Return to LIBRARY OF MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY WOODS HOLE, MASS. Loaned by American Museum of Natural History RECREATION * VOL II APRIL, 1909 No. l 4* EDUCATION EXPLANATORY NOTE :— Thii number is published from a temporary office at 47 Willow Street. Stamford, Con- necticut, and mailed at the Stamford Post Office as before. This is due to delay in the erection of the Sound Beach buildings. It is expected that the next number will be published and mailed at Sound Beach. BEGINNING WITH THIS NUMBER A 5 " THE MINERAL COLLECTOR " For Fifteen Years Published in New York City is Merged in THE GUIDE TO NATURE SEE PAGE 13. Another advance. A department, " Aquarium," begins with this number. It is under the auspices of The Aquarium Society of Philadelphia. Coopera- tion of other aquarists will be cordially welcomed. See page 16. AN ILLUSTRATED MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR ADULTS, DEVOTED TO COMMONPLACE NATURE WITH UNCOMMON INTEREST. PUBLISHED BY THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION. TEMPORARY OFFICE: 47 WILLOW ST., STAMFORD, CONN. Subscription, $1.00 Per Year. .... Single Copy, 10 Cents Entered at necond-cla** matter, April 6. 1908, at the Po»t Office at Stamford, Conn , under the Act of March 3, 1879 THE PHOTOGRAPHIC TIMES NOW IN ITS FORTY-FIRST VOLUME, HAS RECENTLY CHANGED MANAG EM EN7, AN D IS NOW BEING CONDUCTED BY MR. W. ! LINCOLN ADAMS. WHO EDITED IT VERY SUCCESSFULLY FOR MANY YEARS, UNDER A FORMER OWNERSHIP. THE THIRTY- PAGES OF ITS READING MATTER IS WRITTEN OR PRE°ARED ESPECIALLY FOR THIS MAGAZINE, AND IT CONTAINS EACH MONTH ABOUT TWO DOZEN, OR SO, ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE VERY HIGHEST PICTORIAL VALUE. THERE ARE DEPARTMENTS DEVOTED TO CAMERA CLUBS, REVIEWS, FOR- EIGN DIGEST, DISCOVERIES. ITEMS OF INTEREST. AND TRADE NOTES. TO WHICH ALL READERS ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO CONTRIBUTE. IT IS PRINTED FROM ENTIRELY NEW TYPE ON THE BEST OF BOOK PAPER, AND ALTOGETHER PRESENTS AN INTERESTING AND ATTRACTIVE APPEARANCE. THIS MAGAZINE DOES NOT CON- TAIN MUCH ABOUT HIGH ART, PHOTO-SECESSION, FREA.K PICTURES ETC., ETC.; BUT IT DOES CONTAIN MANY BRIGHT, CONTRIBUTED ARTICLES BY OUR BEST PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKERS AND WRITERS, ON PRACTICAL SUBJECTS FOR BOTH THE AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE $1.50 YEAR, SINGLE NUMBER 15 CENTS, ADVERTISING RATES ON APPLICATION. The Photographic Times Publishing Association street, \ FOR All Students and Lovers ot Nature and Outdoor Lite FOR MEN AND WOMEN: The Guide to Nature, - - - $1.00 FOR BOYS AND GIRLS: Nature and Science. A Department of The St. Nicholas Magazine, - - 3.00 $4.00 Both for only $3.00 Ma> eparate addresses The Guide to Nature" and 'Nature and Science " are edited by d F. I • on distinct and yet cooperating lines for adults and for young peo| >r the whole family ; for the whole school. Articles, photographs, drawings, letters, suggestions, inquiries, etc., are 1 tor both magazines. what a I. us- man you must be Where you get all the mattei material of thousands of readers, is a mys- nnk th'- ong enoi /■'. /'. //■ But it is done and dun. well in \nd it is going to be do fficiently, more attractively, ntertainingly and more inspiringly, for nds more ol readers, : naturalist-philanthropist has supplied an ent. Address alter April ist EDWARD F. BIGELOW ARCADIA SOUND BEACH, CONNECTICUT &***** ;o w PUBLISHERS NOTICES (& Most Indispensable. Here we are showing' an azelia in a Jardinier being- sprayed underneath the leaves with the Lenox Plant Sprayer, manufactured by the G. N. Leno'x Sprayer Company of New York, 165 West 23d Street. It shows how thoroughly the underside of a plant can be covered with tobacco Spraying Under the Leaves. water or any other liquid insecticide or clear water by the misty spray ejected from the sprayer, it is unlike the old fashioned rubber bottle, which is clumsy and unhandy for amatuer flowering, or the common sprinkling pot from which water can only be poured out but one way, over the leaves. The Lenox is certainly better than any that we know of on the mar- ket. Most plants to be healthful and thrifty should be sprayed underneath the foliage, thereby removing all ac- cumulations of dust and all breeding insects, and refreshing the plants as nature intended for them. The spray reaches every part of the plant and directly into "the flowers as is seen in the above cut. For our part we do not see how it is possible to keep plants successfully without having one of the Lenox Sprayers handy, and since the price is rather low for a thing as good as that, we should think every lover of plants should have one. It will come handy to keep the rose hugs off from the rose bushes too, and that is not so far away. — Reader, vou need one of these sprayers if you have any plants. Nature and Science FOR YOUNG FOLKS (A Department of The St. Nicholas Magazine PUBLISHED BY THE CENTURY COMPANY New York City) Edited by EDWARD F. BIGELOW The publishers in their announcements for 1909 refer to Nature and Science as; "that delightful and helpful department" and state that it "promises more interest and profit than ever." "Nature and Science has won its pre- sent high standing by accuracy in por- traying nature from the standpoint of the child. The editor has secured the co-operation of nearly all the best natural- ists, scientists and nature artists in the country. The text and illustrations are directly from nature — not from books — and are absolutely true. So carefully is every statement weighed, questioned, and criticized, that every parent, every teacher, every child has implicit confi- dence that a' statement in Nature and Science can be absolutely relied on. And it's interesting." PERSONAL. I desire to continue and increase this co-operation. Photographs, contribu- tions, drawings and suggestions are cor- dially solicited. Those accepted will be paid' for. Descriptive circular of Nature and Science upon application. Corre- spondence invited. Edward F. BigELOW. Sound Beach, Connecticut. Allow me to congratulate you upon the continued improvement and the general edu- cational value of "The Guide to Nature."— Dr. Robert T. Morris. 11 ADVERTISEMENTS. BEE-KEEPING FOR SEDENTARY FOLK Some years ago our attention was drawn to the fact that many sedentary folks were taking up bee-keeping; some for study, some for honey, and some for money. The number has increased and to inform those who are inquiring we have prepared various pamphlets. (Send for list). THE A B C OF BEE CULTURE. A complete encyclopedia on bees of nearly 540 pages, fully illustrated. $1.50 postpaid. Half leather, $2.00. CATALOG OF BEE-KEEPER'S SUPPLIES. Our complete catalog will be mailed free to any address on request. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. A 64-page illustrated semi-monthly maga- zine, the leading exponent of bee culture in this country. Ten cents per issue, but to new subscribers we will furnish it six months for 25 cents. $1.00 per year. THE A. I. ROOT CO, MEDINA, 0. F. SCHUYLER MATHEWS Illustrated Lectures on WILD BIRDS AND THEIR MUSIC A Series of Three Lectures — Illustrated with his own water-color sketches, and accompanied with careful imitations of bird songs, together with pianoforte interpretations. Also Illustrated Lectures on Trees and Flowers Author of " Field Book of American Wild Flowers," "' Field Book of Wild Birds and their Music, ' etc. Special terms $20 and expenses to educational institutions and small clubs. F. SCHUYLER MATHEWS, Studio, No. 17 Frost St., Cambridge, Mass. Greatest Paper For All Hobbies DO YOU COLLECT ANYTHING, OR HAVE YOU j CAMERA OR j HOBBY? Send ten cents to the undersigned and you will receive for three months the oldest, largest and best collectors' monthly for all kinds of Hobbies: Natural History and American Historical Discoveries; Coins, Stamps, Curios, Relics, Photography, Minerals, Sciences, Illustrated Souvenir Post Cards- Rarities and New Finds for all Kinds of Collectors. Over 3,600 pages in 2 years. The Philatelic West and Camera News SUPERIOR. NEBRASKA, U. S. A. Greatest of its kind in the world. Fifty cents entitles you to a year's subscription and a free fifteen- word exchange notice in the largest exchange department extant. THIS ILLUSTRATED 100-PAGE MONTHLY was established in 1895, and has the largest circulation of any Collectors' monthly. L. T. Brodstone, Publisher SUPERIOR, NEBRASKA. U. S. A. Send five cents for membership card to American Camera Souvenir Club Exchange,— over 8,000 members in all parts of the world,— or fifty cents for one year's membership to American Histori- cal and Natural History, Curio and Philatelic Society. Try it. West Souvenir Post Cards, 10c the doz. Many colors. Try them. Special Offer:— 40 Post Cards Free with 6 months subscrip- tion at 25c. All different cards. BUT WE KNOW THAT A REAL, ORDINARY, YET A MARVELOUS WORLD DOES EXIST, AND RIGHT AT HAND. THE PRESENT GREAT NATURE MOVEMENT IS AN OUTGOING TO DISCOVER IT ITS TREES, BIRDS, FLOWERS, ITS MYRIAD FORMS. THIS IS THE MEANING OF THE COUNTLESS MANUALS, THE " KN O W-TO- HO w" BOOKS, AND THE NATURE STUDY OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND THIS DESIRE TO KNOW NATURE IS THE REASONABLE, NATURAL PREPARATION FOR THE DEEPER INSIGHT THAT LEADS TO COMMUNION WITH HER A DESIRE TO BE TRACED MORE DIRECTLY TO AGASSIZ, AND THE HOSTS OF TEACHERS HE INSPIRED, PERHAPS, THAN THE POET-ESSAY- ISTS LIKE EMERSON AND THOREAU AND BURROUGHS. Dallas /.Off S/lltrp /'/I " 'They Lay Of the /,(!»fl tKW< 8 A Visit to a Western Ranch BY EARL DOUGLASS, PITTSBURG, PA. OR months we had been living in a stone cabin in a land of sage-brush, cac- tus, and prairie-dogs. We had long wished to explore the more broken country to the eastward, and, at last, we found the opportunity. Though we started in good season in the morning, before we reached the high hills the sun was pouring its heat on the sandy waste which reflected it back with added intensity. We stopped to eat our lunch at a "wash," or ravine, cut deep into a red sandy flat. Here the sage-brush and other shrubs were more rank, and a little pool furnished a drink for the thirsty horses. Soon after lunch we reached the eastern border of the LTinta Basin, where the rocks form a ridge several miles in width. They slope steeply to the westward, so, as we travelled to the eastward, we came to older and older formations. The first beds were fine light green slate-like rocks many hundreds of feet in thickness composed of many hundreds of thousands of thin layers. In these, a few miles away, we had found hosts of insects, such as ants, moscpiitoes, bugs, beetles, etc., that had fallen into the water and had been buried in the mud ages ago. But as Kipling says, 'That is another story." Then we passed a formation that in Wyoming and New Mexico had yielded bones of little horses not bigger than a fox, small animals very distantly related to the tapirs and rhinoceroses and many beasts more strange than those of fairy tales. Next we came to a bed where ancient forests had decayed and left layers of coal and impressions of leaves in the rocks. At last we descended a steep slope into a large valley, which, by the action of the running water, had been carved out of the shales which had been formed from mud that had ac- Copyright 1909 by The Agassiz Association, Stamyford, Conn. THE GUIDE TO NATURE. SPRINGY PLACES FULL OF CAT-TAILS AXD WATER-CRESS. cumulated to a great thickness in an old Cretaceous sea. The basin was surrounded on three sides by bluffs of clay and shale, and its bottom was so furrowed by water from rains and melting snow that it had been difficult to find a wagon-way through it. It was still very hot and the scene was almost as desolate as that of a desert. About the only signs of animal life that we noticed were conical mounds of sand surrounded by circular patches kept clear of vegetation. These were the dwelling places of the agricultural ants, one of the few kinds of insects whose interesting lives, habits, and in- genuous dwelling-places have been studied and described. At last we saw an oil-derrick, some cabins, and oil-tanks. This we found was the partially explored oil-region of which we had heard. In every fresh exposure of the shales that we examined we had found impressions of scales and bones of fishes. This, perhaps, had originated the theory that the oil came from the fishes that had lived in the sea. After traveling several weary miles, we saw, to the southward, green trees peeping from behind barren hills; and then we came to the White River fiat. We entered a gate through a barbed-wire fence and were on a ranch, the first we had seen for weeks. We soon found that we were in a pasture for a man was driving the cows home to be milked. In this pasture, above the irrigating ditch, the sage-brush grew more rank than on the higher land and the grease- wood gave a greener tint to the land- scape ; but when we came to the ditch the scene was suddenly transformed. It was only a step from comparative desolation to a paradise of vegetable luxuriance. The ditch was almost hidden among green willows, grasses, wild sunflowers, and numerous other plants. On the west side of the road was a field of oats that had just been har- vested and shocked. In a more dis- tant field we could see and hear a harvesting-machine cutting the grain. On the east side of the lane was a field of wheat, and beyond that was a pretty farm-house, half hidden in a cottpn- wood grove. Between the field of wheat and the grove was a garden and an orchard. In the garden were beets, carrots, onions, beans pumpkins, mel- ons and other vegetables. In front of the large brick barn were wagons and farm machinery, and on the south side was the barnyard where the cows were standing: chewing their cuds and wait- ing to be milked. All the sights, sounds, and odors brought to my mind as by magic, THE OUTDOOR WORLD. THE SUN WAS SHINING THROUGH THE GROVE STOOD IN WHICH THE FARMHOUSE scenes of former days, and prolonged absence from such scenes in a large city and in an arid treeless wilderness, redoubled the interest and pleasure which I felt, and I was seized with an irresistible desire to get pictures of nearly everything that 1 saw. 1 often pity those who have not spent a part of childhood's days on a farm, for it seems that they have lost something that they can never get anywhere else or at any other time. It is one of our natural rights to spend part of our time with Nature, the oldest, yet the best and most up-to-date teacher. I know by experience that there is much hard drudgery on a farm, but I believe that one is full}' paid for it in later years, no matter what profession he may follow. The happy hours that I spent on this western ranch, paid me for man}- days of hard labor in former years. We stopped at the barn and inquired of the good-natured foreman of the ranch, where we could find a good camping-place. We were told that the best place was just across the river. We then drove through an avenue of tall shade-trees in front of the enclos- ure in which stood the fine cottage which was occupied by the owner of the ranch. Between the house and the river was an open spot, part of which was low and wet. Here cat-tails and watercress grew in abundance. I jumped out of the wagon and pulled up a large bunch of the latter which furnished a fine relish for our evening meal by the camp-fire. When crossing the ford we stopped in the middle of the stream to let the ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE RIVER THE BLOOMING CLEMATIS SEEMED TO FORM A FAIRY BOWER INDEED THE GUIDE TO NATURE. horses drink. The sun was shining through the grove in which the farm- house stood, and it made a trembling streak of light in the broad, rippling band of shadows, the reflection of the grove in the running waters. The few clouds in the western sky, and the nearer trees were fringed by the light of the setting sun. ''What a picture it would make!" I thought, so I took BY THE DITCH THE WILD SUNFLOWER AND THE PLUME GRASS GREW HIGHER THAN MY HEAD. three snap-shots, all of which were good. Our camping-place was on a green grassy plot of ground between the river and a little strip of tangled thicket of brush, vines and trees. We hob- bled our horses, turned them loose and prepared our evening meal by a camp- fire of dry willows. The trees and shrubs near our camp were draped in clematis, or virgin bower, and across the river this plant formed a fairy bower indeed. I resolved that I would not leave this place without making an excursion over the more attractive part of the ranch and taking pictures of what pleased my fancy ; so, in the morning,. with in)- camera, I recrossed the river. Air. Rector, the owner of the ranch, w as not at home ; but his intelligent wife and her bright little children were there. Airs. Rector welcomed me in the free, hospitable spirit of the West, and, from her, I learned many interest- ing" things about the country. The house and its surroundings were beau- tiful. There was not another such a dwelling for scores of miles. In the garden all kinds of vegetables seemed to thrive. When we were there the corn was in tassel and the pumpkins anel melons were still in bloom. I started for a walk over a part of the' ranch. By the irrigating ditch, the wild sunflower and the grasses grew higher than my head, forming a minia- ture jungle. Between the ditch and the river were many green, grassy glades hidden among dense thickets of willows. I wondered what insects lived in the thickets and visited the flowers and what birds lived and nest- ed here. A little farther up the river were long, crooked lakes, or bayous, the former courses of the river. In some portions of these, there was open water, while, in other portions, were dense growths of rank vegetation such as cat-tails, grasses, the giant bulrush, and other sedges. These reedy places swarmed with blackbirds. As I ap- proached, I could hear them puddling in the water and the}- flew out in ones twos and scattered groups like bees from a hive. They sometimes collected in thousands and it made me think of boyhood scenes in Minnesota when they used to fly by in large flocks neither end of which could be seen for a long time. This was an ideal nesting place for blackbirds and waterfowls. T wished to know what beautiful and strange forms of minute life existed in these reedy bayous but I had not a microscope with me or time to investi- gate. Tn one place, a crescent-shaped THE OUTDOOR WORL THESE WERE LONG, CROOKED LAKES OR BAYOUS bayou, an abandoned channel of the river, was open for a long distance, and both sides were thickly fringed with shrubs and other vegetation. I saw that there were wild ducks in the pond and this aroused my instinct for hunting. I had not a gun but some- thing better. I crept along the border of the new mown field close to the thick fringe of willows, grasses and weeds. I made my way not without some noise, through the dense thicket to the edge of the pond, and saw the ducks quietly reposing on the mud of the farther end, or swimming about on the water. I snapped at them several times with my camera, once when a couple were flying toward me. After others arose, I got a picture of them on the wing. 1 next went to a field where a man was cutting grain, and took several pictures. I spent a few short hours here and saw many interesting things, but one might stay a life time study- ing and photographing the plants and animals and then make only a begin- ning. We sometimes think we would like to go to Africa and study the wild beasts there but in these tangled thickets of weeds, shrubs and flowers are animals far less known than the large beasts of Africa. The insects with most interesting and varied habits are little known and nobody knows any- thing of the microscopic life, the beau- WILD DFCKS ON THE WING 8 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. tiful little plants and animals that live in the bayous. Here main- interesting plants grow and birds build their nests, lay their beautiful eggs, the sight of which so thrills the heart of a boy, yes, and we never get over it. Then in the barren rocks that surround the valley are remains of animals and plants that lived in the ages that are gone. Doubt- less many of them never yet seen by man. Soon after noon, we started down White River for the. strange beasts of the past, the remains of which we had been collecting seemed calling me from the desert and we returned to our work with renewed interest. The Personality of Flowers BY WILLIAM WHITMAN BAILEY, LL. D. BROWN UNIVERSITY, PROVIDENCE, R. L That to flowers we attribute certain human characteristics is a fact as old, probably, as observation itself. Thus we speak of the pompous and aristo- cratic tulip, the stately lily, the tremb- ling, shy anemone, the coy violet, the modest rose. Even trees come in for this featural description, as the robust oak, the tough, and subtle hickory, the weeping willow, the aspiring pine and the clinging ivy. Some of these attributes have become fixed in our literature and are the gen- eral property of all writers. Others have a more personal character and are applied by the particular essayist or poet. By his use of terms we guess something of his own nature. To the writer of this article, the terms laughing and frolicksome have ever seemed to belong of right and unchallenged to the liverwort or hepat- ica. As these blue eyed flowers revel down a hillside, they appear to be engaged in a wild but innocent romp now hiding behind rocks, now peeping out from a cover of brown leaves or gaily whispering in some sunny corner. It is no use saying they are uncon- scious; their every glance shows that they are enjoying a holiday. For this were they created. Never, for a moment, does hepatica claim to be other than it is to assume a livery other than its own, or to feign a sobriety it does not feel. If there be a genuine flower it is this. As inno- cent as lily of the valley, it is somehow more lovable, more loving. One is quite sure that it reciprocates his affec- tion. The bloodroot, which is equally com- mon, robed in pure white as it is, is involved in mystery What is the tragedy that attends it? Why this ensanguined root which it tries in vain to conceal? Must its dread secret al- ways remain unknown? That quaker ladies or bluets have a strong personality every one must have observed. Note first their gre- gariousness, how they at first gather in little chatty groups and then, as at a given signal, all run into a vast throng. It is as if they had caucuses and primary meetings and then a gen- eral convention where, let us hope, thev do not quarrel. According to one's mood, skunk cab- bages appear either as solemn, hooded monks or as uncanny kobolds or gob- lins dire. Their robes are too rich for actual hermits. Jack-in-the-pulpit is, of course, an accepted priest. Observe his tonsured poll. I have fancies some- times that I could even follow his ser- mon and profit thereby. Even botanists, who are by no means all poets, though old Linnaeus and others have had a lively fancy, have conceded to the pond lilv a mystic origin. Is our common one not, in older manuals at least, known as Nym- phaea? Do we not all feel jarred to have that name transferred to the coarse and evil-smelling spatter-dock? It was an accident, some say, that be- stowed the name Euryale, "queen of the furies" on the superb water lily of the Amazons, and a fortunate chance which transfers it to Victoria, "our late most gracious queen and lady." Tt was not their gorgeous scarlet alone, surely, which suggested the name of cardinal flower to our splendid American lobelia. It always wears the stately pose of a prince of the church. When a number are together, we feel that they are concerned in an impor- tant conclave and that whatever they vote or for whomsoever their function. is heaven-directed. There can be no THE OUTDOOR WORLD. chance of mistake with such sober, erect, thoughtful persons. J have no desire to extend my thought to tenuity although the subject is al- luring. Those who have flowers and know them will recall many that pos- sess marked human features. To feel this is to add a joy to a spring or sum- mer walk, where all the companions of a lifetime come again to welcome us. Prehistoric Mud Pies. BY MILO LEON NORTON, BRISTOL, CONN. Many misguided people, including some geographers, persist in calling the Tunxis, Farmington river, whereas it was named by the Indians, hundreds of years before a white man ever saw it, "Tunxis Sepus. or the Little river, in contradistinction to the Great river, or the Connecticut. By this name it is known in the early records. By all means let the rivers, lakes and moun- tains bear, as much as possible, the names of the original proprietors, the red men. Poetic justice demands it. These natural objects so intimately associated with the aborigines should be their monuments, and perpetuate their memory, especially when named by the Indians themselves. It would be just as appropriate to call the Con- necticut, Hartford river, as to name the Tunxis for a single town of the many that it traverses. About two miles above Old Point Comfort, at the mouth of the Tunxis, in the Historic old town of Windsor, CURIOUS FORMS OP "MUD PIES.' EASILY IMAGINED TO BE UNIQUE "HARDWARE" where the first house in Connecticut was built in 1633, upon the north bank of the Tunxis, accessible by canoe or motorboat, is a large, sloping clay- bank, rising from the water's edge to a considerable height. It is bare of vege- tation as it is subject to continual wearing away by the current of the river, this displacement causing the gradual subsidence of the entire hill- side, and bringing to light many thou- sand curious pebbles, generally known as clay-stones, but technically known to brick-makers as "clay-dogs," and as much appreciated by them as daisies are by the average farmer. If preva- lent they render the clay unfit for brick-making purposes. At first sight they have the appear- ance of being water-worn, like the peb- bles in streams or on the sea-shore, but their fantastic shapes, and the fact that many of them are clusters, ce- mented together, render some other explanation of their origin necessary. Scientists tell us that they are concre- tions, and that they consist of particles of clay and sand cemented together by- carbonate of lime. The lime was origi- nally deposited with the clay _ in the shape of minute particles, which, by being acted upon by the carbon dioxide in the water, were dissolved and carried along through the most porous layers of the clay formation, till they became supersaturated, when precipitation took place, and the minerals in solu- tion were attracted together by the same law that attracts particles of dust IO THE GUIDE TO NATURE. together on the sidewalk, forming branching ferns and palm-like designs ; or, the fantastic crystalization of frost rime upon the window pane. The nor- mal shape of these concretions is glob- ular, but owing to variations in the thickness of the layers in which they are deposited, and the direction from which the lime is supplied, many modi- fications result. The regularity and accuracy of some of the worms are as- tonishing. Some of the stones are as accurately turned, beaded and grooved, as could be done in a lathe. They vary in size from a half inch to three inches in diameter, most of them not exceed- ing two inches. They are of a general- ly uniform clay color, quite hard, and well preserved. The fact that some present a fresher appearance than others is accounted for by the supposition that they are still forming. While other clay banks have their specimens of these curious freaks, it is in this bank that they are found in the greatest variety and profusion. While the scientific explanation of their origin is undoubtedly correct, I have another theory much more satis- factory from a poetic standpoint, which I have embodied in the following lines: Early in the planet's morning. Nymps there were without adorning Save their purity and tresses, Needed they no other dresses. Playful sprites, these naiad daughters, Sporting in the fluvial waters, Plunging in the flood before them, Splashing crystal waters o'er them. Then upon the bank reclining, Where the sun was brightly shining, Fashioned they with merry laughter, Dreaming not what might come after, Curious, weird and strange devices; Nor have winter's snows and ices, Nor the Frost King's fancy sketching, O'er the northern window stretching, E'er produced shapes more fantastic Than these nymphs did from the plastic Clay-mud of the river's silting — Prototypes of crazy-quilting. Circles, ovals, clustered, single, Rounded like the sea-washed shingle; Squatty idols, Asiatic, Fit for Hindu priests fanatic; Reptiles, fowls and curious creatures; Monkeys with distorted features; Watches, charms and pretty lockets, Maids might wear in dainty pockets; Dangles, bracelets, buttons funny; Medals and unminted money; And ten thousand shapes, defying All attempts at classifying. Then these nymphs, their play forsaking, Left them in the sunshine baking, while they drifted down stream singing, Joy unto waste places bringing. Then the floods came, and the waters Southward bore these guileless daughters. The forsaken mud-pies, curious, By the torrents fast and furious, In the clay-bank deep were hidden, Ages passed, and then, unbidden. And the captives have arisen. Broke the waves into their prison, Scattered on the bank we find them Where the nymphs left them behind them. F6DUI5\R.?