Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-05-18

REPoRF ON THE GEOLOGY, BoTANY AND ZooL.
oGY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND 0RE0oE
made TO the War Department by John g.
Newberry, NJ. D., Prof Of Geol. and Chem
Columbia COLL, Washington, D. O., 1855
Professor Newberry, our former towns
man, was, it will be remembered, attached
to the party sent out by the o. 8. Govern
nent in 1855 to survey and examine rOntes
through Oregon and California from the
Mississippi westward TO the ocean, for the
Pacific Railroad. The work, of which the
above Constitutes the title page, is an elabor-
ate report, made up of the materials which
the author collected on his tour. II 6llS q
book Of over one hundred. large sized pages,
which are thickly interpreted with elez
gantly colored lithographic plates Of the
magnificent scenery incident to the Far
/ West, and cuts Of aninals, fishes, reptiles,
and plants which are found in the noun
tains and plains of that region. Large por-
tions of the work are Of as much interest to
the general as to the scientific reader. Some
Of its PleaSantest pages are devoted to birds
and animals, and their habits and charaO-
teristies and the grsee OF the narrntOrss
style contributes not little to the readers
enjoyment. We extract two paragraphs, the
first concerning Seals: fts -5f.L
"While duck shooting on San Pablo Bay,
we were many times amused, and soms-
times little startled, 10 see a round head,
as large as that Of g man, suddenly and ST.
lently raised above the water near US, and q
pair of google eyes, just enough human to
make them horrible, staring at US, recalling
all sorts of stories of strangled Innocence
rising to confront the murderer Usually,
after taking a good look at US, the head
would sink as silently as it rose, leaving US
in a pleasant state of uncertainty whether
it was ghost or demon that had formed the |
apparition. After longer or shorter inter- |
val, that bullet head and google eyes would |
appear on the other side OF the boat, rising |
aid sinking in the same ghostly way, and |
giving no hint, but leaving TO the imagina-
tion what might be appended to this curious
head Iiece.
ga similsr appsr tion startled me one
quiet Sabbath morning when sitting on the
trop rocks at the Falls of the Columbia
the more, as I should as soon heve expected
to see whale as a seal at that distance from
the Pacific and above the Cascades"
The other is of an Oregon Red Squirrel:
al was sometimes greatly amused at the
antics of one Of these little fellows. As
approached the tree on which he sat, instead
of retreating, he would sit still and scold, or
even come out on a branch within few feet
Of my head. As though curious to examine,
and determined to drive away this strange
animal which had invaded his solitude.
Perched on the end of the branch, constant
ly scolding and twisting from side to side, he
would balance himself on his feet as though
about to spring upon me; then, his fears
getting the better of his valor, he would
scamper away and hide himself behind the
trunk. Reassured BY q few moments quiet
on my part, he would biistIe up and again
rush out to the end Of the limb, apparently
finally resolved to throw himself down upon
me. This he would never do, however; and
1T length having failed to produce any inn
preston upon me by his graces and grim-
lces, his bluster and bravado, he would
scramble up the tree or into some hole, Rp-
parently in intense disgust, scoIding as long
rs l was near" a'f-l'''