14 University of California Publications in Zoology. |VoL-9 
cisco mountains of Arizona, Mt. Whitney, and the Pacifie ocean, 
with a vast area of intervening mountains, valleys, and deserts. 
The nearer San Jacinto, San Antonio, and Santiago peaks stand 
out in clear profile, while, of course, only on the clearest days 
can the more distant points be distinguished. I cannot imagine 
a more fascinating object lesson in zobgeography than that af- 
forded by an hour’s survey of this great region spread out around 
one, especially if he has traversed a good part of it, and can 
recall the main features of its varying fauna. The immediate 
crest of San Gorgonio peak is excessively barren—a ridge strewn 
with granite blocks, some rectangular as if hewn out, others 
weathered and rounded. Between these rocks is a coarse gravelly 
soil of the same yellowish gray color as the boulders, so that the 
crest of the mountain stands out in contrast to the darker tim- 
bered slopes below; whence its popular name. Most of the snow 
seems to blow off the top in winter as it falls, so that but few 
drifts remain long on the top crest; but over the north side, 
especially in the guleches protected from the sun and wind, vast 
quantities accumulate, and remain nearly always all through the 
summer. Strageling up the ridges is a dwindling growth of 
limber pines, those on the more exposed slopes prostrate and ex- 
cessively gnarled. There is an approximate timber-line marking 
the limit of thrifty growth, but even on the very summit, within 
fifty feet of the stone monument, several limber pines exist among 
the rocks, though as shrubs only. I do not believe the elevation 
(11,485 feet) would be above the limit of tree growth, if protee- 
tion from wind and snowslides were afforded. In other words, 
I can see little reason for recognizing an alpine-aretie life zone on 
San Gorgonio peak, unless it be at the margins of the most nearly 
permanent snowbanks in the northern shaded slideways. I found 
the following plants on or very close to the summit of San Gor- 
gonio peak: Hrigeron compositus (blooming July 16); Draba 
corrugata (blooming June 19 to July 16); Ranunculus oxrynotus 
(blooming July 16 near the edge of a snowbank on the north 
side) ; Oxytropis oreophila (in bloom July 16); and Potentilla 
wheeler’ (in bloom July 16). 
But one species of mammal was noted, the yellow-headed chip- 
munk (Callospermophilus bernardinus), one of which was seen 
