Mat, 1893.] CACTUSES OF THE DEATH VALLEY EXPEDITION. 347 



UTAH. 



Santa Clara Valley. — Found in the Upper Santa Clara Valley at an 

 altitude of 1,500 or 1,525 meters (4,900 or 5,000 feet). Its deep red 

 flowers were fully open May 16. 



Opuntia acanthocarpa. (Plates vn and vin.) 



This cylindrical-stemmed cactus, which is considerably larger than 

 O. echinocarpa, from which it differs also in having more distant 

 branches and fewer spines, was not observed in California or western 

 Nevada, but was found in eastern Nevada, on the east side of the valley 

 of the Virgin, a few miles from the Mormon town of Bunkerville, and 

 thence easterly to an altitude of 1,340 meters (4,400 feet) on the west 

 slope of the Beaverdam Mountains, in Utah. On the east slope of the 

 Beaverdam Mountains it was found between 1,090 and 1,300 meters 

 (3,600-4,300 feet). It was found also in the Lower Santa Clara Valley, 

 Utah. 



Opuntia bernardina. 



This tall, arborescent, cylindrical cactus barely enters the region 

 explored by the expedition. In southern California it is common on 

 the San Bernardino Plain, and ranges northward through Cajon Pass, 

 becoming scarce toward the summit. A little further west it is common 

 in the Santa Clara Valley near the mouth of Castac Creek (about 4 

 miles north of the railroad switch 'Castac') at an altitude of 335 

 meters (1,100 feet) and thence southerly. In the region in which it 

 grows it forms the favorite nesting sites for the cactus wren (Campy - 

 lorliynchus brunneicaplllus). 



Opuntia echinocarpa. 



This is the common arborescent cactus of the Mohave Desert region 

 and the deserts of southern Nevada, over which it is widely distrib- 

 uted. It has inconspicuous green flowers, and was in blossom at the 

 south end of Death Valley April 26, and at Bitter Springs, Nevada, 

 May 5. 



Two characteristic desert birds build their nests in this cactus almost 

 exclusively, namely, Leconte's thrasher (Harporhynclius lecontei) and 

 the cactus wren (Campylorhynclms brimneica/pillus), and another spe- 

 cies, the black-throated desert sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata), nests in 

 it and in other situations also. 



CALIFORNIA. 



Mohave Desert— Common and widely distributed, reaching westerly 

 throughout Antelope Valley. It runs up the open canon leading from 

 Mohave to Tehachapi as high as 1,050 meters (3,450 feet). 



Walker Pass. — Common among the tree yuccas on both sides of the 

 pass, descending in Kern Valley as low as 820 meters (2,700 feet) or 

 perhaps still lower. 



Owens Valley. — Common, and ranging up on the west side (east slope 

 of Sierra) to 1,830 or 1,900 meters (6,000 or 6,200 feet). 



