| OAT Sound (939 HARVARD UNIVERSITY LIBRARY OF THE MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY 353463 JAN 15 1935 eOohe CANAVAN mee DNATURALIST VWOEOME XLIX 1935 Le © —% - Shas, et F = 2 . ye hh YnOleas Giie Een se 93343 VOL. XLIX, No. 1 JANUARY, 1935 FIDNAT Ua LEE S aa ) Pasar amas ed eee eee i. , 2 SND , ames eer |, < » ) Zz aos if A il Z fh n : Sa , ed? ai) | ase \ ISSUED JANUARY A sak Entered at the Ottawa Post Office as second-class matter THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB atrons: a a ee THEIR Bee Ue THE GOVERNOR GENERAL oe COUNTESS OF BESSBOROUGH | O Peestlent: M. E. WILSON. ist Vice-President: HERBERT GROH 2nd Vice-President: P. A. TAVERNER Secretary: PEGGY WHITEHURST, Eacasurer, WiLmot Lioyp, 582 Mariposa Ave., — 110 Prospeet Aveuue, Westboro. : Rockeliffe Park. Additional “Members . of: ‘Council: F. J. Au COCK, R. M. ANDERSON, HENRY Bowsrs, M. E. CowAN, H. G. CRAWFORD, ARTHUR CROWSON, R. E. DeLury, F. J. FRASER, A. HAaLKetTT, C. E. JOHNSON, KE. M. KINDLE, W. H. LANCELEYy, A. LaROcqueE. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN, GRACE S. ‘Lewis, HARRISON F. LEwIs, HoyEs LLOYD, C. W. Lounssury,_ A. E. PorsiLp, BE. E. PrINncgE, L. S. RUSSELL, C. M. STERNBERG, E. F. G. Waite, R. T. D. WICKENDEN. W_ J. WINTEMBERG, and the following Presidents of Affiliated Societies: C. SHIRLEY BRooKS, CALVIN MCQUESTON, EDISON MATTHEWS, JOHN DAVIDSON, M. Y. WILLIAMS, C. L. HENDERSON, W. Stuart ATKINSON, _ ARNOTT M. PATTERSON. Auditors: W. H. LANCELEY and Fanacon LEWIS. _ Editor: DOUGLAS LEECHMAN National Museum, Ottawa, Canada. Associate Editors: DJENNESS oo ee Se Anthropology CLYDE L. PATCH........... pee _. Herpetology BL EANVAMS 5 ooze /s ye ciuiidinws ie, ante terre eae ces Botany R. M. ANDERSON. .......-..... Mammalogy FP. R. LATCHFORD.............. oe .Conchology A.G. HUNTSMAN............ Marine Biology ARTHUR GIBSON................ Entomology PAS TAVERNER. . ) oo ee Ornithology BoD ATCOCKS ose eae Tere nike Geology Ey. M [KINDLE S 2 2-83 So ee Palzontology Extra Copies of this special issue of the Canadian Field- Naturalist may be obtained from the author at fifty cents each. Address:— Mr. Henry Mousley, 4073 Tupper Street, Wesimount, Montreal, Canada The official publications of THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB have been issued since 1879. The first were The Transactions of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club, 1879-1886, two volumes; the next, The Ottawa Naturalist, 1886-1919, thirty-two volumes; and these have ; been continued by The Canadian Field-Naturalist to date. The Canadian Field-Naturalist is issued monthly, except for the months of June, July and August. Its scope is Uns publication of the results of original mesearen in all departments of Natural HStaEy abesceesssdecehseegecessseses Price of this cabo (9 numbers) $2.00; Single copies 25¢ each The Membership Committee of The Oteawa Field-Naturalists’ Club is making a ot effort to increase the subscription list of The Canadian Field-Naturalist. We are, therefore, asking every reader who is truly interested in the wild life of our country to help this magazine to its rightful place among the leading Natural History publications in America. Subscriptions ($2.00 a year) should be forwarded to WILMOT LLOYD, Ottawa Field-N aturalists’ Club, 582 Mariposa Ave., Roekeliffie Park, OTTAWA, CANADA. Photograph by H. Mousley ‘“Mother Love.” The Canadian Field-Naturalist VOL. XLIX OTTAWA, CANADA, JANUARY, 1935 No. 1 A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE HABITS AND ANATOMY OF THE WOODCOCK. COMPILED FROM THE EARLIEST DRAWINGS AND ACCOUNTS TO THOSE OF THE PRESENT DAY. By HENRY MOUSLEY WO FACTORS are responsible for the present paper, the author’s fortunate engagement in compiling a _ general catalogue of the 5000 original drawings and paintings of mammals, birds, insects, flow- ers, etc., in the Blacker and Emma Shearer Wood Libraries of McGill University, and his early fondness for Woodcock lore, without which, the drawings presently to be discussed would prob- ably never have been specially noticed. Already these famous collections have produced pictures of more than passing interest, some of which have already been described by the Librarian. Dr. Gerhard R. Lomer’, Dr. Casey A. Wood’, Dr. Alexander Wetmore’, and the writer’. It was while examining these drawings, many of which are contained in albums or books, that the writer came across an old volume containing 310 drawings and sketches by George Cumber- land, many of which are most beautifully finished. On the front page of this volume is the following inscription, “This volume of 310 studies from nature, in various branches of natural history, the amusement of many pleasant hours of his father George Cumberland—he presents to his son Sydney, as a proof of his esteem and as an example of vacant hours, not mispent. - June 28th, 1846. G. Cumberland. G. Cumberland was born 27th Nov. 1754, died ~ August 8th, 1848. Sydney Cumberland died March, 1868.” 1 Feather pictures of the Commedia Dell’Arte, By Gerhard R. Lomer, Theatre Aris Monthly, September, 1930. 2 Lady (Elizabeth) Gwillim — Artist and Ornithologist, by Casey A. Wood, Ibis, July, 1925. Two hitherto unpublished pictures of the Mauritius Dodo, by Casey A. Wood, Ibis, Cctober, 1927. 3 The Rabié Paintings of Haitian Birds, by Alexander Wetmore. Auk, October, 1930. 4 Catalogue of Original Paintings of Birds, selected from the Emma Shearer Wood Library, McGill University, by Henry Mousley, A.O.U. Meeting, Quebec, 1932. As will be noticed, the father was ninety-two years old when he presented the book to his son, just two years before his death, the signatuve naturally being in a somewhat shaky hand. Many of the drawings are coloured, ranging in date from 1798 to 1830, whilst others again, are merely pen and ink, or pencil sketches, all, how- ever, more or less highly finished and embracing almost every subject under the sun, from elephants to the eyes of birds, accompanied, for the most part, with explanatory notes. All of the draw- ings were pasted in the book, but not numbered, and it was while doing this that my attention was drawn to those of the Woodcock, Nos. 49, 49a, 52 and 112, none of which, however, is signed, or dated, but from the style of the writing, and kind of paper used, the most important one, No. 49 depicting the flexibility of the upper mandible of the Woodcock’s bill, may safely be ascribed, I think, to between 1802 and 1805, as it agrees in all respects with some of the other drawings of this period, which are either signed, or dated. From the moment I realized the early date of the drawing, I knew I had made “a find” so to speak, as the discovery of the flexibility of the upper mandible of the Woodcock’s bill has ap- parently been attributed to Gurdon Trumbull in 1890! whereas, the present drawing clearly proves that Cumberland knew about it in 1805, and as we shall see later, Naumann, in 1799, a matter of 91 years earlier! This interesting fact decided me to gather together and record in one place the scattered references to the anatomy and ha- bits of this most delightful and fascinating bird, dear, not only to the hearts of all true sports- men, but to naturalists as well. At this point, it may prove interesting to draw attention to the fact that amongst the 156 famous feather pictures by Dionisio Minaggio (ca. 1618), in the McGill collections, and already referred to, are two of the Woodcock, one of which, No. 34, is here reproduced, THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST [VoL. XLIX Although these pictures have no bearing on the flexibility of the upper mandible of the Woodcock’s bill, still. they are interesting from the peculiarity of their make up and very early date, being in all probability the oldest bird skins known to ornithologists, as well as incidentally for the fact that the Woodcock should have been one of the birds chosen for representation. It is proposed in the present review to include both the European and American species (Scolo- tax rusticola and Philohela minor), seeing that their general habits and anatomy are almost identical, and that at one time they were in the same genus, being known as Scolopax rusticola, and Scolopax minor, but owing to the attenuation of the first three primary feathers of the wing, and the absence of barring on the breast and flanks of the American bird, it has since been thought best to place it in a genus by itself, that of Philohela, it now being known as Philohela minor, instead of Scolopax minor. The nesting habits of both are practically the same, the spot usually selected for the nest being at the foot of some small tree or shrub. The set of eggs, which are laid early in the season, either April of May, consists of 3 or 4, usually 4, very rarely indeed 5. The incubation period occupies about 21 days, the young leaving the nest some few hours after hatching. Should the favourite feeding grounds be at some distance from the nesting place, which is often the case, it is said that the chicks are carried to them at night and brought back to the woods at dawn. Possibly the earliest, or at least, the most generally quoted reference to the European Woodcock, is that of Scopoli’, who, in 1769, refers to this habit of carrying the young in the following words: “pullos rostro portat fugiens ab hoste”’, (flying from the enemy, 5 Annus Primus, Historico-Naturalis, by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, Lipsiae, 1769. January 1935] it carries its young in its beak). Gilbert White on reading Scopoli’s statement was increduious, “but candour”, he added, “forbids me to say absolutely that any fact is false because I have never been witness to such a fact. I have only to remark that the long unwieldly bill of the woodcock is perhaps the worst adapted of any among the winged creation for such a feat of natural affection”. Had Scopoli omitted the word rostro, his statement might have been less open to criticism, the fact being, that not one of the subsequent observers who have confirmed his assertion that Woodcocks do carry their young, agrees with him that they are carried in the bill. Nor do they agree upon this point among themselves. Strange as it may seem, it took 110 years of scepticism before the matter was finally set at rest by Harting®, in 1879, who, after a lengthy list of undoubted records, ends up his article in the following words:— ‘Thus it is placed beyond doubt that the woodcock is able to transport its young, in various positions, from place to place, not only when flying from its enemies, but also when going out to feed and returning. This curious habit is not confined to the European Woodcock but, according to Audu- bon and others, has been observed also in the American species. These observations confirm our impression that, while the old birds are able to carry their young in two or three different positions that which has been so skilfully depicted by Mr. Wolf, in the accompanying engraving, is probably the one most commonly employed.” _. SEAS Viet The late Abel Chapman, however, in his Bor- ders and Beyond’, says on page 383, “For many 6 J. ©. Harting, Zool., 1879, pp. 433-410 " The Borders and Beyond — Arctic, Cheviot, Tropi Abel Chapman, 1924, p. 383. tot, Tropic, by THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 5 years a question used to be discussed as to woodcocks carrying their young; but the matter never especially interested me, until, on 3rd August 1915, I happened to see it with my own eyes. This was in Houxty wood, Northumberland, and since then I have witnessed the performance on many occasions. During the war this wood was largely felled for military purposes and the area thus cleared, and subsequently replanted. has become a specially favoured resort of our longbilled friends. The annexed sketch, Woopcock CARRYING YOUNG. Houxty Wood, June 15, 1920. made there on 15th June 1920, shows exactly how the feat is accomplished. That particula: woodcock rose on the hillside a trifle above me, slowly flapping by close in front, and looking back at me over her shoulder. What first struck my attention was the curiously depressed tail— held almost vertical; then the mother’s feet, hanging down below; finally the youngster, with its very short beak, pressed between its parent’s thighs. Since then I have witnessed many similar exhibitions—indeed in summer they are almost daily on view.” It is to be regretted that so far no one has ever been fortunate enough to obtain a photo- graph of the female in the act of removing her young, at least, so far as I am aware. The next early reference concerns the popular belief that Woodcocks lived by suction; but those who have observed them in confinment know that they have an almost insatiable appetite for earthworms, which the birds seek by probing soft ground with their highly sensitive and flexible bill. This fact seems to have been first placed on record by Bowles*, who noticed it in the royal aviary at San Ildefonso, in Spain, in 1775. The translation of his account from the 8 Introduccion a la Historia Natural, y a la Geografia fisica de Espana, by . Guillermo Bowles, Madrid, 1775. 6 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST Spanish, which I believe has not appeared in print before, and for which I am indebted to Dr. Walter of McGill University, is as follows: “Returning to my purpose I am going to tell you the little that remains for me to tell of San Ildefonso. When the Queen Mother (may her soul rest in peace) lived in that place, her son Prince D. Luis, who kept her company. had a very curious aviary in which he reared a large number of rare birds, worthy of being observed by naturalists. I used to come and spend leisure moments examining these birds, but to cut a long story short, I shall merely state he-e what I observed concerning the woodcocks there. I was very greatly astonished to see some that had lived in confinment there for many years. My astonishment arose from the difficulties that many northern naturalists have experienced in rearing these birds since they were never able to guess what their natural food was or procure it for them. In this aviary, belonging to the Prince, the woodcocks were cared for in this fashion:— There was a perennial stream to keep the earth moist, for that is what these birds like. In the middle of it was a pine tree and some bushes which served the same purpose. “They used to bring from the wood fresh sods, the fullest with worms that could possibly be found, and though these worms hid themselves as well as they could the woodcock as soon as he felt hungry sought them by his sense of smell and digging his long beak into the earth, never farther than up to the nostrils, immediately brought out the worm and raising his beak up- wards towards the heavens, extended the wo-m through the whole length of it and so gulped it down gently without any visible movement of swallowing. The whole of this operation. as | have said, took place in a moment, and the movement of the woodcock was so even and imperceptible that the bird did not seem to be doing anything. I did not observe a single in- stance in which it failed to get its prey, and both for this reason and because I had noticed that he never dug his beak further down than the orifice of the nostrils, I inferred that it was the sense of smell that guided him in looking for and procuring his food. Everyone knows that the legs of the woodcock form an excellent dainty, and that its intestines with the matter that they contain are, when spread over toasted bread and cooked, delicious to the palate of epicures. But neither do the latter know, nor do I myself know, what property there is in the digestive organs of this bird to enable it in a moment flesh of a worm into such a The above facts have been to convert the delicious dainty.” [VoL. XLIX corroborated by other observers, and especially, by Montagu’, in 1813, who says:— “A woodcock in Our menagerie very soon discovered and drew forth every worm in the ground which was dug up, to enable it to bore: and worms put into a large garden-pot covered with earth five or six inches deep, are always cleared by the next morning, without one being left. The enormous quantity of worms that these birds eat is scarcely credible; but really it would be the constant labour of one person to procure such food for two or three woodcocks. The difficulty of col- lecting a sufficiency of such precarious aliment, determined us to try if bread and milk would not be a good substitute; and we found that by put- ting clean washed worms into that mess, the bird soon acquired a taste for this new food, and will now eat a large basin of bread and milk in twenty-four hours, besides worms. Lord Stanley has had a woodcock in confinement these three years, which is frequently fed on raw flesh. “From experience there appears great probabil- ity that many birds of a similar habit to the Woodcock, or the Ruff, might be induced to change their diet by degrees in the manner stated that would otherwise starve by a total change at first. The common Godwit is, like the Ruff, usually fattened by such soft food; but the Knot will starve before he will touch it, and therefore requires inducement to change his diet. In this manner we induced a Curlew to change his natural food, as before related.” In this same Dictionary, as it so happens, Montagu gives us one of the very earliest records we have of bird banding, the bird in question. curiously enough. being no other than a Woodcock. The account is as follows:— “In the winter of 1797, the game-keeper of FE. M. Pleydell, Esq.. of Whatcombe in Dorsetshire, brought him a wood- cock alive and unhurt, which he had caught in a net set for rabbits. Mr. Pleydell scratched the date upon a bit of thin brass, and bent it round the woodcock’s leg, and let it fly. In December, the next year, Mr. Plevdell shot this bird, with the brass about its leg, in the same wood where it had been first caught. Communi- cated by Sir Jobn Trevelyan, Bart.” We now come to the year 1799, a most important one, since in it we get the first reference to the mobility of the tip of the upper mandible of the Woodcock’s bill, which discovery was made by Naumann *, who says in the third part of 9 Supplement to the Ornithological Dictionary or Synopsis of Birds, by Geo. Montagu, 1813. 