208 TJnivt rsity of California Publications in Zoology I V,)L - 10 



the lake at the right time to ascertain what birds were breeding 

 there, but numbers of migrating ducks and waders were seen 

 during our stay. Old nests, possibly of herons, occupied dead 

 trees about the water's edge. 



The lake and much of the surrounding country is the prop- 

 erty of the Hemet Land Company. The owners allow no camp- 

 ing or shooting on their holdings, thus affording refuge for species 

 of birds which have no other place to turn to in the region, and 

 which were evidently using the lake as a stopping place in their 

 passage over the mountains. 



We spent ten days at this point. Augusl 6 to 16. 



Thomas Mountain 



The row of hills bounding the south side of Hemel Valley, 

 from lleinet Lake to Kenworth v. culminates in a high ridge, 

 Thomas Mountain, about three miles south of the lake. The 

 summit. 6823 feel altitude, is reached by a trail Leading from 

 the wagon road in Hemel Valley. Dense chaparral clothes the 

 mountain sides nearly to the top, where the country opens out 

 into a series of park-like glades. This stretch, about a mile and 

 a half in length, is grown up with yellow pines and cedars, some 

 Coulter pines at the edge of the brush, and some firs in the gulches 

 at the heads of the canons, with an occasional clump of large 

 golden oaks. Extensive grassy Hats and side hills furnish abund- 

 ant horse [i'ct\. The south-western slope of the ridge is even 

 more brushy than the one we ascended, the chaparral extending 

 quite to the summit of the ridge, and in many places growing 

 to such a height as to cut off all view of Coahuila Valley below. 



The drawback to the place is the absence of water, a small 

 spring at the southern end of the plateau, where we camped, and 

 a still smaller one at the northern end. being the whole supply. 

 The gulches seaming the hillsides, all exceedingly steep, are in 

 late summer absolutely dry. 



The level summit of the ridge appeal's to he unalloyed Tran- 

 sition, an area of small size, but sharply defined against the sur- 

 rounding chaparral, and containing many Transition birds and 

 mammals. 



Collecting was carried on at this point from Augusl Hi to 20. 



