April 1935

April 1935 Volume xiv Number 4

THE PUBLICATION OF THE YOSEMITE NATURALIST DEPARTMENT AND THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION

Published Monthly Volume xiv April 1935 Number

Ancient Fish-worm Carrier of the Yosemite Indians (Raymond M. Gilmore) Ranger-Naturalist During a fishing trip in May, 1934 recently invented or learned. with Chris Brown (Lemee), our This fish-worm carrier was put to local Indian dancer, I had the opsatisfactory and practical use by portunity to watch the construction the writer and is recommended to of a handy implement. accessory to trout fishermen as an easily conthe native Indian fishing technique. structed, highly efficient article to This article was a fish-worm caruse in fishing with live bait. The rier (Hu-ken) loosely woven with worms within the grass container wild blue grass in bottled shaped are kept cool, aerated, moist and form about 10 inches long by 3 lively. inches in greatest diameter. That it The construction of this particis ancient-pre-Caucasian is indicular fish-worm carrier is as folated by statements made by Chris lows : Long stems 30 inches or more Brown and by the fact that an old in length, of the local blue grass specimen exists in the Yosemite (Pea pratensis) were gathered at Museum and another in the Field the base and cut sharply with a Museum in Chicago. These old inknife. After a bundle, 4 to 5 inches dividual specimens argue for anin diameter, had been thus obtaincient antiquity by being, apparented, the loose, short, deal, basal ly, remnants of a once common leaves were shaken out by grasping article. The fact that it is unknown the bundle at the terminal end and by present natives and anthropolishaking the whole vigorously. This gists lends additional support and bundle of uniform thickness, now indicates that it is a well-nigh forabout 2 inches in diameter when gotten implement rather than one compressed, was then tied tightly

with string at the base and the proca ri. d in the container described jecting pieces cut off close to the above, were then passed over the binding. With the bundle held upentire bone so that the line proright by the base, the stalks were truded at one end and the bait hung carefully separated in the center vertically in the water. It was aland bent outward. and downward most necessary for the fish to enon all sides of the but so that a tirely swallow this straight-shan4 cigar-shaped cavity was created' hook to insure successful capture, with the butt of the bundle within for the bone had to turn with the and at one end. Eight inches from pull so that it was at right angles the bend the leaves were again enwith the line. circled with string and securely My informant also claimed to tied. Again the leaves were bent have learned the technique of maltback over the tied section and.n the grass container for worms again brought together, outside and from his father, who utilized it for around the first bend,so that the many years when he fished for the cavity now was bounded by a twoearly Valley hotels on a 25-cents-layer grass wall. The third tie corna-pound-of-fish basis. This fishing,

plated outside and adjacent to the though, was done with steel hooks first, the loose leaf-ends severed, and cotton or linen line, obtained the end of the string retained simfrom the whites. ph or looped for attachment to the bait. and the carrier was complete.

NOTELETS

When suspended from the waist, The Badger Pass area is fast dethe grass sides of the carrier were veloping into Yosemite 's finest ski conveniently and easily parted at country and record crowds have any spot and the worms, with or been counted there this winter, the without wet dirt, were easily place road having been kept open all but ed within, or withdrawn. The stiff one week during the heavy storm in January. From December 20th grass: leaves of the sides always to February 1st, 5,100 people visited readily closed together after. being the area. On Sunday, February 3, parted to reach the cavity within. 205 cars and 860 people were countChris Brown asserted that a ed at Badger Pass. straight bone hook was used to Lowest temperature this winter catch rainbow trout (Salmo iridwas 2 above zero on January 20th. eus). This straight hook (Hu-neeThis is a new low record since Janmah), about one inch long, was atua y 2, 1924, when 6 below was rectached firmly at the middle to a °' dcd at the Old Village. The average low temperatures are Dec. milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) 2^ 26 degrees; Jan. 21, 24 degrees; line; no perforation was made in Feb. 24, 24 degrees. the bone for attachment. Worms,

The Stable Tree Falls By Granville Ashcraft Park Ranger-Naturalist On August 28, 1934, the early the name to the tree. By the upmorning stillness of the Mariposa rooting of the tree a considerable Grove of Big Trees was sharply amount of straw was turned to the interrupted at 7 :30 by a long cracksurface. ling groan as brittle roots were In life the Stable Tree towered separating, followed by a few 246 feet in height above the ground :swishing thuds as the tops of small and 24.3 feet in diameter at the fir trees were tossed to the ground, base. It now lies prostrate across and then with a loud devastating a small stream bed. In assuming roar tons of massive wood crashed the curvature of the depression the to the forest floor. Thus was antrunk separated into three main o hrr forest king dethroned. 'In divisions-132', 54 ' and 33 ' from seconds fate destroyed a tree mothroots to top respectively. The toper earth had carefully nursed for most portion shattered into pieces more than twenty centuries. In less than ten feet in length. Almost short the old historic Stable Tree without exception the limbs broke had fallen. off flush with the trunk and were The Stable Tree stood some one hurled as much as one hundred hundred yards south-east of the feet to either side. Many were Mariposa Grove Museum. 'n the shattered as if they were glass. days of horse drawn stages, manAs far as could be told the only gers were built in a very large casualty was the Golden-mantled burned cavity at the base of this Ground Squirrel that was caught in tree and for years the stage horses the whirl of broken limbs near the were sheltered there. This gave top. Other small mammals may be