10 Naturgeschichte der Land- und Wasser- Vogel des Nérdlich n Deutschlands, by Johann Andreas Naumann, 1799, and Suppl - ment, 1804. January, 1935] his “Naturgeschichte der Vogel des nordlichen Deutschiands’ (page 5), “The beaks of woodcocks are mobile; they can open without moving the jaws.” Later on, in the first number of the Sup- plement to the above wo:k, published in 1804, he adds :—‘“I have been not a little surprised to find that this remark has been called inaccurate. It is nevertheless a matter of common observa- tion. If you observe woodcocks carefully and at close quarters you will see quite distinctly how in yawning they bend the upper and the lower bill apart without in the least separating the jaws. In tame woodcocks of which I al- ways keep a few this observation may be made Five years later, or in 1816, Nitzsch published another paper”, entitled, Concerning the move- ment of the upper beak of Birds, in which he speaks of Naumann’s work as follows:— “It is surprising that this mode of moving the upper beak has remained unknown to anatomists and physiologists [the entotympanic muscle thought to effect the raising of the upper mandible was first described in 1748 by Hérissant™, who, how- ever, did not realize its function] and that no ornithological author before Naumann has thought of it. Naumann refers to this move- ment in the third part of his Naturgeschichte dcr Land- und Wasser- Vogel des nordlichen Deutschlands” (p. 5) as follows:— “The beaks of woodcocks are mobile; they can open without moving the jaws.” As this remark has been too hastily pronounced incorrect by others, Naumann adds in the first number of the supplement (p. 57) “that those beak movements are unmistakable in living woodcocks, and that a woodcock, killed by a puncture in the neck, while the beak is firmly held closed at the root, nevertheless in its death agony opens the beak wide in front bending the upper beak upwards and the lower downwards. Although, this passage does not give a clear representation of the jaw move- ment of the woodcock any more than the former one, and although on the one hand it contains an obvious inaccuracy because when hoth jaws are firmly closed at the root, the lower jaw cannot possibly bend downwards THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST i more than once every day. Whoever jis un- willing to believe this should take a live wood- cock pierce its neck with a quill in order to kill it, and then hold its bill with two fingers close to the head. He will then see that in its death agony it opens the fore part of the bill wide by bending the upper part of the bill up- wards, the lower downwards.” Leaving these remarks of Naumann’s for the present, we next come to an important work by Nitzsch!!, publish- - ed in 1811, in which we find the first drawing, so far as I know, of the skull and beak of a Woodcock, which is here reproduced. and a partial bending of the point of the lower jaw does not take place, on the other hand Naumann very rightly says the woodcock can move the point of its beak without being obliged to draw down the lower jaw. Although all the muscles which open the lower jaw must move correspondingly if the turning of the arti- cular bone and the pushing forward of the upper beak is to ensue, as soon as the point of the bone is fixed, those that draw the lower jaw and do not at the same time draw down the upper jaw may work, and then the raising of the upper jaw without moving the lower jaw may be effected. I have observed this mode of opening the beak by the raising of the upper jaw only, perhaps hitherto considered impossible. not only in woodcocks but also sometimes in other living birds; but it seems especially and regularly to take place in woodcocks and to be the main reason of the otherwise unexampled position and shortening of the back part of the jaw, as I hope to explain in another place. I have described in detail this position of the jaw and the very peculiar formation of the skull whereby the woodcock family distinguishes itself from all other known birds in my“Osteographi- schen Beitrigen zur Naturgeschichte der Vogel.” 1 Osteografische Beitrage zur Naturgeschichte der Vogel, by Christian Ludwig Nitzsch, Leipzig, 1811. ® Uber die Bewegung des Oberkiefers der Vogel, in Deutsches Archiv. fiir die Physiologie, 2nd Band 3rd Heft, 1816. 13 Histoire de l’Académie Royal: des Sciences. 1748-52, pp. 345-86. “The mode of the jaw movement of this species was not known to me then: but my supposition that all true woodcocks are in accord in the main in that respect, at least in all home species, I have since found completely confirmed. The Ibis seem to be able to raise the front part of their upper jaw in the same way; at least I noticed such a condition of the beak in the Glossy and Scarlet Ibis (/bis falcinellus and Ibis ruber), which favours this conclusion. I found the same formation, contrary to my expectation, in the Hummingbird (Trochilus), which certainly only moves the ext eme point of the upper jaw and this corresponds perfectly with its mode of nutrition.” At this juncture, it would now seem desirable to consider Cumberland’s four Woodcock draw- ings, and to say something more concerning the artist himself. From information kindly furnish- ed me by Mr. Lawrence Binyon of the British Museum, through Messrs. Wheldon & Wesley of London, from whom the book of drawings was purchased by Dr. Casey Wood in 1925, we learn that:—“George Cumberland was _ born in 1754. He was a cousin of Richard Cumber- land the d-amatist, and was employed at the Royal Exchange Assurance Office. He studied at the Royal Academy School as an amateur at the same time as Flaxman. Very likely it was through Flaxman that he got to know William Blake, the poet and artist. He became one of Blake’s best friends and Blake helped him with the technique of etching. According to Faring- ten’s Diary, vol. 1, he had about £500 pounds a year left him and ran away with a Mrs. Cooper. wife of an architect with whom he lodged. He afterwards compromised the matter with Cooper in Paris for one thousand pounds. He published Thoughts on Outline. 1796, and an a'bum containing 221 drawings, which is in the B-itish Museum, and which includes some of the designs engraved in that work. He also published lithographical views of Italy, 1821. The copy of Blake’s book Europe, in the British Museum, contains quotations in what has recently been discovered to he Cumberland’s writing; and there are letters of his in the MS. Department of the Museum. “In middle life Cumberland went to live in Bristol. He died in 1848. This. which is not all to be found in one book, about sums up what is at present known about Cumberland.”— I might add, however. that a very good account of the early life of the brothers Richard Den- nison and George Cumberland—as well as a first-hand picture of the life of the period—will be found in “The Cumberland Letters”, 1771-84, edited by Clementina Black, in 1912. As regards THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST [VoL. XLIX the latter brother’s residence at Bristol for a time, accounts for the number of sketches the album contains of animals and birds in the Zoological Gardens at Clifton, Bristol which brings vividly to the memory of the writer many happy hours spent in those same gardens while pursuing his early academic studies at Clifton College, the grounds of which practically adjoined those of the Zoo, being separated only by a turnpike road. Now, as I have already remark-- ed, Cumberland seems to have had an aptitude for drawing everything under the sun, just as the pa‘ticular subject appealed to him at the moment, or took his fancy, nevertheless, it does seem strange he should have alighted on a sub- ject that no one knew anything about at the time, wnless, being a German scholar, he had read Naumann’s Naturgeschichte der Vogel des nord- lichen Deutschlands’, of 1799. or Supplement of 1604, wherein the flexibility of the upper mandible of the Woodcock’s hill is recorded for the first time. On reading this, Cumberland’s love of investigation would naturally be aroused, and he probably proceeded to investigate for himself, not only the flexibility of the bill, but also other parts of the Woodcock’s anatomy. which would account for the subsequent drawings of the giz- zard, which drawing by the way is on the reverse side of the sketch of the bill, together with the separate ones of the head and eyes also. No matter from what ansle the matter is viewed, the fact stands out, that Cumberland’s drawing is the very first one to depict the tip of the upper mandible in a raised position, with a des- cription of how this is effected, even if the drawing was made at a later date than 1805, as I have assumed, say after 1811, when Nitzsch’s drawing appeared in his Osteografische Beitrage zur Naturgeschichte der Vogel, a drawing which neither depicts the upraised tip of the bill, nor how it might be accomplished, for the very simple reason, as Nitzsch ¢fterwards says. in 1816, that the mode of the jaw movement of this species was unknown to him when his drawing was made and since it was not until 1867, that another one appeared, that of Hoffman it cannot be said that Cumberland derived his information from it, seeing that he died in 1848, or just nineteen years previous to the appearance of Hoffmann’s work. No doubt. what has been said regarding the drawing of the bill, may equally apply to those of the gizzard and under part of the head, the head with “feeler”’ (the cornu of the hyoid), and the eye, as doubtless they represent the verv first drawings of these parts of a Wood- cock’s anatomy. January, 1935] THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST recesses < y LES > The description written on this drawing, No.49, is as follows: “The Woodcock after introducing his bill can open the pointed end by means of a bone— drawn below—of the form cf a letter Y—that is flexible—and thus seize his prey without withdrawing his bill. Here this singular bone is attached; sinew; this point moved forward by the under jawbone flexible form of the bone that lifts the upper jaw. The description on this drawing, No. 49a (on the reverse side of No. 49) is as follows: Head or part of woodcock’s head opened; underpart [in pencil]; red lobes, white lobes, optic nerve. THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST |VoL. XLIX Section of gizzard in which were found frag- ments of worms and moss, as well as small grubs. [To read this, the drawing must be turned round. ] Ss January, 1935} The description on this drawing, No. 52 [see page 10] is as follows: From aa to a, a gristly substance circular that a woodcock and snipe has capable of extension and which at aa enters his bill—it seems a feeler. THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 11 It is interesting to notice that the ear in this drawing is wrongly sketched, at the back, instead of in front of, the eye, where it should be, as discovered and pointed out by Chas. Whymper so many years later, in 1907. The “feeler” or “feelers” are the cornua of the hyoid. The description on this drawing, No. 112, is as follows: Optic nerve oblong; Eye of woodcock; form of crystalline; Retina all dark brown; Optic nerve forms a long white streak; Crystalline of a Jay in other respects like the woodcock. The present writer has referred to Dr. Casey Wood’s The Fundus oculi of Birds, 1917, and finds that although there is no drawing of the eye of a Woodcock the optic nerve and pecten of the eye of the Jay there portrayed corresponds exactly with that of the Woodcock, as stated and drawn by Cumberland. A some- what long gap now ensues in the history of the Woodcock; in fact, until the year 1842, when Loche™, in his explorations in Algeria, has some- thing to say on the structure of the bird’s bill, although, incidentally, his remarks did not appear in print until 1867, the work coming out in ten volumes (1848-67), that dealing with the birds, bearing the last named date. In part, he says:- ea Loche Expl. Scient. de V’ Algeriz, 10 vols. folio, Paris, 1848- “The structure of the bill is remarkable in that independently of the olfactory nerves which run throughout its length and re-unite at its tip, it is provided with a pair of muscles of which the mechanism is altogether peculiar. Thus, when the bird has plunged its beak into the mud o1 into the earth to seek the worm or insect it desires, only the tip of this organ has the faculty of opening to seize its prey; after which, once pulled out of the ground, and the beak itself freed, the latter opens quite easily to swallow up the booty which until then was retained by the very tip alone. In the evening the woodceck before entering the woods goes to find a spring to wash its bill and feet. The woodcock breeds only very rarely in Algeria, from the end of February it effects its return passage and comes 12 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST back to nest in the forests of the centre of Europe.” Newton, in his. Dictionary of Birds, published in 1896, says in a footnote on page 1045:- “The pair of muscles said by Leche (Expl. Scient. de VAlgéric, Il, p. 293) to exist in the maxilla, and presumably to direct the movement of the bill, do not seem to have as yet been precisely desc ibed”. The same year that Loche’s work appeared, i.c., 1867, saw, also the production of Hoffmann’s" fine monograph on the Woodcock, with three figures of the bird’s head and bill, which are here reproduced, together with a description translated from the German. Newton, in reviewing this work in the Jbts of 1868—of which he was then Editor—says in part:—“Dr. Julius Hoffmann has published a very good monograph on the Woodcock. He first gives a long and detailed description of the bird, particularly directing attention to a curious peculiarity of its bill the upper mandible of which is capable of voluntary upward movement —a property that seems to have hitherto almost entirely escaped notice, but now sufficiently well established and illustrated by a woodcut. Finally the American species (Scolopaxr