etcetera
1. A number of unspecified additional things; 2. pl. additional items, odds and ends

Green snake find is significant

SNAKES ALIVE At dusk on the evening of Sept. 13, volunteer naturalist Bob Kessler, a teacher's aide at Cyrus Peirce Middle School, and Naturalist Diane Lang of the Trustees of Reservations discovered an eight- to 10-inch smooth green snake on Wyer's Point on Coatue.

Dr. Bob Kennedy, Director of Natural Science at the Maria Mitchell Association, said that finding a smooth green snake is extremely significant because this species of snake was thought to be extinct on Nantucket. According to Kennedy, no smooth green snakes have been seen on the island for at least a decade. With the recent find, there are now six known species of snake on Nantucket, including the common garter snake, the Eastern ribbon snake, the Northern water snake, the ring-necked snake and the milk snake.

Over the last 10 years, there have been many non-confirmed reports of smooth green snakes around the island, but no definitive sightings. Because of the snake's small size - smooth green snakes typically grow two to two-and-ahalf feet in length - Kennedy said it is good sign that there are other such snakes in that part of Coatue because a small snake indicates a juvenile.

This discovery is the result of the year-long biodiversity initiative, a biological inventory of all living things on Nantucket. Kessler and Lang were following up on Maria Mitchell summer intern Rob Carr's snake study this summer, in which he laid out 16 grids of plywood sheets at five locations: Wyer's Point, Coskata Woods, Squam Farm, the Pout Ponds and the Smooth Hummocks Coastal Preserve near Miacomet Pond.

Carr, a graduate student at State University New York at Syracuse and Scott Symers, who secured grant funding for the study from the Nantucket Biodiversity Initiative this year, knew they'd find snakes under boards because snakes are cold-blooded, and use the environment to regulate body temperature. The boards provide a place to warm and cool their bodies.

CHAPEL ESTABLISHES FUND AT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION The Community Foundation for Nantucket has announced that the board of the Siasconset Union Chapel has voted to establish a $15,000 Field-of-Interest fund to support human services needs on Nantucket, especially those not already well supported. The board's intention is to add to this fund on a yearly basis. An additional request by the Union Chapel board is that the Community Foundation brings to its attention human services needs.

Mimi Young, chair of the Siasconset Chapel Outreach Committee, commented, "The money to establish this fund comes from the chapel's outreach funds. The 'Sconset Chapel intends this fund to help ease the problems of the many citizens served by the dedicated human services nonprofit agencies on Nantucket. We also hope that this leads the way for other Nantucket churches to establish their own Field-of-Interest funds at our Community Foundation." Peggy Gifford, president of the Community Foundation, added, "This is the first Field-of- Interest fund to be established at the Foundation and we are proud to be able to serve the ÆSconset Union Chapel and the Nantucket community in this way."

Field-of-Interest funds are one of several fund options being provided to the Nantucket community by the foundation. Others include the Community Endowment fund, Agency Endowment Funds, the Administrative fund and Donor-Advised funds.

GREAT HALL TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE FOR RENOVATIONS The Atheneum's Reference Department and computer access to the Internet, normally located on the second floor in the Great Hall, will be temporarily relocated to the Lower Gallery in the basement for about three weeks while the hall undergoes renovations and repair. The Great Hall will be closed for about three weeks beginning September 17.

The task list includes reconfiguring one section of the hall, some repainting as well as refinishing the floor. When it's put back together some of the book and reference collections will be reorganized. The Atheneum anticipates no interruption in reference services, although most of the evening cultural programs normally held in the Great Hall have been curtailed. For more information please contact: Molly Anderson, Library Director at 508-228-1110 ext. 102.

PLASTIC SURGEON JOINS NCH STAFF OF VISITING SPECIALISTS Steve Delia, M.D., who specializes in plastic surgery and hand surgery, has joined the consulting staff of Nantucket Cottage Hospital. Dr. Delia, who has a practice in Duxbury, is a graduate of NYU Upstate Medical University and is affiliated with all Massachusetts hospitals, including but not limited to Brockton Hospital, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Jordan Hospital and Sturdy Memorial Hospital. Effective October 1, Dr. Delia will be accepting new patients on-island.

For more information and office hours, call 781-934-1599. I