Jacq. 
Polygonum  Portoricense  Bertero. 

CHENOPODIACEiE 

Atrip! ex  cristata  H.  B.  K. 


Cat,  2. 

I,  4. 

I,  3,  5. 


i»  3»  5. 

i»  3- 

I. 

I,  2,  3,  6. 

I,  5. 

I,  2,  3,  5. 

I,  6. 


Crooked.  Widely  dist.,  nat. 


Eleuthera,  i. 


I,  2. 

Cat,  I,  3,  4. 


Eleuthera,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5. 


I,  2,  3,  4,  5- 
I,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6. 


I. 
1,6. 


I,  2,  3. 

3- 
I. 

Cat,     Watlings,    Crooked, 
Inagua,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5- 


I,  5. 


/ 


FLORA    OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     197 


1,                        Name  of  Species 

CU 

1 

s 

i 

c/5 

r 

'z, 

^ 

6 

CO 

c/5 

Chenopodiace^.  —  Continued 

Salicornia  ambigua  Michx. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Crooked. 

Salicornia  Bigelovii  Torr. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Dondia  fruticosa  (Forsk.). 

+ 

+ 

Dondia  linearis  (Moq.)  Millsp. 

+ 

+ 

Amarantace^ 

Alternanthera  muscoides  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

Inagua,  3. 

Alternanthera  paronychioides  St.  Hil. 

+ 

Lithophila  vermicularis  (L.)  Uline. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera.     Widely  dist. 

Iresine  paniculata  (L.)  Kuntze. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuth.,  Cat,  Watlings 
Widely  distributed. 

Batide^ 

Batis  maritima  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Inagua,  i,  2,  3,  5. 

Phytolaccace^ 

Rivina  humilis  glabra  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  4,  5,  Cat. 

Phytolacca  octandra  L. 

+ 

+ 

I,  3.  4,  5- 

Nyctaginace^ 

Mirabilis  Jalapa  L. 

+ 

+ 

Fortune,  i,  3,  4,  5- 

Boerhaavia  erecta  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  3»  4. 

Boerhaavia  paniculata  Rich. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  i,  2,  3,  4. 

Boerhaavia  scandens  L. 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  i,  4,  5- 

Pisonia  aculeata  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  3»  4,  5- 

Pisonia  obtusata  Swz. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Crooked,  i,  3,  5. 

Pisonia  rotundata  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

AlZOACEiE 

Sesuvium  portulacastrum  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed.  Eleu- 
thera, Cat,  Crooked, 
Fortune. 

PORTULACACE^ 

Portulaca  oleracea  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Inagua.  Widely 
distributed. 

Portulaca  halimoides  L. 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3. 

Anonace^ 

Anona  palustris  L. 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  5. 

Ranunculace^ 

Clematis  dioica  L. 

+ 

+ 

I,  3,  4,  5. 

Laurace^ 

Nectandra  sanguinea  Rottb. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  3,  4,  5.  ^ 

Cassytha  filiformis  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Papaverace^e 

Argemone  Mexicana  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuth.,  Crooked,  Fortune, 
Inagua.    Widely  dist. 

Crucifer^ 

Brassica  arvensis  (L.)  B.  S.  P. 

+ 

+ 

Int.  from  Europe,  2. 

Lepidium  Virginicum  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Inagua, 
I,  2,  3,  4. 

Cakile  aequalis  L'Her. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3. 

Capparidace^ 

Pedicellaria  pentaphylla  (L.)  Schrank. 

+  + 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera.     Widely  dist. 

198  FLORA  OF  NEW  PROVIDENCE  AND  AND  R OS 


Name  of  Species 

cC 

2 

13 

1 

1:3 

"it 

^ 

u 

m 

lyj 

Crassulace^ 

Bryophyllum  pinnatum  (Lam.)  S. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Kurz. 

Rosacea 

Chrysobalanus  Icaco  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

MlMOSACE^ 

Acacia  choriophylla  Benth. 

+ 

+ 

Acacia  Farnesiana  (L.)  Willd. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed.  For- 
tune, Inagua,  i,  3,  5. 

Acuan  depressa  (Kth.)  Kuntze. 

+ 

+ 

Inagua,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Acuan  virgata  (Willd.)  Kuntze. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera.     Widely  dist. 

Mimosa  pudica  L. 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Leucaena  glauca  (L.)  Benth. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed.  Eleu- 
thera, Cat,  Fortune. 

Lysiloma  paucifoliola  (DC.)  Hitch. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Fortune. 

Lysiloma  Bahamensis  Benth. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Fortune,  Inagua. 

Calliandra  formosa  Benth. 

+ 

Pithecolobium  Hystrix  Benth. 

+ 

+ 

Pithecolobium  Unguis-cati  (L.)  Bth. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Fort.,  i,  2. 

Pithecolobium  Bahamense  Northr. 

+ 

C^SALPINACE^ 

Cassia  Bahamensis  Mill. 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,    Cat,   Watlings, 

Cassia  biflora  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,    Fort.,    Inagua, 

I,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6. 

Cassia  ligustrina  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  5- 

Cassia  mimosoides  L. 

+ 

Eastern  Hemisphere. 

Cassia  occidentalis  L, 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed.  Eleu- 
thera, Fortune,  Inagua. 

Cassia  polyadena  DC. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Crooked,  i,  3. 

Cassia  villosa  Mill. 

+ 

4- 

Cassia  Caribsea  Northr. 

+ 

Tamarindus  Indica  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Inagua,  i. 

Haematoxylon  Campechianum  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2. 

Csesalpinia  ovalifolia  Urb. 

+ 

+ 

Caesalpinia  crista  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Inagua, 

Caesalpinia  Rugeliana  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Inagua,  3. 

Peltophorum  adnatum  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

Papilionace^ 

Sophora  tomentosa  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Crooked,  Fortune,  Inagua. 
Widely  distributed. 

Crotalaria  pumila  Ort. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Crotalaria  retusa  L. 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Crotalaria  verrucosa  L. 

+ 

I,  2,  3  (from  Old  World). 

Indigofera  Anil  L, 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Inagua.  Widely 
distributed. 

Cracca  Schottii  Vail. 

+ 

Asia. 

Stylosanthes  hamata  (L.)  Taub. 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Fortune,  Inagua. 
Widely  distributed. 

Meibomia  incana  (Sw.)  Kuntze. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat.  Widely  dist. 

Abrus  precatorius  L. 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  5.     Widely  dist. 

Bradburya  Virginiana  (L.)  Kuntze. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Crooked, 
Inagua.     Widely  dist. 

Bradburya  angustifolia  (DC.)  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat.     Widely  distributed. 

FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     199 


Name  of  Species 

Ph' 

t3 

1 

i 

;^ 

^ 

3 

u 

in 

c/i 

Papilionaceae.  —  Continued 

Galactia  rudolphioides  (Griseb.)  Wr. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Crooked. 

Galactia  Cubensis  H.  B.  K. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Watlings,  Inagua.  Widely 
distributed. 

Canavalia  obtusifolia  (Lam.)  DC. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Inagua.  Widely 
distributed. 

Rhynchosia  minima  (L.)  DC. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Inagua.     Widely  dis't. 

Phaseolus  semierectus  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Vigna  repens  (L.)  Kuntze. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Cajanus  Cajan  (L.)  Millsp. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera.     Widely  dist. 

Dalbergia  Brownei  (Pers.)  Kuntze. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Ichthyomethia  Piscipula  (L.)  Hitch. 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  I,  2,  3,  4,  5. 

OXALIDACE^ 

Oxalis  corniculata  repens  Zucc. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Linages 

Linum  Bahamense  Northr. 

+ 

+ 

Erythroxylon  brevipes  DC. 

+ 

+ 

Fortune,  i. 

Erythroxylon  obovatum  Macf. 

+ 

+ 

i»  3- 

Erythroxylon  reticulatum  Northr. 

+ 

Malphigiace^ 

Byrsonima  lucida  Rich. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

2,  3- 

Malphigia  setosa  Spr. 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  6. 

Stigmaphyllon  Sagraenum  Juss. 

+ 

+ 

Triopteris  rigida  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

6. 

Rutace^ 

Xanthoxylon  cribrosum  Spr. 

+ 

+ 

Xanthoxylon  emarginatum  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Inagua,  i. 

Fagara  Fagara  (L.)  Small. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  i,  3,  4. 

Simarubace^ 

Suriana  maritima  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Crooked,  2. 

Picrodendron  baccatum  Bahamense. 

+ 

+ 

I. 

BURSERACE^ 

Bursera  Simaruba  (L.)  Sarg. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Crooked, 
I,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Swietenia  Mahogani  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Crooked,  Inagua,  i,  2,  4,  5. 

POLYGALACE^ 

Polygala  Boykinii  Nutt. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Polygala  brizoides  St.  Hil. 

+ 

+ 

I,  4,  5. 

Polygala  spathulata  Griseb. 

+ 

EUPHORBIACE^ 

Phyllanthus  Bahamensis  Urb. 

+ 

Phyllanthus  Epiphyllanthus  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Watlings, 
Fortune,  Inagua,  i,  2. 

Phyllanthus  Niruri  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Fortune,   Inagua.     Widely 

Croton  linearis  Jacq. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

4- 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  i.        [dist. 

Savia  erythroxyloides  Griseb. 

+ 

Acalypha  alopecuroides  Jacq. 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  4,  5- 

Lasiocroton  macrophyllus  Griseb. 

+ 

I. 

Excoecaria  lucida  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  3- 

Exccecaria  Sagraei  J.  Mull. 

+ 

+ 

200     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 


Name  of  Species 

Pu 

1 

J 

VJ 

p 

"^ 

^ 

(J 

C/5 

m 

EuPHORBiACE^.  —  Continued 

Hippomane  Mancinella  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Inagua,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Bonania  emarginata  DC. 

+ 

+ 

Euphorbia  Blodgettii  Engelm. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Crooked 
Fortune,  Inagua,  i. 

Euphorbia  buxifolia  Lam. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Watlings, 
Crooked,  Inagua,  i,  2,  3, 

Euphorbia  cassythoides  Boiss. 

+ 

A,  5- 

Euphorbia  heterophylla  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Crooked, 
Inagua,  i,  2,  4,  5. 

Euphorbia  heterophylla  graminifolia 

Engelm. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Fortune, 
Inagua,  i,  2,  4,  5. 

Euphorbia  nutans  Lag. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed.  Eleu- 
thera, Inagua. 

Euphorbia  serpens  Kth. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

3,  5- 

Buxus  Bahamensis  Baker. 

+ 

Anacardiace^ 

Metopium  Metopium  (L.)  Small. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Crooked,  Inagua,  i. 

Celastrace^ 

Elaeodendron  xylocarpum  DC. 

+ 

Bermudas. 

Maytenus  buxifolius  (Rich.)  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Crooked. 

Crossopetalum  pallens  (Smith) 

+ 

+ 

+ 

2,  3- 

Crossopetalum  coriaceum  Northr. 

+ 

Schaefferia  frutescens  Jacq. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

iLICACEiE 

Ilex  sideroxyloides  Griseb. 

+ 

3. 

Sapindace^ 

Serjania  diversifolia  Radlk. 

+ 

+ 

Serjania  subdentata  Juss   &  Poir. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  i,  2,  3. 

Cardiospermum  Halicacabum  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Thouinia  discolor  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Fortune, 
Inagua. 

Exothea  paniculata  (Juss.)  Radlk. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I. 

Hypelate  trifoliata  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I. 

Alvaradoa  amorphioides  Liebm. 

+ 

+ 

4. 

Rhamnace^ 

Krugiodendron  ferreum  (Vahl.)  Urb. 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3. 

Colubrina  ferruginosa  Brongn. 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3. 

Reynosia  latifolia  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  2 

Reynosia  Northropiana  Urb. 

+ 

Gouania  Domingensis  L. 

+ 

+ 

+  . 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  5. 

Vitace^. 

Vitis  rotundifolia  Michx. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Vitis  alata  Jacq. 

+ 

+ 

Vitis  trifoliata  (L.)  Bak. 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  5. 

Cissus  sicyoides  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Parthenocissus       quinquefolia      (L.) 

Planch. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

TlLIACE^ 

Triumfetta  semitriloba  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     201 


Name  of  Species 

eu 

S 
I 

1 

c3 

C/2 

P 

Z 

■*f. 

u 

c/5 

in 

TiLiACE^.  —  Continued 

Corchorus  hirsutus  L. 
Corchorus  siliquosus  L. 

+ 
+ 

+ 

+ 
+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,    Cat,   Crooked, 

Watlings,  Inagua,  i,  2,  3. 

Eleuthera,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6. 

Malvace^ 

Sida  carpinifolia  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Inagua.  Widely 

distributed. 
2,  3,  4,  5,  6. 
Eleuthera,  3,  4,  5. 
I,  2,  3,  5. 

Widely  distributed. 

Sida  supina  L'Her, 
Abutilon  crispum  Don. 
Pavonia  spicata  Cav. 
Hibiscus  cryptocarpus  Rich. 
Hibiscus  tiliaceus  L. 

+ 

+ 
+ 
+ 

+ 

+ 
+ 

+ 

+ 
+ 
+ 

+ 

+ 

Sterculiace^ 

Helicteres  semitriloba  Bert. 
Helicteres  spiralis  Northr. 
Melochia  nodiflora  Sw. 
Melochia  tomentosa  L. 

+ 
+ 

+ 
+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 
+ 

Inagua,  6. 

I,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Inagua,  i, 

Waltheria  Americana  L. 
Hypericace^ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

2,  3,  4,  5- 
Eleuthera,    Cat,    Fortune. 
Widely  distributed. 

Ascyrum  hypericoides  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  4,  5- 

Bixace^ 

Xylosma  ilicifolium  Northr. 

+ 

+ 

Canellace^ 

Canella  Winterana  (L.)  Gaertn. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3. 

Turnerace^ 

Turnera  ulmifolia  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,    Cat,    Fortune, 

Passiflorace^ 

i>  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Passiflora  angustifolia  Sw. 
Passiflora  cupraea  L. 
Passiflora  minima  L, 
Passiflora  multiflora  L. 
Passiflora  pectinata  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

+ 
+ 
+ 
+ 
+ 

+ 
+ 
+ 
+ 

+ 
+ 

I. 

Eleuthera,  Cat. 

Eleuthera,  Inagua,  i,  6. 

Turk. 

Cactace^ 

Cereus  Swartzii  Griseb. 
Opuntia  spinosissima  Mill. 
Opuntia  Tuna  (L.)  Mill. 

+ 
+ 
+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Crooked,  Inagua,  i. 
Fortune,  Inagua,  i,  2. 
Crooked,  Inagua,  i,  2,3,4,5. 

LyTHRACEtE 

Parsonsia  Parsonsia  (L.)  Britton. 

+ 

+ 

I. 

Rhizophorace^ 

Rhizophora  Mangle  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Crooked.Widely  dist. 

Myrtace^ 

Calyptranthes  pallens  Griseb. 
Myrtus  punctata  Griseb. 
Eugenia  axillaris  (Sw.)  Willd. 
Eugenia  longipes  Berg. 
Eugenia  monticola  DC. 

+ 

+ 
+ 
+ 
+ 
+ 

+ 
+ 
+ 

+ 

+ 

1,  2,  3. 

2,  3,  6. 
I,  2. 

Eleuthera,  i,  2,  3. 

202     FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS 


Name  of  Species 

1 

in 

in 

COMBRETACEiE 

Conocarpus  erecta  L. 

Laguncularia  raceniosa  (L.)  Gaertn, 
Terminalia  spinosa  Northr. 

+ 

+ 

+ 
+ 

+ 
+ 

+ 
+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Watlings, 
Crooked,  Inagua. 
Widely  distributed. 

Fortune,  Crooked.  Widely 
distributed. 

Melastomace^ 

Tetrazygia  bicolor  (Mill)  Cogn. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Onograce^ 

Jussiaea  sufifruticosa  L. 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Samydace^ 

Casearia  laetioides  (Rich.). 
Banara  reticulata  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 
+ 

I,  4. 

Umbellifer^ 

Hydrocotyle  pygmsea  Wright. 
Centella  Asiatica  (L.)  Urb. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Myrsinace^ 

Rapania  Guyanensis  (Aubl.). 
Icacorea  paniculata  (Nutt.)  Sudw. 
Jacquinia  Keyensis  Mez. 

Primulace^ 

+ 
+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 
+ 

+ 
+ 
+ 

I,  3»  4,  5- 
4- 

Eleuthera,    Cat,    Crooked, 
I,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6. 

Samolus  ebracteatus  Kth. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Plumb  AGIN  ace^ 

Plumbago  scandens  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Inagua,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

SAPOTACEiE 

Chrysophyllum  oliviforme  Lam. 
Lucuma  pauciflora  A.  DC. 
Sideroxylon  mastichodendron  Jacq. 
Bumelia  microphylla  Griseb. 
Bumelia  Cubensis  Griseb. 
Dipholis  salicifolia  A.  DC. 
Mimusops  dissecta  R.  Br. 
Mimusops  Floridana  Engelm. 

+ 

+ 
+ 

+ 
4- 
+ 
+ 
+ 
+ 
+ 
+ 

+ 
+ 
+ 

+ 
+ 

+ 

+ 
+ 
+ 

I,  2,  6. 
I,  2,  3,  6. 

I,  2,  3. 
3- 

Ebenace^ 

Maba  Caribaea  (A.  DC.)  Hiern. 

+ 

+ 

2. 

Oleace^ 

Adelia  porulosa  (Poir.)  Engler. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  4- 

LOGANIACE^ 

Spigelia  Anthelmia  L. 
Cynoctonum  mitreola  (L.)  Britt. 
Cynoctonum  sessilifolia  (T.   &  G.) 
Britt. 

Gentianace^ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 
+ 

+ 
+ 

+ 
+ 

Eleuthera,  Fort.,  i,  3,  4,  5- 
I,  3»  4,  5,  6. 

Voyria  Mexicana  Griseb. 
Eustoma  exaltatum  Griseb. 
Sabbatia  campanulata  (L.)  Torr. 

+ 
+ 

+ 
+ 
+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 
+ 
+ 

+ 
+ 

I. 

I,  4,  5,  6. 

FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     203 


Name  of  Species 


Apocynace^ 
Vinca  rosea  L. 
Plumiera  obtusa  L. 
Echites  Andrewsii  Chapm, 

Echites  biflora  Jacq. 
Echites  Sagrsei  A.  DC. 
Echites  umbellata  Jacq. 

ASCLEPIADACE^ 

Asclepias  Curassavica  L. 
Metastelma  Bahamense  Griseb. 
Metastelma  barbatum  Northr. 
Metastelma  palustre  Schltr. 

CONVOLVULACE^ 

Ipomoea  cathartica  Poir. 
Ipomcea  coccinea  L. 
Ipomoea  commutata  R.  &  S. 
Ipomoea  fastigiata  Sweet. 
Ipomoea  heptaphylla  Griseb. 
Ipomoea  Jamaicensis  Don. 
Ipomoea  grandiflora  Lam. 
Ipomoea  Pes-caprae  (L.)  Sweet. 

Ipomoea  repanda  Jacq. 
Ipomoea  sidifoHa  Chois. 
Ipomoea  sinuata  Ort. 
Ipomoea  triloba  L. 

Tacquemontia      Jamaicensis     (Jacq.) 
Hall.  ^^     ^^ 

Jacquemontia  verticillata  (L.)  Urb. 
Evolvulus  arbuscula  Poir. 

Dichondra  repens  Forst. 

CuSCUTACEiE 

Cuscuta  Americana  L. 

Hydrophyllace^ 
Nama  Jamaicensis  L. 

Boraginace^ 
Cordia  angustifolia  R.  &  S. 
Cordia  lima  R.  &  S. 
Cordia  Sebestena  L. 
Bourreria  Havanensis  (Willd.)  Miers. 

Tournefortia     gnaphalodes      (Jacq.) 

R.  Br. 
Tournefortia  volubilis  L. 
Heliotropium  Curassavicum  L. 

Heliotropium  parviflorum  L. 

Heliotropium  nanum  Northr. 


Widely  distributed. 

Cat,  I,  2,  Fortune,  Inagua. 

Eleuthera,    Cat,  Watlings, 

I,  2,  3,  4. 
3,  5- 

Eleuthera,    Cat,    Fortune, 
Crooked,  Inagua,  i,  4,  6. 

Widely  distributed. 
Fortune,  Inagua,  2. 


I,  3,  4,  5- 

Widely  distributed. 

I,  5- 

h  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Eleuthera,  i,  4,  5. 

Fortune,  Inagua.      Widely 

distributed. 
Eleuthera,  Cat,  Fortune,  3. 
I,  4,  6. 

Eleuthera.     Widely  dist. 
Eleuthera,  Fortune,  Inagua, 

Crooked.     Widely  dist. 
Eleuthera,    Cat,    Crooked, 

Inagua,  i,  6. 

I,  3»  5- 

Eleuthera,  Fortune,  Inagua, 

I,  6. 
Widely  distributed. 


Eleuthera,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5. 
I,  4,  6. 


Inagua,  i,  3,  5. 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Crooked, 
Fortune,  i. 

Eleuthera,  Watlings,  In- 
agua, I,  2,  3. 

Eleuthera,  Inagua,  i,  2, 3,  5. 

Cat,  Crooked,  Inauga. 
Widely  distributed. 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Inagua,  i, 
2,  3,  4,  5- 


204     FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 


Name  of  Species 

p^ 

1 

^ 

d 
E 

c/5 

:^ 

1 

u 

C/3 

c/j 

Verbenace^ 

Lantana  Camara  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Watlings,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6. 

Lantana  crocea  Jacq. 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  i,  3,  5,  6. 

Lantana  involucrata  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuth.,  Watlings,  Crooked, 
Cat,  Inag.,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Lippia  canescens  Kth. 

+ 

Lippia  nodiflora  (L.)  Michx. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Inagua. 
Widely  distributed. 

Abena  Jamaicensis  (L.)  A.  S.  Hitch. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Crooked, 
Inauga.     Widely  dist. 

Citharexylum  Berterii  Spreng. 

+ 

+ 

I. 

Citharexylum  lucidum  Cham.  &  Schl. 

+ 

+ 

I,  3»  4,  5- 

Duranta  repens  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5. 

Petitia  Domingensis  Jacq. 

+ 

Grand  Cayman,  i,  6. 

Vitex  ilicifolia  Rich. 

+ 

+ 

Avicennia  nitida  Jacq. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Fortune.  Widely  distributed. 

Labiate 

Micromeria  Brownei  Benth. 

+ 

+ 

I,  S- 

Salvia  occidentalis  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

i>  3>  4,  5- 

Salvia  serotina  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Watlings, 
Crooked,  Inag.,  i,  2,  3,  4. 

Leonurus  Sibiricus  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Leonotis  nepetaefolia  (L.)  R.  Br. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Inagua.  Widely 
distributed. 

Teucrium  Cubense  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Inagua,  4,  5- 

Mesosphaeriim     pectinatum      (Poit.) 

Kuntze. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Inagua.  Widely  dist. 

SOLANACE^ 

Solanum  aculeatissimum  Jacq. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  4,  5- 

Solanum  Bahamense  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Watlings 
Crooked,  i,  2,  3,  4. 

Solanum  nigrum  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Inagua,  i,  2,  4. 

Solanum  nigrum  nodiflorum  Gray. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Inagua,  i,  3. 

Solanum  verbascifolium  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera.     Widely  dist. 

Physalis  angulata  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  5. 

Physalis  Barbadensis  Jacq. 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Capsicum  baccatum  L. 

+ 

+ 

3- 

Cestrum  pallidum  Lam. 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  I,  6. 

Datura  Metel  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Inagua.     Widely  dist. 

SCROPHULARIACE^ 

Stemodia  maritima  L. 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  i,  5. 

Capraria  biflora  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Watlings,  Crooked, 
Inagua.     Widely  dist. 

Buchnera  elongata  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  3»  4,  5- 

Gerardia  maritima  Raf. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Gerardia  purpurea  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Lentibulariace^ 

Pinguicula  pumila  Michx. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

BlGNONIACE^ 

Tecoma  lepidophylla  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

Tecoma  Bahamensis  Northr. 

+ 

+ 

Tecoma  stans  (L.)  Juss. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Inagua,  i,  2,  3,  4. 

Jacaranda  Bahamensis  R.  Br. 

+ 

FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS     205 


Name  of  Species 

(^ 

1 

J 

c3 

in 

"A 

1 

3 

c/5 

c/j 

BiGNONiACE^.  —  Continued 

Jacaranda  coerulea  Griseb. 

+ 

Cat. 

ACANTHACE^ 

Thunbergia  fragrans  Roxb. 

+ 

I,  3  (East  Indies). 

Blechum  Brownei  Juss. 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Anthacanthus  acicularis  (Sw.)  Nees. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

3- 

Dicliptera  assurgens  Juss. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  3,  4,  5- 

RUBIACEiE 

Exostemma  Caribaeum  (Jacq.)  R.  &  S. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Crooked,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5. 

Rhacicallis  Americana  (Jacq.)  Hitch. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Crooked,  i. 

Catesbaea  spinosa  L. 

+ 

+ 

I. 

Catesbaea  fasciculata  Northr. 

+ 

Randia  aculeata  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Crooked, 
Inagua,  i,  2,  3,  6. 

Genipa  clusiaefolia  (Jacq.)  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Watlings,  Crooked, 
Fortune. 

Guettarda  elliptica  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Fortune,  Inagua, 

Guettarda  scabra  Lam. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  4. 
Inagua,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5. 

Antirrhoea  lucida  Gaertn. 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  6. 

Antirrhoea  myrtifolia  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

Erithalis  fruticosa  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Watlings, 
Fort.,  Crooked,  Inagua, 
i>  2,  3,  4. 

Erithalis  rotundata  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

Chiococca  parvifolia  Wulls. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Crooked,  i,  3,  4,  5. 

Chiococca  alba  (L.)  A.  S.  Hitch. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Chiococca  sp. 

+ 

Phialanthus  myrtilloides  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

Crooked. 

Strumpfia  maritima  Jacq. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuth.,  Watlings,  Crooked, 

Morinda  Royoc  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

3- 
I,  2,  6. 

Myrstiphyllum  pubescens  (Sw.)  A.  S. 

Hitch. 

+ 

+ 

I,  4. 

Myrstiphyllum  undatum  (Jacq.)  Hitch 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  i. 

Myrstiphyllum  ligustrifolium  Northr. 

+ 

Ernodea  littoralis  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Watlings,  Crooked, 
Fortune,  Inagua,  i,  3. 

Hamelia  patens  Jacq. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Spermacoce  tenuior  Lam. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Crooked,  Inagua,  For- 
tune, Eleuth.,  I,  2,  3, 4,  5. 

Galium  hispidulum  Mx, 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

CUCURBITACE^ 

Anguria  Keithii  Northr. 

+ 

Trianosperma  racemosa  (Griseb.)  T. 

&G. 

+ 

I,  5,  6. 

GOODENIACE^ 

Scaevola  Plumieri  (L.)  Vahl. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Crooked. 
Widely  distributed. 

Composite 

Vernonia  Bahamensis  Griseb. 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  Inagua. 

