February 1928

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUBERT WORK, SECRETARY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STEPHEN T. MATHER, DIRECTOR YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES VOL. VII FEBRUARY, 1928 NO. 2 "LEARN TO READ THE TRAIL-SIDE" YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK. CALIF.

1928

This is the official publication of the Educational Department of Yosemite National Park. It is published each month by the National Park Service with the cooperation of the Yosemite Natural History Association, and its purpose is to supply dependable information on the natural history and scientific features of Yosemite National Park. The articles published herein are not copyrighted as it is intended that they shall be freely used by the press. Communications should be addressed to C. P. Russell, Park Naturalist, Yosemite National Park, California.

E. P. LEAVITT

Acting Superintendent

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES THE PUBLICATION OF THE YOSEMITE EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT AND THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION

Published monthly Volume VII February, 1928 Number 2

SOLVING A GRIZZLY PROBLEM

By J. J. Lerroen NOTE--Recently an attempt has been made to formulate policies regarding tourist problems in the Mariposa Grove of the Big Trees. At the request of the National Park Service, Dr. E. P. Meinecke, plant pathologist, has investigated the present status of the cherished Sequoias and concluded that long continued and heavy trampling of tourists' feet has destroyed the root endings and finer roots of many of the trees. This means that certain trees have been bereft of those organs which enable them to take up water and simple foods. In view of these recent studfes it is interesting to learn of the experiences of the former State commission to manage Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove. J. J. Lermeu, to whom we are indebted for the following account, was the last secretary of the old State commission.---C. P. Russell. About the year 1903, attention was drawn to the fact that the Grizzly Giant of the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees was each year leaning slightly more and more from the perpendicular. It was noticed, also, that the tree apparently was dying, the signs of ap proaching death being particularly upon one side of the tree. This led tc a discussion of what was the best, as well as the proper, thing te do tin r the circumstances. This discussion found its way into the newspapers of the day, and many were the suggestions that came forth as a result of the discussion There were two diverging points of view. One was that the tree:. should be preserved in its uprigle position, if possible. The other was that nothing should be done to it; that it had lived its life and should be permitted to die and, in time, fall. In response to the first suggestion, it was thought that perhaps the tree might be held upright and prevented from inclining any more from the perpendicular by being anchored to the surrounding trees 3 with a wire cable. Wholly apart e from the objection that this would. produce a very ugly effect, very l)

offensive to the eye, was another air and above the surface of the objection, which followed upon the ground the roots of the tree, which report of the wire company to radiated for a distance of seventywhich was referred the plan of five or one hundred feet from the holding up the tree by wire cables base of the tree. These roots were It developed that the large size the arteries through which flowed of the cable necessary to sustain the life fluid upon which the tree and hold up the great weight of depended for its continued existthe Grizzly Giant made the cost ence. These roots in some places somewhat prohibitive, especially were exposed to an extent of more when we realized the small amount than one-half of their circumferof money with which the commisence. No wonder that the tree was sion had to operate at that time. sick and dying! The cause was And yet we felt that we could plain. It was being denied perhaps not and should not abandon this one-half of the moisture that it tree, for it was, even then, the needed for the continuance of its pride and glory of the California life. forest. Upon being asked what he sugIn talking the matter over with gested, Mr. Harlow advised that the the hard-headed, practical man of soil surrounding the tree be loosencommon sense who at that time ed up somewhat and that additionwas the guardian of the Yosemite al soil be placed around the tree valley and the grove, George T. and over the roots to a height of Harlow, he said, "I think I know three or four feet or more. This what is the matter with that tree. suggestion was adopted. It is dying for the want of a drink." The first result was a broadside hat being before the days of proof ridicule hurled at the commisT hibition, there seemed to be no ex sion, accusing its members of being

