January 1959

YOSEMITE VOLUME XXXVIII - NUMBER 1 JANUARY

1959

IN COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. OUT OF YOSEMITE'S PAST

A One Picture Story —Yosemite Museum First Sergeant Joseph Fernandez, Troop K, 4th Cavalry, for whom Fernandez Pass was named, participated in the exploration of the headwaters of the Merced River, 1895-1897. Few people realize the important role played by the U. S. Army in the early administration of the National Parks. This story, as it pertains to Yosemite, will be told in the Wawona Pioneer Village.

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Since 1922, the monthly publication of the National Park Service and the Yosemite Natural

NATURE NOTES

History Association in Yosemite National Park. John C. Preston, Park Superintendent Douglass H. Hubbard, Park Naturalist Robert F. Upton, Associate Park Naturalist Paul F. McCrary, Assistant Park Naturalist Sigismund J. Zachwieja, Junior Park Naturalist Robert A. Grom, Park Naturalist Trainee

VOLUME XXXVIII JANUARY 1959 NO.

DWARFS OF THE PLANT WORLD

By Ralph Frazier, Ranger-Naturalist Illustrated by Doris Frazier visitors to Yosemite National Park American chestnut (Castanea dentata) are amazed, and rightly so, at the would identify the burr as one coming from that plant. Did nature 's plan around them gigantic in size. The go awry? Should the chinquapin world famed Sequoia gigantea have become an oak or a chestnut? mands exclamations of wonder. Other large, imposing trees seem to be natural adjuncts to the surrounding in which they are found. Quite often smaller plants go completely unnoticed. The person who ignores such a small tree as the chinquapin (Castanopsis sempervirons) ignores one of nature's more interesting experiments. When one examines the leaves of the chinquapin, he finds them to be dark green and smooth above and woolly beneath. This in itself is not especially interesting but the fact that the leaf appearance is definitely live oak in its main aspects is strange. Why? Because the nuts produced by the small tree are enclosed in burrs covered by prickles. A person familiar with the Or did nature find that a plant which had characteristics of both would fill a biological niche which neither could fill by itself? Before presenting another example of dwarf trees of the area, I feel that I should attempt an explanation of the causes contributing to dwarfism. A plant produces food for growth when two conditions exist. Minerals and water have to be transported to the leaves and green coloring matter must be present to manufacture food in the presence of sunlight. The chaparral plants of the Southern California foothills are able to produce food for growth only about 30 days out of the year and consequently the trees are dwarfed. The next question would be -- what would cause

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dwarfism in the mountains where there is plenty of rainfall? We must remember that rain does not fall equally well on each portion of the slope from the central valley to the highest peaks. There is an intermediate zone of great snow buildup along with little moisture in the foothills and also on the bare granite of the higher elevations. It is readily understandable that tiny plant forms as found clinging to the granite at higher elevations but why do many dwarf plants exist in zones of good rainfall? Let us take the green leaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita) as an example. It grows abundantly in the dry chaparral areas and can also be found in dense growth at such a place as Glacier Point where winter snows are deep. In investigating reasons for manzanita growth at Glacier Point we first discover that there is little rain during the summer season. Plants with far extending and deep reaching roots can utilize moisture which penetrates the soil during spring melt and run-off. The red fir forests, the climax forest at this elevation, makes good use of the stored moisture and allows room for the manzanita only on the more barren outcroppings of granite. The manzanita's diffuse root system takes advantage of every crack and crevice. It gleans minerals and moisture from what would appear to be impossible living situations. Here, then, is our answer to why the manzanita is found in a good rainfall zone. It exists on those portions of an area which are able to retain the moisture which is laid down upon them. A cursory examination of the physical characteristics of the manzanita provide a capsule course in evolutionary adaptations to a harsh environment. One can 't help noticing

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b at most of the leaves grow vertifor germination. If the seeds are lly. Moisture is thus conserved by dropped to the ground at the base Inducing evaporation. The smooth, of the plant, they will not germinate. twisted trunk also conserves what litChemical changes in portions of the lo moisture the plant is able to gather. Seed take place in the animal 's stomr. We often find the manzanita in achs. This helps prepare them for parse soil completely surrounded germination when they are dropped y bare granite. It is natural to ask, at a later time and in a different What provision has been made for place. new growth in a different area? " I have but scratched the surface in telling of our interest-packed dwarf trees. Follow me in a later article and I will lead you down a woodland path to discover and examine dwarf trees which bear flowers once used for soap and dwarf trees which grow from roots which burn like fat. Many animals like manzanita berries for food, and the amazing answer to this question is that nature as provided the bodies of these animals for seed transportation and their intestinal juices for the final step in the preparation of the seeds.

