176 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW 



According to my observations Neltje Blanchan was right when 

 she said: "But it must be admitted that rarely does the sapsucker 

 girdle a tree with holes enough to sap away its life. He may 

 have an orgy of intemperance once in a while, but much should 

 be forgiven an erring one as dexterous as a flycatcher in taking 

 insects on the wing and with a hearty appetite for pests." So 

 was Chester A. Reed in saying: "This species has gained some 

 ill-repute because of its supposed habit of boring through the 

 bark of trees in order to get at the sap, and thus killing the trees. 

 However, I very much doubt if they do any appreciable damage 

 in this manner." Consequently we may hope that the reputa- 

 tion of the yellow-bellied sapsucker will become better and better 

 as the years go by. 



1922 YO SEMITE NATIONAL PARK NATURE GUIDE 



SERVICE ITEMS 



The germ of this nature guide movement in the national parks 

 was similar work in the attractive scenic resorts among the Swiss 

 Alps and along the Norwegian fjords, studies of which were made 

 by the World Recreation Survey. The experiment commenced 

 with lectures at Lake Tahoe resorts in 1919. There were also 

 campfire talks, nature-study field excursions and motion pictures. 

 The experiment proved unexpectedly successful. At Fallen Leaf 

 Lake Auditorium not only was there no standing room, but visi- 

 tors stood outside open doors and windows listening to the talks 

 regarding the fascinating wild life of the Tahoe National Forest. 

 Business men deserted trout fishing for mountain climbs and long 

 distance hikes under a nature guide. 



Director of National Parks Mather, then passing through Tahoe 

 realized that such work could be expanded tremendously into the 

 national parks of the country, and through his interest over 

 27,000 visitors in 1920, and some 50,000 in 1921 were given free 

 nature guide service in Yosemite National Park. 



Last year fifty -two lectures and campfire talks, and over a 

 hundred field trips were given, and there was a free wudflower 

 show in Yosemite Village throughout the entire tourist season, 

 as well as sleeping bag trips into the High Sierra back of Yosemite. 

 The 1922 program will be on a still wider plan and will include 

 lectures and field trips at the back country lodges. 



