102 -4 Journci/ Across the Sierras — iS'. California. 
of tho usual Sea fowl type. About mid -day we reachod Buena 
V'entura. This town has a large wharf, alongside which ocean- 
going vessels are able to berth. Large quantities of harley. 
beans, and oil, are shipped to all parts of the world. We re- 
mained here one day. In the afternoon whilst we were lishing 
from the Wharf we saw. a Mexican shoot a Fork-tailed Tropic- 
Bird, with a rifle, as it was Hying over. It was, I believe, 
the Eed-billed Tropic Bird (I'haethon aetliereus), a very rare 
straggler from the Southern Pacific. Whilst flying it looked 
a very large bird, but when recovered, I was suri)ri,sed to see 
how small a bird it was. The next morning we resumed our 
journey up the Santa Clara \'alley, following the course of the 
river — here a good sized stream. At places the banks were 
nearly a mile a.part, but tlie stream itself was never more than 
one hundred yards across. The ranches hei'e were pi incipally de- 
voted tc barley, and bean growing. There were thousands of 
acres in beans. These beans are a national dish with the 
Mexicans, and are what are known as haricots in this coiuitry. 
They grow, like our dwarf runners, a few inches only from the 
ground. In one place a colony of U round Squirrels had played 
havoc with the crop. These live, like our Rabbits, in warrens. 
In this case there were hundreds of holes in the side of a low 
hill- Their natural enemies are Hawks, Owls, and Snakes, but 
these do not keep their numbers down, so the ranchers have 
to employ trappers for this purpose, just as do our Dorset 
farmers for rabbits. Aljout mid -day we reached Santa Paula 
once more. We had still about 120 miles, or a three days' 
journey to reach Santa Monica, but as the country passed 
through and the birds seen were similar to those already des- 
cribed, I bring my notes to an end here. In conclusion, I must 
say that the scientific names of the birds given are taken 
from Eidgway's Book. In the case of the Wildfowl, and some 
of the Hawks, these birds I have shot and handled, and am 
reasonably certain of their identity, liut with the Seafowl and 
smaller birds, which I have not handled, my descriptions and 
identifications may therefore be at fault. 
