Davis: Naturat History REcorDS 151 
Morus rubra L. A fine red mulberry tree about ten inches in 
diameter was found in the woods near Merrell Av. and Bulls 
Head, Sep. 1, 1923. Several other smaller trees are to be found 
in the woods west of the fireworks establishment, Graniteville. 
Hottoma inflata Ell. Several plants of this interesting species 
were found in a ditch on the easterly side of South Av. near Travis 
MV. CAE A, WO2QS, 
Cynanchum mgrum L. The black swallowwort, collected in 
the old Ross place at Rossville. It was found in the same locality 
in 1903 (Proc. Nat. Sci. Assoc. Staten Is. May 1903) and is 
now much more abundant there than it was twenty years ago. 
Many of the plants had both well grown seed vessels as well as 
flowers on July 8, 1923. 
Mr. Davis also showed a living female mantis, Paratenodera 
sinensis, that had been found at St. Paul’s church Oct. 21, 1923. 
On Oct. 25 the insect laid an egg mass, which was also shown. 
On April 26, 1921, sixty-one egg masses of this species, were 
placed in several localities on Ward Hill, since which time the 
insect has become well established and attracted some attention. 
The Nov. 25, 1923, meeting was held in the Public Museum. 
The effect of aspirin tablets on cut flowers was generally dis- 
cussed, and the remarkable property of this drug in reviving 
flowers as found at the last flower show in the Museum was 
spoken of by Mr. Leng. | 
Mr..Wm. T. Davis spoke of the interesting items of natural 
history observed in the course of gathering stones used in building 
the fireplace in the Bird Club Cabin. He stated that about noon 
on Nov. 14, when it was warm and pleasant and peeper frogs were 
singing, that he, Mr. H. F. Stone, and Mr. Carol Stryker were 
surprised to see a painted turtle on its way through the dry 
woods to the pond near the Cabin. It probably had started from 
the small lily pond on the hill several hundred feet away and was 
making for the deeper and larger pond and a much better place in 
which to spend the winter. 
Mr. Carol Stryker recorded the discovery of some persimmon 
