NATURE ADVENTURES IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL 



229 



birds, the list is altogether too extensive to enumerate, as 

 practically it is the avifauna of the Middle Atlantic 

 States. Then, among the birds we may always expect to 

 meet with "stragglers" from time to time, either from the 

 North during very cold winters ; from the South during 

 unusual seasons, and, finally, certain aquatic species stray- 

 ing up the Potomac. 



The District's reptiles and batrachians are also inter- 

 esting, and more or less numerous ; the explorer and 

 student may, and very likely will, meet with various 

 species of snakes, one of which the copperhead is 

 venomous ; a few lizards, salamanders, and newts ; a land 

 tortoise and several turtles, and quite a number of frogs, 

 toads, and hylas. There is likewise a good representative 

 fish fauna in the rivers, creeks, and small ponds (Fig. 5). 



While it is not at all likely that any new species remain 

 to be described 

 among any of 

 these vertebrate 

 g roups, still 

 there is some 

 probability that 

 new insects, or 

 even mollusks 

 and other in- 

 vertebrates yet 

 remain un- 

 known to sci- 

 ence in the 

 District of Co- 

 lumbia; not 

 many, perhaps, 

 but possibly a 

 few. The same 

 may be said 

 for the lower 

 forms of plants, 

 though not with 

 equal certainty. 



As to flower- 

 ing plants, the 

 list is by no 

 means a short 



one, for the writer has photographed upwards of one 

 hundred different species, and still others are looming 

 up on every hand for similar work in the future. The 

 same for trees and shrubs, not to mention other forms 

 of vegetable life, with many fungi and other growths. 

 Comparatively but little is known of the special anatomy 

 and physiology of all these forms, both in the case of 

 animals and plants ; but this is quite apart from what the 

 explorer sees in the physical geography of the District 

 and its representative flora and fauna as a whole. 



In undertaking an expedition for the purpose of ex- 

 ploring the District be the time to be occupied one day 

 or one week the explorer should be properly equipped, 

 in that the object of the outing may be accomplished 

 barring changes of weather and accidents. If he intends 

 to do field photography, a suitable camera and outfit will 

 be necessary, the best sizes being either a 5 x 7 or larger. 



ONE BEAUTIFUL BIRD LESS THE VICTIM OF A BOY'S AIR GUN 



Fig. 2. This Golden-winged Woodpecker was photographed, without being disturbed, upon the very spot it 

 fell dead. A pitiful sight upon a beautiful day in early spring. 



Many prefer verj small cameras, and depend upon en- 

 largements made from the negatives ; and it may be said 

 that in some cases excellent results can thus be obtained. 

 From time to time a trip will be undertaken with but a 

 single object in view, as for example the capture and 

 photography of small fishes, either pond or river forms'. 

 Then it will be best to carry a special aquarium in some 

 instances; but nearly all the little fishes of the District 

 bear transportation well in a small can, if the water be 

 cool and constantly changed. This is especially true of 

 the minnows, sunfish,' catfish, and others. Any of these 

 may be taken along the banks of the river and streams 

 where they occur, while the Georgetown Canal offers 

 another excellent place to meet "with them. 



Large specimens, such as big turtles, snakes, and some 

 mammals, are best carried back to base in a strong bag 



of suitable size, 

 and closed with 

 a draw-string. 

 T h e s e speci- 

 mens will occa- 

 sionally give a 

 bit of trouble, 

 and may cause 

 s o m e amuse- 

 ment to passen- 

 gers in street 

 cars, when one 

 is compelled to 

 travel in them. 

 For example, 

 the big snapper 

 shown in Fig- 

 ure 6 was a 

 very powerful 

 c r e at u re, its 

 shell being over 

 a foot in length. 

 He was gen- 

 tle and quiet 

 enough in the 

 field ; but al- 

 most as soon as we were settled in a street car, the fellow 

 became very uneasy, and soon made frantic efforts to get 

 out of the bag. This attracted the attention of one or 

 two of the passengers, and they became greatly amused 

 at the writer's predicament. However, the snapper was 

 in the right ; and later my regrets were genuine when the 

 news came that he had been crushed between the power- 

 ful jaws of one of the larger alligators in the tank at 

 the "Zoo," where the specimen had been sent for public 

 exhibition. 



In American Forestry the writer has already given 

 many accounts of the wild flowers that occur in the 

 District, and described the pleasure to be derived from 

 their collection and study. But apart from the joy of 

 seeing the first bloodroots and wind flowers in the earliest 

 days of spring, there is probably no plant that will catch 

 the eye and command the attention of the explorer with 



