324 OllNITDOLOGY. 



altitude." The species just mentioned is not tlie exclusive component of 

 tlie "snge-brusli'' liowever, for quite a number of other shrubs, belonging 

 to man}' genera and several widely-different orders, are mingled with it in 

 varying abundance, according to the nature of the soil, some prevailing on 

 the most arid or sandy places, and others thriving best where the soil is 

 strongly alkaline. Those additional to the species given above, are mainly 

 the following, named in the order of their abundance: Ohione confertifoUa 

 ("grease-wood"), 0. canescens, Sarcobatus vermiculatus, Linosyris viscidiflora, 

 Gray'ia polygaloides, Halostachys occidentalis, Linosyris graveolens ("broom- 

 sage"), Artemisia trifida, A. spinescens, Eurotia lanata, Furshia tridentata, 

 Ephedra antisyphilitica, and Tetradymia canescens. [See Botanical Report, p. 

 XX vi.] The genera named above belong to the following ordors: Artemisia, 

 Linosyris, and Tetradymia to the Composita?; Ohione, Sarcobatus, Grayia, 

 and Eurotia to the Chenopodiacese; Furshia to the Rosacjie, and Ephedra 

 to the Gnetacea'. The general aspect of these plants is quite the same, 

 however, in the different species, all having a similar scraggy, stunted 

 appearance, with dull-grayish foliage in which there is but the slightest 

 suspicion of green, and a characteristic, disagreeable, pungent odor; and 

 in the utter absence of other sln-ubs over areas hundreds of square miles 

 in extent, they constitute a most miserable apology for vegetation. 



The most numerous animals of these arid wastes are the various species 

 of lizards, which are startled at every step as one walks along, and run 

 nimbly to one side — some kinds disappearing like a flash, so swift are they, 

 while the larger species in their flight scatter the fine gravel and sand so as 

 to make it fairly rattle. These reptiles were most numerous in the western 

 depression, "and it Avas found that they abounded most on the burning 

 deserts, farthest from water. 



The ))irds characteristic of the sage-brush are not numerous, either as 

 to species or individuals, but several of them are peculiar to these districts; 

 tlie characteristic or peculiar species are these: — 



1. Oicoscoptc'S montaiins. 



2. Aiiiphisiiiza nevadensis. 

 ;5. Ainpliispiza biliueata. 



4. Spizella breweri. 



5. Choiidestes griiinmaca. 



(i. Eremopliila alpestris. 

 7. Aiitrostomus nuttalli. 

 .s. Cliordeiles btMuyi. 

 'J. Speotyto bypogaja. 

 10. Centrocercus uropbasianus. 



