BULLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

»»'

Edited By
PAUL M. REA

Vols. I-V LIBRARY

IQO'^ 1Q09 NEW YORK

lyoo— lyuy botanical

Qardb

CHARLESTON, S. C

1909

printed for the museum by

The Daggett Printing Co.

charleston, s. c.

Under the Auspices of the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Librarian
Laura M. Bragg

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchdogy

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1777
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, to
the Medical School in 1828, and to the College of Charleston in 1850. In
1907 a building was provided by the City and the name changed to The
Charleston Museum.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is published monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

The Bulletin of the College of Charleston Museum is publishetl monthly from Oct-
ober to Alay and is devoted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and notes
from the Museum. Application made at the post office at Charleston, S. C. for entry as
second-ciass matter.

BULLETIN

OF THE

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Editeo by PAUL ^L. RE A

CURATOR OF THE MUSEUM AND PROFESOR OF BIOLOGY

Vol. 1 Charleston, S. C, April, 1905 No. l

MUSEUMS OF NATURAL HISTORY AND THEIR WORK =

Until very recently the botany taught in our schools and
colleges was devoted almost exclusively to identification and
systematic arrangement of the flowering plants and ferns.
Nov*' all this is changed and a ''new" botany is firmly estab-
lished which studies the principles underlying the structure
and behavior of plants and relegates details of classification
to specialists. Zoology underwent a similar but perhaps more
gradual transformation some time ago and in both of these
cases the cause is to be sought in a general change in the aims
of biology. Each phase of this movement is conspiciously
shown in the history of our natural history museums.

In the latter part of the eighteenth century the study of
natural history received a tremendous impetus from the la-
bors of the great Swedish naturalist, Linnaeus. At that time
there was great confusion in the nomenclature and classifi-
§ cation of both animals and plants. Linnaeus showed untiring
1 "5 zeal in collecting and great genius in classifying. To each

J

* A public lecture by Profesor Rea on the occasion of the opening of Manigault
Hall as a lecture room.

form he gave two names, a generic and a specific. Thus
the common cat is called Fells doinestica and the lion F.
leo, while the dog is Cants familiaris. To these binom-
ial designations it is customary to add the abbreviated name
of the person who first used them. So the full scientific
name of the cat is Felis domestica Linn.

The systematic work of Linnaeus was continued by his
followers and great collections were built up which had an
increasing value as time went on, for sometimes doubt would
arise as to the real identity of a form or whether forms de-
scribed under different names were not after all the same.
In such cases the necessity of comparing the original speci-
mens, or types, is obvious. In order to care properly for
natural history collections and render them easily accessible
museums were formed and of course the arrangement of the
museums was "systematic," i. e. according to the scheme or
system of classification adopted.

The chief aim of biology at this time was to name and
file away the largest possible number of forms. Structure
vs^as carefully studied so far as it contributed to this end but,
unfortunately, the investigation was considered complete as
soon as the specimen was mounted and labeled. Museums
were indispensable tools of science in this period and served
as books of reference do in our libraries.

The publication in 1859 of Darwin's Origin of Species
checked the scramble after new species and stimulated a
search for more fundamental principles in biology. Field and
museum alike were searched for evidence of variation and
complaints began to arise because museum collections were
inadequate for such studies. Hitherto museums had ')een
quite content with a few duplicates of convenient specimens
and the forms which varied from the type had been an un-
mitigated nuisance to naturalists because of the difficulty of
classifying them. Now, not only are many duplicates de-
sired for study of variations but adaptations of every descrip-
tion, homologies, and life-histories are eagerly sought and

v/ith all these come opportunities such as the older mus-
eums never knew. Let us, then, look somewhat minutely
into the work of a modern museum of natural history that
we may better appreciate its achievements and condone its
shortcomings.

As soon as a specimen is received at the museum it is re-
ferred to tlie proper authority for identification. Members of
the staff of large museums are usually able to identify speci-
mens but they sometimes have to be sent away to specialists.
As soon as the specimen is identified it receives an accession
number which is marked upon it in the most permanent man-
ner possible. Under this number in an accession book is en-
tered all the available information about the specimen, which
is then placed in the study collection or on public exhibition.
From the accession record a catalogue card is prepared and
filed alphabetically for ready reference. Beside the accession
number and the name of the specimen the card bears a loca-
tion mark which shov/s where the specimen is at any time.

The larger museums have both study or research collec-
tions and exhibition collections but many of the smaller insti-
tutions are confined to the latter. The study collection is,
however, the basis of all active work in a museum. It does not
make an impressive appearance because most of the speci-
mens are unmounted and are packed away in trays and draw-
ers. Yet here are many of the invaluable types, ail the dupli-
cates, and all specimens not on exhibition. It is a great mis-
take for a museum to exhibit all its material at one time, for
very much more interesting and instructive exhibits can be
prepared by judicious selection of specimens. The study col-
lection is used for research and studj^ by all properly quali-
fied persons and it should be conveniently arranged and pro-
vided with well lighted tables and a good working library.

The organization of the exhibition collections is a more
complex problem and demands sound judgment as well as
the highest degree of technical skill. In order to accomplish
the best results a specimen should never be exhibited except

for a definite purpose and then no pains should be spared
to make the fulfillment of that purpose as complete as
possible. Many things contribute to this result. One which
requires special care is designing cases which give ade-
quate protection to specimens and at the same time de-
tract as little as possible from their appearance. Wherever
it can be done each side of a case should consist of one sheet
of glass only and the corners should show only as much wood
as is necessary. Since the lighting of exhibition rooms is pref-
erably from skylights or windows high in the wall, the tops
of cases should be made of glass. The doors must be dust
and insect proof at all costs. In order to facilitate a rear-
rangement of material at any time "unit" cases are often
used which are interchangeable throughout the museum.

When skins are to be stuffed the very best taxidermy is
required to avoid mere caricatures which convey more
false than true impressions of the unfortunate animal. The
best mounting includes the reproduction of the typical en-
vironment of the animal. So bison are represented on a bit
of prairie and beavers in their forest haunts. In this work
there are many pitfalls for the novice and perhaps nowhere
is the difference between excellence and mediocrity more
conspicuous. When specimens are preserved in fluid many
shapes and sizes of receptacles are needed. Cylindrical jars
were formerly the only shape available but they distort
the appearance of specimens by acting as lenses. Recently
rectangular jars have been produced which obviate this dif-
ficulty. Snakes and worms coiled in bottles show only one
side and are often best displayed in tubes. Brilliantly colored
forms like squids, fishes, and lizards inevitably fade whether
they are stuffed or preserved in fluids. The most satisfactory
method of exhibiting these forms is by the use of casts and
models colored accurately from fresh specimens. The use of
models also gives an opportunity of getting more natural po-
ses and environment. In this way lizards can be shown on
typical desert rocks. Wherever this method is used the act-

ual specimens are preserved for reference in the study col-
lection.

When the specimens are finally prepared and arranged the
making of labels is in order. Before even beginning to write
labels one should know enough to write a book about thes pec-
imens. Then the facts most essential for the purpose in hand
must be selected and arranged in a form pleasing to the eye,
for poor typography may spoil the whole effect. Labels are
always in danger of becoming separated from their speci-
mens, but since both bear the accession number they are easi-
ly brought together again. It is often desirable to put the
accession number on the shelf where each specimen belongs
to facilitate restoring the specimens after temporary removal.
The accession number is thus the key to the whole record of
each specimen and if it becomes obliterated the specimen is
sometimes almost worthless.

It may well be asked, What is the purpose of museum ex-
hibits that such extraordinary care is required in the details
of their preparation? It is always to attract and hold at-
tention until a definite and lasting impression can be made
on the mind of the observer. Museums are continually striv-
ing to correct the tendency which most people have to go
through the whole collection and get a glimpse of each speci-
men all in a single visit. Nothing is more fatiguing than
''doing" museums in this manner and the confused impres-
sion which results from the ordeal is a poor return for the
time and energy consumed in forming it. If you would real-
ly enjoy a visit to a museum go and see a very few things,
learn enough to feel personally acquainted with them, and
come away before you are tired. Modern museums encour-
age this practice in two ways. They prepare special exhibits
which are made the chief attractions for limited periods of
time and they frequently arrange lectures based on these
special exhibits. Such lectures are especially valuable in
providing a definite object for each visit. The preparation
of special exhibits involves much labor and expense, and

the museum naturally wishes to know the relative attractive
value of various kinds of exhibits. For this purpose regis-
tering turnstiles are used to record the number of visitors.

A brief account of the College of Charleston Museum
may be appropriately given here for the purpose of showing
the work which it is fitted to do and the difficulties w^hich
confront it. Such an account vv^ill complete the general dis-
cussion of our subject by disclosing the vicissitudes of many
of the natural history museums of this country. The Muse-
um was organized in 1850 as a result of the interest in natu-
ral history aroused by Louis Agassiz and that famous coterie
of scientific men who lent luster to the culture of Charleston
in the first half of the nineteenth century. The Museum re-
ceived the older private collections of Elliot, Holbrook, Aud-
ubon, Tuomey, and Holmes. At about this time museums of
natural history were established in a great many other col-
leges in this country. The animus of them all was the old
systematic natural history and they had no sooner gotten
fairly started than the interest in that form of science began
to wane under pressure of the new Darwinian biology. Most
of these museums were unable to adapt themselves to the new
conditions and so have gradually drifted into neglect and de-
cay. This Museum was fortunately preserved from the com-
mon fate by the devotion of its curators, Professor Holmes
and Dr. Manigault, under v/hose care the collections have
greatly increased and come down to us fairly v/ell preserved,
in spite of war, fire, and earthquake. To-day this is considered
the largest museum in the South. The study collection in-
cludes the Stephen Elliott herbarium, rich in types and fre-
quently consulted by botanists from all parts of the country.
This herbarium is now being renovated and a printed report
on its present condition will soon be published. A suitable
safe is needed to protect this herbarium from the ravages of
insects and danger of fire. The exhibition specimens are
nearly all of very good quality and this is especially true of
the mammals. To the work of Professor Ashley, recently

curator of the Museum is due the beginning of a modern ar-
rangment of the collections but this work is very difficult
because of the crowded ill-lighted rooms, the difficulty of
moving many of the cases, and the entire lack of storage
room. Hitherto no proper accession record has been kept but
a beginning of this work is now being made. A card cata-
logue was prepared by Professor Ashley and is being contin-
ued. Many of the labels in this Museum are more than thirty
years old and need to be renewed.

Museums obtain new material by gift, by purchase, and
by exchange. A museum should always possess an abun-
dance of local material for exhibition. If a quantity is also a-
vailable for exchange it is quite as valuable as an increased ap-
propriation. Charleston is situated in the midst of phosphate
deposits which yield a rich variety of fossils and the Museum
has one very handsome case of these but it could easily have
the largest and most complete collection of the sort in this coun-
try. There are many barrels of these fossils in Charleston
which have very little value to their owners. If these could be
given to the Museum the best specimens would form a note-
worthy exhibit and the remainder would bring to the Muse-
um by exchange material which cannot be obtained by pur-
chase.

In addition to the routine work of accessioning the col-
lections the present plans cf the Museum include the prepar-
ation of special exhibits, provided with descriptive labels
and supplemented by illustrated lectures in Manigault Hall.
To encourage and assist regular visitors the Museum has un-
der taken the publication of this monthly Bulletin, devoted
to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and general
information about the Museum. The Bulletin^ is intended
to take the place of a museum guide for all visitors and to
make public the work of the Museum.

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

The Museum is open to the public on Saturdays from 10
to 5 and on other week-days from 10 to 12 and 1 to 5. Chil-
dren unaccompanied by an adult are admitted only on Satur-
days.

Professor Rea's lecture on "Museums of Natural History
and Their Work" was illustrated with lantern slides and spec-
imens of good and bad mounting from the Museum collections.
One of the best examples of skillful taxidermy in the Muse-
um is a group of English pheasants which was purchased this
month and exhibited for the first time at the lecture. It in-
cludes a cock, standing on an old stump, while the hen
crouches almost out of sight in the tall grass of the bog and
eight little chicks are busily looking for food. Each bird is
in a perfectly natural pose and the group shows the habits
as well as the form and coloring of the English pheasant.
Visitors to the Museum should not fail to see this new exhibit.

The need of a suitable lecture room in the Museum has
been met by the recent alterations in Manigault Hall. A re-
arrangement of the archaeological collections has secured a
large floor space and the room has been provided with a plat-
form with a reading desk and a long table for display of
specimens, a sliding blackboard, and screens and electric
lights for the use of a new projection apparatus which will
be a prominent feature of the Museum lectures. This appar-
atus uses an electric lantern for projecting on a screen both
^tereopticon and microscopic slides and makes it possible to
show the living animals and plants in a drop of water.

The Museum wishes to receive gifts of phosphate fossils
in any quantity and of large garden slugs alive.

8

Sassard rtROs. I*Ri>rr.

The Bulletin is publislied monthly from October to Alay by the College of Charles-
ton and is devoted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and notes from the
Museum. Application made at the post office at Charleston, S. C. for entry as second-
class matter.

BULLETIN

OF THE

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited by PAUL M. REA

CURATOR OF THE MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY

Vol. 1 Charleston, S. C, May, 1905 No. 2

CONTENTS

Charleston Natural History Society - Page 10

Constitution - - - Page 11

S Theory of killing and preserving - - Page 15

Special directions for summer collecting - Page 17

CD

O

Charleston Natural History Society

At the suggestion of Professor Rea, the Curator of the
Museum, a meeting was held in the College Library May
11th. to consider plans for the formation of a natural history
society. Fifteen students were present and after a general
discussion of the purpose of the meeting it was unanimously
decided to form a society and a committee was appointed to
draft a constitution.

In these days when so many of the old scientific societies
have gone out of existence for lack of interest and support
some apologj'- may be required for the formation of a new
natural history organisation. To this end Professor Rea ex-
plains that there are several students in college and other
persons about Charleston who are interested in natural his-
tory but who have no training in collecting and no way of
caring for material v/hich they may get. It should be a part
of the work of the Museum to stimulate and assist such per-
sons and as a first step in this direction the Charleston Nat-
ural History Society is formed under the auspices of the
Museum as a means of bringing together persons who are
interested in this subject and extending to them the facili-
ties of the Museum and such instruction as it can give in
methods of observing, collecting, identifying, and preserving
specimens. One of the most valuable features of the society
will be the exchange of experience among members and
the accumulation of records of observations. The Museum
will loan glassware and supply preserving and killing fluids
and in return it is expected that most of the specimens ob-
tained will be given to the Museum.

The organisation of the societv is intended to be as plas-
tic as possible in order that it may not interfere with other
duties of members. The curator of the Museum is, e.r-offido,
director of the Scientific work of the society and plans the
work in consultation with an executive committee composed
of the officers of the Society, to whom is given the carrying

10

out of the plans. The work of members consists in making and
recording observations of natural history, and in collecting,
killing, preserving, and identifying specimens. All specimens
are deposited with the proper officers of the club and must in
all cases be accompanied by a carefully prepared written
report, which is not accepted by the society until approved
by the director. Members are not required to accomplish
any specified amount of work for the society but they must
have at least one regular report accepted each six months.
The meetings of the society are devoted to reports of mem-
bers and scientific discussions. The membership is not con-
fined to students of the college and ail persons interested in
natural history arfe invited to join.

CONSTITUTION

Article I. Nams and Purpose

Sec. 1. Name. The name of this organization shall be
The Charleston Natural History Society.

Sec. 2. Fnrpose. The purpose of the Society shall be
the study of natural history and the development of the Col-
lege of Charleston Museum.

Sec. 3. Official Organ. The official organ of the Society
shall be the Bulletin of The College of Charleston Museum.

Article II. Officers

Sec. 1. Names of Officers. The officers of the Society shall
be: a Director, a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary,
and a Treasurer.

Sec. 2, Duty of the Director. It shall_ be the duty of
the Director to plan the scientific work of the Society in con-
sultation with the Executive Committee, of which he shall be
the chairm.an, and to examine all reports of members.

Sec. 3. Dutij of the Frcsidcnt. It shall be the duty of
the President to represent the Executive Committee in car-

11

rying on the Scientific work of the Society, to preside at all
meetings, and to perform all duties usually pertaining to
this office.

Sec. 4. Duty of the Vice-President. It shall be the duty
of the Vice-President to perform all the duties of the Presi-
dent in his absence.

Sec. 5. Duty of the Secretary. It shall be the duty of
the Secretary to keep minutes of all meetings of the Society
and of the Executive Committee, to receive all reports of
members, to submit the same to the Director for examina-
tion, and to perform all duties usually pertaining to this
office.

Sec. 6. Duty of the Treasurer. It shall be the duty
of the Treasurer to collect all moneys due the Society, to
make all disbursements authorized by the Society, and to
keep an account of all receipts and expenditures. It shall
also be the duty of the Treasurer to receive and care for all
properly prepared specimens deposited by members, and to
place the same in the Museum when called upon by the Direct-
or. It shall be the further duty of the Treasurer to keep a
record of all supplies furnished to each member and of all
specimens received from him.

Sec. 7. Executive Committee. The officers of the Society
shall constitute an Executive Committee, with the Director
as chairman, and it shall be the duty of the committee to as-
sist the Director in planning the scientific v/ork of the Society.
It shall also be the duty of the Executive Committee to nom-
inate, at least one week previous to each election, such active
members as are best qualified for office.

Article III. Election of Officers

Sec. 1. Time of Election. Officers for the ensuing six
months shall be elected at the regular meeting in May and
in November.

12

Sec. 2. Mctliod of Election. The Curator of the Col-
lege of Charleston Museum shall be, ex-officio, the Director
of the Society. All other ofRcers shall be elected from the
nominations of the Executive Committee by a majority of
the votes cast. All elections shall be by ballot.

Article IV. Members

Sec. 1. Kinds of Members. Members shall be of four
kinds: viz., Probationary, Active, Delinquent, and Honorary.

Sec 2. Prohationanj Members. All new members shall
be probationary and shall be required to file with the Secre-
tary an approved report within six months. Upon doing this
they shall become active members or by failing to do this
they shall become delinquent members as hereinafter pro-
vided. Any person may become a probationary member upon
application to the Secretary and payment of the initiation
fee to the Treasurer.

Sec. 3. Active Mem.hers. All members who have filed
with the Secretary at least one approved report within six
months shall be active members and shall remain active mem-
bers as long as they file with the Secretary at least one ap-
proved report every six months.

Sec. 4. Delinquent Members. All members who have
not filed with ^e Secretary at least one approved report
within six months shall be delinquent members and shall have
no vote. Delinquent members become active upon filing
with the Secretary an approved report. Delinquent mem-
bers of six months* standing shall be dropped from the rolls,
but may join as new members at any time.

Sec. 5. Honorary Members. Any person may be nomi-
nated by the Executive Committee for honorary membership
and may be elected by two-thirds of the voting members
present at any regular meeting. Honorary members shall
be exempt from all fees and assessments.

13

Sec. 6. Reporfs of Memhers. All scientific work done
by members for the the Society shall be presented in the
form of a written report which shall be filed by the Secretary
when it has been approved by the Director.

Article V. Meetings.

Sec. 1. Regular Meetings. Regular Meetings shall be
held once each month during the college year at a time to be
decided by a majority of the voting members.

Sec. 2. Special Meetings. Special Meetings may be
called at any time at the discretion of the President or the
Director, or at the request of any tv/o members.

Sec. 3. Quorums. The voting members of the Society
shall consist of the active and probationary members. A
quorum for election of officers or for any financial question
shall consist of half of the voting members. A quorum
of the Executive Committee shall consist of the Director
and two others.

Article VI. Fees and Assessments.

Sec. 1. Initiation Fee. All applicants for membership
shall pay to the Treasurer an initiation fee of fifty cents,
which shall be given to the Director for the use of the Mu-
seum.

Sec. 2. Assessments. Members may be assessed for
any purpose by two-thirds of the voting members present
at any regular meeting.

Sec. 3. Fines. Any member failing to pay any legal
assessment within one month shall be fined the amount of
of the assessment, and failing to pay both the assessment
and the fine within six months shall be dropped from the
rolls, and shall be ineligible to join as a new member until
all arrears shall have been paid.

14

Article VII. Amendments.

Sec. 1. Constitutional Amendments. This constitution
may be amended upon a month's notice by two-thirds of the
voting members present.

Sec. 2. Amendments to Bij-Laws. The By-Laws may
be amended by two-thirds of the voting members present
at any regular meeting.

THEORY OF KILLING AND PRESERVING.

Every collector of biological specimens should thor-
oughly understand the general theory of killing and pre-
serving. On this depends net only the intelligent and
successful use of the special methods that have been devised
for particular cases, but what is far more important, the
ability to devise methods adapted to any form.

Kitlli/f/. No method of killing is satisfactory which dis-
torts or mutilates the specimen, at least in parts which are
intended for study. For this reason animals which are to be
dissected or stuffed should not be shot if they can be captur-
ed in any other way. Chloroforming is the most convenient
method of killing reptiles, birds, and mammals, though
drowning is an admirable method when there is no objection
to wetting the feathers or hair. The simplest way of killing
small animals is by dropping them into strong (70-95'/' ) alco-
hol, but many forms contract so strongly under this treat-
ment as to make it entirely unsatisfactory. In these cases
tv/o courses of procedure are open. Death may be inflicted
so suddenly that the animal actually has not time to con-
tract or anaesthesia may be used to induce complete relaxa-
tion and unconsciousness before the animal is killed. The
former method, sudden killing, may be accomplished by
pouring strong acid mixtures or corrosive sublimate, hot, if
necessary, over the specimens while they are relaxed. Hy-

15

droids may be killed in this way fully expanded. When the
second method is followed anaesthesia may be induced in
various ways. Earthworms soon become unconscious and
perfectly relaxed in dilute (30-50'/' ) alcohol, and may be
killed in strong alcohol. The most generally useful anaes-
thetic is the vapor of chloroform. Specimens should never
come in contact with the liquid. Marine animals are very
easily and successfully killed by immersion in fresh water
and vice versa.

Fixing. As soon as an animal dies decomposition pro-
cesses begin to alter the structure of the tissues and in order
to prevent these changes the natural structure must be
"fixed." Nearly all sudden killing fluids fix tissues at the
same time. After the use of anaesthetics, however, tissues
should be fixed as soon as possible by immersion in the pres-
erving medium. Successful fixation depends on bringing all
the tissues quickly in contact with the fixing agent. To facili-
tate this an incision may be made to admit the fluid into large
specimens. Fixation is synonymous with hardening and dur-
ing the process specimens must be held in the position in
which they are wanted permanently.

Preserving. In biological practice two preserving media
are in general use. Tissues may be kept indefinitely in 70%
alcohol or, if they are thoroughly fixed, even in the vapor of al-
cohol. Fresh tissues, however, contain much water and should
be immersed in several times their bulk of full strength alcohol,
which must be renewed after a few days if the specimens
are large. Formalin is sold in 40/' solution, 5-7V' of which
in water is sufficient to preserve animals as large as a cat.
For smaller forms 1-4% formalin may be used. Formalin
is much more economical than alcohol, does not extract so
much water from the specimens, and does not evaporate so
quickly and should therefore be used for preservation of
all large animals. For smaller forms alcohol is probably
simplest to use.

Summary. Small animals should be killed, fixed, and

16

preserved by immersion in strong alcohol but if this causes
contraction and distortion they should first be anaesthetized
and then fixed as soon as they are unconscious and relaxed.
Large animals should be anaesthetized and then im.mersed
in 4-7% formalin for fixing and preserving. All soft or dis-
torted specimens should be immediately thrown a\vay. When
peculiar difficulties present themselves study these general
principles carefully and experiment with all the means at
hand until a successful method is attained; then make careful
notes of your experiment.

Special Directions for Summer Collecting

The Museum wishes to keep on hand for dissection sev-
eral dozen of each of the following forms and each member
of the Natural History Society should m.ake these the basis
of his work during the summer.

Eartliworms. Where earthworms are abundant speci-
mens the size of a lead pencil mxay bel ooked for on the sur-
face of the ground at night. Use a light and avoid jarring
the ground. Anaesthetize in 30-50 /t alcohol and transfer at
once to 95*// alcohol, holding each worm extended a moment
till hardened. Select the perfectly straight specimens, roll
them up in a strip of cloth and preserve in 95V( alcohol, re-
renewed after three days. Make full record of localities,
habits, behavior, and methods of capturing and putting up.

Garden Slugs. Anaesthetize in SOV^ alcohol. A capsule
of coagulated slime will form about each specimen. Cut
this and roll the animal out and preserve in 95'/< alcohol.
Experiment to find a method of killing these animals fully
relaxed. Make careful report on the living animals and on
methods of putting up.

Crmufishes. Kill, fix, and preserve in strong alcohol,
changed once after three days, or in 39' formalin. Full
written report.

GrassJwp2)ers and CorlroacJies. Take only the largest
specimens and kill, fix, and preserve in strong alcohol or 3%

17

formalin.

Myriapods or Tliousandlegs. Drop all kinds into 70%
alcohol.

Frogs. Chloroform, fix in natural position and preserve
in strong- alcohol, renewed once after three days, or in 4%
formalin.

Lizards. Treat like frogs, using special care to fix
straight

Salamanders, Neiuts, Mud Puiwies, and all other Tailed
AmpJiihians. Those that breath by lungs may be chloro-
formed. Those that breath by gills may be immersed in
Avater containing salt, or alcohol or formalin may be added
slowly to the water. Fix carefully with all parts straight.
Fill the abdominal cavity with fixing fluid. Preserve in 6Vf
formalin or in strong alcohol, renewed after three days and
again after ten days. In spite of all popular reports none of
these ampliihia are imisonons.

HaU-groivn Kittens. Take only clean specimens of the
right size. Kill by drowning or chloroform, fix carefully
and preserve in 7% formalin.

All specimens should be stored in vvide mouthed bottles,
tightly stoppered, glass fruit jars, earthenv/are jars, or tin
pails tightly covered. All except the smaller specimens may
be wrapped in white cotton cloth to advantage. Notes may
be written on this cloth in lead pencil. The Museum will
pay transportation charges on good material. This must be au-
thorized in advance, however, after full written description.

SASSARD BROS. PRINT

18

<X3
CD
CJ)

The Bulletin is published monthly from October to May by the College of Charles-
ton and is devoted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and notes from the
Museum. Entered at the postoffice at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIN

OF THE

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON MUSEUM

EuiTKD KY PAUL M. REA

CURATOR OF THE MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY

Vol. 1 Charleston, S. C, October 1905. No 3

PARASITES, nOSQUETOES AND DISEASE.

The lifetime of most animals, including man, is spent in
a struggle for food and a constant warfare with enemies.
Some animals, however, have a very lazy way of getting
through life. Like somie men, they depend upon the activi-
ties of others for their livelihood. The animals thus im-
posed upon are called hoets. The "hanger-on" or parasite
obtains its food supply without labor on its own part, and,
often living within the body of the host, secures protection
from its natural enemies. The host usually suffers incon-
venience, often bodily harm, and the lazy manner of living
is not without cost to the parasite. Work, activity is as
necessary for every minute part of the bodily mechanism as
it is for the whole organism, be that organism lower animal
or man. Degeneration follows close upon laziness. And
so, when the parasite ceases to struggle for its food, when,

* Abstract of a public lecture delivered by Professor Rea in Mani-
gault Hall, Monday evening, October 30.

19

Sassard Bros. Print.

like the tapeworm, it is constantly bathed in a pre-digested
food supply, the digestive system of the parasite goes to
pieces. When the constant watch and ward against ever-
present enemies is relaxed, the nervous system follows suit.
And so it happens to all the tissues of the body when they
cease to do work.

But degeneration is not the only price v/hich the parasite
pays for its inactivity. Its life is entirely dependent upon the
hf e of its host. If the host dies the parasite, too, must cease to
exist, being unable, through degeneration, to support itself.
The entire energy of the parasite then is devoted to the
problem of perpetuating its kind. With what success this
problem is solved many of the diseases of animals and men
bear witness.

The solution of this one difficulty of the parasite's life
often brings about a surprising complication in its life his-
tory. It is forced to resort to elaborate methods to secure
for its descendants the same effortless existence at the ex-
pense of the chosen host.

Take, for instance, the liver-fluke, a parasitic worm.,
about an inch and a half in length, v/hich lives within the
liver of the sheep. Its numerous eggs are laid in the bile
duct and are carried thence through the digestive system of
the sheep to the grass. If, by chance, the eggs meet v/ith
water they develop into tiny swimming embryos. These
embryos mature into a form quite unlike the parent liver-
fluke, and, in their turn, give rise to another generation of
embryos, which can develop only if they chance to meet with
a water-snail. They penetrate the respiratory cavity and
here within the protecting mantle, degenerate, lose all their
organs and become mere egg-sacs.

From their eggs develop f orm.s unlike any of those vv^hich
bore their way into the liver of the snail. Here several gen-
nerations of the same form may be produced until at the warm
season of the year they give rise to new forms which leave
the snail and swim about in the water. If the water dries

20

up these tiny organisms roll up in a ball with a thick coating
and, much after the fashion of the seeds of plants, lie dor-
mant upon the grass blades, never developing further unless
by chance devoured by a sheep. Once back in the digestive
system of the sheep, the tiny coated ball or cyst develops into
the small worm with which this history started, and makes
its home once more in the liver of the sheep. This singular
life history presents the spectacle of three generations of
varying forms, choosing different hosts, but all parasitic in
the adult condition. And the whole purpose of this compli-
cated process it must be remembered is simply to provide for
getting the descendants of the liver-fluke into the liver of
another sheep.

Many parasites solve their life problem by such an alterna-
tion of generations as has been described and of these the
one which interests us tonight because of its near relation to
ourselves in the genus Plasmodium.

Plasmodium is one of the smallest of animals, merely a sin-
gle cell, and lives as a parasite in the red corpuscles of the
blood of higher animals, chiefly in man and birds. The host
suffers because the Plasmodium changes the very necessary
substance of the red blood corpuscle, viz, the haemo-
globin into granules of a supposably poisonous substance
called malenin. Every 48 hours (72 hours in another spe-
cies) a host of spores and melanin granules is set free in
the blood; these spores infect new corpuscles and the process
is repeated, over and over again. The melanin granules
are supposed to exert a poisonous influence upon the body
causing chill, followed by fever and sweating — in brief — ma-
laria.

The derivation of the word {mala, bad-ffr?'rt, air) suggests
the theory long held as to the cause of malaria. The night
air of low, swampy regions has been held responsible. Drink-
ing water, also, has been accused of being the means of in-
troducing the malarial parasite into the system. But it
remained for the microscopist to discover the real agent of
infection.

21

If a drop of blooddrawn from a malarial patient is exposed
to the air for 10-30 minutes, some of the Plasmodium spores
are observed to put out little whip-like processes which usu-
ally break off and swim about j:by themselves while other
spores remain round and motionless. The former
(microg-ametes) unite with the latter — (macrogametes. )
This strange development of the Flasmodimn spore
was found to take place only when outside of the body
of the patient, and it was therefore recognized as the begin-
ning of an extra-corporeal stage of the existence of the para-
site.

In what host was this period of its life history passed?
Since the malarial parasite is entirely unable to leave the
blood of its own accord the question became — what agent
could remove it? Clearly some blood-sucking animal com-
mon in low-lying, damp regions, probably a suctorial insect,
w^as the culprit. Suspicion at once pointed to the mosquito.
Finally by the labor of Laveran, Major Ross in India, and
Koch, Grassi and others elsewhere, the surmise was proved
orrect, and the complete life history of Plasmodium made
out.

It was found that in the digestive tract of the gerus
Anopheles, the same development of the Plasmodium spore
into conjugating micro — and macrogametes takes place as
has been observed in the drop of blood drawn from the body
of a malarial patient. The fertilized egg which is the result
of this union bores through the stom.ach wall of the mos-
quito and out in the body cavity breaks up into a host of
spores. These work their way forward into the salivary
glands of the insect, and here lie ready to be trans-
ferred to the blood of the next victim of the mosquito.
The entire process of development which the parasite under-
goes while enjoying the mosquito as a host occupies seven or
eight days.

That the malarial parasite is transmitted solely through the
agency of mosquitoes has been strikingly demonstrated by ex-

22

periments carried on in the Campagna of Italy — for centuries
reputed one of the v/orst malarial regions of the world. Two
investigators lived here for weeks with the sole precaution of
retiring before sunset to a mosquito-proof hut and rem.aining
therein until after sunrise. The windows and doors remained
open and the notorious night air was never excluded. The
end of this experiment found the investigators in perfect
health. In this way it was demonstrated that the worst ma-
larial regions are robbed of their terrors by quarantine against
mosquitoes. That the mosquito was not unjustly accused
was proved by the placing of volunteers under perfect hy-
gienic conditions and allowing them to be bitten by mosqui-
toes which seven days before had fed upon m.alarial blood.
Malaria was invariably developed in these cases.

Of many genera of mosquitoes Culex and Anopheles are
the most common. Now the malarial parasite may produce
its micro- and maerogametes in the intestine of any blood-
sucking insect, but it is only in mosquitoes of the genus
Anopheles ; that further development takes place. Since
Anopheles is a night-flier it is very natural that the malaria
was attributed to the night air when it should have been the
night mosquito. The bite of Culex never conveys malaria.

The importance of the relation between the mosquito and
disease is further increased by the very recent discovery,
since 1899, of the transmission of the much dreaded yellow
fever by a mosquito, not Anopheles in this case, but Stegomijia
fasclata. This mosquito is not a native of this country, but
has been imported from the West Indies and Central America,
and has readily established itself in all our Southern coast
cities, even penetrating some considerable distance inland.

The relation oi Stegomyia fasciata to yellow fever has been
demonstrated by experiments carried on in Cuba under the
direction of the United States army. A camp was established
under perfect hygienic conditions and here non-immune vol-
unteers were allowed to be bitten by mosquitoes which had
previously fed upon the blood of yellow fever patients. As

23

a result of the experiments we know that a mosquito which
has bitten a fever-stricken patient during the first three days
of the disease is capable, after an incubation-period of from
twelve to eighteen days, of transmitting yellow fever to
every non-immune person it bites during the rest of its life.
After about the third day of the disease the infective princi-
ple disappears from the blood and mosquitoes can no longer
become contaminated.

Just as in the history of malarial fever, other theories have
been current regarding the cause of yellow fever. Chief
among these was the theory of transmission by f omites {i. e.
articles or inanimate objects that have come in contact with
yellow fever patients or their immediate surroundings).
That the disease can not be conveyed by fomites and that
mosquitoes are the onlv agents of infection has been abun-
dantly proved by the army experiments in Cuba. A mos-
quito-proof hut was erected and filled with clothing, bedding,
etc., soiled and contaminated by contact with yellow fever
patients. Amid these unwholesome surroundings three non-
immune young Americans slept for twenty nights and
emerged in perfect health. In another building, thoroughly
disinfected, a volunteer developed yellow fever from the bite
of an infected mosquito, while other men in the same room
but protected from mosquitoes remained in perfect health.
The knowledge gained through these experiments proves that
disinfection of freight and baggage from yellow fever regions
is needless if care be taken to see that it contains no live
mosquitoes.

On the analogy of malaria these facts suggest that there
must be a microscopic or ultra-microscopic parasite of Stepo-
myia fasciata which, in order to complete its life cycle, must
be transferred to the blood of a human being as intermediate
host, and that this parasite is the cause of yellow fever. Up
to the present time, however, such a parasite has not been
isolated although we know the place and duration of both
stages of its life history.

24

If mosquitoes could be exterminated malaria and yellow
fever would vanish from the face of the earth. Though this
is manifestly beyond the power of man, still the case is not
hopeless for mosquitoes are not strong fliers and never travel
far from their breeding places. When strong winds blow
they seek shelter and so are seldom blown great distances.
A moderate wind blowing steadily in one direction may dis-
tribute mosquitoes several miles. Trains carry them farther
but since these modes of dispersal are unusual we may con-
clude that each locality breeds its own mosquitoes. Mosqui-
toes breed by thousands in still water, stagnant pools,
swamps, marshes, mud puddles, gutters, cesspools, sewers,
cisterns, rain-barrels, tin cans, in fact, wherever water
stands for tv/o or three weeks at a time. If these breeding
places can be abolished the mosquitoes will go too. In many
localities it is quite feasible to drain or fill in pools, swamps
and marshes, and not only banish the mosquitoes but also
improve the landscape incidentally. Cisterns and the like
can easily be screened and the tin cans on dumps should be
cared for in any case.

A brief examination of the life history of the mosquito
will show that even when bodies of still water cannot be
abolished mosquitoes may still be controlled. The female
mosquito always resorts to v/ater to lay her eggs, which float
on the surface till the larvae, "wrigglers", hatch. These
larvae breathe by a tube at the posterior end of the body and
later metamorphose into pupae which breathe through the
head. From the pupa the adult mosquito emerges fully
formed into the air. Now fish feed voraciously on mosquitoes
in all these stages and the introduction of fish into ponds will
often exterminate the mosquitoes. Perhaps one of the most
useful methods of distruction, however, is in covering the
surface of still water with a thin film of patroleum. This
kills the females as they come down to lay eggs and drowns
the larvae and pupae by preventing their breathing tubes
from reaching the air. Wherever systematic efforts of this

25

sort have been made a gratifying decrease in the number of
mosquitoes and the amount of disease has resulted.

CHARLESTON NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

At a recent meeting of the Charleston Natural History So-
ciety, which was organized last spring under the auspices of
the Museum, it was decided to devote the winter work to a
study of the birds of Charleston and vicinity. The Museum
will prepare special exhibits to aid in identifying birds and
the Bulletin will publish each month a list of all the birds
that have been reported from actual observation. All per-
sons who are interested in the study of birds or who v/ould
like to become acquainted with our local bird life are invited
to join this society. Particulars regarding membership may
be obtained from the president, Mr. H. R. Sass, or from the
curator of the Museum.

The following list of October birds, compiled from notes
and observations by Mr. H. R. Sass, is offered as a basis for
future work:

Permanent residents. Black vulture, turkey buzzard,
mockingbird, cardinal, common crow, Carolina wren, great
blue heron, yellow hammer, downy woodpecker, yellow-bel-
lied sapsucker?, blue jay, clapper rail, kingfisher?, bob-
white, Carolina dove, brown thrasher.

Summer residents. Red-eyed vireo, white-eyed vireo, red
start, chimney swift, Maryland yellow throat, hummingbird,
little blue heron, night heron, night havv^k, summ.er warbler
black throated blue warbler, Blackburnian warbler, yellow-
billed cuckoo, ovenbird, nonpareil, catbird, wood pewer?,
bank swallow, hermit thrush.

Winter residents. Loggerhead?, ricebird?, herring gull?,
sharp-shinned hawk?, cooper's hawk?, sparrow hawk?,
meadow-lark, red-bellied woodpecker?, crested tit, chick-
adee, towhee, myrtle warbler, kildeer plover, pied-billed
grebe, purple grackle?.

26

We quote from lh\ Sass ; "The above mentioned species
have actually been observed during the month of October,
either in Charleston, on the Ashley River and Wappoo Cut,
on James Island, or on the mainland north of Wappoo Cut,
known as St. Andrew's Parish. This list is very incomplete.
It should be taken as a list of the commoner October birds
rather than of all the October birds. There are many wad-
ers undoubtedly present in this region during October which
are not mentioned above. In addition there are many other
forms which I am almost certain are here in October, though
I am unable to verify my belief by means of my notes."

The Museum will welcome any addition to the list of Octo-
ber birds, snd since it is desired to make the November list
as complete as possible contributions from any observers will
be gladly received.

EX^;!BiT5 AT THE MUSEUM
*BiRDS: The Pheasant Family, Fhasianidae.

This family includes the pheasants, peacocks and turkeys,
as well as the jungle fowl of India {Gallus hanldva) from
which our domestic fovv^ls are supposed to be descended.
The pheasants and peacocks originated in Asia, but are now
common throughout Southern Europe and England, and have
been introduced into parts of this country. The Yucatan
turkey and four races of the wild turkey are the only repre-
sentatives of this family native in America. Our domestic
turkey is derived from the wild turkey of Mexico, which
was introduced into Europe in the 16th century, and from
there was brought to Eastern North America. It differs
from the native turkey only in having light tips on wings
and tail.

The peacock, {Favo cristatus) is a native of India and is

*This collection hiis been ai-ning:ed by Mr. Fitzhugh Sally, who will
continue to work on the birds of liie Museum during' the winter.

27

said to have been introduced into Greece by Alexander the
Great. The birds are readily tamed, are extremely prolific,
and are found in parks and on estates throughout this country,
being highly prized for their beauty. The Romans esteemed
them highly as a food, but at present only the young are
eaten as the flesh of the old bird is hard and dry.

The Pheasants (Plmsianae) are counted among the most
beautiful birds in existence. They came from Asia and are
said to have been introduced into Europe from Phasis, a
river of Colchis, about the time of the Argonauts. They live
in wooded places, build their nests on the ground and feed on
insects and seeds. If disturbed by sportsmen they have a
foolish habit of perching in a nearby tree and fixing their at-
tention so intently upon the dogs that the hunters may easily
approach and kill them. Pheasants are highly esteemed as
a table luxury and would, therefore, soon be exterminated if
they were not protected and bred by the owners of large es-
tates. Becauseof their beauty they are kept in most of the
parks of Europe and in this country the golden, silver, and
ring-necked pheasants have been successfully introduced into
Washington, Oregon and California, and have become natur-
alized in game preserves in the East.

The representatives of this family in the Museum include
a fine group of English pheasants mounted amid their nat-
ural surroundings. The male is perched on a low stump, on
the lookout for enemies. The female, protectively colored
in soft, dull browns, is couched on her nest in the grass
while near her run the flock of downy chicks seeking for
food. This group, though mounted in Ireland 20 years ago,
is one of the best effects in the Museum. It was purchased
in April, 1905. Other specimens of the English pheasant
show the variability of its coloring, some closely approach-
ing the ring-necked pheasant, while another is spotted with
white throughout. The collection also includes the golden,
silver, Japanese, fire-back and the rare argus pheasants be-
sides the peacock and our native wild turkey.

28

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

The Museum is open to the public on Saturdays from 10 to
5 and on other week-days from 10 to 12 and 1 to 5. Chil-
dren unaccompanied by an adult are admitted only on Satur-
days.

Manigault Hall, which has been closed for some months
during the progress of alterations necessary to convert it
into a lecture-room, is again open to the public, except at
times when it is ia use for lectures. The archaeological and
ethnological collections have been rearranged about the
v/alls, leaving the center of the hall free for an audience
room. A platform with a lecturer's desk and long table for
exhibition of specimens has been constructed and a movable
blackboard placed behind it. On the opposite side of the
room a powerful electric lantern has been installed for the
projection of lantern slides and microscopic objects, includ-
ing living forms.

The curator is pleased to announce at the beginning of the
college year the opening of a library for the Museum and the
Department of Biology. The remodelling • of Manigault Hall
for use as a lecture-room has made it possible to devote to
this purpose a sm.all room formerly used as a class-room. A
large new bookcase affords accommodation for the many rare
and valuable scientific books belonging to the College and
Museum. These have hitherto been inaccessible, having
been stored away in the over-crov/ded library building of the
college. The new library renders available the complete sets
of scientific publications of the government, and the curator
has this year added a number of new books and journals.

During the past two years a card catalogue of this library
has been in preparation and is now nearly completed. It
contains also cards for the scientific books of the Charleston
Library Society. It is the wish of the curator to make this
catalogue a reference list of the scientific resources of

29

Charleston, and he will esteem it a great favor if the owners
of private libraries having in their possession old or modern
scientific books of value or interest will communicate with
him to this end. The library is open to all properly qualified
persons upon application to the curator.

The lecture on Parasites, Mosquitoes, and Disease was il-
lustrated by lantern slides and at the close of the hour living
mosquito larvae and pupae were projected upon the screen.
The Museum expects to receive in a few days a collection of
mounted mosquitoes of the United States which will be es-
pecially attractive to those who attended the lecture on Oc-
tober 30th.

Temporary electric lighting was provided for the ap-
proaches to Manigault Hall for the lecture on Monday even-
ing, October 30th. In order that evening lectures may be
given at the Museum during the fall and winter, this tem-
porary installation will be retained until funds are available
for a permanent equipment.

Three important departments of the Museum are undergoing
revision and rearrangement this fall. Special attention will
be devoted to the birds of Charleston and vicinity and the
collections in Agassiz Hall are being arranged to assist the
field study of our local birds which has been undertaken by
the Charleston Natural History Society, as described on
page 26 of the Bulletin. In addition a systematic revision
of the collection is in progress and will be reported from time
to time in the Bulletin.

The gallery of Holmes Hall is being prepared for
the exhibition of the extensive osteological collection
which is now scattered throughout the Museum and
when all the skeletons have been put in order a series of
special studies will be undertaken which will serve as a guide
to the exhibit. The synoptic collection of invertebrates is
being entirely revised and much material which is now in
storage will be prepared for exhibition.

30

The Bulletin is published monthly from October to May by the College of Charles-
ion and is devoted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and notes from the
Museum. Entered at the post office at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIN

OF THE

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited by PAUE M. REA.

curator of the museum and professor of biology

Vol. 1 Charleston, S. C. November, 1905 No. 4

*SOME ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES

Charleston, S. C, Nov. 10, 1905.

To THE Editor of the Bulletin: Noting with great
pleasure the appearance of the Museum Bulletin, and enjoy-
ing its excellent "menu" of popular scientific information,
it occurs to me that the following observations, selected from
a large number accumulated in the course of weekly visits to
the country, may be of interest to some of your readers.

Septemher 20, 1005. While crossing the causeway con-
necting South Island with the mainland in Georgetown
County, a bird rose from the fresh water portion of the
marsh which at first glance I supposed to be a young speci-
men of the White Ibis (Eudocimus albtis) , indeed there was

*The Bulletin takes pleasure in publishing these valuable contribu-
tions to the ornithology of South Carolina and takes advantage of this
opportunity to express the hope that other readers will follow the ex-
ample of Dr. Wilson and send us observations in any department of
natural history. — Editor.

31

but one other bird that it could possibly be, and that one no
one is ever looking for in South Carolina — the Roseate Spoon-
bill (Ajaja rosea) . But the next moment a slight change
of direction brought the head and bill into view and it was
the Spoonbill — the bird that Dr. Bachman sav\^ only three
times in twenty years, and Audubon never saw at all. I
have heard of but one other record, years ago at Beaufoit,
and have no assurance that the bird seen then was not a
flamingo. In the present instance the identification was
positive.

October 3, 1905. The Black Crowned Night Heron {Nyc-
tiardea grisea naevia, Cones,) is common enough and maybe
seen about the marshes almost any evening or early morning,
usually on the wing or perched on some tree. The Yellow
Crowned Night Heron {Nyctiardea violacea), however, is a
very much rarer bird, and more frequently heard than seen.
On the date mentioned I walked down to a marshy creek
near Bull's Bay, about five miles from Awendaw Bridge, to
pick up any ornithological facts that might be "lying around
loose," and was at once attracted by what looked like a large
hawk perched on a. dead limb some six hundred yards avv^ay.
The limb, however, overhung the v/ater too near the surface
to be a likely resting place for any large hav/k of my acquain-
tance, and on bringing my glasses to bear on it I saw at
once that it was a heron, though evidently none with which
I was familiar. Crossing the bridge I saw it fly down to the
edge of the marsh and made a long stalk along the wooded
margin only to flush a small Blue Heron from apparently the
very spot. I knew that this was certainly not my bird, and
pushed on a few yards furtlier, when tv\^o herons, unknov/n
to me, flapped up and away, but too much hidden by the
bushes to be identified except by general contour and mode
of flight. I followed, saw them standing on the mud far up
the creek bed, and in flve minutes more had two Yellow-
Crowned Night Herons under my bird glasses not fifty yards
distant and entirely unsuspicious of my presence. It v/as a

32

little after noon and the sun bright and warm, but the birds
were fishing quietly and rather lazily in the little pools left
by the tide. They w^ould pick up an occasional fiddler as
they walked slowly about, then pause for a moment and
strike and swallow a small fish. This was done in a manner
different from any other heron, and I have observed them
all. The patient v;atching of the Green "Skowk", the fid-
getty hurry of the Louisiana Heron, the dignified pose and
lightning stroke of the Great Blue, the two Egrets, and the
Small Blue Heron are all different. These birds paused v/ith-
out any show of excitement, but rigid as a pointer on a
covey; the neck began to straighten almost imperceptibly,
gradually advancing the short (for a heron), thick, and slightly
curved beak with a deadly aim, for I never saw them miss,
and the next instant they were swallowing their catch before
you could well realize how they got it. The birds were in
summer plum.age of the first year, upper parts nearly solid
violaceous gray, lower parts several shades lighter. After
studying them for some ten minutes I showed myself and
they took wing, alighting in some green trees at a distance.

Noveniher 3, 1905. At this same place I v/as watching a
flock of Sanderlings and Ring Plovers, w^hen they suddenly
took flight, and looking up I sav/ a fine Goshawk {Astur
Atracapillus) flying off in apparent disappointm.ent. This
bird was in the brown plumage of the young and was the
first that I had seen in four years.

October 17, 1905. Had the good fortune to observe two
Bald Eagles catching their own fish — a very unusual sight.
From the steamer Thistle, on Winyah Bay, I had been watch-
ing the pair with a very fine glass which I always carry for
this purpose. Schools of mullets were jumping in every
direction. The eagles, which were "gray", i. e. in the plum-
age of the third year, suddenly changed their flight and
came sailing with bowed wings towards the water, being
near enough to the boat to make the glasses unnecessary.
Instead of the arrow-like swoop with which they would have

33

attacked a duck, or the downward plunge into the water of
the Fish Hawk, they gradually came down over the school
with legs fully extended and claws wide open, wetting only
the unfeathered tarsi, and rose without any apparent effort
on the line of a very obtuse parabola, each carrying a glit-
tering fish in his talons, with which they at once flew tov/ards
the shore.

Among other birds observed during September and Octo-
ber, besides the more common species, were the Duck Hawk,
{F. Per eg rimis), the "Gannet"— a bad misnomer, by the
wsLj— {Tantalus Loculator), and the Common tern.

Robert Wilson.

BIRD RECORD FORM

In view of the recent decision of the Charleston Natural
History Society to undertake an ecological study of the birds
of Charleston and vicinity the Curator has prepared a special
form for recording observations in such a manner that they
may be easily filed and conveniently accessible at the Mu-
seum. This form {see opposite page) is printed on cards24x8
inches. One card is used for a month's record of each spe-
cies and at the end of the month the cards are to be returned
to the Museum and placed on file so that all can be consulted
at any time. These cards are issued in sets sufficient for a
month's observations and provided with strong covers,
making packages the size of a notebook and conveniently
carried in the pocket. Directions for using the cards are
printed on the cover of each package. {See page 30).

The important feature of these cards is that from the data
on the top line all the records of any species, or of any ob-
server, or for any month or year can be easily brought
together at any time without the necessity of tabulation. In
the columns below space is provided for recording important
data and additional observations may be written on the back
of the card.

34

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NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

The Museum is open to the public on Saturdays from 10 to
5, and on other week-days from 10 to 12 and 1 to 5. Chil-
dren unaccompanied by an adult are admitted only on Sat-
urdays.

The Museum announces a lecture by the curator on Whales
AND Whaling to be given in Manigault Hall, Monday, Novem-
ber 27th, at 8.30 P. M. Many visitors at the Museum will be
interested in the history of the whales whose skeleton is
mounted in Agassiz Hall, and in learning something of the
life and habits of the different whales and porpoises and of
the methods of capturing them. The lecture will be illus-
trated with lantern slides. Entrance to the Museum Monday
evening may be had from St. Philip Street, or through the
College campus.

The regular November meeting of the Charleston Natural
History Society was held in Manigault Hall, Tuesday after-
noon, November 14th. Officers were elected for the winter
term and the regular meetings of the Society were appointed
to be held on the first Tuesday in each month during the
college year, at 4.30 P. M. Rev. Robert Wilson, D. D., was
elected an honorary member of the Society. After a brief
announcement by the Director of plans for the ecological
study of birds the Society listened to an interesting talk by
the president, Mr. H. R. Sass, describing twenty-five of the
most common birds found in Charleston and vicinity during
the winter months. The talk was illustrated with specimens
from the Museum, and these have since been placed in a
separate case in Agassiz Hall for convenient study.

Professor Rea was invited to deliver the address on the
occasion of the planting of trees on the grounds of the new
Dorchester school building at Summerville in observation of
Arbor Day. He described the function of the parts of a tree,
the influence of environment upon form and growth, and the
uses of ornamental and timber trees.

