Vol. XXV. No. 10.] 
POPTJLAE SCIEITCE I^EWS. 
149 
THE MORE LETTERS THE BETTER. 
To show how groundless are the fears of those 
who hesitate to write to the Council for assistance 
in their studies, we quote a few extracts from let- 
ters received during the past month : 
I have been receiving from ten to twenty letters 
a year from members of the A. A. I shall be glad 
to continue to answer the questions which may be 
«eut. — L. O. Howard, Acting Entomologist. 
I regret to say that I have been consulted only 
once. You may still keep my name with those 
who are willing to answer any questions for the 
members of the A. A.— Charles S. Doggett. 
I have been consulted perhaps a dozen times in 
the past two years by persons who wished birds 
identified. I am willing in the future, as in the 
past, to answer questions submitted to me. — 
George Bird Grinnell, Ph. D. 
I am perfectly willing to continue answering 
questions, or, in fact, to help on the cause in any 
way in my power, hut I really should like more to 
do than has fallen to my share.— F. W. Staebner. 
I am frequently consulted about birds, and will 
gladly answer, to the best of my ability, any 
questions relating to our ornithology, or to the 
anatomy of vertebrates.— J. de Benneville Abbott. 
I am consulted by members of the Agasslz As- 
sociation often, and from every State and Ten-i- 
tory west of the Mississippi river; and I take 
pleasure in answering. I will answer any ques- 
tions in botany, geology, or ornithology, as here- 
tofore. — Marcus E. Jones. 
I have had no letters to answer for nearly two 
years. I am very willing to aid in the work. 
With best wishes for the Agasslz Association, 
Andrew Nichols, Jr. 
During the past eighteen months I have not had 
one single request for information or identifica- 
tion from the A. A. Whether there is a lack of 
interest in my particular branch, I cannot say, but 
I assure you that I am still willing to answer all 
questions sent to me, and will gladly assist, as far 
as I am able, in the identification and classifica- 
tion of the Mollusca in possession of any Chapter 
of the A. A. Hoping that I may be of more ser- 
vice in the future than m the past, sincerely 
yours, Harry E. Dore. 
I have made up my mind that those of your 
members who are interested in conchology don't 
want any more advice, or else they must all have 
"la grippe," for I haven't had a letter in a year 
or more. I am always ready to lend a hand to 
anyone, and shall also be glad to exchange speci- 
mens of shells. Hoping that you will stir up the 
members of the A. A., so that I may have a " big 
rush" of letters, I remain your friend, Thomas 
Morgan. 
Many thanks for your kind letter. I shall al- 
ways be glad to try to answer the queries of my 
young friends who belong to the Agasslz Associa- 
tion. It is a pleasure to receive their letters, and 
I have gotten much valuable information in this 
way for the Peabody Museum since I have been 
among its workers. Aboriginal remains have 
thus been located (and visited by me) in Arizona, 
Xew Mexico, and California, and burial places 
and mounds noted in the Mississippi and Ohio 
Valleys. I generally have a few letters each 
week. Last year at least two hundred letters 
were received from correspondents, both in North 
America and in Europe. The Agassiz Associa- 
tion is evidently fulfilling its mission to the young 
and old alike of both continents.— H. T. Cresson 
ORIGINAL OBSERVATIONS BY MEMBERS 
OF THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION. 
269. Frog Eats Fkog.— I observe in the Au- 
gust number of this paper an item under this 
heading. This will not seem remarkable to any- 
one who has kept an aquarium. The bull-frog 
(Mana cateshiana) is a "terrible" eater. A pair 
of them recently devoured six green frogs (Sana 
clamitans) in a week in my own aquarium. Now 
the green frog is from one-half to two-thirds the 
size of the bull-frog. The latter often eats mice, 
and devours pieces of meat two-thirds his own 
size. — R. A. Campbell, Hanover, N. H. 
270. Uses of Cactus. — "I cannot see any 
beauty in those things," remarked a guest as he 
passed my collection of Colorado cactus ; " of 
what use are they anyway?" 1. The Indians dis- 
till a drink from them. 2. A cure for the bite of 
a rattlesnake may be made from the seed-pods. 
3. Children will eat the seed-pods in spite of the 
prickles on them. 4. The woody stem of the cane 
cactus, when the pulp is removed, is used for 
canes and some kinds of ornamental work. 5. A 
reliable person has told me that in a certain local- 
ity in the western part of the State, cattle subsist 
entirely upon cactus and saltweed in the winter, 
when there is nothing else to feed upon. 6. When 
the Utes were removed from this State to Utah, 
the escort found the drinking-water impure, and 
settled it by slicing cactus and putting it in the 
water. 7. Another novel use has been made of it 
by a bird called a " road-runner." The story was 
told in the Scientific American, perhaps two years 
ago. The bird saw a rattlesnake at rest, and piled 
a circle of cactus about it. When ready to move 
away the snake found no way to escape, and, 
being repeatedly stung by the cactus spines, 
finally poisoned itself with its own fangs. — McM. 
