A )mi PAJ 4 M TO4 cocos ISLAI© 
Cocos is a anall, mountainous, forest-covered island less than foxir 
miles across, lyin^ ixi tlie Pacific Ocean about 250 railes soutli^'/est of Panama 
chiefly kao-^a as a resort of pirates and sedcers of tjori^ treasure* ‘Ihe 
mountains rise to nejirly 3000 feet, ^vdth surfaces too precipitous for culti- 
vation or grazing, so that ttie native vegetation has not been eztenainated, 
fhe new palm was collected by Dr. Waldo ?. Sdiaitt, of the U, 3. National 
Museum, during tdie recent flsliing esqjedition of President Roosevelt on the 
Cruiser Houston, It is a tall hiindscrae pjilm, not related to the coconut 
palra, but r^jaricably sii;iilar in general appearance and undoubtedly \ 7 as con- 
fused '.Tith tlie coconut in Idonol Wafer* s \ 7 ell-known accoimt of ids visit 
to the Island in 1685, 
A nearly comcdete aeries of specimens was obtained, inefLudixit- flowers 
preserved in foraalin, iUid excellent photo^^apixs , so tliat detailed ccxa- 
oarisons have been aride with related ualms from the maixxland of Central 
and South America. Pains are poorly represented in botanical collections 
« 
** ' ♦ 
rnd a-ny }iave been described from fra^psntary material, so tkit study of 
the groTJi) lias remained badcwsxd, %)ecimens odEs’pga.gs usually are difficult 
to obtain, and are too large to be handled herbaritjaa methods, fhe 
lea^res, flowers, and fiuits of the tall forest ixalns may be completely out 
of reacfi, since many kinds do not begin flowf'rlrvi or fruiting till they 
are 30 or 40 feet hi^ and roust be dimed or cut down before ai^ detailed 
titered 
■ 
proves difficult, oven after tixe trunlc is severed, lout Dr. Cdmitt ms able 
to enlist a pjiTt^/ of yoring men from the CSruiser, sudi an adventure 
palm 
Roosevelt. A detailed account is being published 
r ^ 
