For August, 1121 



667 



means gaping, because the two lips of this llower are 

 •open, and reaUy reinforces the meaning of the generic 

 name, Mimiilns. The common name of this plant. 

 Monkey-flower, is therefore quite appropriate. 



"Here is a plant very different from the others; its 

 foliage is sword-shaped, and of a glaucous-green color. 

 This is Tyl'lia latifolia. Typha is from Typha, an old 

 Greek name of uncertain meaning, which of course, makes 

 it harder to remember ; its specific name latifolia means 

 broad-leaved. Cat-tail is the common name of this marsh 

 plant. 



"Ciinicifuga raccmosa is the scientific botanical name of 

 this tall i)lant with white flowers. Ciinicifuga, its gener- 

 ical name, comes from ciiiuw, a bug, and fiigarc to drive 

 away : the several species of this genus are reputed to 

 drive away bugs ; raccmosa means that its flowers are 

 arranged in a racemes, that is the flowers, each having a 

 stem, are arranged along a central axis or stalk. The 

 name applied to this genus as a whole is Bugbane, but 

 to the species, raccmosa is given the particular names 

 -Black i^nake Root, and Black Cohosh." 



In spite of our ill-founded prejudice against these scien- 



tific bdtanical names and terms, and the huge pile of work 

 confronting us on our desk we had begun to get interested 

 in this botanist's talk, and asked him a few questions 

 which he answered in such an easy, quiet and modest way 

 that we were still further favorably impressed with the 

 real value of botanical knowledge. 



He then went on showing his specimens. "This," he 

 said, "is Brunclla vulgaris. Bninclla is said to be de- 

 rived from the German braiinc, a disease of the throat, 

 for which this plant was supposed to be a remedy. This 

 is a very commonly found plant hence its second name, 

 I'lilgaris, common. In time, it would appear, its remedial 

 reputation widened, hence its common name, Heal-AU. 



"Sorry that I cannot show you all my specimens," he 

 said, "but I will have to stop right here in order to catch 

 my train home." 



"We have been much instructed," we said, "by your 

 talk." "Have you?" he replied with a pleased look. "I 

 will try then to call again some day," he said, "and bring 

 some more plants and we will have another little talk." 

 Perhaps he will: who knows? We would l)e more than 

 half glad to see him again. 



August Birds 



PAUL B. RIIS 



WITH few exceptions, the cares of the nesting sea- 

 son are over, the American Goldfinch alone put- 

 ting off its obligations to posterity until this 

 month. Its nest, composed of plant fibers and lined with 

 fluffy thistledown may be found depending froin the hor- 

 izontal limb of the maple on the lawn or may be placed 

 within the security of the taller thorns. But ever its 

 happy proprietor will sing to its mate in undulating 

 flight, circling the source of its joy. 



Taking careful note of the visitors at the bird bath. 

 one can see that their plumage is shabby and worn. 

 Feathers of every description are scattered about. This 

 is due to the molting of the pluma.ge, which affects all 

 birds at this time with this distinction, however, that 

 adult birds take on their postnuptial plumage while the 

 immature birds acquire their first Winter plumage. The 

 mature plumage with these comes varialily in the ]ire- 

 nuptial. postnuptial or as in the case of the orchard oriole, 

 at the second prenuptial molt. 



I'^rank M. Chapman describes the process of molting in 

 the lines following: "In its simplest form, and ignoring 

 the comparatively few cases in which an essentially adult 

 plumage is not acquired at or before the first prenuptial 

 ( Spring) molt, the molt among passeres may lie sum- 

 marized as follows : ( 1 ) Xatal down, lost by ]X)stnatal 

 molt, which brings the (2) juvenal or nesting plumage: 

 lost by postjuvenal molt which brings (3) first Winter 

 plumage : lost to a greater or less extent in some species 

 by ])renuptial molt, which brings the (4) nuptial plumage: 

 lost bv po.stnn])tial molt, which brings the ( S) second and 

 subsequent second Winter plumage." 



The change in plumage is very decided in such birds 

 as boliolink, scarlet tanager. goldfinch and warblers, while 

 with others it is a mere toning down and growing of 

 white tips over the Summer attire, more in keeping with 

 the desolate days to come. There is a decided feeling 

 that the birds go into hiding at this stage as little song 

 is heard, excepting that of the vireos, chipping sparrows, 

 house wren, goldfinch and song sparrow. The molting 

 process coming hard on the heels of an exacting ]ieriod 

 causes physical distress and depresses the spirit. No 



household cares demand their attention and the time is 

 spent in convalescence and retirement. The Baltimore 

 oriole especially seems to disappear entirely at this time, 

 leading many to believe in short migrations. Yet these 

 migrations taking place North or South, East or West 

 should replace our birds with others also migrating and 

 thus no change be noticeable. But should you take the 

 time to look them up in the woods or other natural haunts 

 friend oriole will be found working closely among the 

 foliage of the trees consuming numberless aphids. A 

 little later snatches of song will niort- readily betray their 

 whereabouts. 



The swallows. ])urpk- martins and rcdwinged black- 

 birds are flocking, preparatory to their flight southward. 

 The bobolinks, masquerading in the colors of the female 

 are silently ranging the stubble fields in flocks. Their 

 attentive debonair manners have changed entirely to that 

 of listless flocklife. We should pass them unnoticed but 

 for the momentary telltale, soaring pose which preceded 

 its bubbling song but a few short weeks ago. 



The movement South is gradually gaining imi)etns. 

 The latest arrivals in the Spring are the earliest to leave. 

 It is more difficult to fix the exact date of departure than 

 the date of arrival, but one may always note the day on 

 which a certain species was seen for the last time. Thus 

 our notes for many Augusts for Northern Illinois record 

 the migrations as follows : 



Arriv.m-s .-Ku.sjust 23 Bhu'-hoadcd Virco 



AiiaiKst 1 Greater Yellow-leg 28 Northern Tarula 



3 Osprey 



5 Semipalmated Plo- 

 ver 



Warbler 



30 Common Tern 



31 Pectoral Sandpiper 



.S Wilson Snipe 



Dep.\rtires 



8 Pliiladelphia Virco .\ugust 20 Least Sandpiper 



14 ['.lack a n d White 22 Hank Swallow 



W.-irhler 24 Dickcissel 



\S Least Tern 25 Purple Martin 



19 Black-throated Blue 28 Roughwinged Swal- 



Warbler low 



20 Yellow-bellictl Fly- 28 King Rail 



catcher 30 Yellow-bellied Fly- 

 22 I51uewinged Warb- catcher 



ler 30 Whip-poor-will 



