310 OUNITIIOLOGY. 



Arrived in Calilbniia, no i)ec-uliarly western biril was observed nntil we 

 reached Sacramento City; since, after landing at San Francisco, only I'nrple 

 Martins {Prognc suhis) and Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon lunifrons), which 

 swarmed about old buildings on certain streets, were seen, while the only 

 notes of other species heard were the familiar songs of caged Canary Birds. 

 The jouraey up the Sacramento River was i-qually disappointing in tliis- 

 respect, since, though we kept a vigilant look-out from our post of observa- 

 tion un the hurricane deck of the steamer, none but familiar eastern species, 

 most .of which were water-birds (Coots, Florida Gallinules, and various 

 species of ducks), were seen, the only land-birds being an occasional Belted 

 Kingfisher {Cerijk alnjon) perched on an overhanging willow. During the 

 first day at Sacramento, however, we became familiarized with several of 

 the species peculiar to the western portion of the continent, but as this 

 locality brings us to the commencement of our observations in the field, we 

 shall begin a resume of the subject in another chapter. 



18fi7. — The first camp of the survey was established at Sacramento 

 City, California, on the Gth of June, from which date collections were made 

 untilJuly 4th, wIkmi the i)lains to the eastward and the Sierra Nevada were 

 crossed into Nevada. It is much to be regretted that no opportunity was 

 afforded for making collections along this route, especially in the western 

 foot-hills and in the pine-region of the western slope, since a number of 

 additional species and many valuable ol)servations were thus lost to the 

 collection and archives of the exploration. After entering Nevada, the Big 

 Bend of the Truckee was selected for the first working-camp, and there we 

 remained from July 24th until August 18th; a portion of the time being 

 devoted to an excursion to Pyramid Lake, which was reached by descending 

 the river in a hatteau, i\\e party returning on horseback, after about a week's 

 absence. During this trip the main island in the lake was visited. Our 

 investigations from the main camp also included several visits to the dry 

 canons of the Virginia Mountains, about eight miles to the westward, across a 

 very sandy mesa. This camp was abandoned on the 2r)th of August, when we 

 started across the desert for Humboldt Lake; but upon reaching the latter 

 place the writer became a victim of malarial fever, which for weeks inter- 

 fered very materially with the ])rosecution of his duties. We next proceeded 



