16 STOCK RANGES OF NORTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA. 



The second trip was taken alone and occupied from July 15 to 

 August 10, 1899. The route followed the coast-bluff belt from the 

 Gualala River to Kenny's, thence inland to Brieeland and Garber- 

 ville, and down the Eel River Valley to Ferndale. From Ferndale a 

 trip was taken to Cape Mendocino. The return to San Francisco was 

 again made by steamer, this time from Eureka. 



A third and supplementary trip was made in the summer of 1900, 

 this time also alone, the route crossing the redwood belt twice, the 

 first time between Willits and Fort Bragg, the second from De Haven 

 Creek to Branscombs. Two days were also spent in Lake County, the 

 road from Ukiah to Upper Lake, by way of Blue Lakes, being taken, 

 returning by way of Lakeport and Highland Springs to Hopland. 



RANGE CONDITIONS. 

 THE INTERIOR PLATEAU REGION. • 

 MOUNTAIN VALLEYS. 



Numerous mountain valleys (PI. I, fig. 1) occur in Mendocino County, 

 on either side of Walker Mountain, the watershed which separates 

 the Russian River and Eel River drainage basins. South of the 

 divide lie Ukiah, Walker, Potter, and several other small valleys 

 whose streams run southward into the Russian River. North of the 

 divide are Little Lake, Sherwood, Round and Long valleys, on the 

 headwaters of Eel River. Hupa Valley is on the Trinity River, 

 in Humboldt County. Some of these valleys lie, like glacial basins, 

 at the headwaters of their streams; others occur a few miles lower 

 down, at slightly lower altitudes, and are connected with the first by 

 narrow canyons. On account of the narrowness of their outlets, some 

 of these valleys are not infrequently flooded at the time of the winter 

 rains. The highest have an altitude of about 2,300 feet above sea 

 level. 



Temperature.— Although intensely hot days occur at times, the 

 climate is usually cool and humid, except, perhaps, in Hupa and 

 Round valleys, on account of heavy summer fogs which creep up 

 from the ocean and hang in the surrounding tree tops. Long, 

 unbroken hot spells are almost unknown. The nights are cool. In 

 Sherwood Valle} 7 it is said that frosts occur every month in the year. 

 LTnfortunately we have only the most meager meteorological data from 

 this section of the region, but observation shows that the rainy season 

 continues later into the summer than it does in the vicinity of San 

 Francisco, and that the rainfall is probably much heavier in the for- 

 mer than in the latter region. A little snow falls each winter. 



Water supply. — Perennial springs are abundant, flowing freely from 

 all the higher wooded ridges. Every meadow has its own creek, which 

 in most cases has cut a channel to a depth of from 3 to 6 feet through 

 the soft alluvial soil. (See PI. II.) 