37

The October and November numbers of the Bulletin are
sent as sample copies to teachers in the graded schools of
Charleston. The Bulletin contains reports of lectures, de-
scriptions of exhibits, and announcements of changes in the
Museum. It will be sent by mail to any address for twenty-
five cents a year. To those subscribing now Nos. 1 and 2 of
Vol. 1 will be sent without charge to make a complete file.
All who are interested in the Museum should subscribe to
the Bulletin.

All who are interested in the study of birds are invited to
join the Charleston Natural History Society, which is making
a study of bird life in Charleston and vicinity. The Society
was organized to co-operate with the Pviuseum and is accorded
special privileges. Members receive the Bulletin free, are
admitted to special lectures and conferences, and have access
to the Museum library, the bird records, and specimens in
the cases. Particulars regarding membership may be ob-
tained from the president, Mr. H. R. Sass, or from the curator
of the Museum.

The Museum particularly wishes to record observations of
birds seen within the city limits. It is interesting in this
connection to note that seventy-one species have been ob-
served in one garden south of Tradd Street, in this city. This
will be encouraging news to those who can seldom go into
the country to make their studies of bird life.

37

SASSARD BROS. PRIM.

The Bulletin is published monthly from October to May by the College of Charles-
ton and is devoted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and notes from the
Museum. Entered at the post office at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIN

OF THE

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited by PAUL M. REA

CURATOR OF THE MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY

Vol. 1 Charleston, S. C. December, 1905 No. 5

EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUM

Whales and Dolphins, Order Cetecea

Special attention was attracted to these aquatic mammals
by Professor Rea's lecture of November 27th on " Whales
and Whaling" and the following account is intended as a
guide to the Cetacea in the Museum.

In spite of their aquatic habits and fish-like form the
Cetacea are mammals. They differ from fishes in breathing
by lungs and not by gills, in being viviparous, and not
oviparous, i. e., they produce their young alive instead of
laying eggs, and in suckling the young with a pair
of milk glands or mammae. The fish-Hke form is an
adaptation to facilitate progress through a dense
^ju medium like water. It is produced largely by the fat or blub-
ber which covers the body in a layer often two feet thick.
The ancestors of the whales were probably covered with hair
for although few of them now have more than a dozen hairs

38

CD

on the whole body the embryos are much better supplied.
The embryos also show signs of dermal plates which make it
possible that these animals may once have been as completely
armored as the armadillo is to-day. With the loss of both
hair and dermal plates the blubber has been developed
to keep th-e animal warm.

One of the many adaptations to aquatic life is the shorten-
ing of the fore limbs and their conversion into paddles, which
assist in balancing the body, but are of little use in sv/im-
ming. The hind limbs must have been entirely useless for
they have completely disappeared except for the small bones
of the pelvis deeply buried in the flesh. One old theory sup-
posed that the great flukes of the tail, upon which the whale
depends almost entirely in swimming, were the hind limbs
migrated backwards. There was nothing inherently im-
probable in this supposition but it was conclusively over-
turned by the discovery that the flukes develop as lateral
flanges on the tail of the embryo at a time when distinct ru-
diments of the hind limbs are present.

The horizontal position of the whale's flukes is strikingly at
variance with the universal vertical tail fin of the fishes. The
vertical fin is adapted for turning the body to one side or the
other, while the horizantal flukes are more effective in ver-
tical motions, and so are specially suited to the needs of the
whale which must needs spend much of its time in coming
up to the surface for air, something which the fish never has
to do. The whales breathe through nostrils or blow-
holes situated at the highest part of the head— far back in
the case of the baleen whales, but at the very tip of the great
square head of the sperm whale. On coming to the surface
to breathe the whale first expels the vitiated air from its
lungs, and this, .being warm and moist, condenses in the
colder air to form steam or spray. This is the "blowing" of
the whale, and if it is begun just before the surface is reached
a little salt water may be carried up also, but water from the
mouth is never expelled through the nostrils, for no such

39

communication exists between the two passages as in our-
selves.

Although all whales are carnivorous they are far from com-
peting for the same food in all cases. The sperm whales
feed largely on the giant squids and cuttle fishes, with
which we have such slight acquaintance because they live at
the bottom of the deeper parts of the ocean. To secure food
of this sort the sperm whales are provided with long narrov/
jaws and strong teeth, but of the nature of the combat be-
tween these giants we can easily imagine more than we know.
The beaks of the squids in the stomach of the v/hale are proof
that the whale is often victorious; but may v/e not suppose
that he must run some risk of being ignominiously drowned
in the entwining arms of the squid ?

Other whales are entirely lacking in teeth. Teeth would
indeed be utterly useless on the microscopic molluscs upon
which these whales chielly feed, and in their place there
hang down from the sides of the upper jaw long plates of
baleen or "whalebone" which are frayed out into fine hairs
on the inner edge. Plowing through the sea with mouth
wide open many thousands of minute pelagic animals are
gathered into this rapacious maw. The jaws then close, the
baleen plates folding down inside the great lower lips, and a
two-ton tongue rises and presses the water out through the
meshes of the baleen, which act as a sieve to retain each mi-
nute particle of food. Not the least surprising feature of
this whole apparatus is the small size of the oesophagus,
which is not more than two inches in diameter, and so
contrasts oddly with the cavernous mouth, although perfectly
adapted to the food which it receives.

If we turn once more to the evidence of embryology we
shall see that teeth are formed in the jaws of the embryos
of baleen whales and then absorbed to make room for the
whalebone, very convincing proof that these whales are the
most extremely specialized of ail the Cetacea. Indeed it
would be hard to find any vertebrate animal which has un-

40

dergone such extensive changes in habits and structure.

In the effort to learn more of the ancestry of the whales
we naturally turn to paleontology to supplement the embry-
ological evidence. But in this we are doomed to disappoint-
ment, for the few fossil Cetaceans which are known fail to
throw any light on the nature of the terrestrial ancestors
of the group. In connection with the preservation of Ceta-
cean remains it is of interest to note that the earbones of
whales are remarkably dense and, together with the teeth
of sharks and bits of meteoric iron, are abundant in the
deeper parts of the ocean floor. The extreme slowness with
which these deposits must accumulate is evident.

The order Cetacea was formerly divided into herbivorous
and carnivorous groups. The former, including the Manatee,
Dugong, and the recently exterminated Rhytina or Steller's
Sea-cow, are now referred to a distinct order — Sirenia. The
Cetacea, as now understood, are all carnivorous forms, and
comprise three sub-orders — the Mystacoceti or whalebone
whales, the Archseoceti, a group of extinct Cetaceans of the
genus Zeuglodon, and the Odontoceti or toothed whales.
The last sub-order includes the Sperm whale {Physeter) and
the Dolphins (Delphinidae) .

The following Cetacean exhibits are to be found in the
Museum.

BLACK WHALE, NORDCAPER, OR BISCAY WHALE

Baleana GLALICALIS Bonnaterre=B. CISARCTICA, Cope

This is the skeleton of a young male captured in Charles-
ton Harbor January 8, 1880, and mounted by Dr. Gabriel E.
Manigault, then Curator of the Museum.

The length of this animal in the flesh was 40 feet 4 inches.
The skeleton measures 35 feet 7 inches. Fortunately the
greater part of the baleen plates or "whalebone" is shown
in its natural position in the jaws.

41

The Black whale was formerly abundant oiT the coast of
South Carolina and in other parts of the Eastern and West-
ern Atlantic in temperate latitudes. This species is distinct
from the Arctic or Greenland Right v/hale {B. mysilcctus)
and is closely related to the Southern Rig-ht whale {B. aus-
trails)^ .

BLACK WHALE. NORDCAPER, OR BISCAY WKALE
Baleana glacialis, Bonnaterre=B. cisakctica, cope

Incomplete skeleton formerly mounted in the Museum but
disarticulated to make room for the smaller but perfect
specimen now in Aggasiz Hall. Note the shape of the lower
jaws and the absence of teeth and compare with the jaws
of the sperm whale. .

LOWER JAWS OF SPERM WHALE
Physeter macrocephalus

Compare the shape of these jaws and the strong teeth
with the lower jaws of the baleen whales. These jaws are
from a Sperm whale captured off the South Carolina coast.

BLACK-FISH

Globiocephelas melas

Skeleton of a Black-fish from Cape Cod, Mass. This
animal is taken in schools and yields a moderate amount of
oil. The Dolphins (DelpMnidae) , of which the Black-fish is
a typical member, include the smaller whales with numerous
functional teeth in both jaws.

42

Bibliography

1. Beddard, F. E. A book of whales. Charleston Library

Society. A thoroughly scientific but readable account
of the whales and dolphins.

2. Brown, J. T. The whalemen, vessels, apparatus, and

methods of the [whale] fishery. In The fisheries
and fishery industries of the United States. Sec. V.
vol. II. Museum Library.

3. BuLLEN, F. T. The cruise of the Cachalot. Also Deni-

zens of the deep. Charleston Library Society. . A
very interesting mixture of fact and fiction, observa-
tion and imagination. No statement in these books
can be accepted without verification.

4. Clark, A. H. History and present condition of

the [whale] fishery. In The fisheries and fishery
industries of the United States. Sec. V. vol. II. Mu-
seum Library. Contains a description of the capture
in Charleston harbor of the Black whale whose
skeleton is now in the Museum, reprinted from the
Charleston News of January 8, 1880.

5. Flower and Lydeker. Mammals, recent and extinct.

Museum Library. Contains an excellent article on
Cetacea.

6. Lucas, F. A. Whales and whaling on the coast of New-

foundland. The Children's Museum News, Dec,
1904. Museum Library . Dimensions of the Sulphur-
bottom and accounts of its capture by modern steam
whaling methods.

7. Manigault, G. E. The Black whale captured in Charles-

ton Harbor. Froc. Elliott Soc. 1885. Museum
Library.

8. True, F. W. The whalebone whales of the Western

North Atlantic, etc. Museum Library. Contains
many references to the Black whale in the Museum.

4

o

APROPOS OF THE ROSEATE SPOONBILL

The publication in the November Bulletin of Dr. Robert
Wilson's observation of the Roseate Spoonbill has brought to
the attention of the Editor several very interesting accounts
of the occurrence of this bird in Charleston and vicinity,

In June, 1879, a Roseate Spoonbill v/as killed in Lucas Mill
Pond in Charleston. The skeleton was presented to the Mu-
seum by Dr. T. Grange Simons and mounted by Dr. G. E.
Manigault. It may now be seen in Agassiz Hall. The
plumage of the Roseate Spoonbill is shown by a mounted
skin also in Agassiz Hall. This bird, hov/ever, was not killed
in this vicinity.

Dr. Simons states that about the year 1840 a Roseate
Spoonbill was killed in a pond near Charleston by his uncle,
Mr. Charles M. Bentham. The feathers of this bird were
preserved within his recollection.

Mr. Henry L. Barker writes from Oakley Depot, S. C. , as
follows :

"In the early sixties Elias A. Ball, then the owner of
* Dean Hall ' plantation, noticed one day a curious looking
bird feeding on the edge of the duck pond, and getting his
rifle he chanced a very long shot in the hope of securing it,
which fortunately he succeeding in doing, sending the ball
through the neck. It proved to be a Roseate Spoonbill, iden-
tified by the plate and description in Audubon, and was by
long odds the most beautiful bird I ever saw."

The following statement from Rev. John Kershaw, D. D.,
adds another record of this bird : ' ' About thirty years ago
while on a fishing trip near Morris Island my attention was at-
tracted to a bird that flev/ up from the marsh near by which,
as it went, uttered a succession of peculiar harsh cries. I
thought at first it was one of those small white cranes that
abound hereabouts, but I observed that its flight, the
movement of its wings, was different and swifter, that its

44

cry was one I had never heard before, and that there was a
rosy color about its throat and breast such as I had never be-
fore seen. I called the attention of a gentleman presen
(Gen. W. G. Desaussure) to the bird, and he told me it was
a Roseate Spoonbill, a rare bird in this vicinity, he added,
though in his youth it had been more abundant."

Any further record of the occurrence of the Roseate Spoon-
bill in South Carohna will be appreciated by the Editor.

NQTES FROn THE HUSEUfl

The Musum is open to the public on Saturdays from 10 to 5,
and on other week days from 10 to 12 and 1 to 5. Children
unaccompanied by an adult are admitted only on Saturdays.

The attendance at the lecture on " Whales and Whaling "
was 133 as compared with 105 at the lecture on " Parasites,
Mosquitoes and Disease."

The Bulletin will be sent by mail to any address for
twenty-five cents a year. Complete sets of back numbers
will be supplied on request to new subscribers.

The Museum announces the installation of a telephone,
number 2060, in the office of the Curator.

The regular monthly meeting of the Charleston Natural
History Society was held in Manigault Hall Tuesday, Dec,
5th, at 4.30 P. M. The feature of this meeting was a con-
tinuation of the talks on birds which were begun by Mr.
Sass in November.

Chapman's Hand boook of the birds Eastern North America
has been recently added to the Museum library and vv^ill be
found very convenient in studying the birds in the Museum.
The Charleston Library Society has subscribed to the Auk, a
very valuable quarterly journal of ornithology, and to Bird
Lore, the official organ of the Audubon Society.

45

I-

^n

The Bulletin is publislied monthly from October to May by the College of Charles-
ton and is devoted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and notes from the
Museum. Entered at the post office at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIN

OF THE

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited by PAUL M. REA

DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY

Vol. 2 Charleston, S. C, January, 1906 No. l

REPORT OF THE CURATOR OF THE MUSEUM
FOR THE YEAR 1905

To the President of the College of Charleston:

Sir: I have the honor to submit the follov/ing report
upon the work of the Museum for the year 1905.

Appropriation

The past year has been marked by the resumption of
active work at the Museum. In 1904 the annual appropria-
tion of City Council for the Museum was entirely inadequate
even to prevent deterioration of the collections. In my report
for that year I discused the grave danger of allowing the ap-
propriation to fall at any time below the amount necessary
to prevent such deterioration of collections which are the ac-
cumulation of more than half a century and in which the City
has invested a large amount of money. I also pointed out

the opportunity of the Museum to become an important fac-
tor in public education if granted a more liberal appropriation,
and gave a general outline of the functions and work of the
modern museum. In response to my suggestion, City Coun-
cil materially increased the Museum appropriation for the
past year. The wisdom of continuing a liberal support of
the Museum is abundantly shown by the results already
achieved as discussed in the following paragraphs.

Lectures

Public lectures are being provided bj^ the Museum to ex-
plain the work it is doing, to describe exhibits, and to place
before the public accurate information on important scienti-
fic subjects. The first of these lectures was given in April,
on "Museums of Natural History and Their Work." This
lecture was given at 5 o'clock in the afternoon and the at-
tendance was 61. In October a lecture on "Parasites, Mos-
quitoes, aud Disease" was given in the evening with an at-
tendance of 105. The November lecture on "Whales and
Whaling" was also given in the evening with an attendance
of 133. These lectures were all delivered by the Curator
and will be continued as frequently as his duties permit, but
it is hoped to secure other lecturers also.

The Curator offered to give a series of special lectures
for the teachers and pupils of the public schools, but was
unable to secure the co-operation of the Board of Commis-
sioners. This is to be regretted because of the success which
has attended such work in other places, and especially in
view of the fact that no form of nature study is taught in
our public schools.

Lecture Hall

The need for a lecture room in the Museum has been
met by alterations in Manigault Hall. A platform with a
lecturer's desk and a long table for exhibition of specimens
has been constructed and a blackboard placed behind it.

Seating for 90 persons has boen provided, but if present at-
tendance at the lectures continues additional chairs will have
to be purchased.

Arch^ological Collections

When the alterations in Manigault Hall were undertaken
it was proposed to loan the archaeological and ethnological
collections to the trustees of the Gibbes Memorial Art
Building. It was discovered, however, that the larger spec-
imens could not be received in the Art Building and the pro-
posed loan was abandoned. These collections have since
been rearranged so that they do not interfere with the use
of Manigault Hall as a lecture room.

Projection Apparatus

A powerful electric lantern has been installed in Mani-
gault Hall for the projection of lantern slides and micro-
scopic objects, including living forms. This projection
apparatus is of the latest and most perfect design and is
used to great advantage in the Museum lectures.

An attachment for the projection of opaqued objects in
natural colors can be obtained for use with this apparatus
and would greatly extend the scope of the lectures. Since
book illustrations and natural objects can be projected with-
out the cost of preparing lantern slides, a considerable sav-
ing in operating expenses can be effected by obtaining this
attachment at once.

The skylights in Manigault Hall have been provided
with heavy screens, which admit of darkening the room for
the use of the projection apparatus in the daytime.

Electric Lighting

Electric lighting was provided for Manigault Hall for
convenience in the use of the projection apparatus. When
it became evident that much better results could be obtained
from evening lectures, funds were not available for lighting

the approaches to the hall, and temporary wiring was put in.
The increased attendance at the lectures has shown the wis-
dom of this decision and permanent wiring should be installed
at once.

Library

The Museum has co-operated v/ith the department of Bi-
ology in establishing a department library. A suitable book-
case has been built in the office of the Curator and here have
been gathered all the books in the College Library pertaining
to this department, as well as books belonging to the Depart-
ment of Biology, and a few which are the property of the
Museum. A very valuable scientific library has thus been
formed containing many rare and valuable works, v/hich could
not be obtained by a new library. It is highly essential to
the \vork of the Museum that new books and journals should
be added regularly, and provision made for the proper care
of the hbrary and for binding pamphlets and journals. It will
be necessary to build another bookcase at once to shelve the
books nov/ at hand.

The card catalogue, begun by the Curator two years ago
and continued through the kindness of Mrs. P. M. Rea, has
now been placed in charge of Miss Frances Jervey of the
College Library. This catalogue contains cards for the scien-
tific books of the Charleston Library Society, as well as for
the Museum Library, and the Curator is adding as rapidly as
possible cards for valuable books in private libraries, which
may be consulted by properly qualified persons, thus making
a complete catalogue of the scientific library resources of
Charleston.

The Curator takes this opportunity of acknowledging the
cordial co-operation of the Charleston Library Society in add-
ing non- technical books and journals upon the recommenda-
tion of the Museum.

Publications

As a means of bringing its work before the public, the
Museum has undertaken the pubhcation of the Bulletin of
THE College of Charleston Museum, an eight to twelve
page leaflet published monthly from October to May and de-
voted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and
notes from the Museum. The Bulletin is entered at the
post office at Charleston, S. C, as second-class matter and is
sent to subscribers for twenty-five cents a year. It is also
sent without charge to the faculty and trustees of the Col-
lege, to members of City Council, to county superintendents
of education, to about half the newspapers in this state, and
in exchange to other museums, colleges, libraries, and scien-
tific workers.

The Bulletin is valuable not only as a means of keeping
the local public informed of the work of the Museum, but
also as a means of making the scientific activity of this city
better known throughout the country. A further value of
the Bulletin is as an historical record of the work of the
Museum.

Several opportunities are likely to present themselves to
the Museum of publishing scientific papers which would re-
flect credit on both the Museum and the city, but which are
too extensive to come within the scope of the Bulletin.
I would suggest the desirability of providing for the publica-
tion, at irregular intervals, of the results of scientific work
done under the auspices of the Museum. Such publications
might form a series, entitled "Contributions from the College
of Charleston Museum." In my discussion of the Elliott
Herbarium {infra) I show how the Museum suffers for lack
of such facilities for publication.

Charleston Natural History Society

As a part of the educational work of the Museum and as
a means of enlisting the interest and assistance of volunteer

workers, the Charleston Natural History Society was organ-
ized last spring under the auspices of the Museum. This so-
ciety takes up definite lines of popular scientific study, in
which it receives all the aid which the Museum can render.
Membership in the society is open to all who are interested
in the work which is carried on, at any time and when occa-
sion ofFers it is intended to divide the society into sections,
each devoted to the study of a separate topic. The Museum
extends to the society the facilities of its library and fre-
quently prepares special exhibits in co-operation with the
Society.

Bird Collections

The bird collections are badly in need of rearrangement
and relabelling and this work has been undertaken by a stu-
dent under the direction of the Curator. The identification
of specimens will be verined and permanent record made of
all the work done. The specimens will be arranged in the
most attractive manner for exhibition and for this purpose it
is necessary to provide glass and fittings for two additional
cases for which funds are not now available. Funds are also
needed for relabelling this collection in order to make it ac-
curate and attractive to visitors.

In connection Vv^ith the purchase of a very fine group of
English Pheasants, a special exhibit was prepared containing
examples of nearly all the species of this famnly. This ex-
hibit was temporarily placed in the tower cases at the en-
trance to the Museum, but should now be transferred and
permanently installed in Agassiz Hall-

The Charleston Natural History Society is engaged in an
ecological study of the birds of Charleston and vicinity. Its
meetings have included lectures on the birds of each month,
illustrated by specimens from the Museum, which have sub-
sequently been placed in a special case for study during the
month.

6

The Museum has also prepared special cards for record-
ing bird observations and when these have been used by the
members of the Society they are placed on file in the Muse-
um, constituting valuable records of ocncurrence and habits.
Provision should be made for printing more of these cards
and for a cabinet in which to file them.

Geological Collections,

Like nearly all the departments of the Museum, the geo-
logical collections are in grave danger of irreparable confu-
sion if not immediately revised and properly accessioned.
The Curator has been so fortunate as to enlist the interest
and co-operation of Professor David S. Martin of Brooklyn,
N. Y. , who has generously offered to work over this collec-
tion without remuneration save a nominal sum for ex-
penses.

Exchanges

The Museum is not as well supplied as it should be with
duplicate specimens for exchange. A proposition has, how-
ever, been received from the South Carolina College to ex-
change some of their duplicate rocks for our duplicate birds.
As a preliminary step the Curator is preparing a list of the
duplicate birds and it is to be hoped that a mutually advan-
tageous exchange can be arranged.

Osteological Collections

The admirable collection of skeletons preparsd by the
late Dr. G. E. Maniganlt, now scattered throughout the
Museum, is being prepared for removal to the gallery of
Holmes Hall, where it will be exhibited to much greater advan-
tage and leave available much valuable space on the main
floor. It is proposed to call this the Manigault Osteological
Collection.

Invertebrate Fossils

The records concerning the invertebrate fossils in the Mu-
seum are very incomplete and many specimens which are

now in storage should be placed on exhibition. It is impor-
tant that these collections be v/orked over by a specialist
before they suffer further confusion.

Synoptic Collection of Invertebrates

Material for a representative collection of invertebrates is
now in storage at the Museum and can be prepared for ex-
hibition with only slight expense. Work is now being car-
ried on to this end.

Elliott Herbarium

The Museum owns no single collection of higher scientific
value than the Stephen Elliott Herbarium, yet this collection,
after being rescued by strangers from the rubbish heap in
the basement of the College Library, was again rescued
from mice in the gallery of Agassiz Hall. In 1904 the Cura-
tor arranged v/ith Dr. Beadle of the Biltmore Herbarium to
have this collection put in thorough order without cost to the
Museum and a printed report on its condition made. The
work has now been completed and the manuscript of the re-
port is being prepared for the press and will be published
by the Biltmore Herbarium. It would have reflected credit
upon the Museum to publish this report, and it is a scource
of chagrin to the Curator that a work so eminently the duty
of the Museum must needs have been given to strangers.

The Elliott Herbarium is now stored in the vaults at Bilt-
more, and I am unwilling to consent to its return to the Mu-
seum until a suitable fire-proof and insect-proof safe has been
prepared to receive it. I therefore strongly urge that special
provision be made for this purpose without delay.

Accessioning and Labelling

The specimens in the Museum are in perpetual danger of
irremediable damage and confusion so long as proper acces-
sion records are not kept. The work of specialists in any
department can be made permanently effective only by

8

proper accession records and whatever else is done in the
coming year should be placed second in importance to the
proper accessioning of specimens.

Both the appearance and the value of exhibits depend on
accurate and attractive labeling of specimens. The present
labels are either temporary or are so old that they should be
replaced. The Curator has compared samples of the stock
used by the best museums for labels but has no funds for
printing. Some beginning of this important work should be
made at once.

Aquaria

The introduction of aquaria with running water v/ould be
an important addition to the attractions of the Museum and
can be accomplished without great expense.

Attendance

Through the courtesy of Mr. Passailaigue, of the Consoli-
dated Company, a turnstile has been loaned to the Museum
for the months of the College session, and by this means a
record has been obtained of the number of visitors in the
Museum. The effect upon public interest of the increased
activity of the Museum during the fall months is shown by
an increase in the number of visitors from 983 during two
months in the spring to 2,054 during two months in the fall.

Director of the Museum

With the addition of the duties of the Curator of the Mu-
seum to those of the Professor of Biology and with the effort
to do justice to all departments of the Museum the Curator
has necessarily become more and more an administrative
OiRcer, and in view of this fact and of the proposed additions
to the staff of the Museum {infra) I have recommended that
the title of the Curator of the Museum be changed to Direc-
tor of the Museum. *

* This change was made by the Trustees January 8th., 1906

9

Honorary Curators

As a means of associating scientific men of Charleston
with the Museum and of securing advice on technical ques-
tions, I have recommended to the Trustees the appointment
of Honorary Curators to act as advisers to the Director in
the departments which they serve. * By this plan it is ex-
pected that the interests of each department will be pro-
moted, as well as a more substantial growth of the Museum
as a whole.

Reports

Hereafter the Director will make a formal report upon the
work of the Museum during the calendar year, and this re-
port will be published in the January issue of the Bulletin.

The financial accounts will be made up at the close of the
College year and transmitted to the Trustees together with
nominations of Honorary Curators and other matters requir-
ing action by that board.

Respectfully submitted,

P. M. Rea, Curator.

N0TE5 FROM THE MUSEUM

The special cards for recording bird records have been re-
ceived at the Museum and are ready for distribution to ob-
servers. The Director regrets the long delay in obtaining
these cards and hopes that the January records will be es-
pecially accurate and complete. Directions for using the
cards were given on page 3G of the Bulletin for November,
1905.

Vol. I of the Bulletin was concluded with the December
issue in order that the volumes might coincide with the
calendar year. Hereafter each volume will include eight
numbers.

*The appointment of Honorary Curators was authorized by the Trustees
January 8th., 1906.

10

The Bulletin is published monthly from October to fl\ay by the College of Charles-
ton and is devoted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and notes from the
Museum. Entered at the post office at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIN

OF THE

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited by PAUE M. REA

DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY

Vol. 2 Charleston, S. C, February, 1906 No. 2

EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUM

MANIGAULT OSTEOLOGICAL COLLECTION
The Giraffe, Glraffa camdopardalis, L.

The recent installation of the skeleton of the giraffe in
Holmes Hall, as a part of the Manig-ault Osteological collection,
invites the attention of visitors at the Museum to a survey
of the present fund of knowledge concerning the structure,
life and habits of this strange animal.

Once found in abundance over wide regions of the East-
ern World, as Pliocene deposits of fossil species over Greece,
Persia. India and China testify, the giraffe is now confined
to the Ethiopian region alone.

Until the year 1902 it was considered to be the sole living
representative of its family, whose place is intermediate be-
tween the deer and ox families of the ruminant group of
Ungulates, or hoofed animals. In 1901 Sir Harry Johnston

11

and Mr. Eriksson discovered and broug-ht out from
the depths of the Kongo forest the skin of a hitherto
unknown animal, cloven-hoofed and striped Hke a
zebra on limbs and hind-quarters. This animal, called
the "okapi" by the natives of the Kongo forest, was found
to possess characters more nearly resembling the giraffe than
any other living animal, and Professor Ray Lankester has
therefore constituted it a separate genus, "Ocapia^\ in the
family to which the giraffe belongs.

These two strange survivals of a prehistoric race differ
from their nearest living relatives in having neither
true horns nor antlers. The giraffe posesses, hov/ever,
a pair of short, erect, permanent bony processes at-
tached, as may be seen in the skeleton, partly to
the frontal and partly to the parietal bones, not to the for-
mer only, as in the true horned ruminants. These "horns"
in miniature are completely covered by the skin of the fore-
head and are surmounted by a tuft of strong, bristly hairs.
In front of them is a median proti'uberance of the bone in
the form of a rounded knob, increasing with age, especially
in the male, to a size sufficiently prominent to be spoken of
as the third horn.

In height, the giraffe exceeds all existing mammals. Our
skeleton, that of a female, measures 12 feet, but the males
often reach a height of 16 or even 18 feet. This exceptional
elevation is chiefly due to the immense length of neck and
the disproportionate height of the fore-quarters. The ex-
treme elongation of the neck is brought about by the length-
ening out of the seven cervical vertebrae. Thus the motion
of the neck is rendered ridiculously stiff and awkward —
"swaying like masts upon a moving sea", as they are de-
scribed by Schillings, the German field naturalist and hunter.

The feet terminate in a small, daintily formed, divided
hoof, but the accessory toes found in other ruminants are
entirely wanting. The head is small and the eyes are large
and lustrous, giving to the animal a peculiarly gentle ap-

12

pearance. The tongue is remarkable for its great length
and power of muscular contraction. The lips are also long
and flexible, and thus the giraffe, like the elephant, is sup-
plied with an admirable organ for the examination and pre-
hension of its food.

Giraffes are so strikingly colored— large blotches of a
darker or lighter chestnut brown on a paler ground— that
one would expect to find them conspicuous figures in their
own haunts. Schillings, however, remarks that the giraffes
and also zebras and leopards, • likewise strikingly marked,
really find a special protection in their coloring. "It harmo-
nises so perfectly with their surroundings that they are
blended in the back ground, so to speak, and can easily be
overlooked."

Giraffes dv/ell chiefly on the plains, though at certain sea-
sons of the year, usually at the beginning of a dry period,
they may take refuge in the mountain v/oods. They are
gregarious and are usually found in small herds of twenty
or so individuals. They are most abundant in these days,
since their destruction in South Africa, on the plains of Ger-
man East Africa, v/here they find all the conditions in life
necessary to thern.

Their food consists chiefly of the foliage of the several
species of acacia trees, which are abundant in this district,
and for brov/sing on which, their long, free lips and pre-
hensile tongue are especially adapted. It is only in captiv-
ity, when a sufficient supply of their natural food is not at
hand, that they become reduced to the necessity of such
provender as grafts, hay and clover. The long neck is m.ani-
festiy unsulted to browsing from the ground, though the
awkv/ard feat can be accomplished by dint of much strad-
dling. Water is not an essential accompaniment to the food,
for the giraffe can do without it for days at a time. During
the rainy season the moist leaves afford a sufficient supply.

Increasing evidence seems to shov/ that the girafi'e is very
truly a dumb animal. The low, bleating sound occasionally

L3

heard from these animals when observed in zoological gar-
dens seems to be a peculiarity of the imprisoned animal or
else is produced only by the young- ones.

The giraffe is a timid, harmless beast; in captivity, mild
and docile. It is open to the attack of few enemies by
virtue of its long, strong legs which may deal fearful blows.
Lions and men alone are to be feared. Even lions rarely
make their attack singly but in herds or in pairs.

The white "big game" hunter and the black soldier are
the foes of the giraffe most to be dreaded. In South Africa,
where hunting on horse-back is possible, the giraffes have
for long years been things of the past. It is said that in
some districts the black soldiers were actually permitted to
use these animals for target practice. The hides of the beast
have been much in demand for the manufacture of the long
whips used in driving oxen, and, since the extinction of
these remarkable mammals in South Africa, they have been
hunted in German East Africa to satisfy the demands of the
export trade. Undoubtedly, the race faces a speedy annihi-
lation, and the story of the bison in North America will have
its duplicate on the plains of Africa, unless the check is
swiftly and surely applied.

The bones of the Museum specimen were obtained in 1876
and mounted by Dr. Gabriel E. Manigault.

BIBLIOGRAPHY—

Books available for further information concerning the
giraffe are : text-books of zoology, especially Flower and
Lydekker's "Mammals" and Sedgwick's "Students' Text-
Book of Zoology," natural histories, encyclopedias and a
book of recent date and unusual interest, "Flashlights in the
Jungle" by C. G. Schillings, translated from the German by
Frederic Whyte.

The Moa, Binornis maximus

A skeleton, whose story has the fascination pertaining to
the mystery and might of those huge animals which flourished

14

upon this earth before the period of man's history began,
is that of the Moa, an extinct feathered giant of New Zea-
land. This splendid skeleton, rarely included in the collec-
tions of the smaller museums of our country, has been re-
cently removed from a dark and obscure corner of Agassiz
Hall. From its present position on the floor of Holmes Hall
it will command all the interest commonly attached to a new-
specimen.

The height of this huge, wingless bird is exactly nine feet.
The giraffe, tallest of mammals, beside which it now stands,
exceeds it by three feet only, while the largest ostrich of to-
day measures but eight feet. Thus the Moa can well claim
the distinction of having h3ez\ the tallest of all known birds
and certainly deserves its scientific apellation Dlnornis
inaxinius, the "terrible bird."- Curiously enough, the head
of the Moa is very tiny and appears ridiculously small and
oat of proportion, topping this huge mass of bones.

The Moa was a flightless bird, this species, as a glance at
the skeleton will show, being absolutely devoid of even the
vestiges of v/ings. Nature made up to it, hov/ever, in the
matt'^r of legs. These are so massively built that the limbs
of the great giraffe, close by, look as slim and fragile as those of
the daintiest gazelle in comparison. The use of these mighty
members is problematical. Very likely they were of service
in scratching up the roots of ferns on which the Moas are
believed to have fed. Perhaps they served also to keep
dangerous enemies at a respectful distance. "If a blow from
an irate ostrich is sufficient to fell a man, " says Mr. F. A.
Lucas in Animals of the Past, "what must have been the
kicking power of an able-bodied Moa ?"

The length of the leg-bones given for an ordinary 7>?^»o/72 is
ma.umm are as follows : Femur, 18 inches; tibia, 32 inches;
tarsus, 19 inches; a total of 5 feet 9 inches. The tibia of
the Museum specimen measures somewhat more : viz. , 34
inches. The tibia of an ostrich, the largest living bird upon
the earth to-day, is but 19 inches in length, while that of a

15

Moa in the collection of the Canterbury Museum, Christ
Church, New Zealand, measures 39 inches. This is the
largest bird-bone known.

The Moas were among the last of the feathered giants of
old to vanish from the earth. Some memory of the living
birds still lingers amid the haze of tradition. Early
in 1838, Bishop Colenso heard from the natives of
Waiapu, New Zealand, tales of a monstrous bird called Moa,
that inhabited the mountain sides 80 miles away. Upon the
approach of man, two huge lizards, on guard, wakened the
giant bird, which then rushed forth and trampled the in-
truder to death. Similar traditions in regard to the Moa
were' met with in other districts. As time wore on, how-
ever, and no man was ever found who had actually seen this
notorious bird, its existence, even during the past ten cen-
turies, became a mooted question.

From the remains of this mighty race, scattered broadcast
over the island, we have learned something of the size and
structure of the departed birds, something even in regard to
their color, for in an exceptionally dry cave on the South
Island, bones were found, still united by ligaments and
bearing patches of skin with feathers of a. chestnut color
tipped v/ith vv^hite.

What agent caused the destruction of this race of giant
birds ? One theory supposes it to be the result of a glacial
period. Another suggests their extermination at the hand
of man, seeking for flesh food. Multitudes of charred bones
interspersed with fragments of egg-shell indicate former
barbaric feasts, and it may be that cannibalism was the re-
sult of this craving for flesh, when the Moa no longer re-
mained to afford a less horrible satisfaction !

BIBLIOGRAPHY : —

An interesting and popular account of the Moas as w-ell of
other extinct feathered giants, may be found in F. A. Lucas'
"Animals of the Past, " CJiarleston Lihrarij Society. Mr.
Lucas recommends an article on Moa in Newton's "Diction-

16

ary of Birds," also articles in the "New Zealand Journal of
Science" and the "Transactions of the New Zealand Insti-
tute." These books are not yet available in Charleston.

NOTES FROAl THE MUSEUM

The Museum is open to the public on Saturdays from 10
to 5, and on other week days from 10 to 12 and 1 to 5. Children
unaccompanied by an adult are admitted only on Saturdays.

The Bulletin will be sent by mail to any address for
twenty-five cents a year. Back numbers of Vol. 2 will be
supplied on request to nev/ subscribers. A few copies of
Vol. 1 (five numbers) can be had at twenty-five cents each.

The skeleton of the Giraffe and the Moa, which are de-
scribed in this issue of the Bulletin, are a part of the
Manigault Osteological Collection, comprising* about 178
skeletons collected by the late Dr. G. E. Manigault and
nearly all mounted by him. These have hitherto been scat-
tered through the whole Museum without orderly arrange-
ment, but have recently been transferred to Holmes Hall
and arranged in natural order. When all the cases have
been glazed the gallery containing this collection will be
opened to the public, though some months will be required
to complete the preparation of descriptive labels. Work on
this collection will be reported from time to time in the
Bulletin.

The regular monthly meeting of the Charleston Natural
History Society was held in Manigault Hall, Tuesday, Feb.
13, at 4.30 P. M. After a talk by the President, Mr.' H. R.
Sass, on "Early Spring Arrivals", the bird records for Jan-
uary, made out on the special cards recently devised and
furnished by the Museum, were discussed by the Society
and presented to the Director for filing. The next meeting
of the Society will be held in Manigault Hall, Tuesday,

17

March 6, at 4.30 P. M., and all readers of the Bulletin who
are interested in our native birds are invited to be present.

A large case on the north side of Agassiz Hall is tempo-
rarily devoted to an exhibit of birds common in the coast
region of South Carolina at this season. This exhibit is in-
tended as an aid in 'the work of the Natural History Society
and will be revised from time to time with the departure of
winter visitants and the arrival of spring visitants and sum-
mer residents. This exhibit will be necessarily incomplete
until the Museum has more accurate migration records.

An important addition to the Museum library is Coues'
"Synopsis of the Birds of South Carolina" (1868), the last
list based on actual field work.

A recent addition to the shelves of the Charleston Library
Society, is a book which will delight young and old alike, the
student of science as well as the non-scientific lover of
stories of adventure and hunting — "Flashlights in the
Jungle", by C. G. Schillings, translated from the German
by Frederic Whyte. This book is a record of hunting adven-
tures and of studies in wild life made by a great field-
naturalist, ' 'a trained scientific observer as well as a mighty
hunter." The unusual feature of this book of thrilling tales
is the illustration afforded by 302 of the author's ' 'untouched"
photographs, taken by day and night in the jungle and on
the plains. Photographs of wild animals, taken in complete
freedom, are necessarily rare, and besides compelling intense
interest, constitute biological documents of the highest im-
portance.

Monday evening, January 29th, Professor Rea lectured in
Manigault Hall on "The Geological History of the Great
Lakes."

The Museum announces a public lecture on * 'Typhoid
Fever" to be given by Professor Rea in Manigault Hall Mon-
day evening. February 26th, at 8.30 P. M.

18

The Bulletin is published monthly from October to May by the College of Charles
ton and is devoted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and notes from the
Museum. Entered at the post office at Charleston. S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIN

OF THE

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited by PAUI^ M. REA

DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY

Vol. 2 Charleston, S. C, March, 1906 No. 3

EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUM

Birds of the Coast Region of South Carolina

An exhibit of the birds of the coast reg-ion of South Caro-
lina has been temporarily installed on the north side of
Agassiz Hall to aid in the work of bird students. The birds
are grouped'jfor the present season in four sections, viz., per-
manent residents, winter visitants, spring migrants and
summer residents. For the convenience of the members of
the Natural History Society and others interested in our local
bird-life, the following explanation will serve as 'a guide to
the exhibit.

Permanent Residents— birds occurring in this locality
throughout the year — are found at the extreme left of the
case and are divided into two sections.

Section I comprises the birds as yet unreported this year
by members of the Natural History Society.

19

Section II comprises the birds which have been reported
this year by members of the Society.

Winter Visitants — birds which come from the north in
the fall, pass the winter with us, and leave again in the
spring— are to be found in the central portion of the case.
This group is also divided into the sections of reported and
unreported birds as described above. The large number of
water-fowl is a striking feature of this portion of the exhibit.
Since many of these winter visitors take their leave during
the present and the coming month, individual birds will be
rem.oved from the exhibit as soon as their departure is re-
corded.

Spring Migrants comprise those birds which pass
through this region on their way to their summer homes in
the north. The present month witnesses the real begin-
ning of this migration. As the time approaches for the ar-
rival of these transient visitors they will be placed on exhibi-
tion that their appearance may becomie familiar to the ob-
server, and when actually reported by a member of the
Society they will be transferred to a '"reported" section of
migrants. A bulletin of "Spring Arrivals" is posted near
the exhibition case, and upon this will be found the name
of the first three observers of each new-comer, together with
the date of observed arrival.

Summer Residents are those birds which come from the
south in the spring, remain to rear their young in this region
and depart again in the fall. This group will be found at
the extreme right of the case, and its treatment will be
similar to that of the Migrants as described above.

The exhibit described above is arranged on the basis of
the "Synopsis of the Birds of South Carolina" published
by Elliot Coues in 1868. This is the first and only complete
list of the birds of this State having as its basis original field
tvork.* Since its publication 38 years have elapsed, and it is

*L. M. Loomis," An Historical Sketch of South Carolinian Ornithology. ('91.)

20

therefore much in need of revision. The Museum,
through the medium of the Natural History Society, is glad
to accumulate data looking toward the publication of a new
synopsis, and will welcome contributions of bird notes from
observers throughout the low country.

Two other lists of the birds of South Carolina have been
published, but are chiefly compilations. The first was made
by Prof. Lewis R. Gibbes, professor in the College of
Charleston, and will be found in the appendix of Tuomey's
" Report on the Geology of South Carolina " issued in 1848.
The second list was made by Frederick W. True, Curator in
the U. S. National Museum, and appeared in a volume of the
" Resources, Population, Institutions and Industries of South
Carolina," pubhshed by the State Board of Agriculture in
1883.

The chief and almost the sole figure in contemporaneous
South Carolinian ornithology is Mr. Arthur T. Wayne of Mt.
Pleasant, S. C. Mr. Wayne is an ornithologist of recognized
authority, and his forthcoming book on the birds of the coast
region of South Carolina is av/aited with much interest.

The following birds have been reported by members of the
Natural History Society for the months of January and Feb-
ruary, 1906. The list is classified according to Coues'
" Synopsis of the Birds of South Carolina (1868), recent cor-
rections and data being indicated by footnotes.

Permanent Residents— Brown thrasher, American rob-
bing, mocking bird, catbird-, bluebird, tufted titmouse, Car-
olina chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, brown-headed
nuthatch, brown creeper^, Carolina wren, long-billed marsh
wren^, pine warbler, cedar bird, loggerhead shrike, song
sparrow^ , English sparrow, field sparrow^ , chipping sparrow
*, American goldfinch^, cardinal, towhee, red-winged black-

' Winter visitant, (A. T. Wayne) -Breeds rarely, (A.T.W.)
^Breeds very locally near coast. ^Breeds rarely, (A.T.W.)

21

bird, meadow lark, boat-tailed grackle, crow, fish crow, blue-
jay, phoebe^, kingfisher, flicker, yellow-bellied sapsucker,
downy woodpecker, southern hairy woodpecker, red-bellied
woodpecker, barred owl, marsh hawk^ , sparrow hawk, sharp
shinned hawk^, Cooper's hawk, fish-hawk^, black vulture,
turkey buzzard, Carolina dove, wild turkey, bob-white,
Wilson's plover^, killdeer plover i, clapper rail, bald eagle,
great blue heron.

Winter Visitants— Hermit thrush, ruby-crowned kinglet,
myrtle warbler, white- throated sparrow, junco, vesper spar-
row, titlark, red-tailed hawk, lesser scaup duck, mallard
duck, hooded merganser^, ruddy duck, pintail duck, golden-
eye duck, red-throated diver* , herring gull, ring-billed gull,
pied-billed grebe^ , American coot.

Summer Residents — Purple martin, yellow-throated
warbler.

LECTURES AT THE HUSEUH

Typhoid Fever

On Monday evening, February 26th, a public lecture on
" Typhoid Fever " was given in Manigault Hall by Professor
Rea. The subject was approached from the point of view
of the life history of the bacteria which are the cause of the
disease.

Since 1880, typhoid fever has been known to be produced
by a specific organism— the bacillus tuphosus— which infects
the system through the digestive tract. The bacilli work
their way through the lining wall of the intestine
and gather in the lymph spaces where they are at-
tacked by a defending host of so-called ' ' phagocytes ' ' and
often destroyed in large numbers. These phagocytes are

^ Winter visitant, (A.T.W.) '^Summer resident, (A.T.W.)
^ Permanent resident, (A.T.W.) ^ Very rare, (A.T.W).

22

for the most part white blood cells, whose work it is to de-
fend the body from the attacks of disease-producing bacteria
and similar dangerous invaders. These cells have a chemi-
cal affinity for the bacteria and eat them up by merely flow-
ing around them and then digesting them.

Frequently, however, the bacteria prove too much for the
phagocytes and are themselves the victors in the struggle.
In such cases there is serious congestion of the lymph
cavities and consequently nutrition is cut off from certain
portions of the intestinal wall. The cells of these portions,
therefore, die and are sloughed off, leaving ulcers or open
sores. From these ulcers bleeding occurs in proportion to
the size of the injured blood vessels which may lie in the
affected region and these hemorrhages constitute a serious
feature of the disease.

The ulcers vary in depth, some being very shallow and of
little importance, while others may extend through the
whole muscular coat of the intestine and be separated from
the body cavity only by the thin peritoneal membrane.
These deep ulcers are the cause of a large proportion of the
fatalities resulting from the disease, for perforation of the
peritoneal membrane means a general infection of the body
cavity from the contents of the intestine and an immediate
and very serious surgical operation is then the only recourse.
Until these ulcers are thoroughly healed solid food or muscu-
lar exertion of the slightest nature is likely to cause perfora-
tion.

The intestinal ulcers and the resulting hemorrhages, how-
ever, do not constitute the only serious feature of the dis-
ease, for the bacilli are carried by the blood and lymph to
all parts of the body, resulting in a general systemic infec-
tion. The bacilli themselves do no direct injury to the body
but, being living organisms, they produce waste products,
and these are decidedly poisonous to the body tissues
and are known as "toxins." The toxins are formed in large

23

quantities throughout the system and are the direct cause of
the "fever."

Fortunately the system has a means of defence a^jainst
these toxins. In a short time after the beginning of the
fever there is developed in the blood a substance called
' ' anti-toxin ' ' v/hich was not previously present and which
has the property, not only of neutralizing the toxin, but of
actually clumping together and destroying the bacilli them-
selves. When the antito-xin becomes fully effective the
fever disappears and convalescence begins. It is important
to remember, hov/ever, that at this time the intestinal ulcers
are just beginning to heal and a serious relapse may still
occur if solid food orbolily exertion are prematurely indulged
in. The anti-toxin may remain in the blood for years
and confer a certain amount of immunity from another attack.

From the above account of the nature of the disease it is
plain that the body of a typhoid patient is filled with hordes
of typhoid bacilli. These dangerous germs escape from the
body in large numbers in its excretions, especially in the
saliva, the faeces and urine. For months after convalesence
the germs live on and are excreted with the faeces and for
more than a year they escape with the urine. Since new
cases of typhoid fever arise only v/hen some of these bacilli
are introduced into the mouth of another person, it will
be readily seen that a typhoid patient is a walking menace
to the community for a year after his recovery.

Not only then must extreme care be taken by physician
and nurse to thoroughly disinfect the excreta, but also
hands, clothing, utensils, and, in fact, everything that comes
in contact with the typhoid fever patient. Excreta also from
the body of the convalescent should be regarded as a source
of danger and should be disposed of with great care.

Typhoid bacilli, having left the body of a patient, live for
many months in damp soil, sewage, or water and multiply
rapidly in milk. They withstand freezing and may, there-

24

fore, be carried in ice under certain favorable conditions.
They are not killed by dessication and may, therefore,
be blown about in dust. A few hours exposure to strong
sunlight, however, or boiling proves fatal to them.

The infection of the water-supply is, perhaps, the most
serious source of danger. Cisterns may become polluted by
leakage from privies or sewers through cracks in the walls
or by filtration through porous walls which filter out the odor
and appearance of sewage but still transmit the bacilli. It
is obvious then that in cities like our own universal sewer
connections should be required and a pure water supply made
available in order that all cisterns may be abolished.

Danger of contracting typhoid fever then usually comes
from improper regard for the following conditions : Drink-
ing infected water; eating uncooked vegetables sprinkled
or washed with infected vv^ater; using eating utensils, espe-
cially those used for milk, cleansed in infected water;
eating raw oysters subjected to the absurd process of
"fattening" in river water usually packed with bacilli; and
improper screening from flics, v/hich are knov/n to carry
bacilli from privy vaults on their feet and thus infect food.

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

The Museum is open to the public on Saturdays from 10
to 5, and on other week days from 10 to 12 and 1 to 5. Children
unaccompanied by an adult are admitted only on Saturdays.

The Bulletin will be sent by mail to any address for
twenty-five cents a year. Back numbers of Vol. 2 will be
supplied on request to new subscribers. A few copies of
Vol. 1 (five numbers) can be had at twenty-five cents each.

If this paragraph is marked your subscription to the
Bulletin expires with this number. More work is being

25

done at the Museum every month, and if you wish to keep
in touch with it wrap a quarter in paper and mail it to
the Museum for a renewal of your subscription.

In consequence of the g-eneral revision and rearrangement
of collections, which is in progress at the Museum, visitors
will find considerable temporary confusion. Much time will
yet be required to complete the installation of the Manigault
Osteological Collection. Mr. William G. Mazyck, of Charles-
ton, has undertaken a much-needed revision of the shells
and is preparing a special exhibit of local shells, which will
enable visitors to identify specimens of their own collected
on nearby beaches. Announcement of the completion of
the exhibit will be made in the Bulletin. The preparation
of the exhibit of local birds (described on page 19) has made
some confusion in the general collection. A complete re-
arrangement of this collection is underway. Pro-
fessor Daniel J. Martin, of Brooklyn, N. Y., is now
engaged upon a much-needed general revision of the collec-
tion of rocks and minerals. A further account of his work
will appear in the Bulletin.

848 visitors were recorded at the Museum in February and
836 in January. The recording turnstile has been in use just
a year, and it will be possible hereafter to compare the monthly
attendance of successive years.

The policy of devoting a portion of the Museum lectures
to dissemination of timely scientific infomation on subjects
of public interest has met with , such general approval that
the Director is encouraged to hope that these simple discus-
sions may help to enlist public opinion on the side of pro-
gressive modern science. The Museum notes with pleasure
that the South Carolina Medical Society has just undertaken
a similar line of work in a particular field, with its publica-
tion in the daily press of timely articles on hygiene and sani-
tation.

26

Tlie Bulletin is published montlily from October to iM;ij- by the CoUcjje of Cliarlos-
tonand is devoted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and notes from the
Museum. Entered at the post oftice at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTONJIUSEUM

ICjJiTKn BY PAUI^ M. KKA

DIRECTOR OF THE JVlUSEUiVl AND PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY

Vol. 2 Charleston, S. C, April. i<^06 No. 4

HISTORY OF THE MUSEUH*

Sketch of the Life of Dr. J. L. E. W. Shecut and
OF THE Origin of the Museum

The ancestors of Dr. Shecut were French and during the
early years of the Hug-uenot persecution in France, left that
country and settled in one of the Cantons of Switzerland.
Thence his father and mother, Abraham and Marie Bar-
bary Shecut came to America, soon after their marriage, in
1768-9, and settled in Beaufort, South Carolina.

* As a means of g^atheriat; material for a history of the Museum, the Bulletjn will,
from time to time, print biographical sketches of men who have contributed to its
development, and other historical notes. Persons who are in possession of information
on this subject are urgently requested to communicate with the Director of the A\useum,
or to prepare short articles for publication in the Bulhtin. Wc are often unable to
verify all the statements of correspondents, and print them, therefore, on the authority
of the authors.— Editok.

27

In the register of St. Helena Church, Beaufort, are re-
corded the birth and baptism of John L. E. W- Shecut and
his brother Abraham. Their parents removed their resi-
dence from Beaufort to Charlestan prior to 1779.

John LinnsBus Edward Whitridge Shecut was born Decem-
ber 4th, 1770, and in early manhood rose to eminence in the
medical profession as well as in scientific and literary lines.
He studied medicine, first under a friend of the family, Dr.
David Ramsay, physician and historian, and afterwards in
Philadelphia, where he received his degree in 1791, at the
age of twenty-one years.

