Rocky Mountains. 15 



In the evening, a thunder-cloud rose in the east, which ap- 

 peared for some time to approach, the thunder being loud 

 and frequent, but at length moved off towards the southeast, 

 continuing visible in the horizon during great part of the 

 night. 



11th. From our encampment, we travelled nearly south, 

 and, crossing a small ridge dividing the waters of the Platte 

 from those of the Arkansa, halted to dine on a tributary of 

 the latter. In an excursion from this place we collected a 

 large species of columbine, somewhat resembling the com- 

 mon one of the gardens. It is heretofore unknown to the 

 Flora of the United States, to which it forms a splendid ac- 

 quisition. If it should appear not to have been described, it 

 may receive the name of Aquilegia coerulea.'^ Our road, 

 during the morning, lay for about twelve miles, along 



they speak of under the name of the cock of the plains, and to which Mr. 

 Ord has applied the name of Tetrao fusca, a bird which, agreeably to 

 their description, appears to be different from this, having the legi only 

 half booted: the "fleshy protuberance about the base of the upper chop," 

 and " the long pointed tail" of that bird may possibly be sexual distinc- 

 tions. 



It appears by the observations of Lewis and Clark that several species 

 of this genus inhabit the country which they traversed, particularly in 

 this elevated range of mountains from whence, amongst other interesting 

 animals, they brought to Philadelphia a specimen of the spotted grouse (T. 

 canadensis.) which, together with the above described bird, are now pre- 

 served in the Philadelphia Museum, thus proving that the spotted grouse 

 is an inhabitant of a portion of the territory of the United States. 



* A. ccsrulea. — Leaves twice ternate; flowers terminal, remote; necta- 

 ries strait and very long. It inhabits sandy woods of pine, and spruce with- 

 in the mountains, rising sometimes to the height of three feet. 



In passing from the head waters of the branch of the Piatte called De- 

 file creek, to those of one of the northern tributaries of the Arkansa, we 

 notiied some change in the soil, and soon met with many plants we had 

 not before seen. Several of these, as the common juniper, and the red 

 cedar, (Juniperus Virginiana, Ph.) the black and hemlock spruce (Abies 

 nigra and A. canadensii*); the red maple (Acer rubruni Mx.) the hop horn- 

 beam (Ostry a uirg mica L.) the Populus tremulijides Mii.. Pinus rciinosa 

 Pyrola secunda. Orchis dilntata, &c. are common to mountainous dis- 

 tricts in all the northern parts of the territory of the United States. A 

 campanula, probably the ( . unijlora, bearing a single flower about as 

 large as that of the common hare-bell, occurs very frequently. Many 

 others are here found which require more careful and extensive compa- 

 rison with the plants of Mexico, Siberia, and other countries than we 

 have yet had the opportunity to make. 



