Read Ebook: The Ohio naturalist Vol. 1 No. 8 June 1901 by Ohio State University Biological Club

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Sargent: Silva of North America 9: 95.

OHIO REPTILES IN THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY ZOOLOGICAL MUSEUM.

MAX MORSE.

Fam. IGUANIDAE.

Fam. ANGUIDAE.

Fam. SCINCIDAE.

Fam. COLUBRIDAE.

Fam. CROTALIDAE.

Fam. TRIONYCHIDAE.

Fam. KINOSTERNIDAE.

Fam. EMYDIDAE.

SUMMARY FOR REPTILES:--Families 8; genera 22; species 30.

A PRESERVING BOX FOR PLANTS.

EDO CLAASSEN.

As the time for botanists has arrived when they will depart for some time from their work at home and walk over fields and into the forests to collect plants and flowers new to them, I have thought it would be interesting and useful to describe a box in which they may preserve for several days, the collected plants and keep them from shriveling, particularly if the same are quite large, and exceed in size the usual small collecting box. As I had one made to order and know by experience the valuable service it did me, I do not hesitate to recommend it highly. It is well known that many druggists buy their glycerine and castor oil in five gallon cans, for which, when empty, they have no further use. The botanist, therefore, may go to such a druggist, procure two of the above cans, if possible of heavy tin and with flat sides, have the tinsmith take off their upper parts and solder the cans together, after having cut out of each of them a rectangular piece as long and wide as necessary to give room for a door and after having trimmed any inside edges. The door is then made from the two pieces cut out, with the addition of several strips of tin, so that it may overlap and close tightly, and of the necessary hinges and hasp to open and fasten the door. One of the original wire handles of the cans is fastened in a similar manner as before on the top of the box and the preserving box is ready for use, as soon as it had received two coatings of asphaltum varnish inside and two of paint outside. Any vessel of suitable size and containing water should then be put into the box, which will furnish the moisture for the roots or the lower ends of the plants and at the same time for the air surrounding these. The dimensions of the box in question can easily be determined by the botanist himself, but for those not wishing to do so, I may be allowed to add, that the length of the box should be about twenty-five inches, the original width of the cans remaining unchanged. The door should commence at about three inches from the bottom, reach up to two or two and one-half inches from the top and have a width of six or six and one-half inches.

OHIO TUMBLEWEEDS.

JOHN H. SCHAFFNER.

Tumbleweeds are characteristic of wind-swept plains and dry prairies. As the forests are rapidly disappearing, the conditions in Ohio are becoming very favorable for the introduction and development of such forms of vegetation. A few species are already abundant and some like Amaranthus graecizans appear to flourish better than on the prairies of the interior. The past summer a number of cornfields about Columbus were covered with very large tumbleweeds and during the winter a number of hedgerows were filled with them, presenting an appearance quite as striking as anything the writer has seen along this line.

The following is a list of the Ohio plants which may develop as tumbleweeds. Those with a question mark have not been seen by the writer to act as tumbleweeds and a few are given on the authority of Dr. W. J. Beal.

ANNUAL TUMBLEWEEDS.

TUMBLE-GRASSES.

PERENNIAL TUMBLEWEEDS.

MEETINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL CLUB.

MAY MEETING.

The Biological Club met in Zoological Lecture Room May 6, 1901.

Professor Schaffner reported that the committee appointed to consider the disposition to make of exchanges, had had a meeting and appointed Professor Osborn to consider the matter further.

Professor Landacre gave a paper entitled A Study of Passalus Cornutus. He gave the more important conclusions he had arrived at, after an extended study of the muscular and skeletal systems of that beetle.

Mr. Griggs read a paper on Vernation in the Willows.

Moulds and other Fungi Injurious to Foods was the title of a paper given by Miss Mary Dresbach. She gave a list of fungi found on food products.

In discussing this paper Professor Schaffner said the moulds are of public interest and many important results may be expected from an extended study of them. Professor Kellerman said that moulds are an important factor to guard against in canning fruit. It would be a great step in advance if fruit could be canned and kept without its being cooked beforehand.

Miss Elma Perry gave a list of the edible fungi of Ohio. So far 200 species have been recorded and there are no doubt many yet to add.

Under the head of personal observations Prof. Kellerman showed some interesting variations in our common anemone. A paper on this subject appeared in the May number of THE OHIO NATURALIST.

JUNE MEETING.

The June meeting of the club was held in Zoological Lecture Room on the evening of the third.

The editor-in-chief of THE OHIO NATURALIST, Professor Schaffner, gave a financial statement for the year.

Dr. Bownocker delivered an instructive paper on "Oil and Gas in Southeastern Ohio." The first oil well in that region was drilled about 1860 at Maxburg in Washington County. The wells in this region when first put down oftentimes yield 500 barrels or more daily but they soon decrease until the product of the same well may be only a few barrels each day. They are long-lived however and wells drilled in the Sixties are still producing. The oil in Southeastern Ohio has its origin in the various sands and therefore differs from that of Northwestern Ohio where all the oil is of limestone origin.

The speaker explained the nature of the country, especially in reference to the arches where practically all the oil is located.

H. S. Houghton not being present, Professor Landacre gave a short outline of the subject "A Study of the Muscular and Skeletal Structures in the Head of a 14 mm. Salamander."

A. F. Conradi read a short paper on the subject "A Study of the Cecidomyidae and their effects upon Vegetation."

The motion was made and carried that when we adjourn we adjourn to meet in the Zoological Lecture Room Friday evening, June 7th, at 4 o'clock, for the purpose of considering matters connected with the THE OHIO NATURALIST.

JAMES S. HINE, Secretary.

With this issue THE OHIO NATURALIST completes its first year. The Editors to be chosen for 1901-2 will continue the Journal along the same lines and we trust that those interested in the natural history of Ohio, as well as others, will continue to give their encouragement and financial support.

A table of contents and a title-page of Vol. 1 will be sent out with the first number of Vol. 2.

JOHN H. SCHAFFNER.

Ohio State University

Six distinct and independent Colleges, each with a Dean and Faculty of its own.

THIRTY SEVEN DEPARTMENTS. THIRTY DISTINCT COURSES.

Superior facilities for education in Applied Science. Short or special courses for mature students not candidates for degrees.

One hundred and twenty-one instructors. Over thirteen hundred students. FINEST GYMNASIUM IN THE WEST.

Ohio Forest Trees Identified by Leaves and Fruit.

A neat pamphlet for every one who wishes to learn our native forest trees. Keys simple. Description plain. Can learn the names of the trees easily.

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