5 me

PUBLISHED QUARTERLY.

AE

BSB RIOLOGICAL FOURNATL.

Vou. 1]. APRIL, 1891. No. 1.

HARVEY WILLSON HARKNESS.

The subject of this sketch was born in the town of Pelham, Massa-
chusetts, on the twenty-fifth day of May, in the year 1821. His
parents, of Scottish origin, were blessed with a large family and
small means, and the boys following the usual custom of the rural
population in those days, worked upon the farm in summer, attend-
ing the best accessible schools in winter. Harvey, the seventh
child, being of a more than usually studious turn, sought eagerly
for opportunities of instruction, and following his strong inclination,
entered upon the study of the profession which was to be his life
work, receiving his degree in medicine from the Berkshire Medical
College of Massachusetts in the year 1847.

His youth was overshadowed, and the foundation laid for that
melancholy often observable even in gayer moments, by that fell
blight of New England—consumption. One by one he saw his
brothers and sisters, starting with every promise of vigorous life,
fade away as they reached maturity, and it was as much for the

- milder climate as for the allurements of wealth that he joined a

party of emigrants at Rock Island, Illinois, reaching California by

_ the tedious journey across the plains in October, 1849.

He first located at Bidwell’s Bar, in the practice of his profession,

removing the next year to Sacramento, at which place he spent the
succeeding years in the busy life of a physician until his retirement
in 1869 with a well earned competence, Since that period he has

lived for the greater part of the time in San Francisco, but has"

ee oe ‘made several visits to the Eastern States, four to Europe and two _
ee) Northern Africa.

On the tenth of May, 1860, he assisted in laying the rail which
| eed the first transcontinental railroad, presenting on behalf

of the State of California the gold spikes used in the ceremony, _ .

_ and on the seventeenth of November, in the same year, was pres-

2 Botanical Reminiscences. [ ZOE

ent as an invited guest of the Viceroy of Egypt at the opening
of the Suez Canal.

He took an early and active interest in the cause of education, —
was prominent in the organization of the school department of Sac-
ramento, and was elected in 1853 the first president of the local
board of education.

His connection with the California Academy of Sciences dates
from the year 1875. and for the last five years he has been its Presi-
dent, sacrificing to its interest and advancement all his time, atten-
tion and energy.

The scientific labors of Dr. Harkness have been directed to the
lower Cryptogams—chiefly to fungi of the Pacific Coast. His
writings on the subject are to be found in the Bulletins and Pro-
ceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Grevillea and —
other journals. His valuable collection containing the types of
many species, as well as the large additions made by purchase and
exchange, aggregating 10,000 species, have been recently conveyed
by gift to the California Academy of Sciences. ae

Dr. Harkness was married in 1854 to Miss Amelia Griswold.
Her death in the first year of their union, under particularly pain-
ful circumstances, was a bitter grief, which time could only assuage
but never remove. ;

BOTANICAL REMINISCENCES.

BY. Hy H: BEHR:

‘

The nativity of some Californian plants is at present a matter of
controversy. The birthplace of a single or a limited number of
species may appear of such trivial importance as to be beneath
serious notice, but as part of a totality of facts it is worthy even in
isolation of our closest attention. We must consider it the duty of
each generation to record as many of such facts as possible not only
in regard to the geographical distribution of species, but to its
historic existence in certain localities as well.

The botanists of former generations have done but little iu this
respect, being apparently under the impression that the distribu-
tion of vegetable life on this planet was as unchangeable as they
considered the species to be; and in consequence many of the pecu-
liarities of plant distribution cannot now be explained at all and
others form the subject of more or less heated controversies.

VOL. It. | Botanical Reminiscences. 3

As I amat present one of the comparatively few and almost daily
decreasing survivors of the earlier days of California, and, perhaps,
with the exception of Prince Paul of Wurtemburg, the only one who
found timein the years 1850 and 1851, during the gold fever, to pay
attention to things that were not mineral, I consider it my duty to
make record of my observations and experiences in this as well as
in other countries newly opened for settlement, and calculated to
shed some light on the modus operandi used by nature in changing
the flora of a district previously little or not at all disturbed by agri-
culture or by commercial intercourse.

The wind-swept hills of San Francisco have apparently always
been rather deficient in trees, but in places somewhat sheltered from
the blasts a considerable number were formerly to be found. The
scrub of Quercus agrifolia now to be seen in the park fairly repre-
sents the oak vegetation, though occasional trees of greater size
were to be seen. The buckeye grew in some localities into large

trees, like those examples now growing in Sausalito, near the mouth
of Wildwood Glen. Near Mountain Lake there were formerly
entangled thickets of Myrica Californica, and the bay shore from
Fort Point inward was fringed with laurel ( Umbdellularia California)
which grew to large size, mixed with thickets of Garrya, Sambucus,
etc., and the hill tops were crowned by a very extensive chap-
paral of robust Ceanothus thyrsiflorus. No conifers anywhere in
the region covered by the city proper came under my eye with
the exception of a few small ones on Lone Mountain; across the
bay, however, the Contra Costa Hills were fringed with redwoods
of such dimensions that the separate trees could be distinguished
from this place. In my botanical rambles, which frequently. became
scrambles, I often came upon the camps of woodchoppers, hidden
away among the tangled thickets of brushwood, their habitants,
usually French or Italians, turning an honest penny by supplying
the infant city with fire wood.

_ The destruction of the trees and shrubs, draining and filling up

‘the swamps and lakes, etc., has of course banished many of our ©

_ species, one of which, A/sine palustris, has not been found elsewhere. —
_ The columbine (Aguilegia truncata) and Thalictrum formerly

: . _ grew on Telegraph Hill. Ranunculus muricatus, now so abundant
_ in swampy places about the Presidio and the Marine Hospital, I
first observed about 1860. Acena trifida, a Chilian species of a

eee Botanical Reminiscences. [ZOE

very limited range in California, was apparently as abundant on the
grassy summits of hills when I first reached the State as it is now.
Berberis binnata and Ribes Menztiesii were abundant in the
hills beyond the Mission, the latter, the prickly-fruited goose-
berry, found also in many other places near the heart of the
city. Spirea discolor was found near North Beach and a
single tree of the Box Elder (Negundo Californicum) on the
hills near Polk street. Sphacele calycina grew on Second street near
Fremont; and near a resort called Sans Souci, somewhere about the
site of the Protestant Orphan Asylum, there grew the tall form of
Manzanita still found so abundantly on the slopes of Tamalpais.
The prostate species, Arctostaphylos pumila, once abundant still
survives in a few localities, principally in Laurel Hill Cemetery, but
will probably disappear shortly. Neither water cress nor the duck-
weed (Zemna), so often associated with it, were found in our streams
when I first saw them.

Near the formerly well known Russ Gardens there were
extensive marshes abounding especially about their borders
in interesting plants. Here grew the large-flowered dogwood
(Cornus Nuttalliz), the buckbean ( Menyanthes trifoliata), Epipactis
gigantea, the delightfully fragrant Hadenaria leucostachys, and
Eriophorum gracile. In thesame vicinity I found in a single local-_
ity five specimens of Botrychium ternatum; and the Lady-fern
(Asplenium filix-femina), grew luxuriantly, often forming root-
stocks two feet high, simulating tree ferns.

Next to the sudden disappearance of Azolla which between the
years 1851 and 1854 was almost entirely superseded by Cotula
coronopifolia, my attention was attracted by an analagous spreading
of a Lavatera which first came under my notice in September,
1850, in the garden of a Mr. Tittel. The locality was a little spot
protected from the drifting sand of the dunes which at that time
covered Kearny street, between Pine and Bush, and the sight of its |
rosy blossoms and succulent leaves often refreshed my eyes wearied
by dying chapparal and barren sand. Mr. Tittel told me that he
had bought the seed from an Irishman, who kept what was then _
called a Half-way House at the Mission Dolores. I did not pay
much attention to the matter as I was under the impression that :

the plant, which reminded me very much of Lavateras cultivated
at the botanical gardens of the University of Wurzburg, was intro- poe

VOL: II. ] Botanical Reminiscences. 5

duced. This impression was confirmed by the statement of the
Mediterranean origin of the genus, in Endlicher’s Genera Planta-
rum whieh, with a few volumes of Linnza, formed at that time my
whole botanical library and probably all the accessible botanical
literature of California as well.

The date of my first interview with Lavatera in San Francisco is
fixed in my mind by the cholera epidemic that devastated the city
in the last months of 1850. I observed the plant exactly two Sun-
days before the Sunday on which my first cholera case occurred.

The hard work and excitement incident to the epidemic, the great
conflagrations and the Vigilance Committee materially interfered
with my biological observations, but in regard to Lavatera I recol-
lect distinctly that the little garden spot, near Kearny street, re-
mained the only locality in which the plant was seen, nor did I in
my field excursions ever strike the garden in the Mission Dolores
from which the plants in Mr. Tittel’s garden originated. No special
‘search was made, however, for the reason above given.

‘In the year 1853 I left for a visit to Europe and returning in 1854
found the aspect of the surroundings materially changed in regard to
vegetation; the inhabitants having to some extent given up their mi-
gratory habits had taken to embellishing their homes, and especially
in the suburbs little garden spots with introduced ornamental plants
had become numerous. The marshes and the luxuriant vegetation
of their borders were nearly intact, but the impenetrable thickets

of Ceanothus thyrsiflorus which originally covered the dry hills
between the city and the Presidio had been much thinned out and
the nearer ones entirely destroyed. The ground thus laid bare
had not been cultivated; most of it was rather poor soil, apparently
_ intended by nature to grow houses rather than grain, and in the
interim furnished a home for luxuriant masses of the milk-thistle
nub Silybum : marianum) not a single specimen of which had been seen
ie during my previous residence. The clear brooks covered with a
mossy vail of Azolla had changed to muddy pools filled with Cotula
_ coronopifolia (called by the children ‘‘brass buttons’’), hiding a
liquid of the color and consistence of café au lait. Lavatera was at
this time generally employed as a hedge about the gardens, but as
I had witnessed the sudden invasion of South Australia by the
- Silybum: and Cotula mentioned above I considered the spread of
_ Lavatera an analagous circumstance and only wondered that I
- never found specimens away from the gardens.

6 Oregon's Imported S\ ongsters. [ ZOE

My idea that the Lavatera like Silybum, was of Mediterranean
origin was changed in 1854 by the distinct statement of my lamented
friend, Dr. Albert Kellogg. It is true that the botanical literature
at his command was even more scanty than mine, but he had seen
more of the country, and consequently knew more of its flora than
I who by my professional duties was bound to an area not exceed-
ing two days travel from San Francisco. As he was convinced »
that the plant occurred in a wild state he described it, and I have
a lively recollection of protesting against the Latin of its specific
name ‘‘ assurgentiflora,” and also of informing him that the graceful
curve of the pedicel which was the occasion of the name was not a
peculiarity of the species.

The discovery of three more species on the islands of the Cali-
fornia coast, would go to prove that a center must have existed —
from which the Californian species of Lavatera radiated, like the
Mediterranean one from which radiated Z. 7) huringtaca as far north
as central Germany, and ZL. acertfolia, so closely related to our
species, as far west as the Canary Islands. To the scientist of
evolutionary tendencies the co-existence of twosuch biological centers
isolated by so great a distance as half the circumference of our
globe, as is the case with regard to the Lavateras, presents one of
the most interesting philosophical problems. .

In questions of this kind the absence of botanical gardens is to
be much regretted. Those of Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide
have solved by simple experiment nearly all questions of this kind
relating to the Australian flora, in its pre-colonial history and the
agricultural and pastoral inftuences to which it became exposed. —
The cultivation of the {Mediterranean species of Lavatera in a bo-
tanical garden would certainly solve the question of the relation-

ship of our forms and save us a great amount of fruitless discus-
sion and ink.

OREGON’S IMPORTED SONGSTERS.
BY A. W. ANTHONY.

Sometime in the year 1888 a society was formed in Oregon for
the importation of European song birds. This organization was
composed largely of the German citizens of Portland, having as
its President Mr. Frank Dekum, President of the Portland Savings. _
Bank; Mr. C. F. Pfluger, Secretary, and Mr. F. Bickel, Treasurer.

YOL, 11. | Oregon's Imported Songsters. 7

Contract was made with a resident of the Herz Mountains to cap-
ture and bring to Portland in the spring of 1889 one thousand
birds, embracing from ten to twenty-five pairs each of sky lark,
starling, nightingale, gray thrush, black thrush, ring auzel, black-
headed nightingale, linnet, bullfinch, chaffinch, goldfinch, green-
finch and European quail. It was the intention of the society to
make the first shipment largely experimental, and, if successful in
naturalizing those first introduced, to make other importations later.

The first shipment of birds reached Portland in May, 1889, and
consisted, I was told by Mr. Pfluger, of nine pair of black-headed
nightingales (Sy/via melanocephala?)*, one pair of nightingales
(Luscinia philomela), the rest having died; sixteen pair of black
thrushes ( Zurdus merula), eight pair of song thrushes ( 7. ma-
sicus), forty pair of goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis), nineteen
bullfinches (Pyrrhula rubicilla), of which sixteen were males, most
of the females having died before reaching Portland; forty pair of
greenfinches (Chrysomitris spinus ?), thirty-five pair chaffinches
(Fringilia celebs), thirty-six pair linnets (7. cannabina), twenty-
one pair crossbills (Loxia curvirostra), twenty pair starlings
(Sturnus vulgaris), eighteen pair skylarks ( A/auda arvensis ), and
five pair of European quail ( Cofurnix coturnix ).

The quail and six pair of skylarks were released near Salem, a
few larks and starlings near McMinnville, Yamhill County, and the
remainder of the shipment at and near Portland.

Regarding the success of the experiment little can be said at
this early day; many of the birds undoubtedly returned in the
spring of 1890 to the vicinity of their haunts of the preceding sum-
mer, as starlings were reported from McMinnville and quail and
larks from Salem, upon good authority. The goldfinches and larks
are said to have done well about Portland, and to have increased
largely; black thrushes were also reported. Owing, however, to con-

flicting testimony it is very difficult to get any reliable information
_ regarding the different species, few people being able to discriminate

_ *For the identification of the species mentioned in this paper I am obliged to
_ depend partly upon the descriptions of the birds, as given me ,by Messrs. Dekum

and Pfluger and partly upon a colored print and list of the species which appeared

in ‘‘ The West Shore ’’ for March, 1889. Some doubt exists in several cases as to
what species was introduced, and in such cases an interrogation mark follows the
technical name.

8 Oregon's Imported Songsters. [ZOE

between the imported and native species. Asan illustration: In
March, 1884, I was frequently told by different parties, of a finch
that had been imported from Japan and become naturalized in the
vicinity of Portland. — Its history was well-known to the majority
of Portland business men, the only difference in their testimony
being that about half of them reported the bird as coming from
Australia. Several of my informants went so far as to say that
they were present when the birds were released. It was some time
before I was able to find a specimen of this vava avis, and what was
my surprise to discover that the Australian-Japanese importation
was the common evening grosbeak ( Coccothraustes vespertina).
Capt. Chas. E. Bendire, in a letter received during the fall of 1884,
refers to the same story and informed me that he had investigated
it with the same result. Whether some species had actually been ©
brought to Portland, from a foreign country, and the evening gros-
beak been confounded with it, 1 was unable to decide, but think
the story was without foundation.

In 1890, while collecting data regarding the species imported —
from Germany, I encountered my friend the grosbeak in a new —
role; many of the persons of whom I sought information told me
that the city was full of “German finches,’’ ‘‘ they could be seen
about the maples anywhere.”’ With a spirit of accommodation
that was quite to be admired, Coccothraustes was doing its best to
enact the part of Carduelis, Pyrrhula and Loxia, and as far as my
inquiries went giving perfect satisfaction. -

I was frequently told of the great increase in bird music since
the arrival of the German Songsters, and many newspaper articles
refer to the beneficial effects. A clipping from the San Francisco
Call of January 1, 1891, lies before me and is, perhaps, a fair sam-
ple, from which I copy the following: ‘It is now no uncommon
sight in the vicinity of Portland and different parts of Oregon to
see skylarks caroling far up in the air, thrushes singing among the
trees, and finches and linnets near the houses, also singing as
sweetly as in their native haunts. Near Portland the songs of
nightingales have been heard after dark during all summer.”

_ As for my personal experience during the past season (1890), in —
the vicinity of Portland, I did not hear a single song that I could

not identify as proceeding from some of our native species. The

region from which the goldfinches and skylarks were reported was :
not visited, however, | Pott

VOL. IT. | Oregon's Imported Songsters. 9

I found a universal disposition, upon the part of the people of
Portland and vicinity, to give to the imported species credit for
every bird note heard. It is not probable that the single pair of
Luscinia philomela, even if they survived after being released, fur-
nished music for the entire region about Portland, and yet I found
plenty who in all sincerity informed me that nightingales had sung
about their homes every night during the spring and summer of
1890. -

Credit in this case is, in all probability, due to the russet-backed
thrush ( Zurdus ustulatus ), which is very abundant in the Willamette
Valley, and is much given to site aed sedi the long twililight hours
of early summer.

The “ West Shore,’’ of March, 1889, in an article relating to the
Society for the Importation of European Song Birds says: ‘‘ Among
the first to appreciate the action of this society were members of
the Oregon Alpine Club, who at once took steps to supplement it |
by bringing from the Eastern States several of the most desirable song
birds, such as the famous mocking bird of the south, the cardinal
grosbeak or red bird and the joyous bobolink. These birds, also,
will arrive early in the spring, and will receive, as will also the
others, the fostering attention of the club and the German society
until they can propagate in sufficient numbers to be past all aa
of extinction.’

I was unable to learn whether the Eastern species had been ob-
tained, but think that they were not released with the German im-
portation.

Mr. Frank Dekum also informed me that a prominent Chinese
merchant of Portland had ordered a number of song birds from
his native country, as a personal contribution to the list of Oregon’s
songsters; his first effort in this direction was not successful, owing
- to the absence of a proper person to care for them on shipboard.
The birds had been sent for a second time, however, and would
reach Portland, it was hoped, in time to be released hetere the
es season of 1891. -

- This formidable array of importations would suggest to one un-
acquainted with ornithology of Oregon, a singular absence of native

tee _ song birds. This is far from being the case. A glance at a list of

: the birds of that State will show such noted songsters as the russet- —

— backed and dwarf thrushes, western robin, winter, and Parkmann’s

fe) _ Oregon's Imported Songsters. [ ZOE

wrens; yellow, Audubon’s, black-throated-gray, Townsend’s, her-
mit and Macgillivray’s warblers; warbling and Cassins vireos, purple
martin, Californian purple finch, vesper and Gambel’s sparrows;
Bullock’s oriole and a score of others, all more or less common,
and many of them abundant throughout the Willamette Valley and
vicinity of Portland. And to such as believe that ‘ America is a
country where the flowers have no scent and the birds no song ’’—
a phrase frequently heard while discussing, with residents of Port-
land, the merits of the imported species—I would suggest that a
visit be made some morning in May to any wooded thicket or ravine
in northwestern Oregon, where a chorus of bird music will be heard
that will convince the most skeptical that Oregon’s native songsters
are, at least, worthy of more than passing consideration.

As for the desirability of these European species, economically
and otherwise, the writer has but little to say, being entirely unac-
quainted with the birds in their native haunts; there is no good
reason, however, why they should be otherwise than beneficial to
the farmer and horticulturist, as well as adding to the already rich
and varied avi-fauna of Oregon a number of new and interesting
species. It will be especially interesting to the ornithologist to note
the effect upon the allied native species. The Oregon Loxia cur-
virostra bendire? is not so far removed from the imported Loxza
curvirostra as to be past all danger of interbreeding.

As for the birds offered by the Alpine Club, comment is hardly
necessary; both the mocking bird and bobolink are birds that could
not be expected to thrive in the heavy fir forests of the Columbia‘
and it would not be strange if they declined to return after the first
migration.

It would be difficult to Say too much in praise of the motive that
has prompted Mr. Dekum and his associates in presenting to the
people of Oregon this handsome addition to their list of feathered
Songsters. It is nothing new to take from one part of the globe to -
another game birds or fish that the Sportsman may find better and
cheaper amusement, but the moving impulse has usually been of a
sordid and unsentimental nature. In the action of this society, how-
ever, there has been no thought of pecuniary gain and all considera-
tions but those of sentiment have been cast aside, ist oe

It is plain that in many respects a lack of judgment has been
shown in the selection of species, several of which could hardly be

VOL. I. | : Island Plants. | II

expected to thrive in that part of the world; it would, therefore, be
wise to watch carefully the results of this first experiment before
making further importations, and also to take counsel of responsible
naturalists before introducing other species, the desirability of which
is not assured.

THE PLANTS PECULIAR TO MAGDALENA AND SANTA
MARGARITA ISLANDS.

BY T. S. BRANDGEE.

Magdalena Island, so called, is a low ridge joined by a very nar-
row strip of sand to the mountain known as Cabo San Lazaro, from
which a low line of sand between the lagoon and the ocean is con-
tinued to the Boca de Soledad. No one has ever collected plants
upon Cape St. Lazarus, but probably its flora would differ little from
that of these islands.

Santa Margarita Island is formed of two large mountains, sepa-
rated by a lowland having little elevation above the sea. Magdalena
is separated from the mainland by the width of the bay—a distance
of about fourteen miles—but to the northward the sand strips reach
within a mile of the sand of the mainland. Santa Margarita, sepa-
rated from Magdalena only about nine miles, near its southern ex-
tremity also approaches close to the mainland. There are. appar-
ently, a few species peculiar to these islands—local species or insular
species as they may be called. The short distance between the
islands and the mainland would not afford a barrier to the distribu-
tion of most plants, and those not known elsewhere are really in-
habitants of a separated mountain range of a different geological
formation. The adjoining coast is low, level and sandy, and the
central mountains of the peninsula are at least thirty miles away; at
the south no ridges approach the coast until Todos Santos is reached,
and at the north the mountains near the coast at San Gregorio are
- more than a hundred miles distant. These islands are masses of a
rock different from that of the nearest mountains of the peninsula,
and separated from them by a wide extent of low sandy country. —
From their size and position it might be supposed that a large num-

ber of species would prove to be peculiar to these islands, but such

is not the case. While collecting plants extensively in the region,
_[ have seen nearly every species of these islands growing on the ad-

’

12 | New Plants. _[ZoE

' jacent mainland or in the mountains to the north of them. A very
few, however, have been found in no other locallty, and these are
inhabitants of the rocks. One of the most showy and interesting is
Gongylocarpus fruticulosus, which is so conspicuous that it could
not have been passed over in other localities. Mamillaria Halei
and Agave Margarit will probably be found in no other locality.
Brickellia hastata may be peculiar to these islands; so also may be
Viguiera subincisa.

And these species complete the list, which is more likely to be
diminished than increased,

NEW PLANTS FROM ARIZONA, UTAH AND NEVADA.

BY MARCUS E. JONES.

ASTRAGALUS MOoENCOPPENSIS. Densely tufted from a much
branched woody root; one foot high, branched, glabrous or slightly
pubescent with scattered hairs, young leaves more pubescent ; stip-
ules scarious, small, broadly triangular, not free, generally with a tuft
of white hairs at the tip; leaves 4 to 8 inches long, petiole half the
length, generally grooved; leaflets about 5 pairs, linear or narrow- _
er, one inch or less long, acute, somewhat narrowed at the base;
peduncles 8 to 12 inches long, racemose-spicate on the upper half,
flowers spreading; bracts a line long, ovate or lanceolate, acumi-
nate, hairy; pedicels half a line long; calyx very hairy with entan-
gled white hairs, campanulate, about 2 lines long, equaling or slight-
ly exceeding the subulate lobes ; flowers purple, surpassing the calyx
lobes by 1 to 2 lines; pods erect or even reflexed, barely equaling
the calyx lobes, 3 lines long by 14 wide, one-celled, obcompressed

to such an extent that the cross-section is nearly linear, hoary, ob-

long-oval, acute, sessile, both sutures prominent, the ventral more :

So, scarcely sulcate ventrally, not at all dorsally. Cet
Collected June 11, 1890, on limestone cliffs, at Willow Springs,

near the Moencoppa, in northern Arizona. Oy ae
ASTRAGALUS SOPHOROIDEs. Perennial but flowering the first

VOL. I. | New Plants. 13

upper part acuminate - triangular; leaves 3 to 4 inches long, the
stout petiole being 1 to 1% inches long; leaflets 4 to 7 pairs, oblong-
linear or narrowly oblong, rounded at top and cuneate at base, 1 to
4 lines wide and 6 to 16 long; earliest peduncles very short, % to 1
inch long, spike 1 to 2 inches long, and so appearing sessile among
the leaves as in Sophora-sericea, later peduncles often 4 inches long
and the spikes 3 inches in addition, latest peduncles as short as the
earliest ones; bracts scarious, ovate or lanceolate, acuminate, as long
as the calyx tube, hirsute; calyx campanulate, equaling the subulate
teeth; flowers light yellow, keel sometimes purple tipped, 4 lines
long, erect; pods erect, 4 lines long by 2 lines wide and less than 1
line thick, slightly exceeding the calyx and its lobes, hoary, the tip
slightly incurved, elliptical, rounded at base and barely acute at tip,
obcompressed, flattened at base, ventral, suture prominent, neither
suture incurved, one-celled, chartaceous; seeds several, large. The
oldest leaves and stems are sometimes only pubescent.

Collected at Willow Springs and on the Moencoppa, northern Ar-
izona, June 10, 18go.

