Ginger, Wild
Asarum canadense
Goatsbeard
Tragopogon pratensis
Goldenrod
Canada
Large-leaf
Late
Rough-stemmed
Sweet
White
Solidago canadensis
Solidago macrophylla
Solidago serotina
Solidago rugosa
Solidago odora
Solidago bicolor
Goldthread
Coptis trifolia
Grape
Fox
River
Vitis labrusca
Vitis vulpina
Ground Cedar
Lycopodium tristachyum
Groundnut; Wild Bean
Apios americana
Hardhack; Steeplebush
Spiraea tomentosa
Hawkweed
Canada; King Devil
Tawny; Devil’s-paint-brush
Hieracium florentinum
Hieracium auranyiacum
Hawthorns, the Family
Crataegus
Hazelnut
American
Beaked
Corylus americana
Corylus curnuta
Hemlock, Tree
Tsuga canadensis
Hepatica; Liverwort
Hepatica americana
Herb Robert—see Geranium
Hickory
Butternut
Mockernut
Pignut
Shagbark
Swamp
Sweet Pignut
Juglans cinerea
Carya tomentosa
Carya glabra
Carya ovata
Carya cordiformis
Carya ovalis
Holly, American
Ilex opaca
Hornbeam
American; Blue Beech
Hop Hornbeam; Iron-wood
Carpinus caroliniana
Ostrya virginiana
Horsetail
Equisetum arvense
Huckleberry
Gaylussacia baccata
Indian Pipe
Monotropa uniflora
Indian Tobacco
Lobelia inflata
Iris
Common Blue Flag
Slender Flag ( of marshes)
Iris versicolor
Iris prismatica
Ironweed
Vernonia noveboracensis
Ironwood—see Hornbeam
Ivy, Poison
Rhus radicans
Jack-in-the-pulpit
Artisaema triphyllum
Jerusalem Artichoke
Helianthus tuberosus
Joe Pye Weed
Eupatorium purpureum
Jewelweed; Touch-me-not
Pale
Spotted
Impatiens pallida
Impatiens biflora
Juniper—see Cedar
Lady-slipper
Common
Showy
Yellow
Cypripedium acaule
Cypripedium hirsutum
Cypripedium calceolus
Lamb’s-quarters
Chenopodium album
Laurel, Mountain
Kalmia latifolia
Lily
Day
Meadow
Wood
Hemerocallis fulva
Lilium canadense
Lilium philadelphicum
Lobelia
Great
Water
Lobelia siphilitica
Lobelia dortmanna
Locust, Tree
Black
Honey
Robinia pseuda-acacia
Gleditsia triacanthos
Manzanita
Arctostaphylos pungens
Maple, Tree
Elm-Leaf; Box Elder
Mountain; Elkwood
Striped; Moosewood
Sugar
Swamp; Red
Acer negundo
Acer spicatum
Acer pennsylvanicum Acer saccharum
Acer rubrum
Marsh Marigold; Cowslip
Caltha palustris
May Apple; Mandrake
Podophyllum peltatum
Meadowsweet
Spiraea latifolia
Milkweed
Common
Orange; Butterfly Weed
Asclepias syriaca
Asclepias tuberosa
Mint
Bee Balm; Oswego Tea
Catnip
Gill-over-the-ground; Ground Ivy
Selfheal
Wild Mint
Monarda didyma
Nepeta cataria
Glecoma hederacea
Prunella vulgaris
Mentha arvensis
Mistletoe
Phoradendron flavescens
Moccasin Flower
Fissipes acaulis
Moneywort
Lysimachia nummularia
Mountain Ash—see Ash
Mullein
Great
Moth
Verbascum thapsus Verbascum blattaria
Mustard, Black
Brassica nigra
Nannyberry
Viburnum lentigo
Nettle
Hedge
Hemp
Stachys palustris
Galeopsis tatrahit
Nightshade, Deadly
Solanum dulcamara
Oak, Tree
Black
Chinquapin
Pin
Red
White
Quercus velutina
Quercus muehlenbergii
Quercus palustris
Quercus rubra
Quercus alba
Old Man’s Beard—see
Clematis
Orchis, Showy
Orchis spectabilis
Oxalis—see Sorrel
Parsnip
Caraway
Common Meadow
Cowbane
Poison Hemlock
Sweet Cicely
Carum carvi
Pastinica sativa
Oxypolis rigidior
Cicuta maculata
Osmorhiza Claytoni
Partridgeberry
Mitchella repens
Partridge Pea
Cassia chamaecrista
Peppergrass
Lepidium virginicum
Phlox, Wild Blue
Phlox subulata
Pigweed
Pimbina—see Cranberry
Pine, Tree
Pitch; Jack; Hard
Red
Scrub
White
Yellow
Pinus rigida
Pinus resinosa
Pinus virginiana
Pinus strobus
Pinus echinata
Pink, Deptford
Dianthus armeria
Plantain
Common
Narrow-leaf
Plantago major
Plantago rugelii
Plum
Plain Wild
Red, or Canada
Prunus americana
Prunus nigra
Poison Ivy—see Ivy
Poison Oak—see Sumac
Pokeweed; Inkberry
Phytolacca americana
Poplar—see Aspen
Primrose, Evening
Oenothera biennis
Purslane
Portulaca oleracera
