I/O 



THE MUSEUM. 



ened to a large rock, and by clinging 

 with both hands and feet in a ridicu- 

 lous manner I was somewhat protect- 

 ed. After an hour the storm cloud 

 passed, and the. sun came out bright 

 and warm. Sunshine always brings 

 out insects, if they are about. The 

 storm left a deposit of snow and sleet 

 an inch or two in depth all over the 

 surface for miles around. Above this 

 snow, showing their varied colors, 

 were thousands of flowers, principally, 

 Actinella acaulisnutt, Allium sp., 

 Actinella grandiflora Gray, Mertensia 

 alpina, Silene acaulis, Castilleia sp. , 

 Polygonum bistortoides, Geum rossii, 

 Sedum roseum, Potentilla fruticosa. 



Hovering over these flowers were 

 hundreds of butterflies, displaying 

 their gorgeous colors and flitting from 

 flower to flower in ignorance of the 

 beauties of the sight. The butterflies 

 were Parnassius smintheus, Colias 

 ochraeus, Colias meadii, Argyunis 

 eurynome, Phyciodes nycteis, Argy- 

 unis helena, Lycaena rustica. 



Such a blending and contrast of 

 colors is rarely seen, and forgetting 

 the place and circumstances, I stood 

 for a long time drinking it in. This 

 view is indelibly stamped on my mem- 

 ory as one of the most sublime per- 

 iods of my life. Soon the mournful 

 squeak of the pica on the rocks near 

 called my attention, and a few shots 

 filled my pockets with these coveted 

 tailless rodents. In a short time the 

 snow had disappeared, and the six 

 mile walk to camp was cheerfully 

 made. 



I cannot close this paper without 

 telling the readers of the Musi:i'm how 

 the workmen on the cog road go 

 "down town," though it has nothing 

 to do with natural history that I can 



see. The locomotive, tender and 

 coach combined in one is rigged up as 

 follows: An ordinary cast-off shovel, 

 without handle, is taken, the stump 

 of handle ahead, the cowcatcher. Be- 

 neath is riveted a piece of iron, 

 lengthwise of the shovel, and project- 

 ing downwards, so as to go between 

 the two rows of cogs, in the center of 

 the track, into which machinery of 

 engines fit. This piece is to guide the 

 concern, and keep it from falling side- 

 ways. Lastly, a piece of board is 

 fastened behind, to lean back upon 

 and create friction when the train 

 goes too fast. The shovel is placed 

 on the cogs, with the strip between 

 the rows, the traveler takes his seat, 

 crosses his legs, is given a shove, and 

 is gone. I saw some of them start — 

 that was all. They go a half minute 

 or so apart so to avoid a collision. 

 As the cogs are well oiled and the 

 shovel greased this is about as near 

 "greased lightning" as one can imag- 

 ine. If the speed becomes too rapid, 

 the brake is applied by leaving back 

 upon the board behind, and the train 

 slacks gradually, or stops. It is one 

 of the quickest and most ridiculous 

 modes of travel imaginable. 



Spring Notes, 1895. 



Buffalo, N. Y. , March 2-3. 

 liditor The Mitscuiii: 



I have just returned from a tramp- 

 over the fields and thought I would 

 tell you of another "lost opportunity," 

 from an t)riiitlK)logical standjioint. It 

 was fine this morning so I took my 

 new puppy out to give him exercise 

 and experience. Did not take gun as 

 it was too hard frozen for snipe, but 

 took a revolver to get puppy used ta 



