Daily Kennebec journal., 1925-08-31
(By DR.. Walter N. Koelzl

We had ample opportunity for
hard work at Etah (Greenland), and
collected there many fine specimens
of bird and animal life which we are
sure will be of interest to the Ma
tional Geographic Society.
At Etah the water was cloudy with
jelly fish of a diaphanous gray, but
just before We left there appeared
many winged snails. These curious
creatures float through the water,
propelling themselves as they go.
One of the interesting aquatic
animals is the liparis, which re-
sembles the bullhead, but has modi-
fed it's ventral fins into a powerful
sucker by means of which 1t at
taches itself to the rocks. The sue
ton is so powerful that considerable
effort is required to dislodge it.
You will understand, of course,
that l am giving a popular account
of our finds of greatest interest to
the laymen: many of our specimens
will require considerable scientific
study and classification and further
analysis.
There has been collected a good
series of Greenland red poll in juvenile
plumage. This species is scantily re-
presented in most OF the museums of
the United States and birds taken in
summer are very rare in American
collections.
A series of purple sandpipers have
also been obtained in their first jul
venile plumage. which is unknown to
most ornithologists.
The status of the mandtshguille-
mot depphus mandte has been estab-
lished as a sub-species of cepphus
grylle and it's summer range define
ated 'on the Greenland shore. We
work all day and often spend the
night in the field. l am sleeping on
deck because my bunk is covered
with specimens.
All the land plants necessarily are
stemless,i since any part extending
above the cant snow covering is
frozen off and noe of them grows
more than few inches high, includ-
ing the willow and birch trees.
The less varied water vegetation is
more spectacular. The giant kelp is
common and grows to a length OF, 20
feet and more it's curving stems, half
afioat, are frequently mistaken, even
by the Eskimos, for animal life.
The common rockweed grows as
luxuriantly as on our New England
coast.
The region around Etah has spec
ial attraction for a botanist. Some
SO specimens of Towering plants can
be found in bloom in a few minutes
walk. Poppies, pinks, dandelions,
daisies and buttercups can be ga
thered beside the GLACIERS that touch
the oceans edge. In places the Ken
lucky bluegrass forms a thick carpet
though in general the plants do not
grow TALL the willow bushes being
only one or two inches high in ia :?
vored situations.
Timothy grows so luxuriantly that
an American farmer would be de-
lighted at the fine prospect of a hay
crop.
Besides the larger plants there are
the lichens. which are the most con-
spicuous plant growths of all. They
clothe the cliffs completely, up to a
height of 1000 feet, in brilliant hues
of orange and purple which, in mosaic
with green patches of grass and
black where the birds have kept the
rocks bare. produces a spectacle of
color rivaling that of the bad lands
The species of animals are fewer in
number and, with the exception of
the dovekies. or little auks, the num-
ber of individuals is also relatively
small. The dovekies, or bullbirds,
are present in swarms of incredible
magnitude, crossing a bit of sky
within moment after one has look
ed. Their cries resemble the laugh
ter of a maniac and the combined eff
feet of the thousands of voices of a
colony has been bewildering, after the
afrplanes stirred them up as they
perched above their nests an arms
length deep amid huge rocks.
Macmillan to Speak at Rotary Club
Lewiston, Me-, Aug. 29-Gov. Brew.
ster. Donald B. Macmillan, Arctic ex-
plorer, and Arthur H. Sapp of Hunt
ington, Ind, are among the speakers
listed for the fall conclave of the
eighth district international rotary,
to be held at Poland Spring, Sept. 80
to Oct. 2. An informal luncheon at
noon of Sept. 80, will open the con-
clave and that evenings program will
be In charge of the Massachusetts,
clubs.