He returned to Charleston and immediately began the
practice of medicine, which he continued till his death.

Dr. Shecut was one of the earliest physicians in this
country to use electricity in the treatment of disease, and in
1S06 he exibited to the public his electrical machine which
he invented and used in his profession. He wrote many
books and essays— among them the " Flora Caroliuceensis,"
pubhshed in 1803, which he said was designed to promote a
taste for the study of Botany, and to simplify as much as
possible the Linnssan system.

As the founder of the Antiquarian Society of Charleston,
Dr. Shecut's connection with the Charleston Museum, is of
special interest. We quote below from his ' ' Medical and
Philosophical Essays " (1819) :

"At the commencement of the year 1813, the author sub-
mitted to a select number of his friends, the outlines of a
constitution, for organizing a society to be called the Aiifi-
quariaa Society of Charleslori. The object [s] of this society
were to be, primarily, the collection, arrangement and pres-
ervation of specimens in natural history ; and of things rare,
antique, curious and useful ; and, secondarily, the promotion
and encouragement of the arts, sciences and literature gen-
erally.

On the 20th May, 1813, the following gentlemen agreed to
associate for the above purposes, and signed their names to
the original outlines for a constitution, * * * Doctors Richard

r> "•

L. Latham, John L. E. W. Shkcut, Isaac A. Johnson, John
S. Trescot, and John Grimke. Their first meeting as a
society, v/as held on the 31st of the same month : at which,
further measures were debated on, for the advancement of
the society.

At their meeting of the 14th of June following. Dr. James
E. B. FiNLEY, Stephen Elliott, Dr. David Ramsay, the
Honorable John Drayton, the Honorable Thomas Bennett,
Benjamin Elliott, and Dr. Alexis De CaPvAndefez, at-
tached themselves to the society as members.

* * * on the 30th of June * * * by the votes of a
majority of the members present, the n?jne of the society
Mras altered to that of The Lifemrif and Fhilosophical So-
cifiii of SoKtJi-C'irolina; by which nanie it was incorporated
in the year 1814.

The surprising progress of this society is a guarantee that
the citizens of Charleston are awakening from their slumber,
to the active promotion of science and literature : but this
rapid pi'ogress was to be expected, fx'om the happy choice of
the society, in selecting Stephen Elliott, as their
president, * * *

Tne objects of the association v/ere no sooner publicly
known, than numerous donations of specimens, in every de-
partment of the arts and sciences, were liberally bestowed,
v/ith v/hich to commence its Museum. These, with the cases
and collection, presented by the (luirlesioii Llhrarji Sorlcfif,
in 1814 [*], began to assume a respectable and very flattering
apnearance.

The opportune arrival of that distinguished naturalist and
practical chemist. Dr. Felix L'Herminier, from Guada-
loupe, with an extensive collection of specimens, the fruit of
twenty years application, expense and industry, which he
offered to the society, was an advantage, not to be lost
sight of. Negociations were immediately entered into with
that gentleman, by a committee of the society. The citizens
v/ere also invited to co-operate v/ith them in effecting the
purchase of this collection, towards the establishment of a
respectable and scientific iVIuseum in Charleston.

Those persons who subscribed fifty dollars, on payment of
that sum, became members for life. The State Legislature
and the City Council, alive to the importance of this object.

*1815 accordin;<- to the records of the Library Society.— Ediiok.

29

with a promptness and liberality, which will forever redound
to their credit, contributed largely towards the purchase,
and, with the sums subscribed by individuals, enabled the
society to make a purchase of that valuable collection, v/hich
is now one of the chief, and perhaps, most interesting orna-
ments of the city.

The superior personal attention and talents of Dr. L'Her-
MINIER, were also enlisted in behalf of the society, by being
appointed superintendent of the Museum. This was also an
acquisition of importance ; his practical knowledge in every
department of science, and particularly that of chemistry,
had already given a character to that department, which
cannot fail to ensure its future progress. * * *

Our distinguished fellow-citizen the Hon. Thomas Sump-
TER, minister, resident at Brazils, has lately enriched the
Museum of the society, by presenting it with an extensive,
splendid and very valuable collection of minerals, birds, and
insects of Chili, and the Brazils. The society are also in a
very especial manner indebted to the Hon. JoelR. Poinsett,
the Hon. Henry Middleton, Spephen Elliott, Esq.,
Messrs. Maclure, Caradeaux, and other respectable indi-
viduals, for their valuable donations of specimens in natural
history, and for which, their names have been honorably
mentioned in the journals of the society. _

* * * the society may be said to be in a flourishing con-
dition. It consists of 138 members, many of whom are of the
first standing in society, and of acknowledged literary
and scientific talents. Its Museum is rich in an extensive
collection of minerals, fossils and shells. The departments
of Zoology, particularly those of Ornithology, Erpetology,
Ichthyology and Entomology, are extensively filled. It is
also rich in coins, medals and castings. The specimens of
Art are also very considerable; and the whole are arranged
in the most appropriate order by their late superintendent.

The library of the society, being for the most part con-
fined to books of science, is yet in its infancy. * * * a
fund is appropriated towards its particular establishment,
v/hich has been enriched by a donation of 750 dollars, from
John Blake White, Esq. one of its members.

Upon the whole, this society may be said to be established
upon such sure foundation, as cannot fail to ensure its ulti-
mate success, and we look forward with pleasing anticipa-

30

tions to that period, when it will rank among the most useful
and respectable institutions of the kind in America."

It is to be hoped that the renewed interest recently awak-
ened in the Charleston Museum may fulfil the prophecy made
for it almost a hundred years ago.

Dr. Shecut's scientific tastes have descended in a measure
to his grandson, Major Edward Y/iliis. Major Willis has al-
ways been very fond of Natural History, and has made fine
collections of minerals, shells and fossil remains. He was
early identified with the mining of phosphates from the river
beds, and particularly of those owned by the State, and for
years furnished information and statistics on this subject for
the United States Government. The Charleston Chamber of
Commerce appointed him to write the history of the discov-
ery of phosphates in South Carolina.

Dr. Shecut v/as the founder and for a length of time
President of the American Homespun Company, estab-
lished in 1820, in association with William Laughton
Smith, and it operated, we believe, the first cotton mill
in the State. It was built near the lot of land now known
as Barton's Mills, on the west side of Rutledge Avenue,
opposite the lake.

Dr. Shecut married first. Miss Sarah Cannon, daugh-
ter of Dr. John Cannon of Edisto Island, on January
26th, 1792, and they had the following children : Mary,
John Ramsay, Sarah Cannon and William Harral. He
was married second in Charleston, February 7th, 1805, by the
Rev. John H. Mellard, to Miss Susanna Ballard, daughter of
Jesse Ballard and Elizabeth Skrine, his wife, of Georgetown,
S. C, and their five children were as follows : Ann Jackson,
Abraham Homespun, John L. E. W., Linneeus Americanus,
and Sophronia Lucenia.

Dr. Shecut died in Charleston, after a brief illness, June
1st, 1836, and was buried in Bethel church yard.

31

The obituary notice in the Courier and the many ' 'Tributes
of Respect " attest to the high regard in which he was held.
One of these begins : "No short sketch of so distinguished
and able a scientist could do him justice, for his usefulness
commenced early in life and only ended with it, ' ' etc.

He always tried to awaken interest and enthusiasm among
his associates for the high callings of life, and he was jeal-
ous for the reputation of his State.

We choose, in closing, a paragraph from one of his ar-
ticles :

' ' Until the Carolinians are aroused to the formation of a
permanent national character, and until the utility and vital
importance of the arts, sciences and literature, form a pre-
dominant feature of that character, these things must and
will remain the reproach of South Carolina."

HONORARY CURATORS

At a meeting of the Board of Trustees held March 31st,
the following gentlemen were elected honorary curators in
the Museum : —

Prof. Daniel S. Martin of Brooklyn, N. Y., Honorary
Curator of Minerals, Rocks, and Invertebrate Fossils.

Mr. Wm. G. Mazyck of Charleston, S. C, Honorary Cu-
rator of Recent Shells.

Mr. Arthur T. Wayne, of Mt. Pleasant, S. C, Honorary
Curator of Birds.

Prof. Martin, formerly Professor of Geology at Rutgers
Female College, has been for many years a prominent mem-
ber of the New York Academy of Sciences, and has been
associated with Mr. Kun^z in preparing the government re-
ports on Precious Stones in the Mineral Resources of the
United States. His wide knowledge of mineral localities and
of the history of other collections in this State, has given

him peculiar qualifications for the task of restoring lost lo-
calities and other records of specimens in the Museum. As
a descendant of an old Charleston family, Prof. Martin has
keen interest in the welfare of this city. Not only has he
already enriched cur collections by the gift and deposit of
many valuable specimens, but in the event of the transfer
of the Museum to the Thompson Auditorium, has offered to
deposit with it his v/hole extensive and important private
collection.

Mr. \Vm. G. Mazyck is a student of conchology of fifty
years standing. He has published numerous conchological
papers in scientific journals and has been in correspondence
with conchologists in every country of the civilized world.
His collection of North American land snails is probably the
finest in the world. Mr. Mazyck is at present engaged
in revising the Museum collections of shells, untouched
for many years; and also in preparing a special exhibit of
local shells.

Mr. Arthur T. Wayne has been engaged in ornithological
research for twenty-five years, and since 1884 has published
steadily in the Auk and other ornithological journals. At
the present time, Mr. Wayne is considered the authority on
the birds of this state, and one of the best ornithologists in
the South. His records, extending the range of many West-
ern species to South Carolina, are among the most important
of his contributions to or;iithology, and a book now in prepa-
ration on the birds of the coast region of South Carolina is
awaited with much interest. Mr. Wayne is assisting in the
work of verification of the labels and records of the birds
in the Museum.

This increase in the Museum staff is one of the grati-
fying results of the first year of renewed activity of the
Museum. Under former conditions, work at the Museum
was altogether curatorial in its nature, and the one or two

S3

departments in v/hich the curator was most interested and
learned prospered at the expense of the others. Since the
inauguration of the new policy at the Museum, exactly one
year ago, it has become increasingly evident that the time
and energy of the curator could not possibly be extended to
cover the necessary accessioning and revision of each de-
partment, and provide for its care and growth, and also
attend to the increasing opportunities for forwarding the
educational side of modern museum management. The ar-
rangement, catalogueing and providing for the increase of
the valuable library of scientific books, the provision for
public lectures, the preparation of special instructive ex-
hibits, the publication of the Bulletin, the preparation for
active co-operation in the work of the school children— all
these, and other manifold duties, both administrative and
curatorial, have made necessary the help and advice of as-
sociates. The title of the curator was accordingly changed
to Director, and the advice and help of experts enlisted by
the appointment of honorary curators, specialists in the de-
partments which they serve.

Another reason for gratification in securing the interest
and aid of these scientists, lies in the hope, thus strength-
ened, that the College of Charleston Museum may once more
become the rallying point for scientific men of the genera-
tion, and thus renew the brightness of its name, which She-
cut, Elliott, Holbrook, Audubon, Bachrnan, and Agassiz
made famous.

THE ELLIOTT HERBARIUH

The Stephen Elliott herbarium, one of the most valuable
single collections in the Museum has been sojourning for two
years at Biltmore, undergoing thorough cleaning and re-
vision at the hands of the director and staff of the Biltmore
Herbarium. A report upon its present condition is now in

34

preparation, and the home-coming of the collection is awaited
with interest.

A recent examination by Professor Rea and some of his
students of material stored in the basement of the library
building has brought to light still another volume of this
famous herbarium, containing specimens treated in the
last pages of Elliott's Botany. This volume includes type
specimens of Euphorbia cordifolla and Euphorbia panlcuiata
in good state of preservation.

A fire and insect-proof safe has been purchased for the
protection of this herbarium and other valuable specimens,
papers and records belonging to the Museum, and thus the
future of important possessions is secured from the vicissi-
tudes which have too often befallen them in the past.

A NEW BUILDING FOR THE A1U5EUM

The past year, while marking the beginning of the activity
of the Museum as a factor in public education has been
primarily a year of over-hauling and stock-taking.

The result is tremendous in its import for the Museum and
for the city. Thousands of specimens, valuable for exhibi-
tion or for study are packed away and entirely inaccessible
for either purpose because of absolute lack of space to prop-
erly arrange them. Such specimens as are on exhibition at
present lose much of their value as instructive and interest-
ing objects because of their crowded condition and the
impossibility of arranging them with suitable illumination.

The collections have been found to be such, both in quan-
tity and quality, as to hold an important position among the
museums of the country. Without doubt the largest and
most valuable museum in the South, it is surpassed only by
the great museums of some northern cities.

As a result of these conclusions a strong movement has
been set on, foot to secure a building providing adequate

35

space and light for the housing- of these collections. The
building known as the Thomson Auditorium, situated on the
southwest corner of Rutledge Ave., and Calhoun St., has
been selected as admirably suited to the purpose.

It is splendidly located in an attractive portion of the city,
readily accessible from all points by the two trolley lines
passing it, surrounded by a public park, and readily con-
vertible at comparatively small expense to the uses and
needs of a public museum.

With every prospect of favorable action on the part of
City Council, it only remains for the general public to de-
monstrate the sincerity of its approval of the plan by liberal
contributions to the expense of removing and installing the
collections. For this purpose six thousand dollars must be
raised by popular subscription. Contributions of any
amount will be received and acknowledged by the director
of the Museum.

riARCH BJRDS

The following birds have been reported by members of
the Natural History Society for the month of March, 19C6
The list is classified according to Coues' " Synopsis of the
Birds of South Carolina " (1868).

Permanent Residents. — Brown thraser, American robin,
mocking bird, catbird, bluebird, tufted titm.ouse, Carolina
chicadee, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, long-bill-
ed marsh wren, pine warbler, cedarbird, loggerhead shrike,
song sparrow, English sparrow, chipping sparrow, cardinal,
towhee, red-winged blackbird, meadow-lark, boat-tailed
grackle, purple grackle, crow, fish crow, blue-jay, phoebe,
kingfisher, flicker, yellow-billed sapsucker, downy wood-
pecker, Southern hairy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker,
pileated woodpecker, red-cockaded woodpecker, red-headed
woodpecker, marsh hawk. Cooper's hawk, fish-hawk, sharp-
shinned hawk, red-tailed hawk, sparrow hawk, black vul-

36

ture, turkey buzzard, Carolina dove, bob-white, Wilson's
plover, killdeer plover, clapper rail, bald eagie, great blue
heron, wood ibis.

Winter Visitants.— Hermit thrush, ruby-crov/ned king-
let, golden-crowmed kinglet, myrtle warbler, white-throated
sparrow, Savannah sparrow, junco, vesper sparrow, rusty
grackle, titlark, scaup duck, hooded merganser, red-thrcated
diver, canvas-back duck, herring gull, ring-billed gull, pied-
billed grebe, oyster catcher.

SPiiiNG Migrants. — Parula warbler, blue-gray gnat- catch-
er, Bartramian sandpiper, bank-swallow, white-bellied
swallow.

Summer Residents. — Swainson's warbler, Maryland yellow
throat, yellow warbler, yellow-throated warbler, purple
martin, white-eyed vireo, nonpareil, chimney sv/it't, swallow-
tailed kite, little blue heron.

THE DR. EDAiUND RAVENSL CONCiiOLOOlCAL

COLLECTION

One of the most important recent additions to the Museum
is the large and valuable conchological collection of the late
Dr. Edmund Ravenel, of Charleston, which contains some
3500 species of land, fresh water, and marine shells from all
parts of the world. Dr. Ravenel was a contemporary of
Say, Lea, Conrad, Le Seuer, Gould, and others of the pioneers
of conchological research in the United States, whose labors
in the first half of the nineteenth century brought to the
attention of the scientific world the wealth of new material
which strewed our beaches from Nova Scotia to Mexico and
abounded in the rivers and streams from the Atlantic to the
Mississippi, and his intimate association and co-operation
with these eminent students enabled him to obtain a large
number of their types, or of species determined by their
authors.

37

Two catalogues of this collection have been published, one
in 1834, interesting as being the first catalogue of its kind
published in America, and the other in 1874, since when the
collection has been packed away in several cases at Dr.
Ravenel's late home, and only now has it been possible to
make arrangements by which it may become accessible to
students. The collection will be classified, arranged, and
prepared for exhibition by Mr. William G. Mazyck, our Hon-
orary Curator of Recent Shells, whose early studies were
encouraged and stimulated by Dr. Ravenel. The collection
will be kept intact and, as memorial of its distinguished col-
lector, will be known as the ' ' Dr. Edmund Ravekel Con-

CHOLOGICAL COLLECTION."

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

983 visitors were recorded at the Museum in March, an in
crease of 135 over the February attendance, and at least 400
over the March attendance of a year ago. In March, 1905,
an attendant had not been provided for the turnstile, and
many children repeated a number of times. The real num-
ber of visitors was probably less than half of the record for
this year.

Much interest was aroused by the lecture on "The Occur-
rence of Precious Stones in the United States," given by
Professor Daniel S. Martin, in Manigault Hall, March 27th.
Professor Martin is a recognized authority on this subject,
and treated his audience to a most interesting account of the
diamonds of the glacial drift, the sapphires of Montana, the
tourmalines of Maine and California, and the ancient turqu-
oise mines of New Mexico and Arizona.

Mr. A. W. Riecke, of this city, recently presented to the
Museum a number of minerals, rocks, and fossils, which
have been added to the exhibition collection.

38

The Bulletin is published monthly from October to A\a}- by the College of Charles-
ton and is devoted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and notes from the
Museum. Entered at the post office at Charleston. S. C. as second class matter.

BULLETIN

OF THK

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited by PAUL M. REA

DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY

Vol. 2 Charleston, S. C, May, 1906 No. 5

EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUM

General Report on Geology and Mineralogy

BY DAXIEIL. STROBEL MARTIN, Ph. D.

The College of Charleston Museum has long been noted
for the richness of its material in the department of zoology,
and on this side it was remarkably developed and advanced
under the curatorship of the late Dr. Manigault. In the
department of mineralogy and geology, however, but little
has been done since the time of Prof. Holmes, and the col-
lections had come to need much revision and rearrangement.
It is true that both Dr. Manigault and Prof. Ashley obtained
very valuable additions in these branches and the latter
had begun a rearrangement of the material in accordance
with a comprehensive plan outlined in his " General Guide
to the Museum," published in 1901. But this work was only

39

commenced when his appointment on the U. S. Geological
Survey led to his departure from Charleston and he had
never had time, amid the pressure of his duties while here,
to examine and arrange more than a small part of the accu-
mulated material to which he himself refers in the Guide as
needing systematic study.

The minerals, rocks and fossils belonging to the College
had thus become much scattered in different parts of the
Museum, and many of thern were stored out of sight. The
writer has been engaged in. the work of gathering together
and arranging this m.aterial, during the last two months,
and is now prepared to present a brief general description
of what the Museum actually possesses. In both, depart-
ments the amount of material is quite large, and some of it
is fine and valuable, but much has been put away through
lack of space for its proper display. In these,, as in all the
^departments, the need of more room is greatly felt and
the proposed removal to the Thomson Auditorium would
meet this need in an admirable manner.

The collection of minerals belonging to the Museum is
composed, in the main, of several divisions, or portions, ob-
tained at different times and from different sources. These
are (1) a large number of good specimens dating back to the
time of Prof. Holmes, who usually had them mounted and
labeled on blocks. Among these are doubtless included
many old specimens from the early days of the Museum.
There are then (2) a choice selection purchased in the time
of Dr. Manigault, from the well-known dealer. Prof. H. A.
Ward, of Rochester, N. Y. and (3) a number obtained by
Prof. Ashley from the various southern and western ex-
hibits at the South Carolina and West Indian Exposition in
1902. All these, together with many others presented from
time to time by various individual donors, are combined into
a general illustrative collection.

In addition to these, there are two separate collections of

- 40

remarkable interest, which form special features of this
Museum, and probably have not their like in any institution
in the country. These are generally spoken of as (1) the
Russian collection, illustrating the great mining region of
the Ural mountains, and (2) the Shepard collection of phos-
phates made and presented by Dr. C. U. Shepard, Jr., illus-
trating all the forms and varieties of phosphate of lime and
phosphate rocks, from all parts of the world, for comparison
with those of South Carolina. Both of these were obtained
during the curatorship of Dr. Manigault, in 1879, and from
their special character, are kept distinct, and not merged in
the general collection.

A brief account may here be given of the character and
contents of these two interesting sets of mineral specimens.

The Russian collection contains 230 specimens, most of
them of rather large size, presented by the Imperial Mining
Institute at St. Petersburg. Precisely how this noble gift
was secured for the Museum does not appear. If no record
can be found here, inquiry will be made from the Imperial
Institute, whence it can surely be supplied. It is a matter
of great interest, to know through what agency this rare
and valuable series of specimens was obtained. All of them
are numbered, to correspond with a complete catalogue with
exact localities.

The collection is mainly economic, consisting of ores of all
important minerals mined in the celebrated Ural region.
It contains also many rare minerals, and many handsome
examples of the ornamental and semi-precious stones of
the Russian mines, such as beryl, emerald, topaz, garnet,
malachite, azurite. and the quartz minerals. Although
mainly from the Ural mountains, it represents many other
localities, ranging from Riga and Finland, across to Lake
Baikal and the Altai mountains, and south to Baku on the
Caspian. No such exhibit of Russian minerals can probably
be found in any other Museum in the United States.

41

The same statement may safely be made with regard to
the Shepard collection of phosphates. These were princi-
pally gathered by Dr. Shepard in a tour through Europe,
visiting all the important localities. Those from the West
Indies and the Pacific Islands were obtained by him from
others. The object was to bring together as complete an
illustration as possible of all the forms in which phosphate
of lime occurs abroad, for comparison with those of our own
country, and particularly of this State. Dr. Shepard de-
scribed these foreign localities in a Lecture given in Charles-
ton, in 1879, a copy of which, now quite rare, is with the
collection, and serves as a most valuable guide.

The specimens number about 209, representing the phos-
phate mines of Estremadura in Spain, of the Department of
Lot, in France, of Hanover and other districts of Germany,
and of a wide region between the Dnieper and the Volga in
Russia ; also the apatite and some rare minerals associated
with it in Norv/ay. The guano and related products of
several islands of the West Indies and the Pacific, are also
included and numerous examples of these and other phos-
phates as commercially prepared are shown in bottles.

In the department of geology there is enough material to
furnish a good representation of the several branches in-
cluded in that comprehensive science ; but much is needed
in the way of arrangement of Vv^hat is already on hand, and
much additional material in some of the branches is highly
desirable for anything like full illustration. A comprehen-
sive geological exhibit comprises four divisions in particu-
lar : these are (1) lithology— the different kinds and varie-
ties of rocks — a branch closely akin to mineralogy, but
distinct therefrom ; (2) structural geology, the forms
assumed and the structures developed in and by rocks of
different kinds and under varying conditions ; (3) economic
geology, the materials employed in the useful and orna-
mental arts, as occurring in nature and sought and develop-

42

ed by man ; and (4) historical or biological geology— often
called pala2onto]ogy — the fossil remains, as found in rocks
of different periods, illustrating the succession of life-forms
in the history of the ^lobe.

Of these branches, the first and fourth are fairly rep-
resented ; the second and third have as yet but small
illustration, save in the Russian and the Shepard col-
lections, described under minerals, above. With regard
to the third, also, a good deal was obtained by Prof.
Ashley at the close of the Exposition and valuable addi-
tions are promised by the State Geologist, Prof. Sloan, as
soon as there is room to display them. This is an extremely
important and practical branch of geological science and
there should certainly be in this city, accessible to the pub-
lic, a good and full exhibit in economic geology, especially
in the mineral resources of South Carolina. There is. how-
ever, at present, no space to arrange and display suitably
even what the Museum now has and the very valuable and
instructive exhibit now offered by Prof. Sloan, is condi-
tioned on the acquisition of the Auditorium, or some ade-
quate place for permanent display.

The palasontological collection contains much that is good
and characteristic, representing the fossils of most of the
important periods of geological time. At some points, how-
ever, it needs enlargement. The plants of the coal period
are well represented, and so is the remarkable group of
nautilus-like shells, the ammonites and their kindred, that
characterized the mesozoic era. These are illustrated part-
ly by actual specimens, and partly by a fine series of casts
or models, procured from Prof. Ward, of Rochester, N. Y.
A considerable series of the fossil shells of the Jura forma-
tion, and the subsequent Cretaceous, from Switzerland,
was presented through Dr. Manigault, by the eminent ge-
ologist. Prof. DeSaussure, of Geneva. The largest rep-
resentation is that of the Tertiary shells of this State,

43

gathered and classified chiefly by Professor Holmes, but
including also many obtained by Professor Tuomey, in his
earlier survey of South Carolina. These, it has not yet
been possible to examine and classify. A number of
them were arranged in their zoological relations and placed
among the modern shells, rather than by themselves as
fossils. This arrangement has both advantages and disad-
vantages. The fossil forms should preferably be all to-
gether and, if there are plenty of specimens, some may
then be spared to place with the living types for comparison.
Of course there is a good exhibit of the fossils from the
neighboring phosphate beds, including many of the rarer
and more remarkable vertebrate forms.

With the collections that have thus been briefly described,
increased by other material that is promised as soon as there
is proper accommodation for it, the Museum can easily be
made equal in the departments of mineralogy and geology
to the rank it has already attained in the zoological exhibits.
The writer has recently been appointed honorary curator in
these branches, and hopes to be able to bring them into a
condition worthy of the institution and valuable to the pub-
lic as a means of general instruction. If the Thomson Au-
ditorium can be secured, as is now hoped, there will be
ample space to display the material now possessed, and that
which is already promised, and to arrange the collections in
a systematic and scientific manner, where they will be per-
manently accessible for study, as they never have been
before.

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The regular May meeting of the Natural History Society
was held in Manigault hall, Tuesday afternoon. May 1st.

44

Action was taken by the Society on the nominations made
by the Executive Committee, and the following officers were
elected for the ensuing term :— President, Mr. F. M. Weston;
Vice-President, Mrs. P. M. Ray ; Secretary and Treasurer,
Mr. J. H. Taylor.

The Society decided to continue its bird work during the
summer. Members who are in the city will hold regular
monthly meetings, at which the record cards will be ex-
changed, and changes m.ade in the exhibit of birds of the
current season. Members who are in other parts of the
State are requested to keep their records hi manuscript and
file them with the Secretary. It was suggested that pre-
liminary observations be made on the life-histories of inju-
rious insects with a view to determining the advisability of
forming a separate section of the Society for this work.

In conclusion. Prof. Rea spoke very encouragingly of the
work and prospects of the Society at the close of its first
year.

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

With the publication of the May number, the Bulletin
takes its annual vacation. The first issue in the fall will be
the October number.

During the summer months the Museum will be open to
the public at the usual hours, but the active work of the
staff will be performed elsewhere. The Director attended
the meeting of the American Association of Museums, held
in New York city on May 15, visiting the colleges and mu-
seums of this State, and of Washington, Baltimore and
Philadelphia on his way north. Prof. Rea will be on the

45

staff of the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole,
Mass., for the summer session of six weeks, July 5 to
Augnst 15.

Prof. D. S. Martin, Honorary Curator of Rocks, Minerals,
and Fossil Shells, has finished a preliminary revision of his
department, and is on his way north. He will undertake
this summer a revision of the collections at Union College,
Schenectady, N. Y. A report of Prof. Martin's work at
the Museum is published in this issue.

The Geological Department of the Museum is again open
to the public. The collections have been entirely re-arrang-
ed, but are not yet supplied with descriptive labels for
exhibition. Manigault Hall is still closed to visitors by the
necessity of its use for the storage and preparation of
specimens.

SASSARD BROS. PRINT.

46

The Biillelin is published monthly from October to May by the College of Charles-
ton and is devoted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and notes from the
iMuscum. Entered at the post office at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIN

OF THE

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited by PAUL M. RE A N.

80TA

DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY r>.^r „,

Vol. 2 Charleston, S. C, October, 1906 No. 6

HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM

The Collections of the Charleston Library Society

FROM 1798 TO 1815

So far as is now known, the history of the Museum begins
with the collections of the Charleston Library Society, which
formed the nucleus of the museum of the Literary and
Philosophical Society of South Carolina, as described in a re-
cent number of the Bulletin, * and which was itself trans-
ferred to the College of Charleston Museum in 1850.

A prolonged search among the records of the Library So-
ciety has recently brought to light a most interesting list of
the specimens presented to the Museum from 1798 to 1808.
This list is contained in a small notebook, together with lists

'Vol, 2, No. 4, April, l')uc..

47

of books added to the Library in the same period, and gives
no evidence as to how long the Museum had previously ex-
isted. The origin of the Museum was probably contained in
the minutes of the Library Society, but the volume covering
this period has, unfortunately, been missing for many years.
When time can be found for examination of the files of local
newspapers this important and interesting question may yet
be answered, but this Museum probably has already the dis-
tinction of being the oldest public museum of general natural
history existing in America to-day. The Harvard Univer-
sity collection of minerals, founded in 1793, is the only rival
of which we are aware.

The following list is printed in full as a matter of record,
and as an indication of the widespread and sustained interest
in natural history in Charleston at this early period. It is
interesting to compare it with the museum established in
Philadelphia by Charles Wilson Peale, in 1785, which was said
to contain in 1800 "a mammoth's tooth from the Ohio, and a
woman's shoe from Canton: nests of the kind used to make
soup of, and a Chinese fan six feet long: bits of asbestos,
belts of wampum, stuffed birds, and feathers from the
Friendly Islands, scarfs, tomahawks, and long lines of por-
traits of great men of the Revolutionary War." *

Both museums were mainly repositories of rare or curious
objects, and it was only under the auspices of the Literary
and Philosophical Society, and with the appointment of a
scientific curator, that the Charleston Museum attempted to
illustrate the general principles of natural history.

Articles for the Museum presented 5th June, 1798— by
Captn. William Hall. —

A case containing a collection of Insects, from Surinam. —

*Goode, Museum History and AAuscums of History, p, 260, American Historical Associ-
ation Papers, 18S9.

48

An Apron worn by the Native of that Country, in full
dress.

Arrows, for war, & for shooting fish, fowl & stunning
birds.

A kind of Basket call'd Metaba thro' which the Spaniards
express the poisonous juice of the Cassada —

The head of a Bird, call'd the Bannana Beak —

Wasp's Nest — from Surinam.—

A Porcupine Fish. —

A peculiar Species of the Craw fish. —

19th June— by Captn. Thos. Hall.
A Lance wood Bow— from South America.

Cherokee Diamond

3'd Septr. by Mr. Thos. Branford Smith.
A beautiful Species of Spider, caught on his Piazza.

Octr. — Major Ladson. —
Indian Helmet— from the Sandwich Islands.

Presented 16th. June 1798 by Dr. Jas. Lynah. —

A Quiver, with poison'd Arrows, from Sierra Leona.

Part of a human thigh bone with oysters growing out
of it.—

Species of the Moss & King Crabs— from St. Domingo. —

The Trunk fish— from do.—

Head of a Turtle taken at Calcutta & weighing upwards of

700 lb. It died v/ithin 3 days sail of Charleston.—

Mr. Willm. Ancriim Septr. 17th.

An Indian Hatchet, found at his plantation on the Con-
garee — -

Mr. Jacob Ellison Novr. 14th.

Specim.ens of Fossils collected in this State, by Captn
Cahusac.

Mr. John Edwards Do,

An Ostrich Egg.

Mr. Gilbert Davidson Deer. 13th.
Tomahawk of an Indian Chief— from Surinam

49

W. H. Gibbes - - - - Deer. 20th.
A Caterpillar taken from an Apple-Tree at New Port,
Rhode Island —

J. S. Barker - - - Dec. 28th.

A Pair of Chop Sticks, us'd by the Chinese instead of
Spoons, when eating boil'd rice. —

J. P. Sargeant. Janry 1799—
A young Porpoise—

E. Weyman Febry. 20th.

The Skin of a Rattle Snake. —

T. B. Smith March 20th.

East Indian Cane

D. Doyley
Specimen of very fine Clay, for Potter's ware

C. P. Eraser
Bill of the Albatross. See Buffon's Birds, Vol. 9th, 289

Species of the Beetle.

March 30th.

Specimen of the Lacewood — from St. Domingo.

Captn. Willm. Hall

Jaws of Bull Dog, a species of Shark. —

Monsr. Godard— April 5th.
Head of the Albatross & Bones of Wings
Jaws of the Porpoise. —
Do.— of a fish unknown. —

Abraham Motte - - - 29th.
Specimens of Clays &c,— found in the Neighborhood of

Columbia.

Mr. Frink - - - - May 7th.

Head & Craw of the Pelican

Dr. Hahnbaum - - - May 25th.

Specimens of rich Iron Ore from Derbyshire —
2 Scotch Pebbles — from Fifeshire, — on the Firth of
Forth.

50

I. B. Holmes - - - - 28th.

A Number of Shells, cut out from a Grindstone

Large Claw of a Stone Crab.

J. Ratcliffe Junr. - - - June 22d.
Smaller Tusks of an Alligator, 14 feet long. —
Captn. T. Hall - - - July 6
Four Indian Arrows. —

Mr. T. Parker - - - - 17th.

A Gold fish.

General Pinckney Augst. 31st.

An Indian Hatchet

Doctr. Harris Oct. 9th

American blistering flies, gathered near Philadelphia. —

W. S. Smith - - - Nov. 26th.
Rib of the Mammoth, from V/accamaw. —

E. Weyman
Indian Chisel & Hatchet from an old Indian burying ground

at Goosecreek

G. Aertsen 1800

Foot of an African deer

Chancellor Burke
Tusk of a Boar, kill'd near Ashley Ferry. —

W. A. Cheves - - - 15th April
Flying Frog Fish — from Martinique

Mr. John Fraser. 18th Do.

Part of the Tusk of the Mammoth found in Siberia
Specimen of the Lapis Lazuli— from the Siberian Mines

Mr. Willrn. Ancrum - - - June 10th.
Crystal — from the Congaree

Mr. Chas. Fraser _ _ _ July
11 petrified Teeth found in a Creek near Broad River in
Prince William's Parish

A Star Fish

E. Horry - - Aug. 20th.

A fungous substance form'd between two wet pine boards

at Mr. Bowman's Mills. —

51

Mr. Poinsett 20 Novr.

Two Crystallizations and a collection of Scotch pebbles. —

Mr. Chas. Fraser Deer.

A Crystalline Spar— found near Santee.—

Thos. B'd. Smith Esqr. 23d Deer.

The Proboscis of the Squalus or Saw nsh, of the Shark
kind, found on the Beach of Simmons's Island.—

D. Bailey - - March 1801.
Two Petrefactions from Whitby in Yorkshire

His Excellency Governor Drayton - March.
Rock Crystal from Greenville District, So. Carolina.

Mr. Rhodes. Do.

Humming Bird & Old Wife Fish, Young Alligator

N. Russell, Esqr. 19th. Augst.

An Armadillo— from So. Amerioa —

Mr. John Hicks 26th.

An Indian House, v/ith their warlike & household imple-
ments.

B'd. Elliott, Esqr. 7th. Septr.

uncommon Worm from the Vine of the Tomatoes.

John D. Lewis 28th. Octr.

A Gourd from Demarara, ornamented by the Arrowanka or

Buck Indians —

John Deveaux Esqr. 1st. Deer.

An Indian Instrument found in a cotton field in the Island

of Nassau —

E. H. Bay Esqr. 10th Dec.

Rattles of a snake, kill'd at the High Hills of Santee

Joseph Alston Esqr. 29th. Janry. 1802
A Basket made by French Nuns at Trois Rivieres in Canada,
of Maple Bark & Porcupine Quills, & containing a specimen
of the Wild Rice of that Country.

Mr. Rhodes 1st May.

An African Belt & Pouch

Mr. Rogers

A chicken with six legs —

52

Josiah Smith Esqr.
Do. with two heads—

J. F. Grimke, Esqr.
A Clam Shell & two teeth from Colo. Rumph's Lime kiln
near Orangeburgh.

Genl. Pinckney 22d July

A Concretion found in a Clam- at Pinckney Island

Major Saml. Wragg- 6 Septr.

Singular Claw of a Stone Crab- from North Island.

Pratt
Cloth from Kamschatka-by Captn. Ingraham of Boston.

Mr. Maxwell 20th. Novr.

A Petrefaction from a Cave near the Matazas in the Island
of Cuba.

Mr. Macfarlane Do.

From the Mandingoes on the Coast of Africa- Part of the
Skin of a large Snake- Bow & Arrows- Belt & Pouch- Dag-
ger- Hammock- Sandals- Snuff box- Machine to guard their
legs against the snakes- & an Arabian Manuscript.

Dr. S. D. Gervais 4th.

10 Specimens dug from the rock at Clifden near Bristol
2 Pieces of Stone from Gibralter.

Mr. Pratt 27th Janry, 1803

A Petrefaction from So. Edisto & a shell found within a
similar one of a larger size.

Mr.

Two Petrefactions from a Cave near Bennington

J. Drayton Esqr.
An Indian Pipe & Tobacco Pouch of the pole Cat's Skin
presented to him by a Cherokee Chief.

S. Mackintosh Esqr.
Skin of a Flying Squirrel, stuff'd

Dr. Dart 25th March

Two Petrefactions from a Cave near the Sweet Springs in
Botetourt County, Virginia.

53

Mr. John McLure 15th. June

A Ball of Hair, found in the Stomach of an Ox at Tortola.

Mr. J. Dullas

2 Specimens of Marble from Rhode Island, containing a

portion of asbestos.

Dr. D. Ramsay

ToolAi of a Mare, with a Letter from Chancellor James

Mr. Clitherall
Chinese Lady's Shoes

Mr. John White
Pair of East India Slippers

Mr. Poinsett
Specimens of Volcanic productions from Etna & Vesuvius
& Crystal &c, from Mont Blanc

Dr. Dalcho 23d March 1805

Ornaments worn in the upper lip & round the ankle &
wrists by the female Negroes of the Eastern Coast of Africa
& an Assaygar used by the Men.

Skull & Tusks of a Wild Hogg, who perished by their
growing into his jaws, from the Plantation of Colo. Deveaux
on the Island of Little St. Salvador.

Sundry Articles from the River St. John on the Grain
Coast of Africa by Mr. Lov/e May 1808. '

The next record of this collection is found in the minutes of
the quarterly meetings of the Library society for the 15th.
of March and the 21st. of June 1815, as follows —

"On motion Resolved, that it be referred to the Book
Committee, to report on the expediency of giving to the Phi-
losophical & Literary Society the collection of natural curi-
osities belongirg to the Library Society, together with the
cases containing them."

"The Book Conimittee also Report in favour of giving to
the Philoscphical Society, the Natural Curiosities belonging
to this Society, together with the cases containing them."

54

RECENT ACCESSIONS

One of the most important additions to the Museum during:
the summer months is a mounted specimen of the Limpkin
or Crying-bird {Aramiis gig anteiis) taken by Mr. W. L. Har-
ris, in his yard on Water Street, Charleston, in July, 1904.
The Limpkin ranges from Central America and the West
Indies north to Rio Grande Valley and Florida. The only
other record of its occurrence as far north as South Carolina
is that published in the Auk for April, 1906, by Mr. A. T.
Wayne, who has the skin of a Limpkin taken in Aiken
County in 1890.

In September the Museum received from Mr. Kressel, of
the Terry Fish Company, a specimen of the Short Big-eye
iPseudoprlacanthus altus), taken on the Grouper Bank, off
Georgetown, in 30 fathoms of water. Unfortunately the
beautiful red color of this fish cannot be preserved, but the
specimen is of scientific importance as a record of the north-
ern limit of the adults of this species, though the young may
be carried north in the Gulf Stream as far as Rhode Island.
Specimens have also been taken on the Grouper banks by
C. C- Leslie at rare intervals.

Several specimens of Aplysia, the sea-hare, were taken in
the harbor during the summer, and one of them was given
to the Museum. Aplysia is a gasteropod mollusc, about six
inches long, which emits a violet fluid when molested.
Aplysia is very rare about Charleston.

The invertebrate collections have been largely increased
by material collected by the Director during the summer and
by purchase from the Laboratory at Wood's Hole, Mass.
Among many other interesting and beautiful specimens is a
fine Physalia, or Portuguese man-o'-war, which is one of
a fleet of more than 70 blown into Vineyard Sound from the
Gulf Stream. The Director hopes to have the invertebrate
collection arranged for exhibition during the winter.

55

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

After a vacation of four months, the Bulletin again
greets the friends of the Museum.

The meeting of museum directors and workers in New
York City May 15 and 16 for the purpose of organizing an
American Association of Museums is of special interest to
friends of the Charleston Museum. The Museums of the
United States, North, East and West; the Museums of Can-
ada and Honolulu; and of several countries of South America
were represented, either by delegates or letter. It is worthy
of note that the Charleston Museum was the only institution
from the entire South to be represented. The effort now
being made to renew the former activity of this Museum
elicited much interest among members of the Association.

Mr. Henry Laurens has been appointed Student Assistant
in Osteology, and will continue his work on the Manigault
Osteological Collection.

Mr. F. M. Weston has been appointed Student Assistant in
the Department of Birds, and will continue the work carried
on last year by Mr. Salley.

The October meeting of the Natural History Society was
held in Manigault Hall, Tuesday, October 9th. President
Weston described the Winter Visitants for the benefit of the
new members, and Mrs. Rea demonstrated the seasonal col-
lection of local birds. Valuable records for all the summer
months were turned in by several members, and the work
will be continued through the winter with renewed enthusi-
asm. All persons who are in any way interested in birds are
invited to attend the meetings of the Society. During the
winter the regular monthly meetings will be held in Mani-
gault Hall, the first Thursday in each month, at 4.30 P. M.

56

The Bulletin is published monthly from October to May by the College of Charles-
ton and is devoted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and notes from the
Museum. Entered at the post office at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIN

OF THE

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON MUSEUM '^^

BOT.
Edited by PAUL M. REA

DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY

Vol. 2 Charleston, S. C., November, 1906 No. 7

LOCAL FAUNA*

Bird Life of a City Garden

By Herbert Ravenel Sass

The following is a list of the species of birds that I
have seen in my garden in the southwestern part of the
city. To be exact, I should state that the list includes
some species — fifteen in number — which have never been
seen to alight in the garden, but which have been ob-
served flying over it. With the exception of five species,
the list is based on records made during 1902, '03, '04, '05,
and '06. These five — the red-tailed hawk, the bald eagle, the
^ bob-white, the woodcock, and the brown pelican — were ob-
O} served prior to 1902 and, with the probable exception of

I ;

,^ * Articles on this subject will appear in the Bulletin from time to time. This, the first

of the series, is written by a member of the Natural History Society and should stimulate

the interest, not only of students, but of every lover of bird life.— Editor.

^ 57

the eagle, have not been' seen in the garden since. The
large number of species included in the list is probably due
to two causes: — the fact that the "garden'' is not a gar-
den at all, but a scattered grove of large trees, mainly
elm, hackberry, and mulberry, w^ith an abundance of
smaller trees and bushes ; and, secondly, to the close
proximity of the Ashley River, w^hich practically touches
the garden.

1. Least Grebe or "Diver." — On rare occasions I have
seen "divers" flying over the garden. From the piazzas
overlooking the river, one or two may be seen, some-
times close in shore, on almost any day from Decem-
ber to early March.

2. American Herring Gull. — Frequently passes over
during the winter months.

3. Ring-billed Gull. — Probably some of the gulls which
pass overhead belong to this species. I have not learn-
ed to distinguish it at a distance from the herring gull.

4. Common or Least Tern. — Occasionally seen passing
over in autumn.

5. Black Tern. — Somewhat rarer than the preceding;
occasionally observed in autumn.

6. Brown Pelican. — Six or more years ago, on the
morning after a severe gale, I saw a pelican in the little
strip of marsh by the river-shore.

7. Canada Goose. — Very rarely a flock of wild geese
may be seen passing overhead. I have seen them only in
April.

8. Great White Heron or Egret. — On September 14,
1902, a fine specimen of this rare bird passed over the
garden.

9. Great Blue Heron. — Occasionally seen at all seasons

58

passing over. In April, flocks of from three to twenty-
are sometimes seen.

ID. Little Blue Heron. — Occasionally seen from April
to late October. Seldom actually alights in the garden,
but is generally observed flying over or fishing in the
shallows by the river-shore.

11. Green Heron or "Skeow." — The commonest heron
in the garden, in spring often alighting in the trees near
the house. It is seen at frequent intervals from about
mid-April till late October.

12. Night Heron (Black-crowned?). — The guttural
cry of this bird as it passes overhead is a familiar sound
on still October nights.

13. Clapper Rail or Marsh Hen. — The little patch of
marsh by the river is, at times, the temporary hunting
ground of one or two rails ; and sometimes unusually high
tides drive them up on the dry land.

14. American Woodcock. — One very cold winter day,
six or more years ago, a woodcock perched for some time
on a tall stump not twenty feet from the house.

15. Kildeer Plover.— Occasionally in winter a small
flock of kildeers passes over.

16. Bobwhite or Partridge. — On one occasion, six or
more years ago, in unusually severe weather and when
snow was on the ground, I saw a bobwhite in the garden.

17. Common or Mourning Dove. — A rare autumn visi-
tor. Once or twice I have seen a dove in the garden in Sep-
tember.

18. Turkey Buzzard. — To be seen at rather long inter-
vals all the year round.

19. Black Vulture. — To be seen passing over every day.
It seldom lights in the garden and, when it does, is
usually promptly attacked by the mocking birds.

20. Sharp-shinned Hawk. — A rather frequent visitor

69

from mid-October to mid-April. It destroys a good many
English sparrows.

21. Cooper's Hawk. — A rare autumn and winter visi-
tor. It is not satisfied with sparrows, but goes after larger
game such as mocking birds and cardinals.

22. Red-tailed Hawk. — Observed only once in the gar-
den, six or seven years ago, I think in November.

23. Bald Eagle.— On one occasion, six or more years
ago, I saw an eagle sweep rapidly over the garden. On
December 21, 1905, a bird was seen very high in the air
which was almost certainly a bald eagle.

24. American Sparrow Hawk. — A rare autumn and
winter visitor.

25. American Osprey or Fish Hawk. — To be seen fairly
often passing overhead from April to October.

26. Yellow-billed Cuckoo or "Raincrow." — Fairly com-
mon from mid-April to mid-October.

27. Belted Kingfisher. — A fairly common visitor, es-
pecially during autumn and winter.

28. Southern Hairy Woodpecker. — A very rare visitor.
I have only seen it twice in the garden — on July 3, 1902,
and on December 22, 1905.

29. Downy Woodpecker. — A rare visitor, more likely
to be seen in July and August than at any other time.

30. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. — A not unusual winter
visitor, most likely to be seen in very cold weather.

31. Red-headed Woodpecker. — A rare spring and sum-
mer visitor.

32. Red-bellied Woodpecker. — Observed in the garden
only on one occasion — April 6, 1905.

33. Flicker or Yellowhammer. — A common autumn
and winter visitor, especially abundant in September and
October.

34. Nighthawk or Bull Bat. — Up to two years ago, this

60

was a rare bird in the garden. In August and September
of 1905 and 1906, however, it was often seen passing over,
becoming much rarer in October and disappearing entire-
ly after the first week of that month. Occasionally it is
seen in spring — late April and May.

35. Chimney Swift. — A very common summer resident.
Arrives usually about the middle of March and departs
in late October.

S6. Ruby-throated Hummingbird. — A common sum-
mer resident, sometimes breeding. Arrives usually in late
March and is not often seen after the first week of Octo-
ber.

T^y. Kingbird. — Common from early April until late
summer. It becomes rarer in autumn and is seldom seen
after the first week of October.

38. Great Crested Flycatcher. — Common from early
April till late summer. It sometimes breeds. With the
exception of the mockingbird, the crested flycatcher is the
worst bully in the garden.

39. Phoebe. — A fairly common autumn and winter visi-
tor.

40. Blue Jay. — A rare autumn visitor, most likely to be
seen in October.

41. Common Crow. — Occasionally seen passing over at
all seasons.

42. Fish Crow. — More abundant, I think, than the pre-
ceding. The close similarity of these two crows renders
it very difficult to distinguish between the two species, but
I think the fish crow is the commoner.

43. BoboHnk or Ricebird. — Occasionally observed in
May. To be seen fairly often passing over in early
autumn.

44. Red-winged Blackbird. — A rare winter visitor.

61

45- Meadow Lark. — A not unusual visitor in late
autumn and winter.

46. Orchard Oriole. — A common summer resident, of-
ten breeding in the garden. Arrives in early April and is
seldom seen after August.

47. American Goldfinch. — A fairly common winter
bird, especially during unusually cold weather. Small
flocks are seen at frequent intervals from November until
late March.

48. White-throated or Peabody Sparrow. — At least
one pair of white-throats spend each winter in the garden,
arriving usually in early November and remaining until
late April. I have heard them singing even in the coldest
January weather.

49. Song Sparrow. — During the first three days of No-
vember, 1906, song sparrows were quite abundant in the
garden, though I had never observed them there pre-
viously.

50. Chewink or Towhee. — A rare winter visitor, com-
ing only in very cold weather.

51. Cardinal or Redbird. — A permanent resident, at
leastone pair living always in the garden and breeding
there. In the garden, this species sings only occasionally
in winter, though in spring it is a tireless songster.

52. Nonpareil or Painted Bunting. — A familiar summer
resident, at least one pair always breeding in the garden.
Arrives usually about mid-April, the males appearing
some days in advance of the females. Seldom seen after
the first week of October. Its sweet drowsy song is per-
haps the most familiar bird-music of late spring and sum-
mer.

53. Scarlet Tanager. — Observed only once in the gar-
den — May 3, 1905.

54. Summer Tanager or Summer Redbird. — A com-

62

mon spring and summer bird, arriving usually about the
middle of April. It is less often seen as the season wears
on, and I have no record of it in the garden later than
August.

55. Purple Martin. — A common spring, summer, and
autumn bird, arriving in late March and departing in late
October.

56. Barn Swallow. — A frequent visitor in spring, sum-
mer, and autumn. Seldom seen after mid-October.

57. White-bellied or Tree Swallow. — In the garden I
have seen this bird only in April and October. It is never
very common.

58. Bank Swallow. — An irregular, but not unusual visi-
tor, especially during August, September, and the first
half of October.

59. Cedarbird or Waxwing, — A common bird from late
February until about mid-April. Arrives usually about
February 22 (earliest record January 28, 1905). Feeds
mainly on sugar-berries and privet-berries, and, if the mul-
berries ripen early, sometimes remains as late as May 15
to enjoy them. The cedarbirds travel in flocks, sometimes
of very large size.

60. Loggerhead Shrike or Butcher Bird. — A common
bird all the year round. One of the very few that the mock-
ing bird will not bully. Feeds largely on green lizards ex-
cept in winter when the latter are for the most part hi-
bernating. In the garden, the loggerhead seems never to
prey on small birds.

61. Red-eyed Vireo. — A spring and autumn migrant,
never observed in the garden between M'ay and late Au-
gust. Arrives early in April and is commonest in late Au-
gust and September. Seldom seen after the middle of Oc-
tober.

62. White-eyed Vireo. — A spring and autumn visitor,

63

arriving usually a little earlier than the preceding species
and departing at about the same time. Never breeds and
never winters in the garden.

6^. Black and White Creeper. — A spring and autumn
visitor, commonest in October. Arrives in late March or
early April, and is not apt to be seen after the latter month
until late August. During September it is occasionally ob-
served and is more often seen during the first half of Octo-
ber than at any other time.

64. Prothonotary Warbler. — A very rare late-summer
visitor.

65. Blue Yellow-backed or Parula Warbler. — A spring
and autumn visitor, commonest in spring. It arrives in late
March or early April, and is seldom seen after the latter
month until October, when one or two are usually ob-
served.

66. Summer Warbler or Yellow-bird. — A spring and
autumn migrant, commonest in late April.

67. Black-throated Blue Warbler.— A spring and
autumn visitor, never observed between April and Sep-
tember. Commonest in late September and early October.
It is a curious fact that females of this species are com-
paratively seldom seen in the garden.

68. Yellow-rumped or Myrtle Warbler. — The garden's
commonest winter bird. Arrives usually in late October
(earliest record for the garden, October 11), and remains
until early May. Most abundant from December until late
March, especially during "cold waves."

