Lllt*C\kY 



NEW > 



NOTES ON THE FLORA OF HONEY- LAKE VALLEY. 

 By Joseph Burtt Davy, 



The valley of Honey Lake is situated in the southeast corner 

 of Lassen County, northeastern California, within a few miles of the 

 Nevada state-line. It lies at the eastern foot of the Sierra Nevada, 

 which forms a dividing wall between the Pacific Slope and the 

 Great Basin, and belongs, botanically as well as topographically, to 

 the latter region. 



The Sierra Nevada, forming the south and southwest boundary 

 of the valley, rises some 3,700 feet above the lake level, in Thompson's 

 Peak, and presents a very steep, pine-clad front, with but little 

 stream sculpture. The mountain chain on the north and northeast 

 has a more gradual slope, destitute of timber, and attains its highest 

 point at Hot Spring Peak, some 7,600 feet above the sea. The lake 

 bed is about 4,000 feet above sea level. The floor of the valley dips 

 slightly from all sides towards the lake, — which occupies its south- 

 western portion, — but has otherwise a very even, almost level sur- 

 face. The valley is about fifty miles in length, east and west, and 

 some twenty-five in width at its widest part. Though the waters of 

 the lake now occupy an area only sixteen miles long by twelve wide, 

 they appear to have covered the whole of the valley floor at one 

 time, for a series of distinct shore lines is noticeable along the moun- 

 tain sides. Honey Lake formerly had a channel connecting it with 

 Pyramid Lake,' which lies to the southeast, and it appears to be 

 still connected with Eagle Lake and Horse Lake on the northeast, 

 from verbal information obtained in the district ; the large volume 

 of clear, swift-fiowing water which perennially occupies the com- 

 paratively short channel of Willow Creek, one of its tributaries, also 

 indicates such a connection. At the present time it is a natural 

 sink, or evaporating pan, for the waters of Susan River and other 

 streams. It has no outlet, and in seasons of great drought dries up 

 entirely; it was last quite dry in the summer of 1888. This year 

 there is about fourteen feet of water in the deepest part. 



Snow lies on Thompson's Peak till late in the summer; but little 

 enters the valley, however, though a fall of about twenty-four inches 

 has been noted. 



Erythea, Vol. VI , No. 1 [3 January, 1898]. 

 CD 