buried in the debris. Mr. Munro, an employee of the The crash was heard by two early Lodge, was perhaps the first to see morning visitors who reported it at the tree go down and recognize it the Lodge. Their main comment as the Stable Tree. was that a heavy dust had been Since the discovery of the grove thrown into the air so as to obscure in 1857 three large sequoias have the tree from good view. They fallen. All are visible from the passed by without further investiMuseum porch. In 1873 the Fallen gation. At the Lodge some three Giant went down. In 1927 the hundred yards down the slope the Massachusetts Tree fell and now the sound of the fall was generally Stable Tree. heard. Two girls noticed a sliding This ancient pharaoh of the forest door vibrating. The fact that the need not be sheltered in a pyracrash was not heard for any great mid or embalmed with costly spices distance was probably due to the for in death as in life it will be fall being partially broken by the able to resist the hordes of boring top striking another sequoia at the insects and all agencies of decay. extreme end of its length. Bruises This massive sequoia will lie but can be seen for over one hundred little altered for centuries, until its feet up the trunk of the tree that children are sturdy giants themwas struck. selves.

MORTARS

The deer comes from the cedars unmolested To browse on the young corn and tender stalks. Gone are the Indian braves who once contested The land with the white settlers. The Miwoks Are gone. Their warriors left no mark to show Their prowess with the tomahawk and bow. They have been driven away like straws Before the wind, but in great flat rocks squaws Have left memorials of their race In mortars large and small, which deface The granite stones. In her simple way the squaw Founded her home on the solid rock and saw The necessity of constant grinding care In providing her family's daily fare. —Gertrude A. Casad.

The Black Widow Spider (By liviOGENli C. ROBERTSON) Reprinted from "Hobbies" Buffalo Museum of Science (Editor 's Note: This article is of from California. particular interest to residents of The black widow is not a large the Yosemite region, as several spider. With outstretched legs it specimens of Black Widow Spider have been taken at El Portal and rarely measures more than an inch will possibly be found within the and a half from tip to tip, and the Park boundaries at some future entire body is barely half an inch date.) long. The shiny black abdomen is For pure, unadulterated venom, like a round shoe button and is the black widow, or hourglass marked on the underside by a charspider, Latrodectus mactans, characteristic red hourglass design, the. i_s off the honors. This dapper mot constant feature of its marklittle ebony-hued arachnid, whose 'rgs, which otherwise vary greatnative home is in the southern ly. The mature female often posstates, has earned a reputation for es-es a Le ies of red dots on the the virulence of its bite equal to back, wi'h one or more over the.ha: of the tarantula. It deserves _pinnercts, but these are not conthe reputation far more than the slant in number or occurrence and tarantula, since investigation shows hat almost all fatalities from spider bites may be traced to the black widow and its near relatives in the genus Latrodectus. While the serious effect of the bite of a black widow long has been known, it has aroused little concern among dwellers in :he north end east of the United States. However, within the past few years, this area has been invaded by the venomous creatures which have been they are sometimes entirely wantbrought here with fruit and vegeing. The male is more elaborately tables from the warmer sections of decorated than the female, having the country. There are on exhiin addition to her markings, four bition in the entrance lobby of the pairs of stripes along the sides of museum some specimen; which the abdomen. He is much smaller were found with grapes imported 'hen the female, which has earned

Yosemite Nature Notes.he name of black widow through showing the Sierra from the foother custom of devouring her mate. hills to the crest and from Lake Since immature females freTahoe south to Mt. Whitney. The map is in three sections, each meaquently are marked like the males, suring 10 by 12 feet. The first one the presence of red spots on a round shows the Tahoe region, the seeblack body may be considered a and the Yosemite region and the warning, third the Sequoia-Mt. Whitney The web which this spider spins section. The scale is 2 " to the mile and the maps occupy the entire is characteristic too, being of very north wall of the geology room. coarse silk in an irregular mass. This map will be used in our The female lays about 1,200 eggs geology talks and as an orientain a season, so that when condilion guide for the whole southern tions are favorable these spiders sierra. It shows every stream, multiply rapidly. Undoubtedly the lake, trail and highway, and we believe it will be an active and extreme cold of our winters will efficient salesman for the High aid in destroying the invaders of Sierra, this territory, The maps were made in the CCC The Indians of California rank laboratories of the Berkeley office the black widow with the rattle of the National Park Service. They were cast in sixteen separate secsnake as a source of poison for tions, and these were later joined their arrows. This poison is used in units of four for shipment. Upatone or as an ingredient with other on a_ r ival the four units were poisons for a particularly virulent joined and the whole installation concoction. Since the bite of this of three large sections completed. The maps are being given the final spider may be fatal, it is gratifying touches, that is, painted and labeled, to know that a serum for the treatby the museum staff. ment of victims, believed to be the The new exhibit for the Glacier first, has been developed by Dr. C. P. Russell to consist of three i 'rcd 1J 'Amour, professor at the 32in.x38in. relief models showing the Yosemite region during the period University of Denver. of maximum glaciation, the Yosemite region during the last ice invasion, and the Yosemite region today. These models will be fastNEW EXHIBITS FOR THE ened to the west wall of the LookYosemite MUSEUM out and immediately in front of By C. A. Wagner them will be a narrow table with seats. Fixed to the table will be Junior Park Naturalist four books of identical drawings New exhibits are being prepared and text, telling the complete geofor the Geology Room, and the logical story based on Matthes Glacier Point Lookout. The formstudies of 'he formation of Yoer consists of a large relief map remite Valley.