FRASERA UTAHENSIS. Intermediate between paniculatla ud al-
bomarginata. Upper stem leaves reduced to small bracts, lower
opposite, 3 to 4 inches long and nearly 1 inch wide at the ovate
clasping base, tapering gradually to a slender point; root leaves
clustered, 1 inch wide at base and somewhat contracted and grad-
ually tapering to a point, or lanceolate from a slightly contracted
base and long acuminate, nearly 2 inches wide in this case, distinct-
ly 3-nerved and indistinctly 7-nerved; stems 3 to 5 feet high, erect,
widely branching (at right angles to the stem) toward the top,
branches opposite and a foot or more long; whole plant glabrous;
pedicels flexuous % to 1 inch long in flower and in fruit lengthen-
ing to 3 inches; all the flowers show a decided tendency to become
erect by the curving of the lower pedicels; calyx lobes generally
_ broadly ovate, acute or abruptly acuminate, whitish margined, 1%
to 2 lines long, enlarging somewhat in fruit; corolla yellowish green
and purple spotted, lobes 4 lines long, oblong-obovate, obtuse, and

_ with rather ragged margin; gland above the middle, much broader

than long, with a prominent tooth in the middle, yellowish, glab-
rous on its face or only slightly hairy, fringed on the edge, base
confluent into a pair of coronal crests which are bilamellate and dis-
- sected into flattened subulate segments which terminate in long

14 New Plants. [ZOE

twisted white hairs, the lamellz unite below into the two glabrous
tubes which extend nearly to the base of the lobes; filaments purple
at very base, separate, and surrounded at base by scanty hairs; style
short and subulate; stigma very small; pod lanceolate or oblong-
ovate, acuminate, flattened but doubly convex; seeds elongated-
oblong, marginless.

Collected by me June 19, 1890, on the Buckskin Mountains
(Kaiba Plateau), on the southern edge of Utah. It grows in the
valleys also and in poor soil, in very dry situations. The descrip-
tions of allied species in the Synoptical Flora are very incomplete
and unsatisfactory.

CERCOCARPUS ARIZONICUS. Low, intricately branched, spines-
cent, I to 2feet high; whole plant short-woolly except the old stems
which are smooth and very light gray; leaves in fascicles of 6 to 10,
narrowly oblong and entire, revolute and so broadly linear, very
thick, obtuse, 3 to 6 lines long and 1 line wide or more; flowers 4
lines long and the limb 3 lines wide ; seed 2 lines long, covered with
very long yellowish hairs; tail 1 inch long and very long-hairy.

Collected June 41, 1890, at Willow Springs, on the cliffs.

_ Compared with C ledifolius var. intricatus Jones (C. intricatus

Watson), the flower is twice as large and the tail not much over
half as long, stouter and the hairs double the length of the var.
The leaves are several times thicker, shorter; the dense pubescence
stands straight out from the leaf and is woolly, not at all silky nor
appressed ; the stems are weakly spinescent, while the var. is not at
all spinescent. I have long ago shown that Watson’s C. intricatus
is only a starved form of ledifolius, and all sorts of transitional forms
are to be found in the Wasatch. Compared with C. éreviflorus
Gray, this plant has narrow and not at all spatulate leaves, the base
if anything being a little broader than the tip, leaves woolly instead
of silky-puberulent, tube of the flower much longer, solitary, other
differences of fruit not determinable. :

CYMOPTERUS MEGACEPHALUs, Acaulescent from a thick fusi-
form root the top of which is shaggy with dead petioles; leaves
many, flat on the ground, petioles 1 to 4 inches long (an inch or so
long above the ground), leaves twice to thrice pinnatifid, triangular
or ovate in outline, blade 3 to 6 inches long, segments bluntly
toothed or lobed, the teeth reminding one of the lobes of some spe-
cies of Cheilanthes, leaves thick, glabrous but not glaucous; pedun-

*

VOL Il. | New Plants. 15

cles about as long as the leaves and not elongating in fruit, flat on
the ground; flowers very small, dirty white, in dense heads like the
heads of mimosa flowers, 34 inch broad in flower and 1% to 2 inches
broad in fruit, involucre none, top of the peduncle enlarged into a
disk from which the innumerable flowers arise; fruit with generally
thick spongy wings, almost orbicular to obovate, truncate at the top,
4 lines long and 3 wide, wings a little over a line broad, all three
equally developed, oil tubes 8 or more on the commissure, and 4 to
7 in the intervals, fruit hairy at the top, and the triangular calyx
lobes green and starlike on the top of the fruit.

June 10, 1890, on the mesas just south of the Little Colorado,
northern Arizona, growing in gravel. This is to be compared only
with C. globosus and corrugatus, but is very different from either in
the leaves and fruit as well as the size.

LAPHAMIA GILENSIS. Shrubby at base, 6 to 1o inches high,
glabrous; simple, striate stems tufted and erect; leaves distant,
lower opposite, long petioled, petiole margined 1 inch long; blade
34 inch long, ovate or broadly ovate and with a cuneate base, 3-
nerved from the base, small, lowest entire or coarsely dentate, or
three-lobed and coarsely dentate; upper leaves much reduced, al-
ternate, always lobed or dentate and more or less glutinous; heads
single, terminating the slender branches; involucral scales ovate or
lanceolate, outer ones acute, all nerved and glandular; heads many
flowered; rays yellow present or absent, about 4 longer than the
disk flowers; akenes with one slender upwardly toothed bristle;
hairs on the sides of the akene thick and bidentate at the tip.

May 23, 1890, at Putnam’s Ranch, near the Gila River, growing
among rocks. This is allied to LZ. /anceolata Gray.

ERIOGONUM FLEXUM. Annual, intricately and widely branched
from the base and upwards, 1 to 2 feet high and branches a foot or
more long and horizontal; leaves fleshy, yellowish- green and gla-
brous except a few scattered hairs and some scurf; petioles glandu-
lar and hairy, 1 inch or less long; blade nearly round, g lines long,
obtuse, cuneate at base; stem leaves generally in threes at the nodes,
- jinear-oblanceolate, acute, lower 6 lines long, upper gradually re-
_ duced but never minute, glabrous except at base where there is a

glandular and hairy pubescence; lower part of the stem and nodes
glandular and sparsely hairy, otherwise glabrous; pedicels ascend-
ing from every node of the repeatedly dichotomous branches, 1 to 2

16 New Plants. [ ZOE

inches long, purplish, capillary bent at right angles above the mid-
dle; scales of the involucre separate nearly to the base, lanceolate
or ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, 1 line long, hyaline margined, erect;
flowers 5 to 10 on pedicels ¥% a line long, ovate with a contracted
base and the lobes connivent at tip, r line long, pubescent with very
stiff short hairs, but scarcely glandular, sepals 1 line long and very
narrowly triangular, three times as long as wide, golden yellow, the
pubescence confined to the lower half, midrib prominent. The
nearest congener is £. salsuginosum. The flowers are much the
same, but the akene of flexum is brown, broadly ovate, very nar-
rowly winged at the abruptly contracted summit, not at all winged
in the middle, and slightly so atthe base. The akene of £. salsug-
tnosum is simply ovate, and winged throughout and conspicuously
so at the base and broad apex, and is yellowish brown, they are the
same size. £. flexum resembles £. trichopodum.in habit. £. sal-
suginosum is a small, erect, closely branched annual, with some of
the upper involucres long peduncled, and the rest sessile.

Collected June 10, 1890, on the Moencoppa in northern Arizona.
It grows on dry mud flats. eee te

There are two plants which need characterizing, one of which has
been known for ten years—two species of Stanleya. The first is a
very conspicuous plant from the wide sandy valleys of western
Nevada.

STANLEYA ELATA. 2 to 6 feet high, erect, short lived or bien-
nial, branching toward the top, glabrous to the flowers, and often
glaucous; leaves very thick and leathery, veiny, generally entire,
but sometimes with a few small lobes at the base, 4 to 10 inches
long, obtuse, oval or ovate generally cuneate at base and contracted
into the margined petiole which is seldom over 2inches long; upper |
leaves lanceolate, acute, on a half-inch petiole, entire and contracted
at the base, lower leaves slightly and irregularly dentate, spikes ©
simple or compound 1 to 2 feet long and very showy from the
golden glabrous sepals which are half an inch long and enlarged
into a blade 2 lines wide; petals about 4 lines long, light yellow and
inconspicuous, claw broadening to the base and glabrous, blade 2
lines long and scarcely wider than the upper part of the claw, nar-
rowly linear; stamens twice as long as the petals, anthers loosely
coiled, filaments glabrous down to the middle then very woolly to
the base, with short, broad and flat hairs, not enlarging much at base;

you mm] New Plants. : 17

pods 3 to 4 inches long and filiform, about % a line wide, seeds lin-
ear. This magnificent plant is conspicuous for miles near Haw-
thorne, Nevada, standing up like a sentinel on the plains. -It differs
from .S. pinnatifida in the large leathery leaves which are generally
very broad and entire, in the broad yellow sepals, very narrow and
small glabrous petals, woolly filaments, and very long and narrow
pods and linear seeds.

This was first collected by me in 1882, near Hawthorne.

Stanleya pinnatifida has greenish, linear, inconspicuous sepals,
golden yellow petals, with a blade about 4 lines long and lance-
olate but sometimes broadly linear and sometimes elliptical, the
claw is subulate and quite broad at base and very woolly through-
_ out, the stamens are woolly on the lower half and not much enlarged
at base, anthers loosely coiled, the pods are shorter and about a line
wide, seeds broader. It is a perennial from a woody root, and sel-
dom is strictly erect.

STANLEYA ALBESCENS. Biennial, erect, branching from the
base, 1 to 3 feet high; leaves entire or lyrate - pinnatifid toward the
base, lanceolate to ovate, upper ones hastate and with a minute pair
of leaflets on the short petiole, often glaucous, thick and cabbage-
_ like, lower ones 6 inches or less long by 2 inches or less wide, petiole
_ 1 inch long in all but the upper leaves; spike sessile, rather dense,
sepals linear and slightly widened toward the top, white with a green
tip and slightly tinged with green, 8; inch long, glabrous; petals
z's inch long, light yellow or at first almost pure white, blade broad-
ly oval Y% inch long, slightly erose, obtuse and abruptly contracted
into the claw which is very narrow at the top and only % aline
wide at base, claw clabrous except the top where it is scantily wool-
ly; stamens $4 inch long exclusive of the tightly coiled anther, with
a few woolly hairs toward the base, only very slightly enlarged at

base; pods 2 inches long, a line wide; seeds narrowly oblong, ob-
tuse; pedicel 34 inch long and stipe ¥% inch long. This differs from

_S. pinnatifida in the very narrow white sepals, broad whitish almost _

2 S glabrous petals, almost glabrous filaments and tightly coiled an-

thers, and short pods, as well as being biennial.
_ June 10, 1890, on the Moencoppa in dry mud from freshets.
a Sat Lake City, April 9, 1891.

San

NEW FORMS OF AMERICAN MOLLUSCA.
BY T. D. A. COCKERELL.

PUPA ARIZONENSIS var. nov. SAXICOLA. 3 to 334 mm. long.
Common under rocks on Round Mountain, Custer County, Colorado.
Dr. V. Sterki, to whom I sent specimens, remarks, “ They are a
little smaller than my specimens from New Mexico, and, if I am not
mistaken, a trifle more tapering towards the apex than the type
specimen in the Binney and Bland collection.”

Pupa OVATA forma nov. ANTIQUORUM, 2mm. long; lamellz 7;
three on parietal wall, the central one large and slender, the others
very small: two on columella, these approximately of equal size,
and both rather slender: two on external wall, continued backwards,
the upper one large and curved downwards about its middle. Whorls —
4%, body whorl inflated, the others diminishing regularly and rather
rapidly towards the apex; outer lip conspicuously curved inwards
opposite the upper tooth on external wall. Post-tertiary deposit at
West Cliff, Colorado. This form also occurs living, as Dr. Sterki, to
whom I sent a specimen, says it “is of a form of which I have seen
examples from many parts of the country, of the same size, shape,
and formation of lamellz.”

BULIMULUS DORMANI forma noy. SUBFASCIATUS. 31 mm. long,
very thin, semitransparent, hardly at all maculate, but fasciate with
pale brown about base on body whorl, 7. e., an indistinct band at
periphery, a broad one below, and the umbilical region brownish.
This form was sent to me by Mr. W. G. Binney.

3 Fairfax Road: Bedford Park: London, W.: Eng.: Feb. 28, 1891.

CACTACEA OF THE CAPE REGION OF BAJA CALI-
FORNIA.

BY T. S. BRANDEGEE.

Cactaceze, although numerous in the Cape Region, are not as
abundant in species or individuals as in elevated regions of the cen-

tral peninsula about Purisima and Comondu, but they are com-

-mon enough to form a prominent portion of the vegetation.
A Mamillaria just coming into flower was found from near the
ocean at San José del Cabo to the summit of the mountains of the

Sierra de la Laguna. It isa nearly globular species, six to eight
inches in diameter.

Cactacee of Baja California. 19

MAMILLARIA GoopripGi Scheer. is abundant at the southern
extremity of the peninsula about San José del Cabo. The scarlet
fruit, though small, has a pleasant acid taste.

MAMILLARIA ROSEANA. Stems numerous from the root,
spreading, curved, ascending, %-2 m. long, 4 cm. thick; mamil-
le arranged in quincunxial order, 15 mm. apart, cylindrical, 12
mm. long, white-woolly in the upper axils; pulvinze finely pubes-
cent; radial spines 7-9 in number, 9-12 mm. long, brown or straw
colored, the single central spine, 25 mm. long, curved, hooked at
the tip; flowers from the axils of the upper mamilla, 3 cm. long;
sepals and petals bright scarlet, joined into a tube, spreading at
their tips, in several series; stamens and style scarlet; style branches
5-7; fruit scarlet, pyriform 6-8 mm. long; seeds black, pitted;
cotyledons united, only a depressed line at their tips; albumen
none.—Throughout the lower elevations of the Cape Region and
_ northward to Calmalli.

This cactus is one of the most showy of Lower California. Dr.
Palmer collected it at La Paz and it is No. 139 of the list from that
place in Contr. U. S. Herb. No. 3, catalogued by Mr. Rose for whom
it is appropriately named. The stems pendent from rocks at Com-
ondu are sometimes six feet long. This species and JZ. Halez of
Magdalena and Santa Margarita Islands have similar flowers, fruit
and seeds. The seeds of JZ Halei were wrongly described as
smooth; they are pitted in the same manner as those of this species.

CEREUS PECTEN-ABORIGINUM ENGELM. This giant cereus is
common at San José del Cabo, La Paz, Todos Santos.

CEREUS PRINGLE! Watson is also abundant.

CEREUS STRIATUS. Stems 4-angled, becoming terete, 1 m. high,
2-6 mm. in diameter, very sparingly branched above, ash-colored,
weak, 9-ribbed or striate, the ribs flat and slightly raised above the
flat, greener depressions, areolze small, about 6 mm. distant verti-
cally, slightly lanate when young; spines about 9, soft, closely
appressed, either light-colored or brown, 2 mm. long; flowers few,
10-12 cm. long, tube elongated, bearing bristles 8-g mm. long,
similar to the spines of the stem; fruit sessile, obpyriform, 2-214

em. in diameter, 3-4 cm. long, bright scarlet when mature and

: bearing the persistent spines; seeds angular black, finely pitted,

embryo slightly hamate.—San José del Cabo in fruit and with

remnants of dried flowers. Found also on Magdalena and Santa
_ Margarita Islands and northward beyond San Ignacio,

20 Cactacee of Baja California. [ZOE

This is a very peculiar species of Cereus and differs much in ap- |
pearance from nearly all others of the genus. The weak stems
are no thicker than straws and are supported by the bushes
amongst which they grow. The ashen color of the slender plants
and its habit of growing amongst bushes almost conceal it from
observation, and only when in flower or when the conspicuous fruit
becomes scarlet is it likely to be noticed. The ribs are flat and
broad and sometimes so close that apparently only a line of lighter
green separates them. The spines are soft and the whole plant can
be handled with impunity. The fruit is very large for the size of
the stems, insipid to the taste and consists mostly of black seeds
with very little pulp. The natives call it « Pitahayita” from the
general resemblance of its flowers and fruit to C. gummosus, called
** Pitahaya.’’

CEREUS GUMMosus Engelm. This species is abundant in the
Cape Region and during September can be found bearing both
flowers and fruit. The fruit is sessile, globular, 6-8 cm. in diam-
eter. The 30-40 areole are armed with 10 or more short stout
persistent spines. When ripe the fruit is bright scarlet and is
eaten by the inhabitants of the region and is well known as_
“‘pitahaya acre.’’ Within it resembles in color the purple of a ripe
watermelon with the small black seeds scattered throughout. It is
Prepared for eating by cutting and peeling off the outer skin and
thorns. The acid taste of the fruit is agreeable, and on the plants
is retained a long time but the flavor is lost soon after picking. The
seeds are 214 mm. long, Tugose, pitted, embryo very much hooked. —

Cereus Scnorrn Engelm. About Todos Santos this species
runs into some very peculiar forms; the tops of the stems differing
in their spines in no respect from the lower part. At first they
seemed like a different species but connecting forms abound. 3

CrREus THURBERI Englem. Common in the southern part of
the peninsula. The fruit is made into preserves and without sugar
is extremely sweet, whence the common name of the species ‘* Pit-_
ahaya dulce.’’ oe

Cereus Eruca Brandegee. Remains of old flowers with an
abundance of ripe fruit were found on the mainland opposite Mag-
dalina Island, and from them the following additions to the original _
description are made: The flowers are four or five inches long. ©
The fruit is about two inches in diameter. Somewhat spiny,

VOL. .] Cactacee of Baja California. 21

globular, dull red when ripe, acid and pleasant to the taste. Seeds
very rough, embryo slightly hooked. The fruit much resembles in
form and color that of C. gummosus, the well known pitahaya of
Lower California. It is more acid in flavor and on that account
not so much esteemed. Within the color is bright purple, similar
to that of a ripe watermelon. As far as known, its habitat appears
to extend from San Gregorio to below Santa Margarita Island
along the coast in sandy situations. It perhaps does not belong
to the Cape Region flora.

A species of Echinocereus, bearing dull red flowers, is abundant
at Todos Santos and La Paz. It does not grow on the peninsula
north of these places.

A species of Cereus with long stems hanging from the rocks
grows in the Sierra dela Laguna. The spines are few and short,
the stems are prominently angled and their color light green.
Neither flowers nor fruit were seen.

OPUNTIA (PLATOPUNTIA) sp. The common species of the
southern part of the peninsula.

OPUNTIA PROLIFERA Engelm. San José del Cabo.

OPUNTIA ROTUNDIFOLIA. Erect, slender and weak, ramose,
2-3 m. high, supported by bushes; stems cylincrical, woody, 1-1%
cm. thick; joints 6-10 cm. long; spines none; sete numerous,
retrorsely barbed, 3-5 mm. long, usually reddish brown; pulvilli
gray, woolly, remote; leaves sessile, fleshy, round-ovate, acute,
2-3 cm. long and broad; flowers about 4 cm. in diameter; sepals
few, spatulate, short; petals few, yellow, broad and entire; style a
little shorter than the petals, with (in the single flower) four branches;
fruit slenderly clavate, about 5 cm. long, 4-6 mm. wide, with 15-20
areola, setae-bearing like the joints; seeds few, flattened, whitish,
densely covered with white hairs about as long as the diameter of
the seed, apparently somewhat deciduous in age, commisure readily
separating, embryo curved about small albumen, the thick coty-
ledons somewhat obliquely incumbent.—Not uncommon in the
Cape Region at low elevations. At Todos Santos and La Paz in
January it was in fruit and all the leaves had fallen excepting a few

; : at the ends of young growing shoots, but in September at San José

_ del Cabo the whole plant was covered wlth a mass of thick green
leaves, amongst which a few yellow flowers were visible. In January
the setae were numerous and so easily detached that many fell
while cutting specimens, and the inhabitants say the wind will blow

>

22 Relationship of Sparrows. [ ZOE

them into their eyes; being very sharp they easily enter the flesh ot
the hands and, retrorsely barbed, they remain there several days
and are very disagreeable. The long fruit appears like a small
joint. In September, with its numerous dark green leaves, it is
not easily distinguished from the bushes amongst which it grows
and resembles Peirescia, from which genus it is however separated
by its barbed setze, its fruit and seeds.

STRANGE NESTING PLACE OF THE BARN OWL.

BY W. OTTO EMERSON.

A neighbor informed me that a pair of barn owls (Strix pratin-
cola) had taken up their abode on the tin roof around the cupola of
their house, and upon visiting the place I found twenty-odd eggs
which had not hatched, owing perhaps to the intense heat of the tin
roof during the day or from the inability of the owl to cover so
many. There was nothing used for nesting material or to prevent
the eggs rolling about the smooth surface. After removing these
€ggs two more were laid, which in due time hatched. The two
young were placed in a cage upon the lawn under a tree, and were
kept well fed by the parent birds, as many as eight or ten gophers
being found some mornings scattered over the lawn, and how many
had been fed to the young during the night there was no means ot
knowing. The cage, one day, was moved to another place, and
when the owls discovered the absence they made a great fuss by
loud calls, screeching and by snapping their beaks. A lady went
out of the house to try and stop the noise and was followed by the

owls until the cage had been placed under the first tree, then they. =

quietly departed. On September 13, when the young were about ©
two months old, they appeared to be in perfect plumage,
THE RELATIONSHIP F BELL’S SPARROW AND
Ae SAGE SPARROW.
BY F. O. JOHNSON,
The winter habitat of the Sage spatrow (Amphispiza belli neva-
densis ) extending into the southern counties of California, affords.
an excellent Opportunity for studying the relationship of these two __
forms. Perce
In the winter of 1888-89, in the vicinity of Riverside, Cal., I _
gave these birds some attention. Viasawe .

YOu.1t| Relationship of Sparrows. 23

Bell’s sparrow ( Amphispiza belli) is a resident and breeds com-
monly, although it is quite difficult to find their nests. I have had
the fortune to find but two of them, in both cases in cafions, placed
in small bushes about eight inches from us: ground. The number
of eggs in each instance was four.

The earliest specimen, in my collection, was taken Nov. 27, 1887.

During a fortnight’s stay in Riverside, from Dec. 24, 1889, to
Jan. 3, 1890, I took three Bell’s sparrows and seven sage sparrows.

The difference in size of these birds is very apparent, even at
good range gun-shot, both in the lighter coloration and greater
size of wing and length of tail of the sage sparrow. Their actions,
too, are quite different. The sage sparrows are much wilder, and
never have I shot one ina cafion. Mr. Ridgway observes of these
birds in breeding season that “ at Carson City he found these spar-—
rows very abundant, * * * * as it was also the most unzsuspi-
cious and Samiliar. * It was even difficult to keep them from under
the feet. A pair would often run before him for a distance of sev-
eral rods with their unexpanded tails elevated, and when too
nearly approached would only dodge in among the bushes instead
of flying off.” (See Baird, Brewer & Ridgway, N. A. Birds, Vol.
I., p. 595.) So in this respect their habits are apparently different
in their summer and winter homes. They prefer the sage brush of
the open plain, generally associating with several others and often
going in scattered flocks.

Bell’s sparrow freely mingles with them, but the collector after
some experience has but little trouble in discriminating between
them. The sage sparrow is much more terrestrial than Bell’s,
often running along the ground in cases where Bell’s would fly,
and holding their black tails high in air, then mounting to the top_
of a sage bush till you get nearly in gun-shot they will drop down
on the other side and make for the next bush as fast as their little
legs can carry them, in the manner of a California thrasher ( Har-
porhynchus redivivus). Often one can get a cross fire on the bird

__as he runs from bush to bush.

Last January I was again at Riverside fora week, and riding out
on the plains towards the hills, I saw more than I had ever noticed
before, both in large flocks and individually. Indeed, I saw one —

_ flock with over a hundred in it. How I did long for a gun! :

Italics my own.

24

Leelationshtp of Sparrows.

[ ZOE

T do not remember of hearing their song at all.
_ They certainly have an aversion to the haunts of man, as I have
never seen either form around civilization or cultivated fields.
Out of nine specimens collected by me but two are females.
It should be borne in mind that the differences between Riverside
“specimens of the two forms is based on fall and winter birds only.
I have observed the following general differences between the

two forms:

AMPHISPIZA BELLI.

Little or no traces of dorsal
streaks.

Above, hair brown, darker on

head; mandibles slate black.

Outer web of outer retrix same
as inner web, or but little lighter.

Outer edging of primaries
light brownish.

Edging of secondaries and
tertials dull light cinnamon.

Flanks washed with light cin-
namon, streaked with dusky.

Stripes on side of throat al-
ways well defined and constant.

Pectoral spot always distinct.

| AMPHISPIZA BELLI NEVADENSIS.

Dorsal streaks always present,
generally well defined.
Top of head, general color of

- black, and often under mandible

much lighter,

Outer web of outer retrix
whitish, sometimes broadly tip-
ped with white.

Outer edging of primaries
plainer and whitish.

Edging of secondaries and —
tertials much lighter.

Flanks lighter, less streaked.

Stripes on side of throat not —
well defined, often only obscure
traces present. |

Pectoral spot more diffused,
sometimes nearly lacking.

