THE ATLANTIC SLOPE NATURALIST. 



grade movements of the hird, are con- 

 tributed by Dr. Walter W. Maires. In 

 South New Jersey, in the region of the 

 upper Delaware Bay, which runs due 

 south, sometime in October of every 

 year the migrating Flickers are found 

 flying north just previous to and dur- 

 ing a northwest storm. At this time 

 the wind is generally high and the 

 birds fly against it. This peculiarity 

 of flight affects a large territory ex- 

 tending inland from the east shore of 

 the bay some fifteen or twenty miles. 

 While the birds prefer to breast a 

 wind, it is also probable that they are 

 reluctant to cross the lower part of the 

 bay during such a storm which would 

 tend to drive them seaward rather pre- 

 ferring to return northward to the 

 more narrow river where they could 

 cross in comparative safety. ' ' 



The New Year's Day Bird Census 

 suggested by the editor of the Bulletin 

 was carried out by observers in various 

 sections of the country with a variable 

 amount of success. 



Those desiring further particulars 

 relative to the Wilson Ornithological 

 Club as to requirements for mem- 

 bership, etc. , may obtain that informa- 

 tion by writing to Mr. Lynds Jones, 

 Oberlin, Ohio. 



W. E. R, 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



AS TO RHUS POISONING. 



Mr. C. F. Saunders, in The Ameri- 

 can Botanist, for March, 1903, writes 

 that it is claimed that the full blood 

 American Indians are said to be im- 

 mune to Rhus poisoning. Will you 

 let me know what you think about the 

 matter ? Also in the same number of 

 this journal another correspondent 

 writes that the eating of a leaf of the 

 poison ivy has been used as a prevent- 

 ive against the poisoning of that plant, 

 thereby protecting the individual that 

 comes in contact with the ivy. Does 

 this seem likely V 



M. A. W. 



In reply to the first inquiry it 

 would seem to us not at all probable 

 that the American Aborigines as a 

 race, are immune to Rhus poisoning, 

 altbough constant association and re- 

 pealed effects of various poisons will 

 in many instances develop immunity 

 in the individual. Our inquirer has 

 not mentioned another statement made 

 by Mr. Saunders in the same article, 

 which is : " Nature intended them and 

 the Indians to dwell together, and that 

 it is the white man's own fault if he 

 gets poisoned. ' ' This is nonsense, and 

 is an explanation which does not ex- 

 plain, for the reason that the Rhus 

 genus probably flourished in America 

 ages before the country was populated 

 by any variety of mankind. 



As to the second query, we have 

 never heard of eating the leaves of 

 poison ivy to prevent poisoning there- 

 by. Nearly all, if not all, of the 

 varieties of Rhus have a very pro- 

 nounced physiological action and this 

 would seem to indicate that there is 

 nothing in the above observation. 



WILD DUCKS AND GEESE AT READING, PA. 



Thinking the enclosed clipping 

 taken from a Philadelphia paper 

 might be of interest to some of the 

 readers of the proposed Atla?itic Slope 

 Naturalist I submit the same for your 

 consideration. 



W. M. W. 



' ' Excitement was caused here to- 

 day by the appearance of a large flock 

 of wild geese and ducks. They flew 

 very low, and were unable to gain 

 much headway owing to the heavy 

 rain. Many took refuge in barns, on 

 house tops and trees and nearly every 

 man who owned a gun was out trying 

 to shoot them. 



At Leisz's bridge six were captured. 

 A farmer near Riverside caught four 

 in his smokehouse. The rains caused 

 the Schuylkill river and its tributaries 

 to rise rapidly, and in a short time the 

 streams overflowed their banks. Some 