minor) is con- sidered, much in the same manner, but at less length than the European, and chiefly from Audubon’s writings; and thus ends this very G Die Wal*schnepfe, Ein monographischer Beitrag zur Jagd- z00'99'e, by Dr. Julius Hoffmann, 1867. [VoL. XLIX good monograph on the natural history of “Tim- ber-doodles”. Quoting from the German as nearly as possible, Hoffmann says :—‘‘The pecu- liar mechanism of the upper beak is so interesting and plays such an important role in the nutrition of the woodcock that we will not refrain from dealing more minutely with this object. The wocdcock is able to bend the front third part of the upper beak upwards without at the same time opening the beak, 7.c., without bending the lower beak downwards. Even in specimens that have been killed we can bring about this move- ment of the point of the upper beak by pressing with two fingers below the eyes on the cheeks of the bird. Chr. L. Nitzsch described in detail fifty years ago this peculiar flexibility of the front of the upper beak of the woodcock and at the same time he showed that a similar mechanism working on a shorter part of the point of the beak is seen not only in a number of other birds of the woodcock family, such as snipe, godwit, curlew, and ruff, but also in the ibis and in hummingbirds. “T shall endeavour to demonstrate by refer- ring to the accompanying illustrations the man- ner by which the raising of the upper point of the beak takes place (which is easy to see in a woodcock’s skull). The upper sketch shows the woodcock-beak at rest, the lower, the same with raised point. ark. January, 1935! “By a muscular movement of the back part of the jaw-machine the quadrate bone a and the pa- latine bone b are pressed upwards and forwards; this pressure acts upon the maxilla c which is at first three-cornered, stiff and immovable, but about the middle of the beak becomes flat, thin and flexible. Now as the intermediate premaxil- la e which forms the back of the beak, is stiff and inflexible to beyond the middle of the beak and enly becomes flat, thin and thereby elastic towards the point, the flexibility of the back of the beak only begins at f. As the maxilla c is join- ed to the point of the beak from below and at the back, at a movement of the former forwards, the lower can only be displaced upwards, as it cannot lengthen itself. In this bending upwards the elastic front part of the upper jawbone g-h also takes part as may be seen in the lower figure, and the whole displacement would not be possible if the descending (maxillary) process of the nasal 7 were not capable of flexion near its upper and lower point of contact. In the chapter on the nourishment of the woodcock we shall go back to the functions of its curiously formed beak. For the moment we shall only mention the useful boney parts of both jaws. Upon examination with a magnifying glass we discover in them a quantity of strangely regular- ly arranged generally six cornered, bone cells which serve as a basis for the delicate nerves of touch. The accompanying cut gives, slightly enlarged, a picture of this cell-net in the upper beak.” Referring to the flexibility of the Woodcock’s bill I find Mr. Stevenson in his Birds of Nor- folk, 1870, vol. II, says:— “Mr. F. Norgate, of Sparman, on one occasion having slightly winged a woodcock took it home alive and he assures me that the flexibility of the upper mandible was so great that it resembled more the writhings of a worm than a beak and from the slight sketch, with which he furnished me at the time, its up- ward curling is suggestive of that most sensitive organ of touch, the proboscis of an elephant.” Probably, the most recent and interesting ac- count of this extraordinary flexibility of the bill in some members of the Limicole, is that of Mr. V. C. Wynne-Edwards, who, in the Auk, for October, 1932. records his experience while watching a Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) near Mont-eal, as follows:— “Whilst under observation the bird was standing on the river shore and from time to time snapped its beak THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 13 open and shut. The movement was so quick that at first it was difficult to follow, but it soon became clear that the upper mandible was flex- ible, like that of the Woodcock and some other shore-birds. When the beak opened the normal upward curve of the upper mandible was ac- centuated until the tip pointed for an instant vertically upwards, though the base was still al- most horizontal. The bending took place in the distal inch and a half of the beak.” We now come to Trumbull’s® famous paper of 1890 which certainly caused a mild furore when it appeared in the pages of Forest and Stream of that year. For weeks afterwards, this paper contained spirited articles on the pros and cons of the author’s findings. The Editor, in an editorial notice, went so far as to say that it was perhaps the most important essay on this bird that had ever been published; and he did not recollect that any man had ever before stated that he had seen a woodcock curve up the tip of its upper mandible, as recorded by Mr. Trumbull! The following, is what Trum- bull says, in part:— “I had heard from Dr. S. who secured the woodcock for me that he and his friend Mr. B. had seen the bird turn up the end of its upper mandible in a very peculiar and inexplicable manner. I was urged to watch care- fully for a repetition of the occurrence. At the time I paid but little attention to the statement. I was watching for so many other events, but while carrying my bird out into the country that last day of its confinement my friend’s remark was most vividly recalled. I was hold- ing the bird in my hand with a handkerchief around him, covering all but the bill, when sud- denly, as he was making one of his frequent struggles to get away, I saw that the upper mandible was thrown upward as I have repre- - sented it in the lower outline of the accompany- ing woodcut. 16 The American Woodcoct by Gurdon Trumbull, Forest and Stream, December 11, 1890. 14 THE CANADIAN FISLD-NATURALIST “For an instant, I thought that the bird must have met with an accident in some way, but as I touched the lifted mandible it was lowered to the usual position. Twice move during my walks he threw up the mandible in the same fashion, and each time I held him directly in front of my eyes and studied most carefully the exact curvature. There was no “dilation”, nor any change of form other than that which I describe. He once held the bill in this strange position for nearly, if not quite, half a minute. After liberating my captive and reaching home. I immediately procuved a woodcock that had been recently killed, and found that I could easily curve its mandible into the precise posi- tion into which my live bird could curve his own at will. “Though my outline was made from the dead woodcock it was drawn while the aspect of the live bird was thoroughly fresh in my mind (with- in two hours after I had witnessed the occur- rence.) For the purpose of comparison I have also drawn the bill as it is commonly seen.” Now, it is far from the wish, or intention of the w-iter, in any way to belittle, or even suggest that Trumbull’s paper is not a most interesting and important one, neve-theless, hard facts remain hard facts, and in view of those already pre- sented, it can surely no longer be claimed, as “more than one important text book does, that Trumbull was the discoverer of the flexibility of the upper mandible of the Woodcock’s bill. As far back as 1799, this was known to Nau- mann, as already shown, also to Cumberland in 1805, and to Hoffman in 1867, while the keeping, feeding and watching of the birds in confine- ment was by no means new, as Bowles in 1775 and others long before him, had watched them in the royal aviary at San Ildefonso in Spain, as well as Montagu in England in 1813, the results of whose observations were much the same as those of Trumbull. What Trumbull’s paper really accomplished was more in the light of an interesting debate on the pros and cons of whether the notes of the Wocdcock are produced by its wings or its throat. Such well known men as the late Wm. Brewster took part in the controversy, he taking the opposite view to Trum- bull, namely, that for the most part the notes or sounds are made by the wings, while Trum- bull maintained that they proceeded from the throat. In this connexion, it is a treat to read Brewster’s courteous criticism of Trumbull’s paper. From the writer’s experience with Wood- cock, extending over a period of nearly fifty years both in this and the old country, not only while shooting them in the field, but also from [VoL. XLIX a close study, during the past ten years. of their nesting habits, he has come to the conclusion that the notes are mostly vocal ones. The only noise or sound apparently made by the wings is a light fanning when the bird flushes or rises some way off, which of course becomes more Pronounced when the bird is flushed close at hand, as when one nearly treads upon it. On many occasions, especially in April and May, a bird has risen some way off, flopping down again as it were just over the adjacent busbes, with scarcely any noise whatever, just a gentle fanning from the wings. On following it up the same thing has occurred again, but on again flushing it for the third time the bird has given vent to a series of twittering notes, in addition to the fanning or, shall we say, whistling noise from the wings. If the twittering notes are not vocal, but wing notes, why were they not given every time the bird arose? Again, on several occasions I have flushed a bird almost at my feet, where escape was impossible except by its rising almost perpendicularly in an en- deavour tc top the surrounding trees. At such times the fanning noise is much increased, in fact to quite a whistling noise owing to the more rapid vibration of the wings, made neces- sary by the almost perpendicular rise, while the twittering notes have also been rendered more rapidly, owing to the bird’s fright until at times they have resulted in an explosive squeak, or squeal, somewhat similar to the scaipe, scaipe, of the Snipe, as it rises almost under foot. No one, I believe. has suggested that the Snipe’s note is caused by its wings, so why assume that the Woodcock’s twittering notes, finally ending in a scream of alarm, are made by its wings? Only last spring (1932) I accidentally flushed a Woodcock off her nest, so well was it con- cealed under the drooping bough of a small balsam fir. On this occasion she not only gave vent to this same squeal of alarm. but voided at the same time, in her evident fright, which no doubt was the cause of her abandoning the eggs. However, why worry, for, as long as there are Woodcocks, there will always be na- turalists and sportsmen disagreeing on this much vexed question I imagine, although, probably the best, and most happy solution to the whole con- troversy, would be to consider the peent notes made by the bird when on the ground, just previous to rising for the sky dance, also the soft liquid notes .as of dropping water, rendered during the descent, as the bird volpanes to earth and its mate, as well as the explosive squeal note of alarm, to be all vocal ones as they surely must be, and only the fanning, whistling or January, 1935] twittering notes, as they have been variously described, and which are usually heard as the bird rises off the ground, to be produced by the wings the hatchet might be buried once and for all, as when doctors disagree, who shall decide? A b-ezk of thirteen years now occurs, before Dr. R. W. Shufeldt’s”, famous paper on the Osteology of the Limicolac was published in 1903, a paper which no doubt, even at the present day, -Gallinago delicata THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 15 can still be described as probably the most ex- tensive contribution to the osteology and tax- onomy of the Limicolz, that has appeared from the pen of any writer. There are no less than 27 figures of the anatomy of this “‘plover-snipe” group, of which the one here reproduced is No. 13, representing the skulls of the American Wooccock, Philohela minor (E), Wilson’s snipe, (F), and the Black-necked Sult, Himantopus mevicanus (G). Fic. 13. Left lateral views, natural size, of skulls of Phzlohela minor (E), Gal- linago wilsont (F), and Himantopus mextcanus, (G). pterygoid ; g, quadrate, and a, articular. Apparently, there is no specific reference to the peculiar position of the ear, nor yet, to the flutings on the sternum of the Woodcock, matters which will be referred to later in their respective order, as discovered. What is said of the sternum (in part) is as follows :—‘“Indeed in so far as shape is concerned, irrespective of mere size, this bone is of a very uniform pat- tern throughout the majority of our typical Limi- cole—the Woodcock (Philohela) and Wilson’s- Snipe (Gallinago) being conspicuous departures therefrom.” 1 Osteology of the Limicolz. by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt, Annals of the Carnegie Museum. Vol II. 1903, No. 3, pp. 15-70. n, nasal; 7/, palatine; p4 Of the skulls (also in part) Dr. Shufeldt says:—‘“Although essentially limicoline in their general character, the skulls of Scolopax rusti- cola, Philohela minor and Gallinago delicata, and no doubt others of those genera, depart in some very st .iking particulars from the limicoline skulls we have thus far considered in this paper. Except in point of size there is scarcely any difference between the skulls of the European and American Woodcocks, the former being zbout one fourth larger.” In the Synopsis of the principal osteological characters of the Limicole I will just quote a few remarks of Dr. Shufeldt’s having particular reference to the Woodcock: 16 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 5. The vomer may be small and spiculiform (Philohela,) or long and lamelliform. 9. The angle of the mandible may be either a sharp, recurved process or it may be lamelliform as in Haematopus. It may have its articular ends bent downwards as in Woodcocks and Gallinago. 10. The sternum may have two pairs of xiphoid- al notches (Plovers and others), or a single pair (Actitis, Rhyacophilus, Jacanas, Wood- cocks and Gallinago). A break of only a very few years now occurs before the next important discovery was made, that of Chas. Whymper, in 1907, who found that the ear of the Woodcock was placed in front of, instead of behind, the eye, as in other birds. The notice of this appeared in volume 1, of British Birds, 1907, and is as follows:—“On my shooting a woodcock last December (1906), the man, when he picked it up, said. “You have shot him right through the head”: and, on look- [VoL. XLIX ing, there was indeed a hole, but not a shot hole —it was the orifice of the ear# And I was astonished to find it placed in front of the eye —not behind it, as is the case with practically every other vertebrate. Consulting my bird books, I found no reference in any one of them to this remarkable fact, and from conversation with many of the leading ornithologists I gather it is not generally, if at all, known. My friend, Mr. W. P. Pycraft, has the subject now in hand, and he proposes to deal at length with it in the pages of British Birds at no distant date. Chas. Whymper, May 14, 1907.” To the above notice came the following reply, also, in British Birds, “If Mr. Whymper will consult the edition of Nitzsch’s Pterylography, published by the Ray Society in 1867, edited by Dr. Sclater, he will find in Plate IX, fig. 10, the external orifice of the ear correctly placed below and in front of the orbit. P. Chalmers Mitchell.” On referring to Nitzsch’s Pterylographte, the present writer finds that even in its feather tracts, the Woodcock differs from other species of the Scolopacinae as will be seen in the above re- production of figure 10, and following descrip- tion (in part) translated from the German by Dr. Sclater the editor of the above work:—“In the true Snipes alone (Plate IX, fig 10) I have seen it [t.e. the lumbar tract] united to the hinder part of the dorsal tract; this is due to its re- markably oblique position. One species of this genus (5. rusticola) presents a difference in that the hinder part of the dorsal tract is completely coalescent with the anterior part, which is dis- tinguished as a separate portion only by its rather strong plumage; the other species of Scolopar, on the contrary, follow the ordinary type, al- though the division of the hinder part is some- what longer than in Charadrius, figure 9.” To Dr. Mitchell’s letter the Editors of British Birds replied as follows:— “Since receiving Dr. Chalmers Mitchell’s letter, we have again examin- ed Nitzsch’s figure, and agree that it may be described as an approximately accurate figure. January, 1935] It is of course quite possible that many ornitho- logists may have known of this curious feature, but the credit of bringing the matter into general notice belongs to Mr. Whymper.” In this con- nexion, the present writer would like to point out that the late Dr. Elliott Coues in his Key to North American Birds published in 1872 refers to the position of the ear in the following words; “In Woodcocks (Scolopax, Neoscolopax, and Philohela) and true Snipe(Gallinago) the ear appears below and not behind the eye, which is placed far back and high up; and if the brain he examined, it will be found curiously tilted over so that its anatomical base looks forward.” As regards the reference to Mr. Pycraft. in Mr. Whymper’s letter. that gentleman eventually pub- lished a paper on the position of the ear of the Woodcock’, not, however, in British Birds, but iv the Field of May 18. 