300 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST.  [VouL. XXXIII, 
the east lies the Mt. Hamilton or inner coast range, with Mt. 
Hamilton, some 4500 feet above sea level, as its highest point. 
To the west rise the densely wooded Santa Cruz mountains, 
somewhat lower than the eastern panee, and separating the 
valley from the ocean. 
The floor of the valley and the rolling foothills are covered 
with spreading oaks, which in places form extensive groves, 
which can hardly be dignified with the name of forests. The 
scattered groups of oaks give a park-like aspect to the landscape 
which is most attractive. The prevailing species are the live 
oak (Quercus agrifolia) and the white oak (Q. lobata). Along 
the water-courses and roadsides there is a dense growth of 
shrubs, the remains of the “chaparral” or thickets which 
originally covered much of the valley. The chaparral is com- 
posed of a variety of shrubs and small trees, among which may 
be mentioned the Californian buckeye (sculus californica), 
Bigelovia, Rhamnus californicus, poison oak (Rhus diverstloba), 
toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), and elder (Sambucus glauca), 
the latter a- very characteristic species with glaucous berries, 
and forming a small tree of 15 to 20 feet in height. 
Along the water-courses and in the moist canyons leading 
into the valley are various trees, but none of very large size. 
Besides the species of willows and poplars, alders, becoming 
trees 50 to 60 feet high, are common; and with these are a 
number of trees less familiar to the eastern botanist. The beau- 
tiful bay tree (Umbellularia californica) is abundant, and the 
equally striking Madrono (Arbutus menziesii), with its smooth 
cinnamon-red branches and magnolia-like evergreen leaves, 
is decidedly novel in appearance. The Oregon maple (Acer 
macrophyllum) is also a conspicuous tree of this region. An 
occasional redwood (Seguota sempervirens) is sometimes found 
along the banks of the streams several miles away from the 
base of the mountains, but it is in the sheltered canyons higher 
up that this monarch of the coast ranges reaches its full 
development. 
The common flowers of the valley are the characteristic ones 
of the central Californian region, and are, for the most part, 
of southern origin. Many leguminous plants, especially pecul- 