ruse for not giving the tree a drink, a lot of idiots. Did they think that they could hold the Grizzly Giant especially if, thereby, we were to upright by piling a few loads of save its life, but in asking him loose earth on top of the roots of just what he meant, seriously, his the tree? Once again the "friends" answer was to call to our attention the soil conditions surrounding the fool of the dear people had their intree. It was apparent, then, what ping in comtakin missia oners few cracks at the. was in his mind. For fifty years However, it was with some sense and more visitors at the grove, on of satisfaction, when we visited foot or on horseback, had been the Mariposa grove in the following tramping around the base of the spring, that we beheld, upon the tree, in admiration of its tremendside of the great and glorious ous size and its extreme age. The Grizzly Giant. tufts of green, the result was that the soil surroundfirst that had been there for a ing the base of the tree had been few years—indubitable signs of a either packed down or kicked away. recovery from a sickness that lookThis resulted in exposing to the ed as though it were to prove fatal.

NESTING HABITS AND INSTINCTS IN BIRDS

By Robert Hays (IF ALL the important habits and instincts found to exist in animals these pertaining to the reproduction of the species are by far the most vital to the existence of the race Birds in particular exhibit a repertoire or series of reflexes involving many peculiarities of behavior which constantly trouble beginners and students of natural history. Instincts differ from other forms of response to external conditions in being hereditary and continuous from generation to generation, and in being common to the species and not characteristic of the individual. This sufficiently distinguishes instinct from reason, but the line between instinct and reason and the various forms of reflex action are not yet sharply drawn. The instincts of birds are found to be so constructed as to tell them what to do under various situations and are certainly brought into play tar mote than any other type of response during the part of the bird's life in which his bodily structures are developing and his nervous system is becoming coordinated to the extent of a perfect contrivance to care for all the actions of the bird. The instincts of sex, which develop at maturity, involve a complicated series of highly complex responses which involve the following : Migration to suitable locality; the selection of the territory which.s to be occupied while nesting;.nating and copulation; the selection of the nesting site; selection of the materials for the nest (if the hind uses any); the construction of the nest; the number of eggs deposited, which bears directly upor the dangers to which the species ie subjected; the length of the mating period; care of the young; suitable food supply, and defense and at. tack. Here is set forth some things of the environmental complex whict

our birds must overcome and one cannot study the habits of these in teresting creatures without reflecting in a philosophical manner as to the origin of so complicated a set of instincts. Behaviorists are coming to think of instincts as physiological drives which are so complex that they hesitate to try to explain them. Therefore I will not go into any discussion of this subject other than saying that these highly developed reflexes have a physiochemical origin and are absolutely dependent on the physiological conditions of the animal in question. The whole question of the relation of instincts to inheritance is very perplexing. At present, we can make very little out of it; yet there can be no doubt that it concerns vitally our fundamental theories of evolution and such applied fields as eugenics. The Nest Season With most birds the nesting season is periodic and annual. With migratory birds it coincides with the season of the year when the summer homes are habitable. Gen (Continued on Page tg)

The home of a Streator Wood Rat has been brought to the Yosemite Museum, where, with the rat himself and many of his natural neighbors, it will form a part of the Upper Sonoran Life Zone exhibit. Lower—Diagram showing "rooms" of a Streator Wood Rat's House.

HOUSE MOVERS IN `WOODRAT ROW'

