FLORA OF NEW PROVIDENCE AND ANDROS 121 



the greater part of this time was given to the zoological work, still 

 between times we collected over two hundred species of plants, cross- 

 ing the island several times and exploring it in many directions. The 

 collection, of course, included many cosmopolitan weeds and intro- 

 duced plants that were found in Nassau and its environs. Among the 

 latter, growing commonly about the city, were the glossy-leaved almond 

 tree (Terminalia Catappa), the graceful Spanish cedar (Casuarina 

 equisetifolia), the buttressed ceiba or silk-cotton tree, the sand-box tree 

 (Hum crepitans), and the beautiful flamboyant (Poinciana regia) 

 with its fern-like foliage. 



Having completed the zoological work that had been planned, we 

 made a diligent study of the chart, and finally decided to visit Andros 

 next as the largest and least known of the islands, and the one from 

 which no botanical collections had ever been made. Although the 

 nearest part of Andros is only twenty-five miles from New Providence, 

 we could get but little information concerning it until we met Mr. Alex- 

 ander Keith, of Edinburgh, who had a sisal plantation on Andros. 

 To him we were indebted for many favors both at this time and later. 

 A "norther" delayed our sailing for ten days, but we finally reached 

 Andros March 14, and remained there until July 3. 



Andros is by far the largest island of the group, being nearly one 

 hundred miles long and forty or fifty wide in its broadest part and hav- 

 ing an area of over nineteen hundred square miles. It is in reality not 

 one island but a group of islands, the larger northern portion being 

 separated from the southern and central parts by shallow channels 

 known as "bights." There is a northern, a middle, and a southern 

 bight, but they are so filled with cays that the whole archipelago, as it 

 might be termed, is called by the general name of Andros. In its 

 prominent physical features Andros resembles New Providence, 

 although its greatest length runs north and south instead of east 

 and west, as in the case of New Providence. It has a rocky ridge 

 extending along the east coast, except at the extreme southern end, 

 extensive pine barrens in the interior and low mangrove flats on the 

 opposite side. On Andros, however, the last cover a much greater 

 portion of the island and constitute its most characteristic feature. 

 The local name of this region is "swash," * a most appropriate term, as 

 in wet seasons it is half under water. The pine belt is always spoken 



1 See illustration — page 218. 



