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BOTANICAL 



TE, 



Vol. IV. 



FEBRUARY, 1879. 



No. 2. 



A Visit to the Shell Islands of Florida, by A. H. Curtiss. — Paper 

 I. — On the eastern coast of Florida there are extensive grassy marshes 

 stretching from the Everglades northward, with more or less inter 

 ruption, to Georgia. These are separated from the ocean by islands 

 and by long sand bars connecting Avith the mainland. The St. John's 

 river is liordered with these marshes for several miles from its month. 

 Throngh them and between the sea-islands and main land of Georgia 

 travelers reach Florida by the "inland passage." This passage enters 

 the river within sight of its mouth and between a group of islands 

 called '-The Sisters." These islands, like many others of smaller size 

 which are scattered throngh the marshes, are composed entirely of 

 oyster shells. Though the same species of mollusk now abounds in 

 these waters, it is difficult to imagine what agency led to their accu- 

 mulation into such vast mounds, rising abruptly from the marshes to 

 a height of from five to twenty feet and sometimes covering a square 

 mile in area. The Sisters are three in number, about equidistant, 

 similar in size and readily suggest the name they bear. The appear- 

 ance of these islands, their large size and apparent inaccessibility, 

 the luxuriant vegetation covering a seemingly impenetral^le soil, 

 naturally excite the curiosity of ])assing tourists but it is evident that 

 their botanical features were unknown previous to 1878, during which 

 year the writer made frequent visits to them, and found them to be 

 as marked in botanical as in geological features and as regards ento- 

 mology, incomparable. It is a unique region, a land flowing with 

 honey and gall, in which one may enjoy much and suffer much. With 

 this, a foretaste, we invite the reader to accompany us mentally (the 

 more comfortable way) on a tour of inspection. 



Sailing dow^n the lake-like St. John's till we emerge from the treach- 

 erous waters of the "middle-marsh" we behold on our right the bold 

 promontory called St. John's Bluff, rich in historical associations and 

 in growths of Geratiola and Ximenia, vast marshes to the left, and far 

 ahead the dim shaggy outlines of the Sisters. A favoring breeze 

 speeds us toward them; one by one the intervening miles are count- 

 ed out, and presently we are skirting the outlying marshes of the 

 largest, called Pine-Island. The banks in places are firm and brist- 



