76 BULLETIN 56, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Prairie mesqiiite, Prosopw glanchdosa Torrey. 



Texas redbiid, Cercis reniformis Engelmann. 



Coral-bean. Frijolito. "Laurel," Sophora secundifora (Cava- 

 nilles) de Candolle. 



Texas buckeye, Ungnadia speciosa Endlicher. 



Wild china, Sapindns marginatus Willdenow. 



Mexican persimmon, />n??/r?^/^y^r/rfl7? texanirm (Scheele) Small. 



The following half-wild species of trees, introduced from other 

 localities, were common: 



Cedar, Chama^eyparis. 



Fig, Fir us. 



Umbrella china tree, Melia azedaraeh vvihrncnlifcra Sargent. 



Desert willow, Chdopsis linearis (Cavanilles) Sweet. 



Beautiful ca^salpinia, Poinciana pulcherrima Linnanis. 



The plants which make up the bulk of the chaparral and the 

 thickets along streams are the Texas barberry (Berheris frifoUata 

 Moricand),the blackberry {Ruhus sp. ), the green-bark acacia (C'emt?- 

 ium, texanvm Ggay), the true acacias {Acacia amentacea de Can- 

 dolle, A. herlandieri Bentham, A. rmmeriaiia Schlechtendal), the 

 Texas colubrina {Coluhrina texensis Gray), several species of sumach 

 {Rhvs trilohata Nuttall, R. mif-rophylla Englemann, etc.), and the 

 button-bush {Cephalanthus ofcidentalis Linnai^us), with which are 

 often associated the Texas fog- fruit {Lippia ligustrina Britton), 

 blazing star {Lacinaria)^ and horse nettle (Solamim carolinense 

 Linna?us). Vines of many kinds make canopies over the smaller 

 streams, and in open spaces the " calabazilla " or wild pumpkin {Cu- 

 curhita fa'tidissima Humboldt, Bonpland, and Kunth) is abundant. 

 Spanish baj^onet, soapweed {Yucca glauca Nuttall), and spotted 

 agave {Agave maculosa Hooker) cover much of the dry plains, in 

 company with shrubs and members of the cactus family, which 

 include, besides an abundance of prickly pears and Cylinch'opuntias, 

 Cactus stellatus texanus (Engelmann), Cereus {E chinocereus) cces- 

 pifosus Engelmann and Gray, and other speciies of Echinocereus and 

 several species of the hedgehog-cactus {Echinocactus Iwrizontlia- 

 lonius^ E, setispinus^ and E. hamatocanthus longihamatus) . 



The fauna of this station is rich. Crustaceans, fishes, birds, and 

 mammals are abundant. The reptilian faiuia is more varied than at 

 any other station occupied by us. Turtles are numerous in species. 

 Alligator mississippiensis Daudin has once been taken about 32 km. 

 (20 miles) south of Fort Clark, and the species is said to exist in 

 lagoons of the Rio Grande a short distance to the eastward. Lizards 

 are abundant. Among those collected are the horned toad {Phryn- 

 osoma coymutum) and hiolepisma laterale (Say). The banks, pools, 

 and streams swarm wdth aquatic reptiles; on land the bead snake 



