Although of all insects of this island the beetle is the most numerous, yet during the whole spring and summer, in almost daily excursions, with constant fine weather, only one hundred and six kinds were found. On the whole, it may be observed, that none among them belong to any of the species which have been hitherto considered as peculiar to America; yet there are some of them which form entirely distinct classes, and must therefore be natives of the north-west coast of America. The result of close examination was, that none of those found here are to be met with either in the north of Asia or in Europe, and only seven species are to be found even in Unalashka.
The Fauna is adapted to the climate and the soil; Nebria, Patrobus and other Carabides, find a cool abode among the stones on the banks of the ice-cold brooks which fall from the snowy summits of the mountains; in the fir-woods, live several kinds of Xylophagi and some Cerambycides; the old mossy trunks of fallen trees afford hiding-places for several kinds of Carabides, as two Cychrus, Leistus, Platysma; and for Nitidula, Scaphidium, Agyrtes, and Boros. On the skirts of the woods, shrubs and tall plants nourish some insects belonging to various families; as two Homalisus, Omalium, and Anthophagus, Anaspis, Cantharis, and Silis; besides Elater of eight kinds, and a ninth living under stones.
The small standing waters, formed by single cavities, are proportionably rich in water-beetles, among which is found a Dyticus of the form of the sulcatus, seven Colymbetes, Hydroporus two species, and a Gyrinus. The Carabides are: Cychrus angusticollis and marginatus, Nebria metallica and three new species, Leistus, Poecilus two, Patrobus, Omaseus adstrictus, Platysma two, Loricera plainly distinguished from the pilicornis, Amara, Trechus three, Bembidium two, and Leja three species. Thirteen species of Brachelytra have been found; of carrion-beetles, a Necrophorus, a Silpha, quite of the figure of the subterranea, and a Catops. Of Pentamerides are still to be mentioned the Scydmaenus, Cryptophagus, Byrrhus, Cercyon, Psammodius, and Aphodius. The number of Heteromerides amounts only to four; namely, one Boros of the arched form of the elongatus, a small Phaleria, a pale yellow Anaspis, and a small black, flat beetle with overgrown wing-cases of a new form, which must be reckoned among the family of the Blapides. Of beetles with probosces only six were found, of Xylophagi seven, of the species Hylurgus two, Bostrichus three, one Rhyzophagus, and a larger quite red Cucujus. The three stag-beetles were a Sphondylis, a Lamia with excrescences upon the sharply pointed cases of its wings, and a beetle of the flat form of a Callidium. Of the large class of Chrysomelides, only five varieties were to be met with; namely, two sorts of Donacia, a beetle of the form of a Lema, and two varieties, of the form of Eumolpes. Lastly, three Trimerides were discovered, namely, two Latridii and a Pselaphus.
Our stay in the Bay of St. Francisco, in California, during the months of October and November, was unfavourable to the observations of a naturalist. A perfect drought prevails during those months; vegetation appears completely dead; and all birds of passage abandon the country. The landscape along the coast is alternately formed of naked hills, of a rocky or clayey soil, and low sandy levels, covered with stunted bushes. Further inland, the soil is more fertile, but still deficient in wood. The background every where presents lofty mountains; we visited only those to the north, at the foot of which the Russian settlement Ross is situated. Here a fine forest of lofty pines, mingled with oak and horse chesnut-trees, charms the eye. Of the mammalia of this hitherto unexplored country, only a few can be cited. The light grey American bear, with a small head, abounds in unfrequented districts, but brown bears are also occasionally killed. We nearly ascertained the existence of two sorts of polecats, and succeeded in getting a skin of one; its fur is brown below, and black above: from the forehead a white stripe runs to the middle of the back, and then divides into two, which extend to the extremity of the tail. The feet of the animal show that it treads upon its entire sole, and lives in holes like a badger. The second sort is said to have three white stripes: our sailors caught one, but it got away again. The mole here is larger than in Europe; the upper part of the body is of a greyish brown, the lower part an ash grey; the legs are covered with a white fur, and the taper tail is one-fifth of the length of the body. A shrew-mouse also was caught. Two or three kinds of large cats are said to have been seen; a mustela, something of the nature of the Lutreola, was shot near the Rio Sacramento. The sea-otter still abounds here, but its hair is brownish, and not black. The Cervus Wapiti is found in great numbers in hilly districts; and there are deer in all unfrequented places. The back and sides of the latter are of a reddish brown in summer, in winter of a blackish brown; the belly, breast, and inside of the legs are white; the mouth, forehead, and the exterior of the ears are black. The antlers (of the male) divide into a fork, with round smooth branches. The animal grows to the height of two feet and a half. Near the Rio Sacramento, and in the vicinity of the Russian settlement, we saw herds of animals of the shape of goats, with long hair hanging from their legs, and short straight horns; we were unfortunately unable to obtain a specimen; we saw the animal only through a telescope, and judged it to be the Capra Columbiana, or Rupicapra Americana Blainville, so often spoken of. Lastly, we have to mention a small kind of hare, not so large as a rabbit, found in great abundance among the bushes, and a dormouse seen in the southern plains.
