288 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 
Other groups characteristic of tropical regions and to be found on 
Margarita are the Melastomaceae, Aroideae, Piperaceae, Lorantha- 
ceae, and such members of the Filices as Trichomanes, Hymeno- 
phyllum, and Cyathea. 
Thus it may readily be seen that the variety of plants is rather 
great. One finds all conditions from that in which the halogens and 
other xerophytes of the seashore and plains are found to that of the 
mesophytes in the moist mountain regions, and not alone terrestia 
plants but also many epiphytes and a few phanerogamic parasites. — 
Fiora oF THE IsLAND or COCHE. 
Description of the Vegetative Conditions. 
The island of Coche is a typical desert island and, so far as ee 
ported, had never been visited by a botanist. The conditions exist 
ing on such an island were of great interest to me, and the fact that wae 
new species of plants were found together with the fact that fer 
descriptions of such an island are on record, makes it seem desirable ; 
to describe the flora of Coche and the vegetative conditions 1m such e 
detail as may be possible. : 
It was through the kindness of friends at Porlamar, Margarita, 
that I was enabled with a companion, Dr. A. F. Blakeslee, to vist 
Coche. The party, in charge of Sr. Antonio and Sr. Guilarte, left 
Porlamar at noon, Aug. 4, 1903, in a sloop, and reached San P i 
on the western end of Coche shortly after nightfall. Although the — 
sign over one doorway proclaimed “Restaurant” within, yet he 
proprietor refused to furnish either food or shelter. Fortunately, 
our companions had friends there so that rooms in different ho # 
were assigned where hammocks, which had been brought along, “_ : 
be slung. The meals were picked up as well as could be done at © 
stores. Drinking water cost two and one-half cents a liter. It Me 
found that this water was brought over from Porlamar and from ™ : 
mainland. Water was to be had from pits on the shore but it was 1 
desirable for drinking purposes. coal 
On the morning of the 5th of August Dr. Blakeslee and I trave 
the low shore of this end from the south point to the north. The beach 
stretches for a kilometer and a half to the northwest into a narrow ne | 
of land. On this extent of lowland is a salt lake, where great pues a 
salt are gathered for shipment. Beyond the lake itself for another 
