Walter Deane (1848-1930) Papers; Journal Jan-Dec 1901. Botany Libraries, Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, Mass.

139

New York, N.Y. 1901 Nov. 10-17 Nov. 13

This evening we dined at Dwight's, 2 E. 34th, close to the great Waldorf Hotel. We met Mr. & Mrs. Dwight, Dr. J. Dwight, jr. & his bride of a few months. Dr. Dwight is the fifth in the direct line from Jonathan Dwight of early colonial days, and they have pictures of them all. Two oil paintings of the 1st & 2d Jonathan Dwight hang on the walls. Dr. Louis B. Bishop of New Haven, Conn. dined with us also. We had a very bright jolly time. After dinner we were shown the wedding presents and I sat sometime with Dr. Dwight in his study going over the work he is now doing on the Index to the Bulletins and Auks. This includes twenty four volumes. I indexed two of the volumes last spring. Dr. Dwight's work of bringing together all the separate indexes is immense, and shows the very best kind of systematic work.

Mr. Jonathan Dwight is an engineer and he has charge of a section of the tunnelling for the subway in the city. The work is going on all over the city and as the excavating is from the surface it makes great confusion. Loud reports of the blasting are heard at intervals. This goes on in front of the Murray Hill and renders the place most undesirable. We returned home after a most pleasant evening.

140

New York, N.Y. 1901 Nov. 10-17 Nov. 14

Wednesday the 14th was cloudy and windy with occasional sun. This morning M. went down town shopping, while I skipped the morning session of the A.O.U. and took the cable cars to 116th St. on Amsterdam Ave. to the Columbia University. I was much impressed by the buildings and the fine location. The Low Memorial Library is a magnificent structure of Indiana limestone, of classic Greek architecture in the form of a Maltese cross with an immense dome in the center. I went through the building and saw the large and handsome reading room. I then went over to Science Hall and was sorry to find that Prof. Underwood was away. His assistant showed me about and was very polite. I saw the plan for the grounds and the various buildings and then walked over to the Riverside Drive and I visited Grant's Tomb. I was much impressed by it all. The building is composed of white Maine granite with white marble within and is 150 feet in height. Through an opening in the floor you look down upon the two sarcophagi containing the remains of Ulysses S. & Mrs. Grant.

From here I retraced my steps and walked down 116th Street to the elevated, seeing on the way, the famous

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New York, N.Y. 1901 Nov. 10-17 Nov. 14 (2)

Sturnus vulgaris St. Luke's Hospital and site of St. John's Cathedral. Of this latter an immense stone arch of imposing magnitude stands. While going down Morningside Heights to the train, a flock of six Starlings whirled past me and alighted in the shrubbery close by. With my glass which I constantly carried with me for just this very occasion I had a nice view of them. They picked away at the vines for two or three minutes before flying away. This was my first view of the European Starling which is naturallized in New York City & Brooklyn. Returning to the Amer. Museum I lunched and attended the afternoon session which was mainly devoted to bird protection and was illustrated by beautiful slides. After the meeting we recorded our names with Mr. W. T. Hornaday who extended an invitation to us to visit Bronx Park the next day.

Three pictures were exhibited on the platform; a painting of the Wild Turkey by J. J. Audubon in 1826, loaned to the Mus. {Museum} by Miss M. {Maria} R. [?] Audubon, painting of a Deer & Hounds, called "Last Resort," by John W. Audubon, owned by the Mus. {Museum} and a small painting of J. J. Audubon, probably by himself about 1824, loaned by Dr. D. G. Morrell.

We called on Dr. & Mrs. J. A. Allen and after dinner at the Hotel on Miss Nora Pettibone,

142

Bronx Park, N.Y. Nov. 10-17 Nov. 15

Clear & cloudy, windy in A.M.

To-day, Thursday, has been a memorable day. We took the train at the Grand Central this morning and reacch Fordham in half and hour, at 10 o'clock, walking thence for 15 minutes to the Park. About twenty A.O.U. members gathered there during the morning. Mr. Hornaday was kindness itself and we walked about looking at birds, animals & reptiles from 10.15 A.M. till 4.15 P.M. I cannot pretend to describe all we saw. The grounds are of great size comprising 662 acres of which about half to the zoological park. We visited the latter only. The Sweet Gum (Liquidamber and Quercus palustris were abundant and I took fruit of both.

Flying Cage The Flying Cage is an enormous structure of iron rods enclosed in a wire netting and will hold an ordinary block of four houses four stories high. Most of the birds have been removed for the winter but there were in it a fine American Condor, Ravens, Crows and a number of Magpies (Picea p.hudsonicus {hudsonia}. The latter were very attractive active birds. In the bird house a solid structure close by were birds of all sorts in large appropriate enclosures. In the center is a large wire-bound space

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Bronx Park, N.Y. Nov. 10-17 Nov. 15 (2)

Flamingoes Feeding with a large branching tree stump, a pool of shallow water and a space covered with soft soil. Here were Wood Ducks, Florida Cormorants, White Pelican, Brown Pelicans, Wood Ibis, Egret Heron, Snowy Heron, Flamingoes (Amer. & European), &c. It was most interesting to watch them feeding. The Flamingoes turn the head almost upside down, bringing the broad flat surface of the upper mandible nearest the tip in direct contact with the ground. Then a rapid, continuous movement of the uppe lower mandible takes in food and sifts out water. They feed on muddy stretches.

In our enclosures were Ward's Herons, White Ibises, Eu. Stork, Sandhill Cranes, Road-runners, &c, &c, and Spoonbills.

Anhingas feeding There was a large cage of Anhingas and tank of water with glass sides furnished an opportunity for them to swim, and for the people to watch them catch their food. Fish was thrown into the water for them and they plunged in and darted like arrows through the water after it. The winds were partly extended but I saw no movement. They seemed to move by jerks of the body. The man in charge says [has?] they use their feet and not their wings under water.