[153] Probably one of the branches of Cheyenne Creek.—Ed.
[154] Cheyenne Mountain(?).—Ed.
[155] Cactus cylindricus of Humboldt.—James.
[156] Humboldt's Personal Narrative, vol. i. p. 362. Philadelphia Edit.—James.
[157] Cucumis perennis, S.—Calyx, seated upon the germ, rugose, coloured campanulate, exterior divisions subulate.
Masc. Three filaments, short, closely covering the central disc. Fœm. Style short, stigmas three bipartite.
Fruit. Pome large, orbicular, smooth, about four celled seeds, ovate, gibbous, margin acute; dissepiments torn, spongy; seeds in a double order; leaves alternate, triangularly cordate, margin undulate, tendrils axillary trichotomous; stems numerous, procumbent, grooved; flowers nearly as large as those of Cucurbita pepo; fruit round, smooth, and green, nearly sessile, resembling a small unripe water-melon. The leaves are rough, of a glaucous green colour, bitter and nauseous to the taste, and the whole plant emits a fœtid odour.
Root fusiform, very large, six feet in length, and often four inches in diameter, descending perpendicularly into the earth. It inhabits the arid and sandy wastes, along the base of the Rocky Mountains, from the confluence of the Arkansa, and Boiling Spring Fork, to the sources of Red River. By means of its long and somewhat succulent root it is peculiarly adapted to the soil it occupies, and is found to thrive with considerable vigour in wastes whose thirsty and burning soils bid defiance to almost every other vegetable. It flowers in July, and continues flowering and perfecting fruit during the summer. Some plants of this interesting species are growing in the garden of the University of Philadelphia, from seeds brought by Major Long, but they have not yet flowered. The leaves are thick and robust, from six to eight inches long, and four or five in width, on foot-stalks equalling the leaves in length; they are crowded along the stems, and usually stand erect. It does not appear that any insect or animal preys upon the leaves or other parts of this plant. It forms, by its deep green, a striking contrast to the general aspect of the regions it inhabits, which are exceedingly naked and barren.
This plant has been mentioned by Mr. Brackenridge, from the information of hunters, but no detailed account of it has hitherto been given. The annexed figure is from a drawing by Mr. Peale, made of the plant in its native locality. The petioles and the extremities of the stems are usually affected with morbid enlargements, resembling galls. They may perhaps be caused by the irritation of the intense reflected light and heat of the sun, in the situations where the plant usually grows. In the gardens it has not hitherto produced these enlargements.—James.
[158] 1. Fringilla psaltria, Say.—A very pretty little bird, was frequently seen hopping about in the low trees or bushes, singing sweetly, somewhat in the manner of the American gold-finch, or Hemp-bird (Fringilla tristis). The tints, and the distribution of the colours of its plumage resemble, in a considerable degree, those of the autumnal and less brilliant vesture of that well-known species. It may, however, be distinguished, in addition to other differences, by the black tip of its tail-feathers, and the white wing spot.