36 



vailing on the islands. Five plant areas were differentiated : — 

 (l) that of the Strand; (2) the Scrub, where nearly all the 

 endemic species of the islands have been found ; (3) the White 

 Sand or White Land as it is called locally, characterized by a 

 species of Coccotlirinax ; (4) the Salinas, characterized by the 

 shrub Avicennia nitida Jacq.; and (5) the Savannas, where Cono- 

 carpus sericea Forst. is the characteristic shrub and Sporobohis 

 virginicus the common grass. In the numerous salt-holes is 

 found the only fern of the islands, Acrosticlmm auremn. 



Excellent photographs were exhibited showing the dwarfing 

 effect of the sharp winds of the southern coast, where the vege- 

 tation, elsewhere six or eight feet tall, is reduced to a foot or two 

 in height and becomes widely spreading. 



One of the results of Mr. Nash's trip was the extension of the 

 range of Pseiidophocnix Sargcnti about 3 50 miles to the south- 

 ward ; another the collection of a number of new species. Nu- 

 merous photographs, and specimens from each of the plant areas, 

 illustrated the speaker's various points. 



Edward W. Berry, 



Secretary. 



NEWS ITEMS 



Dr. and Mrs. N. L. Britton and Dr. Marshall A. Howe, of the 

 New York Botanical Garden, and Dr. C. F. Millspaugh of the 

 Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, are devoting several weeks 

 to botanical explorations in the Bahamas. 



The extensive botanical collections and library of Capt. John 

 Donnell Smiith, of Baltimore, have been presented by him to the 

 Smithsonian Institution. All the old-world plants, and all of the 

 American orchids, grasses, sedges and lower cr}'ptogams, are 

 already in Washington. The remainder of the American speci- 

 mens, and all of the books, are to remain in Capt. Smith's pos- 

 session as long as he may wish to retain them. 



