THE TAnLBY ZLnT^TTJIR, 
A.LIST. 
11 
lowing explanation of this abnormal struc- 
ture: " In the normally formed apple flowers 
the style stands on the base of the fleshy calyx 
tube, and the stamens upon its upper 
margin ; if now we change the stamens into 
carpels and the calyx to * apple-flesh, 1 it is 
evident that there will be a normally five- 
celled inferior * core > and a 4 core * above, 
which in these specimens is nine-celled." 
J. M. 
Synopsis of the American Firs. 
BY DR. GEORGE ENGELMANN. 
{Trans St. L. Acad. Sc.) 
As this paper has teeen printed for private 
distribution, and will not appear for sometime 
in the Transactions of the Academy, we give 
the synoptical arrangement of the species, 
thinking that it will be of interest to many 
readers of the Valley Naturalist, who 
might be unable to obtain a copy of this arti- 
cle. Dr. Engelmann follows Link in his 
name, definition and circumscription of the 
genus, comprising the Silver or Balsam Firs. 
The leaves of all Firs are sessile and without 
the prominent ligneous cushion, which is pe- 
culiar to the spruces (Picea, Link). All the 
leaves have stomata on the underside, form- 
ing bands on each side of the keel; on the 
upperside of the leave, stomata are present 
in some, especially in those with thicker 
leaves, and absent in others, mostly those 
with flatter leaves. In several species the 
leaves of the lower or sterile branches are 
without stomata and the thicker ones of the 
upper or fertile branches have a few (in the 
upper part of the grove) or many. The fibro- 
vascular bundle occupies the center of the 
leaf, either single — in the more square leaves 
of the 4th section — or mostly divided into two 
distinct bundles (in the flat leaves). Both 
cases occur sometimes in the same species : 
Sec. I. Balsame^e. Resin ducts within 
the parenchyma, in the interior of the leaf; 
leaves on lower branches notched and mostly 
without stomata on the upper side, on fertile 
branches entire, obtuse or often acute; most- 
ly with a few or more stomata above, toward 
the tip. Two Eastern and one Northwestern 
species. 
* Exserta: bracts protruding, recurved. 
1. A. Fraseri. 
** Inclusce: bracts shorter than the scales. 
2. A. balsamea. 
3. A. subalpina. 
Sec. II. Grandes. Resin ducts close to 
the epidermis of the lower side toward the 
edges ; leaves on lower branches notched or 
obtuse; on upper, obtuse, rarely ever acute; 
bracts enclosed, Two Western species. 
4. A. grandis. 
5. A. concolor. 
Sec. III. BracteaTjE. Resin ducts as in 
last; upperside of the rigid, mostly acute, 
leaves without stomata, with a continuous 
layer of hypoderm cells, usually similar cells 
within the sheath of the fibro-vascular bun- 
dle; pallisade-parenchyma very strongly de- 
veloped; bracts exsert. One Mexican and 
one Southwestern species. 
6. A. religiosa. 
7. A. bra'cteata. 
Sec. IV. Nobiles. Leaves of the adult 
tree and especially of the fertile branches 
quadrangular, short, curved, but scarcely 
twisted; resin ducts close to the epidermis 
of the lower side, and equidistant from the 
edge and keel ; fibro-vascular bundles single ; 
stomata on both sides; leaves of young trees 
much like those of Section II. Two species 
of the higher mountains of the Pacific slope. 
* Exserta: bracts protruding. 
8. A. nobilis. 
* Inclusa; bracts shorter than scales. 
9. A. magnifica. 
Figs grow very abundantly in South Car- 
olina; they ripen twice a year, and compete, 
when dried and packed, with the foreign im- 
ported ones in the home market. 
Birds of St. Clair County, Ills.— III. 
BY WM. L. JONES, LEBANON, ILL. 
Order — Scansores. 
Fam ily — Guculidce. 
Genus — Coccyzus. 
Coccyzus americanus. Yellow-billed Cu- 
ckoo. A common summer resident; arrives 
here about May 20th, generally departs be- 
fore frost. 
Coccyzus erytrophthalmus. Black-billed 
Cuckoo. A rare bird compared with the 
preceding species. 
Family— Picidce. 
Genus — Picus. 
Picus villosus. Hairy Woodpecker or Sap- 
sucker. A very common resident, seem to 
be more abundant during winter season. 
Picus pubescens. Downy Woodpecker. 
A common species, most commonly seen in 
vicinity of orchards. 
Genus — Sphyrapicus. 
Sphyrapicus varius. Yellow-bellied Wood- 
pecker. A rather rare Woodpecker here, 
noticed more plentiful last autumn than ev- 
er before. 
Genus — Hylotomus. 
Hylotomus pileatus. Logcock or Pileated 
Woodpecker. Rare, inhabits heavy timber, 
very shy. 
Genus — Centurus. 
Centurus carolinus. Red-bellied Wood- 
pecker. A common species, seen everywhere 
in woods. 
Genus — Melanerpes. 
Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Red-headed 
Woodpecker. Very common, most abundant 
of all Woodpeckers here in this County. 
Genus — Colaptes. 
