100 WESTERN POND TURTLE. 



Dr. Lyall says,* in reference to this plain : ' A 

 good many plants found in this region are 

 strictly local in their distribution. Excepting 

 by the banks of lakes or streams, there are no 

 trees; and some of the orders, such as Ranun- 

 culacece, Caryophyllacece, Portulacacece, Rosacece, 

 Crassulacece, Saxifragacece, Vacciniacece, Orchi- 

 dacece, Liliacece, &c., which species are so 

 plentiful in the first region, have comparatively 

 few representatives ; whilst others, such as Legu- 

 minosce, Onagracece, Polemoniacece, &c., are more 

 common in this district, and give a character to 

 the vegetation.' 



Difference of elevation in the plain regions 

 have each their peculiarities. The spurs of the 

 Cascades are usually too dry for even good grazing- 

 ground their summits rocky, barren, and sparsely 

 timbered. A strip of land immediately adjoining 

 the Columbia, where it receives the waters of the 

 Spokan, offers, however, good graz ing-grounds 

 for the Indian horses. 



In the grass surrounding our camp are quan- 

 tities of the Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys 

 marmorata}, large and small tiny little fel- 

 lows not bister than a horse-bean, and stout 



oo 



* ' Journal Linncean Society,' 1863, ' Botany of North- 

 west America.' 



