BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 135 



Uniola nitida^ the stately Setaria Composita., and, carpeting the ground, 

 the delicate Panicam Jiirtellum. To a naturalist no garden could be 

 more beautiful. Art could only improve it by opening paths among 

 its tangled mazes. Having crossed the clearing we find ourselves 

 suddenly in a ver}^ dark and humid forest. Here there is scarcely 

 any herbage except ferns and even these grow sparingly. Innumer- 

 able vines of the Grape and Gonolobus, of the prickly Smilax., and 

 serpentine Berchemia, seek the tree tops and obstruct the way. In 

 an opening theie is a fine growth of a Vetch, similar to T^. tetrasper- 

 ma, which Mr. Watson has named T^. Floridana. With this excejDtion 

 nothing of interest rewards our search. It is a dismal region and we 

 are glad to hasten back to the sunshine and to the boat which is now 

 well afloat. The island ma}'' have untold treasures in reserve, but 

 the price demanded is too great. Physical suffering outweighs intel- 

 lectual enjoyment and we decide that the limit of endurance has been 

 reached. For twelve hours or more we have fought an invisible foe, 

 and at last we succumb to a minute winged particle of matter called 

 the sand-fly. The coast of Florida would be a naturalist's paradise 

 but for the sandflies, deerflies and mosquitoes (large and small) 

 which infest it. But if only one of these pests might be removed let 

 that be the sand-fly. Its strength consists chiefly in its littleness, as 

 it penetrates any but the most closely woven fabric. It crawls through 

 the hair and beard and into the eyes, nose and ears, biting where it 

 goes until its victim is almost maddened and compelled to build a fire 

 and take refuge in its smoke. Such a scourge might have driven our 

 first parents from paradise. Evidently persons have attemjited to 

 make this island their home but have been obliged to abandon it. 

 Gladly we step into our boat again and push from the shore, and, 

 after again turning a hundred right angles, it is with a sense of relief 

 that we shoot out into the free rolling waters of the St. John's. Sail 

 ing past that portion of the island which is covered with Pines we 

 next seek the entrance to Stratton Island, the second in size of the 

 group. It is with comparative ease, yet with "many a winding bout," 

 that we effect an entrance through the marshes which environ it. 

 Climbing its steep, shelly banks, we follow a path well trodden by 

 fishermen, leading along a narrow ridge with steej:) sides, which be- 

 comes rugged and precipitous as we advance. The shells slip under 

 our feet, low-branching, gnarled, and lichen-clad trees render pro- 

 gress difficult, and after advancing nearly half a mile, we turn back, 

 but not until we have discovered two fine growths of the CheilantJies 

 microphylla, a fern not before found in the United States except on 



