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NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



In this field it is of primary importance 

 and to protect the watersheds of south- 

 ern California, large areas of chaparral 

 are included in three National Forests. 

 Most of species sprout readily and there 

 is little danger of the stands being 

 obliterated. Some grazing occurs in the 

 chaparral and the larger stems are cut 

 locally for fuel. 



In the chaparral region proper, which 

 may extend from sea-level to 7000 ft. in 

 southern California, the precipitation 

 varies from 10 to 25 in. annually, most of 

 it being received in the period from 

 December to March, inclusive. Snow 

 falls occasionally but seldom lasts. 

 The temperature extremes vary from 10° 

 to 120°, the mean summer maximum 

 temperature being about 85°, with a 

 mean minimum temperature for the win- 

 ter of about 35°. The mean annual 

 temperature is around 50°. 



The mammals of the chaparral region 

 include the California ring-tailed cat 

 {Bassariscus astutus raptor), California 

 raccoon {Procyon psora), California 

 weasel (Mustela xanthogenys), California 

 spotted skunk (Spilogale phenax), Cali- 

 fornia jackrabbit (Lepus calif ornicas) , 

 brush rabbit (Sylvilagus hachrnani 

 group), and wood rat (Neotoma spp.). 

 Among the bird life in this region are 

 the owl, sparrow, hawk, California 

 towhee, spurred towhee, black-headed 

 grosbeak, titmouse, grasshopper spar- 

 row, several song sparrows, while many 

 birds of the transition zone and from 

 farther north, winter in this belt. 



WOODLAND (upper SONORAN) 



The woodland types include the oaks 

 and the juniper. The oaks are charac- 

 teristic of the better sites and moister 

 soils in the valley region and the rolling 

 hills in the grassland and chaparral belt 

 along the coast where the precipitation 

 ranges from 10 to 20 in. and the maximum 

 temperatures in summer do not exceed 

 110° but average about 85°. In this 

 belt, the mean temperatures do not fall 

 low enough to preclude growth the year 

 round. Three species of oaks are usually 

 found (Querms douglasii, Quercus lohata 



and Qvercns agrijolia). Because of 

 their presence near the agricultural and 

 urban population, these oaks, which 

 reach heights of 60 ft. and diameters of 

 36 in. are being rapidly cut for firewood 

 and it is but a question of time till the 

 old stands are completely cut out. 

 Many places which once boasted exten- 

 sive areas of this type can now show only 

 scattered trees and pasture land. City 

 parks in various places will preserve 

 some usually ragged and open remnants 

 of a once continuous woodland. 



The juniper woodland is found in the 

 northeastern part of the state with a 

 similar rainfall, but lower winter and 

 summer temperatures on the lava soils. 

 The juniper (Juniperus occidentalis and 

 Juniperus uiahensis) merges into pure 

 western yellow pine on better soils and 

 at higher elevations, while at lower 

 elevations and on poorer soils this type 

 merges into the Nevada desert. The 

 stands are more or less open and are 

 now being cut for fence posts and pencil 

 stocks. Along with this juniper wood- 

 land type on the edge of the desert re- 

 gion is also the pinyon pine (Pinus mono- 

 plujlla) which in places forms extensive 

 stands. It is not now being exploited 

 commercially except locally and many 

 stands will remain in a virgin condition 

 for a long time. 



In the woodland type, bird life is 

 similar to that of the chaparral and 

 grassland and many mammals use one 

 locality as their home while foraging 

 over the adjacent region. The Cali- 

 fornia jay, red-shafted flicker, Lewis 

 woodpecker, road-runner,cuckoo, screech 

 owl, California thrasher, western mock- 

 ingbird, western bluebird, and California 

 towhee are often seen in this belt. 



YELLOW PINE (TRANSITION) 



The western yellow pine (Pinus pon- 

 derosa) and Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) 

 form extensive forests at the lower eleva- 

 tions in the Sierra and Coast Mountains 

 and on the extensive plateau lands of the 

 lava flows of the northeastern part of the 

 state. At the lower limits— 7000 ft. in 

 the extreme south and 1000 ft. in the 