Colaptes auratus. Golden-winged Wood- 
pecker or Flicker. A common resident, us- 
ually more abundant in summer. 
[Continued.] 
Birds of Michigan. 
BY W. H. HUGHES, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. 
C. aura. Turkey Buzzard. This species 
is named as occurring in this State, in the 
list of the Michigan University. A specimen 
was shot at Kalamazoo several years ago; it 
is not known to have been observed in this 
County (Colhoun), but is unquestionably an 
occasional visitor. Its natural home is in 
the Southern States, where it is protected, 
by common consent, for its usefulness in 
acting as a scavenger in carrying away and 
feeding upon the refuse animal matter in 
the streets. There are three other species of 
the American Vultures, all belonging to the 
genus Cathartes. but their home is in the 
warmer climate of the South, and they never 
visit us. 
The Falcon family is more numerous and 
is well represented in Michigan. 
F. Sparverius. Sparrow Hawk. This 
beautiful hawk is not a very common sum- 
mer resident, is easily recognized by its 
small size, measuring only twelve inches in 
length, its food is grasshoppers, snakes, mice 
and occasionally a small bird. It breeds in 
this county. 
A. Gooperii. Cooper's Hawk. The most 
common, perhaps, of all our hawks, is about 
sixteen inches in length, and is one of the 
species known as " hen hawks." They 
built their nests in trees, and the eggs are 
white. 
A. Fuscus. Sharp-shinned Hawk. A 
common summer resident, is about fourteen 
inches long, nests here, and is easily distin- 
quished by its slender legs and toes. 
B. Borealis. Red-Tailed Hawk. A large 
rare species, twenty-four inches in length, 
easily identified by the bright rufous tail, 
tipped with white. 
B. Lineatus. Red-shouldered Hawk. 
Rather common inhabitant, about twenty- 
two inches in length. The most marked pe- 
culiarity is the bright rufous feathers at the 
elbow of the wing. 
A. Sancti johannis. Black Hawk. Very 
rare, is about twenty-two inches in length, 
with black or dark brown blumage. 
G. Hudsonius. Marsh Hawk. One of the 
most common hawks, and nests on the 
ground. 
A' Canadensis. Golden Eagle. Very 
rarely seen. 
H. Leucocephalus, Bold Eagle. Very 
rarely seen, but the most common of the 
eagles. It breeds in this region. 
P. Carolinensis. American osprey. Very 
rare, but is often seen near the great lakes. 
A Queer Nesting-Place. 
BY G. H. RAGSDALE, GAINESVILLE, TEXAS. 
While collecting birds and eggs during the 
season of 1877 I picked up a nest lying on 
the ground in Fish Creek Bottom near its 
junction with Red River; the most singular 
birds nest I have ever seen. It was simply 
a small nest about the size of Polioptila Cce- 
rulea, in a bundle of caterpillar webs, and 
the dead leafless stems of the hickory upon 
which the worms had subsisted. The nest 
was perfect and had evidently been built af- 
ter the worms ceased to use the webs. I 
sent it to Mr. J. A. Allen, Cambridge, Mass. 
but he could not make it out, thought it 
probably the nest of Icterus spurius, var. af- 
finis, around which the caterpillars had 
wound their web, but it evidently was not, 
for the cavity of the nest had no web over it- 
Have you or any of your readers seen a sim- 
ilar nest? 
Terrestrial Magnetism. 
BY PROF. RICHARD OWEN, INDIANA STATE 
UNIVERSITY, BLOOMINGTON, IND. 
The following is a brief synopsis of some 
experiments, recently made by me in Terres- 
trial Magnetism, chiefly with reference to 
its bearing on Dynamical Geology. The full 
details I have recently made public in six 
articles written to the Indianapolis Daily 
Journal as the most readily accessible, to be 
followed by one or two more communica- 
tions. 
I. By driving iron rods at least six feet in- 
to the ground, and attaching to the rods in- 
sulated copper wire, connected also with a 
delicate Galvanometer, I have found so- 
called currents of electricity in the earth's 
crust, usually in a direction from South to 
JNTorth; sometimes from S. E. to ST. W. or 
again from S. W. to N. E. The amount of 
deflection of the Galvanometer needle or in- 
dex, when both wires are clamped in the 
binding screws of the Galvanometer, varies 
from about 12 to 25 degrees. 
II. When both metallic objects with which 
the wires are connected are above ground, 
such as stoves, iron fences, &c, the currents 
appear also usually to be from a southerly 
to a northerly direction. 
III. When one wire connects with a metal 
surface under ground, as an iron oil tank, 
while the other wire is connected with metal 
surface above ground, such as a stove with a 
long pipe, the currents set invariably from 
the atmosphere to the earth; the deflection 
amounting to from 15 to 30 degrees. 
IV. So far as observed, no matter what 
the weather, or which way the wind is blow- 
ing, the maximum deflection occurs in the 
mornings and evenings, while the minimum 
deflection is during a few hours near noon. 
LATER. 
Since the above was written, we have re- 
ceived the following additions from the 
Professor: 
"I have had an opportunity of making 
hourly observations for two days, with rods 
driven in different directions, by which I in- 
cline to think the currents in any given dir- 
ection vary as I said, with the hour; 
