May 1929

The Yosemite Museum Volume VIll

MAY, 1929

Number

Department of the Interior Ray Lyman Wilbur, Secretary National Park Service Horact M. Albright, Director

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 authoritative 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. Correspondence should be addressed to C. P. Russell, Park Naturalist, Yosemite National Park, California.

C. G. THOMSON

Superintendent

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

Published monthly Voiume VIII May 1929 Number 5

OLD SHOOTING BLINDS

By John H. Wegner It 'obviously would be difficult that careful thought was given to for the present-day visitor to Yoevery detail of difficulties to be Semite, observing the abundance of overcome. deer and other wild animals in this The particular blind of which I region, to realize that at one time, speak may be found today, about a owing to an actual scarcity of mile and a half bats of Glacier game, it called for a considerable point, and just over the crown of amount of ingenuity and huntsthe ridge. overlooking the Illilouette men's skill to go forth and be forcanyon. Here we find art aerial tunate enough to bring home some seat, built among the branches of subsistence for the family larder. an old Jeffrey pine, which has e Under the present codes of sportsbadly battered and flattened crown manship, some of the methods caused by the many heavy snows used in those days might be questhat it has supported in times past. tioned Who among us at present, Although the tree has never athowever, surrounded by all modern tained any mentionable height, conveniences, and served by rapid great age can be recognized, by the transportation from large supply heavy well-matured branches at centers, being charged with the the top, which afforded a secure duty of furnishing the table with foundation for a platform built of fresh meat several generations ago, small poles. Ascension to this seat would not have taken every advanwas accomplished by climbit.g up tage known to accomplish it? on a series of cross bars spiked to Picture then. the interesting the trunk, forming a very services thoughts and studies placed before able ladder. one, when by chance he comes Looking about for the reason for upon on old hunting blind in some the selection of this particular loremote section of the mountains cation, it is readily recognized that The knowledge of condition s. it is a choice feeding ground for shown by the builder in the section deer as a large wild cherry thicket of the site is plainly evident, for is almost at the base of the pine. the situation of the blind shows In his position high in the tree

the hunter was above the ground can add is that many a fine deer air currents that otherwise would and an occasional bear was shot in betray his presence to any wild that old cherry patch." thing approaching from the down Still another of these blinds of wind side He also had the advan tar more interesting but unknown tage of an unobstructed view of all history is to be found in the south the surroundings. east portion of the park not far All that was needed was patience from the headwaters of the South in waiting for some game to anFork of the Merced river. This is undoubtedly of Indian origin as when it was first located by white men, sometime in the late sixties, it was evident even then that it had been erected many years before It is made of rocks A wall has been built with a slight curve and it ends against a natural niche in the granite on the side of a small water course This tiny vat ley immediately spreads itself into a beautiful little pine-studded meadow At the time of discovery this wall had in it two or three port holes through which the shoot ing was done, but has since fallen into a state of ruins scarcely recognizable as a wall. Some thirty or forty feet upstream from the blind was the attraction, a wonderful mineral spring, containing no doubt salt in some form. Two well-known facts were A relic of the days when Yosemite deer shown to have been considered in were wary. This shooting blind exists the selection of this location: First, near Glacier Point and from it deer were that a deer will venture into any killed for tourists tables, sort of a place to satisfy its cravawer the urge of a large and ing for salt and, second, that the healthy appetite. wind invariably blows up hill in such a draw, very much as it would Recalling to mind a person who in a chimney. One can readily might know some of the history of this blind the opportunity finally recognize, then, the ideal local conpresented itself to me to ask him ditions taken advantage of and concerning it. His answer was there is but small doubt that many "You bet I know all about it It a deer has faller. at this spot to the was first built by my father and swift but silent arrows, discharged later used and kept in repair by from the heavy bows of the hidden an older brother and myself All I hunters.

