47 
to be the highest point in this region and, unlike the rest of the 
sierras, has its rock mass rising out of a foot-hill formation ie 
probably covered with soil, for there are forests and cleared 
ae upon it. This region, no doubt, would be worthy of aces 
err On my return to Sumidero, I encountered a 
mber of the tall cycads at a head of a ravine in the pinelands 
ees which our road pas 
uring my stay at ss ei Brother Leén, of Colegio de la 
Salle, Havana, well known to us on account of his knowledge of 
the Cuban flora, honored me by a visit and remained my guest 
for nearly a week, during which time four full and very strenuous 
days were spent afield; two of these were devoted to the lime- 
stone formations, and as Brother Leén had seen very little of the 
silicious and pineland flora of the island, two days were spent in 
following up the course of Arroyo del Sumidero, through the Pi- 
nales to a source high up the side of Cuchillas de San Sebastian, 
which we also ascended to its summit, an altitude of about I,200 
feet and from where an extended view and a better knowledge 
of the position of the various sierras was secured. In addition 
to the pine trees, most of which have been destroyed by fire 
or high wind, the features were thickets of live ee called 
“En ncino,” by the Cubans, and a great variety of shrubbery 
among these are at least i species of ne caeesty a low 
myrtaceous shrub with a pleasant-tasting aromatic fruit called 
eis bito del Pinales,”’ was very abundant; nsiderable 
riety of grasses also occurred on the dry hills — ef mois 
des near the stream a trailing Lycopodium, two climbing 
ferns and a tree-fern were frequent. On this trip nightfall over- 
took us on the cuchillas, several hours from the village, but the 
fortunate occurrence of fat dry pine wood, from which our 
practico prepared a smoky but very useful torch, saved us the 
= experience of spending a night in the woods un- 
As our time and energy on these four days was abou 
aie divided between the limestone formation and the ee 
formatian, the collections made should serve as a fair indication 
of the comparative richness in species of the respective floras; 
fifty-seven numbers were taken in the limestone formation and 
