14:0 MK. J. BALL ON THE BOTANY 



rently reacli a maximum intensitj aLout the parallel of the island 

 of Cliiloe. The change seeminsfly commences ahont lat. 30"^ S., 



n J 



and about a degree further south, at Concepcion and at Lota, is 

 so marked as to affect materially the aspect of the flora by the 

 disappearance of most of the characteristic types of Central Chili. 

 AYe possess, unfortunately, no trustworthy observations of rainfall 

 on the coast between Valparaiso, in lat. 33° S., where the average 

 fall is little over 13;| inches, and Valdivia, in lat. 40"" S., where it 

 surpasses the average of 117 inches ; while at Ancud in Chiloe, 

 in lat. 42° S., it is said to reach the yearly mean of 137 inches. 



Although the annual mean temperature is low, about 51° F., 

 the mildness of the winters allows several plants of subtropical 

 affinities (Laiinnece, Myrtacece^ Bamhusece^ &c.) to flourish m 

 Chiloe, where at Ancud the moan temperature of July, the coldest 

 month, is 4G° F. 



From our limited knowledge of the flora of the Chonos Archi- 

 pelago, it would appear that most of the representatives of sub- 

 tropical types disappear about the parallel of 44° S., and that may 

 be assumed as the northern limit of what naturalists have agreed 

 to style the Antarctic Flora, and which extends southward with 

 a surprising degree of uniformity to Cape Horn, over 12 degrees 

 of latitude. It is true that several of the characteristic herba- 

 ceous types of the islands of high southern latitudes are represented 

 in this region, and that there are plausible grounds for referring 

 to south polar lands as the original home of a great portion of 

 the flora ; but, on the other hand, it may be urged that the climate 

 of the entire region, however rude, is essentially temperate, and 

 that the dominant features of the vegetation — the beech-forests, 

 the abundance of delicate ferns {Gleiclienia^IIymenopliylluin^ &c.), 

 and such peculiar types as Drimys^ Desfontainea, Mitraria^ and 

 several others — suffice to entitle the flora of this region to ranlv 

 as a separate province, for which the name Magellanic may, per- 

 haps, be appropriate. AVe possess but very incomplete data for 

 discussing the climate save what are aff'orded by the vegetation, 

 which is now fairly well known • but the fact that at Sandy Point, 

 on the eastern side of the Straits of Magellan, south of the paral- 

 lel of 53'' S., the temperature of the coldest month (very nearly 

 35° F.) is higher than that of Holland or of the plains of Northern 



Italy, fully proves the exceptional character of the climate. 



I proceed to give the following brief notes as to some places 

 on the coast which I was able to visit. 



