782 



POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



that less surface is exposed to the direct rays of the sun. The result 

 is that such trees give but little shade, as the light is not interrupted 

 in its passage to so great an extent as it is by the leaves of ordinary 



. Jut^K'^r i 2 'f* * 



Native Twins. 



trees. In situations where it is necessary for plants to economize 

 their water supply and prevent undue evaporation, they adapt them- 

 selves in various ways for this purpose. Some grow thick, leathery 

 leaves; others have a waxlike or hairy coating; and still others, like 

 the cacti, have thick, succulent stems in the place of leaves. Many 

 of our own desert or seashore plants have adopted one or more of 

 these methods. 



The soil, though thin, is fertile, but there are no streams of 

 running water on any of the Bahama Islands except that of Andros. 

 The streets of Nassau and the roads of the surrounding country con- 

 sist of the coralline rock which underlies the soil. They are white 

 and dazzling, and are kept in repair by the Government. The work 

 is done usually by the prisoners, dressed in prison garb of blue and 

 white striped cotton. The coralline rock is porous and looks not 

 unlike the result of volcanic action. In some places the rocky 

 ground is honeycombed with holes three to ten feet deep, called " pot- 

 holes," in which bananas, especially, like to grow. On the deep 

 -sides of one hole we saw a luxuriant growth of delicate ferns. 



We found the natives very much afraid of a camera, believing 



