Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-01-29
IN JOINT SESSION.
Botanical and Bird Clubs Meet
with Natural History Societies.

Botanical and Bird Clubs Meet
with Natural History Societies.
The formal exercises of the Vermont
Botanical club and the Vermont Bird
club in joint session with the New Eng
land Federation of Natural History soci-
ETY. were opened by lecture on "Spiders," /
Thursday evening in the college chapel
by j. H. Emerton, secretary of the New
England Federation of Natural History |
societies. DIR. Ezra Brainerd OF Middle
bury College introduced Mr.. Emerton
as the leading American authority on
this subject. MIR. Emerton's lecture was
illustrated by fine series of lantern
photographs of Spiders and Cobwebs.
The Federation has arranged an ex-
tensive series of exhibits supplemented
by series of color photographs exhibit
tie by DIR. HI. F. Perkins of Burlington.
and the majorNS of them loaned by the
Lumere North American company of
that city.
The sessions Friday were occupied by
scientific papers dealing with local bo-
The Rev. ]. A. Bates reported some I'M
usual weeds in his Massachusetts garden.
DIR. A. j. Grout of New York city, for
merly of Vermont, sent an earnest plea
for more nature study in the country
schools of Vermont, each of which is en-
vironed in so much that is of interest to
the nature student; w. W. Eggleston
| formerly of Rutland, how of the national
museum, on revision of the rose fam
! lily.
Mrs. Merrill of Woodstock reported
the occurrence of the mandrake in that
vicinity where heretofore it has not
been known.
Prof. L. r. Jones of Burlington dis
cussed the newly recognized forms of
Vermont grasses following the new
'Gray's Manual"
Mrs. Carrie E. Straw of Stowe report.
ed from that town two species of plant
new to Vermont, one kind of mustard
eruca, introduced from the south of
Europe, in alfalfa seed, the other, iva,
componte from the West.
j. E. Crane of Middlebury gave an &C
count of the honey producing plants of
Vermont. In connection with this it
was shown that Vermont produces an
nually 100000 pounds OF honey, of
which Addison county furnishes one
third. Mr.. Cranes apiaries alone yield
him about Is, 900 pounds.
The closing session on Saturday with
short papers of scientific interest by var
ious members. Mr.. Blanchard of West
minister discussed ''Backberrles" of
which he has recently discovered 16 new
varieties. j. II. Emerton of Boston re-
ported "a robin which built 81 nests in
one season to which Prof. Shaw of
Mortified added case of a robin using
paper ribbons with which to decorate
her nest and Prof. Perkins of Burlington
told of similar decorating with point
lace.
Other papers were read by President
Brainerd and Rufus Crane of Middle
bury, Miss Della Isabel Griffin of St
Johnsbury, George L. Kirk of Rutland
Mrs Elizabeth b. Davenport of Brattle-
boro, Prof. H. G.. Rugg of Dartmouth
College, Miss Nancy Darling, Mrs. Web
ster and Mrs. Underwood of Hartland,
n. j. Giddings, Mrs. Nellie F. Flynn,
Miss A. l.. Carpenter and Miss Mary
Robinson of Burlington.
Some remarkable exhibits of lantern
photography We're shown with lectures.
One of these was by Prof. G.. II. Perkins
on the herring gulls which nest on the
-Four Brother islanus in Lake Cham
, pam where they are protected by Their
owner, Col. Edward Hatch, Jr. of
New York. DR.. ii. +. Perkins gave a
' clear exposition of cOlored photography
. toy use of Lumiere autochrcme plates
DIR. Perkins also spoke of the value and
manner of preparing aquaria in schools
DR.. Ii. II Swift of PittsfCrd showed 4
z series OF pictures illustrating ferns and
/ other plants, birds and scenes, many
. tinted in natural cOlOrs
The program was closed with exposi
tons by DR. Brainerd and Professor
: Sanford of Middlebury College, illustrat.
i ing the possibilities Of the Kaleidoscope
p for getting flowers and other natural OBJ
jects through lanterns and on the screen
s 1t was decided to hold the midsum
mer meeting of the clubs at some poin
on Lake Chalnplain the first week il
July during the tercentenary celebration
Officers were elected by the Vernon
: Botanical club as follows: President
+ Ezra Brainerd of Middlebury; vice presi
q dent, c. q. Pringle of Burlington; secre
. tary, l.. k. Jones of Burlington; treas
i urer, Miss Nellie f. Flynn of Burlington
librarian, Miss Phoebe Towle of Burling
~ ton. The Bird club officers were ast
=. re elected as follows: President, c. H
j, Perkins of Burlington; vice president
II. IL. Ross of Rutland; secretary an,
!. treasurer, Carlton Howe of Essex June
h ton.