characteristic of the Cariboo Park-

i shes
lands. is not represented. There are no alkaline ponds, nor mar

dominated by round stem pulrush; instead are muskegs Lpaeaiee ss
made up in part of species which in Southern British a ae
restricted to a sub-alpine habitat. The presence of WEWeN ar ee
far south is observed with interest. The aifference in water abi
tat is associated with a difference in pird-life. Such species as

-pack, ruddy duck, yellow-headed
blue winged teal, redhead, canvas~pack, y foe tac nee

blackbird, long billed marsh wren, all common speci : 2
are not represented in the nesting population. as relative scar
city of crows, Brewer blackbird, red-winged blackbird, vesper

sparrow and red-eyed vireo and the absence of western meadowLark,

mountain bluebird and song sparrow is to be noted.

The grasslands type of terrain,

Quesnel Region

Upon leaving the comparatively dry uplands of Baker Creek Lor
the region adjacent to Quesnel it is at once apparent that dMiten=
ent climatic conditions prevail in these lower valleys: Engelmann
spruce is the most abundant conifer; in places Douglas fir grows
tall and straight, the lower 30 to 60 feet without branches, but
deciduous forest predominates and extends nearly to the summits
of some of the high ridges. In addition to the familiar aspen and
black cottonwood, some of them along the river bottoms being excep—
tionally tall, are stretches of woodland dominated by western birch
Betula occidentalis and mountain birch Betula fontinalis with lesser
amounts of wild cherry Prunus emarginata, black hawthorn Craetagus
Douglasi, mountain ash Pyrus sitchensis and high bush cranberry
Viburnum opulus. In these woods, deep in humus, is a vigorous wader
growth of thimble berry Rubus parviflorus, rose Rosa sp., wax berry
Symphoricarpos racemosa, tall fern and flowering plants--the gen-
eral picture being reminiscent of the Columbia Forest Biotic Area.
The precipitation is less than might be expected in view of the
floral conditions, the average for a 10-year period at Quesnel
being 15.51 inches--only slightlv higher than that at Vernon,
Okanagan, for the same period, viz., 15.24 inches. Perhaps the
richness of the vegetation is due in part to the influence exerted
by the Fraser River. For example, it was observed that heavy fogs
lasting for several hours in the early morning were not infrequent
and it may be that moisture conveyed thus to the adjacent slopes
and valleys is a factor favouring luxuriance in the vegetation.
Along the valleys of the tributary Quesnel River and Cottonwood
River the same forest type associated with tall undergrowth pre-
vails.

— 12 =