\5n^N6MY' The Heavens in April. BY GARRETT P. SERVISS. BROOKLYN. N. V. The chart represents the aspect of the evening sky at 9 P. M. on the first of the month, 8 P. M. on the 15th and 7 P. M. on the 30th. The drawing shows the appearance of Halley's Com- et at its last return previous to that now awaited, viz, in 1835. On that occasion it was in perihelion, i. e., nearest to the sun, on the 16th of November. This time it is expected to pass the same point in its orbit on April 13, 1910. The reason why it does not come to perihelion on the same day at each return is because its period of revolution about the sun is not a fixed number of years pre- cisely, but a certain number of years and a fraction of another year. More- over its period is variable owing to the attractions of the planets, partic- ularly Saturn and Jupiter, which some- POPULAR ASTRONOMY. ii times delay it, and sometimes hurry it onward in its orbit. This explains the difficulty that astronomers find in fixing" on the exact date of its arrival, for the amount of the disturbance that it suffers from the attraction of the planets depends on the mass of those planets that affect its motions and also on its varying" distances from them. Now, the masses of Jupiter and Saturn are not even yet absolutely known, so that a certain limit of error must al- ways be allowed in calculating' the movements of the comet under their influence. This has been strikingly il- lustrated since our last article on the comet. At that time Messrs. Cowell and Crommelin, whose calculations of the movements of Halley's Comet are generally regarded as the most trust- worthy fixed April 8th as the most likely time of the perihelion passage, but later they have revised their figures, and now they designate April 13th as the proper date, with a leeway of a day or two. But this is not all, and the fact again demonstrates the difficulty of the calculations, for in a recent number of the great German astronomical periodical, the Astrono- mische Nachrichten, another computer, working for a prize, but whose name is not given, fixes the date on June 1 8th, at least two months later than the time selected by the English com- puters. Mr. Crommelin says of this discrepancy that it is a little disquiet- ing, both because it shows how widely apart the results found by two inde- pendent calculations based on similar data may be, and because it introduces much uncertainty for those who are trying to be the first to detect the comet in the heavens, coming toward the sun. If it does not arrive at per- ihelion until June it will be seen in quite a different part of the sky from that which it would occupy in April. Only the event can prove which cal- culation is the correct one. But the great divergence is somewhat aston- ishing, considering that in 1835 the computers, wdio did not have as correct data as those now available, hit the day of perihelion passage within two days of the actual time, and none of the calculations were as much as one month in error. However, let the per- ihelion be in April or in June, the comet is sure to come somewhere near the expected time, and is equally sure to make a reputation for the first man who succeeds in deserving: it. To- gcther with the opposition of Mars in September, this return of Halley's Comet will go down in history as one of the most interesting astrono- mical events of the Twentieth Century. What the comet will look like nobody can say. As our picture shows, it was a formidable looking object in 1835, although not comparable in that respect with its appearance at some previous returns, when it absolutely frightened all Europe. Every time it returns it shows some change of form in tail and head. On this occasion it may blaze with terrifying splendor or it may be comparatively inconspicious. But one thing bearing on this question may be said : all comets that return frequently to the neighborhood of the sun gradually lose some of their sub- stance, because they are all undergo- ing a slow process of disintegration and this may be happening with Hal- ley's Comet, although to a less degree than to comets like Encke's which come to perihelion every three or four years. Jupiter continues to be the great planetary ornament of the evening sky, rising in the middle of the mouth be- tween 2 and 3 P. M., and setting about 3 A. M. For the telescopic observer nothing can exceed in interest his vast colored belts and swiftly moving- moons. The great planet, as far as we can see, is only an immense ball of clouds. If it has a solid nucleus it lies deep beneath the surface of the planet as it is presented to our eves. Saturn can no longer be observed in the evening. Tn the middle of the month it rises about 5 A. M. After April 3rd Saturn is a morning star. Venus becomes an evening star on April 28th, but. of course, is too near the sun to be seen. Her glories are reserved for late in the year. Mercury is an evening star after April 21st, reaching its greatest elong- 12 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. ation east of the sun in the latter part of May, when it may be well seen. Uranus is a morning star, and con- sequently unobservable, while Neptune, although an evening star, in Gemini, is only a telescopic object at the best. It remains to speak of Mars, which rises soon after midnight on the 30th of April, and which will become a conspicuous evening star as the sum- mer advances. Its opposition this year, which occurs on Sept, 24th, will be more important than that of 1907, the end of April, to take a glance at .Mars, low in the east, and gleaming with the peculiar ruddy light which characterizes him, and which a few months later will make him the cyno- sure of all eyes. Such studies of the planets in their aspects as they ap- proach or recede from, the earth, are exceedingly instructive as well as interesting. THE STARS AND CONSTELLATIONS. At the hour represented in the chart the great constellations of winter, Evening SkyMap for APRIL APRIL MOON PHASES FULL Moon, April 5 LASTQ'tr., April 13. NEWMoon, April 19 FIRST Q'tr,April27 FACE SOUTH AND HOLD THE MAP OVER YOUR HEAD-THE TOP NORTH. AND YOU WILLSEE THE STARS ANDPLANET5 JUST AS THEY APPEAR IN THE HEAVENS. SOUTH because the planet will not only be nearer the earth, but will also be much farther north in the sky, so that it can be well seen from northern as well as southern latitudes. About the 19th of September it will be only about 36,- 000,000 miles from the earth. It will be distinctly worth the while of any- body who happens to be up in the ^mall hours of the morning, toward under the captainship of Orion, are seen as it were in flight, and just about to sink behind the western horizon. Their line stretches from Argo Navis, in the south-west around through the east to Cassiopeia, far in the north- west. And behind them, from one end. of the vast column to the other, hangs, like a cloud of sunlit dust above the retreating host, the gauzy scarf of the POPULAR ASTRONOMY. 13 Milky Way. Over in the cast, as if in pursuit, come the great summer stars and constellations, led by Spica in the Virgin, Arcturus in the Bear- Driver (Bootes), and Vega in the Lyre. Between the two hosts the central part of the sky is relatively barren, Leo high in the south, and the Great Dip- per nearly overhead, being the only constellations to attract much atten- tion there. The huge serpent, Hydra, with his diamond-shaped head under the Beehive cluster in Cancer, stretches eastward beneath Leo, Crater, Corvus and Virgo, but with the exception of Alphard he has no bright star. Coma Berenices, above Virgo and between Leo and Arcturus, gleams with a sil- very lustre derived from its multitude of small stars, and presents an admir- able object for the opera-glass. A little later in the evening, as Sirius sinks behind the western horizon, Vega begins to glitter with diamond bright- ness above the north-eastern horizon. Spica, in the meantime, advances from the east, and proclaims herself the queen-star of the Spring, for while she is less brillant than Arcturus above her, she possesses a singularly pure white ray, which is hardly matched in beauty by that of any other star in the heavens. ywyypyi^pyywywiyiwyiyiiyiwwy'yipig r^vAVAv;vAv^^AvxvAVAVAVAVAVAVAyAvmvAVAVAvmY/>ymny/iyA juxuocPocrocxxoOccoooccaoocQ xpocaxocooocouoouuciuuxccoocoxicuJu flOP I'l jocoxpoooccocodcooco MINERALOGY ^VAVAVAVXVAV^VAVAVAVig Address all correspondence to Arthur Chamberlain, Editor, 56 Hamilton Place, New York City The Mineral Collector Company. PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS, 56 HAMILTON PLACE. New York, March 22, 1909. To The Patrons of "The Mineral Collector :" It is with pleasure I anounce that I. have arranged with Mr. Edward F. Bigelow, editor of The Guide to Na- ture, to introduce a department, to be edited by myself, and thus make that publication the successor of The Mineral Collector. All unexpired sub- scriptions are to be filled out by that publication. We hope all persons whose subscriptions have expired will send in their renewals to me without delay. As the subscription of The Guide to Nature has been reduced (beginning April 1909, from $1.50 to $1.00 and is a much larger and better publication than The Mineral Collec- tor,) we hope all our subscribers will use their best endeavors to aid in se- curing additional subscriptions. YVe would also like to secure notes, origi- nal papers and descriptions of trips, accompanied with photographs, where possible for this department. I thank my subscribers for their support in the past, and request a continuance of the same for The Guide to Nature, as successor to The Mineral Col- lector. Very truly, Arthur Chamberlain, Editor and publisher of "The Mineral Collector." P. S. — Volume two of The Guide to Nature starts with the April, 1909, number. Every subscriber sending $1.75 can secure the first two volumes. To the Constituency of The Mineral Collector: The Guide to Nature and The Agas- siz Association, represented by it, cor- dially welcome you to our fellowship in the study and love of nature. We realize that minerals are of intense interest to the careful student, and are 14 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. very attractive to lovers of the beauti- ful. Minerals seem especially avail- able for those who desire to make col- lections, and we agree with Dana that, "every one who desires to really learn mineralogy must have a collection of his own to examine and experiment upon." We further agree with that talented scientist that, "no subject is better fitted to cultivate the powers of observation and at the same time to excite active interest than that of min- eralogy." No subject is also better adapted to the work of the Chapters of The Agas- siz Association, to which we call the attention of all our new friends. "We have Chapters of all ages and all de- grees of proficiency. No efforts will be spared to make "Mineralogy" one of our best features. Cordially yours, Edward F. Bigexow. Introductory. In beginning this department, let me say that I shall endeavor to make it both attractive and instructive, and that I shall do my best to make the magazine itself even more successful than it is. To do these things I must have the cooperation of all interested in minerals. Let me know what you would like to have described. Send me notes of your trips or of collecting fields in your vicinity. If you are puzzled about anything on this subject, write to me. If you have the leisure write a short article on some miner- alogical subject that interests you and send it to me. If you come across any interesting items in print send them, with name and date of the paper in which they appeared. We want every subscriber to feel that he is part owner of this magazine and to take just as much pleasure as I shall in making it successful. Let us all be like one happy family, each striving to do the most to help the others. Honing that I may be the means of adding many new subscribers to The Guide to Nature, and of adding many new students to my beloved study of the mineral world, I am. Your humble servant, Arthur Chamberlain. How Sluice Mining Originated. Colonel Eddy, of Nevada, claims the credit of having originally introduced the sluice-box for mining purposes ; the invention owing its origin to an ac- cidental discovery. He gives the following account of his connection with this important dis- covery. In the spring of 1850, when all operations were being carried on by the aid of "long torn" and the "rocker," he located a claim in the ravine just above the Catholic Church in Eureka. There were several claims below him, the holders of which refused to permit him to run tailings on their grounds. So he made a trough leading from his location through theirs and to a point below. On the bottom of the sluice, wherever the different sections joined, he nailed wrooden cleats to keep the wrater and gravel from leaking through. At the lower end of the sluice he placed a rocker and for one day ma- nipulated the dirt that came down it. At the end of the day he found that the rocker had saved very little gold. Going along up the sluice he found behind each of the cleats numerous sparkling particles of gold that had lodged there. He abandoned the use of the rocker, increased the number of cleats and then commenced what he said was the first sluice mining ever carried on, so far as he knows. The sluice and riffles soon became popular, causing the price of lumber to advance rapidly. The colonel says the only thing he regrets about his discovery is that he did not have it patented and thus win fame and fortune. Stones That Will Swim in the Human Eye. Eyestones are really portions of the covering of certain shellfish. They are found at the opening of the shell and serve to close the entrance when the animal draws itself within. They are of various kinds, but those used as eyestones are hard, stony bodies about the size of split peas, one-third to one- sixth of an inch in diameter, a little longer than broad, having one surface plane and the other convex. MINERALOGY. iS When they have been worn by the action of the sea they are very smooth and shining. Like other shells they are composed of carbonate of lime. When placed in a weak acid such as vinegar, a chemical change takes place, carbonic acid gas is given off and in its escape produces the movements which are popularly supposed to show that the stone is "alive." When one of the stones is placed under the eyelid, at the outer corner, the natural movements of the lid in winking push it gradually towards the inner side, and when it comes in con- tact with the mote which is causing the irritation this is carried along and finally expelled with it. The belief that such stones have a peculiar detective power and move about in the eye until they find and remove the substance for which they are sent, has no foundation in fact. It is interesting to know that in the lining membrane of the stomach of the crawfish there are found small bodies which go under the name of "crab's eves," and look not unlike the true eyestones. They have sometimes been mistaken for them and presumably would serve a similar purpose. Collecting Interesting Minerals. BY EORACE R. GOODWIN, PHIUPEU'II IA, PENNSYLVANIA. Let those of your readers who have not visited the home of an enthusiastic collector of minerals do so at the first opportunity offered and they will be treated to a new experience, spend a pleasant hour, and in many cases become interested in every stone and rock encountered in their rambles afield, with the result that the mineral department of The Guide to Nature will soon be in a flourishing condition. T have been an active collector of minerals for over a quarter of a century and, while not advanced in the science, have used my eyes to some purpose in the field. One of my most enjoyable and profit- able experiences was the meeting with the Student's Mineralogical Club, now the Philadelphia Mineralogical Club, on Thanksgiving Day, 1894, in Fair- mount Park. The friendships there formed have been of lasting benefit. While searching for specimens in a large quarry at Moores Station near Trenton, New Jersey, some- time ago, 1 discovered a large cavity in the rock which was lined with beautiful, snow- SMOKY QUARTZ white crystals of natrolite, a mineral consisting of silica, alumina, soda and water, belonging to the zeolite group and named from natron, soda. Asso- ciated with the acicular crystals of natrolite wrere rhombic crystals of yellow calcite (carbonate of lime) from one half to one inch in diameter, the combination of the two minerals being very attractive. Although the material is very fragile a number of fine speci- mens were secured and are now safely housed in my cabinet. Numerous other minerals occur at this locality, among them being stilbite, both white and honey colored, sometimes coated with iridescent pyrite; calcite of various forms, chalcopyrite, prehnite, galena, chalcedony and several others that I cannot now recall. On another occasion while digging for quartz in a sand pit at Lansdowne, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. I unearthed a fine large crystal of smoky quartz that weighs thirteen and three- quarters pounds and is as fine a speci- i6 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. men as ever came out of Japan or Switzerland, the latter place being noted for the magnificent quartz found there. The quartz occurred in a large pocket of pegmatite which had under- gone decomposition leaving the crystal of quartz free. Many crystals were found, some of very curious form, but most of them were broken by the laborers who knew nothing and cared nothing about them. Those who wish to find specimens for themselves should investigate quar- ries, railroad cuts and fills, outcrops of rocks and excavations of all kinds, select pieces that appear odd in com- position or form and apply to the near- est collector or museum for information. It is important that the locality of specimens be known as this is often of great assistance in making deter- minations. Under the Auspices of The Aquarium Society of Philadelphia HERMAN T. WOLF, Editor The Eyes of Chinese Goldfish. BY HERMAN T. WOLF. Among the highly developed toy varieties of the Chinese goldfishes there are a number of breeds characterized by abnormal eye development. These are known as telescopic-eyed or "Tel- escopes" to American and European breeders and fanciers, though the Chinese designation Dragon-eyes would better describe these species. With these fishes the eyes have had the principal attention of the Oriental goldfish culturists, who by careful se- lection and continued breeding have produced monstrosities that would seem incredible to those unfamiliar with these highly developed fishes. The eyes of the common goldfish, like those of the carp and other cyprinidae are placed at the sides of the head, separated by a wide in- terorbital space, with the eye-balls nearly round and the slightly convex cornea flattened and directed some- what forward, so that the angle of vision is both in front and to the sides. They are enveloped in a gelatinous layer in the cavity of the orbits, which permits of a considerable movement of the bulbus, and have brilliant dark pupils and white, yellow or red irides. In every respect, the eyes do not differ from those of the other fishes of the same order. Beginning with this flat form of eye the Chinese breeders have produced enormously large protruding eye-balls which in the different breeds assume the form of spheroids, segmented spheres, ovoids and truncated cones almost entirely projected beyond their orbits. The cornea and crvstaline lens form a smaller segment or superimposed hemisphere, so that the eyes of the finest specimens of the Dragon-eyed goldfish protrude one-half to five-eights inch from the sockets. Investigations have shown that the eye-ball becomes greatly elongated in the direction of its optic axis, the dif- ference between axial and equatorial diameters is as much as three milli- meters in the spheroidal, and five to six millimeters in the conical form of eyes, constituting an extremely my- opic form of eye-ball, while that of the common goldfish is flat and hyper- metropic. \<>r.\RIUM. 17 The shape of the globular lens is This near-sightedness may be of not materially different from that of benefit to the fishes under the con- the natural form, which indicates that ditions in which they are bred and it is impossible for the image of a dis- reared, as in the confines of the tant object formed by the lens to be aquarium and smaller breeding tank- thrown on the retina at all, and so distance sight is of less value than an necessarily producing a condition of optical adjustment that will clearly de- extreme near-sightedness, an optical fine nearby objects. DORSAL VIEW OF THE CHINESE CELESTIAL GOLDFISH EYE-FORMATIONS OF CHINESE AND COREAN GOLDFISHES. 1. Eyes of the common goldfishes 2. Eyes of the Dragon-eyed goldfish as spheres 3. Eyes of the Dragon-eyed goldfishes, as ovoids 4. Eyes of the Dragon-eyed goldfishes, as truncated cones 5. Eyes of the Dragon-eyed goldfishes, as segmented spheres S. Eyes of the Dragon-eyed goldfishes, the Celestial pupils turned upward adjustment for very near objects. 1 nese highly developed goldfishes all Therefore, the name "Telescope" is a have defective eyesight, but others less misnomer; the eye is distinctly myopic abnormally developed have a consid- and short-sighted and not hyper- erable range of vision and an eye for- metropic or far-sighted, as required of mation of some magnifying power as an optical organ having telescopic compared with the human sight. They capacity. distinguish objects in the water that i8 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. the fancier can scarcely discern with the use of a reading" glass. Expert judges distinguish between these forms of protruding eyes, consid- ering the globular or spheroidal form of less merit than 'the segmented sphere ; the ovoid form as next mer- itorious, and the truncated cone as the highest developed and most desirable form of eye-ball. The greater their size and their relative uniformity, to- gether with perfection of development, colors and distinct outlining of the pupils and i rides, the more highly prized the specimens, the more rare- ly they are to be obtained, and the greater their monetary value. Plow considerable this may be it is not of purpose here to state, but one fancier in Philadelphia at one time had over five hundred dollars invested in goldfish marvels, not more than twenty in number. These were not fanciful or fictitious valuations, but actual com- mercial values, governed as much by supply and demand as the values of other highly developed and greatly de- sired household pets. The illustration, a fine Chinese Celestial Goldfish taken with permission from "Goldfish Breeds and Other Aquarium" Fishes" is an exact portrait of one of these fishes, in the writers opinion, not the gem of the collection. The globular is the general eye form of the scaled Telescope goldfish, common in China, introduced into Japan subsequent to the Chinese-Jap- anese War, and now quite generally bred in the United States. The seg- mented sphere and the ovoid forms of protruding eyes are the desired char- acteristics of the transparently-scaled Telescope goldfish, derived directly from China. The truncated cone form of eye is the distinguishing char- acteristic of the finest-breed Moor, or Black Chinese Telescope goldfish, of which some remarkable soecimens have been owned in Philadelphia. Captain Mayer, of the Imperial German Navy, informed the writer that a Chinese Prince at Amoy, China, had thousands of these fishes in his parks, but with all the influence that could be brought to bear through the German consul at that Port, he could not obtain per- mission to inspect them. Still another form of highly-develop- ed eye-ball is that of the Celestial Tel- escope goldfish. Almost entirely pro- truding from the orbit this eye is larger in its equatorial than in its axial diam- eter and has an extremely small pupil directed upward, so that the gaze of the fish is always to the surface of the water. Protruding almost at right- angles from the sockets, the eyes are nearly rigid and the muscular control of the bulbus scarcely perceptible. In these monstrosities the eye develop- ment is so extremely abnormal as to have produced an almost blinded fish. Early travelers mention that this form of eye was produced by hatching Dragon-eyed goldfishes in a jar having a lid in which there is a slit, and that the upward trend of the eye is due to the fixed upward gaze of the fish, for both light and food. This assertion lacks positive confir- mation by recent travelers in China and Corea and like much else stated of the Orient may only be based on tradition or hearsay evidence. Experts in gold- fish culture are not willing to believe that goldfishes can be reared in basins from which abundant daylight is ex- cluded, or in which the water is not aerated by a plentiful growth of aqua- tic plants ; which latter cannot be done except in the presence of both day- light and sunlight. Wooden-Framed Household Aquaria. BY M. R. LIPPINCOTT, Coi.IJXOSWoolt, X. J. In advocating wrooden-framed aquaria, the writer wishes to prove that, not- withstanding the many statements to the contrary, it is not only possible but practicable to construct large- sized aquarium frames of wood. He does not wish to detract from the pres- tige of the metal framed slate bottom- ed kind, but there are times when it is desirable to have an aquarium more nearly conforming with the furnishings of the room in which it stands, especially when one wishes to have his "fishy world" in the parlor, and has the esthetic objections of the p-entler sex to overcome. This will be AQUARIUM. 