_Scarcely any of the specimens carry all of the above distinctions _
entirely, but usually vary in regard to some one particular; so that _
while none of the differences between the two forms seem altogether
constant, not one of my birds, nor indeed of any others I have ex- _
amined, appear to lean towards the other variety very decidedly,
nor is there any hesitation of instantly assigning any specimen to —
its proper form. Moreover, the subjoined table of measurements
show that in size they are also quite constant. On account of the _
lack of females I cannot actually give their differences in size, but —
have merely inserted their measurements with the males; all of”
them were collected by myself at Riverside, Cal. — ais

VOL. II. ] Lrelationship of Sparrows. “a5

AMPHISPIZA BELLI.

bite~ gga | Sex. Date. | Wing. | Tail. prvi og
mm mm. mm
F) September 20, 1887...... 65 67 7.5
325 $ uanuary 2, 1889.07 55077: 65 69 ff
507 $ sot UM Bam Lote eeu a are 67 67 7.5
315 8 December 31, 1888 ...... 72 71 -
AVOTAUG ic secan. vaca. 67.2 68.5 a2
845 Q December 26, 1889...... 62 64 6

AMPHISPIZA BELLI NEVADENSIS.

Collector's coe hate. | Wing. Se
mm. mm. sa
$ November 27, 1887:..... 79 74 iD
296 3 December 24, 1888...... Wy 71 7.5
327 6° ldanuary %, 1889-25 ..04 77.5 75 8
297 $ December 24, 1889...... 79 25°) 8
849 $ |December 26, 1889...... a on es
a 3 “ “ 75.5 | 68.5 | 8
858 ) - = 78 72 8.5
AVOGYROG (0000 30 ve ress (eee fe. 7 “ag
S47. 2 December 26, 1889...... 70.5 68 7
859 @ |December 31, 1889 ...... 72.5 | 70 8
BVOMNSG. 62... o et 71.5 69 7.5

The most striking difference in size of the two forms is in the
oe greater size of the wing of the sage sparrow, alittle morethanten
millimetres. The differences of tail and bill are not so marked, .,
being three and one-half millimetres for the tail and about three- as
S fifths millimetres between the bills.

26 Naturalized Plants. EOE

Therefore, judging from the small winter series available, there

seems to be pretty plain evidence of specific difference, but in such _

cases one needs a large series at hand for forming an accurate
decision, :

NOTES ON THE NATURALIZED PLANTS OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. VIII.

BY S. B. PARISH.

Arundo donax holds a somewhat uncertain place in the American
flora. A native of Southern Europe, it may be reasonably thought
to have reached us from that source. Yet along the banks of the
Rio Grande River it is found. apparently indigenous.* It is not
uncommon in northern Mexico, and recently Mr. Brandegee has
col ected it in Lower California. And now Mr. Lyon sends it from
Los Angeles, where he reports it as growing in great abundance in
the river bed, and often springing up in gardens from seed brought
down through the city water pipes. It has been long established |
by the river side, Mr. Lyon’s own knowledge of it going back nine-
teen years, while he learns from others that it was equally abundant
forty and fifty years ago. An aged native Californian states that
more than seventy years ago his father was accustomed to have his _
Indian peons gather it for building their jacales or huts, considering |
it more durable for this purpose than tule ( Scirpus lacustris ), which
was also sometimes. used. ) !
It is remarkable that this conspicuous reed, growing in the very |
outskirts of one of the oldest towns of the State, should have so
long escaped the notice of botanists, and if it is indeed indige-
nous Mr. Lyon’s station is not likely to be the only one. The _
Spanish-speaking people call it carrizo, a name borne by more than
one stream of the desert region; but the presence of Arundo by —
their banks is not to be therefore inferred, since the same Spanish
term is applied to Phragmites communis, and perhaps to any reed-—
like grass. :

The history and manner of growth of this reed at Los Angeles _
are such as to render its exotic origin somewhat doubtful, and it:
would be much more so if it be truly indigenous on the Rio Grande, |

*Vasey, Agric. Grasses of U.S., 2d Ed., 60. Coulter, Contrib, U.S. Nat.
Herb., ii, 58. ead . gees:

‘NOB M1.) Naturalized Plants. 27

and should it be discovered at intermediate points. But consider-
ing the uncertainty of its character elsewhere, and the isolation of
the Los Angeles station, it will be most properly, for the present,

regarded as an introduced plant.*

Brassica alba I have received from Dr. H. E. Hasse, who finds
- it not uncommon about Santa Monica. He also reports Solanum
rostratum at the same place, but not abundant. This is the second
station in Los Angeles, and in the nate for this pest, and marks

its gradual increase.

Dr. Hasse also discovered near Santa Monica a single plant of
Phytolacca decandra, the common poke of the Eastern States. As
it was loaded with ripe fruit it is probable that this species will be
permanently added to our flora. This find is a most interesting
one, the plant not having been found heretofore west of the Rocky
Mountains.,

Senecio sylvaticus has been collected by Mr. Cleveland along the
water front at San Diego, and Raphanus Raphanistrum in plowed
_ fields at many places near the same city. Convolvulus pentapetaloides
he finds abundant along and near a stony road in the Sweetwater
Valley, ten miles from San Diego.

Another species of the last mentioned genus, C. arvensis, is well
established by the roadside near Seventh and A streets in San Ber-
nardino. In the environs of the same city Scabiosa atropurpurea
is quite common in damp adobe soil. In some of the suburbs, as at
St. Elmo, it is very abundant by roadsides and in fields. It has
been reported in a recent number of this journal from Pescadero
and the San Joaquin River.t

In a meadow at St. Elmo I also saw this summer some two or
three dozen plants of Daucus carota, the wild carrot, so common
and obnoxious in the Eastern States. They were seeding plenti-
fully, and in all probability will produce a progeny which in time

*In the third Report of the State Board of Forestry, page 46, this reed (there

called by mistake Arundinaria macrosperma) is said to be ‘‘abundant along many

- water-courses in the State, being most prolific along the water-ways of the older

towns and cities.” Los Angeles and San Bernardino are specified as places where
it is especially plentiful. This statement is misleading, and is entirely unsubstan-

_ tiated as to any other places than Los Angeles. It certainly is an error as to San
Bernardino.

_ tZoe, i, 86.

28 Naturalized Plants. [ZOE

will be very troublesome. This is the first recorded appearance of
this plague in California, although it is probably to be found in other
parts of the State.

Observing the beginnings of such evils one is impressed by the
ease with which their spread might be prevented by prompt action.
But this is taken with neither vegetable nor animal pests. Indeed
their character is not at first realized, and it is only after their rav-
ages become disastrous that efforts, always costly and too often in-
effectual, are made for their extermination. Much of this might be
prevented by an intelligent supervision which would detect and
stamp out these plagues before they had time to spread; but it is
doubtful if such a supervision could be provided or successfully ex-
ercised.

The garden dill, Peucedanum graveolens B. & H.,* the appear-
ance of which as an escape at Los Angeles has already been record-
ed in these notes,+ I have observed during the past summer in great
abundance by roadsides and in fields in some of the environs of San
Bernardino, so that it may be regarded as fully established. A/entha~
Piperita also grows abundantly by the banks of several streams in.
the city limits of the same town.

Sisymbrium acutangulum is reported in the Botany of California
to be found about the “older towns from San Francisco to Los An-
geles.’’ The southern range, I am informed by Dr. Watson, rests’
on specimens collected in 1860-62 by Brewer, ‘‘ back of Santa Bar-.
bara and Los Angeles.’’ Later collectors have not found it, nor is
it known to resident botanists of either place as now growing at
them. It is therefore doubtful if it is at present an inhabitant of our —
region.
Veronica peregrina exhibits here the same dubious character that
it possesses in most places where it is found in the United States. —
_ It is not uncommon in neglected fields, and is occasionally seen by |

roadsides, but I have yet to meet with it at a distance from cultiva-
tion. .

ESCAPES AND Watrs.—Many of the plants cultivated in field or
garden are occasionally to be found growing spontaneously, and
some have been included in floras. Such are lucerne, the garden.

"Coulter & Rose, Bot. Gaz., xiv, 275. Anethum graveolens, L.
: tZoe, i, ro,

VOL. i. | Naturalized Plants. 29
radish and the tomato, and among flowers the sweet alyssum. In
this region they are mere temporary fugitives which fail to propa-
gate and extend themselves, and have no claim to be enumerated
among our plants. Az/antus glandulosus, the garden asparagus,
and the common pampas grass show some inclination about San
Bernardino to pass into’ the rank of truly naturalized plants, and
other similar instances have been mentioned elsewhere in these
notes. Mr. Cleveland reports Cerastium viscosum in a yard at San
Diego, and Me/ilotus alba ina cultivated field at Buckman’s Spring,
near Pine Valley, San Diego County, both apparently not fully es-
tablished. Probably here also belongs Carex pseudocyperus var.
Americanus, a single plant of which I collected ten years ago by the
roadside in San Bernardino. It has never reappeared, and is not
otherwise known south of San Francisco.

SumMARY. Excluding those plants whose foreign derivation is
disputed, and those which have not sufficiently established them-
selves, the naturalized flora of the four southern counties comprises
the following species:

Brassica nigra.

alba.

campestris.

adpressa.
Nasturtium officinale.
Capsella Bursa-pasioris.
Raphanus Raphanistrum.
Cerastium viscosum.
Stellaria media.
Portulaca oleracea.
Malva parviflora.*
Evrodium moschatum.
cicutarium.
Melilotus Indica.

alba.

Convolvulus arvensis.
Solanum rostratum.
Physalis eguata.
Nicotiana glauca.
Verbascum virgatum.
Verbena officinalis.
Mentha piperita.
viridis.
Nepeta cataria.
Marrubiun vulgare.
Plantago major.
lanceolata.
Rumex crispus.
conglomeratus.
Polygonum aviculare.t

*To this species, rather than to J. dorealis, belongs the common Mallow of

Southern California.

t Polygonum nodosum was included on a previous page, but while usually a weed
of cultivation it may possibly be also indigenous, and is therefore omitted.

30 Naturalized Plants.

_ Medicago denticulata.
Pastinaca sativa.
Peucedanum graveolens.
Dipsacus fullonum.
Scabiosa atropurpurea. *

Melampodium perfoliatum.

Xanthium Canadense.
spinosum.
Verbesina encelioides.
Bidens pilosa.
Anthemts Cotula.
Cotula coronopifolia.
australis.
Senecio sylvaticus.
Cnicus edulis.
Silybum Marianum.
Centaurea solstitialis.
melitensis.
Sonchus oleraceus.
asper.
tenerrimus.
Anagallis arvensis.
Ipomea purpurea.

Amarantus retroflexus.
chlorostachys.
albus.

Chenpodium murale.
ambrostoides. ,

Urtica urens.

Ricinus communts.

Sagittaria Chinensis.

Panicum sanguinale.

Crus-gallt.

Phalaris Canariensis.

Polypogon Monspeliensis.

Cynodon Dactylon.

Avena fatua.

Lamarkia aurea.

Arundo Donax.

Poa annua.

Eragrostis pilosa.

festuca Myurus.

Bromus maximus.
rubens.

Lolium temulentum.

Hordeum murinum.

Convolvulus pentapetaloides. Sorghum halepense.

There are in the above list 78 species, belonging to 59 genera,
and representing 23 natural orders, the most numerous being the —
Composite and the Graminee with 16 species each, and next
the Cruciferae with 7 species. ee

The species are not unequally divided between those which are
widely diffused and numerically abundant, of which there are 43)
and those which are more or less restricted in habitat, of which
there are 35 species. In the table the former are printed in Italic,
and the latter in Roman type.

In Brewer and Watson’s Botany of California 46 of these species
are reported as growing in the southern part of the State, and nine ©
others at stations north of our limits, so that twenty-three species
remain whose presence in California was not known at the time
that work was published. A few of these certainly were growing
here at that time, but by far the greater number, probably nearly

VOL. I. | Naturalized Plants. 31

twenty of them, have either come to us, or have passed ost the
condition of mere adventive plants to that of naturalized ones, in
the period of twelve or fifteen years that have elapsed since the
material was accumulated on which that great work was founded.
That nearly one-quarter of the naturalized flora of the region
should have been added in this short time is a notable fact, but
quite in harmony with the great increase of population and the
wonderful industrial development during the same period.

Sixty-two species of the entire seventy-eight, including all the
Cruciferze and all but one of the grasses, are of European origin,
and the same proportion holds if the commoner plants only are
considered. Fourteen are natives of other parts of America, twelve
of them coming from the South and two from the North, a pre-
ponderance agreeing with the derivation of the native flora. Asia
and Africa supply two species each, and Australia one.

This statement, however, does not correctly represent the imme-
diate sources from which most of these plants have been received.
Many of them have long been dispersed from their primitive homes,
and are weeds of world-wide diffusion. These are for the most
part attributed to Europe, although the real nativity of some of
them is very uncertain, and they have doubtless reached us through

_ intermediate countries. It is probable that the only direct importa-
tions are those few plants which are not likewise naturalized either
in Mexico or in the transmontane States of the Union, the former
being the intermediary through which the earlier introduced and
more abundant species have been received, while more recent emi-
grants have come by way of the latter.

The four counties here, called Southern California, constitute one-
fifth of the entire area of the State; a territory a little larger than
Ohio. But of this great province only one-tenth is arable land, a
district hardly more than half the size of New Jersey.*

*AREA OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

Arable. Mt. and Desert. Total

é sq. m. sq. m. sq. m.
DAD TORO. Olas oa ee Wei cece ees 836 14,133 14,969
Orange 5.0: . <5 BON OU US Oyateas Ce 450 304 754
en PIER os i sh vse se pee eek 1,000 2,996 3,996
. San Bernardino..........++.see0see ees 2,000 19,170 . 21,170
4,286 36,603 40, 889

“The arable parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino are estimated.

32 Naturalized Plants. [ZOE

This smaller portion contains the farms, the towns and almost
all the population, and in its limits are found also most, of the
naturalized plants. The other region consists of deserts or
rough mountains, the former largely preponderating. Its popula-
tion is sparse, and there is comparatively little travel and few roads.
The opportunities for the introduction and dissemination of foreign ©
plants are consequently slight, and as there is almost no agriculture
the weeds of cultivation are seldom seen. The climate of the
desert is an additional safeguard to the integrity of its vegetation.
Few exotic plants are capable of adapting themselves to the aridity
of airand soil which there prevail. Hence, the desert flora is but
slightly contaminated by intruding species, and these are easily re-
cognized, since they cling closely about houses or camping places.
A few early introduced plants, such as the Erodiums, have a some- |
what wider range, but in no degree comparable to their abundance
in the inhabited districts. So little is this region receptive of new
comers that the prevalence there of any plant away from habita-
tions and routes of travel is almost conclusive evidence of its in-
digenuous character. With our present imperfect knowledge it is
‘not possible to give the number of introduced species which extend
to the desert region, but they are probably not more than twenty. |
Numerically they constitute a very small proportion of the whole —
vegetation, and in the mountain districts it js hardly greater,
Very different is the case in the region of fertility. Here intro-_
duced plants constitute a very considerable element of the vegetive
life. These have not, indeed, supplanted the natives to such an
extent as is unhappily the case in the Atlantic States, where the
European visitor finds the agrestial and ruderal vegetation largely _
made up of the weeds of his own fields and waysides.’ Our meadows —
_are yellow with native buttercups, azure with Brodizeas, or whitened ©
with Yerba Mansa. By the highway the sunflower and the tarweed |
maintain their ground against all intruders. On the hills and |
plains the foreign Erodiums, bur clover and wild oat are ever present
and often cover mile on mile of land, but they do not exclude the
natives of the soil, and in the spring there are burnished acres of —
Eschscholtzia and glowing leagues of Beeria. Even in cultivated ©
fields there are weeds of native origin quite able to compete with

their foreign rivals. The black mustard alone succeeds in excluding
all other plants from the soil it occupies, ae

VOL. II. | Naturalized Plants. 33

While, therefore, the floral aspect of this region is strongly tinged
by foreign admixture, it is- predominately indigenous except in
the immediate precincts of habitation. How long it may so con-
tinue cannot be foretold. Some evil emigrants are rapidly spread-
ing, and new ones are constantly arriving, .

The prevalence of intruding plants upon the other side of the
_ continent has been explained as resulting from the originally sylvan
character of that region. The native herbs were adapted to the
shade of woodlands and could not survive the clearing of the forests.
Thus there being no native campestrine vegetation to occupy the
clearings, a free field was left for the incoming weeds of Europe*

If it be, indeed, not by reason of any superior inherent vigor or
capability of adaptation, but from the lack of suitable competition
that intruding weeds obtain possession of the soil, our native flora
should be able to maintain its predominance. This has never been
a forest region, and possesses a large number of campestrine plants.
These native herbs are likewise adapted to the condition of scanty
and uncertain rainfall which here prevails. With the first showers
they spring up and are in flower almost as soon as they are out of
the ground, so that the production of seed is assured in the dryest
season. With a continuance of moisture, growth continues and
constant blossoming, until the full grown plant can hardly be re-
cognized as identical with the pigmies which first appear. This
character exercises its protective influence especially in the deserts,
and among the plants of the fertile region is most developed in those
which grow on dry and barren soils. In such tracts the proportion
of introduced plants to indigenous ones is much smaller, not only
numerically but particularly in the number of species, than it is in
rich and moist places. And those exotics which are widest spread
and most abundant are precisely the ones which possess this char-
acteristic, as is noticeable in the Erodiums, the most abundant of
all. Many of the most objectionable weeds require a long season of
moisture to perfect their fruit, and climatic conditions may be ex-
pected to confine these to meadows or irrigated fields. Elsewhere
_ the native herbs should have no difficulty in maintaining their pos-

session of the soil.

_ CorrecTions.—The Cenchrus mentioned in vol. i, page 187, as C.

*Gray, Characteristics of the N, Am, Flora; Am. Jour. Sci. xxviii, 324. _

34 Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ZOE

echinatus proves to be C. tribuloides, a commoner but hardly less
obnoxious species. Petunia parviflora extends considerably further
north than is indicated on page 302, orin the Floras. There are
specimens in the Herbarium of the California Academy of Sciences,
collected twenty years ago at Oakland by Kellogg and Bolander, as
well as many others from Santa Barbara up. It has also been col-
lected at Sacramento by Prof. Greene.

ERRATA.—Page 7, for ‘‘every collection’’ read ‘‘ early collec-
tions’’; p. 8, for “Foreign Plants’’ read “ Forage Plants’’; p.
57, for ‘‘series’’ read ‘‘species”; p. 122, for ‘‘Warren’’ read
‘““Waren”’; p. 124, for “‘horned’’ read ‘“‘horrid’’; p. 205, line 6,
for “‘same’’ read “some’’; p. 206, for ‘‘accidental’’ read “occi- —
dental.”’

ANDREW JACKSON GRAYSON.
BY WALTER E. BRYANT.

Between the years 1846 and 1869 there dwelt upon the Pacific
Coast a naturalist and artist of so great attainment that he became
rightly known as the “ Audubon of the Pacific.’ Under congenial
conditions in this State the latent genius, which had been suppressed
in childhood, burst forth in beautiful masterpieces of pen and brush
and found its highest development amidst domestic happiness under
the tropical sun of western Mexico. During the few years allotted
for him to pursue the cherished plans of his life, he built for himself
a lasting monument more exquisite than pen can describe, more
wonderful than this country has known since the days of Audubon >
and grander than any that sculptor could have chiseled to be unveiled |
by appreciative friends and scientists. | :

It has been my privilege to study and admire the many water-
colored plates of birds made by Colonel A. J. Grayson and to
be called upon to edit the unpublished manuscripts in the posses-
sion of his life-partner and helpmeet, now the wife of Dr. G. B.
Crane of St. Helena, California; to briefly sketch the life and

scientific career—for much has already been published—and to
present to the present generation an account of the most illus-
trious ornithologist who has lived amongst us. .

Grayson has been too little kno

sometimes wrongly known.

wn, or what is more deplorable, —
Errors and misinformation have ap-

VOL. 11.] Andrew Fackson Grayson. 3 35

peared in print which the present article will strive to correct and
right.

Of Grayson as a naturalist, alone this memoir can treat; of the
Grayson family as pioneers of California, a volume remains for a
more able pen than mine, and the publisher of his portfolio will re-
ceive the esteem of the public and honor from ornithologists.

In the northwestern corner of Louisiana, at the Grayson planta-
‘tion, on the banks of the picturesque Ouachita River which takes
its rise in the Ozark Mountains and confluences with the Red
River just before the latter enters the Mississippi, Andrew J. Gray-
son was born August 20, 1819. (Audubon was born in the same
State in 1780.) There were but few habitations in those days upon
the narrow strip of arable land bordering the Ouachita, hemmed in
by pine forests and cane brakes. This strip was mostly devoted to
the cultivation of cotton. The adjoining region was one of bayous,
stagnant lakes and cypress swamps, the home of the alligator,
mosquito and fever. There was but little society and no schools
~ nor churches.

With such surroundings of nature in her wildest aspect it is not
strange that the youthful Grayson, being of a contemplative mind,
should have become one of her ardent devotees. Subject to fre-
quent attacks of chills and fever, he was permitted by his parents
to occupy his time pretty much as he pleased. With no congenial
companions around him, boy-like, he spent most of his time
rambling in the woods with his gun, or on the banks of the river
_with his fishing rod. His gun was seldom used except for game,

his early love for birds was of that remarkably tender nature which
spared them from ruthless destruction, and in all his after life this
humane trait was evidenced.

The region gradually becoming settled and cleared along the
river banks a log schoolhouse was built, where some twenty chil-
dren, including young Grayson, attended under an Irish school
- master; but within six months intemperance caused the teacher’s
_ dismissal and another one, who proved to have his predecessor’s
failing, then taught for a few months.

One of the first turning points in Grayson’s life came . when the

_ third instructor was engaged; hé was an Irishman, by the name

of Tobin, of most unprepossessing appearance who boarded at
the house of Grayson’s father. It was sometime during the first

36 Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ ZOE.

year of his tuition under Tobin that he showed the beginning of
the taste for drawing, his first attempts being mainly birds, foliage
and flowers. The first drawing of a bird which he completed was.
of the wood duck (Azx sponsa), and was considered by himself and
the other boys a very pretty picture. One day during school
hours, when Tobin was drowsy in his chair, Grayson was engaged
upon a picturesque river scene; so intent was he, and the two boys.
peeping over his shoulders watching the progress of the picture, that
they did not notice the sly approach of Tobin who suddenly stood
beside them. The picture was immediately hidden in the desk, but
it was too late. Tobin ordered not only that picture but the entire
contents of the desk produced for his inspection and the quick re-
fusal was followed by a severe blow upon the side of young Gray-
son’s head. Thoughtless of the consequences, he broke his slate
over the teacher’s head and taking to his heels ran for home. That —
evening, in the presence of the boy and his father, Tobin displayed
the pictures upon which he said the son was wasting his time in
school. His father scanned the pictures, then ‘threw them into the ~
fire and followed the act by a severe scolding about the making of |
pictures and the wasting of opportunities. Thus in one hour was
crushed (as he thought forever) the talent which he himself has
said “had it been fostered might have made me an artist of no
mean order.”
The fracas with old Tobin resulted in his father’s sending him at —
once to the College of St. Mary, Missouri. But during this course
he was prohibited from taking drawing lessons, and as it was
against his father’s wishes, he did not desire to.

and the estate being divided, three negroes fell to his share; these
were sold toa relative for their valuation. For the first time he

ment. It was the only store in the town of Columbia, but most of
the time the business was left to the care of a clerk whilst the
young proprietor wandered about the woods with his gun. The
result was what might have beensexpected. Mr, Grayson had no
business tact whatever, no love for the drudgery of mercantile pur.
suits and no pleasure but in the study of nature. In two years

vou.u.] § Andrew Fackson Grayson. ay

_the store was closed. Now that we have passed the second turning
point in his life, let us carefully consider the third and greatest one.
It was the old, old story; Grayson met and fell in love with Miss
Frances J. Timmons. “In proposing to me,’’ says she, ‘Mr.
‘Grayson told me of his future plans; that it was his intention to
leave forever the country of his nativity, and endeavor to cross the
Rocky Mountains and dwell upon the far off Pacific shores—in
‘California—which was then a /erra incognita to most of the world
and especially to the denizens of the Ouachita region; such a region
they had never heard of; I only knew it from my geography.’’ They
‘were married July 21, 1842.

While in St. Louis, Grayson had learned a great deal about
this remote region from the trappers of the American Fur Com-
pany, some of whom were his old schoolmates. They gave such
glowing descriptions of the beautiful land of California and Oregon;
of the fine climate and abundance of game, that his spirits were
filled with a desire to come and live here. Having become familiar
with the fauna and flora of his own State—few knew the forest better
than he—his zealous nature yearned for a new field for activity; he
longed for new objects of study in nature’s yet unexplored recesses.

In the year 1844 Mr. Grayson and wife moved to St. Louis for
the purpose of making preparations for the long journey across
the plains.

In the S¢. Louzs Reveille of February 20, 1846, appeared the fol-
lowing notices:

HO FOR CALIFORNIA!

At the suggestion and desire of a number of my friends, who propose emigrating
with me to California, and deeming it actually necessary that some one should take
the lead, whereby we may be able to organize an expedition and preserve good
order while on the route, I have consented to take the charge upon myself, and
pledge my life to the safe conduct of those who are disposed to join usin our
journey to that country. Should any one of the company, however, be considered
more efficient than myself, by a majority at the rendezvous, I shall be most happy
to resign him the duties of the command.

As it is my intention to take my family with me, which is quite young, I sin-
cerely hope that we may have an orderly and well organized company. Those who
design going should be at Independence, on the Missouri river, by the 15th of April

next, as that will be the time of our departure from that place.

