142 THREE KINGDOMS. 



and rights of those around them, but spoil their pleas- 

 ure and steal their profit, that the best thing they can 

 do for the welfare of their chapter is to put such per- 

 sons out. Such persons are worse for a chapter than 

 all the discouragement and ridicule that can be heaped 

 upon it by outsiders." 



THE SUMMER VACATION. 



During July and August most of our schools and 

 colleges will close their doors, many of those who live 

 in cities will fasten the shutters, and the Agassiz As- 

 sociation will be let loose along the seashore and in 

 the forest and fields. Summer brings her arms full 

 of leaves and flowers ; the softened earth loosens its 

 grasp on mineral and fossil ; the air is gay with float- 

 ing butterflies, and musical with the hum of beetles 

 and the songs of birds ; nests in shaded thickets hold 

 dainty secrets ; soft-bodied creatures are slowly mov- 

 ing their frail and beautiful houses of shell along briny 

 sands and over spongy moss ; and the warm air and 

 clear sky continually invite all who are tired of roof 

 and wall to go out into the larger habitation which is 

 one continuous doorway all around, and infinite open 

 window overhead. With all these advantages of field 

 study, the vacation is a trying and dangerous season 

 for many of our chapters. With the close of school 

 classes separate, some never to be reunited, few to 

 come together without some change. The regular 

 succession of meetings is interrupted at the best, and 

 unless the interests of the society are kept in mind 

 during the summer, there is likely to be more or less 

 difficulty about reorganizing in the fall. To avoid 

 these dangers, let each member keep his thoughts on 

 the fall reunion while he is away, and try to find as 

 many interesting specimens as possible to bring back 



