102 
POPULAR SCIEISrCE WEWS. 
[July, 1891. 
The Association is divided into five departments, or 
classes, eacli for tlie study of a particular brancli of sci- 
ence. Most of tlie classes meet l)i-weekly, but the class in 
electricity meets every weelc. A specialty is being made of 
the mathematical part of the science, and the mechanism of 
new inventions is studied. The duplex telegraph lias re- 
cently been engaging the attention of this class. The as- 
tronomical department observed the transit of Mercury 
through the High School telescope. 
Of course the work of the Association is entirely volun- 
tary and independent of the High School course, but the 
young scientists receive valuable assintjince and a certain 
amount of direction from the teachers, and have the use of 
the laboratories for their experiments. Among the lionor- 
ary members, besides a number of High School instructors, 
are Professor Pratt, of Davenport, who has interested liim- 
selt in the astronomical work of the Association; Dr. A. P. 
Elliott, formerly president of the Academy of Sciences; 
Prof. C. W. Hall, of the university, and JLibrarian Herbert 
Putnam. 
The officers of the Association are as follows : President, 
Frank Corbett; Vice-President, Charles Wilkinson; Secre- 
tary, Miss Etta Holtz ; Treasurer, Miss Mary 'Wilson ; Cor- 
responding Secretary, E. P. Bacon; Librarian, E. C. Mills. 
Presidents of departments: Botany, Jliss Minnie Day; 
mineralogy and chemistry, William J.Taylor; ornitliology, 
H. H. Hurd; astronomy, Joseph Morton; electricity, Robert 
Ford. 
A branch has been organized at the Nortli Side Higli 
School with about fifty members. 
THE MICROSCOPE PRIZE. 
Each competitor for this beautiful prize is left 
free to choose for himself what to observe, how 
to observe, and how to record his observations, 
niere is as much room for originality and succes.s 
in deciding what to study as in selecting methods 
and securing results. 
A SQUIRREL'S UNUSUAL MEAL. 
On the third of last May as I was taking a walk 
near the village of Dublin, N. II., I saw a striped 
squirrel (chipmunk), the first of the season I had 
observed, leap upon a wall about a rod away, and, 
assuming the customary eating position ei'ect upon 
the haunches, prepare to busy himself \\ ith some- 
thing stowed away in his chops. Instead of a 
kernel of corn or a nut, he took from his mouth 
an earth worm not less than seven inches in 
length and proportionally large in diameter. I 
should add, that ordinary food for squirrels was 
scarce; there had been very few acorns or beech- 
nuts the previous fall, comparatively little grain 
in the neighborhood, and less than the usual sup- 
ply of fruit seeds. After holding the worm for a 
few seconds while he "sized up" my intentions, 
he began nibbling away upon it with earnest rel- 
ish. When an inch or more had disappeared I ad- 
vanced toward him, thinking he would drop his 
prize as he ran away, but instead of that he care- 
fully tucked it into his cheeks again. To make sui'e 
that I had not been deceived, I turned to my little 
daughter of nine years, who had stood near me 
all the time, and asked, " What was the squirrel 
eating?"' and she immediately answered, " Why, a 
fish-worm, papa."' Though I may have observed a 
striped squirrel a thousand times,! never before saw 
one eating a worm, or flesh of any kind. I con- 
sulted the best observers of the habits of animals 
in that region, as also books of reference in nat- 
ural history, but none of these could throw light 
upon what I had observed. The simple explana- 
tion probably is, that the squirrel was starved 
into eating a food which he had seldom or never 
tasted before. — II. II. Piper. 
STRONG NEW CHAPTER. 
A VERY promising Chapter, just organized, is 
No. 511, Niantic, Ct. It has twelve enthusiastic 
members. 'Ilie Secretary is Mrs. J. E. Dutton. 
LIST OF THE PLANTS OF THE DISTRICT 
OF MOSCHAISK, GOVERNMENT OF MOS- 
COW, RUSSIA. 
BY MRS. OLGA FEDCHENKO. 
( Continued.) 
This valuable and complete list of Russian 
plants was commenced in the May number, and 
will be continued in subsequent issues until com- 
pleted. The sign (*) stands in the list before the 
names of such plants as cannot strongly be con- 
sidered as wild, but either are or have been culti- 
vated and now grow wild in gardens. 
SCROPHULAKINE.«;, R. BR. 
Verbascum thapsus, L. 
