_ aa a 
7 
206 _ E. B. Hunt on the Florida Gulf Stream, ¥ \ 
These experiments were more striking than was anticipated, 
but were prosecuted under difficulties which prevented their be — 
ing completed. ork 
They are intended as the preliminaries to more extended and — 
complete investigations in the same direction, to be continued at 
some future time, embracing the interesting question, whether — 
tendrils are influenced by the same causes and follow the same 
law, also some things relating to the direction of winding plants, 
the length of their spirals compared with their diameter, the di 
rection of the spiral growth of various trees, &c. Some 0 
vations have already been made on all of these subjects except 
that of tendrils. * 
The experiments performed, indicate, I think, side 
Ist. That during the day winding plants like others grow 
towards the light. me 
2d. That they possess the property of turning towards some 
solid apport, "ee 
3d. That this is more manifest by night than by day, and the 
most so on cool nights following hot. days. DP the 
_ 4th. That this is not controlled by any influence of light o 
its absence, exerted by the support. , ie 
5th. That heat is the controlling cause, and that such plants 
will only turn (unless it be accidentally) towards a support," 
temperature of which is higher than that of the surrounding a 
6th. That the color and material of the support exert nou 
fluence further than that they influence the radiation and absorp 
tion of heat; and : 
7th. That when such plants are in actual contact with some 
Support, the tendency to wind spirally around it is much greatét 
than they manifested in order to reach it. 
eee 
ART. XXV.—On some Anomalies in the Florida Gulf rt 
and on their further Investigation ; by Lieut. E. B. Hvyt, mps 
of Engineers, U. S. A. vs 
(Read before the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 
timore Meeting, May, 1858.) Z 
is 
The whole commer¢e of the Gulf of Mexico is direct efit : 
cerned in whatever inyestigations shall more accurately | a7 
the currents or other physical peculiarities of that portion. Cape 
Gulf Stream area from the line joining Cape Antonio led a. 
Catoche, and the latter with the Tortugas, thence to the e 
ward through that grand channel bounded ‘on the nor ©” — 
« 
* 
‘i 
* 
