JOHNSTON: FLORA OF MARGARITA ISLAND. 169 
down to the plain near Asuncion. Each of the successively higher 
hills of the western end swerve to the south in the form of ridges sloping 
gradually to the open plain at San Antonio. From the highest point, 
however, there proceeds a very distinctive ridge between San Antonio 
and El Valle. This South Hill, as named for the collector's con- 
venience, together with a similar hill to the north of El Valle, called 
North Hill, curves so as partially to enclose El \'allc, the most char- 
acteristic valley of the island. Farther around the mountain to the 
northeast of it, is the large valley of Asuncion, and northwest of this 
is Tacarigua and at the western end again, on the north side, and 
opposite El Valle, is the valley of San Juan. 
With this system of narrow valleys surrounding the mountain, 
it may be expected that there are mountain torrents in the time of 
heavy rains, and such is the case. The valleys of San Antonio and of 
San Juan, however, have only the dry river beds in ordinary weather, 
while the three other valleys alone have permanent streams. 
The above-mentioned springs are the source of one river in El 
Valle which has been directed into a reservoir at the head of the valley 
at an altitude of fifty meters, whence it is piped to the villages of El 
Valle and Porlamar. There are ten ])ublic and a few private drinking 
fountains or "pelas" on the way, a distance of eight kilometers. The 
valley forks at its head so that to the northeast occurs a narrow ravine 
in which fiows a small stream. This is used for laundry purposes, 
and is lost in the soil before it reaches the lower valley. There is also 
a short distance to the east of this another stream which is confined 
to private grounds on which are three concrete reservoirs provided 
for it. 
The region between El ^'alle and Asuncion valley has no dis- 
tinctive features, nor is there any stream. Although down in the 
valley of Asuncion proper there is only one stream bed and not much 
water, one and one half kilometers or more above the village at an 
altitude of 450 meters there are no less than eight stream beds of 
which six always contain running water. A trail passing thr6ugh 
the forest at the above altitude from one side of the valley around 
the end to the other, furnishes an excellent opportunity to study 
these streams. The valley is most curved toward the southeast and 
gradually straightens out to the northwest. Beginning from the 
southeast the streams or stream beds were numbered in collecting 
merely for convenience, but the numbers may well serve here. 
