of sight, but placed, according to a custom prevalent in the remoter bands of this tribe, on a form supported by posts, or a scaffold. This trait is, perhaps, natural to the hunter state.

THE EARLY FLORA AND FAUNA OF MICHIGAN.

BY CHARLES S. WHEELER.*

Michigan, from the Indian words meaning Lake Country, is peculiarly situated within the waters of the great lakes in two peninsulas. The lower peninsula opening to the south stretches from north to south 277 miles, and from east to west 259 miles; the upper peninsula opening to the west stretches from east to west 318 miles, varying in width from 30 to 164 miles. The whole State, with the exception of a few small prairies in the southwestern part of the lower peninsula, belongs to the Great Atlantic forest region. Our territory is situated about midway between the seaboard and the great Mississippi valley, and consequently in its flora and fauna are found representatives of both these regions. In the southern and western parts of the lower peninsula are found representatives of the plants and animals of the middle Mississippi valley mingling with those of the Atlantic coast region; while in the northern part of the lower peninsula and in the eastern part of the upper peninsula, the plants and animals partake largely of northern New England and Canadian types. The great middle portion of the lower peninsula has mixed flora and fauna, containing representatives of the northwestern and southwestern regions mingling together, forming a great transition region; while in the northwestern part of the upper peninsula come down to our borders many representatives of the great northwest territories of the Dominion of Canada.

The comparatively low elevation of the land surface above the sea, and the absence of mountain ranges in our State, makes the presence of Alpine plants and animals very infrequent, or even impossible, so that our plants and animals belong to three floral and faunal regions, the boreal or northern forms, the transition, and the southern forms. Probably no portion of the northeastern United States had originally such a rich and varied flora and fauna as our own State of Michigan.

The first white men to visit our borders were French Jesuits. These eager and devoted explorers are said to have visited the site of Detroit as early as 1610, and the settlement at Sault de Ste. Marie was begun

*Charles S. Wheeler, B. S., was born in Mexico, N. Y., 1842. In 1861 he enlisted in Company B, 7th N. Y. Cavalry, serving until discharged in 1863. He began the study of medicine at the University of Michigan in 1866, and from '67 to '89 he conducted a drug and book store in Ionia, Mich., when he became Instructor in Botany at the Michigan Agricultural College. In 1891 he received a degree of B. S. from the College, and in 1896 was made Assistant Professor of Botany. In 1902 he was placed in charge of the Economic Gardens at Washington, D. C. Prof. Wheeler is particularly well versed in the plant lore of Michigan.

by them as early as 1641. The order of Jesuits had for its head a superior in Canada to whom the missionaries reported regularly, whose reports were afterwards printed in 40 volumes, entitled "Relation de ce qui s'est passé en la Nouvelle France;" they began in 1632 and ended in 1672. Charlevoix speaks of these volumes thus: "As those fathers were scattered among all the natives with which the French were in relation; and as their mission obliged them to enter into the affairs of the colony, their memoirs may be said to embrace an elaborate history thereof. There is no other source to which we can apply for instruction as to the progress of religion among the savages, or for a knowledge of these people, all of whose languages they spoke. The style of these relations is exceedingly simple; but this simplicity itself has not contributed less to give them a great celebrity than the curious and edifying matter they contain." In these remarkable volumes are to be found the first scattered accounts of our flora and fauna. Mr. Bela Hubbard in his Memorials of a Half-Century thus mentions the records of these early missionary explorers:

"The natural beauty of the region lying between Lakes Erie and Huron had been recorded by all the early travelers with words of admiration. Many of the islands were low, and some of the river margins scarcely above the water; but all was green and peaceful. Dark forests extended to the river edge, and many a tall monarch of the wood waved its gigantic arms over the brink and was reflected in a glassy surface which no tide or flood ever disturbed. The marshes were luxuriant with wild rice, that furnished a sumptuous repast to a great variety of birds and water fowl, and even a welcome supply to the Indians. Occasional villages and bark wigwams enlivened the shore, surrounded with gardens and cornfields, and the most elevated points were crowned with burial mounds. Most of the shores had high banks and were covered with timber. Especial notice was bestowed upon Grosse Isle and the forest-crowned Belle Isle lay like an emerald gem in its setting of bright waters. The chroniclers all allude to the abundance of wild game and fruits. There were apples as large as the Pommes d'Api, or lady apples, and nuts 'like moderate-sized oranges.' Baron La Hontan, 1688, says the pears were good but rare."