In consequence of the lateness of the season, most of the birds that breed here had already left the neighbourhood; we therefore saw only such birds as pass the winter here, and also a number of aquatic birds that were daily arriving from the north. Of the former we met with five kinds of Icterus; one quite black, except the shoulders, which were red; these were extremely numerous, and sleep, like the Icterus phœnicius, among rushes. The Sturnus ludovicianus and Picus auratus of the United States, are also found in California; the Percnopterus californicus, Corvus mexicanus, and Perdix californica, are already known. A large grey crane, probably from the north, remained here: upon the whole, the number of birds observed, amounted to forty.
A few Amphibia were found concealed under stones; namely, a large Tachydromus, a Tropydurus, a Crotalus, a Coluber, and four Salamandrides: among the latter was one with the body covered with warts, and a narrow compressed tail, the glands of the ear wholly wanting; the others had long narrow bodies of about the thickness of a common earth-worm, with short legs, standing far apart, and toes scarcely perceptible to the naked eye.
Nearly two hundred kinds of beetles were collected: with the exception of the Lampyris corrusca Fabr., which, according to Banks, is found on the Columbia river, all are as yet undescribed. Upon the dry ground, under stones, many Heteromerides, with distorted wing-cases, were found, and among them six new species. A large Cychrus was also found, and a species closely resembling the Manticora, together with many other Carabides, of which we collected, in all, fifty different species.
It was at the Sandwich Isles that the greatest number of fishes and Crustacea were collected: of the former the greatest variety, and the most remarkable, were kept in the fish preserves of the royal family. Of other classes of animals, but few are to be met with. Among the dense woods that cover the backs of the mountains, there must be a number of land-birds, but we met only Melithreptus vestiarius, and two sorts of the Dicæum; in the fields laid under water were the Gallinula chloropus and a Fulica. Of corals there is but little variety; these islands being situated nearly in the highest latitude in which coral is ever found. In the vicinity of the harbour are two sorts of Astræa, two Porites, a Pavonia, and a Hornera. The number of insects is small, as is indeed the case with all land animals; it is therefore creditable to our industry, that we are able to muster twenty sorts of beetles. A small Platynus is the only Carabide; in the water, two Colymbetes and a Hydrophilus were found. The only Elater belongs to a species (Agrypnus N.) in which we reckon various specimens found only in the Old World, such as Elater tomentosus, fuscipes, senegalensis, &c.; beetles which have two deep furrows in the lower part of the neck-shield, to receive the feelers, and which go in search of their food at night. They resemble many of the European springing beetles covered with scales, and included by Megerle under the name Lepidotus; such are fasciatus, murinus, varius. Two Aphodii were found; one, of the size of the Psammodius porcatus, but very flat, lives under the bark of a decayed tree, the wood of which has become soft. Another has the almost prickly shoulders of the Aphodius stercorator and asper; of these we form the species Stenocnemis, and include therein four new varieties found in Brazil and Luçon. It may be here observed, that Psammodius sabuleti and cylindricus N., must be classed with Ægialia, which, on account of the horny nature of their jaws, and the projection of the upper lip, enter into the same class with Trox; the remaining kinds of Psammodius, however, do not at all agree with the character given them by Gyllenhal, and ought in their turn to be classed with Aphodius. Among the remaining beetles, all of which dwell under the bark of trees, a Parandra was the largest.