Ageratum  conyzoides  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Fortune,  Inagua.  Widely 
distributed. 

206     FLORA    OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 


Name  of  Species 

pm 

1 

^ 

t5 

^ 

i 

c/j 

(72 

Composite.  —  Continued 

Eupatorium  ageratifolium  DC. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

4,6. 

Eupatorium  Bahamense  Northr. 

+ 

Eupatorium      capillifolium      (Lam.) 

Small. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

' 

Eupatorium  odoratum  L. 

+ 

+ 

I,  3,  4,  5,  6. 

Eupatorium  villosum  Sw. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,  I. 

Willughbaeya  scandens  (L.)  Kuntze. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  3>  4,  5- 

Aster  exilis  Ell. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Baccharis  dioica  Vahl. 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Inagua,  i,  2,  3. 

Erigeron  quercifolium  Lam. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Pluchea  foetida  (L.)  B.  S.  P. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Pluchea  camphorata  DC. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  3,  4,  5- 

Pluchea  odorata  (L.)  Cass. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Inagua,  i,  2,  3,  4,  5- 

Parthenium  Hysterophorus  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Cat,  Inagua,  i, 
2,  3,  4,  5- 

Iva  cheiranthifolia  Kth. 

+ 

+ 

Iva  imbricata  Walt. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Ambrosia  hispida  Pursh. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,    Crooked,    For- 
tune, I,  4. 

Isocarpha  oppositifolia  R.  Br. 

+ 

I. 

Borrichia  arborescens  DC. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Cat,   Crooked,   i,    2,   3,    5. 

Amellus  aspera  (Jacq.)  Kuntze. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera,  Fortune,    i,    2, 

3,  4,  5- 
Grand  Cayman. 

Salmea  petrobioides  Griseb. 

+ 

Bidens  leucantha  Willd. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera.     Widely  dist. 

Flaveria  linearis  Lag. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Porophyllum  ruderale  Cass. 

+ 

+ 

I,  3,  4,  5- 

Pectis  linifolia  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

I,  2,  3. 

Neurolaena  lobata  (L.)  R.  Br. 

+ 

+ 

I,  3>  4,  5- 

Erechthites  hieracifolia  (L.)  Raf. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed. 

Emilia  sonchifolia  (L.)  DC. 

+ 

+ 

Widely  distributed- 

Anastraphia  Northropiana  Greenm. 

+ 

+ 

Anastraphia  pauciflosculosa  Wright. 

+ 

Fortune,  Crooked,  Inagua, 
6. 

I,  4,  5- 

Chaptalia  albicans  (DC.)  H. 

+ 

+ 

Sonchus  oleraceus  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Eleuthera.     Widely  dist. 

Tridax  procumbens  L. 

+ 

+ 

+ 

Summary  of  Above  Table 

Total  found  on  New  Providence  and  Andres  (exclusive  of  cultivated  and 

escaped  plants),  453 

Of  these  there  have  been  reported 

From  other  islands  of  the  group,  176 

From  Cuba,  335 

From  South  Florida,  250 

From  southern  United  States,  108 

From  Jamaica,  286 

From  Virgin  Islands,  19° 

From  Windward  Islands,  223 

From  Mexico  and  Central  America,  19  7 

From  South  America,  i99 


FLORA    OF    NEW   PROVIDENCE    AND    ANDROS     207 

Of  these  453  species,  76  are  widely  distributed,  being  common 
in  warm  countries  on  both  continents. 

Distribution  of   the    128  Species  found   in   New  Providence  and  An- 
dros,  but  not  reported  from  cuba 

Peculiar  to  the  Bahamas,  34 

Found  in  south  Florida,  47 

Found  in  southern  United  States,  28 

Found  in  Jamaica,  20 

Found  in  Virgin  Islands,  10 

Found  in  Windward  Islands,  14 

Found  in  Mexico  and  Central  America,  8 

Found  in  South  America,  10 

Found  in  Haiti,  10 

The  34  species  that  are  apparently  endemic  are  as  follows :  Pinus 
Bahamensis,  Acacia  choriophylla,  Buxus  Bahamensis,  Passiflora 
pectinata,  Jacaranda  Bahamensis,  Jacaranda  ccerulea,  Vernonia 
Bahamensis,  Thouinia  discolor,  Ccesalpinia  ovalifolia,  Phyllanthus 
Bahamensis,  Casearia  Bahamensis,  and  Reynosia  Northropiana; 
and  the  following  described  and  figured  as  new  in  this  report :  Thrinax 
Bahamensis,  Paurotis  Androsana,  Cyclospathe  Northropi  (the  last 
two  new  genera),  Hymenocallis  arenicola,  Vanilla  articulata,  Pithe- 
colobium  Bahamense,  Cassia  Carihcea,  LinumBahamense,  Erythroxylon 
reticulatum,  Phorodendron  Northropice,  Helicteres  spiralis,  Xylosma 
ilicifolia,  Terminalia  spina sa,  Tecoma  Bahamensis,  Cateshcea  fasci- 
culata,  Myrstiphyllum  ligustifolium,  Crassopetalum  coriaceum,  Meta- 
stelma  harhatum,  Heliotr opium  nanum,  Aletris  hracleata,  Anguria 
Keithii,  Eupatorium  Bahamense.  Of  the  34  species,  21  were  found 
only  on  Andros. 

Of  the  other  species  formerly  considered  endemic  (Report  of 
Committee  appointed  for  Purpose  of  Exploring  the  Flora  of  the  Ba- 
hamas, W.  T.  Thiselton-Dyer,  Sec,  1888)  Phialanthus  myrtilloides 
and  Antirrhcea  myrtifolia  have  since  been  reported  from  Cuba ;  Salmea 
petrohioides  has  been  reported  by  Hitchcock  as  occurring  in  Grand 
Cayman  and  Bletia  purpurea  has  proved  to  be  not  distinct  from  B. 
verecunda. 

Distribution  of  the  250  Species  found  in  New  Providence    and 

Andros,  and  also  in  South  Florida 

Found  in  the  United  States,  north  of  tropical  Florida,  108 

Found  in  Cuba,  202 


208     FLORA   OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

Found  in  Jamaica,  198 

Found  in  Virgin  Islands,  149 

Found  in  Windward  Islands,  161 

Found  in  Mexico  and  Central  America,  153 

Found  in  South  America,  153 

Widely  distributed,  68 

Species  not  hitherto  reported  outside  of  the  United  States,  18 
Of  these  18  species,  4  are  limited  to  tropical  Florida,  the  other  14 
extend  north  of  southern  Florida. 

Of  the  plants  apparently  restricted  to  the  United  States  and  the 
Bahamas,  Dondia  linearis  was  found  only  on  New  Providence; 
Smilax  auriculata,  Vitis  rotundifolia,  Sabbatia  campanulata,  Eri- 
geron  quercifolium,  and  Jacquinia  Keyensis  were  collected  on  both 
islands  while  the  following  were  found  only  on  the  island  of  Andros : 
Iva  imbricata,  Eugenia  longipes,  Mimusops  Floridana,  Myrica  ceri- 
fera,  Plucheafoetida,  Salicornia  Bigelovii,  Poly  gala  Boykinii,  Samolus 
ebracteatus,  Cynoctomum  sessilifoliaj  Gerardia  maritima,  Gerardia  pur- 
purea, Pinguicula  pumila.  The  last  eight  were  confined  to  the 
western  side  of  Andros,  growing  on  the  savannas,  the  border  of  the 
swash,  or,  in  the  case  of  the  Pluchea,  in  damp  spots  in  the  pines. 
Myrica  cerifera  is  said  by  Gardiner  and  Dolley  to  have  been  intro- 
duced from  the  United  States. 

The  three  reported  by  Hitchcock  as  being  confined  to  the  United 
States  and  the  Bahamas  are  Xanthium  strumarium,  Vitis  rotundifoliay 
and  Distichlis  spicata  (the  last  found  only  in  Inagua).  The  Vitis j 
he  observes,  may  have  been  carried  by  birds,  and  the  Smilax,  Eugenia, 
and  Mimusops  are  probably  due  to  the  same  agency.  Many  of  our 
seed-eating  birds  either  spend  their  winters  in  the  Bahamas  or  stop 
there  on  their  migrations.  Catbirds  and  mocking  birds,  for  instance, 
were  abundant  on  Andros  during  the  winter  and  early  spring. 

The  plants  mentioned  above  as  being  found  on  the  savannas  and 
bordering  the  swash  on  the  west  side  of  Andros  offer  no  inducements, 
however,  to  seed-eating  birds,  the  fruits  being  dry  and  inconspicuous 
and  the  seeds  in  many  cases  minute.  As  has  been  noted  before,  the 
west  side  of  Andros  is  a  paradise  for  water  birds,  and  they  are  found 
there  in  large  numbers.  Many  of  these  birds,  such  as  the  great  blue 
heron  {Ardea  herodias),  the  little  blue  heron  (Ardea  ccRrulea),  and  the 
killdeer  (^Egialitis  vocifera),  are  regular  winter  visitors  from  the  United 
States.     May  it  not  be  that  some  of  these  waders  have  at  some 


FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     209 

time  transported  seeds  of  the  plants  in  question,  in  mud  that  may 
have  adhered  to  their  beaks  or  feet  ?     Their  presence  certainly  seems 
very  difficult  to  account  for  otherwise.     Darwin  says  ("Origin  of 
Species,"  chapter  thirteen):  "I  have  before  mentioned  that  earth 
occasionally  adheres  in  some  quantity  to  the  feet  and  beaks  of  birds. 
Wading  birds  which  frequent  the  muddy  edges  of  ponds  if  suddenly 
flushed  would  be  the  most  likely  to  have  muddy  feet.     Birds  of  this 
order  wander  more  than  those  of  any  other,  and  they  are  occasionally 
found  on  the  most  remote  and  barren  islands  of  the  open  ocean; 
they  would  not  be  likely  to  alight  on  the  surface  of  the  sea,  so  that  any 
dirt  on  their  feet  would  not  be  washed  off,  and  when  gaining  the  land, 
they  would  be  sure  to  fly  to  their  natural  fresh-water  haunts.     I  do 
not  believe  that  botanists  are  aware  how  charged  the  mud  of  ponds 
Js  with  seeds.     I  have  tried  several  little  experiments,  but  will  here 
give  only  the  most  striking  case :  I  took  in  February  three  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  mud  from  three  different  points,  beneath  water  on  the  edge  of 
a  little  pond ;  this  mud  when  dried  weighed  only  6J  ounces ;  I  kept 
it  covered  up  in  my  study  for  six  months,  pulling  up  and  counting 
each  plant  as  it  grew ;  the  plants  were  of  many  kinds  and  were  alto- 
gether 537  in  number,  and  yet  the  viscid  mud  was  all  contained  in  a 
breakfast  cup !     Considering  these  facts,  I  think  it  would  be  an  inex- 
plicable circumstance  if  water  birds  did  not  transport  the  seeds  of 
fresh-water  plants  to  unstocked  ponds  and  streams  situated  at  very 
distant  points."     The  plants  mentioned  above  are  not  water  plants, 
it  is  true,  but  they  are  common  in  moist  soil  in  the  vicinity  of  ponds. 
The  seeds  of  Pluchea  may  owe  their  transportation  to  the  wind. 
But  whatever  the  means  of  dissemination,  the  fact  seems  established 
that  although  the  bulk  of  the  Bahaman  flora  has  probably  come 
from  the  south,  there  is  a  contingent,  in  the  northern  islands  of  the 
group  at  least,  that  owes  its  origin  to  the  north.     It  is  worthy  of  note 
in  this  connection  that  in  a  number  of  cases,  when  our  plants  were 
compared  with  large  series  of  both  Florida  and  Cuban  specimens, 
they  were  found  to  resemble  most  closely  the  Florida  specimens; 
hence  when  species  occur  in  both  Cuba  and  Florida,  it  may  well  be 
that  the  Bahaman  plants  owe  their  origin  to  the  latter. 

Distribution  within  the  Bahaman  Group 
Species  found  on  Andros,  359 

Species  found  on  New  Providence,  262 


210     FLORA   OF   NEW   PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS 

Species  common  to  both  islands,  153 

Species  reported  from  Eleuthera,  98 

Cat  Island,  79 

Crooked  and  Fortune  islands,  79 

Inagua,  88 

Watlings,  18 

(The  above  data  for  plants  reported  from  the  islands  other  than 
New  Providence  and  Andros  were  taken  from  Hitchcock's  Report.) 

In  addition  to  the  plants  collected  by  us  in  New  Providence 
and  Andros,  Professor  Hitchcock  lists  in  his  report  148  more,  col- 
lected from  the  various  islands  of  the  group.  Of  these  36  are  grasses 
and  30  are  widely  distributed  or  introduced  species,  while  Epidendrum 
altissimum,  Mimosa  Bahamensis,  Croton  Eleuteria,  Croton  Hjalmar- 
sonii,  Pavonia  Bahamensis,  and  Eragrostis  Bahamensis  are  endemic, 
making  a  total  of  forty  endemic  species  in  the  Bahama  Islands.  The 
last  two  had  been  previously  undescribed. 

Notes  on  the  Local  Distribution 

The  Bahama  pine  {Pinus  Bahamensis),  so  abundant  on  New 
Providence  and  Andros,  is  confined  entirely  to  the  northern  islands 
of  the  group,  being  found  in  addition  only  on  Abaco,  Bahama,  and 
the  Berry  islands,  the  first  two  being  on  the  Little  Bahama  Bank,  and 
the  latter  a  series  of  small  cays  on  the  Great  Bahama  Bank  north  of 
Andros. 

Although,  as  we  have  seen,  New  Providence  and  Andros  have 
many  plants  in  common,  some  interesting  points  of  difference  were 
noted.  The  numerous  introduced  plants  so  common  about  Nassau, 
as  Argemone  Mexicana,  Asclepias  Curassavica,  Abrus  precatorius, 
Bidens  leucantha,  Ageratum  conyzoides,  etc.,  were,  of  course,  entirely 
wanting  on  Andros,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  Aristolochiaceae,  Cacta- 
ceae,  Polygalaceae,  and  Loranthaceae  were  not  seen  on  New  Provi- 
dence while  represented  by  two  or  three  species  each  on  Andros. 
Passiflora  pectinata,  while  very  common  in  the  pines  on  Andros  (also 
reported  from  Turk's  Island  by  Grisebach),  was  not  found  on  New 
Providence,  as  was  also  the  case  with  Hymenocallis  arenicola,  the 
latter  growing  luxuriantly  on  many  of  the  sandy  beaches  of  the 
former  island. 

Among  the  interesting  plants  found  on  Andros  that  have  not 


FLORA    OF   NEW  PROVIDENCE   AND    ANDROS     211 

been  reported  from  New  Providence  are  the  following:  Agave 
rigida,  Casearia  Icetioides,  Pithecolohium  Hystrix,  PeUophorum  adna- 
tum,  Ichthyomethia  Piscipula,  Euphorbia  cassythoideSj  Lucuma 
pauciflora,  Voyria  Mexicana,  Ipomcea  re  panda,  Petitia  Domingensis, 
Vitex  ilicifolia,  Mimusops  Floridana,  and  Morinda  Royoc.  With 
very  few  exceptions  the  plants  found  on  the  savannas  of  Andros 
were  wanting  on  New  Providence,  and  as  they  formed  the  most  in- 
teresting feature  of  the  Andros  flora,  it  may  be  worth  while  to  give 
the  full  list  of  plants  found  there.  They  were  Sahhatia  campanulata, 
Eustoma  exaltatum,  Bletia  verecunda,  Euphorbia  buxifolia,  Dichromena 
colorata,  Cladium  Jamaicense,  Merosphcerum  pectinatum,  Gyrostachys 
tortilis,  Flaveria  linearis,  Hypoxis  juncea,  Cynoctomum  sessilifolia 
and  C.  Mitreola,  Pinguicula  pumila,  Buchnera  elongata,  Gerardia  pur- 
purea and  G.  maritima,  Poly  gala  Boykinii  and  P.  brizoides,  Samolus 
ebracteatus,  Limodorum  tuberosum,  Aletris  bracteata,  Chiococca  alba 
parviflora,  Buxus  Bahamensis,  Heliotropium  nanum,  Crassopetalum 
coriaceum,  Rhamnidium  punctatum,  and  Terminalia  spinosa.  Of 
these  only  the  first  six  were  collected  on  New  Providence,  and  in 
addition  to  Rhamnidium  punctatum,  were  the  only  ones  found  on 
Andros  elsewhere  than  on  the  savannas. 

On  Andros  itself,  no  Cactaceae  were  noted  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  island,  while  Cereus  Swartzii  and  two  species  oi  Opuntia  were 
quite  common  in  the  southern  part,  as  they  are  said  to  be  on  the  more 
southerly  islands  of  the  group.  We  also  noticed  that,  whereas  Vitis 
alata  was  very  common  on  the  northern  half  of  the  island,  below  that 
it  was  replaced  by  the  allied  species  Vitis  trifoliata. 

On  both  islands  mosses,  lichens,  and  fungi  were  noticeably 
infrequent,  and  of  the  few  species  of  each  that  were  found  none  were 
common. 


CULTIVATION   OF   SISAL  IN   THE   BAHAMAS^ 
By  John  I.  Northrop 

''Are  you  interested  in  sisal?  What  do  you  think  of  it?"  These 
were  the  questions  addressed  to  the  writer  almost  before  he  had  landed 
in  the  Bahamas.  The  object  of  the  writer's  visit  to  the  "land  of  the 
pink  pearl"  was  to  make  a  collection  of  its  plants  and  animals;  but, 
during  the  pleasant  six  months  occupied  in  so  doing,  he  had  many 
opportunities  of  observing  the  cultivation  of  the  "sisal  hemp."  This 
industry  is  now  in  its  infancy  in  the  Bahamas,  but,  if  the  present  pros- 
pects are  realized,  it  will  before  long  bring  to  the  islands  both  wealth 
and  prosperity.  Since  his  return  the  writer  has  found  that  most  of 
those  to  whom  he  has  spoken  of  sisal  had  at  best  but  a  vague  idea  of 
the  fiber  or  of  the  plant  that  produces  it,  so  it  was  thought  that  some 
notes  on  the  subject  might  prove  of  interest. 

The  group  of  coral  islands  known  as  the  Bahamas  lies  east  of 
southern  Florida  and  north  of  Cuba.  One  of  the  islands.  New  Provi- 
dence, is  well  known  to  those  who,  in  search  of  health  or  recreation, 
have  been  to  Nassau  and  enjoyed  its  lovely  winter  climate.  But  the 
"out  islands,"  as  the  remaining  ones  are  locally  termed,  are  seldom 
visited,  even  by  those  who  live  in  Nassau.  The  largest  of  these  "out 
islands"  is  Andros,  which  is  about  the  size  of  Long  Island,  New  York; 
there,  as  in  all  the  others  of  the  group,  except  New  Providence,  the 
population  is  almost  entirely  composed  of  negroes,  only  seven  white 
men  living  on  the  island ;  and  of  these,  four  are  interested  in  the 
production  of  the  fiber  known  as  sisal  hemp. 

The  term  "fiber"  is  used  commercially  to  designate  the  material 
obtained  from  the  leaves  or  stems  of  many  different  plants.  Hemp, 
on  the  contrary,  refers  to  the  product  of  a  single  plant,  known  botani- 
cally  as  Cannabis  sativa,  and  belonging  to  the  same  order  as  our  hop. 
But  in  speaking  of  fibers  the  word  "hemp"  is  often  added,  and  thus 
we  hear  of  "sisal  hemp,"  or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  "sisal  grass,'* 

^  Popular  Science  Monthly,  March,  1891. 


CULTIVATION   OF   SISAL   IN  THE   BAHAMAS     213 


or  even  manila.  The  latter  term,  however,  is  properly  restricted  to  the 
fiber  obtained  from  a  species  of  plantain  (Musa  textilis)  belonging  to 
the  same  genus  as  the  banana. 

Sisal  hemp,  the  subject  of  this  paper,  is  obtained  from  the  leaves  of 
some  of  the  species  and  varieties  of  the  genus  Agave,  one  species  of 
which  is  well  known  in  cultivation  under  the  name  of  "century  plant." 
This  genus  belongs  to  the  order  Amaryllidacece,  and  is  related  to  the 
snow-drop,  amaryllis,  and  narcissus;  but,  owing  to  the  much  greater 
size  of  the  plants,  and  some  peculiar  points  of  structure,  it  stands 
prominent  among  its  congeners.  The  agaves  are  indigenous  in  the  New 
World  only,  and  the  majority  of  the  species  are  natives  of  Mexico, 
only  a  few  being  known  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States. 

The  same  general  appearance  is  presented  by  all,  so  that  any  one 
familiar  with  the  century  plant  can  form  a  very  good  idea  of  the  appear- 
ance of  the  other  species  of  the  genus.  In  all,  the  leaves  are  thick  and 
fleshy,  as  they  contain  the  supply  of  material  which  is  to  nourish  the 
great  flower-stem  when  the  plant  arrives  at  maturity.  This  stem, 
which  is  a  prolongation  of  the  trunk  of  the  plant,  shoots  up  from  the 
center  of  the  rosette  of  leaves,  and  often  attains  a  height  of  from  twenty 
to  thirty  feet.  The  time  required  to  arrive  at  maturity  varies  in  the 
different  species,  and  in  the  same  species  under  different  conditions. 
The  ''century  plant"  in  its  native  home,  Mexico,  blossoms  in  from  ten 
to  fifteen  years,  while  with  us  it  requires  thirty,  fifty,  or  in  some  cases, 
it  is  said,  even  a  hundred  years  to  mature.  During  the  production  of 
the  great  flower-stalk  the  store  of  nourishment  in  the  massive  leaves  is 
exhausted,  and,  after  the  fruit  is  produced,  the  plant  withers  and 
dies. 

The  leaves  of  all  the  agaves  contain  what  are  known  botanically 
as  the  fibro-vascular  bundles.  In  order  to  see  these,  it  is  only  necessary 
to  cut  off  a  leaf  of  the  century  plant ;  as,  in  a  thick  transverse  section 
that  has  been  allowed  to  dry  slightly,  the  fibers  will  look  like  short 
bristles  projecting  from  the  surrounding  soft  tissue;  and  in  a  longitu- 
dinal section  these  bristly  points  are  seen  as  threads  running  through 
the  leaf.  Should  the  observer  be  the  fortunate  possessor  of  a  compound . 
microscope,  on  examining  these  threads  he  will  find  them  composed  of 
exceedingly  fine,  elongated  cells,  closely  connected  in  a  bundle,  and 
surrounded  by  the  much  larger  circular  cells  that  compose  the  soft 
parts  of  the  leaf.    When  the  outer  skin  and  the  soft  tissue  of  the  leaf 


214     CULTIVATION   OF   SISAL   IN  THE   BAHAMAS 

are  removed,  the  fibro-vascular  bundles  remain  and  constitute  what  is 
commercially  known  as  ''fiber." 

While  all  the  agaves  will  yield  fiber  of  some  kind,  it  is  only  in 
a  few  that  the  quantity  and  quality  of  the  material  are  such  as  to  make 
its  manufacture  profitable.  This  fact  has  been  known  for  a  long  time 
in  Yucatan,  the  home  of  the  sisal  industry.  There  the  natives  have 
from  time  immemorial  cultivated  a  number  of  agaves,  until  now  it  is 
difficult  for  botanists  to  decide  whether  some  of  them  are  distinct 
species  or  only  cultivated  varieties. 

One  of  the  native  species,  known  as  Agave  rigida,  is  a  rather  small 
plant,  having  leaves  from  two  to  four  feet  long,  and  as  many  inches 
wide.  These  are  armed  on  the  edges  with  dark  brown  spiny  teeth, 
and  are  terminated  by  a  stout  reddish  brown  spine.  This  seems  to 
be  the  plant  called  chelem  by  the  natives  of  Yucatan,  and  is  the  one 
from  which  the  cultivated  varieties  are  supposed  to  have  originated. 
These  varieties,  collectively  known  as  henequen  or  jenequen,  are  sepa- 
rately distinguished  as  the  "yaxci,  furnishing  the  best  quality,  and  the 
sacci,  with  the  largest  quantity  of  fiber;  chucumci,  \axger  than  the 
last,  produces  coarse  fiber;  and  babci  has  finer  fiber,  but  in  smaller 
quantity." 

Of  the  varieties  mentioned  above,  only  two  need  be  considered  — 
the  sacci  and  the  yaxci.  The  former,  known  as  Agave  rigida,  var. 
longifolia,  is  distinguished  from  the  native  plant  by  having  much 
longer,  spiny  leaves,  from  four  to  six  feet  in  length,  and  slightly  differ- 
ent flowers.  It  is  extensively  cultivated  in  Yucatan,  and,  as  already 
stated,  yields  the  most  fiber.  The  other  variety,  the  yaxci,  botanically 
dignified  by  the  title  Agave  rigida,  var.  sisalana,  or  sometimes  even 
elevated  to  the  rank  of  a  species,  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  the 
fiber-producing  agaves. 

The  leaves  are  of  a  dull  green  color,  four  to  six  feet  long,  as  many 
inches  wide,  and  terminated  by  a  stout,  dark  spine.  The  marginsare 
commonly  described  as  smooth,  as  they  are  without  teeth,  but  in  all 
the  plants  examined  by  the  writer  the  leaves  were  slightly  rough  on  the 
.  edges,  and  in  many  of  the  young  plants  some  of  the  leaves  had  well- 
developed  teeth.  A  full-grown  plant  presents  a  rather  striking  appear- 
ance, bristling  all  over  with  the  long,  spiny-tipped  leaves,  thickly  radi- 
ating from  the  short  cylindrical  trunk,  which  is  crowned  by  a  sharp, 
slender,  cone-like  bud.    Indeed,  a  large  plant  makes  one  think  of  a 


CULTIVATION   OF   SISAL   IN   THE   BAHAMAS     215 

gigantic  sea-urchin.  The  leaves  as  they  unfold  from  the  bud  slowly 
assume  a  horizontal  position,  but  remain  rigid  and  straight,  never 
curving  downward,  as  they  do  in  the  century  plant. 

As  has  been  said  above,  when  the  plant  arrives  at  maturity,  and 
has  a  sufficient  store  of  nourishment,  it  sends  up  its  flower-stem,  known 


Fig.  6.  —  Agave  rigida,  var.  sisalana,  in  blossom,  near  Nassau,  N.  P. 


to  cultivators  as  the  "  mast "  or  "  pole."  This  is  from  twenty  to  twenty- 
five  feet  high,  and  about  six  inches  in  diameter  near  the  base.  On  the 
upper  two-thirds  branches  are  developed,  converting  the  pole  into  a 
huge  panicle,  covered  with  innumerable  greenish  yellow  flowers.  A 
peculiarity  of  the  sisal  plant  is  that  it  seldom  or  never  sets  a  seed.  The 
flowers  fall,  carrying  the  ovary  with  them,  then  on  the  ends  of  the 


216     CULTIVATION   OF   SISAL   IN  THE   BAHAMAS 


branches  young  plants  develop,  so  that  the  pole  presents  a  rather  odd 
appearance,  with  the  small  plants  growing  out  in  the  places  usually 
occupied  by  the  flowers.  When  these  young  plants  have  attained  a 
height  of  from  three  to  four  inches,  they  fall  to  the  ground  and  take 
root.    The  old  plants  also  reproduce  themselves  by  means  of  suckers. 