THE JUMPING MOUSE OF LYELL FORK

By Lorraine Miles, Ranger-Naturalist In awe of the majesty of Lyell Canyon, forty hikers were trekking to Upper Lyell Base Camp. Near Ireland Creek, where hemlock, lodgepole, and whorled pentstemon blend stature and beauty by the trailside, a small russet-brown animal jumped in alarm at the army of feet bearing down upon it. The meadows of this valley were wet with the waters of Maclure's and Lyell's melting snow fields. Small tributaries from Kuna Crest, Potter Point, Ireland Lake, and Parson Peak had made a marsh along sections of the trail. This interesting mouse is similar to the meadow jumping mouse which is smaller and not found in the mountains. The woodland jumping mouse of the East has a long, white-tipped tail. The Western jumping mouse (Zapus pacificus alleni) is nocturnal. Globular nests of dried grass are constructed on the surface of the ground in tall grass. Large layers of fat are accumulated in late summer prior to retreating to their ground burrows for hibernation. Some have been observed estivating. The western jumping mouse was in his element. His hind feet were large and long. His repeated hopping covered nine to twelve inches easily. Heading first for the water then reversing himself towards the hillside, his coloration and markings were easily seen. The hair on his sides was russet tinged with yellow. The back hairs were brown and the belly, very light, almost white. The mouse was no more than three and one half inches long. The tail was about one and one half times longer than his body, with a few white hairs at the tip. Distraught but unharmed, the jumping mouse of Lyell Fork found sanctuary under a fallen lodgepole surrounded by colorful yellow monkey flowers, and forty hikers continued upward to Lyell, searching for the first glimpse of this highest of Yosemite's peaks.

SOME IMPRESSIONS OF A MOUNT LYELL CLIMB

By Lloyd Brubaker, Ranger-Naturalist —Anderson, NPS Sun cups on Mt. Lyell glacier. A thrill of anticipation when the peak is first sighted in the early morning light. Companions becoming quiet with exertion up the steepening slope. The smell of bacon and eggs on the cool sharp air. Relief on finding the bergschrund filled and solid with snow. An uncomfortable first half mile while the breakfast settles in the stomach and the stiffness of the night works away. The careful steps along a traverse to reach the rocky chute leading to the top. Ballet-like jump-and-balance on the boulders near the summit. A dry mouth as cold-dry air is sucked in as the trail gets steeper. The first crunch of snow underfoot. An eye-searing glare from the sunlit snow slopes. The world suddenly opening out beneath in a crescendo of peaks, lakes and canyons. Sun cups affording ankle-twisting Minutes of awed contemplation of steps up the glacier. the view below.

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Excited discussion identifying the peaks and lakes. The younger folks linking together toboggan-wise and swooping down like a frolicking centipede. Returning vigor as lunch takes hold. The excited conversation on the trek back to camp. Wobbling knees as we descend, jumping from boulder to boulder. Telling and retelling the new and fresh experiences. A cold, wet, but joyous slide down the glacier, jarring from sun cup to sun cup. Songs, stories and fond glances at the darkened mountain from the warm campfire. The laughter and shouts echoing from nearby Mt. Maclure. —Anderson, NPS Near the summit of Mt. Lyell with Mt. Maclure in the background. Beautiful but dangerous country! A member of this hiking party fell shortly after this photo was taken and sustained serious injuries.

