the animal so-called found near Cape Horn, but have recently been determined to be a distinct species not mentioned in any work on our Natural History before 1866. They are about equal to the Arctic walrus in size, the males especially, which have also a short proboscis from which their name is derived, though they have not the elephantine tusks of the walrus. They are said to yield as much as sixty gallons of oil apiece, while the sea-lions only furnish ten or twelve, and to be about twelve feet long. Being stupid and easily killed, this curious and valuable animal was destroyed on our coast by the cupidity of the sealers in a very few years after the annexation of California. It is to be hoped that some means may be devised to encourage their return and increase along our shores.

The "Californian" opossum, (Didelphys Californica), though thus named, has not been found by naturalists north of the Mexican boundary. It closely resembles that common in the Atlantic States, and in many respects forms a sort of link connecting the Carnivorous with the Insectivorous order. Otherwise, it needs no mention here.

ORDER INSECTIVORA-INSECT-EATERS.

The Insectivorous order of Mammals is a sort of miniature series, suited for keeping in check the increase of the insect world, just as the Carnivorous kinds do the larger animals. There are not many species known to inhabit this State, and they are little known, their habits being chiefly subterranean or nocturnal.

The Western Mole, (30. Scalops Townsendii), is the most common and universally known. It may be considered beneficial to agriculture, as it eats only insects, and the harm it does is chiefly by uprooting seeds and young plants, in its search for their enemies. A very slight inspection of its form and teeth should enable the gardener to distinguish it from the destructive gophers to be hereafter mentioned. Its mode of burrowing is also quite different.

A Star-nosed Mole (31. Condylura macroura?) is supposed to be found in California, but not recently obtained. It is remarkable for having a curious excrescence on the end of its nose.

There are two or three species of Shrews found in the northern and mountainous parts of this State, but scarcely ever seen, and then, usually confounded with mice. They resemble these in form of body and limbs, but have the head and minute eyes of the mole. They are nocturnal, and when a cat catches one she leaves it uneaten, on account of a peculiar odor possessed by all the animals of this order. (32. Sorex vagrans. 33. Sorex Suckleyi. 34. Sorex ·?)

ORDER-CHEIROPTERA.

The Bats of this State are also Insectivorous, but form a distinct order, on account of their wings, and some tropical species also live chiefly on fruits.

One found near Fort Yuma, (35. Macrotus Californicus), besides being the largest United States species, has a curious leaf-shaped excrescence on the nose, like many tropical bats.

Another, found in the desert east of the Sierra, has ears nearly half as large as its wings, (36. Synotus Townsendii.) The other species found here are more or less of the ordinary form of small bats, and need not be especially mentioned. There are about fifteen species known in all, of which nine are also found east of the Rocky Mountains. Full information respecting them is given in Allen's Monograph of North American Bats-a Smithsonian publication-1864. (37. Nyctinomus nasutus. 38. Lasiurus noveboracensis. 39. L. cinereus. 40. Scotophilus fuscus. 41. S. noctivagans. 42. S. hesperus. 43. Vespertilio subulatus. 44. V. evotis. 45. V. lucifugus. 46. V. obscurus. 47. V. Yumanensis. 48. V. nitidus. 49. V. macropus. 50. Antrozous pallidus.)

ORDER RODENTIA-GNAWERS.

The "Gnawers" are largely represented in this State, whose luxuriant plains and rich forests furnish them with abundance of roots, grains and mast.

The Beaver, (51. Castor Canadensis), identical throughout North America, is quite common in parts of this State where water abounds, as in the Sacramento, San Joaquin and Colorado rivers. Many are killed every winter, but their skins are not so fine as those of more northern regions. They do no special damage, unless by undermining levees, and are so timid as to disappear about as soon as settlements require such embankments, giving place to their relatives, the muskrats, which are far more destructive. The skin is worth from one to two dollars per pound-averaging three to five dollars apiece.

The "Sewellel," or "Mammoth Mole" of the miners, (52. Aplodontia leporina), is a very curious animal peculiar to this coast. It has many characters like the beaver, but no tail, and is not web-footed, though burrowing chiefly in wet places. It is found in the higher and more northern part of the State-but little is known of its habits. Its fur is of little value, and its flesh poor eating, though preferable to the fishy beaver. It connects the latter animal with the marmots. Their skins are not distinguished by furriers from those of the muskrat, and being smaller, are worth only about ten cents each.

The Yellow-bellied Marmot, also called Woodchuck and Ground-Hog (53. Arctomys flaviventris), is found in the northern mountainous parts of California, and resembles in size, habits, etc., the animal so-called in the Eastern States. They are occasionally tamed as pets, and also eaten, though rather coarse, and the skin is used in the country for caps, mittens, etc., being worth only about ten cents. Another species may, perhaps, be found here.

The Grey Ground-Squirrels (54. Spermophilus Beecheyi, and 55. S. Douglassii) are so numerous and destructive in all parts of the valleys that are not annually inundated, as to be one of the most serious pests of the farmer and gardener. No. 55 is confined to the northern part of this State and Oregon, but differs very little from the more southern species. They are of the size of a half-grown cat, and have a long, bushy tail, like the tree squirrel; but do not ascend trees, except occasionally for food, making their dwelling in the ground, which in many places is full of their burrows for miles together. Although difficult to exterminate, they will probably, in a few years, become as scarce in the settled districts as the Eastern squirrels now are in places where they formerly destroyed nearly all the crops, and had a premium placed on their heads. Our species are considered pretty good eating when properly prepared. There are three other species of this genus not half the size of the above mentioned, and more interesting for their beauty than injurious. 56. S. elegans is gray and reddish; its tail short and flat. It inhabits east of the Sierras. 57. S. lateralis is rich brown, with one white and two black stripes on each side-inhabiting the high Sierras. 58. S. Harrissi is gray, with a white stripe on each side, and is found only in the desert plains of the southeast part of the State. None of them furnish skins of any commercial value, although the Siberian squirrel, of the same genus, supplies a well known and fine fur.

