184 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



abundant plant in the island, and on the summits of the higher hills a few Euphorbia 

 bushes (Euphorbia tuckeyana) can be made out in the same way. On the sandy plain at 

 one spot a thick growth of low Tamarisk bushes stretches from the shore inland, and 

 amongst these, about half a mile from the shore, there is a group of half a dozen small 

 Tamarind trees (Tamarindus indica). Some thorny Acacias (Acacia albida), and Termi- 

 nalia catappa, which stand in an old enclosure in front of the ruins of a house, and 

 are green and flourishing, show that much might be done by cultivation, even in St. 

 Vincent. The plains were found to be covered all over with the spiny fruit of a small 

 creeping plant (Tribulus cistoides). Almost the only plants retaining any living and 

 green leaves were the lavenders, on the bushes of which were to be found here and there 

 a green sprout, put forth apparently in anticipation of the wet season. 



On June 30th a small party made an excursion up Green Mountain. The road led 

 over the bottom of the old crater, and then up the steeper end of the mountain by a 

 zigzag path, in places built up in steps and in others hewn out of the rock. The soft 

 friable soil of the plain was in many places already converted into tenacious mud by the 

 rain, which was then falling, one of the rarest events of the year. As the hill slopes 

 were ascended from the plains, the plants became greener and more abundant. In a 

 narrow gorge at the commencement of the ascent of the mountain, some small gardens 

 were passed, at an elevation of about 200 feet above the sea level. They contained 

 sugar cane, pumpkins, and a small date palm ; and maize was just being planted in them. 

 There were a few cotton bushes growing near. At 700 feet, Euphorbias and woody 

 Composites commenced, and the hillside was covered with coarse dry grass. At 1000 

 feet, small Boraginaceous bushes with pink flowers (Echium stenosiphon) commenced, and 

 at 1300 feet the first patches of moss and Marchantia were found, with a fern and a live 

 snail. At 1700 feet a Statice (Statice jovibarba) was abundant on the cliff. The lav- 

 ender grew right up to the top of the mountain, but there it was entirely fresh and green 

 instead of black and withered as below. A leafless trailing Asclepiad (Sarcostemma daltoni) 

 commenced at 900 feet. All the plants on Green Mountain appeared to extend their range 

 of growth to the summit. On the summit there were several cottages, and the land was all 

 more or less under cultivation ; maize, potatoes, tomatos, and pumpkins were growing there. 



On Bird Island, the rocks about tide mark are covered with a broad band of a dense 

 incrustation composed of Corallinacese, which forms a striking feature in the appearance 

 of the island as seen from the sea, and is more marked here than on the main island. 

 The Corallinacese are seaweeds which secrete a dense skeleton of carbonate of lime. The 

 incrustation on Bird Island is of several colours, white, bright pink, or cream colour, and 

 is mainly composed of two species of calcareous Algae (Lithothamnion polymorphum and 

 Lithothamnion mamillare). This incrustation assumes very varied forms, being quite thin, 

 and following the form of the rock surface on which it rests, or forming smooth rounded 

 convex masses, or being covered with a closely set series of projections, sometimes of con- 



