August 4, 1925

Volume IV August 4, 1925 Number 11

d P,,INT.' Yo6EM. Z „NAT $A,t. ‘,P, tr 7 eu !LL.o!•, f$ *4T1oNAL PA.R E $ERVZCE WANT TO xEtfk,YQVTo MA LB RIEND 4rr.ff Ot3A,PARL u at T.i~I :IT'S EVERS QDD. l,Lt,4i' ttEVOL W' 1N MIOEm o D,1'osYptd fee 8Y;YOUR OPVBRN$ $NT : Visit the Yosemite;Museum.I ttre: •yY°4r!itl1 ',t 4 i!si.tl a lt' what tools weft 'by t : at por.,.t ' tv.waJle, gocga;,w ed hitodpswtne;ihow,,t Ba rs :of : ►fs~ led to X ite a :Prepared 4ties way fc,r-.voo; arid;howAhs,,.hitik altd> i at1C 1 wera live t9gethtr-,iinsi.msumitiee. sil q A; gek iels;in,t,Peograghy, Room. T :.. iw-in.then eusa,, oNOsstefste ! it -of t,am N.t t t., s,tinx*sgili.4!3x.,. F dstt'y4milk: alewti am willir fie your4U ', o,Af d with a NowGoi l sr~ :kt~:~lt;rty stk. ! k!t :. vi you, OmerYo emite tt-g6oliff. wtijm yt l !nd tliellowers,,tregas4;si 4+ 4,Apsi ls. ] h,ture.C`tfli 'PPvisit. Aigiex '. kt'

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Volume IV August 4, 1925 Number 11

FLOWERS ON THE EAGLE PEAK TRAIL

By Eind Michael For those who go with a nature guide to Eagle Peak there are flowers that stand gracefully along the trail. There are fields of Blue larkspur (Delphiinum decorum) and Golden stars (Bodiaea ixioides). Polemoinum plucherrimum, called Jacob's ladder because of its ladder-like lehaves, gleefully holds up plump clusters of blue flowers. Tall mountain bluebells (Mertensia sibirica) to blind to the winsome loveliness clusters of blue flowers. Tall mounof the trailside unless someone taro bluebells (Mertensia sibirica) with them draws attention to the flower luxuriantly in the damp viewers. pieces. There, too, is the common Among the first flowering plants Monkeyflower (Mimulus luteus) of this trailside is one with soft with enormous golden heads. Over pray lehaves. It flowers in clusters the dry sand flats Mimulus mephiticus upturned lhavender bells. A modesty creates a golden mantle with a eat hut thrifty home-maker among million saucy monkey faces. the gray rocks is this Draperia. The The great floral display is in pliant that lays a rosette of lehaves Eagle Peak meadow. This large n the warm sand bank and lifts its meadow, set like an eye in the great fluffy clusters of pink flowers on forest. is flushed with the first Almond stems, is Pussy Paws (Spragua bloom of spring. The White-headed umbellata), On the sand bank, too, knotweed (Polygonum bistortoides) 'rows red-flowered milkweed (Asand piquant Shooting star (Dodeeleplas condufolia) end flaming Inanti-eon Jeffrey), that bloomed a Alan paint brush (Castilleja brewmonth ago in the Yosemite meadows). Miners lettuce (Montia perfoliata, are here in fresh array. But iata), a succulent plant with round the glory of this meadow today is Shaves from which rises a cluster of the Blue camas (Camassia quam small white flowers, grows all along ash), These lilies, each a large.

the way. Another tall plant with dark blue star set in clusters on a roundish lehaves, through which the tall bare stem, open in the afternoon seems to pass and a the next noon to close the following day. The r ed lhavender-green flower, is vast expanse of freshly opened lilies. Shield-leaf (Streptanthus tortuosus. When viewed in the afternoon, seems Erne), a member of the mustard famto float shove the green meadow as fly, a cloud endowed with the bright Where the trail turns in toward splendiddor of the Sierra sky. the Yosemite Fall mist keeps the On the slopes of Eagle Peak grow honks damp. Here the airy balls of the low mats of Douglas phlox, now White bloom, raising on tall stems brightly mantled with pink and lavfrom branching!, thread-like lehaves, ender flowers. And on the very are Queen Ann 's lace (Eulophis bosummit, like tongues of fire thrustlanderi). The shrubs that are all lag. out from the cracks between the enflamed with soft, fluffy sprays of rocks, is the Pride of the Mountains white flowers are wild lilac ore (Penstemon mentziesii). floral display (Ceanothus interruptsThese flowers and others you may true). 'Where the trail gig-zags uP see today, if you climb to Eagle the chaparral covered slope Red Peak. In two weeks, however, most T'ntstemon (Peutstemon bridgesti) of these flowers 'will be gone, and reaches clusters of bright flowers thousands of other flowers will be Into the trail. perfuming the soft mountain air. After the trail reaches the rim The mountain wild flowers bloom and turns into the great forest of from June to October; each week led and white fir. sugar, Jeffrey, some flowers fade and other and tamarack and mountain pine, with species bloom, and so from week to c sional aspen and oak, only the week and month to month a brilfirst spring flowers are in bloom. liant floral pageant passes over the '; Sierra forget-me-nots (Lappula nermountains, nervosa), as delightful as any florist's