The apples were probably crabs, but who can tell us what were the pears? Hennepin records the loveliness of the shores, the prairies, and the forests. He also speaks of the abundance of game and fruits. The fruits consisted of chestnuts, walnuts, and butternuts, apples, pears, plums and grapes; the game of deer and many smaller

animals and flocks of swans, ducks, and turkeys, and he adds that they feasted on the meat of a bear they had killed. Charlevoix, who visited this country in 1720, thus records his opinion of it:

"Above the Isle of St. Claire the Detroit widens and forms a lake which has received its name from the island, or which has given its name to the latter. It is about six leagues long and as many wide in some places. This is pronounced the most beautiful part of Canada, and truly, judg ing from appearances, nature has refused it nothing which can constitute a charming country; low hills, prairies, plains, old forests, streams, springs, rivers, all are so good of their kind and so happily assorted, that one knows nothing further to be desired. The lands are of admirable fertility. The islands seemed to have been placed to charm the senses. The rivers and the lakes are full of fish, the air pure, and the climate temperate and very healthy." Father Hennepin says: "They who shall have the happiness some day to inhabit this pleasant and fertile country will remember their obligations to those who first showed them the way." The same natural conditions, the same lakes, rivers, forests, fish and game, the same pure air and temperate climate were found here by the early settlers from the east, who came westward after the opening of De Witt Clinton's big ditch, seeking for homes in the vast wilderness then known as Michigan Territory. From 1830 to 1860 may be termed the period of early settlement. During this time were laid the broad foundations of our present magnificent commonwealth.

More than a passing tribute is due to the little band of indefatigable naturalists of the early times, who did so much pioneer work in developing all the resources of our fair State. First among them stands Dr. Douglass Houghton, while around him may be grouped Dr. Zina Pitcher of Detroit, Dr. Abram Sager of Ann Arbor, Dr. Dennis Cooley of Washington, Macomb county, Dr. Daniel Clark of Flint, and Dr. Manly Miles of Lansing. Others have been more or less connected with the botanical interests of the State, among whom may be mentioned Dr. George Thurber, Prof. A. N. Prentiss, and Prof. J. C. Holmes, all formerly connected with the State Agricultural College. Our knowledge of Michigan plants begins in 1809, when Thomas Nuttall, afterwards professor of natural history in Harvard University, made a trip around the great lakes for the purpose of studying the natural history of this region. He collected many new plants on this journey, and was probably the first botanist to visit our borders. He also studied and collected our birds. Soon after the war of 1812 government surveyors came to the Michigan Territory to locate bounty lands, and these men reported that Michigan

lands were swampy and sterile, actually unfit for settlement. This report turned immigration away and hindered settlement for some years. In 1820 Governor Cass, accompanied by Schoolcraft, set out at the head of an expedition to find the sources of the Mississippi river. In 1831 Schoolcraft led a second northwest expedition. Dr. Douglass Houghton accompanied this expedition as naturalist, and prepared a list of the plants observed, many of which were found in our territory. This list includes 246 specimens and was published in Schoolcraft's Narrative in 1855.

Soon after the admission of Michigan into the Union the State legislature passed an act organizing a State Geological Survey, which was approved by Governor Mason, February 23, 1837. This act provided for a geological, zoological, botanical, and topographical survey, of which Dr. Douglass Houghton was in charge as director. Dr. Abram Sager was in charge of the Botanical and Zoological Departments. In Dr. Houghton's second annual report, presented February 4, 1839, is found the first published report of Michigan animals by Dr. Sager, entitled "A Systematic Catalogue of the Animals of the State as Far as Observed." In the same report Dr. John Wright presented a catalogue of the plants of the State so far as observed. In 1840 a committee of the house of representatives reported on the reports of the State Geologist, and the zoological and botanical portions of the act establishing the survey were repealed. Besides the work done by the State, the United States government sent parties of explorers into the upper peninsula, who collected and reported on the plants of that region. Mr. G. W. Cannon, who accompanied W. A. Burt while running township lines in the upper peninsula, sent plants of that region to Dr. D. Cooley, who identified them and prepared a manuscript catalogue containing 185 species. In 1848 Professor Agassiz conducted a party of students and naturalists to the north shore of Lake Superior. In 1850 was published the narrative of this most important journey, entitled "Lake Superior, its Physical Character, Vegetation, and Animals." This is one of the most important additions to our knowledge of the natural history of northern Michigan ever published. Mr. W. D. Whitney, who was connected with the United States government geological survey of the Lake Superior land district under J. W. Foster and J. D. Whitney, published in 1851 a list of the plants of the upper peninsula collected by him along the shores of the great lakes, numbering 417 species. Dr. Dennis Cooley prepared, in 1853, for the Smithsonian Institute, a list of the plants growing within ten miles of Cooley's Corners, Washington, Macomb county, containing over 900 species. Nothing more was done by the State to revive the geological