MAMMALS OF THE MEXICAN BOUNDARY. 129 



cranes, herons, and small waders almost covered the shores and bays ; 

 the sky was lined with their ever-changing geometrical figures, and 

 the air resounded with their winnowing wing-strokes and clanging 

 voices, not only during the day, but through most of the night. The 

 savannas were inhabited by small birds and mammals and were 

 roamed over by herds of feral hogs, descended from good Berkshire 

 stock. The writer, who was at this place from March 24 to 29, 1894, 

 collected plants, moUusks, crustaceans, fishes, reptiles, birds (40 

 specimens), and mammals (71 specimens). A Cocopah Indian,, 

 named Miguel, rendered great assistance in obtaining specimens at 

 this place, and subsequently accompanied us for some distance. 



Station No. 74. — Old Fort Yuma, San Diego County, California. 

 This abandoned military post is on a low bluff overlooking the Colo- 

 rado River and the new town of Yuma, Arizona. Our camp was 

 made among the willow and mesquite trees, just below the fort, and 

 occupied by myself and Mr. Holzner from April 1 to 6, 1894. 



Station No. 75. — Cooks Well, Salton River, Lower California, 

 Mexico. The shallow lagunas of the Salton slough were the home of 

 myriads of swimming and wading birds; the mesquite groves were 

 also inhabited by nun:^erous species of mammals and birds; but the 

 back country, away from the water, is an arid waste of drifting 

 sand, characteristic of much of the Colorado Desert. This station, 

 which was occupied by the writer and his assistant April 7 and 

 8, 1894, is about 5 kilometers (3 miles) south of Monument No. 210, 

 22 kilometers (14 miles) west of the Colorado River (at Monument 

 No. 206), and 205 kilometers (127 miles) east of the Pacific Ocean 

 (at Monument No. 258). Altitude of station, 28 meters (92 feet). 



Station No. 76. — Seven Wells, Salton River, Lower California. 

 This station is 8 kilometers (5 miles) south of Monument No. 213, 

 39 kilometers (24 miles) west of the Colorado River, and 188 kilo- 

 meters (117 miles) east of the Pacific Ocean. Altitude of station, 

 19 meters (62 feet). A broad band of green foliage marks the 

 course of the stream, which flows with a good current at this part 

 past grassy banks and islands of cat-tails, amid patches of arrow- 

 wood, Baccharis, and spiny aster. The surrounding country is cov- 

 ered with sand hills and ridges, topped with bushy mesquites and 

 dotted with creosote bushes. Along the stream the mesquites grow 

 into trees having distinct trunks. Beneath them one usually sees 

 the nest of the wood rat, well piled with the fruit of the gourd 

 known as the coyote melon. The willow • thickets abounded with 

 singing birds, and water fowl were very abundant and tame. At 

 this camp. Hospital Steward, Ludwig Schoenefeldt, who joined my 

 detachment at Yuma, began his collection of plants, which was con- 

 tinued, with interruptions, until August 29, 1894, when we left Sta- 

 30639— No. 56—07 M 9 



