Stewart — Botanical Conditions on the Galapagos Islands. 287 



large number of trees of Hippomane Mancinella. Other com- 

 mon trees are those of Bursera graveolens and Opuntia myria- 

 cantha. The countiy adjacent to the coast, just east of this 

 place, is covered with dense thickets of Cryptocarpus pyriformis 

 apparently to the exclusion of all other vegetation of any size. 

 West of here, in the vicinity of Cape Rose, there are extensive de- 

 posits of volcanic cinders on which the vegetation is very open, 

 probably due to the fact that the lava has disintegrated but lit- 

 tle. What few plants that do occur here are for the most part, 

 the ones that are commonly found in the dry regions of these is- 

 lands. 



All of the country which lies between the mountain at Iguana 

 Cove, and the one northwest of Villamil is low, probably in no 

 place exceeding an elevation of 200 ft. 



VilamU. 



Villamil is on the south side of the island about seven miles 

 northwest of Brattle Island. A settlement of about one hundred 

 and fifty people was established here some years ago, by Mr. An- 

 tonio Gil of Guayaquil, Ecuador. A considerable industry in 

 hides, molasses, and sulphur is carried on, the products of which 

 are sent to Guayaquil by means of a small vessel which makes 

 periodic trips to the mainland. A part of the settlement is lo- 

 cated near the shore, but the most of it is about twelve miles in- 

 land, at an elevation of 1,300 ft., where there are plantations of 

 sugarcane, bananas, and other tropical fruits and vegetables. 



Villamil Bay is surrounded by low beds of basaltic lava, but 

 west of the settlement on the open coast, there are extensive sand 

 beaches. These are continuous with a broad sand-flat just back 

 of them, which extends back for about half a mile. The country 

 for several miles inland is flat and is covered with beds of basaltic 

 lava and volcanic cinders which usually lie almost horizontally. 

 There are numerous crevices in the lava, in some of which there 

 are pools and springs of nearly fresh water. Owing to the low 

 elevation of this part of the island, these springs usually occur 

 only a few feet below the level of the ground. There is a consid- 

 erable amount of precipitation on the upper part of this island, 

 in the form of fog and rain. There is not sufficient soil to retain 

 this water, however, so it percolates through the lava and comes 

 out again near sea level. On this account the water is usually 

 slightly brackish even at a considerable distance inland. 