« 


Fig.  7.  —  A  Branch  of  the  "  Pole  "  of  the  Sisal  Plant. 

and  hence,  when  old  and  neglected,  are  often  seen  surrounded  by 
numerous  smaller  ones,  as  in  the  common  houseleek  (Sempervivum). 
Such  is  briefly  a  general  description  of  the  plant  that  seems  destined 
to  occupy  the  capital  and  energies  of  the  people  of  the  Bahamas;  for 
it  was  this  plant  that  was  introduced  there  a  few  years  ago  by  Sir 
Henry  Blake,^  then  governor  of  the  colony.  Although  the  plants  were 
neglected,  they  throve  and  increased  to  such  an  extent  that  finally  the 
people  looked  upon  them  as  troublesome  weeds,  and  as  such  they  were 

^  Governor  Blake  is  generally  credited  with  having  introduced  the  plants.  But  as 
early  as  1854  an  agave  was  sent  by  the  British  vice-consul,  Baldwin,  from  Florida  to  the 
Bahamas.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  this  plant  was  the  same  as  those  introduced  by  Dr. 
Perrine  into  Florida. 


CULTIVATION   OF   SISAL   IN  THE   BAHAMAS     217 

often  destroyed.  Their  usefulness,  however,  was  evidently  appreci- 
ated by  a  few ;  for,  as  Sir  Ambrose  Shea,  the  present  governor  of  the 
Bahamas,  told  the  writer,  he  was  one  day  passing  the  house  of  a  native, 
when  a  piece  of  rope  attracted  his  attention.  On  inquiring  where  he 
obtained  it,  the  negro  replied  that  "it  growed  in  de  yard,"  and  showed 
the  governor  the  plant,  and  explained  the  way  in  which  the  rope  had 
been  made.  Now,  Sir  Ambrose  happened  to  be  a  native  of  Newfound- 
land, and  hence  knew  a  good  rope  when  he  saw  it ;  so  inquiries  were 
at  once  made,  and  the  value  of  the  plants  was  learned. 

The  people,  however,  were  slow  to  realize  the  importance  of  the 
subject,  but  the  governor  evinced  great  energy  and  enthusiasm  in 
keeping  it  before  them,  and  when  some  of  the  fiber  obtained  from 
old  plants  sold  in  London  at  the  rate  of  fifty  pounds  per  ton,  and  was 
declared  to  be  superior  to  that  produced  in  Yucatan,  sisal  in  the  Baha- 
mas had  somewhat  of  a  "boom,"  and  people  carefully  guarded  the 
very  plants  that  formerly  they  would  have  destroyed  as  weeds.  Every- 
body became  enthusiastic,  and  sisal  plantations  were  everywhere 
started,  not  only  by  the  people  of  the  colony,  but  also  by  outsiders, 
as  the  following  facts  show. 

A  company  from  St.  John's,  Newfoundland,  has  obtained  a  grant 
of  18,000  acres  of  crown  land  at  Abaco;  another  tract  of  20,000  acres 
on  the  same  island  has  been  allotted  to  a  London  company;  2000 
acres  have  been  taken  on  Andros  by  a  gentleman  from  Edinburgh; 
1200  are  in  process  of  cultivation  on  Inagua;  but  the  largest  appli- 
cation has  been  lately  made  by  two  London  companies,  who  together 
ask  for  200,000  acres.  Besides  the  large  plantations  mentioned  above 
many  small  scattered  areas  go  to  swell  the  total.  Indeed,  there  have 
been  so  many  demands  for  crown  land  that  the  governor  has  recently 
advanced  the  price  from  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  to  four  dol- 
lars per  acre. 

Now  as  to  the  character  of  the  land.  In  Andros,  which,  as  above 
stated,  is  the  largest  of  the  group,  and  where  most  of  the  writer's  time 
was  passed,  the  land  is  locally  described  by  one  of  three  terms :  it  is 
either  "coppet,"  "pine-yard,"  or  "swash."  The  coppet,  which  occu- 
pies, as  a  rule,  the  more  elevated  parts  of  the  island,  is  composed  of 
small  angiospermous  trees,  often  only  two  or  three  inches  in  diameter, 
and  so  close  together  as  to  make  an  almost  impassable  thicket.  Back 
of  the  coppet,  which  is  mostly  a  fringe  along  the  eastern  coast,  nearly 


218     CULTIVATION   OF   SISAL   IN  THE   BAHAMAS 

the  whole  interior  is  one  vast "  pine-yard,"  made  up  of  the  Bahama  pine 
(Pinus  hahamensis).  The  trees  are  generally  small,  and  from  ten  to 
twenty  feet  apart.  Under  them  is  very  frequently  a  dense  undergrowth 
of  a  tall  brake,  which  is  often  six  or  seven  feet  high,  and  is  known  by 
the  natives  as  "May-pole." 

"Swash"  is  a  very  expressive  term  to  denote  the  low  swampy 
ground,  of  which  there  are  thousands  of  acres  on  the  west  coast.    Here 


1    ■ 

M 

^^^m^m^^^m^. 

f  . 

?w^4  '   -  r^^^M^fe " 

-'"ir-f 

''  \i'f 

'/|    SI, 

Ml 

m 

m-    . 

I 

4 

Fig.  8.  —  "  Swash,"  West  Side  of  Andros. 

the  soil  is  soft  and  is  composed  of  comminuted  calcareous  particles; 
it  supports  no  vegetation  except  innumerable  small  mangroves  (Rhi- 
zophora  mangle),  here  and  there  small  " button- woods "  (Conocarpus 
erectus),  a  few  "salt  bushes"  (Avicennia  nitida),  and  in  some  places 
palmettoes.  So  far  as  sisal  cultivation  is  concerned,  the  swash  is 
utterly  valueless;  but  the  pine-yard  and  coppet  are  both  available. 
In  neither  of  these,  however,  is  there  what  we  recognize  here  as  "  soil" ; 
and  at  first  it  was  a  source  of  wonder  to  the  writer  that  anything  at  all 
could  grow  there,  for  the  surface  is  very  largely  the  bare  coral  rock. 


CULTIVATION   OF   SISAL  IN  THE   BAHAMAS     219 

However,  it  is  rarely  smooth,  but  is  rough  and  jagged  with  innumer- 
able points  and  crevices,  so  as  to  resemble  somewhat  the  appearance 
of  a  well-thawed  mass  of  snow-ice.  In  most  places,  also,  there  are 
numerous  holes,  from  a  few  inches  to  many  feet  in  diameter;  and  it  is 
in  these  holes,  cracks,  and  crevices  that  what  little  earth  there  is  can  be 
found  —  still,  this  little  seems  sufficient  to  support  the  dense  vegetation. 
Some  of  the  other  islands  —  Eleuthera,  for  instance  —  have  consider- 


FiG.  9.  —  Clearing  the  "Pine-yard"  for  Sisal  near  Nassau,  N.  P. 

able  depth  of  soil;  but  it  is  when  growing  on  the  bare,  rocky  ground 
described  above  that  the  sisal  is  said  to  produce  fiber  of  the  best 
quality. 

Given  the  land,  the  next  step  is  to  clear  it,  and  the  method  of  clear- 
ing varies  according  to  the  character  of  the  vegetation.  If  it  is  pine- 
yard,  a  fire  is  started,  which  burns  off  the  May-pole;  the  pines  are 
then  cut  down,  and  either  made  into  charcoal  or  laid  in  rows  across  the 
fields  and  allowed  to  decay;  if  coppet,  the  trees  and  shrubs  are  cut 
down  with  axes  or  cutlasses,  according  to  their  size,  and  the  brush 
is  then  burned. 


220     CULTIVATION   OF   SISAL   IN  THE   BAHAMAS 

While  his  land  is  being  cleared,  the  planter  should  be  getting  his 
plants  ready.  As  usually  obtained,  they  are  fresh  from  the  "pole," 
and  only  from  one  to  four  inches  in  height.  These  are  too  small  to 
put  out  in  the  fields,  so  they  are  set  out  in  beds  of  cave  earth  until  they 
get  to  be  eight  or  ten  inches  high.  When  taken  from  these  nurseries 
their  rootlets  are  carefully  trimmed  off,  and  they  are  then  planted 
every  eight  or  nine  feet  in  rows  that  are  about  ten  feet  apart.  Thus 
an  acre  of  ground  usually  contains  from  five  to  six  hundred  plants. 
In  order  to  facilitate  carrying  the  leaves  out  of  the  field,  the  latter  is 
divided  by  roads  into  sections  of  about  one  hundred  acres  each. 

After  planting,  it  is  not  very  long  before  the  fields  will  have  to  be 
weeded,  and  this  process  is  said  to  be  necessary  about  twice  a  year, 
until  the  sisal  plants  attain  a  height  of  three  or  four  feet,  when  weeding 
is  no  longer  needed.  The  most  troublesome  enemy  of  the  planter,  in 
the  way  of  weeds,  is  the  "May-pole,"  as  it  grows  very  rapidly,  but  the 
roots  are  said  to  die  after  the  third  cutting.  In  about  four  years  the 
sisal  plant  produces  what  are  called  "ripe  leaves" —  that  is,  leaves  that 
are  horizontal  and  large  enough  to  cut.  The  cares  of  the  cultivator 
are  now  about  over,  and  all  he  has  to  do  is  to  cut  off  the  leaves  as  fast 
as  they  mature,  and  manufacture  his  fiber. 

The  cultivation  of  sisal  is  of  such  recent  introduction  into  the  Ba- 
hamas that  as  yet  none  of  the  large  plantations  have  begun  to  pro- 
duce to  any  extent;  so  for  a  description  of  the  next  stages  we  will  turn 
to  Yucatan,  where,  as  has  been  said,  the  industry  has  been  carried  on 
from  time  immemorial.  There  the  men  cut  the  leaves  off  close  to  the 
trunk,  and  lay  them  tip  to  butt  in  bundles  of  fifty,  when  they  are  carted 
to  the  machines.  The  cutting  of  thirty  bundles,  or  fifteen  hundred 
leaves,  is  considered  a  good  day's  work.  In  order  to  save  the  cost  of 
transportation,  as  the  leaves  yield  but  about  five  per  cent  of  fiber, 
there  is  usually  a  machine  to  every  one  hundred  acres.  The  machine 
now  in  use  consists  of  a  horizontal  wheel,  on  the  face  of  which  brass 
strips  are  transversely  placed,  forming  dull  knives.  The  leaf  is  intro- 
duced so  as  to  bring  one  side  in  contact  with  the  revolving  wheel, 
which  is  run  by  a  small  engine.  A  brake  then  presses  the  leaf  against 
the  scrapers,  while  the  butt  is  firmly  held  by  a  pair  of  pincers.  The 
scrapers  remove  the  outer  surface  and  some  of  the  soft  tissue;  then  the 
leaf  is  taken  out  and  turned,  and  the  other  side  undergoes  the  same 
operation,  until  only  the  fibers  are  left.    These  are  then  shaken  out  and 


CULTIVATION   OF   SISAL   IN   THE   BAHAMAS     221 

hung  in  the  sun  for  a  few  hours  to  dry.  The  result  is  a  rather  coarse 
fiber  of  considerable  strength.  The  finest  quality  is  nearly  white, 
while  the  inferior  grades  are  yellowish  in  color.  In  order  to  produce 
the  best  quality  of  fiber,  the  leaves  must  be  cleaned  as  soon  as  possible 
after  being  cut;  otherwise  the  fiber  is  apt  to  be  spotted. 

It  may  be  well  to  state  here  that  the  cultivation  of  sisal  is  also  being 
tried  in  Bermuda,  Trinidad,  and  Jamaica,  but  on  a  much  smaller 


Fig.  io.  — The  House  of  a  Sisal  Planter,  Andros. 


scale  than  in  the  Bahamas.  There,  as  already  stated,  large  tracts  of 
land  have  been  bought  from  the  government  for  the  sole  purpose  of 
producing  the  sisal  hemp.  The  price  is  now  four  dollars  an  acre,  and 
two  acres  are  said  to  produce  one  ton  of  fiber.  Wages  for  men  vary 
from  thirty-six  to  sixty  cents  per  day,  according  to  the  season  and 
locality,  as  most  of  the  negroes  are  spongers,  and  at  certain  times  of 
the  year  labor  is  not  easy  to  obtain.  Women,  however,  are  largely 
employed  in  the  planting  and  weeding,  and  receive  on  the  average 
twenty-five  cents  a  day.    These  are  the  data  on  which  it  is  stated  that 


222     CULTIVATION   OF   SISAL   IN   THE   BAHAMAS 

a  ton  of  fiber  can  be  produced  for  $50.  As  the  price  of  the  fiber  is 
now  from.  $120  to  $130  a  ton,  and  has  been  as  high  as  $200,  these 
figures  look  attractive. 

But  it  may  well  be  asked,  "  How  about  the  quantity  of  fiber  now  on 
the  market,  and  will  the  market  stand  the  enormous  increase,  that  the 
yield  of  the  BahamasVill  give  ?  "  That  is,  of  course,  the  very  point  on 
which  the  question  of  profit  or  loss  will  turn.  The  writer  has  been  told, 
by  one  who  is  well  acquainted  with  the  fiber  market,  that  if  the  sisal 
hemp  could  be  sold  for  four  and  a  half  or  five  and  a  half  cents  per  pound, 
in  a  few  years  the  consumption  would  be  doubled ;  for,  when  the  price 
reaches  nine  or  ten  cents  a  pound,  the  use  of  the  fiber  for  many  pur- 
poses is  abandoned,  and  is  replaced  by  some  cheaper  material,  as 
jute. 

One  of  the  principal  obstacles  in  the  way  of  cheaper  fiber  is  the 
need  of  a  good  machine,  as  the  one  now  in  use  is  a  crude  affair,  requir- 
ing the  attendance  of  two  men  and  a  boy  besides  the  engineer,  and 
producing  but  a  small  quantity  of  fiber  daily.  Although  much  skill 
and  money  have  already  been  spent  in  attempting  to  invent  a  better 
machine,  as  yet  all  efforts  have  been  unsuccessful;  but,  as  inventors 
and  mechanics  are  still  at  work,  and  as  the  recent  ''sisal  boom"  in  the 
Bahamas  will  increase  the  demand,  there  is  little  doubt  but  that  here, 
as  in  so  many  other  cases,  necessity  will  prove  the  mother  of  invention. 
When  the  fiber  can  be  cheaply  produced  in  large  quantities,  there  is 
little  doubt  but  that  increased  uses  will  be  found  for  it,  and  that  the 
demand  will  equal  the  supply. 

In  1887  Yucatan  exported  crude  fiber  valued  at  over  $3,000,000, 
besides  $37,862  in  rope  and  $43,891  in  hammocks.  About  eighty-four 
per  cent  of  the  crude  fiber  and  fifty  per  cent  of  the  hammocks  came 
to  the  United  States;  most  of  the  remaining  fiber  went  to  England, 
Germany,  and  France,  while  Spain  took  the  rest  of  the  hammocks 
and  all  the  rope.  In  1889  the  import  of  sisal  hemp  into  the  United 
States  was  between  $6,000,000  and  $7,000,000,  about  50,000  tons,  on 
which  a  duty  of  $15  a  ton  was  paid.^ 

Now  it  may  be  asked:  "Why  cannot  the  United  States  produce 
sisal  too  ?  Is  no  portion  of  our  vast  territory  suitable  for  this  crop  ?  " 
As  we  shall  see,  some  one  did  ask  that  question  over  fifty  years  ago. 
It  is  not  generally  known  that  in  1827  the  Treasury  Department  issued 

^  The  duty  has  since  been  removed. 


CULTIVATION   OF   SISAL  IN  THE   BAHAMAS     223 

a  circular  to  some  of  the  American  consuls,  requesting  them  to  collect 
and  preserve  seeds  and  specimens  of  such  plants  in  their  districts  as 
were  "  useful  as  food  for  man  or  the  domestic  animals,  or  for  purposes 
connected  with  the  manufactures  or  any  of  the  useful  arts."  The 
American  consul  at  Campeche,  Dr.  Henry  Perrine,  responded  to  this 
call  with  energy  and  enthusiasm,  and  soon  introduced  into  Congress 
"  a  bill  to  encourage  the  introduction  and  promote  the  cultivation  of 
tropical  plants  in  Florida,  and  conveying  to  Dr.  Perrine  and  his  asso- 
ciates a  township  of  land,  on  condition  that  every  section  should  be 
forfeited  if  at  least  one-fourth  thereof  should  not  be  occupied  and 
successfully  cultivated  in  tropical  or  other  plants  within  five  years." 
These  hard  conditions  were  accepted  by  Dr.  Perrine,  and  in  one  of  his 
letters  to  Congress  he  calls  attention  to  the  sisal  plant,  and  says, 
"He  repeats  his  unbroken  conviction  that  its  introduction  will  make 
an  era  of  as  great  importance  to  the  agricultural  prosperity  of  our  con- 
federation as  the  invention  of  the  cotton-gin." 

For  nearly  ten  years  he  labored,  sending  to  Florida  plants  and  seeds, 
and  endeavoring  to  obtain  his  township  of  land,  desiring  ''no  more 
honor  than  the  power  of  passing  the  brief  term  of  his  painful  existence 
amid  the  privations  and  exposure  incident  to  a  chief  pioneer  in  the 
planting  and  population  of  tropical  Florida."  He  finally  succeeded 
in  establishing  a  sisal  plantation  on  Indian  Key.  Unfortunately, 
Dr.  Perrine  was  not  permitted  to  see  the  result  of  his  labors,  for,  during 
the  Seminole  War,  the  Indians  set  fire  to  his  buildings,  and  he  himself 
fell  a  victim  to  their  merciless  attack.  With  the  death  of  Dr.  Perrine 
ended  the  cultivation  of  the  plants  he  had  introduced ;  but  one  of  them, 
that  he  named  Agave  sisalana,  remained,  became  naturalized,  and  is 
now  flourishing  on  some  of  the  Florida  Keys,  where  the  young  plants 
are  now  being  gathered  and  carried  to  the  Bahamas. 

Thus  we  see  that  the  plants  are  growing  within  our  borders,  and  it 
is  only  necessary  to  determine  the  quality  of  their  fiber;  for,  although 
the  plants  are  the  same  species  as  those  now  cultivated  in  Yucatan  and 
the  Bahamas,  the  quality  of  the  fiber  may  not  be  as  good,  and  yet  on 
the  other  hand  it  may  be  better.  For  instance,  it  is  said  that  the  Ba- 
hama fiber  is  superior  to  that  produced  in  Yucatan ;  so  why  may  not 
the  "Florida  fiber"  of  the  future  surpass  that  of  the  Bahamas?  In 
order  to  determine  its  value  it  is  only  necessary  to  prepare  it  by  hand 
from  the  plants  now  growing  in  Florida  and  compare  it  with  the  article 


224     CULTIVATION   OF   SISAL   IN  THE   BAHAMAS 

now  on  the  market.  The  subject  is  being  investigated  by  the  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  and  a  report  may  be  looked  for  in  the  near  future. 
It  may  be  said  in  conclusion  that,  as  a  crop,  sisal  has  much  to  rec- 
ommend it.  It  grows  best  on  barren,  rocky  land  that  is  useless  for 
other  agricultural  purposes.  Drought  affects  it  but  little,  if  at  all,  as 
the  writer  can  testify  from  his  own  observation.  The  yield  is  not  con- 
fined to  any  one  season,  but  is  continual;  hence  the  employment  of 
labor  is  constant,  and  the  planter  can  estimate  closely  what  the  yield 
will  be  for  a  given  time.  The  old  plants  are  easily  replaced  by  the 
suckers  that  have  been  previously  cut  off  and  kept  for  this  purpose. 
These  advantages  are  shared  by  all  the  cultivators  of  sisal;  but,  in 
addition,  the  planter  in  Florida  will  have  at  his  door  a  market  that  now 
absorbs  eight-four  per  cent  of  all  the  fiber  produced.  He  will  not  only 
bring  into  use  land  now  almost  worthless,  but  will  probably  make  for 
himself  a  fortune  and  introduce  a  new  industry  into  the  United  States. 


MISCELLANEOUS    PAPERS 

BY 
JOHN    I.    NORTHROP 


THE  ERUPTION  OF  KRAKATOA  IN  1883^ 
By  John  I.  Northrop 

Every  one  has  heard  or  read  of  the  effects  of  a  volcanic  eruption, 
but  the  cause  of  the  outbreak  is  more  frequently  wondered  at  than 
understood. 

The  old  Greeks  and  Romans  were  content  to  consider  the  volca- 
noes of  which  they  had  any  knowledge  as  the  property  of  one  of  their 
gods  or  the  abiding  place  of  departed  spirits ;  and  for  a  long  time  super- 
stition and  fear  prevented  accurate  observation  of  volcanic  action. 
About  a  hundred  years  ago  the  illustrious  Italian  naturalist,  Spallan- 
zani,  published  the  results  of  his  study  of  the  volcanoes  of  his  native 
land,  and  since  that  time  many  workers  have  entered  the  field,  and  our 
knowledge  has  steadily  increased,  until  a  science  has  been  created  and 
called  Vulcanology. 

The  volcanoes  of  the  world,  with  two  exceptions,  have  been  found 
to  form  four  irregular  lines  upon  its  surface,  thus  indicating  the  exist- 
ence of  as  many  great  fissures  in  the  so-called  crust  of  the  earth.  The 
exceptions  are  the  volcanoes  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  and  those  of  the 
Thian  Shan  range  in  the  central  part  of  Asia.  The  lines  of  volcanic 
action,  as  a  rule,  follow  the  coasts  of  the  continents,  and  with  the 
exceptions  already  noticed,  the  volcanoes  are  situated  in  close  prox- 
imity to  the  bodies  of  water  they  border.  This  fact  has  led  vulcanolo- 
gists  to  look  to  the  oceans  for  an  explanation  of  volcanic  eruptions. 

The  line  separating  fusion  from  solution  is  not  a  sharp  one,  for  it 
has  been  shown  by  adding  niter  to  a  given  quantity  of  water,  that  when 
the  cold  solution  becomes  saturated,  it  is  only  necessary  to  apply  heat 
to  dissolve  still  more  of  the  salt.  By  increasing  the  heat  and  the  addi- 
tion of  niter,  a  point  may  be  reached  where  the  mixture  can  no  longer 
be  called  a  solution,  but  must  be  considered  a  fusion.  It  has  also  been 
proved  that  rocks  containing  a  certain  percentage  of  water  are  more 

^  School  of  Mines  Quarterly,  Vol.  X,  No.  2,  January,  1889,  pp.  1-15. 

225 


226        THE    ERUPTION    OF   KRAKATOA   IN    1883 

fusible  than  those  that  contain  a  smaller  proportion,  and  it  is  well 
known  that  among  the  minerals  some,  as  the  zeolites,  are  fusible, 
while  others,  containing  no  water,  are  practically  infusible. 

The  primary  cause  of  a  volcanic  outbreak  is  the  heat  that  is  present 
below  the  surface  of  the  earth,  but  it  is  the  slow,  very  slow,  percolation 
of  a  small  quantity  of  water  through  the  rock  that  is  supposed  to  aid 
in  the  fusion.  During  this  process  gases  are  produced  that  gradually 
increase  in  pressure,  until  at  last  force  enough  is  generated  to  overcome 
the  weight  above,  and  an  eruption  is  the  result.  It  has  been  suggested 
that  a  sudden  inrush  of  the  sea  through  a  fissure  to  the  molten  lava 
would  give  rise  to  an  evolution  of  steam  sufficient  to  cause  an  eruption, 
but  Professor  Judd  claims  that  the  effect  upon  the  lava  would  be  to 
form  a  crust  of  chilled  material  under  the  water,  which  would  confine 
the  volatile  products  generated  below,  and  only  when  the  pressure  of 
these  gases  became  greater  than  the  load  above  would  an  outbreak 
occur. 

Most  of  the  material  ejected  from  a  volcano  falls  close  to  the  vent, 
thus  forming  a  cone  that  continues  to  increase  in  height,  until  an  erup- 
tion of  exceptional  violence  entirely  removes  the  upper  portion,  leaving 
a  ring  or  crater  that  Darwin  has  aptly  called  the  "basal  wreck." 
Within  this  crater  a  new  cone  may  be  built  up,  and  the  former  outline 
of  the  mountain  be  restored,  to  be  once  more  destroyed  in  its  turn. 

In  the  Strait  of  Sunda,  between  the  islands  of  Java  and  Sumatra, 
are  portions  of  an  old  crater  ring,  which,  rising  above  the  water,  form 
the  islands  of  Krakatoa,  Verlaten,  Lang,  and  Polish  Hat.  One  of  the 
grandest  lines  of  volcanic  activity  on  the  earth  runs  through  these 
islands,  and  is  continued  eastward  through  the  islands  of  Bali,  Sum- 
bawa,  Flores,  and  Timor.  There  is  evidence  that  a  second  fissure 
crosses  this  main  one  at  nearly  right  angles,  and  at  the  intersection  of 
these  two  lines  Krakatoa  is  situated.  Notwithstanding  the  important 
position  it  occupied,  until  recently  this  little  island  received  but  a 
small  share  of  the  attentibn  that  geologists  have  given  to  volcanoes  in 
general.  But  this  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  when  it  is  remembered  that 
Java  contains  "no  fewer  than  forty-nine  volcanic  mountains,  some  of 
which  rise  to  a  height  of  12,000  feet  above  the  sea  level,"  and  a  few  are 
in  a  state  of  almost  constant  activity.  In  recent  geological  times 
Krakatoa,  though  now  insignificant,  rivaled  these  mountains  in  size, 
for  if  the  conclusions  that  geologists  have  drawn  are  correct,  the  present 


THE   ERUPTION    OF   KRAKATOA   IN   1883         227 

islands  of  Krakatoa,  Verlaten,  Lang,  and  Polish  Hat  are  but  the  re- 
mains of  the ''  basal  wreck"  of  a  volcano  that  rose  10,000  feet  above  the 
sea,  with  a  circumference,  at  its  base,  of  twenty-five  miles.  At  some 
unknown  period  an  eruption  took  place  that  removed  the  central  mass 
of  this  volcanic  mountain,  leaving  a  crater,  about  four  miles  in  cir- 
cumference, the  highest  points  of  which  were  but  a  few  hundred  feet 
above  the  surrounding  water. 

After  a  series  of  quiet  eruptions  that  gradually  filled  up  this  old 
crater,  a  lateral  or  parasitic  outburst  seems  to  have  taken  place  at  its 


lou^ 


6\  d    xT  iv-»^WWw 

VVVW  O^Q^      w>  VV  C^  Vt  .   ^^'"^^"^^ 

Fig.  I .  —  Map  of  the  Islands  of  the  Krakatoa  Group  before  the  Eruption  of 

August,  1883. 

