The Desert in June. 23 
water, and incrust the surface of the ground. The springs are 
simply holes dug two or three teet, in a broad, marshy tract 
that is covered with grasses and junci. The following plants were 
observed around the ‘ spring:’ 




Cleome lutea, Nutt. Houttuynia Californica, B. & H, 
Melilotus parviflora, Desf. Opuntia ; 
Prosopis juliflora, DC. Pluchea borealis, Gray. 
Lycium ? Xanthium strumarium, L. 
Salicornia ? Distichlis maritima, Raf. 
_ Suaeda ? ‘Cane grass.’ 
Euphorbia polycarpa, Bth. Helianthus ? 

Thousands of acres of good, arable lands lie around these 
springs that may sometime be available for cultivation. Pure 
water can be obtained on portions of the tract probably, or at 
least could be brought into the tract from the mountains for irri- 
gating purposes. The surrounding hills are mostly absolutely 
- bare of vegetation. 
IV.—BoRREGO SPRINGS TO INDIAN OR FISH SPRINGS. 
Between these camping places we noted the following plants; 




Krameria canescens, Gray? Atriplex canescens, James. V. 
Larrea Mexicana, Moric. V. hymenelytra, Wats. V, 
? Hoffmanseggia sp. (dried). '| Sida hederacea? 
Dalea Cucurbita Californica, Torr,? 
Prosopis juliflora, DC. Salicornia ?V. 
Petalonyx Thurberi, Gray. Suaeda PAY: 
Opuntia Bigelovii, Engelm. ? Croton GN 
Bigelovia ? Distichlis maritima, Raf. V, 
Franseria dumosa. Gray? V. Hilaria rigida, Thurb. V. 
Coldenia Palmeri, Gray. V. Washingtonia filifera, Wend. V, 
Chilopsis saligna, Don.° Asclepias erosa, Torr. V. 
With the addition of a few composite and other species not 
recognizable, no other species were met with in the thirty miles 
traversed between these springs. A few palm trees were seen 
at a distance among the hills, and one was growing by the road- 
side which proved to be a robust form of Washingtonia filifera. 
Wend. My companion informed me that a single dead plant of 
cereus giganteis, Engelma., was to be found near the route we 
traveled, but on a trail off trom the wagon road. 
V.—CLay HILLs To FISH SPRINGS. 
This section is included in the last, but is well worth noting 
separately. These clay hills are found between Borrego and 
Indian springs. For eight miles franseria, hilaria, and a few 
bushes of larrea formed the sum total of the vegetation, and 
franseria was often alone and without ‘near neighbors,’ even 
of its own species.“ The clay hills were totally devoid of vege- 
tation, but a few interesting plants were observed in the washes 
and deep canyons which we traversed. Some of these are indi- 
cated in the preceding list (V), 
