DESCRIPTION Ol*' CAMPS. 363 



28. Secret Valley, East Humboldt Mountains (September 6-8, 1868). — 

 Secret Valley is a small park nestled among high hills, with the East Hum- 

 boldt Mountains proper on the west, and the equally lofty portion of that 

 range known as the "Clover Mountains" to the eastward. The higher 

 slopes of this valley, especially near the sources of the streams, were clothed 

 with by far the most varied and extensive vegetation we had yet seen east 

 of the Sierra Nevada. The aspens along the streams were from 40 to 70 

 feet high, some of them being 1^ to 2 feet in diameter ; while in places 

 they wei'e so numei'ous as to form considerable groves. Accompanying 

 these aspens, were dense thickets of varied and luxuriant shrubbery, tall 

 alders and willows predominating in the swampy spots, while the slopes 

 w^ere covered with a nearly impenetrable growth of "laurel" bushes {Cean- 

 othus velutimis). On the ridges the mountain mahogany formed groves, 

 while in the lower \'alleys Amelanchier canadensis, or service berry, grew in 

 great abundance, furnishing food for many species of birds. The birds 

 observed at this place were the following : Among the aspens, Melanerpes 

 torquatus, Colaptes mexicanus, Turdus mvjratorius, Chrysomitris pinus, Loxia 

 aniericana, L. leucoptcra, Contopus richardsoni, and Empidonax hammondi In 

 the shrubbery along the streams, Selasphorus rufus[l\ S. platycercus, Tardus 

 swainsoni, Troglodytes parkmanni, Geothlypis trichas (lower portions), G. mac- 

 gilUvrayi, Myiodioctes pusillus, Dendroeca cestiva, D. toivnsendi, Empidonax 

 hammondi, Helminthophaga ruficapilla, H. lutescens, H. celata, Vireosylvia 

 swainsoni, Chrysomitris tristis, Melospiza fallax, Zonotrichia intermedia, Cyan- 

 ospiza amosna, RndmPijoilo chlorurus. In the sage-brush, Oreoscoptes montanus, 

 Coll'urio excubitor aides, Eremophila alpestris, Pooecetes confinis, Chondestes 

 grammaca, Spizella breweri, Sturnella neglecta, Zencedura carolinensis, and 

 Centrocercus urophasiamis. Among the mahoganies, Empidonax ohscurus 

 was the most common species. Salpinctes ohsoletus was found in all rocky 

 places, particularly on the ridges; a single individual of Ccryle alcyon 

 was seen along the brook, while Gorvus carnivonis, Buteo calurus. Circus 

 liudsonins, and Falco pobjagnis were siiocies of irregular distribution. 



29. Dcariiig's Ranche, Upper Humboldt Valley (September 10-14). — 

 After crossing the East Humboldt range through the pass called Secret 



