20 BULLETIN: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 



SO far below that no horizon can be distinguished where the gray of the 

 sea meets that of the sky. Still higher, the forest covered summits of 

 the limestone jjlateau, with its rugged back coast border, appear below 

 as an unbroken meadow. 



Each step of the way is marked by wonders of the vegetal kingdom. 

 At the foot is the semi-arid south coast chapparal with exogenous 

 banana plants, cocoanut trees, native cactus, and acacias. Ascending 

 Hope River Canyon the delicate deciduous flora of the island begins, 

 while the cliffs arc burdened with ferns — golden, silver, and delicate 

 maidenhair — besides numerous little flowers which find foothold in 

 the rocks. From 1,000 to 4,000 feet, plantations of coffee are numerous, 

 finding congenial temperature and moisture. At 4,000 feet the gov- 

 ernment has found environment for its cinchona farm. Above 6,000 

 feet, in an atmosphere of perpetual humidity, tree ferns set in. In 

 this tropical climate such alpine heights offer no obstacle to human 

 environment, and to an altitude of 4,000 feet the slopes are well 

 populated. 



There are many other conspicuous peaks of the Blue Mountain 

 Ridge, but few of them have received local names. Sugar Loaf Peak, 

 which lies just east of Blue Mountain Peak, is a part of the latter. To 

 the west are Sir John's Peak, John Crow Hill,^ Silver Hill, and St. 

 Catherine Peak (alt. 5,036 feet). These high summits are situated 

 near the central portion of the main ridge, which is crossed by five 

 passes with altitudes varying between 3,000 and 4,000 feet. 



East of Kingston there are few practical openings through the Blue 

 Mountain ridges which are passable on horseback. One of these is that 

 of Cuna Cuna, between Port Antonio and Bowden, and traverses some 

 of the most rugged and beautiful scenery on the island. Its altitude is 

 2,608 feet. A good highway crosses the island through a pass in the 

 ridge cut by the waters of the Agua Alta (Wag Water) between Kings- 

 ton and Port Maria. 



Westward from St. Catherine Peak, almost due northeast of Kings- 

 ton, tlie main ridge bifurcates ; the southern and larger branch continues 

 in a sinuous but generally northwestern course through St. Andrew, 

 where it is known as the Ram's lloi-u Ridge, and "Above Rocks," 

 and on between St. Mary and St. Andrew as Goddard Ridge, to the 

 drainage divide of Wio Doro and Trumbell's River, near the line of the 

 Port Antonio Railway. Several other ridges radiate from St. Catherine 

 Peak to the northwest in palmate arrangement. All these branches, 

 1 Not to be confused with the John Crow ^lountain of the northeast coast. 



