70 STATEN ISLAND INSTITUTE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES 
picked up by Mr. Samuel Snell, who saw it fall from the roof, 
flutter about for a short time, and die. 
Mr. Edgar Bell told of a catbird having followed him for 
twenty feet from her nest, giving vigorous chase; he also exhibited 
an unusually small hen’s egg. 
In answer to a question Mr. Davis explained how a part of 
Todt Hill, near the iron mines, had not been passed over by the 
glacier and consequently had a surface of yellow gravel, and sup- 
ported a somewhat different flora from the adjoining region. 
The meeting of September 15, 1919, was held in the Public 
Museum. 
Mr. Wm. T. Davis showed the ornate caterpillar of Apatela 
funeralis Grote & Robinson, found on the sidewalk, St. Marks 
Place, Sep. 5, 1919: The species feeds on’ maple. | 
Mr. Edw. J. Burns recounted some of his experiences in com- 
pany with Mr. Davis at Wading River, Long Island, from Aug. 31 
to Sep. 4, 1919, during which time they visited Long Pond, Deep 
Pond, and Grass Pond. Many interesting insects were found. 
In their experience with birds they had had the rare pleasure of 
seeing the newly hatched chicks of the bobwhite in their nest in a 
vegetable garden. The large end of the egg is partly cut around 
by the emerging chick, and forms a lid, which is lifted up when 
the chick makes its escape. It was raining when the young bob- 
whites hatched, so they stayed in the nest until the sun shone. 
Mr. Chas. W. Leng read articles from the Staten Island and 
New York City papers in reference to the pink katydids found on 
the island. 
Mr. Carol Stryker spoke of his observations on the flight of 
the common hummingbird and exhibited a section of the trunk of 
an American elm, cut lengthwise, exposing the interesting nest of 
a downy woodpecker. The nest was found in the vicinity of 
Silver Lake. It was presented to the museum. 
The meeting of October 13, 1919, was held in the Public 
Museum. 