THE SKY BATTLE

By Enid Michael Adjoining the zoo is a graveyard their abuse, until at length the for old machines, odd implements, great bird lost patience and yelped pipes, wire and the like. It was with rage. Of a sudden he turned a bright morhing and would have completely over and, with the been warm had there not been a same movement, righted his body; north wind. I was seated on the in other words, the eagle tipped ground in the graveyard, my back suddenly upward, as if to execute a against an old boiler, enjoying the "loop the loop," but at the top of heat from the old iron, which, even the loop he did a roll which threw on this chill morning, had absorbed him into a normal flying position. warmth from the sunshine. The The clever maneuver brought him birds that frequent Bob Selby's right about face, and face to face, feeding station were working the though slightly above, his torsuet lumps and scratching for hidmentor who was attacking' from den treasure, either in the sand, behind. With open beak and raised where Bob scatters crumbs, or in talons, the eagle lunged at the sparlikely places under the bushes, row hawk and, for an instant. ii where coffee berries or manzanita seemed that he would grasp him in fruits might have fallen. Engaged his powerful talons or strike him in a wild game of tag, seven chip down. The agility of the sparrow munks scampered hither and yon hawk saved him, however. and over and under the debris. lightly he rose beyond the eagle's Of a sudden a strange roar from reach Not in the least dismayed, the usually silent occupants of the the sparrow hawk renewed the atmountain lions ' cage startled me tack, and a second time the eagle Glancing about to discover the executed that marvelous turn and, cause of the lions' alarm, my eyes a figure or violent wrath, bore encountered two large hawks soardown upon the sparrow hawk. His ing just above the tree tops. One remarkable maneuver was to no was a huge, dark bird, and, while purpose; he could not grasp the the other was of no mean size, beairy hawk, who laughed in his side the great, dark hawk he apface; and, panting from his prodig peared dwarfed. From the high sous exertion, he took refuge in a heavens, in graceful, swallow-like tall pine. Here, huddled close flight, dashed a pair of sparrow against the trunk, he howled with hawks. By darting attacks from rage. After a short rest, he again above, they at once commenced to took to wing. harry the avian kings. The broad Round Two wings of the red-tail, the lesser The sparrow hawks were waiting hawk, quickly carried him away and launched a fresh attack. The from the tormentors. harassed eagle let loose once more Even an Eagle Will Turn his yelps of rage, and this time The other, the golden eagle, was sought to escape He passed dinot to be so hastily routed, and rectly over me, not thirty feet away. continued his dignified soaring and I could see each individual From moment to moment the spar feather of his spread tail and the row hawk' became more zealous in delicate tips of the wing quills

working as sensitive fingers. On bushes, chickadees came for suet, swept the eagle over the tree tops varied thrushes. went on with their and was soon hidden by the interweird intercourse, and a flock of vening forest; yet for some minband-tailed pigeons crossed the utes his angry voice came back sky. To man, all hawks are alike, to me. suitable targets for his gun. But One remarkable feature of this to the wee feathered folk a discrimepisode was the unconcern of the inating sense has come with censmaller birds. With four hawks in turies of sudden death : to them there are harmless hawks and the sky, they continued their norkiller hawks, and from short-tailed mal -activities. The jays squawked, hawks, such as these, the birds juncos sang their winter songs, knew well they have nothing to towhees scratched under the fear.

SIERRA CROSSBILLS

By Enid Michael When out for our daily walk on surprises that come now and then the morning of February 7 we had and add so much in the way of ina surprise; one of those pleasant terest to the study of birds. Out of the shadow of Indian canyon came a babble of strange voices, strange voices that we had not heard for years. Then swirling into view came a flock of thirty birds. In flight maneuver they swung about and settled in the top of a tall yellow pine. Soon every bird was busy at a cone. Hanging chickadee fashion, they pried open the scales to get at the nuts, and fluttering down came the seed-wings. Busy as the birds were, they managed to keep up their chatter, like a band of garrulous English sparrows. As they worked among the cones in the sunlight there came flashes of ruby color. After perhaps ten minutes of eager feeding, apparently a signal was given and the birds poured out of the tree-top like autumn leaves ripped free by a sudden gust of wind. Now they sparkled and scintillated against the bluest sky. Dancing through the air, they settled in the next tall pine to once more take up their feeding. They were Sierra crossbills (Loxia curvirostra bendirei), rare visitors from the high mountains, driven, perhaps, from their mountain fastness by the heavy snows of winter. The last time we were blessed in the Yosemite with a visit from the crossbills was in March, 1923. The Sierra Crossbill