BABE OUT OF THE WOODS

By Charles Vollmer, Ranger-Naturalist It isn't every day that you can find deer. Our car squealed to a stop. a newborn babe separated from its The fawn was completely without mother. This one was still wet and fear. It approached us as soon as wobbly legged — born that very we alighted from our car, wagging morning. its short tail. Why was he here, About nine o 'clock in the mornwhere was the mother, and how ing of July 16, we rounded a curve could we prevent his destruction on some three miles from the park bounthis busy highway? These were dary on Route 41 to Fresno. On the questions that raced through our roadway was a fawn. We estimated heads. While my wife took pictures, that it had been born two to three I began a search for the mother. The hours earlier. It was still wet. Its wobdownhill side looked the most prombly legs collapsed every other step. ising. A quick search revealed nothThe most prominent feature of its ing that gave evidence of her prosanatomy were its ears — the reason ence. Why had she deserted her for its name — the California mule fawn? —Anderson, NPS The protective coloration of white spots is lost in 10 to 12 weeks.

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By the time I had returned other As with human babies, the fawn ars had stopped. Cameras were does not feed immediately after licking and whirring. Well-meaning motorists were petting the helpless little fellow. It was looking for something warm and found a substitute in my car's tires. It licked them, apparently expecting to find some of that warm liquid all mammals get started on during their early life. I have seen other new fawns but they were fearful of humans. They had received parental instruction to lie low and not move. This little fellow had no fear of humans. What had happened to prevent his learning his first lesson? Or had he received one? By this time, birth. The mother will normally hide it while she goes off to feed and recuperate. There is no scent to a newborn fawn. Thus if it remains hidden, it is not likely to be found by predators. Visitors to the park should be reminded not to touch fawns. So doing will give it a scent that might give it away to enemies. But what is worse, the mother may not take it back. This was the problem up on the roadway. Visitors had gathered in quantity. Traffic was not a hazard to the fawn. He insisted in going from tire to tire. One motorist went for some milk. This was refused. The fawn had plainly not fed yet, and his instinct was for the warm milk from his mother's glands. We asked a passing motorist to contact the ranger at the Forest Service ranger station several miles down the road. The fawn continued to wander onto the road. In desperation we carried it to the road edge and there we kept it until the ranger arrived. Nice pets when young, but dangerous when grown! Raising young deer in this manner leads never-ending problems! —Russell, NPS

—NPS

By feeding candy, cookies, crackers, or other human foods which are foreign to the digestive systems of deer, unthinking people contribute to the early death of this doe. Is a photo worth it? We continued on to Fresno leaving, but not without sadness, our first-found babe of the woods. It wasn't until 9:30 that night that we learned the outcome of this misadventure of the fawn. Mr. Sheldon had waited until the motorists had gone. The fawn had the chest. This was the time to return her to the wild state. Francis E. Sheldon, U.S. Forest Service Fire Control Aide, and a deputy game warden for the State of California, took the young orphan into custody. Mr. Sheldon had an interesting story to tell of another adopted fawn. He and his wife had raised a female fawn. They called her "Nosey." She wouldn't go away after she had been weaned, so they tied a bell around her neck. Nosey grew up and had twin fawns. Long after these fawns had been raised and had left for the woods, Nosey turned on her benefactors. She struck out at the Sheldon child with her sharp forefeet, just missing her face, but striking her in the chest. This was the time to return her to the wild state. Then he made another attempt to locate the mother. Going to the spot along the road where we had first seen the fawn, he descended the bank. After some investigation he located the place of birth. A snort from the thick chaparral gave evidence of a deer in the immediate vicinity. The fawn responded to its natural instincts and behavior by freezing to the ground. Mr. Sheldon backed away and listened. The doe was communicating with her fawn. It was a signal to come. Here was a case of a fawn with the human scent strong on its body being taken back by its mother. Thus our babe out of the woods was returned safely to its natural habitat.

