10 



RANDOM NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY. 



The Beginning of Autumn. 



In these first da^'s of autumn the woods 

 are peculiarly attractive. Especial]}- is this 

 so if, as has occurred this summer, the sea- 

 son has been a wet one. Then do we see 

 the foliage in all its maturit}^ of perfection, 

 and the gorgeous flowers of the month with 

 added beauty. These flowers, indeed, are 

 the choicest of the year. Most glorious of 

 all is the cardinal flower. This can still be 

 found within our city limits ; there are few 

 large towns of which this can be said. This 

 truly regal, or should we say ecclesiastical, 

 plant is best seen along some shady forest 

 brook. Long lines of scarlet spikes then 

 stand like British soldiers disputing pass- 

 age. The}' wear the real cardinal red, and 

 that much-abused adjective splendid, is to 

 them perfectly applicable. How the origi- 

 nal discoverer must have jumped for joy, 

 for such a manifestation is not incompati- 

 ble with true scientific sobriety. 



Now is the time when the amber pend- 

 ants of the barberry are transmuted into 

 coral necklaces. Nothing can be more 

 beautiful than the barberry from its flower- 

 ing to its fruition. It is one of those na- 

 tural objects that we can never pass with- 

 out a tribute of praise. 



Asters, those stars of the West, are now 

 beginning to open, and the}' are infinite in 

 variety and size. Their colors are blue and 

 white with shades between. With them 

 come golden-rods, all of them but one yel- 

 low, and like the asters, of numberless 

 species and choice habit. When people 

 speak of "i/ie golden-rod" as if there was 

 but one, it makes the old student smile. 

 Let those interested in asters and golden- 

 rods consult the new part, just out, of 

 Gray's masterly Synoptical Flora of North 

 America. In it these difficult genera have 

 been reelaborated with utmost skill and 

 care. Other striking wild flowers of the 

 season are the turtle head (Chelone), and 

 the indigo-blue gentian, its blossoms closed 

 upon some secret. As a matter of fact, 

 however, it is visited by insects. The mon- 

 key-flower {Mimidus) growing in moist 

 grounds, is a very pretty, graceful plant, 

 well worthy of garden cultivation. So are 

 many of the Gerardios, did not their par- 

 tially parasitic habit exclude them. The 

 copses still show the white rareness of 

 clethra, and the sumacs are reddening their 



pompons of fruit. Tinges of color, here 

 and there, on trees or shrubs, the purpling 

 foliage of Elodes, and the yellowing of 

 milk-weeds, show the approach of autumn. 

 So do the rich, ink-filled berries of the poke 

 or garget, a most elegant plant. 



One who saunters with his eyes open can 

 at all seasons perceive and comment. The 

 exuberance of the perfected year now es- 

 pecially tempts the wood-lover. Beauty 

 lies all around him. There is lavish dis- 

 play of color and form. Let us enjoy to 

 the full what will soon be withdrawn. 



W. W. B. 



August SO, 1884. 



An Enterprising Janitor : — A gentle- 

 man recently gave the janitor of- 



Building in this city, a quantity of ammu- 

 nition, a large portion of which was loaded 

 paper shells. The brass ends of the car- 

 tridges looked so valuable to this janitor, 

 that he carefully cut away the paper, emp- 

 tying the powder into one receptacle and 

 the shot into another, for the sake of the 

 ends to sell for old brass. His idea of the 

 value of the contents may be gathered 

 from the fact that at the end of the tedious 

 operation he sold three pounds of powder 

 and nine pounds of shot for thirty cents, and 

 asked his customer if he thought that price 

 too much. 



SOUTHWICK &JENCKS' 



•'^C^TJILOGIJIS.'^' 



BIRDS.— Contains the entire nomencla- 

 ture North American Birds, and 

 Price-List of Skins, Eggs, Insects, 

 and supplies, with instructions for 

 preparing skins and eggs. Price, 20 cts. 



MINERALS. — Gives Dana's species 



number, localities, and valuations, 6 " 



SHELLS.— Contains a very full list of 

 prominent species, with authorities 

 and synonyms. Also habitat and 



valuation. 



The three Catalogues for 



10 



SAMPLE PACES ON APPLICATION. 



