A Juunici/ .Icross the Sierras— S. California. 51 
birds than when driving-. Every here and there, little stream- 
lets crossed Mie road, di'opping to the valley below in miniature 
falls. Ferns and siniilai- plants tlourishcd on the moist banks, 
as did Scycamores and other small trees. Here, for the lu'st 
time on the trip, we found insectivorous birds really at home. 
Especially noticeable was the Blue Bird (Sialia mcxiccuia) by 
far the most striking- of any of the Californian small birds. Its 
plainly-coloured mate was probaljly on its nest, as I did not 
see it. A pair of Wrens (C. niexicn luis coiispersiis) were 
creeping about the roots of a sycamore, on an upper branch 
•of which a Pigeon had her nest, and was brooding a pair of 
squab's. The cock was perched near l)y, looking very hand- 
some hi the sun, his rich yellow legs Iveing plainly visible. 
At a bend of the road we surprised a White -tailed IJoe and her 
two fawns, almost as big as herself. Our dog promptly gives 
■chase i)ut is easily out-distanciMl, as they scamper up the moun- 
tain. These animals are aljout twice the size of our Eoe Deer 
and very similar in ai)i)earance. As we near the top of the 
mountain wild oats take tlie place of the chai)paral, making 
splendid feed for deer and stock. Here and there are groves 
of wild walnuts, a tree indigenous to the country. \A'e soon 
reach the top of the pass, which in this case is practically 
the top of the mountain as well, and are rewarded by a most 
glorious view. Due west, the sun is well down over a blue 
Pacific. Between it and us lies the fertile Ventura Ytlley 
covered with well cultivated fruit-ranches and dotted with com- 
fortable looking houses. To the soutli the mountains throw out 
a series of spurs towards the sea, forming deep valleys and 
canyons, occupied by small ranchers who grow stock, and make 
hay to sell to their richer brethren on the fruit -ranches. To 
the north the range runs an unbroken line as far as the eye 
can see, apparently getting higher and more lieavily timbered 
the further north it goes. Immediately below us the trail 
drops precipitately to the valley — down this we now made our 
way at a good pace, arriving at the bottom in a littla more 
than an hour, about one fourth of the time it took us to ascend 
on the other side. 
We pitched yamp in a fine grove of Oaks, surrounding 
a school-house. After our hard d;iy's climb I was too tired to 
take a stroll after supper, but whilst we were resting we 
