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The second paper, by Dr. H. H. Rusby, was on " The Flora 

 of the Orinoco Delta," a delta extending about 200 miles along 

 the sea, and as far inland if we include the region of rocky islands 

 and deep rocky river channels in addition to the area of silt- 

 deposit. It is doubtful if the part visited by Dr. Rusby had been 

 botanically explored before his visit. Its characteristic features are : 



1. A hill flora which covers islands never submerged and rocky 

 banks of the river toward the interior : trees and Bignoniaceous 

 vines characterize it. Mounted sheets exhibited (from Dr. Rusby's 

 collecting) included Spondias, the hog-plum, Anona, the custard- 

 apple, palms of the genus Bactris, and representatives of the many 

 large trees (exceeding often 100 feet high), as a Vitex of the Ver- 

 bena family and an Aliberta of the Rubia family ; also a Paullinia, 

 a woody vine and a Cupania, both of the Sapindaceae, etc. 



2. A river flora, including a marginal flora on submerged 

 banks and a submerged flora upon islands : chiefly a mass of 

 tangled vines. River bank trees of which specimens were shown 

 included a Cecropia of the fig family, and Inga, a relative of the 

 acacia, a tree which becomes a mass of flowers frequented by 

 hundreds of humming-birds. Another tree, Hecastophyllum, has 

 its hollow stems inhabited by myriads of stinging ants. Shrubs 

 of the marginal flora include many with a milky juice, as Taber- 

 naemontana, and many gorgeous-blooming species of Solatium. 

 Woody vines were largely of the Bignoniaceae ; drinkable water 

 was obtained from the stem of one which climbed perhaps 100 

 feet. Marginal river herbs shown included a Spigclia, source of 

 a valuable drug, especially important now that the Spigelia of 

 the southern United States is disappearing. A Cnplica with 

 orange flowers made a magnificent display. A Hcliconia [H. 

 penduld) of the Zingiberaceae, resembles a drooping orchid. 

 Splienoclea, an introduced member of the Lobelia family from 

 India, covered low places. Island trees include several large 

 drupe-bearing species of Moquilca and Licania, related to our 

 plum, and producing a wood valued there for charcoal-making. 



3. Along the setbacks of high-water periods, lakes remain as 

 the water recedes, alternating with partly dried exposed levels, 

 which produce peculiarly dense and formidable swamps. The 



