THE "V 'J^LSLSBTZ IfT^TTJE/^XjIST. 
mens as cannot be placed on the herbarium 
sheets are best arranged in drawers or 
shelves; though vertical or horizontal sec- 
tions of them may be placed on the sheets. 
Yery fragile Fungi should be placed in lit- 
tle paper boxes, one-fourth inch deep, which 
may be glued to the herbarium sheets. The 
various minute Fungi may be dried in the 
ordinary plant press, care being taken that 
they are not crushed in the pressure. It is 
best to poison all specimens of Fungi in 
order to preserve them from the depreda- 
tions of insects. Mr. Peck in the 24th Re- 
port recommends the following preparation 
for poisoning specimens: Corrosive subli- 
mate, 4 drachms; sulphuric ether, 8 ounces; 
mix and add spirits of turpentine, 2 ounces, 
and alcohol 8 ounces. . 
Hooker recommends simply spirits of tur- 
pentine in which has been placed a small 
quantity of corrosive sublimate. 
Instead of exposing the specimens to a 
moist atmosphere it would seem more con- 
venient to use the ordinary Entomological 
arrangement for relaxing dried butterflies; 
viz : a tin vessel half full of damp sand. The 
specimens to be relaxed should be placed in 
the vessel and covered with a closely fitting 
licl. In a short time they will become al- 
most as soft and flexible as fresh specimens. 
J. M. 
St. Louis, Dec. 1877. 
BIRDS OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILL. 
BY WM. Ii. JONES, LEBANON, ILL. 
Order — Baptores. 
Family — Vulturidce. 
Genus— Cathartes. 
Cathartes aura, Turkey Vulture or Buz- 
zard. A common summer resident very rare- 
ly seen in winter. 
F a mi I y — Fa Ico nid ce . 
Qenus— Falco. 
Falco anatu/ni) Duck Hawk, A bird most 
commonly found in the vicinity of marshes. 
Falco "columbarious, Pigeon Hawk. A 
rare bird, have noticed but few specimens. 
Falco sparverius. Sparrow Hawk. A com- 
mon resident, noticed unusual numbers in 
1877. 
Genus— Astur. 
Astur atricapillus. Gos Hawk. Rarely 
seen. 
Genus— Accipiter. 
Accipiter Cooperii, Cooper's Hawk. A 
common species. 
Accipiter fuscits, Sharp-shinned Hawk. 
Rarely seen in summer, more commou in win- 
ter 
Genus — Buteo. 
Buteo borealis, Red-tailed or Hen Hawk. 
One of the most common species found in 
this locality, have known a pair to breed in 
the same place for a period of over six years. 
Very destructive on poultry and small game. 
Buteo lineatus, Red- shouldered Hawk. 
Occasionally seen. 
Buteo pennsylvanicus, Broad-winged 
Hawk. Common in this locality. 
Genus — Archibuteo. 
Archibuteo lagopus, Rough-legged Hawk. 
A rare winter resident. 
Genus — JSfauclerus. 
JSfauclerus furcatus, Swallow-tailed Hawk, 
Rare, more commonly seen during some sea- 
sons than in others. 
Genus — Circus. 
Circus hudsonius, Marsh Hawk. A com- 
mon species, 
[Continued.] 
The Prairie Lark — Its Insectivorous 
Habits. 
Tt is still a matter of dispute, whether birds, 
upon the whole, are the friends or enemies of 
the farmer. Most persons who have traveled 
over our Western Prairies, must have noticed 
small brownish colored birds, often seen 
dusting themselfs in the road, running or 
flitting in the neighboring grass as you ap- 
proach. This is the Alanda alpestris, or the 
Prairie Lark, sometimes called (but much 
less adapted) the Shore Lark, It belongs to 
the same genus as the famous Sky Lark of 
Europe, Alanda arvensis, Linn. Care must 
be taken that the resemblance of names 
does not lead us to confound this species with 
the equally common Meadow Lark, which is 
a much larger bird, with a gray striped back 
and a bright yellow breast, (strictly it is not 
a Lark, but belongs to the family of Star- 
lings). The Prairie Lark is of about the 
same size as some of the larger Sparrows, 
though more slender in shape. The prevail- 
ing color is a brownish gray, strongly tinted 
with reddish about the neck and shoulders, 
beneath the color is a sordid white, tinted 
with brown on the breast and sides. It has 
a broad band across the middle of the fore- 
head, terminating above and behind the eye 
into a pointed tuft of feathers, which the 
bird has the power of elevating and lowering 
at will, so as to resemble little horns. 
The female is more obscure in her mark- 
ings, and the little horn-like appendages are 
wanting. These birds stay with us nearly all 
the year, sometimes seen in the middle of 
winter, on a bare patch on the prairie, where 
the snow is blown of. In summer it feeds on 
the famous cut-worms, which it finds in the 
following way : Running along near the hills 
of corn, it stops abruptly from time to time 
opposite a hill, and stands still as if listening, 
then, having apparently cfetermined the dir- 
ection of the worm, it inserts its bill at a 
shoit distance from a spear of corn, and by a 
rapid, rotary motion, if partially burries it- 
self in the loose earth, and then jerking back- 
wards, draggs out a large grub. Taking this 
worm in its bill, it runs along, until by its 
acute sense of hearing, or by some other in- 
stinct, it becomes aware of the presence of 
another grub. Then laying down the one 
previously caught, it quickly dislodges an- 
other in the same manner, and taking them 
both in its bill, it again pursues its search. 