_ Emigrants should be well provided with arms and ammunition, good ‘teams of
mules or oxen, and provisions for at least six months. It is better not to be bur-

dened with any heavy and unnecessary articles of house furniture, but good assort-

38 : Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ZOE

ments of farming implements, useful tools, garden seeds, and such things only as
will be serviceable in a new country, and not easily to be had in California.
A good interpreter and pilot will be wanted for the expedition. —
[Signed. ] A. J. GRAYSON.

EXPEDITION TO CALIFORNIA.

We refer our readers to the announcement, in another column, of a proposed
expedition to California. Mr, A. J. Grayson, an esteemed friend, will take charge
of the emigration, subject to the pleasure of the company when it shall have
assembled at Independence, previous to its departure. He is eminently qualified
for such a responsible station, being a young man of enterprise, courage and de-
termination—one who has not been accustomed to the “soft lap of luxury,” but
who has rather courted, from his youth up, the excitement and dangers of an ad-
venturous life in the extensive wilds of the Southwest—a gentleman whose rifle is.
as true to its aim as his heart is true to the principles of honor.

Under Mr. Grayson’s advice and direction we look for the organization of a
numerous and highly respectable expedition to California,

This memorable expedition is best told in the words of Mrs.
Grayson-Crane: ‘ By some, Mr. Grayson was looked upon as crazy
and heartless for attempting such a dangerous adventure with a
young wife and child; a wife, too, who had been unused to the
hardships such a trip would devolve upon her; but I was as full of
romantic adventure as my husband, and could not be persuaded
_ from accompanying him; and I may say here that the trip across
the plains was one of the most enjoyable episodes of my life.

guardian spirit of that prince of pioneers and backwoods adven-
turer, Daniel Boone, would be with us from the fact of the Gov-
ernor’s most estimable wife being his grand-daughter.
The Donner party left us at Fort Bridger, and this error gives to
California the most melancholy chapter in its history.

journey to the Pacific shores. Several encounters were had with —
the Indians; in an engagement one of the emigrants was killed,
three badly wounded and others slightly. Having lost half of his’
team animals, Mr. Grayson exchanged the other for.a horse, on
which he placed his wife and child, with necessary accoutrements,

VOL. II.] Andrew Fackson Grayson. 39

and completed the last of the way over the mountains by them-
selves.’”’

After six months constant traveling, the Grayson family reached
the Sierra Nevada. Every step of the journey had been pleasant
to Mr. Grayson, who had often wandered miles from the train on
hunting excursions, observing birds.

That October time in 1846, when they first stood upon the
heights of the Sierra Nevada at a point overlooking the magnifi-
cent Sacramento Valley, has been perpetuated upon canvas by
William S. Jewett (1850). The painting is about 5x6 feet and
cost Mr. Grayson two thousand dollars in addition to the artist’s
expenses in visiting the scene. ;

Immediately upon his arrival in California Mr. Grayson, leaving
his family at Sonoma, volunteered his services in defense of the
State. Every American was needed then, and Grayson, raising a
company of mounted riflemen, joined the regular forces and re-
- mained on duty until peace was restored. |

At the beginning of the gold excitement, he went, like almost
every one else, to the “ diggings,’’ and was so far successful as to be
considered one of the wealthy men of San Francisco.

Making one more attempt at a mercantile pursuit, he became a
member of the firm of Grayson, Guildo & Lightner, on Sansome
street; disappointment, reverses and fire came and came again, till
he renounced the business and adopted the life of a trapper, which
afforded him opportunities for the study of ornithology.

_ In January, 1850, Grayson surveyed and laid out the town ot
Grayson (afterwards named for him), on the west bank of the San
Joaquin River, in Stanislaus county.

In 1852 he made a visit East and to his native home on the
Ouachita, but he found everything so gloomy there in that out-of-
the-way place that his greatest desire was to return to California.
Once more in San Francisco (1853), he met an old acquaintance
and accepted an invitation to go to the plains of Tulare County on
‘a surveying expedition.

_ While he was absent Mrs. Grayson and some friends visited the
Mercantile Library to examine for the first time the magnificent»
work of Audubon, the “ Birds of America.’’ Her first thought was
of her husband, and as soon as he returned they went together and
spent nearly an entire day over one copy. Mr. Grayson was en-

40 Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ZOE

chanted. His early love of birds and his first attempts to draw
them came crowding before his memory. Then he bitterly regretted
that he had not been permitted to learn to draw when young, that
he too might create such a work. That eventful day decided his
life and turned it into its proper channel. He at once made up his
mind to accomplish a similar work and call it the ‘Birds of the
Pacific Slope,” and if necessary devote the balance of his life to the
task. Once his ambition had been crushed by a heartless school-
master, now there was no one to prevent him, and there was one to
whose interest in his plans and encouragement of the first attempts
made possible the achievement which places him to-day second only
with the artist-ornithologists of the country. He caught the spirit
of the study as others except the gifted Audubon, have not done.
He went to work at once to learn to draw from nature and to color.
His friends were surprised at the progress which he made and could
not be convinced that he was but self-taught. —

After a short residence in Marin County, he decided that he
would be more happy at San Jose, and accordingly purchased a
piece of land, unimproved, upon which he built his ‘‘ Bird’s Nest
Cottage,”’ as he and his wife named their home. Fruit trees and
vines were planted and in this pleasant home he continued the
practice of drawing.

In 1855 his wife and a lady friend sent, without his knowledge,
some of his paintings to the State Fair at Sacramento, where they _
were awarded a special premium, a silver cup, upon which was |
inscribed:

“Awarded to A. J. Grayson, Esq., for Superior Drawings of the
Native Birds of California, Exhibited at the Fair, 1855.’’

Surprised and greatly encouraged he went to work with renewed
zeal, and the following year received first premium for water colors
at the fair in San Jose. However well his drawings pleased the less
critical observers, they were far from reaching his own idea of the
perfection for which he strived. pee

A short residence was made, in the spring of 1859, in Napa Val-
ley, from whence came most of his notes and drawings of California
birds, and where the famous drawing of mountain quail which has ©
since been lithographed, life size was made. ae
Mr. Grayson and wife sailed for Tehuantepec in 1857. It was his
intention to make Tehuantepec the most southern point for his pro- |

VOE. II.] Andrew Fackson Grayson. 41

posed work upon the birds of western Mexico. Their son Edward
had been sent East to school the same year.

The voyage to Mexico ended in disaster; the schooner J/ary
Taylor was wrecked in the bay of Ventosa and all. the books,
drawings, drawing paper and colors were ruined. In a strange land
without money, Grayson gladly accepted a position as surveyor,
which enabled him to replenish his funds.

The loss of the drawing materials was keenly felt, but having be-
come a self-taught taxidermist, he made collections of birds and
kept notes and descriptions for future use.

On again arriving in San Francisco he was compelled by want of
funds to sell his collections to a naturalist. They were taken by
the purchaser to New York and some or all found their way to the
Smithsonian Institution.

Soon after his return he made an exploring trip down the coast
of Mexico in company with his esteemed friend Hutchings, of
Yosemite Valley fame. Several months were spent together trav-
_ eling in a canoe below San Blas.

The lateness of the season and the inclement climate brought on
an attack of the coast fever, which ended the trip without having
accomplished much in the way of collecting natural history speci-
mens. :

The information gained by the canoe voyage decided Gray-
son to settle at Mazatlan with his family and to make that city his
headquarters for future explorations of western Mexico whenever
opportunities afforded or time could be spared from the general
merchandise and commission business in which he engaged.

During the ten years of his residence in Mazatlan he performed
the work by which naturalists shall judge him. In addition to the
_ vicinity of Mazatlan, he explored the Tres Marias Islands, Socorro

Island and Isabel Islands. Grayson contributed many articles

to newspapers in Mexico and California and to magazines in this ©

- - State. Some of his writings appeared with his own name and
: many with the om de plume ‘“ Wanderer,” others were signed
_ “Rambler” or ‘ Occidentalus.” The majority of the articles were
- geographical accounts of the interesting places and islands visited
_ with profuse notices of natural history objects. A long letter writ-—

ten at Mazatlan in 1865, to the editor of the Afexican Times, called
the attention of the Imperial Government to the wrongs of Amer-
1a settlers from California living — the west coast of Mexico.

43" Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ZOE

Correspondence was carried on with Mr. John Xantus while the
latter was stationed at Cape St. Lucas by the U. S. Coast Survey,
and the account of Xantus’s accumulations interested and stim-
ulated Grayson to keep on with his collecting. In one letter
Xantus writes: ‘‘I collected 39 species of mammals, 188 of birds
[nearly 3,000 specimens, elsewhere stated], 51 reptiles, 73 saurians,
927 fishes, 4,088 crustacea and about 14,000 species of insects.
Besides, about 4 tons of minerals and near 2 tons of dried plants [!].
The shells amount to about 23,000.” An offer of an exchange of
birds’ skins was made by Xantus and accepted by Grayson, but
probably never carried out. 5

His principal correspondence was with Prof. Spencer F. Baird,
then assistant secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and from
whom he received great encouragement as well as suggestions and
kindly criticism.

One of these letters may be introduced here, giving as it does a
clearer insight of the life and sentiment of this self-taught orni- |
thologist. :

The letter was written during the time of the French invasion ot
Mexico, and just previous to the overthrow of the Imperial Govern-
ment, when Maximilian was betrayed, captured and shot while the
_ civilized world stood aghast and shivering at the spectacle.

: MAZATLAN, July ith, 1866.
My Dear Pror. Barrp—Once more I have returned to this part of Mexico, _
where I have spent so many venturous years interesting to me in my “labor of
love,” sometimes at the mercy of the waves in a mere canoe, at other times float-
ing in the quiet estero amid the surroundings of thick and tangled mangroves or —
climbing the mountains of Overgrown brambles and forests of high tropical vegeta-
tion, infested by ticks and other insects, but this was pleasure. But how changed
this place since my absence of eight months; we had trouble enough on our long
and tedious road to and from the City of Mexico, but on reaching our old home —
in this place we are still amid trouble and annoyances, if not really in danger, —
caused by the trouble existing between the two opposing parties, which has so
completely unsettled the country as to prohibit any traveling in the interior. Iam _
not permitted to have a gun of any kind, nor to go outside the city limits; and at
this season of the year, too, when I so much desire to do so in order to procure —
the eggs of some birds and the birds also. These are the difficulties, among many
others, which a poor field-naturalist or collector, like myself, has to contend with —
in an unsettled, Savage country like this, where every tree has its thorns, every
insect its sting, and every Mexican his sharp-pointed knife to assassinate or rob you
upon the highway in open day, or stealthily in the night; besides this, ‘there is the :
pecuniary expense to contend with, which is this country is an absolute necessity.

VOL. II. | _ Andrew Fackson Grayson. es

And what is worse still, since the French have occupied the country business has
been destroyed. Indeed, since my return I have had the blues most terribly—a
malady I am not often afflicted with, because I could always find ‘‘a pleasure in
the pathless woods.” But I will no longer trouble you wifh my sorryful complain-
ings. There is some consolation, however, in writing to an old friend like yourself
_ (for I feel towards you as though we had known each other from childhood). But
to business. On my arrival I found your welcome and interesting letter of Nov. -
15th, the first and only one received from you since my departure from Tepic for
Mexico. It was highly satisfactory and gave me much pleasure to know of the safe
arrival of the small collection of Socorro and Tres Marias birds, which I feared
~ were lost. How I should liked to have visited these islands again this season, pre-
pared to make a thorough investigation of them before I quit them; but this trip to
Mexico has completely used me up pecuniarily, having been cleaned out most
effectually by the miserable /adrones, both going and coming. But amid all these
troubles I managed to save my portfolio of drawings unharmed, and this, much to
my wonder, when we consider the ignorance of these barbarous and uncivilized
thieves, who either take or destroy everything in their power, whether of any value
to them or not. It seems as though a Divine Providence protected my portfolio
and also my book of notes, which I left in Guadalajara, reluctantly, because the
trunk in which it was, was too heavy to go in the coach; the loss of this, you
know, would have been irreparable. My gun, however, my old and tried friend
that has been my constant companion for years, was forced from me by the over-
powering, half-naked, armed savages. I being the only one who had a gun in the
diligence, resistance was impossible; my gun was caught by the coachman as a
raised to fire. This was done just outside the city gates of Guadalajara, half an
hour before daylight; the first occurrence of the kind that has happened to me in
all my travels in Mexico. A similar fate awaited us on our return from the Cap-
ital, but as I had taken the precaution against loss, we were not so badly damaged.
In returning from Mexico I was not idle on the way in my ornithological pursuits.
I remained some days at an old friend’s ranche near Guadalajara, who having good
guns, dogs, and plenty of ammunition, rendered me all the assistance I could
desire in making collections in that locality (ten leagues from Guadalajara). Some
of the collections made there you will, I think, find interesting; you will see my
notes upon the list. I also stopped again in Tepic; you will please notice the list
also from that locality, and the list from this locality, as well as the one from the
valley of Mexico, marked and numbered, agreeing with the labeled birds accompa-
nying them. . :
"Please send me a list with the numbers agreeing with mine, so that I may know
with a certainty the name of each species sent as classified by you, with the Latin
name in a clear hand. I was gladdened on the arrival of the steamer yesterday
- from California (all my dark feelings on me) with the welcome arrival through
Wells, Fargo & Co’s Express of a large package of books, among which was the
“much wished for ix vol. (Birds), and also part of your “ Review of American
_ Birds,” commencing with page 321, ending 368 on Vireonidz, and very interesting,
but you scarcely mention the vireo from the Tres Marias (Avpochryseus) only in
To have mentioned this bird as coming from the Marias Islands, and as

synopsis. | :
you say, ‘‘largest and most deeply colored of all the species,” would make it the

| 44 Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ZOE

more interesting, in as much as it is found upon these islands, where I know it to
be a constant resident (see page 353, review of Am. Birds, and Nos. 83, 84, 85 and
86 in my catalogue transmitted to you of Tres Marias birds). These things are of
much importance to me, as I expect to make reference to your valuable and inter-
esting correspondence (by your permission).. The review of ‘‘American Birds” will,
I consider, be invaluable to all ornithologists, whether professional or amateurs,
- comprising, as it will, such a vast number of species showing the geographical dis-
tribution, and of a truly reliable nature. I shall be engaged, during this rainy
season which is now upon us, in drawing and writing up my notes, &c., &c.

The Academy of Sciences in Mexico have acted in good faithiso far with me in
their contract to aid me in my collections and the completion of my work, but the
amount is so small without having anything else to depend on at present, makes me

feel rather pressed, or compressed, if you like. I have read and re-read your letter
of 15th Nov., and I am of the opinion that I often pass or let pass birds which I
think I know to be such, that by procuring them would prove to be entirely difier-
ent. I shall change my tactics, however, in regard to this matter.
_ You can not regret more than I my inability to make Socorro another visit this
season, or rather to have made, for now it is too late to go. Jan., Feb., March or
April are the best months to go to Socorro. I am sure there are many birds, as
well as mammals, reptiles, &c., that remain, yet to be brought to light inhabiting
this remote and but little known island. I must, however, bide my time and hope
at some future day to make a stay of at least two months. Iam not yet done with
_ the Tres Marias. I am anxious to know what names you will give the Socorro
birds. How sorry I am that I could not procure more and better specimens. I
have trained a young Mexican boy to assist me in my collections, as well as pre-
paring them; he has been constantly with me for two years, and is very fond of
the occupation; he is the only valuable article I did not lose when rcbbed on the
road to Mexico (except portfolio); he is a keen observer in natural history and of
good service to me.

It does seem to me that when my spirits become the darkest, something comes
in like a bird, with good tidings, whose melodious notes have often, as I wandered
alone in the wilderness, cheered my lonely spirits and gave me hope, and excited
in my heart and soul a greater love for our God, whose works shine forth every-
where in all things so beautiful and mysterious. As we were sitting gloomily at
our lonely table to breakfast this morning, when lo! the polite and ever agreeable
gentlemanly agent for the steamers in this place (Mr. Wyman) made his appear-
ance, bringing me two more letters from you, besides package of books, among
which another copy of vol. ix, also mammals of North America, land and fresh

water shells, &c., &c., for which ‘please accept my thanks. I begin to think my

old frends have not deserted me, and seeing these welcome visitors, these prizes
from the Smithsonian Inst :

- I feel once more like old times, and can now work
with better heart; and my dear wife, who ever cheers me in my saddest hours, also
felt the agreeable and welcome surprise, These letters are dated Jan. 24th, 1866,
No. 9,736, and May the 20th, 66, No. 10,692. These letters and package came
through the care of Mr, Hubbard, S. F., but the arsenic you mention did not come.

I need very much the alcohol and cans, and also No. 11 shot, which cannot be
obtained in San Francisco.

VOL. II. | Andrew Fackson Grayson. 45:

I shall endeavor to procure for you alcoholic specimens of the Ailgaro ( Mya-
destes obscurus), Have you ever received specimens of this bird from eastern Mexico?
I saw two other varieties while in the City of Mexico (in cages), one of which is
called Clarinde by the natives. Its notes are very melodious, and its colors much
darker than the variety found on this side—more of a lead color. The other one I
saw there also differs in color, the under parts, under tail coverts yellowish, tail
longer than either of the two mentioned. I could not procure one for less than
$12 to $20, cage birds.

I shall hope for your co-operation in my work. Any advice or information you
may find it convenient to give me will be highly appreciated, and I at the same
time will continue my contributions. ~

I will now proceed with the list of birds I send you with this. Mrs, Grayson
sends her highest regards, with many thanks for the letter you wrote her.

Yours truly, A. J. GRAYSON.

The allusion to the contract with the Academy of Sciences may
be explained as follows:

Mr. Grayson had previously visited the City of Mexico and been
presented to the Emperor Maximilian and the Empress Carlota,
both of whom took a deep interest in the water-colored drawings of
the “Birds of Western Mexico,’’ and retained his portfolio one
week for examination. Through the intercession of Maximilian
the accompanying contract (translated) was made with the Imperial
Academy of Sciences and Literature. It was through this society,
only, which was not in any way connected with the political govern-
ment, that Grayson was assisted at all, in a financial way, to carry

on his great undertaking.

Mr. Grayson had become a member of the ay se sn Society

in the City of Mexico.

With the downfall of the Imperial government ended Giayson s
contract. The new government would assume none of the obliga-
tions nor indebtedness of the old one, and the plates, yet unpub-
lished, remained in his possession.

Mr. A. J. GRAYSON,
AND THE IMPERIAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND LITERATURE.

Record No. 28.—Mr. Rio de la Loza read a second time the opinion presented
by the. Mathematical Physical Class respecting the application of Mr. Grayson that
the Academy should assist him to publish a work which he is writing upon Mex-
ican ornithology, and the suggestions of which are as follows:

The undersigned, appointed a committee to suggest in the business committed
ete them, have the honor to propose the following:

_. **The Physical Mathematical Class have examined attentively the collection
ns Presented to the “any bg Mr. Grayson, and assembled in session on the 24th

46 Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ZOE

of March, have held a long conference with the said gentleman; seen the greater
part of his work, and determined the essential points of the dispositioris contained
in the second number of fraction C, base 4 of the law of the roth of April; fraction
A of the 16th, and the other provisions of the regulation. In view of all, and of
the great utility which would result from publishing the work, we advise the
Academy, without hesitation to admit the propositions of Mr. Grayson, arranging
the details and conditions upon the basis of the understanding had in the confer-
ence with him, and which is substantially expressed in the following terms:

“‘tst.—Mr. Grayson agrees to furnish within 2 or 3 years a work which shall
[be] national, and will contain colored steel engravings of all the different varieties
and species of birds in this country, with their peculiarities, North, South, East and
West, and throughout the Empire.

**2d.—The work will be composed of 4 volumes, and will contain about 100
steel engravings—each carefully drawn from nature, collocating the birds in their
natural position[s] in harmony with their habits, while each drawing will contain
also the different kinds of plants and flowers situated near the localities frequented
by these birds. All the impressions will have 3 or 4 figures representing the birds
in their peculiar and most graceful positions. The index will indicate each engray-
ing in the book, which will be published in three languages—Spanish, English and
French. :

“*3d.—The work will be issued at intervals, commencing with the material
already prepared and to be delivered in a short time by Mr. Grayson. In order
that it may be finally correct, the Academy will appoint intelligent persons charged
with its supervision.

“4th.—The first edition will be 1,000 copies, the drawings remaining in pos-
session of the Academy, making in advance such costs as it may desire.

‘* 5th.—In order to complete a work of this magnitude by the time of its final
publication, the Academy will give the author 200 dollars per month, in order
that all expenses may be met in forming additional collections in different parts of
the country, with the understanding that he has explored some points in the East
and South of Mexico from Tehuantepec to Sonora, and visited at his own cost the
Islands of Tres Marias, Socorro and others, with the object of finding new speci-
mens, and making further additions to the ornithological fauna of Mexico.

“6th.—The Academy will be the chief organ of the enterprise, directing it, with
the assistance of Mr, Grayson until completed.

**7th.— The Academy will cover the expenses which may be occurred with the
Proceeds of the sale of the work, the price of which will be hereafter fixed. If

**8th.—As soon as Mr. Grayson shall deliver to the Academy his collection of
birds, he will receive 400 dollars besides the monthly pay above referred to.

“‘gth.—The author declares his work the exclusive Property of the Academy and
_ hot to be published in foreign countries,

“*roth.—In the event of Mr. Grayson’s death, all will remain the property of
the Academy,

_ Inasmuch as Mr, Grayson is highly recommended by Mr. Maury, and has exhib-
ited the greatest disinterestedness and most gentlemanly generosity, it is not

VOL. Ir. ] Andrew Fackson Grayson. 47

deemed necessary to exact terms or security from him. In virtue of this the Class,
in the discharge of its duty, presents the following proposition:

‘*The proposition of Mr. Andreas Grayson is admitted, conformably to the tenor
of these suggestions.

**L.. RiO DE LA Loza.”

ce MEXICco, Feb. 26th, 1866.

* Articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10 are approved without alteration. To the 5th
article the following addition is made: The author will deliver to the Class every
three months his drawings and writings—if this time is not sufficient, a time more
convenient will be determined.

“Article 6th is amended thus: The Academy receives the work, admits the pro-
priety, and commits its direction to the Physical Mathematical Class to complete
the same with the co-operation of Mr. Grayson.

** Article 7th remains in this form: The Academy will fix the price of the work,
will pay all expenses, and should it result in profit, will divide such profit with
Mr. Grayson.

‘With the above amendments it is decided that this opinion pass to the Minister
of Public Instruction, in order that he arrange with Minister of Hacienda to open
the respective credit to the Academy.

** FRANCISCO PIMENTEL,
“* Secretary of the Interior.

** MEXICO, March a2ist, 1866.”

By the unfortunate termination of his contract with the Academy
of Sciences he was once more left without means to carry on his
work. The Boston Society of Natural History and the Smith-

sonian Institution have been considered as having assisted him in the
exploration of the Sierra Madre Mountains. ‘‘ Neither of the above
Institutions” says Mrs. Grayson-Crane, ‘‘aided Mr. Grayson in
any manner. Just previous to his death, the Smithsonian Institu-
tion sent him two hundred dollars, requesting him to explore the
Sierra Madre Mountains, which amount I, (by my husband’s re-
quest) returned and I have Prof. Henry’s receipt for the same.”
The exploring trips which Grayson made, at his own ex-
pense, to the Tres Marias Island and to Socorro Island have been
fully treated of in his accounts edited by Mr. Geo. N. Lawrence *
with which is given annotated lists of the birds. It was a memor-
_ able expedition to Socorro, The little vessel was wrecked, and
: they poor ag rescued by a passing vessel which landed them

_ *On the Physical Geography and Natural History of the Islands of tbe Tres
- Marias and “of Socorro, off the Western Coast of Mexico. By Col. Andrew J.
Grayson. Edited by Geo. N. Lawrence. Proc. Bost. Soc, Nat. Hist., xiv, 1871,
— 261-303.

48 Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ZOE

on the Tres Marias trom whence they made their way to San Blas.
At this place Mr. Grayson’s only child, Edward, was drowned, at
the age df twenty-two. The solitary dove (Zenaidura graysont
Baird) was named for that son.

Mr. Geo. N. Lawrence has also published an account of the birds
of western Mexico,* principally from the vicinity of Mazatlan that
were collected by Mr. Grayson.

His last expedition was to the Isabel Islands, a group of rocks
swarming with water birds.

As the guest of the U. S. S. Mohongo he left Mazatlan, April 20,
1869, and at the islands was taken sick with the coast fever. His
illness lasted three monthsand a half, during which time he arranged
his affairs as though having a premonition that it was his last illness
and his work was done. At Mazatlan, in the night of August
17, 1869, went out the light of that heroic life, which, unaided and
untaught, by indomitable perseverance has placed the name of the
lamented Grayson in the galaxy with Wilson, Audubon and Gould.

During his last moments his mind wandered, perhaps to scenes

_of the past, or lingered over some exquisite piece which he had
just completed, for his last words to his wife, were: ‘‘ What a beauti-
ful picture!’’ He was buried at Mazatlan and his body afterwards
brought to San Francisco, for interment, by the Society of Califor-
nia Pioneers.

