lo6 



THE MUSEUM. 



world affords. As he is a thorough 

 metallurgist, I think his statements are 

 reliable. 



About sixty miles south of Socorro, 

 is some very fine marble of two or 

 three colors. I am informed that there 

 is an abundance of marble in several 

 different localities in the territory, f 

 have observed granite suitable for build- 

 ing purposes in many places. In Chlor- 

 ide Gulch, in Sierra county, I saw 

 some fine gray granite. 



The hot springs and mineral waters 

 of New Mexico have been famed for 

 more than a century. 



The most noted are Las Vegas, Hot 

 Springs and the Ojo Calientes — pro. 

 Oho Hai-en-tis — this last is Aztec for 

 hot water. 



Wherever water can be had for irri- 

 gation, the soil is wonderfully fertile. 

 Alfalfa yields from three to four crops 

 annually, and from two to three tons 

 per acre tor each crop. The grapes of 

 New Mexico are the finest in flavor I 

 ever tasted. The center of the grape 

 industry is around Las Cruces in the 

 famous Mesilla — pro. Mes-se-yah — val- 

 ley which was obtained, as you know, 

 by the Godsden purchase of 1853. Figs 

 and olives flourish in the same valley. 

 This valley is simply an enlargement — 

 or eastern extension— of the Rio Grande 

 valley near Las Cruces. 



Notes on Spring Collecting. 



BY B. O. KITTLEMAN. 



After the long dreary winter with its 

 countless days within doors, it behoov- 

 es the naturalist, now that spring days 

 are near, to prepare for work. In his 

 retrospections upon his work, the sea- 

 sons past, he finds many things that 

 are yet to be investigated; some phase 

 of the subject he is interested in over- 

 looked. While arranging and catalog- 

 ing his collections made during the past 

 summer he finds he needs one or more 

 specimens to complete a family or to 

 replace those spoiled or injured; or in 

 his winter's reading he may have come 



across some statement that he wishes 

 to verify. 



The spring season is, to the natural- 

 ist, a particularly opportune time for 

 many of these things. To the ornithol- 

 ogist it speaks volumes. How anxious- 

 ly, during the first warm days in March 

 or April, does he listen for the first 

 note of bird song. With what rapture 

 does he watch the first flock of geese 

 or cranes as they migrate to their sum- 

 mer haunts. To the botanist what 

 glories does it not unfold.' Did not 

 his companion of last year discover a 

 rarety for his region.' And is he not 

 equally anxious to obtain a specimen.' 

 Let the botanist who reads these lines 

 answer. But it is to the student of 

 insect life that these lines are address- 

 ed in particular. Spring time to the 

 entomologist is a joyous time of the 

 year. Even on the warm days of mid- 

 winter the enthusiast may be seen 

 poking into stumps, turning over leaves 

 and pulling the bark off fallen trees, 

 in search of treasures. 



When the first flowers appear in the 

 spring or soon thereafter, many of the 

 little insect beauties may be found hov- 

 ering round them, particularly the 

 Hymenopterous insects. This class 

 of insects are very numerous and on 

 account of their diversified and peculiar 

 habits are quite popular with some 

 students. The bees and wasps especi- 

 ally love the bright, highly scented 

 flowers and the collector is almost sure 

 to be rewarded if they are scrutinized 

 closely. A great majority of the Dip- 

 tera are also to be found in early spring 

 hovering round the fragrant blossoms 

 of cherry, plum, willow, elder, etc. 

 The Diptera usually swarm from about 

 the middle of April to June. It is well 

 for the collector to observe a little 

 caution when handling hairy flies, the 

 resemblance to real bees is quite de- 

 ceptive and painfully, too, sometimes. 

 Very many of the diurnal Lepidoptera 

 may also be found during spring, hov- 

 ering round the fragrant blossoms. 



A great many insects hibernate 

 through the winter in the imago state. 