Queen Anne’s Lace; Wild Carrot
Caucus carota
Ragweed
Common
Great
Ambrosia artemisifolia
Ambrosia trifidia
Raspberry
Black-cap
Purple-flowering
Rubus occidentalis
Rubus odoratus
Redwood
Sequoia sempervirens
Robin’s Plantain
Erigeron pulchellis
Rose, Wild; Pasture Rose
Rosa virginiana
Running Pine
Lycopodium complanatum
Sagittaria; Broad-leafed
Arrowhead
Sagittaria latifolia
St. John’s-wort
Hypericum perforatum
Sarsaparilla
Aralia nudicaulis
Sassafras, Tree
Sassafras albidum
Saxifrage
Early
Swamp
Saxifraga virginiensis Saxifraga pennsylvanica
Scouring Rush
Equisetum laevigatum
Shadbush; Shadblow; Serviceberry
Amalanchier canadensis
Skunk Cabbage
Symplocarpus foetidus
Smartweed Family
Polygonaceae
Snakeroot, White
Eupatorium urticaefolium
Snowberry
Symphoricarpos racemosus
Solomon’s-seal
Polygonatum biflorum
Sorrel
Red; Sour Grass
Violet Wood
Yellow, or Lady’s
Oxalis acetosella
Oxalis violacea
Oxalis corniculata
Sour Dock; Curly Dock
Rumex crispus
Sour Grass—see Sorrel
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Spikenard, False
Smilacina racemosa
Spruce, Tree
Black
Norway
Red
Picea mariana
Picea abies
Picea rubra
Squirrel Corn
Dicentra canadensis
Starflower
Trientalis americana
Steeplebush—see Hardhack
Strawberry, Wild
Sumac, Tree
Dwarf; Winged
Poison Oak
Poison Sumac
Smooth
Stag-horn
Rhus copallina
Rhus quercifolia
Rhus vernix
Rhus glabra
Rhus tiphina
Sundrop; Day Primrose
Oenothera fruticosa
Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
Sweet Flag
Acorus calamus
Sycamore (native)
Platanus occidentalis
Tamarack; Larch
Larix laricina
Toadflax; Butter and Eggs
Linaria vulgaris
Toothwort
Dentaria diphylla
Tree Clubmoss
Lycopodium obscurum
Trefoil, Tick, the Family
Desmodium
Trillium
Nodding
Painted
Wake Robin; Birthroot
Trillium cernuum
Trillium undulatum
Trillium erectum
Vervain, Blue
Verbena hastata
Viburnum—see Arrowwood; Cranberry; Dockmackie; Nannyberry
Violet
Big White
Common Meadow
Little Yellow
Marsh
Viola blanda
Viola papilionacea
Viola pubsecens
Viola palustris
Virginia Creeper; Woodbine
Psedera quinquefolia
Walnut, Black
Juglans nigra
Water Plantain
Alisma subcordatum
Willow
Black
Pussy
Swamp or Bog
Weeping
Salix nigra
Salix discolor
Salix pedicellaris
Salix babylonica
Winterberry—see Alder
Wintergreen
Gaultheria procumbens
Witch Hazel
Hamamelis virginiana
Yellow Rocket—see Cress
Reptiles
COMMON NAME
SCIENTIFIC NAME
Copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix
Coral Snake
Micrurus fulvius
Cottonmouth; Water Moccasin
Agkistrodon piscivorus
Rattlesnake
Eastern Timber
Massasauga
Western Diamond-back
Crotalus horridus
Sistrurus catenatus
Crotalus atrox
Turtles
Snapping
Spotted
Chelydra serpentina
Clemys guttata
Watersnakes
Brown
Common
Green
Natrix taxispilota
Natrix sipedon
Natrix cyclopion
An Armful of Books
IF I WERE TO attempt to compile a bibliography for this book I would have to list at least half the reading I have done since I was a small boy. Even if that were possible, it would be a fantastic list. It would range from the novels of James Fenimore Cooper to Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, from the poetry of William Cullen Bryant to that of Robert Frost, from the romances of Gene Stratton Porter to the Journals of Lewis and Clark, from Aesop’s Fables to Zinsser’s Rats, Lice and History. It would include Thoreau and Audubon, Muir and Burroughs, and dozens of lesser names. I shall omit such a preposterous bibliography. Instead, I shall mention a few of the series of guidebooks and field manuals and suggest individual books in my own library that may be of help or interest in connection with individual chapters of this volume.
