102 The West Amcrican Scienist. 
pink, and purple, while a bright green water moss seems to thrive 
in the warm flow, and forms another color in the mass of brilliant 
tints. Here are layers of delicate, snowy crystals of Epsom salts, 
there are coatings of green copperas, and all about you are sug- 
gestions for a wondrously beautiful and harmonious carpet. 
Farther up the hill you find cool, shady trees, where you are 
glad to stop and rest,and then if you are disposed you can climb 
tne mountains and look off upon the blue waters of Clear lake. 
On your return to Cloverdale, you pass several bands of campers, 
who have pitched their tents near the river, and you commend 
their wisdom in selecting so romantic and attractive a spot. 
Deer are on the hills, trout in the streams, cool waters and 
shady streams abound, and the peace of nature is over all. 
From a scientifiic point of view the California Geysers are of 
great interest. To some they suggest the heated condition of the 
interior of the earth, but the irresistable conclusion which comes 
to the mind of one who studies all the phenomena is that the heat 
is caused by the decomposition of immense quantities of sulphur- 
ets contained in the surrounding and underlying rocks, and that 
the various minerals with which the waters are charged are the 
results of the varied and extensive chemical changes which are 
constantly taking place. Josiah Keep. 
A’ NEW “SPECIES OF ERECOCONOM(E. Past 
GIATUM) FROM LOWER ‘CALIFORNIA. 
Eriogoneae, so prevalent on the Pacific Slope of North Amer- 
ica as to give a peculiar feature to the vegetation of certain dis- 
tricts, diminish rapidly south of 32° N. Lat., being comparatively 
scantily represented in the ncrthern tier of Mexican States and 
disappearing entirely within the tropics. Being specially adapt- 
ed in their vegetative characters to a climate of winter rains and 
summer droughts, their southern extension is most prolonged 
along the line of the California coast range into the peninsula of 
Lower California. Here the peculiar conditions of growth bring 
to view a variety of interesting forms, many of which have been 
made known from recent explorations. Having been supplied 
with very complete material by Mr. C. R. Orcutt, the following 
addition to the list is herewith submitted. 
ERIOGONUM FASTIGIATUM N. SP. 
Fruticose 3-6 inches high, fastigiatly branched from near the 
base and dichotomous above, younger stems densely /anose; 
leaves crowded below, more scattered above, linear lanceolate 
3-5 m m in length, loosely hairy above, densely tomentose beneath 
strongly revolute, tapering below into a slender petiole with a 
broad membranous clasping base; involucres sessile in the upper 
axils, or terminal on the dichtomous branches, 2 mm in height, 
deeply five parted with accuminate segments, united below into 
