Vol. I] STEWART— BOTANY OF THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS 223 



what similar conditions were noticed on both Hood and Charles 

 Islands. On the first of these the spring season was just 

 beginning in February, and on the second it appeared to be 

 about as far advanced in March as it had been on Chatham 

 in January. The greatest difference in the time at which this 

 season occurs on two adjacent islands, was noticed on Abing- 

 don and Bindloe Islands, which are separated from each other 

 by a distance of only about thirteen miles. The vegetation on 

 the lower parts of Bindloe was very dry and parched indeed in 

 the month of September, as it is on the lower parts of most 

 the other islands at this time of year ; while on Abingdon most 

 of the deciduous vegetation was coming into leaf and the 

 common spring weeds were springing up all over the lower 

 parts of the south side of the island. Whether this condition 

 of affairs occurs yearly or not, is impossible to state, but it is 

 evident that the seasons were very much reversed on these two 

 islands in 1906. 



Heat 



Considering the fact that these islands lie directly on the 

 equator, the average temperature is quite low, ranging from 

 70°-80° F. throughout the greater part of the year. It never 

 becomes extremely hot, and at times is really too cool for 

 comfort. We arrived at Hood Island, the most southern 

 member of the group, on Sunday morning, September 24, 

 1905. After coming to anchor and getting the vessel generally 

 ship-shape, we hoisted an awning over the forward deck and 

 the members of the party collected under it to read or other- 

 wise pass the day. It was not long, however, until we began 

 to move out from under the awning into the sun, as it was 

 really too cool for comfort in the shade, somewhat lightly clad 

 as we were. The sun was not hot, but just comfortably warm, 

 and felt as it does on an early day in spring in temperate 

 latitudes. The rather remarkable thing about the incident 

 was that we were but eighty-two miles south of the equator, 

 with the sun almost directly overhead at this time of year. 



It was the intention at first to get daily maximum and 

 minimum temperatures throughout the year, but as the only 

 maximum temperature thermometer we had, was broken soon 

 after we arrived at the islands, this plan had to be abandoned 

 and air and water temperatures were taken instead at intervals 



