Page:Condor17(5).djvu/21

 Sept.,1915 SUMMER RESIDENT LAND BIRDS O1 MONTEREY COUNTY 191 that the highest peak of the county, and one of he most lofty of the coast ranges, lies. This is Santa Lucia peak, 5,967 feet in elevation. While lying some 12 miles from the coast it is included in the Transition zone. The peak is well forested with several species of pines, and is the home of numerous birds of the Transition zone. The greater part of the county lies in the Upper Sonoran zone and consists of the inter-mountain valleys and the greater part of the central and eastern ranges. The flora consists principally of the oaks, yuccas, willows, sycamores, berries, lupines, and various plants typical of the chaparral areas of the coast ranges. In the central valley, along the SaIinas River, conditions are such that the flora and fauna belong to the Lower Sonoran zone. The zone is narrow and re- Fig. 64. MAp OF MONTEREY COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, SHOWING THE LIFE ZONES stricted to the immediate valley. The fauna was not studied by our party in sufficient detail to warrant giving a list of the species known to be typical of this zone. Thus in general it may be seen that this county is extremely varied in its composition and that there would naturally be a large avifauna within its con- fines. The map accompanying this paper gives an idea of distribution of the mountains and valleys and of the life zones. The photos show some of the char- acteristics of each of these zones and it is to be hoped that the following list of the summer residents of the county may lead some one to become interested in the county and after a few trips be able to give us a more complete list of all the interesting species of birds foun throughout the year. Dr. J. Grinnell in his paper in TEE CONDOR, vol. IV, pp. 125-]28, has given a delightful description