230 A New Achyronychia. [zoe 



mountain ranges; second, climatic conditions (temperature and hu- 

 midity), of the greatest importance as fundamental causes in estab- 

 lishing faunal areas in general; and third, organic conditions or floral 

 environment, the principal cause now in operation in keeping dis- 

 tinct the various avifaunal areas. The first of these factors may be 

 eliminated in the consideration of the geographical distribution of 

 birds in California, as we have no barriers insurmountable by most 

 species. The second factor we can also set aside, as not directly 

 applying at the present time to birds; but the third is worthy of 

 special consideration. In taking up each faunal area of the State 

 separately, this dependence of bird life on the flora will be frequent- 

 ly pointed out, but one example illustrating this may not be 

 inopportune at the present time. Two jays are found commonly 

 along our coast, Cyanocitta stelkri frontalis and Apheloco77ia califor- 

 nica. The former is distinctively a bird of the coniferous region and 

 the latter of the oaks. Between latitudes thirty-six and thirty-nine 

 degrees, where the redwood unites with the oak, the two species 

 are about equally distributed, but they very seldom mingle. When 

 a grove of redwoods lie within half a mile of an oak region, Cyano- 

 citta stelleri frontalis will often be common in the former and wholly 

 wanting in the latter, while the reverse is the case with the other 

 species. This is only one of many cases which tend to prove that 

 the distribution of a bird is intimately connected with and depend- 

 ent on a certain form of plant life, in the absence of which, unless it 

 could materially change its mode of living, it would soon be over- 

 come in the struggle for existence. 



A NEW ACHYRONYCHIA 



BY T. S. BRANDEGEE. 



Among a number of interesting plants brought by Mr. G, P. 

 Rixford from Owen's Valley, Inyo County, was the following, which 

 is named for the discoverer: 



ACHYRONYCHiA RiXFORDll. Annual (?), glabrous and glaucous, 

 branching from the base;. branches ia-15 cm. long, ramose, spread- 

 ing: flowers in clusters in the axils of opposite, fleshy, linear-acumi- 

 nate 10-15 ^"1- ^<^"g leaves; stipules lacerate, the lower inclosing a 

 mass of fringes: perianth 3 mm. long, the lower tubular portion one- 