YOSEMITE FIELD SCHOOL. *. MUSEUM CAMPFIRE OF NATURAL HISTORY

Hoping to gather those Interested Opeinng exercises of the Yosemite natural history,. for a weekly ite Field School of Natural History program, a fireplace and benches were held in the afternoon of June 29, with Chief Park Naturalist Hall, hhave been arranged in back of the Park Naturalist Russell and Dr. H. n, w museum. Here on Tuesday, C. Bryant as the speakers. An July 7, was held the first museum eernest group of inneteen students are now busy studying living things.campfire. Sixty-five gathered 10 In the field. The work emphasises sing, contribute to the entertain• knowledge of the living thing itmeat and listen. Several poems by et-If as against laboratory study or book study. Background for each Badger Clark were read and quoted. study will.be gained by emphasis passages from John Muir given. Au on setting and interrelations. Both experience meeting which dealt with students and instructors appear to he thrilled with the plan of work interesting birds and ainmals found and the spirit shown. Hours are brought out talent and worthwhile too _ short for this group, of stuinformation. Judging by the interest. dents, and already the week to be spent In the high country studying yet shown in this first campfire, conditions at timber line is but a this innovation is likely to grow short distance away. Each will go into a permanent Institution. All home with a more intimate knowledge of the fauna and flora of Yosemite who visit Yosemite semite and will be better fitted to in the future should plan to attend teach biology or natural history or the museum campfire on Tuesday to fit Into the nature guide profession. They are assured congeinal. In national part's or in sumgeinal company and a worth-while mer camps.—H. C. Bryant. program.—H. C. Bryant.

NATURE MAGAZINE

Published monthly in Wash, ington, D. C., by the Am• erican Nature Association. Usual price of membership is $3.0o annually. With "Yosemite NAT.

URE NOTES" - •. $4.00

annually.

NATURE MAGAZINE YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

Published weekly in sum• mer, monthly in winter by the Yosemite Natural Hist• ory Association in Yosem• ite Valley. Membership is $2.0o annually. With "NATURE MAG• AZINE" $4.00 annually.

AFIELD WITH. THE NATURE GUIDES' CASSIN VIREO WHAT IS THE LEDGE TRAIL? REFUSES TO VACATE

Many, visitors t-0 the park awe pisIt was, a rainy day. Twenty peeinformed as to the exact nature or Is had risked a wetting to follow the Ledge Trail from the fiber of ~a t urt guide, They stand beneath the valley to Glacier Point arnd seeblack oak for shelter While eral hhave missed this wonderful trip *itching a female C berry vireo on on that account. Soon 'after leaving -er nest in a coffee ground bush but Camp Curry the climb starts inear, It feet above the e ground. Neither nest, but the shade afforded by the ' Holding umbrellas nor talk starfriendly 'oaks and coinfers cheers +ad the bird from the nest. The the trhaveler on for the first ]half, of ' late bird appeared, took a s the distance. Soon the train 'finds. red floats under a limb and ghave have the dashing stream that makes Concert. Then dropping to the Staircase Falls and follows it. to theush he quickly covered the eggs top. To be sure, there arepleenty of the female slipped off the nest, tall steps to climb, b,ut the benefits ratlines herself and flew to another a shady trail with wonderful her tree to feed. The nature views all along make the' trip a+ Wdt i wishing to show the eggs, memorable one. The naturalist finds 0116d'his hand to the edge of the much of -interest on the -way - The cubat 1St, but the tead h ing bird failed move. Instead he used his bill •ley of finding anew, fauna.. and,a defense. When gently stroked new flora at the end of thre trail • settled low in the' nest as if he adds to the anticipation. Where the ',jotted it Not even a tug at his trail follows the stream up alts nar- ' Ing and at his tail dislodged him. row fissure the trhaveler pas :see -h.a o stood his ground and refused to most 'refreshing rock gardens budged from the nest. This vireo countless annuals are bowingto the i ten bands fairly close to the Passerby smiling in the sunlight,. undand Is readily approached, and seeming to revel in theiir soli t less

often may a 1,ird be tude. Another point about the; Ledge Okerl on the nest.—H. C. 'Bryant. Trail—it does not follow a dizzy precipice as manysuppese, but is a.

