May 1936

May 1936 Volume xv Number 5

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

Published Monthly Volume xv May 1936 Number 5 The Muir of the Nineties (By Theodore S. Solomons) Many people knew John Muir in I first saw John Muir one afterhis old age, but there can be only noon at a directors ' meeting of the a few living today who knew him club in San Francisco over forty in his early manhood. Between the years ago. David Starr, head of two, there is a rapidly diminishing Stanford University, who also lanumber of persons that knew him bored for love of the same cause, in his later prime, in his ripened was a director, and several other maturity—in the nineties. Chief eminent men from Berkeley. among these are Muir 's younger asThe vivid picture I retain of Muir sociates of the Sierra Club, which is that of a tall, spare man, in simple I joined very soon after its organidark gray, a very plain shirt and zation. collar, a tie as long and spare and Muir had been the leading spirit wandering as himself, his slightly in the founding of this splendidly curly hair uncombed, yet not at all useful institution. He had realized unkempt. He sat negligently in his the inadequacy of even his quickchair, his blue, somewhat faded ening pen to widely sow the public eyes never—it seemed to me—really knowledge and arouse the public focused on anything on which enthusiasm about which no com- their gaze seemed to rest. He had felt protection could be secured usually little to say on the lesser for all that is humanly destructible or the fiscal concerns of the club, in these fine mountains of ours. seeming to feel that his worldly 'The Sierra Club was to be a chief wise associates could be trusted instrumentality to that end. with these. Yet whatever the sub33

ject, whatever the talk, if his quick to the end of his days. He spoke mind discerned a bearing upon his simply, in a way, yet very shrewdly, master passion of mountain preser- as if he knew men by the same vation, the eye came back, and he intuitive penetration by which he spoke. He spoke in a natural, found sentiency in the forces of nature, friendly way, never with ostentation, almost in her very rocks. But

tion of knowledge or superior experience, even here—on the only "business" but never with so much as pride for which he was really fitted, the reminder of the stylist, of the frequently ornate stylist, that was the grave concern of mountain protection—he was usually brief and in Muir of literature, but rather in manner exceedingly modest. Simple, homely fashion of the He was voluble only in his more- Wisconsin farm lad—for in many personal sphere as mountain

ways John Muir remained just that man, nature sage. Here he talked "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy. While cares will drop off like autumn leaves. " John Muir

willingly, easily, showing the gleam Muir was exceedingly generous of the fire of his unquenchable in his encouragement of us younger loves and enthusiasms never in mountaineers. He realized that it manner—for in manner he was must be by a younger generation ever quiet—but in his eye, which that the Sierra was to be further lit like the tube of the radio, in a explored and made known, though different timbre of the voice, and the older could still fight, as fight in the length of his discourse—a they did, for a wider and better length, however, that was never preservation. He gave to us much quite enough for his hearers. He time, and was patient with our fool showed it, too, in the quaint touchquestions. No doubt I asked him es of a trenchant Scottish humor, many during my several visits to and especially in an easy play of the Martinez ranch where the lover the fancy in simile and metaphor, of pure wildness in nature made a faculty so native to him, so linked himself content for most of each with his interpretative genius, that year with the quite tame pursuits it seemed an inseparable part of his thinking. Strangely enough, of the fruit grower. A sunny, beautiful place it was, with a roomy the use of figures of speech in his farm house with a kind of attic writing he found difficult, he told where Muir, in a comfortable confusion of books and papers and writing was for him toil, and somepamphlets and queer sheaves of times agony. notes, would stretch his length Though abundantly able, now, slantwise in a plain chair, or vertto relax the austerity that for years ically as he paced the room, and had been his way of living, Muir describe for us, in his really fascinating way, the places he rememstill seemed the ascetic. Only in bered of the places we wished to his middle fifties, he bore the marks of self-imposed privation—of the explore. days and nights of hard, mountain- A truly great mountaineer was bearing toil on the pitifully slender Muir, in the best and broadest ration of a little dried bread and a sense, but by the standards of the pinch of tea. He was to live some geographic world a very poor sort 20 fairly active years longer, yet of explorer. He could aptly describe already in face and manner— every place he had seen, but though not in movement—there was you could seldom tell where it was, suggestion of premature old age. for he seldom oriented himself in Probably those that had known him his excursions, as he modestly long did not see this. It was a named his great journeys. The thing for which youth has a quick terrain was high and wild, and eye. much of it blank on the so-called

