﻿Oct., 1857.] 



ELLIOTT SOCIETY. 



241 



BOTANY OF EDINGS' BAY. 



Through the politeness of one of the residents of Edingsville, I en- 

 joyed, in August last, an opportunity I have long desired of exam- 

 ining the botanical and other features of the island on which stands 

 that village. My examination was rapid, from the small portion 

 of time at my command to bestow upon it; but the result may yet 

 be of sufficient interest to communicate to the Society. 



Edings' Bay, one of the series of islands that form the coast line 

 of the southern Atlantic States, is not more than a mile and a 

 quarter in length, and scarcely a quarter of a mile in breadth, 

 lying between Botany Bay Island, on the north or north-east, and 

 Edings' Island on the south-west, separated from each by inlets; 

 the southern inlet being so shallow, that, at low water, it is easily 

 passable on horseback, in vehicles, or even on foot for those who 

 may choose that mode of travel ; these three islands form the coast 

 line between the north and south entrances to Edisto river. This 

 island has been for many years the summer resort of the inhabi- 

 tants of Edisto and the neighboring inland islands, which lie just 

 behind the coast line; and on it are about fifty dwellings, as 

 nearly as I could estimate or learn, occupied by probably some six 

 hundred inhabitants. Access from it to Edislo Island is made 

 easy by a substantial causeway, with bridges across the marshes 

 and creek, which separate it (as is the case with the coast range 

 generally) from the adjacent inland islands. The sandy shore 

 surface, on the side of the ocean, has a very gentle declivity, and 

 in consequence forms, at low water, a very wide sand beach of 

 nearly uniform surface, and offering but few living shells to the 

 zoologist; though strewed with numerous remains of dead shells, 

 and of shells scarcely to be distinguished from the recent ones of 

 the coast, but which, I have no doubt, are fossil washed out of the 

 under lying post-pleiocene beds. Only after violent storms do 

 living shells appear to be found in any abundance, thrown up by 

 the waves. Sullivan's Island, and other of our islands, present 

 the same broad, sandy beaches, nearly barren of living shells. 

 Scattered on the beach, are found fragments of a shell rock, com- 

 posed of the remains of shells and particles of sand, pretty firmly 

 cemented together; in many cases, only the casts of the shells re- 

 main, and the shells appear to be of the same species as those 