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PROTECTIVE INSTINCT

By Vick Williams, Museum Assistant On the last day of June I was reto follow the bird 's flight in an atturning from a hike to Tamarack tempt at identification. Before this Flat via the old Big Oak Flat Road. was accomplished I recalled reading My venture had originally been of an Article in Yosemite Nature Notes a can historical nature; I wanted to see few days before in which a student the sights which dazzled the eyes of the Yosemite Field School related of many thousands of visitors who the finding of a young sandpiper afcame to the park before the after encountering similar behavior of proved" Park roads were in use (as its parent (Yosemite Nature Notes 34:4, well as to obtain excellent views of 1955). With this possibility, i.e., the Bridalveil Fall and the south wall of discovery of young birds, in mind I the western end of the valley). With momentarily removed my attention my curiosity at least temporarily satfrom the adult bird which stood eyeisfied I had reached the valley floor ing me nervously and repeating eat about three o 'clock in the aftershort, low, calls. She would stay noon. As I passed near the base of around if her young were near. El Capitan on one of the last recogSo I began to search the area sizable portions of the grand old from which the bird had first moved. road I mused sentimentally that my For a full minute (it seemed like five) adventures for the day would soon I surveyed the area but was rebe ended. warded with nothing more than the My thoughts could hardly have sight of thickly-grown ten inch grass been farther from the truth, though, and the vicious attack of what because I was rudely awakened seemed like thousands of hungry mofrom my reverie by a sudden movesquitoes. During this time the mother merit in the grass one or two yards bird kept her distance and protecI beyond the right edge of the pavetion but constantly watched my evtne'nt. The blur of motion and coinciery move and heckled me with her dent noise surprised me and I was monotonous calls. Suddenly the still left momentarily stunned. However, and silent floor of the edge of the I soon recovered my composure and small forest came alive with many realized that I had frightened (as weak, peeping noises and swift well as been frightened by) some flashes of small dull brown bodies sort of bird; I knew not just what. The moving through the grass in the genbird had reluctantly but hurriedly eral direction of the mother bird. cleared the tall grass with a leap and Closer observation yielded little. The a few wingbeats, and came to rest tiny birds couldn 't have measured Incompletely shielded by the lower over three inches from dull-gray branches of an incense-cedar about ten yards distant from the place where I stood. The diminutive, useless wings were brown with bright brown stripes laid on a

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dull background, and the small feet ry toward the adult and the proce :; were dusky. The movements of the sion was hidden by the low shrub :: young birds seemed erratic as they and trees, I realized that I had seer) scampered in an unpatterned ziga vital protective device of nature: zag, evidently led by the calls of the instinct. These birds had not learned parent. I dared not move for fear to crouch motionless on hearing the of stepping on one of the little creaparent 's alarm signal. The parenl tures. It seemed that I could easily had not used the ruse of fleeing, iu:;l have picked one up in my hands, out of reach of the intruder, to draw for they seemed totally unaware of him away from the young birds. Th) :. my presence. One little fellow ran is instinct, another way in which nci between my legs. I counted five ture protects certain creatures. Wlv chicks but there could easily have made the little fellows leave then been more, their unpredictable movewell-concealed hiding place? Perments making a count difficult. hops the parent changed the time, As my attention returned to the sequence, or pitch of her call; pet parent birds, I recognized the long, haps I approached one chick toe straight, black plume of the mountain quail (Oreortyx picta plumifer). Its instinct to hide, the movement causing overall body color was gray, with the rest of the flock to break from chestnut on the throat and the sides cover. I do not know. I only know which also bore stripes of white and that this interesting experience in black. increased my faith in Nature 's ability As I watched the young birds scurto protect her creatures. —McCrary, NPS Mountain Quail.

PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE AT THE YOSEMITE MUSEUM

All mail orders should be addressed to, and remittances made payable to, Yosemite NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION, Yosemite NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA. Prices include postage, insurance, and on proper items, California State Sales Tax 3%, plus 1% County Tax,

GENERAL

Adams ' Guide to Yosemite Valley, Illustrated $1 65 Auto Tour of Yosemite Valley, Self-Guiding - Beatty and Norwell

Auto Tour of Yosemite National Park - Ditton and McHenry

Campsite Finder (Western) - Hartesveldt 1 65 Climbers Guide to High Sierra - Sierra Club 3 25 Devils Postpile National Monument - Hartesveldt

