I 

 ORNITHOLOGY OF GUADALUPE ISLAND. 271 



reddish rock. The northern portion consists of a very sharp 

 ridge nearly or quite perpendicular on the western face, 

 while on the eastern slope it descends rapidly and hides its 

 surface under a covering of sagebrush. 



For convenience of reference, I shall mention the wooded 

 tracts under four distinct heads : — 



First — At the northern end of the island is a fast decay- 

 ing forest of pines, extending within narrow limits along 

 the sharp ridge and down the almost perpendicular western 

 face. Among these pines are to be found a few hardy oaks 

 upon whose branches grow huge acorns, said to be the 

 largest in the world. A few isolated pines are found grow- 

 ing along the ridge nearly to its central portion. 



Second — Far down on the northwestern slope is a large 

 grove of cabbage palms. 



Third — On the highest part of the island, with the excep- 

 tion of a single peak (Mt. Augusta), is situated a large grove 

 of cypress trees covering an area of a mile or more on the 

 western slope; the eastern side of this forest ends abruptly 

 at the edge of the ridge, below which is a comparatively 

 level table land. 



Fourth — On this plateau grows a small cypress grove. 

 Here I had my permanent camp, within half a mile of which 

 were several springs and pools of water. With the excep- 

 tion of one spring here and one or two towards the north, 

 all the waters were more or less strongly alkaline. When- 

 ever rain collected in the rocky basin of the small arroyos, 

 this water was used in preference to the alkali water of the 

 springs. 



The vegetation in a w^et reason, as was the winter of 

 1885-6, consisted chiefly of the common alfileria, while in 

 places, especially about old goat corrals, dense growth of 

 malva had sprung up. Throughout the entire length 

 of the island, there grows in places a small white 

 sagebrush with yellow blossoms. This sagebrush, to- 

 gether with the bark of the cypress trees, serves 