By George M. Wright Residents of "Woodrat Row'' hillside. This arrangement disrece-rtly received forcible reminder posed of the drainage problem 3 'ry L,at New Year is, after all, the tra effectively. In conformity with the d;tional moving time. One of its cityother dwellings of the colony there Sens has departed ith his model was a small refuge nest perched house to a new address at the Yoabout eighteen feet above the s mite Museum where he may be ground in a nearby oak tree, but found "at home" in the future. the main nest was rather excentional in not being itself anchored High up on the warm south Slopes to any living plant stems. Oaks of the 6lereecl Canyon near El and the vines of poison oak side -Portal are grouped many scaterrounded the nesting colonies of the Streator wood rat (Neatoma fuscipes streatori Small dead twigs and branches, and strips of bark were so armerriam). There among the scrub ranged as to make a compact o er k s, digger pines, ceanothus, structure which showed no tendpoison oak, manbanita, and other ency to fall apart even when carvegetation of the Upper Sonoran ried down the hill on the shoulders zone they seem to find the optimum of the "house movers." As is usual living conditions for their kind. However, the new Upper Sonoran in such proceedings the foundations III'e lone case at the museum will had to be left behind and with the depict the same ecological cou.liremoval of the roof the general lions of flora and fauna to be found living quarters were left cuite i near El Portal. The wood rat menrudely exposed to the stares of the curous. age will be in harmonious surroundings and perhaps never i,e The House Plan the wiser for the deception. As the diagram indicates, two When the house movers repaired runways led into the four main to the "row" they chose a type exchambers. The largest room was ample of Streator wood rat archistrewn with about 200 acorns of the lecture in the shape of a cone of golden cup oak (Quercus chrysoibarh and twigs measuring abo rt lopis). The only other fresh vegetwo and one-half feet in height and tation to be found in the dining four feet in diameter. Many other room besides a few small sprigs of Krouncl nests were larger but none oak leaf was the young growth cf more trimly built or showing greata wall flower. el symmetry than this one. The next room in point of size The superstructure rested on was a retreat which was formed by motile loose rocks imbedded in a the widening out of one of the plight bulge of the earth on the main runways as it passed under

a large rock. It was quite clean a position that he might be per and bare as though used for lungsuaded to go along, too. ing quarters. The tall proved to belong to a In the center, deep beneath the Streator woodrat. [These Sierra peak of the roof was a fine soft foothill dwellers resemble the corn nest of grasses, cotton string and mon house rat in form and size. other shredded materials woven though they are far more pleas into a compact mass about eight ing in appearance, being not unlike inches deep and of the same diam great overgrown meadow mice The eter. No doubt it made a warm, tail is shorter than the body, close. comfortable bed. ly haired as compared to that or The fourth chamber was smaller the house rat, but not bushy like than the others mentioned and very the tail of the Bushy-tailed we al dirty, being used as a depository for rat of the high country The ears dung and other refuseare large and rounded The pelage On first inspection this seemed to is dense and soft without long comprise the entire floor plan, but coarse overhairs. It is grayish there remained one weak point in brown above and white on all of the woodrat's housing scheme, the under surfaces. Trade Rats or Pack Rats Where was the safe refuge from These animals are known as carnivorous pryings of such small trade rats or pack rats to campers enemies as the spotted skunks, who have frequent cause to de which are common in that vicinplore their light-fingered propensi ity? Two of these little predators ties around camp and cabin durwere found entrapped as they came ing the night hours. out of nest runways, showing that lurThe ng ki rat n i w hi hi s ch own the basement found was they make themselves at home in. an old buck. He apparently was side the houses of "woodrat row." the sole inhabitant of the mansion Owner and Architect at Home if the numerous fleas, scorpions, Further removal of dirt and loosetc., which shared it with him arr eliminated These might well be rocks revealed a short runway called the "hangers on" of the es back into the earth of the hill with tablishment. something that looked suspiciously So it is that museum visitors in like a rat tail curled around in the the future will have the opportufar end. Here was a stroke of nity to see both the rat and the luck, indeed, for the movers had house the,at built. The Streator wood rat is a craftsman who ma; hardly expected to find the archiwell he proud to have his art on ex tect and owner of the house in such hihition.

THANK YOU!

Our recent request for back numbers of "Yosemite Nature Notes " received a gratifying response. Some readers who replied to cur letter remarked that they possessed the needed numbers but desired to keep them. We find some satisfaction in knowing that. Enough others who had preserved files of the publication were willing to part with the specified numbers, and we are now able to bind complete files for National Park Service use.

