102 The Ottawa Naturalist. [August 



perhaps few places of so limited an area offer a greater variety, 

 or so much to gratify a botanical observer." 



The most abundant tree, next to the cedar, is the Fiddle- 

 wood {Citharoxyluin Quadrangulare), ornamental in its growth, 

 its trunk or larger branches being cylindrical, valuable as a 

 timber tree, and not unlike our beech, but of a more graceful 

 growth. The i^oinciana {P. Regia), originally a native of 

 Madagascar, is one (>{ the most graceful trees to be found on 

 the islands, its far and wide-spreading branches, peculiarly 

 smooth and bare, closely resembling an elephant's trunk, with 

 leaves one foot long, composed of from 12 to 18 pairs of leaflets, 

 must be seen, rather than described, to be admired. Jt attains 

 a height of some thirty feet. The Tamaiind {^Tainarindus 

 Induus) is another tree of striking appearance, attaining a large 

 size, and with far spreading branches densely clothed with bright 

 green leaves. The Galba {Calophyllum Calaha) is largely dis- 

 tributed, a tree with blunt, leathery, dark green leaves, very 

 glossy. Although as a tree it attains a height of 30 feet, it has 

 the peculiarity when trimmed young of branching from the 

 ground and is sometimes grown as a hedge or wind brake. 

 Very similar in appearance is a tree known as " White Cedars '' 

 a most misleading name as it has nothing in common with the 

 Cedar famil)'. It is the Tecoma Pentapliylla, and makes a hand- 

 some and ornamental tree in large grounds. The Loquat 

 (Ei'iobotrya Japonica), bearing a small edible fruit is a handsome 

 middle sized tree of dark green foliage, with blossoms very 

 similar to our horse-chestnut. It is abundantly grown not only 

 for its beauty as a flowering tree, but also for its fruit, somewhat 

 resembling the smooth yellow tomato. The Seaside Grape^ 

 {Coccoloba Uvifera) another misnomer as it has nothing to do 

 with the grape vine— is a tree from 10 to 30 feet high with large 

 smooth shining leaves, almost round or heart shaped from 3 to 

 6 inches long and often broader, and of a very massive appear- 

 ance. It probably takes its name from the fruit which is the 

 size of and not unlike a grape and of a pleasant taste and 

 purplish hue. The Alligator or Avocado Pear {Persea Gratissimd) 