ACORN STORING HABITS OF THE CALIFORNIA WOODPECKER

By Enid Michael The California woodpeckers the acorns, and so this became the (Melanerpes formicivorus bairdi) method of procedure. However, have more leisure than most birds. they were not bound to this procedIn the fall of the year they gather ure. They were wise enough to and tuck safely away a store of store to advantage under the varyacorns to tide them over the winter. ing conditions which the situation When the harvest days are over, offered. For instance, the followthey have time to play or simply to of m the wisdom g theaCal fornia illustrates woodpecker. In loaf in the sunshine, which they fre one of the old buildings at the end quently do. Here in Yosemite Valof "Soapsuds Row" the shingles are ley these wise and thrifty woodso weathered and so curled at the peckers have more leisure than eaves that the crack is wide enough ever, now that they have adopted to permit the storing of whole up-to-date storing methods. In acorns. It being quicker to store times past, before the valley was whole acorns than to hull and store, made bigger and better by the prothe woodpeckers took advantage of moters of the tourist trade, the the situation and stuffed the wide California woodpeckers had certain crack full of whole acorns. An in "cupboard trees" where holes were teresting thing about this case is drilled to receive snugly each a sinthat birds of the same colony, and gle acorn. To drill a hole for each likely the same individual birds, individual acorn that was to be stuffed hulled and broken acorns in stored was a prodigious task-- a the narrow cracks. task that is no longer necessar Another case where the Califw under the present storing method nia woodpeckers took advantage of All of the buildings of the valley a new situation came to our atten tion this fall A line of new lightare either roofed with shakes or ing poles was put up in the new shingles. Where the shingles or village last spring, and in the proshakes lap together along the edges cess of weathering long, perpendicof the roofs and at the eaves where ular seams opened up, as is often there are crevices, the woodpeckers the case with unseasoned poles now do their storing. It would be When the acorn crop came along difficult to store a full, round acorn in the fall, the California woodIn the cracks between the shingles, peckers living in the neighborhood but the woodpeckers obviate the took advantage of the opportunity difficulty by hulling the 'corns and and utilized the cracks as storing poking them away a half at a time. Places for the winter food supply Man moved into the valley and cut The cracks were narrow and every down the woodpecker's storage acorn stored had to be cracked and trees; the woodpecker retaliated by hulled before being put away. The pounding acorns between the shinhalved acorns were wedged snugly gles of man 's dwellings. side by side, and in some cases they were stared in a douple depth. In Show Their Ingenuity the pole that was specially examThat the California woodpeckers fined we estimated the store to equal possess initiative was clearly demin amount to 500 whole acorns. onstrated when, owing to the enThis winter (1928-29) the Califorcroachment of civilization. they nia woodpeckers are particularly were forced to change their storing prosperous. There was a bountiful methods. In order to utilize the crop of acorns, the storage bins arc cracks between the shingles for full and the snowfall has been suf. storage bins, it was necessary either ficiently light so that the birds to enlarge the cracks or to hull and were not forced to draw en the food split acorns It was easier to split stores so early as in stormy years

RECENT MUSEUM ACCESSIONS

(From Park Naturalists Aprii Report) Mrs Helen Williams of San Franings. in Western Association of Cal cisco presented a pair of feltifornia Pioneers, 1890; topographi trimmed Alaskan Indian moccasins. cal map of Yosemite valley and vi This gift is available for exchange cinity, by G. M. Wheeler, 1878-79. purposes. memorial of J M Hutchings pray "La Reina—Los Angeles in Three ing a grant of lands in Yosemite Centuries, " by L. L Hill, 1.929, was valley, United States Senate, 1871; donated by Ranger Charles Adair 1887 edition of "Miners Ten CornMrs Virginia Darby of Murphys, mandments." by J M Hutchings Calif. has presented the following. (first edition was in 1853); three "Southern History First year of portraits of J M Hutchings; a Jathe War," by E. A Pollard, 1862; cobs photo of road construction in "Southern History— Second Year of the Sierras : San Francisco Chronithe War," by E. A. Pollard, 1864; a cle feature article on death of J M. specimen of peacock ore from a Hutchings. November 30, 1902; lethand-. ter sheets-- "Hutchings' Tables of mine at Copperopolis, Calif.; Distances. -' California, 1855; "Arti made shot-pouch used by a pioneer of Calaveras county; ox shoe Coun•'. ties in a miner's creed," J. M on route used by early emigrants Hutchings, 1855; "Life Among the in Alpine county; "Mineral ProducMiners, " Hutchings and Rosenfield; tions, County Maps and Mining 'Hutchings' California Scenes—the Laws of California," by L. E. Au Mammoth Trees," 1.854; "Der. Rig bury. 1903; two arrow points, a senbaum der Welt Die Mammoth spear point and two strings of MiBaume, " Hutchings and Rosenfield; wok beads from Calaveras county Hutchings' California Scenes—the California Indians," Excelsior print; The Yosemite Natural History "Long Wharf, San Francisco, " C. P Association purchased "A Pacific Kimball, Noisy Carriers Publishing Coast Vacation," by J. E. Morris, Company; "Mr. Gringo's Experi1901. ences as a Ranchero," Wide West Mrs. Maria Octavia Walkingtori, Office; "Ballot Box Stuffers." Noisy London, England, who is a sister Carriers Publishing Company; manof the late Mrs J. M. Hutchings of uscript, "What Is Going On In To