69. Yellow-throated Warbler. — A rare bird in the gar-
den^ sometimes seen in early spring.

70. Pine Warbler. — A very rare winter visitor, very
seldom seen and then only during unusually cold weather.

71. Ovenbird. — A rare spring and autumn migrant, oc-

64

casionally seen in late March and April, September and
October. ,

J2. Louisiana Water-thrush. — Observed only once in
the garden — September i, 1906.

y2i- Maryland Yellowthroat. — A spring and autumn
visitor, commonest in late September and early October.

74. American Redstart. — A spring and autumn mi-
grant, much commoner, hov^ever, in autumn. From early
September to late October is the season for redstarts in
the garden.

75. American Pipit or Titlark.— In December, January,
and February it is not very unusual to hear the notes of a
flock of titlarks as the birds pass overhead. Occasionally
they alight in the garden.

y6. American Mockingbird. — A permanent resident,
common at all seasons and breeding regularly. The mock-
er is the despot of the garden and a stout fighter as well as
a shameless bully.

JJ. Catbird. — An autumn, winter, and spring visitor,
commonest in early October, when it comes in large num-
bers to feed on the Virginia creeper berries.

78. Brown Thrasher. — A spring and autumn visitor,
commonest during the first half of October when the ber-
ries of the Virginia creeper ripen.

79. Carolina Wren. — A frequent visitor to the garden
at all seasons, occasionallv breedine there.

80. Long-billed Marsh Wren. — Near midnight of Octo-
ber 14. 1906, a marsh wren flew into a window of the house
— the only occasion I have seen it in the garden.

81. Brown-Creeper. — A rare spring and autumn visi-
tor.

82. White-breasted Nuthatch. — A rare autumn visitor,
most likely to be seen in early October.

83. Red-breasted Nuthatch.— On October 29, 1906,

65

two of these birds, a male and a female, were seen in the
garden. They remained several days, being last observed
November 2. These are the only occasions when I have
seen this rare species in the garden.

84. Tufted Titmouse, — Observed only once in the gar-
den — October 29, 1906. It is strange that a bird, so com-
mon in the woods near the city, should never have been ob-
served in the garden before.

85. Golden-crowned Kinglet. — A cold-weather bird. A
rather erratic visitor to the garden from November to
April, sometimes common for days at a time, sometimes
seen only once or twice in an entire season.

86. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. — A common autumn and
winter visitor, much more often seen than the preceding
species. Commonest during severe weather.

87. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. — A rare April visitor.

88. Hermit Thrush.— An occasional visitor during
autumn and winter.

89. American Robin. — A rare winter visitor, coming
only in the coldest weather. January and February are
the robin months.

90. Bluebird. — A rather rare spring visitor, occasion-
ally coming to the garden in late March, April, and May.

RECENT ACCESSIONS

A Frigate Bird Taken on Sullivan's Island

The Museum has received, as the gift of Mr. George
Aldret, a specimen of the Frigate Bird (Frcgota aqnila),
taken on Sullivan's Island, between 7 and 8 a. m., Satur-
day, October 20th. At this time the Weather Bureau sta-
tion at Charleston recorded a wind velocity of 24 miles per
hour from the north. At 5 p. m., however, a velocity of 63
miles per hour was attained.

m

The Frigate Bird ranges over the tropical and sub-
tropical seas, occasionally straying as far north as Nova
Scotia. But one other specimen has been recorded from
South Carolina — that taken by our Honorary Curator of
Birds, Mr. A. T. Wayne, in the great hurricane of Aug.
27th, 1893.* Yet it is not strange that this bird is seldom
taken for it is strictly pelagic in habit, seldom visiting the
land except to breed or in heavy storms. Both specimens
which have been taken here confirm the reputation of the
bird as a hurricane signal.

Frigate Birds have a greater expanse of wing in pro-
portion to the weight of the body than any other bird and
are unsurpassed in power of flight, soaring for hours with-
out motion of the wings. The great wing muscles are sup-
ported by a peculiar modification of the pectoral girdle,
the furcula having coalesced both with the keel of the
sternum and with the coracoids and the latter with the
scapulas, forming a frame of unusual rigidity. The buoy-
ancy of the body is said to be assisted by inflation of the
gular sac, which is also used for the storage of food.

Frigate Birds capture fish at the surface of the sea or
pursue gulls and terns, and force them to disgorge their
prey. They are unable to swim, since the feet are incom-
pletely webbed. In fact, they seldom even alight on the
water for the feathers are not waterproof and the great
length of the wings and tail make it almost impossible to
take flight from a flat surface. The same difficulty ham-
pers these birds on land for their legs are ridiculously
short. The thick bushes of the breeding grounds are
filled with the bodies of birds which, failing in their efforts
to take flight, have been unable to disentangle themselves.
It would be diflicult to find a better example of extreme
specialization than the Frigate Bird.

*See the Auk, Vol. 11, Jan. i894, p. 85.

67

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

The Bulletin will be sent by mail to any address for
twenty-five cents a year. The mailing list is undergoing
revision and any who have failed to receive recent issues
will be supplied on application to the editor.

The meetings of the Natural History Society are held
in Mjanigault Hall, the first Thursday in each month, at
4:30 p. m. All who are interested in our local birds are
invited to attend. At the November meeting Mr. J. W.
Wilson read a paper on the Frigate Bird, an abstract of
which is printed in this number of the Bulletin.

As a part of the University Extension movement, Pro-
fessor Rea is giving a course of lectures on "Organic
Evolution and Kindred Biological Problems." Informa-
tion and tickets can be had at the Museum.

The Museum has received, as the gift of Mr. Henry
Booth, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., a very fine series of fossils
which will nearly double the palaeozoic exhibit. Further
notice of this collection will be given when it is ready for
exhibition.

All departments of the Museum are now busy with a
revision of the records of specimens and with the prepara-
tion of copy for new labels. An immense amount of such
work must be done to attain to the standard of modern
museum efficiency.

The M}useum is open to the public on Saturdays from
10 to 5 and on other week-days from 10 to 12 and i to 5.
Children unaccompanied by an adult are admitted only on
Saturdays.

68

The Bulletin is published monthly from October to May by the College of Charles-
ton and is devoted to descriptions of exhibits, reports of lectures, and notes from the
Museum. Entered at the post office at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIN '^"'

bota
of the qam.

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Editkd by PAUL M. RE A

DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM AND PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY

Vol. 2 Charleston, S. C., December, 1906 No. 8

A NEW EPOCH IN THE HISTORY OF THE HUSEUM

A series of articles on the History of the Museum, appear-
ing from time to time in the Bulletin, have shown that this
is probably the oldest existing museum of general natural
history in America, having originated in 1798 or earlier under
the auspices of the Charleston Library Society. In 181 5 the
collections and cases were transferred to the newly organized
Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina, which
largely increased them and for many years maintained a public
museum in Chalmers Street.

In 1850 the collections were transferred to the College of
Charleston and the Museum entered upon the third epoch of
its history, receiving the benefit of the interest aroused by the
meeting in Charleston of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, and the stimulus of the work of the
elder Agassiz in the city.

69

During the last half century, in spite of war and earthquake,
the Museum has had a steady growth, until it is to-day the
largest museum in the South. In recent years however, the
overcrowding and insufficient lighting of the rooms and their
inaccessibility have prevented the Museum from serving the
public in proportion to its size and excellence and its support
has consequently dwindled until, in 1904, City Council appro-
priated but $250 for its maintenance. Serious deterioration
having already set in, this diminished support spelled extinc-
tion for these collections in which many thousand dollars of
public and private money had been invested during more than
a century.

The following year, however, in response to the plans of the
present Director of the- Museum for the reclamation of the
collections and their utilization for public instruction, City
Council generously increased the appropriation. But active
work was no sooner commenced than the entire lack of space
for preparation and storage of specimens as well as the de-
ficiencies of the exhibition rooms' made it clear that larger and
better quarters were necessary if the proper mission of the
Museum was to be fulfilled.

The New Building

As these pages go to press arrangements are being concluded
whereby the City has leased, at a nominal rental, the building
now known as the Thomson Auditorium for the uses of the
Museum. The buiWing is situated in Cannon Park on Rut-
ledge Ave., and is accessible by street car lines from all parts
of the city. It will afford about 35,000 square feet of floor
space for exhibition and as much more for offices, library,
reading room, storage and preparation rooms, laboratories,
and lecture rooms. The consummation of these plans provides
for the suitable utilization of this building, erected in 1899
with funds bequeathed to the City by the late John Thomson,
Esq., whose memory will be perpetuated by a tablet to be placed

70

in the hall of the new Museum. This institution, for more
than a century identified with the learned societies of this
City, will continue to be administered by the trustees of the
College of Charleston and will hereafter be known as The
Charleston Museum.

Financial Support

The financial operations of the Museum will be comprised
in three accounts.

City Maintenance Account. — As is customary with
public museums', our contract with the City provides- for an
annual appropriation by City Council for the maintenance of
the Museum. Against this account will be charged the running
expenses of all departments not specially provided for.

General Account . — As a means of supplementing the
city appropriation for maintenance and of providing for the
growth and development of the Museum, the following reso-
lutions have been passed by the board of trustees.

Resolved: That the contribution of $i,ooo. or more to the funds
of the Museum, at any one time, shall entitle the person giving the
same to be a Benefactor of the Museum, with all the rights and
privileges pertaining thereto.

That the contribution of $500., at any one time, shall entitle
the person giving the same to be a Patron of the Museum,
with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto.

That the contribution of 825., annually, shall entitle the person
giving the same to be a Sustaining Member vvitli all the rights
and privileges pertaining thereto.

That the contribution of $10., annually, shall entitle the person
giving the same to be an Annual Member, with all the rights
and privileges pertaining thereto.

That the Trustees may elect to either of the above degrees,
on the nomination of the Director of the M^useum, any person
who shall have given to the Museum, books or specimens to the
value of twice the amount in money requisite for admission to
the same degree.

That the Trustees may also elect Honorary Fellows, on the
nomination of the Director of the Museum.

All contributions to the funds of the Museum, other than
annual fees, will, unless given for a specific puq>ose, be invested

71

as a general endowment. All annual fees of members, togeth-
er with the income from the general endowment, constitute
the general fund.

Special Accounts . — Contributions to the funds of the
Museum, whose principle or income is to be used for specific
purposes constitute special accounts.

The contract with the City provides a special fund for the
remodelling of the building for use as a niuseum but the trans-
fer and installation of the collections is dependent upon the
development of the general fund.

Privileges of Members

In its new building the Museum will be open to the public,
without charge, on Wednesday and Saturday of each week.
On other week days an admission fee of 25 cents will be charg-
ed. School teachers or classes accompanied by a teacher will,
however, be admitted free on pay days.

The privileges of members will include admission on pay
days, tickets to members' lectures, and copies of Museum
publications.

Annual Members will receive i season ticket admitting
member and party on pay days, 2 single admission tickets
(transferable), 2 tickets to members' lectures, the Bulletin
of the Museum, and the privilege of purchasing other Mu-
seum publications at cost.

Sustaining Members will receive i members' admission
ticket, 5 single admission tickets, 4 to members' lectures, tlie
Bulletin, and all other Museum pui)lications on application.

Special privileges will be extended to Patrons and Bene-
factors.

Art Department

Apart from the natural history collections which form the
bulk of the Museum there is a considerable am.ount of miscel-
laneous ethnological, archaeological, and art material which

72

represents one of the later interests of Dr. Gabriel Manigault's
curatorship. The arrangement of these collections was
seriously disturbed by the conversion of Manigault Hall into
a lecture room, and the lack of a curator has prevented their
use for public benefit.

The Director is. therefore, pleased to announce the election
of Professor N. W. Stephenson as Honorary Curator of Art.
The collections in Manigault Hall are not at present open to
the public from the necessity of its use as a work-room, but it
is expected that space will be available in the new building for
the exhibition of these collections and that the development of
the department will be possible.

In the meantime, those who heard Professor Stephenson's
recent lectures on "The Especial Value of Japanese Art" will
be pleased to know that he is to give a series of three lectures,
late in Lent, to members of the Museum, and also two detach-
ed lectures wdiich will be free to the public. Professor Stephen-
son also expects to arrange a second exhibit of Japanese en-
gravings early in the spring.

THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

At the December meeting of the Natural History Society,
held in Manigault Hall, Thursday, Dec. 6. a number of vis-
itors listened to descriptions by Mr. Sass and Mr. Weston of
the birds found at this season of the year in the City or at the
Navy Yard. A few days later some of the members of the
Society visited the Navy Yard with Mr. Weston and found
the bird life varied and abundant.

The Museum announces that it is ready to send out a com-
petent guide with irnembers of the Society, in parties of from
two to five, for field study of birds. Any person may become

73

a member of the Society upon application to the Secretary,
Mr. J. H. Taylor, of the College of Charleston, or to the
Director of the Museum. There is an initiation fee of fifty
cents and semi-annual dues of twenty five cents, in return for
which members receive the Bulletin of the Museumi.

A very satisfactory trial has been made in the field of the
bird guide published by Mr. C. K. Reed, of Worcester, Mass.,
and copies will be placed on sale at the Museum at fifty cents
apiece.

ON VISITING MUSEUMS.

The increasing number of teachers visiting the Museum
with their classes has been noted with pleasure. In this
connection the following paragraph, reprinted from The
Museum News, of Brooklyn, N. Y., will be found to contain
helpful suggestions.

It is a good thing to visit a museum; it is a better thing to
visit it with some definite purpose. This applies more par-
ticularly to teachers with classes and to natural history col-
lections. If even the chance visitor, wandering through a
museum, does not get some new idea, the museum is probably
at fault ; if children accompanied by a teacher do not obtain
some infonnation from a visit to a museum, the teacher is
probably at fault. It is well for a teacher to visit a museum
herself before going there with a class, as she (this pronoun
will include the great majority of teachers) will then have
a much better idea than she otherwise would ol why the chil-
dren are going.

Occasionally a class may be seen marching decorously but

74

rapidly before the cases, rarely pausing long enough to read a
label and unless the interest of the children is sufficiently
aroused to bring them to the museum another time, they have
Hot obtained the good from the visit they might have. On the
other hand, a teacher should not attempt too. much instruction ;
she should direct rather than lead, and if desired information
is not to be gathered from specimen or label the teacher might
ask about it, either in person or by letter.

Pay especial attention to one or two exhibits and then let
the objects speak for themselves and do not tire the children
in the effort to teach them too much. Let them master one
or two ideas and remember that other days are coming.

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

The Museum is open to the public on Saturdays from lo to
5 and on other week-days from lo to 12 and i to 5. Children
unaccompanied by an adult are admitted only on Saturdays.

The Bulletin will be sent by mail to any address for
twenty-five cents a year. The mailing list is undergoing re-
vision and any who have failed to receive recent issues will
be supplied on application to the editor.

Mr. F. W. Wamsley has come from the Marine Biological
Laboratory at Woods Hole, Mass., to join the staff of the Mu-
seum as Assistant to the Director. Mr. Wamsley is a graduate
of Brown University and has had valuable experience in the
collection and preparation of zoological material. His immedi-
ate work will be the preparation of specifications for the re-

75

modelling: of the Thomson Auditorium for the use of the Mu-

seum.

Professor Rea is just concluding his University Extension
lectures on the History of Biology before Darwin. An ara
rangement will be made whereby members of the Museum will
receive tickets to the remainder of the course, which treats of
Darwinism and post-Darwinian problems.

The January issue of the Bulletin will be devoted, as
usual, to the annual report of the Director of the Museum.

The late appearance of the Bulletin for December is due
to the failure of City Council to ratify the contract concerning
the new building on December 27th as expected. Since this
failure was due to mere oversight and the pages of this issue
were already in press, publication has been withheld until the
formal ratification of the contract on January 8th.

76

BULLETIN

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

EiDITED By

PAUL M. REA

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM
FOR THE YEAR 1906

Volume III, Number i January, 1907.

Under the Auspices of The College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistant to the Director
F. W. Wamsley

Librarian
Frances Jervey

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne. Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

Student Ass-is t ants

Henry Laurens • • • Osteology

Francis M. Weston, Jr Ornithology

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1798
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, and
has been administered by the College of Charleston since 1850.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are : —

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
member's lecture courses, and copies of museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is published monthly,
from October to May by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as §econd class matter.

BULLETIN

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 3 Charleston, S. C, January, 1907 No. i ^^T^

GAR

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM
FOR THE YEAR 1906

The general revision of the Museum collections, begun in
1905, has been continued during the past year. It early be-
came evident, however, that satisfactory results could not be
obtained until larger quarters should be secured, with ade-
quate storage cases and work rooms and more extensive and
better lighted exhibition space. In February a movement
was started to obtain for the use of the Museum the build-
ing known as the Thomson Auditorium, and, after many de-
lays, satisfactory arrlangements have been concluded wfitli
City Council for the lease of this building, as described in the
December issue of the Bulletin. When this movement for
a new building was started all permanent improvements in
the present building were discontinued and several exhibits
were left incompletely or temporarily installed, and the latter
part of the year has been devoted to the work of preparing
the collections for transfer and installation in new quarters.

The New Building

^^ The Thomson Auditorium is well adapted for the use of

^the Museum and will provide ample accommodation for all

departments. The adoption of the name 'The Charleston

^ 1

; . ■

Museum" well expresses the intimate association between
the Museum and the city in the past, and, with the generous
support accorded by City Council, a new era of develop-
ment and increased service to the public is opened. Its suc-
cess depends now on a liberal financial support from the peo-
ple at large. The Museum is dependent upon the contribu-
tions of members for all permanent improvements, for the
increase of the collections, and for the maintenance of its
educational and scientific work. The City Maintenance Ap-
propriation will be barely sufficient to meet the fixed charges
necessary to prevent deterioration of the collection's. To
provide a stable financial basis for the Museum a general en-
dowment fund and special endowments for particular lines
of work should be created in the near future.

History of the Museum

The Director is desirous of accumulating and putting on
record material for a history of the Museum and to this end
he has printed in the Bulletin, from time to time, such his-
torical notes as he has been able to gather. These have shown
that the Museum originated in collections maintained by the
Charleston Library Society at least as early as 1798, a note-
book having been found which records the specimens pre-
sented to the Museum from 1798 to 1808. It is not known
whether the Museum was in existence earlier than 1798. but
even so it is probably the oldest museum of general natural
history in America, the only rival of which we are aware
being the Harvard collection of minerals, which was begun
in 1794.

In 18 1 5 the Museum was transferred to the auspices of the
newly organized Literary and Philosophical Society of South
Carolina, which appointed Dr. Felix L'Herminier curator
and for many years maintained the Museum in Chalmers
Street. In 1850 interest in the Museum was stimulated by
the meeting in Charleston of the American Association for

2

the Advancement of Science and by the work in the city of
the elder Agasiz and the Museum was transferred to rooms
set apart for its use by the College of Charleston, under whose
auspices it has steadily grown to the present time.

The American Association of Museums

The Director accepted an invitation to participate in the
organization of the American Association of Museums in
May. The convention was held in New York and included
delegates from Museums throughout the United States, Can-
ada, Hawaii and South America. The fact that the Charles-
ton Museum was the only southern institution represented is
in itself a demonstration of the unique position and wide
field of influence of this museum.

The Director presented a paper at this meeting on the
methods of filing bird records in this museum and on the
bird work of the Natural History Society.

Administration

The Museum comprises at present the following depart-
ments: — Administration, Invertebrate Zoology (including
conchology), Vertebrate Zoology, Geology (including miner-
alogy and invertebrate paleontology), Art, Library, Biolog-
ical Survey, Public Instruction, and Publication.

The regular staff includes the Director, an Assistant to the
Director, Librarian, Honorary Curators, and Student Assist-
ants.

Only a part of the time of the librarian is employed at
present but full time will be required when the new building
is opened, both because of the growth of the library and be-
cause a public reading room will then be maintained.

Satisfactory arrangements have been made whereby stud-
ents in the college who are doing advanced work in certain
departments of the Museum may be appointed Student Assist-
ants. In this way Mr. Henry Laurens is preparing descrip-

tive labels for the Manigault Osteological Collection and Mr.
F. M. Weston, Jr., is continuing the work on birds begun
by Mr. Fitzhugh Salley, who graduated in June.

Special assistants have been employed from time to time.
Major P. P. Mazyck has prepared a series of bindings for
weather maps and Mr. Sass, who has been associated with
the Museum for several years, is engaged in the compilation
of the records of specimens.

The honorary curators are the same as last year, with the
addition of Professor N. W. Stephenson, who has been elected
Honorary Curator of Art. Mr. Wayne, Honorary Cura-
tor of Birds, has given important assistance on technical ques-
tions in ornithology. Mr. W. G. Mazyck, Honorary Curator
of Recent Shells, cheerfully brings to the care of this depart-
ment the patience and skill necessary to restore order to long
neglected and badly confused collections.

To Professor Daniel S. Martin the Museum is indebted
not only for a most skilful revision of the geological depart-
ment, of which he is the honorary curator, but for extensive
and valuable donations of books and specimens and for an en-
thusiastic interest which has already been the means of se-
curing for the Museum gifts from others and of increasing
the public knowledge of and interest in the Museum. Pro-
fessor Martin has been keenly interested in the movement
for the new building and will have charge of the transfer
and re-installation of the geological department.

Records

One of the most serious faults of the Museum in the past
has been the lack of proper records, for the value of scientific
specimens is almost entirely dependent upon the data accompa-
nying them. In my last report I emphasized the imperative
need of putting in proper form the scanty information avail-
able regarding the material now in the Museum and of adopt-

4

ing a modern system of accession records for the future.
For this purpose I have made an extensive examination of
the methods of other museums and have devised a system
at once simple, effective, and readily adaptable to all sorts of
material.

Each specimen is given a specimen number, indelibly marked
upon it, which is the key to the accession book, containing its
business history, and to a card catalogue, containing its scien-
tific record. In addition there is another card catalogue,
alphabetically arranged, which shows how many specimens of
each species are in the Museum, together with the location
of each and its specimen number. Each label bears the
number of its specimen and confusion of labels is easily
remedied and in no way affects the museum records.

This system of records was put into actual use in the fall
and the records of nearly one thousand birds have already been
compiled by Mr. Sass. It is of the highest importance that
this work should be brought up to date for all departments be-
fore any moving of specimens is undertaken.

Preparations have been made for relabeling several col-
lections and this work will be continued as rapidly as funds
permit.

Attendance

Some record of the attendance during the winter months
has again been possible through the courtesy of Mr. Passai-
laigue, of the Consolidated Company, in loaning to the Mus-
eum a turnstile. It has been impossible to provide an attend-
ant for the turnstile except on Saturdays and the record of vi-''-
tors is therefore only approximate. In the seven months when
the turnstile was in use 5,840 persons visited the Museum and
the large number of excursionists during the summer prob-
ably brings the total for the year to over 10,000.

In the new building a regular door man will be necessary
and then the number of visitors can be accurately kept.

Elliott Herbarium

The only important botanical collection belonging to the
Museum at present is the valuable herbarium of Stephen El-
liott, which was sent to the Biltmore Herbarium in 1904 for
repoisoning, repairs, and study. In my last annual report
I stated my unwillingness to have such important material
returned to the Museum until a suitable safe could be provided
for its storage and protection from insects and fire. Such
a safe was purchased early in the past year and affords ample
room for both the Elliott Herbarium and the most import-
ant museum records.

In the course of an examination of material stored in the
base of the College library an additional fascicle of the
Elliott Herbarium was discovered, containing two type spe-
cimens and much other material in a fair state of presrva-
tion. This was also sent to Biltmore and in the fall the
whole Elliott Herbarium, including the fascicles sent there
during the curatorship of Dr. Ashley, was returned to the
Museum and is now in the safe. A printed report embodying
the results of the study of this herbarium at Biltmore was
to have been prepared by Mr. Beadle but has been delayed by
the pressure of other work.

It is desirable that an exhibit of shade and forest trees
of this vicinity, showing sections of the wood and studies of
t,he flowers, fruit, and foliage, as well as the distribution and
economic importance, should be added to the Museum in the
near future. Such an exhibit would be of public importance
and the recent introduction of the study of botany into
the public schools is an additional incentive to the develop-
ment of the botanical side of the Museum. Many of the agri-
cultural industries of this vicinity will also lend themselves
easily to economic exhibits.

Invertebrate Zoology

Preparations for the installation of a synoptical exhibit

6

of invertebrates were under way when the movement for a
new building was inaugurated and it was then decided to keep
this material in storage until it can be installed in the new
quarters. The material for this exhibit has been added to
by purchase and by collections made by the Director during
the summer.

A preliminary revision of the conchological collections has
been made by the honorary curator of the department, Mr,
W. G. Mazyck. The condition of these collections would be
hopeless but for the patience and skill of Mr. Alazyck and it
is to be hoped that no part of the Museum will ever suffer
such neglect in the future.

In April the Museum acquired the conchological collection
of the late Dr. Edmund Ravenel, of Charleston. So many
years have passed since this very valuable collection has had
proper scientific care that much work will be required to
determine its present value. This difficult task will be prose-
cuted by Mr. Mazyck, as rapidly as possible.

Local Shell Collections

In the near future the Director hopes to prepare an exhibit
of the land and marine shells found in the vicinity of Charles-
ton, together with some biological account of the animals they
represent. Mr. Mazyck has expressed his willingness to under-
take this work as soon as the immediate needs of the systematic
collections have been met.

Manigault Osteological Collection

Early in the past year this admirable collection was installed
in the gallery of Holmes Hall. Descriptive labels are now
being prepared and the installation will be greatly improved
in the new building.

Ornithology

In connection with the work of the Natural History So-

7

ciety an exhibit; has been temporarily installed in Agassiz Hall
to illustrate the seasonal fluctuations in the character of the
bird life of the coast region O'f South Carolina. It includes at
present Permanent Residents and Winter Visitants. With the
departure of the latter for their northern breeding grounds in
the spring and the arrival of the Transient Visitants, which
winter south of the United States and breed farther north, and
of the Summer Residents, the exhibit is correspondingly
changed, so that the entire bird life of the current season is
always displayed. A bulletin of new arrivals is posted near
the case and new labels for each specimen are in preparation,
giving t,he range and local status of each of these birds.

The immediate need of this department is a study collec-
tion of skins, taken at all seasons of the year. The increasing
interest in birds among teachers and pupils makes it import-
ant that the Museum should have such a study series and a

beginning of this work will probably be made in the coming
year.

The Museum should also possess a duplicate mounted series

of our common birds, to be loaned to teachers who may wish

to use them with their classes.

Geology

A preliminary revision of this department was made last
winter by the honorary curator. Professor Daniel S, Martin,
and this work will be continued during the winter and the
collections prepared for removal. Several important additions
have been made to this department through Profes-
sor Martin. He has, himself, presented to the Mus-
eum important collections in invertebrate paleontol-
ogy and has deposited a set of crystallographic models and
other specimens. He has also prepared for shipment to the
Museum the greater part of his private collections, made dur-
ing many years. In addition to these most generous gifts he
has promised his entire geological library to the Museum. The

Museum is indebted to Professor Martin not only for these
contributions but also for his services in interesting others
in our work. Through Professor Martin, Mr. Henry Booth, of
Poughkeepsie, N. Y., has presented to the Museum an exten-
sive collection of Paleozoic fossils and a number of other gen-
tlemen have expressed an intention of adding to our collections.
Indeed, one of the strongest arguments for permanent finan-
cial support of the Museum is the readiness with which it
is made the custodian of valuable scientific material. With
permanent support there can be no doubt but that most valu-
able collections can be built up.

Art

The art collections which v/ere the chief interest of Dr.
Manigault's later years have been without a proper custodian
since his death. Professor N. W. Stephenson was recently
elected Honorary Curator of this department and will also
assist in the work of the department of public instruction.

Library

Additional shelving was provided in the library and the
classification and cataloguing of the books and pamphlets has
been completed by the librarian. Miss Frances Jervey. The
efficiency of the library has thus been greatly increased. The
library seriously needs a public reading room and this will be
provided in the new building. The full time of the librarian
will then be required and much work must be done in analyz-
ing government publications. The library is in serious need
of funds for purchase of books and journals, for library furni-
ture and for binding.

Publication

The Bulletin has been published regularly during the
year and has been the means both of diffusing a knowledge of
the Museum and its work, and of bringing many valuable
museum publications to the library in exchange.

9

An increasing need is felt of providing for the occasional
publication of more extensive research papers and it is prob-
able, that such a series may be initiated in the coming year.

Public Instruction

As a part of the work of this department a number of lec-
tures were given during the winter and spring to the general
public. These free lectures have undoubtedly been of service
to the community and have helped the Museum. It has long
been a part of my plan, however, to provide organized courses
of lectures on topics of general interest and the inauguration
of a University Extension movement in the city seemed to
afford an opportunity of undertaking such work. I therefore
accepted an invitation to give such a course on Organic Evolu-
tion and Kindred Biological Problems on condition that it
be given in the Museum. In this way better orgainzed work
has been possible than heretofore.

The equipment for public instruction has been improved by
the purchase of additional lantern slides and the public read-
ing room which will be provided in the new building will
greatly increase the educational possibilities of the Museum.

The Natural History Society

The Natural History Society is an important medium for
the educational work of the Museum. It is at present working
exclusively on birds but at some future time sections may be
formed for the study of trees or other subjects. Members
of the society are the chief contributors to the bird records of
the Museum and the meetings of the society, together with the
seasonal exhibit of local birds in the Museum, afford every
opportunity for popular instruction regarding our bird life.

The Director is making special efforts to interest the gen-
eral public, and especially teachers, in our local birds and is

10

desirous of increasing the membership of the Natural History-
Society in order that this important branch of the work may
be better organized. Arrangements have been made to pro-
vide a competent guide to accompany small parties of members
of the society on field trips for the study of birds.

Biological Survey

One of the most important duties of the Museum is the
accumulation of accurate information regarding the natural
resources of the vicinity of Charleston and for this purpose
a biological survey has been planned, to be prosecuted as
rapidly as funds permit. At present work has been undertaken
in but one field. A bird record card has been devised and
records of several observers have been filed for each month
in the past year, showing the birds seen, together with notes
on their habits and abundance. This work has been carried
on in connection with the Natural History Society and the
special exhibit of local birds.

It is very important that this biological survey should be
extended to include marine collecting and for this purpose the
Museum is desirous of obtaining a launch. This work would
also afford an opportunity of extending the bird observations
to include sea and shore birds, to which we have no means of
access at present.

It is certain that accurate records of such a survey would
be of scientific as well as local importance.

Paul M. Rea, Director.

11

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

Until the opening of the new building, the Museum will be
open to the public on Saturdays from lo to 5 and on other
week days from 10 to 12 and i to 5. Children unaccompanied
by an adult are admitted only on Saturdays.

The Bulletin will be sent by mail to any address for
twenty-five cents a year.

Several cases of failure to receive the Bulletin have come
to the attention of the editor. A recent revision of the mail-
ing list should have corrected this trouble and any subscriber
who now fails to receive the Bulletin will confer a favor
upon the Museum by notifying the editor at once.

The February meeting of the Natural History Society will
be postponed to Thursday, February 14, on account of the
mid-year examinations at the College. All persons interested
in birds or the study of bird life are cordially invited to at-
tend. Several members of the Society have recently taken
advantage of the offer of the Museum to provide a competent
guide for field trips. Partici^pation in these excursions is
limited to members of the Society but the qualifications for
membership are simple — the sending of one's name to the
Secretary, Mr. J. H. Taylor, of the College of Charleston, or
to the Director of the Museum. There is an initiation fee
of fifty cents and semi-annual dues of twenty-five cents, in
return for which members receive the Bulletin of the Mus-
eum.

12

BULLETIN

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUL M. REA

THE OWLS OF CHARLESTON AND VICINITY

ACCESSIONS OF THE GEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT

WORK OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

Volume III, Number 2 February, 1907

Under the Auspices of The College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistant to the Director
F. "VV. Wamsley

Librarian
Frances Jervey

Honorary Ciirators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne. Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

Student Assistants

Henry Laurens . • Osteology

Francis M. Weston, Jr Ornithology

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1798
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, and
has been administered by the College of Charleston since 1850.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are : —

Annual Members ^ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
member's lecture courses, and copies of museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston MuseIum is published monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

crj

BULLETIN

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 3 Charleston, S. C, February, 1907 No. 2

LOCAL FAUNA LIBR/

NEW

The Owls of Charleston and Vicinity BOTA^

The live owl exhibit has been the attraction of the month <^Al!^£.
at the Museum. A pair of Great Horned Owls and a Barred
Owl, captured on a plantation near Florence, S. C, by means
of a steel trap, placed on the top of a long pole, were presented
to the Museum by Mrs. Henry S. Holmes. Master Samuel
G. Stoney, Jr. brought in a Florida Screech Owl which had
come down the chimney of the plantation house, "Medway," on
Cooper River and a Barn Owl, caught in the tower of the
Cathedral, on Broad St., wa& presented to the Museum by the
sisters in charge of the Orphan House. This owl, unfortu-
nately, lived only a few days in confinement.

These birds, by reason of their strange appearance and ludi-
crous manners, have been a source of unfailing interest to
the younger portion of our visitors. They exhibit noteworthy
individuality in their reception of such unwonted attention.
The Screech Owl sits with half-closed eyes, a mere, indifferent
o fluff of feathers. The Barred Owl gazes calmly out of wide-
open, mild, blue-black eyes and betrays excitement only by
ruffling of feathers and winking of the large u;pper lids and
filmy nictitating membrane.

The Great Horned Owls, however, indignantly resent atten-

13

tion by incessant hissing and loud snapping of the mandibles,
while the Barn Owl made h;is annoyance even more manifest
by raising his wings and, after prolonged hissing, depressing
his head and vigorously wagging it from side to side. The
descriptive labels, prepared for this exhibit, have been eagerly
read and a brief talk upon the habits of these birds was attend-
ed by fifty people.

The following account is intended as a guide to a study of
the owls of Charleston and vicinity.

Owls belong to the order Raptores or Birds of Prey.
They are distributed widely over the whole world, about 20
species inhabiting our own country. Although their reputation
hasi been none of the best, investigations carried on by Dr.
Fisher for the Department of Agriculture have proved that
most of these birds are valuable allies of the farmers and should
be protected by law. They are carnivorous, hunting by night,
and thus the small army of destructive rodents, which, by rea-
son of their own nocturnal habits, escape day-time enemies,
hawks etc., are kept in check by these night prowlers.

The owls are admirably adapted for hunting. Their hearing
is exceedingly acute, their vision keen at night and their claws
and bill hooked and sharp. Their very soft, downy feathers
rendcfr the flight practically noiseless, while their sober color-
ing — the entire absence of gay plumes — makes concealment
easy.

The prey, unless too large, is swallowed whole, — skin^
bones, and feathers, fur or hair all at one mouthful. Twenty-
four hours later, the indigestible matter, rolled up into a large,
round pellet, is ejected from the mouth. It is by examination
and identification of the remains found in these pellets that the
expert zoologist has concluded that the depredations com-
mitted in the poultry-yard are more than offset by the number
of destructive mammals and insects destroyed.

The favorite localities for the home of the owl are the

14

dark recesses of the woodlands, where a hollow limb is selected
for the nest or a desertedl hawk's or crow's nest pre-empted.
Some species, however, prefer rock crevices and sometimes
church steeples or even dark lofts of barns or out-buildings.

The calls of these birds are in great measure accountable
for the superstitious fear with which they are often regarded.
They vary from a long drawn-out hoot or tremulous wail to a
blood-Ctirdling shriek, which, when heard from the depths
of the forest, carries a hair-raising suggestion of some awful
tragedy being enacted therein.

The four owls commonly found about Charleston are all
Permanent Residents. Of these, the Barn Owl, Sfrix prat-
incola BoNAP.,is the only one abundant within the city limits
and our church steeples are its favorite dwelling-place. These
are most peculiar looking birds about the color of "scorched
linen" and they are known in Florida as the "Monkey-faced
Owls" because of the odd, triangular facial disk, which with
the half-closed eyes, closely resembles that of a monkey.

These birds are unfamiliar neighbors, since they are almost
never seen in the day-time. They are most beneficial friends
however, for they rarely diescend upon our poultry-yards but
are exceedingly fond of rats and mice. In the cotton fields
they are an invaluable ally, for they feed extensively upon the
cotton rat.

So good a reputation, however, can scarcely be given to the
Great Horned Owl, Biiho virginiamis (Gmy,!..) , which chooses
its home in the woodlands. This fierce creature, second to
but one in size, is the lord high executioner of all its tribe.
Unfortunately it is extremely fondi of young turkeys and
guinea-fowls. Only an appetite for rabbits and rats redeems
its reputation in those parts of the country where these mam-
mals are a pest.

If the planters on some of our sea islands would take
measures to safeguard their poultry at night and leave this

15

owl free to himt,iit might prove an effective aid in protecting
the tender garden truck from the depredations of rabbits.

The Great Horned Owl is easily idientified from its large
size, great yellow eyes and the prominent ear tufts which are
not ears at all but merely tufts of elongated feathers.

The Florida Barred Owl or Hoot Owl, Syrnium varium
alleni (Ridgw.), next in size to the Great Horned Owl, is also
a lover of the woods and is very abundant in the extensive
swam,ps of our coast region. Its dark brown coloring, round
head devoid of ear tufts and mild, blue-black eyes make identi-
fication easy. Chickens, small birds, rats and mice make up
the larger part of its food list, but Dr. Fisher concludes that
"if a fair balance must be sitruck, this owl is, on the whole,
beneficial and should be placed on the list of birds to be pro-
tected."

The little Florida Screech Owl, Mcgascops asio floridanus
(RiDGW.), easily idlentified by reason of its small size and
prominent ear tufts, is the lasit and least of cur abundant owl
neighbors. It has long been a puzzle to naturalists because of
its freaky dress, — some individuals appearing in plumage of
rusty red, some in mottled gray and black, without regard to
age, sex or season.

In the country this little owl is often a troublesome neighbor
for it is likely to take up its abode near the house and send up
its unearthly, tremulous., shivering wail directly outside our
windows. Out of 255 stomachs examined by Dr. Fisher, i
contained poultry, 100 contained insects, 91 contained' mice,
38 contained other birds, etc. The fondness for song-birds
thus exhibited, seems toi warrant the feeling that the number
of screech owls might be limited, although their undoubted'
service in destroying field mice must also be taken into serious
consideration.

Beside the four common permanent residents thus enu-
merated, we have occasional visitors among other species of
owls.

16

The Snowy Owl, nyctea nyctea (Linn.), is a resident of
the Arctic regions but occasionally strays far southward. Many
years ago a specimen was shot from the top of a flagstaff
outside the Charleston Hotel.

The Long-Eared Owl, Asio zuilsoniamts (Less.), is a rare
winter resident, our honorary curator of birds, Mr. Arthut
T. Wayne, having taken two specimens on March i6, 1896
and one specimen on January 16, 1906.

The Short- Eared Owl, Asio accipitrinus (Pall.), occurs
in winter on some coast islands and the Saw-whet Owl,
Cryptoglaux acadica (Gmel.), is also a very rare winter
visitor, one having been taken at Mt. Pleasant by Mr. Wayne
on Dec. 24, 1885.

The Museum is desirous of adding to its study collection of
local birds and will be glad to receive live owls or c3ead birds
in good condition which may be captured in the city or its
vicinity.

ACCESSIONS OF THE GEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT

The department has been able to secure during the past
year a notable amount of valuable material, particularly in
paleontology, in which branch the specimens already received
are probably twice the number possess<ed by the Museum
before, to say nothing of more that are promised or on their
way. The most important single gift was that of Mr. Henry
Booth, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., who became wiamily in-
terested in the Museum through the accounts given him by Dr.
Martin, and offeired his entire collection as a ^ift, even
assuiming himself the cost of shipment. This noble donation
alone has doubled what the Museum previously possessed of
invertelirate fossils. It is especially rich in the following
groups: Silurian fossiils of Ohio, Illinois, and Wisconsin;
Lower Helderberg, Oriskany and Portage of Central and

17

Western New York; coal-plants from Pennsylvania, and par-
ticularly those from the noted locality at Mazon Creek, Illinois ;
and) Tertiary plants from the Miocene beds at Florissant,
Colorado.

Next in importance is a fine series illustrating the Miocene
fossils of Maryland (Chesapeake formation), selected within
the past few weeks by Dr. Martin, ffom the large duplicate
collections of the Maryland Academy of Sciences, at Balti-
more. Thes^ were placed at his disposal mos!t freely by the
President of the Academy, Dr. P. R. Uhler, and every facility
was afforded^ for selecting a representative series.

With these may be mentioned a small but choice collection
of Tertiary fossils from France and Belgium, received ni ex-
change for American species from M. Jean Miguel, of Herault,
France. It is the hope and pui'pose of the Honorary Curator
to place in the Museum a full representative exhibit of the
Tertiary fossils of the Southern States, with those of Europe
for comparison. These sets just mentioned, with some that
the Museum already has, are the first instalments of this pro-
posed exhibit, and much additional material is promised from
several other sources.

A number of characteristic fossils of the Hamilton group
of Western New York, have been obtained/ very recently from
the Rev. H. H. Thomas, of Columbia, S. C, who has resided
long and collected extensively in the former district. These
were secured by Dr. Martin partly by gift and, partly by ex-
change, and are to be supplemented by more at a later day.

Another exchange was made, especially for Triassic plants,
with the Museum of Wesleyan UniveH'sity at Middletown,
Conn. These, though not nuimerous or showy, are of much
value, in that the Museum had previously no representatives

of the Triassic flora.

A very valuable set of Cretaceous plants was obtained, also
by exchange, from the geological museum! of the New York

18

Botanical Garden. These have not yet arrived, however. The
same is the case with a large representative series of Eocene
fossils from various localities in the Southern States, offered
as a gift, by the liberality of the Rev. Dr. L. T. Chamberlain,
of New York City.

In the department of mineralogy, an exchange has been
arranged with the University of South Carolina, at Columbia,
whereby the latter is to receive some thirty species of duplicate
birds from this museum, giving in return about a hundred
mineral specimens, mostly duplicates from the collection of the
late Dr. Gibbes of this city. The birds have been carefully
selected by the Honorary Curator, Mr. Wayne, and the min-
erals by Dr. Martin, in conjunction with Prof. Twitchell, who
holds the chair of geology at Columbia. This exchange is
one of advantage to both institutions, and it is hoped may be
only the first in a aeries of similar transactions of friendly
co-operation.

The Honorary Curator has sent on from New York the
greater part of his extensive collections, gathered during forty
years, in mineralogy and geology, to be deposited' in this
museum. A considerable part of this valuable mlaterial, he
designs to present as a gift, and has already done so with
portions of it. But until the new building is'i ready for oc-
cupancy, it is not deemed wise to unpack more than is actually
needed for special use; and these collections will remain for
the present in their boxes, to be described at a subsequent date.

WORK OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The February meeting of the Natural History Society was
attended by ai large number of visitors who listened to a talk
by the vice-president, Mrs. PauJ M. Rea, on The Owls of

19

Charleston and Vicinity, illustrated by both living and
mounted specimens.

In ad'dition to the regular meetings on the first Thursday
in each month the executive committee has decided to hold
mid*-monthly meetings, on the second Wednesday after each
regular monthly meeting, for discussion of the more technical
work of the society. All who are desirous of developing a
field knowledg"e of birds will find the mid-monthly meetings
especially helpful.

The next regular meeting will be held in Manigault Hall,
Thursday, March 7, at 4:30 P. M. and will be devoted to a
popular discussion, by Mr. H. R. Sass, of the peculiar habit
of migration among birds, illustrated by common local
sipecies. All interested are invited to be present.

Copies of the Bird' Guide, by C. A. Reed, are en sale at the
Museum at fifty cents each. This little book has been adopted
by the society as a handbook for field use and is of a conven-
ient size to carry in the pocket.

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

The zoology class from the Memminger Normal School
recently visited the Museum with its teacher and' the lecture
room was placed at their disposal for a demonstration of Coel-
enterates. The Museum is gratified to be of service to teachers
and the new building will afford facilities for more extensive
co-operation.

Professor Martin's many friends in Charleston will be glad
to hear that he has come to spend three months at the Museum.
His exceHent work for his department while away is described
on another page.

30

BULLETIN

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUL M. REA

THE RELATION OF THE MU5ELM TO THE SCHOOLS

Volume III, Number 3 March, 1907

Under the Auspices of The College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistant to the Director
F. W. Wamsley

Librarian
Frances Jervey

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne " Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

Strident Assistants

Henry Laurens • '. Osteology

Francis M. Weston, Jr Ornithology

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1798
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, and
has been administered by the College of Charleston since 1850.

The Lluseum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are ; —

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons ^ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
member's lecture courses, and copies of museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is published monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C.y as second class matter.

CD

CD

I

BULLETIN

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 3 Charleston, S. C, March, 1907 No.

THE RELATION OF THE MUSEUM TO THE SCHOOLS*

Perhaps no one thing is more clearly indicative of the new
epoch of activity upon which the Museum entered two years
ago than the request which has come from your County Teach-
ers' Association to be told "How the Schools can use the Mu-
seum."

The Museum takes especial pleasure, therefore, in outlining
for you its ideal of the relation of the Public Museum to the
public schools in a community of our size, and in announcing
such definite lines of helpfulness as its present resources en-
able it to offer.

I believe I am right in saying that no limit to the education-
al possibilities inherent in the museum idea has yet occurred
to the mind of the modern museum worker. The museum is
as yet, however, an almost unrecognized factor in our educa-
tional system. Only the handful of men engaged in the
pioneer work of development realize its tremendous possibili-
ties.

Most of us still cling to our old-fashioned notion of a mus-
eum, or, perhaps more correctly, to our notion of an old-
fashioned museum as a sort of "stuffed animal house". We

*An address delivered before the Charleston County Teachers Asso-
ciation, by Mrs. Paul M. Rea, March 9th, 1907.

21

consider it a very respectable place of amusement for children.
They are always interested in the mummy and beg to be shown
the skeleton of the man of whom so many hair-raising stories
are told. The idea of a museum, however, as an institution
co-ordinate with the public library in its sphere of public use-
fulness, to be as eagerly and frequently visited and used — that
idea has probably never occurred to most of us and is, in fact,
still dormant in the minds of most communities.

The museums themselves are, for the most part, to blame
for this. It is only too easy to understand why people have
not felt repaid for their trouble in coming to visit our own
Museum, for the collections have scarcely been in a condition
to interest, much less instruct, the general public. To the
scientist, museums are admittedly of interest and use, but few
are yet willing to grant that they have any real, practical every-
day value for the rest of us.

The reason for this misapprehension is not far to seek. A
museum has been fitly compared to an iceberg, in that it is
eight-ninths concealed below the surface. A broad foundation
of thorough scientific investigation may not be of immediate
interest to the general public, yet it is essential to any musr
eum worthy of the name, and upon it depends the nature and
quality of the superstructure which is arranged for the benefit
of the public, viz. — the exhibition collections, together with
those aids to their enjoyment and understanding, of which I
shall later speak. Concerning this portion of the institution,
teachers, as leaders and guides of one great class of the com-
munity for whose benefit it is especially designed, should be

well informed.

The exhibition collections are, first of all, not to be con-
sidered as a collection of objects merely, but as a collection
of ideas, fully illustrated by objects. These are planned, ar-
ranged and labelled wholly with a view to their educational
possibilities. Take for illustration, the small group of mount-

22

ed beavers in our own collections. The mere specimens them-
selves, with a common and scientific name attached do not
convey sufficient interesting or useful information to the ordi-
nary visitor to warrant the investment of public or private
money in their accumulation for exhibtition purposes. If
these animals were mounted amid accessories reproducing
their natural surroundings, if they were accompanied by pict-
ures and models illustrating their home life and habits, by
maps showing their distribution and notes of local occurrence,
and, most important of all, by labels, setting forth in clear,
simple language, information such as might be conveyed by
a curator at one's elbow, then this group would have a definite
educational value which casual visitors would appreciate and
student or teacher could ill afford to be without.

Such an arrangement of the exhibition collections as I have
indicated involves an immense amount of thought, care and
attention to detail into the consideration of which I will not
attempt to lead you. No museum in the country will ever dare
to announce that its exhibition collections realize their educa-
tional ideal. Therefore, when our new building is opened to
the public, let it not be understood that the collections are at
once in a condition to meet the needs of the public and the
schools. It is hoped, however, that a start will have been
made in that direction to be prosecuted as far and as fast as
the funds of the Museum and the size of the staff will allow.

A suggestion of the working plans of the Museum for the
exhibition collections in their relation to the work of the
schools may be given at this time. In the department of zoolo-
gy, there should be, first of all, a representation of all the
animals, from invertebrates to mammals, found, either wild
or domesticated, in this section of the country. This repre-
sentation should include specimens, models, pictures, diagrams
and maps, illustrating the homes, habits, and distribution of
these animals, and would be accompanied by labels giving

23

inecessary information in simple language, printed in clear,
readable type. A second series, arranged in similar fashion,
should comprise types illustrative of the whole animal king-
dom, in order that the evolution from the lowest and simplest
to the highest and most complex forms might be clearly indi-
cated.

The principles of the anatomy and physiology of animals,
as, for instance, the form and use of the skeleton as a support-
ing structure in various animal bodies, the form, composition
and mechanical adjustment of the muscles which enable move-
ments of the body, or the interesting structures and processes
involved in the nutrition of the animal body — all these and
more would form the subject of a third instructive exhibit.
Equally important would be a so-called bionomic series, illus-
trating the adaption of animals to the conditions of their en-
vironment in such matters as the methods used in the pursuit
and capture of prey,means of protection against enemies both
offensive and defensive, or devices employed in the successful
care and rearing of young.

Finally, certain industries connected with the animal re-
sources of our section of the country should be explained
and illustrated, as, for instance, the food fishes of our coast, to-
gether with usual methods of capture or the facts and statistics
associated with that nefarious plunder of the Egret which is
such a blot upon the fair name of some of our Southern states.
An observation hive of Honey-bees might have a place in this
exhibit, and properly, perhaps, the life-history and habits of
the insect pests which infest our homes and gardens, with
effective means of combating them indicated.

Such a series of exhibits would be supplementary to and
illustrative of the school courses, and would provide far better
illustration for work in geography, elementary science and so-
called "physiology" than those found between the covers of
text-books which are usually the only sources available.

24

The collections in Botany, Geology and Mineralogy will be
developed and arranged along similar lines, prominence being
given always to the natural resources of our own locality.
It is with these that the children should first become thoroughly
familiar. Our field happens to be particularly wide and rich.
The extent and variety of the timber-landsi, the growing of
tea, rice, cotton and garden-truck, the occurrence of phosphate
rock, workable clays, and various building materials, with all
the industries arising therefrom, place practically no limit
to the educational exhibits which this Museum will consider
it a duty to arrange.

To meet the needs of special times and seasons, special exhi-
bits can be arranged in co-operation with the school work.
Suggestive titles for such exhibits are, "Native Spring Wild
Flowers," "Poisonous Plants of our Coast Region," or "Birds
of our City," "Birds of the Current Season," etc.

With such a conception of the relation of the Museum to the
work of the schools as I have already outlined, an exhibition
of living forms is not incongruous. Among the first possi-
bilities of the life room would be salt and fresh water aquaria,
in which the smaller forms of life can be observed and studied
under natural conditions. Frogs, lizards, snakes and those
animals which are content and thrive in captivity may also be
cared for, and thus opportunity given to young students for
direct observation of habits.

The impossibility of an attempt to duplicate such a series
of instructive exhibits in all the schools of the city is at once
obvious, and yet the disadvantages associated with a single
central museum containing illustrations for school lessons
have, perhaps, occurred to you. To obviate these in part, a
series of small loan collections in convenient portable cases
can be made up from duplicate material in the possession of
the Museum and sent out to schools desiring them for a
period of time, to be replaced by other collections at the re-

25

quest of the teacher. These collections should contain beside
the specimens and labels, brief notes giving necessary informa-
tion and a bibliography of the subject treated for the benefit
of the teacher. If possible, a special instructor should be in
charge of these collections, visit the schools and direct their
management, devise means for making them thoroughly use-
ful and, if necessary, conduct classes 'for either teachers or
children. The territory thus supplied by the central museum,
w^ith illustrations and objective material for work in geogra-
phy or elementary science would be limited only by the funds
and resources of the Museum.

In the Museum library and reading room, both teachers and
children will find valuable aid along the lines of school work.
Books without specimens give imperfect ideas of life and
things as many of you can testify from your own experience.
But books and pictures with specimens make a complete work-
ing outfit for scholar or teacher. The Museum library supple-
ments the school text-books in a way that the public library
can not do, since it can not properly specialize in any one or
two departments. The range of books, beginning at simple
nature readers for little children would ascend through the
scale of attractive, helpful books, adapted to the varying
needs of children of school age to the more technical works
which furnish much needed aid to the busy teacher.

