18 
0. S. U. Naturalist. 
[Vol. 1, No. 2 
they remained stationary and turned round and round with their 
heads under water, catching the small crustacians that seem to be 
their principal diet. The form of their beak is such that when it is 
placed on the ground the upper mandible is underneath. This being 
large and strong, soon opens up the circular depression that first 
called my attention. Before the tide is all out they usually leave 
because the crustaceans have by this time hidden in the sand. 
The flamingo frequents this coast only during the winter months 
and consequently does not nest here, nor is it known to nest west of 
the Andes mountains. Their nests and young, however, have been 
observed in great numbers in the small lakes of brackish water that 
abound on the plains of Patagonia east of the mountains. Undoubt- 
edly these are the same birds that spend their winters in Chile, the 
lofty Andes proving no barrier to their flight. There are many roads 
by which they can pass, the mountains being intercepted by frequent 
rivers that empty into the Pacific, and have their origin beyond the 
snow-covered Andes, in the plains of the Argentine Republic. 
AGGRESSIVE CHARACTER AND ECONOMIC ASPECT OF 
THE WHITE HEATH ASTER. 
W. A. Kelleeman. 
(Plate 3.) 
The White Heath Aster (Aster ericoides) is an indigenous species 
whose distribution is given in our manuals as “Canada, Florida, and 
the Mississippi,” “ Maine and Ontario to Florida, west to Wisconsin 
and Kentucky,” and “South New England to Minnesota and south- 
ward,” theivariety pilosus “mainly in the Western States.” It is 
one of the commonest Asters throughout Ohio, occurring doubtless in 
every county in our State. The variety jlwYosms seems to be the 
common form in our region, and may be seen growing in rich and 
poor soil with almost equal thrift, and occurring in all habitats 
except the woods and swamps. 
Its capacity for adaptation to the advance of civilization is 
remarkable, and this occasions the remark now very generally heard 
among the farmers that it is a “new weed in the region,” “ not 
known here five years ago,” “ just came all at once,” “ the latest and 
worst weed we have,” and other expressions of similar import. As 
a matter of fact, the roadsides in many places are lined with it, 
fields with a poor stand of clover, timothy, or blue grass are com- 
pletely covered with it, and all waste places, vacant lots, and neg- 
lected spots are profusely decorated with the same. 
The plant is a rather coarse weed; but in spite of this fact it is 
somewhat attractive because of the masses of green foliage and the 
white flowers that become prominent before the summer is gone, and 
last throughout the early and middle autumn. The stems are tough 