Yosemite fame, has presented the Semite," by Emily Ann Hutchings; following interesting historical armanuscript, "Public Lectures Given titles; by J. M Hutchings, " by J. M. "Hutchings ' Tourist Guide to YoHutchings; manuscript, "Best Guide semite Valley," by J. M. Hutchings. to the Gold Mines—816 Miles," by 1877 (two copies); papers in the Ira J. Willis, G. S. L. City (Great matter of ownership of the ButterSalt Lake City), was carried by.1 fly mine on the Fresno river; agreeM Hutchings on his journey from ment between J. M Hutchings, 1. Jacksonville to Sacramento in 1849; L. Sperry and John T. McLean, published verse, memorial to Emily dated, letters, undated, from J. M. Ann Edmunds, widow of J. M. Hutchings to the Hon J W. Noble, Hutchings; personal card, Mrs. J. regarding Yosemite; certificate of M. Hutchings; Taber photo, Overhonorary membership, J. M. Hutch hanging Rock, Glacier Point.

BOOKS FOR CALIFORNIA NATURE LOVERS

By Mabel Hibbard F In response to repeated requests nature Iibrary, if one has the regarding books to own for leisure means. These last are the most hours of nature study at home and complete works in their respective on vacation trips in California, we fields to date. hope a few simple suggestions may be helpful.

SECTION I

It is not at all necessary to have Trees of California by Willis Linn Sepmany books. Rather, one should son; Students' Co-operative store, Berkeley. possess such books as will answer price $2.50. Is a working manual for the authoritatively any questions which field and has 125 illustrations—lightweight. may arise in doing field work. For Forest Trees of the Pacific Slope by detailed research work, use may be Sudworth; pamphlet of United States Demade of the public library usually partment of Agriculture, Bureau of Fornear at hand. entry. Price 60c. Complete for trees and shrubs. Good illustrations of each twig, It is best that the single copies leaf and seed. Accurate descriptions. be of convenient size to carry in a The Elfin Forest by Francis M. Fultz; knapsack and, by the way, it adds 1923, Times-Mirror Press, Los Angeles. to the life of field books to cover Excellent account of the shrubs and dwarf them with oil-cloth, and the whole trees composing the great, extended stands library should be small enough to of chaparral in California. Contains 123 take up but a small space in the illustrations and fine expose of the great automobile. It thus becomes a value of the chaparral. necessary but not cumbersome part Birds of the vacation equipment. Birds of the Pacific States by Ralph Hoffmann; Houghton Mifflin Company, $5; So much advertising of books teachers, $4; 1927 edition. Ten colored which deal with natural history plates, over 200 illustrations. Especially subjects is done these days, that the designed to serve in field Identlficatton. purchaser left to make selections, Convenient and valuable for purpose. Best without knowing their exact scope to date for field work. and contents, is quite apt to have Handbook of Birds of the Western United spent the sum set aside for the States by Florence Merriam Bailey. edition purpose and own a number of 1902, revised 1921; Houghton Mifflin Combooks well nigh useless. The flora pany. Accurate descriptions for birds in hand. Of use in checking doubtful cases. and fauna of the Pacific Coast are Field identification marks for most part so very different from those of the not given, so not as valuable as Hoffmann middle and eastern parts of the for field work. United States that the books to be Birds of Western Canada by P. A. helpful here must be written with Tavener; Victortal Memorial Museum, Otthe western viewpoint. tawa, Canada. Price $1.25. Fine and The following list is in three secworth many times the price. Most of the birds of Western Canada are also found in tions: First, good field work California, and this work is carefully debooks; second, books helpful in getsigned for field identification for which it ting better acquainted with many is excellent. living things encountered in genFlowers eral study; and third, some books

A YOSEMITE

Flora by Harvey Monra, which are a fine addition to the Hall; Paul Elder k Co., ban Francisco.