V. iychnitis, L. 
V. orientale, MB. 
V. nigrum, L. 
V. chamsedrys, L. 
V. latifolia, L. 
V. serpyllifoUa, L. 
V. arvensls, L. 
V. nigrum and cordatum, K. V. vcrna, E. 
V. collinum, Schrad. V. agrestis, L. 
Scrophularia nodosa, L. Limoselia aquatica, L. 
S. alata, Gil. Melampyrum nemorosum, L. 
Mnaria vulgaris. Mill. M. pratense, L. 
Veronica longifolia, E. Pedicularis paiustris, L. 
V. scutellata, L., and typica. Rhinantbus crista galli, E. 
V. scutellata, B. pubescens. Euplirasia ollicinalis, L., and 
V. anazallis, L. pratensis, Koch. 
v. beccabunga, L. E. odontites, L. 
v. ollicinalis, L. 
LENTIBULARIE^, RICH. 
Utricularia vulgaris, L. 
LABIAT.*, .7USS. 
Mentha arvensis, L. L. maculatuni, L. 
Lycopus europseus, L. Galeobdolon luteum. Finds. 
Salvia glutinosa, L. Galeopsis ladanuni, L. 
Origanum vulgare, L. G. tetrahit, L. 
Thymus serpylium, L., and G. versicolor. Curt. 
chamsedrys, Koch. Stachys silvatlca, L. 
Calamintha acinos, Clairv. S. palustris, L. 
Clinopodium vulgare, L. Betonica otllclnalls, L., and 
Glechoma hederacea, L. stricta, Koch. 
Dracoccphalumthymifiorum, Leonurus cardiaca, L. 
L. Scutellaria galericulata, L. 
Lamium amplexicaule, L. Prunella vulgaris, L. 
L. purpureum, L. Ajuga reptans, L. 
bobaqlnea:, .iuss. 
Echium vulgare, L. M. intermedia. Link. 
Pulmonaria ofticinalis, L. M. stricta. Link. 
Llthospermum offloinale, L. M. sparsiflora, Mik. 
L. arvense, L. *Symphytum asperum, Lep. 
Myosotls palustris, M'ith. Lycopsis arvensis, L. 
M. cajspitosa, Schultz. Nonnea pulla, DC. 
M. sllvatica, Hoffm., B. al- Borago ollicinalis, L. 
pestris, Koch. Echinospermum lappula,Leh. 
PRIMULACE.*;, VENT. 
Primula ollicinalis, Jacq. L. nummularia, B. longepe- 
Androsace fliiformis, Retz. dunculata, Weinm. 
Hottonia palustris, L. Anagallis arvensis, L., and 
Lysimachia thyrsiflora, L. plioenicca, Scop. 
L. vulgaris, L. A. arvensis, B. ccerulea, Sch. 
L. nummularia, L. Trientalis europiea, L. 
PLANTA01NB.«;, JU8S. 
Plantago major, L. P. lanceolata, L. 
P. media, L. 
chenOpode^, vent. 
Amaranthus retroflexus, L. C. polyspermum, L. 
Chenopodium album, L., and Blitum rubrum, Rchb. 
typicum. B. glaucum, Koch. 
C. album, B. viridc. Atriplex patulum, L. 
POLYGONE.*;, JU8S. 
Rumex obtusifolius, L. P. amphibium, B. terrestre, 
R. crispus, L. Leers. 
R. domesticus, Hartm. P. lapathifolium, L. 
R. maximus, Schreb. P. lapathifolium, B. Incanum. 
R. aiiuaticus, L. P. mite, Coss. et Germ. 
R. confertus, Wiild. P. aviculare, L., and procum- 
R. acetosa, L. bens. Led. 
R. acetosella, L. p. aviculare and angustifo- 
Polygonum bistorta, L. iium, Gold. 
P. hydropiper, L. P. convolvulus, L. 
P. amphibium, L., and na- P. dumetorum, L. 
tans, Moinch. 
THYMELE^, JU88. 
Daphne mezereum, L. 
ARISTOLOCHIEiE, JU8S. 
Asanun europieum, L. 
URTIC*, DC. 
Urtica ureus, L. Humulus lupulus, L. 
U. dlolca, L. 
DLMACES, MIRB. 
Ulmus fousa, Willd. 
CUPUUFEB.S, RICH. 
Quercus pedunculata, Ehrh. Corylus avellana, L. 
SAIJCJNEiE, A. RICH. 
Salix repens, L., and angus S. vimlnaiis, L. 
tifolia, Wulf. S. purpurea, L. 