From  the  "English  Krakatoa." 

southern  edge.  This  activity  must  have  continued  for  a  long  time,  as 
it  resulted  in  the  formation  of  a  cone  about  2600  feet  in  height.  It  is 
this  cone  "that  was  called  by  the  natives  the  peak  of  Rakata,  which, 
in  the  old  Kawi  or  Javanese  language,  signifies  a  crab.  The  name, 
under  the  Dutch  form,  Krakatau,  the  Portuguese  Krakatao,  and  the 
English  Krakatoa,  has  been  extended  to  the  whole  island  upon  which 
the  striking  cinder  cone  stood." 

From  the  meager  accounts  that  have  been  preserved,  it  seems  that 
in  May,  1680,  an  eruption  occurred  at  some  point  on  the  island,  and  it 
is  probable  that  Perboewatan  was  in  activity,  as  fresh  lava  streams 
have  been  seen  on  its  sides  by  several  later  authors. 

The  relative  positions  of  Krakatoa  and  the  adjacent  islands  are 
shown  in  Figure  i .  The  broken  line  indicates  the  form  of  the  old  crater, 
of  which  the  islands  of  Verlaten  and  Lang  are  portions  rising  above  the 


228        THE   ERUPTION   OF   KRAKATOA   IN   1883 

.  strait.  The  cones  within  the  ring  were  formed  by  the  quiet  eruptions 
that  filled  up  the  crater.  The  largest  cone  to  the  southwest  is  the  peak 
of  Rakata.  During  the  late  eruption  almost  all  of  the  island  Krakatoa, 
north  of  the  line  drawn  through  this  peak,  was  removed.  The  increase 
of  size  of  Verlaten  Island  is  indicated  by  the  line  surrounding  it.  Lang 
Island  was  also  slightly  added  to  at  the  north. 

Figure  2  is  a  section  through  the  length  of]  the  island  of  Krakatoa 
and  shows  its  geological  position.  A  thin  bed  of  postertiary  age  (a) 
rests  on  the  tertiary  rocks  below,  and  above  it  stood  the  old  volcano, 
whose  supposed  form  is  indicated  by  the  broken  line.  The  lateral 
cone  of  Rakata  is  well  shown,  and  also  the  position  of  the  two  small 
cones  —  Danan  and  Perboewatan. 

After  the  eruption  of  Perboewatan  in  1680,  for  nearly  two  centuries 
Krakatoa  remained  scarcely  noticed  amid  the  grander  peaks  that  sur- 
rounded it.  But  during  this  time  the  unseen  forces  below  had  been 
gathering  strength,  as  if  to  resent  this  seeming  neglect,  and  the  first 
intimations  of  what  followed  were  given  by  earthquakes,  of  frequent 
occurrence,  that  were  felt  as  far  distant  as  North  Australia. 

On  May  20,  1883,  ''sounds  like  the  firing  of  artillery  were  heard 
at  Batavia  and  Buitenzorg  in  Java,  nearly  100  English  miles  from  Kra- 
katoa." On  the  twenty-sixth  of  the  same  month  a  party  was  organized 
at  Batavia  and  proceeded  in  a  steam  launch  to  the  island.  It  was  then 
seen  that  the  cone  of  Perboewatan  was  again  in  activity.  The  party 
succeeded  in  taking  a  photograph  of  the  volcano  and  returned  to 
Batavia.  The  accounts  of  the  subsequent  disturbances  are  rather 
indefinite.  According  to  Professor  Judd,  ''the  eruption  from  Perboe- 
watan seems  to  have  had  sufficient  force  to  carry  the  volcanic  dust  to 
various  points  along  the  shores  of  Java  and  Sumatra.  After  this 
sudden  outburst  there  was  a  rapid  and  marked  decline  in  violence,  and 
then  a  gradual  increase  till  June  24,  when  a  second  crater  had  opened 
in  the  center  of  the  island.  The  eruptive  force  still  increasing,  a  third 
crater  made  its  appearance,  and  innumerable  smaller  vents  were 
originated  all  over  the  surface  of  the  filled-up  crater  of  the  great  vol- 
cano. From  this  time  the  activity  seemed  constantly  to  increase  till 
its  grand  culmination  on  the  27th  of  August." 

On  that  afternoon  and  through  the  succeeding  night  the  forces 
Krakatoa  had  so  long  imprisoned  broke  loose  with  a  violence  un- 
equaled  in  the  records  of  volcanic  activity,  and  caused  the  scientific 


I" 


bO    ^ 
o      f- 


M 


229 


230        THE   ERUPTION   OF   KRAKATOA   IN   1883 

world  to  give  this  little  island  the  attention  for  which  it  had  waited  so 
long. 

Shortly  after  the  eruption  the  Dutch  government  caused  a  careful 
survey  of  the  vicinity  to  be  made,  and  commissioned  Mr.  R.  D.  M. 
Verbeek,  a  mining  engineer  of  Batavia,  to  investigate  the  cause  and 
effects  of  the  outbreak. 

Later,  the  Royal  Society  of  London  took  the  matter  in  hand,  and 
on  January  17,  1884,  the  council  passed  the  following  resolution: 
"That  a  committee,  to  consist  of  Sir  F.  Evans,  Professor  Judd,  Mr. 
Norman  Lockyer,  Mr.  R.  H.  Scott,  General  Strachey,  and  Mr.  G.  J. 
Symons,  with  power  to  add  to  their  number,  be  appointed  to  collect 
the  various  accounts  of  the  volcanic  eruption  at  Krakatoa,  and  atten- 
dant phenomena,  in  such  form  as  shall  best  provide  for  their  preserva- 
tion and  promote  their  usefulness."  The  committee  inserted  a  letter 
in  the  Times  and  other  periodicals,  inviting  communications  relating 
to  the  eruption.  Later,  Dr.  Geikie  and  Professor  Bonney  were  added 
to  the  committee.  The  work  of  discussing  the  mass  of  data  collected 
was  commenced  about  the  end  of  November,  1884.  In  the  spring  of 
1887  the  manuscript  was  completed,  and  has  since  been  printed  in  a 
quarto  volume  of  four  hundred  and  ninety-four  pages.  The  results 
of  Mr.  Verbeek's  investigations  were  published  in  Dutch  in  1885-1886, 
and  afterward  translated  into  French. 

It  was  suggested  to  me  that  a  description  of  the  eruption  might  be 
of  interest  to  the  readers  of  the  Quarterly.  Most  of  this  article  is 
based  on  the  English  work,  as  I  have  been  unable  to  obtain  the  first 
volume  of  Mr.  Verbeek's  account. 

During  the  night  of  August  27,  1883,  the  British  ship,  Charles 
Bat,  being  prevented  by  the  intense  darkness  from  continuing  her 
voyage,  beat  about  within  a  dozen  miles  of  the  east  coast  of  Krakatoa. 
This  vessel  and  two  others  in  the  vicinity  escaped  destruction.  About 
40  miles  from  the  scene  of  the  eruption  were  four  other  vessels,  three 
being  at  the  eastern  and  one  at  the  western  entrance  of  the  strait; 
while  many  were  at  distances  varying  from  75  to  1000  miles  from  the 
volcano.  The  account  of  what  happened  during  that  eventful  night 
has  been  compiled  from  the  data  furnished  by  the  officers  and  passen- 
gers of  these  vessels,  and  the  reports  collected  with  so  much  care  by 
Mr.  Verbeek. 

The  northern  portion  of  the  island  of  Krakatoa  was  almost  entirely 


232        THE   ERUPTION   OF   KRAKATOA   IN   1883 

removed,  and  where  the  land  had  been  300  feet  high  a  hollow 
was  formed  over  a  thousanti  feet  below  the  sea  level.  The  northern 
part  of  the  peak  of  Rakata  was  blown  away,  exposing  a  magnificent 
section,  Figure  4,  that  has  enabled  geologists  to  study  the  internal 
structure  of  the  volcano.  The  island  Polish  Hat  disappeared  entirely, 
and  Lang  and  Verlaten  were  increased  in  size;  the  former  slightly,  the 
latter  to  about  three  times  its  former  area;  while  a  considerable  addi- 
tion was  made  to  the  height  of  both.  The  materials  thrown  from  the 
volcano  seem  to  have  covered  the  sea  bottom,  within  a  radius  of  10 


Fig,  5.  —  Outline  of  the  Crater  of  Krakatoa  as  it  is  at  the  present  time. 

The  broken  line  indicates  the  portions  blown  away  during  the  eruption  of  August,  1883, 
and  the  changes  in  form  of  the  flanks  of  the  mountains  by  the  fall  of  ejected  materials 
upon  them.    From  the  "  English  Krakatoa." 

or  12  miles,  to  a  depth  of  from  12  to  60  feet.  There  is  some  doubt  on 
this  subject,  however,  as  the  waters  surrounding  the  island  had  never 
been  carefully  sounded,  and  no  accurate  survey  had  been  made.  There 
is  good  reason  to  believe  that  the  floor  of  the  ocean  was  raised  during 
the  eruption,  causing  the  great  sea  waves  that  will  be  referred  to  below. 

Along  a  line  about  nine  miles  in  length,  extending  westward  from 
the  great  crater,  a  depression  seems  to  have  taken  place  which  "was 
not  improbably  due  to  the  opening  of  a  fissure  on  the  flanks  of  the 
submerged  cone."  During  the  eruption  two  small  islands  were  formed, 
but  both  were  soon  reduced  to  shoals  by  the  action  of  the  waves.  These 
islands  are  supposed  to  have  been  caused  by  parasitic  cones  that  had 
arisen  upon  the  northern  flank  of  Rakata. 

The  watery  vapor  thrown  into  the  air  reached  a  height  variously 
estimated  from  12  J  to  17  and  possibly  23  miles.  On  reaching  the  limit 
of  its  elevation,  the  mass  spread  itself  and  gave  rise  to  the  "pine-tree" 
appearance  so  often  seen  during  the  eruptions  of  Vesuvius.  The  sur- 
rounding country  was  enveloped  in  darkness  for  nearly  twenty-four 
hours.  The  electrical  phenomena  accompanying  the  explosion  were 
on  a  grand  scale;  the  lightning  darted  through  the  dark  clouds  "like 
huge  serpents,"  and  "balls  of  fire"  rested  on  the  masts  and  yardarms 
of  vessels  40  miles  away. 


THE   ERUPTION   OF   KRAKATOA   IN   1883         233 

Volcanic  dust  rose  to  a  great  height  and,  floating  away,  gave  rise 
to  the  wonderful  optical  phenomena  noted  throughout  the  civilized 
world.  Some  of  the  air  waves  generated  caused  the  cracking  of  walls 
100  miles  away,  and  others  less  violent,  though  of  greater  dimensions, 
travelled  nearly  four  times  round  the  earth.  The  terrible  explosions 
gave  rise  to  vast  sea  waves  that  stranded  vessels,  and  devastated  the 
shores  of  Sumatra  and  Java,  causing  the  death  of  over  36,000  human 
beings.  These  explosions  formed  a  notable  feature  of  the  eruption, 
and  were  probably  due  to  the  peculiar  situation  of  the  volcano.  Owing 
to  the  proximity  of  the  ocean,  the  water,  at  times,  must  have  rushed  in 
on  the  molten  material.  This  would  at  first  cause  an  evolution  of 
steam  and  then  a  diminution  of  activity  in  the  volcano,  thus  causing  a 
"check,"  only  to  be  followed  by  an  outburst  or  "rally"  of  greater 
violence.  In  this  way  the  alternations  of  the  "check  and  rally"  are 
supposed  to  have  caused  the  unprecedented  explosions. 

The  eruption  continued  until  the  28th  or  29th  of  August,  with 
perhaps  a  slight  outbreak  on  the  loth  of  October  of  the  same  year. 
With  this  last  sign  of  activity  the  subterranean  forces  seem  to  have 
exhausted  their  energy,  and  Krakatoa  once  more  relapsed  into  a  period 
of  rest.  Such  is  a  general  view  of  the  eruption.  We  will  now  examine 
a  few  points  a  little  more  in  detail. 


Materials  Ejected 

The  materials  ejected  from  Krakatoa  were  lava,  pumice,  and  vol- 
canic dust.  The  lava  presents  two  distinct  forms,  characterized  as 
porphyritic  obsidian  and  porphyritic  pitchstone.  Both  contain  the 
same  crystalline  elements  which  constitute  about  10  per  cent  of  the 
rock;  these  crystalline  elements  are  feldspar,  pyroxenes,  and  magnetite 
scattered  irregularly  throughout  the  ground  mass.  In  the  obsidian 
the  crystals  of  feldspar  have  perfectly  sharp  outlines,  while  in  the  pitch- 
stone  they  are  very  much  corroded,  probably  by  the  action  of  the  fluid 
material  which  once  surrounded  them.  The  most  striking  difference 
between  these  two  rocks  is  shown  when  they  are  placed  in  the  flame 
of  a  blast-jet.  The  pitchstone  is  found  to  decrepitate  and  to  undergo 
fusion  with  the  greatest  difficulty;  the  obsidian,  on  the  other  hand,  fuses 
with  comparative  ease,  and  during  the  process  forms  "cauliflower-like 
masses"  that  are  identical  with  the  pumice  thrown  from  the  volcano. 


234        THE   ERUPTION    OF   KRAKATOA   IN    1883 

The  loss  suffered  by  the  pitchstone  during  fusion  is  nil,  while  the  ob- 
sidian loses  from  i,  to  5  or  6  per  cent  of  its  weight.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  the  pumice  ejected  in  such  enormous  quantities  was  formed 
by  the  expansion  of  the  volatile  gases  contained  in  the  obsidian.  The 
condition  in  which  the  water  and  gases  existed  in  the  rock  is  a  problem 
worthy  of  study. 

The  pumice  contains  the  same  crystals  as  the  obsidian,  and  also 
little  pieces  of  a  black  glass  that  have  been  shown  to  be  identical  with 
the  pitchstone  already  referred  to.  Mr.  Verbeek  has  calculated  that 
the  pumice  and  dust  form  95  per  cent  of  all  the  materials  ejected. 
Some  of  the  smaller  pieces  of  pumice  were  thrown  to  a  great  height, 
and  were  carried  by  the  wind  some  distance  from  the  scene  of  eruption ; 
the  greater  quantity,  however,  fell  close  to  the  volcano,,  covering  the 
sea,  in  places,  to  such  a  depth  as  to  effectually  hinder  the  progress  of 
vessels. 

As  the  larger  pieces  of  pumice  fell  back  into  the  crater,  they  came 
in  collision  with  others  that  were  being  thrown  out,  and  in  this  way  the 
pieces  were  broken,  the  finer  particles  forming  the  volcanic  dust.  The 
dust  fell  in  great  quantities  in  the  vicinity,  and  samples  have  also  been 
collected  from  many  localities,  some  as  far  as  a  thousand  miles  from 
the  island.  Its  exceeding  fineness  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  it  pene- 
trated everywhere,  no  box  or  watch  being  sufficiently  tight  to  exclude 
it.  The  particles  composing  the  dust  have  been  separated  and  ana- 
lyzed, and  their  optical  properties  investigated.  The  appearance  and 
composition  of  the  dust  varies  considerably ;  that  found  in  the  vicinity 
is  heavier,  darker  in  color,  and  more  basic  in  composition  than  that 
gathered  at  a  greater  distance  from  Krakatoa.  This  difference  is  due 
to  the  heavy  particles  of  magnetite  pyroxene,  and  feldspar  it  contains. 

The  quantity  of  dust  thrown  into  the  air  is  not  known,  but  it  was 
probably  much  less  than  that  formed  at  some  previous  eruptions.  The 
work  of  trituration,  however,  continued  about  three  months,  and  the 
last  paroxysmal  explosions  of  Krakatoa  were  altogether  of  exceptional 
violence  and  carried  the  finer  particles  high  into  the  rarer  regions  of  the 
atmosphere.  From  the  data  supplied  by  the  vessels  on  which  the  dust 
fell,  it  is  found  to  have  covered  an  area  of  1,100,000  square  miles. 
From  the  depth  of  the  material  it  is  calculated  that  the  quantity  of  dust 
was  equal  in  bulk  to  3^  cubic  miles,  while  the  entire  mass  of  ejected 
matter  equalled  about  ^\  cubic  miles.  These  figures,  however,  are 
estimates  and  probably  only  approximate  the  actual  quantities. 


THE    ERUPTION   OF   KRAKATOA   IN   1883         235 

Air  Waves 

The  air  waves  generated  by  the  eruption  were  of  three  kinds: 
first,  those  sufficiently  rapid  to  give  rise  to  sound ;  second,  larger  waves 
that  caused  the  breaking  of  windows  and  the  cracking  of  walls,  a 
hundred  miles  away,  at  Batavia;  and  third,  those  of  still  greater  dimen- 
sions that  travelled  several  times  around  the  earth. 

The  sounds  caused  by  the  explosions  were  heard  at  Ceylon  to  the 
northwest;  Perth  and  other  stations  in  Australia  to  the  southeast,  and 
at  Manila  to  the  northeast.  These  places  are  situated  close  to  a  circle 
drawn  from  Krakatoa  as  a  center  with  a  radius  of  30  degrees.  To 
the  west  the  sounds  were  carried  by  the  trade-winds  a  much  greater 
distance,  and  were  heard  at  the  island  of  Rodriguez,  nearly  3000 
English  miles  from  the  scene  of  eruption.  This  is  interesting  not  only 
as  being  the  most  remote  point  at  which  the  reports  of  the  explosions 
were  noticed,  but  as  "the  only  instance  on  record  of  sounds  having 
been  heard  at  anything  like  so  great  a  distance  from  the  place  of  their 
origin."  The  area  over  which  the  sounds  were  recorded  is  about  one- 
thirteenth  of  the  earth's  surface. 

The  detonations  in  the  vicinity  of  the  volcano,  although  very  vio- 
lent, were  not  as  loud  as  might  be  inferred  from  the  distance  at  which 
they  were  heard,  for  the  great  rain  of  pumice  and  the  heavy  cloud  of 
dust  seem  to  have  acted  as  a  curtain  through  which  the  sound  waves 
were  unable  to  penetrate.  At  some  places  in  the  immediate  neighbor- 
hood of  the  volcano  sounds  ceased  to  be  heard  after  ten  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  August  27;  although  it  is  known  that  the  explosions 
continued  with  great  intensity  after  that  time. 

The  great  air  wave  that  owed  its  origin  to  one  of  the  last  paroxysmal 
outbursts  of  Krakatoa  was  recorded  on  the  barograms  at  the  observa- 
tories scattered  over  the  earth.  Theoretically  an  air  wave  caused  by  a 
sudden  explosion  would  spread  in  a  circle  around  the  earth  till  it 
reached  a  point  90  degrees  from  its  origin;  it  would  then  travel  onward, 
contracting  as  it  advanced,  till  at  the  antipodes  it  would  come  to  a 
focus  and  thence  be  reflected  back  to  its  starting-point,  from  whence  it 
would  once  more  travel  to  the  antipodes  and  so  on,  till  it  gradually 
became  lost.  The  barograms  that  have  been  collected  show  that  the 
great  wave  passed  seven  times  round  the  earth,  four  times  from 
Krakatoa  to  the  antipodes,  and  three  times  from  the  antipodes  to 


236        THE   ERUPTION   OF   KRAKATOA   IN   1883 

Krakatoa,  the  barometers  failing  to  record  the  fourth  return  of  the 
wave. 

The  velocity  of  the  wave  varied  from  674  to  726  English  miles  per 
hour,  being  very  nearly  equal  to  the  velocity  of  sound  in  air  at  50° 
Fahrenheit,  which  is  757  miles.  There  is  no  direct  evidence,  however, 
that  the  great  explosion  producing  the  wave  was  accompanied  by 
sounds  sufficiently  loud  to  be  heard  at  any  great  distance.  The  time 
occupied  by  the  wave  passing  around  the  earth  was  about  36  hours. 
The  wave  moving  with  the  rotation  of  the  earth  traveled  with  a  slightly 
greater  velocity  than  that  going  in  the  opposite  direction,  viz.  about 
28  English  miles  per  hour.  This  difference  is  supposed  to  be  due  to 
the  winds  that  blow  in  a  general  westerly  direction  on  the  path  followed 
by  the  wave.  From  the  velocity  of  the  wave  it  has  been  attempted  to 
deduce  the  time  of  the  great  explosion,  and  the  result  agrees  very  closely 
with  the  record  made  by  the  gasometer  at  Batavia;  for,  when  the  wave 
passed  over  that  place,  the  gasometer  leaped  from  its  well,  and  left  a 
plain,  though  not  very  delicate,  mark  of  the  time.  As  thus  determined 
the  explosion  occurred  at  9  hours  58  minutes,  local  time,  on  August 
27. 

Sea  Waves 

No  sea  waves  were  caused  by  the  eruption  of  Krakatoa  during 
May,  but  on  the  morning  of  August  27  several  small  ones  inun- 
dated the  shores  of  Sumatra  and  Java,  partially  destroying  the  towns 
and  villages,  and  causing  the  death  of  many  of  the  inhabitants.  The 
number  and  size  of  the  waves  that  followed  are  not  known,  for  the 
people  had  fled  terror-stricken  to  the  hills,  and,  surrounded  by 
darkness,  were  but  little  fitted  to  note  the  changes  about  them.  The 
most  destructive  waves  followed  the  great  explosions  of  the  volcano 
some  time  after  ten  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  August  27.  From  the 
data  collected  by  Mr.  Verbeek  it  has  been  calculated  that  the  largest 
of  the  waves  was  about  50  feet  high  before  it  reached  the  shore, 
although  the  traces  it  left  on  the  land  show  that  it  rose  70  feet  above  the 
sea  level,  and  its  height  has  been  estimated  by  some  as  great  as  125 
feet.  The  smaller  waves  are  supposed  to  have  been  due  to  the  sudden 
evolution  of  steam,  caused  by  the  contact  of  the  sea  and  the  molten 
lava,  and  by  the  fall  of  huge  portions  of  the  volcano.  The  origin  of 
the  great  wave  is  an  unsettled  question.     It  has  been  assumed  that 


THE   ERUPTION   OF   KRAKATOA   IN   1883         237 

during  the  eruption  the  volcano  was  raised  bodily  into  the  air  and  fell 
into  the  water,  thus  causing  the  wave;  but  this  does  not  seem  probable, 
as  the  mean  period  between  crest  and  crest  of  the  waves  that  followed 
the  great  one  was  two  hours,  and,  further,  there  is  no  direct  evidence 
supporting  this  view.  It. has  also  been  suggested  that  if  an  enormous 
chasm  had  opened  in  the  floor  of  the  ocean  the  inward  rush  of  the  water 
would  be  sufficient  to  create  the  wave,  —  but  in  this  case  the  fissure 
would  have  to  be  large  enough  to  allow  the  water  to  flow  into  it  for  an 
hour  with  a  rapidity  sufficient  to  cause  a  great  decrease  in  the  level  of 
the  sea,  and  the  first  wave  reaching  the  shore  would  be  a  negative  one, 
which  it  was  not.  It  is  probable  that  the  great  wave  was  caused  by  an 
upheaval  of  the  sea  bottom,  as  it  is  known  that  the  depth  of  water  in  the 
strait  was  decreased  during  the  eruption,  and  this  may  have  been  due 
to  an  upheaval,  the  fall  of  ejected  material,  or  to  both  causes.  One  of 
the  waves,  though  not  as  high  as  the  others,  was  longer,  and  probably 
traveled  to  Cape  Horn,  7520  miles  away,  and  possibly  even  as  far  as 
the  English  Channel,  a  distance  of  11,040  miles.  At  such  distances  the 
height  of  the  waves  becomes  very  small,  and  hence  their  identification 
is  rendered  difficult. 

The  study  of  the  velocity  of  seismic  waves  is  of  recent  date.  The 
first  observations  recorded  were  made  by  Professor  W.  P.  Trowbridge 
at  San  Diego,  CaL,  in  1855.  The  waves  then  noticed  were  found 
to  have  originated  near  Simoda,  Japan,  and  were  due  to  a  submarine 
earthquake.  Since  then  seismic  waves  have  been  found  to  be  of  fre- 
quent occurrence,  although  it  is  seldom  that  they  can  be  traced  to  their 
starting-point.  This  is  a  matter  of  some  interest,  for  the  speed  of  the 
waves  bears  a  constant  relation  to  the  depth  of  the  water  through 
which  they  travel.  The  velocity  of  those  caused  by  the  eruption  of 
Krakatoa  has  been  carefully  calculated,  for  in  this  case  the  time  and  the 
place  of  origin  were  known.  Some  doubt  is  thrown  on  the  result,  how- 
ever, as  the  same  wave  could  not  be  positively  identified  at  different 
places,  owing  to  the  rather  inclosed  position  of  Krakatoa,  and  hence 
the  irregular  path  followed  by  the  undulations;  again,  some  of  the 
tide  gauges  were  situated  up  rivers  and  in  estuaries  where  the  direct 
effects  of  the  wave  would  not  be  felt.  It  is  quite  certain,  however,  that 
the  velocity  of  the  waves  from  Krakatoa  was  less  than  that  demanded 
by  theory,  as  has  also  been  observed  in  all  previous  cases. 


238        THE   ERUPTION   OF   KRAKATOA   IN   1883 

Optical  Phenomena 

No  effect  connected  with  the  Krakatoa  eruption  has  been  so  widely 
observed  and  speculated  upon  as  the  wonderful  appearance  the  sky 
presented  during  the  two  years  that  followed  the  outbreak.  Many 
theories  have  been  offered  to  explain  the  phenomena,  and  while  most 
of  these  agree  that  the  dust  formed  in  such  enormous  quantities  during 
the  eruption  was  the  primary  cause,  some  contend  that  the  two  were  in 
no  way  connected.  It  is  impossible  to  give  here  even  a  short  account  of 
these  numerous  theories,  or  the  reasons  why  many  have  been  rejected. 

Meager  accounts  exist  of  similar  phenomena  accompanying  pre- 
vious great  eruptions.  During  the  250  years,  from  1500  to  1750  inclu- 
sive, there  were  65  in  which  eruptions  were  recorded,  nine  of  which  were 
of  exceptional  magnitude,  "  and  in  three  of  these  latter  years  Denmark 
was  affected  by  appearances,  two  of  which  certainly  were  of  the  char- 
acter of  the  afterglows,  while  the  third  is  doubtful." 

From  1750  to  1886  the  number  of  "years  of  eruption"  was  90; 
25  of  the  outbreaks  being  of  great  magnitude,  and  of  these  16  appear 
to  have  been  followed  by  "  unusual  redness  in  the  sky,  or  brightness 
after  sunset."  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  in  the  past  like  causes  have 
produced  like  effects,  and  the  lack  of  information  on  the  subject  is 
probably  the  fault  of  observers  rather  than  the  want  of  opportunity  for 
observation.  The  optical  effects  of  the  eruption  of  Krakatoa,  however, 
were  exceptional,  and  had  previous  phenomena  been  so  marked  and  so 
widely  spread  over  the  earth,  they  would  have  received  more  attention 
than  the  records  imply.  The  effects  of  the  outburst  at  Krakatoa  were 
the  unusual  twilight  glows,  the  blue,  green,  and  other  appearances  of 
the  sun,  the  sky  haze,  and  the  large  corona  round  the  sun  and  moon 
—  all  these  phenomena  were  noticed  first  in  the  vicinity  of  Krakatoa. 

