15 



cUianensis , a weed. There are three or f(mr species of s€.*fl^es 

 among the plants collected by the Williams I'lxpedition. There 

 are many amaranths, mostly endemic. A Portulaca or an allied 

 plant has been revived from a supposedly dried si)ecimen and is 

 now thriving in the greenhouses of The N. Y. Botanical Garden. 

 A heavily armed Parkinsonia is sometimes called the Jerusalem 

 Thorn. There are numerous species of Croton, Euphorbia, 

 and allied genera. Croton Scouleri has eight or nine varieties. 

 An endemic species of Waltheria and two kinds of cotton, 

 Gossypium Klotzchianum and G. Darzvinii are found. There 

 is an endemic Lantana, closely related to a South American 

 species, and also a yellow-flowered Cordia, related to one of the 

 mainland. Also an endemic species of Coldenia. Lichens are 

 abundant on rocks. 



Mr. Beebe emphasized the thorny character of the vegetation, 

 this peculiarity interfering seriously with travel. He and his 

 companion, Prof. W. M. Wheeler, had been able, however, to 

 penetrate to a distance of five miles from the coast, while their 

 predecessors, he believed, had gone only three miles. Small 

 meadows with rich red soil covered with Cenchrus seemed to 

 offer easy traveling but proved quite otherwise. There was 

 frequent or nearly constant rainfall in the interior but it was very 

 arid along the coast. The rock is porous tufa and lava, and the 

 only stream is a small one on Chatham Island. The highest 

 mountain has an elevation of about 5,000 feet and is clothed 

 with a rather dense vegetation. Elaphrium graveolens appears 

 to be the principal tree. Four-fifths of the flowers are yellow. 

 In its general appearance the vegetation suggests that of the 

 South African veldts. The members of the Williams Expedition 

 gave more special attention to the animal life. Certain lizards 

 were observed to eat cacti, spines and all. They also climbed 

 trees and ate the leaves. The big tortoises are now nearly 

 extinct. The birds, sea-lions, and animals in general showed no 

 fear of man. Mr. Beebe found nothing to indicate original 

 isolation of the Galapagos Islands group. The Humboldt 

 Current and the prevailing winds are from the southeast. The 

 nearest relatives of the animals, with the exception of sea-lions 

 and penguins, are found in Central America and Mexico — to the 

 northwest. 



Mr. R. S. Williams made a brief report on the mosses of the 