Exploring Our National Parks and Monuments - Butcher (paper) 3 75 Exploring Our National Parks and Monuments - Butcher (cloth) 5 40 Going Light - With Backpack or Burro - Sierra Club 2 25 Happy Isles Nature Center, Your Guide to - Hubbard

National Park Story in Pictures - Story -.80 National Parks, The - What They Mean to You and Me - Tilden (cloth) 6 20 National Parks, The - What They Mean to You and Me - Tilden (paper)

Nature Trail - Inspiration Point Self-Guiding - Carpenter

Nature Trail - Mariposa Grove Self Guiding - Woson

Outdoor Hazards - Real and Fancied - Hood 4 25 Place Names of Yosemite Valley - Hartesveldt

Rocks & Minerals, How to Know Them - Pearl

Starr 's Guide to John Muir Trail and High Sierra Region 2 25 This is California - Obert 8 00 Waterfalls, Famous, of the World - Brockman

Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada - Ansel Adams & John Muir 12 70 Yosemite Story, The - Scott - 1.20 Yosemite Trails & Tales - Taylor

ANIMAL LIFE

Animal Tracks, Field Guide to - Murie 4 30 Birds of Pacific States - Hoffman 6 20 Birds, Western, Field Guide to - Peterson 4 30 Birds of Yosemite - Stebbins

Fishes of Yosemite National Park - Evans-Wallis

Mammals, Field Guide to - Burt and Grossenheider 4 30 Mammals of Yosemite National Park - Parker

Reptiles and Amphibians of Yosemite National Park - Walker

Survey of Sierra Nevada Bighorn - Jones

TREES AND FLOWERS

Broadleaved Trees of Yosemite National Park - Brockman

Cone-bearing Trees of Yosemite National Park - Cole

Ferns, Field Guide to - Cobb 4 30 Sequoias, Yosemite, Guide to the - McFarland

Wildflowers, Common, of Yosemite - Beatty, Harwell and Cole

Wildflowers of the Sierra (80 color photos) - Hubbard

Wildflowers, Western, Field Book of - Armstrong 5 40

HISTORY AND INDIANS

Ghost Mines of Yosemite - Hubbard (paper) 1.20 Ghost Mines of Yosemite - Hubbard (cloth) 3 00 Gold, Guns and Ghost Towns - Chalfant 3 80 Indians, Yosemite, Yesterday and Today - Godfrey

John Muir, Protector of the Wilds - Haines-Morrill 2 00 Miwok Material Culture - Barrett and Gifford (paper) 2 20 Miwok Material Culture - Barrett and Gifford (cloth) 3 25 Mother Lode Country, Guide to the - Brockman

100 Years in Yosemite - Russell (paper) --° 2 20 100 Years in Yosemite - Russell (cloth) - 3 25 One Thousand California Place Names - Gudde 1 15 Steve Mather of the National Parks - Shankland 6 20 Wilderness World of John Muir, The - Teale 4 85 Yosemite : The Story of An Idea - Huth

GEOLOGY AND MAPS

Geologic History of Yosemite Valley (Prof. Pa per 160) - Matthes 5 75 Geology of Yosemite Valley, Brief Story of - Beatty

High Sierra Camp Areas, Pocket Guide to - Clork

High Sierra Camp Areas. Trail Guide to - Clark 1 15 Incomparable Valley. The - Matthes (paper) 2 15 Map of Sequoia-Kings Canyon NP. Topographic - U S GS 1 15 Map of Yosemite National Pork, Topographic - USGS

Map of Yosemite Volley. Topographic, shaded (geology story printed on bock)

North Country of Yosemite, Pocket Guide to - Clark

North Country of Yosemite, Trail Guide to - Clark 1.15 South Boundary Country, Pocket Guide to - Clark

South Boundary Country, Trail Guide to - Clark 1.15

FOR CHILDREN

A Day with Tupi, An Indian Boy of the Sierra - Hubbard (paper) 1.20 A Day with Tupi, An Indian Boy of the Sierra - Hubbard (cloth) 3.00 Animal Friends of the Sierra - Hubbard (paper) 1.20 Animal Friends of the Sierra - Hubbard (cloth) 3.00