128 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



niation on their habits. To be sure of a bird's nest and eggs, it is neces- 

 sary at least to see them together, and those not well acquainted Avith 

 birds, should ahvaj's inclose a skin of the bird, or at least a bead and 

 wing witli the nest, so that it may be determined. This may be mill- 

 dried, and wrapped sepai'ately from the eggs, which must be carefLilly 

 packed in cotton, or other soft substance, either in the nest or in a small 

 box. 



REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS. 



These are popularly classed together, although Agassiz and others con- 

 sider the latter as a class of equal rank with the former, comprising toads, 

 frogs, salamanders, and other forms without scales; of both together we 

 have ninety-five species in Calitbrnia, and probably more are to be dis- 

 covered. They are all beneficial to agriculture, their food consisting of 

 insects, mice, and other small vermin. The only kind absolutely hurtful, 

 is the rattlesnake, no other kind being poisonous, although ignorance 

 and prejudice have unjustly charged the whole class with noxious char- 

 acters. 



Tiie large land tortoise, of the Mojave regions, the turtles of the Col- 

 orado Eiver, all the lizards, snakes, horned toads, frogs, and salamanders, 

 especially from the frontiers of the State, should be collected, as the spe- 

 cies ai"e still little known. 



Whiskey and other poisonous liquors, obtainable almost everywhere, 

 will preserve reptiles verj^ well, if not too much weakened, and if the 

 specimen is well soaked, and then put in fresh liquor. In this way, the 

 " chain lightning" and other vile compounds may be made to contribute 

 much to our knowledge and benefit. 