The  dust,  after  being  ejected  from  the  volcano,  was  carried  west- 
ward around  the  earth  at  the  equator,  certainly  twice,  and  "perhaps 
continuously."  From  this  band. the  particles  appear  to  have  spread 
north  and  south,  and  so  the  phenomena  were  witnessed  throughout 
the  world.  The  twilight  glows  traveled  westward  at  the  rate  of  about 
72  miles  an  hour,  while  the  colored  suns  moved  at  the  rate  of  about  70 
miles.  The  unusual  twilight  glows  are  supposed  to  have  been  caused 
by  the  reflection  of  the  sun's  rays  from  the  glassy  particles  of  the  pow- 
dered pumice  that  were  suspended  about  16  miles  above  the  earth. 


THE   ERUPTION   OF   KRAKATOA   IN    1883         239 

The  colored  suns  were  probably  due  to  the  absorption  of  certain  rays 
of  light  by  the  volcanic  dust  in  the  atmosphere.  The  large  corona 
around  the  sun  was  first  recorded  by  Mr.  Bishop  at  Honolulu,  on  Sep- 
tember 5,  1883,  and  since  that  time  it  has  generally  been  known  as 
''Bishop's  ring" ;  the  halo  around  the  moon  was  noticed  in  the  tropics 
during  the  same  month.  These  effects  are  referred  to  the  lighter 
particles  of  dust  in  the  atmosphere,  for  in  April,  1884,  when  most  of 
the  coarser  material  had  settled  by  gravitation,  and  the  twilight  glows 
began  to  fade,  the  corona  brightened,  then  gradually  became  fainter, 
and  was  last  observed  in  June,  1886,  after  which  the  sky  resumed  its 
normal  appearance. 

In  conclusion,  it  may  be  said  that  the  works  on  Krakatoa,  referred 
to  above,  contain  many  charts,  maps,  and  barograms,  and  in  short 
form  a  complete  record  of  all  the  phenomena  caused  by  the  eruption. 
These  works  are  more  valuable  than  if  they  contained  only  the  results 
of  the  reports  collected,  for,  by  publishing  the  sources  of  information, 
opportunity  is  given  to  any  one  interested  in  the  subject  to  study  these, 
and  thereby  form  his  own  conclusions.  When  other  eruptions  shall 
have  been  treated  in  the  same  manner,  more  light  will  be  shed  on  some 
of  the  effects  now  slightly  obscured,  as  the  cause  of  the  colors  observed 
in  the  sky  and  the  origin  of  the  great  sea  waves.  Although  eruptions 
have  occurred  in  the  past,  exceeding  that  of  Krakatoa  both  in  duration 
and  in  the  quantity  of  material  ejected,  such  a  complete  history  of  one 
has  never  been  written  till  now.  This  is  due  in  part  to  the  spread  of 
civilization  over  the  earth,  and  hence  the  establishment  of  places  of 
scientific  observation.  As  the  number  of  such  observatories  will  con- 
tinue to  increase,  it  may  be  confidently  predicted  that  the  phenom- 
ena accompanying  violent  volcanic  outbreaks  in  the  future  will  be 
more  closely  observed  and  more  widely  recorded. 


PLANT  NOTES  FROM  TEMISCOUATA 
COUNTY,   CANADA^ 

By  John  I.  Northrop 

The  parish  of  Notre  Dame  du  Lac  lies  on  the  western  shore  of 
Lake  Temiscouata,  Temiscouata  County,  Canada,  about  forty-eight 
miles  from  Riviere  du  Loup  and  thirty-one  miles  from  Edmundston, 
N.B. 

The  surrounding  country  is  for  the  most  part  rolling  hills  covered 
with  the  usual  second  growth  of  spruce,  fir,  larch,  and  birch.  There 
are  also  groves  of  sugar  maple  and  yellow  birch,  and  on  the  lowland 
near  the  lake  the  balsam  poplar,  Populus  balsamifera,  grows  luxuriantly. 
Populus  tremuloides,  Acer  rubrum,A.  spicatum,  Prunus  Pennsylvani- 
cum,  and  Rhus  typhina  are  common  treees  of  the  region. 

The  lake  is  about  thirty  miles  long,  and  varies  from  three-quarters 
of  a  mile  to  two  miles  in  width.  The  shore  is  in  most  places  of  slate, 
forming  rocky  points  running  into  the  lake,  sometimes  so  abruptly  as 
to  make  passing  exceedingly  difficult.  In  the  crevices  of  the  slate  grow 
Lobelia  Kalmiiy  Campanula  rotundifolia,  and  Parnassia  Caroliniana. 
Near  the  bank  we  find  Potentillafruticosa,  Spircsa  salicifolia,  and  My- 
rica  gale. 

Farther  up  Alnus  viridis,  Cornus  stolonifera,  and  Viburnum  Opulus 
form  thickets  guarded  by  the  ever  present  Joe  Pye  Weed,  Eupatorium 
purpureum.  Here  and  there  along  the  bank  the  berries  of  Pyrus 
sambucifolia  add  their  bright  color  to  the  scene. 

Along  the  roadside,  where  not  shaded  by  trees,  Artemisia  vulgaris 
grows  in  undisturbed  luxuriance,  in  company  with  the  wild  raspberry, 
Rubus  strigosuSy  and  Sambucus  racemosa. 

In  the  fields  one  misses  the  ubiquitous  Chrysanthemum  Leucanthe- 
mum,  but  its  place  is  well  filled  by  Anaphalis  margaritacea  and  the 
Canada  thistle.  In  many  places  the  banks  of  the  roadside  are  covered 
with  the  bunch  berry,  Cornus  Canadensis,  which  the  French  Canadians 

*  Contributions  from  Herbarium  of  Columbia  Coll.  No.  3.  Bull.  Torrey  Botanical 
Club,  November,  1887,  pp.  230-238. 

240 


PLANT    NOTES   FROM   TEMISCOUATA   COUNTY     241 

aptly  called  "La rouge."  Driving  back  from  the  lake,  five  or  six  ranges 
of  hills  are  crossed  in  as  many  miles.  In  the  valleys  are  lakes  bordered 
with  cedar  swamps  of  Thuja  occidentalis.  The  lakes  are  shallow  and 
have  a  muddy  bottom.  Cassandra  calyculata,  Kalmia  angustifolia, 
Ledum  latifolium,  are  common  on  the  borders. 

The  road  from  Notre  Dame  du  Lac  to  Riviere  du  Loup  runs 
partly  through  scattered  farms  and  partly  through  woodland.  The 
land,  where  cleared  and  neglected,  is  covered  with  a  dense  growth  of 
Pteris  aquilina  and  Epilobium  spicatum. 

From  Riviere  du  Loup  I  drove  to  Cacouna,  a  distance  of  four  miles 
down  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  beach  at  Cacouna  is  rocky  in  some  places 
and  at  others  sandy.  On  the  sand  Cakile  Americana,  Lathyrus  mariti- 
mus,  Mertensia  maritima,  and  Arenaria  peploides  were  collected.  On 
the  rocky  points  Plantago  maritima  was  found  abundant. 

The  plants  of  the  following  list  were  mostly  collected  during  the 
month  of  August,  at  Notre  Dame  du  Lac.  A  few  are  from  Grand 
Falls,  N.B.,  where  a  stay  of  a  few  days  was  made. 

Dr.  N.  L.  Britton  has  kindly  annotated  the  list,  and  many  thanks 
are  due  him  for  his  assistance  and  for  suggestions  in  regard  to  nomen- 
clature. 

CATALOGUE 

RANUNCULACE^ 

Thalictrum  polygamum  Muhl.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Anemone  muUifida  Poir.     Grand  Falls. 

Anemone  dichotoma  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Anemone  Virginiana  L.     Same  locality. 

Ranunculus  aquatilis  L.,  var.  trichophyllus  Chaix.     Same  locality. 

Ranunculus  acris  L.     Same  locality. 

Ranunculus  Pennsylvanicus  L.     Same  locality. 

Actcea  spicata  L.,  var.  rubra  Michx.     Same  locality. 

SARRACENIACE^ 

Sarracenia  purpurea  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

CRUCIFER^ 

Raphanus  sativus  L.     Cacouna. 
Cakile  Americana  Nutt.     Same  locality. 


242     PLANT   NOTES   FROM   TEMISCOUATA   COUNTY 

VIOLARI^ 

Viola  hlanda  Willd.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

CARYOPHYLLE^ 

Silene  inflata  Smith.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Cerastium  viscosum  L.     Same  locality. 
Stellaria  media  (L.)  Smith.     Same  locality. 
Arenaria  peploides  L.     Cacouna. 
Spergula  arvensis  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

HYPERICINE^ 

Hypericum  mutilum  K.      Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Hypericum  VirginicumL,.     (Elodes  Virginica  Nutt)     Same  locality. 

MALVACE^ 

Malva  moschata  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

GERANIACE^ 

Oxalis  Aceto sella  L.     Grand  Falls. 

Impatiens  hiflora  Walter,  1788  (7.  fulva  Nutt.,  1818).     Notre  Dame 
du  Lac. 

ILICINEJE 

Nemopanthes  Canadensis  (Michx.)  DC.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

SAPINDACE^ 

Acer  ruhrum  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Acer  saccharinum  Wang.     Same  locality. 
Acer  spicatum  Lam.     Same  locality. 

ANACARDIACE^ 

Rhus  typhina  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

LEGUMINOS^ 

Trifolium  agrarium  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Trifolium  pratense  L.     Same  locality.    Also  a  white-flowered  form. 

Trifolium  repens  L.     Same  locality. 


I 


PLANT   NOTES   FROM   TEMISCOUATA   COUNTY     243 

Astragalus  alpinus  L.     Grand  Falls. 
Vicia  Cracca  L.      Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Lathyrus  maritimus  (L.)  Bigelow.     Cacouna. 

ROSACEiE 

Prunus  Pennsylvanica  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Spircea  salicifolia  L.     Same  locality. 

Rubus  strigosus  Michx.     Grand  Falls. 

Ruhus  triflorus  Richards.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Geum  strictum  Ait.     Same  locality. 

Fragaria  vesca  L.     Grand  Falls. 

Fragaria  Virginiana  Duschene.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Potentilla Anserina'L.     Temiscouata  Lake. 

Potentilla  fruticosa  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Potentilla  Norvegica  L.     Same  locality. 

Potentilla  palustris  (L.)  Scop.    Same  locality. 

Agrimonia  Eupatoria  L.     Same  locality. 

Poterium  Canadense  L.     Cacouna. 

Rosa  blanda  Ait.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Pyrus  sambucifolia  Cham,  and  Sch.     Same  locality. 

SAXIFRAGES 

Mitella  nuda  L.     Grand  Falls. 

Parnassia  Caroliniana  Michx.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Ribes  lacustre  Poir.     Grand  Falls. 

DROSERACES 

Drosera  rotundifolia  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

HALORAGEiE 

Hippuris  vulgaris  L.     Dube's  Lake,  Temiscouata. 

ONAGRARIS 

Epilobium  spicatum  Lam.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
(Enothera  biennis  L.     Cacouna. 
Circcea  alpina  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 


244     PLANT   NOTES   FROM   TEMISCOUATA   COUNTY 

UMBELLIFER^ 

Sanicula  Marylandica  L.      Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Conioselinum  hipinnatum  (Walter)  Britton/     Same  locality. 

ARALIACE^ 

Aralia  hispida  Vent.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Aralia  nudicaulis  L.     Grand  Falls. 
Aralia  racemosa  L.     Same  locality. 

CORNACEiE 

Cornus  canadensis  L.     Grand  Falls. 
Cornus  stolonifera  Michx.     Same  locality. 

CAPRirOLIACE^ 

Samhucus  racemosa  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Viburnum  lantanoides  Michx.^     Same  locality. 
Viburnum  Opulus  L.     Same  locality. 
Linncea  borealis  L.     Same  locality. 

Diervilla  trifida  Moench.     Same  locality;  also  at  Grand  Falls,  the 
latter  a  form  with  leaf-margins  abundantly  ciliate. 

RUBIACE^ 

Galium  trifidum  L.,  var.  pusillum  Gray.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Galium  triflorum  Michx.     Grand  Falls. 

COMPOSITE 

Eupatorium  ageratoides  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Eupatorium  purpureum  L. 

Solidago  bicolor  L.,  var.  concolor  Torr.  and  Gray.     Same  locality. 

Solidago  macrophylla  Pursh.     Same  locality. 

Solidago  neglecta  T.  and  G.     Grand  Falls. 

^Conioselinum  hipinnatum  (Walter,  "  Flor.  Car.,"  p.  115,  under  Apium,  1788; 
Selinum  Canadense  Michx.,  1803).  I  am  following  Coulter  and  Rose  in  keeping  up 
the  genus  Conioselinum.  — N.  L.  B. 

2  If  the  V.  alnifolia  of  Marshall  is  this  plant,  the  name  has  priority;  it. is  referred 
to  F.  lantanoides  by  Dr.  Gray,  in  "  Syn.  Flor.,"  while  De  Candolle,  "  Prodr.,"  IV,  p.  328, 
refers  it  to  V.  molle  Michx.  —  N.  L.  B. 


PLANT    NOTES    FROM  TEMISCOUATA   COUNTY     245 

Solidago  serotina  Ait.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Erigeron  annuus  Pers.     Same  locality. 

Erigeron  Canadensis  L.     Same  locality. 

Erigeron  hyssopifolius  Michx.     Grand  Falls. 

Erigeron  strigosus  Muhl.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Aster  diffusus  Alt.     Same  locality. 

Aster  macro phyllus  Li.     Same  locality. 

Aster  puniceus  L.     Same  locality. 

Aster  umbellatus  Mill.     Same  locality. 

Anaphalis  margaritacea  (L.),  Benth.  and  Hook.     Same  locality. 

Achillcea  Millefolium  L.     Same  locality. 

Chrysanthemum  Leucanthemum  L.     Same  locality. 

Artemisia  caudata  L.     Grand  Falls. 

Artemisia  vulgaris  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Senecio  aureus  L.,  var.  Balsamitce  T.  and  G.     Grand  Falls. 

Cnicus  arvensis  (L.)  Hoffm.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Arctium  Lappa  L.     Same  locality. 

Hieracium  Canadense  Michx.     Same  locality. 

Hieracium  scahrum  Michx.     Same  locality. 

Prenanthes  altissima  L.     Same  locality. 

Prenanthes  serpentaria  Pursh.     Grand  Falls. 

Lactuca  leucophcea  (Willd.)  Gray.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Sonchus  arvensis  L.     Cacouna. 

CAMPANULACE^ 

Lobelia  Kalmii  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Campanula  rotundifolia  L.     Grand  Falls. 

VACCINIACE^ 

Vaccinium  Canadense  Kalm.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Vaccinium  Pennsylvanicum  Lam.     Same  locality. 

ERICACE^ 

Cassandra  calyculata  (L.)  Don.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Andromeda  Polifolia  L.      Same  locality. 
Kalmia  angustifolia  L.      Same  locality. 
Ledum  latifolium  Ait.     Same  locality. 
Chimaphila  umbellata  (L.)  Nutt. 


246     PLANT   NOTES   FROM   TEMISCOUATA   COUNTY 

MONOTROPE^ 

Monotropa  uniflora  L.      Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

OLEACE^ 

Fraxinus  viridis  Michx.     A  form  with  pubescent  branchlets. 

GENTIANS^ 

Halenia  deflexa  (Smith)  Griseb.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

BORAGINE^ 

Mertensia  maritima  (L.),  Gray.     Cacouna. 
Myosotis  laxa  Lehm.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

SCROPHULARINE^ 

Linaria  vulgaris  Mill.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Chelone  glabra  L.     Same  locality. 
Veronica  Americana  Schwein.     Same  locality. 
Castilleia  pallida  Kunth.     Grand  Falls. 
Euphrasia  officinalis  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Rhinanthus  Crista-Galli  L.     Same  locality. 

LENTIBULARIEiE 

Utricularia  vulgaris  L.     Dube's  Lake,  Temiscouata. 
Utricularia  intermedia  Hayne.     Same  locality. 

LABIATE 

Mentha  Canadensis  L.,  var.  glahrata  Benth.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Nepeta  Cataria  L.     Same  locality. 

Brunella  vulgaris  L.     Grand  Falls  and  Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Scutellaria  galericulata  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Scutellaria  lateriflora  L.     Same  locality. 

Stachys  palustris  L.     Same  locality. 

Galeopsis  Tetrahit  L.     Same  locality. 

PLANTAGINE^ 

Plantago  maritima  L.     Cacouna. 


PLANT   NOTES   FROM  TEMISCOUATA   COUNTY     247 

CHENOPODIACEiE 

A  triplex  patula  L.,  var.  hastata  Gray.     Cacouna. 

POLYGONACEiE 

Polygonum  aviculare  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Polygonum  Hydropiper  L.     Same  locality. 

Polygonum  lapathifolium  Ait.,  var.  incanum  Koch.     Same  locality. 

Rumex  Aceto sella  L.     Grand  Falls. 

Rumex  salicifoUus  Weinm.     Cacouna. 

Rumex  Brittanicus  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

EUPHORBIACE^ 

Euphorbia  Helioscopia  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

MYRICACE^ 

Myrica  Gale  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

CUPULIFER^ 

Betula  papyracea  Ait.     Grand  Falls. 

A  Inus  viridis  DC.     Notr e  D  ame  du  L  ac . 

Corylus  rostrata  Ait.     Grand  Falls. 

SALICINE^ 

Salix  discolor  Muhl.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Salix  humilis  Marsh.     Same  locality. 
Salix  lucida  Muhl.     Same  locality. 
Populus  halsamifera  L.     Same  locality. 
Populus  tremuloides  Michx.     Grand  Falls. 

ORCHIDEiE 

Spiranthes  Romanzoffiana  Cham.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Habenaria  hyperborea  R.  Br.     Same  locality. 
Habenaria  psycodes  (L.)  Gray.     Same  locality. 

IRIDEiE 

Iris  versicolor  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 


248     PLANT   NOTES    FROM   TEMISCOUATA   COUNTY 

LILIACE^ 

Streptopus  amplexicaulis  (L.)  DC.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Streptopus  roseus  Michx.     Same  locality. 

Smilacina  trifolia  (L.)  Desf.     Same  locality. 

Maianthemum  Canadense  Desf.     Same  locality. 

Tofieldia  glutinosa  Willd.     A  form  with  pedicels  four  to  six  lines  long 

in  fruit.    Grand  Falls. 
Clintonia  borealis  (Ker.)  Raf.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

JUNCACE^ 

J  uncus  effusus  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

Juncusfiliformislu.     Same  locality. 

/.  Canadensis  Gay,  var.  coarctatus  Engelm.     Same  locality. 

TYPHACEiE 

Sparganium  simplex  Huds.,  var.  Nuttallii  Engelm.  ( ?)     Same  locality. 

ALISMACE^ 

Sagittaria  variabilis  Engelm.,  var.  hastata  Engelm.     Notre  Dame 
du  Lac. 

NAIADACE^ 

Potamogeton  natans  L.     Same  locality. 

Potamogeton  Pennsylvanicus  Cham.     (P.  Claytonii  Tuckerm.),  fide 
Morong. 

ERIOCAULE^ 

Eriocaulon  septangulare  With.     Dube's  Lake,  Temiscouata. 

CYPERACE^ 

Carex  rostrata  With.,  var.  utriculata  Bailey.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Carex  hystricina  Muhl.     Same  locality. 
Carex flava  L.     Same  locality. 
Carex  scoparia  Schk.     Same  locality. 

GRAMINE^ 

Spartina  cynosuroides  Willd.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Deyeuxia  Canadensis  (Beauv.)  Hook.     Same  locality. 
Glyceria  Canadensis  (Michx.)  Trin.     Same  locality. 
Elymus  mollis  Trin.     Cacouna. 


PLANT    NOTES    FROM   TEMISCOUATA   COUNTY     249 

CONIFERS 

Thuja  occidentalis  L.     Grand  Falls. 

EQUISETACEiE 

Equisetum  sylvaticum  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

FILICES 

Asplenium  Filix-fcemina  (Swartz)  Bernh.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Phegopteris  polypodioides  Fee.     Same  locality 
Phegopteris  Dryopteris  (L.)  Fee.      Same  locality. 
Aspidium  spinulosum  Swartz.     Same  locality. 
Cysiopterisbulbifera  (Swaitz)  Bernh.     Grand  Falls. 
Aspidium  marginale  Swartz.     Same  locality. 
Osmunda  Claytoniana  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

OPHIOGLOSSACE^ 

Botrychium  Virginianum  Swartz.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 

LYCOPODIACEiE 

Lycopodium  clavatum  L.     Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 
Lycopodium  complanatum  L.     Same  locality. 
Lycopodium  dendroideum  Michx.     Same  locality. 


PLANT  NOTES  FROM  TADOUSAC  AND  TEMISCOUATA 
COUNTY,  CANADA^ 

By  John  I.  and  Alice  R.  Northrop 

The  little  village  of  Tadousac  is  beautifully  situated  at  the  junction 
of  the  Saguenay  and  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  latter  river  here  forms 
quite  a  deep  bay,  on  the  curving  shores  of  which  stands  the  main  part 
of  the  village,  while  on  the  jutting  rocky  point  that  separates  the  bay 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Saguenay,  are  the  picturesque  cottages  of  the 
French  fishermen  and  half-breeds.  Just  south  of  the  village  the  banks 
become  very  steep  and  here,  far  above  the  present  beach,  are  two,  and 
in  some  places  three,  very  fine  terraces,  stretching  around  the  point  of 
the  bay  and  for  some  distance  down  the  St.  Lawrence.  Back  of  all 
rise  the  lofty  hills  of  the  Saguenay.  Our  first  walk  was  out  on  the 
headland  at  the  mouth  of  the  latter  river,  and  here,  at  the  level  of  the 
sea,  we  found  many  of  the  alpine  plants  of  Mt.  Washington;  among 
these  were  Potentilla  tridentata,  Euphrasia  officinalis,  and  Vaccinium 
Vitis-Idcea.  Great  mats  of  Empetrum  nigrum  grew  on  the  rocky 
banks  and  beautiful  Campanulas  nodded  from  the  crevices.  We  were 
interested  in  observing  that  here  Campanula  rotundifolia  bore  only  a 
single  flower  at  the  summit,  and  resembled  but  slightly  the  large  and 
many-flowered  plants,  two  feet  in  height,  that  we  had  collected  in 
Crawford  Notch,  and  also  very  different  apparently  from  the  little 
blue-bells,  three  inches  high,  that  grow  near  the  Lake  of  the  Clouds  on 
Mt.  Washington,  and  bear  but  a  single  erect  flower,  of  a  very  dark  blue 
color. 

We  found  much  the  same  difference  in  the  forms  of  Euphrasia 
officinalis.  We  had  first  collected  it  a  few  weeks  previous,  near  Oakes' 
Gulf  on  Mt.  Washington,  and  there,  though  mature,  it  was  so  tiny 
that  in  order  to  find  it,  we  had  literally  to  get  down  on  our  hands  and 
knees,  and  go  over  the  ground  inch  by  inch.  At  Tadousac  we  collected 
the  usual  small  bushy  Canadian  form,  and  a  week  or  two  later,  at  Lake 

»  Bull.  Torrey  Botanical  Club,  Vol.  XVII,  No.  2,  February,  1890. 

250 


PLANT   NOTES   FROM   TADOUSAC  251 

Temiscouata,  found  some  specimens  about  8  inches  high.  Besides 
this  alpine  flora,  there  were  many  maritime  plants.  Plantago  maritima 
and  Triglochin  maritimum  were  common,  Tissa  salina  grew  on  the 
tide  flats,  and  Lathyrus  maritimus  over  the  rocks  on  the  beach.  But 
most  beautiful  of  all  were  the  great  spreading  clusters  of  Mertensia 
maritima,  with  its  graceful  trailing  branches,  glaucous  foliage,  and 
showy  blue  flowers. 

Higher  up  on  the  rocks  were  great  patches  of  Kalmia  angustifolia, 
making  masses  of  pink  bloom;  with  these  grew  Ledum  latifolium  and 
Cassandra  calyculata,  both  in  fruit,  while  shading  these  tangled  thickets 
were  Pinus  Banksiana,  the  white  spruce,  and  the  black  spruce.  Trail- 
ing over  the  rocks  we  found  Juniperus  Sabina,  var.  procumbens,  in 
fruit,  and  the  prostrate  variety  alpina  of  J.  communis. 

The  yellow  blossoms  and  curious  inflated  pods  of  Rhinanthus 
Crista-galli  were  common  near  the  shore,  and  in  the  wet  grassy  spots 
Microstylis  unifolia  grew  plentifully.  Along  the  Saguenay  we  collected 
Ranunculus  Cymbalaria,  and  in  the  crevices  of  the  rock  Aspidium 
fragrans  was  found  growing  in  large  tufts,  still  holding  last  year's 
leaves,  and  Corallorhiza  innata.  Here  we  also  collected  Comandra 
livida  and  Goodyera  repens. 

On  the  border  of  a  small  pond  near  Tadousac,  Polygonum  amphi- 
bium  was  found,  and  in  the  bogs  near  the  shore  we  saw  Eriophorum 
gracile,  and  with  it  the  purple-flowered  Potentilla  palustris;  also  Calla 
palustris,  but  the  flowers  had  already  gone,  and  we  could  only  get  the 
fruit.  Although  it  was  the  last  week  in  July,  we  noticed  that  the  little 
birches  on  the  hillsides  near  Tadousac  had  begun  to  turn  yellow,  show- 
ing that  the  brief  Northern  summer  was  already  on  the  wane. 

A  sail  of  three  hours  brought  us  to  Riviere  du  Loup,  and  the  next 
morning  we  botanized  along  the  banks  of  the  rapid-flowing  stream  that 
gives  the  town  its  name.  In  one  place  it  makes  a  plunge  of  about  40 
feet  over  the  edges  of  the  dark  slaty  rock  which  forms  its  bed,  and  here 
under  the  hemlocks  we  found  Moneses  uniflora,  the  bright  blue  berries 
of  Clintonia,  Coptis  trifolia,  and  Halenia  deflexa. 

Our  train  left  Riviere  du  Loup  about  noon,  and  we  were  soon 
speeding  towards  Lake  Temiscouata,  some  fifty  miles  to  the  southeast. 
At  first  poplars,  birches,  and  spruces  were  plenty,  but  as  we  neared  the 
lake,  we  passed  through  great  swamps  of  Thuja  occidentalis,  some  of 
the  trees  being  the  largest  we  had  ever  seen.    In  the  cleared  places  were 


252  PLANT   NOTES   FROM   TADOUSAC 

large  patches  of  Cnicus  arvensis,  Epilobium  spicatum,  and  great 
masses  of  the  gorgeous  yellow  heads  of  Sonchus  arvensis,  while  in 
places  Vicia  Cracca  covered  the  grass  and  low  shrubs  with  a  mantle  of 
blue.  After  a  ride  of  nearly  three  hours,  we  alighted  at  our  destination, 
the  little  village  of  Notre  Dame  du  Lac,  prettily  situated  on  the  curving 
shore  of  Lake  Temiscouata. 