19 much easier if he can show his fair critics an object that will be an orna- A CORNER POST OF THE WOODEN AQUARIUM ment instead of an unsightly iron- framed affair painted any of the various lines of the rainbow and supported on a sewing stand or on an angular frame of gas-pipe ; either sufficient for a green house but hardly conformable with oil painting's, ( )riental rugs and a piano. Just as an appropriate frame en- hances the beauty of a picture so the character of an aquarium affects the beauty of its contents. We sometimes see aquaria that are beautiful in re- gard to their contained plant and ani- mal life, but do not display them to advantage because of a shabby metal frame and inappropriate stand. There are exceptions even in metal- framed aquaria ; nickel and brass frames are very neat and handsome, and tables make satisfactory supports. The writer has one, recently seen, in mind, which is constructed of four copper posts bolted to a slate base with the top and bottom rails elimi- nated, and which has an exceedingly hands* >me appearance. The cost of constructing wooden- framed aquaria, with the exception of the time consumed, is no greater than the cost of constructing the iron-fram- ed type ; nor is its construction more difficult. Any one who is sufficient mechanic to make the exact measurements and the neat corner miters required in a metal frame, will find the construction of a wooden frame no more difficult. Any of the cabinet woods may be uti- lized, although owing to their hard- ness quartered-oak and Cuban mahog- any are preferable. In the method of construction used by the writer, the ■ ■ . 1 . . . ^ -<»iAti: / ■{IB THE WOODEN FRAMED AQUARIUM IN USE aquarium stands upon its own base, made in one piece. The corner posts 20 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. are one and one-half by forty-three inches ; the length thirty-two inches and the breadth eighteen inches. The framing' is comparatively simple yet strong"; all the end and side rails being halved, glued and screwed together vvilh two number nine, one-half inch screws, inserted from each direction. A projection the width of the corner post is allowed at each corner on both the end and side rails. These projections are in turn mortised into the corner post and secured with glue and two other screws inserted into the post from the opposite direction. There- fore, each corner is secured with glue and four screws, making a joint of great strength. The top and middle rails and the posts between these points are grooved for the reception of the glass. The bottom of the aquarium is made of seven-eight inch wood and is supported by four cross pieces beneath, giving a firm foundation for the weight it has to sustain. The manner of cementing and set- ting the glass is identical with the pro- cess when metal frames are emuloyed. After the side and end pieces of glass are nlaced in position, a piece of olate glass is set into the bottom, thus lock- ing the four side pieces into position and keeping the water from coming into contact with the frame at any point. The soace between the middle and bottom frames under the aquarium proper may be enclosed and fitted with doors to serve as a cabinet for foods, utensils, etc ; or it may be left open or fitted with a shelf. The style of finish may be deter- mined by the nature of the wood and the furniture it is desired to match. Aquaria so constructed are strong and have been satisfactory to the writer in every way. One, of the above di- mensions, will hold about thirty-three gallons of water, which means a weight of about two hundred and seventy-five pounds, not including about fifty pounds of sand and pebbles, having a pressure on the bottom of about seven and three quarters pounds per square inch. It will probably take a little longer time to make an aquarium with a wooden than with a metal frame, but it is just as easily constructed and the finished product, from an artistic point of view, is far superior to the metal forms usually to be had at the aquarium dealers' shops. In every way it is a beautiful house- hold ornament, a constantly varying animated picture, in an appropriate, handsome and artistic frame. At Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. The annual announcement of the summer session of the Biological Laboratory has just been received. It calls attention to the excellent Board of instruction and the facilities for studying plant and animal life. The real student of nature, especial- ly from a technical point of view, will find the Laboratory a good place at which to spend a vacation. For fur- ther particulars, address Dr. Charles B. Davenport, Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, New York. Lack of Knowledge of Common Things. The following letter has been re- ceived : "A strange animal has made its ap- pearance in the Department of the City Hall. The head of the Bureau thinks a large spider has changed by metamorphosis into a large green moth. I know this to be impossible, but I am anxious that an expert shall investigate the matter, as I am no au- thority on such subjects. The moth is undoubtedly a very strange one, and is entirely unfamiliar to me. "If you can call and look at it, I think you will be interested." There are so many things to know these days that considerable discrimi- nation should be used in making a se- lection for school children. They are probably taught some things less use- ful than an elementary knowledge of Entomology and other branches of na- tural history. There may be some excuse for the grown people of to-day who know nothing about the trans- formation of insects, but the children of the present time should be better taught. The large spider mentioned in the letter was Arglope riparia and the moth PJwlus pandoras. — Entomolo- gical N^ezvs. EDITORIAL AND GENERAL. 21 To Contributors. The Guide to Nature pays for con- tributions only in the satisfaction that comes to every contributor in having his best work well published for the benefit of other workers. There can be no better remuneration. Therefore your best work in this great "labor of love" is solicited and expected. You are invited to share in the liberal pay received by the editor and the members of the family who assist him, and that is the joy of doing faithful work in a cause than which there is none better on this earth. Every cent of income from The; Guide; to Nature; and from The Agassiz Association is placed on the "Received" side of our cash book. On the "Paid" side are only actual ex- penses— paper, printing, engraving, mailing. This book is audited once a year by members of The Agassiz Association incorporation and is open at all times to inspection by any con- tributor or AA member. Label the Trees. One of our subscribers called at- tention to the fact that the trees in Central Park of New York City are not labelled as in most other parks. The letter was referred to the Depart- ment of Parks, New York City. The following is the astonishing explana- tion of the Commissioner : Your letter of the 22nd received. An effort was made, some time ago. to label the trees in Central Park, but was found impracticable. Mis- chievous people changed the signs and others, destructively inclined, mu- tilated and broke them and on the whole it was found impossible to main- tain them. A police force of sufficient number could not be maintained to protect the signs and they were there- fore discontinued." Henry Smith. Commissioner of Parks, Boroughs of Manhattan and Richmond. This letter was referred to our sub- scriber with the result that the fol- lowing sensible arguments were ad- vanced : "I am so glad you are to take up the matter of the park trees and wish you all success in it. Many nature students will be grateful to you be- side myself. That Commissioner evidently does not appreciate the fact that 'Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage.' I hope the way will be opened speedily for it. without mak- ing you too much trouble." The following extracts from the correspondence of our subscriber nice- ly state a nature student's "reason why" trees in a public park should be labelled : "I have often felt the total lack of any information concerning trees or any growing things in the park. In Boston, Washington and other places the trees are named for the would be learner and so it ought alwavs to be 22 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. in a public park I think. It is a great help to those who are studying and an incentive to others to 'take notice.' "If the tree is marked, the stroller will stop and read the name, then will glance upward into the tree to see what it is like, will do so with others and so unconsciously begin his nature study. If not marked, the chances are "ten to one that he will not even see it." Many New Friends. We celebrate our moving into Arcadia (at Sound Beach, Connecti- cut) by the acquisition of many new friends. First, we welcome the entire constituency of "The Mineral Col- lector" which has been merged in The Guide to Nature. Our new department, "Mineralogy," is to be edited by Mr. Arthur Chamberlain. for fifteen years editor of 'The Min- eral Collector." Second, the Aquarium Society of Philadelphia, and many of its friends who are interested in aquaria, join our work. The new department, "Aquarium" will be under the charge of Mr. Herman T. Wolf. This addition of a large number of persons who are experts with aquaria will undoubtedly add much of interest to those who have hitherto had only a general or an aesthetic interest in the subject. And last but not least we welcome the many more who have come to us through the efforts of our friends of the first year, largely those who have accepted our offer of subscription at seventy-five (75c.) cents a year when sent in addition to one at the new and reduced price of one ($1.00) dollar. A cordial welcome is extended to all these friends and we, in return, offer them the facility for cultivating one of the greatest joys of life, the oppor- tunitv to study and love nature and the natural objects that surround us evervwhere. A Magnificent Gift. About six years ago Mr. Zenas Crane of Dalton, Massachusetts, founded a museum at Pittsfield, Mas- sachusetts, devoted chiefly to natural history, at a cost of something like $100,000. This museum is well equip- ped and specimens are quite frequently added. I have heard it stated that the equipment has cost more than $50,000. This last month Mr. Crane an- nounced that he would build an addi- tion to the museum costing about $35,000. And it is to be presumed that he contemplates adding more speci- mens. From what I have been able to learn, he could not have made a gift more acceptable to the people of Pitts- field and vicinity. It speaks well for the increasing interest in nature that about $200,000 can thus be used to good advantage in one small locality. Every naturalist will be glad to learn of these magnificent gifts to the cause of nature study. Our Agassiz Asso- ciation especially rejoices and congra- tulates the donor because he is a Life Member, and was a Trustee from 1892 to January of this year (when the in- corporation was changed to Stam- ford.) There is no greater mission on earth than to lead others to knowr more of the earth, and through that knowledge, its Maker. I am wonderfully pleased with "The Guide to Nature" in every way. It is what we have needed and I hope it will get into the hands of all who would most appreciate it. This would give you as large a subscription list as you would want. — Silas H. Berry. Eating Eggs Several Years Old. The Pekin ducks are domestic birds and are bred in large numbers in this country for the markets. Good specimens sometimes attain a weight of nine or ten pounds. In color they are pure white with orange bills and feet. Like all other do- mestic ducks they are a direct descendant of the Wild Mallard. The breed originated in China, where they are raised in great numbers. In their native country the eggs of these birds are very much prized. They are gathered from the nests and packed in crates containing black mud; after which they are stored away to "ripen." A fresh egg is not considered fit to eat by a China- man. Eggs packed in this fashion are often kept for several years before using. — G. D. T. This statement as to age of "edible eggs, seems incredible, but it comes from a reliable and well informed breed- er of water-fowl. CORRESPONDENCE AND INFORMATION. 23 fORRESP^DENCE ^^ and Inform l Information An Unique Sun Halo. London, Ontario, Canada, To The Editor : One of graduates. Air. D. J. Lons- berry, teaching at Bullocksville in the Province of Alberta, has sent me a sketch and description of a halo which he and his pupils observed. The halo was distinctly visible for a period of forty-five minutes, central shortly be- fore 9 A. M. Mr. Lonsberry assures me of the correctness of the arcs and circles. Me says he is less certain of the arrange- ment of the color bands except that it was common remark that the red was on the side towards the sun. 1 can rely on any report Mr. Lonsberry makes. 1 envied him his opportunity of studying that remarkable and beau- tiful halo. [ohn DearnESS. Mr. Lonsberry writes to the effect that on the morning of the halo he had the children observing it for a few minutes before school. After the open- ing exercises he and they spent about twenty minutes drawing the design both on paper and on the blackboard. Each child was required to represent it as he saw it. They had permission to leave the room to observe the halo and make sure of the size and position of the arcs and circle. The bands resem- bled rainbows but the red was always mi the side next the sun. The color was most brilliant at the points of inter- sections of the light grey band and the double curved band. The inner circle was very brilliant ; next in brilliancy came the double-curved band and the large circle. The highest arc was the least brilliant. The long band passing through the sun was a bright grey. Two Good Suggestions. Kutztown, Pennsylvania. To The Editor : I have never had experience in rais- ing plants from coleus leaves, but we have often . done so with begonia leaves. Place the petiole up to the blade in a bottle kept filled with water. After several weeks a number of root- lets will appear at the top of the pet- iole ; and in time a new plant will ap- pear, growing out of the summit of the Detiole on the upper side of the blade. By the time this plant appears the blade of the leaf usually has withered and dropped off. After the new plant has two or three small leaves it is ready to transnlant. Several years ago we saved the linen threads which Mrs. Gruber drew out of a piece of linen used in making drawn work. After the orioles had come in May we hung large bunches of these threads on the trees and grape arbors in the yard. These birds eager- lv seized upon them. and. on a cherry tree in front of the house, a pair built a nest composed almost entirely of these linen threads. A chipping spar- row also used a few threads, and the upper part of the nest of a least fly- catcher was completely covered with them. Since that time we regularly hang out strings, cords, and threads 24 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. for the birds ; and we derive great pleas- ure in watching the orioles, chipping sparrows, robins, and the other birds appropriate them for building mate- rial. Yours sincerely, C. L. Gruber. Where the Trouble Is. Wellesley, Massachusetts. To the Editor : We have been talking over at home your editorial on why people consider The Guide to Nature of interest only to children. Of course some people do not care anything for nature study any way. It doesn't happen to interest them just as others do not care for music or books. But I think most of those who are not interested have not been educated up to it. Thev have to learn to appreciate it just as one learns to appreciate art, and real nature study is just beginning to be introduced to the world at large. Until recentlv it has been only those who were born with a love for nature who have taken the trouble to make themselves ac- quainted with it. The trouble lies, not in The Guide to Nature, but in those people them- selves, and I think this magazine and Arcadia can and will do a great deal to make nature study more widespread. Wishing you all manner of success in Arcadia, I am Very sincerely- yours, Dorothy A. Baldwin. An Albino Redpoll. Goodwin, S. D. To The Editor : One day late in autumn when the chill winds swept across the prairies of Dakota, driving the last clinging leaves to earth and urging birds that loitered still, on their southward mi- gration, I chanced upon a flock of about fifty redpolls. These birds are infre- quent visitors in eastern South Dakota and but few save this one flock have ever come under my observation. With a thrill of joyous anticipation I cautiously approached the sweet voiced throng which to me was so rare a sight. But a rarer sight than all the other birds, was one member of their flock, an albino redpoll. The albino's plumage, except the primaries and tail, which were a deep yellow, and the characteristic red cap, was snowy white. One might fancy that Nature had designed the mark- ings of that beautiful bird with the ut- most care, as though for an entire race and not an individual. There was none of the freakishness usually shown in the markings of albino birds. The perfect cap contrasting so beautifully with the pure white, seemed of a deeper red than did the caps of its compan- ions. The rich yellow markings of the wings and tail were without a rlaw and lent tone and grandeur to the beauty of the rare bird. I might have found it difficult to believe the albino was a redpoll, had I not seen him with his kin, observed him gathering seeds in the character- istic manner of the finches and heard him answer the sweet, canary-like notes of his companions. With aban- donment he joined in the happy play, the erratic movements and undulating flights of his flock, unmindful of the fact that his plumage made him an object of rare beauty even among the pretty redpolls. After that memorable autumn day, I did not see the albino redpoll though I observed stray members of his flock. A few remained and sometimes broke the winter silence of our grove with their sweet calls, even when the ther- mometer registered a temperature of twenty degrees below zero, but the greater portion of the flock, and with them the albino, had flitted on their way. Hattie Washburn. Crossbills in Prospect Park. Brooklyn, New York. To the Editor : T was assured several times during the past winter that there were red crossbills in Prosnect Park, but I failed to find them. On March eighth red birds and olive birds were eating on the ground, almost as tame as tame as could be. My first thought was that they were crossbills, but as T had always looked for them in the pines. CORRESPONDENCE AND INFORMATION. 25 feeding from the cones, J feared I was mistaken. You see 1 had overlooked the statement of the bird books that later in the season the}- may be seen picking up seeds from the ground. The problem was soon solved tor they were very willing to be inspected, letting one come within a foot or two of them, when it was easy to see the crossed bills. One hopped upon a park seat with a man sitting upon the other end, and all showed themselves very companionable. At least two of them have died and 1 fear it was a case of "killed by kindness." They ate greedily a mixture of fat and bird- seed such as had furnished food all winter for other birds but which may have been too rich for them. On March 14 I saw an albino robin in the same park. He had a big patch of white on the breast and many smaller patches on the back, these showing more plainly when he flew. He gave the impression of being about half white. I have heard of a robin with even more white, but this is the most decided albino I have ever seen. Caroline M. Hartwell. moss to grow in but instead of hav- ing a very short root it was quite long. This shows that it does not absolutely need moss to grow in; any kind ot rich earth seems to do. Sincerely yours, Lilian Beatty. The Cup Lichens. Peekskill, N. Y. To the Editor: The cup lichen is beautiful in color, I think, with the pale pastel colors blending into each other. It is of a species of rubbery sub- stance and shaped like a tiny cup with a long slender stem. This cup tends to deepen as the plant grows larger around. It usually grows in moss of different kinds. These form a sort of bed for the roots. The roots are /'// the moss roots and when the lichen commences to grow it is just like the moss. It has no real roots, only a sort of cup arrangement at the bottom. Although the cup part is not open to the bottom of the plant, the stem below the cup is hollow and if one pricked the bottom of the cup it would make a continuous open tube from one end of the plant to the other. One of the largest specimens that I have seen grewr from a piece of wood and had only a verv thin coating of The cup lichens, so well shown in the photographs, are of special interest as being among the most highly de- veloped members of the group. So far as I can judge it is the form known to botanists as Cladonia pvxidata, which is distinguished from other Cladonias by having brown fruit borne on the rim of a more or less scaly or granular cup which is ashy- green and of the form shown in the pictures. Other well-known Cladonias are the "reindeer moss" (Cladonia rangiferina) an important food of the reindeer, and various "coral lichens" with brown, flesh-colored, or scarlet fruit, and the "red cup-moss" which differs from Cladonia pyxidata mainly in having the fruit bright red. It is of this that Mrs. Hemans wrote in the following stanza : — "Oh! green is the turf where my brothers play Through the long bright hours of the summer clay; They find the red cup-moss where they climb, And they chase the bee o'er the scented thyme." The Cladonias are a numerous com- pany differing from one another often a good deal in appearance but readily distinguished from other lichens though the peculiarities observed by your correspondent ; that is to say mainly as possessing an upright fruit- bearing part which is always hollow and usually arises from or is accom- panied by horizontal somewhat leaf- like parts which may be attached to the ground or may grow out from the sides of the upright parts like little shelves or leaves. One of the strangest things about lichens is that they are not so simple as thev look. If we examine a very thin slice of a leaf-like part under a microscope magnifying one or two hundred diameters, we find in the slice 26 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. numerous bright green globular bodies surrounded by slender colorless threads. Many facts go to show that the green globules are tiny algae or seaweeds such as ordinarily grow on moist rocks or bark, while the threads surrounding them belong to a sort of fungus somewhat like a mushroom which being unable to make any food for itself, because of its lack of the necessary Green coloring matter, feeds upon the green algae it has imprisoned. But for the food it takes from the algae the fungus makes good return by af- fording them protection, keeping" them moist, screening" them from too much light, and providing them with all the materials they need for making more food than they require for their own use. Hence we find the algae within the lichen often, growing more vig- orously than the same kind does when Hying free. The result is that these cooperatiye communities we call lichens are able to thrive in situations where no other plants can liye. "When bare rock is exposed on a mountain side lichens are the first forms of life to gain a foothold. Particles of dust caught by them accumulate as a slight soil which may support true mosses that in turn may catch more soil and so in time prepare for the coming" of little herbs or shrubs or, finally, a mighty forest. Thus lichens are Nature's pioneers. They do not need any soil to grow upon although they are often found upon soil of yarious kinds. Clean air, sunlight, moisture, and a place to cling to are about their only requirements. Accordingly, in the case of these cup lichens found with the moss suspect that it was the lichens which arrived first, and that the moss came to live with them. I dare say the moss was perfectly welcome. Cup lichens are used to such neighbors. Indeed, it may not be too much to say that long associ- ation with mosses perhaps brought about the making of cups wherebv the lichens are enabled to catch some extra moisture and at the same time to hold their fruits sufficiently high for letting" breezes carry off the minute spores by means of which the plant is spread abroad. As for the mosses growing over tltem — two can play at that game; and we often find little lichens cling- ing to mosses as if they could stand the arrangement as long as the moss could. The exceptionally lovely coloring of lichens to which your correspondent refers and well compares to a pastel, is I believe too seldom appreciated. Her remark recalls some of the de- lightful surprises I have had in ex-' A CLUSTER OF CUP LICHENS OX A ROCK CORRESPONDENCE AND INFORMATION. 27 amining these lowly plants under dif- ferent conditions of moisture and light. 