652 The American Naturalist. [July, 
Discussing the paper, Professor Britton cited a number of instances 
among spermatophytes, in which species supposed to be common to 
Japan and eastern North America, has been shown to be distinct. He 
maintained that the theory of migration, as ordinarily accepted, was 
insufficient to account for such similarity between the floras of the two 
regions as actually exists. Mr. T. H. Kearney, Jr., remarked that in 
comparing the grass-flora of the two regions, he had found that exclu- 
sive of circumboreal species, only two species are in common. 
The second paper was by P. A. Rydberg, entitled “ Floral Features 
of Western Nebraska.” 
It is a popular misconception that the country from Illinois to the 
Rocky Mountains constitutes one undifferentiated region. In fact, 
there are two entirely different regions, viz. : 
1. The Prairie Region, with rich loam and a comparatively good sup- 
ply of rain, extending to the Eastern Dakotas, Nebraska and Kan- 
sas 
2. The Region of the Great Plains, with dry, hard soil and scanty 
rain-fall, comprising the western portion of said States, eastern 
Colorado and Montana and the lower portion of Wyoming. In 
Nebraska the prairie region includes the eastern and south central 
portion of the State. The north central portion constitutes a region 
unique to Nebraska, the Sand-Hill Region, spoken of in one of the 
February meetings of the Club. Mr. Rydberg corrected a statement 
made by him then, viz., that he had seen “blow outs” in that region 
300 feet deep. He had intended to say 300 feet in diameter and 60 to 
70 feet deep. : 
The western portion of the State is made up of high plains, except & 
small portion of the northwestern corner containing the * Pine Ridge” 
and the “Bad Lands” of White River and Hat Creek. The plains 
have very few rivers, and the drainage is mostly by means of “ sand- 
draws.” Seen from a hill a sand-draw resembles a well beaten and 
winding sandy road. It is a stream with no visible water. The water 
is running from one to fifteen feet below the surface. Even the larger 
streams as the Lodge Pole and South Platte sometimes sink down 10 
the sand. 
The plains are mostly covered by short grasses, the so-called Buffalo 
grasses. In the hot, dry autumn, these become self-cured, and form an 
excellent winter pasture for the stock. A little hay is cut on the low- : 
lands and fed to the animals during snow-storms. Otherwise the cat- 
tle and horses feed out during the whole winter. The Buffalo x 
are: the original Buffalo grass Bulbilis dactyloides, Blue and Blac! 