Much, of course, depends upon the adaptability of the lib-
rarian to her work and the opportunities she finds for interest-
ing and helping visitors to her department. Arranging book-
lists to accompany exhibits and loan collections, hunting up
material for work on special topics which the teacher or stu-
dent is too unpracticed or too busy to do for himself — these
are but two suggestions for the pleasant burden of helpful-
ness which must rest upon the shoulders of the museum lib-
rarian.

Turning from books to nature, the Museum encounters an-

26

other opportunity for the extension of its sphere of usefulness
toward the public schools. Agassiz said "the pupil studies
nature in the school-room and when he goes out of doors,
he can not find her!" Field excursions are conceded in these
days to be a necessary accompaniment of school work in geo-
graphy or elementary science. Yet field excursions are in
themselves difficult to manage and become well nigh impos-
sible when added to the duties of the already over-worked
teacher. The Museum, however, in the personnel of its staff,
in the material resources at its command, and in knowledge
of the country over which its collections are made, should
possess the elements necessary for the successful management
of classes in outdoor work.

Arrangements should be made at the Museum for the com-
fort and convenience of the classes visiting the building ac-
companied by their teacher. A lecture room or ..classroom
may be provided on request and the specimens needed ar-
ranged therein. If it is desirable, a demonstrator or lecturer
from the Museum can be in attendance, or the class and its
teacher may be left undisturbed to do their work as
they please. Free lecture courses, illustrative of the studies
pursued in the schools may be given at the Museum at times
suited to the convenience of teachers and pupils. In brief,
the Museum should stand ready to carry out any reasonable
request from the schools for aid in their work to the extent
of that portion of its resources which may justly be employed
in this direction.

And, finally, as a means of keeping in touch w^ith the teach-
ers, of spreading information concerning ; special exhibits,
loan collections or work going on at the Museum of particular
interest to the schools, and of announcing the dates and sub-
jects for lectures, a Bulletin, published by the Museum should
be mailed to the principals for distribution among the teachers
and children whO' apply for it.

27

In turning- now to a definite statement of what the Charles-
ton Museum is at present able to do for the schools, if it seems
as if we had offered you bread and were giving you a stone,
please remember the difficulties under which we labor. Two
years is a very short time in which to awake to activity a sleep-
ing institution, buried so long in dust and oblivion that de-
terioration of valuable material had already set in. The diffi-
cult task of convincing the public, upon whose support we
must rely(, that a museum is not a luxury but an important
educational institution and a valuable asset of any progressive
community is only begun. The appeal for funds, the struggle
for a suitable building and the preparation of collections long
neglected for a condition of usefulness are matters which of
necessity have absorbed and will continue to absorb the great-
er part of the time and resources at the command of the staff.
Yet there are a number of opportunities for co-operation, even
under the difficult conditions of the present, and these will
be greatly enlarged next year, when it is hoped the transfer
of the collections to the new building may be made.

Classes accompanied by the teacher are welcome at the
Museum at any time and upon request, a lecture-room will be
provided, specimens arranged for observation and study, and
a demonstrator, if desired, can be present. In the absence
of descriptive labels, the Museum will be glad to furnish
a guide for any teacher or party of school children who may
visit the collection seeking especial information, if the request
be preferred in season for necessary arrangements to be made.

As a means of directing the attention of the children them-
selves to the helpfulness of a real study of the collections in
connection with their school work, the Museum is prepared to
ofTer a series of prizes for the best essays upon such exhibits
at the Museum as have a direct bearing upon any given point
in the regular course of study.

A request from the schools for lectures upon any given topic

28

or topics will be complied with, if time and money for expen-
ses incurred are available at the moment.

The library and card catalogue are now in condition for use
by teachers, and aid in looking up material will cheerfully
be granted. The advantages of library and reading
room to both teachers and pupils will be greatly enhanced
upon removal to^ the new building, where a librarian will be
in constant attendance. Opportunity for field work and sup-
plementary nature study is now given through the Natural
History Society. On the first Thursday afternoon of each
month at five o'clock, the Society meets in Manigault Hall
for discussion of some topic relating to the bird-life of our
coast region. This discussion is not technical, and all teachers
and children interested in birds are cordially invited to attend.
Membership in the Society involves no obligations of any sort
but the payment of an initiation fee of fifty cents and semi-
annual dues of twenty-five cents and is open to all. It in-
cludes the privilege of calling upon the Museum to furnish
a guide on field excursions for bird-study and of receiving
the monthly issue of the Bulletin.

When the preparation-rooms and work-rooms of the new
building are ready for use, substantial aid in the collection,
preservation and preparation of material for class-room use
can be given to the school or teachers desiring it. ^

Finally in addition to these suggestions on the part of the
Museum the Director will welcome any and all suggestions
coming from the schools — from commissioners, ■•principals,
and teachers as individuals or as collective units. Co-opera-
tion must be the key-note of the relation of our Museum
to our schools and a staten'Hent of the need oi the teacher or
of the school, followed by consultation between the interested
parties will be productive of some good results, even though
the Museum is able only, at present, to approximate its ideal
of helpfulness.

29

THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The regular monthly meeting of the Natural History-
Society was held in Manigault Hall, Thursday, March 7th.
The feature of the meeting was an interesting talk by Mr.
Herbert R. Sass, on "Migration of Birds," illustrated by
specimens from the Museum.

At the mid-monthly meeting the president, M.r. F. M.
Weston, Jr. demonstrated the migrants which had already
been reported and then continued his description of the
species which may be expected to arrive in April. The
secretary, Mr. J. H. Taylor, reported the results of an ex-
amination of the records of the Society concerning species
of doubtful local status. Special attention will be paid to
these species in the future.

The new plan of devoting the regular monthly meeting
to subjects of wide popular interest in relation to birds
and of holding a mid-monthly meeting for more technical
discussion has met with general approval. The regular
April meeting, as announced on another page, will include
an account by M!r. Herbert R. Sass of the "Habits of the
Brown Pelican", illustrated with lantern slides. This sub-
ject was suggested by the presentation to the Museum of
a Brown Pelican taken at the Drayton Station bridge over
Ashley River, by Mr. M. W. Rivers, of Summerville, on
March 25th.

No one who desires a field acquaintance with our com-
mon birds should miss the mid-monthly meeting on April
17th, with its helpful demonstration of specimens from the
Museum. The migration season is now at its height and
every field excursion adds to the record of arrivals on the
bulletin, near the seasonal exhibit.

30

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

Until the opening of the new building, the Museum will be
open to the public on Saturdays from lo to 5 and on other
week days from 10 to 12 and i to 5. Children unaccompanied
by an adult are admitted only on Saturdays.

The Bulletin will be sent by mail to any address for
twenty-five cents a year. Members of the Museum or of the
Natural History Society are entitled to receive the Bulletin
free.

The pupils of one of the public schools have become better
acquainted with several common local birds through speci-
mens loaned by the Museum for use as d^rawing models.

The Director takes pleasure in reporting gratifying pro-
gress in the preparation of specifications for the new building.
Valuable suggestions were received from a recent visit to
the National Museum, which freely places its experience
at the service of other museums, and also through the
courtesy of Messrs. Hornblower and Marshall, architects
of the new building for the National Museum, who have
taken much interest in our work. The interest in the
Charleston Museum which is shown throughout the coun-
try should stimulate the enthusiastic support of our own
community.

The exhibit of live owls at the Museum will be continued
fdr; a short time.

Members lecture course tickets will be honored for admis-
sion to Professor Rea's Unive'rsity Extension lectures on Or-
ganic Evolution and Kindred Biological Problems.

An interesting Holothurian, or Sea-cucumber, was brought
to the Museum recently by Mr. I. Blank. The specimen was

31

taken by a fisherman on the Blackfish Bank in 15 fathoms of
water and has been preserved for the Museum collection.

The Bird Guide, published by C. K. Reed, which is
used by the Natural History Society as a field hand-
book, has been annotated by our honorary curator of
birds, Mr. Arthur T. Wayne, to show the status of the
birds of our coast region. This book is intended by its
author to serve as a guide to all the birds east of the
Rocky Mountains, and the value of the annotations his
not only in eliminating all the birds not occurring in this
region but also in indicating the seasons of the year in
which our local birds may be seen and their comparative
abundance. Since the annotated copy of this field guide
will be of very great service to beginners in bird study
the Museum has made arrangements to furnish duplicate
copies of each part at $1.00 each. Part I treats the
Water and Game Birds; Part II the Land Birds. The
price of each part without the annotations is, 50 cents.

32

BULLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUL M. REA

A VISIT TO THE GRAVE OF THOMAS WALTER
EXHIBIT OF JAPANESE ENGRAVINGS

Volume III, Number 4 April, 1907

Under the Auspices op the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistants to the Director

F. W. Wamsley

Herbert R. Sass

Librarian
Frances Jervey

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

Student Assistants

Henry Laurens Osteology

Francis M. Weston, Jr Ornithology

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1798
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, and
has been administered by the College since 1850.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is published monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIN

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 3 CHARLESTON, S. C, APRIL, 1907 No. 4

A VISIT TO THE GRAVE OP THOMAS WALTER LIBRA*

NEW YOl

By Ezra Brainerd totanic

While planning a recent journey through the coastal region iARDEr
of the Southern Atlantic States, I conceived a strong desire
to visit the home and burial-place of Thomas Walter, one of
the many distinguished men whose names adorn the early
history of South Carolina. My motive was twofold— first, a
sentimental respect for the memory of an enthusiastic student
of nature, who was the first to publish, in his Flora Caro-
liniana, a fairly complete account of the flowering plants of a
definite region in eastern North America; and secondly, a
desire to identify if possible, certain plants first named by
Walter, but suspected of being misunderstood by subsequent
students of botany.

My desire to make this pilgrimage was stimulated by a brief
account in the Proceedings of the Elliott Society* of Charles-
ton, of a similar visit by Mr. H. W. Ravenel fifty years ago.
There was a tinge of romance in his description of Walter's
solitary grave in a grove of Chinese "tallow-trees" that the
botanist had himself planted, and in the statement on the
memorial tablet, that at his own request he was buried in the
garden, where once were cultivated most of the thousand

^ plants described in his Flora.

^ ♦Vol. I, pp. 53-54.

7 "^

I had at the start more or less difficulty in locating the
plantation of Walter. The preface of his book is dated,
* 'Carolina Meridialis, ad Ripas Fluvii Santee, 30 Dec.
1787. ' ' But it was a long stretch from the ocean to where
"the Wateree and Congaree unite to form the Santee," as
the source of this river was mysteriously indicated in the
geography of my boyhood. Dr. Small, the learned author of
the new Flora of the Southern States, kindly helped me out
by showing me a map of the old Santee Canal in Drayton's
''View of South Carohna," (pubhshed 1802). On this map
Walter's place is noted near the northern end of the Canal.
On reaching Charleston all further needed information was
courteously furnished me at the rooms of the Historical So-
ciety on Broad St.

On the evening of March 27th I found myself in most com-
fortable quarters at Mrs. Kroopman's Inn at Eutawville, with
all arrangements made for the drive of fifteen miles and back
on the morrow. It proved to be a most delightful trip, aside
from the matters of interest that awaited me at my destina-
tion; and I trust the readers of the Bulletin will pardon the
enthusiasm of a northerner, accustomed all his life in the
month of March to icy fields and blustering winds, who for
the first time finds himself, instead, in the genial air of sum-
mer, surrounded by a bewildering display of strange plants
and birds, traveling along a great highway built before rail-
roads were dreamed of, through a famous battlefield of the
Revolutionary War, and in view of that wonder of Nature,
the broad limpid boiling waters of the Eutaw Springs. I was
told that ''the old Charleston road," that I followed for about
ten miles, was built at great expense over one hundred and
fifty years ago, and extended across the whole width of the
lowlands, from the coast to Columbia. Much of the way it
was closely lined by large native trees— oaks, pines, cedars,
sour gums— apparently self-sown; and mingled with these
were luxuriant flowering shrubs in all their glory,— the dog-

34

wood, the wild hawthorn, the Cherokee rose, the leafless
azalea; and nearer the wheel-track appeared at intervals the
humbler flowers of spring, the pink oxalis, the may-apple,
the fire-pink, and violets of various sorts.

The day was excessively hot, and we deferred our return
till the cool of evening. Before us was the red western sky
seen through the great tall trunks of Georgia pines; behind
us a little later rose the full moon with its cool white light;
and later still the weird flames of forest fires flared up on
either side the highway, burning up the dry pitch in the old
pockets that had been cut in pines by the turpentine-makers,
or cremating entirely the trunks of trees that were dead. It
is hard to understand how these fires, even in time of drouth,
do so little damage to the forests of the southern pine-belt;
while in northern forests they prove so destructive.

The site of the Walter place on the banks of the Santee is
about two miles north of the Charleston highway, and was
reached through a muddy and tortuous forest-road. We should
have had great difficulty in tracing it and in finding the grave,
had we not had the good fortune to fall in with a colored man
who was familiar with the region, and had, while getting out
railway ties, accidently stumbled upon the tomb-stone; for
all traces of Walter's house, or of any out-buildings that might
have once stood in the neighborhood, have wholly disap-
peared. The grounds and the garden have quite reverted to
the original forest. I looked in vain for the tallow-trees that
Ravenel described as standing about the grave in 1856. I
searched for other plants which might be regarded as vestiges
of the botanical garden that had flouished there one hundred
and twenty years before, and observed at opposite ends of the
grave two large willow-oaks, (Quercus Phellos), that had
every indication of having been planted there. Looking about
diligently for other horticultural signs, I noticed the strong
perfume of the sweet violet. Ah, I thought, Walter had
growing here the violet of his English home, and it has be-

36

come naturalized here as in other places in the South. But
careful search revealed no English violet; instead, I saw some
feet away several small odd-looking appletrees with bright-
pink blossoms. They proved to be a species of the native
crab-apple, {Pyrus angustifolia) , whose exquisite fragrance
and rich coloring were new to me. The trees were doubtless
brought there by Walter.

It was unpleasant to learn that only about ten years ago
the thousands of acres belonging to the Walter plantation had
passed into the hands of a lumber company; and to find that
the stately Georgia pines that once stood about Walter's house
and garden had only four years ago been cut. The former
owner of the property, Mr. Ezekiel Porcher, we were told,
had held it for over half a century, and being without family
had sold it only in extreme old age. We are sure that the
lumber company, had they known the historic interest of the
spot, would have spared a few acres about the grave of this
pioneer of American Botany. Even yet something may be
done; for less than a mile away we witnessed the uncanny
sight of a locomotive, on extemporized rails, carrying off car-
loads of logs and ties; while hundreds of acres around showed
the ravages of fire, here in southern pineries, as elsewhere,
far more destructive when fed by the dry refuse of an old
chopping.

The memorial of Thomas Walter is a large slab of white
crystalline marble, about six feet long, two feet eight inches
wide, and two inches thick. It lies on the ground in a nearly
horizontal position, and bears the inscription on the opposite
page.

Note: — It is a source of gratification to the Director of the
Museum to be able to announce that steps have already been
taken looking to the protection and preservation of the site
of this grave and early botanical garden, by the Museum in
co-operation with the present owners of the land.

36

OP

THOMAS WALTER

A native of Hampshire in England
and many years a resident in this

State. He died in the beginning of
the year 1788. ^tatis cir. 48 ann.

To a mind Hberally endowed by

nature and refined by a Hberal

education he added a taste for

the study of Natural History

and in the department of

Botany science is much

indebted to his labours.

At his desire he was buried on

this spot once the garden in

which were cultivated most

of the Plants of his

FLORA CAROLINIANA.

From motives of filial affection
his only surviving Children

ANN and MARY
have placed this memorial.

J. H. D.

EXHIBIT OF JAPANESE ENQRAVINQS

Through the kindness of Miss Anne H. Dyer of New Or-
leans, the Art DepartmeHt of the Museum has been enabled
to make a special exhibit of Japanese prints. Among them
were a number of triptychs. Perhaps the most striking—
though certainly not the finest— was by Hiroshigi represent-
ing the "Girls Annual Procession." The peculiarity of this
print lay in the fact that the three pieces, composing it, were
joined not in the usual way, at the sides, but at the ends.
The result was a long narrow frieze, ten inches high by more
than forty in length. Of the finer triptychs, one by Yeizan
deserves especial notice. It is more distinctive, less deriva-
tive, than is most of the work of that talented but too facile
master who seems, generally, to have been unable to refrain
from imitating the last fine thing he had seen. Two triptychs
from the vigorous hand of Toyokuni are especially fine. One
of these, in a fine chord of autumnal color beautifully diver-
sified by the black robes of its women, comes near Toyokuni's
high water mark— which, we must all admit, in spite of the
depths into which he sometimes fell, was gloriously high. A
very remarkable triptych, by Hiroshigi, deals with the famous
whirlpool of Naruto. This picture shows a marvellous sense
of space and light over sunlit sea, of distance dim with lustre,
and far mountains shining like opals out of a haze of bright-
ness.

However, remarkable as are the triple prints, the strength
of the collection is undoubtedly in its single-sheet Hiroshigi's.
Among these is that one which is generally ranked first among
all his single-sheet designs— the "Shono" print of the great
series illustrating the Tokaido road. In this print the tree
tops of a bamboo grove, smitten suddenly by a rain-storm,
are made to compose upon the face of a piece of paper with
such magical effect that the beholder is made aware, as by
the dropping of a mask, of what unspeakable wonders of

38

artistic arrangement are concealed by nature in an apparent
disorder.

The series of eight prints illustrative of Lake Biwa— the
far-famed "Biwa Series" — are sometimes placed with eight
others, known as *'Yedo Kinko Hakkie," at the apex of
Hiroshigi's endeavor. Both sets are extremely rare. The
present exhibit contains the former set, entire, as well as
several of the latter. Of extreme interest, also, is a series
of quarter-sheets which show Hiroshigi in the terms of a
miniaturist. Though slight, these prints are very charming,
quite equal artistically to all except the best of the larger ones.

It were impossible even to indicate, in this brief space, the
range and loveliness of the exhibit. At least one more plate,
however, must be noted. An exquisite piece of color shows
much of the delicate sublety of that marvellous master
Harunobu.

The entire collection is for sale and inquiries may be ad-
dressed to the Art Department, Charleston Museum. The
usual charge made by dealers for handling prints is 885%,
and as the Museum does not accept this profit, persons order-
ing through the Museum will have the benefit of theMiscount.

39

NOTES FROM THE nUSEUH

A live Wild Cat has been placed on exhibition in the Mu-
seum near the mounted skins of other members of the cat
family. This specimen was taken on the Huguelet Planta-
tion on Cooper River and was presented by the North State
Lumber Company.

The regular April meeting of the Natural History Society
was devoted to a talk by Mr. H. R. Sass on * ' The Habits of
the Brown Pelican, " illustrated with lantern slides. The skin
of a young Brown Pelican was exhibited and the relative ad-
vantage of mounted and unmounted specimens discussed.
This pelican was taken March 24th, at the Drayton Station
Bridge on Ashley River, and was presented to the Museum
by Mr. W. M. Rivers of Summerville.

With the approach of the warm season the lecturing activity
of the Museum will be suspended till autumn. Professor Rea
concluded his University Extension course with a discussion
of DeVries' mutation-theory of evolution and a review of
present tendencies in biological work.

Professor Martin's lecture of April 18th on "The Scientific
Basis of Fairy Lore," aroused much interest. He reviewed
the evidence of the former existence of dwarf races in north-
ern and western Europe and, after emphasizing the remark-
able agreement between the legendary attributes of the fairies
and the characteristics of the living dwarfs of northern and
equatorial Africa, suggested the strong probability that Eu-
ropean fairy lore is based upon traditions of prehistoric dwarf
races.

The loan exhibit of Japanese Engravings, described on the
previous page, was opened with a lecture on ''The Oriental
Point of View in Art," by the honorary curator, Professor
N. W. Stephenson, in Manigault Hall, Wednesday afternoon,
April 18th.

40

MUSEUM CALENDAR FOR APRIL

APRIL ist, MONDAY. Regular weekly lecture of the University
Extension course on Organic Evolution, by Professor Rea, in
Manigault Hall at 8-15 p. m. Subject; "The Evolution of Human

Society." Admission by subscribers' ticket or Museum members' ticket.
Si7igle admission thirty-five cents.

APRIL 4th, THURSDAY. Regular monthly meeting of the Natural
History Society, in Manigault Hall at five o'clock. Mr. Herbert R.
Sass will give an account of the "Habits of the Brown Pelican," illus-
trated with lantern slides. A general invitation to be present is exteiided
to all zvho are interested.

APRIL 8th, MONDAY. University Extension lecture by Pro-
fessor Rea, in Manigault Hall at 8-15 p. m. Subject: "Weismann
and Theories of Heredity."

APRIL 15th, MONDAY. University Extension lecture by Pro-
fessor Rea, in Manigault Hall at 8-15 p. m. Subject: "Mendel's
Law of Hybrid Inheritance."

APRIL 17th, WEDNESDAY. Regular mid-monthly meeting of the
Natural History Society, in Manigault Hall at 4-30 p. m. Subject: "Fur=
ther Description of Spring and Summer Birds." Open to members
and to any others zvho desire a field acquaintance with our common birds.

APRIL i8th, THURSDAY. PubHc lecture by Professor Daniel
S. Martin, in Manigault Hall at 8-15 p. m. Subject; "The Scientific
Basis of Fairy Lore." Adtnission free.

APRIL 22nd, MOiNDAY. University Extension lecture by Profes-
sor Rea, in Manigault Hall at 8-15 p. m. Subject: "DeVries and Evo=
lution by flutation."

BULLETIN

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUL. M. REA

SYNOPSIS OF THE BIRD RECORDS OF THE NATURAL
HISTORY SOCIETY FOR THE YEAR 1906

NOTES PROM THE MUSEUH

Volume III, Number 5 May, 1907

Under the Auspices of the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistants to the Director

F. W. Wamsley

Herbert R. Sass

Librarian
Frances Jervey

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchology

Daniel S. Martin '. Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

Student Assistants

Henry Laurens Osteology

Francis M. Weston, Jr Ornithology

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1798
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, and
has been administered by the College since 1850.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is pubhshed monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 3 CHARLESTON, S. C, MAY, 1907 No. 5

SYNOPSIS OF THE BIRD RECORDS OF THE NATURAL
HISTORY SOCIETY FOR THE YEAR 1906

The Natural History Society is organized under the auspi-
ces of the Charleston Museum as a means of encouraging the
study of the fauna and flora of the Coast Region of South
Carolina. At present the society consists of but one section,
devoted to the study of birds. The records of this work are
kept on cards especially designed for the purpose^ and filed
in the Museum at the end of each month.

We publish below a synopsis of the records made in the
first year of the society's work by several students of the
College of Charleston, with occasional reports from Mr.
Arthur T. Wayne, honorary curator of birds in the Museum
and other observers.

This synopsis is not intended as a complete list of the
birds of the Coast Region of South Carolina. The inexperi-
ence of many of the observers accounts for the errors of
identification as indicated in the footnotes, while the irregu-
larity of field work and the difficulty of reaching the haunts
of the water birds explain, to a large extent, the incomplete-
ness of the list. It is printed chiefly as a guide for the future
work of the members of the Natural History Society, there
<=? being no accurate published list of the birds of this region.

LIBRARV

NEW YO
BOTANh

CO

1 See Bulletin of the College of Charleston Museum, Vol. I, No. 4, pp. 34-36.

41

I. Permanent Residents. —Birds which occur here through-
out the year.

List 1. Permanent Residents reported frequently every

month in the year.

Water Birds Red-winged Blackbird

Great Blue Heron or "Poor Jo" Boat-tailed Grackle or
Wayne's Clapper Rail "Jackdaw"

or "Marsh Hen" Cardinal

Land Birds Loggerhead Shrike

Turkey Buzzard Mockingbird

Black Vulture Brown Thrasher

Southern Downy Woodpecker Carolina Wren

Blue Jay Tufted Titmouse

Crow' Carolina Chickadee
Chewink ^

These birds are found in or about the City at all times of
the year and are so abundant that they should be familiar to
every child. Parents and teachers will find this list an admir-
able basis for first lessons in bird study. To it might be
added the Bob-white, Carolina Dove, and Kingfisher. (See

List 2).
List 2. Permanent Residents reported somewhat less fre-
quently THAN THOSE IN LiST 1.
Water Birds

Little Blue Heron or "Blue Crane" ^
Land Birds
Bob-white ^ White-Eyed Vireo

Carolina Dove ' Yellow-throated Warbler

Cooper's or "Chicken" Hawk® Pine Warbler
Kingfisher ~' Long-billed Marsh Wren '^

Flicker or Yellowhammer Blue-gray Gnatcatcher •'

Red-headed Woodpecker ' Bluebird

1 No distinction made between American Crow and Fish Crow.

2 No distinction made between Red-Eyed Chewink (Winter Visitant) and White-Eyed
Chewink (Permanent Resident).

3 Not reported Nov. — Feb. incl. Winters on Sea Islands.

4 Not reported Nov. — Feb. incl.

5 Not reported Oct. —Jan. incl.

6 Not reported May — Sept. incl.

7 Reported every month but one. These birds properly belong in the preceding list.

8 Since this species is classed by Mr. A. T. Wayne as a Winter Visitant, but has been
reported abundant throughout the Summer, there may be confusion with some other form.

42

List 3. Permanent Residents reported still less frequently

THAN those in LiST 2.

Bald Eagle Red-bellied Woodpecker

Sparrow Hawk Chipping Sparrow

Southern Hairy Woodpecker Field Sparrow

Pileated Woodpecker Florida White-breasted

Nuthatch

None of these birds were reported in the summer months.
It remains to be determined whether this is chiefly due to
the small number of observers in the field or to scarcity of
the birds.

List 4. Permanent Residents reported only occasionally

during the year.
Water Birds
Wood or Summer Duck American Oystercatcher or

Wood Ibis or "Gannet" "Willet"

Great Bittern Land Birds

Louisiana Heron Woodcock

Black-crowned Night Heron Wild Turkey
or "Indian Pullet" Ground Dove
Florida Gallinule Florida Barred Owl

Sanderling Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Willet Cowbird

Spotted Sandpiper Southern Yellow-throat '

Brown-headed Nuthatch

II. Winter Visitants.— Birds which come from their
northern breeding grounds to winter here.

List 1. Winter Visitants frequently reported.

Water Birds „ Departure Arrival

Spring of 1906 Fall of 1906

Horned Grebe or "Diver" Mar. 25 Oct. 28

Loon Apr. 23 Nov. 2

Herring Gull Apr. 12 Dec. 9

Hooded Merganser Mar. 11 Dec. 26

Mallard Duck Feb. 19 Dec. 15

Scaup Duck or Black-head - Apr. 19 Dec. 16

Clapper Rail or "Marsh Hen"'*

1 Abundance of this form uncertain since no distinction was made between it and
Northern Yellow-throat during migration period of the latter.

2 No distinction made between American and Lesser Scaup.

3 No distinction made between the Clapper Rail (Winter Visitant) and Wayne's Clapper
Rail (Permanent Resident).

43

Land Birds

Departure
Spring of 1906

Arrival
Fall of 1906

Marsh Hawk

Mar. 31

Sept. 8

Sharp-Shinned Hawk

Apr. 8

Sept. 8

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Mar. 12

Oct. 28

Phoebe

Mar. 17

Sept. 8

Meadowlark

Apr. 15

Oct. 14

White-throated Sparrow

Apr. 26

Oct. 27

Song Sparrow

Apr. 13

Oct. 14

Cedar Waxwing

May 1

Jan. 28

Myrtle Warbler

Apr. 28

Oct. 10

Catbird

Mar. 17

Sept. 18

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Apr. 14

Oct. 21

Hermit Thrush

Apr. 8

Oct. 6

For the benefit of teachers it may be stated that during
the winter months some of these birds are as abundant in
and about the City as the first fist of Permanent Residents,
viz. —the Scaup or Blackhead Duck, very common in the
harbor, Colonial Lake, etc. ; Clapper Rail or ' 'Marsh Hen, ' ' shot
by thousands in the marshes; Myrtle Warbler, as common
outside the city limits as the English Sparrow within; Cat-
bird and Cedar Waxwing in the City and Meadow Lark in
the fields.

List 2. Winter Visitants somewhat less frequently reported

THAN THOSE IN LiST 1.

Departure

Arrival

Spring of 1906

Fall of 1906

Killdeer Plover or ' '

Cheweeka'

' Mar. 17

Nov. 4

American Goldfinch

Feb. 22

Nov. 3

Vesper Sparrow

Mar. 25

Nov. 4

Junco

Mar. 12

Nov. 25

Titlark

Mar. 25

Nov. 5

Brown Creeper

Feb. 18

Oct. 29

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Mar. 25

Oct. 27

Robin

Apr. 15

Dec. 23

44

List 3. Winter Visitants reported only occasionally.

Water Bi>ds Land Birds

Ring-billed Gull Red-tailed Hawk or
Laughing Gull "Hen-hawk"

Bonaparte's Gull Rusty Blackbird

Black Duck Pine Siskin '

Pintail Duck Savanna Sparrow

Canvasback Duck Tree Swallow

Ruddy Duck House Wren

American Coot or Short-billed Marsh Wren

"Blue Peter" Red-breasted Nuthatch

III. Summer Residents.— Birds which come from their
southern winter homes to breed here, returning in the fall.

List 1. Summer Residents frequently reported.

Water Birds

Arrival 1906

Departure 1906

Green Heron or "Skeow"

Apr. 5

Oct. 27

Land Birds

Fish Hawk

Mar. 3

Oct. 25

*Yellow-billed Cuckoo or

"Rain-crow"

Apr. 26

Oct. 8

*Chimney Swift

Mar. 28

Oct. 28

* Ruby-throated Hummingbird

June 21

Sept. 24

*Kingbirdor "Beebird"

Apr. 10

Oct. 4

* Crested Flycatcher

Apr. 13

Sept. 18

Wood Pewee

May 20

Sept. 18

* Orchard Oriole

Apr. 13

Sept. 18

*Nonpareil

Mar. 11

Nov. 4

* Summer Tanager

Apr. 13

Sept. 18

*Purple Martin

Mar. 5

Oct. 21

Red-Eyed Vireo

Apr. 13

Oct. 23

Parula Warbler

Mar. 17

Oct. 8

*Yellow Warbler

Apr. 21

Sept. 27

For the benefit of teachers it may again be stated that the
birds marked thus (*) are common in the city during the
summer months.

1 Fide Dr. Robert Wilson.

45

List 2, Summer Residents reported only occasionally.

Water Birds Land Birds

Least Tern Chuck Will's Widow

Black Skimmer Night Hawk or "Bull Bat"

Brown Pelican Yellow-throated Vireo

Least Bittern Swainson's Warbler

Wilson's Plover Prairie Warbler

Swallow-tailed Kite Yellow-breasted Chat

Hooded Warbler

Wood Thrush

IV. Transient Visitants.— Birds which pass through here,
spring and fall, on the way between their southern winter
homes and their northern breeding grounds.

List 1. Transient Visitants reported.

Water Birds Spring Migration Fall Migration

Black Tern Aug. 3-Sept. 18

Bartramian Sandpiper Mar. 11 —

Hudsonian Curlew Apr. 7

Land Birds

BoboHnk or Ricebird May 13 Sept. 8-Oct. 14

Barn Swallow , Apr. 14-May 20 Aug. 10-Oct. 11

Bank Swallow ' Mar. 5-June 13 Aug. 7-Oct. 28

Black and White Warbler Aug. 11-Dec. 1

Worm Eating Warbler Sept. 12

Black-throated Blue Warbler May 12 Oct. 5-28

Oven Bird Oct. 28

Northern Yellow-throat = ? ?

Redstart Aug. 19-Oct. 27

The deficiencies of the first year's work are especially
apparent in the records of Transient Visitants but records
already filed for the spring of 1907 show a decided improve-
ment.

1 Possibly confused with Rough- Winged Swallow (Permanent Resident).

2 Migration dates uncertain because no distinction was made between this form and
Southern Yellow-throat.

46

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUH

One of the grammar school teachers recently brought her
class to the Museum to see Australian animals in connection
with the study of the geography of Australia. Birds and
animals characteristic of that part of the world were brought
into the lectureroom and with the additional assistance of
lantern slides Professor Rea explained to the class some of
the principles of animal distribution. The Museum hopes to
be of service to other teachers and classes in similar ways.

Professor F. W. Putnam, head of the Peabody Museum at
Harvard and of the Department of Anthropology at the Uni-
versity of California, recently visited the Museum and spent
several days examining and revising the anthropological
collection. Among other rare and valuable material this
collection includes the oldest specimens known to be in the
Museum, especially a native helmet from the Sandwich
Islands and other articles presented in 1798 \ Another valu-
able specimen is a mummied human head obtained from the
Mundrucus Indians of the River Tapajos by Lieut. Herndon,
Commander of the United States Expedition to explore the
River Amazon, and presented to the Museum in 1854. "These
are the heads of their [the Mundrucus] enemies, the Mahuc's
of the same district, which the Mundrucus preserve and keep
in their houses as a sort of 'Fetish' or charm. Whenever
a Mundrucus goes out to work his little plantation of tobacco,
plantains, maize, etc. , he puts one of these heads on a pole,
and sticks the pole in the earth near where he is at work, as
a protection against his enemies and evil spirits." '

At the regular mid-monthly meeting of the Natural History
Society, held in Manigault Hall, May 15th, the following
officers were elected for the summer term; President, Mr. H.
R. Sass; Vice-president, Miss Mabel Pollitzer; Secretary, Mr.
J. H. Taylor; Treasurer, Mr. J. W. Willson. Mrs. Rea then

1 See Bull. Coll. Chas. Mus.. Vol. 2, No. 6 (Oct. 1906). p. 49.

2 Proc. Ell. Soc. Vol. 1, p. 14.

47

submitted a synopsis of the bird work of the Society for the
year 1906. This synopsis is printed in the present issue of
the Bulletin and should prove a valuable guide for field
work.

The Museum will be represented by the Director at the
second annual meeting of the American Association of Mu-
seums, to be held at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburg,
June 4, 5, and 6. Professor Rea will read a paper on Museum
Records.

With this issue the Bulletin takes leave of its readers
till October. Professor Rea will visit many northern mu-
seums during the summer and will plan the equipment of our
new building. During July and August he will be on the
instruction staff of the Marine Biological Laboratory at
Woods Hole, Mass. Mr. Wamsley will supervise the con-
version of the Auditorium into a museum building and Mr.
Sass will bring the library and specimen records up to date
in preparation for moving in the fall. Professor Martin, who
has spent three months in the tedious but extremely impor-
tant work of completing the records of the geological depart-
ment, has returned to his home in Brooklyn, N. Y. Before
coming down next year he hopes to obtain material for a
contemplated exhibit of the mineralogy of the Southern
Appalachians.

Note: — Mr. Arthur T. Wayne has kindly called our atten-
tion to an error on page 36 of the April Bulletin. The
name of the recent owner of the Walter plantation should
read Mr. William Mazyck Porcher, instead of Mr. Ezekiel
Porcher, as printed. —Ed.

48

BULLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUL M. REA

HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM PREVIOUS TO 1798

THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES

NOTES PROM THE MUSEUil

Volume III, Number 6 October, 1907

Under the Auspices of the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistants

F. W. Wamsley

Herbert R. Sass

Libro.rian

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck ConchAogy

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

Student Assistants

Henry Laurens Zoology

J. WiRRON WiLLSON Ornithology

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1777
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, to
the Medical School in 1843, and to the College of Charleston in 1850. In
1907 a building was provided by the City and the name changed to The
Charleston Museum.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all perm.anent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Membi^rs $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of m.embers include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is pubhshed monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BXJLLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 3 CHARLESTON, S. C, OCTOBER, 1907 No. 6

The Period Previous to 1798*

By William G. Mazyck

HISTORY OF THE MUSEUn i^inRAR

NEW YOI

BOTANJC,

(iARDE^

During the war, while Charleston was under fire from the
Federal batteries, Professor F. S. Holmes, the then zealous
and enthusiastic curator of the Museum of the College of
Charleston, removed many of the more valuable specimens
belonging to the Museum, together with its records, to his
farm in Edgefield County, where his family were refugees,
and where they were stored, with his own books, papers and
specimens, in one of his barns, which, most unfortunately,
was burned by a marauding band of negroes, just after the
cessation of hostilities. The burning of the records was, of
course, most deplorable, and for many years I have endeav-
ored to repair the loss by searching every available source of
information, and have succeeded in gathering the facts de-
tailed below.

In 1865, and for several years after, I was librarian of the
Charleston Librar y Society, and, while looking over a mass

*Tnis, the first of a series of articles by Mr. Mazyck, extends the known history of the
-^ Museum by more than twenty years and establishes it as the oldest mu-^eum in America, be-
C! yond question. The period from 1798 to 1815, including the earliest accession list extant, was
^ discussed by the Editor in the Bulletin for October, 1906, (Vol. 2. No. 6), and the period
*— ■ from 1815 to 1819 by Miss Eola Willis in the Bulletin for April, 1906, (Vol. 2, No. 4). Mr.
I Mazyck's investigation will be continued in the next two issues o the Bulletin.— Editor-

cn; 49

of rubbish in a closet, I discovered a small manuscript mem-
orandum book containing, among other items of more or less
interest, this important and most valuable entry: ''Articles
for the Museum, presented 5th June, 1798, by Capt. William
Hall." This little volume I recently brought to the atten-
tion of Professor Rea, and after a prolonged search of the
records of the Library Society, it was found, and a tran-
script of this entry, and those of its several succeeding
pages, was published in the October, 1906, number of this
"Bulletin," (Vol. 2, No. 6). This is doubtles one of the
oldest, if not indeed the most ancient, accession list in exis-
tence, so far, at least, as our American museums are concerned.
With this date as a clue, I have diligently followed the trail
backwards until the records have been successfully estab-
lished as far back positively, as 1777, and most probably sev-
eral years earlier.

In "The South Carolina and American General Gazette"
of January 29, 1778, there is a remarkably full account of
the very disastrous fire which had laid waste the greater
part of this city a few days before, in which this paragraph

appears:

"The Charles Town Library Society's valuable collection of
books, instruments and apparatus for astronomical and philo-
sophical observations and experiments, etc. etc., is almost

entirely lost."

Dr. David Ramsay, a member of the Society, whose name
appears among the members of its executive committee, a cir-
cumstance which insures his complete familiarity with its af-
fairs and property, amplifies this statement in this extremely
interesting and most important note on page 379, Vol. 2, of
his "History of South Carolina," (Charleston, 1809).

"On the 17th January, 1778, a very extensive fire took
place in Charleston, when this Library, containing between
six and seven thousand volumes, comprising a valuable col-
lection of ancient authors, with paintings, prints, a pair of

50

elegant globes, mathematical and other instruments, and
many specimens of natural history, was almost totally de-
stroyed."

The words which I have emphasized taken alone, might not
be entitled to much weight in this discussion, but in connec-
tion with the entries in the invaluable little memorandum
book, in which gifts to "The Museum" are given equal
prominence with books purchased for or given to the Li-
brary, fixes, beyond controversy, the fact that this begin-
ning of the Charleston Museum antedates the next c Idest
record by at least eight years. "The first public museum
was that founded in Philadelphia, in 1785, by Charles Willson
Peale, the bones of a mammoth and a stuffed paddlefish form-
ing its nucleus." (G. Brown Goode, Report U. S. Nat.
Museum, 1897, pt. 2, p. 403).

Unfortunately, the minute book of the Library Society
prior to March 15, 1815, cannot be found, but the minutes of
its [Executive] Committee are extant, and as early as
* 'Wednesday, December 12, 1764, the Committee proceeded
to the room presented to the Society by Mr. Manigault, in
order to see in what forwardness the same was for the re-
ceipt of the books, &ca." Just what the "&ca" consisted
of the reader must determine for himself. When, however,
it is recalled that as early as January 17, 1778, the Library
owned "many specimens of natural history," it is reasonable
to conclude that the collection was the outcome of several
years' labor, especially as the public mind was fully occupied
with the strenuous work of the Revolution and the years im-
mediately preceding it. Scant time, indeed, must there have
been in this city or state for the indulgence of scientific ac-
tivity in the period between 1774 and 1777; it is, therefore,
by no means an unwarranted conclusion that, "the Commit-
tee" included in its ideas of "forwardness" necessary pro-
vision for the accomodation not only of the books but also of

"The Museum."

61

LOCAL FAUNA

City Bird Life

In November, 1908, the Bulletin published a Hst of the
birds observed by Mr. H. R. Sass, in his garden on Legare
street. The list at that time included 90 species. During
the eleven months which have elapsed since the publication
of the list, a number of new records have been made, bring-
ing the total number of birds observed, up to 106 species ex-
clusive of the English sparrow. These additions are given
below.

In connection with Mr. Sass's list of garden birds, the list
which we publish this month of birds observed by a few
members of the Charleston Natural History Society on the
College of Charleston campus should interest all students of
local bird-life. Although the campus list contains a much
smaller number of species than Mr. Sass's list, it furnishes
a truer indication of the capabilities of the city in general as
a place for bird study. The location of Mr. Sass's garden
renders it peculiarly attractive to birds— in the south-west-
ern part of the city and practically bordering the Ashley
River. The campus, on the other hand, is situated in the
heart of the city far from both rivers, and, although con-
taining more large trees than the average city garden, shares
with the latter the disadvantage of being entirely surrounded
by houses and noisy streets. The campus list, therefore, af-
fords a better idea of what birds may be seen by the average
city dweller than does Mr. Sass's hst.

It should be noted, moreover, that, although the campus
list has already attained to a considerable length, it will cer-
tainly grow rapidiy for some time to come, since at present
the observations on which it is based cover a period of less
than two years.

The following species are especially noteworthy, since
they are seldom seen in the city: — Red-headed woodpecker,

52

chuck- will's- widow, blue jay, black-poll warbler, ovenbird,

tufted titmouse, and wood thrush. In fact, so far as the

Museum is aware, the chuck- will's- widow and the wood

thrush have never before been observed in the city. A pair

of blue jays which nested and reared their young on the

campus during the past spring and summer furnish the

only known instance of the breeding of this species in the

city.

Additions to Mr. Sass's Garden List

Wood Ibis.— A bird seen flying over years ago (date unknown)
I now know was a wood ibis.

Louisiana Huron?— Two herons, almost certainly this species, seen
July 21, 1907.

Wilson's Snipe? — A small flock of shore birds probably snipe seen
September 15, 1907.

Pigeon Hawk.— One observed Oct. 9, 1907 devouring a small bird,
probably a mocking bird.

Wood Pewee.— Seen October 20 and 21, 1907.

Boat Tail Grackle. — One seen passing over September 1, 1907.

Purple Finch. — Seen and heard singing March 8 and 12, 1907.

Vesper Sparrow.— A small flock observed March 10, 1907.

Field Sparrow.— One seen April 22, 1907.

Fox Sparrow.— One seen January 6, 1907.

Black-poll Warbler. — A male seen and heard singing May 13, 14,
and 16, 1907.

Prairie Warbler. —One seen and heard singing April 18, 1907: two

seen September 1, 1907.

Yellow-breasted Chat. — One seen October 10, 1907.

Hooded Warbler.— Observed April 20, Aug. 26 and Sept. 13, 1907.

House Wren.— Observed October 21, 22, and 24, 1907.

Wilson's Thrush. — One seen September 7, 1907.

Campus List

1. Black Tern 5. Black Vulture

2. Green Heron 6. Sharp-shinned Hawk

3. Common Dove 7. Fish Hawk

4. Turkey Buzzard 8. Yellow-billed Cuckoo

53

9.

Red-headed Woodpecker

24.

Red-eyed Vireo

10.

Flicker

25.

White-eyed Vireo

11.

Chuck -will ' s-widow

26.

Black and white Warbler

12.

Chimney Swift

27.

Parula Warbler

13.

Kingbird

28.

Summer Warbler

14.

Crested Flycatcher

29.

Myrtle Warbler

15.

Blue Jay

30.

Black-poll Warbler

16.

Crow or Fish Crow

31.

Ovenbird

17.

Orchard Oriole

32.

Southern Yellowthroat?

18.

American Goldfinch

33.

American Redstart

19.

Song Sparrow

34.

Mockingbird

20.

Cardinal

35.

Tufted Titmouse

21.

Nonpareil

36.

Golden-crowned Kinglet

22.

Purple Martin

37.

Wood Thrush

23.

Cedar Waxwing

38.

American Robin

ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES

On October 17, while collecting birds for the Museum, I
was fortunate enough to secure a specimen' of Bewick's
Wren, Thryomanes bewickii (AuD.), a species which had
never before been taken on the South Carolina Coast.
The bird was taken in pine woods near the Navy Yard where
there was a considerable undergrowth of scrubby bushes.
Mr. A. T. Wayne, of Mount Pleasant, informs me that on
October 16, he saw, but failed to secure a specimen of this
wren near his house. Although abundant in some parts of
the interior, Bewick's Wren is rare and local east of the Al-
leghanies and in South Carolina had never been recorded
nearer the coast than the neighorhood of Columbia.

Previous to the past summer, Worthington's Marsh Wren,
Telmatodytes palustris griseus (Brewst. ) , had been regarded
as a very rare bird on the South Carolina Coast. On June 2,
however, Mr. F. M. Weston, Jr., and myself established the
fact that a Marsh Wren, which, as we had long been aware,
bred abundantly in the marshes bordering Ashley River and
Wappoo Cut, was none other than this supposedly rare va-
riety.

'Spec. No. 7080. Chas. Mus.

54

Some weeks ago, during the overhauling of the collections

preparatory to their removal to the new building, a specimen'
was found which was identified by Mr. Wayne, honorary
curator of birds, as the Scarlet Ibis, Guara rubra, taken in
Florida and recorded by William Brewster in the Bulletin
Nuttall Ornithological Club, VIII, 1883, p 185. Although
mentioned by Coues in his Key to North American Birds as
being in this Museum, this valuable specimen had been lost
sight of for many years and is now much the worse for wear.
The Scarlet Ibis is a South American species merely acci-
dental in the United States, where it has been recorded only
three times— by Audubon in Louisiana, by Coues in New
Mexico, and by Brewster in Florida. Since Audubon failed to
secure the bird which he saw and since Coues' specimen con-
sisted simply of a fragment examined by him in 1864, the
specimen in this Museum is probably the only existing ex-
ample of the Scarlet Ibis ever taken in the United States.

Herbert R. Sass.

THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The Natural History Society held its first meeting this fall
in Manigault Hall, October 16th. The meeting was. devoted
to informal reports of summer bird observations by mem-
bers, a report of the executive committee outlining the plan
of autumn and winter work, and the lirst of a series of talks
on common birds, by the president, Mr. H. R. Sass.

The meetings of the Society will be held this year on the
first and third Thursdays in each month, at 4:30 p. m. in
Manigault Hall. Specimens of our common local birds will
be brought in from the Museum and described, and field ex-
cursions will be organized by the Society with a guide to as-
sist in identifying the birds seen. The Bulletin is the of-
ficial organ of the Society and prints many articles of in-
terest to bird students. The May issue contained a particu-

' Spec. No. 960, Chas. Mus.

55

larly important classified list of local birds. Copies can be
had at the Museum at five cents each.

Inquiries about the Society may be made of the Museum by
telephone.

NOTES FROn THE MUSEUn

During the summer gratifying progress has been made on
the tedious but very necessary task of preparing proper re-
cords of the specimens and books in the museum. When it
is remembered that these collections have accumulated dur-
ing more than a century and that the history of many of
them has been lost or confused, both the necessity and dif-
ficulty of bringing the records down to date are apparent.
Until it is done the collections cannot be moved without dan-
ger of irreparable confusion.

Mrs. Chase, of the Division of Agrostology, at Washington,
recently visited the Museum for the purpose of studying some
of the grasses in the Elliott Herbarium. Mrs. Chase's visit
led to an examination of other herbaria in the Museum which
disclosed the surprising extent of the Ravenel herbarium.
Dr. H. W. Ravenel made a special study of the Fungi and
his herbarium includes extensive collections of the lower or-
ders of plants in a surprisingly perfect state of preservation.
The herbarium also contains the plants which were the basis
of his published account of the flora of the region of the
Santee Canal. Two additional fascicles of the Elliott Her-
barium have since been found, as well as some herbaria
presented to tlie old Literary and Philosophical Society, and
a printed copy of a letter from Dr. Felix L'Herminier, cura-
tor of the Museum from 1815 to 1819. The discovery of so
much valuable material in a neglected condition emphasizes
the necessity of the new system of records and of the im-
proved storage facilities which the new building will provide.

56

BULLETIN

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUL M. REA

HISTORY OP THE MUSEUfl FROM 1798 TO 1850
ONE OF AUDUBON'S BIRDS
NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

Volume III, Number 7 November, 1907

Under the Auspices of the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistants

F. W. Wamsley

Herbert R. Sass

Librarian

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

Student Assistants

Henry Laurens Zoology

J. WiRRON WiLLSON Ornithology

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1777
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, to
the Medical School in 1843, and to the College of Charleston in 1850. In
1907 a building was provided by the City and the name changed to The
Charleston Museum,

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are :—

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is pubUshed monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

I

CO

o

BULLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 3 CHARLESTON, S. C, NOVEMBER, 1907 No. 7

HISTORY OF THE HUSEUn LJBRAFi

The Period From 1798 to 1850 ^^^ ^'^^

By William G. Mazyck ^

Having, we think, thus clearly proven the existence of the
Museum belonging to the Charleston Library Society at least
as early as 1777, ' let us now endeavor to trace the connection
of this most ancient of all American museums with the
Charleston Museum of to-day.

In 1815 the Library Society transferred the Museum to the
Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina which
had been organized by Dr. Shecut in 1813, and of which
Mr. Stephen Elliott was president. Dr. Felix L'Hermi-
nier was appointed Superintendent of the Museum and did
much to arouse interest throughout the city. The details of
this important period are omitted here, since they have been
discussed by Miss Eola Willis in an earlier issue of the
Bulletin.' The condition of the Museum in 1826 is de-

^ scribed by Mills^ as follows:

22 "The Literary and Philosophical Society is an institution

that does great honour to the State. It was founded in 1813,

'Bull, Chas. Mus. Vol. 3, No. 6, Oct.. 1907.

-Vol. 2, No. 4, April, 1906.

'Statistics of South Carolina. Charleston. 1826, p. 437.

57

and comprises a large mineralogical cabinet, a number of
subjects of natural history and botany.

' 'The Museum is situate on Chalmers street, nearly fronting
the city square, and is well stored with curious objects in
natural history, Indian antiquities, foreign and native works
of art, &c. ' '

I have found no later mention of the Society, except a
single line in the ' 'Index to the different societies in Charles-
ton, ' ' in the City Directory for 1837-8, where it is listed with
the "Rev. John Bachman, President, and J. De La Motta,
M. D., Secretary."

The collection remained in the care of this Society for
nearly thirty years.

In a circular printed on the last page of the "Catalogue of
of the Trustees, Faculty and Students of the Medical College of
the State of South Carolina," published in 1843, it is stated
that ' 'opportunities for the acquirement of a knowledge of
Natural History are furnished, by the transfer to the Col-
lege of the Museum of the Literary and Philosophical So-
ciety, which has been newly arranged and enlarged."

These words were repeated in subsequent circulars until
May, 1846, and in that year acknowledgement is made of the
receipt of several geological and other specimens from vari-
ous donors.

In the minutes of the annual meeting of the Trustees of
the College of Charleston, held October 18th, 1847, we find
that "A letter addressed to the trustees of the College, from
T. Leger Hutchinson, Mayor; Lewis R. Gibbes, prof. nat.
phil; Elias Horlbeck and Wm. Hume, was read from the
Chair, requesting that a basement room in the College edifice,
not now occupied should be appropriated to the accommoda-
tion of a Collection of the Fossils of this State, now in pos-
session of F. S. Holmes; whereupon it was resolved that the
application in the said letter be granted, provided the con-
sent of the Faculty be obtained." Two and a half years

58

later, in March, 1850, the American Association for the Ad-
vancement of Science met in Charleston, and at the session
of Saturday, March 16th, Prof. Agassiz ' 'recommended the
formation in Charleston of a Museum around the nucleus of
the old Museum now in the Medical College of this City, for
the illustration of Paelaeontology and Natural History. He
stated that there would be placed in the collection by Prof.
Tuomey a full series of the fossils collected during the geo-
logical survey of the State.

