Dec.
18-26.
ll
C IIA P . Porpoises and whales are numerous outside the harbour, and the com-
' , mon seal may occasionally be seen basking on the rocks of Yerba-
buena, and other places.
The feathered tribe in Sán Francisco are very numerous, and have
as yet been so httle molested, that there must be a rich harvest in store
for the first naturalist who shall turn his attention to this place. We
succeeded in killing a great many birds of different species, several of
which were found to be quite new, and will be described in the natural
history, which will shortly appear as a supplement to this voyage:
but there are not many which delight either by the brilliancy or
beauty of their plumage, or by the melody of their note. The birds of
prey are the black vulture ( viiltus aura) , sometimes large; several species
o i falco, one of which attacks the geese, and is in consequence called
mato gansas, also a kite, and a sparrow hawk. The horned owl (a variety
of the strix virginiana ?) flies about after dark to the terror of the superstitious
Indians, who imagine its screech forebodes evil. Several species
of oriolus are met with in the plains, and one, the oriolus phmmeus, is
seen in immense flocks. The natives say that this bird, which in its
first year is of a greyish black colour, changes to deep black in the
second, and ultimately becomes black with red shoulders; but Mr.
Collie thinks there is some error in this. There is another oriolus which
frequents moist and rushy places ; crows in great numbers, some which
are white, and smaller than those of England; and several species of
finches, buntings, and sparrows, prove very destructive to the grain when
sown. The magpie is also an inhabitant here, and a small blue jay frequents
the woods. The California quail ( tetrao virginianus), wood pigeons
with bronzed imbricated feathers on the back of the neck, plovers ( chara-
drius hiaticula f ) , snipes, several species of sanderlings ( tringa) , razorbills
( hematopus), herons ( ardeaJ, curlew ( scolopax tinosa andreemvirostra),
and two species of ralliis, afforded amusement to our sportsmen, as did
also some of the many species of geese, ducks, widgeon, and teal, wliich
frequent the lakes and plains. The two latter species and one of the
anas ( erycthropus ?) were similar to those which had been seen in
Kotzebue Sound, and the natives remark that they arrive from the
north in the month of September, and depart again in May. The grey
geese are said to be good to eat, but we found them all fishy; not so CHAP.
the ducks, the greater part of which are very palatable: these birds, of
which we procured about twenty species, and the mallard, are so common
Dec.
182C.
that several were frequently killed at one shot. It was observed
that some kinds of ducks always preferred salt water to the lakes, particularly
a species with a dark-coloured body and a white head, which
we did not obtain. xVmong those which frequent the fresh water there
were generally an abundance of water-hens. Pelicans (pelicamis ono-
cratidus) may be seen morning and evening winging their long hne of
ffio-ht accross the harbour, and settling upon the little island of Alca-
tiusses, which they have completely covered with their exuviie, and
rendered extremely offensive to persons passing near the place. Shags
(pelicamis graculus) also abound in the harbour. I ought to have
noticed in its proper place the humming bird, which, notwithstanding
the high latitude of the country, is an inhabitant of the woods, and if
we may rely unon Fadre Tomaso, may be seen there all the year round.
We noticed several of them fluttering about some gooseberry bushes
near our anchorage, and shot one in full flesh: as this was in the middle
of winter, the information of the padre was probably correct.
To this list of birds several were added the succeeding year at
Monterey, which, being found so near the place we are describing, may
justly be classed with them: these consisted of the golden-winged woodpecker,
a goat-sucker, several species of small birds unknown to us, and
agoldmi-crested wren. At this place there were also several species
OÍ picas.
I shall pass rapidly over the reptiles, which are not numerous at
Sán Erancisco, and none were procured during our stay. The Spaniards
assert that there is an adder in the woods which is venomous, and that
there are rattlesnakes upon the island of Molate in the harbour; but we
saw neitlier the one nor the other, notwithstanding Mr.Elson and a boat’s
crew landed upon Molate, which is very small indeed.
Fish ave not much sought after in California, in consequence of
the productions of the land being so very abundant; several sorts,
however, are brought to the tables of the missions. In the Bay of
Monterey we noticed the scomber collas, and another kind of mackerel.