Two  lists  of  plants  from  this  region  have  already  appeared  in  the 
Bulletin,  the  first  by  John  I.  Northrop,  in  November,  1887,  the 
second  by  Henry  M.  Ami,  in  May,  1888. 

On  my  previous  visit,  in  one  place  near  the  shore,  I  collected  an 
exotic  labiate,  which  was  not  determined  as  the  specimen  was  in  fruit, 
but  this  year  we  found  the  same  species,  now  evidently  well  established 
and  holding  its  own  in  a  dense  growth  of  Galeopsis  Tetrahit  and  A  ma- 
rantus.  It  has  curious  one-sided  spikes  of  blue  flowers,  and  a  peculiar 
lemon-like  odor.  We  sent  some  specimens  to  Dr.  Britton,  who  wrote 
in  reply  that  it  was  Elsholtzia  cristata,  a  native  of  Siberia,  and  belonged 
near  our  genus  CoUinsonia.  We  found  it  growing  in  a  clearing  near 
a  mill,  and  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  it  has  been  introduced.  Still, 
there  are  no  records  of  its  ever  being  cultivated,  and  how  it  reached 
this  out-of-the-way  spot  is  a  mystery. 

Near  by  on  the  banks  of  a  brook  Lister  a  convallarioides  grew 
abundantly,  and  on  the  hillside  above  we  found  a  few  specimens  of 
Pyrola  chlorantha.  Great  beds  of  Cornus  Canadensis  grew  here,  as 
almost  everywhere  in  Canada,  and  we  noted  that  here,  as  elsewhere,  we 
could  not  find  a  single  four-leaved  plant  that  bore  a  flower.  We  had 
been  struck  with  this  fact  while  botanizing  in  the  White  Mountains, 
and  had  made  it  a  special  point  of  observation  all  summer,  but  out  of 
the  hundreds  of  plants  which  we  examined  not  one  exception  did  we 
find  to  this  rule. 

One  day  we  took  our  canoe  and  paddled  some  three  miles  down  the 
opposite  shore  of  the  lake  and  here,  growing  among  the  moss  along  a 
little  brook,  we  found  the  rare  Selaginella  spinosa,  looking  very  much 
like  a  delicate  Lycopodium.  Farther  up  the  lake  on  the  way  to  Mt. 
Wissick  we  found  a  number  of  plants  of  Equisetum  littorale.  The  speci- 
mens have  since  been  carefully  examined  and  compared  with  those  so 
named  by  Dr.  Morong,  and  they  are  undoubtedly  the  same  species. 
On  our  way  to  Mt.  Wissick  we  passed  over  a  shallow  portion  of  the 
lake,  and  a  better  place  to  collect  water  plants  could  not  readily  be 


PLANT   NOTES    FROM   TADOUSAC  253 

found.  The  bottom  was  in  some  places  gravelly  and  in  others  of  sandy 
day.  The  water  was  beautifully  clear,  but  two  or  three  feet  in  depth. 
We  found  here  five  Potamogetons :  P.  pectinatus,  P.  gramineus,  P. 
amplifolius,  P.  natans,  and  P.  perfoliatus,  the  delicate  Ranunculus 
aquatilis,  var.  trichophyllos,  and  two  species  of  Chara.  Here  and  there 
the  spikes  of  the  great  bulrush,  Scirpus  lacustris,  rose  six  or  seven  feet 
above  the  surface  of  the  water. 

Most  beautiful  of  all  were  the  Myriophyllums;  one  of  these,  ver- 
ticillatum,  grew  near  our  camping  place  in  great  masses,  and  we  could 
look  down  into  the  clear  water  and  trace  the  long,  feathery,  unbranched 
stems  until  they  reached  the  sand,  some  seven  or  eight  feet  below. 

Another  species,  more  slender  and  growing  in  much  shallower 
water,  we  have  since  determined  as  Myriophyllum  alterniflorum. 
Attention  has  been  called  to  this  interesting  species  by  Dr.  Morong  in 
a  previous  number  of  the  Bulletin  (xiv.  51),  where  he  states  that  it 
has  been  found  in  Lake  Memphremagog,  Canada,  by  Mr.  J.  R. 
Churchill,  but  previously  had  been  collected  no  nearer  to  us  than 
Greenland. 

Well  pleased  with  our  morning's  spoils,  we  paddled  on  a  mile  or 
so  farther,  until  we  found  a  good  camping  place,  when  we  dis- 
embarked and  soon  started  for  the  top  of  la  grosse  montagne. 

Our  trail  led  up  through  the  usual  growth  of  balsam,  white  spruce, 
and  Betula  papyrifera;  here  and  there  the  ledges  were  luxuriously 
carpeted  with  Cladonia  rangeriferina.  Higher  up  we  found  dozens  of 
specimens  of  Habenaria  Hookeriana,  and  even  more  abundant  was 
Corallorhiza  multiflora.  We  also  found  some  few  spikes  of  C.  innata. 
About  550  feet  above  the  lake  we  found  some  plants  of  EpigcEa  re  pens 
(the  first  we  had  seen  in  Canada)  surrounded  by  Vaccinium  Pennsyl- 
vanicum,  Kalmia  angustifolia,  2ind  Ledum  latifolium,  and  shaded  by 
black  and  white  spruces.  Among  the  crannies  of  the  upper  ledges  we 
found  Woodsia  Ilvensis,  W.  hyperborea,  PellcEa  gracilis,  and  Aspidium 
fragrans. 

The  summit  was  shaded  by  very  fine  specimens  of  the  red  pine, 
Pinus  resinosa.  The  next  day  we  worked  up  our  plants,  collected 
some  fossils  from  the  ledges  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  and  later  on 
in  the  afternoon  started  back  for  Notre  Dame  du  Lac.  The  few 
remaining  days  we  spent  there  were  devoted  to  grasses  and  sedges  — 
there  was  not  a  very  great  variety  of  either,  however,  and  their  names 
will  be  found  in  the  appended  list. 


254 


PLANT   NOTES   FROM   TADOUSAC 


The  following  list  contains  the  plants  collected  that  have  not  been 
mentioned  in  the  former  lists.  Unless  otherwise  stated  the  locality 
is  in  the  vicinity  of  Notre  Dame  du  Lac. 


Ranunculus  re  plans. 
Coptis  trifolia. 
Nymphoea  advena. 
Nasturtium  palustre. 
Silene  noctijiora. 
Hypericum  ellipticum. 
Trifolium  hybridum. 
Astragalus  orohoides, 

var.  Americanus. 
Amelanchier  Canadensis, 

var.  rotundifolia. 
Chrysosplenium  Americanum. 
Ribes  prostratum. 
Myriophyllum  verticillatum. 
Myriophyllum  alterniflorum. 
Osmorrhiza  brevistylis. 
Heracleum  lanatum. 
Carum  Carui. 
Galium  asprellum. 
Erigeron  Philadelphicum. 
Gnaphalium  uliginosum. 
Lobelia  Dortmanna. 
Epigcea  repens,  Mt.  Wissick. 
Pyrola  elliptica. 
Pyrola  rotundifolia. 
Pyrola  chlorantha. 
Hypopitys  Monotropa. 
Fraxinus  sambucifolia. 
Veronica  serpyllifolia. 
Veronica  scutellata. 
Verbascum  Thapsus. 
Mentha  sativa. 
Elscholtzia  cristata. 
Apocynum  androscemifolium. 
Chenopodium  capitatum. 
Fagus  ferruginea. 
Polypodium  vulgare. 
Pellcea  gracilis. 
Aspidium  fragrans. 
Woodsia  Ilvensis,  Mt.  Wissick. 
Woodsia  hyperborea,  Mt.  Wissick. 


Listera  convallariodes. 

Microstylis  unifolia. 

Corallorhiza  innata. 

Goodyera  repens. 

Habenaria  orbiculata. 

Trillium  erectum. 

J  uncus  nodosus. 

Juncus  tenuis. 

J  uncus  bufonius. 

Potamogeton  amplifolius. 

Potamogeion  gramineus. 

Potamogeton  perfolidtus. 

Potamogeton  pectinatus. 

Car  ex  intumescens. 

Car  ex  retrorsa. 

Car  ex  stipata. 

Carex  tentaculata. 

Scirpus  atrovirens. 

Eriophorum  cyperinum. 

Dulichium  spathaceum. 

Eleocharis  palustris. 

Eleocharis  ovata. 

Phleum  pratense. 

Agrostis  alba. 

Agrostis  hiemalis. 

Deschampsia  ccespitosa. 

Poa  serotina. 

Bromus  ciliatus. 

Agropyrum  repens. 

Taxus  baccata,  var.  Canadensis. 

Abies  Mariana. 

Equisetum  arvense. 

Equisetum  limosum. 

Equisetum  littorale. 

Equisetum  pratense. 

Equisetum  scirpoides. 

Botrychium   Virginicum,   var.   gracile, 

Mt.  Wissick. 
Ly  CO  podium  annotinum. 
L.  lucidulum. 
Selaginella  spinosa. 


NOTES    ON   THE    PLANT    DISTRIBUTION   OF    MT. 
WASHINGTON,   N.H. 

By  John  I.  and  Alice  R.  Northrop 

In  the  course  of  a  week's  botanizing  on  the  summit  of  Mt.  Washing- 
ton in  the  early  summer  of  1889  (July  2-9),  a  fairly  complete  collec- 
tion of  its  flora  was  made,  largely  with  the  view  of  ascertaining  the 
distribution  of  the  plants  in  relation  to  altitude.  The  respective 
elevations  were  determined  by  means  of  an  aneroid  barometer.  The 
following  pages  give  a  brief  resume  of  the  results  obtained. 

The  base  of  the  mountain,  where  the  cog  railway  begins,  was  made 
out  to  be  approximately  2500  feet.  Here  the  flora  was  about  the 
same  as  in  the  valley.  During  the  first  five  hundred  feet  of  elevation  the 
mountain  ash  {Pyrus  sitchensis  (Roem.)  Piper),  Acer  spicatum  Lam., 
Acer  pennsylvanicum  L.,  Prunus  pennsylvanica  L.  f,,  Picea  mariana 
(Mill.)  B.  S.  P.,  and  Ahies  balsamea  (L.)  Mill,  were  noted.  Of  these 
the  striped  maple  {Acer  pennsylvanicum)  was  not  seen  above  3000  feet 
of  elevation,  Betula  lutea  Mich,  f.,  and  Acer  spicatum  were  infrequent 
in  the  second  five  hundred  feet  and  did  not  reach  the  3500  limit,  while 
Prunus  pennsylvanicawsiS  abundant  up  to  3500,  but  was  entirely  want- 
ing above  4000  feet  altitude.  Pyrus  sitchensis,  at  first  very  plentiful, 
was  much  less  common  at  4000  feet,  and  at  4300  feet  was  noted  only 
as  a  straggling  bush.  A  single  specimen  was  found  at  an  altitude  of 
5700  feet  near  the  trail  leading  into  Tuckerman's  Ravine.  Betula 
alba  L.,  var.  papyrifera,  was  abundant  from  3500  to  4000  feet,  but  was 
much  less  frequently  met  with  beyond  the  4300  limit,  and  higher  up  was 
replaced  by  the  variety  minor  (Tuckerm.)  Fernald.  This,  as  a  low 
straggling  bush,  held  its  own  far  above  the  timber  line,  while  about 
the  summit  it  in  turn  gave  way  to  Betula  glandulosa  Michx. 

The  two  conifers,  Picea  mariana  and  Abies  balsamea,  were  con- 
spicuous throughout,  and  from  4300  feet  upward  were  almost  the  only 
woody  plants  to  be  found.  They  grew  as  stunted  shrubs,  two  or 
three  feet  in  height,  at  an  altitude  of  5000  feet,  and  even  above  that  a 
s  255 


256     PLANT   DISTRIBUTION    OF   MT.    WASHINGTON 

few  storm-beaten  specimens,  hardly  a  foot  in  height,  were  occasionally 
seen.  One  plant,  about  fifteen  inches  in  height,  was  noted  in  a  shel- 
tered spot  near  the  Crawford  bridle-path,  at  an  altitude  of  6000  feet. 
Near  the  Lake  of  the  Clouds,  at  about  5000  feet,  clumps  of  the  black 
spruce  were  found  with  stems  three  or  four  inches  in  diameter,  but 
with  the  branches  pressed  flat  against  the  ground.  As  a  rule,  however, 
the  balsam  was  the  first  to  be  noted  as  we  descended  from  the  summit. 

Various  trips  were  made  to  the  Great  gulf  or  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
Oakes'  gulf,  Tuckerman's  Ravine,  the  Lake  of  the  Clouds,  Bigelow's 
lawn,  and  the  alpine  garden.  The  plant  altitudes  were  carefully 
noted  on  each  descent,  and  the  succession  of  flowers  was  almost 
invariably  the  same.  On  the  very  summit,  6300  feet,  a  thrifty  speci- 
men of  that  hardy  traveler,  the  dandelion,  was  in  full  bloom  and 
apparently  as  much  at  home  as  on  the  roadsides  several  thousand 
feet  below.  Among  the  rightful  owners  of  the  rocky  soil  the  follow- 
ing always  headed  the  lists:  the  Greenland  sandwort  {Arenaria 
groenlandica  (Retz)  Spreng),  the  mountain  cranberry  {Vaccinium 
Vitis-Idcea  L.,  var.  minus  Lodd),  and  Potentilla  tridentata  Ait.  Grow- 
ing with  these  on  some  parts  of  the  summit  were  the  alpine  goldenrod 
(Solidago  Cutleri  Fernald)  and  Diapensia  lapponica  L.  The  con- 
vex clumps  of  the  latter  were  plentiful  in  some  places,  but  it  was  al- 
ready in  fruit,  and  only  after  much  searching  were  one  or  two  belated 
blossoms  found.  Within  a  radius  of  a  few  hundred  feet  from  the 
summit  were  noted  the  yellow  mountain  avens  {Geum  Peckii  Pursh.), 
common  in  the  grassy  places,  the  two  bilberries  (Vaccinium  ccBSpilosum 
Michx.  and  Vaccinium  uliginosum  L.),  Silene  acaulis  L.,  the  alpine 
azalea  (Loiseleuria  procumhens  (L.)  Desv.),  and  the  Lapland  rose  bay 
{Rhododendron  lapponicum  (L.)  Wahlenb.),  the  latter  in  ^fruit  only. 
Although  it  was  late  for  them,  we  were  fortunate  in  discovering  two 
or  three  patches  of  the  mountain  heath  {Phyllodoce  ccerulea  (L.)  Bab.), 
still  covered  with  the  purple  bells  and  clinging  to  the  ledges.  Cassiope 
hypnoides  (L.)  Don.  was  also  found  in  bloom  in  a  few  places.  On 
or  very  near  the  summit  we  also  collected  the  sedges,  Carex  capitata 
L.,  Carex  rigida  Good,  var.  Bigelowii  (Torr.)  Tuck.,  Carex  capillaris 
L.,  and  the  wood-rush  (Luzula  spicata  (L.)  DC). 

All  the  plants  above  mentioned  were  found  growing  in  dry  places 
among  the  rocks  of  the  cone,  while  the  following  were  collected  in  or 
along  the  brooklets  which  run  down  the    sides  of  the  Great  gulf, 


PLANT   DISTRIBUTION    OF   MT.    WASHINGTON     257 

Tuckerman's  Ravine,  and  Oakes  gulf.  The  vegetation  was  most  luxu- 
riant about  the  streamlets  that  trickle  down  the  slope  at  the  head  of 
Tuckerman's  Ravine.  Here  at  an  elevation  of  5300  or  5400  feet 
the  bright  green  plaited  leaves  of  Veratrum  viride  Ait.  and  the  tall 
stems  and  large  umbels  of  the  cow-parsnip  (Heracleum  lanatum 
Michx.)  first  caught  the  eye.  The  two  species  of  twisted-stalk 
(Streptopus  amplexifolius  (L.)  DC.  and  S.  roseus  Michx.)  were  both 
abundant ;  while  Castillej a  pallida  L.,  var.  septentrionalis  (Lindl.)  Gray, 
raised  its  creamy  blossoms  everywhere.  A  little  farther  down  the 
fragrant  spikes  of  Habenaria  dilitata  (Pursh.)  Gray  were  found  in  the 
shade  of  the  Veratrum.  Spircea  salicifolia  L.,  the  meadow  sweet,  was 
also  noted  here.  Of  the  smaller  plants  the  yellow  rays  of  the  arnica 
{Arnica  mollis  Hook.,  var.  petiolaris  Fernald)  and  the  bright  blue  flow- 
ers of  Veronica  alpina  L.,var.  unalaschensis  C.  and  S.,  were  conspicuous. 
In  moist  grassy  places  everywhere  on  the  mountain  Houstonia  ccerulea 
grew  luxuriantly,  although  it  belied  its  name  by  bearing  pure  white 
flowers  without  a  trace  of  blue.  (It  is  now  known  as  variety  Faxanorum 
Rose  and  Moore.)  The  sleeping  position  of  this  plant  was  interesting. 
The  flowers  were  partly  closed  and  bent  down  on  their  slender  stems, 
all  turning  in  the  same  direction,  to  the  northeast  in  all  the  plants 
we  examined.  The  Northern  chickweed  {Slellaria  borealis  Bigel), 
Epilobium  Hornemanni  Reichenb.,  Polygonum  viviparum  L.,  the 
mountain  sorrel  {Oxyria  digyna  (L.)  Hill),  and  the  little  alpine  violet 
(Viola  palustris  L.)  were  collected  in  or  along  the  brooks,  as  were  also 
the  less  common  alpine  cress  (Cardamine  bellidifolia  L.,  var.  laxa 
Lange)  and  the  rare  Saxifraga  rivularis  L. 

Of  the  plants  usually  found  at  a  much  lower  altitude  we  noted  the 
gold-thread  (Coptis  trifolia  (L.)  Salisb.)  still  in  bloom,  Ranunculus 
abortivus  L.,  Rubus  triflorus  Richards,  Trientalis  americana  (Pers.) 
Pursh.,  Ribes  lacustre  (Pers.)  Poor,  Ledum  grcenlandicum  Oeder.,  and 
Clintonia  borealis  (Ait.)  Raf.  In  all  our  descents  Aspidium  spinu- 
losum  (O.  P.  Miiller)  Sw.  was  the  first  fern  to  make  its  appearance 
at  an  altitude  of  over  5000  feet,  Phegopteris  polypodioides  Fee.  the 
second,  and  Asplenium  Filix-foemina  (L.)  Bernh.  the  third. 

The  conditions  seemed  very  similar  on  all  parts  of  the  summit,  yet 
many  of  the  alpine  and  subalpine  species  were  very  locally  distributed. 
For  example,  among  the  willows,  Salix  herbacea  L.  was  exceedingly 
common  in  the  Great  gulf,  but  was  only  represented  elsewhere  by  a 


258     PLANT   DISTRIBUTION   OF   MT.   WASHINGTON 

very  few  specimens  in  Oakes  gulf  and  the  alpine  garden.  On  the 
other  hand,  Salix  argyrocarpa  Anders.,  was  common  in  Tuckerman's 
Ravine  and  elsewhere,  but  none  were  found  in  the  Great  gulf,  while 
Salix  Uva-ursi  Pursh.  was  plentiful  throughout.  In  Tuckerman's 
Ravine  Salix  argyrocarpa  and  Salix  phylicifolia  L.  grew  side  by  side 
and  with  them  a  third,  a  hybrid  between  the  other  two.  This  had 
been  discovered  by  Mr.  Edwin  Faxon,  the  well-known  botanist  and 
collector,  whom  we  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  on  his  annual  visit 
to  the  mountain. 

Further  instances  of  local  distribution  were  that  of  Saxifraga 
rivularis  which  we  believe  has  never  been  collected  elsewhere  than  the 
one  little  brook  in  which  we  found  it,  and  Gnaphalium  supinum  L., 
which  is  still  more  rare,  growing  only,  so  far  as  we  were  able  to  dis- 
cover, in  two  small  stations,  each  but  a  few  feet  in  extent.  We  were 
fortunate  in  finding  specimens  of  this  alpine  cudweed,  although  they 
were  only  a  little  over  an  inch  in  height. 

In  company  with  Mr.  Faxon,  we  found  in  the  alpine  garden 
after  some  search  a  small  patch  of  the  alpine  bearberry  {Arctosta- 
phylos  alpina  (L.)  Spreng.),  where  he  remembered  having  seen  it 
some  years  before.  Silene  acaulis  was  found  in  but  one  locality  near 
the  summit,  although  quite  plentiful  there,  and  Potentilla  Rohhinsiana 
Oakes  was  noted  only  near  the  Lake  of  the  Clouds.  The  little 
eyebright  {Euphrasia  Oakesii  Wettst.)  was  met  with  in  only  one 
locality  of  small  extent  which  was  pointed  out  to  us  by  Mr.  Faxon. 
Again  Prenanthes  nana  (Bigel)  Torr.  seemed  to  be  entirely  confined 
to  one  side  of  the  mountain,  and  Prenanthes  Bootii  (DC.)  Gray  to 
the  other.  The  cloudberry  {Rubus  Chamcemorus  L.)  was  collected 
on  the  summit  of  neighboring  Mt.  Clinton,  but  not  on  Mt.  Washing- 
ton itself.  There  seems  to  be  no  reason  why  the  distribution  of 
these  plants  should  be  so  restricted,  as  in  many  instances  the 
conditions  are  apparently  favorable  to  their  spread,  but  perhaps 
this  remnant  of  a  more  Northern  flora  finds  it  sufficiently  difficult  to 
hold  its  own.  During  the  week  spent  on  the  mountain  sixty  species  of 
plants  in  flower  were  collected  above  an  altitude  of  4600  or  4700 
feet.  These  represented  twenty-three  orders  and  forty-six  genera, 
to  which  are  to  be  added  twenty  additional  species,  some  of  which 
were  in  fruit,  others  in  leaf  only,  making  a  total  of  eighty  species 
growing  above  the  altitude  mentioned. 


A  STUDY  OF  THE  HISTOLOGY  OF  THE  STEM  OF  THE 
WAX  PLANT,   HOYA  CARNOSA    (L.)   R.  Br. 

By  John  I.  Northrop 

In  the  fall  of  the  year  1886  Dr.  N.  L.  Britton  suggested  that  I 
study  the  anatomy  of  the  wax  plant,  Hoya  carnosa,  as  it  appeared 
to  be  hitherto  undescribed  and  possessed  interesting  peculiarities  of 
structure. 

From  that  time  to  the  present  I  have  had  the  investigation  in 
hand  and  the  following  pages  present  the  result. 

History 

I  have  been  unable  to  find  any  account  of  the  discovery  of  the 
wax  plant  or  mention  of  the  name  of  the  person  who  first  collected  it. 
Linnaeus  named  it  Asclepias  carnosa;  and  Loureiro,  under  the  name 
of  Stapelia  Chinensis,  describes  a  plant  which  he  thinks  may  be  the 
same  as  that  called  Asclepias  carnosa  by  Linnaeus. 

In  1809  Robert  Brown  divided  the  order  Apocinece,  retaining  the 
old  name  for  one  part  and  calling  the  other  the  Asclepiadece.  In  the 
latter  order  he  named  for  Thomas  Hoy,  an  '*  intelligent  and  success- 
ful cultivator,"  for  some  time  gardener  to  the  Duke  of  Northumber- 
land, the  genus  Hoya,  in  which  he  placed  the  Asclepias  carnosa  of 
Linnaeus  and  the  Stapelia  Chinensis  of  Loureiro,  uniting  them  under 
the  name  the  plant  has  since  borne,  Hoya  carnosa  (L.),  R.  Br. 

Brown  considered  the  wax  plant  the  type  of  the  genus,  and  states 
that  it  "probably  includes  several  species  which  can  only  be  determined 
from  living  specimens."  As  its  habitat  he  gives  tropical  Asia  and 
New  Holland. 

De  Candolle,  in  his  "  Prodromus,"  gives  for  localities  "Eastern 
India,  tropical  Asia,  around  Canton"  (quoting  Loureiro),  and  ques- 
tions New  Holland.  George  Bentham,  in  the  "Flora  Hongkongensis," 
for  localities  gives  "Mount  Victoria,  Champion;  also  in  adjoining 
continent,  not  known  for  certain  out  of  South  China,  but  probably 

259 


260    HISTOLOGY   OF   STEM   OF   THE    WAX   PLANT 

extending  to  Sikkam,  as  one  specimen  was  found,  without  any  indica- 
tion of  its  precise  station,  among  Dr.  Hooker's  collection  from  that 
country." 

The  plant  was  described  by  Schrank  as  Schollia  carnosa,  and  by 
Jacquin  fils  as  S.  crassifolia;  these  two  names  are  probably  both 
subsequent  to  that  given  by  Brown.  Miller,  in  the  "  Gardener's  Dic- 
tionary," calls  the  plant  the  *'  Fleshy-leaved  Swallow  Wort."  Loudon, 
in  the  ^'Hortus  Britannicus,"  states  that  it  was  introduced  into  Britain 
in  1802 ;  and  in  the  '*  Encyclopedia  of  Plants  "  that  "  one  or  two  plants 
placed  when  in  flower  in  a  vinery  of  ripe  grapes  will  entice  the  wasps 
from  eating  the  ripe  fruit."  In  the  Botanischer  Jahresberichf,  1881, 
it  is  stated  that  the  honey  of  Hoya  kills  bees. 

Darwin,  in  his  investigations  on  climbing  plants,  speaking  of  the 
gradation  of  twining  plants  to  simple  root  climbers,  mentions  that 
Bignonia  Tweedyana  and  Hoya  carnosa  revolve  and  twine,  but  like- 
wise emit  rootlets  which  adhere  to  any  fitting  surface.  The  plants 
I  have  had  showed  no  aerial  roots,  with  the  exception  of  a  large  one 
that  had  been  trained  over  a  wooden  support,  and  developed  a  number 
of  rootlets  where  the  frame  and  the  plant  had  been  for  a  long  time  in 
contact. 

General  Description  of  the  Stem 

•       PL  I,  Fig.  I.     PL  II,  Fig.  4 

For  convenience  in  description,  the  stem  of  Hoya  carnosa  may  be 
divided  into  the  following  zones  of  tissues,  which  are  best  seen  in  a 
section  about  4  mm.  in  diameter.  Proceeding  from  the  periphery 
to  the  center  we  have :  — 

1.  The  epidermis  with  its  hairs,  stomata,  etc.,  composed  of  one 
row  of  polygonal  cells  with  the  thick  cuticle  on  the  outside.  The 
lateral  walls  are  much  thinner,  and  the  cell  is  completed  by  one  or  two 
walls  which  are  contiguous  with  the  next  row  of  cork  cells. 

2.  The  cork,  composed  of  one  or  more  rows  of  rectangular  cells. 

3.  A  broad  band  of  parenchyma  containing  many  intercellular 
spaces. 

4.  A  ring  of  sclerotic  cells,  called  by  Davids  the  sclerotic  girdle, 
in  a  stem  of  the  above  size,  generally  consisting  of  two  rows  of  cells, 
which  are  lignified,  and  resemble  closely  the  sclerotic  cells  of  the  pear. 