maps and it was the normal thing times more before he died, and to feel detached from all the greatnever to find one. But a youngster er landmarks of the surveys. might have fool 's luck. Doubtless Muir found himself best He accompanied me out into the when, in a map sense, he was most driveway, adding a few more words completely lost. of advice and admonition about my He was a determined man in next plunge into the wilderness. his quiet, almost diffident way. For Then for several moments he looked years the water ouzel had baffled far away. "Don't waste precious time on it," he said, but him. This sprite of the waterfalls' spray had hidden her nests from when you see the water ouzels,

He had looked and searched naturally in trees where, for there was a kind of dignified peace uniquely, they are not. He expecting in his voice—"do try and find ed, no doubt, to look for the many nests!"

SPRING COMES EARLY TO YOSEMITE

M. E. Beatty Assistant Park Naturalist. The warm summer-like weather during March has had a prominent effect on both plant and animal life.

to the extent that spring has arrived several weeks earlier than usual. On March 21, the Western Red-bud (Cercis occidentalis Torr.) was in full bloom in the vicinity of El Portal. Last year the height of bloom came around April 7 for this lovely magenta-colored shrub. Another flowering shrub in full bloom was the Buck-brush (Ceanothus cuneatus Hook.) with its ball-like white blossoms. In Yosemite Valley, the Manzanita is partially in full bloom, which came out in early March. Reptiles are also appearing early. A rattlesnake was killed near Wawona on March 16, and a Coral King Snake was observed on the same date near Yosemite Falls. Blue-bellied Lizards have been seen scampering over the rocks in the warm sunshine throughout the month. Flocks of Robins and Red-winged Blackbirds are common and these birds, together with Juncos and Chickadees, are busy practicing their spring songs. The ice cone at the base of the upper Yosemite Fall has disappeared and the volume of water in the fall is increasing daily. All indications point to an early summer provided the weather does not undergo any great change. a very early record for the shrub. Snow Plant's (Sarcodes sanguinea Torr.) are reported in several places in the Valley and Big Meadows. In the animal kingdom the hibernators are making early appearances. A California Ground Squirrel (Citellus beechey Rich.) was

observed on February 20 and they have been quite common throughout March. Bears have been reported in several localities throughMUSEUM SCIENTIFIC

COLLECTIONS

(James E. Cole, Museum Preparator) Editor's Note: This is the second and final article on the scientific collections of the Yosemite Museum. The last article, appearing last month, dealt with mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish. This article deals with insects, flowers, trees, fungi and miscellaneous material. the insect collection contains the greatest number of specimens of any of the groups in the Yosemite Museum Scientific Collections. There are over 3,500 specimens of butter-

flies, beetles, ants, flies, etc., all it has attained adult size, is not identified and most all mounted. dangerous, and so need not be fearThree exhibit cases in the museum ed, although when young it is said foyer display nearly a third of the to be as venomous as the same size assemblage where interested visitors ed female. have an opportunity to examine more Not all butterflies can be identiclosely the common forms seen in lied in the field, but anyone in Tuthe Valley, besides learning someolumne Meadows region can quickthing about the rarer kinds which ly learn the Behr's Sulphur (Euryare found at higher altitudes. mus behrii) since it is the only Practically all the insects are greenish colored butterfly to be preserved dry. The majority are found there. The Behr 's Sulphur mounted on pins with outspread has considerable local history interwings and stored in insect-proof est. Previous to the opening of the boxes. The material in these Tioga road, practically all of the Schmidt boxes, as they are called, Behr's Sulphur butterflies known to is, in general, duplicates of species science were collected by John or closely allied species of those Lembert, who homesteaded the Soda exhibition. Although not available Springs section in Tuolumne Meadows, to the public because of their fragility, and after whom Lembert Dome the insects can be inspected was named. He kept the locality by anyone who applies at the museum office where he obtained these insects a secret, so probably made considerable Some of the collection, such as side money by supplying the water insects and spiders, are preserved demand of what scientists considered in alcohol. Several specimens of a rare butterfly. There is an the much discussed Black unauthenticated but interesting Widow Spider (Latrodectus story that Lembert was killed by that have been collected in irate Yosemite are thus preserved and Indian braves when he refused will be found displayed in the to purchase the butterflies they insect collection. The Black Widow brought at his request, and that the Spider gets its name because of the Indian squaws who buried him covered habit the female has of eating the his grave with these supposedly rare male, which usually is much smaller. For this reason not many males Whether or not the contention is are seen. Consequently, Assistant true that the nine-foot cross section Park Naturalist Beatty was somewhat surprised when he found one of a Big Tree (Sequoia gigantea) makes the most interesting museum in the shop where NATURE NOTES are exhibit cannot easily be determined. Nevertheless, it does attract a printed. The male, however, when good deal of attention. Few visitors

