2 24 Snodgrass, Land Birds oJ Central Washington. \k^^\ 



eastern part of Yakima County. Returning it crossed the central 

 and southeastern part of Yakima County, Walla Walla, Columbia 

 and Garfield Counties, and the southeastern part of Whitman 

 County, coming by way of Prosser, Wallula Ferry on the Colum- 

 bia River, Walla Walla, Belles, Dayton, Pomeroy and Almota 

 Ferry on the Snake River. 



The collectors were Mr. C. V. Burke, Mr. E. A. MacKay, Mr. 

 E. Crawford, and the writer. Specimens were obtained of nearly 

 all the birds recorded. 



The area covered embraces several very different sorts of 

 country. It is all, geologically, a part of the great Columbia lava 

 sheet, but climatic and altitudinal conditions have formed two very 

 distinct biological zones. 



The eastern part of Whitman County is a rich wheat-growing 

 section having a comparatively heavy-rainfall and an altitude of 

 2 000 feet or more. It is treeless, except in the canons, and its 

 original predominant vegetation was bunch-grass (several species 

 of Agropyroii) which grew luxuriantly everywhere. A character- 

 istic member of the fauna is the extremely abundant Columbian 

 Ground Squirrel {Citellus coliimbianiis), and one of the commonest 

 birds in the summer time is the Catbird. As one goes west the 

 climate becomes dryer and a small stunted sage-brush replaces the 

 bunch-grass. The large Columbian Ground Squirrel abruptly dis- 

 appears and a smaller, grayer species (C townsendi) takes its place. 

 One is here on the transition area between the narrow fertile strip 

 along the eastern border of the State and the great arid region of 

 the middle part. 



Franklin County is excessively arid. The eastern half is partly 

 under cultivation, large tracts being ploughed and planted to 

 wheat. Water, however, is so scarce that the farmers have to haul 

 all that they use from the few wells and springs that occur. Many 

 have to go ten and twelve miles for their water, transporting it in 

 large wagon tanks. The country about the town of Council pre- 

 sents a scene of utter desolation. During the summer there is no 

 solid ground anywhere — all is dust; there is not a green thing 

 in sight and scarcely a stump of anything that ever was green. 

 The dried-up sage-brush is only a few inches high. Most of the 

 country west of Council is still an unbroken desert. The sage- 