First the field guides, the primary purpose of which is identification. There are several series. I can recommend the “Field Book” series published by Putnam and the “Field Guide” series published by Houghton Mifflin with few reservations. I have my preferences among both series, as most readers undoubtedly will also come to have. Doubleday also publishes selected “Guides,” of which I use two. The most inexpensive series is the “Golden Nature Guide” group of paperbacks published by the Golden Press. These were brought to my attention by a seven-year-old boy, who was fascinated by them. Though limited in scope, the volumes are well organized, excellently illustrated, and useful especially for youngsters and beginners, interesting for anyone. I have a full set of them. The best broad-scale guide I know of is the fat volume, The Complete Guide to American Wildlife, by Henry Hill Collins, Jr. (Harper), which is packed with factual information about birds, animals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, even seashells. Other books in the guide category will be mentioned in the following chapter-by-chapter list:
CHAPTER 1: I have yet to find a wholly satisfactory guide to the insects. Those I know lose me in a maze of anatomical detail. The excellently illustrated Familiar Insects of North America, by Will Barker (Harper), is good but limited in scope. The Living House, by George Ordish (Lippincott), deals at length with the non-human inhabitants of a country house in England, but much of its material is applicable almost anywhere.
CHAPTER 2: Good roadside books are hard to find. I depend on the guides to birds, wildflowers, trees, and shrubs. John Kieran’s Natural History of New York City (Houghton Mifflin), while not a guide and although specifically about one city, is packed with information about wild life just outside the door and along urban and suburban streets. Much of its information is true of almost any built-up area in the Northeast.
CHAPTER 3: Grassroot Jungles and Near Horizons, by Edwin Way Teale (Dodd Mead), although primarily about insects are also good companions for journeys of discovery in any open field. Weeds, by Walter Conrad Muenscher (Macmillan), treats wild plants from the agricultural viewpoint but is packed wi
th information. Both Seeds and Grass, annual publications of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, approach those topics from the farmer’s viewpoint but also are well worth attention.
CHAPTER 4: The Changing Face of New England, by Betty Flanders Thomson (Macmillan), deals especially well with woodlands as well as with geological history, botany, zoology, and ecology. Though specifically about New England, much of its material is applicable elsewhere. I use the Field Book of American Trees and Shrubs, by F. Schuyler Mathews (Putnam). For ferns I have found A Field Guide to the Ferns, by Boughton Cobb (Houghton Mifflin), the best compact volume of its kind. Its illustrations by Laura Louise Foster are superb.
CHAPTER 5: I have found no first-class book dealing with wild life in the bogs and swamps. I use the various guides. Two women who wrote fiction, both now dead, contributed greatly to swamp lore and background. Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’s The Yearling (Scribner’s), is rich with such material, though it is about Florida. And the all-but-forgotten romantic novels of Gene Stratton Porter, such as The Harvester and A Girl of the Limberlost, were full of accurate background on the swamps of the Midwest. Mrs. Porter was an ornithologist and good all-round naturalist.
CHAPTER 6: There are many books about human life on rivers and in river valleys, but few about the rivers themselves. Even the “Rivers of America” series (Rinehart) deals primarily with human history and folklore. Thoreau’s A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers is splendidly alive with nature observation, though insistently interrupted by Thoreau’s characteristic social philosophic comments. The best recent river book I know is John Graves’s Goodbye to a River (Knopf), but it is about the Brazos in Texas. Fishing Lake and Stream, edited by Ray Schrenkeisen (Doubleday), is a better than average book on the subject. The best compact book on fish identification I have found is Francesca La Monte’s North American Game Fish (Doubleday).