2 26 Snodgrass, Land Birds of Central Washington. rAnril 



Shrikes, or Bluebirds. On the other hand, one bird, the Ash- 

 throated Flycatcher, occurs here but was observed nowhere else 

 in the State. The Yakima Ground Squirrel {Citellus mollis yaki- 

 mensis) is not numerous but is characteristic of the Yakima River 

 region. 



South of the North Yakima country trees are less abundant 

 along the river, and the fertile country forms only a narrow strip 

 through the sage-brush. A small gray chipmunk {EHtaf?iias 

 pidus) and the lizard Ufa stansburiana are common. 



At Prosser we left the Yakima Valley and, after ascending the 

 bluffs south of the town, came out upon the high plateau known as 

 the " Horse Heaven " country. This is a most arid region occu- 

 pying the area east of the Yakima Indian Reservation and south 

 of the Yakima River. Bunch-grass grows amongst the sage-brush 

 (whence probably the name of " Horse Heaven " ), but the country 

 is almost devoid of water. From one well, operated by a company, 

 water is sold to the settlers for miles around. Others haul water 

 ten or fifteen miles out of the Yakima Caiion ! We traversed 

 "Horse Heaven" from Prosser to Wallula Ferry, and here crossed 

 the Columbia into Walla Walla County. On both sides of the 

 river from White Bluffs Ferry to Wallula Ferry the country presents 

 the same desolateness as it does farther inland. Just below Wal- 

 lula the Columbia enters a deep, walled caiion of basalt. 



The western part of Walla Walla County is the same sort of 

 desert as the region west of the river. The surface is formed 

 mostly of a fine, white, chalky tufa deposit. This same tufa for- 

 mation occurs all along the Yakima Valley south of North Yakima 

 interbedded between layers of basalt. Narrow, horizontal beds of 

 it also give the white appearance to the cliffs on the Columbia 

 known as White Bluffs. For about fifteen miles up the Walla 

 Walla River from Wallula the sage-brush prevails. Only along 

 the narrow river bottom are there a few trees and bushes. Here 

 also are a few small alfalfa fields and orchards. Birds are 

 extremely scarce — no Sage Sparrows or Sage Thrashers were 

 seen on this part of the desert. 



Near the city of Walla Walla, however, one comes again into 

 the wheat-growing region where water can be obtained by means 

 of wells, and where Citellus colmnbiamis flourishes. From here 



