390 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



June. The winters are uiild ; suow rarely falls, the plains after the first 

 raius being' covered with grass, which, however, does not grow much 

 until March. Some of the species fouud at Marysville in winter are 

 the following: — Turdns ncvvius, T. migratorius (var. propiruiuus), T. gut- 

 tatus, Harjwrhynchus redivivus, Mimus polyglottuSj Dendrceca coronata, D. 

 auduhoni, Helminthopliaga celata (var. lutescens), Geothlypis tricJias, Vireo 

 hidfoni, Chrysomitris piniis, C. lawrencii, Eremopliila alpestris (both the 

 typical form and var. chrysolcema), Sayornis nigricans, S. sayus, Picus 

 jnibescens,* P. nuttalli, Spliyropicus ruber, Melanerpes formicivorus, Asio 

 accipitriuus, Spcofyto '■^liypogcea,^^ Lanius boreaUs, L. liidovicianus, M'elo- 

 spiza '■'■fallax,^'' and Pipilo chlorurus. In June, the following, among 

 others, were noticed: — Turdns ustulatus, Thryomanes bewicki (var. spihi- 

 rtis), Lanivireo '•'■ cassini,^'' Vireo pusillus, Coccyzus americanus, PoUoptila 

 cwrulea, Picus '•'■ gairdneri,^'' P. nuttalli, TrocMlus alexandri, and Chanuea 

 fasciata. 



MuEPHY's, Calaveras Co. (lat. 38° 7', alt. about 2,400 ft.), is situated 

 at the line of junction of the chaparral belt and the pine region; that 

 is, between the upper edge of the former and the lower limit of the 

 latter, the line between these two districts being sharply drawn by the 

 abrupt rise of the mountains on the east. 



The climate of Murphy's is nearly the same as that of Stockton, not- 

 withstanding the great difference of altitude (over 2,300 feet). The 

 days are rather warmer, even in winter, if the sky is unclouded : it is 

 more subject to cold storms, however; but if snow fiills, it soon melts, 

 and the hills are invariably covered with green grass after the fall rains. 

 It is above the winter fogs of the valley. The average rainfall at Mur- 

 phy's averages nearly twice as much as that at Stockton, the rainy 

 season being longer, while the precipitation is more copious. 



The following si)ecies may be said to find the upper limit to their 

 breeding range in the vicinity of Murphy's : — Harporliynclms redivivus, 

 Chanuea fasciata, PoUoptila cwrulea, Lophophanes inomatus, Salpinctes 

 obsoletus, Icteria longicauda, Pliainopepla nitens, Carpodacus frontalis (var. 

 rliodocolpus), CItrysomitris lawrencii, Cyanospiza ammna, Pipilo '•'■crissa- 

 lis,^'' Icterus bulloclci, Tyrannus verticalis, Myiarchus cinerascens, Picus nut- 

 talli, Melanerpes formicivorus, Lanius ludovicianus (var. excubitoroides), 

 Geococcyx californianus, and some others. This restriction, though not 

 absolute, is nearly so, and is due mainly to the abrupt change in the 

 character of the forest. 



About a mile east of Murphy's, the road makes an unbroken ascent 

 of ten or twelve liuudred feet in two miles. For the next thirteen miles 

 there is no material change in the altitude ; but at this point there is 

 another rise of about eight hundred feet. At the top of this rise is the 

 "Big Tree" Grove. 



' Tyiiical speciiueu sent from this locality ! — R. R. 



