CALIFORNIA. 
87 
ally become more accessible, as the country 
becomes inhabited. The timber on the Sierra 
Nevada, among the most magnificent in the 
world, cannot be at present available. On the 
hills in several places near the coast, particu- 
larly at Santa Cruz and Bodega, there is a 
bulk of pine and fir, that will not for a long 
time be consumed. {Bryant.) 
Animal Productions. — The wild animals of 
California include, besides a few peculiar to 
the country, many others which are found in 
the adjacent countries. American lions, (Fe- 
lis co?icolor,) American tigers, (F. onca,) 
bears, wolves, jackals, polecats, foxes, moun- 
tain cats and field rats are mentioned as indi- 
genous, as well as buffaloes, bisons, different 
kinds of deer and goats, hares and rabbits. 
Two of the most interesting of these indige- 
nous quadrupeds are the elk or moose deer, 
which is very abundant, and the American 
Argali, (Ovis Pygargus,) which seems inter- 
mediate between the goat and sheep. The 
roe also abounds. On the rivers, lakes and 
bays both the otter and beaver are found, 
though less numerous now than formerly ; 
the export of otter's skins has been very 
great. 
The birds appear to be very abundant, and 
partake of an intermediate character between 
that of those of tropical and colder climates, in 
the former of which brightness and variety of 
plumage, and in the latter excellence of song, 
are characteristic. Among the more common 
birds are the white-headed eagle, black vul- 
ture, great and small falcon, goshawk, spar- 
row-hawk, large horned owl, raven, crow, 
magpie, jay, curlew, plover, oriole, cormorant, 
wood-pecker, goat-sucker, partridge, quail, 
wood-pigeon, goose, duck, water-hen, shag, 
pelican, heron, crane, snipe, razor-bill, hum- 
ming-bird, bee-eater, gold- crested wren, &c. 
The tufted partridges collect in largeflocks on 
the plains, and are excellent eating ; a species 
of wild goose appears in myriads ; and some 
species of sea birds are also very numerous. 
Fish is extremely abundant, both in the 
rivers and along the coast. In the former the 
salmon are remarkably fine, and of excellent 
quality. Shellfish exist in considerable quan- 
tities ; indeed the pearl-oyster is so plentiful 
on the coast of Lower California, that several 
attempts, apparently unsuccessful from ineffi- 
cient arrangements, have been made to estab- 
lish pearl-fisheries. Some kinds of snakes 
and lizards are also abundant in some locali- 
ties ; scorpions abound ; and locusts breed in 
the sand-hills along the coast, and are some- 
times carried inland by the strong north-west 
winds. 
In the course of the preceding sketch, 
frequent reference has been made to the 
authority of Mr. Bryant. This gentleman 
was very actively mixed up with California!) 
affairs during the years 1846-7, and hals 
since published the Journal of his route from 
the United States to that country, and of hi* 
residence therein,* forming two very interest- 
ing and instructive volumes of Mr. Bentle/fl 
Cabinet Library, which we can honestly 
recommend to every one who would become 
acquainted with that country. 
THE GOLD OF CALIFORNIA. 
We have been favoured by the following 
letter from Professor Tennant, on this part of 
our subject : — 
" I comply with your request to give you an 
account of a sample of the native gold of 
California, which I have received, weighing 
one ounce. 
" It was first carefully examined for any 
crystals of gold; but all I could find were an 
octahedron, having the edges replaced by six- 
sided planes, and a small group of cubes : the 
edges and angles of all partly destroyed by 
attrition, either during the process of washing, 
or the passage to this country. The remainder 
consists of flat or rounded fragments, varying 
in weight from a quarter of a grain to sixty 
grains. The specific gravity of a large frag- 
ment is 16.5. The quality, as a friend informs 
me, is 23 carats. 
" The following substances have been mis- 
taken for gold by the casual observer : viz. 
iron and copper pyrites, and mica ; it, how- 
ever, differs from them in its greater specific 
gravity and malleability, its inelasticity, its 
permanent colour under the action of the 
blow-pipe, and continued solidity in the nitric, 
muriatic, or sulphuric acids, singly; though it 
is soluble by a mixture of ike two former. 
" The following is an extract from a friend's 
letter, received yesterday from the United 
States, dated December 29th, 1848 : — ' Our 
accounts here say that, far from exaggeration 
in the stories we hear, there is not a thousandth 
part of the truthful reality told. Our whole 
country is delirious with the fever called 
' auri sacra fames.' Many a Jason is preparing 
with followers to go in quest of the fleece. 
Literally thousands are precipitating them- 
selves upon the Pacific shore on a Golden 
Crusade !' I have no wish to excite undue 
expectations : indeed, I should not be sur- 
prised if we were to receive the intelligence 
that all the richest deposits had become ex- 
hausted. 
* What I saw in California ; being the Journal of a 
Tour by the emigrant route and south pass of the 
Rocky Mountains across the continent of Xorth 
America, the Great Desert basin, and through Cali- 
fornia, in the years 1846, 1847. By Edwin Bryant 
late Alcalde of San Francisco. London ; E. Bentley. 