S. depressa, L., B. Iiicolor, *S. daphnoides, Vill., B. .acuti 
Fries. folia. 
S. aurita, L. S. amygdalina, L., and dis- 
S. caprea, L. color, Koch. 
S. nigricans. Fries. S. amygdalina, B. concolor, 
S. nigricans, B. criocarpa, Koch. 
Koch. *S. alba, L. 
S. clnerea, L. *S. fragills, L. 
S. acuminata, Koch. Populus tremula, L. 
S. stipularis, Sm. 
BETULINE.1E, RICH. 
Betula alba, L. Alnus iucana, DC. 
B. alba, B. pubescens, Spach. A. glutinosa, Gartn. 
CALLITHICHINE^, LINK. 
Callitrlche palustris, L., and C. virens. Gold, 
fontana, Rupr. 
ORCHIBE^, JCS8. 
Epipactis latifolia. Ail. 
Lif^tera ovator, R. Br. 
Neottia nidus avis. Rich. 
Goodiera repens, K. Br. 
Corallorliiza innata, R. Br. 
Malaxis nionophyllo9,Swartz. 
C\'pripedium caiceoius, L. 
Orchis militaris, L. 
O. macuiata, L. 
O. latifolia, L. 
O. incarnata, L. 
Gymnadenia conopea, R. Br. 
Cwloglossum viride, Hartm. 
Platanthera bifoiia, Kicli. 
Herminium monorchis, R.Br. 
IIVHROCHARIUE^, DC. 
Stratiotes aloides, L. Hydrocliaris morsus rana*, L. 
ALISMACE^, JUSS. 
Alisma plantago, L. Sagittaria sagilta: folia, L. 
BUTOME.*;, RICH. 
Butomus umbeliatus, L. 
JUNCAGINE^, RICH. 
Triglochin palustre, L. 
ASPARAGE^, JUSS. 
Paris quadrifolia, L. Polygonatum officinale. All. 
Majanthemum bifoliuni, DC. P. multillorum, Denf. 
Convallaria majalis, L. 
LILIACEiE, DC. 
*Lilium martagon, L. G. lutea, Schult. 
Gagea minima, Schult. 
JUNCACE.E, BARTL. 
Juncus communis, E. Mey., J. bufonius, L. 
and elfusus. Lnzula pilosa, Willd. 
J. fliiformis, L. L. canipestris, DC, B. multi- 
J. lamprocarpus, Ehrh. flora. 
J. compressus, Jacq. 
CYPERACE^, JUSS. 
Scirpus palustris, L. C. vulgaris. Fries. 
S. acicularis, L. C. acuta, L. 
S. lacustris, L. C. pediformis, C. A, Mey. 
S. sllvaticus, L. C. pilosa, Scop. 
S. radicans, Schk. C. panicea, L. 
Eriophornm vaginatum, L. C. pallescens, L. 
E. latifoiium, Hoppe. C. flava, L. 
E. angustifoHum, Roth. C. ampuilacea. Good. 
E. graciie, Koch. C. vesicaria, L. 
Carcx vulpina, L. ■ C. vesicaria, B. Led. 
C. muricata, L. C. fliiformis, L. 
C. leporlna, L. C. hirta, L. 
C. canescens, L. C. hirta, B. hirt:oformis,Pers, 
ORAMINE^, JUSS. 
Panicum crus galli, L. Pliragmites communis, Trin. 
Setaria viridis, P. de B. Aira ca'spitosa, L. 
*Phalaris canariensis, L. Meiica nutans, L. 
P. arundinacea, L. Bri/.a media, L. 
Hierochioa odorata, Wahlb. Poa annua, L. 
Anthoxanthum odoratum, L. P. trivialls, L. 
A iopecurus pratensis, L. P. pratensis, L. 
A. geniculatus, L. 1". pratensis, B. angustifolia 
A. fulvus, Sm. Sm. 
Phleum pratense, L. P. compressa, L. 
Agrostis stolonifura, L., and P. nemoralis, L., and vulgaris 
vulgaris, With. Koch. 
A. stoionifera, B. alba. P. nemoralis, B. firmula,Kocii 
A. canlna, L. P. nemoralis and rigidula, 
Apera spicaventi, P. de. B. Goldb. herb. 
Calamagrostis lanceolata, Rh. I", fertilis. Host. 
C. epigeios. Roth. Glyceria lluitans, R. Br. 
C. silvatlca, DC. Dactylis glonierata, L. 
Milium effusuni, L. Cynosurns cristatus, L. 
(TV) ie continued.) 