*'Dr. Holbrook will contribute fishes, etc; Prof. Shepard,
minerals; Mr. Holmes, specimens of rocks and fossils; Lieut.
Kurtz, shells of the coast; Dr. Burden, tertiary fossils.

"This was warmly seconded by Prof. Bache and Lieut.
Maury, each of whom offered contributions." (Charleston
Courier, Monday, March 18th, 1850. )

Interest in the subject of the rehabilitation and enlarge-
ment of ''the old Museum" thus awakened, increased rap-
idly, and under the influence of several of the leading spirits
in the scientific and educational circles of the city, the mat-
ter took definite shape, and at a meeting of the board of
Trustees of the College, held on March 28, 1850, "the Presi-
dent stated that he was authorized to offer to the College of
Charleston— on behalf of Prof. Tuomey, Mr. Agassiz and
other gentlemen devoted to the pursuit of Natural Science —
their Collections of Geological and fossil specimens, found in
various parts of the State — Whereon it was resolved, that
the offer of Prof. Tuomey is favorably received by this Board,
and that they will give it all due consideration. Resolved,
that it be referred to the Standing Comm. to enquire into the
subject, and report to the Board of Trustees."

At the meeting of the Standing Committee, held May 4,
1850, it was:

"Resolved that the Chairman be and is hereby authorized
to communicate with Dr. Bachman, and through him— or di-
rectly—as may be expedient, with Prof. Tuomey and Mr.

59

Ffancis S. Holmes on the terms on which they will lodge
their Palaeontological collections, or part of them in the Col-
lege of Charleston.

"Resolved that the Chairman at his earliest convenience
prepare and lay before the Committee a report on the estab-
lishment of a College Museum."

June 14 the Committee again met and "the Chairman
made an elaborate report on the subject of the proposed Mu-
seum of Natural History— which had been referred to the
Standing Committee— embracing the correspondence of the
gentlemen who had tendered their collections of specimens,
and much other valuable information on the subject. When
it was resolved that the said report be made at an early day
to the Board of Trustees."

Accordingly at the meeting of the Board on July 15, 1850,
"The President submitted to the board the report of the
Standing Committee on the subject of the geological & fossil
specimens offered by Mr. Tuomey, Mr. Agassiz, Dr. Bach-
man and Mr. Holmes — for the purpose of founding a Museum
of Natural History in the College of Charleston— whereupon
it was resolved, 'That the report of the Standing Committee
on the subject of a Museum be, and is hereby, accepted and
Confirmed, and that it be submitted to the Mayor & Council
for their consideration.' "

The minutes of City Council were lost during the war, but
fortunately in the Charleston Courier of Friday, July 19,
1850, we find the following lengthy but interesting and im-
portant item:

' 'The following is the communication from the Trustees of
the Charleston College, omitted in the published Proceedings
of Council yesterday:

"When the American Association for the Advancement of Science
held their meeting in Charleston, in March last, several of it's most dis-
tinguished members expressed the opinion that the City possessed pecu-
liar advantages for the establishment in it of a Museum of Natural History.

60

That such a Museum of great value and extent could soon be collected— and
would not only highly subserve the promotion of knowledge and general
spread of natural science in the South, but would be an honor to our City.
The subject was brought before the Board of Trustees of the College of
Charleston. They referred it to their Standing Committee, and the com-
mittee authorized their Chairman to communicate with some of the Scien-
tific gentlemen among us, best able to advise on the subject, and to re-
port the result. In pursuance of this authorization the Chairman re-
spectfully reports:

"That he embraced the opportunity afforded by the recent visit to the
South of Prof. Agassiz, to consult him specially on this subject. The
professor had the goodness to make a written communication on it,
which presents such interesting views of it, that justice could scarcely be
so well done to them in any other way, as by submitting them in his own
words to the Committee. After expressing his great gratification at the
idea of the establishment of a Museum of Natural History in Charleston,
the Professor observes:

' ' 'I am so deeply interested in every movement likely to contribute to
the promotion of physical science that I beg to be allowed to present
some remarks to you, which may satisfy you that such an establishment
would be both useful to science and honorable to your Community, and I
may say, also, easily increased without considerable expense. The only
thing of first importance is a good room or set of rooms, with a perma-
nent curator. Specimens of Natural History require constant attention,
otherwise they decay, or are destroyed by insects. An intelligent keeper
of the Museum, himself deeply interested in it's increase, is therefore, the
soul of such an institution. Young physicians, feeling an interest in the
growth of the collection, should also be patronized, so far as to allow
them a convenient place where they could work for the museum while
they were waiting for patients. With such a combination the museum
could advance simultaneously in all departments. The whole expenses of
the museum might therefore be reduced to the rent of rooms and the sal-
ary of the curator, with a moderate appropriation for freight to pay the
expense of exchanges and the collection of specimens for exchanges. For
it's increase a museum, which is not richly endowed must chiefly depend
upon the activity of it's curator in procuring new specimens by way of
exchanges. Now, I venture to say, that few places in the world, if any,
are more favorably situated than Charleston, to offer valuable exchanges,
owing to several circumstances which must be familiar to you. It was
in Charleston the first specimens of Natural History were collected which
have been scientifically described. Dr. Garden who was a regular cor-
respondent of Linnaeus, provided him with many specimens, which have

61

been described in the Systema Naturae. Those objects are highly in-
teresting to naturalists and the solution of several points of scientific
critique will depend upon the re-examination of the specimens, as some
of them have at a late period been obtained from other States further
north, and considered as the things mentioned by Garden, although upon
minute examination they may be found to differ. This is a question
which might have been solved already with the assistance of a museum
in Charleston. The work of Stephen Elliott upon the plants of South
Carolina, that of Dr. Holbrook upon the reptiles of the U. S. in his
Southern Icthyology, the publication of Dr. Bachman upon quadrupeds
and birds, the lists of shells of Dr. Ravenel, those of Crustacea and lower
animals by Dr. L. R. Gibbes, the lists of fossils in Mr. Tuomey's Geo. Re-
port, those mentioned by Mr. F. S. Holmes, and many isolated papers
published by Naturalists of South Carolina, in scientific periodical works,
among which the papers of R. W. Gibbes are prominent, have given to the
objects their [sic] mentioned an increased value, which will forever make
zoological collections and fossils gathered in South Carolina more valu-
able for Museums in Europe than those of any other part of the Union;
and I am sure for such specimens the Directors of museums abroad
would be happy to send equally valuable returns. There is another
point which will make the museum of Charleston very important. I
mean the recent discovery of so many fossil remains of the higher class
of Animals, which by themselves might form in a few years a collection
unrivalled anywhere; not to speak of the interest of bringing out fully
the natural character of the Fauna of the Southern States. It is to be
hoped that with such prospects, the formation of a museum of Natural
History in Charleston, will be hailed with satisfaction, and that all who
can contribute specimens, or otherwise advance the interest of science,
will come forward on this occasion to hasten so desirable a result. '

"These views of Prof. Agassiz are of the highest authority and im-
portance, and present powerful motions for the adoption of the plan which
he so strongly recommends.

"In a personal interview with the Rev. Dr. Bachman and a full inter-
change of opinion with him on this matter, he had the kindness to under-
take to communicate with Professor Tuomey and Mr. Francis Holmes,
and on the 14th of March last the Chairman addressed a letter to Dr.
Bachman, submitting the leading points on which the Committee desired
to ascertain the sentiments of Professor Tuomey and Mr. Holmes' about
the 5th ultimo. Dr. Bachman wrote a note to the Chairman covering-
valuable communications from Mr. Holmes to him, of the 18th of May,

^Evidently the period should follow Mr. Holmes' name, but I have given the punctuation
as it occurred in the original. — W. G. M.

62

and 3d ultimo, and informing the Chairman that he had written to Pro-
fessor Tuomey and had not heard from him. Professor Tuomey was sup-
posed to be absent from Tuscaloosa, but he had before authorized Dr.
Bachman to say that he would be glad to have his collection permanently
established in our College. The Doctor says the same of his own collec-
tion. Both are understood to be highly valuable. The communications
of Mr. Holmes are herewith submitted— they are too valuable to be ab-
breviated—they contain much information and evidence of devotion to a
favorite science worthy of all praise. He too, unites with Dr. Bachman
and Professor Tuomey, in tendering his important collection as a gift to
the College. It is distinctly understood that if a museum be established
in the College of Charleston, these collections are to be given as free
gifts in perpetuity to the College. To use the emphatic language of
Mr. Holmes "The materials for which others would have to spend many
thousand dollars, are tendered gratis— and the splendid field, so very
rich and unexplored, will yield specimens of great value at a cost of little
labor and money." In addition to the collections of Dr. Bachman, Pro-
fessor Tuomey and Mr, Francis S. Holmes, Dr. Bachman believes that the
collection of the Philosophical Society now in the keeping of the Medical
College, will be given at once to the College of Charleston. His [this]
opinion of Dr. Bachman has been confirmed by every member of the Philo-
sophical Society who has been consulted on this subject, and the Dean of the
Trustees of the Medical College has given assurance, that if the Col-
lege estabhshes a museum, he will, with pleasure, superintend the re-
moval of the collection of the Philosophical Society, and all the cases
containing it to the College buildings, and give directions to prevent con-
fusion among the specimens or injury to them. With these assurances,
and the prospect of speedily making ample additions to these collections
from the abundant rare, and very valuable specimens known to exist in
our State, a museum might be established, which to use the language of
Prof. Agassiz, would be an honor to our community, and we may add an
honor to our State. We cannot permit ourselves to doubt that were it
fairly established, it could not fail to receive the patronage of the State.
The collections then that would form an extensive and valuable museum,
would, in themselves, cost us nothing. All that the College would be re-
quired to provide, would be rooms to receive and display them, a com-
petent keeper to preserve and add to them— and a small amount to meet
contingent, and yet necessary expenses. It is believed that the additions
now making to the College Buildings, while they will be an ornament to
the city, will, with the original building, afford ample accommodations
for all the Professors, for the College Societies and the Library; and, under
judicious arrangements, space sufficient for a large museum with the

63

necessary work rooms that ought to be connected with it. The addi-
tions in progress will give us eight large rooms, besides four rooms on
the ground floor. Three Professors and one College Society require accom-
modation—one of the new rooms aught [sic] to become the Library—
and the Library that is now on the same floor, with some of the new
rooms that may be assigned for work rooms for the museum, would furn-
ish accommodations for the largest museum that we can for a long time
well hope to collect. The expense of these rooms may be said to be al-
ready incurred. The contract for them is made— an intelligent keeper,
it is strongly and truly said is the soul of a museum. He is the living
principle that adds to it and preserves it from decay. He must be de-
voted to science and possess the intelligence and ability to make his de-
votion available; such a person as would be fit for the office would not
probably be obtained at a smaller salary than twelve hundred dollars—
and the incidental expenses of the museum cannot be put at less than
three hundred dollars annually.

"The yearly regular expenses therefore may be estimated at about
fifteen hundred dollars and it is believed that at present that amount
cannot be raised by private subscription, and under existing circum-
stances, could only be permanently provided by an annual appropriation
by the city. It is confidently believed that such an appropriation would
be amply compensated by the advantages which a well regulated and well
sustained museum would bring to the city. It would aid greatly in ex-
citing and rewarding a spirit of research and accurate enquiry among
all our students of Natural History. It would furnish us with new and
accurate information of the changes which have taken place in the different
accessible strata of our State, and of the inhabitants in all the departments
of nature, by which these strata have been successf uly occupied. It would
assist the agriculturist in studying the nature of his soil, and suggest the
means of stimulating its fertility.

"It would bring us into direct relations with the distinguished natural-
ists of this country, and of Europe, and be a point of attraction to them
under favorable auspices, and maintained with that zeal and ability,
which it would surely deserve. It would be an ornament and an honor
to the city and to the State.

"There are many important views connected with this subject, sug-
gested by Mr. Holmes, in his valuable communications which, if the
main subject, the Museum, can be obtained, may well be associated with
it, and would certainly gi-eatly extend its influence and usefulness.
They would add nothing to its expense, and might, it is believed be so
arranged as at some time hereafter, in a great measure to supply the
means of its support.

64

"On the whole the plan of establishing a Museum of Natural His-
tory in our city, in connection with the College, is very earnestly com-
mended to the Board of Trustees, and through them, if they encourage
the undertaking, to the favor and support of the Guardians of the pros-
perity and honor of the city of Charleston.

"Respectfully reported.

"M. KING.

' 'This report has been laid before the Board of Trustees of the College
of Charleston, and approved by them, and is by their instruction very
respectfully submitted to the Mayor and Council for their consideration.

M. KING, President.

"To the Honorable the Mayor and City Council of Charleston.
Charleston, July 15, 1850."

"Whereupon Alderman [S. Y.] Tupper offered the following Resolu-
tion:

"Whereas, by a Report from the Trustees of the College of Charles-
ton, Submitted to this Body, it appears that sundry Scientific individuals
have gratuitously tendered, as a free gift for the use and advantage of
the public, their collections in the various departments of natural science,
to form the nucleus of a museum in the Charleston College, connected
with Geology, Natural History, Mineralogy, Paleontology, &c. ; and as
the prosperity of this institution is associated with the highest in-
terests of our City and State, and is directly under the control and care
of this Corporation: Be it therefore.

"Resolved, That so soon as the specimens which have been offered,
according to the report of the Trustees of the College of Charleston,
shall have been received, and the apartments now in course of con-
struction in the College (destined for their accommodation) are prepared
for their reception, the Trustees of that institution are duly authorized
to elect a suitable person as Curator of the Museum.

"Alderman Tupper asked further leave to introduce at the next
meeting a bill to provide for the appointment of a Curator for the Mu-
seum of the Charleston College and for other purposes. Leave
granted. ' '

This was accordingly done, and on Thursday, August 29,
1850, "An Ordinance to provide for the appointment of a
Curator for the Museum of the College of Charleston" was

65

duly ratified, and it was published in The Courier on August
21 and for several weeks thereafter, and on Monday, No-
vember 25, at the meeting of the Trustees of the College,
Mr. F. S. Holmes was elected Curator of the Museum. On
December 28 he was ' 'appointed Professor of Geology and
Palaeontology in the College of Charleston," and on May 6,
1853 he was also ''appointed and elected Professor of
Natural History."

ONE OF AUDUBON'S BIRDS?

Among a number of old and more or less damaged specimens
which have been stored for many years in one of the galler-
ies, a bird was recently discovered which may prove of great
interest and value. It is a representative of the Black-
headed Grosbeak, Zamelodia melanocephala (Swainson), a
western form ranging from Mexico to British Columbia; and
there seems to be excellent reason to believe that it is one of
Audubon's original specimens from which he made the
drawings for his great work on American birds. A slip of
paper, tightly folded and tied to the bird's leg, bears the
inscription "Black Hills, Male, June 3, 34, J. K. Townsend."
Audubon is known to have received several western birds
from Townsend, who made a journey to the Columbia River
in 1834. The female Evening Grosbeak, for example, from
which Audubon made his drawing, was taken by Townsend
in the Black Hills on June 3, 1834— the same day on which
our Black-headed Grosbeak was taken. It is a well-known
fact that some of Audubon's specimens were at one time in
the Museum. It is stated in the old accession book of the
Museum that ' 'At this time [1850] large and valuable con-
tributions, of skins of birds and quadrupeds, of fossils, shells,
reptiles, fish and insects, were made by Rev'd Dr. Bachman,

Mr. John Audubon, Professor M. Tuomey and Prof.

Holmes the Curator." Most of the birds must have been
destroyed, since no trace of them could be found up to the

66

discovery of the Black-headed Grosbeak. Should this bird
prove to be really a lost specimen from Audubon's collec-
tion, the discovery will be a matter of considerable interest
to the ornithological world.

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

Although many collections are being dismantled for re-
moval to the new building, the Museum is open to the public
on Saturdays from 10 to 5 and on other week-days from 10
to 12 and 1 to 5. Children unaccompanied by an adult are
admitted only on Saturdays.

The Bulletin wishes to call to the attention of the members
of the ' 'Nature Club, ' ' organized by Mr. Sewell last spring, as
well as of teachers and all interested in our native birds, the
unusual facilities afforded by the Natural History Society for
becoming acquainted with our common birds. This is the
most favorable season for beginning the study of birds, and
those who join the Society now will have unusual facilities
for acquiring knowledge of local birds. This not only affords
an extremely interesting occupation, but the knowledge
acquired will be the source of much pleasure through life.
To the teachers in our schools this knowledge is especially
desirable and the opportunity afforded by the Society should
not be neglected.

Miss Olney's class from the Courtenay School, which visit-
ed the Museum last spring for a talk on Australian animals*
came again recently in company with another class to see the
animals of South America and listen to a similar talk. The
Museum is glad to be of service to the schools in this way
and invites other teachers to bring their classes for short
talks on any subject in which they are interested. Mrs. Rea
is visiting some of the city schools on behalf of the Museum
for the purpose of learning in what ways the Museum

67

can best co-operate with teachers. Traveling exhibits
are now in preparation which will prove of unusual interest.

The Director represented the college at the annual meeting
of the Association of Southern Colleges and Preparatory-
Schools, held in Birmingham, Ala., Nov. 7 and 8, and took
the opportunity while there of working up the iron and steel
industry in the interest of the Museum. He secured a very
complete series of specimens and photographs from which a
circulating exhibit is being prepared for use in the city and
country schools, as well as a comprehensive exhibit for the
Museum. Plans are also being made for an extensive series of
industrial exhibits, showing the economic importance of the
natural resources of Charleston, to be installed in the new
Museum.

The Bulletin is glad to note substantial progress on the
new building, after many delays. A large amount of cata-
loging of books and specimens has been accomplished in pre-
paration for moving, but this tedious work is necessarily slow
with our small staff and unfortunately prevents the under-
taking of much new work which would otherwise be done.

Recent accessions include a young Bald Eagle in the black
phase, presented alive by Mr. W. E. McLeod, and a Golden
Pheasant hen, presented by Mr. W. K. McDowell. Both of
these birds fill gaps in groups which are otherwise well rep-
resented in the Museum. As we go to press, Mr. Louis
Simonds has given the Museum the carcass of a Bottle-nosed
Dolphin, Tursiops tursio (Fabr.), which is the familiar "por-
poise" of our coast. The skeleton of this specimen is being
prepared by Mr. Wamsley of the Museum staff.

68

BULLETIN

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUL. >I. REA

HISTORY OF THE MUSEUH SUBSEQUENT TO 1850
TRAVELLING EXHIBITS

Volume III, Number 8 December, 1907

Under the Auspices of the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistants

F. W. Wamsley

Herbert R. Sass

Librarian

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Con-chology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

Student Assistants

Henry Laurens Zoology

J. Wirron Willson ChmitJwlogy

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1777
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, to
the Medical School in 1843, and to the College of Charleston in 1850. In
1907 a building was provided by the City and the name changed to The
Charleston Museum.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Members $10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is published monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 3 CHARLESTON, S. C, DECEMBER, 1907 No. 8

;arv

HISTORY OF TME riUSEUH NEW YOW

BOTAI •

The Period Subsequent to 1850 ^^^

By William G. Mazyck

A few weeks before the election of the Curator, on Tues-
day, July 30, 1850, at a meeting of the Standing Committee,
' 'The Chairman stated that Dr. Frost, Dean of the Faculty
of the Medical College had informed him. that the building
now containing the Museum of the Philosophical Society,
would be shortly taken down for the Roper Hospital about
to be erected— and that it would be necessary to remove the
same to the College of Charleston— whereupon it was re-
solved that the specimens contained in said Museum be ac-
cordingly removed to the library of the College of Charles-
ton, Dr. Frost having kindly oifered to attend to the removal
of the specimens and cases in which they are contained. ' '

In the selection of a Curator for the Museum the Board
made a most admirable choice, for Mr. Holmes, besides be-
ing an ardent lover of nature and an enthusiastic student of
^ Natural History and Geology, was a man of tireless energy,
and possessing a certain indiscribable charm of manner, he
soon enlisted the interest of a large number of friends in the
new enterprise, whose numerous contributions, added to the
treasures of ' 'the Old Museum, ' ' enabled him ' 'in the short

69

CO

CI

space of fourteen months" to transform a cabinet of curiosi-
ties, "things rare, curious, or beautiful," into a scientific
Museum of the highest rank, an achievement which was
fully recognized by the most acute judgment of the leading
scientist of his age, as we learn from the following article
from The Courier of January 26, 1852 :

"Museum of the College of Charleston. —On Saturday last, at 12 M.,
the opening of this excellent and valuable Museum of Natural History
and Geology was celebrated at the College Building, by an interesting
ceremonial. By the invitation of the Board of Trustees, the Mayor and
Aldermen of the city, the Faculty and Alumni of the College, and a large
number of literary and distinguished guests were present. Professor F.
S. Holmes, the able, scientific and devoted Curator of the Museum,
showing how, in the short space of fourteen months (the period since he
commenced operation) it had reached its present high and palmy state,
and that, wholly from the voluntary contribution of specimens — the con-
tributors having been about sixty-seven in number, and chiefly fi'om the
districts of Charleston Beaufort and Georgetown, and there being a cer-
tain prospect of early and valuable additions to the collection. The Hon.
Mitchell King, President of the Board of Trustees, and the liberal patron
of the College, then addressed the Mayor and Aldermen on the advant-
ages of the Museum, giving a highly interesting sketch of its origin
and progress, justly eulogizing the indefatigable labors and enthusiastic
zeal of the Curator, and suitably acknowledging the past favors and in-
voking the continuance of the liberal aid extended by the City authori-
ties to the infant enterprise. In the course of his remarks, he alluded
in just terms to the presentation to the Museum of the valuable collec-
tion of the old Literary and Philosophical Society and to the large and val-
uable contributions of Professors Buchanan, [Bachman, ] Agassiz, Gibbs,
[Gibbes,] andShepperd, [Shepard] and Henry W. Ravenel, Esqr., in the
Botanical, and of Professor Holmes himself, in the Geological department,
and of many other liberal friends of science. The Hon. John Schnierle
made an eloquent response to the address of the President, congratulat-
ing the Trustees and the community on the increasing prosperity and
usefulness of the College, and * * * recognizing in the Museum an
institution eminently worthy of the fostering care which had been exten-
ded to it by the present Council and their predecessors in office. Professor
Agassiz closed with a few remarks, in which he expressed unbounded
admiration of the skilful and successful labors and arrangements of the
Curator, stated the peculiar advantages enjoyed by Charleston for the

70

establishment of a Museum, especially from the invaluable fossil remains
in her immediate vicinity, and announced the gratifying fact from his
own personal observation, that our infant Museum, although but four-
teen months old, has nothing to compare with it in the whole Union,
save the superior institution in Philadelphia, which has existed for 30
years.

"The Museum occupies the entire extent of the upper story of the
main college edifice and the specimens are most tastefully and skilfully
arranged and classified. Its value is said by scientific men to be beyond
computation in money, and its creation and possession are an honor to
our City."

The formal "public opening" of the Museum was set for
the following Saturday, January 31, 1852, not "in November,
1851," as Prof. Ashley states in his "very hastily prepared"
General Guide to the Museum (p. 4) , but though advertised
in The Courier of that date and the day previous, there is no
account of the proceedings to be found in the files of that
paper. In the Charleston Evening News of February 2, 1852,
there is, however, a column article describing in some detail
the ceremonies of the occasion, but adding nothing to the
historical facts noted above.

In the fail of 1853 the Elliott Society of Natural History
was organized with Prof. Holmes as its Secretary and one of
its most active members. The Society met at the College
and its Books ware deposited in the College Library and all
contributions to its Collection in the Museum. Through this
agency many valuable specimens were added to the rapidly
increasing number, and to-day, with the exception of the
old manuscript in the Charleston Library, perhaps the most
important accession lists of any portion of the collection are
to be found in the published "Proceedings" of the Society, or
appended to its printed Constitution and By-Laws.

On October 28, 1861, Prof. Holmes reported to the Board
of Trustees the receipt of a magnificent donation from
Mr. James Hamilton Couper, of St. Simon's Island, Georgia,
consisting of Fossils, Minerals and Recent Shells, "The

71

Cases contain several thousand specimens," and also a very
beautiful and valuable collection of shells from Miss A. M.
Annelly, of this City. Of these splendid gifts the Trustees
enthusiastically say : ' 'These additions to our treasures, we
believe, make our conchological collection the amplest and
richest in the Western World."

Prof. Holmes continued his work with unabated zeal until
his appointment as Chief of the Nitre Bureau of the Confed-
erate States, the duties of which position compelled his re-
moval from the City.

On September 8, 1863, a meeting of the Board of Trustees
was held, at which it was determined that the College Li-
brary should be removed to Camden and the Museum to Ab-
beville, S. C, and Mr. Holmes was requested to come to
Charleston to confer with the Standing Committee and to
superintend the removal of * 'such parts of it as it may be
practical or expedient to remove." Mr. Holmes responded
promptly and after consultation with him it was deemed
best that :

' 'The village of Edgefield or some safe building near it should be the
place of deposit. * * * The cases were to be sent by Rail to Aiken
and wagoned thence about 20 miles. The larger articles were to be left
in the Museum in Charleston, and a few were to be buried. The ai'-
rangement was carried out by Prof. Holmes in Sept. and Oct., 1863.

"A fire occurred in Edgefield in the fall of 1865, in a building in which
a part of our Boxes were stored, and the contents of two boxes were de-
stroyed. In this fire Professor Holmes lost a valuable library of scien-
tific works.

"As soon as circumstances permitted Prof. Holmes was authorized to
remove back to Charleston the articles sent away. These contained in
198 Boxes have been received, opened and replaced in their cases. The
more careful distribution and labelling of the specimens has been com-
menced, but will require considerable time. The boxes were wagoned
from Edgefield to Orangeburg, and then brought by the Railroad to
Charleston, by the latter without charge.

' 'A considerable part of the Museum thus cared for consists of the
valuable donation of J. H. Couper, Esq., who in the dispensations of

72

Providence, has within a few weeks, closed at an advanced age, a life of
liberal culture, refined taste, and high character. He died on the 3rd
July last, and was interred on St. Simon's Island, Georgia. A private
letter remarks that 'all his old servants who could get conveyance' at-
tended his funeral.

"It is gratifying to know, that our College selected by himself as the
depository of his collections, has preserved, during the dangers of the
war, this worthy memorial of his science and industry."

(See an exceedingly interesting and elaborate Report made
by Mr. Daniel Ravenel, President, to the Board of Trustees
of the College, at a meeting held August 27, 1866. )

On January 21, 1869, Prof. Holmes, after a service of
nearly nineteen years, resigned the Curatorship, and March
19 following Prof. John McCrady was elected his successor.
Prof. McCrady called to his assistance Dr. William Hume,
under whose skilful hands much valuable work was done,
especially in the Mineralogical Department of the collection.

Prof. McCrady resigned June 24, 1873, and was succeeded
by Dr. Gabriel E. Manigault, who was elected on August 6,
and who, notwithstanding a tendency to rather subordinate
the purely scientific to the more particularly aesthetic fea-
tures of the Museum, did some most admirable work, adding
many exceedingly valuable and interesting specimens to the
store of its treasures, notably among the larger North
American Mammals. Dr. Manigault was an Osteologist of
exceptional ability, and his beautiful preparations of skele-
tons, illustrating almost every family of the vertebrates, can
hardly be equalled anywhere. Many of these, however,
were mounted and deposited in the Museum during Prof.
Holmes' administration. He was, too, fond of cabinet
work and possessed of considerable mechanical skill, of
which, as well as of his taste and care, many of the cases
and much of the shelving and other appointments of the
Museum bear witness. This skill was productive of most
excellent results in the repair and rehabilitation of the
College Buildings after the disastrous earthquake of August

73

31, 1886, and the Minutes of the Meetings of the Trustees
bear ample evidence of his constant watchfulness of the in-
terests, not only of the Museum, but of the whole institution
during the several years through which, for lack of funds,
the work of rebuilding was prolonged, for not until 1895 was
he able to report its completion under his very competent
supervision. In token of its appreciation of his invaluable
services in this direction, ' 'the condition of our finances for-
bidding us to indulge the natural desire to meet his de-
serts'' otherwise, he was elected by the Trustees on June 28,
1889, Professor of Natural History and Geology, which chair
he continued to fill, in conjunction with his duties as Curator
of the Museum, until his death in 1889. During the latter
part of his administration Dr. Manigault established a De-
partment of Archaeology in the Museum, for which he pur-
chased a number of interesting plaster copies of notable ex-
amples illustrative of ancient Assyrian and Egyptian art and
history, and a very beautiful series of reproductions of an-
cient Greek vases from the celebrated terra cotta works at
Copenhagen. Most unfortunately, however, owing possibly
to a lack of room for their accommodation, and probably also
to a failure to adequately appreciate their scientific value,
the smaller, and, from the "popular" viewpoint, less attrac-
tive specimens, especially in the Department of the Inverte-
brata and of Mineralogy, were suffered to fall into a state of
great neglect and consequent confusion. "It would appear
from the labels that much valuable material, especially in
the line of insects, had been lost through the ravages of
Museum pests." (Prof. Ashley's Guide, p. 40.) A volume
of the priceless Elliott Herbarium was discovered only a few
months ago in a lot of rubbish in the cellar of the Library
building. The greater portion of the magnificent conchologi-
cal collection, which, as quoted above, the Trustees forty
years ago felt justified in declaring was the "amplest and
richest in the Western World," was thrown aside in the ut-

74

most disorder. The almost entire absence of any Museum
records, too, is under any circumstances, except, of course,
their accidental destruction, utterly inexcusable.

The grave question of the provision of larger space for the
accommodation of the Museum had for many years occupied
the attention of both the Trustees and the Faculty of the
College, and in November, 1881, the Trustees concurred in a
memorial to the Legislature, looking to the purchase of the
building on Wentworth street, near King, then known as the
Military Hall, now the Armory of the German Artillery.
This memorial was "presented and referred" at the opening
session of each House on November 22, 1881, (The News and
Courier, November 23, ) but I find no further mention of it,
though its presentation probably resulted in the passage
"without debate" on the last day of the session of

"AN ACT TO Create a Museum of Natural History in the city of

Charleston.

"Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the State of South Carolina, now met and sitting in General
Assembly, and by the authority of the same, That a Museum of Natu-
ral History in the City of Charleston be, and the same is hereby, created,
to be under the control and management of a Board of Commissioners,
as hereinafter provided.

"Sec. 2. That the said Board of Commissioners shall consist of the
Mayor of the City of Charleston, the chairman of the Board of Trustees
of the College of Charleston, the Dean of the Faculty of the Medical
College of South Carolina, and four other persons to be appointed by the
Mayor of Charleston for the term of four years and until their succes-
sors are appointed.

"Sec. 3. That five members of the said Board shall constitute a quo-
rum, and the Mayor of Charleston shall be the Chairman thereof. They
shall hold their meetings at such times as the Board shall, by resolution,
or as the chairman or vice-chairman, shall appoint. And they may
adopt, alter, or amend such regulations as they may think proper for the
establishment and development of the said museum.

"Sec 4. That in order to procure a suitable location for the exhibition
of the contents of the said museum, the said Board may purchase and
hold in fee simple to them and their successors, any real estate not ex-

76

ceeding in cost twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), and fit the same up
with proper apartments for containing and exhibiting the specimens of
said museum.

"Sec. 5. That the said Board are hereby authorized to receive and
procure, by donation or otherwise, specimens of natural history con-
nected with this State and elsewhere, and classify and arrange them in
proper divisions, and to take all such steps as may be necessary or
proper for preserving or adding to the same.

"Sec. 6. That the said Board are authorized to make any arrange-
ments necessary for the procuring, as an addition to their collections,
the museum now attached or belonging to the College of Charleston; not,
however, purchasing the same.

"Sec. 7. That the location of the said museum shall be in the city of
Charleston, in some suitable place to be procured by the said Board; and
it shall be open each day, at such hours and under such restinctions as
may be prescribed by said Borrd for the inspection, examination, and in-
struction, without chai'ge, of all visitors thereto.

"In the Senate House, the third day of February, one thousand eight
hundred and eighty-two.

J. D. KENNEDY, President of the Senate.

J. C. SHEPPARD, Speaker House of Representatives.

"Approved February 4th, A. D. 1882.

JOHNSON HAGOOD, Governor."

Nothing appears to have been done towards perfecting
the organization contemplated, and when it is noted that the
College was to have but one representative on the Board, and
that it would be impossible to hold a meeting at which the
Mayor and his appointees would not form a majority, it is not
to be wondered at that the Trustees were not over hasty in
promoting a scheme which (so far at least as the governing
Board was concerned) had certainly drifted far from the mark
aimed at in the memorial which they had signed, or aiding
those * 'interested in procuring [without cost] as an addition to
their collections, the Museum now attached or belonging to the
College of Charleston"! especially when in the language of
President Randolph *'the scientific collections constitute the
finest possession of the College. " (Report, June 13, 1904.)

76

On September 1, 1900, Dr. George^Hall Ashley>as elected
to succeed Dr. Manigault as Professor '[of Natural Sciences
and Curator of the Museum. '::^While no extensive" additions
were made to the collection during his administration, to such
an extent did he arouse a wider and»more intelligent interest
in the Museum, through a series af illustrated lectures and
the publication of a ''Guide to the Museum," as to have
merited the following commendationaOf„;his work in the An-
nual Report of the President of the College, submitted to the
Board of Trustees, June 25, 1902: "It would thus seem that
these collections, which represent half a century and more
of thought and labor on the part of "the distinguished scien-
tists who have contributed to the upbuilding of the Museum,
are to-day to a greater extent, available to the public
for study and investigation, and that the Museum, therefore,
is likely more than ever to enter actively and usefully into
the educational work of the City."

Prof. Ashley, having accepted a position as geologist with
the United States Geological Survey, resigned May 28, 1903,
and Professor Paul M. Rea was elected his successor on June
15 following.

Prof. Rea soon recognized the absolute necessity for pro-
curing, not only additional room for the accommodation of
the Museum, but the assistance of students in special lines
for the care of the several Departments of the great collec-
tion which long ago had outgrown the reasonable capacity of
any one invividual, especially if he was to be burdened be-
sides with the exacting duties of the class room or labora-
tory. This latter point he earnestly brought to the atten-
tion of the Trustees, and, as strongly recommended by him.
"as a means of associating scientific men of Charleston with
the Museum and of securing expert advice on technical
questions, " at their "Meeting held March 31, 1906, the fol-
lowing gentlemen were elected Honorary Curators in the
Museum:*

*Bull. Coll. Mus. Vol. 2. No. 4, Apr., 1906, p. 32.

77

Prof. Daniel S. Martin, of Brooklyn, N. Y., Honorary Cu-
rator of Minerals, Rocks and Invertebrate Fossils.

Mr. Wm. G. Mazyck, of Charleston, S. C, Honorary Cura-
tor of Recent Shells.

Mr. Arthur T. Wayne, of Mt. Pleasant, S. C, Honorary
Curator of Birds,"

To this list there were subsequently added the names of
Prof. N. W. Stephenson, Honorary Curator of Art, and
Messrs. F. W. Wamsley and Herbert R. Sass, Assistants to
the Director. Prof. Rea says:

' 'This increase in the Museum staff is one of the gratifying- results of
the renewed activity of the Museum. Under former conditions work at
the Museum was altogether curatorial in its nature, and the one or two
departments in which the curator was most interested and learned pros-
pered at the expense of the others. Since the inauguration of the new
policy * * * it has become increasingly evident that the time and
energy of the curator could not possibly be extended to cover the neces-
sary accessioning and revision of each department, and provide for its
care and growth and also attend to the increasing opportunities for for-
warding the educational side of modern museum management. * * *
These and other manifold duties, both administrative and curatorial, have
made necessary the help and advice of associates. The title of the cu-
rator was accordingly changed to Director, and the advice and help of
experts enlisted by the appointment of honorary curators, specialists in
the departments which they serve.

' 'Another reason for gratification in securing the interest and aid of
these scientists, lies in the hope, thus strengthened, that the College of
Charleston Museum may once more become the rallying point for scien-
tific men of the generation, and thus renew the brightness of its name,
which Shecut, Elliott, Holbrook, Audubon, Bachman, and Agassiz [Rav-
enel, Dickson, Holmes, Gibbes and McCrady] made famous."

The crowning evidence, however, of Prof. Rea's energetic
work in behalf of his important charge is the successful re-
sult of his persistent effort to secure the spacious Thomson
Auditorium as its permanent home.

The initial suggestion of this use of this building came
from Mr. George S. Holmes to President Randolph of the Col-
lege faculty, but it is due to Prof. Rea's activity and insis-

78

tence that it was finally secured at a nominal rental by lease
from the City.

"The result is tremendous in its import for the Museum and for the
city. Thousands of specimens, valuable for exhibition or for study, are
packed away and entirely inaccessible for either purpose because of
absolute lack of space to properly arrange them. * * * The collec-
tions have been found to be such, both in quantity and quality, as to hold
an important position among the museums of the country. Without
doubt the largest and most valuable museum in the South, it is sur-
passed only by the great museums of some Northern Cities. ' '

The building is splendidly located in Cannon Park, at the
southeast corner of Rutledge Avenue and Calhoun Street, in
an attractive portion of the City, readily accessible from all
points by two trolley lines passing it. It contains
about 35,000 square feet of floor space available for exhibi-
tion, and as much more for offices, library, reading room,
storage and preparation rooms, laboratories and lecture
rooms. It was erected in 1899 with funds bequeathed to the
City by the late John Thomson, Esq. , an adopted citizen and
merchant of Charleston, whose memory will be perpetuated
by a tablet to be placed in the hall of the new Museum.
Under the contract with the City it is provided that this in-
stitution, for nearly a century and a half identified with the
learned societies and scientific activity of the City, will con-
tinue to be administered by the Trustees of the College of
Charleston and will hereafter be known as The Charleston
Museum.

79

TRAVELLING EXHIBITS

The Iron and Steel Industry

As the first of a series of travelling exhibits in pursuance
of the policy of the Museum of preparing industrial and edu-
cational exhibits, a travelling collection for schools has been
completed to illustrate the production and manufacture of
iron and steel. The exhibit includes much of the material
collected by the Director in Birmingham, Alabama; material
furnished by several Charleston firms; photographs copied
from various sources; and a number of particularly instruc-
tive stereoscopic views. This is probably the first extensive
traveling exhibit in the South and represents the most ad-
vanced modern ideas of educational museum work. It will
be demonstrated by the Director at the meeting of the State
Rural School Improvement Association at Columbia, S. C,
Dec. 30 and 31, and will then be ready for actual use in
Charleston schools. The exhibit is intended to supplement
the study of geography and is prepared in two forms, one
for pupils of high grammar or high school grade and one for
younger students. The specimens are accompanied by ques-
tion blanks to be filled in by the students as they study the
specimens and a circular of information with full directions
for the use of the exhibit is provided for the teacher.

The Director will be glad to receive applications from
Charleston teachers for the use of this exhibit.

80

BTJLLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By

PAUL M. REA

REPORT OP THE DIRECTOR OF THE HUSEUM
FOR THE YEAR 1907

Volume IV, Number 1 January, 1908

^hc dTlmvlcstcrn I^Xitscum

Under the Auspices of the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistants

F. W. Wamsley

Herbert R. Sass

Librarian

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

Student Assistants

Henry Laurens , Zoology

J. WiRRON WiLLSON * Ornithology

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1777
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, to
the Medical School in 1843, and to the College of Charleston in 1850. In
1907 a building was provided by the City and the name changed to The
Charleston Museum.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is pubhshed monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 4 CHARLESTON, S. C, JANUARY, 1908 No. 1

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE flUSEUfl
FOR THE YEAR 1907

The distinction of being the oldest museum in America,
which has come to the Charleston Museum through the his-
torical investigations of Mr. Wm, G. Mazyck; important im-
provements in organization, especially the compiling of
records, and extension of educational work made possible by
an increased staff; the assurance of a new building and the
steadily growing interest and support of the public have been
the achievements of the past year.

Of the needs of the Museum the Director desires to empha-
size two. The first is the imperative necessity of immediate
provision for the employment of a trained librarian for the
proper care of the library. The second is the need of a per-
manent endowment adequate to give reasonable assurance
of the ability of the Museum to care permanently for mate-
rial entrusted to it.

History of the Museum

oc The investigations of Mr. Wm. G. Mazyck constitute the

^ important contribution of the year to the history of the

**" Museum. These, with articles published in 1906, establish

y^ the fact that the Museum was in existence under the auspices

CO 1

of the Charleston Library Society as early as 1777, It is,
therefore, beyond question the oldest museum in America.
The earliest record of specimens is in the form of an acces-
sion list covering the years 1798-1808, and many of the
specimens there described are still in the possession of the
Museum.

In 1815 the Library Society voted to give its collections
and cases to the newly organized Literary and Philosophical
Society of South Carolina. The enthusiasm with which this
society undertook the development of the Museum is well
shown by the following quotation from Shecut's Essays:*

"The opportune arrival of that distinguished naturalist and practical
chemist, Dr. Felix L'Herminier, from Guadaloupe, with an extensive
collection of specimens, the fruit of twenty years application, expense
and industry, which he offered to the society, was an advantage, not to
be lost sight of. Negociations were immediately entered into with that
gentleman, by a committee of the society. The citizens were also
invited to co-operate with them in effecting the purchase of this collec-
tion, towards the establishment of a respectable and scientific Museum in
Charleston.

"Those persons who subscribed fifty dollars, on payment of that sum,
became members for life. The State Legislature and the City Council,
alive to the importance of this object, with a promptness and liberality,
which will forever redound to their credit, contributed largely towards
their purchase, and, with the sums subscribed by individuals, enabled
the society to make a purchase of that valuable collection, which is
now one of the chief, and perhaps, most interesting ornaments of the city.

"The superior personal attention and talents of Dr. L'Herminier,
were also enlisted in behalf of the society, by being appointed superin-
tendent of the Museum. ' '

In 1843 the Museum had been transferred to the Medical
College of South Carolina, by which it was rearranged and
enlarged.

In 1850 interest in the Museum was stimulated by the
meeting in Charleston of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science and by the work in the city of the

*Shecut, Medical and Philosophical Essays. Charleston, 1819. Pp.49-50.

2

elder Agassiz and the Museum was transferred to rooms set
apart for its use by the College of Charleston, under whose
auspices it has grown steadily to the present time.

The New Building

The present quarters of the Museum are difficult of access,
badly lighted, over crowded, and entirely without work
rooms and storage rooms. The last annual report of the
Director reviewed the movement for a better building
which was the most prominent feature of our
work in 1906. On the 8th of January 1907, City Council
gave its final approval to a lease of the Thomson Auditorium
to the Trustees of the Museum and provided a special appro-
priation of $7,500 for remodeling and repairing the building.

In preparing plans for the new Museum the Director
visited most cf the large museums in the East and received
valuable suggestions from many sources, especially from Dr.
F. W. True, of the National Museum, and from Messrs.
Hornblower and Marshall, architects of the new National
Museum, who went over all the plans in detail and gave
many valuable suggestions, without expense to the Museum.

The entire preparation of detailed plans and drawings was
in the hands of Mr. F. W. Wamsley, of the staff, who made
the drawings. Mr. Wamsley also had charge of the dis-
mantling of much of the interior of the building before the
contracts were let. Through his energy and careful super-
vision this work was completed at the small cost of $165,
and all the material cleaned, sorted and stacked so that it
has been possible to use nearly all of it in rebuilding— a
second important saving.

During the summer many unfortunate delays prevented
progress but during the fall the work has been going for-
ward steadily. The main changes are nearly completed and
the building can be finished in a short time when a further
appropriation is available.

3

Members

As a means of supplementing the city appropriation for
maintenance and of providing for the growth and develop-
ment of the Museum a system of membership was organized
in December 1906.

The particulars of membership are printed on the second
page of the cover and a list of the members for the year
1907 on the third page of the cover. The money received
from membership fees constitutes the General Fund and is
used to supplement the city appropriation for maintenance
and to provide for all permanent improvements, increase of
collections, and for the scientific and educational work of the
Museum. The value of the Museum and the scope of its
work are proportionate to the size of the General Fund and a
large increase in the membership is essential to the success
of the work. The fixed expenses of the coming year will
exceed the present General Fund combined with the city
maintenance appropriation.

Finances

Four years ago, at the beginning of the present admin-
istration the Museum was rapidly deteriorating on a total
annual income of $250. In the three following years City
Council has increased the appropriation successively to
$1,000, $1,500 and $2,500. During the past year a supple-
mentary fund has been created through the system of mem-
bership already mentioned.

The financial operations of the Museum are now included
in three accounts.

City Maintenance Account — This account at present re-
ceives an annual appropriation of $2,500 from City Council.
Against this account are charged all ordinary expenses of
maintenance, including salaries of Director and two assist-
ants and wages of janitor. This has been possible only
through the devotion of the staff in serving at nominal sala-

4

ries awaiting the time when the Museum can be established
on a better footing. Nevertheless, these fixed expenses will
in the coming year exceed the appropriation by not less than
$750.

General Account. — This account receives the contributions
of all classes of members, those of annual and sustaining
members being used to meet deficiencies in the city mainten-
ance account and to provide for the growth and development
of the Museum.

The contributions of patrons and benefactors, unless given
for specific purposes, are required to be invested as a perma-
nent endowment, the income of which shall be used in the
same manner as the annual contributions.

In the past year the sum of $525 has been derived from
the fees of annual and sustaining members. A portion of
this fund has been used to meet a deficiency in the city
maintenance account and the remainder has been expended
on permanent inprovements, including books and lantern
slides, typewriter, storage cases, services of a specialist in the
geological department, and a travelling exhibit for circulation
among the schools.

The probable deficit of over $750 in the city mainten-
ance account during the coming year emphasizes the need of
a large increase of the membership.

Special Accounts. — Contributions to the funds of the Mu-
seum, the principal or income of which is to be used for spe-
cific purposes constitute special accounts.

The appropriation of $7,500 made by City Council for re-
modeling the Thomson Auditorium has been carried as a
special account.

A gift of $100 from a friend of the Museum, for the pur-
chase of collecting apparatus has constituted a second spe-
cial account.

The Director believes that the time has come for serious

consideration of the menace which lies in the precarious

financial support of the Museum.

The Museum represents a large financial investment and
holds in trust many collections of high scientific value, re-
quiring continual expert care to prevent deterioration. Any
reduction in the annual contributions of members or in the
city appropriation, even for a single year, would not only
curtail the development and activity of the Museum but, by
necessitating reduction of staff, leave valuable material
without proper care.

The past one hundred and thirty years of the Museum's
history have included not only periods of enthusiastic and
generous support but also periods of misfortune and neglect.
Four years after the wave of popular enthusiasm which elect-
ed Dr. L'Herminier Superintendent of the Museum in 1815,
he found himself unable to make a living and was compelled
against his will to resign, leaving the Museum apparently
without a regular curator. Again in 1850-1854, over three
hundred persons contributed specimens and in the following
forty-five years devoted curators built up the largest museum
in the South. Yet a few years later this splendid collection
was decaying rapidly, with no regular curator to care for it
and with only the ridiculously inadequate sum of $250 a year
to save it from utter and immediate ruin.

When one of the birds figured by Audubon is rescued from
the rubbish or such invaluable specimens as the Carolina
Paroquet or the Apteryx or the Elliott Herbarium are nearly
destroyed as the price of neglect it is obvious that friends of
the Charleston Museum should not rest until an adequate
endowment gives reasonable assurance of the ability of the
Museum to care permanently for material entrusted to it.

Administration

Undoubtedly one of the most important achievements of
the past year has been the establishment of closer relations
between the Museum and the public, including the schools
and business organizations of the city and scientific institu-

6

tions throughout the country. The work with the schools will
be discussed in connection with the department of Public In-
struction.

The Director was invited to address the Manufacturers,
Bankers, and Jobbers Association at its annual banquet,
with the result that a committee was appointed toco-operate
with him in introducing economic exhibits in the Museum.

At the invitation of the Rural School Improvement As-
sociation, the Director also attended the educational con-
vention at Columbia, S. C, in December. At this meeting
one of the travelling exhibits was demonstrated and it is
hoped that the interest aroused by this exhibit will lead to
co-operation which will enable the Museum to extend a help-
ful influence to the people throughout the State.

The Museum still retains the distinction of being the only
Southern member of the American Association of Museums
and at the second annual meeting at Pittsburg, in May, the
Museum was honored by the election of its Director as Sec-
retary of the Association. At this meeting the Director also
read a paper on "Museum Records."

The supreme importance of creating a permanent endow-
ment in the near future has been discussed (supra) . The
imperative necessity of providing for the employment of a
trained librarian has also been mentioned and will be dis-
cussed in detail under Library.

The preparation of labels for the exhibition collections in

the new building will be an enormous undertaking and can

be economically accomplished only by means of a printing
outfit in the Museum. For this purpose $350 will be required
and since a considerable amount of copy is already prepared,
arrangements for printing should be made at once.

Staff

The Museum staff has been greatly strengthened this
year by the addition of two salaried assistants. Previous to
1906, the entire care of the Museum was appended to the

7

chair of Biology in the College of Charleston. In that year
the appointment of Honorary Curators was authorized by
the Trustees and the Director has been fortunate in securing
for these positions men whose special knowledge has safe-
guarded the interests of the departments which they serve.
Thus, the ornithological work of the past two years must
have been all but impossible without the technical knowl-
edge of Mr. Arthur T. Wayne, while the entire activity of the
geological department is the work of its enthusiastic and
devoted honorary curator, Professor Daniel Strobel Martin.
To Mr. Wm. G. Mazyck the Museum is indebted for the
thankless task of revising the sadly neglected conchological
collections and also for the historical investigations already
mentioned.

In January Mr. Francis W. Wamsley joined the staff
as the first salaried assistant. Mr. Wamsley is a graduate
of Brown University and an experienced marine collector.
He came to Charleston from the Supply Department of the
Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, Mass. Mr.
Wamsley has had charge of the work in the new building
and has shown a versatility and a devotion to the Museum
to which is due much of the progress made.

In April Mr. Herbert R. Sass, who had been temporarily
employed by the Museum for several months, became a
regular assistant. Mr. Sass is a graduate of the College of
Charleston. He has had charge of the records of the
Museum, and in the absence of a regular librarian, has pre-
pared the shelf list and carried the routine work of the
Library. The latter work has entirely prevented Mr. Sass
from carrying on the scientific work for which he is trained.

The proper maintenance of the Museum Library and the
curatorial work of the Museum urgently require the im-
mediate addition to the staff of a trained librarian. Under
present conditions the salary of the librarian must be raised
from private sources.

8.

When the time comes for removal of the birds and mam-
mals to the the new building the services of an expert tax-
idermist will be required to repair the damage wrought by
neglect in previous years. Sufficient new work is also needed
to keep a taxidermist regularly employed and for this work
ability to make accessories is essential.

Botany

The Elliott Herbarium has been studied by a number of
visiting botanists during the year. Dr. Ezra Brainerd ex-
amined the violets in March and was able to secure import-
ant data for his forth-coming revision of that group.

Mrs. Agnes Chase of the Division of Agrostology, at
Washington, visited the Museum in October for the purpose
of studying some of the grasses in the Elliott Herbarium.
Mrs. Chase's visit led to a general examination of the herbaria
in the Museum, which disclosed the surprising extent of the
Ravenel Herbarium and revealed other herbaria of consider-
able interest. All of these have suffered seriously from the
neglect of many years. As soon as possible suitable her-
barium cases will be provided and it is very desirable that
all of this material be worked over by competent botanists.

In 1905 Prof. John M. Macfarlane, of the University of
Pennsylvania, examined the type specimen of Saracenia
Catesbaei which is in the Elliott Herbarium and during the past
year the Museum has received from him two papers contain-
ing the results of his study.

Zoology

The department of ornithology has had the benefit of the
work of a number of student assistants, and has maintained
the seasonal exhibit of local birds for the benefit of the
Natural History Society. A begining has also been made of
a study collection of bird skins. Field work in ornithology
has been carried on with gratifying results, and is discussed
under the head of Biological Survey.

9

Mr. Sass, of the staff, has shown that a specimen of the
Black-headed Grosbeak, Zamelodia melanocephala (Swains.),
in the Museum, is almost certainly the original specimen
figured and described by Audubon in his great work on
American birds. The specimen was found among rubbish
and is another illustration of the necessity of the new system
of records and of an adequate and efficient staff.

Considerable progress has been made in the revision of
the extensive conchological collections.

