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<br />40 REPORT OF AN, EXPEDITION DOWN THE, &0.
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<br />variety of cacti-one of which was very conspicuous, the Cereus giganlms-sev-
<br />eral specics of grnss, allll a apccies of cane, growing about the lagunas, Jlrurada
<br />plu-agmiles, Torr,,) and a singular-]ooking treo, apparently a species of ll.eaeiar
<br />growing from twenty to thirty feet high,leaves very small, and bark light green,
<br />bearing a small !Jean with a long pod.
<br />Dirds wore scarce; the 'Callipepla Otllllbelii very abundant. A variety of'
<br />water-birds, such as sand-hill cranc, s)1ipe, ducka, geese, &c,; Tho Cenms ma-
<br />cro/is were occasionally to be seen; the Lepus cullolis was quite abundant; also'
<br />the Canis lulrnns.
<br />On the desert of the Colorado there is but ]illle growing, excepting greaae-
<br />weed. On it are to he found tho remaina of old Jlnodo1lS, showing that it is sub-
<br />ject to be over(\o\\'cd by the Colorado; but I believe there was hut one epecios,
<br />of that .hell. It i. singular that in the Great Colorado and its tributaries I did
<br />not procure or see a .hell of the genua Unio. At New river there are numerous
<br />mesquite trees and careless-weed, (Chenopodium,) the sced of which the Indians
<br />grind and makc into bread. The laguna of this'creek was filled with an infer-
<br />nal water, being green, thiek, sa]t, and stinking. In and about this we found a
<br />number lIf ducks and small snipe.
<br />As we al'pr,oached Curissa creok, we found fossil oyster-shells, (Exogyrn).,
<br />On the hills nbuut this creek were growing numcrous cneti ; also the St. Jo-
<br />seph rod, (.Follllern s]linosn,) which heing in 1\111 bloom. luoked boautiful. 1\Iea-
<br />qnite, IlHow-wood, IIl1d salL grnss, were nbundllnt. On this creek tht;re ha!
<br />bcen II grove of jarge palms, fl'few of which now remain.
<br />At Vnlliecit,," we fonnd plenty of graSl!, anf the .f1gnvI Jlmericnua, growing
<br />abundantly.
<br />Ascending the Hiley from San Felipe, tho mOlllltains on either side nre.cov-
<br />eredwith tall pines. On the dividing ridge we found a specie. of live-oak,
<br />(Q"CTCIIS agl'ifolin,) and tho button-wood, (Plalan1lS Mcxicanus.) There was but
<br />little vnrialion in the vegetation between hercand the Pacific, excepting many
<br />of the hills were covered with wild oats. Being lato in the season, and,snowon
<br />the Coast \'ange, thcre were no plante to be collected. Birds wero scarce.
<br />N eur Snnta ISilbelle, ill a large laguna, there were a number of ducka, among'
<br />them tho canvass-back (J;Yl'oca ValiSlleria,) red-neck, (.Y.Jcrilla,) mallard (.f1nlU
<br />Doscllas,) teal (Plc'roeyallea cll,"Ulwln,) &.c..
<br />For Inlier anll 1110re detai]~d accounts of the natural history, I will have to
<br />refer JOu to the scp'lrate papers on ea.ch branch flecompanJing this.
<br />I mllst here olrer my grateful acknowledgments to the kind assistance afford-
<br />ed mo hy Bdward Hallowel, M.1J., and Professors Torrey, Baird, and Girard,
<br />in their varions departments of natural history.
<br />To the Messrs. Kern mueh credit is due for t.heir praiseworthy drawings"
<br />which hllve fCquired time and minute study of nature.
<br />I am sir, with mudl respoet, YOIIC obedient servant,
<br />S. W. WOODHOUSE, M. D.,
<br />S1I1'geon alltl Xnlurnlisl 10 1/,. Expedilion..
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<br />Brevet G'I,IIIill L. SIl'(;REA.VES,
<br />U. S, TOJlographical Enginecl's, 'f'IIS/linglon.
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<br />ZOOLOGY.
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<br />MAMMALS AND BIRDS, BY S. W. WOODHOUSE, 1\1. D.
<br />REPTILES, BY EDWARD HALLOWELL, M. D.
<br />FISHES, BY PROF. S. F. BAIRD AND CHARLES GIRARD.
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