88 FIELD AND FOREST. 



Potomac-Side Naturalists' Club. 



Feb. ■jth, 1876, (200th meeting.) 



A committee was appointed to prepare a report on the geology of 

 the District. 



Dr. Schaeffer read a paper, giving results of protracted microscopic 

 investigation on different qualities of wool and woolen goods, and the 

 modes of their adulteration, illustrating the same by specimens. 



Mr. Sanborn spoke of a peculiarity in certain feathers, in which the 

 fine down near the base, has a bearded structure, under the micros- 

 cope, and being quite deciduous, breaks away from the shaft, and 

 works into the twist of the ticking. 



Mr. Ward read a paper on eccentricity of the pith in Rhus toxico- 

 dendron. 



Feb. 2ist, iS/6, (201st meeting.) 



Dr. Vasey read a paper (given in the last number, ) on the Palms 

 and Yuccas of the United States. 



Mr. Smith stated that he had received Sabal Adansonii from Eu- 

 rope, under five different names. 



Note on the Bank Swallow. — -The depot of the White Water 

 Valley Railway at this place is built upon stone piers, and spans the 

 Hydraulic canal, being some five or six feet above the water. The 

 past summer, I observed a Bank Swallow fly under the depot, with 

 several spears of grass in her mouth ; and being curious to see Avhat 

 she did with them, I watched, and found that she took them through 

 a two inch auger hole which had been made in a pine board. I could 

 not reach the place for the water, but I know from the droppings 

 about the hole that she reared her young in that position. — R. Hav- 

 mond, M. D., Brookville, Ind, 



Early Flowering Plants. — In addition to the plants named in 

 the last No. as blooming through the winter, we may add that Hepa- 

 tica and Poa annua could be coUedled at any time in sheltered places ; 

 Symplocarpus, Ranunculus repens and Botrychium lunarioides. were in 

 bloom during the holidays. h.X.XQ.t oi Acer dasycarpum \\\X\\t Q\\.y 

 flowered January 15th, and Ulmus Americana commenced in February. 



March 6th a few Sanguinaria,s could be found expanded while Ob- 

 olaria Fpigcea and some violas were just bursting into bloom. 



