Sharpies.] 252 [March 21, 



of these caves may be imagined from the fact that it is estimated 

 that there is at least three hundred thousand tons of guano in 

 them. 



Since our visit a number of other caves have been discovered ; 

 in fact, caves were discovered almost daily while we were there. 

 The temperature in these caves is very pleasant, and although 

 they are of course damp, there was no feeling of dampness, being 

 simply cool and pleasant after the hot sun outside. 



It may well be asked why these caves were not discovered 

 before. This arises partly from the fact that the island is rarely 

 visited, partly from the nature of the chaparral. The region of 

 the caves is almost inaccessible. The hills are covered with a 

 low growth of the plants that are peculiar to dry tropical regions, 

 among these the Cactaceae and the Euphorbiaceae are especially 

 prominent ; in short, if there is any tropical plant that is well 

 provided with thorns, you may expect to find it here. 



N"o progress is possible through this mass of vegetation unless 

 a path is first cut ; add to this the superstitions of the negroes who 

 never venture under ground unless a white man goes first and not 

 then if they can help it, and we have plenty of reasons why they 

 should have remained unknown. The discovery of guano at 

 Inagua in similar caves led to the examination of this island, as 

 the caves have been known to exist here for a long while, such 

 some of them are the favorite resort of the wild hogs that are 

 found on the island. Mr. John Reynolds made a visit to the 

 island, which he had leased from the government as a cattle 

 ranch, and brought away with him samples of the earth which 

 were placed in my hands for analysis. The results were so 

 favorable that I was led to visit the island, where I was able to 

 confirm all that I had been told in regard to it, the deposit far 

 exceeding my expectations. 



Mr. S. Garman sketched the geographical features of America 

 in the Cretaceous Period, and the changes undergone in the 

 Eocene, when the first traces of fossil horses are found. After 

 showing the evolution of the latter, he discussed their disappear- 

 ance in Pleiocene times, which he ascribed to the effect of a few 

 somewhat severe winters, basing his argument on the destructive 



