Rocky Mountains, 43 



n 



means ungrateful to the taste.* We observed also the 

 downy spike of the rabbitVfoot plaintain (Plantago Lago- 

 pus, Ph.) intermixed with the short grasses of the prairie. 

 The long flowered Puccoon, (Batschia longiflora, N.) a 

 larger and more beautiful plant than the B. canescens is 

 here frequent. As we proceed westward, some changes are 

 observed in the character of the soil and the aspect of vege- 

 tation. The Larkspurs and Lichnedias, (species of Phlox 

 and Delphinium,) so common and beautiful in all the coun- 

 try between St. Louis and Council BlufF, are succeeded by 

 several species of Milk vetch,f some Vicias, and the superb 

 Sweet pea (Lathyrus polymorphus). Every step of our pro- 

 gress to the west brought us upon a less fertile soil. We 

 had as yet seen no game except a few antelopes, too wild and 

 watchful to be taken without much trouble. In the low prai- 

 ries we saw several curlews and marbled godwits, with their 

 young; Bartram's sand-piper was also very frequent. 



A little before sun-set we crossed Grape creek, a small 

 and rapid stream of clear water, and soon after arrived at 

 the Loup fork, where we encamped. The banks of this river 

 are of a fine white sand, and are elevated no more than about 

 eight feet above the surface of the stream, at a time of low 

 water. It does not however appear that the low plains, con- 

 tiguous to the Loup fork, are at any season inundated, the 

 channel being sufficiently wide, and the current rapid enough 

 to discharge all the water, which may at any time be brought 

 down from above. 



* This plant is destitute of the exterior calix of the genus Malva, to which 

 however, it is more closely allied than to Sida, into which it would appear 

 to fall by its artificial characters. It appears to be a congener to the two 

 new plants lately brought by Mr. Nuttall from Arkansa, and which have 

 received the name ofNuttalia. 



f Astragalus carnosus, N. A. Jlissouriensis, N. A. Lazmani, Ph. 

 Gaura coccinnea, N. Troximon marginatum, Ph. Hymenopappus 

 tenuij'n/ius, Ph. Trichodium luxiflorum, Mx. Atheropogon ofigostachi/um, 

 N. Viola palmate, Ph? in fruit. Hedeoma hirta, N- Hordeutn jubatum, 

 Anemone lenella, Ph. and other plants were among our collections of this 

 day. 



VOL. I. 55 



