March 2014

The Survey: Year V

On the cover page of each Annual Report of The Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota, a list of the “Officers of the Survey” is printed. The first year, the only name that appears is that of State Geologist…



Special Delivery!

University Archives underwent an office remodel last week. File cabinets were moved across the room, cubicles were deconstructed, shifted, and rebuilt. At one point during all of the commotion, one of the movers found an interesting item… – Envelope from…



Snow (in name)

It is snowing again in Minneapolis today. In order to take our minds off of this perpetual never-ending winter, let’s think about snow in a different context – plant names! – Orchis spectabilis (Galearis spectabilis), Snowy Orchis, Orchidaceae – Euphorbia…


Friday Flora: I’d like to sell a vowel Pat

Occasionally after I arrive home from work, I turn on WCCO to watch Wheel of Fortune. It’s nice to unwind after a long day and likely delayed commute via public transit to the sounds of the rat-i-tat-tat of a spinning…


Spring Flowers

On this day, the first day of spring 2014, let’s remind ourselves of what will soon be sprouting up… – Erythronium albidum, White Dog-Tooth Violet, Liliaceae, 1943 – Calypso bulbosa, Fairy Slipper, Orchidaceae, Itasca State Park, 1937 – Cypripedium parviflorum…


Tuesday Tweet: Falconry

In his autobiography, My Life in Natural History, former Bell Museum preparator and director Walter Breckenridge provided a description of the Peregrine Falcon and an introduction to the sport of falconry: “One of my favorite birds is the peregrine falcon….


Destination: UMedia Archive

Remember back in August when we shared a profile of C.J. Hibbard, photographer for the Department of Botany? Through the use of a ledger titled “Receipts and Disbursements of the Geological and Natural History Survey Funds from August 1, 1872…