Annual Bird Census By M. E. BEATTY Assistant Park Naturalist As in former years, the ChristWoodpecker, 3; Northern Whitemas Bird Census was taken by the headed Woodpecker, 8; Black Naturalist Staff assisted by a Phoebe, 1; Blue-fronted Jay, 17; number of local residents. The result of this census and similar ones from all over the United States are collected and compiled by the National Audubon Society in an effort to make an accurate check on bird population. The local census was taken on December 20, 1934 with the following observations: Participants Mrs. Mary Tresidder, Mrs. Delis Hoss, Mrs. Grace Ewing, Mrs. Ruth Knowles, Mrs. D. A. Miller, Mrs William Nelson, Miss Lou Foster, Mrs. Ethel Beatty, Everett Harwell Herbert Ewing, Calvin R. Willette C. A. Harwell, Park Naturalist, M E. Beatty, Assistant Park Naturalist Short-tailed Mountain Chickadee, and C. A. Wagner, Junior Park Na162; Plain Titmouse, 3; Slender-billturalist.. cd Nuthatch, 23; Sierra Creeper, 41; Birds Observed Pallid Wren-tit, 4; Dipper (Water Eared Grebe, 1; California Great Ouzel), 4; Western Winter Wren, Blue Heron, 4; American Mergan3; Dotted Canyon Wren,.3; Rock ser, 2; Western Red-tailed Hawk, Wren, 2; Western Robin, 10; Westn Golden Eagle, 2; Western Beltern Bluebird, 49; Western Goldenet-1 King-fisher, 3; Red-shafted crowned Kinglet, 82; Western Flicker, 12; Western Pileated WoodRuby-crowned Kinglet, 23; Audupecke r. 1; California Woodpecker, bon Warbler, 3; Sacramento Spot65; Modoc Woodpecker, 11; Willow ted Towhee, 4; Sacramento Brown

Towhee, 43; Rufous-crowned Sparing the period of observation so row, 1; Slate-colored Junco, 5; identification was based on cries, Thurber (Sierra) Junco, 104; Gambehavior, and color of underparts. bel (or Intermediate) Sparrow, 4; This is the first time that KillFox Sparrow, 1; Song Sparrow, 2. deer have been reported from YoTotal, 38 species. 813 individuals. semite Valley in the winter, alAlthough the number of species though they are one of our ocobserved were two less than the casional summer visitants in the previous year, nearly twice the valley and a regular summer visinumber of individuals were record- :ant at Soda Springs in Tuolumne ed due mainly to the large numbMeadows. e: of observers.

NOTELETS STRANGE WINTER VISITORS

Snowfall in Yosemite Valley this

HOVER OVER YOSEMITE

winter has been 88 1 2 inches up to February 15th as compared to 26 By C. A. Wagner inches for last year. While this has Junior Park Naturalist been a winter of plentiful snowfall Just before dusk February 8, and fine winter sports, it has not 1935 I heard the shrill, plaintive cry set any records as we had 165 inof "kill-dee, kill-dee, " and absentches of snow for the same period mindedly listened to it—being rein 1917 minded of happy days spent on the marshes around San Francisco Precipitation, which includes rain Bay. Suddenly I realized I was in and snow, is now 26 inches or the Yosemite and there was several season to date as compared to 13.5 feet of snow on the ground. inches last year. Normal to Feb. Ear and eye finally located the 15 is 21.8 inches. birds circling over the meadow behind the Rangers ' Club. By the Last year Yosemite had 309,431 white underparts, actions, and cries visitors,,,7 per cent coming in by I identified them as Killdeer private car, 2 per cent by stage and Oxyechus vociferus vociferus) about 1 per cent by rail and other They continued to circle the means. An average of 50,000 peameadow as I watched, but the closplc come in during the winter ing in of dusk and the foggy sky sports season, Biggest travel day soon blotted them from sight alfor the winter period was Feb. 21, though I heard their cries for some 1932, when 1411 cars and 5411 peot Mme. The birds did not alight durr' s 'hitched;n at Arch Rock.

Digitized by Yosemite Online Library Dan Anderson