1907. and Jbis for October, 1908. accompanied in the latter period- ical by five text figures, of which No. 4, here reproduced, is perhaps the most important, since it supports the author’s contention that it is not the beak which is abnormally situated, but the 13 On the position of the Ear in the Woodcock (Scolopax rusticula) by W. P. Pycraft The Ibis, Oct. 1903, pp 551 558. THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 17 aperture of the ear, this being in distinct op- position to the views of Prof. D’Arcy Thompson, as expressed in an article in the Field, November 16, 1907, vol. 110, p. 887. Briefly, in part, this is what Mr. Pycraft says:- “It has long been known that in the matter of the external aperture of the ear, taken in its relation to the eye, the Snipe (Gallinago) differs markedly from all other birds, but the still more abnormal position of this aperture in the Wood- cock escaped notice, because it was assumed that what obtained in the Snipe would naturally cbtain also in the Woodcock. Thus, then, if the head of a recently-killed Woodcock be exam- ined, the aperture of the ear will appear in a quite abnormal position, for if a line be drawn at right angles to the long axis of the beak, and passing through the periphery of the anterior margin of the exposed surface of the eye, the aperture of the ear will be found lying in front of this line. In other words, when examined in rela- tion to the beak as just described, the aperture of the ear appears to lie in front of, and below, the level of the eye. A comparison of text- figures 4 (A & B) will make this clear. Text-fig. 4. A. Inner view of the left half of the skull of a Woodcock (Scolopar rusticula), shewing the brain-case and the relation thereof to the basicranial axis. The line A~-B=a line drawn though the basictanial axis; the line C-D=a line drawn from the occipital condyle through the brain- case, at right angles to the basicranial axis. This figure is not quite accurately drawn, hence this line passes too far to the left; its true position is indicated by the short line to the right of C-D. B. Outer view of the same skull, shewing the relation of the external aperture of the ear (12) to the basicranial axis (A-B). O. Orbit. 18 THE CANADIAN FISLD-NATURALIST “And now as to the relation cf the beak to the long axis of the c.anium. In the more primitive skulls—as for example, in the Gannet and Guille- mot—the basicranial axis and the long axis of the beak run parallel one to another, while in the Woodcock the long axis of the beak runs almost at right angles to the basicranial axis. By the shortening of this axis the cranium has become tilted backwards, or, more correctly, as the base of the cranium shortened the foramen magnum was brought nearer to the base of the beak thereby throwing the floor of the meten- cephalic fossa into a vertical position, and bring- ing the cerebellar fossa into such a position that [VoL. XLIX it now lies beneath, instead of behind the cerebral fossa—a truly remarkable case of shifting parts. “Prof. D’Arcy Thompson, in the article to which reference has already been made, remarks: “The Woodcock’s ear is very little, if at all, out of its normal place when looked at in relation to the base or hinder part of the skull. In other words, it is not the Woodcock’s ear, but its bill that is abnormally situated.” But the weight of evidence, it seems to me, points entirely to an opposite conclusion. The cranium of the Woodcock, when compared with that of a Gan- net, for example, has obviously undergone very Text-fig. 5. La A. Diagrammatic side view of the head of a Gannet, shewing the outline of the skull and the position of the external aperture of the ear (EF) and eye. B. Similar view of the head of a Woodcock, to shew the forward position of the ear. profound modifications, and these have come about by what may be described as a process of telescoping the basis cranii; thereby the brain- cavity has completely changed its shape, and the aperture of the ear with the rest of the hinder portion of the cranium has been swung downwards and forwards towards the base ot the beak, the long axis of which virtually retains its primitive angle. This being so, and_ the evidence is incontrovertible, it is not the beak which is abnormally situated but the aperture of the ear, as I originally contended. “Furthermore, let me repeat once more. the ear of the Woodcock is not “iust under the eye’ as in the Snipe, as was contended by a writer in the Field for September 7, 1907, (Vol. 110, p. 479.).” After Whymper’s discovery, came the still more extraordinary one of Abel Chapman”, who, in 1920, found, not only that the position of the 19 The Borders and Beyond, by Abel Chapman, 1924, pp. 379-381. spinal verteb:z of the Woodcock was different from their position in other birds, but also that the sternum had flutings. The notice of this discovery is as follows :— “The abnormal position of the ear was first pointed out so recently as 1907 by Mr. Chas. Whymper, the well-known artist; but the second peculiarity remained undetected until 1920, and the manner of its discovery came about thus. Early in Apri! we had noticed a woodcock in- cubating her four eggs in Houxty wood; and on the 14th I took Mr. A. L. Butler of Khar- toum to view a sight which can never be seen in the Sudan. Alas! Some vermin had fore- stalled us. The eggs—in act of “chipping”—lay scattered, cold, deserted; and all that remained of the parent was a bunch of breast-feathers and quills, together with the naked skull, lying a dozen yards away. It was upon examining the latter that the extraordinary position of the vertebral column struck us both; but being no anatomist, I must leave the sketch to tell the rest of the story. January, 1935) THE CANADIAN FiELD-NATURALIST 19 WoopcocKk—SKULL. Showing both the ear and the articulation of the spinal vertebrz on line A. , in front of the eye, B. C, is the point whence the vertebrae would normally spring. “The skull itself, together with a sketch and a few words of description, I sent to the Ficld, in which paper the note appeared a week or two later, the Editor confirming its accuracy. The second sketch shows the curious “flutings”, or corrugations, on the sternum of a woodcock. What purpose (if any) they serve is obscure.” It might have been supposed that with Abel Chapman’s discovery the climax had been reach- ed, and that there was nothing further to be said, but can “finis’” ever be written to the history of this most extraordinary bird? As recently as 1926 we have Dr. Cushman Murphy’s”, interest- ing account of a “strutting” Woodcock, which reads, in part, as follows: “The strutting of Woodcocks with spread tails has been mentioned by several observers, but I find no reference to the use of the tail as a lure to lead interlopers from the nest. This how- ever, seems to have been the clear intention of an incubating bird observed at Bronxville, N.Y., on various dates between April 10, 1926, and tie hatching of the four eggs on April 20. She ASTRUTTING WOODCOCK ‘om a painting by Louix Agassiz Fucrtes (assuming that it was the female) would allow us to come within a few feet before leaving her well concealed position. Then she would spring from the nest, pitch on the ground close by, and, standing with the tail toward us, would raise and spread it so as to show to full ad- vantage the double row of glistening white spots at the ends of the rectrices, and under coverts. Next, flashing this striking banner slowly, she would move off among the trees in the attitude of a strutting turkey cock, stopping when we refused to follow, and then tripping ahead for a few steps, all the while bleating softly. The effect was astonishing; the ordinary low visibility of a woodcock against the forest floor no longer held, for the spotted fan of the tail had become a most conspicuous and arresting mark. We were unsuccessful in trying to photograph the display but Mr. Fuertes most faithfully followed descriptions in making the charming water-colour which is here reproduced in black and white.” 20 Nest-protecting Display of the Woodcock, ty Robert Cush- man Murphy, Bird-Lore, July-Aug., 1926. 20 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST With regard to the spreading of the tail, the present several occasions while fluttering along the grcund with wings fully spread after having been fiushed off their eggs or young. Mj. Philip Rickman”, depicts this attitude to per- fection in the following sketch, which although writer has seen Woodcocks do this on- [VoL. XLIX that of a much frightened young bird does equa- ly well as representing the general attitude adopt- ed by the adults to draw attention to themselves when danger threatens the young. Of this young bird Mr. Rickman says; “In 1929 I found a young woodcock nearly full grown sunning itself by a rhododendron bush at the edge of a birch wood. On my approach the bird crouched, and on being touched, it flew about fifteen feet, oddly enough not into the covert but parallel to it. I then picked the bird up to examine closely the colour of its beak and feet at this age. These were much like those of an adult, but paler. On placing it on the ground, it assumed the attitude depicted in the sketch, with its tail fully spread over its back. It will be observed that the tail feathers are not more than half out of the quills. On touching the bird again, it ran along waving its wings and squeaking loudly, still carrying its tail over its back. Its attitude and manner of waving its wings to help its progress reminded me very forcibly of a pigeon squab’s progress while on the floor of a loft when running to meet its parent, or if trying to evade capture. Wounded woodcock will flirt out their tails and raise them in the manner described. I have heard of their doing this when attacked by a Hawk.” 21 A Bird-Painte ’s Sketch Book, by Philio Rickman, 1931, pp. 100-01. In addition to this strutting and fluttering along the ground of the Wocdcock, mention must be made of their peculia- love-song and flight, and occasional perching in trees like the snipe. As regards the first named, it may be inter- resting to note that the love-song and flight of the European bird commonly known as “roding” or “roading” is very different from that of the American bird, consisting of a comparatively slow straight flight down certain favoured glades in the woods, the birds at the same time uttering two kinds of notes, a croak often repeated thrice, or else a chirping screech, which has been likened to chizzie. Not the least remarkable part of this strange performance is the routine which is observed. At dawn and dusk alike the same ground is traversed, almost, we might say rhythm- ically. Commonly the path traversed forms a rough triangle, the sides of which may be a quarter of a mile or more in length. In former times advantage was taken of this habit to catch the simple pe-former in nets called “cockshuts”, which were hung between trees, across open January, 19365) glades or rides in the wood. This practice of netting, however, was not alone employed for the capture of love-sick birds, but was even more extensively employed during the winter months in taking birds as they left the shelter of the woods for their feeding-grounds, for these birds are curiously methodical in their habits through- The foreground shows a series of snares or springs set to catch the birds, while the back- ground displays a “cockshott net”, as manipulated by the attendant fowlers, the reproduction being from a print in the British Museum. This prac- tice of netting Woodcock was so general as to suggest the emplovment of the phrase “cock-shut time” as a synonym for twilight. Shakespeare, for instance, in King Richard II, writes: “Thomas the Earl of Surrey and himself, Much about cockshut time, went through the army’. and Ben Johnson has; “Mistress, this is only spite— For you would not yesternight Kiss him in the cockshut light.” In the days when these “glade and snares were extensively used there is no question that this species was extremely abundant; and of this we have also additional evidence from the small sums which they formerly fetched in the market allowing even for the difference in the present value of: money, eight Woodcock in the Duke of Buckingham’s Household Book, 1507, costing eightpence, whilst in the L’Estrange Accounts, also, there is an entry in the year 1520, of three Woodcock purchased in Snettis- ham market for sixpence; and in 1522 of six nets” We ele e: = RE fe Pies esc, the ale THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 21 out the year, leaving and entering the woods by regular routes. That this practice is one of hoary antiquity can be judged from the following picture, which represents a woodcut executed by Tempesta prior to the year 1639, intended to depict the two methods of catching Woodcock then most widely in vogue. purchased from John Long oi Ingoldisthorpe for tenpence. Their excellence as a table delicacy was as fully appreciated then as now, as will be gathered from the following passage in Willugh- by’s Ornithology, published by Ray (1678) :— “The flesh of this bird for the delicacy of its taste is in high esteem”; and with special refer- ence to the excellence of the leg the author quotes the old “English Rhythm”’— “If the partridge had the woodcock’s thigh, T’would be the best bird that ever did fly”. In days gone by large “bags” of Woodcock were often made, the record one I belive, being made at Ashford, Lord Ardilaun’s estate in County Galway, when a party of eight guns killed 508 ‘cock in one day in January 1895. From these same coverts 106 ‘cock were killed in one day in 1878; in 1879 two days yielded bags of 117 and 115 birds respectively, in 1880 a head of 165 was bagged in one day, while in 1899 a day’s bag amounted to 168 head. These, of course, are highly exceptional figures, even for Ireland. A century ago, in County Cavan, Lord Cle-ment killed 102 ’cock to Fis own gun, a flint-lock, in a single day. This was done for a wager, a wager of three hundred guineas that he would account for fifty couple of Wood- cock between dawn and dark. Good bags also have becn made in Norfolk, the best English 22 THE CANADIAN FiELD-NATURALIST county for Woodcock, where on Lord Hasting’s estate at Melton Constable, over fifty couple of ’cock have been killed in the day. As an illus- tration of the one time abundance of these birds in North America might be mentioned the case of Mr. James J. Pringle who gives a record of fifty-five Woodcock killed from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Louisiana to his own gun. As to the song and sky dance of the American bird, no more inspiring spectacle can be wit- nessed, as