27 



Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



A summary of the results obtained by the Staten Island 

 Bird Lovers' Club during the summer of 1915 with bird boxes 

 placed in the Moravian Cemetery was given in the Museum 

 Bulletin for December last. The food stations which were dis- 

 tributed through the grounds during the early winter have 

 proved an even greater success. 



There are about twenty-five points in the cemetery where 

 birds may secure food. These stations consist of loaded cocoa- 

 nuts, strung peanuts, and Packard automatic food houses. It is 

 planned to vary the feeding places further and to increase the 

 amount of food supplies. At the last meeting of the club, held 

 February 9, funds were appropriated for the purchase of a bushel 

 of peanuts to replace those already devoured by the nuthatches, 

 woodpeckers, chickadees and titmice— birds that are particularly 

 fond of peanut diet. 



Ten different species of birds were seen at or near a single 

 feeding place on the afternoon of February 7, when Mr. Ernest 

 Harold Baynes, of Meriden, N. H., went to the cemetery in 

 company with Mr H. K. Decker and the undersigned. The 

 birds that have been seen actually partaking of food during the 

 past month are downy woodpecker, chickadee, white-breasted 

 nuthatch, tufted titmouse, cardinal, white-throated sparrow, 

 tree sparrow, junco and song sparrow. An active band 

 of these birds hammering at peanuts, pecking at suet and 

 cracking away the husks of seeds is a sight worth going to see. 

 The cemetery is getting to be a really very live place! 



In the biology room there has recently been installed an 

 exhibit of reptiles and batrachians, in glass jars, especially 

 designed to illustrate the species of snakes, frogs, toads, sala- 

 manders and turtles found on Staten Island. 



Historical material recently placed on display is (1) from 

 Mr. Ira K. Morris, a framed photograph of the old Dutch 

 Reformed Church at Tompkinsville, taken about fifty years ago, 

 showing Pavilion Hill in the background covered with trees, 

 and (2) Blood's map of New Brighton, Tompkinsville, Stapleton 

 and Clifton, issued in 1845, presented by Mr. Wm. T. Davis 

 and exhibited at the October meeting of the Association. 



A recent acquisition to our library is Sarah Comstock's 

 " Old Roads from the Heart of New York," which includes two 

 chapters of local historical interest, largely based upon the 

 author's researches in our collection of literature relating to 

 Staten Island. 



Accessions to the Museum and Library were received dur- 

 ing January from the following persons : Philip Dowell, John 

 Hall, Alaric Hansen, A. W. Leman, Charles R. Tucker. 



