1893 ] NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 195 



which are particularly prominent on Cape Cod, Martha's Vine- 

 yard, Nantucket and the south shore of Ijong Island, In many 

 instances, single species, mostly by the aid of num, have spread 

 under such conditions, but never in any considerable number, 

 especially such as are under consideration. In fact, the species 

 in question generally disappear with the advent or continued 

 presence of man, and this, as is well known, has been the case 

 to a very ajipreciable extent in several of the localities within 

 the area of our investigation. 



Following out our line of argument, we would be forced to the 

 conclusion that if continuous land connection once existed and 

 any fragments of it remained, these ought to carry with them 

 some evidences of their former relationship. The islands to the 

 east of Long Island Sound (Gardiner's Island, Plum Island, 

 Gull Islands, Fisher's Island, the Elizabeth Islands, Block 

 Island, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket), naturally, in fact 

 almost irresistibly suggest themselves in this connection, even 

 to the most superficial observer of any ordinary map of the 

 region, and if the coast survey charts, showing the submarine 

 shoals and contours are studied, their significance becomes 

 irresistible. A study of the flora of these islands ought, there- 

 fore, to be of great assistance in solving the problem at issue. 

 Unfortunately their native vegetation has suffered from the 

 inroads of man to such an extent that we can form little or no 

 idea of what it once was, in many instances. Thus, in regard to 

 Penikese Island, the flora of which was compiled by Prof. D. S. 

 Jordan as long ago as 1874-^, he says : " Altogether it is about 

 as barren looking a pile of rock and stone as one could well 

 imagine." 



Block Island has suft'ered in the same wayf , and Martha's 

 Vineyard and Nantucket show but a limited flora at the present 

 day compared to that which once covered them. An exceed- 

 ingly interesting account of the flora of this latter island has 

 been written by Maria L. Owen, which gives not only a complete 

 list of the plants, but memoranda in regard to their past 

 abundance, recent destruction, etc. In it may be noted the 

 names of some twenty-five of the pine barren species, besides 

 many others not classed as such, but showing unmistakably 

 their affinities with the far ofif Long Island shores, distant some 



* '■ Tho Flora of Penikese Island." (Am. Nat. vili- iy:M97.) 



t " Notes on the Flora of Block Island." W. W- Bailey, in mss. " Trees of 

 any sort are e.xtrenioly scarce. Those there are, appear, with rare exceptions, 

 to have been planted.' 



