arrive in the month of April, and there linger until June, very soon after which they are seen at their breeding quarters, on the shores of Hudson Bay, and along the desolate strand of the Arctic Sea, where they have been met with by the northern navigators, as far as the 75th parallel. They already begin to depart from these remote boreal regions in August, in which month, and even towards the close of July, I have seen young birds for sale in the market of Boston. They visit the shores of Great Britain also about the same time, arriving thence probably from the Arctic shores of Siberia. Five or six weeks - later, they are observed to visit the borders of the Delaware, and proceed onward to the south as the weather increases in coldness. The most southern summer residence of this species known, if Mr. Fleming be correct, is the Scottish isle of Zetland. They are also said to inhabit the isles of the Baltic during summer. In a mere depression of the sand or gravel, along the sea coast, it is said to drop its eggs, which are four in number, and according to Mr. Hutchins, are of an olive green, spotted with blackish brown.

It is naturally of a wild and solitary disposition, coursing along the shore by pairs, or in small families which have been bred together. In the months of May and June, in New Jersey, they almost wholly feed upon the spawn of the king-crab, or horse-foot, (Monoculus polyphemus, LIN.) which affords them and other animals an abundant and almost inexhaustible supply.

We could easily extend this list of the quadrupeds and birds of California much further; but we have already shown that the country abounds in game as

well as in the various other objects of interest which form the study of the zoologist.

All writers agree that the waters of California abound in fish in a most extraordinary degree. Numberless varieties of sea fish literally swarm off the coast, and the rivers abound in valuable kinds suitable for the table. Shell fish are also abundant; oysters, the pearl shell, already referred to, clams and several species of the haliotis are found. Salmon which are

SALMON.

known to be so abundant in the Columbia River, are not less so in the San Joaquin and Sacramento. Two or three thousand, according to Farnham, are sometimes taken in a day. The Indians take them in a basket of wicker work like a lobster basket, as they pass up the rivers in the spring. They are also very skilful in spearing them. The fish are preserved by drying and salting.

The Sturgeon (Accipenser transmontanus), is found in the large rivers eight or ten feet in length, and weighing five hundred pounds.

In the Bay of Monterey there are great numbers of the Mackerel and a fish similar to the Sardine. Por poises are seen playing and spouting in the bays, and the whale is found off the coast.

Mr. Farnham enumerates among the fishes, the halibut, skate, turbot, and bonito. But these of course form but a very small part of that immense variety which are found on the coast where the fish of the tropical regions are mingled with those which people the waters of the north.

In the plants and trees of California there is a visible field for the future explorations of the botanist. In the vegetable as in the animal kingdom, we find the products of various latitudes from the tropics to the arctic regions all mingled together. Several varieties of the pine are found, the most remarkable of which is the Pinus Douglasii, first described by Douglas. In the mountains about the Bay of San Francisco, the Colorado River, and other parts of Upper California specimens of this tree are found two hundred and forty feet high, the bases of whose trunks are nearly sixty feet in circumference. The trunk, says Farnham, is quite destitute of branches until above more than half the altitude, when they grow outward and upward

in such a manner as to give the top the form of an inverted pyramid. From the ends of the branches hang the cones or seed-vessels, from twelve to fifteen inches in length, and egg-shaped. The seeds are as large as a good-sized bean, and furnish a common article of food to the Indians, who collect large quantities of them in the autumn, and pound them into a kind of cake, which is baked on heated stones. The wood is very fine-grained, and contains a great quantity of resin.

The Pinus Sabinii, P. Lambertiana, P. noblis, and P. resinosa, are also fine species, though less in size than their gigantic relative. The former is, however, a large tree, being often found one hundred and ten feet high, and from ten to twelve in diameter. Among the elevated plains of Upper California it grows quite plentifully, as also on the low hills, near the coast, where it attains a larger size. The natives frequently build their fires against these trees to save the trouble of collecting fuel. By this means, also, a sweet gum is made to exude from the trunk, which

serves them for sugar.

Mr. Farnham also mentions among the trees of California, the White Oak, Live Oak, Maple, Ash, Beech, and Chestnut.

The flowering shrubs and plants of California are very numerous. Mr. Farnham says:

It is impossible to give a full description of the flowering shrubs and plants of Upper California, so great is their variety and beauty. We have only space to notice a few of the most conspicuous. A species of Raspberry, Ribes speciosum, is one of the most elegant flowering shrubs of the country. It is exceedingly abundant in some localities, and, with its

long crimson stamens and its deep green leaves, presents an appearance truly lovely. The flowers bloom early in spring. The fruit I have not seen. In many places are found several species of Mimulus, one of which is from three to four feet in height, and is a very showy plant. This country also has numerous species of Phlox and Heuchera, and innumerable quantities of Epilobium, Enothera or Primrose, Pentstemon, Xapaver or Poppy, Delphinium, and Salvia. A species of lily also grows here, the roots of which are eaten by the natives. The Scilla esculenta grows along the whole coast of Upper California. This is called by the natives" Quamash," and the root forms a very common article of food. To prepare this for eating, a hole is made in the ground, and a number of stones placed in it, on which a fire is kindled, and kept burning until they are made hot, when the fire is extinguished, and the roots wrapped in straw, leaves, and moss, and placed upon them. They are well roasted in a few hours; and are then taken off and hung up to dry. This root is also sometimes pounded and made into cakes, which are preserved for future use. The taste is sweet, and rather agreeable; but if eaten too freely, they are apt to produce diarrhoea. This plant is most abundant on the banks of rivers and on lowlands by the margins of forests; in which localities are also found several species of Pyrola, Caprifolium, and Lupinus, which sometimes cover an immense extent of land. The Arbutus is also abundant in similar situations. The large species, A. procera, is a fine shrub, frequently attaining a growth which entitles it to be called a tree. The A. uva ursi is found in almost every part of the colder sections of the country, and its berries are fre