1 am reminded also of the wide range of often brilliant dyes which are ob- tainable from lichens. Some of these THE CUP LICHENS AMONG THE MOSSES were used by the Scotch for their plaids. Nowadays about the only lichen dye much used is the blue litmus of the chemical laboratory; but perhaps it may interest some of your readers to know of a simple way of obtaining a variety of colors from our common lichens. To some water in a small bottle add enough ammonia to give it a rather strong" pungent odor, then introduce into this some of the lichen which has been powdered or broken into small bits. Cork the bottle tightly, and allow* it to stand for a few- hours or days, shaking it occasionally In some cases a strong color will ap- pear immediately. I can especially" re- commend for trial the scarlet-fruited Cladonias, and some of the flat lichens growing upon rocks: but any form is worth trying and may yield quite un- expected results. Frederick LkRov Sargent. A Reply to "It Interests Children." Washington, Connecticut. To in e Editor: The apparently popular belief that nature study is only interesting to children and the unreasonableness of otherwise intelligent individuals of what nature study for adults consists are two big difficulties, which other teacher naturalists, as well as the Editor of The Guide to Nature, have had to contend with and perhaps a few words from a reader, who is also a contributor to the columns of this worthy magazine, may throw a little light on this dark subject. I firmly believe there is no line in nature study where the child's inter- est ends and the adult's begins. Of course there is something in the manner of presenting material, but to write about the outdoor world for "grown ups," in so clear a manner that the intelligent child may com- prehend and be interested, is indeed a rare art. The man who declared "The Guide to Nature too childish," unwittingly paid the magazine in question a fine compliment. I well remember .my disgust as a young girl when I remarked to an intelligent, gray haired friend that I should like to write articles for the magazines about the things which interested me and she replied, "Why perhans you could just for children!" Now I have no happier experience than when I have successfully written a nature article just for a child, for it is a far more difficult task than to write for "grown ups." Many a suc- cessful author of children's tales will agree with me on this point. An in- telligent child is an honest and unspar- ing critic and nature fake study does not appeal to him. The child, "who is father of the man," is nearer to the heart of nature and knows what he wants. Surely there is something wrong -with our foundations when we cannot enjoy a good periodical like The Guide to Nature. A continued diet of chocolate creams will destroy one's appetite for a sound meal. We have had so many dollar magazines, which only deal with our money 28 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. making", money spending interests of great cities we no longer cared for "the common things of uncommon interest" which, as an old school friend has just written me, make all the dif- ference between plain ordinary exist- ence and living. A great part of this national failing is due to our educational system. The average child is early taught that he must imbibe just enough knowledge of certain subjects to safely carry him from one grade of the grammar school to the next until he reaches the safe harbor of the high school, where the teacher's chief duty is to pilot him into college, treatment which many scientists but few naturalists survive. Once established in University Halls, the taking of certain courses, the cram- ming for examinations, the straining for coveted honors occupy all his work- ing hours and he walks blindly across the college campus, to the end of his course. For example on a certain New England campus is a fine specimen of a "witches' broom." I have reason to believe not five in this year's gradu- ating class have seen this curiosity and probably not more than one in the five observed it without having his attention called to it by a professor who has a love for outdoor things. As to the fondness of certain scientists for articles which "bristle with gigantic words," I have often noted that the untaught are much impressed by the unintelligible terms of science and those to whom these terms are actually familiar rarely trouble the reader or printer except when necessary, for there is no trade, art or profession which we can successfully learn or teach without the nsc of a few technical terms ; but the naturalist is one who has learned to dispense with much of the dry-as-dust nomenclature in order t( > interest the public. T remember attending a certain botanical field day and after spending a hard forenoon burdening poor little grasses and weeds with jaw breaking names we came upon a poor sar- sanarilla olant. The leading spirit of the club failed to recall the scientific name and none of the group could think of the common name. Suddenly a younger member of the party shouted, "I have it; it's that stuff advertised for a tired feeling." The good natured laugh which followed showed that interest in dry-as-dust nomenclature was at an ebb. We wish success to the The Guide to Nature with its articles about com- monplace nature written in an uncommonly good way. W. C. Knowles. Children, Adults and Chipmunks. To the Editor: Answering the query as to why The Guide to Nature should be con- sidered "of interest to children" only, is it not simply "force of habit?" The last question, what is there about a tree, a dog, etc. that does not or should not interest an adult, is rather begging the question, as there is a wide dif- ference between "does not" and "should not." That which usually pertains only to children might fairly be spoken of as "childish ;" and certain it is that the average adult does lose interest in the wonderful world of Nature — new and strange to the child, but grown superficially familiar to the adult, and few grown people retain their early love for pets. The lady who took no interest in the story of Owney would probably have taken no interest in Owney himself, as many grown people do not care for dogs, and some dislike them intensely. Whether this should be so is another matter, but that it is so, The Guide to Nature is a substantial admission, — being published for the avowed pur- pose of teaching grown people that which most of them do not now know, i. e., that there is real pleasure to be had from an intimate acquaintance with the world around us ; so the attitude complained of was to be exoected, and only to be evercome partially and by degrees. The student of Daphnia and Cyclops* might regard rabbits as child- ish because they were the companions of his own childhood and the pets of his own children; whereas no one ever thought of making a net of a Cvclons, and aside from the "Oh's" and "Ah's" of the dilettante microscopist they are C< >RRKSI'< ).\I)ENCE AND L\'F< >k\IATI< ).\. 29 never heard of except as the work of a serious student ; hence, as the)' have no connection with child life, no one would class them as a childish amuse- ment, though the average adult would consider them not worthy of notice. ( )n the other hand, the difference between a child's interest and an adult's is often one of degree rather than of kind. The child will pick up pretty pebbles and stones on the shore, merely because they are pretty, while the scientist may pick up similar stones for the story they tell of the formation of continents. Both are interested in the stones, but with a difference ; while between the child and the scientist is the average adult who has lost the power of seeing any beauty in the pebbles and has not acquired the knowledge which enables him to read the story of the strataed rocks. To many people the absence of long words raises the presumption that the subject has been treated in a simple and ele- mentary manner, suitable to the com- prehension of the child, and dealing only with things they knew and ceased to care for long ago. They do not know of the existence of a middle plane wherein one lives in an intimate, friendly relation with the world of Xature, seeing and feeling ever clearer and deeper into the wondrous beauty and sweetness of it all, with- out needing to know all the formid- able technicalities of the laboratory. Regarding Mr. Beecher's chipmunk on his lao, I can say "me too" — only mine did not have a string to him. Had taken a book and lunch one summer day, for a quiet afternoon "by the shores of Gitchee Gumee, by the shining Big Sea Water," and had chosen a spot under shelter of a low bank. Toward evening, after I had eaten my lunch, a chipmunk suddenly sprang down over the bank, alighting a few feet from me, evidently on his way to the water. He stopped in sur- prise at sight of me, stared for a few minutes, and then took a little jump toward me ; stopped again to look me over, picked up a large crumb that happened to lie at his feet, looked at me intently a few seconds longer, and then gave a long jump and alighted squarely on my lap, with his crumb held firmly in his mouth. 1 believe he intended to sit there and eat it, but as I sat in breathless delight at the charming confidence of the friendly little soul, a group of rather noisy young people further along the beach suddenly became still more noisy, and frightened the tiny creature, who sprang up the bank and disappeared, carrying his precious crumb. Am afraid 1 wished that crowd — well, never mind wdiere. The noticeable point was that his friendly overtures were not prompted by hunger, for he already had the food without coming to me, and there was none on my lap for him to see or smell. The fly-catching mouse of Detroit is not alone in that propensity, as on two occasions one of our office mice, which I had tamed so he would climb up and sit on my lap to eat lunch, caught and ate flies which came too near in an attempt to get a share of the good things. How could one procure copies of Mr. Bentley's snow crystal books, pub- lished by the Weather Bureau? Would also like to get a print of Mr. Norton's photo of birches bending over the river. His address is not given with the article. Would you care for an "ice storm" photo taken near enough to show detail of branches? Truly the program for the Arcadia Summer School sounds delightful. I shall be there in spirit, and perhaps some time in more tangible form. If in this long epistle there is any- thing available as fodder for the "Elephant," do not hesitate to extract it and ''blue pencil" the rest. The reading of the magazine left me with a desire to "talk things over," but doubtless you have a large and capable waste basket. Sincerely yours. Nellie B. Pendergast. For Mr. Bentley's snow crystal books or for his photographs, address him at Jericho, Vermont. For Mr. Norton's photographs, address him at Bristol, Connecticut. The Guide to Nature desires to 30 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. have submitted photographs on all forms of outdoor interests. Your comment that the reading of the magazine leaves a desire to talk things over is one of the best that we have received. The editor is thoroughly desirous not to have abstract articles but to have a close personal relation among students and lovers of nature. How I Became Interested in Nature. BY C. A. CI. ARK, LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS. When I was between three and four years of age, 1 lived in West Lynn, close to the salt marshes where birds and insects were abundant, but being very young, 1 didn't know a crow from a sandpiper, Nearly every day I used to roam over the marshes near my house and always avoided the streams they did not seriously attract my at- tention. During the warm summer days in- sect life is the chief attraction on the RED MAPLE WITH TWO TRUNKS marshes, and butterflies, bees, wasps and the like are seen flying from flower to flower extracting the nectar found in most of the blossoms and supplying hundreds of insects with food. On the ground and all over the tall grass blades I saw hundreds of grasshoppers jumping here and there as I walked through the herbage and they seemed to be my chief attraction. Every chance I could get I roamed over the marshes in search of grass- hoppers and no other insect seemed to be in my mind. T took a large- necked bottle, and went out on the marsh, catching grasshoppers in my hands and placing them in the bottle. I stayed on the marsh until my bottle and pools of water that are frequently was solidly packed with them and then seen in such a locality, never getting returned home. My father kept sev- near enough to fall into one of them, eral hens, ducks and geese and he gave The streams were full of minnows but the grasshoppers to the hens. It was S TIDYING THE GYPSY MOTHS C( )RRESP( >NDENCE AND [NFORMATION. 31 great fun to see the fowls devour them. One day when I was out after grass- hoppers I noticed an insect which had just alighted on a flower and I im- mediately gave up the grasshopper business and went after the insect, which was new to me, and captured it. Its color was velvety black and golden yellow, a handsome insect. No sooner had 1 caught it in my bare hand than something happened for which I was not prepared. It was a bumblebee and as soon as I captured him I was stung. I ran home crying and told my father that I had caught a new insect which had hot feet. Then my father explained to me what it was and told me not to catch any more. If there is anvbodv who does not fields and forests on a nature study trip making observations on animal life. I collected insects and preserved them lor winter stud}- when the snow was so deep I could not get into the forests. During the summer J col- lected caterpillars and fed with the plant foliage that 1 found them eating, and carried them through their differ- ent stages which I found very interest- ing. I have raised various species of insects from the egg to the adult and while making observations of this kind I learned the life histories of the species. From my early boyhood I was never afraid of snakes and during my life I have captured and handled alive every species of snake found in Essex III w *4i :- *.~ t ■ MR. C. A. CLARK AT Photograph by know the difference between a bum- blebee and a grasshopper, let him hold a grasshopper in his right hand and a bumblebee in his left hand and he will quickly learn. About the time when I discovered wdiat a bumblebee is we moved to the northern part of the city near the great Lynn woods reservation and I then had a large tract of forest land for nature study. During my early school days in this locality I had two half holidays each week, and then I went out into the THE CANNON BOULDER L. A. Wentworth. County, including the deadly rattle- snake. During my earl)- school days I captured snakes without harming them and brought them home in small bags made of heavy duck cloth which I carried with me for that purpose. I placed them in large boxes covered with wire screening which made suit- able places for studying them. But as I was very young and as my parents did not like the idea of my catching snakes and bringing them home alive for study, thinking I might get bitten, 32 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. the snakes were killed and I was told that I had better not catch any more because it was dangerous. Having the right idea of catching snakes alive and not being afraid of them, I continued to catch them and finally my parents gave up the idea of interfering. I have at times gone on a nature trip without a snake bag and have cap- tured black racers five feet long and carried them in my hands for two and three miles before reaching home. As I studied deeper into the snake family I learned that the banded rattlesnake will usually give us warning by shaking his rattles when we are near him. It is safe for people to roam the woods of Essex County. I go into the fields and forests with a field glass and notebook and at the end of each year I have several interesting notes of true facts of nature. This is the only way to obtain the truth. I have delved deep into nature study and have received many encomiums from scientific men which I highly appreciate. At present I am conduct- ing a "Nature Experiment Station," the only one of its kind in Essex County, in which I learn many in- teresting points regarding insects and reptiles. I would advise all who can to lake as many nature walks as possi- ble at all seasons of the year. Such walks will give health and scientific knowledge. During my early school days I also became interested in the fur bearing animals, birds and reptiles of Essex County and have studied them during every season of the year. When I see squirrels stripping off cedar bark 1 follow them and bv doing so I learn whether that species of squirrel builds in the ground or in a tree and also what kind of a tree and the location. These observations also give me cor- rectly the time of year when squirrels build their nests and also the kind of material used by each species. When- ever I see a fur bearing animal or a bird walking in the snow I always study the tracks and by learning the different tracks get an idea what birds and animals are seen in the locality. I have seen all the fur bearing animals in Essex County and have studied their habits. I watch the birds every year. I have seen a redstart place the first mouthful of nesting material in a fork of a tree. Naturalists are seldom lucky enough to see a bird begin her nest. I have witnessed it only once. When we see things of that kind it always makes us more anxious to make other observa- tions of a similar nature. I have seen birds destroy hundreds of injurious insects in my locality and the feathered tribe needs all the protection it can get for it helps greatly to save our or- chards and forests. AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION Personal Explanatory Note: — Only the adult interests in nature and the business details of organizing Chapters are represented by this department. Original observa- tions and inquiries from young folks (under eighteen years of age) are referred to my department ("Nature and Science") in the "St. Nicholas" magazine, published by The Century Company, New York City. — Edward F. Bigelow. Some Recent Chapters. St. John's Hoys' Club Chapter, Stamford, Connecticut. Officers: E. Buchanan, president ; C. Cohen, vice- president; T. .Mathews, recording sec- retary; W. Means, corresponding sec- retary; J. Lenord, treasurer. Twenty members. Glenbrook Chapter, Glenbrook, Con- necticut. Officers: C. Lawrence, pres- THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION. 33 ident; C. Murphy, vice-president; C. Lewis, secretary; 1\. Sayre, treasurer. Twenty-three members. Friends' Academy Chapter, Locust Valley, Long Island, New York. Of- ficers : George Waymouth, president; Annie llart, vice-president; Louise Paine, secretary; Douglas Beyea, treas- urer. Seventeen members. Springfield Chapter, International V. M. C. A. Training School, Springfield, Massachusetts. Officers: S. Fred Wright, president ; John D. Brook, vice-president ; E. AY. Benson Malcom- son, secretary ; II. E. Volley, treasurer. Nineteen members. Mount Bluff Chapter, Island Pond, Vermont. Officers: Mrs. M. T. Sad- leir, president; Mrs. F. A. Elkins, vice- A *% h ■■■■■£&£. ■ s9 Br^1 *• i i'JmBP^ THE ARBUTUS BUDS AND LEAVES LAST NOVEMBER nresident ; Miss Sadie M. King, record- ing secretary and treasurer; Miss Leta J. Eaton, corresponding secretary. THE ARBUTUS AS IT WAS IN BUD LAST NOVEMBER Have Been Ready Several Months. CONTRIBUTION FROM ST. GABRIEL'S CHAPTER (NO. IOI3), I'KKKSKILL, NEW YORK. November 20th, 1908. "We are mailing to you to-day the specimens which you asked us to find. We hope they will serve your purpose." The specimens accompanying that letter are illustrated herewith and show that the leaves and the flower buds of arbutus were in readiness last November for blooming this spring. It takes only a few warm days now for them to unfold in all their beautv. 34 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. From Eleven to Seventy-seven. CHAPTER ACTON VALE A, NO. 1 5. In opening our report, we would acknowledge how much we have prized The Guide to Nature. It was a great opener of the eyes of our mem- bers. We all appreciate it greatly and it has increased our knowledge on very mail}' p< >ints. ( >n our roll we have twenty-one mem- bers, the youngest being eleven years old and the oldest seventy-seven. Although not so much has been accomplished as was expected, yet a fair amount of work has been done as attested by the following" list of sub- jects touched upon ; and not the least benefit was from the discussion which followed the lectures. There was a little dabbling done in entomology. Interesting papers were read on the Polyphemus moth, the Calosoma cali- dum, the honey and the bumble bee and the house fly. In zoology the peculiar- ities of frogs and dogs were brought before us. In ornithology we had an account of the indigo-bird. In botany interesting accounts of the banana and the cork oak of Spain occupied our attention. Now beside these we lis- tened to a description of the .Isle of Madeira ; also an instructive paper on banking: and the clearing house and one "TO SEVENTY-SEVEN" The Reverend Louis C. Wurtele, Acton Vale, Quebec, Canada. on the history of the Ruthelian Chris- tians of Manitoba entertained us ; we also were pleased with a short eluci- dation of the first principles of elec- tricity, and last but not least was a dissertation on the Protozoa with the Amoeba taken as an illustration. Thus the year has passed away and we hope to do better in 1909. We all unite in extending our heartfelt thanks to our President, Edward F. Bigelow, for his untiring devotion to the benefit of The Agassiz Association in general. LOUIS C. WuRTELE, PRESIDENT. Acton Yale, Province of Quebec, Canada. "FROM ELEVEN" Arthur L. .Moore. I have been reading the numbers of "The Guide to Nature" so far issued with a great deal of interest and I am glad that you have started such a work and hope you will suc- ceed with it. I have nearly every number of the old "Observer" and that with a complete file of "Science Gossip" furnishes me with a nature library often consulted. I am only too glad to l)e able to subscribe for a jour- nal that will keep the work along up to date. — F. S. Morton. THE AGASSIZ ASS< )CIATION Peculiar Rose Bloom. BY SUSAN TUCKER, CHENEY, WASHING- TON. CORRESPONDING MEMBER NO. 2047. Several years ago I found a rose growing near a swamp at the base of a high cliff. The flowers were much larger than any I had found before. 1 brought a few plants home the next spring and they have always attracted much attention. They have had no cul- tivation except to be thinned out and sometimes cut back just enough to keep them in bounds. For at least three seasons I have noticed some freak flowers on one bush that prove an interesting study in ter- atology. As I cannot draw well enough to make illustrations I enclose pressed flowers to show you what I have seen. You will see that some sepals have been transformed into petals. I have never found a flower with all five sepals changed but frequently found four. You will see also that one specimen shows more buds in a cluster than is usual with this rose. And one speci- men may show a stipule that looks like a petal. My best specimen showing this dropped the stipules in drying. One specimen has sharply pointed leaf- lets while other leaflets on same stem are rounder than usual. T enclosed a few petals to show you how large they are. This is probably a form of Rosa Xittkani. The plant from which these branches were gathered are ten feet high forming perfect trees with well rounded heads, if a little care is given in pruning in the spring. Ant-Hills: An Informal Investigation. BY NORBERT WIENER, CORRESPONDING MEMBER NO. 2073. The nests of different varieties of ants show interesting and instructive variations among themselves. As a matter of fact, no two ant-hills are pre- cisely alike, either in structure or ma- terial. The massive heap of decayed wood forming the home of the large ants, both red and black, is incompar- ably different from the home of the most minute species under some pro- tecting rock. Probably the primitive ancestors of our present ants did live under rocks. This seems to be the most elementary kind of a dwelling found in all antdom. There is no plan at all to the complex ramification of interlacing passages and the pupa compartments are distrib- uted irregularly throughout the nest. We merely have a highly complicated labyrinth of tubes and cells with no order whatsoever. It seems to be fitted to the most undifferentiated type of ant, which, I believe, is the case. The next advance in architecture consists in the building of the tunnels without the protection of a rock, and the formation of small mounds of waste earth at the mouth of the tunnels open- ing directly to the outer air. Here we have, first, the utilization of the waste earth (this was not necessary in the previous stages, on account of the easy excavation just under the stone) ; sec- ond, the formation of definite entrance to the nest and, third, the uniformly deep and protected situation of the pupa compartments. The safety of the nest is thus greatly in excess of that in the previous case and it is therefore the more common type of dwelling. The highest and most interesting type is the ant-hill proper. This con- sists of a pile of earth and rotten wood about a foot in height, carefully ce- mented together by some secretion of the ants themselves. The openings to the outside are well marked apertures on the walls of the pile, while in no case do the tunnels extend to the ground be- neath. The nest is cpiite free from all intruders that may tunnel in and the colony gains greatly in its unity. The pupae are far more safe than in the other forms, owing to their situation near the axis of the conical hillock, and its elevated position makes it a good place from which its masters may swoon in exneditions to plunder an- other nest. In short, this nest is to the orimitive burrow under a stone as the hive of the honeybee is to that of the bumblebee. All ;s indicative of a higrh decree of specialized instinct, if not of intelligence', and shows that the ants who build this nest must be at the cul- mination of the formican line. Corre- lated with specialization in instinct THE GUIDE TO NATURE. goes specialization in structure, and in this case what do we find? While in the first case slave making habits are earl_\- developed and the nest making habit is in its most primitive form, we find ants with jaws equally fit for fight- ing and working, and a short pupa pe- riod. In the second case, the jaws, al- though still a useful pair of forceps for working, arc much better instruments for fighting. The pupa period, although short as compared with that of the next stage, is somewhat lengthened over that of the first in correspondence with the decreased labor it has to undergo and the decreased danger it is under. In the extremest cases of the third division, the jaws are utterly useless for eating, not to speak of working. Everything in the nest is done by slaves. The period of pupation is elon- gated to its utmost, as there is no need for speed in attaining the self protect- ing age or for working. The intelligence, however, would seem to be greatest in the first variety of ant, as there is more need for the ca- pacity of being able to modify actions by conditions. The idiocy of the highly developed ant who will die of starva- tion in the midst of plenty is to be con- trasted with the easy way in which the more primitive ants will surmount the obstacle. While the colonies of the lowest ants are absolutely self-suffi- cient, this self-sufficiency is practically entirely lost in the highest species. In short, ants vary in their architecture, structure and habits to an almost incon- ceivable extent, considering the fact that they are among the last of insects to appear, and these variations arc all correlated zvith one another. Observations in Delaware Peninsula. BY S. PRANK AARON, CORRESPONDING MEMBER NO. 2085 OF Till' AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION-, REDDEN, DEL. I am down here in the Delaware Peninsula for a short time and have been much interested in making ob- servations of bird life. The pine and deciduous woods here are very dense, the large timber mostly cut out and small trees, largely sweet gum, coming up very thickly and the undergrowth is everywhere crowded with smilax or greenbrier. This makes a splendid bird cover both in winter and summer, the densest portions rarely knowing intrusion by man and offering ready means of escape from hawks and owls. Only the abundant black snake inter- feres with the bird life considerably. Man}- birds that winter here also breed here, as distinguished sometimes by peculiar songs and notes or by habits. Of course the juncos, the winter wrens, the kinglets and the fox and white- throat ed sparrows disappear to the North with the coming spring, the juncos being the last to leave. But individual black-capped titmice, crest- ed-titmice, chewinks, (called here swamp robins) song sparrows and car- dinal red birds remain here through- out the year as, of course, do the bob whites. Within almost a stone's throw from our house a cardinal makes his home and I am reasonably sure that his more modestly clothed wife does also; within a pine and brush thicket of several acres in extent and I think they do not range two hundred yards away from it. The male has a peculiar song, the last line of which having two distinct syllables, both of falling inflection. The cardinal's song is al- ways of two lines, the utterances of the first having notes of rising inflection, the latter utterances of falling in- flection, often of two syllables, but I have never before heard, though fam- iliar with the bird almost ever since I knew what birds are. the notes ut- tered like this. The ordinary song may be expressed : "What? what? what? what? Cheer' cheer' cheer' cheer'," or varied to : "What? what? what? what? Some cheer', some cheer', some cheer'," but this bird sings very clearly : "What? what? what? what? Stair door', stair door', stair door'." All last summer he sang this, in late fall he thus saluted a particularly fine day. In early February (hiring the warm days of a big thaw he let out a few of the same notes and now, in March, he is at it every day. THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION. 37 Though not domestic and caring nothing- for the haunts of man vet there are few birds more friendly and less suspicious than the chewink. Certain of these birds in our thickets have certain individual traits, others will act quite differently and by mak- ing a close observation of this I can as easily discern the individuals as I can the various hens in the poultry yard and almost as well as to pick out Jones, Smith or Brown from across the town street. Several of my che- wink friends have inhabited a thicket along- a creek-way all last year, are there now and they will breed there. Of the tomtits, black-capped and crest- ed, I cannot feel so snre but I have tried to get evidence of the migrating of these birds and I cannot. They go back and forth in the great woods in winter and except on bitter, stormv days, are always hunting and they, with the downy woodpeckers, another species that nests here and probably the same individuals, are alwa}s in company, typical bird waves but not migratory. In fact, two or three pairs of crested-titmice with their high-pitch- ed "tweeter, tweeter, tweeter," fre- quent more than elsewhere certain high woods and roost in the neighboring thickets winter and summer and may be always found there ; They also nest in the immediate vicinity. 