I have recorded elsewhere”, than this love song and flight of the Woodcock when, in the dusk of evening, in ever diminishing spir- als, the bird ascends to a height of some two or three hundred feet, at first with vibrant whistling sound or notes, changing later to twittering ones, before reaching the summit of its flight, and yet again to those clear liquid gushing notes, the love song proper, as the bird volplanes to earth in great sweeps, dropping suddenly at the last, when all sound ceases, usually to within a few yards of the place from which it had risen, to commence once again, those strange nasal peent notes, always the pre- lude to another erial flight. As to these st ange notes I have heard them delivered as many as 154 times (possibly a record) before the bird arose from the ground as already recorded in the above paper. Like the snipe (Capella gallinago) Green Sandpiper (Tringa ocrophus), Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa). Upland Plover (Bar- tramia longicauda). and Greenshank (Glottis nebularia), the Woodcock has been seen (but only on very rare occasions) both in this and the old country to perch in trees, a_ state- ment which like many others whenever made regarding this bird, has for some reason or other always been received with the greatest incredulity, so much so that Mr. Walter H. Rich when, making the statement in his Feathered Game of the Northeast®, that he had twice wit- » The Love Song and Flight of the Woodcock (Philohela minor), by Henry Mousley,Can. Field-Nat. 41:184-85, 1927. "3 Feathered Game of the Northeast, by Walter H. Rich, 1907, pp. 124-25. [VoL. XLIX nessed the event, says he did so with fear and trembling, which remark I suppose ought to be applicable in my case also, since I am about to record the fact of having myself seen a bird perched in a small poplar tree on the borders of a little wood near St Hubert, P.Q., on June 24 of the present year (1933). Albino and pied varieties of the Woodcock have frequently been met with. As regards size and weight, the European bird is somewhat larg- er than his American relative, the female of both being a trifle larger than the male, the average weight of the European bird being about 12 oz.; that of the American from 6 oz. to 8 oz. The emargination of the first three primaries of the latter bird, a characteristic not present in any other similar species, is well shown in the following sketch: Figure 158 Emarginate primaries of American Woodcock; scale, 3. which is taken from Mr. P. A. Taverner’s Birds of Western Canada™, whilst the strongly ma ked longitudinal stripes down the back, and absence of barring on the breast and flanks, can be seen in the present illustration accompanying Mr. Pycraft’s article entitled Concerning Woodcocks which appeared in the Illustrated London News of February 11, 1933. 24 National Museum, Ottawa, Bull. No. 41, Biol. Ser. No- 10, Sept 15th, 1926. January, 1935] THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST FIG. I. THE NORTH AMERICAN WOODCOCK: A SMALLER SPECIES THAN OUR BIRD, AND PLACED IN A GENUS BY ITSELF ON ACCOUNT OF THE ABSENCE OF BARRING ON THE BREAST AND FLANKS. The woodcock of North America (Philohela minor) has much more strongly marked longitudinal stripes down the back than the British bird. During flight it can at will produce a whistling sound by means of the curiously attenuated and stiffened outer primaries. In this same article, Mr. Pycraft refers to the pin feather, and noticeable variation in the colour of the first primary of the European bird not being indicative of sex, aS some suppose, but FIG. 2. THE WING OF A WOODCOCK ; SHOWING THE “PIN- FEATHER” (A), WHICH IS THE VESTIGIAL REMNANT OF THE ELEVENTH PRIMARY: PROBABLY THE WING OF A FULLY ADULT BIRD, SINCE THE OUTER MARGIN OF THE TENTH PRIMARY IS WITHOUT MARKINGS. 23 of age, the young birds having the outer web ot this feather variegated, the old one plain, as shown in the following illustration. FIG. 3. THE WING OF A’ BIRD PRESUMABLY YOUNGER THAN IN FIG. 2; SHOWING THE “ PIN- FEATHER’ (A) AND A NOTCHED PATTERN ALONG THE OUTER WEB OF THE TENTH PRIMARY—A PATTERN NOT, AS HAS BEEN STATED, PECULIAR TO THE FEMALE. These photographs show the tiny “ pin- feather” of a woodcock, which answers to the eleventh primary reduced to the condition of a vestige—a condition found, in varying degrees, in most of the plover tribe. They also show the absence (left) and the presence (right) of markings along the outer margin of the tenth primary—a distinction that does not differentiate the sexes, as has been claimed. 24 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST In the same month and year (1933) that Mr. Pycraft’s article appeared in the //lustrated Lon- don News, there came out also in Germany an article by Dominik von Kripp entitled Der Ober- |VoL. XLIX schnabel-Mechamsmus der Vogel with 45 illus- trations in the text”, one of which, here re- produced, represents the difference in the general make up of the skull of a Snipe from that of a Woodcock. It is from this drawing, combined with numerous diagrams, that Kripp contends that the Woodcock’s bill is actuated principally through the jugal arch, and not through the pterygoid, whereas. in the Snipe, the pressure is probably distributed between them; this in direct opposition to the views of Marinelli and Schumacher who contend that the principal pres- sure is exerted through the pterygoid. To the present writer, it seems logical enough that the Snipe, working as a rule in much softer ground than the Woodcock, requires less pressure to open its mandibles than does the Woodcock, whose feeding grounds are usually in drier si- tuations, hence the special bending downwards and forwards of the hinder portion of the cra- nium of the Woodcock, thereby giving the bird the means of exerting a much greater pressure, one would imagine, than can be exerted by the Snipe owing to the very different construction of its skull. At least, this in the main appears to be Kripp’s contention, which certainly seems to be borne out, one would think, even by a super- ficial glance at the drawing, the much shorter zygomatic arch (lateraler ventraler 47) of the Woodcock, apparently, requiring no further as- sistance, whereas, the much longer zygomatic arch (lateraler ventraler 47) of the Snipe would seem to need some further assistance, i.e. through the medium of the pterygoid, to enable the bird at times to open its mandibles when immersed in the mud. Interesting papers on the flexibility of the upper mandible of the Snipe, etc. will be found in the ‘bis’ of 1893, Abb. 7. | A. Bckassinc, Gallinagn gallinago. !Beachte die typische Sondenform des Schnabelx. Vs. Waldachnepfe, Scolopax custieoin. 6 » Iiegnugattctle, 47 = \nteraler ventralcr, 7z = Jatcraler doseeler, 7z = medisicr Schcukel des Spangenapparatcs. MoBe ts Millimetern. p. 361 and p. 563, also for 1907 p. 614; British Birds, vol. 2. p. 249, and Bronn’s, Thier-Reich’s, NOS Akeak, IW, ties il, Nicknames amongst birds are not unknown, the diminutive Golden-crested Wren (Regulus regulus) which visits the east coast of England in enormous flocks, apparently emigrants from Scandinavia, and which often perish by hundreds while crossing the North Sea, is well known to the fishermen as “Woodcock’s Pilots”, from their generally preceding by a few days the advent of those regular immigrants. For a similar reason the Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) is known to English sportsmen as the “Woodcock Owl”, for though a good many are bred in Great Brit. ain, the majority arrive in autumn f-om Scandi- navia, just about the time that the immigration of Woodcock occurs. At Loftus and Staithes in Yorkshire, the Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) is also known by the vernacular name of the “Woodcock Crow’, but for what reason I am unable to say, although it is clear that the term “Woodcock Snipe”, as applied to the Great Snipe (Capella media) in some parts of the United Kingdom, has reference to its supe ior size, as compared with that of its near relative the Com- mon Snipe (Capella gallinago). In his Travels or Observations in Barbary, 1738, p. 253, Dr. Shaw tells us that the Africans call the Wood- cock Hammar el Hadjel, the Ass of the Par- tridges, merely, I imagine, because like the Bar- 25 Gegenbaurs Morphologisches Jahrbuch, Leipzig. February, 1933, pp. 469-544. Janvary, 1935] bary Partridge and a certain Quail, the Wood- cock is only a bird of passage in Africa. In America the Pileated Woodpecker (Ceophloeus pileatus) is sometimes called Log-cock or Cock of the Woods, vernacular names, which often being corrupted into Woodcock, have been a source of much confusion and misunderstanding which was well exemplificd in my own case when I first came to reside in this country. SS bird, it appears was shot near Bangor, Maine. and sent in the flesh on October 9, 1880 to Mr. Merrill, the taxidermist of that town, who mounted it with the stick in its breast just as it was shot. The flesh was but little cut and had entirely healed, as also had the skin, so that the stick was fastened into the wound. The growth of the bird had apparently been stunted by the p-esence of the stick which was a perfectly straight piece of stalk of the Golden- rod or some growth of a like nature, which had evidently pierced the breast of the bird when alighting. No account of the Woodcock, or at least of the European bird, would be complete without a reference to the feat of the famous sculptor Sir Francis Chantrey, who, while out shooting with Mr. Coke (afterwards Earl of Leicester) at Holkham, Norfolk, on November 20, 1829. obtained two Woodcock at one shot, afterwards immortalizing them in a beautiful marble tablet Ss THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 25 It is seldom one comes across instances of birds which, having at one time or another been. impaled by a twig or other similar substance, yet live to later on tell the tale of their misfortune, Such, however, was the case with the present Woodcock drawn by Mr. Merrill and here re- produced from an illustration appearing in the Ornithologist and Odlogist of March, 1881. The . which he carved and presented to his host, and which is now in the library at Holkham, and is here reproduced. 23 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST The occurrence from its singularity and the artistic celebrity of the performer (although the feat has since been accomplished by other sports- men), has been the subject of no less than 179 poetical effusions, which have been collected in a small volume by Mr. J. P. Muirhead, entitled Winged Words on Chantrey’s Woodcocks, of which the following verse and couplet are worthy of record :— “Life in death, a mystic lot, Dealt thou to the winged band: Death_—from thine unerring shot, Life,—from thine undying hand.” The Bishop of Oxford. [VoL. XLIX and “Driven from the north where winter starved them, Chantrey first shot, and then he carved them” The late Mr. Hudson Gurney. In conclusion, to all those kind friends who have assisted me in any way, with translations, or otherwise, and especially to D.-. Lomer who, in more ways than one, has made this compila- tion a much easier task than it would otherwise have been, the best thanks of the author are due, and hereby tendered. 4073 Tupper Street, Westmount, Montreal. January, 1935] - THE CANADIAN FIELD-NA1URALIST BIBLIOGRAPHY In addition to the references already given tn the text, the following 1s a further list of yood books on the subject. Badminton Library . ee Bent, Arthur Cleveland .. .. . Brewster, W. .. .. .. .. British Birds .. : Connett, Eugene V. ed. Coues, Elliott . Coward, T. A. .. Country Life. .. nee Dawson, Major Kenneth. .. Dewar, Douglas .. Dixon, Charles .. Elliot, Daniel Giraud .. .. .. .. . Rolkard, abt C. Forbush, H. E. 2 Gilbert, H. A. io Brook, A Gordon, Seton. .. Harting: James, Kdmund ..<.) 2.0.5 % Jesse, Bdw. .. obwiblierbert Ki. o.0 .. aa wn oe Kirkman, F. B. and others .. .. . Knox, A. E. . ae Leffingwell, Wm. Bruce. Lloyd, Llewelyn. .. .. Matheson, Darley .. Nelson, Thomas H. .. .. Newton, Alfred .. _ Ogilvie, Fergus Menteith. .. Ogilvie, Grant Wm. Robt. Payne-Gallwey, Sir Ralph. .. .. Poynting, Frank .. .. Riviere, B. B. Rudolf, Franz Karl Tocca ue Prince of Austria . Sandys, Edwyn and Van Dyke, T'S. .. Seigne, J. W. .. .. Shooting, vol. 2. .. Life Histories of North American Shore Birds, Order Limicole, (pt. 1), 1927. .. Birds of ae Lake Umbagog Region of Maine, 1925. .. Vols. 10, 17, 19. .. Upland Game Bird shooting in America, 1930. .. Key to North American Birds, vol. 2, 1872. .. The Birds of the British Isles and their Eggs. 2nd Series, 1920. .. Feb. 14, 1925. (Sir Wm. MacEwen). ..Marsh and Mudflat, 1931. ..Game Birds, 1928. ..Game Birds and Wild Fowl of the British Islands, 1900. . ..North American Shore Birds, 1895. .. The Wild-Fowler, 4th ed., 1897. .. Birds of Massachusetts, 1925. .. Secrets of Bird Life, 1924. .. Birds of the Loch and Mountain, 1907; Hill Birds of Scotland, 1915. .. Sketches of Bird Life, 1883. ..Gleanings in Natural History, 1838. .. The Sport of Bird Study, 1908. .. The British Bird Book, vol. 3, 1912. ..Game Birds and Wild Fowl, 1850. .. Shooting on Upland, Marsh and Stream 1890 - »- Scandinavian Adventures, 1854; The Game Birds and Wild Fowl of Sweden and Norway, 1867. .. British Game Birds, 1914. .. The Birds of Yorkshire, 1907. .. A Dictionary of Birds, 1893-06. .. Field Observation on British Birds, 1920. .. A Hand-book to the Game Birds, 1895-97. . .. The Fowler in Ireland, 1882. .. Eggs of British Birds, Limicole, 1895-6. ..A History of the Birds of Norfolk, 1930. .. 1. se ws ss .. .. «Notes on Sport and Ornithology, 1889. SieeoonnnCharlesyiai. 28 ee ee Wild Sports and Natural History of the Highlands, 1919. .. Upland Game Birds, 1902. .. Irish Bogs, 1928; A Bird Watcher’s Notebook, 1930. PAT 28 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST (VoL. XLIX Shaw, L. H. De Visme and others .. .. .. . Fur Feather, and Fin Series, Snipe and Woodcock, 1930. Southgate, Frank and Polla:d, H. B. C. .. .. Wild Fowl and Waders, 1928. Stevensontlclennyy) ane ea ne dhe eiicdsigo, tae Notgtolllmmi© em ZamelovO, day lomeNlinedar tenn er nnn ee 1d SiO trae © Ortintyamlerc)l atrincumholtas Thompsons Vinee see Saeeeee ee ees)... Naturale Elistonyorelgelancdis (hinds) rman 1849-56. Trumbull, Gurdon, ..°.. 4. .. .. .. .... .. Names) and Portraits) ot Binds) wiichinperes: Gunners, 1888. issher hen | anda \Vairentnens a See a Bindssonelrelamd ml OOU! Wilt sinawankoe dana nn ens Se ne OU nOnm DP Ootsminmelsarsl aii camsoos Whymper, Chas)... 5...) .0 . .. .. .. ..Meyptian Birds) paintedsandsdesembedsuos Vannelle Wines 4. seeee ess es oe 6. s. 6 Eustory, of Britishm Binds. 4tmedemlemecue Extra Copies of this special issue of the Canadian Freld- Naturalist may be obtained from the author at fifty cents each. Address:— Mr. Henry Mousley, L073 Tupper Street, Westmount, Montreal, Canada 4 i, Peresidcat Emieritus: * 7 r As be Bi. | 4 ae *3 - > + eo. B i if BT q Wie om zs , BAe: ology: MR. ‘WooTTON, Microscopy: Mr. TeAndi OHNSTON, Ornith-— { FG.) DL. BROLEY, Mrs. A. J. NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF MANITOBA 1929-30 C.E. BAstin; President: G. SHIRLBY Brooks, Past Presidents: H. M. SPEECHLY, M.D., C. W. Lowe, M.Sc., A. A. McCousprey, J. B. WALLIS, M.A., Vv. W. JACKSON M.Sc., A. M. DAvipson, M.D., R. A. WARDLE, M.Sc.; Vice-Presidents: Mrs. L. R. SIMPSON, W. H. Ranp, Dr. R.S. Kirk, B. W. A. BuRTON GRESHAM, Treasurer: A. G. Auditor: R. M. THOMAS: Social Convenor: ‘SBARLE; General Secretary: NORMAN LOWE, 317 Simcoe St., Winnipeg; Executive Secretary: J. HADDOW. Section — Chairman Secretary Orniihological L. T. S. Norris-Etye, B.A. A. H. SHORTT Eniomological A. V. MITCHENER, M. Sc. Miss M.F. PRATT _ Botanical Mrs. I. M. PRIESTLY Mrs. H. T. Ross CARTWRIGHT, T.AWRENCE; Geological _ Miss C. J. EGAn, P. H. STOKES © lehzhyological FrRRIS NEAVE, M.Sc. G. D. RUSSELL - Mammalogical V. W. JACKSON, M.Sc. J. P. KENNEDY - Microscopy Zoology A. WARDLE, M.Sc. < Botany é W. Lows, M.Sc. H.CHAsS. PEARCE see Meetings are held each Monday evening, except on holiday from October to April, in the physics theatre of the University Winnipeg. Field excursions are held each Saturday after- noon during May, June and September, and on public holidays ; during July and August. . THE HAMILTON BIRD PROTECTION SOCIETY : Incorporated) ‘Hon. President: W. E. SAUNDERS, London, Ont.; President: Rev. CALvin McQugsToN; Vice-President: R. OWEN MERRI- MAN, M.A., Kingston, Ont.; First Vice-President: Dr. H. G. ARNOTT; Second Vice-President: Mrs. F. E. MACLOGHLIN; Recording Secretary: J. ROLAND BROWN; Secretary-Treasurer: Iss NINA DUNCAN; Assistant Secretary-Treasurer: Miss E. McEwin; Junicr Commiliee: Miss M. E. GRAHAM; Pro- CN Commitiee: Rev. C. A. HEAVEN; Extension Committee: UNN. a _ ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB, LONDON, ONT. President: CHARLES MADDEFORD; Vice-President: D. 