E. B., Colorado Springs. 
Editor of Popular Science News : 
Dear Sir : Noticing in a recent number of the 
Science News an account of frogs eating each 
other, I would say that I have noticed the same 
thing myself when catching frogs for their legs. 
I have frequently, when dressing them, found 
small frogs inside the larger ones. Anyone can 
easily satisfy himself in regard to it by putting a 
small frog on a hook and dangling it in front of 
the mouth of an old green-headed croaker for an 
instant. Frogs live on small bugs and flies, which 
I have watched them catch many a time. I re- 
cently saw a small speckled frog take up a posi- 
tion beside a piece of fish partially decayed, and 
as the flies approached, attracted by the fish, he 
devoured them instantly, catching them and draw- 
ing them into his mouth with his tongue. I^ast 
week, while on a trip to Otis Pond, in Massachu- 
setts, I was catching frogs for pickerel bait in a 
spring, when I noticed something about two 
inches long hanging from the mouth of a medium- 
sized frog. On pulling at it I drew from the 
frog's stomach a full-sized mouse. It could not 
have been caught long, as it showed from its 
appearance that the frog had not begun to digest 
it. It required quite a strong pull to draw the 
mouse out, and the frog presented an emaciated 
appearance upon losing his meal. 
Respectfully, 
J. P. Poland. 
Hartford, Conn., Sept. 10, 1891. 
f^t 
SIMPLE BOTANICAL APPARATUS. 
My apparatus is the simplest possible : A 
trowel for deep-rooted plants ; a press consisting 
of the top of a table, newspapers, two books, and 
a stone; and for mounting, a bottle of glue, a 
pen-knife, and — a hair-pin ! Our teacher adopted 
the use of Le Page's glue, from your suggestion 
in the A. A. hand-book, "Three Kingdoms." — 
Miss M. P. Williams, Topeka, Kan. 
FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN 
"SWEEPS" IN ONE CHIMNEY. 
Some time ago my attention was attracted by 
the following newspaper paragraph : 
A large flock of " chimney sweeps " took to roosting in a 
chimney of the house of John A. Butts, of Thomaston, Ga. 
One night he covered the chimney with a board, and early 
next morning replaced the board with a bag. When he re- 
moved the bag it contained 567 imprisoned birds. 
Knowing how unavoidable it is for errors to 
find their way into the busy papers, a note was 
sent to Mr. Butts inquiring whether the report 
was correct. He replied as follows: 
The statement is correct. Before I removed the board I 
built a slow cob fire; then, removing the board, I put on the 
sack, and, of course, the birds made for the top. I am will- 
ing that you should use these facts. 
Respectfully, 
John A. Butts, 
Thomaston, Ga. 
»♦♦ 
AGASSIZ DAY AT AVON-BY-THE-SEA. 
Friday, August 21, was celebrated by the Sea- 
Side Assembly at Avon, N. J., as Agassiz Day. 
Invitations were issued to all members and Chap- 
ters of the Agassiz Association in the neighboring 
States, and met a cordial response. The meeting 
was thoroughly successful and enjoyable. We 
regret that the detailed report of the proceedings 
has not been received as we go to press. If the 
proposed programme was carried out, however, — 
as we believe It was,— Prof . George Macloskie, of 
Princeton College, presided. Following short 
addresses by eminent scientists came a discussion 
of the "Relation of the Agassiz Association to 
the University Extension Movement." A Sear- 
Side Assembly Chapter of the A. A. was then or- 
ganized. In the evening a lecture, illustrated by 
the stereopticon, was given by Prof. Arthur M. 
Miller, of Wilson College. Saturday was a " field- 
day," and in the morning boats were furnished 
free for all who wished to do marine collecting on 
Shark River, while in the afternoon the guests 
went botanizing under the guidance of Dr. John 
E. Peters. To William M. Alberti, Secretary, is 
due much credit for the success of this pleasant 
"Agassiz Day." 
OUTINGS OF THE BARTON CHARTER. 
The following excursions have been planned by 
the Barton Chapter, Boston. All members of the 
A. A. are cordially invited. 
Bound 
trip 
Leave fare 
Date. Excursion. Boston. Station. about. 
Oct. 8. Milton. 1.03 P. M. Old Colony. .15 
Oct. 10. Squantum. l.aO P. M. Old Colony. .20 
Oct. 17. "West Medford. 1.40 P. M. Lowell. .30 
Oct. 24. Somerville. 1.10 P. M. Head of Hano- .10 
ver street. 
Oct. 31. Waltham. 1.36 P. M. Fltchbnrg. .30 
For further information address the committee, 
Frances Zirngiebel, 47 Bowker street, Roxbury; 
Katheriue Parsons, Caroline M. Crawford. 
A CORRESPONDING ENTOMOLOGICAL 
CHAPTER. 
Dartmouth College, Hanover, N. H. 
Have just returned from a collecting tour 
among the White Mountains, and find the July 
