THE ORNITHOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



published by Thomas A. Clark & Co., 

 Minneapolis. Minn. 



We have received a copy of the Min- 

 eralogists' Record Book, originated by 

 Fred R. Stearns. The book contains 

 space for recording four hundred and 

 fifty specimens and will be v^elcomed 

 by all mineralogists who wish to make 

 systematic collections. 



A cheap and convenient device for 

 binding files of papers and magazines 

 is found in the "klips" advertised in 

 this issue. With them one can turn his 

 scattered magazines into a handy and 

 valuable library, iu half an hour. We 

 find them satisfactory in every respect, 

 and reccomend the smallest size to our 

 subscribers who wish to bind their files 

 of this magazine. 



SLIME MOULDS. 



BY LETSON BALLIET, DSS MOINES, IOWA. 



When winter comes most people think 

 that the botanical student can have a 

 rest. Well, I differ from most, then ; 

 so get out your microscope and tools, 

 and lets go to work. Let me say right 

 here if you haven't a compound micro- 

 scape, get one. Get the best one you 

 can afford ; and as Dr. Coues saj^s about 

 a gun "go the full length of your purse " 

 aud get as good a one as you can. For 

 tools, you will need a pair of mounted 

 needles, a razor, or a sharp scalpel, and 

 a pair of small scissors. 



After procuring a pencil aud paper for 

 notes and drawings, go to the flower-pots 

 of the house-plants. On the side or bottom 

 you will find a green slime, called 

 moss by some people. It is not a moss, 

 however. Scrape some of it off upon 

 your glass slide, place a drop of water 

 upon it and cover with a cover glass. 

 Place it under your microscope aird you 

 will see a number of small greenish cells. 

 In these cells are a number of green 

 bodies crowded together in the middle 

 or off to one side, occupying the larger 



part of the cell. Around this is a clear 

 viscid fluid. This fluid is called proto- 

 plasm and the green bodies are called 

 chloroplasts, the coloring matter of 

 which is chlorophy. 



One cell containing these chloroplasts 

 and the protoplasm is called a Pi-otococ- 

 cus. Sometimes these protococci contain 

 spores. In such cases the outer cell 

 wall dissolves ; the spores take in 

 water and grow ; and in turn become a 

 parent plant. If the water dries up. the 

 spores may be blown long distances and 

 when they alight in water, revive and 

 form another colony. Protoplasm is 

 the physical basis of all living organisms; 

 without it there is no life. When 

 studying living things, you will always 

 find protoplasm. It is a clear viscid fluid 

 resembling the white of an egg. 



THE COURAGE OF A WOODCOCK. 



BY G. BARNEY, HARTFORD, WIS. 



All birds show remarkable courage 

 in defense of their nest and young; 

 even the most timid will not leave their 

 nests under the most trying conditions. 



The following instance shows the re- 

 markable coui-ageousness of a wood- 

 cock. Last May we went into a clump 

 of tamaracks to cut rails for fencing, 

 and my brother discovered a wookcock 

 sitting on a nest within a few feet of 

 of us. We had passed within three 

 feet of her and threw down four or five 

 heavy rails near the nest before we saw 

 the old bird. Probably we would not 

 have seen her then, were it not for her 

 bright eyes, with which she followed 

 every movement we made. She did not 

 leave the uest until we purposely fright- 

 ened her off : then she flew along the 

 ground, as if she had a broken wing. 



The eggs were four in number, of a 

 light yellow, spotted and blotched with 

 dark brown. The bird's plumage was 

 dark brown, very much like the tama- 

 rack needles which surrounded her, 

 and of which her nest Avas composed. 



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