242 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. [Proc. 3D Skr. 



and some 300 miles from east to west, and within which are 

 to be found the Coast Range mountains, with the dense 

 forests of Sequoias, and the Sierra Nevada mountains ris- 

 ing to an elevation of 8,000 feet. 



As will readily be seen, excursions for exploration to 

 localities so remote must be, owing to unfavorable weather 

 and other causes, too often barren of results. Many species 

 may be found soon after the first autumnal rains, especially 

 if the rain is followed by a period of sunshine and moderate 

 heat. If these conditions continue during the entire rainy 

 season much material may be collected during the winter. 

 The most productive season, however, is that of early 

 spring, as it seldom fails during these months that there 

 are warm rains followed by sunny days. If, as it some- 

 times happens, there is an abundant precipitation of moist- 

 ure, good material may be found even late into the spring. 

 After the close of the rainy season but little is to be found, 

 unless it be upon the banks of mountain rivulets, or in a 

 few favored spots where there exists sufficient moisture 

 combined with a suitable soil. 



There being no visible indications to mark the spot 

 where the fungi abide, to assure success in the search the 

 characters of the trees and shrubs in the locality must be 

 observed, as well as the nature of the soil. At times the 

 fungi may be found beneath and amidst dense masses of 

 decaying foliage of the Sequoias. When so found they 

 will be in the immediate vicinity of the base of the tree. So 

 far, however, as the writer's observations extend, the time 

 during which the fungi are to be found among the Sequoias 

 is of but short duration, as the mature plants are eagerly 

 sought for by the rodents which are found in numbers in 

 these forests. The most active of these foragers, and con- 

 sequently the most destructive, are two species of wood- 

 rats (Neotoma), Where these are to be found one must 

 be upon the alert if he would secure mature specimens of 

 the fungus, as the active little fellows are tireless in their 

 search for this dainty. Squirrels and other rodents are but 

 little less active and add to the difficulties of the collector. 