5.  A  broad    band  of    parenchyma,   similar  to   the    third  ring, 


HISTOLOGY    OF    STEM    OF   THE    WAX   PLANT     261 

containing  the  bast  fibers  which  are  scattered  in  bundles  just  within 
the  sclerotic  girdle. 

6.  The  cambium  composed  of  thin-walled  cells. 

7.  The  wood  containing  the  medullary  rays,  ducts,  etc. 

8.  The  pith  made  up  of  parenchyma  with  intercellular  spaces. 

9.  A  few  sclerotic  cells  in  the  center  of  the  pith  similar  to  those 
of  the  girdle,  but  in  a  section  of  a  young  stem,  slightly  larger,  being 
circular  in  outline;  while  those  of  the  girdle  are  compressed,  having 
their  shorter  axis  on  the  radial  line. 

A  section  corresponding  to  the  above  description  may  serve  as  a 
type  with  which  to  compare  an  older  and  a  younger  stem.  In  the 
younger  portion  of  the  stem  (the  first  int^rnode)  the  most  noticeable 
features  are  the  absence  of  the  sclerotic  girdle  and  cork  cells,  and 
the  increased  number  of  hairs  and  stomata. 

In  the  older  portions  of  the  stem  the  principal  changes  consist  in 
the  relative  space  occupied  by  the  different  tissues  and  their  modifica- 
tions. For  example,  in  a  section  of  a  stem  10  mm.  in  diameter  we  find 
the  epidermis  missing,  and  the  cork,  which  is  popularly  known  as 
"  bark,"  beginning  to  part  in  places.  The  space  between  the  sclerotic 
girdle  and  the  cork  has  grown  much  narrower,  and  is  dotted  here  and 
there  with  many  sclerotic  cells  like  those  of  the  pith.  The  sclerotic 
girdle  is  composed  of  cells  irregular  in  shape,  and  what  we  may  call 
their  tangential  diameter  is  now  much  greater  than  their  diameter 
measured  on  the  radius  of  the  stem.  The  ring  of  parenchyma  con- 
taining the  bast  has  grown  narrower  and  now  contains  sclerotic  cells 
here  and  there. 

The  wood  has  increased  and  occupies  a  proportionately  much 
greater  part  of  the  stem.  It  is  very  irregular  in  outline  and  is  often 
penetrated  by  wedge-shaped  masses  of  parenchyma.  The  ducts  are 
prominent  owing  to  their  increased  number.  The  pith  is  contracted, 
and  in  its  center  is  a  mass  of  sclerotic  cells.  Just  within  the  ring  of 
wood  will  be  noticed  collections  of  small  cells  forming  well-marked 
patches  around  the  pith.  These  I  have  been  unable  to  find  men- 
tioned in  any  work  at  my  command,  unless  they  are  what  Davids, 
in  his  "Ueber  die  Milchzellen  der  Euphorbiaceen,  etc.,"  calls  soft 
bast  bundles  ("  Weichhast  hundeV^).  Crystals  and  milk  cells  will  be 
considered  in  treating  the  different  rings  of  tissues. 


262     HISTOLOGY   OF   STEM   OF   THE   WAX   PLANT 

Epidermis 

PL  I 

If  the  stem  of  a  young  plant  is  examined,  it  will  be  found  covered 
with  a  growth  of  velvety  hairs,  and  numerous  adventitious  buds  will 
be  seen  between  the  internodes.  Portions  of  the  epidermis  may  be 
easily  obtained  by  drying  a  piece  of  stem  that  has  been  in  alcohol, 
or  they  may  readily  be  pulled  off  from  an  older  part  of  the  plant.  It 
is  composed  of  cells  varying  from  15  /it  to  100  fx  in  length,  and  from 
10  to  30  ft  in  width,  with  their  greatest  diameter  parallel  to  the  axis 
of  the  stem.  The  depth  of  the  epidermal  cells  is  more  constant  than 
their  width  or  length,  being  about  20  to  30  ^l.  Their  outer  wall  is 
about  5  A''  in  thickness.  Treatment  with  concentrated  sulphuric  acid 
dissolves  the  rest  of  the  cell  and  leaves  the  cuticle  as  shown  on  pi.  I, 
fig.  5.  Caustic  potash  causes  the  outer  wall  to  swell  slightly,  when  the 
striated  cuticularized  portion  can  be  seen  covered  by  the  more  re- 
fractive cuticle  proper.  Schultze's  solution  stains  the  epidermis  orange- 
rufous,  the  stain  showing  over  the  same  portion  of  the  cell  wall  that  is 
left  after  the  action  of  sulphuric  acid.  Hence  we  may  conclude  that 
the  external  and  part  of  the  lateral  walls  of  the  epidermal  cells  are 
cutinized. 

Trichomes 

PL  I,  Fig.  2 

The  Trichomes  are  simple  hairs  formed  by  the  prolongation  of  one 
epidermal  cell,  and  when  young  are  filled  with  protoplasm.  Concen- 
trated sulphuric  acid  does  not  dissolve  them,  and  Schultze's  solution 
stains  them  the  same  color  as  the  outer  wall  of  the  epidermal  cells- 
Hence  I  conclude  that  their  cell  walls  are  cuticularized.  Their  aver- 
age length  is  about  .4  mm.  They  are  divided  by  septae  into  three  or 
more  cells.  At  the  base  of  the  hair  the  wall  is  equal  in  thickness  to 
the  outer  one  of  the  epidermal  cells,  but  soon  becomes  much  thinner, 
and  the  greater  portion  of  the  hair  is  bounded  by  a  wall  about  2|-  /^  in 
thickness. 

Stomata 
PL  II,  Fig.  3^ 

These  are  most  numerous  on  the  youngest  portions  of  the  ^^<^em, 
and,  with  one  exception,  all  I  have  seen  have  their  opening  par^    ^1 


HISTOLOGY   OF   STEM   OF   THE   WAX   PLANT     263 

to  the  axis  of  the  stem.  It  is  difficult  to  estimate  the  number  in  a  given 
space,  as  they  are  very  irregularly  distributed  and  the  proportion 
varies  with  the  age  of  the  stem.  In  a  square  millimeter  of  epidermis  I 
have  counted  ten  stomata  in  one  case  and  in  others  but  one;  perhaps 
five  would  be  a  fair  average  for  the  younger  portions  of  the  stem. 

Papilla 

These  are  developed  on  the  older  portions  of  the  stem  and  appear 
to  be  formed  by  a  thickening  of  the  central  portion  of  the  outer  wall 
of  the  cells  of  the  epidermis. 

Cork 

As  stated  before,  the  outer  wall  of  the  epidermis  is  deeply  cutinized, 
but  in  the  younger  portions  of  the  stem  we  find  no  cork.  As  the  stem 
increases  in  age  and  the  lateral  walls  of  the  epidermal  cells  become 
suberized,  the  next  cell,  the  cork  cambium  or  phellogen,  divides 
tangentially,  the  outer  half  forming  the  first  cork  cell  which  is  suber- 
ized in  the  same  manner  as  the  epidermis.  The  inner  half  of  the  cell 
again  divides,  and  in  this  way  cork  is  continually  formed.  The 
development  of  the  cork  is  shown  on  pi.  II,  fig.  4,  in  which  p  is 
the  phellogen  which  divides  to  form  the  cork  cells  c.  The  alteration 
that  takes  place  in  the  cell  walls  changing  them  from  cellulose  to  cork 
proceeds  from  the  outer  wall  to  the  inner  one. 

"It  is  not  possible  to  account  satisfactorily  for  these  substances, 
subterin  and  lignin,  in  cell  walls.  They  are  probably  the  result  of 
modification  of  the  cell  wall  and  not  of  interfiltration."  ^  This  state- 
ment is  supported  by  the  manner  in  which  the  phellogen  cells  of  Hoya 
carnosa  become  suberized.  Treatment  with  sulphuric  acid  shows 
this  very  plainly.  In  the  younger  portions  of  the  stem  the  epidermis 
alone  is  left  after  the  parenchyma  is  destroyed,  then  the  lateral  and 
finally  the  inner  wall  remains,  the  suberization  always  taking  place 
toward  the  phellogen.  Now  it  has  been  demonstrated  that  in  coni- 
fers the  cells  become  suberized  after  they  have  lost  their  protoplasmic 
contents,  and  this  would  seem  to  be  the  case  in  the  cork  of  Hoya 
carnosa. 

As  soon  as  the  cork  is  formed,  the  cells  on  the  outside  are  shut  off 
from  further  supply  of  nourishment,  as  far  as  we  know,  and  if  the 

^  "  Physiology  of  Plants,"  S.  H.  Vines,  p.  i8. 


264     HISTOLOGY   OF   STEM   OF   THE   WAX   PLANT 

suberization  was  the  result  of  interfiltration,  it  would  seem  as  if  it 
should  proceed /row  the  growing  portion  of  the  plant,  and  not  toward 
it  from  those  that  are  dead.  If  the  suberization  was  caused  by  the  cell 
walls  absorbing  the  contents  of  the  cell,  it  is  but  fair  to  suppose  that 
they  would  become  suberized  equally,  although  the  opposite  might 
be  the  case.  However  it  may  be,  in  Hoya  carnosa  it  would  seem  as 
if  some  change  which  we  call  suberization  took  place  in  the  cell  wall, 
caused  by  being  cut  off  from  the  supply  of  nourishment. 

The  Outer  Band  of  Parenchyma 

This  is  most  prominent  in  the  younger  parts  of  the  stem  and  is  grad- 
ually reduced  in  thickness  as  the  plant  increases  in  age,  till  in  the  older 
portions  it  is  equaled  in  depth  by  the  cork.  It  is  composed  of  spheri- 
cal cells  having  thin  cellulose  walls,  varying  in  diameter  from  lo  to 
50  /x  and  increasing  in  size  from  the  cork  to  the  sclerotic  girdle.  The 
cell  walls  dissolve  readily  in  sulphuric  acid  and  are  turned  blue  by  the 
action  of  Schultze's  solution.  In  the  older  portions  of  the  stem  they 
become  irregularly  thickened  and  then  present  a  pitted  appearance. 

This  band  contains  most  of  the  chlorophyll  and  starch,  also 
protoplasm,  sclerotic  cells,  milk  tissues,  crystals  of  oxalate  of  lime, 
and  the  coloring  matter  of  the  younger  portions  of  the  stem.  The 
last  is  a  rose-purple,  apparently  homogeneous  fluid.  Alcohol  dis- 
solves it  rather  slowly  but  much  faster  than  it  does  the  chlorophyll. 
The  addition  of  caustic  potash  changes  the  color  to  a  sea-green,  which 
is  quite  distinct  from  the  yellowish  green  of  the  chlorophyll.  The 
contents  of  all  the  cells  of  the  bark  are  changed  in  color  to  an  apple- 
green,  which  decreases  in  intensity  toward  the  cambium  and  deepens 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  cells  that  before  contained  the  purple  coloring 
matter.  Hence  it  would  appear  that  this  material  is  contained  in  all 
the  cells  of  the  bark,  but  only  in  the  outer  ones  does  it  become  visible. 
The  green  color  produced  by  potash  gradually  fades  and  leaves  the 
chlorophyll  granules  apparently  unaltered  in  color  and  form.  Con- 
centrated hydrochloric  acid  causes  the  color  to  change  to  a  rich  wine- 
purple,  which  is  confined  to  the  cells  containing  the  coloring  matter 
and  does  not  spread  through  the  other  cells  like  the  green  caused  by 
potash.  The  color  lasts  perhaps  ten  minutes  and  then  fades.  Strong 
sulphuric  acid  has  the  same  effect,  but  the  walls  of  the  parenchyma 
swell  and  are  gradually  destroyed. 


HISTOLOGY   OF   STEM    OF   THE   WAX   PLANT     265 

Schultze's  solution  at  first  changes  the  color  to  wine-purple  and 
then  shows  the  cells  that  contained  it  to  be  quite  filled  with  starch. 
I  have  been  unable  to  identify  this  substance  with  any  description 
at  my  command  of  the  coloring  matter  of  plants.  It  is  probably 
complex  in  structure,  and  further  investigation  is  needed  by  some  one 
more  skilled  in  micro-chemistry  than  myself. 

Crystals 

These  are  composed  of  oxalate  of  lime  and  are  contained  in  con- 
siderable numbers  in  this  band  of  tissue,  mostly  outside  of  the  sclerotic 
girdle.  They  are  of  a  general  spherical  shape,  presenting  many  sharp 
points  over  the  surface  as  shown  in  pi.  II,  fig.  6.  It  has  been  stated  ^ 
that  they  are  inclosed  in  a  cellulose  wall  and  supported  by  threads  of 
cellulose ;  this  I  have  been  unable  to  confirm,  but  think  from  the  way 
in  which  they  act  when  treated  with  hydrochloric  acid  or  Schultze's 
solution  that  it  is  so.  They  certainly  have  a  nucleus  of  organic 
matter. 

Milk  Cells 

PI.  I,  Fig.  7 

Davids,  in  1872,  published  a  pamphlet  containing  the  results  of 
his  investigations  of  the  milk  cells  of  the  EuphorbiacecB,  Moracece, 
Apocynacece,  and  AsclepiadacecB,  and  there  gives  references  to  the  litera- 
ture on  the  subject.  The  Apocynacece  and  Asclepiadacece  he  treats 
together,  taking  Nerium  oleander  as  the  type  of  one,  and  Hoya  car- 
nosa  of  the  other,  stating  that  in  the  latter  the  milk  cells  are  almost 
exclusively  confined  to  the  parenchyma  inside  the  sclerotic  girdle. 
He  gives  their  diameter  from  18  to  21  ^l,  states  that  they  are  moder- 
ately branched,  have  no  septa,  and  that  their  ends  are  closed.  Also 
that  they  are  formed  in  the  growing  point  and  are  developed  simul- 
taneously in  the  hark  and  in  the  pith.  They  are  not  cell  fusions  hut  cells 
which  hy  stretching  and  branching  reach  a  considerahle  length  in  the 
intercellular  space.  They  consist  of  fundamental  cells  and  are  not  to  he 
considered  homologous  with  the  true  hast  nor  as  part  of  the  hundle  sys- 
tems (Gefasshiindel  Systeme).  They  do  not  anastomose  with  each  other 
and  therefore  huild  no  " system''  in  plants.  As  far  as  my  investigation 
has  gone  the  above  observations  are  correct,  but  the  milk  cells  are 

^  Botanischer  Jahresbericht,  1880,  vi,  p.  31. 


266     HISTOLOGY    OF   STEM    OF   THE   WAX   PLANT 

found  outside  of  the  sclerotic  girdle  more  frequently  than  the  above 
statement  would  seem  to  imply.  They  are  filled  with  a  greenish 
yellow  fluid  distinctly  granular  in  structure.  They  can  be  very  readily 
seen  in  a  longitudinal  radial  section  and  also  in  a  tangential  one  that 
passes  through  the  parenchyma  of  the  bark. 

Chlorophyll 

The  chlorophyll  is  principally  contained  in  the  outer  border  of  the 
parenchyma  and  is  composed  of  granules  about  5  At  in  diameter.  I 
have  been  unable  to  decide  whether  they  contain  starch,  but  think 
that  they  do.  The  inner  band  of  parenchyma  also  contains  chloro- 
phyll on  its  outer  boundary,  but  it  is  not  found  in  any  other  parts  of 
the  stem,  to  my  knowledge. 

Starch 

In  the  outer  band  of  parenchyma  starch  is  very  abundant  and 
completely  fills  some  of  the  cells.  The  granules  vary  in  size,  but  5  ^l 
would  perhaps  be  a  fair  average.  They  do  not  show  any  markings  as 
far  as  I  have  been  able  to  observe,  except  a  slight  suggestion  of  a 
granular  structure.  In  this  band  of  tissue  starch  also  occurs  in  the 
inner  ring  of  parenchyma,  in  the  wood,  pith,  and  medullary  rays,  if 
what  I  consider  the  latter  proves  to  be  correct.  The  occurrence  of 
starch  varies  with  the  treatment  the  plant  has  received,  for  on  making 
a' section  of  a  plant  that  had  been  for  some  time  without  water,  the 
starch  had  almost  entirely  left  the  parts  of  stem  where  it  was  abundant 
before.  In  regard  to  the  protoplasm  I  can  only  say  that  it  is  contained 
in  the  cells  of  this  band,  but  I  have  not  attempted  to  investigate  its 
properties,  as  the  object  of  this  paper  is  to  describe  the  structure  of 
the  plant  cells  rather  than  their  contents. 

Sclerotic  Cells 

These  will  be  considered  when  treating  the  sclerotic  girdle.  It  is 
only  necessary  to  state  here  that  they  occur  in  abundance  just  under 
the  bark  and  are  irregularly  scattered  through  the  band  of  parenchyma. 
They  increase  in  number  as  the  plant  grows  older,  and  it  is  in  the  old- 
est portions  of  the  stem  that  we  find  them  most  numerous. 

This  plant  offers  better  opportunities  for  the  study  of  these  cells 
than  any  known  to  me.     They  are  to  be  found  in  the  petiole  and  leaf 


HISTOLOGY    OF    STEM    OF    THE    WAX   PLANT     267 

as  well  as  in  the  stem,  and  being  so  abundant,  their  development  can 
easily  be  traced,  and  the  changes  that  take  place  in  the  contents  of 
the  cells  that  later  become  transformed  offer  an  interesting  field 
for  investigation.  It  is  difficult  to  account  for  their  presence.  The 
sclerotic  girdle  may  be  readily  supposed  to  be  for  the  purpose  of 
strengthening  the  stem,  but  these  separate  cells  cannot  be  considered 
in  that  light,  as  they  are  surrounded  by  parenchyma  and  simply  add 
their  weight  to  the  stem  without  contributing  to  its  support.  They 
do  not  connect  with  each  other  except  where  two  or  more  happen  to 
be  in  contact,  and  therefore  can  hardly  be  considered  as  part  of  the 
system  of  the  plant.  They  may  better  be  regarded  as  the  result  of 
secretions  for  which  the  plant  has  no  further  use. 

Sclerotic  Girdle 

The  sclerotic  girdle  makes  its  first  appearance  in  the  third  or  fourth 
internode  by  the  lignification  of  some  of  the  cells  of  the  parenchyma 
surrounding  the  bast,  thus  forming  a  broken  ring.  The  intervening 
cells  soon  become  lignified,  and  we  have  the  girdle  formed  of  a  single 
row  of  cells  which  afterward  increases  to  two  or  more  rows. 

Now  if  a  young  portion  of  the  stem  in  which  the  sclerotic  girdle 
has  not  yet  formed  is  treated  with  iodine,  the  first  row  of  cells  sur- 
rounding the  bast  will  be  seen  to  be  filled  with  starch  forming  a  distinct 
and  striking  circle  of  a  dark  blue  color.  It  is  the  row  of  cells  surround- 
ing those  containing  the  starch  that  develop  into  the  sclerotic  girdle, 
and  it  seems  almost  impossible  to  resist  the  conclusion  that  the  starch 
is  in  some  way  connected  with  the  growth  of  the  sclerotic  cells. 

Lignification  of  the  Sclerotic  Girdle 

The  walls  of  the  cells  that  form  the  girdle  are  at  first  slightly 
thickened  on  all  sides,  leaving  small  pores  which  later  form  canals 
as  shown  on  pL  II,  fig.  7.  I  have  not  been  able  to  decide  whether 
these  ''pores"  are  holes  through  the  cells  or  spaces  left  unlignified^ 
but  I  think  the  latter,  as  it  seems  that  if  they  were  holes  they  would 
appear  before  lignification,  which,  as  far  as  my  knowledge  extends,  is 
not  the  case.  The  cell  walls  then  increase  in  thickness  either  by  the 
formation  of  substance  on  the  inside  or  interfiltration,  between  the 
pores,  which  thus  become  canals.  In  my  opinion  the  cell  walls  are 
formed  by  layers  added  to  the  inside,  as  they  are  distinctly  striated. 


268     HISTOLOGY   OF   STEM    OF  THE   WAX   PLANT 

and  as  the  canals  grow  longer,  their  ends  approach  each  other,  the 
portions  of  the  cell  becoming  wedge-shaped,  as  shown  on  pi.  II, 
fig.  7,  and  this  would  be  hard  to  account  for  on  the  theory  of  interfil- 
tration,  for  then  as  the  cell  becomes  more  and  more  lignified,  the  inner 
portion  would  have  to  contract  or  the  canals  become  closed.  Now 
while  some  of  the  canals  do  run  together  and  form  one,  the  majority 
of  them  run  from  the  circumference  to  the  center.  At  last  the  cell 
becomes  almost  entirely  closed,  with  the  exception  of  the  canals  before 
mentioned. 

An  interesting  problem  arises  in  connection  with  the  sclerotic 
girdle.  It  is  formed  in  the  young  stem  and  incloses  a  portion  of  the 
soft  tissues  between  itself  and  the  wood.  Now  as  the  stem  becomes 
thicker,  the  girdle  must  increase  its  diameter.  The  cells  surrounding 
it  keep  pace  with  the  enlargement  of  the  stem  by  the  simple  act  of 
division.  The  sclerotic  cells  do  not  divide,  to  my  knowledge,  for 
they  are  lignified  almost  to  the  center,  and  any  division  could  be  very 
easily  seen.  The  problem  is,  how  does  it  grow  ?  We  know  that  the 
tissues  of  plants  are  under  considerable  pressure,  as  is  shown  by  simply 
cutting  a  stem  in  two,  when  the  fluids  contained  will  immediately 
exude,  and  this  can  be  explained  only  by  the  supposition  that  they  are 
squeezed  out  by  the  contraction  of  the  tissues  surrounding  them. 
This  tension  will  explain  the  flattened  form  assumed  by  the  sclerotic 
girdle  in  the  older  parts  of  the  stem,  for,  as  stated  above,  the  compres- 
sion takes  place  on  the  radial  line.  The  difference  in  shape  between 
the  cells  composing  the  girdle  and  the  sclerotic  ones  near  it  is  very 
marked,  the  latter  being  comparatively  round.  The  increase  in 
tangential  diameter  the  cells  receive  would  seem  hardly  sufficient  to 
allow  the  stem  to  expand  as  it  does.  The  following  experiment  was 
made.  A  section  was  chosen  in  which  the  sclerotic  girdle  had  partly 
formed  and  in  which  the  cells  composing  it  were  almost  round.  The 
diameter  of  the  girdle  was  measured  and  found  to  be  2  mm;  the 
circumference  was  then  calculated  and  found  to  be  6.2832  mm.  The 
cells  composing  the  girdle  were  counted  and  found  to  be  about  209 
in  one  case  and  226  in  another.  The  former  figures  give  .03  mm.,  the 
latter  .0288  mm.,  as  the  diameter  of  the  cells  composing  the  girdle.  An 
average  cell  of  the  girdle  was  then  measured  tangentially  and  found 
to  be  .035  mm.  in  diameter.  As  the  cells  are  slightly  longer  in  that 
direction  than  radially,  these  figures  are  quite  close,  and  we  may  adopt 


I 


HISTOLOGY    OF   STEM    OF   THE   WAX   PLANT     269 

the  figure  obtained  by  calculation  (.03  mm.)  without  serious  error. 
Making  the  same  calculation  for  a  girdle  3  mm.  in  diameter  where  the 
cells  were  220  in  number,  we  find  their  diameter  to  be  .04  mm.,  while 
their  measured  diameter  is  .05  mm.,  the  difference  being  doubtless 
due  to  the  overlapping  of  the  cells. 

^1     1  ^.        2  X  3.1416       6.2832 

Calculation    ^ — - —  =  ^-  =  .035  mm. 

209  209 

Hence  we  see  that  the  elongation  of  the  cell  is  sufficient  to  account 
for  the  increase  of  the  girdle  thus  far.  But  when  we  look  at  a  section 
in  which  the  sclerotic  ring  measures  7  or  8  mm.  in  diameter,  we  see 
that  it  contains  many  small  round  cells  as  well  as  the  flattened  ones, 
and  in  some  places  the  girdle  is  separated  by  a  cell  of  parenchyma, 
thus  suggesting  that  the  increase  in  growth  is  not  due  to  the  compres- 
sion of  the  cells  alone,  but  that  some  of  them  separate,  and  the  spaces 
left  vacant  are  filled  by  parenchyma  that  soon  becomes  lignified.  This 
must  take  place  very  rapidly,  as  I  have  never  found  sclerotic  cells  in 
the  process  of  formation  in  the  girdle  of  the  older  portions  of  the  stem. 

As  stated  before,  the  object  of  the  sclerotic  girdle  is  probably  the 
support  of  the  young  stem,  as  the  plant  twines  but  feebly.  When  the 
stem  reaches  a  diameter  of  ten  or  twelve  millimeters,  the  girdle  no 
longer  stands  out  as  a  conspicuous  component  of  the  section,  but  is 
separated  in  places  and  appears  to  be  gradually  losing  its  identity,  and 
I  venture  to  say,  if  its  object  is  as  I  have  supposed,  that  in  a  still  larger 
stem  the  girdle,  being  no  longer  needed  for  support,  would  be  found 
disintegrated  and  mingled  with  the  sclerotic  cells  of  the  parenchyma. 

The  Inner  Band  of  Parenchyma 

This  is  composed  of  cells  similar  in  structure,  shape,  and  size  to 
those  of  the  outer  band,  and  also  contains  besides  the  bast  fibers, 
sclerotic  cells,  chlorophyll,  crystals,  and  starch.  It  is  the  outer  cells 
of  this  band  that  are  filled  with  starch  before  the  development  of  the 
sclerotic  girdle.  The  bast  fibers  lie  scattered  in  bundles  mostly  near 
the  outer  boundary  of  the  band.  They  are  fusiform  in  shape,  about 
20  fJL  in  diameter,  their  walls  are  about  6  /-t  in  thickness,  and  are  very 
faintly  marked  in  the  manner  shown  on  pi.  II,  fig.  8. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  determine  their  average  length.  None  of 
those  I  have  been  able  to  isolate  with  certainty  have  measured  over 


270     HISTOLOGY   OF   STEM    OF   THE    WAX   PLANT 

3  J  mm.  The  ends  of  the  fibers  are  generally  prolonged  into  slender 
threads,  but  in  some  cases  the  termination  is  quite  abrupt,  and  they 
expand  slightly  near  the  end  as  shown  on  pi.  II,  fig.  Sb.  Sulphuric 
acid  causes  the  fibers  to  swell,  and  contract  violently  in  the  direction 
of  their  length,  and  finally  dissolves  them.  Schultze's  solution  changes 
them  to  a  deep  azure-blue  color ;  while  iodine  shows  a  slight  yellow 
tinge.  They  contain  a  fluid  that  stains  readily  with  magenta  and 
iodine,  and  does  not  appear  to  be  affected  by  sulphuric  acid.  Scat- 
tered here  and  there  in  this  band  of  parenchyma  will  be  seen  crystals, 
sclerotic  cells,  and  milk  cells  (latex  cells).  These  are  in  all  respects 
similar  to  those  found  in  the  outer  band,  and  a  detailed  description 
of  them  need  not  be  repeated. 