YOSEMITE RED-WINGED

safe means of ascent for anyone.

BLACKBIRDS.

- - ` David D. McLean. Red-winged blackbirds are found in Yosemite valley at a few scattered points, as in the meadow north

STONE FLY TRANSFORMATION

At Sentinel bridge and also in the Spring marks a change in the a paddock. Four pairs are also life,of. many an insect, but there home in the meadow west of is no-greater change in habits than Ahwahnee. and two in the meadow that taking place in the stone fly. Pt of the same place. One pair is For a year or two these insects ended.at the Leidig meadow also. hhave been spending their naiad appears that these few pairs are existence underneath the rocks in e, nesting Redwing population of swift-flowing streams. Apt the •semite this year. urge of spring, when internal conditionsThe, birds about the Sentinel are favorable, these naiads ldge and Kenneyville all seem to crawl out of the water and onto of the new subspecies which, or rocks. Then the skin or the Kern Redwing g w which, cracks along the beak and out Oxlmately, was known until a fewwas known ago. only 1 8.to out crawls the gauzy-winged adult, at p In breeding season in the Kern first hesitantly and then more 91ey east of Bakersfield. It is illspositively as the warm air dries gulshed from the Bi-colored Redand hardens the body. Soon the ng in having a very long, slender glorified stone fly tries his wings ll and ahuffy yellow edging to and away he goes to spend the few e red on the shoulder. remaiinng days of his existence in birds at Leidig meadow seem glad revelry and without food he Bi-colored Redwings, as the while a very material ghost of his Rle was observed at very close former self is left clinging to the ',fee and had -a short heavy bill and tree or rock. etic01y no huff whatsoever boxThese ghosts or exuviae are very i tag the red of the shoulder patch, common along the streams at this •-olvgamy is practiced to some early time of the year. Below El Capitan + by all the Redwings. so one bridge they were found on nearly Il often see more females than every tree or stone by the water's 1es around the nesting locality. edge. On a single large alder At my home, thirty miles west of seventy-five skins were counted, Semite, one Bi-colored Redwing some being at a height of twenty- 's known to hhave three wives and five feet above The water. 'To see tie nests under his surveillance a developed naiad change to the he made an able guardian for adult is a sight worth many, hours J,three.—D. D. McLean. of search.—R. D. Harwood.

