134 



ring in the Coast Range, one is often impressed by the abrupt 

 transition from the vegetation of the flat and open uplands of the 

 lower Willamette valley to that of the mountains. A compari- 

 son of the Nehalem and Willamette river valleys is a case in 

 point. The Nehalem flows through a mountainous region and 

 in part of its upper course is separated from the Willamette val- 

 ley by a low range of mountains some ten miles across. While 

 there is a difference of not more than 500 feet in the altitude of 

 the two valleys at some places, there is a marked difference in 

 soil and vegetation. The Nehalem valley has practically the same 

 vegetation as the mountain region which it drains. As one 

 crosses the divide into the Nehalem region the difference in the 

 vegetation is readily apparent. The oak is left behind but the 

 hemlock becomes conspicuous. Instead of the vegetation pecu- 

 liar to the stream bottoms of the lower country, the water 

 courses are fringed with the wild currant, salmon-berry and 

 Devil's-cane, for the most part. In a detailed description of the 

 flora, various other differences might be mentioned. The whole 

 region offers an interesting field for the study of the distribution of 

 native species. 



Syracuse University. 



EXTRUSION OF THE GAMETES IN FUCUS 

 By George J. Peirce 



Dr. E. B. Copeland's note in Torreya for November, 1901, 

 on the extrusion of the gametes of Fiicus suggests a comment or 

 two. 



In the first place, Thuret * in 1854 and Oltmanns | in 1889 

 said that the escape of the egg-cells and spermatozoids is 

 " hastened " by exposing fertile branches to the air. There may 

 be other appearances of the same statement, but these two are 

 worth instancing. I doubt either of these authors being willing 



* Thuret, G. Recherches sur la fecondation des Fucacees. Ann. d. Sci. Nat., 

 IV. 2 : 197-214. 1854. 



f Oltmanns, F. Beilrage zur Kenntniss der Fucaceen. Bibl. Botanica, 3 1 *: 1- 

 94. 1889. 