A few mammals have been put up as skins and several
skeletons are in preparation.

Geology

This department again owes much to its devoted honorary
curator, Professor D. S. Martin, who has made further
donations of books and specimens. Professor Martin spent
three months revising the geological collections, and through
his efforts more than 800 specimens of rocks and fossils
have been identified and catalogued. The value of Professor
Martin's labors can hardly be over-estimated and his de-
votion to the interests of the Museum is shown not only by
his painstaking work but also by his many generous dona-
tions.

From the phosphate beds in the vicinity of Charleston a
wonderful variety of valuable fossil material might be
obtained, if the time and the means were available. The
Museum already contains a valuable series of phosphate
fossils and a number of new accessions have been made
during the past year. The Museum is still unable, however,
to undertake systematic collecting in the phosphate beds—
a fact greatly to be deplored as it is certain that much
valuable material could be obtained at very small expense.

Anthropology
Professor F. W. Putnam, head of the Peabody Museum
at Harvard and of the department of Anthropology at the

10

University of California, visited the Museum in May and
spent several days examining and revising the anthropo-
logical collection. Among other rare and valuable material
this collection includes the oldest specimens known to be in
the Museum, especially a native helmet from the Sandwich
Islands and other articles presented in 1798. Another valu-
able specimen is a mummied human head obtained from the
Mundrucus Indians of the River Tapajos by Lieut. Herndon,
Commander of the United States Expedition to explore the
River Amazon, and presented to the Museum in 1854.

Since Dr. Putman's visit these collections have been
catalogued but further work has been prevented by lack of

time.

Art

The frequent necessity of using Manigault Hall as a work-
room and the lack of funds for improvements have hindered
active work in the art department. Nevertheless the
honorary curator, Mr. N. W. Stephenson, arranged in April
a very charming loan exhibit of Japanese prints, accom-
panied by a lecture on "The Oriental Point of View in Art."
A very interesting description of this loan exhibit was
printed in the Bulletin for April.

Library

The library constitutes one of the most important depart-
ments of the Museum, absolutely necessary for the use of
the staff in preparation of exhibits. It should also be
accessible to the public as a reading room.

The organization of a Museum library was begun by the
Director four years ago. The government publications were
transferred from the College Library, which was unable to
care properly for them, and many valuable old books were
obtained in this way. The more modern text-books
were added by purchase for the Department of Biology of the
College and the Director loaned much of his private library.

11

In the last two years the Museum has been able to add con-
siderably to the library by purchase, while the publication
of the Bulletin has secured many important exchanges.
The library of the defunct Elliott Society has also been de-
posited in the Museum. In these ways a very creditable
library of about 1,000 bound volumes and more than 1,000
pamphlets has been accumulated.

The care of the library has been an increasingly difficult
problem. At first the Director personally cared for and
catalogued the books; then for nearly a year Mrs. Rea
carried this work, without compensation. For the last two
years the college librarian, Miss Frances Jervey, was em-
ployed for six hours per week. In these ways a classed
catalog of the library has been maintained, including a small
amount of analyzing. It was also found expedient to include
in the catalog cards for the books of the Charleston Library
Society bearing on the work of the Museum.

Since May, 1907, Mr. Sass of the staff, has served as acting
librarian and has devoted a large proportion of his time
to this work. Since Mr. Sass has been in charge of the
library a standard accession book has been kept for the first
time and during the summer a shelf list was prepared. The
pamphlets have also been rearranged during the fall and the
condition of the library is much better than it has ever been
before.

This library of nearly 1,000 bound volumes and more than
1,000 pamplets has been established in four years at a total
expenditure for books, labor, bookcases, furniture and sup-
plies, of $501.69.

The library now needs an author catalog, extensive analyz-
ing, and money for binding; but more than all it needs the
entire time of a trained librarian. The present arrange-
ment seriously encroaches upon the time of a member of the
staff who is needed for other work. Moreover, merely the
routine work of the library is accomplished and its efficiency

12

is very low in proportion to its possibilities. The library is
already too large to be safely entrusted to an untrained
recruit and finally, in the new building the growing work
and the opening of a public reading room make it imperative
that immediate provision be made to secure a competent
person as librarian.

Publication

The Bulletin has been published regularly during the
year and has been the means not only of bringing important
exchanges to the library, but of making friends for the Mu-
seum in Charleston and throughout the country. The addi-
tion of a cover has greatly improved its appearance.

Among the important articles which have been pub-
lished during the year may be mentioned; ''The Owls of
Charleston and Vicinity," by Mrs. P. M. Rea, the first of a
''Local Fauna" series; "The Relation of the Museum to the
Schools," by Mrs. P. M. Rea; "A visit to the Grave of
Thomas Walter, "by Dr. Ezra Brainerd; "Synopsis of the Bird
Records of the Natural History Society for the Year 1906 ; ' ' three
papers on the "History of the Museum, "by Mr. W. G. Mazyck;
"Ornithological Notes, " including a record of Bewick's Wren
at Charleston, and an account of one of Audubon's birds found
in the Museum, by Mr. H. R. Sass.

The Bulletin has been very favorably reviewed in Science
during the year. Thanks are also due the local press for
many favorable notices and for reprinting articles from the
Bulletin.

A series of scientific papers as "Contributions" from the
Museum should be undertaken as soon as possible and it is
hoped that the publication of such a series may be begun
during the coming year.

Public Instruction
The Director lectured on "Organic Evolution" on Monday
evenings during the first four months of the year. This

13

course was open to subscribers and to members of the Museum.
When the number of members warrants it is intended that a
series of lectures shall be given exclusively for members.

Free public lectures were also given as follows: "The Sci-
entific Basis of Fairy Lore," by Professor Daniel Strobel
Martin; and "The Oriental Point of View in Art," by Mr. N.
W. Stephenson.

The Natural History Society has held two regular meetings
each month except during the summer. One of these meet-
ings has usually been devoted to a popular discussion of
some topic of general interest in relation to birds. Thus
Mrs. P. M. Rea described "The Owls of Charleston and
Vicinity" with the aid of both living and mounted specimens;
Mr. Sass has lectured on the "Habits of the Brown Peli-
can, ' ' and ' 'Feathered Fishermen. ' ' The mid-monthly meet-
ing of the Society has been devoted to reports of field work
and demonstration of museum specimens of birds in season.
The society has also provided a guide to accompany the mem-
bers on field trips and assist in the identification of specimens
seen. These facilities in connection with the seasonal exhibit
of local birds are ample to enable any member to become
personally familiar with all our common local birds. Members
of the society have also carried on the Biological Survey.

In March the Director received a request from the
Charleston County Teachers Association for an address on
"The Relation of the Museum to the Schools." In response
to this invitation Mrs. Rea addressed the Association March
9, outlining the plans of the Museum for effective co-opera-
tion with the schools. At the request of the Association this
address was published in the March issue of the Bulletin
and copies were distributed to the teachers of the county
and to the School Commissioners of Charleston. In response
to one of Mrs. Rea's suggestions several teachers have since
brought classes to the Museum for talks illustrated with
specimens from the Museum on subjects related to their

14

geography courses. This work has met with signal suc-
cess and would have been developed more rapidly but for
the frequent necessity of using Manigault Hall as a workroom,
and because of the limited time at the disposal of an over-
worked staff.

A small amount of loan material has been sent out to the
Memminger Normal school at the request of the teachers.

One of the most promising activities of this department
has been the completion, during the closing weeks of the
year, of the first of a series of travelling exhibits, designed
for circulation among the schools of the city. The subject
of this exhibit is the "Iron and Steel Industry." It includes
specimens of common iron ores, maps and diagrams of their
distribution, and stereographs, photographs, and spec-
imens to illustrate the mining, transportation and smelt-
ing of the ore and the manufacture of iron and steel. The
exhibit includes a circular of information for teachers and
directions for use of the exhibit. As a further aid to teachers
and to insure the best use of the exhibit question blanks
have been prepared to accompany the specimens. When the
answers have been filled in, the blanks constitute an epitome
of the subject and can then be made the basis of a composi-
tion or essay in which the student shall describe in his own
words what he has seen.

This exhibit is now ready for circulation among the schools
of Charleston and similar exhibits will be prepared as rap-
idly as possible to illustrate the industries and natural re-
sources of Charleston and other subjects related to the courses
of study in the schools.

At the invitation of the Rural School Improvement As-
sociation the Iron and Steel Exhibit was demonstrated at the
educational convention at Columbia, December 30 and 31.
The Director offered to extend the circulation of the travel-
ing exhibits to the schools of the State if special funds for
this purpose can be provided.

15

This department is in sad need of new specimens of com-
mon local birds to fill gaps in the collection and to replace
worn-out specimens. Most of the specimens now in use have
been in the Museum from twenty to forty years. The de-
partment also needs a few series of well-colored lantern
slides suitable for popular lectures. A beginning in this di-
rection has been made through the receipt of a series of
slides presented to the Museum by Doubleday, Page & Co. ,
through Mr. H. B. Sewell.

Biological Survey

The importance of a thorough biological survey of the vi-
cinity of Charleston has been emphasized from time to time
by the Director. To this end systematic bird records have
been made by members of the Natural History Society for
about two years, and, considering that these were untrained
observers, the records obtained during the first year, 1906, as
published in the Bulletin,' are very encouraging. Much
better results may be expected for 1907 since the field work
has been more regular and thorough. A synopsis of the
1907 records will be published in February.

The Director has long desired to extend the biological sur-
vey to the marine fauna of Charleston harbor and adjacent
waters, the field of McCrady's classic work and is desirous
of seeing marine aquaria installed in the Museum to exhibit
the marine fauna, especially the food fishes of the coast.
A friend of the Museum has provided a number of dredges
with which collecting can now be carried on as rapidly as the
time of the staff permits.

Paul M. Rea, Director.

'Vol. 3, No. 5, May, 1907.

16

Under the Auspices op the College op Charleston

Sustaining Members

J. p. KENNEDY BRYAN
Mrs. C. R. BUP.CKMEYER
WARING P. CARRINGTON
Hon. JOHN F. FICKEN
WILSON G. HARVEY
GEORGE S. HOLMES
Miss AGNES K. IRVING
SAMUEL LAPHAM
WILLIAM J. McCORMACK

W. HAMPTON MIXSON
JAMES S. MURDOCH
Capt. THOMAS PINCKNEY
Hon. R. GOODWYN RHETT

M. rutledge rivers

Hon. JAMES SIMONS
HENRY A. M. SMITH
GEORGE W. WILLIAMS
HENRY P. WILLIAMS

Annual Members

Hon. Joseph W. Barnwell G. Herbert Sass

Hon. Augustine T. Smythe

BULLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUL M. REA

SYNOPSIS OF THE BIRD RECORDS OF THE NATURAL
HISTORY SOCIETY FOR THE YEAR 1907

Volume IV, Number 2 February, 1908

Under the Auspices op the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistants

F. W. Wamsley

Herbert R. Sass

Librarian

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

Student Assistants

Henry Laurens Zoology

J. WiRRON WiLLSON Ornithology

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1777
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, to
the Medical School in 1843, and to the College of Charleston in 1850. In
1907 a building was provided by the City and the name changed to The
Charleston Museum.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is pubUshed monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BtJLLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 4 CHARLESTON, S. C, FEBRUARY, 1908 No. 2«^J^

— ^^J^,

SYNOPSIS OF THE BIRD RECORDS OF THE NATURAL
HISTORY SOCIETY FOR THE YEAR 1907

The Natural History Society is organized under the auspices
of the Charleston Museum as a means of encouraging the
study of the fauna and flora of the Coast Region of South
Carolina. At present the Society consists of but one section,
devoted to the study of birds. The records of this work are
kept on cards especially designed for the purpose' and filed
in the Museum at the end of each month. A synopsis of the
first year's records was published in the Bulletin' for May,
1907. The following list shows the results of the second
year's work in comparison with those of 1906 and is published
to indicate the nature of the work of the Society and to pro-
vide persons interested in our local birds with a list of the
species most likely to be observed, and a statement, in each
case, of the season when, in our experience, it has been seen.
The list is by no means a complete synopsis of the birds of
coastal South Carolina, and its incompleteness as well as the
small number of records in many cases is due to the inexpe-
rience of most of the members of the Society and, especially,

<Xi ^^ their limited opportunities for field-work.

cr ~~ ' — ~ — ^ — ' ■

^ 'See Bull. Coll. Chas. Mus.. Vol. 1. No. 4, pp. 34-36. ^Vol. 3. No. 5.

The following table is interesting in comparing the work
accomplished during the two years:

Total number species recorded 184

Number species recorded in 1906 151

Number species recorded in 1907 166

Number species recorded only in 1906 19

Number species recorded only in 1907 34

Number species in which 1906 records are more complete than

1907 records 50

Number species in which 1907 records are more complete than
1906 records 73

Total number Permanent Residents recorded 69

Total number Summer Residents recorded 34

Total number Winter Visitants recorded 63

Total number Transient Visitants recorded 17

Total number species new to the coastal region 1

Horned Grebe. -wv.' Jan -Mar 31, Oct 26 -Dec. In 1906,
Jan- Apr 13, Oct 28-Dec.

Pied-billed Grebe.— p r.' Oct. In 1906, Feb - Mar.

LooN.-wv. Feb- Mar 9, Nov 2, In 1906, Feb- Apr 23, Nov
29 - Dec.

Herring Gull^— wv. Nov, Dec (?).

Ring-billed GuLL^—wv. Dec (?).

Laughing Gull*.— w v. Oct 8 - Dec.

Bonaparte's Gull. — w v. Jan, Mar - Apr 30, Dec 8. In 1906,
Apr 23, Dec. 9.

Caspian Tern.— PR. Nov. In 1906, no records.
Royal Tern ?-sr\ Oct. In 1906, Jun.
Common Tern?— t v.' Aug. In 1906, no records.
Least Tern.— t v. No records. In 1906, Jul, Aug, Oct (?).
Black Tern.— t v. Aug 23 - Sept 10. In 1906, Aug 1 - Sept 18.
Black Skimmer. — s r. Jun 15 - Jul, Oct 25. In 1906, Jul 31 -
Aug 4.

^Winter Visitant — comes from its northern breeding-grounds to winter here.

^Permanent Resident— inhabits the coast region of South Carolina throughout the year.

■^Summer Resident — comes from its southern winter home to breed here, returning in the fall.

■'Transient Visitant — passes through here in the spring and fall on the way between its
southern winter home and its northern breeding-grounds.

^Difficulty in distinguishing these forms from one another has led to confusion, so that
comparison with 1906 records would be of no value.

18

Wilson's Petrel.— s r. No records. In 1906, May.
Florida Cormorant?— SR. Nov. In 1906, no records.
Brown Pelican.— sr. Aug. In 1906, Jul, Sept.
Red-breasted Merganser.— wv. Nov. In 1906, no records.
Hooded Merganser. — w v. Nov 9 - Dec. In 1906, Feb - Apr

15(?), Dec 26.
Mallard.— wv. Jan, Dec. In 1906, Jan -Feb, Apr, Dec.
Black Duck.— w v. Oct 30 -Dec. In 1906, Dec.
Pin-tail Duck. — w v. No records. In 1906, Feb.
Wood Duck.— p r. Jan, Dec. In 1906, Mar, Dec.
Canvas-back Duck. — w v. No records. In 1906, Mar.
Scaup Duck\— w v. April 23. In 1906, Jan - Apr 28, Dec. 16.
American Golden-eye ?— w v. No records. In 1906, Feb,
Ruddy Duck.— w. v. No records. In 1906, Feb.
Canada Goose ?— w v. Sept. In 1906, no records.
Wood Ibis. — s r. Sept. In 1906, Mar.
American Bittern.— PR. No records. In 1906, Dec.
Least Bittern.— s r. Apr. In 1906, Apr.
Great Blue Heron. — p r, Jan - Dec. In 1906, Jan - Dec.
American Egret.— SR. Sept -Nov 2. In 1906, no records.
LouiSL^NA Heron. —p R. Aug (?), Sept (?). In 1906, Apr.
Little Blue Heron.— pr. Apr -Nov. In 1906, Mar -Oct.
Green Heron.— p R. Apr -Oct. In 1906, Apr - Oct.
Black-crowned Night Heron.— p R. May, Aug -Nov. In

1906, Oct -Nov.

King Rail. — p r. Dec (many records near Georgetown). In
1906, no records.

Clapper Rail.— p R. Jan, Mar, May -Oct, Dec. In 1906,
Jan - Dec.

Yellow Rail.— w v. Nov. In 1906, no records.

Florida Gallinule.— pr. No records. In 1906, May.

American Coot.— w v. Oct -Nov. In 1906, Feb.

American Woodcock.— PR. Nov -Dec. In 1906, Dec.

Wilson's Snipe ?— w v. Sept. In 1906. no records.

'No distinction made between Greater and Lesser Scaups.

19

Red-backed Sandpiper.— w v. Nov. In 1906, no records.

Western Semipalmated Sandpiper. — w v. Nov. In 1906,
no records.

Sanderling.— p R. Nov. In 1906, May.
WiLLET.— P R. May, Nov - Dec. In 1906, Apr.
Bartramian Sandpiper.— TV. No records. In 1906, Mar 11.
Spotted Sandpiper.— p r. Nov. In 1906, Apr -May.
Hudsonian Curlew. — t v. No records. In 1906, April 7.
Black-bellied Plover.— PR. Nov. In 1906, no records.
KiLLDEER. — w V. Jan - Mar 10, Nov 4 - Dec. In 1906, Jan -

Apr 15 (?), Nov 4 -Dec.
Semipalmated Plover.— p r. Nov. In 1906, no records.
Wilson's Plover.— s r. No records. In 1906, Mar.

American Oystercatcher.— PR. Jun, Nov. In 1906, Mar,

Aug.
Bobwhite.— p R. Jan - Feb, Apr - Sept, Nov - Dec. In 1906,

Jan - Sept, Nov - Dec.
Wild Turkey. -PR. Nov. In 1906, Feb.
Common Dove. — p r. Jan -Jun, Aug -Dec. In 1906, Jan -

Dec.
Ground Dove.— p R. May - Jun, Sept - Oct. In 1906, Aug-

Sept, Nov.
Turkey Buzzard.— PR. Jan -Dec. In 1906, Jan - Dec.
Black Vulture. — p r. Jan - Dec. In 1906, Jan - Dec.
Swallow-tailed Kite.— sr. No records. In 1906, Apr 14.

Marsh Hawk.— w v. Jan - Mar 29, Oct 20 - Dec. In 1906, Jan -

Mar 31, Sept 8 -Dec.
Sharp-shinned Hawk.— w v. Mar 3, Sept 2 -Dec. In 1906,

Jan - April 14, Sept 8 - Dec.
Cooper's Hawk.— p R. Jan, Mar (?), Sept -Dec. In 1906,

confused with Florida Red-shouldered Hawk.
Red-tailed Hawk.— w V. Feb -Mar 24, Aug 28, Dec. In

1906, Jan - Mar 17, Dec.
Florida Red-shouldered Hawk.— p r. Oct - Dec. In 1906,

confused with Cooper's Hawk.
Bald Eagle.— PR. Mar, May, Oct -Dec. In 1906, Jan -Apr,

Oct.

20

Duck Hawk.— w v. Nov. In 1906, no records.

Pigeon Hawk.— t v. Oct 9, Nov 2 (?). In 1906, no records.

Sparrow Hav/k.—p R. Mar, Apr, Oct - Dec. In 1906, Jan -
Apr, Dec.

OSPREY. -s R. Mar 24 - Oct 20. In 1906, Mar 3 - Oct 5.

Barn Owl.— pr. Jan. In 1906, Apr (?).

Florida Barred Owl.— pr. Jan, Aug, Oct -Dec. In 1906,
Jan, June, Dec.

Florida Screech Owl.— pr. Nov, Dec. In 1906, no records.

Great Horned Owl.— pr. Dec. In 1906, no records.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo. — s r. Apr 28 - Oct 11. In 1906, Apr
14 - Oct 8.

Belted Kingfisher.— PR. Jan, Mar -May, Aug -Dec. In
1906, Jan - Jun, Aug - Dec.

Southern Hairy Woodpecker.— pr. Jan, Sept -Dec. In
1906, Jan - Mar, Oct - Dec.

Southern Downy Woodpecker.— p r. Jan - Apr, Aug - Nov.

In 1906, Jan - Apr, Jun, Aug - Dec.

Red-cockaded Woodpecker. —PR. Nov, Dec. In 1906, Mar,
Dec.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. — w v. Jan -Feb 24, Oct 10-

Dec. In 1906, Jan - Mar 12, Oct 28 - Dec.

PiLEATED Woodpecker.— p r. Jan, Mar, Jun, Nov -Dec.
In 1906, Feb, Mar, Oct, Dec.

Red-headed Woodpecker.— sr. Apr 30 -Jun, Aug -Dec
22. In 1906, Feb 22 -Oct 7.

Red-bellied Woodpecker.— PR. Jan, Apr, Sept -Dec. In

1906, Feb - Apr, Oct, Dec.

Flicker.— p r. Jan - Jun, Aug - Dec. In 1906, Jan - Apr, Jun,
Aug - Dec.

Chuck-will's-widow.— SR. Jun, Aug 28. Inl906, Apr7-
Jun.

Whip-poor-will. - w v. Nov. In 1906, no records.

Night-hawk.— SR. Apr 20, Jul - Oct 6. In 1906, Aug -Sept 20.

Chimney Swift. —SR. Mar 31 -Oct 16. In 1906, Mar 28 -Oct 28.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird.— SR. Apr 19- Sept 8. In 1906,

Jun 21 - Sept 24.

21

Kingbird.— s r. Apr 21 - Oct 1. In 1906, Apr 10 - Oct 4.
Crested Flycatcher.— s r. Apr 14- Sept 8. In 1906, Apr

13 -Sept 18.
Phcebe.—w v. Jan - Mar 10, Oct 11 - Dec. In 1906, Jan - Mar

17. Oct 7 -Dec.
Wood Pewee.— s r. Apr 25-Jun, Aug -Oct 6. In 1906, May

20 -Sept 18.
Blue Jay. — pr. Jan -Dec. In 1906, Jan -Dec.

A i^/rr^To^ A XT rj>r^Mir P T? ) I^ 1907 and 1906 crows were recorded
AmeircanCrow.-p R. everymonth. Nodistinction made be-

FiSH Grow, p R J tween American Crow & Fish Crow.

Bobolink.— T v. Apr 23 -May 5, Aug 26 -Nov 9. In 1906,

May 13, Sept 8 -Oct 14.
Cowbird? — w V. No records. In 1906, Nov.
Red-winged Blackbird.— p r. Jan -Dec. In 1906, Jan - Dec.
Meadow Lark.— p r. Jan -Apr 21, Oct 14 -Dec. In 1906,

Jan - Apr 15, Oct 14 - Dec.
Orchard oriole.— s r. Apr 17 - Aug 1. In 1906, Apr 13 -

Sept 18.
Rusty Blackbird.— w v. No records. In 1906, Feb, Mar.
Florida Crackle.— p r. May, Dec (common near George-
town). In 1906, Feb -May.
Boat-tailed Crackle.— PR. Jan-Jun, Sept -Dec. In 1906,

Jan - Dec.
Purple Finch.— w v. Mar - 12. In 1906, no records.
American Coldfinch.—w V. Jan -Apr 25, Nov 28 -Dec.

In 1906, Jan -Feb 22, Nov 3 -Dec.
Pine Siskin.— w v. No records. In 1906, Mar.
Vesper Sparrow.— w V. Mar -29, Oct 30 -Dec. In 1906,

Jan - Mar 25, Nov 4 - Dec.
Savanna Sparrow.— w V. Mar -May 4, Oct 24 -Dec. In

1906, Mar.
Grasshopper Sparrow.— w V. Oct 24 -Dec. In 1906, no

records.
Henslow's Sparrow. — w v. Nov - Dec. In 1906, no records.

22

Leconte's Sparrow.— w v. Nov. In 1906, no records.
Acadian Sharp-Tailed Sparrow— w v. Nov. In 1906, no

records.
White-Throated Sparrow.— w v. Jan -May 1, Oct 24, -

Dec. In 1906, Jan - Apr 26, Oct 27 - Dec.
Chipping Sparrow. — p r. Mar - Apr, Nov - Dec. In 1906,

Feb - Apr, June, Dec.
Field Sparrow — p r. Jan - Apr, Aug - Dec. In 1906, Jan -

Apr, Dec.
JUNCO.— w V. Jan, Mar 16, Nov 28, - Dec. In 1906, Jan- Mar

12, Nov 25 - Dec.
Bachman's Sparrow.— p r. Aug- Dec. In 1906, no records.
Song Sparrow.— w v. Jan - Apr 21, Oct 20 - Dec. In 1906,

Jan -Apr 13, Oct 14 -Dec.
Swamp Sparrow. — w v. Apr 28, Oct 22 - Dec. In 1906, no

records.
Fox Sparrow.— w v. Jan - Feb, Dec. In 1906, Dec.
Red-eyed Towhee'.— w v. Jan - Apr 14, Sept 3, Dec.
White-eyed Towhee'.— p r. Feb- Jun, Aug -Oct.
Cardinal.— p r. Jan- Dec, In 1906, Jan -Dec.
Blue Grosbeak.— s r. May. In 1906, no records.
Nonpareil.— s r. Apr 21 - Oct 21. In 1906, Mar 11 - Nov 4.
Summer TANAGER.-SR. Apr 25 -Jun, Aug -Sept 27. In 1906,

Apr 13 - Sept 18.

Purple Martin.— s r. Mar 10 -Sept 26. In 1906, Mar5-
Oct 24.

Barn Swallow.— t v. Apr 13 - May 5, Aug 21 - Sept 18. In

1906, Apr 4- May 20, Aug 11 - Oct 11.
Tree Swallow.— w v. Apr -21, Sept 29 -Nov. In 1906, Mar,

May 9, Oct 13 -Nov.
Rough- Winged Swallows— p r. May- Jun, Aug- Sept (?).
Cedar Waxwing. — w v. Jan 1 - May 21, Dec 25. In 1906,

Jan 28 - May 1.

^No records given for 1906 because, during part of that year, the two Towhees were con-
fused.
^In 1906, confused with Bank Swallow.

23

Loggerhead.— p r. Jan - Dec. In 1906, Jan - Dec.
Red-eyed Vireo.— s r. Mar 31 - Jun, Sept - Oct 11. In 1906,

Apr 13-Jun, Aug -Oct 23.
Y ellow-throated Vireo.— s r. Apr 14, Sept - 14. In 1906,

Sept 18.
Blue-headed Vireo?— w v. Dec. In 1906, no records.
White-eyed Vireo.— p R. Jan, Mar -Jun, Aug -Oct. In

1906, Mar -Oct.
Black and White Warbler. — t v. Jan 17 (?), Apr 12 - May

13, Sept 4 - Oct 23. In 1906, Aug 11 - Dec 1.
Prothonotary Warbler.— s R. Apr 20. In 1906, no re-
cords.
SwAiNSON's Warbler.— s R. No records. In 1906, Apr 13.
Worm-eating Warbler.— t v. No records. In 1906, Sept 12.
P ARUL A Warbler'.— s R. Mar 24 -Jun, Aug -Oct 4. In

1906, Mar 17 - July, Sept - Oct. 8.
Yellow Warbler. -s R. Apr 24 -May, Sept -Oct 2. In

1806, Apr 21 - May, July - Sept 27.
Black-throated Blue warbler. — t v. Oct 14 & 19. In 1906,

Apr 28 -May 12, Oct 5-28.
Myrtle warbler.— wv. Jan -Apr 28, Oct 17 -Dec. In

1906, Jan -Apr 28, Oct 10 -Dec.
Black-poll Warbler.— t v. May 13 - 16. In 1906, no records.
Yellow-throated Warbler.— pr. Mar -June, Aug, Oct.

In 1906, Mar - Jun, Aug - Nov.
Pine Warbler.— PR. Jan -Jun, Aug -Dec. In 1906, Jan -

Jun, Sept - Oct, Dec.
Palm Warbler.— w v. Nov 21 - Dec. In 1906, no records.
Yellow Palm Warbler.— t v. Nov 4. In 1906, no records.
Prairie Warbler.— s R. Apr 12, Aug -Sept 27. In 1906,

Aug - Sept 20.
Ovenbird.-t V. May 11 - 13. In 1906, Oct 28.
Grinnell's Water-thrush.— t v. Sept 14 - 26. In 1906, no

records.

^No distinction made between Parula and Northern Parula.

24

Yellowthroat\— PR. Jan, Mar - May, Sept - Nov. In 1906,

Mar -Apr, Aug -Dec.
Yellow-breasted Chat.— SR. May 25-Jun, Aug 24. In

1906, Jun 13 - 21.
Hooded Warbler.— SR. Apr 13, Aug -Sept 13. In 1906,

Aug 29.
Redstart.— TV. May 11, Sept 13 -Oct 23. In 1906, Aug 19-

Oct 27.
American Titlark.— wv. Jan -Mar 10, Oct 30 -Dec. In

1906, Jan - Mar 25, Nov 5 - Dec.
Mockingbird. — p r. Jan - Dec. In 1906, Jan - Dec.
Catbird.— wv. Jan -Apr 28, Sept 26 -Dec. In 1906, Jan-
Mar 17, Sept 18 - Oct, Dec.
Brown Thrasher.— PR. Jan -Dec. In 1906, Jan -Dec.
Carolina Wren.— p r. Jan - Jun, Aug - Dec. In 1906, Jan -

Dec.
Bewick's Wren'. —accidental. Oct 17. In 1906, Dec (?)
-^ (one very doubtful record.)
House Wren. -w v. Feb, Apr 12, Oct 21 -Dec. In 1906,

Feb -Apr 13.
Winter Wren?— wv. Dec (one doubtful record) . In 1906,

no records.
Short-billed Marsh Wren.— WV. Nov 8 -Dec. In 1906,

Nov 18.
Long-billed Marsh Wren.— w v. Not distinguished from

the following species.
Worthington's Marsh Wren. '—PR. Mar- July, Nov. In 1906,

Jan, Mar -Nov.
Brown Creeper. — w v. Jan - Mar 17, Nov 13. In 1906, Jan -

Feb 18, Oct 29 - Dec.
Florida White-breasted Nuthatch.— p r. Jan - Feb, May,

Aug -Dec. In 1906, Jan -Apr, Oct, Dec.

'No distinction made between Southern and Northern Yellowthroats.

'A Bewick's Wren taken at the Navy Yard on Oct. 17, 1907, is the only specimen of this
species ever taken on the South Carolina coast.
'Some of these winter records may refer to Long-billed Marsh Wrens.

25

Red-breasted Nuthatch.— wv. No records. In 1906, Oct

10 -Nov 2.
Brown-headed Nuthatch.— PR. Jan, May, Oct - Dec. In

1906, Feb, Dec.
Tufted Titmouse.— p r. Jan-Jun, Aug -Dec. In 1906,

Jan - Dec.
Carolina Chickadee. — p r. Jan-Jun, Aug -Dec. In 1906,

Jan-Jun, Aug -Dec.
Golden-crowned Kinglet. — wv. Feb - Mar 17, Nov 12-Dec.

In 1906, Mar 25, Oct 27 - Dec.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet.— w v. Jan -Apr 21, Oct 11 -Dec.

In 1906, Jan - Apr 14, Oct 21 - Dec.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.— pr. Mar-Jun, Sept -Oct. In

1906, Feb - Apr, Jun - Sept.
Wood Thrush. -sr. May 26 -Jun, Oct 11. In 1906, Apr 10-

Oct7.
Wilson's Thrush.— t v. Sept 7. In 1906, no records.
Hermit Thrush.— wv. Jan -Mar 29, Oct 28 -Nov. In 1906,

Jan - Apr 8, Oct 28, Dec.
Robin.— w v. Jan - Mar 10, Nov 26 - Dec. In 1906, Jan - Apr

16, Dec 23.
Bluebird.— p r. Jan - May, Aug - Dec. In 1906, Jan - Apr,

Jun, Aug -Dec.

26

BULLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUL M. REA

nUSEUn RECORDS— A REPORT OF PROGRESS

THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

Volume IV, Number 3 March, 1908

Ill

Under the Auspices of the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistants

F. W. Wamsley

Herbert R. Sass

Librarian

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

Student Assistants

Henry Laurens Zoology

J. WiRRON Willson Ornithology

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1777
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, to
the Medical School in 1843, and to the College of Charleston in 1850, In
1907 a building was provided by the City and the name changed to The
Charleston Museum,

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is published monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 4 CHARLESTON, S. C, MARCH, 1908 No. 3

LJBixAR

MUSEUM RECORDS NEW

. ^ X. OCT A I

A Report of Progress

QARl

Three years ago a general reorganization of the Museum
was undertaken for the purpose of making it of greater ser-
vice to the people and of preserving and developing its scien-
tific value. In a lecture which was printed in the first issue
of the Bulletin the Director outlined the work of a modern
museum of natural history, laying special stress upon accu-
rate and permanent records as the indispensable foundation
of all future usefulness of specimens. He then showed the
importance of dividing the collections into reserve or study
series and exhibition series, the former affording the special-
ist an orderly and accessible arrangement convenient for
study, the latter affording the public carefully selected se-
ries of especially interesting and instructive specimens, ar-
ranged to illustrate particular subjects, explained by descrip-
tive labels, and supplemented by lectures. This arrange-
ment relieves the exhibition halls of collections monotonously
uninteresting to all but special students while at the
same time emphasizing the absolute dependence of the exhi-
bition series upon the study series and of this in turn upon
accurate records. In short, it is the^duty of a public mu-

27

seum to collect and preserve scientific data and to utilize
these data for the education of the people, who support the
museum.

In the past three years the Charleston Museum has carried
on its educational work through the medium of the Natural
History Society, public lectures, talks to schools, loan and
travelling exhibits, and the pages of the Bulletin and the
daily press. The public has responded with increasingly
generous support and yet few changes have been made in
the obsolete exhibits of the museum halls. This is, of
course, due in part to the prospect of removal to a new
building, but the public may well ask why new exhibits are
not more rapidly forthcoming and the Director believes that
an attempt to answer this question will bring the public into
closer sympathy with the present work and future prospects
of the Museum.

Readers of the Bulletin are aware that the Museum is
the result of more than one hundred and thirty years' growth
and that it has been moved a number of times and passed
through many periods of adversity as well as of enthusiastic
and generous support. All of these vicissitudes have pro-
duced much confusion of the records since the history of
each specimen has merely been written on a paper label laid
beside it and seldom attached to it. Unfortunately, the data
were frequently incomplete in the beginning; in hundreds of
cases all signs of labels have entirely disappeared; in many
others the ink has faded or the paper decayed; and even
when labels and specimens both exist they are almost al-
ways so mixed together that each tray or shelf or box must
be studied and arranged by a specialist before any specimens
can be moved.

Since all activities of a museum are dependent upon accurate
records and since such records had never been kept in this mu-
seum and especially since any attempt to move the Museum
before the records were straight would result in further

28

confusion, a system of numbering and cataloging specimens
was devised after consideration of the methods of many other
museums, and the enormous task of supplying the records
of a century was undertaken. From time to time notes of
progress have appeared in these pages and the monotony of
the work has been relieved by the excitement of recovering
lost treasures.

We cannot expect the average visitor to be deeply inter-
ested in the details of museum book-keeping but we do think
that some of the results of our inventory are so dramatic as
to interest the readers of the Bulletin and convince them
of the importance of this side of our work.

The Elliott Herbarium was early provided with a fire-proof
safe and is frequently consulted by visiting botanists. Sub-
sequently several additional fasciles of this valuable collec-
tion have been recovered from rubbish heaps.

Important and probably unique collections of Russian min-
erals and of phosphates from all over the world have been
gathered together, re-identified, and permanently recorded
by Professor Martin, to whom the geological department is
in many ways deeply indebted. In both of these collections,
however, some specimens are m.issing and others without
data. These show the imperative necessity of the work we
are doing.

The history of some specimens has been followed for more
than a century, e. g., the Sandwich Island helmet and other
articles presented in June, 1798. The romantic history of
the ''fossil man of Guadaloupe" has been recalled and noted
for a future label.

The rare interest of many specimens has come to light in
process of recording. Thus, we learn that, while specimens of
the Jabiru, a South American stork, are to be found in only
three or four of the largest Museums in this country, our
specimen has been here twenty-five years. For more than
fifty years the Museum has had a specimen of Solenodon, a

29

rare insectivorous mammal from Cuba, only five or six oth-
ers having found their way to the Museums of Europe and
America.

Just now the staff is engaged in an effort to identify the
specimens figured by Audubon in his classic work on Ameri-
can ornithology. Trays of headless, tailless, moth-eaten birds
have been gathered from the dark corners to be compared
with published plates, while labels must be sent to all parts
of the country for identification of handwriting. Undescribed
shells, type specimens of plants and fossils have been recov-
ered and much is yet to be done. Old jars of fishes and
reptiles remain to be searched for Holbrook's types, Audu-
bon and Bachman mammals remain to be traced, herbaria to
be revised, and the records of specimens received through
the Elliott Society made straight. It sometimes takes days
or weeks to complete the record of a single specimen — such
is the price of neglect!

More than four thousand specimens have been worked up,
permanently numbered, and cataloged in the past two years.
This is the explanation of the slow progress in preparing ex-
hibits and since our present quarters have no store-rooms and
workrooms it has even been necessary to use Manigault Hall
for these purposes and to restrict its use as a lecture room in
consequence. We trust that friends of the Museum will re-
joice with us that this revision of the collections has not come
too late to restore much of the original value of the oldest
Museum in America, and will realize that the foundation is
being laid for exhibits of the future.

The story of the work which is necessary to prepare ex-
hibits after the study series is in order, is reserved for a later
article.

30

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The pages of the Bulletin have been so crowded recently
that it has not been possible to chronicle the work of the
Natural History Society. Two meetings have been held each
month, one of an entirely informal character devoted to re-
ports of field work and descriptions of birds of the current
season, the other an open meeting with a lecture on some
subject of general interest associated with birds. These lec-
tures have been given by Mr. Sass as follows: November,
Birds of Prey; December, Feathered Fishermen; January,
Birds of the Past. All of these have been illustrated with
specimens and lantern slides, while the .last was rendered
especially interesting by Dr. Wilson's very appropriate verses
which we print below for the benefit of our readers.

The open meeting in March was devoted to discussion of
the birds which were seen on the excursion of February 22,
in which nearly every member of the Society participated.
Through the courtesy of a friend of the Museum the trip was
made on a large and comfortable launch so that it was possi-
ble to invade the haunts of both water and land birds. The
eagles, cormorants, herons, etc. , were new to many of the
party and the excursion aroused much enthusiasm.

Field trips to the Navy Yard or other convenient localities
can be arranged for almost any Saturday by telephoning the
Museum in advance. For those who cannot go into the
country the city affords a more interesting field for bird ob-
servation than is generally supposed, as our growing list of
city species shows. The dates of arrival of summer residents
are desired for the city as well as the country and all mem-
bers of the Society should report the first date on which they
observe the Chimney Swift, Rain-crow, Beebird, Orchard
Oriole, Nonpareil, Summer Tanager, etc.

31

Appeal of Archaeopteryx to The Natural History

Society

By Another Fossil

I'm just an Archaeopteryx, and sadly out of date;
My present habitation is the Solenhofen slate.
I used to have a cosy nest and laid my eggs by sixes;
And there in peace I raised my little Archaeopteryxes.
I'm asking for your sympathy because I've lately heard
That you're always kind and helpful to a persecuted bird.
I saw it in a fossil sheet that sometimes comes my way—
"The Paleozoic Herald" -that I read the other day.
We had never any trouble in those old Jurassic times,
For we hadn't any enemies to hate us

And we never were afraid

That the millinery trade
Would be likely ever to exterminate us.

The youthful Cain and Abel

Did'nt shoot us for the table
With a prehistoric sling-shot or a bow— Ah!

And the lady's Easter bonnet

Didn't have a feather on it,
Nor a whole stuffed Ichthyornis nor a Moa!
Now the reason for this happy state you hardly will believe,
Why there was'nt any Adam, and there was'nt any Eve!
And yet we have a grievance, and a bad old grievance too,
And we need your help, dear ladies, all the same;
For I'm sure you will agree with me that it will never do
To be nothing of a bird except the name,

And I would 'nt have you think

That I'm just a missing Hnk
In developing the plan of evolution!

If I had'nt any gizzard

Does that prove that I'm a lizard
With an unknown transmogrific constitution?

32

Vm nothing but a fossil in a lithographic stone,

And my jaws are full of teeth, and my tail is mostly bone,

But you never would have thought that I was any other thing

Than a bonnie little birdie, if you 'd only heard me sing!

While my lovely mate was sitting on her eggs the livelong day,

I would perch upon a giant fern and warble out a lay

To cheer her weary waiting till the chicks began to cheep,

Or to soothe our teething birdlings when they could' nt go to

sleep.
It's bad enough to be a bird with such a beastly name.
And it's worse to be a fossil, but it's just a burning shame

For those scientists to link us

With that ugly Rhamphorynchus
Whose nasty bones are lying by my side.

With his bat-like leathern wings.

And his paddle-tail and things.
And not a blessed feather on his hide!
Now if you go to Berlin you may see my pretty mate
With feathers on her wings and tail, still sliowing in the slate,
Of softest green— "invisible"— but if she only knew
What I know of this trouble, she would certainly be blue!

For there is'nt any doubt.

That they mean to wipe us out,
Like the Dodo, and the Moa, and the Auk;

But I'm asking to be heard

Because I mean to be a bird.
Just as much as Hesperornis in the Chalk.
So here I rest my case, dear friends; please help me if you may!
And your fossilised petitioner will ever humbly pray, &c.

Rev. Robert Wilson, D. D.

33

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUH

Work on our new building has progressed steadily if not
rapidly. Most of the heavy work was completed under last
year's appropriation and funds are now available for finish-
ing the lecture room, library, offices, work rooms and electric
wiring. This will be finished this spring and many of the
collections will be transferred during the summer. The old
building is still open to visitors at the usual hour but many
specimens have been withdrawn from exhibition in prepara-
tion for removal.

Among recent accessions may be mentioned a canvas-back
and a ring-necked duck, both rare species, taken by Mr. E.
H. Burton, a golden pheasant, presented by Mr. W. V.
McDowell, and a blue-winged paroquet, {Palaeornis colum-
hoides), not represented in our collection and opportunely
presented by Mr. 0. F. Reenstjerne, just as the paroquets
were undergoing revision. The Museum has also received
from Rev. C. M. Gray a number of specimens of the black
rat {Mils rattus) which has been almost exterminated by the
more recently introduced brown rat {M. norvegicus) .

Professor Rea will give a public lecture under the auspices
of the Memminger Alumnae Association in Manigault Hall,
Tuesday evening, April 14. The lecture will describe the
treasures of the Charleston Museum and what they mean to
the people.

Several classes from the public schools have visited the
Museum recently and have either been granted the use of
lecture room and specimens for work under the direction of
their teachers or members of the staff have given descriptive
talks. The Director is desirous of seeing this use of the
Museum extended and will be glad to consult with other
teachers who are interested.

34

BtJLLETIlV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUt. M. REA

APRIL BIRD LIFE OF OTRANTO
NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

Volume IV, Number 4 April, 1908

Under the Auspices of the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistants

F. W. Wamsley

Herbert R. Sass

Librarian

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

Student Assistants

Henry Laurens Zoology

J. WiRRON WiLLSON Ornithology

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1777
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, to
the Medical School in 1843, and to the College of Charleston in 1850. In
1907 a building was provided by the City and the name changed to The
Charleston Museum.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all gegmanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenanbe of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is published monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIIV HB-v..

BOTANIC.

OF """"^

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 4 CHARLESTON, S. C, APRIL, 1908 No. 4

APRIL BIRD LIFE OF OTRANTO

The country bordering Goose Creek in the neighborhood
of Otranto has been from time immemorial a paradise for
sportsmen. Ducks have always been more or less plentiful
on the creek, deer range freely through the swamps and
abandoned grass-grown fields, "partridges" are abundant,
and turkeys by no means rare, so that the members of the
two hunting clubs which control some thirty thousand acres
about Otranto can always enjoy good sport. Now it is
generally true that a sportsman's paradise is also a paradise
for the field ornithologist: and I doubt whether it would be
possible to find within a radius of twenty miles from
Charleston a region more interesting to the bird-student
than this Otranto country bordering what was formerly
Goose Creek.

Except in name. Goose Creek no longer exists. The build-
ing of a water- works dam about four years ago some four
miles below Otranto backed up the water of the creek, caus-
ing it to overflow its low, marshy banks and spread far and
£- wide over the face of the country. Instead of the deep, nar-

^ row, tidal stream which formerly wound past Otranto, there is
I now an immense reservoir covering thousands of acres of

^ what used to be marsh, field, and forest. In some places,

^ 35

the surface of this great body of standing water is clear and
open. In other places, it is covered by floating islands,
almost firm enough to bear a man's weight, of tall reeds and
wide-spreading aquatic plants; while in those parts of the
reservoir which used to be densely wooded swamp lands,
the tall tree-trunks spring straight upward from the water —
the cypresses still alive and flourishing, but the pines dead
and rapidly decaying. The fresh, wine-colored water breeds
myriads of insects and is alive with fish and frogs, and
consequently many aquatic and swamp-living birds have
found in this huge resevoir an ideal home. Through the
kindness of a member of the Goose Creek Club who has
accompanied me on my trips, I have been able recently to
spend three days (April 4th, 13th, and 20th) in this most
interesting locality and to investigate, as well as I could in
so short a time, its wonderfully varied feathered population.
The most conspicuous if not the most abundant of the
reservoir's avian inhabitants are the Coots and Florida Gal-
linules. The flooded lands are alive with these birds, swim-
ming about among the floating islands of vegetation, spat-
tering noisily over the water, or now and then making short
flights from place to place — and, all the while, uttering an
endless variety of outlandish noises sounding sometimes like
loud scornful laughter, at other times resembling the groan-
ing or whimpering of a child in pain. Whether both Coots
and Gallinules are responsible for these sounds we could not
determine, though I think one species is as noisy as the
other. Both are rather wild, keeping usually well out
of gunshot, and yet not so wild as to render observation at
all diflficult. The glistening white bill of the Coot and the
bright red bill and frontal shield of the Gallinule are ex-
cellent field marks, so that, in spite of the striking similarity
of the two species in form and habits, we had no difficulty
in distinguishing between them. We seldom saw either
Coots or Gallinules in the stretches of open water or in the

36

flooded forest. The reed-grown edges of the reservoir and
the numberless floating islands of green, water-nourished
plants are their chosen hunting-grounds; and there, a little
later in the season, hundreds of tiny downy Gallinules will
take their first look at the great watery world which is to be
their future home. The Coots breed further northward,
apparently preferring a cooler climate in which to rear their
young. Nevertheless, as late as April 20th, they were still
abundant in the reservoir, even more numerous, I think, than
their red-billed kinsmen; and it is hard to believe that, two
weeks later, the last Coot will, in all probability, have de-
parted.

In the flooded timber about the upper reaches of the
reservoir, we saw on April 13th, for the first time, that fan-
tastic inhabitant of deep, gloomy swamp-lands, the Snake
Bird or Anhinga. Paddling silently in and out among the
tree-trunks, pulling the punt along by means of overhang-
ing branches or protruding "snags", we managed several
times to approach within range of the Anhingas as they
perched in silence in the tops of the tall dead trees, preening
their feathers and twisting their long necks from side to
side. Never was a bird more appropriately named. The
Snake Bird's slender neck is as long and sinuous as the body
of a snake: and, when one sees the bird on the wing, the
appropriateness of its local name. Water Turkey, is instantly
apparent, the bird's manner of flight suggesting immediately
that of the Wild Turkey. Although they kept, for the most
part, to the tops of the tall trees, the Anhingas were by no
means shy when we paid them our first visit on April 13th.
We were anxious to secure a female for the Museum and
fired several times, though without result. Twice, after a
shot, the birds circled around quite near the boat, and al-
most always, after being startled, they flew only a short
distance and alit again in plain view, their appearance, as
they perched in the tall leafless trees, being fantastic in the

37

extreme and thoroughly in keeping with the dying, flooded
forest which they inhabit. The male birds showed black as
ink against the sky, except when their white-streaked backs
were turned towards us, while the beautiful yellow-fawn
color of the females' head, throat, and upper breast was
clearly distinguishable even at a distance of one or two
hundred yards. On April 20th, when we made a second
vain attempt to secure a female, we found them much more
difficult to approach and were obliged to keep carefully con-
cealed and to make as little noise as possible, as we pushed
and pulled the punt over the deep dark-colored water which
hid the submerged forest-floor.

It is hard to say how large is the colony of Anhingas
which has its summer headquarters in the flooded lands near
Otranto. Probably the birds are not numerous, though it
may be that others inhabit other parts of the reservoir
which we have not yet explored. At all events, it is inter-
esting to know that a colony is established within a half-
hour's ride by rail from Charleston. The birds will un-
doubtedly breed in the reservoir and probably they will en-
joy a successful season, since these Goose Creek lands form
part of a game preserve.

The flooded forest where we found the Anhingas is also
the hunting ground of innumerable woodpeckers who find
food in plenty under the loose, peeling bark of the dead
pines. The big Pileated Woodpecker or "Old Kate"— the
rarest of its family in most parts of the coast country — is
here the commonest species, hammering noisily on the upper
branches of the decaying pines and utt ering continually the
loud, high-pitched laugh with which it is accustomed to
greet its fellows. The trees are full of large round holes
probably made by the "Old Kates", and the birds must at
present be laying or incubating their eggs, though we saw
none of them entering or leaving the holes.

In the more open parts of the flooded woodlands, where

38

willows, cypresses, and other water-loving trees outnumber
the gaunt dead pines, we found the beautiful Prothonotary
Warbler abundant. On my first trip, on April 4th, I saw
but two Prothonotaries, but on April 13th they were present
in hundreds and on April 20th they had begun to nest, since
I saw a female with a bunch of pine-straw or fine grass-
blades in her bill. They were the most numerous as well as
the most beautiful of the warblers seen in the flooded woods
and thickets, though Parulas and Yellow-throated Warblers
were quite as abundant as they are at this season in ordin-
ary swampy woods; and on April 13th, in spite of the dark
rainy weather, the Prothonotaries were in full song, their
shrill, far-carrying notes ringing out from the tops of the
pines and cypresses as well as from low willow branches
within two or three feet of the water. A moment ago I said
that these gorgeous orange-yellow Prothonotaries were the
handsomest warblers observed, but I had forgotten two
Myrtle Warblers seen on April 20th. In anticipation of
their coming journey to the far north, the latter had assumed
their splendid spring livery of vivid yellow and jet black and
would hardly have been recognized as the same soberly -
dressed little birds so abundant in town and country through-
out the winter. The Prothonotaries, however, were the
warblers which interested us most. Myrtles, Parulas and
Yellow-throated Warblers may be as handsome and certainly
the Yellow-throated, at any rate, is a superior songster:
but these are common inhabitants of every woodland round-
about Charleston, while to find the Prothonotary in abund-
ance one mu^t penetrate the deep swamps.

Astonishing and almost confusing in its volume and variety
is the bird-music to be heard in most portions of the flooded
lands and in the woods and thickets around their edges. In
the tall reeds and among the floating islands of aquatic <
plants, the weird laughing and pitiful whimpering of the
Coots and Gallinules, the shrill "Skeow" of Green Herons,

39

the dismal gurgling of Florida Grackles, and the musical
"Kon-que-ree" of Red- winged Blackbirds continue all day
with scarcely a pause. Around the more open reaches, scores
of Kingbirds perch on the tops of the scattered dead bushes
and trees, screeching incessantly between successful sallies
after passing insects and making noisy assaults upon the
Purple Martins which skim back and forth above the surface
of the water, now and again uttering their full, flute-like
notes. Prothonotaries, Parulas, Yellow-throated Warblers,
Southern Yellow-throats, Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireos,
Tufted Titmice, Gnatcatchers, Brown-headed Nuthatches,
and an occasional Cardinal or Carolina Wren join in one
grand chorus among the green willows and feathery
cypresses, while, high overhead in the leafless decaying
pines, the jovial ''Old Kates" laugh noisily, drowning for
the moment the low, complaining voices of Red-bellied Wood-
peckers and Florida White-breasted Nuthatches and the
clear, staccato whistles of Southern Hairy and Southern
Downy Woodpeckers. These that I have mentioned are the
principal performers to be heard actually in the flooded
lands: but there are several others who seem, for some
reason, to avoid the trees and reeds of the reservoir, but
whose voices are heard continually from the woods around
its edges. Chief among these are clear-toned, spirited
Orchard Orioles, mellow-voiced Summer Tanagers, and
boisterous Crested Flycatchers. In the dry woodlands the
Crested Flycatchers especially are exceedingly abundant,
and it is difficult to explain their absence from the thinly
wooded parts of the reservoir, where their kinsmen, the King-
birds reap so bounteous a harvest of dragon-flies and other
wingedinsects.— unless it be that the autocratic Kingbirds
do not desire their presence. Once, as we paddled along in
•silence close to the shore, we heard the hoarse calling of a
Wild Turkey gobbler and the plaintive oft-repeated answers
of two Turkey hens among the green thickets close at hand:

40

and a little later, two Great Horned Owls began to answer
each other in the distance, their deep, menacing notes sound-
ing not altogether unlike the barking of a pair of ill-
tempered, bass- voiced dogs.

