265 



of that species. While in Florida studying peat for the State 

 Geological Survey, he found several interesting plants, Spartina 

 Bakeri which is very common but not mentioned in any flora, and 

 an arborescent Serenoa serrulata, some plants of which attained 

 a height of ten feet, and an undescribed species of Prunus. Mr. 

 Harper explored the southern end of the Everglades following 

 about the same route as that taken by Dr. Britton in 1904 and 

 Dr. Small in January of this year. 



After the scientific communications, Mr. Ernest D. Clark, 401 

 West 117th Street, New York City, was elected a member of the 

 Club. 



Dr. Southwick reported the finding of Viola pedata in flower, 

 October 25. 



Adjourned. Percy Wilson, 



Secretary 



November 9, 1909 



The meeting was held at the American Museum of Natural 

 History with Vice-president Barnhart in the chair. Eighty-nine 

 persons were present. 



The scientific program of the evening consisted of a talk by 

 Dr. Marshall A. Howe on " Some Floral and Scenic Features of 

 Porto Rico." This was a semi-popular account of some of the 

 more striking features of the native and introduced flora of the 

 island and was illustrated by about a hundred lantern-slides, 

 some of which showed, incidentally, many interesting topographic 

 and scenic details of the Porto Rican mountains and sea coast. 

 Special attention was given to the native palms and their eco- 

 nomic uses. The photographs shown included, also, several of 

 the cacti, which are much in evidence in certain places along the 

 southern shore of Porto Rico and on the adjacent island of 

 Culebra. In striking contrast with the xerophytic vegetation of 

 the southern slopes are the mesophytic forests, now, unhappily, 

 of very Hmited extent, on two or three of the highest mountains. 

 The soil of the island is or has been very nearly all under culti- 

 vation, but in addition to the two or three comparatively small 

 forested areas, there are, here and there, in various parts of the 