Of the true squirrels, inhabiting forests only, we have two species. The large Hare-Squirrel (59. Sciurus leporinus) is common in the mountains from Santa Cruz north. It is the largest and most beautiful North American species, and considerably larger than the ground squirrels; its fur a fine clear gray, with an exceedingly bushy tail longer than its head and body. It is a favorite game for hunters and supplies a dainty dish for the table, while it is not numerous enough to be destructive anywhere.

The Pine-Squirrel (60. Sciurus Douglassii) is not a quarter the size of the other-dark brown, pale below, with a black stripe on each side.

It is found north of San Francisco bay and in the Sierras, and is only interesting as a pet.

The Chipmonks, also called Striped Ground-Squirrels, furnish us with two species. The larger kind (61. Tamias Townsendii) is nearly of the size of the pine squirrel, and inhabits both ranges of mountains, as far south as Santa Cruz. The other, (62. T. quadrivittatus), a little smaller, is found in the higher Sierras, and eastward to the Rocky mountains. They are beautiful little animals, living in the ground, but ascending trees for nuts, etc., not difficult to tame, especially the last, which is often the familiar guest of the miner's cabin.

The Western Flying Squirrel (63. Pteromys Oregonensis) is ascertained to be found as far south as Cape Mendocino, and probably extends much further. It is twice as large as that found in the Eastern States, with fur beautifully soft, and it will no doubt make as interesting a pet as that docile little species, but on account of its nocturnal habits, very little is yet known respecting it.

The Mouse family and its relatives count largely both in numbers of species and individuals. Of those allied to the house-mouse, we have three species, all originally from the Old World. These are the common mouse (64. Mus musculus), the Norway rat (65. M. decumanus), and the black rat (66. M. rattus), all accompanying the spread of settlements and driving out the native species, while the black rat is driven out by its larger relative wherever introduced. Albinos of all are found, especially of the last.

The Wood-Mice and Prairie-Mice are the natives of the soil, and six species are found in various parts of the State, resembling in general form the house-mouse, but larger, and of different colors, proportions, and anatomical structure. They are of no great interest except to naturalists, or lovers of nature, as they do little or no injury to the crops, and are soon exterminated. (67. H. Gambelii; 68. H. austerus; 69. H. Boylii; 70. H. Sonoriensis; 71. H. Californicus; 72. H. eremicus.)

The Wood-Rats have a similar relation to the introduced rats, and abound in certain districts, building high nests of twigs in the woods, but retire before cultivation. One kind (73. Neotoma occidentalis) found in the higher and more northern mountains, has a tail very much like that of a squirrel. 74. N. Mexicana, and 75. N. fuscipes, have bristly tails.

The Field-Mice are common in low meadows, burrowing in the ground, and having short legs, tails, and ears, approaching the form of the gophers. Six species are found in various parts of this State, but have not yet excited much attention by their depredations, although

their allies in the East are often destructive. As the larger rodents are destroyed, and the small carnivorous animals which eat them also vanish, these little mice become numerous. (76. A. Townsendii; 77. A. montana; 78. A. longirostris; 79. A. edax; 80. A. Californica; 81. A. Oregoni.)

The Muskrat (82. Fiber zibethicus) is like an immense field-mouse, as large as a cat, with webbed feet, and bare, flattened, narrow tail. They are undoubtedly found in this State, though rare in the districts inhabited by their aquatic rival, the beaver. As the latter is destroyed, they will probably increase, and become as destructive to levees, ditches and dams, as they are in the East. Their flesh is uneatable, and the skin has a value of only ten to fifteen cents at the wholesale dealers.

The Jumping-Mouse (83. Jaculus Hudsonius) is a little animal allied to the jerboas, with elongated hind-legs and tail, but without cheekpouches like the similar kangaroo mice. It is found in our higher and northern regions, as well as eastward, but is only interesting as a matter of curiosity, or as a pet.

The Pouched Mice, called Kangaroo Mice and "Gophers," form a peculiar American family, most numerous on the western slope. The latter name, derived from the French, means "digger" and is also applied to species of burrowing tortoise found in the southern Atlantic States and California—an instance of the uncertainty of popular names. The kangaroo mice have very long hind legs, much in the proportions of the Australian kangaroos, and like them can jump amazing distances for their size. The larger kinds are two species, found in most parts of this State, and as large as a half-grown rat. They live chiefly in woods or shrubbery, but sometimes make a home in a retired house, where their hoppings may be heard in the garret at night. Their pouches are in their cheeks, not in the abdomen, as in the kangaroo, which belongs to the opossum tribe. (84. Dipodomys agilis; 85. D. Philippii.)

The smaller kinds are also of two species, differing from the above in shorter limbs and tails, as well as in anatomical characters. They inhabit the more dry and sandy districts. Both burrow in the ground and live on seeds, being shy and harmless as far as known. (86. Perognathus parvus; 87. P. penicillatus.)

The "Gophers" furnish us with five species in California, differing in size, color, and somewhat in form. The largest is that most common in the middle counties near the coast, (88. Thomomys bulbivorus), and is a great pest to the gardener, burrowing under and destroying