16 



In spite of unfavorable weather there was much of interest to 

 be seen and done. 



On both Friday and Saturday evenings there were three 

 blossoms of the tropical night blooming cereus to be seen in the 

 large Mohonk Greenhouse. This was a new sight to many of 

 the group and was thoroughly enjoyed. There are three large 

 plants, one of which is over sixty years old. Each summer they 

 are kept outdoors from May until October where they bloom 

 regularly, sometimes having as many as 29 blossoms in one 

 night. The blossoms remain open only a few hours before wilt- 

 ing. They give off a rich heavy scent. The broadly flattened 

 stem and absence of true leaves makes this cactus particularly 

 noteworthy. 



On the way to the greenhouse on Friday a noise was heard 

 in a hemlock tree. A flashlight revealed an oppossum hanging 

 on the under side of a low branch. In the corner of his mouth 

 were the tail feathers of a junco, just disappearing from sight. 

 Evidently he had caught the bird from its roosting place at the 

 end of the branch. 



Saturday morning was rainy. Seven completed a 4 mile 

 hike along the northwest side of the mountain, passing through 

 the deer paddock where about twelve deer and fawns were seen. 

 A stop was made at the old log cabin which was built about 

 1770. In the afternoon some visited Sky Top Tower where the 

 forest fire observer is stationed, while others enjoyed the exten- 

 sive natural history library of the Smiley family. 



On Saturday evening the leader projected a number of his 

 Kodachrome lantern slides showing scenery around Lake Mo- 

 honk. Some of the scenes in the Mohonk garden and shots in 

 the "sugar bush" were of particular interest. 



On Sunday morning 3^ miles were covered, including a visit 

 to Rhododendron Swamp. On the way home there was a brief 

 snow squall. 



The following botanical notes seem worth recording. Vari- 

 ous mosses were collected including some good specimens of 

 Fontinalis gigantea, Polytrichum piliferum, Georgia pellucida and 

 Thelia asprella (sp?). Liverworts were in fine condition; only 

 the following genera were identified, Pallavicinia and Scapania. 

 Cetraria fahlunensis var. frostii was especially beautiful in 

 color because of its wet condition. Asplenium platyneuron and 



