18 SANTA BARBARA SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



climate and charming scenery that has fallen such a pleasant 

 heritage to us. 



Note. — The above excavations were made in April, 1877, 

 by Messrs. Ford and Bingham, who acted as a committee 

 appointed for the purpose by the Society, and the notes were 

 read at the regular meeting of the same month. 



FLORA NEAR SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA. 

 BY MRS. R. F. BINGHAM. 



The vicinity of Santa Barbara, California, is one of the 

 most favored for botanizing, for although we seldom have 

 rain from May to November, there is no time in the year 

 when a search will not be rewarded by something of interest. 



An enthusiastic collector can, in a very short time, pick 

 up a goodly number of plants, along the roadside, in the 

 mountain canyons, on the hills and mountains, on the banks 

 of streams, in the dry beds of streams (after the rains are 

 over), in swamps, on the cliffs, and in the sand near the sea, 

 in still water, and in the ocean. 



Not only are flowering plants abundant, but many crypto- 

 gams can be obtained. Several beautiful ferns are natives 

 here. During the rainy season many species of mosses can 

 be collected, and a few can be found in favorable locations all 

 the year. 



Fresh-water algae can be found in our streams, and this 

 part of the coast is noted for the abundance and beauty of 

 marine alga?, upon which are many forms of diatoms. Those 

 who are interested in lichens and fungi need have no trouble 

 in finding them. 



As the result of several years botanizing here (the greater 

 part of which was done in the years 1877, 1878 and 1882), I 

 have collected about 500 species of phanerogams, twenty 

 species of musci, over 100 of marine algae, several parasitic 



