9 



statement is inadequate to convey the correct impression, for 

 the dominance in individuals of these "tramps" certainly far 

 exceeds their numerical proportion as species. The most barren 

 locality I found was the top of the Lime Island (Baixo), where 

 even the xerophytic Artemisia argentea L'Herit, so characteristic 

 of the I. de (Ima, seems to be wholly absent. A group of nettles 

 (Urtica membranacea Poir.) afforded food for the larvae of the 

 beautiful butterfly Pyrameis indica occidentalis Feld. 



On the dangerous cliff's of the west side, Miss Nancy Paterson, 

 a member of our part\-, found the typical red-flowered Anagallis 

 arvensis L., a matter of interest since the ordinary form through- 

 out Porto Santo and Madeira is the blue-flowered A. caerulea 

 Schreb. Here and there, on the top of Baixo, is a sorry-looking 

 plant of Nicotiana glaiica Graham; but our guide Juan de Pico 

 explained that he had introduced the species there several years 

 ago. On the north slope of the Pico do Castello, on the main 

 island of Porto Santo, we found the only orchid, Gennaria 

 diphylla (Lk.) Pari, in good flower. It appears to be truly native 

 but the minute seeds were probably brought by birds in com- 

 paratively recent times.* The top of Pico do Castello is planted 

 with trees (especially Pinus pinaster Sol.), which are tended 

 with some care under the impression that they will produce 

 rain. Tamarisk {Tartmrix gallica L.), though not cited for 

 Porto Santo by Menezes, is abundantly planted about the town 

 and along the sea front, where it doubtless has utility in con- 

 trolling the drifting sands. There is great need for a really 

 good xerophytic fuel-plant and I believe that the introduction 

 of the mesquite (Prosopis) would be a great boon to the in- 

 habitants. The species of Mesembryanthemiim (crystallium L., 

 niidifloriim L., edule L.) are very conspicuous everywhere. 

 Sometimes when hunting snails I would inadvertently kneel 

 on one of these plants; it was as if I had kneeled in a pool of 

 water. The reader will perceive that there are several things 

 to remind one of Southern California, and indeed we often 

 thought of the resemblance. 



M}- wife and I were two weeks in Porto Santo, during which 

 time we were entirely cut off from the rest of the world. There 



* No one has been able to point out any distinctive peculiarities in the 

 Porto Santo form, but I do not know whether it has been critically investi- 

 gated. I ha\e placed specimens in the U. S. National Museum. 



