55 
trip back to Norfolk was made by rail. The swamp was thus 
traversed from one side to the other; two days and a night were 
spent there, and unusual opportunities for observation were 
enjoyed. 
The camp site had been covered with a dense growth of “cane 
brake” (Arundinaria macrosperma), but a large area was cleared 
for our accommodation. This grass is an exceedingly charac- 
teristic feature of the swamp, forming dense thickets and growing 
to a height of six or eight feet. The adjacent forest consisted 
largely of red maple, persimmon, sour-gum, willow-oak, ash, and 
magnolia, with scattered trees of yellow pine, white cedar and 
bald cypress. One of the most abundant and striking features 
was the ‘‘jassemin” (Gelsemium sempervirens), whose clusters 
of fragrant, yellow flowers were to be seen everywhere, entwined 
in the undergrowth. 
At night the scene in the vicinity of the camp was rendered 
wierdly beautiful by the glow of ‘‘fox-fire’’ on the stumps of the 
trees and in the débris of the forest floor. I had often seen this 
phenomenon in other localities, but never before to the same 
extent or brilliancy. The phenomenon is caused by certain 
fungi, especially in the genera Panus, Clitocybe, and Armillaria, 
and also by many bacteria; but its nature is not thoroughly 
understood. It is commonly spoken of as ‘‘phosphorescence”’; 
but this is a misnomer as it is not due to phosphorus but to the 
process of oxidation. A better term to use would be ‘‘lumines- 
cence.” 
Undoubtedly, however, the bald cypress (Taxodium dis- 
tichum) is the most striking feature of the swamp. These 
trees never fail to excite the wonder and admiration of every 
observer, especially when seen for the first time. The massive, 
buttressed base; the peculiar processes known as “‘knees,’”’ which 
rise from the roots; the tall straight trunks, and the delicate, 
feathery foliage, mark these trees as unique in our modern flora. 
In many respects they resemble the redwoods and giant sequoias 
of the Pacific coast, and, like them, they represent the type of a 
genus which reached its maximum of development in past geo- 
logic ages and is now on the highroad to extinction. The bald 
