228 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



From the Kiver Albin to Mendocino City, it grows quite near the coast on a 

 fertile and undulating plain, gently descending towards the ocean. At Mendo- 

 cino City I found it to extend all over the plains about eight miles eastward. 



Whether this species is identical with Pmus contorta or not I am unable to 

 decide. Observations made by Mr. Geo. Wm. Dunn, on his recent travels 

 through the Blue and Siskiyou mountains, have rather a tendency to show that 

 Pinus contorta is' altogether a different tree. I can state, however, most posi- 

 tively that this species cannot be confounded with Pinus muricata. Both 

 species are two-leaved, but in every other respect they differ widely. The 

 object of these remarks is only to point out the different species, met in my 

 travels, and not to decide which name should have precedence. Murray's dis- 

 cussion on the distribution of our Pines, in his "Notes on California Trees," has 

 not " struck" me as being so very correct. Endlicher, in his Synopsis Conifer- 

 arum, makes Pinus muricata a Taeda, which is also incorrect ; it is a true 

 Pinaster. It remains to decide only, whether the species at Mendocino City is 

 P. contorta, or P. Murrayana, Balf. 



8. Libocedrus decurrens. Torr. (California White Cedar.) Forest Hill ! 

 (forming quite a large woods there). Rancheria Creek! Mendocino County. 

 East of Salinas River, Monterey County. Dr. Canfield. East of San Diego ! ! 



On the banks of Rancheria Creek, in the south-western part of Mendocino 

 County, I found a small colony of this handsome tree. The largest were about 

 forty to sixty feet high and two to three feet in diameter. Judging from the 

 young after-growth, the tree seems likely to spread. I was informed that this 

 is the only place in the county where it is to be found. In the latter part of 

 September (1865) the tree had its aments strongly developed. Cones decidedly 

 pendulous. 



9. Ctipressus macrocarpa, Hartw. (Monterey Cypress.) Monterey ! Tamal 

 Pais (2.700 feet) ! Mendocino City ! and south-east of Clear Lake ! 



This species seems to be extremely variable. At Monterey, about two miles 

 from the coast, I saw, upon exposed granite rocks, but slightly disintegrated, 

 specimens only six inches high, bearing perfect cones. Going westward, at the 

 same distance from the ocean, I found specimens in a depression associated with 

 Pmus muricula, from ten to fifteen feet high, full with cones ; and extending 

 my walk to Cypress Point, a distance of three to four miles, I was surprised to 

 find a large grove of this species, containing mostly large trees of great beauty 

 and perfection. The average height may be from forty to sixty feet, and as they 

 were (right at the '-■hit) almost all alike in thickness, I measured but three, 

 findii)" - their circuim'erence to be one hundred and nineteen, one hundred and 

 four, and one hundred and twenty inches, about four feet above the ground. 

 At this poiut these trees are almost daily enveloped in a dense fog. Their 

 branches are very densely imbricated and depressed, retaining the moisture to 

 such an extent that the thick clusters of cones are quite mouldy. Between the 

 cones and little dense branchlots settles a great deal of rubbish, which is almost 

 dripping wet. It is undoubtedly owing to this very fact that so many seeds of 

 this species, collected there, prove abortive. 