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BAIN, 2142 Collingwood Street, Vancouver, B.C.; Librarian: Mrs. F. McGinn. Members of Executive: C. F. Connor, M. A. Mr.R. J. CumMMING; Mr. J. D. TURNBULL, Mr. CurTIS JOHNS, ‘Mrs. J MorTion: Audsfors: H. G. SELWoop, W. B. Woops. Chairmen of Sections: Botany: PRor. JOHN DAVIDSON, Geology: Mr, J.J. PLOMMER, Photography: Mr. PHitir Timms, Entym- Me. E. Recording - Honorary President. ology: Mr. J. D. TURNBULL. All meetings at 8 p.m., Auditorium, Normal School, 10th Avenue and Sale Su reet eles otherwise announced. BRITISH COLUMBIA BIRD AND ee SOCIETY President: Dr. M. Y. WILLIAMs; First Nanri _ HamILtTon M. Laine; Second Vice-President: Dr. C. J. Bastin: ~— Secretary-Treasurer: KENNETH Racey, | 3262 West 1st Ave. RA pRecuwer, B.C. -M.PATTERSON; Affiliated Societies _ L PROVINCE OF QUEBEC SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS INC. OFFICERS & COMMITTEE: Past } Presidents: Mr. L. Mcli. TERRILL, Mr. NAPIER SMITH, Mr. W. S. Hart; President: Mrs. C. L. HENDERSON, 1536 St. Matthew St., Montreal; Vice- Presidents: Mr. H. A. C. JACKSON, MR WYNNE-EDWARDS, Vice-President and Treasurer: Mr. HpNRY Mousiny; Secretary: Miss M. SEATH; Committee: Mrs. C. F. DALE, MR. J. A. DECARE, MR. W. S. Hart, Mrs. H. Hrespert, Dr. A. N. JENKs, Mr. E. L. JUDAH, MR. FRASER KEITH, Miss. P.. B. aes Miss L. MURPRY, Miss M. S. Nicotson, Mr. C. Sart, Mr. L. McI. SPACKMAN, Mr. L. McI. TERRILL. Meetings held the Recond Monday of the month except dur- ing summer. SOCIETE PROVANCHER D’HISTOIRE NATURELLE DU CANADA Patron. Honoraire:' Son. Excellence, LE TRES HONORABLE ComMTE DE BEssBOoROUGH, P.C., G.C.M.G., Gouverneur- Général du Canada; Vice-Patron Honoraire: HONORABLE M. G. H. CARROLL, Lieutenant-Gouverneur de ja Province de Québec; Bureau de Direction pour 1934: Président: EDGAR RocHEtTe, C.R., M.P.P.; ler vice-president: G. STUART AHERN; 22éme vice-président: Dr. J.-E. BERNIER; Secrétaire-- trésorier: LOUIS-B. Lavon; Chef de la section "scientifique: Dr. D.-A.DERy; Chef de la section de Propagande éducation- nelle: ALPHONSE DESILETS, B.S.A.; Chef de la section de protection: ADRIEN eet C. R.; Chef de Ia _ section d'information scientifique pratique: JAMES F. Ross: Divers A. W. Renan: 'R. MEREDITH, N.P., U. G. ESSIER. ¢ X Secrétaire-trésorier: Lou1s-B. LAVOIn 38, rue Sherbrooke, Québec. ‘THE TORONTO FIELD-NATURALISTS’ | _ CLUB OFFICERS FOR 1934-35. Honorary President: Dr. A. P. COLEMAN; President: ARNOTT Hon. Vice-Presidents: Hon. G. H. CHALLIEs, Mr. J. H FLEMING, Dr. N.A. POWELL; Vice-President: MR. F. P. Ips, Secretary-Treasurer: H. M. HALUDAY; Council— Dr. BE. M. WALKER, S. L. THOMPSON, Pro. J. R. DYMOND, C. S. FARMER, PRoF. T. FP. McluwraitH, Dr. NorMA ForD, MAGISTRATE J. E. Jones, L. T. OWENS, RUPERT Davips, F. C. Hurst, Dr. T. M. C. TAYLOR, C. G. BRENNAND, R. M. SAuNDERS; Chairman of Conservation Committee: Mrs. Ss. L. ‘THOMPSON; President of Junior Club: MURRAY SPEIRS; Vice-President of Junior Club: HUBERT RICHARDSON. Leaders: Birds—Messrs. 8S. L. THompson, L. L. Snyper, J. L, BAILLIE, JR:, PROF. T. F. MCILWRAITH, R. M. SPEIRs, F. H. EMERY. Mammais—Pror. A. F. COVENTRY, MEssrs. FE. C. Cross, D. A. Mcluiich. Reptiles and Amphibians— Messrs. E. B. S. Locrer, Wm LBERaAy. Figsk—PrRoF. J. R. DYMOND, PROF. wv J. K HARKNESS. Insects— Dr. E. M. WALKER, Dr. Forp, Mr. F. P. lpg. Botany—Pror. R. B. OMAN DE H. B. Sirton, Dr. T.M.C. Taytor: Mr. W. Watson, Mr.L. T. OWENS. Geology—Dr. A. P. Gonevane Pror. A. McLEAN. ; We would ask the Officers, and more particularly the Secretaries, of all the Affiliated Societies to assist us in our task of building up the circulation of this _magazine. By securing every member as a subscriber we can truly , make this magazine into one of the ‘leading ‘Natural History publications of America. AUTOBIOGRAPHY of JOHN MACOUN, M.A. CANADA NORTH OF FIFTY SIX LR O a ee Mn Tee OL RT By E, M. KINDLE : These are attractively bound, and contain a Special profusely illustrated number of The wealth of information concerning Canadian WILMOT LLOYD 582 Mariposa Avenue Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa Natural History and Exploration. The author ‘‘Naturalist’’, 86 pages, 31 illustrations. Every wae a former President of the Club and this is a Canadian should know this prize essay. al Memorial Volume PRICE FIFTY CENTS - PRICE $3.00. = 305 pp. WILMOT LLOYD | 582 Mariposa Avenue Rockcliffe Park, Ottawaj} WILMOT LLOYD, . Treasurer, Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club, = ft Gann FOR SALE:— 582 Mariposa Avenue, a s ‘ Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa. 1 COMPLETE SET OF THE CLUB’S Enclosed please find $2.00 as membership in — _ The O.F.-N.C. and Subscription to the Canadian PUBLICATIONS Field-Naturalist for the year 1935. 1879-1935 | | NIM | pescvccccerccwchentnescce and bnew csa A eee This te @ rare opportunity. For particulars address the Treasurer— WILMOT LLOYD 582 Mariposa Avenue _ Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa City, Prov. or State. Addresa) ois SS Se ee 8 cece cece = pen we nes cesenmcesecco cece: I do hereby give and bequeath to The Ottawa Field- | : FORM Naturalists’ Club. of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada the sum OF | ae | mr | OP eA ii ON ee AG OE ea —jo0 Dollars 4 BEQUEST Re | ee ee eT eee Kindly mention The Canadian Field-Naturalist to advertisers ei SI 2 ‘iat a aa | | IQQF VOL. XLIX, No. 2 FEBRUARY, 1935 oy i ; nh ‘ 4 ai me ne dt j i ( IMA | \ ) ome TCA IL Nell ISSUED FEBRUARY 5, 1935 Entered at the Ottawa Post Office as second-class matter THE OTTAWA FIELD- NATURALISTS’ | Patrons: a Serie aoa os THEIR EXCELLENCIES THE GOVERNOR. GENERAL AND COUNTESS OF BESSBOROU President: M. E. WILSON. ist Vice-President: HERBERT GROH au - Ond Vice Presidents P. A. ‘Tawen Secretary: PEGGY WHITEHURST, Le. Treasurer: WiLMoT LLoyD, 582 Mariposa Ave 110 Prospect Avenue, Westboro. Rockcliffe Park. Additional Members of Colincil: F. J. Aucock, R. M. ANDERSON, Henry Bownrs, M. BE. Cowan, H G. CRAWFORD: ap THI _GRoWSoN, R.E. DELurY, F. J . FRASER A. HALKETr,- ‘C. E, JOHNSON, E. M. KInvie, WHO Lal (CELEY, A. LAROcQuE, DoucLAs. LEECHMAN, Grace S. LEWIS, HARRISON F. Lewis, HOYES, LLoyD, _C. W. Lounssury, A. E. Porsiup, BE. E. Prince, L.S. RUSSELL, C..M. STERNBERG, FE. F. G: White, R. T. D. WICKENDEN, W. J. WINTEMBERG, and the following Presidents of Affiliated Societies: C. SHIRLEY BRooKS, CALVIN MCQUESTON, EDISON MATTHEWS, JOHN DAVIDSON, M. Y. WILLIAMS, C. L. HENDERSON, W. Stuart ATKINSON, _ ARNOTT M. PATTERSON. oe Auditors: W. H. LANCELEY and Harrison F, Lewis. Editor: DouGLAS LEECHMAN National Museum, Ottawa, Canada. Associate Editors: i Relat hc a é DS ENNESS Oo oc ciate cos lec « Anthropology CLYDE L. PATCH...............Herpetology Se CUDA CES HO a ea ar ghd Botany R. M. ANDERSON..............Mamma F’. R. LATCHFORD..... NO ae eee Conchology A.G. i ARTHUR GIBSON...........0000- Entomology Bode ALCOCK 5 cies oe Sse diatsls Seeiete (nw Geology CONTENTS The Nest of the Great Crested Flycatcher. By Charles Macnamara............ see ie as Concerning Faunal lists) By Jo As Mainrosy. coc Ok ee eee ee Ae Mollusca of the Ottawa Region. Additions and Corrections, By A. Laie. see Sea ar 56th Annual Report, Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club................00ceeeeeeeee ees See: Statement of Financial Standing, Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club, 30 Movember, 1938 ee gM ae Christmas Bird. Censuses: 1984) e ce 1a yas SS eho Te a ee nae Skala iene Notes and Observations: :— ; : COPreCtON see i Se iieee e Ge aea Re SRE cet HR Oey ota cae, ae see Behaviour of the Garter Snake during Thunderstorms. By H. Milnes.......... aaa Do Ptarmigan Migrate Between Iceland and Greenland?..................0.+00- ahah . Review:— : . On the Mineralogy of Sedementary Rocks, By F.J.F...............00005: ae ae, / i? The official publications of THe OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB have been issued } i # since 1879. The first were The Transactions of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club, 1879-1886, © two volumes; the next, The Ottawa Naturalist, 1886-1919, thirty-two volumes; and these. have been continued by The Canadian Field-Naturalist to date. The Canadian Field-Naturalist is issued monthly, except for the months of June, July and August. Its scope is _ publiestiony of the results of original research in all departments of Natural History. HIEHE REMI Price of this volume (9 numbers) $2.00; Single copies 25¢ each Ht ii The Membership Committee of The Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club is making a special effort to. a increase the subscription list of The Canadian Field-Naturalist. We are, therefore, asking every aude who is truly interested in the wild life of our country to help this magazine to its rightful place among a the leading Natural History publications in America. Subscriptions ($2.00 a year) should be forwarded to WILMOT LLOYD, Ottawa Field-N aturalists’ Club, 582 Mariposa Ave., ee Roekcliffe Park, OTTAWA, CAN —s RSS OSS LE Ee ee The Canadian Field-Naturalist VOL. XLIX OTTAWA, CANADA, FEBRUARY, 1935 THE NEST OF THE GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER By CHARLES MACNAMARA IFFERING from the well-behaved child, the Great Crested Flycatcher’ (Myi- archus crimitus) is more often heard than seen. His loud ringing notes are familiar and stirring sounds in our thick-leaved summer woods; but mostly he keeps close among the trees, and seldom shows in the open like his cousin the Kingbird [Tyrannus tyrannus], and never frequents dwellings like his other cousin, the almost domestic Phoebe [Sayornis phoebe]. When you do get a look at him, you see a bird a little smaller than a Robin [Turdus migrat- orius], with olive-brown back, grey breast and sulphur-yellow underparts. The ruffled feathers on his head give him an appearance of perma- nent surprise. The bird builds in a hole in a tree, usually an abandoned woodpecker hole. It pads the bottom of the cavity with grass, fine roots, hair and feathers—quite an ordinary procedure among birds. But the Crested Flycatcher’s nest is remarkable in almost invariably including one Or more cast snake skins in its material. Oc- casionally a nest is found consisting of nothing but snake skins. Snakes crawl under logs and stones to shed their skins, and the cast skins are rarely seen by chance. But as every field- naturalist knows, you find what you look for, and do not so often come on things by chance. The Crested Flycatcher knows where to look, and discovers his snake skins even, one writer says, in localities where there were not supposed to be any snakes. An early, if not the earliest, reference to the habit is in Alexander Wilson’s (1766-1813) class- ical work, American Ornithology, which was published between 1808 and 1813. “One of the nests now before me is formed of loose hay, feathers of the Guinea fowl. hog’s bristles. pieces of cast snake skins and _ dog’s hair. Snake skins with these birds ‘appear to be an indispensible article, for I have never yet found one of his nests with- out this material forming part of it. Whether he surrounds his nest with this by way of terrorem to prevent other birds or animals from entering, or whether it be that he finds its silky softness suitable for his young, is uncertain; the fact, however, is notorious.” Without comment, Audubon mentions the “exuvie of snakes” as one of the components of the nest, and every writer since remarks the curious habit, being unanimous in saying ~ that a nest without a snake skin is a rarity. John Burroughs say that in the absence of a snake skin he has found an onion skin and shad scales in the nest. Another author found a piece of tough tissue paper instead of a snake skin. Many are the speculations as to the reason for the snake skin. As we have seen, Wilson, the cautious Scot, leaves the question undecided. Audubon seems to avoid it. Wintle, quoted in Macoun’s Catalogue of Canadian Birds, surmises that the skin is to frighten off squirrels. For- bush objects to this that the skins are “often bestowed so as to be invisible from the entrance, and it is hardly possible that a dried snake skin would frighten any animal, unless indeed the scent of the snake still lingers about it”. The piece of “tough tissue paper” already men- tioned rustled when the hand was put into the nest, and its discoverer thought that it was the rustle of the snake skin which “either delighted the bird, or to which it trusts for giving warning of an enemy’s approach during the owner’s absence—a sort of burglar alarm as it were”. Chapman thinks the habit is atavistic. He says that one of the commonest and most generally distributed species of the same genus in South America is known to place snake skins in its nest, and that the Arizona Crested Flycatcher follows the same custom. He suggests that the habit is “an inheritance from a common ancestor and has no connection with the present surround- ings, of at least those species living so far from the center of distribution of this tropical genus as our Mytarchus crinitus”. 