His age lacked but three days of half a century, not one third of
which had he been able to devote to art and science, yet he has left |
two large sized portfolios containing one hundred and fifty-four
water-colored plates of the birds of the Pacific Coast. Most of the
plates represent two or more specimens in various attitudes, some-_
times with their nests, delineated and colored with extraordinary
faithfulness and care. Prof. Baird has sent to Mrs. Grayson-Crane ©
the following testimonial of the high character of the work:

“ As far as my own opinion of the work is concerned, I have no
hesitation in saying that I consider the memoir, next to the work of.
Mr. Audubon, the most important contribution yet made to Ameri-
can Ornithology, in the form of good illustrations and interesting

*The Birds of Western and Northwestern Mexico, based upon Collections made
by Col. A. J. Grayson, Capt. J. Xantus and Ferd. Bischoff, now in the Museum _
of the Smithsonian Institution, at Washington, D, C, By Geo. N. Lawrence.
_ Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist, ii, 1871-1878, 265-319. or

VOL. ora Andrew Fackson Grayson. 49

biographies. The plates are drawn with exceeding care, and repre-
sent the minutest features of the species; while, as it regards the
fidelity of coloring, I do not believe they have ever beén excelled.
I much hope that matters may ultimately be arranged to secure the
publication of the work, as I want to see it appear, knowing it wil]
be a worthy companion to the publications of Audubon, Gould and
others.”’

A few of the original drawings were reproduced by wood cuts in
Hutchings’ California Magazine and by colored lithographs (which
by no means do justice tothe originals) in the Hesperian.

The two original volumes of water-colored plates were presented
to the University of California in 1879 by Mrs. Grayson-Crane, sub-
ject to no other conditions than her right to hereafter publish the
same and subtitute a printed copy for the original. A selection of
the plates was exhibited at the Centennial Exposition at Philadel-
phia in 1876.

The appended biographical sketches of birds appeared to be un-
published and are here presented for the sake of the information
which is accurate and illustrates the close and careful attention which
Mr. Grayson gave to the study of the habits of birds.

ANHINGA or ‘SNAKE Birp.’’ Anhinga anhinga (Linn.) This
remarkable species is usually met with along the shores of inland
lakes, lagoons, bayous and rivers in the warmer latitudes, and never .
on the sea-shore. Scarcely visiting the salt water es/eros, it is
strictly a fresh water bird. Wherever there are streams or lagoons
_ abounding in small fish, there it will be found the most abundant.
Of all the divers or birds that pursue their prey by swimming be-

low the surface, this one most excels. Its form is admirably
adapted to rapid swimming and diving, and it can remain longer
under water than any other of the feathered divers.
It is sometimes gregarious, particularly in the breeding season,
_ but may be as often met with solitary as in flocks. When fishing
“it often comes to the surface, either to breathe or devour what it
has captured, and when swimming on the surface its body is scarcely
- perceptible and frequently entirely concealed, whilst its head and

neck only are above the water. After it has satiated its hunger it
“mounts some old log or dry branch overhanging the water and
there spreads its wings to the sun in order to dry the plumage. If
it should be molested at that time by an enemy, it does not attempt

50 Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ZOE

to escape by, flight, for it is then too heavy. but falls headlong into
the water and instantly disappears as though a stone had fallen into
its depths. It rises with great difficulty from the water when it does
make the attempt. The plumage of its pinions as well as the tail
are naturally heavy and ridged, and the body itself is very solid
and weighty for its size, which would at first lead one to suppose it
incapable of extended flight, but this is not the case, for its wings
are long and ample and its flight vigorous and well sustained.

After it has dried its plumage in the sun, it is then that it displays
its powers on the wing. Its flight is exceedingly rapid and really
graceful and at times long protracted—ascending to a great height
in circles, frequently in company with the common black vulture,
or the wood ibis, and like them sailing in wide circles, seldom mov-
ing its wings, at the same time constantly rising in the air until al-
most lost to vision. After it has enjoyed for a time the cooler air
above, it folds its wings near its body and darts like a meteor back
to its favorite lake or stream, there to exercise its superior powers
in a different element.

Doubtless some of my readers when looking at the picture in
which the bird is figured will be reminded of some such scene he
has witnessed if he has ever traveled along the thickly wooded
banks of the silent streams or lagoons within the regions of the
tropics. And the bird, too, he will remember, asit sat perched upon -
some dry branch overhanging the water, with wings partly spread
to the sun whilst its long snake-like neck presented the many ex-
centric and graceful curves peculiar to the species ; its hoarse
croaking voice, too, as he neared its resting place—all of which may
recall to his memory the dismal swamps and quiet streams through
which he has passed. Such scenes are familiar to me from my boy-_
hood to the present time. The same which I have often in my
younger days witnessed in the cypress swamps of Louisiana are
only replaced in western Mexico by swamps of the mangrove and
other tropical trees. Such places are the favorite haunts of the
‘“ snake-bird.”

The nest is usually placed in very tall trees overhanging the water
and is composed of sticks and water plants. In the month of May,
1866, I found them building in some large cedar trees over a small
sluggish stream that runs through the valley of Tepic. They were
quite numerous about this little river which abounded in several

VOL. 11. ] Andrew Fackson Grayson. 51

species of small fish among which is the small, yellow catfish. It
is, however, quite as common on the Mazatlan River and adjacent.
lagoons. :

Inca Dove. Scardafella inca (Less.)—This lovely little species
is like a miniature of the common turtle dove and in the warmer re-
gions of Mexico, it is equally common, but at the same time
much more domestic and familiar in its habits. It is more usually
found near the habitations of man, frequenting the house lots, gar-
dens, and even the streets of large cities in which its innocent
and harmless qualities guarantee its safety. from the rudeness of
man. It is regarded by the Mexicans with feelings of tenderness,
and their mildest expressions of love are referable to this little
dove—as mi palomita, my little dove. They exhibit the most ar-
dent attachment for their mates and may be often seen caressing
each other in a loving manner. But with all their innocent looks,
they are possessed of violent paroxysms of jealousy, and a pugnacity
equaling the game-cock. I have often seen the males fighting to-
gether until they became. completely exhausted and unable to fly.
When engaged in combat they strike with their wings, which are
used with considerable force. Thus these most innocent appearing
of all animated beings have their faults also, but as they are not
armed with spurs or spines of any kind (like some tame combative
birds), their bills being weak and their claws delicate, they are
unable to inflict any wounds.

2 Unlike the turtle dove, they never associate in flocks, but continue
_ ‘in pairs throughout the entire year. They are sure to attract atten-
tion by their loving and innocent appearance, as the two seem to be
inseparable.

Its voice is plaintive and sad, and my wife never hears it but that,
as she says, it reminds her of Tehuantepec and the memorable event
of our first setting foot upon Mexican soil, at the port of Ventosa
where we suffered a disastrous shipwreck. The notes of this
little dove were the first and most common we heard from the

_ strange and interesting Jand upon which destiny had cast us. Time

can not eradicate from our memories the scenes through which we

passed in that remarkable region, which were only freshened, and
often recalled to our thoughts after a lapse of ten years, by the

- $weetly sad notes of this dove. oe

It is exceedingly docile, allowing itself to be approached to within

ee Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ ZOE.

_a few feet, without showing any signs of fear, as if it knew that its
very innocence was a shield of protection.

They breed three or four times in the year, and I have found
them nesting in the winter months as well as in the spring and sum-
mer. The nest which is formed very loosely of small twigs and
bits of dry grass, is usually placed very low, sometimes in the
branches of a small bush or on the broad leaves of the Opuntia,
and not unfrequently they construct a nest under the sheds of
the houses, if a suitable beam is found. The eggs are two in num-
ber and pure white. The male assists in incubation and feeding
the young.

CALIFORNIA VULTURE. Pseudogryphus californianus (Shaw).—
Is the largest rapacious bird of North America and * * %* *
it is better known in California than elsewhere, where, previous to
the civilization of that country, it was very abundant, approaching
in large flocks the near vicinity of the Missions, where it con-
tended with the coyote for the offal and carcasses of cattle slaugh-
tered for their hides and tallow. In the early days of California
history it was more frequently met with than now, being of a cau-
tious and shy disposition the rapid settlement of the country has
partially driven it off to more secluded localities. I remember the
time when this vulture was much disliked by the hunter for its

Tavages upon any large game he may have killed and left exposed .

for only a short length of time. So powerful is its sight that
it will discover a dead deer from an incredible distance while
Soaring in'the air. A case of this kind happened with myself whilst
living in the mountains of Marin County, California, in the year
1847. At that time my main dependence for meat wherewith to
feed my little family was my rifle. The hills and mountains there
abounded in deer and other game and it was not difficut to kill a
deer any day, but to kill a fat one could only be done by accident
or the acuteness of a skillful hunter in making such a selection. A

*

four-point buck in the month of July could always be depended 7

upon as savory venison with ribs and haunch covered with tallow.

One fine morning I had shot a l
four points, on the hills above my
the sky in every direction I could not discover a single vulture, and,

as my cabin was but a short distance from the spot, I concluded
not to cover my game as I could

arge and exceedingly fat buck of

little cabin. Taking a survey of

return with my horse to pack it

VOL. II. | Andrew Fackson Grayson. | 53

home before the vultures would be likely to trouble it. But for this _
lack of caution I was doomed, as in many other events in my life,
to disappointment. I was gone about two hours, when, on return-
ing, I found my game surrounded and covered by a flock of at
least a dozen vultures, and others still coming. Some so far up in
the heavens as to appear like a small black speck upon the clear

blue sky. So busy were they, tearing and devouring the deer and
fighting among themselves that I approached quite near before they
saw me, when all arose, some flying a short distance and perching
upon the rocks and sides of the hill, while others less gorged were
sailing around taking a bird’s-eye view of the half consumed deer
and my chagrin. Their greed in feeding upon a carcass and their
aerial movements remind me of the black vulture (C. afratus), and
like that bird they have often been known to gorge themselves so
as to be unable to fly.

The California vulture. seems to be entirely restricted to the re-
gions west of the Rocky Mountains and its geographical range does
not extend as far south as Cape St. Lucas, nor north to Washington |
Territory. Its flight when ascending is a quick movement of
the wings and alternate sailing in circles till out of sight. It soars
to an immense height and is endowed with such a far-seeing eye
that it is able to discover over a great expanse of territory any
dead animal which may happen to be exposed to view. * * * *

- The home of this vulture is amid the clouds and in the wildest
mountain regions it seeks for a retreat and to repose, usually pre-
fering to perch upon rocks than upon trees. a
Kine Vuuture. Sarcoramphus papa (Linn.)—I found it quite
common on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, more to the Atlantic side,
however, than the Pacific, and have not seen it except in confine-
- ment in any of my wanderings in western Mexico. From the best
— information I could obtain it seems to prefer the wild mountainous
regions to that of the near vicinity of civilization, and its habits are
not unlike those of other species of this family except that .it is a
little more particular in the selection of its food. It is rather slug-
gish and flies heavily. * * * * Incrossing the Isthmus in
1857 and near the Magonia River, we frightened up five or six of
these vultures which were feeding upon a dead horse, one of.
- them which perched upon a neighboring tree was shot and proved
| to be a fine specimen, but for want of conveniences we were un-—

54 | Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ ZOE

able to save it. There were no other species of vulture near this
dead animal. Iam of the opinion that it seldom makes its appear-
ance on the western coast of Mexico.

Coorer’s Hawk. Accipiter cooperi (Bp.)—I shot a specimen of
this hawk at a ranch near Rio Mazatlan. It had just made an un-
successful raid upon the poultry yard and created great consterna-
tion among the hens with their broods of small chickens. It con-
tinued on, flying very near the ground for about a hundred yards
and perched upon a low stump. Like the sharp-shinned hawk and
one or two others of closely allied species it has the habit of flying
very swiftly near the ground when hunting for its prey, as if to
come upon it suddenly without being seen, at times rising and
falling in an undulating manner, resembling the flight of the yellow-
hammer woodpecker. When thus upon its tour of rapine the birds
lie close under cover, well knowing the brave and desperate spirit
of this keen little hawk. At last he surprises a flock of quail, his
favorite game, onward he dashes among them, the affrightened
birds are so confused and panic stricken as scarcely to know which
course to flee, they scramble in every direction, but the reckless
hunter in an instant has selected one and furiously dashes headlong
amidst the brambles and grass in which the unfortunate game en-
deavors to make its escape. But too late, crying and plaintive
notes of the poor quail are heard, he has seized it in his powerful
and sharp claws and immediately bears it off, flying near the ground
until he finds some secluded spot beneath a canopy of bushes and
vines where either upon’a prostrate log or on the ground he devours
his prey at leisure. Not a few of similar incidents have I witnessed

' with this hawk, or its near allies.

I have found this hawk not uncommon in the locality of Mazat-
lan during the winter months; it is most usually met with about old
fields where there are brambles which the kind of prey it seeks _
inhabit. Field mice and other species of small rodents form a part
of its subsistence as well as birds. Of all the hawks it is perhaps
the greatest chicken thief, and is a terror to the old hens and chick-
ens of the farmyard. Once it commences upon a brood it will
return daily until many are captured. It usually perches beneath
the thick foliage of a tree, or in some obscure place near the ground,
where from its place of concealment it sly

© pounce upon its prey. * * * * * To. unable to state

ly watches its opportunity — :

*

VOL. Il. | Andrew Fackson Grayson. 55

whether this hawk breeds in western Mexico or not, not having the
good fortune to encounter its nest. It is quite probable, however,
that it breeds in California and Oregon, where young-plumaged
birds have been obtained. * * * *

Tres MARIAS YELLOW-HEADED PaRROT. Chrysotts levaillanti
Gray.—In the wild and densely wooded islands of the Tres Marias,
hitherto but little known and uninhabited, I found this large and
handsome parrot in considerable numbers. Its appearance there
and not upon the adjacent coast seemed to me very remarkable,
as it possesses sufficient powers of flight to pass back and forth it
it so desired, and the same kind of food upon which it subsists could
be found in equal abundance, yet it never visits the mainland volun-
tarily. It is without doubt peculiar to these islands, where nature
had produced and destined it a local habitation. Therefore its geo-
graphical range is more limited than that of any parrot found upon
the mainland. Doubtless they are more contented in their quiet
island home, than the roving species that are ever restless. Know-
ing no other country but their little flowery forest world, with the
native songsters for their friends and acquaintances, they led a
happy and obscure life of contentment and safety, until man the
destroyer made his appearance among them.

It is only within very recent years that one of the islands has
become partially inhabited by the cutters of cedvo, and as recently as
1865, when I visited these islands for the first time, I found these

birds so tame and unsuspecting at the approach of a human being,
as to be easily taken, simply by putting a running noose of twine
upon the end of a slender pole and slipping it gently over the head,
while they were busy feeding among the low branches or quietly
sitting upon the limb of a tree.
Many of these parrots are captured by the wood cutters and sold
to the vessels touching there for a cargo of timber. They are also
carried to Tepic, San Blas, Mazatlan and other points on the coast
and sold for from one to five dollars. Upon a subsequent visit to
these islands in 1867, on my return from Socorro Island, I found ©
that their numbers had diminished considerably, and they had
become so shy as to be difficult of approach. They had learned
the arts and tricks of man, and kept him at a respectable distance.
; When captured after they are fully grown, they never learn to
talk and seem very unhappy and unfriendly in confinement, keep-

56 | Andrew Fackson Grayson. — [ ZOE

ing up a constant squalling of harsh and discordant jargon, which
is very disagreeable. But if they are taken from the nest before
they are fledged, they may be taught to utter some words very dis-
tinctly.

I saw nests of this parrot, all in the hollows of large trees, one
only of which I was able to reach. This one was in a large smooth
bark tree, known here as “palo prieto.’’? The entrance was much
larger than the bird required; it was where a limb had broken off
close to the trunk, about sixty feet from the ground, inside of it
there was a very large hollow, about as deep as I could reach
with my arm. The eggs (two in number) lay upon the bare rotten
wood which had been a little scooped out, forming a slight indenta-
tion. The eggs area clear white, and a good deal larger than a
tame pigeon’s and of an elliptical form. They were so far advanced
in incubation, that I was unable to preserve them. When
I discovered this nest, which was in a very secluded and shady spot
among large trees, the male was sitting alone on the branch of an ad-_

jacent tree, apparently keeping watch while the female was sitting.
_ Being a fine looking specimen I shot him. I continued my ramble
through the woods and in about an hour returned to the spot. I
sat down beneath the shade of the tree containing the nest, to con-
sider the chances of getting up to it. Suddenly the female
made her appearance in the door of her domicile; after looking
around she at length gave a long, low whistle, as if calling her
mate, but there came no answer: in afew moments she gave another
a little louder, still she only heard the echo of her own voice in the
silent woods. She finally gave a loud and angry scream, yet there
came No response. After waiting for a few moments in doubtfal
Suspense, muttering something to herself, which seemed plainly to
say, “‘ Why doesn’t he come” with apparent disappointment she
returned into her nest. |

The following day I returned with assistance to climb the tree, _
but before we made any attempt to doso, she came to her door,and |
_ went through the same performance of calling for her mate as on the -

day previous. There was something touching in the peculiarly sad-
dened tones of her voice on this occasion, which was very different
from the harsh and angry scream of the day before when she first _
missed her spouse. Before I reached the nest she flew off a little _
distance and perched upon a branch from which she watched us in _
silence desecrating her sacred abode. ee

VOL. I] Andrew Fackson Grayson. 57

_ These parrots are always found in pairs and many pairs congre-
gate together forming large flocks. During the breeding season,
the pairs divide off and do not mingle together until the young are
abie to fly. Their breeding season is in March and April, and both
birds assist in incubation. —

In the evenings they may be seen in flocks or pairs flying at a
great height, going to the mountainous portion of the island to
roost. Their flight appears easy, and in a straight line without un-
dulations and is performed by the constant and moderate move-
ment of the wings.

They feed principally upon the kernels of various kinds of hard
seeds and particularly upon a large bean of a species of acacia
which is in great abundance, they are also very fond of the seeds of
the morning glory (Convolvulus) which grows here very rank,
ascending and spreading over trees of considerable height.

Like all the species of the Psz/tacide this parrot feeds its young
by ejecting into their mouths the well masticated food from its
own stomach and I have seen the grown ones receive food from

their mates in a similar manner, when caressing each other upon
‘the limb of a tree. After their morning’s repast they repair to the
most secluded and shady retreats, where they spend most of the
- day, keeping up at times their loud squalling notes and alternately
dozing. When the shades of evening begin to appear they again
assemble in flocks, flying about in different directions in search of
food. Ata later hour they ascend to a considerable height and
_ seek their resting place. C
Figure in plate (male) nearly nat. size.
| Remarks.—Specimens of this species sent to Prof. Baird of
- Smithsonian Inst. for identification. In a letter to me he states
that he thinks it a new and undescribed species. In this remote
region, with but few books for reference, it would be difficult to
identify species without such valuable assistance from one of the
best and most comprehensive ornithologists of America, with whom
I have long had an agreeable and interesting correspondence.
~ Roap RunNER. Geococcyx mexicanus (Less. )—This remarkable
bird—which the Mexicans call “Churea,’’ or ‘‘ Correo del Camino”’
(Road Runner), so called from the habit it has of sometimes run-
ning along a path or road—seldom fails to attract the attention of
the traveler by its solitary and peculiar habits, often, too, in the

58 Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ZOE

mountainous regions and desert countries, where no other living
creature is to be seen. Although met with in such localities, it is,
_ however, not entirely confined to them, as it is an inhabitant of
some portions of the thinly wooded parts of the “erva caliente of the
west, where the trees are scrubby and the country open, asalso of the
barren and rocky great central plains of Mexico. It seems to prefer
a hilly country but scantily supplied with vegetation, where the
various species of cacti form impenetrable thorny thickets, and the
Agave americana rears its lofty stem amid its clustering sharp-
pointed leaves, where the Ucas tree with its thousands of dagger-
pointed leaves thrive best, with here and there a scrubby thorny
bush, precipitous and deep gorges of basaltic rock, and the far-
stretching horizon wild with strangely-formed mountains. Here
the road-runner wanders in solitude, subsisting upon grasshoppers,
mice, lizards, etc. It has no song to awaken the eternal silence
that surrounds it, but silently and lonely pursues its avocation
undisturbed in these desolate localities.

The road-runner is seldom seen perched in a tree, although it not
only roosts, but builds its nest in a low and thickly-branched
Mimosa, and passes some portion of the day amid its branches,
amongst which it jumps with as much facility and activity (for
which its feet seem to have been intended) as it does upon the
ground. Thus it would appear to be partly arboreal as well as
terrestrial. It is most usually met with upon the ground, and as
soon as it discovers the presence of danger or the intruder, instantly
Tuns off with remarkable fleetness to the nearest thicket or hill,
where it generally escapes from its pursuers, either by concealment
or a short flight from one hill to another. Ifa tree with low branches
be convenient it will spring into that, and, soon reaching the top,
will fly off to a distance of an hundred yards or more. It appears
to rise from the level ground with much difficulty, owing to its feeble
anatomical structure, or apparatus for flight, the sternum measur-
ing but little more than an inch, and the muscles of the wing

being small and weak, the wings also being very short. Its mus- _

cular powers are mainly embodied in its stout tibia and tarsus,
which give it the power to run with great swiftness. It is very .
quick in its motions, active and vigilant; indeed, its fleetness ena-
bles it to elude its pursuers although one may be mounted on a_
good horse, or a dog may be in the train; but this is only for a

VOL. II. } . Andrew Fackson Grayson. 59

short distance, as it could soon be run down by the horse or dog
were not some convenient thicket or hill near, from which to take
its flight or conceal itself among the branches.

At first sight one would suppose the road-runner, from its ter-
restrial habits, to belong to the pheasant or to the gallinaceous
species, but when examined more closely it resembles them in no

oe particular. p

The most remarkable feature about it, for a bird that passes most
of its life upon the ground, is the form of its feet, the arrangement
of the toes being zygodactyle or in pairs, two of them anterior
and two posterior, which places it with the cuckoos, birds that are
strictly arboreal; thus in this genus we see an arrangement of the
toes, as strange as it is contrary to that of all ambulatory birds.

I have met with the road-runner frequently in my travels in vari-
ous parts of Mexico and California, but have seldom seen it in com-
pany with other birds, either of its own or other kinds. I have
sometimes seen them in pairs, and on one occasion, in Tehauntepec,

‘I observed three or four together; these were among some tall
weeds, and were uttering a few low, hoarse notes, but as soon as I
was discovered, they immediately struck off in different directions
and were soon lost to my sight. It is exceedingly shy and solitary
in its habits, inhabiting the wildest and most unfrequented places.

When I resided in San Jose, California, I had in my possession
one of these birds which I kept in an exclosure of wire about ten
feet square. It soon became quite tame, taking its food from my

hand. I fed it principally upon raw meat, and sparrows which I

captured in traps set in the garden, on purpose for my pet. These
he would devour entire, after first picking out the wing and tail
feathers; it appeared to be a difficult morsel for him to swallow,
but he never failed after a few attempts. When a bird was given to
him alive, if not very hungry he would play with it before killing,
as a cat will do with a mouse, taking it in his bill and putting it in
the center of the inclosure, where he would let it go; but as soon
as the sparrow would attempt to make its escape, it was very quickly
recaptured by its overpowering enemy and brought back to the
same spot, when another opportunity would offer for its freedom,
oF but to no purpose, the road-runner was too quick for him. After

-_ worrying its victim for awhile in this way it would finally kill it by»

~ taking it in its bill and beating the life out of it on the ground, as a

60 Andrew Fackson Grayson. | ZOE

flycatcher does an insect. As soon as the sparrow was completely

dead it would then pick out the wing and tail feathers and swallow
it entire, head foremost; all its food is swallowed entire with consid-
erable voracity. Although I gave him lizards he did not seem to
care for them, and it is probable they are only resorted to in cases
of extreme hunger. Grasshoppers appear to be its principal food,
together with insects.* It doubtless devours both field mice and
small birds, when such objects are attainable.

During the time I possessed the one mentioned above, I turned

loose in his inclosure a pair of quail and a sharp-shinned hawk
(A. fuscus) for his companions, but this intrusion only made him
restless and unhappy, and he exhibited extreme fear of the hawk.
The little hawk in a few days attacked and dispatched the quail;
at the sight of which the road-runner showed renewed symptoms
of fear and distress, frequently uttering a harsh note of anger not
unlike the sudden twirl of a rattle. The little hawk often made
darts at him, but he evaded its sharp claws by his activity. I believe,
however, the hawk would have eventually conquered and killed him
had I not removed the former from the cage.

Strange and to me seemingly fabulous stories are told by the
native Californians of the road-runner’s peculiar ingenuity in

destroying the rattlesnake, and I was informed by a respectable

native gentleman of that State that he witnessed the feat himself.

It is said that when the road-runner finds a rattlesnake coiled —

and asleep, it corrals him or builds a fence around him of the cactus

burrs with their innumerable sharp spines. After completing the
corral it then commences to tease and worry the snake by darting
at and pecking it with its stout bill. The snake in endeavoring to
extricate himself from his thorny inclosure finds himself pricked on
every side by the sharp spines of the cactus, and, tantalized by the

bird, becomes infuriated, bites himself and dies. This I do not

vouch for.

Although the road-runner has no song, yet it is not entirely
without a peculiar hoarse cooing note during the love season, which

is uttered at intervals, something like that ot the Yellow-billed _

» but deeper toned, as ho-o—ho-o-ho-o- iy
ho-o-. I was first attracted by this sound in April, 1864, inthe —

cuckoo (C. americana)

* The stomachs of all those dissected by me contained exclusively grasshoppers. re

oe

VOL. 11. | Andrew Fackson Grayson. 61

foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains; it was a strange sound to
my ear, and I searched for its cause until I discovered the bird
sitting in alow bushy tree. It was a male and in fine plumage.
Since then I have occasionally heard it in the “erra caliente region
near Mazatlan.

The one figured in the plate is from a specimen shot near Mazat-
lan, and agrees with Baird’s description of the smaller species, G.
affinis (Hartlaub). It is an adult male.

