THE AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION 
1 77 
nature from old to young permeated by 
a social spirit then we believe The 
Agassiz Association has demonstrated 
in its existence that it is the best. In 
fact we do not know of any other gen- 
eral popularizing federation of nature 
interests of a scope so wide and prin- 
ciples so effective. It is not primarily 
for the specialist so far as the specialty 
is concerned, but it is for the specialist 
so far as he is quickened by the mis- 
sionary spirit of helpfulness to others. 
If your local company of nature stu- 
dents wishes to become a Chapter of 
The Agassiz Association correspond- 
ence is cordially invited. 
Report From the Greenville College 
Chapter. 
An interesting report has been re- 
ceived from S. Howard Bartley, Sec- 
retary and Treasurer of our Greenville 
College Chapter, Greenville, Illinois. 
The President is Miss Beulah Brown- 
ing Burnett; the Vice-President, Miss 
Ruth Fish ; the Curator of Collections, 
Howard Earl Updyke — all students in 
the college. From Mr. Bartley’s per- 
sonal letter we quote the following: 
“During the year 1920-21 of the col- 
lege considerable interest was mani- 
fested in the Chapter. Hikes and trips 
in the fall and winter were taken for 
the purpose of seeing the forms of life 
that could be found at that time of the 
year. We took early morning hikes in 
the spring for the observation and 
study of the birds. Many kinds are 
found in this section of the countiy. 
Cardinals and blue jays are two of the 
most numerous inhabitants of our 
woods. 
“In May, 1921, a naturalist, Caldwell, 
from Massachusetts, was obtained. He 
gave us an illustrated lecture for the 
public. It furthered the interests of 
the Chapter in a lasting wav. 
“Our college yearbook. “The Vista,” 
is a publication of much importance. 
In this we were duly represented. We 
had a page, consisting of a cut of the 
Chapter in action and a sketch of our 
purposes and activities. 
“This year f 1921-22) it was deemed 
wise to group the members of the 
Chapter into three departments, so that 
there could be more specialization and 
thoroughness in the work done. There 
is a department for the study of birds, 
one for plant life and the other for the 
study of insects. 
“We are endeavoring to raise funds 
to buy a collection case for the Biology 
Department of the College. This may 
be done by a program. 
“Our aim is to establish and perpet- 
uate in this place a study of nature 
which shall be first-hand and not super- 
ficial. In this our President is a noble 
and untiring leader.” 
Observations from Our New York 
Nature Chapter. 
REPORTED BY THE SECRETARY, MISS 
HELEN SMITH. 
Last summer one of our members 
noticed, during July and August, a 
pretty natural phenomenon. In the 
quiet coves and inlets of the St. Law- 
rence River she saw about seven o’clock 
every evening bright, silvery sparkles 
appear and disappear above the water. 
As she approached the sparkles they 
were extinguished. They were larger 
than fireflies but suggested fireflies of 
silver. By approaching a cove silently, 
she discovered that the sparkles were 
caused by tiny minnows leaping out of 
the water and displaying their silvery 
sides as they leaped. For what reason 
these fish thus leaped we have been 
unable to discover. They may have 
been feeding on minute flying insects. 
It was an unique sight. The members 
who noticed this phenomenon says that 
although she has been spending many 
of her summers at the St. Lawrence, 
she had never previously observed the 
tiny “water sparkles.” 
One other observation was that 
many trees, bushes and plants in a part 
of the country are, during the summer, 
covered with a thick, glossy, varnish- 
like substance, which makes them shine 
unnaturally. This was finally found to 
be the excretion dropped by aphids liv- 
ing in trees. 
What Agassiz Really Said. 
Stanford University, California. 
To the Editor: 
“Study Nature, not Books,” is often 
quoted from Agassiz. What he really 
said, as I took it down at the time, 
was: “If you study Nature in Books, 
when you go outdoors you will not 
find her.” 
David Starr Jordan. 