22 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST Personally I hesitate to express an opinion, as the only Crested Flycatcher’s nest I ever examined had no snake skin in it. One hot summer day Ligouri Gormley and I noticed a pair of Great Crested Flycatchers perched on branches overhanging a small stream that flows into the Ottawa River, near Arnprior. Although we did not see them enter, we guessed that their nest was in the hollow of a decrepit ash on the bank nearby, and knowing the story of the snake skin, we were curious to see if this nest contained one. The ash leaned out over the water and could not easily be reached at this time, so we decided to postpone investigation until winter, when we could work from the ice. Thus one morning in the middle of the follow- ing March, carrying axe and camera, we set out over the crust that covered the three feet of snow still on the ground. In general the crust was strong enough to bear without snow- _ shoes, but once or twice we broke through, almost waist deep, with startling suddenness. The temperature was moderate for a winter day, 12 deg. F., but when we reached the hollow ash we found half a gale of wind blowing up the creek from the wide expanse of the ice- covered Ottawa, and my hands, necessarily bared to manipulate the camera, ached acutely before I finished photographing the proceedings. The tree was photographed as it stood, and then Ligouri was pictured in the act of chopping it down. It soon bowed beneath his sturdy stroke, and crashed to the ice. Although its connection with the Flycatcher’s nest is infinitely remote, I cannot ‘refrain from interpolating here something about our axe. It is a common- place experience to be measured for a suit of clothes, but not many people have been measured for an axe. I have been. Some years ago my old friend, John C. McManus, a most expert woodsman, said he was going to rig up a couple of axes for me. He came to the office and took the length of my arms, measured how far apart [VoL. XLIX I placed my hands in grasping an axe helve, and found out whether I chopped left-handed or right-handed. In a few days he brought two axes made specially to my measuremetits, a small “foreman’s” axe and a regular chopping axe, both fitted with beautifully shaped and finely finished white ash helves, and the blades so exquisitely sharp that they frightened me. Being far from a skilled axeman, these fine implements are rather wasted on me, but at least short- -comings in my chopping cannot be faulted to - my tools. It was one of these axes we used to fell the ash. Chopping open the nest was interesting work. It was situated about three feet below the en- trance, and. we could identify it positively as a Crested Flycatcher’s by the typical eggshell we found in it, as well as from a “cast” of beetle wing-cases. Most of the nest material consisted of white pine needles. There were eight or ten inches deep of these, not woven or felted together, but just packed into the cavity, apparently to fill it up to a convenient height. Mixed with the pine needles were, rather sur- prisingly, two or three pieces of dried horse manure. This had no doubt come from a wood road which passed near here the winter before. /No snake skin was to be seen in the undisturbed nest. which we photographed as the tree lay on the ice, using the focussing cloth to shelter it as well as we could from the strong wind that blew the pine needles around. Then we searched carefully through the nest for the expected snake skin. There was none there nor anything like one. Five or six species of snakes are found here, and one, the harmless persecuted Garter-snake [Thamnophis sirtalis], is abundant. There can be no scarcity of cast skins in the locality. This pair of Flycatchers had broken away from the primeval tradition of their genus, unless indeed they had expressed their nest-building non-con- formity with dried horse manure instead of a snake skin. CONCERNING FAUNAL LISTS By J. A. MUNRO OR MANY years, from a sense of duty and with the minimum of enthusiasm, I have read a certain type of faunal list. Series of dates and captures drearily recorded—they affected me like the rattle of dry bones. Shuddering, I read and marvelled! Light came when, in an article by Mousley “On the birds, orchids, ferns and _ butterflies of Mount Royal’, appeared the following:.... “We can picture Champlain in 1603, climbing the forest-clad slopes of Mount Royal, in order to obtain a clearer view of the surrounding country. How we should welcome an account February, 1935] of the avifauna and flora of Mount Royal at that remote period! Nay, what would -we uot sive for an account dating back say only fifty years ago, for as far as | know, there is nothing of the kind in existence.” It was clear then that the faunal list even in its most repellent form, where it stands icily aloof from any weak con- . cession to grace, or style, or urbanity— a bare skeleton of dates and localities—is of great value. Nothing is made in vain. This was cheering. So also was the comforting reflection that the American Ornithologists’ Union check list of 1931 would make use of published faunal lists— a belief to be rudely shattered when that quaint volume was given to an astonished word. There remained for my confusion the common use of the third person in such writings. It seemed to suggest, on the part of the author, a modesty and a magnificent self-restraint which often enough were not otherwise apparent. And when such author, in a moment of febrile ex- citement, relapsed for a sentence or two into the first person singular the resulting brew seem- ed peculiarly unappetising, although some orni- thological editors seemed to find it palatable enough. It was the accepted tradition that the third person singular, although cumbersont, archaic, pedantic, self-conscious, pretentious. stilted, affected, redundant and otherwise object- ionable, nevertheless at all times was obligatory. Then came Part I of Brewster’s The Birds of the Umbagog Lake Region of Maine. Here was demonstrated beyond any argument, that a THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 33 competent scientist could cast aside all the cum- bersome formalities, inhibitions and impedimenta of the professional “faunal lister’”’ and create something of accurate worth that was a joy to read. In clear, simple language, such as Gilbert White or Thoreau might have used, Brewster painted his Umbagog picture. There it is re- created for all the world to enjoy! Brewster’s Umbagog perhaps no longer exists but it is preserved in literature for all time. I venture to prophecy that in years to come the ornitho- logical world will turn to Brewster just as now the literary world turns to Samuel Pepys. For the attraction in both is essentially the same. In Brewster we have an entirely human, unaffect- ed narrative of happenings amongst the birds he loved. Unconsciously, perhaps, he created a masterpiece. In the enthusiasm aroused by this discovery I may have exaggerated its literary worth. Perhaps so. But, compare his dignified prose with the florid extravagance of “fine writing” in some modern bird books and the latter become positively revolting. This indecorous fulmination requires a foot note. Seriously, I am fully acquainted with the value of the faunal list. My complaint is that commonly their factual content is too mea- ere. Scientific natural history (recently redis- covered and christened ecology) asks for more than a check list. There have been few Brew- sters, unfortunately, but surely the author of a faunal list might be asked to provide some ecological background to his picture. MOLLUSCA OF THE OTTAWA REGION ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS By A. LA ROCQUE INCE the publication in 1890 of the List of Mollusca’ many additions and corrections make the publication of a new list desirable. However, two great groups of fresh-water shells, the Planorbide and Physide are being intensively studied, the first by Dr. F. C. Baker and the second by Dr. W. J. Clench and it is expected that their work will result in many changes which would affect such a list. Therefore it is felt that the new list should not appear before these important works have been published. In the meantime the following changes may be noted: 1 Ottawa Naturalist 4:54-58, 1899. Lymnea stagnalis L,. In the 1890 list no varieties of this species were mentioned. This was natural enough since Baker’s work on the Lymnezide, where the American varieties were set forth clearly, did not appear funtil 1911. Latchford’? ‘reviewing Baker’s work noted that he placed specimens from this region in the variety appressa and Whittaker’ identified specimens from Mackay Lake as belonging to this variety also. The 2 Latchford, F.R, ‘“Conchological Notes” Ott. Nat 25:68, UU, Y 3 Whittaker, E. J.: ‘‘Relationship of the Fossil Marl Fauna of Mackay Lake, Ottawa, to the Present Molluscan Life of the Lake.” Oft. Nat. 32:14, 1918. 34 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST finding of specimens in Bernard Lake, which were placed by Dr. Baker in variety lilliane, led me to re-examine all the specimens from the Ottawa region which were accessible to me with the following results: Lymnea stagnalis jugularis (Say) All specimens from the Ottawa, Rideau, Carp, Mississippi and Gatineau rivers belong to this variety as well as specimens from the following lakes: Mackay, Chilcott, Mahon, Little Missis- sippi, Moncrief, Lamy, Constance, Fairy and Johnston. Lymnea stagnalis lillianae F. C. Baker Specimens belonging to this variety were found in the following lakes of the region: Bernard, Meach and Phillip, all in the province of Quebec. It is more than probable that other lakes in the district will yield the same variety, especially the larger ones. Helisoma F. C. Baker The fine and very large Helisoma of the - Rideau River has recently been identified by Dr. F. C. Baker with his species infracarinatum originally described from Western Ontario. This has usually been called trivolvis but was quite rightly thought to be a different species by Latchford and Fletcher as far back as 1894. They say in part, of this species that it is “usually called trivolvis but in the opinion of the leaders is quite a different species”. Dr. Baker also identifies specimens from Gauvreau Lake with this species and some _ specimens collected in various lakes in the Gatineau Valley seem very near, if not identical with, it. infracarinatum 1 Latehford. F. R. & Fletcher, J.: ‘‘Report of the Concho- logical Branch” Ott. Nat. 8.98, 1894. [MOT a) xelgiox Bulimus tentaculatus L,. This species was noted for the Ottawa district by Latchford in 1925’, The Duck Island colony mentioned has prospered and a great number of individuals were collected alive in September, 1933. Mr. G. E. Fairbairn has specimens in his collection from the foot of Bank Street, Ottawa. Another colony has established itself in a quiet bay of the Rideau River about a mile above Black Rapids and specimens which were collected there in 1929 are in the National Museum of Canada. Another lot from MHartwell’s Locks on the Rideau Canal was collected in 1933. Specimens from the Rideau River and Canal are in the Fairbairn collection from the following points; Billings’ Bridge, Dow’s Lake, Hogsback and Black Rapids, below the dam. Oxychilus cellarrius (Miull.) Several specimens of this species we~e collected by Mr. Fairbairn on the shore of the Ottawa River at the foot of Bank Street. So far as I know this is the first record of it for the Ottawa District. Carychium exile H. C. Lea The 1890 list mentions only one species of Cary- chium for the district: C. exiguum. Specimens of both Carychium exile and its variety cana- dense are in the Fairbairn collection and in the National Museum from the following localities : Carychium exile H. C. Lea QUEBEC: Wakefield; Fairy Lake, Hull. ONTARIO: Dow Swamp, Ottawa. Carychium exile canadense (Clapp) QUEBEC: Wakefield. ONTARIO: South Gloucester, Carleton Co. 2 Canadian Field-Naturatist 39:41-43 February, 1925. 56th ANNUAL MEETING OF THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 1. Meetines.—Three Council meetings have been held during the year. The President en- tertained the Council at dinner at Murphy- Gamble’s in January. Mr. P. A. Taverner and Mr. C. M. Sternberg entertained Council at meetings in their homes. 2. Lecrurrs.—No lectures were given during the year. 3. Brrp Cénsus.—The annual bird-census is taken in conjunction with other societies in Canada and the United States. The local bird- census was taken on December 24th, 1933, 16 observers, in 6 parties, taking the count. 1572 individual birds were seen, including 21 species. 4. Excursions.—Excursions were held both in the spring and in the fall. Several places hitherto unvisited by the Club were selected for trips. By invitation of the Director of the Ex- perimental Farins, Dr. E. S. Archibald, the mem- bers of the Club were guests for tea and in- spection of the gardens together with members of the Ottawa and Westboro Horticultural So- cieties on June 21st. February. 1935] The other spring excursions were as follows: McKay Lake and vicinity, leader Mr. Hoyes Lloyd, ornithology; Ottawa River at Hinton- burg, leader Dr. H. F. Lewis, ornithology; Fairy Lake, leaders, Dr. R. E. DeLury, Mr. Hoyes Lloyd, and Mr. C. FE. Johnson, ornitho- logy, botany, etc; Britannia, leader, Dr. Ander- son, zoology; Richmond, Franktown, Perth, Carleton, Place, leader, Dr. Wilson, geology: Pink’s Lake, leaders W. E. Harris and Douglas Leechman, microscopic aquatic life; Hiawatha Park, leaders, Mr. Crowson, Mr. Sternberg, Mr. Henderson, geology, botany, etc; Long Lake, leader, Mr. F. J. Fraser, geology, zoology. At- tendance at the excursions averaged 20 or more. In September, Dr. McElhinney kindly conducted an excursion up the Rideau River to the Sand Pits in his yacht. The other fall excursion was in charge of Miss Whitehurst and included a visit to Partridge Lake in the Gatineau District. 5. REPRESENTATIVES TO MEETINGS OF THE Royai Society of CANApA.—The President ap- pointed Dr. F. J. Alcock to represent the Club at the meetings of the Royal Society held in May in Quebec City. 6. INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE PRo- TECTION OF THE Birps oF THE Wortp.—Mr. Lloyd and Dr. Lewis were, as usual, the Canadian representatives of the International Committee for the Protection of the Birds of the World. 7. PupBiications.—Mr. Lloyd, Chairman of the Publications Committee reports: “In connection with its duties the....Committee has held 4 meetings during the year. The Club periodical has been issued regularly and the volume for 1934 speaks for itself. The present plans for 1935 include a special number on the Woodcock which has been made possible by entering into an advantageous agreement with Mr. Henry Mousley.” THE CANADIAN FIELD-NA1URALIST 35 8. FINANCE.—One complete set of The Natur- alist has been sold during the year. The cost of publication has been reduced. As a result it is expected that there will be a balance to the credit of the Club at the close of the year. 9. INFORMATION SeERvicE.—The Information Service is available to all subscribers. Questions will be answered through The Naturalist or by correspondence. 10. FLETCHER MEMoRIAL FountTaIn.—Through the mediation of the Club the inscription upon the Fletcher Memorial Fountain at the Central Ex- rimental Farm has been restored by the Depart- ment of Agriculture. The Minister of Agricul- ture has also agreed to have the fountain put in working order. 11, Spectra, Committer.—Mr. Taverner, Chair- man of the Special Committee appointed to in- crease interest in the Club, reported that sug- gestions had been received from affiliated societies and that these suggestions had all been considered with care. 12. MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE.—The Member- ship Committee has only small results to report this year; but with generally improving condi- tions it looks forward to more work and greater achievements in the coming year. 13. Councin.—It is with pleasure that, as members of Council we review the year’s work and its results. In retiring from office, your Council wishes to express every hope for a good year to come, considered both from the scientific and the financial point of view. Our very best wishes go to the incoming Council and Executive. GRACE S. LEWIS Secretary. M. EB. WILSON President 36 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST [VoL. XLIX STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL STANDING OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB, 30 NOVEMBER, 1934 ASSETS Balanee in Bank, 30 November, 1934. . (Less cheque outstanding) Billswreceivablens) ya. 4 seeks sale RECEIPTS Balance, 30 November, 1988......... Hees Cunrenter een eee ler GG: INGKEN G4 34 6 elbow boned eodlogas ANGKYOMERIMAMS s sobs oecnhoocovcc oboe Single and back numbers............ Separates and Illustrations.......... Miscellaneous 10 December, 1934. WiiMot LuoyD, Treasurer. $116.24 20.64 $136.88 $1362.25 LIABILITIES H. Mousley (Payment on acct. in re STATEMENT—RESERVE FUND 30 NOVEMBER, 1934 ASSETS Canadian Government Bonds........ Cash in Bank, 30 November, 1934.... RECEIPTS Balance in Bank, 30 November, 1933. mon dueinberestie ie crleie aie eile: Bank: MInteresti: sik aisevnee atietane euer evel 10 December, 1934. WiLMmoT LuLoyD, Treasurer. $1200.00 138.01 $1338.01 $138.01 “Woodcock” article)............... $100.00 Balaneceeit 26 tei 2 G0 il | ject lea 36.38 $136.88 © DISBURSEMENTS Printing and mailing The Canadian Field-Naturalist................. $953.90 Editor’s Honorarium. .............. 90.00 Postage and Stationery.....:..... pe “48.54 Bank discounthe sae oe Pgs Ges ic 24 14 Separates and Illustrations.......... ; 113.14 Miscellaneous. (4c Sen nee ; 16.29 Balance in bank, 30 November; 1934.. (Less cheque outstanding)..... Sahat 116.24 | , | a isislens 10 December, 1934. Harrison F. Lewis, Auditor. LIABILITIES NIL— Balances sic) chal ea us ne aoe oan an $1388.01 $1338.01 DISBURSEMENTS © Nir— Balancers. (css lees cera et apa Gp tee $188.01 $138.01 10 December, 1934. HARRISON F. LEwis, Auditor. EDWARD F. G. WHITE, Chairman, Reserve Fund Committee. February, 1935] THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 317 STATEMENT—PUBLICATION FUND 30th NOVEMBER, 1934 ASSETS Canadian Government Bonds........ $800.00 CashemiBanks.)00 wee ee EOS 52.95 $852.95 RECEIPTS Balance in bank, 30 November, 1933. . $51.35 Bondelnterestiee sf .208. ee ee oe a, 44.00 BAMA MGELESt esc ok as le a ie ks 1.60 $96.95 10 December, 1934. WiutmoT LuioyD, Treasurer. LIABILITIES NIL— TP ALATICE eer: eet te hee take arctic VTE Caron $852.95 $852.95 DISBURSEMENTS Canadian Field-Naturalist.......... 