I had the good fortune to discover the nest of the California
species [G. californianus] in the Coast range of mountains east of
San Jose, but the nest had no eggs, and contained only the newly-
hatched young, three in number. It was placed low down in the
horizontal branches of a California buckeye, and composed of small,
dry twigs, rather loosely put together. The old bird kept at a
respectable distance whilst I was examining her treasures, and
seemed to express much solicitude during my presence near to her
sacred domains. I have sought in vain for other nests, but such
discoveries could only be accidental. A female procured by me
near Mazatlan, shot in July, proved upon dissection to contain
nearly developed eggs and several of the ovaries were much en-
larged.

“ ROSE-BREASTED FAN-TAIL.”’ Granatellus francesce Baird.—
This bird is one of a number of new species discovered by me during
the past year upon one of the Tres Marias, a group of islands of
the west coast of Mexico, about eighty miles west of San Blas.
Prof. Baird has dedicated it to my wife, to whose encouragement
and assistance I owe so much of the persistency and success with
which I have prosecuted the study of the ornithology of western
_ Mexico, giving the bird her name (Frances).

Whilst examining and exploring these beautiful islands, I fre-
- quently met this handsome little bird in the deep recesses of the
_ forest, where amid the solitude of the woods of these quiet islands,
_ it might be seen hopping about among the low brush, busily search-
ing for the insects upon which it feeds. It is solitary in its habits
and does not sing; its note is very feeble. In the plate are three
figures, two males and one female. The moth and flower repre-
_ sented I found upon the islands.

a YELLOW-GREEN VIREO. Vireo flavoviridis (Cass. )—The Mazat-
lan vireo ( V. favoviridis ) appears to be a spring visitor to this re-

62 Andrew Fackson Grayson. _ [ZOE

gion of Mexico; making its appearance about the latter part of April
and in May. The males arrive first, as their cheerful little song,

which is continued throughout the day indicates their presence.

About the latter part of May they have paired off and the nests
commenced. The nest is usually placed low down, suspended be-

tween the forks of a horizontal branch, in some shady and secluded

spot. It is half spherical in shape and most beautifully and com-

pactly formed, composed of the lightest material, fastened together
and attached to the branch by means of the silken floss of the
spider and caterpillar, the whole of which is more or less glossed over
with this substance. The inner part is lined with elastic fibres, but
no downy material is used inside. The eggs are usually three in num-
ber, sometimes four, purely white, with very delicate reddish spots.
After their brood is fully fledged, they disappear as mysteriously as

they made their appearance in spring. I have never seen nor heard
one after the rainy season, which terminates in October. They
doubtless return to Central America, from whence specimens have
been sent to the Smithsonian Inst. from Panama, collected in the
month of January. Specimens have also been received by the
Inst. from Monterey, Mex., Colima, Mexico, and Costa Rica.
From the evidence of these facts, it would appear to be an entirely
western species. But our present bird has not so éxtensive a geo-

graphical range, being recorded only from such localities as hereto-
fore stated in this paper. There is no appreciable difference in the
colors of the sexes. The figures in the plate, male and female and
nest represent the life size, drawn from fresh specimens. The
nest, branch and flowers are as I found them in the woods.

“ BLUE Mockine Birp.”’ Melanotis cerulescens (Sw.)—The blue
mocking bird is the common name which I have adopted for the _
species, from the fact of its disposition to imitate the notes of other —
birds and sounds, which it does to a considerable extent, but not
in such perfection as our celebrated mocking bird, Afimus polyglot-

tos. Its song however is melodious and of great compass, at times _

making the woods echo with its charming notes. It is a species

which inhabits the densest thickets and woods of the “tierra cal- ..

iente’’ where it keeps itself mostly concealed from view, but often

makes its presence known by its peculiar song. It is solitary in its ,

habits and equally as unsociable as the common mocking bird. |
Two males can never occupy the same approximate locality in peace

.

VOL. II. ] Andrew Fackson Grayson. . 63

and often furious combats take place between them, resulting in the
victor keeping possession of the favorite spot. It spends much of
the time upon the ground, turning up the leaves with its bill in
search of insects in the same manner as most thrushes. The Mex-
icans call this bird AZc/ato, for what reason I could never ascertain.
It is one of the favorite cage-birds with them, and its pugnacious
propensities often cause it to lose its liberty. A cage or rather
trap is constructed with two apartments, one upper and one lower;
the lower contains a live bird of the same kind, whilst the top of
the upper is raised and set like a trap. It is placed in a thicket
where one of this species is known to frequent, and, as soon as it
discovers the one in the cage, it immediately flies to it, and in its
endeavors to get at it, finally touches the spring of the trap and is
itself encaged. In this same manner the common mocking bird is
also captured, but it never sings after losing its liberty. The natives
often sell them to strangers, knowing full well that they will never
sing in the cage. It is only when they are taken from the nest just |
before they are able to fly, that they become good singers. Not so
with the blue mocking bird, the old birds if taken from the woods
and well treated will soon become reconciled and cheerful and sing
from morning till night. It is indeed a very interesting cage-bird,
easily kept and becomes very docile, whilst its song is surpassed by
few of the feathered vocalists. ;
The blue mocking bird does not migrate. It seems to have strong
local attachments where it has taken up its abode, and seldom
_ departs to any great distance.
Its flight is low among the dense foliage and brush in which it is
usually found and never long extended. It is very shy, though
possessed of a good deal of curiosity. ;
| found this bird quite abundant on the islands of the Tres Marias
and in that locality it was very tame and unsuspecting. They often
- followed me in my rambles in the virgin forest, and I sometimes
seated myself on an old prostrate log, when they would come
around me in a very inquisitive manner, looking into my eyes,
_ and observing every movement I made. I tossed them bits of hard
- bread, which I carried in my pocket; they would immediately seize,
~ and after examining it would beat it against a branch or rock, swal-
lowing the small pieces broken off. I one day threw to one which
was near me on the ground, the end of my cigar which I had fin-

64 Andrew Fackson Grayson. | [ZOE

ished smoking; it picked it up and came with it to the log upon
which I was seated, within a few feet from me, then thoroughly
inspected the bit of cigar, carefully picking it to pieces as if to dis-
‘cover what was inside; at length after its curiosity was fully satisfied,
it perched upon a branch near by, upon which it repeatedly wiped
its bill, doubtless having become slightly nauseated with the to-
bacco. I often found them beating the land snail shells against a -
rock; this they would continue to do until able to extricate the snail
which it swallowed with gusto.

Upon the islands they are more numerous than on any part of the
mainland, and like many other birds which I found there common
to the mainland, whose powers of flight are weak, they never mi-
grate. It seems a mystery as to how they became denizens of
these island wilds, when we take into consideration these facts and
the wide expanse of sea to be crossed. But Nature in her mys-
terious plans seems to awaken into existence the creatures best
suited to the localities she has provided for them.

This thrush subsists upon insects and their larve as well as the
various kinds of wild fruit, which, one kind or another, may be found
at all seasons in the tropical woods. Its geographical distribution
extends over the greater part of Mexico. It is quite common about
Tepic and Colima ; in all wooded districts and particularly in the
warmer regions of Mexico it may be found. It is recorded from
Jalapa, Valley of Mexico and Mirador and I found it in Tehuante-
pec, but not common there. ;

Figure in the plate, life size.

ROSE-BREASTED THRUSH. Rhodinocichla rosea (Less. )—Prof.
Baird states, in his “ Review of American Birds,” that this species
was originally described from Caracas, Venezuela. Mr. Law-
rence of New York has received it from the line of the Panama
Railroad; while the Smithsonian Institution possesses specimens
from Colima and Mazatlan, western Mexico, collected by Xantus de
Vesey and A. J. Grayson, thus showing its very extensive geo-
graphical distribution within the tropical regions.

It is a bird very exclusive in its habits, and would rarely ever be |
seen unless cautiously sought for, or by accident, so closely does it — :
keep near the ground in very dense thickets. Its notes alone dis-_

covered it to me, as also many other species which | have collected
_ In the impenetrable forests of western Mexico.

VOL. II. ] Andrew Fackson Grayson. 65

One who is accustomed to the woods, and has spent the most of
his existence amid its wild life, especially if he be an observer of
nature, becomes familiarized with the varied notes of birds. Their
expressions of alarm, their call or love note, and many other pecu-
liarities are understood almost as well as his own language. He
easily recognizes each bird (though he may not see it) by its voice
alone, and quickly detects a strange note of some one unknown to
him. While I was collecting specimens at a little hamlet of Indian
4 huts on the Mazatlan River, surrounded by a heavy forest, inter-
spersed with clearings which were overgrown with brambles, I first
met with this beautiful species. I was traveling slowly along a
narrow path flanked on either side with impenetrable brakes of
thorny brush, canopied with innumerable creepers that barred all
possibility of penetrating its depth with my eyes. It was in the
latter part of June, the morning was fresh, and the leaves were
dripping from the copious shower that had fallen during the night.
This was the first rain of the season, and the feathered creation
seemed to have been awakened to an unusual degree of animation.
Amid the numerous voices of song, and the chattering and scream-
‘ing of parrots, one full and melodious note was caught by my ear,
which I at once felt to be that of a stranger. Although it had some
resemblance to that of the blue mocking-bird, whose imitations ot
other birds had frequently deceived me, yet with a close attention
I was convinced that it was an unknown species tome. With a
great deal of scratching and pricking by the thorns, I at last suc-
ceeded in reaching near the spot where I thought it was; but
its song had ceased. I, however, sat down upon the ground, com-
pletely canopied by the mass of convolvulus and other creepers

_ that overspread the thorny bushes, beneath which a tolerably clear
view along the leaf-covered ground could be had for forty or fifty
yards. After remaining seated for about ten minutes I perceived a
bird quite near me upon the ground, busily turning up the damp
leaves with its bill, looking steadfastly for a moment at the turning
up of each leaf to discover the insects it was in search of, in the
manner of some wood thrushes. I at length shot it, and it proved
to be the female of the very bird I was looking for. It was new to
- me, and I felt pleased with my morning’s work. The following
_ day I returned to the same spot, and was soon gratified by hearing
the rich melodies of the male, as well as getting a sight of it. By

66 Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ ZOE

remaining quiet I succeeded in procuring two fine male specimens
in excellent plumage. After I had once discovered its hiding-
places and knew its habits, I procured specimens in other locali-
ties, in the vicinity of Mazatlan, in both summer and. winter
months.

The song of this bird is charmingly melodious and full, resembling
in its general tone some of our wood thrushes. It is very timid,
never venturing into an open sunlit spot, but always concealed, and
inhabits the darkly shaded solitudes. It is not a common or
abundant species in this vicinity,

Figures in plate—two males and one female ; about or little
less than life size.

Socorro WREN. Trog/odytes insularis Baird.—Upon nearing the
rock-bound shores of the remote island of Socorro, the first melody
that reaches the ear of the weary, sea-worn traveler, from its groves
and rocky dells, are the sweet and cheerful songs of this busy and
lively little wren. Indeed, upon my first visit to this island for the
purpose of collecting the strange fauna peculiar to its wild solitude,
the notes of this little bird were the first to greet my ears, as they
came wafted by the breeze to our vessel, elating and filling my
imagination with the pleasing prospects of finding it well peopled
with the objects of my research.

This diminutive species is very abundant and well distributed
over the island. Like other members ot this family, its attire is mod-
est and unpretending, but its song may be heard throughout the
day, either among the trees or brushy covered rocks that crop out
everywhere. Like all the birds of this locality it appears to be
insensible to the close proximity of man. They seemed to rather
court our society, and many of them came round our camp feeding
upon the meat of crabs that were killed or the gleanings of our
table. I never tired watching them climbing about over old logs or
the trunks of standing trees, creeper-like, and often turning up the
leaves on the ground at our feet in search of food. In the midst of
all this busy occupation for subsistence, it frequently stops and
mounts a bunch or twig to pour forth its cheerful little song, which
is of considerable volume for a bird so small.

They have not yet during my stay fully commenced nesting. I,
however, found a nest without

tree, which sufficiently proved to me that they rear their young in

eggs in a knot-hole of a decayed — :

VOL. II. | Andrew Fackson Grayson. 67

such situations or in the cavities of rocks, and not in the branches
of trees or bushes, as one species ( Zhryophilus sinaloa Baird) does
on the mainland. ;

The present species is the only representative of the genus found
upon the island. It is new and hitherto undescribed. Specimens
of this, as well as all the land birds of the island, have been sent by
-me to the Smithsonian Institution for identification.

Figures in the plate represent male and female, natural size.

GREAT MEXICAN CREEPER. Dendrornis mentalis Baird.—In its
habits this singular creature very much resembles the common
creeper ( Certhia americana). It is however very creeper-like in
its general appearance as well as in some'specific characters, and any
one acquainted with the habits of the two birds would at once
recognize in this a marked resemblance in all of its peculiarities.
Like the little creeper it inhabits the oldest and darkest forests.
Scaling each tree from its roots upwards, searching the cracks in
the bark for insects upon which it entirely subsists, circling around
from one side of the tree to the other in its upward course until
reaching a certain height, when suddenly it apparently drops to
the root of another tree and immediately commences its ascent as
before. Thus for hours it continues its avocation in perform-
ing the duty with which nature has invested it, ridding the
trees-of destructive insects that may infest them. Often have I
watched it, when seated upon an old log, in the shadiest woods,
performing its excentric maneuvers, whilst my presence was hardly
noticed. It is quite unsuspicious of harm from man and may be
approached to within a few paces, without its taking alarm from such |
intrusion. When it does it will fly off to a neighboring tree, and, if it
discovers that you are in pursuit, it will dodge around to the opposite
side of the tree and occasionally peep round at you whilst moving
up towards the higher branches, as if to learn your intentions.

- _ Its enormously long, curved bill enables it to probe deeply in the

old trees for its food, whilst its very acute claws and the rigid points
~ of the tail feathers sustain it upon the side of the tree, in every
respect like the woodpeckers. I have never observed it pecking in
the decayed parts of trees as woodpeckers do, indeed the form
of the bill is unsuited for such work. ae
- It is rather a seclusive and quiet bird, but seldom uttering its
| ‘note, and that only during the love season, when calling its mate;

68 — Drymaria in Baja California. [ZOE

then its loud, shrill, warbling whistle, may be heard frequently dur-
ing the day in those localities to which it resorts.

At times two or three or more may be met with in near prox-
imity, always busy in searching for food.

Although its wings are ample, yet its flight does not appear to
be long continued and is usually very low, below the branches of the
trees, as if endeavoring to keep concealed as much as possible in
the dark and silent woods.

The nest which I discovered near the Rio Mazatlan was in a de-
cayed tree, with the top and limbs broken off and overhung and
festooned with vines. The pair had taken possession of a deserted
woodpecker’s nest and I. often observed both the male and
female pass in and out separately. I watched them for several days
and when they were not about the hole, they were near by on some
other tree. The nest was about twenty feet from the ground, and
I am sorry to say I was not able to procure the eggs owing to many
difficulties and the means of reaching the nest.

DRYMARIA IN BAJA CALIFORNIA.
T. S. BRANDEGEE.

Eight species belonging to this genus, including the two here
described, have thus far been found in Lower California. D, viscosa,
a little sandwort, is the most northern extending from Socorro,
where it was first collected by C. R. Orcutt, nearly to Todos Santos.
Drymaria debilis, which also is found away from the Cape Region
( Purisima ), may be too near the imperfectly defined D. cordifolia.
The rest, excepting D. holostioides, belong so far as I know, on
the peninsula, to the Cape Region D. arenarioides (D. Frankeni-
otdes ) credited to Xantus, from Cape St. Lucas, I did not find.

Drymaria holosteoides and D. crassifolia were collected near Cape
St. Lucas and described by Mr. Bentham in the Botany of HMS.
Sulphur. D. crassifolia, according to Dr. Gray, was again col-
lected near Cape St. Lucas by Xantus and has also been identified
by him with D. polycarpiodes of Plante Fendleriane. Since then
this form has been collected by Dr. Palmer about Guaymas and on
the Peninsula at Los Angeles Bay, La Paz and other places, and I
have found it growing abundantly throughout the middle portions
of Baja California. This year at San José del Cabo a plant was

VOL. II. | Drymaria in Baja California. 69

found growing in the clean sand of the sea shore which seems to be
the true D. crassifolia, and it is not the plant now generally dis-
tributed under that name. A careful comparison of specimens be-
longing to this form and the common form now known as D. crass?-
folia convinces me that the latter for many years has been masque-
rading under an alias and should be known as D. holosteoides.

Mr. Bentham writes of D. crassifolia: ‘‘ This species is near D.
holosteoides, but forms dense tufts covered with leaves and flowers ;
the leaves are thicker and more glaucous, and the flowers larger,
and on longer stalks.’’ This general summing up of the differences
between these two nearly allied species shows just the differences
between the two forms I have found. The one from the sea-shore
near San José del Cabo grows in dense rounded clumps, has thicker
and more glaucous leaves, and flowers on larger stalks and must be
the D. crassifolia of Bentham’s description, but it is not the plant
distributed under that name. Thedescription of D. holosteoides is
very full in the Botany of the Sulphur and that of D. crassifolia is
short, the species being distinguished in these descriptions mainly
by comparison, and now having specimens of both before me there
isno doubt as to the plants meant by Mr. Bentham.

D. holosteoides is annual, low, usually prostrate-spreading, some-
what glaucous, pubescent; leaves ovate, cuneate at base, thickish;
pedicels scarcely equalling the leaves.

D. crassifolia grows in thick rounded clumps, is more glaucous,
entirely glabrous, has thicker leaves, and pedicels slightly longer.
The margins of the petals are not so evidently scarious. It is_per-
haps perennial. The flowers of both are nearly alike, those ot D.
crassifolia have narrower petals and in this respect differ from the
description.

These species are certainly nearly related as Bentham writes, and
the differences may be caused by exposure, soil, etc., but the grow-
ing plants seem very distinct. If ever they should be proved to be
not specifically distinct, priority of place should make the name of
the species D. holosteotdes, but if they are considered to be two
species, the one distributed should be known by that name and
_ the thick, glaucous leaved one as D. crassifolia.

Drymaria Fendleri Watson is a common species of the penin-
‘sula. It agrees well enough with the New Mexican specimens for-
merly classed with D. glandulosa, to which according to the de-

P

70 Miocene Shell tn the Living State. [ ZOE

scription in Rel. Haenk. they must be very closely related. They
are rather less pubescent than the northern forms known to me, and
the stamens are 3-5, most usually 4. Specimens of D. Fendleri
from New Mexico, in the herbarium of the California Academy of
Sciences, have. usually three fertile stamens, with one or two small or
abortive ones. The number of the stamens has probably very
slight value in classification.

DRYMARIA CARINATA. Annual, weak and slender, nearly glabrous,
1-2 dm. high; leaves ovate or cordate-ovate, apiculate, cuneate at
base, the broader ones 15-16 mm. long, 17-18 mm. broad; petioles
nearly as long as the leaves; stipules setaceous: inflorescence loosely
cymose, dichotomous ; pedicels filiform; sepals 1% mm, long,
strongly carinate by the deep green midnerve; the margins broad,
scarious; calyx widely spreading in anthesis; petals oblong % longer
than the sepals, deeply 2-lobed, the broad margin continued nearly
to the base: stamens five, all fertile; filaments linear, flattened, nearly
as long as the sepals: style cleft half-way to the base; seeds light
brown, minutely roughened.

A common species of the high mountains of the Cape Region.

DRYMARIA POLYSTACHYA. Perennial, growing in clumps from a
woody base, pubescent and somewhat glandular; stems 8-10 cm.
high, sparingly branched; leaves rather thick, broadly cordate,
acute, I cm. or less broad, % cm. long, on petioles of nearly the
same length; stipules small, lacerate; peduncles terminal 1-3-flow-
_ ered; sepals ovate-lanceolate sub-3-nerved: petals bifid nearly twice

as long as the sepals, the long claw naked: stamens 3-5 all perfect;
filaments linear, flattened; Ovary stipitate above the cupulate disk
into which the stamens are inserted at the summit, the petals at
the base a considerable distance from them; seeds brown, tessel-
lated in many longitudinal rows.

Growing on cliffs near San José del Cabo.

OCCURRENCE OF A MIOCENE SHELL IN THE LIVING

STATE.
J. J. RIVERS.

rad.

The discovery of this species in the flesh will be of interest to :
conchologists and geologists alike. It has hitherto been only

NASSA CALIFORNIANA (Conrad). Schizopyga californiana Con-

*-

vot. .] Miocene Shell in the Living State. 71

identified in the fossil state though there are two examples of this
shell mixed with the set of M. perpinguzs in the State Survey coll.
at Berkeley and are labelled Santa Barbara. In the State Survey col-
lection of fossils there are two shells from the Pliocene of Fernando,
Los Angeles County, these shells are WV. californiana but are
named J. perpinguis. Good specimens occur in the D. O. Mills
collection at Berkeley but are labelled NV. perpinguzs instead ot
californiania, they are from the Post Pliocene of San Pedro, Cal.
N. californiana is in D. O. Mills’ coll. as NM. fossata from the Plio-
cene or Miocene of Soquel, Santa Cruz County, California.

The confusion in the classification of the above was in part due
to the bleached and the partially effaced condition of the examples,
but much more to the terseness of the original description together
with the caricature of a figure as given in P. R.R. Rep., vol. vi, p.
69; pl. 11, fig. 1. Then not forgetting the misleading injunction
that the species had some relation to cancel/aria there is every ex-
cuse for not making out the type. A figure and description are now
_ given.
Description: Generally ventricose; cancellate; slightly tabulate
on the upper portion of the whorls ‘near the suture; where the re-
volving ribs cross the longitudinal ribs there occurs a considerable
5 nodule; body whorl with about ten prominent re-
volving ribs and with about three less ,conspicuous
at the base; the basal channel ceases just before
reaching the columella; the inner lip obsolete on
the columella; columella smooth without teeth
or tubercles; outer lip strongly sinuate with the
extreme edge crenate. Whorls of the spire about
five. Ground color white; revolving ribs purplish
brown; epidermis yellowish white; varieties occur
- with omission of color in some of the revolving ribs which gives
a faint pattern of banding. Length 30 mm.; width rr mm.; spire
10mm. Dredged in Drake’s Bay in 25 fathoms.

Of all the American Massas it is most like t#ivitfata Say, but is
very much larger though not so compact. The European N. rett-
cosa, a Tettiary shell, has a deal of the aspect of WV. californiana.

The discovery of this shell in the living state brings back to life
a species that had been considered entirely extinct. This mollusk
like all other things continues by virtue of favorable conditions.

72 A New Astragalus.

Being a lover of deep water it has lived and died through the
ages, in Drake’s Bay or contiguous areas, until its habitat was
intruded upon by a dredge, a modern machine for catching fish,
and which, by chance, at the same time laid bare a surprising peice
of biologic history. A long time ago was the Miocene age! If this
shell is truly of Miocene times, then it has been sustained from then
until now through some of its progeny always finding a suitable
habitation to dwell in notwithstanding the vast upheavals and de-
pressions that have alternated the coast line of California since the
Miocene period.

A NEW ASTRAGALUS.
4 re 3 BRANDEGEE.

ASTRAGALUS COCCINEUS. Perennial ceespitose ‘densely white-
hirsute: petioles nearly as long as the leaves ; leaflets, 12-15 oval to
obovate, obtuse, 6-10 mm. long; stipules triangular-lanceolate: pe-
duncles considerably surpassing the leaves; flowers numerous shortly
pedicellate, clustered near the top; calyx cylindrical slender, the
linear nearly equal teeth 3 the length of the tube: corolla spread-
ing, bright red, 35-40 mm. long, double the length of the calyx;
banner lanceolate: the oblong keel equalling it in length, very shal-
low and littfe curved not hiding the stamens, which are free for
nearly one-fourth their length; keel and banner barely emarginate:
pods an inch long resembling those of 4. Purshii, but not mature
and exact shape therefore not determinable.

Collected near the summit of the Inyo Range by Mr. G. P. Rix-
ford, and by myself at Lone Pine on the slopes of Mt. Whitney.

This is without doubt the plant collected by C. R. Orcutt on the
eastern slope of the mountains, bordering the Colorado desert, in
San Diego County, for which Dr. Parry in West. Am. Scientist,
vil, 10, doubtfully suggested the name Astragalus Purshii var. (?)
coccineus. It is by far the handsomest Astragalus I have ever seen,
forming in favorable locations hemispherical tufts a foot in diameter,

THE USE OF BROKEN POTTERY AMONG INDIANS.
EDWARD PALMER.

In exploring Indian mounds along the Mississippi and Arkansas
rivers and in Tennessee I have found, as is usually the case, broken
pots of various sizes and designs associated with whole ones placed
near the human remains; and in cases where the whole mound
has been carefully examined without finding the missing fragments
it is evident that they were used in the broken state no doubt as
receptacles of food, medicine, or other objects belonging to the oc-
cupants of the mound, or placed therein as offerings by the friends.
Water vessels are always to be found.

In seeking the explanation of any custom among primitive peo-
ples the simplest is most likely the true one, and having observed
among the Tarahumara Indians the very numerous uses to which
fragments of pottery are put, it has occurred to me that to similar
usages among the mound-builders we owe many of the fragments
found therein.

In a dwelling of the Tarahumaras there may often be seen the
half of a large water vessel or cooking pot inverted over a pile of
ashes on the hearth—the housewife desiring to preserve her fire
during absence takes this effectual method of doing it, for their
houses being generally open the wind would otherwise blow away
the ashes and uncover the fire. Parts of pots are often used as
plates to hold portions of food, and parts of small ones ‘sometimes
are made to serve as spoons. If for any purpose an ointment is
desired, a fragment of pottery will answer as a receptacle. The
part of a large broken pot serves the Indian housekeeper as a ve-
hicle for removing the ashes or dirt from her house.

