scientific importance, and the large number of living plants 



The Island of Culebra, situated just east of Porto Rico and 

 between it and the Danish Island, St. Thomas, was made a 

 point of special examination, nothing being hitherto known of its 

 flora. Our study of this island, which is under the jurisdiction 

 of the Porto Rican Insular Government and is the site of a Uni-* 

 ted States naval station, was made easy by the kind interest of 

 the Hon. Charles J. Bonaparte, Secretary of the Navy, upon the 

 request of President Roosevelt, in response to a letter from Mr. 

 D. O. Mills, President of the Board of Managers of the Garden. 

 Mr. Bonaparte asked Captain B. T. Walling, Commandant of the 

 naval station, to faciliate the work of our expedition, and he 

 most obligingly gave us all the assistance needed, including the 

 use of steam launches, small boats, and horses, and the services 

 of men when required. Captain T. F. Lyons, commanding the 

 Marines at Culebra, also contributed much to our comfort. Pro- 

 fessor Wheeler, Dr. Howe, and I spent two days pleasantly and 

 profitably with Captain Walling and his staff, and we secured 

 collections which illustrate both the land and sea flora of Culebra 

 quite well ; a visit at another time of year would doubtless add 

 some species to the collection. Culebra is a hilly island with an 

 area of about twelve square miles, apparently wholly composed 

 of eruptive rocks, and containing only small areas of deep soil ; 

 there are a number of sand beaches backed by sand dunes. The 

 highest hill reaches an elevation of about 690 feet. There are 

 a number of smaller islands and keys adjacent, and Culebrita, 

 where the important lighthouse for the Virgin Passage is located, 

 is the most eastern of these ; we spent part of one day on this 

 island. The naval station is located on the shore of the beautiful 

 land-locked harbor, an oval body of deep water, doubtless the 

 crater of an ancient volcano, accessible from the ocean by a very 

 narrow passage and enclosed on all but the southern seaward 

 side, by hills of lava. The station ship " Alliance " provides 

 quarters for the commandant and his staff, and here we were 

 hospitably entertained. The island is fortified with masked 

 batteries, so ingeniously masked, indeed, that we did not dis- 



