154 



April 23. — Red winged blackbird {Agelaius phoeniceus,) abundant. 

 Primus americana in bloom ; Symphoricarpus occidentalis and Artemisia 

 in full foliage. 



May 6. — Saw blue heron, (Ardea herodias ;) Cornus stoloniferus in 

 bloom. , 



3Iay 7. — Kingfisher [Ceryle alcyon,) seen on the Teton river. 



3Iay S. — SaAv cliff swallow (Cotyle riparia :) also a large rattle- 

 snake (Crotalus confiuentus ;) Castileia sessiliflora in full bloom. 



3Iay 9. — Senecio aureus, a species of Salix, and a Juncus in full 

 bloom. 



3Iay 10. — In the valley of White river the trees are in full foliage, 

 and the bottom and upland prairies are covered with a rich green 

 carpet of grass, and multitudes of plants are now in blossom. 3Ial- 

 vastrum coccineum. just coming into bloom. 3Iammolaris nutfaUi and 

 Allium steUatum are in full bloom. 



3Iay 12. — Rammculus aquatilis in bloom. At this time, so many 

 birds and flowers, strange to me, have made their appearance that I 

 cannot indicate them. Spring has fairly arrived, and summer is 

 approaching. During the month of May considerable rain fell, so 

 that the streams were much swollen. But for six or eight months 

 past we have had very little rain, not more than one or two inches. 

 All the vegetation was parched with drought. 



The ' ' June rise ' ' is said, by the mountaineers, to commence in- 

 variably at the time when the roses are in bloom. This year the 

 roses were in blossom June 1st, though I saw some in flower May 14th 

 in the White river valley. The rise in the waters of the Missouri 

 commenced at Fort Pierre, June 11th, 4 inches the first day, 5 inches 

 the second, 18 inches the third, 4 to 8 inches the fourth, and after- 

 ward falling gradually. This is usually called by the mountaineers 

 the " big rise," and is due to the melting of the snows, which accu- 

 mulate during the winter in the ravines and valleys of the mountains 

 near the sources of the Missouri. There was comparatively little 

 snow in the mountains last Avinter, and there has been very little rain 

 during the spring, consequently the rise this year is quite small. 



June 1. — Yucca angustifolia, Polygcda cdba, Opuntia missouriensis, 

 are in full bloom. The cacti bear the most beautiful blossoms of any 

 of the plants of the prairie. 



The principal part of the plants enumerated in the following cata- 

 logue were identified by the distinguished botanist, Dr. George Engel- 

 mann, of St. Louis, Missouri. AfewAvere determined by Dr. Torrey, 

 and the remainder by the writer. A good collection of mosses, 

 lichens and fungi Avas obtained, but the species have not yet been 

 studied, though they will be ready for the final report. It will be 

 seen therefore that no department of the geology and natural history 

 of the upper Missouri has been neglected in our explorations. 



1. Clematis Virginiana, Linn. Very abundant from the mouth 



of the Missouri to Council Bluffs. 



2. Clematis ligusticifolia, Nutt. Fort Pierre to the mountains. 



Very abundant about Fort Union; also at Fort Laramie, head 

 of the Platte. 



