GUPPY — GULF OF PAEIA. 
113 
natural genera. Many of these reputed genera are in fact but 
various forms of the same species. The labors of Parker, Rupert 
Jones Brady and Carpenter have redeemed the Foraminifera 
from a similar opprobrium aud made the study of these minute 
beings a source of pleasure instead of the pain arising from the 
hopeless confusion and never-ending multiplication of useless 
and misleading epithets. 
It would be highly interesting to have an account of the 
peculiar botanical features of Gaspari and the analogous islands. 
The soil of these islands is peculiarly adapted to certain vegeta- 
tion while it is unsuitable to others. However as my botanical 
knowledge is unfortunately very slight I must confine myself 
to a very few remarks. The limestone furnishes by disin- 
tegration an extremely fine-grained red clay which when wet 
adheres to every object it touches. As a guess it may be stated 
that an ounce of this clay represents a ton of disintegrated 
limestone. In some parts there is a considerable thickness 
(many feet) of this clay and very much is washed away by every 
shower. It makes a fairly fertile soil in which many plants 
thrive. Guinea grass grows wild in places where it is not 
overrun with bush. Palms however do not relish the limestone 
or the red clay. Yet attempts have been made, all resulting of 
course in failure, to establish the coconut palm. 
One of the most notable plants here is a Spurge (Euphorbia) 
which I should say was one of the most venomous plants in 
existence. Not only is it extremely poisonous as plants of its 
family usually are, but it is covered, leaves and stem, with 
sharp needles which sting very severely. It took me several 
days to recover the effects of having run against one of these 
plants. 