1 enclose you a picture of myself which will tell you more about me than I can tell yon. This is the way I am all day. At night my parents put me Inflates Caterpillars. REPORT OF WIIJJAM ENGELHART, CORRE- SPONDING MEMBER 2078. 2121 WEST 42ND, STREET, CLEVELAND, OHIO. I am twenty years old and have rheu- matism and have not been able to walk for about five years, and have not been able to use my right hand for a year. The only thing I find I have any pleas- ure in, is in raising caterpillars and watching the chrysalids and cocoons "hatch" out and putting the butterflies and moths in mounts, and selling some- times a mount, to get some money to get some other cocoons or butterflies. Sometime in 1907 I received some printed matter from The Agassiz Asso- ciation which told about being a mem- ber and I have been wanting to join. CRIPPLED BY RHEUMATISM, HE STUDIES NATURE to bed, where I am till morning. I am getting a little better and am sat- isfied if I only have some cocoons or butterflies or the nice caterpillars. I will do all 1 can for the association. I think this coming spring I will be able to inflate caterpillars perfect, and I think a great many of the Members will be glad if they can get one or two inflated caterpillars of each kind of butterfly and moth they have in their collection for a few caterpillars that they can find plentiful in their locality,, and also by helping me by adding that same kind to my collection. Just now I have not much of anything to do,. and in reply to your question of help- ing me I must say you can do nothing only let me know if I can exchange some minerals for chysalids and co- coons and caterpillars when there are any, as I have a great deal of minerals and they are of no use to me as I do not collect minerals. 38 THE GUIDE TO NATURE Roll Call by Observations. much from the English used as from REPORT BY GLADYS D. SANBORN OF CHAPTER the originality and the closeness of the no. 1016, friends' academy, locust observations. The best composition valley, long island. among those handed in was "A Pecu- Although our Chapter of the Associ- liar Nest" by Irving Hey I which was ation is a new one, we know that you a very interesting description of a will be interested to hear of our meet- woodpeckers nest. Another enter- mp.g taining article was "An Agassiz We have been trying to follow your Diary'.' giving the account of the suggestion that the programmes should (lail.v observations of one of the mem- be less literary and more from our per- bers. This paper gave rise to the idea sonal observations, so at the last two of having the roll call answered by meetings, the roll call has been an- extracts in the form of a diary. This swered with observations. proposition was received favorably Mr. Jackson offered a first and by the members and a motion was second prize for the two best compo- passed to have this our next pro- sitions which were to be judged not so gramme. 5 The La Rue Holmes Nature Lovers League 5 BY GEORGE KLINGLE, SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY Explanation: — The aims of this League are in many respects the same as those of The Agassiz Association. Therefore it has been proposed that the adult interests be represented by "The Guide to Nature" and that the League co-operate, or possibly be affiliated, with The Agassiz Association. — E. F. B. The first lecture in the interest of the ward all things having life ; its plea for movement for the protection of nature, existence is found in the propositions known as The La Rue Holmes Nature that the present is the guardian of Lovers League, was given in Summit, nature's riches in the future; that New Jersey, in May 1906, by Mr. we owe it to generations yet to come William Dutcher, president of the that our guardianship be conscientious. National Audubon Societies. that wealth in forests, birds, and wild The movement originated with a flowers, together with other forms of young naturalist whose life was nature's bounty, be unimpared through shadowed through regret over dese- our guardianship, as far as may crated nature, and whose name was be; and again, that through given the organization, by the Board self restraint, sacrifice for another, the of Directors, after his premature death, fabric of highest moral nature is built The La Rue Holmes Nature League up. In the belief that sentiment in be- is a federated body consisting of a cen- half of nature protection is largely to tral organization, located at Summit, be won through influence with children New Jersey, composed of an execu- and youth, League efforts have been tive board and Directors chosen from largely directed toward the formation various cities, empowered to create of chapters in schools public, parochial, chapters located in any State. The and private. Home and neighborhood League is unique in that its chief aim chapters may be organized by any four is the propagation of protective senti- children or adults. men! in behalf of nature; its kindred. The means emploved in creating and secondary object being the foster- sentiment is found in the distribution ing of interest in nature study — its of leaflets and pictures; in lectures introduction into places where hitherto given monthly, or annually, as desired it has not existed. The League corner- by school principals; in holding month- stone is the sentiment of kindness to- ly, semi-monthly, or annual meetings; LITERARY AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 39 in the writing and reading at meetings b\ all children doing Mich language- work, of brief papers on natural history subjects thereby inducing friendship for forest, bird and wild flower pres- ervati< >n. A bureau of information, through whom questions regarding1 nature may be answered, is composed of men and women, familiar with various branches of science, who, like all others connect- ed in any manner with conducting the work give their services without return apart from the joy which comes to every giver who sacrifices self for a cause. For the courtesy permitting this department representing The La Rue Holmes League work the directors owe a debt of appreciation to The Guide TO Nature. " rr it 11 ii ii il u il 11 lr n n n ii n i> g n n g i IlTERARY BIOGRAPHICAL Quailology. The Domestication, Propaga- tion, Care and Treatment of Wild Quail in Confinement. Together with Natural History Notes, Letters from Breeders < and a Digest of Game Laws. By Harry Wallas Kerr. Little Sioux, Iowa: The Taxiderm Company. (For sale by Wenz & Mackensen, Yardley, Pennsyl- vania.) The author makes this remarkable State- ment : "The quail is easily raised, costs very little to feed, is the healthiest, hardiest, cleanliest, and most prolific bird of the poultry yard, free from contagious diseases and brings a good price on any market." If this is true, it is a wonder that the quail has not become a common domesti- cated bird. The book contains many illus- trations, good descriptions and contribu- tions of experiences from various breeders. One Hundred Lessons in Elementary Agri- culture. A Manual and Text of Ele- mentary Agriculture for Rural Schools. By Aretas W. Nolan, A. B., Professor of Horticulture, Forestry and Economic Entomology, West Virginia University. Morgantown, West Virginia: The Acme Publishing Company. The author is an efficient teacher and horticulturist. He has the right spirit. Therefore he has made a success of his work in simplifying in this book the sub- ject matter, materials and methods usually presented in text-books of agriculture. The author is of the opinion that elementary agriculture should not be taught below the sixth grade. An entire chapter with three illustrations is devoted to the Sachs nutrient tablets as supplied by "The Guide to Nature." The book contains much of interest to the gen- eral naturalist. Pheasants. Their Natural History and Practical Management. By W. B. Teget- meier. London: Horace Cox, "The Field" Office Bream's Buildings, E. C. (For sale by Wenz & Mackensen, Yard- ley, Pennsylvania.) The natural history of the pheasants, their food, habits, nesting, etc., are well presented. The illustrations are attractive and expressive. One important merit of the book is that it combines ornithological re- search with practical experience. Then, too, it is readable and interesting to any lover of birds. Window Gardening. With illustrations from photographs. By Herman B. Dorner. Indianapolis, Indiana: The Bobbs-Merrill Company. In this book such cultural directions are given as will enable the inexperienced to overcome most of the difficulties which arise in the growing of plants in the window garden. The directions are equally appli- cable to the small conservatory. In fact, about the only criticism that can be made is that the directions apply too much to the general and not enough specifically co the scope indicated by the title of the book. The illustrations are chiefly of ordinary plants in pots. It is to be regretted that more was not shown of special fixtures for window gardening. For example, why didn't the author work out and show an attached outside window conservatory? There is need of some one to provide such plans and some one to put them on the market in various styles at popu- lar prices. Who will supply "window greenhouses?" The amateur should have a source of supply for such fixtures just as readily as can be purchased bird houses or chicken coops for the back yard. 4-0 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. The Efficient Life. By Luther Gulick, M. D. New York: Doubleday, Page & Com- pany. The chapters of this book were originally lectures delivered at the School of Peda- gogy, New York University. They contained some excellent suggestions for making life count to the very most in any line of activity. Most certainly the diligent naturalist needs to conserve his energy as much as does any other person, and we are confident this book contains much of interest to our read- ers. Trees of the Northern United States. Their Study, Description and Determination for the Use of Schools and Private Stu- dents. By Austin C. Apgar. New York: American Book Company. "The difficulty in tree study by the aid of the usual botanies lies mainly in the fact that in using them the first essential parts to be examined are the blossoms and their organs. These remain on the trees a very short time, are often entirely unnoticed on account of their small size or obscure color, and are usually inaccessible even if seen. In this book the leaves, the wood, the bark, and, in an elementary way, the fruit are the parts to which the attention is directed; these all can be found and studied through- out the greater part of the year, and are just the parts that must be thoroughly known by all who wish to learn to recognize trees." Out- of -Doors in The Holy Land. Impres- sions of Travel in Body and Spirit. By Henry Van Dyke. Illustrated. New York City: Charles Scribner's Sons. The author of "Little Rivers" has made many phases of commonplace out-of-doors a holy land, by the charming manner in which he has portrayed and idealized the beauty and interest of nature. Probably that fact is accountable for his statement. "For a long time, with hopefulness and con- fidence of youth, I dreamed of going to Palestine." The two following paragraphs from the preface, are well worth careful reading and re-reading. They were written by a natur- alist who believes in reality, who recog- nizes a God in His Works, and yet, the au- thor delicately cautions and suggests that one may be "rudely shaken" by reality, may not see aright and thus be disappointed. "Then, for a long time, in the hardening strain of early manhood, I was afraid to go to Palestine, lest the journey should prove a disenchantment, and some of my religious beliefs be rudely shaken, perhaps destroyed. But that fear was removed by a little voyage to the gates of death, where it was made clear to me that no belief is worth keeping unless it can bear the touch of reality "If what you read here makes you wish to go to the Holy Land, I shall be glad; and if you go in the right way, you surely will not be disappointed." The Haunts of the Golden-winged Warbler. With notes on migration, nest building, song, food, young, eggs, etc. By J. War- ren Jacobs. Waynesburg, Pennsylvania: Independent Printing Company. This is No. Ill of a series of pamphlets by the author on his researches in ornith- ology and oology. The plates are from photographs by the author and are accom- panied by proper explanations. The pamph- let shows the spirit of a true ornithologist. How much better to study one subject in this manner than to write yards of eulogies, emotions and observations on everything in the heavens above, the earth beneath and the waters under the earth. The Freshwater Aquarium and its Inhabi- tants. By Otto Eggeling and Frederick Ehrenberg. New York: Henry Holt and Company. The present book is the result of the care- ful collaboration of a professional aquarist and a very enthusiastic amateur. While the professional aquarist gives his experiences collected through a quarter of a century in an extensive business, offering the best op- portunity for observing fishes, amphibians and aquatic plants, both as to their habits and their merits for the aquarium, the ama- teur adds the result of his observation in forest and glen, and his experience under the often trying home conditions which pre- vail with the average amateur aquarist. The Ministry of Beauty. By Stanton Davis. Kirkham. New York: Paul Elder and Company. "Over and above all common necessity is. the divine necessity of beauty : beauty en- circling all, back of all, in all, and its. purpose moral, its perception joy; hence, if for no other reason, its bearing upon life and the problem of happiness. As with a glass we focus the sun's rays, so do the laws of the universe converge in our daily thought. We are here under the sway of the grandest laws and inseparably linked with the sublime and unutterable, as every drop of water is hitched to the moon and every grain of sand tied to the center of the earth. "To be wise and kind is to enlist the uni- verse in our behalf, to focus cosmic rays- of love here in our hearts. Witness then the Ministry of Beauty drawing us ever from circumference to center; from blue- birds and violets and the blossoming apple, from snowy range and midnight sky and the expanse of moonlit ocean, to the love of these to the ultimate recognition of the nature and purpose of beauty itself, the perception that beauty is within, that only to an inner loveliness is the landscape fair, that to an inner sublimity alone is any out- ward grandeur. "From the self-same source have we the elixir of love divine and the milk of human kindness, from thence beauty forever flows to refresh the worlds and to stimulate man to its recognition." RECREATION <$» VOL II MAY, 1909 No. 2 fy EDUCATION AN ILLUSTRATED MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR ADULTS, DEVOTED TO COMMONPLACE NATURE WITH UNCOMMON INTEREST. EXPLANATORY NOTE: — This number is published from a temporary office at 47 Willow Street, Stamford, Con- necticut, and mailed at the Stamford Post Office as before. This is due to delay in the erection of the Sound Beach buildings. It is expected that the next issue will be published and mailed at Sound Beach. mmimt ■ * 1 " Exquisitely beautiful and unlike anything else we have is the first white water-lily " The floral emblem of the AA. Photograph by H. M. Woodward PUBLISHED BY THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION. TEMPORARY OFFICE: 47 WILLOW ST., STAMFORD, CONN. Subscription, $1.00 Per Year. .... Single Copy, 10 Cents Entered as second-class matter, April 6, 1908, at the Post Office at Stamford, Ct., under the Act of March 3, 1879 A COPY OF "PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS" FREE With a NEW SUBSCRIPTION to The Photographic Times Regular price of " PHOTOGRAPHIC AMUSEMENTS," - $1.00 One Year's subscription to THE PHOTOGRAPHIC TIMES, 1.50 Total, - - $2.50 Anyone sending us $1.50 will receive a copy of " Photographic Amusements' FREE, and a year's subscription to "THE PHOTOGRAPHIC TIMES." The Photographic Times Publishing Association 135 West Fourteenth Street, New York Established 1838 THE Phrenological Journal and Science of Health is widely known in America and Europe, having been before the read- ing world over 70 years and occupying a place in literature exclusively its own, viz., the study of "Human Na- ture" in all its phases, including Phre- nology, Physiognomy, Ethnology, Phy- siology, etc., together with the "Science of Health," and no expense will be spared to make it the best publication for general circulation, tending al- ways to make men better Physically, Mentally and Morally. Parents and teachers should read the "Journal," that they may better know how to govern and train their children. Young people should read the 'Jour- nal" that they may make the most of themselves. It has long met with the hearty approval of the press and the public. Terms $1.00 and 5s. a year, 10c. a number Canada $1.12. Address Fowler & Wells Co. Phrenologists and Publishers 24 East 22d Street, New York REDUCED IN PRICE BUT NOT IN VALUE €[ The reduction in price of The Guide to Nature makes it possible for us to offer a still more attractive combination price. We now offer THE AMERICAN BOTANIST and THE GUIDE TO NATURE ONE FULL YEAR FOR $1.40 •J Everybody knows T/te American Botanist or ought to; it is a great favorite with all lovers of outdoors. The articles are untechnic and yet strictly scientific. CJ THE FERN BULLETIN may be substitut- ed for The American Botanist in the above combination without change in price or may be added to it for 50c additional. The Fern Bulletin and The American Botanist sent one year for $1 25. Send for samples. W. N. CLUTE & COMPANY JOLIET, ILLINOIS -*ivsS~ PUBLISHERS NOTICES. Do You Know "Children's Gardens?" You have heard of children's gar- dens, and perhaps have thought that they are any sort of gardens made by any kind of children in any haphazard way but there is a right way and a wrong way; there is art in it. Write Henry Griscom Parsons, 29 West Fifty-sixth Street, New York City, for particulars of the road to the right way. For High Grade Collies. If there is a more graceful, good- natured and attractive breed of dogs than the right strain of collie, then I do not know what it is. If there is a better place to buy it than of William C. Hunter, Chambersburg, Pennsyl- vania, then I don't know where it is. Send to him for particulars — and get the puppy. The Price of Subscription. At the beginning of Vol. II the sub- scription price of The Guide to Nature was reduced from one dollar and fifty ($1.50) cents to one ($1.00) dollar; the charge was made to bring in more money, not less ; to reach more people, not the same number. The magazine cannot be produced, even at the mere cost of mechanical work, for one ($1.00) dollar a year unless the subscription list is, as was stated, more than doubled. It was taken for grant- ed from the many complimentary letters that were received that all our subscribers were pleased and would renew at one dollar and fifty ($1.50) cents. To make it easy to secure another subscription, the price for two sent at the same time was only twenty- five cents (25c) cents additional ; that is, two volumes for one dollar and seventy-five ($1.75) cents and addition- al subscriptions at seventy-five (75c) cents each per volume. Most of our subscribers have understood this ar- rangement but some have sent onlv the dollar. On that basis the magazine cannot keep its present high standard. Please secure and send additional sub- scriptions. Only a little effort means much for the good of the cause. Delay in Publication. We admit that we are one month behind time. It should be the June number that is now published. This delay is due primarily to complications in the printing office that we are prom- ised will be remedied soon, and second- arily to the great disadvantages under which the editorial work has been done since preparations to move working buildings and contents were com- menced about the middle of February. With the printing office blocked — in troubles of their own — at several in- tervals, on all work, on The Guide to Nature; with books and apparatus stored in a barn and other places for the past two months; with editorial and stenographic work done in a small temporary office ; with, well, but what is the use of reciting to you further troubles ! We think enough has been said to merit your kind forbearance in the delavs. J Flope is dawning. The printers have promised to remove obstacles and in- formation comes, as these lines are written, that the new, portable, office building has been shipped from the factory. The working laboratory and other buildings have gradually evolved order out of chaos. Cheer up ! The sun will shine yet and we will forget that it was cloudy. We like your magazine very much indeed. -F. G. Kenesson. "The Guide to Nature" is a pleasure and an inspiration. — Sister M. Berenice. Every paragraph in your monthly will be read with enthusiasm. — Amelia H. Benja- min. 11 ADVERUSEMKNT. Successful Student of Pigeons. A thing' that is worth doing at all is worth not only doing well but for a prolonged time. Since he was a boy, several years ago, Air. William E. But- ler of Glenbrook, Connecticut, has well devoted attention to fantail pigeons. He loves them and he studies them ; therefore he has excelled. He does not keep the "two for a cent" kind nor even the "one dollar and fifty cents each ;" but if you want fantails really worth having, he can supply you. Darwin set all students of nature a good example in his studies of pigeons. They afford good "available ornitho- logy-" Air of Quiet Dignity and Comfort. It would be difficult to find in all New York City a hotel that can equal the Hotel Cumberland in good location (southwest corner of Broadway and Fifty-fourth Street) and in quiet, dig- nified, comfortable attractiveness. It is up to date in every respect and de- cidedly pleases those who like a hotel that is popular and yet not filled with a boisterous rabble. Just step within the door and it is difficult to realize that the location is near the theatre; district of Times Square. One feels as if he were on a quiet, luxurious es- tate in the country. To my mind none of the other much more pretentious hotels can equal it, surely not in the estimation of any one who "'oes to a hotel for food and rest — for home. A Bee Keepers' Mecca. Very few subjects are better adapted to the modern nature studv idea than bee keeping. For one thing it can be pursued with the greatest possible intensity of interest at home and, in the case of an invalid, right inside the house if necessary. Moreover, it has a rich and interesting literature sur- passing that of any other animal — the horse or dog not excepted. The re- quirements for study are not expen- sive; in fact, the cost of an experi- mental apiary is well within the means of an ordinary laborer or mechanic. In Europe, more particularly in Ger- man}', teachers are supposed to possess a knowledge of bees and their ways. The reason is obvious. The teacher who possesses an actual working knowledge of bees has an insight into the life history of insects in general which is difficult to secure in any other way. For him (or her) the words, larva, pupa, imago, have a true and definite meaning such as a person who depends on books alone cannot aspire to. Not only so, but the habits of bees are far better understood than those of any other insect and a working knowl- edge of their transformations is suf- ficient to give the one who has it a general idea of the habits and mode of life of many other insects, as the bee is the most highly organized of all. Every cult has its Mecca and bee culturists are no exception to the gen- eral rule. At present their Mecca is FACTORY OF THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, MEDINA, OHIO ADVERTISEMENTS. Ill Medina, Ohio, where are situated the vention which greatly simplified the workshops and apiaries of the A. I. whole problem of handling' and keep- Root Company, which has fitted out ing bees in a captive state. Bee keep- many an aspiring- bee student. Not far ers the world over are indebted to old away from Medina is the old Mecca of Father Langstroth, as he is lovingly bee keepers, Oxford, Ohio, where lived termed by bee keepers. His book on SOME STORAGE AND WORKING BUILD INGS and dwelt the sage of apiculture, the late Reverend L. L. Langstroth who by a careful study of bees evolved a system of bee keeping that has created an im- portant industry out of what was for- merly a fascinating hobby and nothing more. Mr. Langstroth was a true nature study man, a real companion to such men - as Alexander Wilson, Thoreau, John James Audubon and John Bur- roughs. Lie studied bees simply be- cause he had to. Nature would not let him do anything else though, like Jan Swammerdam, his great predecessor, he had to give something to the claims of theology. Unconsciously he gave to the whole race of bee keepers an in- bees is a classic well worth careful reading and study even now and likely to be all down the ages. The Root establishment at Medina is now the modern Mecca and with good reason. It is the only place in America where one may view the whole bee in- dustry at a glance. Moreover it is the handiest place for a bee student to get a fairly good insight into the pros and cons of bee culture. Many teachers' organizations have made a pilgrimage to the Root establishment just to add another fact or two to their repertoire and it would be rather strange if a teacher did not learn a few facts on such a pilgrimage. In the first place there is an apiary EDWARD F. BIGELOWr INSTRUCTING CLASS AT MEDINA ^ (XZX) (XZX) 0<3>0 0<=X) 0<=» (X=r>0 00())0«^I>0(><^>0000000^ o 5 II o >< tf ® a hh > a \D U O C? +j - t* - tf £?3 rh .