PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 345 
ainous, rocky, sandy, and very barren. The Victoria Mountains range 
from north to south in the center of the peninsula, parallel, in a general 
sense, to the Coast ranges, having their greatest height and breadth 
between Triumfo and Miraflores. The remaining portion of the tract 
under consideration consists principally of low table-lands or mesas and 
sandy arroyos. 
There is a belt of low, mostly fertile, land 15 or 20 miles wide, extend- 
ing from the Gulf at La Paz to the Pacific at and north of Todos Santos, 
so low, indeed, that if it should happen to sink about a hundred feet 
it would be submerged, and that portion of the peninsula lying soutl 
of it would become—what it has probably already been—an island. 
Taking this into consideration, together with the influence the Vic- 
toria Mountains have had and are having in this direction, it is not difti- 
cult to account for a local fauna of which it may be said much remains 
to be learned. 
I have observed the following species, with others on the Pacific coast, 
from Cape St. Lucas to a point 30 miles north of Todos Santos, namely : 
Mimus polyalottus, Harporhynchus cinereus, Phainopepla nitens, Auriparus 
flaviceps, Campylorhynchus affinis, Pipilo fuscus albigula, Cardinalis 
virginianus igneus, Pyrrhuloxia sinuata, Icterus cucullatus, Centurus 
uropygialis, Colaptes chrysoides, and Picus scalaris lucasanus. These are 
a part of what I have termed the species of the cactus and mesquite 
thickets. The same species have been observed by me on the Gulf side 
as far north as 24° 30’ or thereabouts. All of them are likely to occur 
much farther north on the Gulf side, being probably contined thereto 
by the desert, which covers nearly all the peninsula east of Magdalena 
Bay, and north to Commonder and far south toward Todos Santos. 
Other quite similar deserts northwest of Magdalena Bay must tend 
to restrict these birds to the Gulf coast, which is mountainous, and has 
more or less fresh water, whereas, on the Pacific coast, for a distance 
of four or five hundred miles, there is not a drop of water, as I believe, 
upon what I consider reliable information, and actual observation. 
ad. BIRDS OF THE MOUNTAINS. 
Arriving at La Paz December 15, 1882, I remained in Southern Lower 
California until March 23, 1883, much of this time being spent in the 
saddle. Only a small number of specimens were secured, although 
among them were several new or undescribed species. 
The most important localities visited were in the Victoria Mountains, 
which were probably never previously explored by any collector. 1 
ascended these mountains by three different trails on as many different 
spurs. The trail leading to Laguna is the longest, highest, and possibly 
the worst; however, I suppose either of them would be considered im- 
passable in any otber country than Mexico. On this trail an altitude 
of about 5,000 feet was reached. From an altitude of about 3,500 feet 
and upward the flora was partly that of the temperate zone, 
