NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



163 



These rockj^ bluffs near the sea generally 

 have their ledges covered with a layer 

 of mossy soil which supports a wealth 

 of spring flowering species mostly 

 annuals and bulbous plants, including 

 banks of lobelia-like Collinsia (C 

 grandiflora) ; sea-blush (Valerianella con- 

 gesta); Bongard's saxifrage (Saxifraga 

 Bongardi) ; and other saxifrages, white 

 dog-tooth lilies, Indian camas [Camas- 

 sia qumna^h); (Brodiea grandiflora), 

 brown fritillary, [Fritillaria lanceolata); 

 wild onions [Allium cernuum and A. 

 acuminatum,) and where sufficient soil 

 has accumulated in crevices or pockets 

 in the rocks are found flowering shrubs 

 such as flowering currant (Ribes sangui- 

 neum) ; mock orange (Philadelphus Le- 

 ^visi^), Saskatoon (Amelanchier alni- 

 folia); barberries (Berberis aquifolium 

 and B. nervosa), manzanita (Arctos- 

 taphylos tomentosa) ; with flowering trees 

 such as western dogwood {Cornus 

 Nuttallii) ; and wild cherry (Prunus 

 emarginata), so that although much 

 of the coast line is rocky it is by no 

 means barren, especially in spring when 

 all the above species come into flower. 

 Later on, however, the ledges become 

 brown and dried up, and the visitor to 

 this Province in the summer or autumn 

 gets no conception of the floral wealth 

 of the land adjacent to the sea. 



Mammals and birds (E. A. P.). The 

 only mammals which are especially 

 characteristic of the shores are the seals 

 and sea lions, listed under marine mam- 

 mals, which have their young on rocky 

 ledges just above the surf, usually on 

 islands. 



The more common sea birds which 

 breed on cliffs include the following: 

 tufted puffin; horned puffin; rhinoceros 

 auklet; California murre; and violet- 

 green cormorant. 



During migration many species of 

 shore birds and plovers use the beaches 

 as migration routes, and a few hardy 

 species spend the winter there. 



3. Salt marshes 



On the south west coast of British 

 Columbia may be seen some very fine 



salt marshes probably the best on the 

 Pacific Coast, if not on this continent. 

 In area thcj^ extend over many square 

 miles and may be seen in all stages from 

 their origin at the edge of the water, 

 where eel grass, ditch grass (Ruppia 

 niaritima); samphire or glasswort iSali- 

 cornia ambigua) and sea blite {Suxda 

 maritima) are the pioneers, until they 

 "come under the plow" and become 

 fertile agricultural land. 



As the salt marsh develops one finds 

 the usual association of halophytes: 

 sea milkwort {Glaux maritima) ; sea 

 plantain {Plantago maritima). In most 

 of the salt marshes here dodder {Cuscuta 

 salina) may be found primarily attack- 

 ing Salicornia but spreading to other 

 members of this association. 



Later on, salt grass (Distichlis spi- 

 cata), makes its appearance, and aids 

 greatly in retaining the accumulated 

 silt. It is quite a common occurrence 

 to see cattle and even horses grazing 

 on salt marshes, and the owners of the 

 stock consider salt grass good fodder. 

 Naturally, as a result of grazing, many 

 weeds are introduced and we soon find, 

 yarrow {Achillea millefolium)', velvet 

 grass or Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus) ; 

 and other weeds overrunning the grazed 

 areas. 



Through the growth of countless gener- 

 ations of halophytic plants the soil 

 becomes very rich in humus, forming a 

 kind of peat and, by ditching and dyk- 

 ing, parts of this land have been sepa- 

 rated from the main marsh areas and 

 cultivated. On this reclaimed land 

 farmers have to contend with the same 

 weeds as prevail on newly reclaimed 

 bogs, namely lesser sorrel (Rumex acelo- 

 sella), and several species of smart weed 

 (Polygonum) together with the dainty 

 little mud-button (Cotula coronopifolia) . 

 The abundant rainfall during the winter 

 soon leaches out the salt, and in a short 

 time good crops can be raised on this 

 rich, dark brown silt. 



4. Marine areas 



The marine flora along the coast of 

 the Gulf of Georgia— between Vancouver 



