Stewart—Botanical Conditions pn the Galapagos Islands. 333 
growth of Paspalum eonjugatum. In his Voyage of the Beagle, 
Darwin mentions that he found beds of Cyperus, on the upper 
part of this island, in which there was a species of water rail. 
The Ornithologists of the expedition succeeded in capturing sev¬ 
eral specimens of this rather rare bird, but in each instance they 
were found to be hidden in the thick growth of Paspalum grass, 
no beds of Cyperus having been found. 
The forest trees, and bushes are heavily covered with ej>i- 
phytes around 2,200 ft. elevation and above. Ferns are common 
among these, Polypodium aureum, and Nephrolepis pectinata 
being the most abundant. Other epiphytes worthy of mention 
are: Epidendrum spicatum, Lycopodium taxifolium, and Peper- 
omia galapagensis, besides mosses and lichens. There are many 
species of terrestrial ferns in shady places and on moist banks. 
The Scalesia forests extend nearly to the top of the mam crater 
on the leeward side, but on the windward side, which is bathed 
almost constantly by the strong southeast trade winds for sev¬ 
eral months of the year, the trees begin to thin out a short dis¬ 
tance above the base of the crater and there are none at the top, 
although Zanthoxylum persists here as small gnarled bushes. 
Bushes of Psychotria rufipes are very common on this side and 
around the top. There are many ferns around the top, among 
which is Hemitelia multiflora, the only tree fern on the islands. 
The top of this mountain was heavily covered with fog at the 
time it was visited so that no general survey of the surrounding 
region could be made. As near as could be determined the dry 
region extends to about an elevation of 1,300 ft. on this side 
while the transition region extends to possibly 2,000 ft. varying, 
however, at different places. 
The steep sides of the mountain, above the lava fields on the 
south side of the island, are covered with the usual species found 
in the transition regions, a condition which extends up to above 
1,600 ft. elevation. There are many ravines extending down this 
side, which broaden out occasionally and enclose park-like areas. 
In most places these ravines are filled with bushes and trees. 
Fruticose lichens are very abundant upon the vegetation here. 
Jervis Island. 
Jervis lies about four miles oft the south shore of James Is¬ 
land. It is a small island, not over two miles in diameter, which 
rises to a height of 1,050 ft., in consequence of which the sides of 
