318 University of California Piiblieations vn Zoology [Vol. 24 



KiSPiox Valley 



The Kispiox River empties into the Skeena about ten miles north 

 of Hazelton. Our camp in Kispiox Valley was at Beimes' ranch, 

 twenty-three miles north of Hazelton. The whole valley at that point 

 is of much the- same nature as the bottom lands near Hazelton ; there 

 is no such extent of spruce forest as is seen in the burned-over areas 

 toward Rocher Deboule. The forest is mainly of poplar, large sized 

 trees with the dense underbrush that accompanies this growth. 

 Scattered spruces occur everywhere, sometimes little clumps of them, 

 but no extensive stands. Ijodgepole pine also occurs in limited amount. 

 In the lower Kispiox Valley there are large areas occupied almost 

 solidly with this pine, small trees in dense groves. The region we 

 covered in Kispiox Valley, though all in the poplar-grown bottom 

 lands, offered a greater variety of conditions locally than is usually 

 the case in this environment. There are many clearings in the woods, 

 mostly pertaining to small ranches that have been abandoned. Along 

 the river are wide expanses of open fields and pastures, some of this 

 cleared land, some of it marshy stretches supporting no growths larger 

 than thickets of willow and spiraea. Many little streams intersect 

 forests and fields, some of these rivulets heading from small lakes 

 buried in the thick woods. 



Along the Kispiox River are occasional groves of cottonwood, huge 

 trees, in stands covering large areas, with underbrush beneath that is 

 of a different nature from that in the more open poplar woods. The 

 sun scarcely penetrates into the depths of the cottonwood groves and 

 the gloom of their shade is suggestive of the dark woods on the coast. 

 Rank grass, tall nettles, thimble-berry thickets, and devil 's-club com- 

 bine to form a tangle that can be penetrated at but few places. 



There is an abundance of berry-bearing shrubs throughout the 

 valley. Twin-berry (Lonicera involucratuni) , dogwood {Gornus 

 pubescens) , kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), and high bush 

 cranberry {Viburnum pauciflorum) are among the most conspicuous. 

 Thickets of hazel (Corylus rostrata) form a large percentage of the 

 underbrush. 



