52 CALIFORNIA. 



Many are the tales of narrow escapes of hunters from falling 

 a prey to these ferocious animals. 



Fishes are also very abundant in California, but the most 



valuable is the Californian Salmon, which is now acclimatized 



1 in many European rivers. A good friend of mine, the late 



^Professor Baird, of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, 



/ j sent fecundated ovae of that and other species to all the 



j European Aquariums. 



Like all the other species of salmon, they grow to a large 

 size, weighing sometimes forty pounds. In entering the 

 mouth of the rivers in order to spawn, the females are always 

 observed to precede the males, depositing their ova in little 

 holes or nests, which they form in the sand, at the bottom, 

 for the males to fecundate. The young grow very rapidly. 

 When first hatched they are about an inch in length, and 

 during the first vear are called parr. When they remove to 



O * I 



the sea they assume a more brilliant dress, and then become 

 the smelt, varying from four to six inches in length. After a 

 residence in the sea, from two months to ten weeks, they 

 revisit the fresh waters, and weigh then from two-and-a-half 

 to four pounds, and are called grilses. During the ensuing 

 winter they spawn, and are then known as salmon. 



Many species are found both in Europe and America. 

 Trout and Char, of which many species are known, belong to 

 this family. Some are migratory, others are not. It is one 

 of the most valuable fish. Many valuable fisheries exist in 

 Europe and America. The Scotch fisheries are the most 

 important, giving employment to many thousands of people. 



Among the Californian Insects the most remarkable 

 forms are those of the Tiger beetles, or Cicindelidae, which 

 are represented by various species of Oinus, peculiar to 

 California. Several species are known, Onius calif ornicus, 

 dejeani, audouini, and others. Among the Carnivorous 

 beetles, or Carabidae, several genera are peculiar to 

 California : Opistus ricliardsoni, Metrius contractus, Callis- 

 thenes discors, breviusculum, reticiilatum, and others; but the 

 European genera Carabus, Calosoma, and Cychrus, are also 

 well represented. Of the last many fine species, are peculiar 

 to California, Cychrus interruptus, ventricosus, alternatus, 

 and punctatus, are abundant. Another species, the smallest 

 of all, Cy citrus mimus, is still a rare species. In the 

 Staphylinidae, Thinopinus pictus is a very curious species, 

 peculiar to the country. 



Among the Lamellicorns, or Scarabaeidae, many curious 



