AUGUST. 199 



them a year ago. I have hopes now that they may again 

 flourish on the home hill-side, as they did long years ago. 



I was induced to forego the pleasure of constant tropi- 

 cal rambling during the heated term of August, 1887, and 

 spent my time in watching a host of these lizards, sent me 

 from the pine barrens. The conclusions reached when I 

 studied them in the field, three months before, and during 

 many a long sultry August afternoon, subsequently, I trust 

 will bear repeating. 



On the outskirts of the quaint little village of May's 

 Landing, New Jersey, there is seen that rare object an 

 abandoned railroad. Starting near this place, and run- 

 ning eastward for a distance of some six miles, is a single 

 track, laid upon a once substantial road-bed of gravel, and 

 extending through typical Jersey pine barrens. For sev- 

 eral years not a car has passed over the rails, which, left 

 to nature, have grown nutty-brown with rust, and often 

 concealed by luxuriant growths of false ipecac, great cir- 

 cular mats of deep purple or pale-green foliage, for such 

 is the freak of the plant to vary thus in color. 



When 1 visited this spot late in May, 1887, the charm 

 of the abandoned railroad was rivaled by the beauties of 

 the surroundings. The glistening, snow-white sands were 

 thickly starred with golden Hudsonia ; the creek's banks 

 weighted with densest foliage, brilliant with sarracenia in 

 the height of its glory ; and everywhere the more modest 

 grasses gave way to sparkling sun-dews. One knew not 

 where to turn, so crowded were the spot's enticing feat- 

 ures, and the rambler was likely to return empty-handed, 

 as is so apt to be the case where attractions are spread 

 out in bewildering profusion. Wondering what novelties 

 might be in store as I passed the outlying traces of the 

 village, I soon found my progress suddenly and effectually 

 stayed I had reached the tottering, crumbling trestle 

 over Babcock's Creek. Here the gray lizards found a 