As covers for vessels containing any substance liable to injury
from exposure to the air or insects a fragment or half of a small
vessel is used, tied on to make a tight fit by a rag or piece of buck-
skin, or by corn husks. At other times a flat piece is ground round
and cemented, or something tied over it to keep it in place.

The earthen pot in which the Indian cooks his food has no cover,
so part of another pot serves a good purpose especially when the
cook’s back is turned, for otherwise the dogs and chickens, always
privileged parlor boarders in an Indian’s hut, would steal the con-
tents—if they were not boiling hot.

On the roofs at certain seasons may be seen parts of broken pots
of various sizes containing beans, corn, water-melon, pumpkin and
other seeds in process of drying for next year’s planting. The chick-

74 Use of Broken Pottery.

ens are less likely to get at them there and they quite secure from
the voracious dogs, which would make as much havoc among them
as a horse.

Broken pots are used to feed and water the chickens and dogs,
and would probably be used as washpans if the Indian mind could
conceive of water as an external application. :

In their primitive cupboards—shelves made of sticks lashed to-
gether—one is often surprised at the number of more or less broken
vessels and their contents —salt, red pepper, dried meat, dried roots,
berries, seeds of many kinds, old buttons, nails, odd tools for small
domestic uses, with dyes, paints, etc.

Pieces of broken pots are used in making and smoothing new
ones. I noticed one day a woman at the shady side of her, house
engaged in this very necessary occupation; on one side was part of
a large water vessel filled with the crude clay, and part of an old
cooking pot with sand to be used in tempering. She was work-
ing into the requisite shape a portion properly mixed and softened
by the addition of water, using as a working board an old flat
dish with the rim broken off. Near her were parts of several.
broken vessels in which to stand the newly made ones while slowly
drying in the shade, thus obviating the necessity of direct handling
in changing them about to secure the necessary evenness in drying.
As broken pots are put to so many uses, it lessens the actual need
of new ones, and the Indian in the absence of manufactories and
left to his own resources is equal—that is his wife is—to the emer-
gency and with clay and the patience which fortunately she pos-
sesses, produces the vessels which serve her simple purposes, nearly
as well as the more ornamental and elaborate ones of civilized man.

—_2a

PAULLINIA TORTUOSA (Benth.) Cardiospermum tortuosum de-—
scribed and figured in the Botany of the Sulphur is certainly a Paul-
linia. A recent examination of material collected at Magdalena
Bay, the original locality, by Walter E. Bryant and by the writer,
shows that the plant has five sepals, four discal glands and a septici-
dal capsule nearly filled by the I-3 large seeds: leaves deeply im-
pressed over the veinlets on the under surface and minutely papil-
lose on the upper. The two anterior glands are conical, the white

area at the base of the seed is bilobed and the lobes of the stigma
elongated. . T. S. B.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF WEST
AMERICAN PLANTS. I.

‘

KATHARINE BRANDEGEE,

CAMELINA SATIVA Crantz is abundant in fields and by the way-
side near the Klamath River, in Siskiyou County.

PARONYCHIA CHILENSIS DC. Abundant in the western part
of this city, from the Presidio at least as far as the southern end of.
Lake Merced. It was apparently first observed by Professor E. L.
Greene, the earliest specimen in the Herbarium being labeled in
his handwriting, ‘‘ Presidio, San Francisco, April 21, 1887; E. L.
Greene.” It agrees perfectly with a specimen sent by Dr. Philippi
— from Chili, but not very well, with De Candolle’s description, the

calyx lobes more like those of P. Bonariensis. Possibly they are
variations of the same species.

Ceanothus rugosus Greene, Flora Franciscana, 88. The really
astonishing thing about this is, not that the author has applied a
specific name to a plant which is * doubtless a hybrid’’ but that
he from ‘‘his vantage ground of familiar knowledge ”’ of our plants

‘should be ignorant of the fact that neither C. cuneatus nor any
other species of the Cerastes section, excepting C. prostratus, is
to be found within thirty miles of Truckee.

MEDICAGO MARGINATA Willd. Almost as common about San
Francisco, especially about the Marine Hospital and South San
Francisco, as M/. denticulata. It abounds also in places about
Tamalpais and has been reported from Sonoma by Frank H. Vaslit.

Mepicaco MmaAcuLaTa Willd. Occasionally met with about
_ Tamalpais.

Hrucuera PILosissIMA Fisch. & Meyer, grows on the hills west
of Noe Valley in an unusually stout, erect form. ; :

~ SCANDIX PECTEN-VENERIS L. is extremely abundant in grain
fields and by the waysides in the western part of Contra Costa
County and in the streets of Oakland.

- VALERIANELLA OLITORIA Poll. cultivated under the name “Dou-
cette ” has been recently collected by Miss E. Cannon, on the sand-
hills in the western part of the city. It has been previously re-
ported from Sweetwater, El Dorado County.

_ HELIANTHELLA CALIFORNICA Gray, has been collected this
season by F rank H. Vaslit, on hills east of Ocean View in this city.

76 West American Plants. [ZOE

The specimens like those from the Sierra Nevada and from Howell
Mountain, in Napa County, have awned akenes, but awnless speci-
mens have been found by Mrs. C. M. Blake at Orinda Park, in the
Contra Costa hills. It is probably much more generally distributed
than has been supposed, being most likely confounded with Wyethia
angustifolia to which it bears a considerable resemblance.

MATRICARIA OCCIDENTALIS Greene. This plant is abundant
about the streets of San F rancisco, especially about the suburbs
towards the Presidio and the Marine Hospital. While it is suffi-
ciently distinct from J discotdea, the real differences are other
than those given by the author, who describes AL occidentalis as
“ distinguishable indeed, more by its different habit and size, lack of
fragrance, and its late flowering than by any striking characters of
flower or fruit.” JZ. discoidea though usually low and spreading is
often tall and stout, especially in the interior of this state. As to
the lack of fragrance and much later flowering of MZ. occidentalis
any one who takes interest in the matter may at this date (May
15th) find them growing together inside the fences of abandoned
gardens near First Avenue on the road to the Marine Hospital or
within the southern boundary fence of the Presidio, and investigate
the matter for himself. The flowers, though usually 4- are often
5-cleft; akenes oblong, thickened upward, 3-nerved, the upper nerve
double, the lateral ones glandular in the upper half and continued
upward as auricles. Unlike the better known species the akenes
are very persistent and do not develop mucilage when wetted. ;

Neither of these species have the aspect or habits of indigenous
plants; both probably coming to us from the north, and JZ. ocect-
dentalis is perhaps the same as Jf. tnodora var. eligulata Seem.
Bot. Herald 33, which was collected on this coast at St. Michael,
Norton Sound.

ANTHEMIS CoTuLaA L. commonly known as “May-weed,” is
noted in the Botany of California, as “ sparingly found along road-
sides: introduced but not yet common.” This remark must apply
to the Coast region for I well remember when a child going to
school through blossoming fields of such a robust growth as almost
in turns of the pathway hid me from my companions. This was in
1854 at the village of Prairie City near the eastern line of Sacra-

VOL. 11.] West American Plants. 77

blotched leaves of which I greatly admired. Botanists who visit us
in these later days when man and the omnipresent sheep have done
their worst with our fair lands have small conception of the astonish-
ing luxuriance of the vegetation springing from the then almost
virgin soil.

-TRAGOPOGON PORRIFOLIUS L. ‘‘Salsify’’ or ‘‘ Oyster Plant” is
now very freely naturalized in the northern part of the State.

LACTUCA SCARIOLA L. ‘‘Prickly Lettuce” is becoming established
in Berkeley. It was abundant last year near the entrance of the
University grounds.

ARCTOSTAPHYLOS NUMMULARIA Gray, was found by Mr. Brande-
gee three years ago, growing abundantly on the eastern side of Mt.
Tamalpais, and he has since brought it from the northern slope of
the Bolinas range. In these localities it blooms sparingly during
nearly the whole year. The plants are rarely more than eighteen
inches in height, of a bright glossy green. The tall form found on
Ben Lomond in Santa Cruz county has duller, less rounded leaves,
and though often eight feet high bears a much greater resemblance
to A. myrtifolia of Amador County, which can hardly be more
than a mere variety distinguished by its tetramerous flowers and
less rounded leaves. Dr. Parry was in error in stating that the
fruit of 4. nummularia was covered by the persistent corolla. It is
promptly deciduous in the thousands of plants observed in these
various localities. The species appears to have a preference for
the sandstone formations. :

RHODODENDRON CatiForNicuM Hook. “ Rose Bay’’ has been
recently collected on the side of Tamalpais above Corte Madera
_by Miss Belle Brown. :

Gita Parrya Gray Proc. Am. Acad. xii, 76. G. Kennedyt
Porter Bot. Gazette ii, 77. The peculiar appearance of the throat
of this species described as produced by ‘‘a broad adnate and emar-
ginate or obcordate scale’ is in fact caused by a series of arched
saccate. protuberances, one at the base of each segment of the
corolla, and the external surface bears as many corresponding de-
pressions. It is often a much larger plant than described, forming
tufts three or four inches high and as broad. It has been brought
from the Mojave Desert, from Tehachapi, from Walker’s Basin,

Kernville and Owens Valley.

"Syn. Fi. pt. i, 137.

78 West American Plants. [ZOE

BOSCHNIAKIA STROBILACEA Gray. This plant belonging to
mountainous districts, and parasitic on the roots of Manzanita grows
in profusion on Mt. St. Helena. Very large and fine specimens
have also been collected by Dr. Anderson in the Santa Cruz mount-
ains, and one in the herbarium of the California Academy of Sciences
collected in the same region by Mr. E. Brooks, June, 1886, has
the stem divided into two equal branches. Miss Alice Eastwood
and Mr. Brandegee found it recently on Mt. Tamalpais. .

The seeds are as Dr. Gray has said deeply favose, but varying in
size from 1-2 mm. and are very irregular in shape from mutual
pressure. The outer seed coat is nearly all “ favosity,’’ the inner
is oval and similarly favose and the germ, which is barely visible to
the naked eye, is apparently homogeneous and of similar shape and
markings.

The accompanying plate (xiii) is photographed from a plant taken
from the ground on Mt. St. Helena early in February. It was en-
tirely underground, there was not even a swelling of the ground,
and its presence was indicated only by the dead and dried spikes of
the previous year. Upon the single tuber there were nine spikes,
large and small, and inall the larger ones the flowers were already
fully formed. The tuber which is usually found on roots of about
the diameter of a goose-quill or a little larger are often two or
three inches in thickness, dark brown, with the surface tessellated
somewhat in the manner of the truffle. It evidently lives for a
considerable time, drawing sustenance from its host, increasing in
size and producing year after year in April and May its brqwnish- —
purple, cone-like spikes,

Dr. Gray says:* “ I have now reason to think that 2. Hookeri and
my &. strobilacea may be the same.” If he is correct, which is
probable, the much to be preferred descriptive name will have to be
given up. .

COLOCHORTUS ALBUS Dougl. is often rose-colored. It is usually
of that color but rather pale on Santa Cruz Island, as Mr. Brande-
gee noted, but appears in its usual pearly white on the mountains
back of Santa Barbara. On Ben Lomond, in Santa Cruz County,
it runs through all the shades from deep rose-color to white.

The deeper color appears to be quite frequent in the southern _

*Proc. Am. Acad, xxii, 312.

VOL. II. | West American Plants. 79

Sierra Nevada. Examples from Dunlap, in Fresno County, col-
lected by Mrs. Sophie E. Wilson, are rather small-flowered and of
a deep rose color; the manifold gland nearer the base of the seg-
ments than usual.
This form is probably C. amenus Greene, from the mountains east
of Visalia. The author describes it by comparison with C. pul-
chellus and says, ‘‘ petals more elongated, the ciliation longer, more
lax and scarcely carried above the middle of the organ, the whole
flower of a deep red-purple.” This is a fairly good description of
C. albus, as far as it goes (the author makes no mention of the
gland), but it is difficult to understand why he compares it with C.
pulchellus. In differential diagnosis, species are usually supposed to
be compared with the nearest, but the author who is somewhat
celebrated for ‘‘new departures’’ wishes perhaps to establish a pre-
cedent.
Sco.iopus BIGELovi Torr. Very abundant in the Coast Range
from Santa Cruz to Oregon and sufficiently conspicuous with its
pair (sometimes three or four) of spotted, usually prostrate leaves.
The flowers on account of their dull color and early appearance are
less frequently collected than those of many less abundant plants.
About Tamalpais they are to be found on damp and shady hillsides
early in February.
The pedicels 2-8 inches long are triquetrous and somewhat winged
on the angles, at first erect, elongating and becoming tortuous in
fruit, and trying usually with success to hide their capsules under
the leaves. The outer segments of the lurid purplish perianth are
concave, thickened and shining at base. The connective’ of the
extrorse anthers is much thickened especially at the upper part.
The style branches though deeply sulcate their whole length are
‘stigmatic only at the recurved apices, which in the young flower
_ bend over touching the outer surface of the stamens. The capsules
open by irregular fissures between the placentiferous angles which
remain for some time attached at base and apex, forming a kind of
framework from which the tissue falls away in minute scales—ap-
parently disintegrating into its separate cells. The turgid seeds are
3-4 mm. long, pale in color, and minutely pubescent, the inner seed
coat is deficient at the apex and the opening is plugged with a
disk of soft tissue somewhat darker in color than the seed, and
in drying shrinks forming a depression. The longitudinal lines

80 West American Plants. [ ZOE

marking the seed are grooves in the albumen. The plant has an
offensive odor, somewhat like chlorine.

It is not probable that .S. Halliz is anything more than a geo-
graphical variation, our plant is variable in size, and the color and
size of the capsules, which are pale when (as usual) hidden under
the broad leaves, but brown-purple whenever by loss or depaupera-
tion of the leaves they are exposed to the sun.

THE DEHISCENCE OF MIMULUS.

The dehiscence of Afimulus angustatus (Greene) was wrongly
described by the author* and by myself.+ The plant is so minute
that unless the locality is marked it is quite difficult to find them
when the flowers have fallen and the leaves withered. For
good and fully mature specimens I am indebted to Miss Eliza Clarke
of Cahto, Mendocino County. The study of this material makes
the dehiscence of the Gé2nve section of the genus perfectly plain
and shows that the separation from the basal portion if not effected
by violence must take place very late. The gibbous, laterally com-
pressed capsule opens when moistened, for two thirds the length of
the upper suture never widely, and not all by the lower, and closes
again in drying. The placenta connate in the ovary as Dr. Gray
observes are separated nearly to the base in maturity. The seeds
marked on thé face by a longitudinal darker line are sparsely covered
with glochidiate hairs. The dehiscence of MW. latifolius and of MV.
Doug lasii is essentially the same. JZ. tricolor I have not yet seen
in maturity. It is probable that the seeds of these small, early
spring plants remain within their horny capsules until set free by
the winter rains.

In a recent publication ¢ Professor Greene in revising ‘‘ Diplacus ”
makes the following statements:

‘‘ The present writer, with his advantages of long residence in the regions inhabited
by these plants, is not yet acquainted with any transitions between the capsules of
Diplacus and either Mimulus on the one hand or Eunanus on the other, and during |
the five years which have elapsed since he proposed the reinstatement of both these
genera, he has met with no facts not confirmative of the view then set forth.

; Mimulus in all its several phases has its placenta (theoretically two) firmly and
in so far as I know permanently coherent, thus forming a central column in the

“Bull. Cal. Acad. i, 99.
+Proc. Cal. Acad, ser. ii, 1, 260.
T Pitt. ii, 152.

VOL. II. ] West American Plants. 81

midst of the capsule, whose valves at first separate by a slight parting of their

edges at the natural suture, ultimately breaking away irregularly and piecemeal
from the placentiferous central axis. In Diplacus there is no such axis. The firm
valves parting at first only by the upper suture, lie open like a boat-shaped follicle,
each bearing its own distinct placenta, and that with a broad thin spreading margin
which almost conceals the seeds. That this pod, at first boat-shaped by a partial
dehiscence, is held in this shape by a tubercular enlargement of the base of the
style, I have stated in the earlier paper cited in the foot note. * * * Diplacus
has a completely revolute vernation, the young leaves in all Mimuli are more or
less distinctly conduplicate, never revolute. * * * Inthe Supplement to the
Synoptical Flora he [Dr. Gray] says of the various ‘subgenera’ of Jfimulus :
‘Diplacus is placed first as having the best claims to generic distinction.’”

There are in this sentence quoted from Dr. Gray, just two more
words, which should not have been omitted as they distinctly modify
its meaning.

Professor Greene in his anxiety to strengthen his position not
only contradicts the published observations of Dr. Gray,* Dr. Wat-
son,t and of the writer,{ but conveniently forgets his own pub-
lished notes to the same effect.§

The single species Mfimulus glutinosus (Nutt.) now labors under
the following synonyms: D. /atifolius, leptanthus, longiflorus, and
puniceus Nuttall; D. stellatus Kell.; D. arachnoideus, linearis,
grandiflorus and parviflorus Greene; besides Mimulus aurantiacus
Benth., etc.

That the author is far from careful in his statements, a few extracts
from his own writings will serve to show. In the paper quoted
above he says that he had stated in an earlier paper (Bull. Cal.

-Acad., i, 94 and 96), that the ‘‘pod” of Diplacus was held in boat-
shape by a tubercular enlargement of the base of the style. Not

only did he fail to make such a statement in the place cited, but in
subsequent papers he uses the presence or absence of this inconstant

* Supp. Syn. FI., 450.

t Mimulus (Eumimulus) deflexus, * “ * The placenta splits at the apex.”

_ This is apparently the same as Mr. Greene’s (Drew in ‘herb.) Eunanus pulchellus
_ published more than a year later.

{Proc. Cal. Acad., ser. 2, i, 261.

§ As Mimulus rubellus diverges from the other Mimuli by separated placentz, so

EBunanus Breweri is aberrant from its congeners in having them firmly united below

the middle,” Bull. Cal. Acad., i, 102.

82 West American Plants. [ZOE

“tubercle” as a factor in determining specific differences. Another
amusing instance is found under Diplacus stellatus. He says:

** Shortly after having proposed the restoration of this species on the ground of
its accredited stellate pubescence, I collected it anew, and seemed to find that the stel-
late hairs on my own specimens as well as on those obtained by Dr. Veatch—hairs
so extremely unlike what are found elsewhere in the genus, had been derived from
an extraneous source.”’*

The author’s previous statements concerning these ‘stellate —
hairs’’ are here given in chronological order:

“ D, stellatus Kell, Branches and under surface of leaves yellowish-tomentose,
the pubescence partly stellate and partly dendroid. * * * The pubescence of |
two different kinds is very plentiful in this plant, which is doubtless of a species

distinct from all our mainland forms; although the dendroid hairs are on other
species and even the stellate are not wanting elsewhere in the genus.”” Bull. Cal.
Acad., i, 95., Feb., 1885. ;

** Was found again by the writer on Cedros Island, last May. The corolla is
like that of D. g/utinosus in form and color, but only half as large. The pubescence
is chiefly a dense short yellow tomentum. The pod has the tuberculation. The
species is, in my opinion, well confirmed.” |]. c., 210, August, 1885.

** Species exceedingly well marked by its stellate pubescence and rather small
corolla,” List of Cedros Plants, Pitt., i, 206; June, 1888.

There does not appear in’ these notices any evidence that the
author ‘‘seemed to find” the stellate hairs a doubtful possession
and one is reluctantly driven to the conviction that in a moment ae
of forgetfulness he imagined himself the writer of the following: ae

“* D. stellatus Kell. has been described as having very small flowers, entire leaves lee
and a stellate (whence the name) pubescence. The specimen from which the de-
scription was drawn was badly dried and its characters “obscured, but another
brought since from the original locality shows that the leaves are dentate and the
flowers of the ordinary size and form. The stellate pubescence is probably derived
from some neighboring plant, being loosely involved in the tomentum and having

_ Mo apparent connection with its host.” Botanical Notes, by Mary K. Curran,
Proc. Cal. Acad., ser. 2, i, 259, Dec. 11, 1888.

The author still divides his so-called species into ‘‘Corollas buff
or pale salmon-color,’ and “ Corollas blood-red or scarlet,” al-
_ though Mr. Brandegee has collected specimens on Santa Cruz and
Santa Rosa Islands with flowers of both colors on the same plant, |
and the writer has collected and distributed specimens from near
Alpine station, fifteen miles north of San Diego, in whichthe flowers
vary on the same branch from pale-buff to deep-red .

-

‘ i

*Pitt., ii, 155, Dec., 1890.

VOL. I]. West American Plants. 83

The capsule of AZ. glutinosus has a flexure near the base on the un-
derside. It is most apparent on the growing ovary. The ‘‘ tuber-
cular enlargement of the base of the style’’ is not apparent till the
ripening of the capsule, being produced apparently by the shrink-
ing of the tissues above and below the point where the style ceases
to be tubular.

The latest character brought forward to sustain Diplacus is its
vernation. This differs from all other species of Mimulus known to
the writer, but the difference is not nearly as great as Professor
_ Greene has implied. The lower part of the leaf is somewhat con-
_ duplicate in AZ, glutinosus as in all the species, the hollowed surfaces
of the opposite leaves forming a cavity for the growing shoot, the
_ limb is revolute as stated. In wide leaved Mimuli the limb is more
or less folded, but in species with somewhat narrower ones as our
variety of JZ. moschatus it is almost plane, or the edges turned
slightly backward.

[Since the note concerning C. rvugosus was in print I have re-
ceived a flowering branch of the plant from Mr. C. F. Sonne of
Truckee. It bears evidence of its parentage, being without doubt
C. prostratus X velutinus, and the first undoubted hybrid between
_ the §Euceanothus and §Cerastes ever noted. Mr. Sonne failed to get
fruit although he left flowers for the purpose. It is not probable that
fruit will form in a hybrid of such dissimilar parents, though hybrids
between the different species in each section are very common and
apparently as fertile as any of the species. The only exception
known to me is C. incanus X papillosus. which occurs occasionally
on Ben Lomond in Santa County, and in all the examples observed
failed to set fruit.] - .

_ * Hybrids in all degrees, to all appearance as fertile as their parents
"are very common between C. velutinus and the other species, C. co7-
dulatus, found in the vicinity of Truckee.

RECENT LITERATURE.

The American Naturalist for February contains a number of arti-
cles of interest to zoologists. Recent Studies of the Vertebrate
Head by H. W. Norris. Also, Some of the Causes and Results
of Polygamy among the Pinnipedia by C. C. Nutting; the best and
most striking example of true polygamy among mammals is shown
to be the northern fur seal ( Cal/orhinus ursinus) of which the male
weighs from three to nearly six times as much as the female. The
species exemplified are walrus (Odobenus rosmarus), hooded seal
( Chrystophora cristata), bearded seal ( Erignathus barbatus), sea
elephant ( J/acrorhinus angustirostris), Stellar’s sea lion ( Zumato-
pias stelleri), and northern fur seal ( Callorhinus ursinus), in the
order of their sexual disparity in size. ‘‘ The writer has endeavored
- to account for the following peculiarities met with among the Pinni-
pedia:

1st. The relation between great sexual disparity in size and po-
lygamy.

2d. The manner in which polygamy may have originated.

3d. The origin and effect of excessive pugnacity.

4th. The origin and advantage of great sexual disparity.

5th. The origin and advantage of the ability to endure long-
protracted fasts.”’ W. E. B.

Description of Two New Species of Rodents from Mexico. By
Henry L. Warp. American Naturalist, xxv, p. 158. The new
species are Spermophilus sonoriensis, which is “apparently quite
similar to Dr. Merriam’s recently described S. cryptospilotus,’’ and
Neotoma torquata, which may be distinquished from all others of
the genus by ‘“‘a well defined collar, 20 mm. in width” upon the
breast. The collar is light Vandyke brown, washed with black.

Ww. E. B.

Notes on a Collection of Mammals. Srom Costa Rica. By J. A.
ALLEN. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., iii, 2, 203-218. A report
upon a collection of thirty-eight species with annotations and yield-
ing the following which are described as new: Blarina costaricensis,
Hesperomys ( Vesperimus) cherrii, Hesperomys ( Vesperimus? ) nu-
dipes and Hesperomys ( Oryzomys) alfarot. Wot Be

On a Collection of Mammals from Southern Texas and North-
eastern Mexico. By J. A. ALLEN. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist.,

Recent Literature. 85

iii, 2, 219-228. The collection upon which this paper is based was
- received from Mr. George B. Sennett and contained two new forms
of which descriptions are given: Scalops argentatus texanus from
Presidio County, Texas, and Dzpodops sennetti from near Browns-
~ ville, Texas. Thirty-one species are recorded with annotations and
critical remarks. W. E. B.

A Marine Reservation. Forest and Stream, xxxvi, No. 14. The
commendable plan of reserving certain islands in the Pacific Ocean
and Behring Sea as preserves upon which marine mammals may
resort without molestation and thereby be kept from extirmination is
presented in an editorial and a letter from Prof. Langley, Secretary
of the Smithsonian Instution to Hon. John W. Noble, Secretary
of the Interior. Briefly expressed, it is proposed to establish a
northern station on Amak Island in Behring Sea for the refuge of
the walrus. (Odobenus obesus) and sea otter ( Enhydra marina),
also a southern station on the Farallon Islands for the northern sea
lion ( Eumatopias stelleri) and California sea lion (Zalophus califor-
nianus ). W. E. B.

