USA > California > Sonoma County > An illustrated history of Sonoma County, California. Containing a history of the county of Sonoma from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time > Part 31
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cious ; his weight and strength are so great that he bears down all opposition before him ; and he is very quick, his speed in running being nearly equal to that of the horse. In attacking a man, he usually rises on his hind-legs, strikes his enemy with one of his powerful fore-paws, and then commences to bite him.
The black bear ( Ursus Americanus) is found in the timbered portions of the county. Dr. Newberry, speaking of the food of the black bear, says: "The subsistence of the black bears in the northern portion of California is evid- ently, for the most part, vegetable. The man- zanita, wild plum, and wild cherry, which fruit profusely, and are very low, assist in making up his bill of fare.
The brown, or cinnamon bear, is also common to Sonoma County. The panther, supposed by Dr. Newberry to be the Felis concolor-the same with the panther found on the Atlantic slope of the continent-has a body larger than that of the common sheep, and a tail more than half the length of the body. Its color is dirty- white on the belly, and elsewhere a brownish- yellow, mottled with dark tips on all the hairs. The panther is a cowardly animal, and, except when driven by some extraordinary motive. never attacks man. The panther is nocturnal in his habits. and always prefers the night as a time for attacking colts, which are a favorite prey with him.
The American wild-eat (Lynr ruf'us) is com- mon here.
The gray wolf (C'anis occidentalis) is found here, but is not abundant.
The coyote used to be very common, and veeupied the same place here with that oeenpied in the Mississippi Valley by the prairie- wolf. Dr. Newberry thinks the two belong to the same species (C'anis latrans). The color of the coyote has a reddish tinge. His food consists chiefly of rabbits, grouse. small birds, mice, lizzards, and frogs ; and in time of scarcity he will eat carrion, grasshoppers, and bngs. Ile is very fond of poultry, pigs, and lambs, and will destroy almost as many of them as would a fox. lle is
one of the worst enemies and most troublesome pests of the farmer.
The gray fox ( Vulpes Virginianus) is the only animal of that speeies we know to exist in Sonoma County, although many years ago. we heard that a black fox had been killed in the northern end of the county.
The American badger (Taridea Americana) used to be common here, but they are now nearly extinet.
The black-footed raccoon ( Proycon hernandes- zii) is very common in the forests and along the water courses of the county.
Of the yellow-haired porcupine ( Erethizon epicanthus), a few have been found in Sonoma County, but they are very rare.
The mountain-eat, or striped bassaris ( Bas- saris astuta). is vceassionally found here, but are not numerous. The body is about the size of that of the domestie eat, but the nose is very long and sharp, and the tail very long and large. The color of the animal is dark gray. with rings of black on the tail. The miners call it the " mountain-eat." and frequently tame it. It is a favorite pet with them, becomes very playful and familiar, and is far more affectionate than the common eat, which it might replace, for it is very good at catehing miee.
The yellow-cheeked weasel (Putorius rantho- genys) is found here, but are not numerous.
The common mink (Putorius rison) has a' skin as valuable as that of .the beaver ; the fur is of a dark, brownish, chestnut color, with a white spot on the end of the ehin. They exist here, but are very rare.
California has two skunks (Mephitis veri- dentalis and Mephitis bicolor), very common animals. The Mephitis bicolor. or little striped skunk, is chiefly found south of latitude 39" ; the other in the northern and central parts of the State. The colors of both are black and white. They both have a place in Sonoma County.
The Squirrel Family .- The California gray squirrel (Sciurus fossor). the most beautiful and one of the largest of the squirrel genus. inhabits all the pine forests of the State. Its
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color on the back is a finely-grizzled bluish gray, and white, beneath. At the base of the ear is a little woolly tuft. of a chestnut color. The sides of the feet are covered with hair in the winter, but are bare in the summer ; the body is more slender and delicate in shape than that of the Atlantic gray squirrel. It some- times grows to be twelve inches long in the head and body, and fifteen inches in the tail, making the entire length twenty-seven inches. Dr. New- berry says: " The Californian gray squirrel is eminently a tree-squirrel, seareely descending to the ground but for food and water, and it sub- sists almost exelusively on the seeds of the largest and loftiest pine known ( pinus lumber- tiana), the ' sngar-pine ' of the Western coast. These squirrels inhabit the forests of Sonoma County."