$2.50. A descriptive account of the ferns year. The Yosemite Notes is the official and flowering plants, including trees of organ of the Yosemite National History Asthe Yosemite National park; with simple sociation. Two dollars entitles to memberkeys for their identification; designed to be ship and the receipt of the monthly magauseful throughout the Sierra Nevada moonzine. This little publication, only four tains. Is just what it claims to be. Is years before the public, has attracted for flowers of the Sierra Nevada mountains favorable notice for its excellent notes by what Hoffmann's birds is In its field. trained naturalists. It is impossible to find Manual of the Flowering Plants of Calisuch studies of western subjects elsewhere. fornia by Louis Linn Jepson. Price $7.50.

SECTION III

Students' Co-operative store, Berkeley. A The books listed In this section are not more complete work than the Yosemite necessary as a part of the field library, Flora and as such the best to date for but are given for those with the desire and general field work, although for field work the means to possess as a part of a Perin the Sierra Region Hall's Yosemite Flora sonal library, the finest books yet written is more convenient, simpler, and complete in their particular fields. enough for the purpose. The following are distinctive: Insects Butterflies of California by John Adams Insects of Western North America by If. Comstock; Comstock Publishing Company; 0. Essig. Price $10. The MacMillan Company. Most complete, accurate and usable $12 ' 50. 501 Edwards & Wiley Bldg., L. Popular guide to the butterflies of Califorbook for field insect identification in Calinia Includes all the 477 species and varlfornis. eties at present recorded in the State, with

SECTION II

sixty-three full page color plates showing Handbook of Nature Study by A. B. all the species known to inhabit the State, Comstock, $5. Comstock Publishing Coinand the majority of those occurring in the pany, Ithaca, N. Y. Can be purchased Southwest, together with half-tone and line at Students' Co-operative store, Berkeley, illustrations depicting the life histories of Covers the general field of nature study in Western butterflies." Excellent in field an interesting manner, giving accurate and identification because besides the descripnot too technical Information in each subtion of the adult butterflies, there are acject. Its author is a widely known authorcurate descriptions of the egg, larvae, and ity on natural history. Is itself the result pupal stages, together with illustrations of studies afield. of each carefully drawn. This has been carefully done by no other author for The American Natural History by HornaWestern butterflies. day. Scribners. Price $5. Fine general information upon the vertebrates of.Illustrated Flora of the Pacific States America. Good in showing the inter-relaby Leroy Abrams, Ph.D., three volumes; tions between the different orders and famStanford University Press; $10 volume. Ries and their distinctive characteristics. Only the first volume, Ferns to Birthworts, has yet been published, but the Animal Life in Yosemite by Grinnell and work is thorough and carefully Illustrated. Storer. University of California Press When completed, will be the best to date Price $7.50. An account of mammals, in this field. birds, reptiles, amphibians in a cross-section of the Sierra Nevada. Written for The Birds of California by William Leon field identification purposes and each study Dawson. A complete scientific account and given is Itself field study observations. Expopular account of the 580 species and subcellent to give conception of life zones and species of birds found in the State, iIlusthe mammal and bird indicators of each. trated by thirty photo-gravures, 120 fullHandbook of Yosemite National Park by page auotone plates, and more than 1100 Ansel F. Hall. Covers the whole field of full page color plates, chiefly by Major the history, geology, flora and fauna, toAllan Brooks. Sold only by subscription gether with explanation of life zones of by South Moulton Company, Santa Barthe Yosemite National park, but the brief bara. A more Ideal work from every standaecurate accounts of the subjects treated point scientific and artistic is not to be are very helpful in nature study. conceived. The price is, however, almost Yosemite Nature Notes. Price S2 per prohibitive to many.

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