The Seri Indians. (1898 N 17 / 1895-1896 (pages 1-344*)) — John Shaqi
The Seri Indians. (1898 N 17 / 1895-1896 (pages 1-344*))McGee, W J
History
The Seri Indians. (1898 N 17 / 1895-1896 (pages 1-344*))
McGee, W J
Seri Indians; Seri language; Yuman languages
The coasts of Seriland, both insular and mainland, are skirted by
zones of exceptionally luxuriant shrubbery, maintained chiefly by fog
moisture. Along the mountainous parts of the coast the zone is narrow
and indefinite, but on the plains portions it extends inland for
several miles with gradually fading characters; this is especially true
in the southern portion of Desierto Encinas, where the fog effects may
be observed in the vegetation 12 or 15 miles from the coast. Most of
the fog fed species are identical with those of the interior, though
the shrubs are more luxuriant and are otherwise distinctive in habit.
On the Tiburon side of gale-swept El Infiernillo, and to some extent
along other parts of the coast, some of these shrubs (notably _Maytenus
phyllanthroides_) grow in dense hedge-like or mat-like masses, often
yards in extent and permanently modeled by the wind in graceful
dune-like shapes. Somewhat farther inland the flatter coastwise zones
of Tiburon are rather thickly studded with shrubby clumps from 6 inches
to 2 feet high, made up of _Frankenia palmeri_ with half a dozen minor
communals; while still farther inland follows the prevailing Sonoran
flora of mesquite, scrubby paloverde, and chaparral (_Celtis pallida_),
etc., only a little more luxuriant than the normal.
Throughout Seriland proper, and especially in the interior valleys
of Tiburon, grasses are more prevalent than in other portions of the
Sonoran province, their abundance doubtless being due to the rarity of
graminivorous animals during recent centuries.
FAUNA
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