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The Missouri striped ground-squirrel has five dark-brown stripes on the haek, separated by four gray stripes; the sides are reddish-brown, the belly grayish-white, and the tail rusty-blaek above and rusty-brown beneath. The animal is four or five inches long. It is found in the northern part of the State. It eats acorns and the seeds of the pine, manzanita, and ceanothus, in the thickets of which last-named bush it prefers to hide its stores. This species of squirrel is exceedingly rare in Sonoma County.
The Spermophile has two species in Califor- nia, which resemble each other so closely, that they are usually supposed to be the same; they are popularly known as the California ground- squirrels, the little pests which are so destrue- tive to the grain crops. Their bodies are ten or eleven inches long in the largest specimens; the tail is eight inches long and bushy, the ears large, the cheeks pouched, and herein consists the chief difference between them and squirrels; the color above black, yellowish-brown, and brown, in indistinct mottlings, hoary-yellowish on the sides of the head and neck. and pale yel- lowish-brown on the under side of the body and legs. They dwell in burrows, and usually live in communities in the open. fertile valleys, pre- fering to make their burrows under the shade of
an oak tree. Sometimes, however, single sper mophiles will be found living in a solitary man- ner, remote from their fellows. Their burrows, like those of the prairie-dog, are often used by the rattlesnake and the little owl. Dr. New- berry says: " They are very timid, starting at every noise, and on every intrusion into their privacy dropping from the trees, or hurrying in from their wanderings, and sendding to their holes with all possible celerity: arriving at the entrance, however, they stop to reconnoitre, standing erect, as squirrels rarely and spermo- philes habitually do, and looking abont to satisfy themselves of the nature and designs of the in- truder. Should this second view justify their flight, or a motion or step forward still further alarm them, with a peenliar movement, like that of a diving duck, they plunge into their bur- rows, not to venture ont till all cause of fear is past. The squirrels of this species were exceed- ingly rare in Sonoma County until within the past decade. They seem to have effeeted an en- tranee from the valleys to the east, and are now multiplying along the foot-hills of the Sonoma range of mountains. The farmers, as yet, seem not to realize the magnitude of the damage these squirrels will ultimately accomplish.
The California gopher ( Thomomys bulbirorus) is the most abundant and most troublesome rodent of the county. When full grown, it has a body six or eight inches long, with a tail of two inches. The back and sides are of a chest- nut-brown color, paler on the under parts of the body and legs; the tail and feet are of grayish- white; the cars are very short. In the cheeks are large pouches, covered with fur inside, white to their margin, which is dark-brown.
Of rats and mice there are many species in Sonoma County. There is very common in the forests a wood-rat that builds conieal- shaped burrows by means of piling up sticks and bramble. We have seen these rat houses as much as ten feet in diameter at the base and five or six feet high. Of mice there are many species of both field and honse pests. We have seen here two or three specimens of the Jerboa
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family, called by some kangaroo miee, on ae- count of their great length of hind legs, from which they spring, as does the kangaroo.
The American elk (Cereus amadensis) used to be plentiful in Sonoma County, but is now extinet. This animal was nearly as large as a horse. It frequently reached the weight of from six hundred to one thousand pounds. The color was a chestnut-brown, dark on the head, neck, and legs, lighter and yellowish on the back and sides. The horns were very large. sometimes more than four feet long, three feet across from tip to tip, measuring three inches in diameter above the burr, and weigh- ing. with the skull, exclusive of the lower jaw, forty pounds. The horns of the old bueks had from seven to nine, perhaps more, prongs, all growing forward, the main stem running np- ward and backward.
In Sonoma County there never were any white-tailed deer, but instead, we have the black- tailed deer (C'errus columbianus), which is a little larger and has brighter colors, but does not furnish as good venison, the meat laeking the juiciness and savory taste of the venison in the Mississippi Valley. The average weight of the buek is about one hundred and twenty pounds, and of the doe one hundred pounds, but bucks have been found to weigh two hundred and seventy-five pounds. The summer coat of the black-tailed deer is composed of rather long and coarse hair, of a tawny brown, approaching chestnut on the back. In September this hair begins to come off, exposing what the hunters eall the " blue coat," which is at first fine and silky, and of a bluish-gray color, afterward be- coming chestnut brown. inelining to gray on the sides, and to black along the back. Occasion- ally deer purely white are found. The horn, when long, is about two feet long, and forks near mid-length, and each prong forks again, making four points, to which a little spur, issu- ing from near the base of the horn, may be added, making five in all. This is the general form of the horn; sometimes, however, old bueks are found with but two points.
