[This post is part of a series on the archives of the 1871-1872 Hassler expedition, written by Bruno Costelini, Science without Borders intern at the Ernst Mayr Library]

As the year of 1871 was drawing to a close the Hassler steamed its way off the U.S. coast on through Caribbean waters, where the first dredging efforts were to be made. A stop by St. Thomas (one of the Virgin Islands, then a Danish colony) left the members of the expedition impressed not only with its natural beauty but also with the different customs of these first foreign peoples they encountered, as they managed to find the fish market fully operating on a Sunday:

Sunday is very little regarded here although there are a number of very small churches of different denominations. Regard for the Sabbath is much greater now than it was before the late earthquakes the people having been very much frightened at the time thinking it was their punishment. Groups were seen on any places during the earthquake singing hymns, and offering prayer.

... Read more about Notes from the Hassler archives: On tropical waters

The house sparrows nesting outside a window in the EML reference room are feeding a new batch of chicks. From the quantity of begging chirps it's a smaller clutch than the first one but they are still keeping the parents busy ... The nest is so built up now that you can't see anything but you can sure hear them!

A family of house sparrows has taken up residence in one of the north windows of the library reference room. The youngsters can be heard begging much of the day, and the parents have been kept very busy. The nest is placed so that we can't really see into it, but we can now see little wings flapping ...

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