Stewart — Botanical Conditions ,on the Galapagos Islandfi. 333 



growth of Paspaluni coujugatum. In his Voyage of the Beagle, 

 Uarwiii mentions that he found beds of Cype^rus, on the upper 

 part of this island, in which there was a species of water rail. 

 The Ornithologists of the expedition succeeded in capturing sev- 

 eral specimens of this rather rare bird, but in each instance they 

 were found to be hidden in the thick growth of Paspalum grass, 

 no beds of Cyperus having been found. 



The forest trees, and bushes arc heavily covered with epi- 

 phytes around 2,200 ft. elevation and above. Ferns are common 

 among these, Polypodium aureum, and. Nephrolepis pectinata 

 being the most abundant. Other epiph^M(3S worthy of mention 

 are: Epidendrum spicatum, Lycopodium laxiLolium, and Peper- 

 omia galapagensis, besides mosses aad lichens. There are many 

 species of terrestrial ferns in shady i)laces and on moist banks. 

 The Scalesia forests extend nearly to the top of the mam crater 

 on the leeward side, but on the windward side, which is bathed 

 almost constantly by the strong southeast trade wands for sev- 

 eral months of the j^ear, the trees begin to thin out a short dis- 

 tance above the base of the crater and there are none at the top, 

 although Zanthoxylum persists here as small gnarled bushes. 

 Bushes of Psychotria rufipes are very common on this side and 

 around the top. There are many ferns around the top, among 

 Avhich is Hemitelia multiflora, the only tree fern on the islands. 



The top of this mountain was heavily covered with fog at the 

 time it Avas visited so that no general survey of the surrounding 

 region could be made. As near as could be determined the dry 

 region extends to about an elevation of 1,300 ft. on this side 

 while the transition region extends to possibly 2,000 ft. varying, 

 however, at different places. 



The steep sides of the mountain, above the lava fields on the 

 south side of the island, are covered with the usual species found 

 in the transition regions, a condition which extends up to above 

 1,600 ft. elevation. There are many ravines extending down this 

 side, which broaden out occasionally and enclose park-like areas. 

 In most places these ravines are filled with bushes and trees. 

 Fruticose lichens are very abundant upon the vegetation here. 



Jervis Island, 



Jervis lies about four miles off the south shore of James Is- 

 land. It is a small island, not over two miles in diameter, which 

 rises to a height of 1,050 ft., in consequence of which the sides of 



