LITERARY AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 



143 



a competent naturalist. One of the 

 most valuable parts of the book is the 

 list of 270 authorities cited. 



There is occasionally a controversial 

 tone as following' a quotation from an 

 ancient writer on lemur. The 



author says : 



"Recent developments in literature 

 seem to show that modern readers would 

 accept the same sort of wonder-tales as 

 confidingly as did our grandfathers." 



"The quotation is as follows : 



"The people say it is very dangerous 

 to kill these lemurs with spears, be- 

 cause if a spear is hurled against one 



of them it seizes the spear in its flight 

 without being in itself hurt, and in its 

 turn stabs with certain aim those at- 

 tacking it. They also relate that when 

 the female has borne a young one, she 

 takes the little creature in her arms and 

 tosses it to her mate, who is seated on a 

 neighboring tree, and that he throws it 

 back to the female. If the little one 

 does not fall to the ground after being 

 subjected to this exercise for a dozen 

 times, the parents bring it up with the 

 greatest care; but if the contrary event 

 happens, they abandon it, not even 

 troubling to pick it up." 



$ i — ...... — • 1 n G ; ###- — - i 



AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION 



wp0 



*S mg S& § §S§§ §§£SgSS§8S§Sg&& 



TO INTRODUCE YOUNG PEOPLE AND 

 NATURE. 



This is the season of the year in which 

 The Agassiz Association especially desires 

 to do personal work. Our plans in this 

 respect are better than those of the or- 

 dinary "Fresh Air Fund" because we not 

 only supply fresh air, but suggest ideas. 

 We believe that romping and devastat- 

 ing are not desirable as ends to be exclus- 

 ively sought, but that thought and ap- 

 preciation should be added to muscular 

 activity. 



We want to buy a farm where children 

 from the cities may not only be enter- 

 tained and nourished but inspired and 

 trained in an affection for nature. 



We want more efficient Headquarters 

 for teaching and for the production of 

 help toward the attainment of these ob- 

 jects. 



The AA is a humane Society but it 

 does not say by power of an unyielding 

 law that you shall not be unkind to a 

 horse ; but it so teaches head and devel- 

 ops heart that there remains no desire 

 to be unkind to any form of animal life. 



The AA not merely protects plants but 

 encourages its students to cultivate 

 them. 



To all these ends we invite contribu- 

 tions, large or small, and every cent will 



go directly to the expenses of the work. 

 The President and other officers receive 

 no salary. 



There is no worthier cause and none 

 where every cent will count for more. 



THE GRAY MEMORIAL BOTANICAL 

 CHAPTER NO. 2 OF A A. 



Twenty years ago The Gray Memorial 

 Botanical Chapter of the Agassiz Asso- 

 ciation was formed for the purpose of 

 mutual assistance in the studv of botany, 

 by means of correspondence and the ex- 

 change of specimens. 



Probablv I will be safe in saying that 

 but a very few Chapters of the AA have 

 enjoyed such a long lease of life, weath- 

 ering the vicissitudes of life and show- 

 ing as much life as we have at the pres- 

 ent day. To be sure we have had our 

 trials and tribulations, yet on the other 

 hand we have accomplished much good 

 work. 



We have numbered in our ranks mem- 

 bers in all stations of life. Some of our 

 members have held positions under state 

 and national government — some with 

 botanical gardens and some in the busi- 

 ness and home sphere and some as in- 

 structors in schools and colleges. 



