4 PACIl-IC COAST AVIFAUNA [No. 2. 



study the effects of slope exposure, of prevalent fog currents, of soil, and of 

 relative dryness and humidity, for these are all to be observed within a 

 comparatively small area. It would be l)eyoii(l the purpose of this outline 

 to enter into these problems. 



As stated above, the Humid Transition is a region of luxuriant vege- 

 tation though the numl)er of species of plants is not large. Within the 

 Santa Cruz Mountains there is one of the finest small bodies of redwood 

 (Sequoia scvipervirrtts) now extant. This forest is in the Big Basin, a 

 region drained by numerous creeks. bVom this center tlie forest, else- 

 where more or less broken, extends i:hrough many canyons and frequently 

 up some distance on the ridges, where sooner or later it is replaced by the 

 Douglas spruce {Pseudotsuga mucronata). 



The redwoods are thus typicalh' found in the canyons. In this 

 dark still forest bird life is scarce. The boreal nature of these tracts is ex- 

 hibited by the presence of svich plants as Achlys trip/iyl/a, Al7iits orcgana. 

 Azalea oecideiitalis, Cory/us lostrata ealiforniea, Gauit/ieria sha/loii, Myriea 

 call for }iiea, 0.va//s oregaiia, Rliododeudroii californiciDu, Riihtis paiviflortts, 

 Vaceiiiii/i)i pari'ifoli/iii/, Wiccijii/nii ovatmii, and W'hipplea modesta. The 

 tan-bark oak {Oiierciis densifiora) is also found in this forest, but thrives 

 l)etter upon the drier ridges with the Douglas s])ruce. Those forms char- 

 acteristic of the drier ridges, yet undoubtedly Transition, are the Douglas 

 spruce, tan-bark oak, madrone {Arbutus iiienziesi), narrow-cone pine (Piiius 

 <r//cv///(;?/cr), manzanitas ( A rctostaply/es i/uniuiu/aria, A. aiidersoiii efa//a), 

 mountain lilac {Cea/nd/ius f/iyrsiflonts), mountain mahogany (Cereocaipus 

 betulcefolius), and on debatal)le land Ouerciis 7cis/izein antX Castaiiopsis c/iry- 

 sop//v//a. Mention should also be made of the Ciowen CN'press {Cupressus 

 goveuiaiia) \\\\\q\\ is found on Hen Lomond and in other Iccalities. • 



Among those forms characteristic of the Up]>er vSonoran zone may be 

 mentioned the buckeye (.J^^scu/us ealifoniica), jMgeon-berry or wild coffee 

 ( h'/iaunins caliloruica), chamiso (Adeuosfouia fascifu/afu)u), sage {Arteui/sia 

 ea/ifon/ica), and blue oak (Ouereus doug/asi). 



The Santa Cruz Mountain region appears to be the home of a num- 

 ber of characteristic birds which, however, range to the southward, and 

 perhaps somewhat the northward. These are /unco hvenialis piiiosns, 

 Chamwa fasciata intermedia, Par us rufesceiis bar Unci. Typical Thryouiancs 

 bezc'icki spi/urus is found here and in the valleys around, and such birds as 

 Cyanocitta stclleri carbonacea, Zouotrichia leucophrys nuttal/i, Anorthura 

 hiemalis pacifica, Sitta pygmcra and Drvobate's villosus harrisi, though of 

 wider distribution give a distinct tone to the region. 



Wai.tek K. Fishkr. 



