688 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. VIII. No. 203. 



Just above the reach of the ordinary tides 

 these beaches are partially covered with 

 Spartina juncea interspersed with Rhus toxico- 

 dendron, R. copallina and Lathyrus mariiimus, 

 while Arenaria peplodes Salsola kali, Cakile 

 maritima, Opuntia Rafinesquii and Solidago 

 sempervirens are among the other halophytes 

 and xerophytes met with. Juniperus Virgin- 

 iana, Myrica cerifera and Primus maritima are 

 the only considerable shrubs found here. 



On the more barren spots farther from the 

 spray numerous tufts of Sudsonia tomentosa 

 and Cferfoniarani/i/ertnaare interspersed with 

 Geasta and other Cladonia^. Several other 

 species of lichens and several woody toad- 

 stools are found on the stems of the dead 

 clumps of Primus. 



In the quiet mud-bottomed pools a hun- 

 dred yards back from the outer beach, 

 which are flooded at high water by salt 

 creeks, Spartina polystachya forms thick 

 growths, along the edge of which grow Sali- 

 cornia, Buda marina and several genera of 

 Schisophycece with many green and red algse. 



Farther in from the Sound the shores of 

 the Harbor are scattered with boulders on 

 which are found many rock-bearing algte. 

 Among the Chlorophycese, e. g., Bryopsis and 

 various species of Cladophora and Entero- 

 morpha are found ; while the Phseophycese 

 are represented by such genera as Ectocarpus, 

 Sphaeelaria, Punctaria, Chorda, Mesogloia, 

 Fucus, Aseophyllwn and Sargassum ; and 

 such genera of the Rhodophycese as Chan- 

 transia, Nemalion, Ceramium, Callithamnion, 

 Griffiihsia, Polysiphonia and Chandriopsis are 

 abundant at or just below the lower side- 

 mark. On the beach near these boulders 

 several interesting fresh-water algse are 

 found growing in springs which flow from 

 the top of a stratum of clay just at high- 

 water level. 



In the quiet brackish covers near the 

 inner end of the harbor Chondriopsis, Ghin- 

 nellia, Dasya, Rhabdonia and Gracillaria, with 

 various species of Geranium and Polysiphonia 



are very abundant, as are also the species 

 of Monostroma, Viva, Enteromorpha and Clado- 

 phora. 



In the ponds at the upper end of the 

 valley occupied by the harbor, fresh-water 

 algse are present in great abundance and 

 variety. Besides several unusual species 

 of Sohizophycese, such genera as Pandorina, 

 Volvox, Oedogonium and Bulbochcete are of 

 frequent occurrence. In the springs and 

 pools on the edges of these ponds an un- 

 usually large number of genera of desmids 

 are present and Batrachospermum is occasion- 

 ally found. Many interesting hydrophile 

 phanerogams are also present in these 

 ponds. 



It is in the dense woods surrounding 

 these ponds that we find the most interest- 

 ing feature of the whole region. These 

 woods are chiefly of oak, chestnut, beech 

 and birch, with an undergrowth of Clethra 

 and Hamamelis in the damper portions and 

 of Kalmia in the drier ones. The damp soil 

 and air make exceptionally favorable con- 

 ditions for parasites and saprophytes. 

 Such forms as Cuscuta, Monatropa and Coral- 

 lorhiza are abundant, while the variety and 

 abundance of the Myxomycetes and Fungi 

 are quite remarkable. Fifteen genera of 

 Myxomycetes, six of them new to the 

 island, have already been noted and many 

 new species of the more common genera 

 will probably be found when the study of 

 the region can be carried beyond the limited 

 territory already visited. Among the Fungi 

 the Pyrenomycetes, Hysteriacese, Dis- 

 comycetes and Helvellacese of the Ascomy- 

 cetes, and the Hymenomycetes, Phalloidese 

 and Gasteromycetes of the Basidiomycetes, 

 are represented by large- numbers of both 

 individuals and species. 



In conclusion a few words may be added 

 concerning the value of the laboratory at 

 Coldspring Harbor as a center for the study 

 of localities other than that of the Harbor 