£ C ° > 72 O l-1 to 00000()<=I>)000M A SOBER LOVE OF NATURE UNDERLIES AND REINFORCES LOVE TO GOD AND LOVE TO MAN! THESE SENTI- MENTS BELONG TOGETHER ; DISSOCIATED THEY ARE IMPARED. NO RELIGIOUS TEACHER CAN AVOID DEALING SOMETIMES WITH THE RELATIONS OF MAN AND GOD TO NATURE! FOR THESE SUBJECTS ARE INTENSELY INTERESTING ALIKE TO SIMPLE AND TO CULTIVATED MINDS. — Charles William Eliot, LL. D , President of Harvard University, THE GUIDE TO NATURE EDUCATION AND RECREATION VOL II MAY, 1909 No. 2 OUTDOOR WoRLD Nature at Coronado Beach BY JESSIE PORTER WHITAKER, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA EAUTIFUL for situation, a joy to the lover of nat- ural scenery, is Coronado with her picturesque ho- tel embowered in tropical foliage ; Point Loma, thrusting forth a massive bulwark against the sunset sky; with the tent city on the Silver Strand, stretching away southward, washed on one side by beating surf while on the other lies the still blue bay and beyond are the mountain peaks of Old Mexi- co, gleaming red in the rays of the setting sun. In spite of her beauty, Coronado could scarcely be compared, as a field for nature study, with La Jolla, so charm- ingly described in an issue of The) Guide; to Nature; as "The Nature Lover's Beach." The observant eye finds here, how- ever, much in "common-place nature of uncommon interest." There are no fascinating rock pools in which to search for sea anemones but low tide reveals some of the huge rocks of the breakwater plastered with masses of tiny bits of shell and pebbles which, when touched, show by a quick con- tractile movement that these are nurs- eries of babv anemones snugly hidden underneath their concealing blanket. On the sand lies an object which suggests by its shape a blue lotus blos- som set in a large finger bowl. Its semi-transparent substance shows it to be a jellyfish — an inappropriate name for it belongs to the Zoophytes or animal plants and resembles a fish only in the fact that it can swim. The central organ, called the manubrium, is, in this species, a Muted mass, some- thing like petals, standing upright in the bowl-shaped disk which curves over at the edge giving the whole the, appearance of a semi-transparent flower. We posed one of these on the breakwater and attempted to take its photograph but it was too small in comparison with its surroundings and Copyright 1909 by The Agassiz Association, Stamford. Conn. 44 THE GUIDE TO NATURE, 'POINT LOMA, THRUSTING FORTH A MASSIVE BULWARK AGAINST A SUNSET SKY we succeeded only in getting' an excel- lent likeness of the rocks of the break- water. As we stroll along the beach its smooth surface is broken by a long curved row of little projections sug- gestive of ruins — of a ship or of some marine animal? Examination proves them part of a long curved spinal col- umn ; we counted fourteen vertebrae on the portion protruding from the sand. What strange, prehistoric creature has lain buried beneath these sands to be uncovered by the raging, tear- ing surf? Development of our photo- graph developed also the fact that dur- ing the preceding summer a whale was washed ashore on this coast and ils bones still lie there to be uncovered and buried again by the ever shifting- sands. At times the beach, hard as a floor and glittering with a substance that looked like flakes of gold, seemed ab- solutely bare of shells but we followed the receding tide far out where the sands were wet and there, thrusting up vvedge-shaoed ends, were multi- tudes of the little Donax. When the shell is dead it lies open like a pair of dainty wings upon the sand but these were alive, tightly closed and stand- ing upright with the small point of the wedge thrust into the sand while the little animal within sent out tiny feel- ers, seeking its recurrent cold bath in those tumbling waves. It almost seemed a cruelty to gather the little things and take them home to be plunged into a bath of scalding water but such is the fate of the beautiful. These rainbow colored, dainty mark- ed jewels, suggestive of moss agate, can be formed into a beautiful mosaic to frame a picture. The Floridian and Californian species of this shell are so similar that Augusta Foote Arnold says, 'The increasing number of similar species being found on the Atlantic and Pa- cific sides of Central America points to the existence of a water way be- tween the two oceans at no very re- mote geological period." Coronado is not considered an es- pecially good beach for shells, yet we always find the dainty pearl-white wings of Macoma secta, so thin and frail that they must be handled like eggshells. Large specimens of the Trochidae, "turban" or "topshells," are gathered here ; of pyramidal shape their rough, brown epidermis makes them appear unattractive at first but they are lined with mother-of-pearl and' capable of taking exquisite polish. Those we gather often show little pro- jecting" knobs — already polished by the rough treatment of the surf — gleaming with pearly hues. "AN EXCELLENT LIKENESS OF THE ROCKS OF THE BREAKWATER' NATURE AT CORONADO liEACH. 45 surroundings which it mulched. We felt compelled to do violence to the evident wishes of this strange creature by investigating it, when it proved to be a toad resembling a lizard thatched with dry chips and furnished with sticks for horns. From toads to cats is a far cry, yet when we encountered a cat with a short, crooked tail on the streets of Coronado, we promptly accepted his owner's offer to hold him while we took his picture, for a rabbit-tailed cat struck us as an uncommon object. This cat is descended from a line of ancestors with similar caudal append- "A LONG CURVED ROW OF LITTLE PROJECTIONS" Most interesting among shells are the Pholas or "angels'-wings" of which a number of species are found on the Atlantic Coast and one on this beach. The sculpturing, like pinions, on these wdiite, winged-shaped shells is quite suggestive. A furrow divides the valve into two areas, only the upper, or pointed one, being sculptured. Pholas is characterized by a reflex curve on the upper margin of the valve and by a long, rib-like tooth inside which curves out almost to the center of the valve. In spite of our portrait attachment the kodak did not bring out clearly these details, but the horned toad that slipped unawares into the foreground while waiting his turn to have his "picter took" furnishes a suggestive contrast to "angels'-wings." As for the cribbage board, it is not an object in commonplace nor uncommonplace nature but serving a useful purpose as a pedestal. The horned toad is a most inter- esting and intelligent little creature. Our first encounter with him was on a dusty path bordered with vegetation brown and sere. Of a sudden a clus- ter of dry twigs proceeded to peram- bulate across the path in a manner wdiich so astonished us that we stood still. Whereupon the bunch of dry grass also stood still, having reached ages. This is not a bird article, Mr. Editor, but an account of nature life on Coron- ado Beach would be incomplete with no mention of the many interesting varieties of sea birds. The sands are ploughed in spots by the long, sickle- shaped bills of the curlews ; over the brown masses of kelp trip the black turnstones, probing with their shovel- shaped bills for food ; flocks of sand- erlings, their tiny feet flying with a precision suggestive of mechanical tovs, chase the tide and run back in a THE GULLS AND TERNS ARE SOARING AND DIVING" 46 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. THE SPANISH BIGHT "The marsh which fringes it is interesting" game of tag- with the waves as if for the pure fun of the race. Out at sea the gulls and terns are soaring and diving, the latter easily distinguished by the bill pointing downward "like a huge mosquito," as Coues says, while that of the gull points forward on the plane of his body. The terns, with long, slender wings and graceful, circling flight, deserve their title of "sea swallows." The black cormorant or "shag," with long neck and snake-like head, flies low over the water. The brown peli- cans are usually in companies like soldiers, soaring or napping their great wings in unison with military precision. When they break ranks and indulge in fishing, there is a great splash as the huge beak strikes the water. The enormous bulk disappears beneath the surface to rise and sail away triumphant, if a thieving gull be not at hand to relieve him of the catch. The wild dance of the spray as the surf dashes against the rough rocks of the breakwater tempts to a walk. along the boulevard to the Spanish bight. The marsh which fringes it is inter- esting as the home of a lone fisherman who stalks in slow dignity along its borders, keeping a watchful eye for poachers on his preserves. Now and then he wades out into deeper water and stands motionless, his convenient spear poised in readiness for unwary fish. At the approach of an intruder he lifts his great gray wings and sails away. A contrast to the sand-hill crane is a tiny dweller in the marsh who makes known her presence in a sharp scold- 'WATCH THE HUGE GREEN WALL RISE WITH SLOW, MAJESTIC SWELL" THE CAMHRA. 47 ing voice, characteristic of her family. There she is — the lule wren climbing that dry brown reed with saucy tail perked up and bright eye peering with open curiosity and disapproval of our presence. The long beach between the sea and the Spanish bight, lying clear and calm in the sunlight, stretches to North Island beyond which is the entrance to San Diego harbor. The crash of the breakers upon the cobblestones is fol- lowed by a volley of detonations ri- valling the echoes from the target prac- tice at Fort Roseerans on the sunny sloprs of Point Loma across the bay. Stand upon this beach, watch the huge green wall rise with slow, majestic swell and sweep smoothly forward to break with the thundering roar of a cataract and exclaim with the Psalm- ist ; "Let the sea roar and the full- ness thereof — Let the floods clap their hands — For the sea is I r is and He made it." A Gorgeous Display of Nature's Tinsel. Remarkable photographic studies of foliage of frozen fog or cloud. BY WM. M. HEINEY, CROMWELL, INDIANA. As the clouds pile and bank one above the other against the sky it re- quires some stretch of the imagination on the part of the average person to realize that they are only masses of fog floating far above the earth. Proof of this fact is not easily found, but some persons living high in the mountains occasionally have oppor- tunities to see fogs that reach up into the sky and become clouds. If one were to ascend from the sea level straight up for one and one quar- "ALL IN BLOOxM IN FEBRUARY." This is "snapped" on the morning of the sixth day, just as the sun is breaking through the clouds in the southeast. The clouds have lifted but are still clinging to the mountain top to the northwest while lower down in the canon beyond and to the right they are still resting on the lowlands. 48 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. AN ELM BEFORE THE WHITE FOLIAGE HAD ATTAINED ITS GREATEST DENSITY ter miles on a cloudy February day, he would pass through the clouds much as we move about through the fog of a very foggy day and would ex- perience much of the same atmos- pheric conditions as are in the pictures herewith shown. While from the lower earth regions clouds have the appearances of dense masses, when one is moving through them they are but a dismal smoky mist. It is not an uncommon sight in the high mountain valleys to look off on the distant foot hills and see the fleecy clouds above dragging their feathery tails over the hillsides and tree tops, much as we see the shadows of clouds noiselessly sweeping along over the meadows and grainfields of the lowlands. This is when the evi- dence becomes conclusive — when the dragging tail of fog is identical with the cloud. It is the sight of this mist on the mountain side becoming the ordinary white cloud as we observe it continu- ing" higher up until the blue sky above instead of the green mountain slope beyond becomes its background, that convinces us that clouds and fogs are like conditions of the atmosphere, only viewed with different settings. As it is not often that atmospheric conditions remain constant for several days, so it is unusual for clouds to con- tinue at the same height for any con- OX THE PLAYGROUND UNDER THE FROST BURDENED TREES THE CAMERA. 4^ POSING FOR THEIR PICTURE The white spots on the ground are pebbles covered with frost. siderable time. Persons living in the mountains even do not often experience such conditions as will clothe the branches of trees in such a foliage of frost as the accompanying" photo- graphs show. These pictures were secured in Northern New Mexico at an elevation of sixty-six hundred feet in the month of February, after the town had been bathed in the north- ward drifting clouds for five days. It will be observed that the limbs of these trees appear much like those of some common evergreens, with the spiney leaves one and one-half to two inches long- — frost crystals two inches long! A foliage the heaviest they ever bore and white as snow can be — everywhere and on everything! No work of art could have been so pretty and all the artists of all the ages cotild not have delved a decoration so vast, so univer- sal. It would not shake off, and we lived there day after day for five days, retiring on the evening of the first day feeling that we had never experienced such beauty of nature. But the second day was better. The third it had in- tensified and the fourth and fifth days ;grew in beauty as the frost crystals extended themselves, and we wondered when the glory of God in this moun- tain retreat would cease — when this sacred white verdure could grow no denser. But on the sixth day it had attained its maturity. It was one of those unusual developments of nature that abhors the sunshine. An hour of golden beams of a bright morning and the crystal leaflets had spent their freezing summer and had found their autumn. They lav as drabbled snow beneath the now blackened limbs that had borne them. Another hour and they had mingled with the dust; they had done their part to make mud. In less than a week even the mem- ory of this marvelous beauty had faded and but for the few "snap shots"- memory's archive the most gorgeous display of nature's tinsel that I ever beheld would have been forgotten. WHEN THE CLOUDS OF FOG WERE STILL LOW, SLIGHTLY OBSCURING DISTANT OBJECTS 5© THE GUIDE TO NATURE. i I A COTTONWOOD BEARING ITS BURDEN OF THE BEAUTIFUL This was a strange phenomenon — a temperature to continue in a mountain region for five days just cold enough to reduce the atmospheric moisture to frost and still warm enough to prevent the clearing of the atmosphere. It must have been about the condition as when snow forms in the clouds. It may be explained, however, by several conditions of topography- Our lo- cation was on the south-east slope of the mountain near where a canon from the north-west opened out into a valley sloping to the southeast. Up this val- ley came the winds, warmed and sat- urated, from the warmer regions be- low. As these winds crept up our slope they found a temperature just right to reduce the moisture to pre- cipitation and after the first frosty night the limbs of the trees remained slightly colder — merely freezing — than the newly and constantly arriving, sat- urated atmosphere from the southeast. On the sixth night the temperature went low enough to clear the air of the water particles and the following morning the sun poured over the east- ern mesa on to one eastern sloping mountain side and the disaster to the previously described grandeur re- sulted. The unfortunate feature of these pictures — darkness in all but one — is the result of exposure having been made when the fog was too dense for proper light. The light picture was taken from a north window just as the sun appeared in the southeast ; but before the cloud or fog had yet been dissipat- ed. It is seen clinging to the mountain top to the northwest and lower down in the mouth of the canon to the right and beyond the mountain that pene- trates the retreating mist. Amateur Snap of a Young Robin. The camera was a 5 x 7 Kodak ; the lens, a Zeiss Tessar, to which was fit- ted a specially made portrait attach- ment ; and this combination was used wide open. From the original negative there was made a positive on glass. From this positive another negative was made on a 5 x 7 plate with the robin enlarged to about two thirds life size, and the useless foreground and back ground cut off. A GOOD SNAP SHOT OF A YOUNG ROBIN MINERALOGY. 51 . ^YAVAVAVAVAVAyAV^yAVAYAY^YAVAYArAYAVAVAVAVAV>.VAVAVAVAyAVAV/ • ywywwwwuwwwwwwuww T-TVTnrjrryTyvy^rrvY-^^^ r-ft i^yrriVTnrvyanrwrTTr.nriv-^^ MINERALOGY ixcxxxKxrxttXxxxxxsxiaxriroct^^ . ^VAVAVAVXVAVJ.yAVAVAVAYAY/>YAYAYAY\YAYAY^YAVAVAVA.VAVAVAVAVr7T . Address all correspondence to Arthur Chamberlain, Editor, 56 Hamilton Place, New York City On a New Cinnabar. The illustration given below shows two examples of the most beautiful and remarkable cinnabar ever discovered. Strange to say it is a heathen; that is, it is what Mark Twain would call a "heathen Chinee." It was discovered in Wanshanchang (Hamlet of Ten Thousand Hills,) Tungyen Prefecture, Province of Kweichow, China. Rather a lengthy locality for this beautiful mineral but it is deserving of it. The crystals are a bright, ruby-red color, from translucent to transparent, and in form are ordinary and interpene- trating twins. The matrix is a pure white quartz, and as these crystals oc- cur in cavities with quartz crystals, you can imagine the beauty of these speci- mens. Like all good things they are scarce, probably two dozen all told. With the exception of a half-dozen which are on exhibition at the office of Mr. A. H. Petereit, 81 and 83 Fulton Street, New York City, they are scat- tered among the leading universities and mineral collectors. Cinnabar is found in other localities in China, in Spain and at two localities in California, but in no instance has it ever approached the rare beauty of these crystals. The illustration gives the exact size. A cordial invitation is extended to all readers of this maga- zine to call on Mr. Petereit and see these remarkable soecimens. As the mines from which these were taken are now filled with water and no more can THE NEW CINNABAR From A. H. Petereit, New York City. 52 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. be secured, it would be well to take ad- vantage of this opportunity to see these and other rare things seldom seen even in museums. Tubular Concretions of Iron. BY HOWARD R. GOODWIN, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. On the west bank of the Pensauken Creek, near North Pennsville, New- Jersey, is a large hill of sand which contains considerable iron ore of the variety known as limonite. This ore has formed a conglomerate of small pebbles and sand which takes some curious forms. Part of the formation consists of sheets or strata more or less con- torted, and part of tubes or pipes of various length and thickness. The specimens illustrated average seven inches in length by three inches in diameter, the double tubes being of common occurrence. Some of the tubes taken out at the time of my visit to the locality were over three feet long and full}' ten inches in diameter, with walls one inch in thickness. After getting out the tubes, the sand in the interior, which is much lighter in color than the material sur- rounding them, is easily removed with a sharpened stick. The curious specimens are rust brown in color and make an inter- esting, if not beautiful, addition to the cabinet. In Clinton Township, Vinton County, Ohio, is a sandstone that con- tains spherical concretions which, re- leased by the decomposition of the sandstone, roll down to the foot of the hill where they resemble a lot of rusty cannon balls. Limonite, or brown hematite, is an abundant ore in the United States and contains, when pure, about two thirds its weight of iron. The varieties known as brown and yellow ochre are common materials for paint wdiile bog ore, an earthy variety usually containing considerable phosphorus derived from organic sources, is said to afford a good iron for castings. Gothite, turgite and melanosiderite are other varieties recognised by min- eralogists. Three Bronx Localities for Stilbite. BY EDWIN W. HUMPHREYS. A recent examination of the rock in an excavation back of the Museum Building in the Botanical Gardens, Bronx Park, New York City, revealed some good specimens of straw-colored, though in parts it was white or nearly white, stilbite. The crystals occur in more or less perfect sheaf-like aggre- gations. The mineral is somewhat weathered and crumbles easily. The finding of stilbite here recalled to mind two other localities in the Borough of the Bronx at which stil- bite has been found. They are Third Ave., near 179th St., and Bryant Ave., near 170th St. At the former place, the stilbite was similar in color and form to that found in Bronx Park. In some parts it was coated with iron. Some of it, moreover, was more trans- lucent and of a darker yellow color. This darker stilbite was not arranged in sheaf-like groups, the crystals, though crowded together, rose from the enclosing rock as individuals. At the Bryant Ave. locality the stilbite was of a reddish brown color and oc- curred in flat rosettes. It must have been very abundant here, for a teams- ter said that he had carted away and dumped loads of that "stuff." At all three localities the rock in which it was found was the schist. MINERALOGY. 53 The Passing of the Drawer Cabinet Case. BY CIIAS. H. PENNYPACKER, WEST CHESTER, PA. A half a century ago, when my in- terest in mineralogy began, the ap- proved method of housing a collection was a cabinet of drawers and the trim- ming and adjusting of the specimens was made with the design of placing them in such drawers. Many a good crystal, many a fine specimen, were sacrificed to the drawer habit. When George J. Brush of New Haven was assembling his collection of crystals some of the best to be had were turned over by him to the Yale College collection because they were too large for his purposes. As his collection increased he saw the mis- take he had made in not providing a large open case for his large speci- mens. When Clarence S. Bement of Phila- delphia concluded to sell his collection the drawer specimens were magnifi- cent and exceedingly choice ; but the large open-case specimens, as they brilliantly shone through the glass fronts, were decisive factors in the dis- position of that remarkable cabinet. Dr. Spencer of Tarrytown, New York, lined a room with open cases containing large specimens of quartz crystals from the Ellenville Copper Mine in Ulster County, New York. The effect was dazzling, and his friends and neighbors called it "The diamond room." In the early sixties there was a boarding school at Newburgh, New York, kept by Mr. Reed. His col- lection of minerals was contained in two glass show-cases located in his parlor. They were all large specimens, showy and brilliant, and produced a marked impression upon his callers, who happened to be there placing their daughters at school. Mr. Reed was certainly a gentleman of wonderful at- tainments and such excellent taste, all of which comment was produced by the sight of these brilliant soecimens. In self defence of the distemoer of natural science the collector of min- eralogical Specimens will surely ex- hibit his treasures in open cases. The observers will not consult the label unless they have exactitude allied with curiosity. In such event the assem- blage of mineral specimens will adorn the reception room of the household and contribute to the gayety and de- light of visiting friends. They will not be consigned to the limbo of a third story back room but will have the post of honor and the public station in the parlor. After the mortuary exercises of the collector have been concluded and his family turn about to dispose of his collections they will find that the large, showy crystals and the attractive masses of crystallization will favor- ably impress the trustees of a college, which may desire to strengthen its examples in natural science. Though the collector may have a scientific mind yet it should always be on business bent. We must look forward as well as backward. We must consider the changed and changing conditions as they are about us. A few weeks ago H. D. Miller of Plainville, Conn., was surprised be- cause I had shipped him several speci- mens of Calcite of Museum size and I cheerfully explained to him that tastes in the arrangement of a Cabinet had decidedly changed within a score of years and that it was our duly to keep pace with the ideas of improvement and the improvement of ideas. Tourmalines can be extracted from a matrix by soaking in cold water and tapping the crystals lightly with a hammer. The cataracts of the Nile are due to granite veins which the river, while working a way through the sandstone, has been unable to destrov or remove. The various colors in tnrquoise are due to copper oxide while the presence of iron tends to give a greenish tint to the mineral. From one ton of ordinary gas coal may be produced fifteen hundred pounds of coke, twenty gallons of ammonia water and one hundred and forty pounds of coal tar. 54 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. Mineralogical Review. BY C. ROE GARDINER, 1 6/ HOOPER ST., BROOKLYN, N. Y. ( )n Chlormanganokalite, A New Vesuvian Mineral, with notes on Some of the Associated Minerals. By H. J. Johnston-Davis, M.D., B. Sc, M. R. C. S.. F. G. S.; and L. J. Spencer, M. A., F. G. S. Min. Mag., XV, 54. This new Vesuvian mineral, found amongst the products of eruption, was previously described in "Nature" of May 31, 1906. A large amount of Chlormanganokalite was discovered on breaking up two large masses of ma- terial that had been ejected from this volcano during an eruption. An analysis on some of this new mineral gave the following results: K Mn CI Me Na SOr H2O Insoluble 36.34 11.52 40.13 .04 0.38 0.81 1.52 0.71 = 99-4 The calculated percentage compo- sition in which allowance is made for the presence of admixed sylvite corre- sponds to the probable formula 4KCI. M11CI2. On Determination of Mineral Consti- tution Through Recasting of Analysis. By Alexis A. Julien, Ph. D., Annals N. Y. Acd. So., XVIII, 129; April, 1908. This interesting paper gives food for thought in regard to the chemical composition and formulas assigned to many of the minerals in our text-books on mineralogy. All who are familiar with minerals as viewed through a polarizing microscope know that homogeneity in crystals is rarely if ever seen, and in probably a great man}-- cases where analyses of min- erals have been printed in literature these specimens were never examined by the microscope and consequently it was nearly impossible to allow pro- perly for foreign impurities. The following is an example of the method used in recasting the analysis of a mineral : "Thermophyllite." From Hopansuo, Finland. Average of three analysis by Arppi, Hermann and Northcote, with the formulas. (RO.3R2O3) 2SiOs + 2H2O and (MgO.HO) + MgO.SiO.s Hypothetical Ferric Ferrous Constituents Silica Alumina Oxide Oxide Magnesia Potassa Soda Water Total 41.93 4.04 0.66 1.40 37.29 1.06 1 54 n 62 = 99-54 Phlogopite 11.79 4-04 0.66 8.85 iio6 1.54 2.72 = 30.66 (residual) Antigorite 29.82 1-40 28.44 8.90 = 68.56 Hyalite 0.32 0.32 In association with this mineral were found sylvite, halite and hematite. ( >n Strtiverite and Its Relation to II- menorutile. By G. T. Prior, M. A., D. Sc, F. G. S.; and Dr. F. Zambonini. Mix. Mac,., XV, 78. Struverite occurs on the Prano dei Lavonchi and in other localities on the Eastern slope of the mountain across which runs the road from Vasco to the All) Marco. The mineral is found in pegmatite as a rare accessory constit- uent. Ilmenorutile, a mineral recently rec- ognized by Brogger as a definite species, was discovered on the Ilmen Mountains, Urals, in 1854. The formula deducted from analyses for struverite F2O. (TaNb^Or,. 