THE CALIFORNIA GRAPE FERN

By Grace Benton The average visitor to Yosemite blades are surmounted by a longsees along the roadsides many stalked sporophyll bearing a fruit clumps of bracken, varying in size tng pinnacle which withers and ells appears after the spores have been from a few inches to several feet shed. Like the ferns, this plant re in height and spread of frond. If prcduccs by "alternation of generahe follows a nature guide about tions," and the spores shed from the valley or climbs the shorter the pannicle of the conspicuous trails he sees quantities of woodplant contain the germ cell which fern, lady-fern, and brittle-fern. produces the inconspicuous sexual But an interesting relative of these plant. Upon the fertilization of "true ferns" may easily be over this tiny form depends the growth looked. of the new plant. The Botnychium californicum, or The California grape-fern apCa.lifornia grape-fern, of the Actpears infrequently in the moist del.'s tongue family, is a lover of meadows and thickets of the Tram well-shaped semimoist places and sition zone. Although fern-like in keeps well back in the shade of habitat and in method of reproducdamp thickets. The rather thick tion, it may easily be distinguished fronds with their rounded, trianguby its lax fronds, thickly massed lac but pinnately divided parts leaves and fleshy stalks. In Yo might easily be mistaken fez some semite it may be found among the member of the parsley family. But bracken, azaleas and pines along In the mature plant these sterile Tenaya creek.--Grace Benton.

NESTING HABITS OF BIRDS

(Continued from page II) orally, the nesting season of a parbirds to nest, while those which titular species comes about the feed their young on fruit or insects time in which its particular food or wait until latter in the season. food for the young is most abun Now let us see how this can be dant. Even in the tropics the made to apply to the Yosemite rebroeding season is as well defined gton. Het y we have a section of as It is in the northern regions, and the country which has an abundwith the return of summer ante of rainfall in the winter and occurs or the season of rain. So behind early spring, consequently our vast this whole process of the developforests and dense growths of Sierra this It of life, we find that climate Nevada vegetation result. Birds nd its changes are found to guide have found this region to produce dices t the actions of animals and an abundance of food as well as a or to part icularly govern their nesting and variety, and suitable he f ones activities. and meadows offer suhomes they have found and accepted :he There is an obvious necessity for Yosemite country. This partially this regularity. Old birds can wanaccounts for the abundance of speder over large areas in search for cies which we have represented food, but the young of many species here. trnrvt he fed on the nest. and their By protecting these regions from fend supply should be both inex the onslaught of thoughtless men hanstible and convenient of access. we can preserve a condition of treAmong the birds in this region, the mendous wealth of wild life for the hawks and owls. whose young are good of those who will follow us fed on small mammals, are the first into these "Mountains of Light"

SHOULD BEARS BE KILLED?

This picture was published in 1887 and was made to represent a good day's sport. Today, it points to impending disaster with a warning finger. Hunters of an earlier time exterminated the great Grizzly Bear. To residents of the Grizzly Bear State today this lordly animal is but a legend, a mythical emblem on the California flag. Our most recent game laws have legalized the slaughter of Black Bears the year round. Now let all loyal Californians unite their voices in one insistent demand that the last of our bears be given adequate protection. Else he will quit the forest and the mountainside forever.

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YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK CALIFORNIA YOSEMITE MUSEUM

Dear Friend: Here are three good reasons why you should become a member of the Yosemite Natural History Association: 1. It will keep you in touch with Yosemite through "Yosemite Nature Notes". 2. It offers you opportunity to secure NATURE MAGAZINE, AMERICAN FORESTS AND FOREST LIFE, or both, at an unprecedented low price. 3. You materially aid a non-profiting Government educational activity (The Yosemite Museum and its attendant nature guide service) when you remit your membership fee. Please read a sample of "Yosemite Nature es", consider our purposes, and don't overlook the ilefits of the combination offers with the American tore Association and the American Forestry Associat On. Remit by check or money order. Cordially yours, C. P. Russell Park Naturalist