56 



RANDOM NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY. 



little known. It will thrive among rocks 

 and in the fissures of ledges, in the dryest 

 places, wherever it can get a foothold. 

 Upon man}- rocky hills of this state it would 

 be valuable for propagation. 



Var. humilis. 



Chinquapin Oak. 



We are accustomed to associate strength, 

 massiveness and grandeur with the name 

 "oak"; but the Q. priuoides, commonl}" 

 known as the chinquapin oak., is a pigmy 

 in the famil}', growing only from two to four 

 feet high and an inch or two in diameter. 

 Its native habitat is upon dr}', sand}', or 

 gravelly plains and ridges and among ledges 

 where little soil is found. Its usual com- 

 panion is the " scrub " oak, which, although 

 but a large shrub in size, quite overtops it, 

 and obscures it from ordinary observation. 

 It usually sends up a half dozen or more 

 shoots from one root, although occasionally 

 but a single stem, it then being a perfect 

 miniature tree, laden with flowers, in early 

 June, or with fruit in autumn. The catkins 

 of sterile flowers appear in clusters, two 

 inches or more in length, a rich saffron in 

 color, graceful and beautiful. The acorns, 

 although small compared with those of 

 man}' other oaks, often bear the stems to 

 the ground with their weight. They are set 

 in dainty, obscurely scaled cups, narrowed 

 at the base, nearl}' sessile, each being usu- 

 ally accompanied by one or two abortive 

 acorns. The acorn itself is ovoid or sub- 

 globose, of dark brown, almost ebony 

 color, and shining when ripe. Wild ani- 

 mals, birds as well as quadrupeds, and 

 swine devour the acorns with avidity, which 

 are sweet and nutritious. The leaves are 

 obovate in shape, considerably narrowed at 

 the base, upon foot-stalks one-half inch in 

 length, dentate — wav3'upon the edge. The}^ 

 have a prominent midrib, sending out seven 

 or eight pairs of straight, alternately 

 arranged veins, distinctly reticulated with 

 each other. The branches are straight, 

 coming out at sharp angles, and are of a 

 light-gra}-, or ash color, ^he main stem be- 

 ing nearly black and frequently variegated 

 by light patches of lichens. The bark is 

 excessively bitter, abounding in tannin. 



The use of this tree is evidently as a 

 " nurse," or protector, for certain timber 



trees, when young. Such trees planted 

 among the " chinquapins" would get estab- 

 lished, and overtopping them, leave them to 

 die, or as a harmless undergrowth. When 

 forestr}^ shall have attained its proper place 

 in this country, the utility of some of our 

 shrubby growths, now regarded as worse 

 than worthless, will be duly recognized. 



I first learned of the existence of this in- 

 teresting member of the oak family in this 

 state, by reading the remarkable works of 

 Micheaux, the elder and the ^'ounger, upon 

 the trees of North America. He says that 

 it is found in abundance upon the plains of 

 Providence. M}' search was first rewarded 

 by finding it in North Providence, among 

 the " scrub" of the unsettled parts, where 

 it still exists. Since then, I have often 

 come across it in I'ambles in various places, 

 but in nearl}' ever}' instance upon sterile 

 soil. Emerson speaks of it as often occur- 

 ring in Middlesex County, Mass., and as 

 occupying, almost exclusively, acres of 

 ground upon Martha's Vineyard. 



Color of Birds Eyes. 



Downy Woodpecker, dark red, hazel. 



White-headed Woodpecker, red. 



Red-shafted Woodpecker, red or brown. 



California Woodpecker, white, sometimes 

 yellowish, bluish, or brown. 



Williamson's Woodpecker, red brown. 



Ivory-billed AVoodpecker, yellow. 



Pileated Woodpecker, yellow. 



Black-backed Woodpecker, brown. 



Banded-backed Woodpecker, brown. 



Red-bellied Woodpecker, red. 



Yellow-fronted Woodpecker, red. 



Red-headed Woodpecker, brown. 



Lewis' Woodpecker, brown. 



Hawk Owl, yellow. 



Great Gray Owl, straw. 



Saw Whet Owl, yellow. 



Long-eared Owl^ yellow. 



Short-eared Owl, yellow. 



Richardson's Owl, straw. 



Little Screech Owl, straw. 



California Screech Owl, yellow. 



California Pigmy Owl, yellow. 



Burrowing Owl, yellow. 



Great Horned Owl, yellow. 



Barred Owl, dark brown iris, deep blue 

 pupil, effect black. 