Having obtained as many as it can carry, it 
flies off to a neighboring grass-field, where, 
very probably a brood of young await its ar- 
rival. 
Thus does this sly little bird perform an 
humble, but useful part in the economy of 
nature, and while seeking a living for itself 
and young, it uncontiously renders an impor- 
tant service to the farmer. 
Multiplication of Species in the Families 
Uniorridse and Strepornatid.se. 
BY W. W. CALKINS, CHICAGO, ILL. . 
From a study of some years in these two 
great groups of the Mollusca, during which 
time I have compared thousands of speci- 
mens and hundreds of species, Many of them 
collected by myself. I have become more and 
more convinced that " the business of manu- 
facturing" new species has been overdone. 
We can with safety "cut down " the present 
number at least one-half with advantage to 
science, and to the great relief of our explor- 
ers in these departments, who are wander- 
ing in confusion amid the labyrinth of spe- 
cies and synonyms that now encumber Amer- 
ican Conchology. 
It has been found that even the authors of 
species, do not oftentimes recognize their 
own progeny. There are too many species 
in other groups of our terrestrial moliusks. 
For instance in the Limnceidce, Bhysadce, 
iSuccinidce, etc. There may be half a dozen 
of each family that will make fair species, 
there may be but one or two. But as the 
matter now stands, an additional wrinkle on 
a shell, or an extra tooth will be sufficient to 
found another species, possibly a new genera, 
with nobis after "it. A worthy (?) effort, for 
ambition, but death to the student. 
The variation in the shells of TJnio and 
Pleurocera are indeed great after we go south 
of the Ohio River, but all explainable of the 
grounds of situation, food, temperature, 
chemical properties of the waters, etc. Na- 
ture shows a disposition to "sport" as she 
does in the Floral world. Species of TJnio 
in southern waters show often a wide diver- 
gence from the original types taken from the 
Ohio and other Northern streams. Hence, 
many of them have been made into new spe- 
cies. TJnio luteolus, admitted to be very 
variable, has a wide distribution, and has 
been re-cliscribed many times as a new dis- 
covery. Pleurocera and other univalve gen- 
era have furnished a multitute of forms as to 
the shells. But, what of the animals, has 
any difference in their anatomy been found. 
I think not. I advise an examination of the 
mouth and each particular member, else we 
shall ere long loose the greater part of our 
species, when some ruthless hand shall tear 
away the present fanciful arbitrary, and arti- 
ficial distinctions that hedge in genera and 
species. Of course ail classification by gen- 
era, not based on natural distinctions and 
interpreted by nature, and in sympathy with 
her laws, must sooner or later fall of its own 
weight. We are now in a sort of transition 
state, following blindly along in a beaten 
track, because we " hate change." But 
though I fail to appreciate the value of many 
genera and species as they now stand, yet I 
am indisposed to create" a "row," until I 
have more time, though determined to go to 
the funeral of our boasted, innumerable spe- 
cies and keep up with the procession if it 
kills the horse. 
BOOK NOTICES. 
Key to North American Birds. By El- 
liott Coues, Assistant Surgeon United 
States Army. 869 imperial octavo pages. 
Illustrated by 8 Steel Plates and 288 Wood 
Cuts. A Manual or Text-Book of the 
Birds of North America, north of the 
present Mexican boundary; inclusive of 
Lower California; exclusive of Greenland. 
Containing a Synopsis of Living and Fossil 
Birds, and Descriptions of every North 
American Species known to this Time. 1 
vols., royal 8vo., cloth. 
Half- Hours with Insects. Published in 
twelve parts. Giving a popular account of 
their Habits, Modes of Life, &g. ; which are 
beneficial and which are injuries to vegeta- 
tion. By A. S. Packard, Jr., of the Pea- 
body Academy of Science. The subjects 
treated are: Insects of the Garden; Re- 
lations of Insects to Man; Insects of the 
Plant House; Edible Insects; Insects of 
the Pond and Stream; the Population of 
an Apple Tree; Insects of the Field; In- 
sects of the Forest; Insects of Mimics; 
Insects as Architects; Social Life of In- 
sects and Mental Powers of Insects. The 
volume contains a colored frontispiece, 260 
wood-cut illustrations and 392 pages. 
Crown 8vo. 
The Ferns op North America. Text by 
Prof. Daniel C. Eaton, of Yale College, 
Illustrated by Mr. J as. H. Emerton. 
Tne need of a carefully prepared, and 
thoroughly illustrated work on the Ameri- 
can Ferns, has long been felt by those study- 
ing these beautiful plants. As yet, no work 
whatever has made its appearance which 
contains even a description of all our Amer- 
ican species, and the few that have been 
figured at all, are found scattered through 
so many foreign works that it is quite im- 
possible to find them, even in an excellent 
library. Prof. Eaton has for a long time 
had in contemplation the writing of a work 
which should possess all the requirements of 
a scientific student and at the same time be 
so popular, and so thoroughly illustrated 
that those unfamiliar with botanical methods 
could be able with perfect ease to determine 
any of our American Ferns. The work will 
be issued in large quarto parts, at intervals 
of about two months, which is as fast as the 
plates can be prepared. In the course of 
the publication of the work, every species 
known to inhabit IT. S. will be figured. Each 
part will contain three elegant 4to. plates, 
colored by Chromo Lithography, giving exact 
representations of from one to three speceis 
each. The paper on which the plates are 
