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tact with the poison tree (Mefopium) which is locally very abun- 
dant, was all that we found necessary for safety. Mosquitoes 
and sand flies gave us some annoyance late in the day, and while 
camping at night, but we successfully avoided all other noxious 
insects ; our old foe the horsefly of the Florida everglades was 
conspicuously absent. 
The plants of the seashore are mostly the same as those of 
other West Indian and of South Florida coasts, although there 
e abundant endemic Bahamian sand dune shrub (Sa/mea 
pene and dunes are also characterized by the 
silver-thatch cei! (Goria) The marsh flora is likewise 
mostly Floridian an uban, the most Gee species being 
a small white-flowered water lly (Castalia), very fragrant and 
elegant, its flowers rising on stalks above the water, in the man- 
ner of Melumbo; there are many eae Re es sedges, and 
a number of these were unknown upon the island pre- 
to our visit; the Cat-tail pas and ne Saw-grass 
(Cladlnin) are abundant and conspicuous elements of this marsh 
vegetation. 
The land standing just above the marsh levels is often charac- 
terized by the palmetto (/zodes) which grows commonly just at 
their borders, frequently quite in the water, and occasionally 
also on higher land; this tree is identical with the /zodes Pat- 
metto of the southeastern states. Associated with it is an endemic 
species of St. Andrew's cross (Ascyrum) a low bushy shrub with 
pale yellow flowers, and several inconspicuous herbaceous plants, 
among them in wettish places the beautiful pink-flowered Zws- 
toma of the Gentian Family. 
At the next higher level, the pine barren is often met with, and 
this occupies a large portion of the island, so closely resembling 
in general landscape features and in much of its vegetation a 
pine-lands of southern Florida, that without close observation 
traveller might readily believe them identical. he pine Ge 
Bahamensis) is indeed so similar to the Pinus Elliott of south 
Florida, and to the Pinus Cudensis of eastern Cuba, that critical 
students of trees have pronounced them identical, and Iam unable 
to dispute this conclusion. Likewise, many of the associated 
