1906.1 NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 77 



SOME COLD-BLOODED VERTEBRATES OF THE FLORIDA KEYS. 

 BY HENRY W. FOWLER. 



During June of 1904 the wi'iter, accompanied by Mr. Stewardson 

 Brown, of the Botanical Section of the Academy, was enabled through 

 the generosity of Mr. Clarence B. Moore to visit the Florida Keys. 

 The chief object of the expedition was to explore the islands for land 

 snails of the genus Liguus. Incidentally we were enabled to study the 

 flora and fauna of this most interesting region. We availed ourselves 

 of every opportunity to gather information, l^ut only data which I 

 feel to be absolutely reliable is here included. The vernacular names 

 of the different species, so far as I could judge, are those of the fisher- 

 men and residents. 



Our operations extended from between a point directly south of 

 Cape Sable, or from Grassy Key west to the Marquesas, covering an 

 area about fifty miles in length. We did not visit the Tortugas, which 

 are the most western of the Keys and more isolated than the Mar- 

 quesas. Making Key West our headquarters, we set out after explor- 

 ing that island for the IMarquesas, stopping at Boca Grande Key on 

 our way. The Marquesas bank comprises a number of islands, dis- 

 posed in a more or less circular or atoll-like manner with great shallows 

 all about, though mostly inside. Few places we visited repaid us as 

 well as these islands. On our return we skirted the southern shores 

 of the Keys toward Key West, stopping at Ballast Key. We then left 

 Key West again and travelled along the southern shores of the Keys 

 eastward to Grassy Key, stopping at Boca Chica, Sugar Loaf, Big Pine, 

 No Name, Cud joe's. Knight, Vaca and Grassy Keys. On our return, 

 which was along the northern shores of these islands, we stopped at 

 Vaca, Bahia Honda, Hailer's Rock, Little Pine, Big Pine, Summer- 

 land, Cudjoe's, Sugar Loaf, West Cudjoe's, Riding, Snipe and Jewfish 

 Kej^s, Most of the Keys are more or less covered with mangroves; 

 others, such as Big and Little Pine, have large tracts of pine forest with 

 an undergrowth of scattered palmettos. The latter grow several feet 

 in height, and in combination with the pines present a beautiful con- 

 trast after the monotony of mangroves. All of the islands are low, 

 rising but a few feet above the sea-level, and most all are furnished 



