Natural History Notes from North Caroliua. 87 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTKS FROM NORTH 

 CAROLINA. 



By A. G. Wetherby. 



On the 28th day of April, i8cS6, the writer left Cincinnati, 

 and took up his residence at " Roandale Farm," Mitchell 

 Count}', North Carolina. The farm is located on what is 

 known as Big Rock Creek, a rapid mountain stream, which 

 drains the western slope of the great Roan, the monarch of 

 the Appalachians, and which lies in profile to the east for 

 several miles, as well as the eastern slope of the Unakas. 

 The plateau, from which these elevations rise, is bounded on 

 the north by Iron Mountain, which unites the north-western 

 slope of the Roan with Big Bald Mountain of the Unakas, 

 making a horseshoe-shaped curve in the course of the con- 

 nection. Thus, we live in a basin, having the Roan on the 

 east. Iron Mountain on the north and north-west, and the 

 Unakas on the west. The Roan reaches an elevation of 6,400 

 feet, Iron Mountain of" from 3,500 to 4,500 feet, and the 

 Unakas of from 4,000 to 5,500 feet. The plateau at Roandale 

 Farm has an average elevation of about 3,000 feet, and slopes 

 to the south, where the drainage is poured into Toe River. 



To the geology, botany and general zoology of this highly 

 interesting region, I have given much of my spare time during 

 the last seven years, and I now propose to set out in this 

 paper a few of the results, which, I trust, may not be uninter- 

 esting to the readers of this Journal. 



As might be expected from the elevation, our climate is that 

 of several degrees north, being at least as cool as the average 

 climate of Cincinnati, although our cold weather in Winter is 

 not so continuous, and in Summer the nights are always cool. 



Indeed, no Summer climate can excel this for perfection of 

 rest and comfort. Grass, flowers and cultivated vegetables 