The prong-horned antelope (Autilocopro americana) used to range the valleys of Sono- ma County like bands of sheep. They are now extinct. In size the antelope was not quite so large as the California deer, which it resembled closely in form and general appearance. They were distinguished at a distance by their motion ; the antelope canters, while the deer runs: the antelope went in herds, and moved in a line following the lead of an old buek, like sheep, to which they are related, while deer more fre- quently are alone, and if in a herd they are more independent, and move each in the way that suits him best. In color, the baek, upper part of the sides and ontside of the thighs and forelegs were yellowish-brown: the under parts, lower part of the sides, and the buttekos as seen from behind, were white. The hair was very coarse, thick, spongy, tubular, slightly erimped or waved, and like short lengths of coarse threads eut off bluntly. The horns were very irregular in size and form, but usually they were about eight inches long, rose almost per- pendienlarly. had a short, blunt prong in front, several inches from the base, and made a short backward erook at the top. The female had horns as well as the male. The hoof was heart- shaped, and its print upon the ground could be readily distinguished from the long, narrow track of the deer. The antelope was about two feet and a half high, and four feet long from the nose to the end of the tail.
. Andubon's hare (Lepus audubonii) is the most common species in Sonoma County. Its tail is about three inches long, and its color is mixed with yellowish-brown and black above. white beneath, thighs and rump grayish.
The sage rabbit ( Lepus artemisia) is also found here.
Of the birds and fish of Sonoma County we will not undertake to speak. Of the former there is almost an infinite variety, and to at- tempt to classify and deseribe each would require a vast amount of labor and researeli. Of fresh water, salt water and shell fish, the varieties nearly equal that of the birds and fowls.
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OUR FLORA AND CONIFERA.
CHAPTER XXIV.
OR the flora and conifera of Sonoma County we are indebted to W. A. T. Stratton, the Petaluma florist, who has given the sub- ject years of patient rescarch and study :
" The emerald sheen of hill and dale, the gorgeous kaleidoscopie picture which no pen or brush could ever portray, in justice to nature's bounteous gifts, should engage a far more facile pen than mine. Indeed, so inexpressibly beau- tiful are all our primitive flora, the multiplicity of forms and colors, my effort, no matter how exhaustive it might be to even faintly mention the more prominent, would be wholly inade- quate to do justice to so glorious a subject.
" In early spring, our golden Eschscholtzius dancingly nod and kiss the morning breeze in wavy masses, the first to tell us of nature's awakening, while in sheltered vales delicate feras come forth anew clothed as it were in na- ture's wedding garb of faultless, yet exquisite loveliness. Then successively come our Bro- dideas, our Triteleiax, our Camussias and Smi- lærings, interspersed and commingled with Lupins in charming shades and forms, while Fritillarias and the butterfly tulips (Calco- hortus) in countless myriads blend their beati- ful colors so bright, so lovely, that . language is useless, its expression dumb.'
". Nothing was known, comparatively, of our flora, till Douglass made his first exploration in
the year 1796. Menzies, Lindley, Lowson and Miehanx had traversed Puget Sound, and fol- lowing down the coast to the Columbia, and some of them penetrated the northern portion of our State; but Douglass, the energetic En- glish botanist, followed down the coast range to San Francisco Bay, and has said in his report no section of the world ever presented so rich and varied a flora as that section of country lying adjacent to and north of the bay: and more especially, its coast range and valleys: and in honor to his eminent services our peer- less conifera Abies Douglassit was named, one of our most beautiful native evergreen trees.
" Many enthusiastic explorers then visited our region, and Alta California soon gave the world many floral treasures, for which our cool, moist climate was so favorable for the devel- opment of. And yet what a sad remnant of the past; vandalism, the greed for gain, so rapidly obliterated our forests of those noble structures that nature's effort took centuries to build: our hills and vales swept as it were by flames, are nearly obliterated of all those gems of erim- son and -gold, and the cottage and trellis deck the once primitive scene. Our choicest flora is cast aside for the less beautiful forms of other climes.
