MUSEUM VISITORS

The other day, as the writer was working in the Museum, there came several light taps upon the window nearby. Now usually, when anyone wishes to enter the Museum they simply open the door and walk in. Certainly they do not knock on the window. But I glanced up and there, watching my every move, was a fine buck deer -- and just beyond was a doe. The animals were eating Salal and as the buck chewed, the woody stems of the plant flipped about striking the glass. This accounted for the taps that first attracted my attention. Deer are noted for their curiosity but I doubt if their interest in me exceeded my interest in them. Standing there in the shadow of the hemlocks, with a few rays of the afternoon sun sifting through to the forest floor, the picture that these animals presented was worthy of the brush of any artist. And -- will wonders never cease -- my kodak happenned to be handy!

Among other Museum "visitors" who will not be included in my monthly report to the Chief Naturalist, is a bear who, for the past two or thrree weeks, has strolled by the building at regular times to gaze with an air of intense boredom at the occupant within. And then there is the Douglas Squirrel who found the door open and carried off one of the Amabilis Fir cones which I had collected and was preparing for our herberium. But even if this rascal raided my office it was probably a case of turn about being fair play for last year I happened to be lucky enough to discover a batch of fir cones that had just dropped from the trees, thanks to the industry of a Squirrel. Now these trees are tall and the cones are found at the top and so I collected several from the bunch that had just fallen amid the excited and angry chatter of the squirrel who happened to be the victim of this "foul play". And so it goes -- month in and month out. Nature's pageant is one of never ending interest.