126 
'I'HK CONDOR 
ocean; while to the left the dark wood- 
ed bottom forked and tongues of forest 
extended up the branching canyons 
between brown bare ridges until they 
dwindled out toward the higher flanks 
of the lofty mountain. The effect on 
the forest of slope exposure and mois- 
ture was here beautifully illustrated, 
for the northeast slopes were clothed in 
places nearly to the top of the ridges, 
while the hot southwest slopes were 
usually treeless save for occasional 
scrub oaks and stretches of low brush. 
An examination of the avifauna clearly 
showed two distinct phases of bird pop- 
ulation corresponding to these two 
temperature belts. The upper ridges 
and open hillsides under the glare of 
the sun and with their thin clothing of 
smaller vegetation formed a congenial 
home for many birds familiar in the 
warm interior parts of California. Here 
we found such Upper Sonoran species 
as Toxostoma redivivmn, Pipilo crissalis, 
Chanicca fasciata intermedia. Geococcyx 
californianus, Phalcenoptiliis mdlalli cali- 
fornicus, Lophortyx califoniicas, and 
Aphelocoma califoniica. But down in 
the deep canyons everything was dif- 
ferent. The cool, damp air currents 
penetrate up the valley from the ocean 
aird diverge up each branch and can- 
yon. One could almost trace the s ores 
of this air-strearrr in its ascending flow 
by the limits of the redwoods. These 
immense trees on the South Fork 
formed a dense forest, so shaded that 
there was little underbrush except 
where it thinned out up the canyon 
sides and where felled for shingles. 
Near the upper timber limit where it 
was warmer and less humid, many Doug- 
las spruces were to be seen, with tan- 
bark oaks, madrones and bay trees. It 
struck us as unusual, at least in our ex- 
perience, to find a “high” zone below a 
lower one. But here the direct effect 
of the ocean more than offsets altitudi- 
nal decrease in temperature and evi- 
dently accounts for the Transition with 
many Boreal elements being at the low- 
1 Vol. IV 
est level. In the thickest redwoods, 
birds were scarce, but what there were 
reminded us strongly of regions far to 
the northward. In the tangles of fallen 
trees and salmon-berry bushes we found 
the diminutive winter wren {^ Troglody- 
tes hiemalis pacificus'). The rasping call 
note and occasional song to us sounded 
like the squeaky noise of the brakes of 
a wagon on a down grade. Newly 
fledged young were taken, proving this 
to be the southernmost breeding station 
of the species anywhere in the United 
States. Creepers {Certhia americatii 
occidentalis) were about e.jual to the 
wrens in point of numbers, but were to 
be seen only high up on the tree trunks, 
usually far above dust-shot range. 
Their attenuated notes were continually 
heard in favorable places. But the 
birds themselves were difficult to dis- 
cern, for they were like as not to be on 
the opposite side of a tree, and the ven- 
triloquous quality of their notes made 
their discovery still more uncertain. A 
brood of bob-tailed young were seen 
awkwardly clambering about a tree 
trunk following their anxious parents. 
Another bird confined to the deepest 
parts of tlie woods was tlie .Monterey 
hermit thrush, a bird which we found 
more e'usive the more we sought after 
it. At first we were content with list- 
ening to its song which now and then 
swelled into a full melodious strain only 
to die away in a far-off tinkle. Such a 
song has to be felt to be appreciated, 
for it seems to exert a hypnotic influ- 
ence, inducing in one a sort of melan- 
choly reverie. But we warded off the 
spell, remembering that here was the 
type locality of Hylocichla guttata slev- 
ini. With this thought came the vision 
of a series of symmetrical skins lined up 
in the presence of the A. O. U. Com- 
mittee to prove the existence of a name- 
able race. We forgot the sentiment in- 
spired by that wonderful song, and used 
it only as a clue for the undoing of its 
author. But it proved a will-o’-the- 
wisp, for our stealthy .scouting availed 
