1912] Taylor: Birds and Reptiles of Northern Nevada. 323 



culminate to the north in Split and Trident peaks. The Pine 

 Forest Mountains, which constitute the highest range in this part 

 of Nevada, are seen to the west. Upon the south appear the 

 Jackson INIountains. 



The flat expanse of the open desert extends away in all direc- 

 tions, interrupted in the near vicinity of the Crossing only by 

 two lava buttes which rise up to the northward. One can easily 

 realize that this great extent of regular desert was once the floor 

 of an arm of the great Pleistocene Lake Lahontan. 



Tributary to the Quinn River at this locality is Wheeler 

 Creek, which rises in the hills to the northeastward and flows as 

 far as the river for a part of the year. The smaller stream is 

 largely utilized for the irrigation of the Quinn River Ranch, 

 owned by IMiller & Lux. 



The soil in the vicinity is made up of verj' fine particles, 

 which fly in clouds in response to the slightest breeze. Ordinarily 

 several miniature sand-pillars or whirls may be seen in the dis- 

 tance. Beneath the surface the soil is exceedingly hard, this fact 

 perhaps accounting for the comparative rarity there of burrow- 

 ing mammals. 



A few willows {Salix fluciatilis exigua) along the river were 

 the only trees in the vicinity. Mr. F. M. Payne, of the Miller & 

 Lux Company, said that introduced trees do not thrive. 



The commonest shrub on the desert was Artemisia tridentata. 

 This plant grew more luxuriantly and to a greater size in the 

 general neighborhood of some creek or stream than elsewhere. 

 On the more arid waste places it was replaced locally by Arte- 

 misia spinescens, Grayia spinosa, and Sarcohatiis vermicidatus. 

 On less arid portions of the desert such plants as Tetradymia 

 spinosa, Chrysothamnus nauseosus, and Mentzelia albicaulis were 

 associated with the true sagebrush {Artemisia tridentata). 



Along the river, vegetation was very sparse. At intervals 

 there were thickets of willow and wild rose {Rosa l)landa) but 

 the growth was nowhere luxuriant. Other species occurring 

 along the stream were Foa bucldeyana, Rihes aureum, Radicula 

 sinuata, Vicia americana, Artemisia ludoviciana, and Taraxacum 

 officinale. 



A large proportion of the species of animals and plants found 



