RARE INSECTS AND GIANT TREES. 53 



species of Lachnosterna are abundant. Macranoxia, a genus 

 peculiar to California and Mexico, is represented by one 

 species, M. crenita, but the rarest are Pleocoma, a genus 

 peculiar to California, and still very rare, and Megasoma 

 thersites, the smallest species of that genus. The Tenebrio- 

 nidae are represented by many species of Eleodes, a genus 

 peculiar to California and Mexico. The Curculionidae, or 

 Weaver beetles, are represented by many small and obscure 

 species belonging to interesting genera. Among the Ceram- 

 bycidae, or Longicorns, I found several species of Prt onus, a 

 genus found also in Europe, and many small species of 

 Acmaeops, Leptura, Tetraopes, Monilema, and others, but 

 the rarest was a species of ROSALIA, R.funebris, of which 

 genus one species, R. alpina, is found in Europe. Of 

 Chrysomelidae there was a large number of species, usually 

 abundant on shrubs and leguminous plants. 



Minerals I shall not mention, as everyone knows that 

 California is a Paradise for the mineralogist. There is such 

 an abundance of them that a mere list would fill several pages 

 of this book. 



In the Vegetable Kingdom it will suffice to mention the 

 celebrated colossal specimens of Wellingtonia gigantea, so 

 abundant in the Yo-Senite Valley, which tourists never fail to 

 visit. There are over six hundred of them, close one to 

 another, forming one of the most imposing forests of the 

 world. 



The Grizzly, the finest of the lot, has a diameter of 

 tw r elve yards, and attains the height of 120 yards. The first 

 branch spreads at eighty yards from the soil. All those sur 

 rounding it are nearly of the same size. Several of them 

 have been cut or have fallen. The inside of one of them is 

 burnt, and in the tunnel formed by the bark, which still 

 remains, horsemen can pass through easily, and cannot reach 

 the top with uplifted hand. On the trunk of another, four 

 men abreast can walk easily to a distance of seventy yards. 

 Banquets and balls have been given in the interior of another, 

 and several hundred people found ample accommodation. 

 How many thousand years old are they ? It is one of the 

 most extraordinary sights to be seen in California. 



On the fourth of July, I witnessed the rejoicings held in 

 honour of the Independence of the United States. Flags and 

 banners were conspicuous on all sides, and thousands of 

 spectators were on the balconies and windows, witnessing 

 the immense procession which paraded through all the 