On the Periods occupied by Birds in the Incubation of their Eggs.
By Wixiram Evans, F. R. S. E. ° Ibis, Jan., 1891, p. 52. It is
partly compiled from the works and observations of others and
partly the results of his own careful watching of nests and by the
artificial means of a self-regulating incubator; eggs were also hatched
under the domestic hen, dove and canary, according to the size of
the eggs. The temperature best suited for hatching the majority of
birds in the incubator was found to be 102.5° Fahr. The author
says: ‘‘ Probably no point in the life-histories of the different species
of birds has received less attention than the period of incubation, a
circumstance all the more surprising when we consider the import-
ance of the subject and the great activity which has been manifested
during recent years in the elucidation of ornithological questions.’’
WwW. E: B.
The plates accompanying the January number of the Ibis are of
| Aethopyga latouchii Slater, 6, @ , anew species from south-eastern
China; Cryptolopha nigrorum Moseley and Abrornis olivacea Moseley ©
two new flycatchers from the Philippines, the third plate represent-
nang’ 6 5: 2 Loriculus bonapartet De Souancé from the Sooloo Islands.

Notes on the Classification of the Pigeons. By R. W. SHUFELDT.

86 feecent Literature. [ZOE

American Naturalist, xxv, p. 157.. From a study of the osteol-
ogical character of nearly all the genera of United States Colum-
bidz the author divides the family Columbidz of the sub-order of
American Pigeons (Peristere) into two sub-families, Columbine
and Starnenading; the former containing the genera Columba,
Ectopistes, Engyptila, Zenaidura, Zenaida, Melopelia, Columbi-
gallina, Scardafella and Geotrygon, and the latter containing the
genus Sfarnenas. This arrangement differs from Coues, who
divided the family Columéide into three subfamilies, viz: Colwm-
bine, Zenaidine and Starnenading. The details by which these
conclusions were arrived at are not given in the present paper.
Wend Be

The forest and Stream of March 19 has an article on Doves
Nesting in Trees, by S. A. Batt. No locality is given where the
observations were made but it is undoubtedly eastern, where ground
building may be the common practice with the mourning dove
( Zenaidura macroura), but on the western coast nests are oftener
found in trees than upon the ground and in California it is a rule to
which I recall no exception in scores of instances in my experience,
although cases have been reported by others. The most interesting
part of the article is the recounting of how he persecuted twenty-
four nests belonging to fourteen species in order to ascertain to
what extent the labor of constructing was lost by failure of the
birds to hatch and rear their young. He says: ‘‘ Here weretwenty-.
four nests over which I constituted myself guardian, and which 7
visited every day or every other day.” [Not italicized in original. ]
After such a confession it is a matter of surprise that so many as six
species (nine nests) succeeded in hatching part or all their eggs.
Had he been more zealous he might have accomplished the break-
ing up of the domestic arrangements of every pair in his vicinity.
Following this he bitterly complains of the investigations of scien-
tists with but an allusion to the destruction of birds for millinery
purposes. a ee

A notable departure from terrestrial to arboreal nest-building
could be cited in a number of instances where the California part-
ridge has built in trees, upon hay-cocks in the field, upon covered —
hay stacks and once in a vine-covered trellis (Bull. Cal. Acad., ii,
452). Wok SO ,

The colored plates in the April issue of the Ibis are of Galeopsar

VOL. I. ] Peecent Literature. 87

salvadorii, a new genus described by R. Bowdler Sharpe, LL. D.,
F. Z. S., etc., from a specimen collected by Mr. F. J. Jackson, F.
Z. S., in Eastern Africa; Drepanoplectes jacksoni Sharpe another new
species in which the male differs remarkably from the female. Syco-
érotus insignis Sharpe and Heterhyphantes stephanophorus Sharpe
are figured upon one plate. W. E. B.

Dr. R. W. Shufeldt contributes Some Comparative Osteo-
logical Notes on the North American Kites to the April Ibis. In
critical concluding remarks he arranges the North American kites
provisionally in the family Milvide with subfamilies /c¢inzine, Ela-
noidine, Elanine and Rostrhamine (?).

The plate with the April number of the Auk (vol. viii, No. 2) isa
wood cut drawn by Mr. Ernest E. Thompson, representing the
adult male and female and immature male Labrador duck ( Camp-
tolaimus labradorius). This species, which is probably extinct, is
treated by Mr. William Dutcher in an article entitled The Labra-
dor Duck, etc. There are at present thirty-eight recorded speci-
mens of which twenty-seven are preserved in North American col-
lections. No examples are known to have been taken since Decem- —
ber, 1878.

Descriptions of Seven Supposed New North American Birds,

by WILLIAM BREWSTER, contains descriptions of eight proposed
subspecies, as follows: Megascops asio aikeni, Aiken’s Screech
Owl. Megascops asio macfarlanet, MacFarlane’s Screech Owl.
Megascops asio saturatus, Puget Sound Screech Owl. Contopus
richardsonii peninsule, Large-billed Wood Pewee. Ammodramus
henslowii occidentalis, Western Henslow’s Sparrow. Pépilo macu-
latus magnirostris, Mountain Towhee. Vireo solitarius lucasanus,
St. Lucas Solitary Vireo. Siffa carolinensis laguna, St. Lucas
Nuthatch. W. E. B.

Observations on the Farallon Rail ( Porzana jamaicensts coturnt-

culus (Baird). By Rosert RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.
xiii, 1889, 309-311. The present paper gives much important light
upon the subject of the unique specimen of the Farallon rail and
shows the possibility of its being identical with Gould’s Zapornia
_ spilonota from the Galapagos Island, and also shows’ wherein exists

a doubt, unknown before, that the specimen was taken at the Faral-
Ww. E. B.

lones at all.

88 feecent Literature. [ ZOE

flora Franciscana. Partl. By Epwarp L. GREENE, Assistant
Professor of Botany in the University of California, 128 pp. San
Francisco, 1891. The title of this work is somewhat of a misno-
mer, as it ranges over a district extending north and south from
Cape Mendocino to Point Conception and from east to west the
whole breadth of the State.

The reasons usually given for the publication of ‘‘ Local Floras”’
are that they furnish more exact and fuller particulars concerning
the localities and life history of plants than are usually given in
works dealing with wider areas. In these respects the work is a
distinct failure, scarcely any addition being made to the localities
mentioned in the Botany of California—which is usually ignored—
or any biological observation made that has not been already made
public by previous authors. .

The author's motto seems to be “ change,” and especially such
change as will admit of placing his name after as many species as
possible. The logic of these changes is past finding out. Eremo-
carpus is certainly quite as distinct from Croton as Cerasus and
Amygdalus from Prunus; Malus from Pyrus, etc., and if Hosackia
is to be reduced to Lotus, Horkelia to Potentilla and Limnanthes to
Fleerkea, by what rule is he able to keep Heteromeles distinct
from Photinia, ‘‘ Alsinella” from Arenaria, or ‘‘ Tissa’’ from Sper-
“gula?

In accordance with his well-known tendencies he inflates the
genera with numerous species, either of his own making or from
half-forgotten synonymy. Trifolium, for instance, is credited with
forty-three, and Lupinus with forty-eight species in Central Cali-
fornia! As Dr, Gray said on noticing in the American Journal
of Science the first number of Pittonia: “ The various new species
of Trifolium, etc. * * * may be safely left to the final judg-
ment of competent botanists. Professor Greene’s judgment and
ours are widely divergent,” but the author’s habit of uniting genera.
haphazard and renaming all the species with identical names in the
absence of positive knowledge of their validity is a serious evil.
The aphorism “ once a Synonym always a synonym”’ may apply
to the naming of new species, but it is rather straining matters to
make the rule retroactive.

The day which sees botanical names so well established as to be
able to dispense with their authorities will be a very welcome one.

VOL. II. | Recent Literature. : 89

The attempt to disturb nomenclature by referring generic names
to ancient authors in whose records they appear with more or less
uncertainty is at this day almost beneath serious notice. Mr.
Britton in the Torrey Club Bulletin for May, well says: “ How can
he in any event safely credit a name to Dioscorides or Theophrastus?
They surely did not originate such terms as Astragalus and Sorbus,
but merely recorded what certain plants were called in their time.”
Surely even Professor Greene must be able to see that if these names
and others in common use are to be so credited, the numerous
others which are either not used at all, or used for entirely different
plants than those to which they were originally applied, have an
equal right to restoration. And where is a stopping place to be
found? Have the vernacular names recorded by Greeks and Ro-
mans any better claim than the far older ones of the Hebrews, the
Egyptians, the Hindoos or the Chinese? A large number of the
names of Theophrastus, etc., have been identified, but some mous-
ing antiquarian excavating about Jerusalem may furnish us at any
: time with the records of Solomon, who ‘“‘spake of trees, from the
Cedar tree that is Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out
of the wall.’’

If Prunus is to be credited to Varro, Rudus to Virgil and Amyg-
dalus to Theophrastus, why not say Afzos Theophrastus, instead of
Malus Tournefort? But then there is a still older name given by
irrefragible authority—the Hebrew Ez, mentioned in Genesis; and
Cerasus even when credited to Theophrastus is certainly long ante-
dated by Biméa of the Mahabharata. K. B.

Revision of the American species of Epilobium occurring north of
Mexico. By WiLi1AM TRELEASE; PPp- 118, 48 plates. Extract
from the second Annual Report of the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Issued April 22, 1891. This work shows the usual painstaking
study for which the author is so well known. The genus is a very
difficult one, many of the species forming fertile hybrids, which are,
- in the absence of extensive field studies, a source of much perplexity.

The author is very conservative in his dealings with the species.
He says: “I have tried as far as possible to account for all species
indicated by him [Haussknect] and other writers as coming within
our limits, recognizing them as valid whenever satisfactory reason
could be obtained for doing'so. It is with reluctance that I publish

" several as new. It must be said, however, that increasing familiarity

go feecent Literature. , | ZOE

with the genus strengthens my impression that the characters here
admitted as of specific value are worthy of credence, and do not
apply to mere forms or varieties, although the less differentiated
species fall into groups, which some of the most conservative bota-
nists might justly treat as species consisting of fairly marked sub-
species, in a monograph of the genus as a whole.’’ The new
species are &, delicatum, E. clavatum, and E. ursinum Parish in
herb. The recently described species reduced are E. pseudo-lineare
Hausskn. “unknown to me, and suspected by Professor Hauss-
knect to be a hybrid of uncertain parentage ;’’ £. Americanum
Hausskn. reduced to £. adenocaulon; E. exaltatum Drew. reduced
to a variety of adenocaulon; and £. Oreganum Greene, considered _
a hybrid of glaberrimum, with perhaps adenocaulon. The plates are
of much value in the future study of the genus. x. B.
American Garden, xli, 247, makes an amusing contribution to
the literature of Rhamnus Purshiana. It is described over the
name of a contributor as “A very low, pretty shrub with bright
scarlet berries, handsome light green, deciduous leaves and cinna-
mon-colored stems. The tiny greenish-white flowers have four or
five petals and stamens,’ The accompanying figure represents
Prosartes Hookert. =
Botanical Gazette, F ebruary, 1891. Notes on the apical growth
of Osmunda and Botrychium (with pl. v.): Douglas H. Campbell.
Two new plants (Zuina Piperi, Silene Suksdorfii), from the Cas-
cade Mountains (with pl. vi.)\—B. L. Robinson. New species of
Montana fungi (with pl. vii.)—J. B. Ellis and F. W. Anderson.
Key to the North Amerian Genera of Labiate.—Alfred C. Stokes.
Observations on the new Texas fern, Notholena Nealleyi and var.
Mexicana—George E. Davenport. Sarcodes Sanguinea—Thomas
Meehan. : . ree
March, 1891. Black rust of cotton—George F. Atkinson. Flow-
ers and insects, vi—Charles Robertson. Notes on Technique, ii—

scribed species (4. Pringlei, A. &lobosa) of Apodanthes (with pl.
iv)—B. L. Robinson. Erythrea Pringleana Wittr.—C. G. Pringle.
New species of Montana fungi (with pl. x)—Ellis & Anderson.
April, 1891. New or noteworthy Composite from Guatemala—
John M. Coulter. Notes on North American Willows, vi (A review

VOL. II. | Recent Literature. gI

of the Willows of California, a paper of much interest to Western

_ botanists—M. S. Bebb. Notes onthe Flora of the St. Croix region
—E. G. Hill. A new Aster from California, Aster Orcuttit, Vasey
& Rose.—J. N. Rose (with pl. x1).—A new Fomes from Mon-
tana (Fomes Ellisianus Anders.)—F. W. Anderson. Sz/phium laci-
niatum L..—B. L. Robinson. The propagation of Ranunculus la-
custris—Charles A. Davis. Cornus Bailey in Oregon—Walter H.
Evans.

Contributions to the Knowledge of the Germination of some North
American Plants (with plates v-xix). By THEopoR Horm. Mem.
Torr. Club, ii, No. 3. Such papers as this which really add some-
thing to the sum of our knowledge are a welcome relief from the
surfeit inflicted upon us by a crowd of systematic botanists, many of
whom seem to have no idea of botany, beyond the describing of new
species, or chasing the names of plants through a lot of old books
and changing them if possible. The germination and early growth
of more than forty plants is. described and delineated. We hope
the author will continue his studies in the line he has marked out.

3 Es:

Bull. Torrey Club, xviii, No. i. Notes upon Uvularia Oakesia
Diclytra and Krigia, (pl. cxi-cxiii): Theodor Holm. Recent Con-
tributions to the literature of the Diatomaceze: C. Henry Kain. A
new Anthracnose of Peppers: Byron D. Halsted. Notes on the
Archegonium of Ferns: Douglas H. Campbell. Virginia creeper:
Thomas Meehan.

No. ii. Enumeration of the Plants collected by Dr. H. H. Rusby
in South America, 1885-1886.—xv: N. L. Britton. The Flora of
the Desert of Atacama: Thomas Morong. Contributions to Amer-

ican Bryology (pl. cxiv.): Elizabeth G. Britton. Zizania as found
. by the Explorers of the Northwest: E. J. Hill. A new locality for
ss Lychnis Floscuculi: C. L. Shear.
No. iii. Study of the Apical Growth of the prothallium of Ferns
with reference to their Relationship (pl. cxv.): Douglas H. Camp-
“bell. Influence of Moisture upon dehiscent F ruits (pl. cxvi.): B. D.
ae Halsted and D. G. Fairchild. Notes from Pennsylvania: Thomas
s- C. Porter. :
No. iv. The Formation of the Flower Buds of Spring-Blossom-
ing Plants during the preceding summer: Aug. F. Foerste. Enu-
- meration of the Plants collected by Dr. H. H. Rusby in South
America, 1885-1886-xvi: N. L. Britton. The Fertalization of

92 Proceedings of Societies. [ZOE

Three Native Plants: E. J. Hill. Variations of the Rootstock of
Smilax glauca dependent upon Environment: Wm. T. Davis.
An Undescribed Desmodium from Texas and Mexico: _ Anna Maria
Vail. Plants of Special Interest collected at Orono, Maine. Merritt
L. Fernald.

Third Biennial Report of the State Board of Forestry, for the
years 1889-90. 8 vo., pp. 212. The first part of the volume is
devoted to a report by W. S. Lyon, State Forester, on the progress
made in introducing and acclimatizing foreign trees; the second
part by John Gill Lemmon, botanist of the Commission, contains an
account of the Conifers of the Pacific Coast, enriched by many pho-
tographs. A new genus, Hesperopeuce, is proposed for the well
known 7suga Pattoniana. ;

Journal of Mycology, vol. 6, No. ti, published by the Department -
of Agriculture. A new Hollyhock disease, Colletotrichum althee,
by Miss E. A. Southworth. Recent Investigations of Smut Fungi
and Smut Diseases by Dr. Oscar Brefeld, translated from Nach-
vichten aus dem Klub der Landwirthe cu Berlin, a paper of very
great interest. The author details numerous experiments with the
smuts Ustilago carbo, U. cruenta and U. maydts, undertaken to de-
termine the period of infection. The experiments tend to show
that in slender plants with necessarily minute and well covered
growing points, infection apparently takes place very early, in most
cases, soon after the appearance of the plumule, but excéptionally,
and in Maize and Sorghum frequently, if not nearly always, the
young tissue may become affected at any part of the plant.

The spread of smuts in fields was found to be very greatly pro-
moted by the use of fresh dung. :

The number also contains some notes of interest on A New and
Destructive Oat Disease, by B. T. Galloway and E. A. Southworth ;
Note on a Minnesota species of Isaria and an attendant Pachybasium,
by Conway MacMillan; A Few New Fungi, by J. B. Ellis and S.
M. Tracy, and a new species, Mucronoporus Andersonit, by the for-
mer. : H.W. H.

PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES.

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. March 2, 1891, Presi- —

dent Harkness in the chair,
Donations to the Museum were reported from the following: L.

VOL. I. |) Proceedings of Soctettes. 93

Belding, Robt. A. A. Wright, M. Braverman, B. C. Winston, Geo.
W. Dunn and Melville Attwood.

The Librarian reported 140 additions to the Library.

Dr. H. H. Behr read a paper on “ Botanical Reminiscences.”’

Walter E. Bryant read a paper entitled ‘‘ A Provisional List of
the Land Mammals of California.” :

The Secretary read an account of the discovery of precious opals
near Moscow, State of Washington, and exhibited specimens in the
matrix presented by Melville Attwood.

The following communication was read:

SAN Francisco, March 2, 1891.
To the Officers and Members of the California Academy of Sciences:

I hereby present to this Academy my collection of Fungi, now in this building,
in the gathering and identification of which I have devoted the major portion of
my time during the past fifteen years. The collection consists of between 10,000
and 11,000 numbers, which are catalogued by the card system, nearly 13,000 sepa-
rate cards having been required for the work. :

The catalogue is arranged for immediate use and the specimens are already in

convenient receptacles.
Yours respectfully, H. W. HARKNESS.

A vote of thanks was unanimously tendered to Dr. Harkness for
his valuable gift.

The report of the Director of the Museum, which had been de-
ferred from a previous meeting, was read and filed.

April 6, r89r._ There not being a sufficient number of members
present the meeting was merely called to order and adjourned.

CALIFORNIA BOTANICAL CLUB.

In response to a call from Dr. H. W. Harkness, Dr. H. H. Behr,
Dr. Gustav Eisen, T. S. Brandegee, Mrs. Mary W. Kincaid, Miss
Agnes M. Manning and Mrs. Katharine Brandegee, a meeting was
held at one Pp. M., on March 7, 1891, in the herbarium room of
the California Academy of Sciences.

_ The meeting was called to order by Dr. H. W. Harkness, who
briefly explained that the objects of the proposed Club were to pro-
mote the study of plants, especially those found on the Pacific Coast
of North America, and by bringing into more intimate relations the
botanists of the Coast to arouse a greater interest in so rich a field

of science. All persons joining the Club were invited to meet the
botanical curator of the California Academy in the herbarium room

94 Proceedings of Societies. [ZOE

every Monday afternoon for the study of living plants. He then
suggested that the election of officers was the first business in order.

The following officers were elected for the first term ending the
first Saturday in March, 1892.

President—Dr. H. H. Benr.

Vice-President—Mrs. Mary W. Kincarp.

Secretary—Frank H. Vasiir.

Treasurer—Miss AGNES M. MANNING.

Librarian—Miss Carouine L. Hunt.

Curator—Miss Kate Exxiorr.

Councilors—Mrs. C. E. HANSEN, Mrs. M. J. McDona.p,
Dr. C. M. Brake.

The Committee on Constitution consisting of Dr. H. H. Behr,
Mrs. Mary W. Kincaid and Miss A. M. Manning, appointed at a
preliminary meeting, presented a report embodying the Constitution
engrossed upon pages 1-4 of this record, which report was read
and adopted.

It was decided to meet for the present on the first and third Satur-
days of each month at r P. M. in the herbarium room of the Cali-
fornia Academy of Sciences, the meetings to be followed whenever
practicable by an excursion to some place of botanical interest.

The Club then adjourned for an excursion to Mountain Lake.

March 22, r89r. Inthe absence of the President, the Vice-Presi-
dent, Mrs. M. W. Kincaid, presided.

On motion it was decided to keep the charter roll open for sig-
natures during the month of April.

Adjourned for excursion to Laurel Hill.

_ April 4, 1891. The Vice-President in the chair.

It was announced by order of the Council that the regular busi- —
. hess meeting would be held on the first Saturday of each month to
be followed by an excursion, and that the third Saturday of each |
month would be devoted to a field meeting. Also that, as hereto-
fore, there would be excursions on Sunday, as quite a number of.
the members were unable to Spare the necessary time on any other

day, and that the Club, or as many as could attend, would continue |

to meet for the study of plants brought in every Monday afternoon oe
from 3:30 to 5 P. M. : SS

Adjourned for excursion to the Presidio.

eres seme

'

VOL. I. ] Proceedings of Societies. : 95

May 2, 1891. Mrs. C. E. Hansen in the chair.

The Secretary announced that: in accordance with instructions
from the Council, he had communicated with the officers of the
‘California Academy of Sciences, soliciting the use of the Hall of
the Academy for one night during the month, and that through the
efforts of Dr. Harkness, and in consideration of the fact that the
investigations and collections of the Club would tend to enrich the
herbarium of the Academy, the request had been granted,

On motion a vote of thanks was tendered to Dr. Harkness.
The thanks of the Club were also voted to Mr. T. S. Brandegee
for his donation of the two volumes of the Botany of California and

the first volume of Zoe, and also to Mr. George Spaulding for print-

ing without charge 250 receipts for dues.
The following notes by Miss E. Cannon on plants not hitherto

- known as growing in San Francisco, were read:

SANICULA MARITIMA Kell. A new locality for this plant is a half marshy de-
pression in the Potrero Hills at the end of Eighteenth street. It grows there in
stiff black clay called ‘‘adobe” which is very wet in winter and spring, but is
nearly dry at this time. The plants are, as seems usually to be the case with vege-
tation near the coast, lower and more spreading than those from Alameda. It is
associated at this place with Eryngium petiolatum and probably occurs in other
similar localities, but is so inconspicuous and the foliage so exactly the color of .
Ranunculus muricatus and Plantago major that it is not easy to find.

-GILIA LINIFLORA Benth. stouter, more spreading, but lower and with larger
flowers than any of the specimens in the herbarium of the California Academy of
Sciences, grows on the summits of the Potrero hills.

GAULTHERIA SHALLON Pursh., ‘‘Salal” of the Northern Indians, is found on
the summits of the hills on both sides of Noe Valley, growing only a few inches in
height, but flowering freely.

On motion the charter roll was declared closed with the following

signatures:
H.W. Harkness; : H. H. Behr,
Mary W. Kincaid, Emily V. Harrison,
Katharine Brandegee, | T. S. Brandegee,
Caroline L. Hunt, Ernestine J. Arnold.
Mrs. Paris Kilburn, Edith B. Falkenau,
Ella L. Manson, Lucy F. Swett,
= J. M. F. Wanzer, Jessie Andrus,
Nellie Williams, Mrs. R. F. Dodd,

Evelina Cannon, Mrs. L. D. Emerson,
_ Florence Emerson, Jessie S. Easton,

96 Proceedings of Societies.

Emily A. Easton, M. J. McDonald,
Mrs. M. J. McDonald, Nellie E. Barter,
Bertha Tackle, L. W. Cushman,

H. T. Bickel, Effie Mclllriach,
Daisy A. Loughlin, Lucy Cotrel,

George F. Kincaid, Katharine M. Nesfield,
Eliza C. Campbell, Fidelia Jewett,

Kate Elliott, Frank H. Vaslit,
Fannie Davies, Margaret C. Nesfield,
Francis Hodgkinson, Carlos Troyer,

Mrs. C. E. Hansen, Mrs. Elwood Cooper,
Charles A. Keeler, Lillie J. Martin,
Burns Macdonald, Frank E. Harris,
Gustav Eisen, S. W. Holladay,
Mary C. Bowman, Agnes Bowman,
Bertha A. Wicker, Nellie A. Morse,
Nellie M. Owens, Vesta L. Jordan,
Carl Purdy, C. F. Sonne,

Agnes M. Manning, Charles M. Blake,
Sarah E. Blake, Jennie Hewston,
Edmund C. Shorey, Walter E. Bryant,

J. W. Hobson, Alice C. Vincent,
Josie L. Blum, Sara W. Scruggs,
Mabel M. Miles, William Alvord,
Mrs. William Alvord, J. W. Hendrie,

W. H. Schockley, John MacLean,

Anna J. Monro, Marcus E. Jones,

H. E. Hasse, Miriam Godbe,

S. B. Parish, Mary T. Mooney,
Daniel Cleveland, Florence R. Swett,
H. S. Nichols, Mary A. Roper,

G. P. Rixford, George Spaulding,
H. R. Taylor, Alice Eastwood,

Mrs. S. W. Dennis, Mrs. S. A. P. Wheeler,
B. Frank Leeds, Elizabeth Parsons,
Mrs. William Westhoff, Sarah W. Horton,

13 ae Os Stone, Thomas H. Douglas,
Cc. C. Riedy, Sarah E. Vaslit,
Miss Amanda Hansen, Mrs. W. C. Burnett,

John McLaren.

Notice was given that the next meeting would be held at 8 P. .
on Thursday evening, May 21, in the Hall of the Academy of
Sciences,

The society then adjourned for excursion to the hills south of
the Park.

PLATE X1IH,

BOSCHNIAKIA STROBILACEA.

.

“0, C