"Of the evergreen trees indigenous to our section may be prominently mentioned our red-
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.
wood Segnala Sempervirens, of whose mammoth proportions all are well acquainted, forming as it were so extensive and valuable forests all over our county; but it is not generally known that its relative S. Gigante, also grows here, but in very limited quantities. Some years ago, a gentleman linnting along on our northern boundary found a small grove on a tributary of the Russian River, and very thoughtfully brought me a small limb and some cones, to be certain of their identity. The trees were very small comparatively, growing less than 100 feet high and very stunted in habit. AAbies Douglassii is very plentiful, growing to regal proportions near the coast in sheltered places, and we can justly feel proud of this beautiful conifera as the most beautiful of all trees native of Cali- fornia. I have seen natural specimens of this noble tree nearly 150 feet high, clothed from near the ground in natural graceful outlines, as perfeet in form as the hand of man could make, and yet low few are ever to be found in culti- vation. It is of very rapid growth and worthy of attention. In the vicinity of Sebastopol it was very plentiful, the young trees being largely used for Christmas trees. A. Pattoniuna (Patton's giant spruce), is also found sparingly. It is of a bright glancous green, growing 150 feet high, existing only near the coast. Pinus Muricata (Bishop's pine), a sparingly clothed tree of medium size, may be found only in the more southern portion. It is of no nse in the arts or for ornament. P. insignis (Oregon pitch pine), is a very beautiful species plentiful all over our county especially in the middle and northern part, but a few comparatively are found in cnl- tivation, though for some years quantities were grown for forest culture; but its value for tim- ber is worthless. l'. tuberculata in stunted form may be found along the Mark West Creek, growing 70 to 100 feet high; it is of very slow growth, though beautiful in form, color and outline. P. Sabiana, Sabine's pine, is one of the most beautiful of all our native pines. It is only found in the northwestern portion, growing in natural tapering outline 100 to 150 feet. It
is more commonly known as buli pine, the seed or nuts being very large and are gathered by Indians as a staple article of food. P. radiata, grows only over in cañons near the coast; it is a small tree, but the timber is said to be val- nable, being exceedingly tough and strong. I'. macrocarpa, is very nearly related to l'. insignis and is the variety so largely found in our yards and gardens. There may be other species of the pine family to be found in scattered local- ities, but I have mentioned all of those I have personally found growing here. I had forgot- ten a beautiful species of the pine sub-family, abies nobilis, noble silver fir; and, as its name implies, is one of our most magnifieent pro- duetions. It is a singular, majestic tree grow- ing along our most northern border, producing timber of fine quality, in some localities grows 200 feet high; but further northward to Oregon thence to the Columbia, its size increases, be- comes more plentiful, occupying almost ex. clusive entire tracts of country. It is a fitting companion to A. Douglassii, two of the most magnificent evergreens of the Pacific coast. We can boast of one juniper Juniperus ocidentalis, a small tree of abont fifty feet high, growing sparsely along the San Antonio Creek. It is a handsome tree and well suited for dry, rocky locations.
" Some few specimens, I am told, may be found of Thuja Giganteu, giant arbor vitæ, over near the mouth of Russian River. In more favored locations it grows 200 feet high and 40 feet in diameter. In cultivation it is of majestic ap- pearance, of most pleasing contour and color, and well worthy of attention.
"Of the cypress family we have cupressus Imosoniuna, a very beautiful ornamental tree so well known in our gardens. It is found so far as I know only in the most northeastern portion of our county. C. fragrans is a small tree of about forty feet high, of a bright glancons green, and exceedingly beautiful; its slender branches droop gracefully down, and form a charming tree. I have found it over near Sonoma, in the upper end of the valley. It is
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not generally known that our California nut- meg-tree is a conifer. It belongs to the yew sub-family, botanically known as Torrey Cal- ifouinea. There is nothing very beautiful about it, but it is a plant to be seen but to be let alone, as it possesses in a large degree the unpleasant odor of the family; and hence is called the stinking yew.
"Of other prominent trees of our county men- tion must be made of the noble family of oaks. Of the genus Quercus, we have Q. falenta, the tanbark oak: Q. nigra, the black oak; Q. alba, the white oak; Q. aquatica, the water oak; (). laurifolio, the laurel-leaf oak; and Q. iler, the holly-leaf oak. There several sub-species of these interesting trees, all well-known to 'the native born.'
" We now mention a more interesting group, our flowering plants, of which we have countless numbers; and as the lily deservedly is the queen of our native flora, it shall have the precedence in these briefly written notes.
