178 
REPORT OF MR. PERCY WILSON, MUSEUM AID, ON 
A TRIP TO PORTO RICO 
Dr. N. L. Britron, Déirector-in-Chief. 
Dear Sir: I submit herewith a report upon my recent trip to 
the Island ef Porto Rico, in company with Dr. W. A. Evans, of 
Yale University. 
the morning of June 28, we sailed on the steamer “ Car- 
acas,” reaching San Juan July 3. Several days were spent in 
town, where arrangements were made by Dr. Evans for head- 
quarters at a coffee plantation belonging to Mr. Palma, of San 
Juan, situated on the Sierra de Luquillo, the loftiest range of the 
island. Leaving by rail on the 7th of July, we went to the town 
of Carolina, from whence we were conveyed by coach to Rio 
Grande, situated to the northeast. After spending the night in 
one of the small hotels of the town, we journeyed to Memeas, 
where we were supplied with pack-horses from the plantation and 
rode five miles up the mountains. We were much surprised on 
reaching the planatation to find a large house, situated close to 
the primeval Porto Rican forest. A little over two weeks was 
spent collecting on the foothills, slopes and submit of El Yunque 
(alt. 3,700 ft.), in which time about three thousand herbarium 
specimens, seeds and roots were secured. We were fortunate 
enough to have a range at the house which proved very useful 
in drying herbarium specimens 
If dependent upon the sun for drying, many of the specimens 
would have moulded, on account of the moist atmosphere during 
the rainy season. The forest contains many interesting plants, 
among which are Begonia Portoricensis, Grammadenia Sintenisit, 
Maregravia Sintenisii, six species of Lycopodium, many ferns of 
the genera Polypodium, Trichomanes and Elaphoglossum, most of 
which are epiphytes, and the mountain palm (Acrista monticola), 
the young heart-leaves of which are used for food by the natives. 
The low vegetation of the mountain summit consists mostly of 
Rajania Sintencsi, Weitnmannia hirta and several species of grasses 
and sedges, one of which, Sc/eria canescens, is much dreaded by 
the natives because of its rough edges of the blades, which cut 
