50 CALIFORNIA. 



Colorado; but the bulk of them go to Mexico. In Mexico, the 

 capital, they are very abundant in the months of July and 

 August, and they arrive in South Mexico at the end of October, 

 at which time there is an abundance of flowers in the mount- 

 ains. They are found at high altitudes and it is probable that 

 they follow the slopes of the Cordilleras, as I have never seen 

 the bird in the valley of Oaxaca, or in any other valley, except- 

 ing the table lands of Mexico, which altitude is about 7,500 

 feet above the level of the sea. 



My friend, Léon Laglaize, grandson of Lorquin, also well 

 known as a successful collector in West Africa, Philippines, 

 and New Guinea, has witnessed the departure of these birds 

 from California to Mexico (?) He told me that one day in 

 August, when collecting insects in the neighbourhood of 

 San Francisco, he saw thousands of these birds assemble on 

 a large oak tree and depart together in a southerly direction. 

 This being the period of their migration, it is very possible 

 that he witnessed that rare and extraordinary sight. My 

 favourite excursions were from San Francisco to the Mission 

 of Dolores, a hilly country, destitute of forests and rivers. 

 There was not much vegetation, only shrubs and small trees 

 scattered amongst small plants, the soil being rocky and 

 particularly favourable to insects, especially Carabidœ, Tene- 

 brionidae, and Curculiom'dae, and to rabbits and partridges. 

 Of the last, Ortyx californicus was very abundant. 



The climate of San Francisco is mild and healthy, but 

 northerns are very frequent. The rainy season lasts from 

 December to March, and during these months some of the 

 streets were sometimes impassable. On the other side of the 

 bay, where I made several excursions, the aspect of the country 

 is more picturesque. Many rivers have their outlets into the 

 bay, and forests of pine and oak trees are conspicuous. 



Animal life is abundant on both water and land. Many 

 species of Geese and Ducks are extremely abundant. I 

 collected twenty different species : Anser hiLtchinsi, Chen 

 hyperboreiLS, Aix sponsa, Mareca americana, Dajila acuta, 

 Querquedula carolinensis, Chaulelasmus st repéra, Spatula 

 clypeata, Aythya wallisneria, Bucephala americana albeola 

 and histrionica, Oidemia americana, perspicillata, and 

 de^laiidei, Querquedula discors, and cyanoptera, Mergus 

 œthiops and serrator and Lophodytes cucullatus. Pelicans 

 were also abundant. On land, Lophortyx californicus, and 

 gambeli diXià Oreortyx picta were also plentiful. Of the firsts 

 L. californicus, large quantities are brought to the markets^ 



