324 Physical Geography of the Bahama Islands, 



In connection with the relations of the land shell faunas of 

 the islands on the north side of the Caribbean Sea, I may 

 mention that the greatest depth between the coast of Yucatan 

 and Cape San Antonio, the western extremity of Cuba, about 

 midway between the two, is 1,164 fathoms (6,984 feet),* — 

 between the east end of Jamaica and the west end of Haiti 

 (so far as is yet known), 600 fathoms (3,600 feet), and 

 north of Mona Island, in the Mona Passage (between Haiti 

 and Porto Rico) 250 fathoms (1500 feet). I postpone com- 

 parison of the faunas of the islands and the adjacent parts of 

 the North American continent, but in regard to the depth 

 between Haiti and Jamaica on the west side, and Porto Rico 

 on the east it is noticeable, that while the fauna of Haiti has 

 ver}^ little relation with that of Jamaica, it has much alliance 

 with that of Porto Rico. 



*I am indebted to the kindness ol I'rolessor Peirce, Snpevintendcnt of the U. S. 

 Coast Survey, and of Professor Henry, of the Smithsonian Institution, for full particu- 

 lars of the deep-sea soundings between Cape Catoche and Cape San Antonio, ascer- 

 tained on the survey in 1872. 



Printed at tlie Salem Press, July, 1873. 



