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interest, as here, at any rate, we seem to see the manifest result 
of environment in inducing changes which finally become suffi- 
ciently fixed to produce new species. In my former paper on 
Castilleia 1 have shown how pink replaces scarlet; in 
this paper some interesting cases of color-variation are 
recorded, but many more instances might be given, illustrating 
the effect of altitude. Dr. Weismann, whose views on the non- 
inheritance of acquired characters are now exciting so much at- 
tention, has considered it not unlikely that changes in organisms 
produced by climatic influences may be inherited, a reservation 
which seems to be endorsed by all experience. 
Dr. A. R. Wallace, in “ Darwinism,” (p. 401), remarks on 
the apparent scarcity of monocotyledonous plants in the Rocky 
Mountains. Although published works, and indeed this present 
list, would seem to confirm this view, I do not think it is actu- 
ally the case ; the grasses, etc., of high altitudes in the West not 
yet having received the same amount of attention as those of the 
eastern or northeastern regions. When we know the flora 
completely, surely the percentage of Rocky Mountain monocoty- 
ledonous plants will be increased. Dr. George Vasey seems to 
be of the same opinion, for he writes me, (March 8th, 1890): “It 
appears to me that monocotyledonous plants are as numerous 
proportionately in high altitudes asin lower ones.” Dr. Wallace 
himself, to whom I stated my objection, replies, (February roth, 
1890): ‘In the Rocky Mountains I think there is a real scarcity 
of monocotyledons, especially bulbous sgriitiad Amaryllids and 
Orchises. This struck me as being the case.’ 
No doubt, excluding the grasses and carices, this may hold 
good, at least with regard to the comparison of very high alti- 
tudes with rather more moderate ones. But in the Wet Moun- 
tain Valley, (about 8,000 feet), there are eight species of orchids. 
I made a catalogue of the high altitude plants mentioned in 
Dr. Britton’s lists of Dr. Rusby’s South American gathering, and 
although the result is interesting, it is not suitable for comparison 
with the present list, as from the plants listed, 10,000 feet near 
La Paz would seem to correspond climatically eit about 7,000 
feet, (or perhaps lower), in Colorado. 
Wes1 CLirF, CusTER Co., COLORADO, 
