DESCRirTION OF CAMPS. 345 



on all sides by mountains, tlie loft}-, snow-capped, and pine-clad Washoe 

 spur of the Sierra Nevada on the west, and the high desert range known as 

 the Comstock or Virginia Mountains on the east, with ranges of elevated 

 hills connecting the two on the north and south sides of the valley. Enter- 

 ing this park from the south, Washoe Lake is seen, shining like silver, to the 

 right, while the steep slopes of the dark-green Sierra form an abrupt wall on 

 the left, the pine forests projecting, in places, upon the grassy valley in beau- 

 tiful groves, destitute of undergrowth and carpeted by a clean green-s\vard. 

 In these groves Purple Finches {Carpodacus cassini) sweetly warbled, and 

 the Robins sang their mellow carols, while Magpies and Woodpeckers {Pica 

 hudsonlca and Mdancrpcs torquatus) sported among the trees. Higher up in 

 one of these groves, where alder tliickets grew along the stream, the Thick- 

 billed Sparrow {PasscrcUa Dirf/arJii/nch^i) delighted us with its rich and pow- 

 erful song, while Blue Jays [Cyanum frontaUs) and Woodpeckers {Pious (dbo- 

 larvatiis and Sphi/raplcus thi/roldcus) were seen on every hand. After 

 leaving these pine groves and crossing the valley to the edge of the lake, 

 we noticed numbers of Terns {Sterna regia, S. fosteri, and Hijdroclididoit 

 lariformis) flitting and hovering over the water, while the surface of the 

 lake itself was dotted with swimming -birds, among which were identified 

 the Coot {Fidica amerlcana^, Grebes {Podkeps occideiifalis and P. cdifondcus), 

 besides several of the commoner ducks. 



10. Stcamhoat VaUcij (January 3-5, 1867; May 9, 1868).— On account 

 of an accident to our vehicle while returning from Pyramid Lake, wo 

 were obliged to stop at the way-side hotel in this valley for repairs. The 

 delay, however, was compensated by the pleasure of making some desira- 

 ble additions to our collection. The ground was covered with snow, so 

 that many birds flocked to the neighborhood of the buildings for food, and 

 from among these were obtained specimens of Eremopliila alpestris, Sialia 

 ardica, Colaptes mcxicanus, C. " hybridus'' (one specimen), and Pica hudsonka ; 

 while from a willow thicket in the meadow near by were secured a pair of 

 Otus toilsoniaiin^^. 



Another portion of this valley, the narrow canon of a stream flowing 

 from AVashoe Peak, we passed through on the 9th of May, 1868, after 