beat of Northern pileated Woodone so that once seen he is remem• pecker Discovered by Nature bored is the male of the Califorina Guide Party pine grosbeak (piincola enucleator The nature guide party which califorinca ). The pine grosbeak Item. to Glacier Point on Friday. a comparatively rare bird,end is Jeac 26, and along the Bohonu usually found only well above goon trail the following day had a most feet, eo it is seldom encountered uhu.eual experience, for not only by the automobile tourist One w'i was a northern pileated woodpeckerfound July 9, at 7600 feet elev.+ Peeked seen but his nest was discovered near the head of the Yosemite covered. the kuk, kuk, kuk of the trail. The bird. a male. et +. bird was heard and an investigabrightly marked with red on il. lien oft' to one side of the trail head. breast and rump, the rest of soon •disclosed the presence of this, the body was predominantly :, our largest woodpecker, and about browinsh gray. His fe.arlessoetwenty-five or thirty feet from the was remarkable and he kept up his ground in a dead fir tree, its nest. song of two notes, wait quick, wild, The female bird was Pitting on the ail the time he was within six in nest. An excellent view of the eight feet of the observer•, feeding male was heel when he alighted on the side of the trunk contaiinng among the tender shoots of the red the nest. He stayed but a moment, elder.—David Keck however. and did not come back a when,young. Elgin Elgin's Little second time, but carefully coneleven more years on top it his coaled himself on the opposite side of it big fir at some distance. The tional t ten. he's going ro be a r.agreat size of this bird its long tional park rangier. neck and bill, and Its bright red Elgin learned about cameras the +rest make it easy to identify and other inght in Yosemite. He likes one never to be forgotten. No wonthem. der it has been incknamed the cocking in eeme to the national park of-the-woods—M. B. NICHOLS, from Los Angeles with his grandparents. Mr. and Mrs. Theo dore• A Nest of the Mountain Bluebird Tirraca. They arrived here at inght, the Merced Bluebird is a bird made camp had their supper around the campfire and turned in. Grandthe high mountain meadows. Not ma and grandpa Burks slept Inside only is it conspicuous because of the tent. but Elgin wanted to be a its color, but its habit of hovering attracts the eye. A Mountain thee let and sleep under the sky, so Bluebird hovering in the air and they let him dries his cot outdoors, pouncing on to unsuspecting grasswhere he slept with his clothes on. hopper completes the mental pieJust like rangers are supposed In tore of many a mountain meadow do but don't. to the one familiar with its beauElgin got to sleep. and was soon tire. For it safe place to rear its awakened by someone stumbling rung this bluebird selects a holagainst his cot. It proved to be net low in a tree or an old woodone. hot three girls. They were pecker's rest. The liinng is usually lost. El gin whipped out his flashof grass. Both parents help in light. and like a gallant ranger. Feeding the young. On the trail to helped the girls find their tent. Merced lake is to be found a splendidThen he set out to find his' own of aspens of aspens beside a stream tent again. Midinght found him edge About eighty feet up in one still looking. of these aspens is an old sapsucker also found him bumping Into 'i er's nest and this is now (July 4) ranger on patrol. The ranger tried tended by a pair of Mountain for two hours to help Elgin find Bluebirds engaged in feeding the his tent. but the boy was so comyoung. Exceedingly graceful on pletely lost that at 2 in the morinng the wing, these birds were worth he was taken to the rangers' clubwelching, Arriving at the entrance house, where he slept like a log to the nesting cavity each parent among the rangers. In turn disappeared into the cavity. At 7 next morinng Elgin was remained for half a minute and awakened by a ranger who wanted then launched Into flight directly to know if boys liked bacon for from the opeinng Although we breakfast. Elgin did. He ate about hear of the song of the Eastern a dozen strips of it, and then with Bluebird. no one appears to enthuse a rsogei set out to find his grandever a song of the Western or of parents and their tent. the Mountain Bluebird.The chord-In the daylight. Elgin found them like note of rich quality is often before they were out of bed. They beard, but even at nesting time the didn 't know, even, that Elgin was bluebird of our mountain meadows out of bed. Say. what that 10-yearis noticeably quiet and practically old boy did hhave to tell them about songless——T

C. BRYANT.

rangers and how rangers treat 10CALIFORNIA PINE Year-old boys!

GROSBEAK SEEN

Well. Elgin's going to be a ranA bird whose aspect impresses per. when he grows up!

THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION ITS PURPOSES

To gather and disseminate information on the wild-life,of ' the Sierras :" To develop and enlarge the Yosemite Museum (in cooperation with the National Park Service) and to establish subsidiary uints, such as the Glacier Point lookout and branches of similar nature. To promote the educational and work of the Yosemite._ Nature Guide Service. To publish (in cooperation with U. S. National Park Service) Yosemite Nature Notes Publications To study living,. and past ent, of the Indians of the Yosemite v `1 To maintain including a library of historical, scientific, and,.-;.-To further and to distribute lines of greatest popular interest. Regular time to distribute, bulletins of non-techincal n sr : To s`tric`tly limit association to purposes which shall be solely devoted in order that the organization shall not be op t

MAY WE SEND YOU EACH COPY OF YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

our check for $i.00 sent to Chief Park Naturalist, Yosemite National Park, will help to'pay-the oslit =ints publication for year and make you a member of the Yosemite Natural Association for the same period. -,

THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OUTDOOR RECREATION

Called by PRESIDENT COOLIDGE

T THE CONFERENCE ENDORSE NATURE STUDY IN I SCHOOLS THE EXTENSION OF THE NATURE STUDY IDEA TO EVERY AN SCHOOL AND FAMILY; THAT THE ESTABLISH' OF "MUSEUMS OF NATURAL HISTORY IN NATIONAL PARKS

INCREASE THE EDUCATIONAL RECREATIONAL VALUE OF THE,'.,,–Resolution of the Conference.