In so short an article as this I can describe only the more
striking features of the bird-life of the flooded lands. Lack
of space forbids the enumeration af all the species observed
during the three days spent in this locality— eighty-one in
all — but there are a few others, in addition to those already
mentioned, which are perhaps worthy of notice. The beau-
tiful Wood Duck, or Summer Duck is common, especially in
the dead timber, and must be breeding as the birds were
almost always seen in pairs. Two American Egrets were
seen on April 13th flying in company with four Great Blue
Herons, and both these species probably breed in this locality.
The Pied-billed Grebe or Dabchick inhabits the reservoir in
small numbers and must certainly be breeding, though we
failed to discover a nest. As my visits took place during
the season when many of the summer residents of this
region are arriving from further south, I was able to form
some idea of the time of coming of these species to Otranto.
The Anhinga was first noted on April 13th, but had probably
arrived much earlier. The Least Bittern and American
Egret were observed on April 13th but were not seen on the
20th. Two Nighthawks were seen on the 13th, while on the
20th the birds were quite common towards sunset. The
Hummingbird, first noted on the 4th, was still rare on the
13th, but common on the 20th. A single Kingbird was seen
on the 4th, while on the 13th scores were observed, the birds
associating in pairs. Crested Flycatchers, absent on the 4th,
were common on the 13th. The Wood Pewee was first noted
on the 20th, but was then very common and had evidently
arrived some days previously. Summer Tanagers were
common on April 13th and 20th, but had not arrived on the
4th. Red-eyed Vireos were already common on the 4th.

41

The Prothonotary Warbler, rare on the 4th, was exceedingly
abundant on the 13th. The Nonpareil, which arrived in
Charleston on the 16th. was very rare at Otranto on the 20th,
only one individual being observed. The Hooded Warbler
and Yellow Palm Warbler were observed on April 4th, but
were not noted on either of my subsequent visits. The
Orchard Oriole, which arrived in Charleston on the 10th,
was rather rare at Otranto on the 13th. The earlier mi-
grants, such as the Osprey, Chimney Swift, and Purple
Martin, were, of course, already common at Otranto on the
4th, but it is a curious fact that the Chuck- Will's- Widow,
which must have arrived during or before the last week of
March, was not heard on April 4th, though it was ex-
ceedingly common on the evening of the 13th.

Herbert R. Sass.

NOTES FROM THE HUSEUM

The lecture of the Director on the evening of April 14th,
on ' 'The treasures of the Charleston Museum and what they
mean to the people," delivered at the request of the Mem-
minger Alumnae Association, was well attended and aroused
wide-spread interest. Commenting on the fact that this
was probably the last lecture to be delivered in Manigault
Hall, the Director referred to the first lecture delivered by
him some three years ago when Manigault Hall was opened
to the public. He compared the plans of the Museum as re-
viewed at that time with the work actually accomplished
during the past three years and outlined the Museum's
future work after the transfer to the new building. Several
of the Museum's rarest and most valuable specimens were
exhibited to show the sad deterioration which they have
suffered in the past due to lack of funds and of proper ac-
commodations. The Director spoke most hopefully, however,
of the present prospects of the Museum, while, at the same
time, urging the importance of more adequate financial sup-
port of the institution by the people.

42

BXJLLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

ElDITED By

PAUL Af . re:a

PREPARATION OF MUSEUH EXHIBITS
THE SNOWY HERON IN SOUTH CAROLINA
NOTES FROn THE MUSEUM

Volume IV, Number 5 May. 1908

Under the Auspices of the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistants

F. W. Wamsley

Herbert R. Sass

Librarian

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

Student Assistants

Henry Laurens Zoology

J. Wirron Willson Ornithology

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1777
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, to
the Medical School in 1843, and to the College of Charleston in 1850. In
1907 a building was provided by the City and the name changed to The
Charleston Museum.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is pubUshed monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

LIBttAt^
NCWfOU

KOTihKIC/
ARDEN

Vol. 4 CHARLESTON, S. C, MAY, 1908 No. 5

PREPARATION OF MUSEUH EXHIBITS

A brief review of the reorganization of the museum col-
lections which has occupied a large part of the time of the
staff during the past three years was printed in the March
issue of the Bulletin. This reorganization has included the
gathering of all the smaller specimens into storage cases,
their systematic arrangement and the restoration, so far as
possible, of the data which had been confused or lost in the
vicissitudes of more than a century, together with the com-
pilation of adequate records. This work is a necessary pre-
liminary alike to the removal of the collections to the
new building and to their utilization in exhibits and
study series. As these pages go to press, the removal to
the new building is beginning. It will consist first in the
transfer of the library, storage cases, offices and workrooms,
and then of the larger exhibits as cases are prepared to re-
ceive them. The installation of the library in larger quar-
ters, permitting all the books to be brought together in
order for the first time, and the opening of a public reading
room will constitute a gratifying advance in equipment.
The first exhibits to be prepared will include a new and
extensive collection of living reptiles, the local bird collec-
tion for the use of the Natural History Society, and the be-

43

ginning of economic and industrial exhibits. Much of the
summer will, however, be occupied with cataloging which
has been crowded out of the busy winter months and with
construction which must be carried on by the staff for want
of adequate funds. At best the preparation and installation
of exhibits must proceed slowly and it therefore seems desi-
rable to fulfill the promise made in the March article and
describe the work of preparing and installing exhibits in
order that the friends of the Museum may appreciate the
labor involved.

It has been well said that to write a good label one should
be able to write a book about the subject in question. The
first step, then, in preparing exhibits is to become thoroughly
familiar with all aspects of the subject. This requires many
books and is one of the reasons for the care which a museum
expends upon its library. Books alone are not enough,
however, for without extensive analytical catalogs the quest
for information is like the proverbial search for the needle
in the haystack, and so the constant need for the services of a
librarian is explained. Having become thoroughly informed
upon the subject in hand, it is necessary to examine the stor-
age collections (which must obviously be systematically ar-
ranged and conveniently accessible) and to determine how
many and what specimens can be shown in the exhibit to
advantage. The success of an exhibit depends largely
upon the unity and directness of its plan and a super-
abundance of specimeLS serves only to confuse the point
which the exhibit is intended to show. The entire lack of
storage facilities in our present building has necessitated
exhibition of confusing masses of material to the exclusion
of instructive and pleasing exhibits.

Having selected the specimens which will best illus-
trate the subject in hand, one must decide how much or
how little to say on the labels. Think of the heterogene-
ous thousands who will come to this exhibit and with what

44

varied purposes and then try to make your labels say
what the greatest number will wish to know and to
say it so simply, vividly, and briefly that a reasonable
number of these people will read it and carry away some
new idea. Label writing is not a simple matter and, even
when the specimens are selected and the labels composed,
there remains a process of exhibit making which may make
or mar success in itself, viz : installation. Successful cases
must be so constructed as to present the exhibit conveniently
and agreeably to the eye, while at the same time affording
adequate protection against the entrance of dust and in-
sects. Small objects must be within eighteen inches of the
front of the case to be easily seen and not less than eighteen
inches nor more than six feet from the floor. Vertical cases
conforming to these requirements are well adapted to rooms
lighted from above as in our new building but, with side
lighting, reflections from the surface of the glass render the
contents of the cases well nigh invisible, as in so many of
our present exhibits. Cases of table form or with inclined
tops bring the specimens conveniently close to the eyes and
are of much use when reflections can be avoided. Plate
glass in large sizes forms the only satisfactory case front,
but its expense is frequently prohibitive and it will unfortu-
nately be necessary for us to use again much of the sash in
our old cases, in spite of the fact that it was built to fit the space
in the old building and is far from uniform in size. The
larger specimens can hardly be exhibited at all until new
cases can be provided. The eff'ectiveness of exhibits is
greatly enhanced by a background of harmonious and per-
manent color and the diversity of colors to be seen in the
best museums is an indication of the difficulty of this problem.
Among the last steps in the installation of exhibits is the
printing of the labels and here the most tasteful and pains-
taking care is required to produce effects so pleasing as to
invite the perusal of casual visitors. So exacting is this work

45

that job printers are unable to do it economically when only
two or three impressions of each label are required and all
the larger museums find it necessary for economy and effi-
ciency to do their own label printing. The Charleston Mu-
seum will be unable to install its exhibits properly until a
small printing outfit is obtained.

Many exhibits, when once installed, require little further
attention and such are usually enclosed in cases as nearly dust
and insect proof as possible. The expansion and contraction
of the air with changes in temperature and barometric press-
ure require, however, the use of ventilators and these must,
of course, be made proof against both dust and insects.
Other exhibits require frequent changing, i. e. our seasonal
collection of local birds, and these must be provided with
easily removable fronts.

It is evident from the above account that a close adaptation
of cases to exhibits is necessary, yet in the long process of
installing a large museum it is seldom possible to follow ex-
actly a pre-arranged plan and many temporary expedients
are necessary. We would like to install all our collections
and then invite the public to an opening celebration because
it would give them an entirely new conception of the extent
and interest of the Museum, but, after all, the installation
ought never to be completed and we believe the public will
take a deeper interest in watching the gradual growth of the
Museum. It is to stimulate this interest that these descrip-
tions of the technical side of museum work are printed.

46

THE SNOWY HERON IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Bird-lovers and ornithologists everywhere will be glad to
learn that in South Carolina, at any rate, the Snowy Heron
{Egretta candidissima) is regaining some of its lost ground.
The pathetic history of this most beautiful of the herons is
familiar to most of our readers. Twenty-five years ago it
was an abundant species in the South: but the graceful re-
curved "aigrettes" which it assumed during the nesting
season caused its rapid and almost complete extermination at
the hands of plume-hunters, so that to-day it is by far the
rarest of its family. On the South Carolina coast, where
formerly it bred in thousands, it was believed to be almost if
not absolutely extinct: and it is, therefore, with peculiar
pleasure that the Museum is able to announce the discovery
that the Snowy Heron has begun to re-establish itself in this
region and that two strong breeding colonies now exist on this
coast.

On May 15, I set out in a launch on an exploring trip among
the marshes and sea islands in search of the nesting grounds
of beach and marsh birds in the interest of the South Carolina
Audubon Society and of the Museum. On this trip, the two
breeding colonies of the Snowy Heron referred to above were
discovered. On May 22, through the kindness of a friend of
the Museum who provided a large launch and accompanied
us on the trip. Prof. Rea, myself, some of the members of
the Natural History Society, and some friends who were in-
terested, revisited the heronries and investigated them more
throughly. The first heronry discovered is on a small island
or "hammock," completely surrounded by marsh and cov-
ered with "sparkleberry " bushes, yuccas, and palmettoes.
The number of Snowy Herons found here is estimated at
between one hundred and one hundred and fifty. Associated
with the Snowies were hundreds of Louisiana Herons and
Green Herons, as well as a considerable number of Black-

47

crowned Night Herons, the total population of the colony-
being probably between six hundred and seven hundred birds.

The second heronry, which is probably at least ten miles
distant from the first "as the crow flies," occupies a similar
but larger hammock. Here the number of herons breeding is
estimated at not less than one thousand, of which at least two
hundred are Snowies. Here also the Louisianas are the most
numerous, while Green Herons are present in hundreds, and
Black-crowned Night Herons are abundant.

The hundreds of nests, most of which contained eggs or
young in various stages of development, are placed in the
"sparkleberry" bushes, yuccas, and palmettoes, most of
them within easy reach from the ground. Although these
two colonies have evidently been free for some time from
serious molestation, it is extremely desirable that immediate
steps be taken to ensure their future protection against the
unscrupulous enemy v/ho has so nearly succeeded in blotting
the Snowy Heron out of existence; and it is hoped that
definite measures for their protection will result through the
co-operation of the Museum with the South Carolina Audubon
Society. So relentless has been the war of extermination
which has been waged against this beautiful species during
the last quarter of a century that its reappearance as a breed-
ing bird on this coast is as surprising as it is gratifymg. If
the laws protecting it can be enforced and if the islands
where it breeds can be guarded carefully during the nesting
season, there is no apparent reason why the Snowy Heron
should not increase steadily in numbers and become once
more a familiar inhabitant of our marshes.

Herbert R. Sass.

48

NOTES FROM THE MUSEUM

At the meeting of the Natural History Society on May 7,
the following officers were elected: President, Mrs. Paul M.
Rea; Vice-President, Miss Annie Sloan; Secretary, Mr. Henry
Dotterer; Treasurer, Mr. Herbert R. Sass. The past year
has been a most successful- one for the Society. Its mem-
bership has increased considerably, it has accomplished more
notable results, and its prospects for the future are brighter
than ever before. The last regular meeting of the Spring
was held May 21, and was devoted to a review of the breed-
ing records made by the Society, and to plans for summer
work. Formal meetings will not be resumed until October
but members will meet informally on the first and third
Thursdays of each month for discussions of work.

An interesting recent occurrence was the capture on April
9th of a Least Bittern (Ardetta exilis) in Mr. Prioleau
Ravenel's garden on Tradd Street. This bird is a common
summer resident of the marshes about Charleston, but its
presence in the city, where it has been observed only once
before, is indeed remarkable. Three individuals were seen
in Mr. Ravenel's garden but unfortunately the captor of the
specimen referred to above was a cat and not a human be-
ing, so that only a few fragments could be preserved.

The collection of living reptiles is increasing, through
the generosity of a friend of the Museum. The snakes now
in the collection include at least twelve distinct species, rang-
ing from the deadly "Diamond-back" to the slender, harm-
less Garter snake. The lizards are represented by the so-
called ''glass snake" and by three specimens of the Gila
monster, the only poisonous lizard in the country. These in-
teresting animals will be placed on exhibition after the open-
ing of the new building.

The Director, Prof. Rea, attended the third annual meeting
of the American Association of Museums in Chicago, May

49

5-7. The Charleston Museum is a charter member of the As-
sociation of which Prof. Rea is Secretary; and through the
meetings of the Association, which are attended by repre-
sentatives of the leading museums of the country, the Direc-
tor is able to keep in touch with modern methods and ideas
concerning every phase of museum work.

A public lecture on ' ' The Art of Illustration ' ' was given
in Manigault Hall, Thursday afternoon, May 28, by the hon-
orary curator of art, Mr. N. W. Stephenson. This lecture
served as an introduction to an exhibit of twenty etchings,
executed in Charleston by Mr. Charles Henry White. Six of
these were reproduced in the October issue of Harper's
Magazine, but lost so much of their sharpness of line in the
half-tone process as to convey a very faint idea of the beauty
of the originals. This exhibition will continue until Thursday,
June 4, through the courtesy of Mr. White.

As these pages go to press we take pleasure in announcing
a promise from a friend of the Museum of twenty-five popu-
lar nature books for the new public reading room. While
the library was maintained chiefly for the use of the staff the
technical works were most sought, but we wish now to add
more popular books and journals which will make the reading
room attractive to the public — especially to school children.

With this issue the Bulletin takes leave of its readers
until October. The summer months will be devoted to much
routine work as well as to settling the new building and in
the fall the Museum hopes to have its work better organized
and its advantages more accessible tc its friends.

50

BXJLLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUL M. REA

THE MUSEUM LIBRARY

THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

NOTES FROn THE MUSEUM

Volume IV. Number 6 October 1908

Under the Auspices of the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistant
Herbert R. Sass

Librarian

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1777
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, to
the Medical School in 1843, and to the College of Charleston in 1850. In
1907 a building was provided by the City and the name changed to The
Charleston Museum.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is pubHshed monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BXJLLETIIV ^'^Z

OF ^^^'

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 4 CHARLESTON, S. C, OCTOBER, 1908 No. 6

THE MUSEUn LIBRARY

The installation of the Museum Library in its commodious
quarters in the new building and the extension of its facilities
to the general public through the new Reading Room which is to
be formally opened on October 31st., form an appropriate occa-
sion for a brief sketch of the development of this department of
the Museum's work.

The Library is entirely the product of the past five years and
it is significant that not only was this the first feature of the
Museum to receive attention when plans for more active work
were made, but it is also the first department to be installed in
the new building and opened to the public. The reason for
this is that without extensive and well-ordered library facilities
the work of the staff is hampered at every turn, while to the
general public the Museum fails to afford the means of acquiring
that information and entertainment in connection with the
^ exhibits which it is one of the fundamental objects of an educa-
tional Museum to provide. It is also note-worthy that this is
the first free public reading room in the city.

Five years ago the available scientific literature was distri-
buted between the Hbraries of the Charleston Library Society,

51

the College of Charleston, the defunct Elliott Society, the
Medical Society, and private libraries throughout the city. So
much time was required to determine whether any particular
book might be found in these various collections that the Museum
began a card catalog of the books pertaining to its work in these
various libraries. During the first year this cataloging was done
by the Director; in the second year Mrs. Paul M. Rea volun-
teered for the work ; then for two years it was possible to employ
for six hours per week the College Librarian, Miss Frances Jervey ;
while in the past year Mr. H. R. Sass of the staff has acted as
librarian.

During this time a real library has been created in the Museum.
The nucleus was found in the books on biology and geology in
the College of Charleston Library. These were deposited in the
Museum by the College and included, besides many rare old books,
nearly complete series of important government publications.
New books were at first obtained by the department of biology
and geology in the College, but gradually the Museum became
able to purchase from time to time, and through the publica-
tion of the Bulletin obtained many valuable exchanges from
other museums.

For a long time there seemed no hope of obtaining the past or
present publications of important learned societies here and
abroad. Then an arrangement was concluded whereby the
Museum became the custodian of the Elliott Society library con-
taining long, but unfortunately often incomplete, series of just
this character and as soon as the Museum has funds for publica-
tion of research papers these exchanges can be permanently
continued.

As an indication of the present scope of the library the follow-
ing list of learned societies whose publications are now on the

shelves, is of interest.

52

Publications of Learned Societies
IN THE Museum Library

American Association for the Advancement of Science, Pro-
ceedings

American Chemical Society, Journal

American Museum of Natural History, Bulletins, Journal, Annual
Reports

American Philosophical Society, Proceedings

Boston Society of Natural History, Memoirs, Proceedings,
Occasional papers

Bristol Naturalists Society, Proceedings

Brooklyn Conchological Club, Bulletin

Brooklyn Institute Museums, Museum Neivs, Annual reports

Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, Bulletin

California Academy of Science, Bulletin, Occasional papers

Chicago Academy of Sciences, Proceedings, Transactions, Annual
reports, Bulletins of Geological and Natural History Survey

Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, Transactions

Connecticut State Geological and Natural History Survey,
Bulletins, Reports

Davenport Academy of Natural Science, Proceedings

Detroit Museum of Art, Bulletin

Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society, Journal

Elliott Society of Science and Art, Proceedings, Journal, Etc.

Essex Institute, Proceedings, Bulletin, Reports

Field Museum of Natural History, Reports

Folkestone Natural History Society, Proceedings

Geological Society of Dublin, Journal

Geological Survey of Alabama, Publications

Geological Survey of New Jersey, Publications

Geological Survey of South Carolina, Publications

Historical and Scientific Society of Manitoba, Transactions,
Reports

Indiana Academy of Science, Proceedings

Indiana Dept. of Geology and Natural Resources, Annual Reports

John Crerar Library, Publications

Johns Hopkins University, Circulars, Etc.

53

L'Academie imperiale de Dijon, Memoirs

Linnean Society of London, Journal

Louisiana State Museum, Report and Catalog

Manchester Geographical Society, Journal

Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, Memoirs and

Proceedings
Maryland Geological Survey, Publications
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bulletin, Annual reports
Milwaukee Public Museum, Annual reports
Minnesota Academy of Natural Sciences, Bulletin
Missouri Botanic Garden, Reports
Montreal Natural History Society, Proceedings
Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College, Bulletin,

Memoirs, Annual reports
National Academy of Science, Memoirs
Natural History Society of New Brunswick, Bulletin
New York Academy of Sciences, Annals, Memoirs, Transactions
New York Botanical Garden, Bulletin
New York Microscopical Society, Journal

North Staffordshire Field Club, Annual report and Transactions
Nova Scotian Institute of Sciences, Proceedings and Trans-
actions
Peabody Museum at Harvard College, Memoirs, Etc.
Pennsylvania Museum, Bulletin
Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, Proceedings, Annual

reports
Portland Society of Natural Science, Proceedings
Royal Dublin Society, Proceedings, Transactions
Royal Irish Academy, Proceedings, Transactions
Royal Society of London, Proceedings, Miscellaneous reports
Smithsonian Institution, Annual reports, Contributions to knowl-
edge, Miscellaneous collections
South Carolina Medical Association, Journal
Springfield Museum of Natural History, Reports
Staten Island Natural Science Association, Proceedings
St. Louis Academy of Science, Transactions
U. S. Bureau of Fisheries, Bulletins, Annual reports
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Publications

54

U. S. Geological Survey, Bulletins, Monographs, Professional

papers, Annual reports
U. S. National Museum, Proceedings, Bulletins, Annual reports,

Contributions from the National Herbarium
U. S. Weather Bureau, Monthly weather review, Daily weather

maps
University Geological Survey of Kansas, Publications
University of Kansas, Science Bulletin
University of Pennsylvania, Contributions from the botanical

laboratory
Wisconsin Natural History Society, Bulletin
Zoological Society of London, Proceedings, Reports
Zoological Society of Philadelphia, Reports

The needs of the library are stated in the report of the Director
for 1907, as follows:

"The library now needs an author catalog, extensive analy-
ing, and money for binding; but more than all it needs the entire
time of a trained librarian. The present arrangement seriously
encroaches upon the time of a member of the staff who is needed
for other work. Moreover, merely the routine work of the lib-
rary is accomplished and its efficiency is very low in proportion
to its possibilities. The library is already too large to be safely
entrusted to an untrained recruit and finally, in the new building
the growing work and the opening of a public reading room
make it imperative that immediate provision be made to secure
a competent person as Hbrarian.' '

With the growth of the library it has been increasingly desira-
ble that its facilities should be extended to the general public and
especially to the children in our schools. It is with much sat-
isfaction, therefore, that the Director announces the formal
opening of a public reading room on Saturday October 31st.
On this occasion a silver tea will be given from four thirty to
seven o'clock, at which a general gathering of the friends of the
Museum is desired. The proceeds of the tea will be devoted to
the equipment of the library.

55

The reading room adjoins the stack room of the Hbrary and is
provided with suitable reading tables, magazine rack, shelves
for books of reference, new books, and especially children's
books. Beginning in November the reading room will be open
every Saturday. In the absence of a regular librarian the fol-
lowing ladies have generously volunteered to assist the staff as
attendants;— Miss May Taylor, Miss Mabel Webber, and Mrs.
Paul M. Rea. Mr. Fitzhugh Salley has donated a subscription to
the Auk, the most important of the ornithological journals.
Most of the popular magazines as well as twenty five new books
are the gift of Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Sewell.

A special invitation is extended to school-children to attend
the opening of the reading room on October 31st.

THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The Charleston Natural History Society held its first Autumn
meeting on the afternoon of October 15 in the lecture hall of the
new Museum building. Mrs. Paul M. Rea, President of the Soci-
ety, and Prof. Rea, Director of the Museum, welcomed the mem-
bers. The meeting was devoted mainly to accounts of summer
work by several of the members and to the report of the execu-
tive committee, which was unusually full and possessed especial
importance, embodying the plans by which the committee
hopes to systematize the proceedings of the Society at its meet-
ings and to facilitate and render more valuable the observations
of birds in the field. The Society has done much to awaken in
Charleston an interest in bird-study and to train keen and accu-
rate observers. It has accumulated valuable data on the habits
of the birds of our coast and its list of members has grown stead-
ily \mtil now it contains more than forty names. The Society
has reached a stage of development when its efforts, if properly

directed, can produce results of great importance.

56

The following recommendations of the executive committee
were unanimously adopted by the Society.

First. That meetings be held once instead of twice each
month and that the order of business be as follows: — (1) brief
descriptions, illustrated by mounted specimens, of the birds
whose acquaintance is to be made in the field ; (2) bird news and
notes of field work, comprising short papers to h?. read by indi-
vidual members or by the Secretaiy ; (3) talks upon such subjects
relating to birds as may be selected by the executive committee.

Second. That a definite schedule of field trips be planned and
advertised in advance.

Third. That Mr. Henry P. Williams, who has assisted the
Society in many ways and on many occasions, be elected an Hon-
orary Member.

Fourth. That all funds now in the treasury aside from those
needed for immediate running expenses, be devoted to the pur-
chase of specimens of local birds for the Museum Collection.

Calendar of the Natural History Society

October 29th, Thursday. Field trip to the Navy Yard. Mr.
Weston and Mr. Legge. 8-15 a. m. car from the Battery; 8-30
car at Line St.

November 5th, Thursday. Field trip to the Navy Yard.
Mr. Weston and Mr. Legge. 8-15 a. m. car from the Battery:
8-30 car from Line St. Regular Monthly Meeting of the Society
at the Museum at 4-30 p. m. Lecture by Mr. Herbert R.
Sass on ''Ancestors of Birds." Visitors welcome.

November 14th, Saturday. Field trip to St. Andrews Parish.
Mr. Sass. Start from the Museum at 8-30 a. m.

November 26th, Thursday. Special holiday field trip to
James Island. Mr. Sass. Leave the Battery at 8-30 a. m. by boat.

57

NOTES FROM THE flUSEUM

This is the first issue of the Bulletin to go out from the new
Museum building. The workrooms and offices were occupied in
June and during the summer the Hbrary was installed. Fall
plans provide for the opening of the public reading room on Octo-
ber 31st; the arrangement of the study collections; the installa-
tion of the seasonal collection of local birds and continuation of
the work of the Natural History Society ; the mounting of a mod-
el of Charleston harbor in connection with the first of a series of
commercial exhibits ; and the transfer of much material from the
old building.

The collection of living reptiles has increased during the sum-
mer both by the addition of several new varieties and by the
birth of a number of young. The smaller of our handsome Dia-
mond Rattlesnakes distinguished herself on August 17th by pro-
ducing the unusually large number of eighteen young which now
form one of the most interesting of the snake families, especially
when catching mice for food. The big rattlers have delighted
their keepers by eating rats, since this species seldom eats in cap-
tivity. On August 16th the Red-beUied Water Snake produced
fifteen young. The Common Water Snake added twenty-one
members to the collection about the same time and in September
four Pilot Black Snakes hatched from eggs. The temporary
cases in which this collection is now housed will soon be replaced
by permanent exhibition cases.

68

BXJLLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUti M. REA

CONCERNING TAXIDERMY

LIBRARY NOTES

THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

NOTES FROn THE MUSEUM

Volume IV, Number 7 November, 1906

Under the Auspices of the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistant
Francis M. Weston, Jr.

Librarian

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1777
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, to
the Medical School in 1843, and to the College of Charleston in 1850. In
1907 a building was provided by the City and the name changed to The
Charleston Museum.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is published monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

BULLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 4 CHARLESTON, S. C, NOVEMBER, 1908 No. 7

CONCERNINQ TAXIDERHY

With the increasing number of boys interested in bird study
through the Natural History Society, a growing interest in tax-
idermy is evident. Indeed we have had several very creditable
beginnings of this work brought to the Museum. We regret
that the Museum does not have an active department of tax-
idermy in which we might help boys who really wish to learn
this art. Without this, however, we wish at least to extend a
little advice and suggestion to would-be taxidermists through
the pages of the Bulletin.

Good taxidermy is a very difficult and complicated art while
poor taxidermy is worthless. The library contains much inter-
esting material aljout the methods of modern taxidermy and the
Museum may later offer a talk on this subject to boys who are
interested. The point of the matter is, however, that good tax-
idermy cannot be learned in a day — nor in a few weeks — and
depends upon certain fundamental operations to which most
boys pay far too little attention. The first of these is the pre-
paration of good skins. Some of the best ornithologists we
know put up exquisite skins but never attempt to mount a bird.
Unmounted skins of birds and animals are of great value to

59

museums, for they occupy but little room and are more conven-
iently studied than mounted specimens.

Now, the preparation of a really good skin probably requires
as much and as careful work as most boys expect to devote to
the entire process of mounting. Mounting, then, should not be
attempted until one is able to put up perfect skins and any boy
who has attained anywhere near this proficiency can be of much
service to the Museum and through it receive in return training
and facilities for more ambitious work.

This brings us to the relation of the Museum to taxidermy.
Boys who come to the Museum know that we are deeply inter-
ested in the protection and preservation of birds and animals.
The Museum, therefore, cannot encourage indiscriminate slaugh-
ter of birds and animals as material for amateur experiments in
taxidermy, and we feel sure that even the boys who are most
enthusiastic taxidermists have thought of the harm their pas-
time may do. The Museum is maintained as a center for the
study of nature and the preservation of specimens. It ought,
therefore, to maintain all the collections necessary for the stud-
ies of the whole community and there should be no need for
individuals to make private collections.

What then is the boy who is interested in taxidermy to do?
Why, let him learn to make good skins for preservation in the
Museum. For practise material he may use English sparrows
and rats or mice, and until he can put up perfect skins of these
he should not kill any song bird or wild animal; even then he
should work under the direction of the Museum.

No one should think that a good series of English sparrow or
rat skins would be without value. If such a series included spec-
imens of both sexes, taken at all ages and all seasons, it would
show a great many points of value which the Museum has no
means of demonstrating at present.

60

This subject will be brought up at the meeting of the Natural
History Society on December 3d, when times will be appointed
for a series of demonstrations and talks on the subject.

LIBRARY NEWS

The last issue of the Bulletin contained an historical sketch
of the Museum Library and an announcement of the opening of
a public reading room on October 31st. This was the occasion
of such gratifying evidence of public interest in the new museum
that some account of it may well be given here.

With the assistance of ladies interested in the Museum and
firms in the city, a silver tea was given during the formal open-
ing of the library. This emphasized the social aspect of the
occasion and yielded a profit of over fifty dollars for further
equipment. The attendance of over five hundred people and
their expression of interest in this, the first department to be
installed in the new building, is a gratifying evidence of public
appreciation. Many children were present, who devoted them-
selves with avidity to the enjoyment of the books and magazines,
quite oblivious of the older people about. We hope they will
feel that the reading room belongs to them and are encouraged
to think that this will be the case by the fact that seventy five
readers were counted on the following Saturday when the read-
ing room was regularly open for the first time.

In addition to the assistance received in preparing for the for-
mal opening of the library the Museum takes pleasure in acknow-
ledging the presentation to the reading room by Mrs. Henry S.
Holmes of Charleston, of three handsomely framed Audubon
plates. These are lithographic copies made in 18G0 from the
original prints, the copper plates having been destroyed by fire.
These plates now fill spaces on the walls of the reading room for

which no provision had been made. It is especially approjiriate

61

that one of them represents the CaroUna Paroquet, once abund-
ant in this state but for many years extinct here and now almost
extinct in Florida. In this connection mention may be made
of the receipt of a skin of this species, taken in Florida in 1892 by
Mr. Arthur T. Wayne and now presented by him to the Museum.

The reading room is further adorned by a bust of Dr. John
Bachman, for many years closely identified with the Museum
as president of the Literary and Philosophical Society. This
bust was presented to the Museum by his grand-daughter, Mrs.
Jennie Haskell Rose, some months ago, and is placed above the
reference book case. On the opposite wall is a medahon repre-
senting Professor Louis Agassiz, who was largely instrumental in
the reorganization of the Museum in 1850. On the North wall
is a portrait of Professor Francis S. Holmes, curator of the Muse-
um from 1850 to 1869. Looking through the arch into the stack
room, one sees a large portrait in oil of Dr. Gabriel Manigault,
curator from 1873 to the time of his death in 1899. The Museum
hopes soon to secure a portrait of Professor John McCrady, who
served as curator from 1869 to 1873. In addition to these por-
traits of former officers of the Museum, the ends of the book
stacks are adorned with busts of Linnaeus, Cuvier, St. Hilaire, and
Huxley.

For the benefit of intending visitors a list of some of the recent
accessions to the library is given below.

Partial List of Recent Accessions to the Library

By Purchase

Bryden, H. A., Animals of Africa
Elliot, D. G., Wild fowl of North America
Elliot, D. G., North American shore birds
Lottridge, S. A., Animal snapshots and how made
Wallace, A. R., Malay Archipelago
Darwin, C, Journal. . .of a voyage . . .round the world

62

Owen, R., Life of Richard Owen, 2 vols.

Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, North American land birds, 3 vols.

Lull, R. S., Evolution of the horse family

Lull, R. S., Evolution of the elephant

Locy, W. A., Biology and its makers

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Sewell

Chapman and Reed, Color key to North American birds

Reed, C. A., North American birds' eggs

Mayer, A. G., Sea-shore life

Cragin, B. S., Our insect friends and foes

Lucas, F. A., Animals before man in North America

Seeley, H. G., Dragons of the air

Herrick, F. H., Home Hfe of wild birds

Hornaday, W. T., Camp fires in the Canadian Rockies

Lounsberry, A., Southern wild flowers and trees

Wolff, H. T., Goldfish breeds and other aquarium fishes

Wallace, A. R., Darwinism

Reed, C. K. and C. A., Guide to taxidermy

Emerson and Weed, Our trees; how to know them

Ball, R. S., Earth's beginning

Arnold, A. F., Sea-beach at ebb tide

Bateman and Bennett, Book of aquaria

Serviss, G. P., Astronomy with an opera glass

Emerton, J. H., Common spiders of the United States

Dickerson, M. C, Moths and butterflies

Lucas, F. A., Animals of the past

Hornaday, W. T., American natural history

Lummis, C. F., Some strange corners of our country

Shaler, N. S., Domesticated animals

Wilkinson, F., Story of the cotton plant

Bostock, F. C, Training of wild animals

Gift of Mr. Henry P. Williams

Gibcrne, A., The romance of the mighty deep
Elliott, G. F. S., The romance of plant life
Elliott, G. F. S., The romance of savage life

63

Williams, A., The romance of early exploration
Williams, A., The romance of modern exploration
Williams, A., The romance of modern invention
Williams, A., The romance of modern locomotion
Williams, A., The romance of modern mechanism
Williams, A., The romance of modern engineering
Gibson, C. R., The romance of modern electricity

THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The November meeting of the Natural History Society was
held in the lecture room of the Museum on Thursday, Nov. 5th.
Officers for the ensuing term were elected as follows; president,
Mre. Paul M. Rea; vice-president. Miss Annie Sloan; treasurer,
Mr. F. M. Weston, Jr. The office of secretary was left to be
filled at the next meeting.

The business meeting was followed by reports of field work by
members of the Society. Mr. H. R. Sass then delivered an
illustrated lecture on "Ancestors of Birds." This was the first
of a series of lectures on the structure and habits of birds, which
the Society is planning for its meetings during the winter.

The regular December meeting will be held in the Museum on
Thursday, Dec. 3d, at 4.30 P. M. After transaction of routine
business and reports of field work by members, Professor Rea
will give an informal lecture on "Feathers". An invitation to
be present is extended to all who are interested.

The bulletin of bird arrivals is to be found in the reading room
of the Museum and records the arrival of winter visitants as soon
as they are reported.

64

Calendar of the Natural History Society

December 3rd, Thursday. Regular monthly meeting of the
Society at the Museum at 4.30 p. m. Lecture by Professor
Rea on ''Feathers." Visitors welcome.

December 10th, Thursday. Field trip to the Navy Yard. Mr.
Weston and Mr. Legge. 8.15 a. m. car from the Battery; 8.30
car from Line St.

December 19th, Saturday. Field trip to the Navy Yard. Mr.
Weston. 8.15 a. m. car from Battery: 8.30 car from Line St.

NOTES FROM THE HUSEUM

The hbrary and reading room of the Museum are open to the
public on Saturdays, from 10 till 7. No exhibits are yet open
except the collection of living snakes, which is temporarily in-
stalled in the entrance hall and may be seen on Saturdays.
The larger specimens are still in the old museum at the College,
but are closed to the public.

Recent progress in installation includes the addition of a
second magazine rack in the reading room, provision for further
pamphlet boxes and binders, completion of cases for study and
storage collections and a metal-lined case for preservation of
skins. The model of Charleston harbor, obtained from the
Chamber of Commerce, is being installed and a permanent case
for a part of the snake collection is under construction.

The skin of a yellow-billed tropic bird (Phaethon aethereus)
has been presented to the Museum by Dr. H. C. Kellers who
collected and prepared the specimen on shipboard off Acapulco,
Mexico.

Mr. Herbert R. Sass has resigned from the staff of the Museum
to become news editor of the News and Courier. His place has
been taken temporarily by Mr. Francis M. Weston, Jr.

65

At the November meeting of the Natural History Society a
series of lantern slides, made by the Lumiere process of color
photography and loaned by the Philadelphia Museums, was
demonstrated in comparison with hand-colored slides, loaned by
Mr. F. M. Woodruff, of the Chicago Academy of Sciences. The
Museum would find a set of colored lantern slides of common
local birds, prepared by either process, of great value in its work
with the schools and the Natural History Society.

The specimens which the Natural History Society recently
voted to purchase for the local bird collection of the Museum
have been ordered for delivery in time for the January meeting.
The seasonal exhibit of local birds will be transferred, before the
December meeting, to storage cases in the new building, where
they will be accessible to members of the Society, though not on
public exhibition.

A handsome specimen of the Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus
niger) has been received from Mrs. J. M. Moseley of Charleston.
This specimen came from this state and had been in captivity
for eight years.

66

BULLETIIV

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUL M. REA

THE NEW BUILDING

HSTORY OF THE nU5EUM

THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

NOTES FROn THE MUSEUM

Volume IV, Number 8 December, 1906

Under the Auspices of the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistant
Francis M. Weston, Jr.

Librarian

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck Conchclogy

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1777
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, to
the Medical School in 1828, and to the College of Charleston in 1850. In
1907 a building was provided by the City and the name changed to The
Charleston Museum.

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is pubHshed monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

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IBXTLLETI^PN BOTANICAL

QARDBN.

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 4 CHARLESTON, S. C, DECEMBER, 1908 No. 8

THE NEW BUILDING

We publish this month the floor plans of the new home of the
Museum and a view of the entrance, as well as a cut of the
main building of the College of Charleston, the second floor
of which has been occupied by the Museum since 1850. Further
development of the Museum in this location was hindered by-
its difficulty of access, poor lighting, and entire lack of storage
and work rooms. The new building is favorably situated on
Rutledge Avenue, accessible by two car lines connecting with
all parts of the city. In addition to 35,000 square feet of ex-
hibition space an equal amount is available for storage and
work rooms, shops, laboratories, offices, Hbrary, lecture rooms,
etc. It is a steel frame building with brick wall and a stucco
exterior, erected in 1899 as an auditorium, with funds be-
queathed to the city by John Thomson, Esq. It proved an
acoustic failure and after temporary service as a theater
and later as a hospital it was devoted to the use of the Museum
by act of Council, January 8, 1907.

The most important changes necessary to adapt the building
to the uses of the Museum were the leveling of floors and gal-
leries, which inclined toward the stage, the building of partitions,

67

and the installation of overhead lighting in the main exhibition
hall. The result is a most convenient arrangement of space,
which could hardly be improved in a building primarily de-
signed for museum purposes. Plans were originally made for
fire-proof construction in remodelling the building but the
necessary funds were not available and consolation must be
sought in the fact that the fire protection in the College was
no better and that the new building is well isolated.

Wide door ways lead from the portico to the entrance hall,
where turnstiles are to be placed to record the number of visitors.
Facing the entrance and above the openings leading to the
central exhibition hall is a white marble tablet commemorating
the donor of the building. On the side wall is placed the switch-
board controlling the lights and a telephone which is one of a
ten station system communicating with all parts of the building.

From the entrance hall broad corridors lead to the office of
the director in the south-east corner of the building and to the
small classroom on the north, used by the department of biology
and geology of the College of Charleston. Smaller offices ad-
jacent to the entrance hall also open on the corridors and broad
stairways rise to the galleries. Two toilets are placed under
the stairs.

The walls of entrance hall and corridors are painted a pale
buff and the trim a dull black. These colors will be used not
only in the main exhibition hall and galleries but in finishing
the cases as well. The buff is a favorable background for
specimens and can be matched in a paper stock for labels which
will not fade. The necessity of using many old cases requires
that they be painted and black seems to form the most pleasing
exterior color.

The main exhibition hall, 146 feet long by 90 feet wide, oc-
cupies the center of the building and is surrounded on front and

68

L—

tivtxu at-Alk

sides by galleries 30 feet wide. Under the galleries are located
the library, workrooms, etc. The main hall is lighted by sky-
lights, four of which are now in place and others are to be in-
stalled, it is hoped, during the coming year. The galleries are
also unfinished and when completed will be approached by
two stairways rising from the western end of the main hall, as
well as from the entrance corridors, thus allowing a convenient
circuit. Construction of cases in the main exhibition hall has
been begun and will be continued as rapidly as possible during
the coming year. Ultimately the main hall will be divided by
cases and low screens into alcoves each devoted to particular
subjects. Above the wall cases a row of ventilating transoms
facilitates circulation of air and a comfortable temperature in
summer.

From the middle of the south side of the main exhibition hall
double leather doors with oval lights of clear glass invite the
visitors to the reading room and library of the Museum. Here
are reading tables, magazine racks and reference book shelves.
From the reading room the long stack room opens by a wide
arch in which the counter for delivery of books is placed. In
view of the warm southern exposure the library walls are finished
in a soft gray green with the trim, book stacks, and furniture
stained a dark forest green, emphasizing the quiet comfort and
restfulness of this part of the building given over to reading and
study. The librarian's desk is placed behind the delivery
counter, overlooking the reading room. The card catalog
cabinet is mounted on a pivot on the delivery counter and can
be consulted from either side. At the left a small lavatory
provides running water, mirror and clothes-rack for the con-
venience of the librarian.

In the west wall of the reading room a door opens to the room
devoted to the study and storage collections. Here are cases

70

containing trays of uniform size aggregating more than 1500
square feet of storage space. These trays contain much mate-
rial ready for exhibition as well as the reserve collections in-
tended for study purposes. It is in these trays that all the
smaller specimens were transferred from the old building and
in this room they will be prepared for exhibition.

Returning to the main exhibition hall one sees a large doorway
at the west end, opening into a hallway leading to the rear en-
trance of the building. Here freight is received and unpacked
in the carpenter shop and lumber room adjoining, where crating
can be stored, cases built, and other construction carried on
without interference with other activities of the Museum.

Across the hall from the carpenter-shop is the lecture room,
purposely placed at the rear of the building in order that attend-
ants upon lectures must pass through the exhibition hall and
gain some impression of the scope of the collections.

The lecture room is provided with rising tiers of seats ac-
commodating 200 people, a lecture platform and long counter
for demonstration of specimens, and a blackboard which can
be depressed to allow the projection of lantern sHdes upon the
wall. The room is wainscoted with sheathing stained a dark
forest green. Above this the walls are left in white plaster,
and the steel ceiling is also white. Especial care has been
taken with the ventilation and lighting of this room. Swinging
sashes in four large windows on the south side, transoms over
the doors, and ventilating apertures in the ceiling provide for
the circulation of fresh air, while the cluster lights depending
from the ceiling are carefully shaded from the eyes of the audi-
ence. The location of the main entrance near the front of the
room defends the lecturer from the usual disheartening row of
empty front seats, while a second entrance leads late comers
unobtrusively to the vacant seats at the rear.

71

A special entrance on the north side of the building leads to
a room for the storage and preparation of fresh and alcoholic
material for the Museum or for the biological laboratory, which
is located between this room and the classroom. The laboratory
has a north light for microscopic work and the usual furniture
and apparatus.

West of the preparation room is a space unutilized as yet but
designed ultimately for installation of marine aquaria. In the
south-west corner of the building a suite of living apartments
has been provided for an officer of the Museum.

HISTORY OF THE HUSEUM

The history of the Museum, as published in a series of articles
in the Bulletin, is particularly incomplete for the period from
1826, when the Museum was maintained by the Literary and
Philosophical Society of South Carolina in a building on Chalmers
St., to 1843, when it was located in the Medical College on
Queen St., as shown by a quotation from the catalog of that
year published by Mr. W. G. Mazyck.* The wording of this
reference led Mr. Mazyck to suppose that the Museum had been
recently transferred to the Medical College. That this was not
the case is shown by the following statement contained in an
advertisement of the Medical College published in 1828. ^

The Student of Anatomy and Natural History, has facihties afforded him,
which are equalled by few, and surpassed by no similar institution in our country.
In addition to the Anatomical preparations and Chemical Apparatus received last
year from Europe, the Chalmers-Street Museum, containing a large collection of
Minerals, Shells, Birds, &c. has been removed to the college, where it will perma-
nently remain.

That the Museum remained under the auspices of the Literary
and Philosophical Society is rendered probable by the reference

« Bull. Chas. Mus., Vol. 3, No. 6, Oct., 1907, p. 58
The Southern Literary Gazette, Vol. 1, Sept., 1828, p. 64. -^

72

to it as "the Museum of the Literary and Philosophical Society"
in the catalog of the Medical School for 1843, which Mr. Mazyck
has quoted.

Two skulls now in the Museum belong to this period. One ^
bears the inscription "Doe, April 25, 1829," the other ^ is the
skull of a fox and in addition to the date "26 Feb. 1830,"
bears the initials "C. H." A number of birds whose history is
only partially known probably belong to the late thirties, and
there is every probability of identifying other specimens with
this period when they can be more carefully examined.

The letters of Dr. John Bachman to Audubon contain a
number of references to the Museum which are of great interest
and will be quoted in a later article.

THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The December meeting of the Natural History Society was
held in the lecture hall of the Museum on Thursday, Dec. 3d.
Miss Lottie Olney was elected secretary.

Mr. F. M. Weston Jr., demonstrated a specimen of the Red-
throated Loon, Urinator lumme, shot by Mr. Samuel Lapham
Jr., from a yard on South Battery. This is probably the third
record for this species in South Carolina, Mr. Arthur T. Wayne
having taken but two specimens in the past twenty five years.
It is almost certainly the first record for the city of Charleston.

The reports of field work by members were followed by an
illustrated talk on "Feathers" by Professor Rea.

> Spec. No. 2525. ' Spec. No. 2330.

73

Calendar of the Natural history Society
January 7th, Thursday. Regular monthly meeting of the

Society at the Museum at 4 ;30 p. m. Lecture by Professor

Re A on "Bird Skeletons." Visitors welcome.
January 16th, Saturday. Field trip to St. Andrews Parish.

Mrs. Rea. Party will meet at the Neiv Bridge at 9:15 a. m.
January 30th, Saturday. Field trip to the Navy Yard. Mrs.

Rea. 8:Ji-5 a. m. car ^rom the Battery; 9:00 car from Line St.

NOTES FROn THE MUSEUM

The library and reading room of the Museum are open to the
public on Saturdays, from 10 till 7. No exhibits are yet open
except the collection of living snakes, which is temporarily in-
stalled in the entrance hall and may be seen on Saturdays.
The larger specimens are still in the old museum at the College,
but are closed to the public.

The Museum has received as the gift of Mr. W. G. Mazyck, a
very interesting specimen of petrified wood found at a depth of
twelve feet below the surface, on the corner of Boyce's Wharf
and East Bay. Mr. Mazyck received the specimen from Mr.
Momer Goldsmith. It is about twenty inches long and shows
knot-holes and the structure of the wood, but it is especially
interesting because of clear marks of fire and a possible axe
wound.

Several volumes of the National Geographic Magazine and a
subscription for the coming year have been given to the library
by Miss Henrietta Murdoch.

The travelling collection illustrating the iron and steel indus-
try has been recently used in Miss Taylor's class in the Mem-
minger school.

The Museum adopted the plan of the Children's Museum in

Brooklyn of placing books suitable for gifts on a special

"Christmas book shelf."

74

HOME OF THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM 1850 TO 1908

BULLETIN

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Edited By
PAUL M. REA

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OP THE nU5EUM
FOR THE YEAR 1908
THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

Volume V, Number 1 January, 1909

Under the Auspices of the College of Charleston

Director
Paul M. Rea

Assistant
Francis M. Weston, Jr.

Librarian

Honorary Curators

Wm. G. Mazyck , Conchology

Daniel S. Martin Geology

Arthur T. Wayne Ornithology

Nathaniel W. Stephenson Art

The Charleston Museum was in existence as early as 1777
under the auspices of the Charleston Library Society, was transferred
to the Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina in 1815, to
the Medical School in 1828, and to the College of Charleston in 1850. In
1907 a building was provided by the City and the name changed to The
Charleston Museum,

The Museum is dependent upon dues from members and private sub-
scriptions for all permanent improvements, for increase of the collections,
and for maintenance of its educational and scientific work.

The membership fees are:—

Annual Members $ 10 Patrons $ 500

Sustaining Members 25 Benefactors 1000

The privileges of members include admission on pay days, tickets to
members' lecture courses, and copies of Museum publications.

The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum is published monthly,
from October to May, by the Museum and is entered at the Post Office
at Charleston, S. C, as second class matter.

cr,
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CC
U

LIBRARY

BULLETIN ^'BwvoRK

BOTANICAL
GaROBN.

OF

THE CHARLESTON MUSEUM

Vol. 5 CHARLESTON. S. C, JANUARY, 1909 No. 1

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE HUSEUM
FOR THE YEAR '908

The occupation of the offices and workrooms in the new build-
ing, the transfer and installation of the library, the opening of a
public reading room, and the removal of a large quantity of the
smaller specimens from the College to the storage cases in the
new Museum, constitute the most important events of the past
year.

The completion of the building, the raising of funds for install-
ation of the collections, and the publication of the first of a series
of "Contributions" of a research character, are the problems of
the coming year.

HISTORY OF THE flUSEUM

Mr. William G. Mazyck's investigations into the history of
the Museum have been supplemented by a note in the December
issue of the Bulletin, showing that the Museum was trans-
ferred in 1828 from Chalmers St. to the Medical College on Queen
Street.

The Director is indebted to Mr. John Bennett for bringing to
his attention an advertisement of the Museum appearing in the
<Ni Charleston Courier for November 28, 1827, which is printed below

1

in full, as an interesting indication of the condition of the Muse-
um at that time: —

The Museum of South Carolina,

In Chalmers' Street, {Near the City Square,)

Will be open every day, from 9 o'clock in the
Morning until 9 in the evening.
Admittance, 25 cents, Children half price-Sea-
son Ticket SI.

Si^Specimens in anj' department in Natural Hist-
ory will be thankfully received ; and it is requested
that objects intended for the Museum will be sent to
Mr. Dan C. Kenifeck, who is charged with its keep-
ing; or to either of the following gentlemen, the Cu-
rators of the Museum— Mr. Elliott, Mr. Ford, Bishop
England, Dr. Johnson, Dr. Wagener, Dr. Ravenel,
Dr. Moultrie, Dr. Campbell, and Dr. Ramsay.

Museums were evidently popular in those days, for the same
issue of the Courier contains an advertisement of another Mus-
eum called the ' 'Charleston Museum' ' (but not known to have
any connection with the present Museum), situated at the cor-
ner of Market and Meeting streets, and containing 200 species
of birds in addition to more sensational attractions. This insti-
tution is also said to be brilliantly illuminated every evening.

The Director will be indebted to any one who will bring to
his attention newspaper articles or other information bearing
upon the history of the Museum.

THE NEW BUILDING

City Council made an appropriation sufficient to complete the
offices, work rooms, library and lecture room during the past
year, but left the completion of the main exhibition hall and
galleries for the coming year. In June the offices were occupied
and during the summer the library was installed and large num-
bers of the smaller specimens transferred to the storage cases

2

in the new work rooms. The public reading room was formally
opened on October 31st.

The most important improvements necessary to complete the
building include additional skylights for the main hall, the com-
pletion of the galleries, and interior and exterior painting.

Finances

The running expenses for the year exceeded the City