Cambium 

The  cambium  cells  are  composed  of  exceeding  delicate  cellulose 
walls  and  by  successive  division  form  the  wood,  medullary  rays,  etc. , 
on  one  side,  and  the  tissues  that  surround  them,  on  the  other.  The 
development  of  these  tissues  has  not  been  attempted.  The  cells 
are  generally  about  15  /tt  in  cross  section  and  50  yw-  in  length. 

Wood 

Fritz  Miiller,  in  an  interesting  paper  in  the  Botanische  Zeitung, 
February,  1866,  describes  the  structure  of  the  wood  in  climbing 
plants  about  Disterro  and  gives  figures  showing  the  irregular  form  that 
it  sometimes  assumes.  He  states  that  these  irregularities  are  due  to 
the  separation  of  the  woody  portions  or  to  "strings  of  soft  tissue 
drawn  through  them,"  the  stem  becoming  thereby  more  flexible 
than  if  the  mass  of  wood  was  regularly  formed. 

In  the  young  stem  of  Hoya  carnosa  the  outer  boimdary  of  the  wood 
is  quite  regular  and  passes  in  to  the  cambium  in  the  ordinary  manner. 
But  as  the  stem  increases  in  age,  the  growth  is  more  and  more  irregular, 
till  in  a  stem  about  10  mm.  in  diameter  the  appearance  of  a  section  is 
like  that  shown  on  pi.  II,  fig.  i,  4;  the  wood  being  generally  much 
thicker  on  one  side  than  on  the  other  and  penetrated  in  many  places 
by  wedge-shaped  masses  of  parenchyma.  I  have  not  been  able  to 
decide  whether  the  wood  separates  and  allows  the  soft  tissue  to  pene- 
trate it,  or  whether  it  simply  grows  irregularly  around  them,  but  I 
think  the  former,  as  in  the  young  portions  of  the  stem  the  wood  makes 


HISTOLOGY    OF    STEM    OF   THE   WAX   PLANT     271 

an  unbroken  circle,  while  in  some  of  the  older  portions  the  parenchyma 
has  reached  almost  to  the  pith  and  the  distance  separating  them  is 
much  thinner  than  the  band  of  wood  in  the  young  stem. 

In  a  tangential  section  the  masses  of  parenchyma  are  shown  to 
be  lenticular  in  shape  with  their  longest  axis  parallel  to  the  axis  of  the 
stem,  looking  very  much  like  medullary  rays,  which  I  at  first  took  them 
to  be,  as  none  of  the  other  cells  in  such  a  section  show  the  ordinary 
appearance  so  generally  characteristic  of  these  tissues.  If,  however, 
we  make  a  radial  section,  we  can  distinguish  four  well-marked  forms 
of  cells:  (i)  the  wood  cells  proper;  (2)  the  ducts;  (3)  the  cells 
of  the  parenchyma,  if  the  section  has  been  made  through  a  portion  of 
the  stem  containing  them;  (4)  rectangular  cells,  very  regular  in 
form  and  length,  their  ends  thus  forming  well-marked  lines  across 
the  section.     These,  I  think,  are  the  medullary  rays. 

Next  to  the  pith  will  be  seen  cells  with  thickened  walls  giving  them 
the  appearance  of  a  spiral.  These  latter  are  best  seen  in  a  section  of 
a  young  stem.  These  various  tissues  with  the  exception  of  the  paren- 
chyma all  exhibit  the  characteristic  reactions  of  lignified  cells,  staining 
with  the  various  reagents  used  for  the  purpose  of  identifying  them,  such 
as  phlorglucin  and  thymol.  As  far  as  my  investigation  has  gone,  the 
ducts  contain  only  air.  The  medullary  rays  and  parenchyma  are 
usually  filled  with  starch ;  the  wood  cells  sometimes  contain  the  latter, 
but  are  generally  empty.  The  position  of  the  starch  varies  with  the 
season  of  the  year  and  the  circumstances  under  which  the  plant  has 
been  kept. 

Ducts 

In  a  transverse  section  of  the  stem  these  will  be  noticed  scattered 
through  the  wood.  Their  diameter  is  much  greater  than  that  of  the 
wood  cells,  being  from  25  to  50  /-t,  while  the  latter  are  quite  constant 
in  size,  having  a  cross  section  of  about  15  At.  The  length  of  the  ducts 
varies  greatly,  some  being  100  /^  long  and  others  only  10  /x.  They 
form  large  canals  through  the  stems,  the  ends  meeting  sometimes 
at  right  angles,  but  generally  overlap,  making  an  angle  of  about  40° 
with  the  direction  of  their  length.  Their  walls  are  about  equal  in 
thickness  to  the  walls  of  the  wood  cells,  but  are  regularly  pitted  as 
shown  on  pi.  II,  fig.  3. 

Sachs,  in  his  "Physiology  of  Plants,"  states  that  Theodore  Hartig, 


272     HISTOLOGY    OF   STEM    OF   THE   WAX   PLANT 

twenty  or  thirty  years  ago,  showed  that  the  "histological  elements  of 
the  wood  are  not  in  open  communication  with  each  other  and  that  the 
bordered  pits  of  the  wood  cells  (and  the  vessels  of  foliage  trees)  are 
not  actually  perforated,  but  closed  by  fine  membranes."  This  is 
confirmed  by  Sachs,  in  the  experiment  he  gives  on  the  same  page, 
namely,  by  filtering  through  the  wood  of  a  conifer  a  fine  emul- 
sion of  cinnabar,  the  cinnabar  not  penetrating  the  wood  cells.  He 
states  that  this  is  also  true  of  foliage  trees.  In  some  thin  sections  of 
wood  I  thought  I  could  see  the  connection  between  the  cells,  but 
could  never  satisfy  myself  that  there  really  was  one,  as  it  is  very 
difficult,  and  in  fact  a  matter  of  chance,  to  get  a  section  showing  clearly 
the  edge  of  the  wall  of  a  duct. 

The  ducts  are  surrounded  by  small  wood  cells  and  are  generally 
in  groups,  sometimes  two  being  contiguous  and  presenting  the  appear- 
ance of  one  large  one  having  a  longitudinal  partition.  At  the  point 
where  the  ends  of  two  ducts  meet,  the  walls  are  not  pitted  around  a 
circle  indicating  the  point  of  union,  but  in  the  central  portion  of  the 
transverse  wall  is  a  circular  plate  that  can  be  removed,  as  some  sec- 
tions show  a  space  that  was  formerly  occupied  by  the  disk,  and  in  a 
slide  of  macerated  wood  cells  we  find  these  round  perforated  portions 
of  the  ducts  abundant.  On  pi.  II,  fig.  3,  is  figured  the  end  of  a  duct, 
showing  the  circular  space  mentioned,  and  fig.  3a  of  the  same  plate 
shows  the  disk  that  formerly  occupied  it. 

The  ducts  are  formed  in  the  cambium,  and  while  increasing  in 
thickness,  their  walls  become  pitted.  These  pits  are  present  in  both 
the  tangential  and  radial  faces  and  also  where  the  ducts  meet  end  to 
end.  Some  portions  of  the  walls,  however,  are  without  pits,  but  their 
relation  to  the  position  of  the  cell  I  have  not  determined,  as  I  have 
only  noticed  the  fact  with  certainty  in  longitudinal  sections,  and,  of 
course,  it  is  not  possible  to  say  what  occupied  the  place  before  it  had 
been  cut  off. 

Wood  Cells 

These  are  very  irregular  in  shape,  and  some  of  the  forms  they 
assume  are  shown  on  pi.  II,  figs.  5-5^.  Their  diameter  is  quite 
constant,  being  about  15  A^.  Their  length  varies,  as  a  glance  at  the 
plate  mentioned  above  will  show  ;  some  are  5  mm.  in  length  and  others 
but  .15  mm.  They  may  easily  be  obtained  for  examination  by  macer- 
ating a  portion  of  the  wood,  or  by  boiling  a  piece  in  Schultze's  solution. 


HISTOLOGY   OF   STEM   OF   THE    WAX   PLANT     273 


They  have  rather  thick  lignified  walls  that  are  marked  by  pits  having 
a  slit-like  appearance,  the  longer  axis  of  the  slit  forming  an  angle 
with  the  sides  of  the  cells. 

Medullary  Rays 

The  cells  of  the  medullary  rays  in  the  plant  we  are  considering 
present  an  exception  to  those  usually  found,  in  that  they  stand  verti- 
cally, or  with  their  greatest  length  parallel  to  the  axis  of  the  stem. 
Generally  these  tissues  are  well  marked  in  a  tangential  section  by  their 
lenticular  form  and  the  difference  in  the  thickness  and  composition  of 
the  walls  of  their  cells  as  compared  with  those  of  the  other  components 
of  the  wood;  they  show  equally  well  in  a  radial  section  the  fact  that 
their  greatest  length  is  along  the  radial  line,  thus  crossing  the  axis  of 
the  other  cells  at  right  angles. 

In  Hoya,  as  stated  before,  tangential  sections  of  the  old  parts  of 
the  stem  show  lenticular  masses  of  parenchyma  that  might  be  easily 
mistaken  for  medullary  rays.  The  young  stem,  however,  does  not 
contain  them,  and  if  we  admit  they  are  the  rays,  we  must  concede  that 
none  exist  in  the  younger  portions  of  the  plant.  If  a  radial  section  of 
a  stem  is  examined,  cells  will  be  noticed  that  are  quite  regular  in  shape, 
as  shown  on  pi.  I,  fig.  6,  being  prismatic  in  form,  and,  as  shown  in 
the  section,  rectangular  in  outline  and  usually  quite  filled  with  starch. 
Their  sides  are  pitted,  as  are  also  the  ends.  They  are  generally  about 
I  mm.  in  length,  though  sometimes  longer  or  shorter,  and  about 
.015  mm.  in  diameter.  In  a  cross-section  of  the  stem  they  may  be 
easily  recognized  by  the  starch  they  contain  and  by  the  pitted  plate  or 
end  of  the  cells,  some  of  which  are  generally  shown.  ''  But  few  minute 
investigations  on  the  structure  of  the  cells  of  medullary  rays  exist,  and 
many  details  of  structure  are  still  to  be  discovered."  ^ 

If  I  am  correct  in  supposing  the  tissues  described  above  as  medul- 
lary rays,  they  resemble  the  wood  cells  very  closely  in  all  but  their 
shape.  They  run  from  pith  to  bark  and  are  marked  with  pits  similar 
to  those  of  the  wood  cells.  The  inner  boundary  of  the  wood  is  formed 
by  a  few  long  cells  with  the  walls  thickened  in  a  spiral  or  annular 
manner.  In  cutting  a  section  the  cells  separate  very  readily  and,  as  it 
were,  uncoil.  They  are  lignified  like  the  wood,  but  in  cross-section 
are  circular  with  the  walls  slightly  thinner. 

^  De  Bary,  "Comparative  Anatomy  of  Ferns  and  Phanerogams,"  p.  486. 


HISTOLOGY   OF   STEM    OF   THE   WAX   PLANT     275 

Pith 

The  pith  is  composed  of  spherical  cells  from  lo  to  50  ix  in  diameter, 
being  generally  filled  with  starch  and  having  thin  cellulose  walls 
without  markings,  as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  observe.  In  the  center 
are  a  number  of  sclerotic  cells  similar  to  those  found  in  other  parts 
of  the  plant,  but  more  regular  in  shape.  These  form  the  axis  of  the 
plant,  growing  upward  in  advance  of  the  sclerotic  girdle.  They  are 
of  the  same  size  as  the  cells  of  the  pith  and  are  developed  like  those 
of  the  girdle  by  the  thickening  of  the  cell  wall.  Crystals  also  occur 
in  abundance,  and  are  sometimes  surrounded  by  the  sclerotic  cells. 
They  have  a  nucleus  of  organic  matter  and  often  completely  fill  the 
cell  that  holds  them.  Around  the  pith  will  be  noticed  clusters  of 
small  cells  presenting  the  appearance  shown  on  pi.  II,  figs,  i,  4. 
These,  I  think,  are  what  Davids  calls  Weichhasthundels.  They 
are  about  10  jjl  in  diameter  and  50  ^i  in  length.  These  cells  are  filled 
with  a  colorless  fluid  and  bounded  by  thin  cellulose  walls.  They 
are  sometimes  arranged  around  the  pith,  forming  four  well-marked 
patches,  as  shown  in  the  figure  referred  to. 

Such  is  a  general  account  of  the  structure  of  Hoya  carnosa.  If  we 
glance  for  a  moment  at  its  methods  of  growth,  we  at  first  see  the  young 
stem  with  the  column  of  sclerotic  cells  in  the  center,  which,  as  it 
advances,  is  followed  by  the  girdle  which  envelops  the  tissues  within 
it  and  furnishes  a  rigid  support  to  the  plant  with  the  least  expense  of 
material,  and,  if  my  supposition  prove  correct,  disappearing  when  the 
wood  has  reached  a  sufficient  thickness  to  render  its  presence  super- 
fluous. 

I  wish  in  conclusion  to  acknowledge  my  obligations  to  Dr.  N.  L. 
Britton  and  others  who  have  kindly  assisted  me  with  advice  and  sug- 
gestions. 

EXPLANATION   OF  PLATES 

Plate  I 


Fig.  I.  Cross-section  of  young  stem  showing  the  different  zones  of  tissues  men- 
tioned on  page  4. 

Fig.  2.   Hair  from  young  stem.     Page  7. 

Fig.  3a.  Transverse  section  of  a  stoma.  Fig.  4.  Diagrammatic  showing  develop- 
ment of  cork,    p  =  phellogen.     c  =  cork.     Page  8. 

Fig.  5.   Epidermis  of  stem  as  left  after  action  of  sulphuric  acid. 


276     HISTOLOGY   OF   STEM    OF   THE   WAX   PLANT 

Fig.  6.   Medullary  ray.     Longitudinal  radi?il  section.     Page  30. 
Fig.  7.  Milk  cell  from  outer  band  of  parenchyma. 
All  figures  magnified  200  times  linear. 

"~~  Plate  II 

Figs.  I  and  4.   Cross-section  of  stem  showing  irregular  growth  of  wood,     i  X  10 

times  linear;  4  X  40  times  linear,  p.  24. 
Fig.  2.   Tangential  section  of  old  stem  showing  lenticular  form  of   penetrating 

parenchyma.     X  10  times  linear. 
Fig.  3.   Short  duct  from  old  stem  showing  manner  of  pitting.     3a,  disk  that 

occupies  space  above  it.     X  400  linear,  p.  27. 
Figs.  5-5^.   Different  forms  of  wood  cells.     X  200  linear,  p.  29. 
Fig.  6.   Crystal  from  pith  of  young  stem.     X  200  linear,  p.  11. 
Fig.  7.   Sclerotic  cells  from  girdle  of  stem.     X  200  linear. 
Figs.  8-86.   Bast  fibers  showing  manner  of  striation.     X  200  linear. 


Plate  II. 


fc^ « V .  >V<  oi^Xivcdie   Ajc^Xc  ck^  t-voJ>- 


INDEX   TO    BAHAMAN    PAPERS 


The  genera  of  Actinia,  Birds,  and  Crustaceans  are  given  in  the  following  index,  and  \}s\t.  families  oi 
plants,  together  with  all  the  new  species. 


Acanthacaea,  183. 

Acanthonyx,  79. 

Acasta,  96. 

Achelous,  76,  77. 

Actsea,  75. 

Actinia,  103-117. 

Actites,  61. 

^gialitis,  61. 

Agelaius,  56. 

Aiptasia,  103,  117. 

Aizoaceae,  153. 

Aletris  bracteata  n.  sp.,  144,  Plate  i. 

Alpheus,  89-93. 

Alpheus    hippothoe    bahamensis     n,     var., 

89,  Fig.^ 
Alpheus  nigro-spinatus  n.  sp.,  91,  Fig. 
Amarantaceae,  152. 
Amaryllidaceae,  145. 
Anacardiaceas,  164. 
Anastraphia  northropiana  n.  sp.,  190. 
Andros,  general  account,  13,  23,  24,  28,  29, 

50,  122. 

Previous  collectors,  50,  51,  120,  126,  127, 

Anguria  keithii  n.  sp.,  187,  Plate  18. 

Anonaceae,  153. 

Anous,  64. 

Antrostomus,  58. 

Apocynaceae,  175. 

Ardea,  62,  63. 

Arecaceae,  141. 

Aristolochiaceae,  150. 

Asclepiadaceae,  175. 

Athanas  ortmanni  n.  sp.,  93,  94,  Fig. 

Bahaman     collection,      general     summary, 

25,  34. 
Bahama  Islands,  general  description,  27,  28. 

Formation,  46,  47. 

Bahaman  trip,  general  account,  1-24. 
Balanoglossus,  5. 
Batideae,  152. 
Bignoniaceae,  182. 
Birds,  general  notes,  48.' 

Annotated  hst,  50-65. 

Bixaceae,  168. 
Blacicus,  57. 
Boraginaceae,  178. 
Bromeliaceae,  144. 
Burseraceae,  162. 


Cactaceae,  171. 

Caesalpinaceae,  156. 

CalUchelidon,  55. 

CalHnectes,  76. 

Canellaceae,  169. 

Capparidaceae,  154. 

Cardisoma,  72. 

Caricaceae,  170. 

Cassia  Caribaea  n.  sp.,  156,  Plate  6. 

Catesbaea  fasciculata  n.  sp.,  184,  Plate  16. 

Cathartes,  61. 

Caulerpaceae,  129. 

Celastraceae,  164. 

Ceramiaceae,  131. 

Ceryle,  60. 

Chastangiaceae,  131. 

Characeae,  132. 

Chara  depauperata  n.  sp.,  132. 

Charadrius,  61. 

Chenopodiaceae,  75. 

Chlorodius,  75. 

Chordeiles,  58. 

Cladophoraceae,  129. 

Coccyzus,  60. 

Codiaceae,  129. 

Coenobita,  81. 

Coereba,  55. 

Columba,  61. 

Columbigallinas,  61. 

Combretaceae,  171. 

Commelinaceae,  144. 

Compositae,  188-190. 

Compsothlypis,  53. 

Condylactis,  103. 

Coniferae,  134. 

Convolvulaceae,  176,  177. 

Corallinaceae,  131. 

Crassulaceae,  154. 

Crossopetalum     coriaceum      n.     sp.,     165, 

Plate  9. 
Crotophaga,  59. 
Crudferae,  154. 
Crustacea,  report  on,  69-98. 
Cucurbitaceae,  187. 
Cultivation  of   sisal  in  the  Bahamas,  212- 


224, 

Cuscutaceae,  177. 
Cycadaceae,  134. 
Cyclospathe  n.  gen 


14. 


279 


280 


INDEX   TO    BAHAMAN   PAPERS 


Cyclbspathe  northropi  n.  sp.,  142,  143. 
Cyperaceae,  136.    . 

Dasycladaceae,  130. 

Dendrocygna,  64. 

Dendroica,  53, 

Dictyotaceae,  130.. 

Dioscoreacese,  146. 

Diplactis,  105,  108,  109,  iii,  Fig. 

Discosma,  104. 

Domoecia,  74. 

Doricha,  58. 

Dromidia,  79. 

Dryobates,  60. 

Ebenaceae,  174. 

Eriphia,  73, 

Erythroxylon     reticulatum      n.     sp.,     159, 

Plate  8. 
Eupatorium  bahamense  n.  sp.,  188,  Plate  19. 
Euphorbiaceae,  162-164. 
Eutheia,  56. 

Falco,  60. 
Ferns,  133,  134. 

Flora  of  New  Providence  and  Andros,  119- 
211. 

Analysis  of  collection,  127-128. 

• Botanical  regions,  123-126,  211. 

Endemic  species,  207. 

Notes  on  distribution,  207,  211. 

Relations  of  flora,  190-193. 

Tables  showing  distribution,  194-207. 

Fregata,  64. 
Fucaceae,  130. 
Fungi,  list,  132. 

Galeoscoptes,  52. 
Gecarcinus,  71,  72. 
Gemmaria,  104. 
Gentianaceae,  175. 
Geology  of  Bahamas,  29-47. 

Banana-holes,  17,  36,  38. 

BoiHng  holes,  35,  36. 

Caves,  8,  33,  34. 

Erosion,  31,  32. 

Effects  of  vegetation  on  surface  rhizo- 

morphs,  38,  41. 

Reefs,  13,  44. 

Subsidence  or  elevation,  42-45. 

Surface  deposits,  31. 

Geothlypis,  54. 
Goniopsis,  73. 
Gonodactylus,  95. 
Goodeniaceae,  188. 
Gramineae,  135. 
Grapsus,  73. 

Haematopus,  61. 

Helicteres  spiralis  n.  sp.,  167,  168,  Plate. 
Heliotropium  nanum  n.  sp.,  178,  Plate. 
Helminthocladiaceae,  131. 


Heteractaea,  75. 

Heteractis  lucida,  103-107,  117,  Fig. 

Himantopus,  61. 

Hydrophyllaceae,  177. 

HymenocaUis  arencola  n.  sp.,   146,  Plate  2, 

Hypericaceae,  168. 

Icturus   northropi   n.   sp.,   56,  66-68.     Col- 
ored plate. 
Ilicaceae,  165. 
Isaurus,  104,  11 2-1 15,  Fig. 

Labiatae,  180. 

Land  crabs,  8,  18. 

Larus,  64. 

Lauraceae,  153,  154. 

Leander  northropi  n.  sp.,  87,  88,  Fig. 

Lebrunea,  104,  108. 

Leiolephus,  72. 

Lentibulariaceae,  182. 

Lichens,  Ust,  132. 

Liliaceae,  144. 

Linaceae,  159. 

Linum  bahamense  n.  sp.,  159,  Plate  7. 

Lithotrya,  95. 

Loganiaceae,  174. 

Lophactaea,  75. 

Loranthaceae,  150. 

Loxigilla,  6,  56. 

Lythraceae,  170. 

Macrocceloma,  77. 

Malpighiaceae,  160, 

Malvaceae,  167. 

Mammals,  24,  48. 

Map  New  Providence  and  Andros,  27. 

Marine  algae,  1 29-131. 

Melastomaceae,  172. 

Metastelma     barbatum    n.    sp.,    175,    176, 

Plate  14. 
Microphys,  77. 
Mimocichla,  52. 
Mimosaceae,  154,  155. 
Mimus,  52. 
Mithrax,  78,  79. 
Mniotilta,  53. 
Moringaceae,  164. 
Mosses,  list  of,  133. 
Myiarchis,  57. 
Myrsinaceas,  173. 
Myrstiphyllum   ligustrifolium    n.    sp.,    186, 

Plate  17. 
Myrtaceae,  170. 

Naiadaceae,  135. 

Nassau  and    environs,  general    description, 

1-4. 
New  Providence,  general  description,  27,  119, 

120. 
Nyctaginaceae,  152. 
Nycticorax,  63. 


INDEX   TO    BAHAMAN   PAPERS 


281 


Ocypodea,  70. 
Oleaceae,  174. 
Onagraceae,  172. 
Orchidaceae,  146-149, 
Othonia,  78. 
Oxalidacese,  158. 

Pachycheles,  80,  81. 

Pachygrapsus,  73. 

Palaemon,  87. 

Palms,  136-144. 

Palythoa,  104. 

Panopeus,  74. 

Panulirus,  83. 

Papaveraceae,  154. 

Papilionaceae,  157. 

Passifloraceae,  169. 

Paurotis  n.  gen.,  138. 

Paurotis  androa,  n.  sp.,  139,  140. 

Pelecanus,  64. 

Penaeus,  94. 

Petrochirus,  82. 

Petrolisthes,  81. 

Phalacrocorax,  64. 

Phoenicopterus,  12,  63,  64. 

Phoradendron    northropiae      n.     sp.,      150, 

Plate  4. 
Phymanthus,  104. 
Phytolaccaceae,  152. 
Piranga,  56. 
Pitangus,  57. 
Pithecolobium     bahamense     n.     sp.,      155, 

Plate  5. 
Plagusia,  72, 
Plumbaginaceae,  173. 
Polioptila,  53. 
Polygalaceae,  162. 
Polygonaceae,  151. 
Polypodiaceae,  133-134. 
Porcellana,  80. 
Portulacacese,  153. 
Primulaceas,  173. 
Pseudosquilla,  94. 
Psilotaceae,  134. 

Rallus,  62. 

Ranunculaceae,  153. 

Reptiles,  25. 

Reynosia   northropiana    n.    sp.,    166,    Plate 

10. 
Rhamnaceae,  166. 
Rhizophoraceae,  170. 
Rhodactis,  104. 
Rhodomelaceae,  141. 
Ricordea,  104,  no. 
Rosaceae,  154. 
Rubiaceae,  184,  185. 
Rutaceae,  161. 

Sabalaceae,  137. 
Samydaceae,  172. 
Sapindaceae,  165. 


Sapotaceae,  173. 
Saurothera,  59. 
Schizasaceae,  133. 
Scrophulariaceae,  181. 
Seiurus,  53. 
Sesarma,  72. 
Setophaga,  54. 
Shells,  list  of,  99-102. 

Gastropoda,  marine,  100-102. 

Gastropoda,  terrestrial,  100. 

Pelecypoda,  99. 

Simarubeae,  161. 

Smilacaceae,  145. 

Solanaceae,  181. 

Speotyto,  60. 

Sphyrapicus,  60. 

Spindalis,  6,  55. 

Sporadinus,  59. 

Starfishes,  list  of,  26. 

Sterna,  64,  65. 

Stenopus  hispidus,  83,  84,  Fig. 

Stenopus  scutellatus  n.  sp.,  85,  86,  Fig. 

Sterculiaceae,  167. 

Strix,  60. 

Symphemia,  6r. 

Tecoma     bahamensis     n.     sp.,     182,     183, 

Plate  15. 
Terminalia  spinosa  n.  sp.,  171,  Plate  13. 
Thrinax  bahamensis  n.  sp.,  137,,  138. 
Tiliaceae,  167. 
Tozeuma,  88. 
Turneraceas,  169. 
Typhaceaj,  135. 
Tyrannus,  57. 

Uca,  70,  71. 
Umbelliferae,  173. 

Valoniaceae,  130. 

Vanilla  articulata   n.  sp.,  148,  Plate  3. 

Verbenaceae,  179. 

Vireo,  55. 

Vitaceae,  166. 

Xylosma  ilicifolia  n.  sp.,  168,  169,  Plate  12. 

Zenaida,  61. 

Zoanthus,  104,  110-112,  Fig. 


MISCELLANEOUS  PAPERS 

Eruption  of  Krakatoa,  225-239. 

Plant     Notes    from    Temiscouata    County, 

Canada,  I,  240-249. 
Plant   Notes    from    Temiscouata    County, 

Canada,  II,  250-254. 
Plant    Distribution    of    Mt.     Washington, 

N.  H.,  255-258. 
Study  of  Histologj"  of  Stem  of  Hoya  carnosa, 

259-277. 


QH  Osborn,  Henry  Fairfield 
109        A  naturalist  in  the 

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