5Ti02 and for ilmenorutile FeO. (NbTaH'Or,. 5Ti02 indicate the close chemical re- lationship of these two minerals. Two New Boron Minerals of Contact Metamorphic Origin. By A. Knope and W. T. Schaller. Amer. Jour. Scl, XXV, 323. On the northwest Hand of Brooks Mountain on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska, was discovered a new boron mineral for which the name hulsite has been proposed. The other mineral for which has been proposed the name paigeite was found at Brooks Mountain and also forty miles northeast at Ear Mountain. The formula calculated from an- alysis for hulsite is 9FeO. ^Mg TO. 2Fe20s. 2H2O. 8B2O3. The formula assigned to paigeite is 6(FeMg)0. Fe2O.-5.H2O. 3B2OL Note: At a lecture delivered before The Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences by Dr. Schaller on February 2nd, he suggested that due to the fact AQUARIUM. 55 that it was impossible to separate these that it might be found later that hul- new minerals from the magnetite pres- site and paigeite have the same corn- en t at the time of the first analysis position. Under the Auspices of The Aquarium Society of Philadelphia, Herman T. Wolf, Editor Sand, Soil, Grit or Pebbles? Considerable discussion has been evoked at meetings of the Aquarium Society of Philadelphia by the import- ant query, "What is the best planting medium in the freshwater aquarium, sand, soil, grit or pebbles?" At first a divergence of opinion was expressed but later experimentation led to an almost unanimous concurrence in what was since adopted as the best practice. Some desirable aquatic plants, sag- ittaria, vallisneria, anacharis, cabomba and nitella will thrive and exhibit paler green leaves when set directly in the sand ; but other plants, ludwigia, pot- amogeton, moneywort and water-pop- py, require soil to continue their growth and to survive under the changed conditions. The best practice, it has been found, is to place a two to two and a half inch layer of thoroughly washed bar or beach sand in the aquarium, into which shallow dishes or pots contain- ing clean turf and the last mentioned plants are arranged, then those to be planted directly in the sand introduced, and the whole surface covered with a half-inch layer of small beach pebbles, known as grit. A few larger pebbles or brookworn stones may be scattered over the surface to produce a natural effect. For the marine aquarium mixed sand and grit is preferable, as it offers the best medium in which some of the animals may follow their natural habit of burrowing and hiding. Grit permits the finer particles of humus to sift through to the sand layer, to serve as nourishment for the plants, presents a neat and tidy sur- face appearance, and a firmer layer for the siphoning of the excess accumul- ations. _ Nonsense Writing about Aquaria. The longer or shorter articles of popular scientific nature which from time to time appear in newspapers are often unreliable, but those concerning the aquarium and its inmates are us- ually even worse, either altogether untruthful, absurdly impossible, or misleading and disastrous when believ- ed in and applied, all due to faulty ob- servations or the writing on a subject with which the writers are not conver- sant. It is probably the gentle lady society reporter, the sporting editor, or the space writer momentarily devoid of a theme that produce these often gro- tesque absurdities that may do much unintentional harm. The editor of this section of The Guide; to Nature would be greatly obliged if the readers would send in clippings of this nature, stating in what paper they were published, so that they may be answered, correc- tions made and the ghost of ignorance laid. It is to be regretted, however, that newspapers seldom publish cor- rections of their printed articles. It is proposed here to publish ex- tracts from such articles to correct 56 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. errors and misstatements. One re- cently appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper and was extensively copied by others. It stated that the city sup- ply water was so pure that fishes are dying, and goes on to say as follows : "The report of the Director of Public Works to the effect that the water supplied to the citizens of Philadelphia is ninety- nine and fifty-five one hundredths pure is verified by those dealers that sell fish — not those who dispose of them to eat, but the dealers who have for sale golden-sided little fellows that are kept in glass jars. In filtered water the fancy goldfish found death. Thousands of them died from mere inanition after the completion of the im- mense filtration plant. It did not strike the dealers at first that aqua pura was not just the right thing for a fancy fish to swim in. Water is water and logically the purer it is the better. But not for a fish which feeds upon animal mat- ter contained therein. It is well enough to feed a fancy prize winner with flakey fish food if there is enough substance of a fat- tening nature in the water to be absorbed. They could not find enough in the remain- ing forty-five one hundredths to keep them going and flopped over by thousands in the stores of the city and died. Of course, every one knows that a fish cannot live out of water, but here was an added page to natural history. These fish could not live in the pure unadulterated water which Philadelphia ha° for her citi- zens to drink. But there was a serious side to this mat- ter. Actually thousands of fishes died from lack of nourishment until the dealers real- ized that the animal matter and microbes had been filtered from the water. The fishes needed the river dirt and the dealers found it necessary to send down in the Neck and dig dirt from the riverbanks and swamp lands." A\ nat reallv is the cause of death of many aquarium fishes is that Dela- ware river water is largely supplied in the city mains, and it is known that a minute quantity of alum is necessary for its coagulation before the mechan- ical sand and gravel filters will yield perfectly clear water. An equally minute quantity of sulphate of copper is also used in the storage basins of many filtering plants, to prevent the excessive growth of algae, that produce a greenish color. These quantities are so small that they have no effect on mankind in the drinking water, but do effect the survival of fishes in the aquarium. This is the real cause of recent in- creased mortality among aquarium fishes in Philadelphia and not the absurd reason given by the newspaper writer. Nutrition carried by the water is so little at any time that the removal of the minute fauna and flora of river water by filtration has no effect what- ever upon the survival of the fishes, while the chemicals used cause the deaths. This has been proven by recent happenings. Aquaria in good condition until refilled with water taken from the mains have been partly or completely depleted of their fishes in a few days. The Propagation of Aquarium Fishes. The constantly growing demand for the highly developed breeds of Chinese and Japanese goldfishes, as well as the paradise fish, gourami, chanchito, climbing perch, archer perch, fighting fish and other labyrinthine or air- breathing fishes ; and the golden ide, green and golden tench, bitterling, carausche, zebra fish and other beauti- ful indigeneous, exotic and tropical forms, that may be domesticated and kept in household aquaria, has opened a field of industry in the United States which promises profitable returns to the culturist, who, with an understand- ing of needs and requirements and adequate facilities, will devote himself to their propagation. There are some few fish breeders who have been successful in rearing the common goldfish on the larger commercial scale, and who also breed the scaled varieties of the Japanese comet and fringetail and Chinese tel- escope goldfishes ; and a number of expert amateurs who have succeeded in breeding the very highly developed transparently-scaled Chinese and Co- rean breeds, from whom they may be purchased at certain seasons ; but there are so few of these, that with the grow- ing demand there is opportunity for larger business enterprise on these lines. The present equipment of the com- mercial breeder is a number of basins and tanks in a greenhouse, for the winter storage of brood fishes, and AQUARIUM. 57 ponds in which the}' may propagate ing the winter, which are removed to during the spring' and summer months, the yard or garden in the springtime That of the expert amateur is usually for out of door culture. Some very tanks, tubs and other containers in an fine blue-ribbon goldfishes that corn- otherwise unoccupied room in the niand high prices are raised in Phil- household, for brood fish storage dur- adelphia by these smaller breeders. 58 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. Sometimes the semi-amateurs go one step further. These are usually flor- ists, who arrange a part of the green- house for goldfish propagation. The illustration No. i is the greenhouse of Mr. S. C. Selak, of Reading, Pa., a recent recruit in this industry and a successful goldfish breeder. It is lo- cated in that city while his breeding ponds are some miles distant at his country residence. The arrangement of the cement tanks is good, the conditions favora- ble, and the returns satisfactory; but in the writer's opinion, this method is not ideal and could be greatly improv- ed upon. With the toy-varieties of the gold- fish, and it is these that promise the high returns on the investment, it has been proven beyond doubt that fishes raised in smaller containers than a pond are superior, and that a greater number exhibit the desired perfection of body, fin and eye development which characterize the fine breeds. An article recently published in The Guide to Nature states that only a small proportion of young fishes in- herit the desired peculiarities -of the artifically produced varieties. When these are selected as soon as hatched they escape the cannibalistic tenden- cies of their inferior but more active brethren, which latter are usually not preserved. In small tanks perfect supervision is possible and feeding may be so regu- lated that the young fishes need make no effort to procure food ; which large- ly tends to short bodies, elegance of form and exaggerated fin develop- ment. In the pond no such super- vision is possible. Those fishes near- est like the ancestral type, the com- mon goldfish, are best able to care for themselves, are most likely to es- cape enemies and will prey upon the finer double-tailed, short-bodied fishes. Furthermore, efforts to obtain suffi- cient food tend to produce long bodies at the expense of large fins, and much activity will result in a general coarse- ness of appearance different from the fine forms of the selected tank-bred goldfishes, which command prices, three to ten times as great as those of the pond. It is also noteworthy that the young of different broods should be isolated until they have reached such size as not to fall victims to the older or more robust fishes, either of earlier hatch- ings or those which evince a more rapid growth, again those which are less perfect in. development and not desirable to the expert aquariist and goldfish fancier. The illustration Fig. 2 is a sugges- tion for a large breeding establishment in the open air, which presents many advantages over the pond for the cul- tivation of all the fishes which may be kept in aquaria. Its location should be in the country, near a con- stant supply of moderately cold water. Surrounding a central greenhouse, spawning and breeding tanks and larger rearing and storage tanks should be arranged with the necessary water supply and drainage pipes; and a large water collecting tank and pump in- stalled, to insure uniform condition and temperature of the water. This ar- rangement will permit of perfect su- pervision, the rearing of the fishes out of doors in favorable weather ; and furnish ample storage facilities in the greenhouse for the brood fishes, the keeping of very fine specimens for special prices, and the holding over of a considerable number of others un- til times of greatest demand, usually during the winter; and in the spring, when good breeding fishes are sought and usually not to be obtained. All the tanks should be based upon a factor of 4 or 5 feet ; which means, either 4 by 4. 4 by 8, or 5 by 5, 5 by 10 feet ; so that wire screens, to protect the fishes from enemies, may be inter- changable. These tanks should be constructed of cement concrete, either altogether or only partly above the level of the foot paths, and should be entirely drained in winter to pro- tect them from the action of frost. A less expensive construction is wooden tanks for out of door use. These need only be water tight, of 1 -inch rough lumber, which answers all purposes as well or better than AQUARIUM. 59 elaborately built basins of planed and the aquarium fishes and for experi- dowelled construction, though lumber mentation with this new and promis- or this dimension would not resist the ing industry. pressure in tanks larger than 3 or 3*^ The Guide to Nature would be feet square. These containers are pleased to answer any further inquiries amply large for the propagation of all on this subject. 6o THE GUIDE TO NATURE. Research Work! One of my friends, a teacher, was telling the pupils, "Mr. Bigelow has been supplied with a laboratory in the new Arcadia for research work !" One pupil, whose ideas of the ordinary meaning of the word, "research," were evidently not quite clear, exclaimed, "A whole new building for research work ! Why what has he lost that it takes so much to find it ?" If that pupil will call, I will gladly explain how my household furniture is stored in various parts of two towns, how some pieces of my apparatus are in Sound Beach and others in various parts of Stamford, and how I am doing editorial and scientific work at a table in a small, temporary office. She sure- ly will think that it will take many another hunt to find things — literally a re-search ! I realize that she was not so very far from a correct idea of the situation after all ! The Audubon Societies. President William Dutcher and his associated officers and workers of the Audubon Societies are to be congratu- lated on their remarkable achieve- ments and growth in the few years since the founding in 1901 and the in- corporation in 1905. They have been enabled to do wonderful work in the study and pro- tection of birds because they have been liberally supplied with funds for that purpose. The total amount of dues received up to April, 1909, since incorporation four years ago, amount to $21,725. The total amount of contributions re- ceived since incorporation and up to the same date amount to $13,110.25; the endowment fund received through the legacy of the late Albert Willcox, and a small legacy of some $400.00 from another individual, and life mem- berships amount to the astonishing sum of $340,012; expenditure for legal ser- vices and legislation amounts to $2,- 034.91. So there has been given in four years a grand total of $374,847.25, over a third of a million dollars, for the study and protection of birds. No wonder our sister Audubonites have been enabled to do good work ; and they have done it, are doing it, and The Agassiz Association congratulates them and all their sustainers for it. THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION. In the light of such extensive aid and achievements in four years, one can but dream of what inconceivably great things might have been accomplished by The Agassiz Association if it had had in its thirty-four years of existence even one tenth of the aid that the Audubon Societies have had. We point with no little pride to the fact that AA has not been limited to national work but has encircled the globe with hundreds and hundreds of Chapters and thousands and thousands of mem- bers, that it was the pioneer of all the EDITORIAL AND GENERAL. 61 great movements in the study of nat- ure, that for more than a quarter of a century it included (almost exclusive- ly) the great popular interest not only in birds but in plants, animals, min- erals, stars — everything in nature. Probably more than half the scientists of the world have had their stimulus and training in its Chapters. In view of all our great work and achievements, it is a most astonishing fact of all nature interests that the total direct gifts in over a third of a century have been less than $7,000 ! No officer or worker has ever received salary. It has been a labor of love. It has by prolonged and faithful work, in intense self-sacrifice and, more than all, by great achievements most certainly demonstrated that it is worthy of liberal s'tipport. Now just as we are entering on a greater era of usefulness, friends of the AA, life long students in the AA, let us have the support and that, too, liber- ally. Every dollar will be used to good advantage. Words! Words! Words! This magazine stands for one fun- damental purpose in nature study. It is for the study of nature, not for the mere reading about nature. We do not care to receive long discussions about nature in the abstract, with elaborate descriptions of nature in general. We want things that will arouse an interest and tend to incite direct personal relations between the student and the studied. We want every subscriber to feel that the editor is a personal friend, who is more eager to give help, where help is needed, than he is to receive pages of flowery de- scriDtions. The editor believes in studying nature not in writing words, words, words about nature. This does not include profound technical investigation nor does it necessarily exclude that kind of study. The person who sits in the shade of an apple tree and watches a robin build her nest in another apple tree is a close student of nature, and is as truly and carefully studying as is one who makes sections of bumblebees in parafine and for hours pores over those sections and makes elaborate drawings of them in his notebook by the aid of the camera lucida. I believe that both are right. One prefers one kind of work, the other another kind. One prefers the informal, the other the strictly formal, and this magazine is in sympathy with both, although it prefers the informal. But it is not in sympathy with articles self-evidently taken from nature-study books or from encyclo- pedias, nor is it in sympathy with mere explanations of emotion excited by a general view of nature as of a land- scape, all of which might be condensed in the assertion, "I love nature," "I love nature," "I love nature." Let us understand one another. We want to avoid the necessity of returning manu- scripts and photographs, because that takes the time of the editor and of the office clerk and is withal annoying to the contributor. We welcome as cordially and as promptly the original observations of the novice as those of the veteran. The question is, Have you seen something of the interest or beauty of nature that really means something definite to you, and will mean something definite to those for whom you describe your observations? We frequently receive letters in- tended to be commendatory, which tell us how interesting the magazine is and how much the subscriber enjoyed read- ing it. All this is of course pleasing. We should not be true to human nature if we attempted to convey any other impression. All of us like ap- preciative words, regardless of the form in which they come. So while we do not say that we dislike such communications, we do say that the only thing for which we are working is to incite in both reader and con- tributor a direct, personal interest in nature. It is the editor's firm belief that the multiplicity of books and mag- azines on nature study tends, in a certain and positive sense, to lessen any real active interest that the reader of such literature might otherwise have been led to exhibit toward his immediate surroundings, which means "that state 52 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. of life unto which it shall please God to call" him. The great American reading public seems to be contented to take everything for granted on the authority of some one else who has developed and nourished a real interest in that part of nature in the midst of which he exists. We shall be glad to know that something has been said in the magazine which has brought some one back to nature, or in the words of our beloved Agassiz that the reader has learned to "study nature not books." Difficulties in Early Days of a Great Movement. "I suppose no great effort has ever been made for the improvement of conditions, for the advancement of the human race, that has not been met with bitter opposition, ridicule, and abuse from the people at large ; but when the heroic reformer with a spark of Christ-like patience says : "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do," and holding steadily, un- swervingly to his course, reaches the goal, and, though weary and exhaust- ed, establishes firmly the new- and better condition of affairs, the people are apt to accept the benefits accruing, as a mere matter of course, and give no thought to the price paid by the reformer for his success. 'To-day the Society for the Pre- vention of Cruelty to Animals is a recognized power for good through- out the land. The most prominent, the most powerful men, the most gracious and influential women are proud to serve it ; while the bright- eyed, observant babies of the entire country are its eager little agents and flying messengers. "It has offices everywhere, paid of- ficials, agents, lawyers, doctors, work- men, ambulances, shelters, machinery for rescue, and the merciful lifting and lowering of fallen beasts of burden. To-day all such work is done before approving and admiring eyes, but once it was a different story. For this society came into existence amid a very storm of disapprobation, with rumbling jeers and imprecations from the vulgar and debased, flashing with the sarcastic and malicious mockeries of the thoughtlessly indifferent. In- famous cruelty stalked rampant through the city. The brutalities familiarly witnessed on every hand were coarsening the fibre and harden- ing the hearts of the people, and thus lowering their spiritual standard. For so closely interwoven are the interests of man — made in God's image — and the gentle dumb creatures given to his service and his care, that cruelty and brutality to the patient beast of burden result in the debasing of the guilty man himself. Therefore this Society, in constituting itself the defence of the defenceless, truly served man as well as beast, in teaching him to control if not to conquer his savage instincts — his senseless furies." — "The Life of a Star" (by Clara Morris) in chapter on Henry Bergh. The Myth of the Gulf Stream. Benjamin Franklin on returning from Europe about 1730 measured the tem- perature of the Gulf Stream with a thermometer, undoubtedly a Fahrenheit mercurial thermometer, so that he and Dr. Lining of Charleston, S. C, were the first to bring such thermometers to America. Ever since that day English, French and German writers have lauded the Gulf Stream as the great regulator of the climates of Europe and America. But how is it possible for this warm stream a few miles wide off the Florida coast to affect the climate of Europe 3,000 miles away, or the climate of the United States wdiere westerlv winds prevail. Elaborate measurements of the temperature of the surface water of the Atlantic ocean have abundantly demonstrated that there is no special warm Gulf Stream north or east of Cape Cod, Mass., so that from that coast eastward to Europe the westerly winds may carry moisture and mild rainy weather, but no warm Gulf Stream temperatures. In the Pacific Ocean the Japan Cur- rent is observable as far northward as latitude 40 degrees North, off the coast of Japan, but beyond this, again, the ocean temperatures become uniform EDITORIAL AND GENERAL. 63 and the warm stream is not recognis- able. Therefore the west winds of the Pacific bring to the American coast the general temperature and moisture of that immense body of water, but not an}- special influence from the Japan Current. These matters are so plain that every reasonable man should give up the old errows regarding the in- fluences of these warm currents .on disant coasts.