" Lilium Washingtonianum. This beauti- ful species is found only on the highest hill- tops. It is an Alpine plant, and when grown in low localities slowly pines away. It is of a pure white color, becoming of a purplish east with age; often delicately dotted. To those who attempt its cultivation, let me warn them it is sensitive to all stimulants, and must be grown in a evol, shady place. It is our most lovely na- tive species, and worthy of generous care, in the hopes of ultimately succeeding in its more suc- cessful culture. L. rubescens is in reality a sub- species of the foregoing. It has been found on the mountains near Sonoma and in Redwoods near Gnerneville, often seven feet high, flowers nearly white, changing to purple or rose lilac in color. L. pareum is another pretty variety of an orange-yellow color. It is of easy cul- ture and grows well in any cool, dry soil. L. Pardalinum is of a bright orange color, and enjoys a very moist, deep soil. I have seen large quantities of these beautiful lilies on the banks of the San Antonio that at times of the year must be submerged by overflowing wa-
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ters. It has succeeded well with me, and well repays any generous attention. L. Humboldtii may be found only, as far as I ean learn, on the coast near Fort Ross, It grows three to four feet high, much resembling our-tiger lily in col- or. A sub variety of this lily, L. Columbianum, was sent me from Healdsburg some years ago, having broad, flats tems and massive large, ereep- ing root-like bulbs. In faet, all our California lilies possess this characteristic form more or less, that so plainly distinguishes them from the more common forms of lilies. Of the lily sub- family the Calochortus ranks next in beauty of our native flora. They are more commonly known as Mariposa, or Butterfly Tulips, so named from their gaudy, showy colors; of these we have C. pulchellus, of a beautiful orange- yellow color, with dark bloches on each petal. It comes very late in flower, generally in July and August, and is plentifully found in dry pas- tures and hill-sides.
" C. Nudus, a very beautiful dwarf species, scarcely one foot in height, of a delicate lilac, and white color, grows only in the shade of trees. C. Nulit is of a deep yellow color, blooming in June. Often we have seen it spot- ted a pure magenta, giving it a unique ap- pearance. C. Lupins is of a deep yellow color, spotted brown and purple, exceedingly showy.
"Of our Fritillarias, also a sub variety of our lilies, and more popularly known as Crown Im- perials, we have some most beautiful species, and to those who know of them we heartily commend them as well worthy of extended ent- tivation. They all have most beautiful flow- ers, and succeed well in most any position: in fact, are one of the few that don't care what treatment they receive, only plant them in the ground. F. recurre is very beautiful, being of a yellow spotted brown color, generally found in dry pastures in loose, sandy soil. Cultivation largely improves the flowers, they being fully as beautiful as any of the foreign species. F'. bitlord. has flowers of a dark-brown purple.tinted green, and grows only over near the coast. We often have seen it in the dry, shifting sands on the sea
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HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY.
shore, indifferent to exposure alike, be it spray from the ocean or the dry, parching winds and sunshine. F. Lanceolata is of the most deli- cate structure and habit. Its dark purple flow- ers mottled with greenish yellow, so frail and slender, seem incapable of withstanding the rough frontier life, yet its delicate chalice, drooping modestly, seems indifferent to the praise of its admirers. F. pluritore is of a reddish purple color, and to us the more beanti- ful of the species. It may be found only in the shade of fences or trees or on the north side of rocky hill-sides. Some lovely speci. mens may be found in April or May on the shady banks of dry creeks. and possibly many other similar locations all over our county. Its pendulous, drooping flowers are of most ex- unisite loveliness, and as it takes kindly to cul- tivation, should be more extensively grown.
"The next most interesting genins of flower- ing bulbous plants are the Brodineus. All the species are of the easiest cultivation and will repay the most simple attention. Many of them grow with me in hard walks, dry corners, where they get no care or attention; but when the slightest interest is given them, most amply re- pay, with grateful appreciation. B. Multitour is of a most lovely violet-purple color, growing about one foot in height, and the earliest variety to flower. B. Congesto is of a lovely purple color, often flowering when two or three inches high. It is the easiest grown of the species, and in enltivation blooms alnost continuonsly from May to August. B. Capitata blooms the ear- liest of all, generally from January to May. Its dark purple flowers are very attractive and showy, usually growing one and a half feet high. Gather some bulbs of Brodeas, friends, no matter if in full flower. give them kind at- tention, and a rich reward awaits you.
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