pass it by without examining it and reading the labels. Another interesting tree exhibit is to be found in the tree room on the second floor of the museum. Sections of trunks of all the important Yosemite trees are displayed showing the bark characteristics and wood structure. In Riker Mounts above each trunk, examples of the foliage, cones and fruits of the trees are shown. A short study period in this room will enable park visitors to quickly learn the common trees; they encounter around

their camps. Hanging on the walls of the auditorium, which is just beyond the tree room, are mounts of many common Yosemite flowers. Before the development of the Wild Flower Garden, these pressed plants helped visitors to identify flowers they observe in the Park. Now, however, it is no longer necessary to examine dried and faded specimens for the area directly behind the museum contains living representatives of most flowers that are seen by visitors. The museum wildflower garden is unique in that it is not merely a floral display, but is designed to illustrate the various kinds of plant communities found growing at different elevations throughout the Park. In order to be of direct assistance to students of botany and others, communities are named and the important plants are labeled with common and scientific names. It is estimated that there are approximately 1,500 different kinds of flowering plants in Yosemite National Park. The only scientific method of studying such a large assemblage of plants is by collecting a number of specimens of each. When dried the specimens are mounted on standard size herbarium sheets and stored away until a sufficient number accumulate to warrant examination. Comparison of same species from different elevations and habitats often results in interesting and worthwhile contributions to our knowledge.

Sky Pilot Polemonium filicinum subsp. filicinum This lovely azure-blue plant is an alpine, growing above timberline. Although not belonging to the pressed flower exhibit, part of the fungi collection, nevertheless, is displayed in the same room. The mushrooms and toadstools exhibited illustrate many of the common varieties frequently seen near the trails in and around Yosemite Valley. No attempt is made to indicate the edible kinds for some poisonous fungi look so much like the non-poisonous ones that it is always unwise to eat any but those known to be safe.

Of the many species found in the Park, the Sierra's Sculptured Puffball (Calvatia sculpta) is certainly the most strikingly formed. Instead of having a smooth exterior like most puff-balls, the surface is covered with long slender pyramids with recurved tips. Another specimen of different species is probably the largest of its kind ever collected. It is superseded in size by a puff-ball found in Canada that was over one and one-half feet in diameter. Our specimen is ten inches across.

The principal problem that confronts Yosemite Park Service personnel today involves meeting the challenge given by Congress when the area was set aside as Yosemite National Park. Not only is this Park to be used and enjoyed by this generation, but it is to be handed on to the next and future generation unimpaired and in as near as possible the same condition as when given. Only by recording conditions as they are now, can the present Park guardians know whether or not they have fulfilled their duty. Thus, intensive ecological study on sets aside for this purpose have been in progress for three years. The resulting reports present detailed descriptions of present conditions which can be checked any time in the future and our service found either wanting or satisfactory.

The scientific collections of the Yosemite Museum, in addition to their scientific data and specimens they contain, are inventories of the flora and fauna as compiled by this generation. Not only is it hoped that they will be used and enjoyed by the visiting public, but that they will serve as evidence of our regard for the preservation of the values inherent in these superb wildernesses and scenic areas known as National Parks.

Digitized by Yosemite Online Library Dan Anderson