-— C. A. In Springtime. BY FRANK M. VAX SCHAACK, II ARRISBL'RG, PENNSYLVANIA. The bluff March winds have whispered to each tree And sleeping plant their words of timely cheer; They said, "The land from winter's power is free, Awake! the time to rise is surely here." The pussy-willows burst their prison cells, And thrust themselves into the light of day; Hepatica upturns its purple bells, And bids the April sunshine longer stay. The dainty blooms of maples hastening out, Imparting nectar to the hungry bees, The flower-lined twigs of cherries tossed about, All lend their fragrance to the western breeze. The bloodroot rears its snow-white, cup- like flowers Along the southern slopes of wooded hills, To catch the crystal drops that April showers To quench their thirst and feed the moun- tain rills. Above the leaves of many a woodside dell The windflowers lift their gentle, smiling faces With nodding heads the trilliums to tell That March's storms are won by April's graces. The pulpit Jack stands up beside the way, As if us to instruct in wood-folk lore; But, not one word of wisdom can he say About the secrets wood-folk have in store. Gay dandelion dons his gorgeous coat Of fine spun gold all trimmed in laurel green, He stifly bows to passing winds ; to dote, He seems, on dress and strives to have his seen. And now the daisies knit the waving fields In tapestries of green and white and gold. Pair eglantine the call of summer feels, And wafts its perfume o'er the wayside wold. While swiftly fly the happy days of May, The meadow lands with buttercups are strewn. The flowers of spring begin to fade away, To yield their place to those of sunny June. ^RRESPONDENCE x AND INFORMATION^ Aquariist not Aquarist. Philadelphia, Pa. To the; Editor: You will notice that in the manu- script I use the word aquariist, which in two issues you changed to a aquar- ist. The word aquarist has been taken by artists to designate a water-coior painter; the fancier of an aquarium is an aquariist, the difference being that one word is made from aqua, water, the other from aquarium, a container of fluvial life. I merely mention this that your readers may not think a deliberate substitution has been made. Very truly yours, H. T. Wolf. Importation of Skylarks. Victoria, B. C, Canada. To the Editor : Five or six years ago the Natural History Society of Victoria, British Columbia, decided to import a number of song birds from England. Quite a large sum of money was subscribed 64 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. and skylarks, bulfinches, and English robins were brought out and liberated. The robins and goldfinches soon dis- appeared, but the larks lived and are increasing at a good rate. They may now be heard any morning in the fields surrounding the city, as they soar al- most to the clouds. Recently they have been found to be scattering somewhat and it is hoped that they will eventually spread over the whole of Vancouver Island. It would certainly be of interest to the readers of The Guide to Nature to know what other importations of skylarks have been made to this con- tinent. There is no other place in Canada where they have been imported. The birds in the neighborhood of Vic- toria do not migrate, but may be heard singing all through the winter months. Henry F. Pullen. Quick Growth of Rodent's Teeth. Portland, Me. To the Editor: Regarding the interesting facts told of the teeth of woodchucks in the March number : it may not be gen- erally known that the teeth of rodents when accidentally broken off grow very quickly again. I noticed one day that the chipmunk whose photograph ap- peared in the February number made very awkward work of taking things into his mouth and pouches. Ex- amination revealed that one of his lower teeth was broken off over half of it being gone and so care was taken that soft food was furnished him. But in a very short time — less than a month — the tooth was grown to the original length. It is quite necessary that cap- tive members of this family be given nuts uncracked in order that their teeth be kept worn down by use. The il- lustration shown by Miss Knowles gives a fine idea of what happens when a rodent is not able to keep his teeth in practice. F. S. Morton. I have read the first ten numbers with interest. They appeal to me as "just right" and contain a whole lot of the information we are all looking for. — Raymond L. Dit- mars. ORNITHOLOGY The Varied Repertoire of the Mockingbird. BY HARRIET WILLIAMS MYERS, 306 AVENUE 66, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. It was a glorious winter's morning. A perfect day, it seemed to me, as I sat in my yard and revelled in nature's beauties. A recent rain had cleared the atmosphere, washed the dust off the vegetation, and made the air pure and sweet. The warm sun proclaimed it a spring day albeit the calendar said it was still winter. No wonder that the hens were cack- ling noisily, proclaiming eggs to their credit, or squawking in a satisfied, if unmusical, way; the bees hummed drosily as they gathered honey from the pepper blossoms above my hta 1, and the mockingbirds sang. The season had been a dry one, — too dry the wiseacres said — for the country's good, and it seemed as if the mockers, feeling this lack of mois- ture, had withheld their songs for a more propitious time. And so this medley going on above my head was doubly welcome. California, with all its wonders, would lose half its charm should the mockingbirds cease to sing. As I listened to this wondrous song floating down upon me, I marvelled at the varied repertoire, and smiled as I ORXITHOLOCY YOUNG VALLEY QUAIL recognized the notes of other feathered friends whom I knew wei e nowhere about. "Ja-cob, ja-cob, Ja- cob," called the bird, mimicking to per- fection the large California wood- pecker who dwells in the Arroya Seco not far away. The "ja-cob" note was followed by trills and warbles all the mocker's own, but not long could he keep to an original song. A shrill note of the California shrike followed and I was reminded of a morning when, hearing the sweet song of one of these birds, I rushed to the door only to find it was "my" mockingbird trying his voice. Most people think of the shrike as only having a shrill, most uncanny call, but in reality he has many notes and a song that is a low warble which is often sweeter than that of the fa- mous songster whom in color he re- sembles. Not often do I hear the real song of the shrike. Hence my anxiety to catch every note of it, and my dis- gust to find that I had again been "fooled." However, there is consola- tion in knowing that I am not the only one who has been tricked by this wiley bird. More than one sleepy mor- tal has been aroused in the dead of night and gone out to see what was disturbing the chickens, only to find it was the saucy mockingbird, who, having inveigled his victim out of bed, pealed forth his song in sardonic glee at his deceit. Verily, I believe that this "mocker" is also a "joker," could we understand his language we would find his enjoyment of pranks played on other birds, and mortals, very keen. There were still other notes of the shrike, this versatile singer used as his song rippled forth, and another call of California woodpecker he also gave. It was a gutteral, rasping sound that I have often heard them make as they hammered acorns into a rotten tree. But the shrike and the woodpecker wTere not the only birds that my song- CALIFORNIA VALLEY QUAIL 66 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. CALIFORNIA WOODPECKER ster mocked. Far from it. I have sometimes thought that it would be easier to name the birds that this vo- calist does not mock than those he does. The call of the California jay was shouted forth even as that blue tyrant shouts it ; also another, longer, note of the same bird was given. The "Pip, pip," in imitation of the purple finch who was foraging in the yard and also giving the note, reminded me what an indication the song of the mocking- bird is of presence of certain birds in the neighborhood. I have sometimes thought that a keen observer could al- most tell when the summer birds have arrived by listening to this bird's song. It would seem that out of sight was out of mind with this mimic, since through the winter months the notes of the winter birds and those that are more commonly about are heard. But no sooner has the black-headed gros- beak returned from his southern so- journ, and commenced his beautiful song, than a portion of it is taken up and woven into his own effort by this versatile bird. "Whit-we-a, whit-we- a, Sweet Marie," he shouts from the tree top that the passer by may fully appreciate his wonderful ability. The orioles with their noisy chatter come in for their share of attention as does also the Arkansas kingbird with his rapidly given, "Whita, whita, Avhita." Many birds having single notes that would not be noticed by any save one very familiar with bird music, are used by the mocking-bird, being woven into his song as if they were his very own. The nasal twang- ing note of the western gnatcatcher is a notable one, the shrill whistle of the brewer blackbird, the "Pheb" of the black pheobe, the liquid note of the phainopepla, and the wierd note of the wood pewee are others. One of the most triumphant vocal- istic feats of the mockingbird in my MOCKING BIRD AT BIRD TABLE ORNITHOLOGY. 67 estimation, is his ability to imitate the three-note falsetto eall of the valley quail. When I first heard the quail give his note I thought that lie plainly said, "Whip-poor-Will," but this call has been variously interpreted. To some he seems to say, "Get-right-out" while others are so unkind as to make this jaunty beauty impolitely say. Shut- right-up!" Just how the mockingbird means to interpret it I would not ven- ture to say, but that he succeeds in imitating" it perfectly, I know. Not so well does he succeed when he tries his voice on the song of the western meadow lark. Attempt it, however, he does and although there is no doubt as to what he is under- taking, he is unable to carry the refrain long. In fact, I have not often heard him undertake it but I believe it is because he does not frequently hear the song rather than his unwill- ingness to undertake it. Saucy, inquisitive, sulky, fun-loving, scolding mockingbird, bird of as many moods as notes — long may you con- tinue to be our yard pet, and may your matchless voice ever ring clear in your varied repertoire. Field Lillies. BY i;.M.M.\ PEIRCE, \i;\V YORK CITY. All the bells of the lilies are ringing, Keeping time with the neighbor-birds sing- ing, With the joy that the summer is bringing. Matin bells! of the sunshine's own tinting, With the pure morning light on them glint- ing, Of glory ineffable hinting. Vesper bells! with the sunset hues glowing, From their fair golden chalices throwing A halo round all 'neath them growing. "The Guide to Nature" continues to im- prove. I did not think you could do it. The money you have put into the magazine war- rants a big subscription list and I trust you are getting it. It is the best publication of the kind that I know of and deserves to succeed. — Willard N. Clute. I have read with great pleasure the issues of "The Guide to Nature." I wish you all success in the future of this splendid jour- nal.—A. W. Nolan, A. B. I think "The Guide to Nature" is decidedly improving and I believe will get better and better. — Earl Douglass. A QUEER "BIRD" IN ITS NEST IN A HOLLOW TREE 68 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. PoPULW^TRqNoMYJ The Heavens in May. BY GARRETT P. SERVISS, BROOKLYN, N. Y. The Chart shows the sky as it ap- pears at 9 P. M. on the ist of the month, 8 P. M. in the middle and 7 P. M. at the end. The historic comet represented this month is that of 1861, one of the most celebrated in the annals of astronomy. The Chart shows its position on June 30th, nineteen days after its perihelion passage. Few comets have made a greater sensation, for its appearance was altogether unexpected, and it came up into the northern hemisphere after passing perihelion, in the full blaze of its splendor, with a great divided tail, some of whose streamers were more than a hundred degrees in length. THE PLANETS. Jupiter remains the planetary king of the evening sky, although the earth is now drawing away from him. He is seen west of the meridian, near the Sickle in Leo, and in brightness he far excels the brightest of the fixed stars. His steady planetary light is a pleasure to the eye, and no object can be more interesting for the pos- sessor of even the smallest telescope. His great colored belts are always in evidence, their appearance changing from hour to hour, while the motions of his four principal satellites, with their eclipses, and occultations, are an unending delight for the observer. Even without a telescope, or any other instrument, Jupiter is a fascinating ob- ject to look upon, especially when we reflect that he is the greatest planet in our solar system, almost 1400 times larger in bulk than the earth we live on. His distance from the earth is now, in round numbers, about 400,- 000,000 miles. Neptune in Gemini is, of course, invisible to the naked eye. He can never be seen without a tele- scope. Mercury, however, is now, visible, reaching his greatest elong- ation east of the sun on May 20th. He is quite brilliant seen in the twi- light after sunset. Venus has been east of the sun, and consequently an evening star, since April 28th, but she will not become a conspicuous object until later in the year. The other planets are not now in the evening sky. THE STARS AND CONSTELLATIONS. The whole length of the enormous Hydra can now be seen, stretching across the southern sky, starting with the diamond-shaped head under the Beehive cluster in Cancer, and rim- ing under Leo, Crater, Corvus, and Virgo, nearly to the eastern horizon. His brightest star, the lone Alphard, exhibits a reddish color. Below the central and fore parts of his elongated body may be seen some of the stars in the rigging of the ship Argo, and be- low his tail some of the stars of Centau- rus. Virgo is very conspicuous in the south-east, especially on account of the beauty of its chief star, the pure white Spica. The situation of the celebrated binary, Gamma Virginis, is indicated on the Chart. This is well worth looking at with a telescope. The two stars composing it are each of about the third magnitude, and their distance apart is a little less than six seconds of arc. They revolve about their com- mon center of gravity in a little less than 200 years. A 3-inch telescope shows them beautifully. Above Virgo the glimmering cluster in Coma Berenices is conspicuous, and east of it glows great Arcturus, one of the most brilliant of the fixed stars, and the brightest in the constellation Bootes, POPULAR ASTRONOMY. 69 the Bear-Driver, who seems to be pur- suing the Great Bear, Ursa Major (the Great Dipper) around the pole. Among other constellations particularly beautiful at the present time is Corona Borealis, which may be seen, with its al- most perfect circle of stars, northeast of Arcturus. Away over in the northeast Lyra is seen rising with the glittering Vega, which is as bright as Arcturus, but llerschers discovery that it lies ahead of us in the path which the Solar System is pursuing straight toward the north, at the rate of more than 300,000,000 miles per year. Later studies have shown that the real direction of this vast flight is rather nearer to Vega than to the central part of Hercules. Leo, in mid-heaven, is well placed for observation, the figure of the Sickle Evening SkyMap for MAY May Moon Phases Full Moon, MayS LastQtr., May 12 NewMoon,A\ayi9- FirstQtr.,May26 facesouthand hold the map over your head-the top north. and you will see the stars andplanets just as they appear in the heavens TheArrow Through THE TWO STARS IN THE BOWL OF THE BIG DIPPER POINTS TO THE NORTH STAR. THE STAR AT THE END OF THE HANDLE OFTHF. LITTLE DIPPER SOUTH sirikingly different in color, its rays being blue-white while Arcturus is orange, or at times almost red. Both of these stars are of .immense actual mag- nitude. Arcturus probably exceeding our sun at least 1000 times in bright- ness while Vega is hardly less enor- mous. But Vega is apparently young in the order of evolution, and Arctu- rus is old, older than the sun. Be- tween Corona Borealis and Vega ap- pears the constellation Hercules, for- ever memorable from Sir William is clearly marked and the leading star Regulus, at the lower end of the handle, is not only bright but it is important being one of the "nautical stars" employed by sailors in finding their longitude at sea. There is a well-known meteor shower in May, known as the Aqua- rids, because they radiate from the constellation Aquarius. As that con- stellation does not rise before mid- night these meteors, if any are seen in the evening, will appear shooting 7o THE GUIDE TO NATURE. up from the horizon in the northeast. They are visible from the ist to the 6th of the month. They move swiftly, making streaks in the sky, which usually vanish almost instantly. Bolides, or fire-balls, not belonging to any meteor shower may make their appearance at any time. A most wonderful one was seen in England on the evening of February 22nd last. It left a glowing trail which remained visible more than two hours. DOMESTICATED, v'i */•* NATURE ,JQ_ A Cat Mothers Squirrels. BY GEO. W. IRVING, PHOTOGRAPHER, WATERVILEE, N. Y. (For remarkable illustration, see frontispiece.) On the farm of Albert Fisher in Waterville, N. Y., in June, 1908, a cat was the happy mother of several kit- tens. As there were too many cats already on the farm it was necessary to kill the playful little ones, and after that the grief of the mother cat was most pathetic to see. She refused to eat and took absolutely no interest in anything but her ceaseless search for the missing offspring. One day a young squirrel was taken from its nest in a tree some distance from the house and offered to the cat as a tempt- ing morsel. Instead of toying with and torturing the baby squirrel and eventually eating it, as is the nature of a cat, she promptly transferred the love and affection she had for her kit- tens to the young squirrel. She gave it all the attention and kindness that her warm mother heart could suggest, and the young squirrel was happy. The next day the mother cat sought out the squirrel nest in the tree and took all the young squirrels to the box where her kittens had been. There she reared her odd family, giving them the same nourishment and in the same manner that she would her own kittens. The squirrels grew up and when big enough returned to their native haunts in the trees. The Last of the Purple Martins in Stamford. BY ELIZABETH E. SMITH, STAMFORD, CONN, The beginning of our martins was that they came to our pigeon houses. After boxes were put up for them, they came to us regularly so that in the course of a year or two, when getting ready to migrate south (which they al- ways did on the eighth of August), they would number a hundred or more. They would arrive on or near the ninth of April, and, in proof that birds return to their old haunts, one ninth of April our man looked abroad in the sky many times, being finally rewarded by seeing one come at five o'clock in the afternoon and make a tour of three boxes (which, however, were closed to prevent the English sparrows from tak- ing possession). The fourth box was on the barn floor, ready to go up. The ladder being in place, the house was immediately raised and while it was be- ing fastened the bird came in at the rear and remained for the night. After being rested, apparently, the bird left to return again in a day or two with several others. All went well for several years until the cold, wet June of 1903 or 1904 when there were no insects in the air for them to feed upon, either for them- selves or their young and the old ones dropped dead around the place (the taxidermist saying they were only skin and bone), starved to death, and of course the little ones in the nests DOMESTICATED NATLRE. 7i died from cold and starvation. Of the two birds stuffed one was a male with jet black, glossy feathers; the other a female with grey breast. They would fight valiantly for pos- session of their homes against the Eng- lish sparrows, having been seen in two instances to drag the sparrow out and dash him to the ground. But few lived through that inclement June and they never came again to my knowledge to Hubbard's, Noroton, or Clark's Hill boxes. Experiences with Pet Bats. BY EVELYN GROESBEECK MITCHELL WASHINGTON, D. C. Bats, by most people, are hardly considered in the light of possible pets, but, as a matter of fact, I know of none more cunning and interesting. They are not hard to keep, either, but there is one thing that must be kept in mind — they will not live in a cage. They want the liberty of a room, and the attic or cellar will answer very well. I have had several bats at different times ; three brown, two black, one red and one hoary. They stayed in my care from three months to over a year when I let them go, with the excep- tion of the hoary, which, through neg- lect in my absence, died in a few weeks from the time he was caught. My first bat was a little black fel- low, brought me by a highly excited Irish lad, who had found the "quare mouse" in his cellar. I turned the furious, scuffling, wee beastie loose in a box with glass sides and wire top, where he hung himself upside down. There he hissed and squeaked to his heart's content, raising a terrific fuss at my near approach. If his body had been as large as his temper, I have no doubt that I should have been swal- lowed at one gulp. For a whole day the obstinate little scamp starved him- self, snappishly refusing flies offered on a straw. Thinking that the way to his heart would best be found through his appetite, I finally popped flies into the wide-open mouth. The first two or three he spat out angrily, but soon shut his jaws on one by mistake. Then he concluded that eating was a far pleasanter and more profitable oc- cupation than scolding, though for some time he continued to give me a piece of his mind in the intervals be- tween Hies. Within a couple of days, however, we were on the best of terms, and he would lift his queer little square nose at me with a pleased twitter very different from his first angry, shrill squeaks. Then I let him loose in my room, where he hung up on a bunch of sea-weed, but shut him up when the lights were on. All the bats, except the red one, were very easily tamed, soon learning who fed them and snuggling cosily down in my hand to eat or take a nap. Dear, cuddly things they were, like soft floss silk, with such bright beads of black eyes. As for their wings — well, dead bat's wings may be leathery, but these live ones were like the most deli- cate Japanese silk crepe. The mem- brane is very sensitive, but after a while my pets would allow me to gently spread their wings. Their tiny teeth were needle-like, but although they occasionally flew into a ridiculous rage and treated some one to a nip, their puggy jaws were too small to allow of serious damage. The little red bat had a frightful tem- per, screaming as if he were possessed and nipping at the slightest provoca- tion. The hoary was very gentle and even affectionate, loving to have his head and back scratched with a bit of stick, as did most of the others. Had he lived he would have been the nicest pet of all, since he was large enough to be easily handled and had very beautiful dark brown fur with snowy frostings. He seemed the most intelli- gent, though none of them were stu- pid. .Most of them objected to stran- gers The bats used to begin to get hun- gry and fly about any time after two in the afternoon, generally late when it was bright or hot, and quite early on cloudy days. They would swoop low, catch on my skirt near my knees and come scrambling and chat- tering up to be fed. As they proved to have storage room for as many as 80 or 90 flies during the day, I soon gave up that method of feeding, since 72 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. THE PET BAT IN ITS FAVORITE POSITION it would have taken most of the family time for the occupation of fly-trap. Raw beef, in very small scraps, and milk, which they greedily lapped from a doll's spoon, proved to be satisfac- tory substitutes for insects. In chew- ing" they opened their mouths wide, in the most unmannerly way, at every bite. They would come down to drink from a saucer of water arranged so they could get at it. They always made a great scrambling and flapping to take wing again from the flat sur- face on which the)- had alighted. One of them occasionally dipped to the water while circling about the room. Sometimes during the fight, a fly struck the membrane near the tail. Instantly the tail doubled up, the in- sect was "bagged" and the bat, duck- ing his head, devoured the fly without ceasing his circling. Although they would hang on our clothes and fingers, I never knew them to take to any one's hair. They were very clean and washed a great deal, hanging" up by their hind feet during the process. They licked themselves all over, scrubbing their heads and ears with their wrists and twisting- Way around to reach their backs. ( )ur Mary did not like their uncanny appearance. "Och," she exclaimed, when she saw the first, ''tis a little young divil and 'tis. Oi-m not shtayin' in the house wid a little young divil." She did stay, however, but never would she set foot alone in the room with a bat. On warm spring nights, my little rovers of the dark would be apt to hang on the window screens and favor me with a serenade of high-pitched, cricket-like squeaks, to which there was sometimes a response from the pine tree outside. With my first bat, the duet grew so furious and insistent that, after flinging everything avail- able, for several nights, at the bat in the tree, with no effect save to cause him to shift his position, I turned my own serenader out of doors. He stayed about the place for some time. Summer before last I tamed a bat that used to fly in through my open window. I shut the window and whenever he grew tired of flying about the room, approached him gently. In about an hour he ceased to fly away, and soon allowed me to touch him. A night or two afterward, he came in acain. That time I had some beef scraps for him, and finally persuaded him to take one. It was funny to see him licking his jaws with his red little tongue. The upshot was, that I fed that bat several times a week, until he went away, to hibernate. I think. Speaking of hibernating, if you try to keep them all winter, be sure they have a cold place to hibernate in. And don't ever shut them up, or they will sulk and fret and grieve to death for freedom. Tut if they are kept as I had them, their elfin ways will make them some of the most lovable pets that can be desired. DOM ESTICATED NATURE. 73- How a Spider Saved Her Cocoon. BY W. C. KNOWLES, WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT. Out in the garden a green tip had poked its way through a decaying mat of leaves, and to my delight I found a bunch of daffodils had dared the spring sunshine. Taking a spade, 1 decided to divide the clump of bulbs, since they were already crowding the hardy border. As a portion of the soil crumbled back into the spot I was digging, I saw a round white object move frantically back and forth in the bottom of the hole, and I soon discov- ered that I had taken captive a female spider with her cocoon attached to her spinneret. I stopped my work and watched to see if the little creature could climb out of the pitfall. She was one of the Lycosidse and so nearly the color of her surroundings that without her white burden, she doubtless would have been buried in the sand. Each time the spider tumbled back from the edge of her prison, she grasped her cocoon beneath her body using the mandibles and a pair of her sturdy legs to securelv hold the burden. When she had gained her freedom I watched her course over the lawn wdiere a tiny forest of grass blades had sprung up after the rain. As soon as the careful little mother found that the thread, which fastened the pre- cious burden to her body was being entangled among the stiff grass blades,, she did not rush blindly ahead but turned back and untangled her load as deftly as human ringers unwind a snarl in a string. At last I picked up the spider to examine her markings and the slender thread, which still fastened the cocoon to the spinneret, broke in two and the round cocoon rolled over the board walk. Wondering how I conld undo the mischief which careless fingers had wrought I placed the cocoon and spider in a small paper box. To my great surprise and pleasure when I opened the box next day I found that the spider had reattached the cocoon to her spinneret. Out in the garden a happy spider soon hurried away to the hardy border where spring had already touched the green things. This little magazine fills a long felt want and is a credit to its maker.— George A. King. I am glad that "The Guide to Nature" is rapidly taking the place it ought to take. — Earl Douglass. This (September), your last issue, is in- deed a most splendid and attractive issue. — R. Menger, M. D. "NOW LETS SIT DOWN AND THINK ABOUT IT" 74 THE GUIDE TO NATURE. m&&€H€€C