3 $44.00 Balance in bank, 30 November, 1934. . 52.95 gee $96.95 10 December, 1934. HARRISON F. LEwis, Auditor. CHRISTMAS BIRD CENSUSES, 1934 MONTREAL (AND DISTRICT), QUEBEC, DECEMBER 23, 1934.—Weather overcast and cold; fresh N. E. breeze; mean temperature for the day at McGill University 1.4°F.; snow covering ground 6 to 8 inches deep. The main census party visited Chambly and walked through the woods to the Richelieu River. They were out from 11.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Other parties visited the following localities: St. Lambert (Terrill, 8.00 a.m.), Isle Jesus (W. J. Brown), St. Genevieve (W. A. Sait), Mount Royal (Wynne-Edwards, 7.00 a.m. to 8.30 a.m.), Montreal West (Nicol, 8 a.m.). American Golden-eye, 3; Canada Ruffed Grouse, 1; Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus (subsp.?)), 1; Northern Downy Woodpecker, 4; Northern Blue Jay, 1; Eastern Crow, 3; Black- capped Chickadee, 23; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Brown Creeper, 1; Eastern Robin, 2; Starling, 69; English Sparrow (not counted). Total, 12 species, 110 individuals (plus English Sparrows). Additional species seen recently include Snowy Owl, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Snow Bunting. — H. A. C. Jackson, A. C. Nicol, R. A. Outhet, L. MclI. Terrill, V. C. Wynne-Edwards (Mem- bers of the Province of Quebec Society for the Protection of Birds). OTtawa, Onvarto, DrEcKMBER 23, 1934.—The Christmas Bird Census for 1934 was taken on this date by the combined efforts of twenty-one observers, organized in eight separate parties. The weather was unfavorable, for a strong east wind, varying in velocity from 26 miles an hour to 40 miles an hour, blew throughout the day, driving much loose, dry snow before it, while the temperature ranged from —6.7° at 8.00 a.m. to 5° at 4.30 p.m. The sky was heavily clouded all day and a light fall of snow occurred during the latter part of the afternoon. The combined report of the census parties, which is published herewith, is remarkable chiefly for the entire absence of several species that are commonly found near Ottawa at Christmas time and for the unusual scarcity of some of the species that were observed. It will be noted that this census report con- tains fewer species than usual and includes no Hawks, Owls, Jays, or Red-breasted Nuthatches, and none of the tree-inhabiting winter finches, such as Eastern Purple Finches, Eastern Gold- finches, Northern Pine Siskins, Redpolls, Canadian Pine Grosbeaks, Eastern Evening Grosbeaks and Crossbills. The absence of the tree-inhabiting winter finches is the more note- worthy because there is a good crop of mountain ash berries around Ottawa this year and the local crop of cenes on the coniferous trees is fairly good. 38 THE CANADIAN FIiLD-NATURALIST [VoL. XLIX The Black-capped Chickadee, the Canada The parties participating in the taking of the Ruffed Grouse, and the Northern Downy Wood- pecker are represented in the census report but in unusually small numbers. On examining the Christmas Bird Census reports from Ottawa for the thirteen years beginning with 1921, which are the years prior to 1934 in which such cen- suses for this vicinity were made by several co- operating field parties, we find that the average number of Black-capped Chickadees reported annually is 128, and the lowest number in any one census is 33, in 1921, which figures may be compared with the total of 5 of these birds found in the 1934 census. The average numbe: of Canada Ruffed Grouse reported in these thirteen censuses is 7.5 and the lowest number in any one census is 2, in 1928, to be compared with 2 of these birds reported in this year’s census. The scarcity of these Grouse this win- ter is in accord with the predicted cycle of abundance for this markedly cyclic species, and is in contrast with its abundance in 1931, when 14 were included in the census; in 1932, when 12 were reported in the same way. and in 1933, when 8 were seen by the census-takers. The average number of Northern Downy Wood- peckers appearing in the thirteen censuses for the years 1921-1933 is 9, the smallest numbers for one year’s census being 1 in 1925 and 2 in 1921, to be compared with 3 found during the census of 1934. By way of contrast, it may be mentioned that the total of 6 Song Sparrows in the 1934 census is much the largest number of this species to be found in any Christmas Bird Census at Ottawa, the previous maximum number being 2, reported in 1924, 1927, and 1930. The 6 Song Sparrows seen in 1934 were found in a single group a short distance south of the city. 1934 census. and the routes followed, in East, South, West, North order were: (1) MHoyes Lloyd, Peggy Whitehurst, and Nell Whitehurst, 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., south bank of Ottawa River, eastward from Rideau Gate to Ottawa airport, including Village of Rockliffe Park, property of Federal District Commission, and Beechwood Cemetery, 16 miles by auto, 5 miles on foot; (2) R. Ms Anderson, 10:00 aim to 12.00 a.m., Ottawa East and along Rideau River to Main Street, returning by Echo Drive, 4 miles on foot; (3) C. M. Sternberg, Stanley Sternberg, Giffard Johnson, Revell Johnson, and G. W. Dennis, 9.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m, Bronson Avenue, including refuse-dump and south along Metcalfe Road, 8% miles by auto, 4 miles on foot; (4) R. E. DeLury and D. B. DeLury, 8.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., Experimental Farm, Rideau Canal and River to Hog’s Back, and beyond nearly to Hunt Club, and return, 13 miles by auto, 3 miles on foot; (5) B. A. Fauvel and H. Bowers, 9.15 a.m. to 11.20 a.m., Ottawa Water- works to Woodroffe, 5 miles on foot; (6) Har- rison F. Lewis, G. H. Hammond, Barnard McL. Lewis, and C. R. Lewis, 7.45 a.m. to 11.30 a.m,, and 1.15 p.m. to 4.15 p.m., Ottawa South via Champlain Bridge to Deschenes, Aylmer, and Queen’s Park, 12 miles by auto, 10 miles on foot; (7) Arthur B. Nelles and Harlow Wright, 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., Old Chelsea to Kingsmere and Wrightville, 12 miles on skis; (8) W H. Lance- ley and R. F. Clarke, 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m, and 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m., Fairy Lake, Ironside, Farmer’s Rapids and region N.E. for 2 miles, 20 miles by auto, 8 miles on foot.—Harrison F. Lewis, Chairman of Bird Census Committee. CHRISTMAS BirD CENSUS, OTTAWA, ONTARIO, DECEMBER 23, 1934. Route Nos. AS IN TEXT, Species* of Birds American Golden-eye Canada Ruffed Grouse Eastern Hairy Woodpecker Northern Downy Woodpecker Eastern Crow Black-capped Chickadee White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Eastern Robin Northern Shrike (?) Starling English Sparrow Eastern Tree Sparrow Eastern Song Sparrow Eastern Snow Bunting Total individuals Total number of species *Subspecies determined geographically. SEO ONCNONCNCECN CNC ECONO NUNC NC mn mCmCmC CEC BROCE OE CECECECECNCECNCNCNOECNCNC NC NC NCIC NC ROSONC NC NCC mC CIEC) CIOECRONCEDECNORONCECNCECEC NC mC mC mC EO mC NONC ECE PEC ECECECNCEORCECECNCNC ELEC NC i i CCN NC MCMC IC CMEC CIC CC ee ee sec ere eee eee ee oe eee eee Senn Cet CnC i OCI) SCC ee Pe ee ea) Senn CREE CnC mC mC mC mC mC IC 1 2 3 4 5) 6 i 8 Total 18 ram Ae}: Po Hoe ese 1 1 1 ] Due ae 6 eae acer ke 1 A bptie. an to 15 d25. it7o Earn 00 SILS) TRIER LOA TOAD Ui cae ire saan @ 5 Ai De: 2 bas BS ae 6 salty manele 2 By Sica : 4 Bente 1 oat ee i 1 ane ee ate 1 1 150 50 12 ea rarels 214 14 250 450 0 25) 51) 30) 70o40 12, eee 4 5 B10 ee (32 eee 832 1050 32 107 35 76 2588 Ef eas) S10. 2-49) ae eats February, 1935] PAKENHAM, ONTARIO, DECEMBER 24, 1934.—8.3C a.m. to noon and 1.30 p.m. to 400 p.m., clear sky, bright sunshine, light west wind; 12 inches of snow; temp. 28° at start, 15° at 4.00 p.m. Observers separate; total distance travelled, 20 miles. Eastern Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Northern Blue Jay, 2; Black-capped Chickadee, 28; White- breasted Nuthatch, 3; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 9; Brown Creeper, 1; Eastern Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2; Starling, 1; English Sparrow, 8; Eastern Purple Finch, 1; White-winged Cross- bill, 26; Eastern Snow Bunting, 21. Total, 12 species, 104 individuals. Blue Jays and Canada Ruffed Grouse are very plentiful, though the latter are on the wane. No Canada Ruffed Grouse could be found on census day, although many were seen the day previous, all hidden in the loose snow. No Grosbeaks have been’ seen this season. An Eastern Goshawk was identified November 23rd. The most interesting features of the day’s hunt were the finding of the Eastern Purple Finch giving its whistling call and the presence again of Red-breasted Nuthatches. The count of Woodpeckers was disappointing as we missed both the Northern Downy and the Northern Pileated Woodpeckers, which are present.— Epna G. Ross, VERNA M. Ross, ALLAN F. Ross, WILMER Ross. ARNPRIOR, ONTARIO, DECEMBER 25, 1934.—10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., fine weather, 12 inches snow on ground, wind easterly, light, temp., 7° at start, 9° at return. Eighteen miles on snow- shoes. Observers separate. Canada Ruffed Grouse, 7; Great Horned Owl, 2; Richardson’s Owl, 1; Eastern Hairy Wood- pecker, 2; Northern Downy Woodpecker, 2; Northern Blue Jay, 5; Black-capped Chickadee, 6; White-breasted Nuthatch, 5; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1; Eastern Golden-crowned Kinglet, 3; Northern Shrike, 1; Starling, 25; English Sparrow, 1 plus; White-winged Crossbill, 25; Eastern Purple Finch, 6; Eastern Tree Sparrow, 1; Eastern Snow Bunting, 275 (est.). Total, 17 species, 368 (plus) individuals. Subspecies de- termined geographically. Noteworthy this year are the presence of an Eastern Tree Sparrow, a rare winter species here, and the absence of Eastern Evening Gros- beaks, a considerable flock of which nearly always winters in Arnprior. Black-capped Chickadees are remarkably scarce. It is the one species that has appeared, always in good num- THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 39 bers, in all our 22 Christmas Bird Censuses, but this year we saw only one group of 6 individuals. —Licuorr GormMiEY and CHARLES MACNAMARA. ATHENS, Ontario, DECEMBER 31, 1934——~ 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m., cloudy, with a moderate north- east wind. Temp., 12°. Snow on ground about ten inches deep. About 4 miles, through ever- greens and swamps, southwest of Athens. Ob- servers together. Subspecies determined geo- graphically. Canada Ruffed Grouse, 1; Northern Blue Jay, 2; Black-capped Chickadee, 12; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Eastern Tree Sparrow, 10. Total, 5 species, 27 individuals—JEAN CHANT, MuRRAY W. Courrvis. Toronto, ONTARIO, DECEMBER 23, 1934,—The 10th Christmas Bird Census of the Brodie Club was taken on December 23, 1934. The day was cloudy with a trace of rain, locally, in the afternoon. The maximum temperature was 38° and the minimum 18°. About 4 inches of snow covered the ground and all still water was froz- en. The weather has been moderate so far this season compared with one year ago but December has had considerable snowfall and several “spells” of zero or near zero tempera- tures. Thirty-five observers took part and succeeded in compiling the greatest number of both species and individuals yet obtained. Three spe- cies, Kittiwake (sp.?), Wilson’s Snipe and Snowy Owl, were new to the lists and make a total of eighty-three which have appeared on Brodie Club censuses. The Kittiwake, a most un- expected addition, was identified by T. M. Shortt at Sunnyside and sketched at close range. It is a long time since this bird has appeared on any local list and upwards of 40 years since the last Toronto specimen was taken. This individ- ual, or another of the same species, was ob- served by F. H. Emery at Toronto Island on December 16th. The appearance of this marine species might be connected in some way with the unusual number of Great Black-backed and Glaucous Gulls also observed. The large total of individual birds is partly accounted for by the greatest number of Greater Scaup Ducks and Starlings so far recorded on a census, also by a rather high count of other wintering ducks and Herring Gulls. Northern species of land birds, it will be noted, were 40 rather scarce, while several species usually as- sociated with an open winter were well re- presented. Observations were carried on from 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. and those taking part were distributed over the usual routes as follows. 1. J. B. Arm- strong, H. M. Halliday, D. Scott, A. F. Smith, De eSumnen ro: .. ompsoniy 2. Gap Sey bell, R. G. Dingman, R. E. Bennett, T. F. McIIwraith, THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST [VoL. XLIX R. Russell, L. L. Snyder, R. J. Rutter. 3. J. R. Dymond, S. Downing, Wm Holden, C. Hope, D. MacLulich, H. Richardson. 4. W. Mansell, A® Smith, oR: Smyth, De Mew Shortt Same: Baillie, Jr., P. Harrington. 6. R. V. Lindsay, R. M. Saunders, H. Southam. 7. G. E. Me- Dougall; ° ©: Devitt, C. Maloney.. 8) Ha Ee Brown, H. G. Macklin, F. H. Emery, C. Richards. THE. BRODIE CLUB Re: Router, Secretary. CHRISTMAS BIRD CENSUS OF THE BRODIE CLUB—TORONTO DECEMBER 23, 1934. Species Partiesl 2 Greater Scaup Duck .. . ae American Golden-eye .. oy Buffle-head .. .. .. hs Old-squaw .. ny ie Hooded Merganser pee UNL Seas es American Merganser .. .. .. :. .. «.-- eS Eastern Red-tailed Hawk.. .. .. .. 1 3 American Rough-legged ical) ae ieee 3 Eastern Sparrow Hawk .. .. .. NEAL, Canada Ruffed Grouse .. EA ater Ring-necked Pheasant .. .. 2 13 Wilson’s Snipe . ROME NEC Glaucous Gull .. . 5 Great Black- backed Gull . Bey Here Herring Gull . MAVENS NE Uuun eanmawancenme ay (0,0) 48 Ring-billed Cull ee ae mee cn 50 3 Kittiwake (sp.?) . Bes ie Eastern Screech Owl .. anat 1 Snowy Owl .. .. .. saith aie we Long-eared Owl .. Be 1 Short-eared Owl .. .. Ber AOE 5 Eastern Belted Kingfisher. . ote) 1 Northern Flicker .. .. eee pa 1 Eastern Hairy Woodpecker Ge i terete 3 Northern Downy Moodrercet hehe 2 7 Northern Blue Jay . ayy AVE one eRe 2 13 Eastern Crow .. AS 2 13 Black-capped Chickadee .. .. . 6 10 White-breasted Nuthatch .. .. . ya 5 Brown Creeper .. .. Ke Me 1 3 Eastern Robin .. .. Aba 5 Eastern Golden-crowned ‘Kinglet es ate Cedar Waxwing . xin! : 85 Northern Shrike .. HENS ns Site Starling .. .. 200 105 English Sparrow Ap . Seen by Eastern Cardinal .. .. .. slaiawelnane sys Eastern Purple Finch .. Pas 2 Eastern Goldfinch .. .. .. BSI oe Slate-colored Junco .. .. 2 9 Eastern Tree Sparrow .. Siri Swamp Sparrow .. . Stee Tet! Song Sparrow (subsp. DV Z 11 Eastern Snow Bunting. . Sree Total Individuals .. 386 393 Total Species .. .. 15 25 3 4 5 6 7 8 Totals Pee 3 50 600 25 OS Mee 84 230 7 5. ooo eae Wa 200 405 54. ee 2olg pee Laas 1 ie a 2 1 3 1 Birch BA Wie 5 ane 1 1 ae ms oor 6 eye eed ai 2 a ne 5 5 16 3 2 Boat 44 Pied Seis 4 A, ave 6 Seek 5 13 16s yaue we 34 64 243 250 912 20 .. 1637 ents 3 Qreenet aye Ae 58 ates Ered 1 ae pate 1 pet 1 ak a sy a 5 5 4 1 1 5 1 26 4 12 Cefuiemt Ny 6 3 44 LE Sas eee ENA tn : Lia) Bain 20 2 7 22 8 8 63 ee 2, 1 2 1 ll ] 2 1 tis AN 8 AN AORN ee als 7 3 8 4 2 17 Ay Uhh Be aa A Hic 89 fuer PA eon LN ee ee eae 3 325 703 53 58 30 40 1514 all parties—not counted. 2, ne PL ave ne 2 oi) ee Site 16) 25s 18 ice ay ees she 12 14 28 1 1 Beye 35 76 17 a 14 2 1 94 2 8 1 : 24 470 1159 840 2028 127 "103 5506 17 28 18 19 14 10 44 Subspecies determined geographically. February, 1935) - Toronto; ONTARIO, DrEcEMBER 30, 1934.—9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.; clear and bright; wind N.W., moderate; temp., 0.4°; 6 to 8 inches of snow on ground. Total mileage of parties, 56 miles by automobile, 14 by street-car, 19 on foot. Thirty-three members of the Toronto Field- Naturalists’ Club participated in the taking of this Christmas Bird Census. They were divided into five groups, each working in a _ separate district, as follows: Districts Sunnybrook Raikes Nshbrdses “Bays./ 12. 2.0): Group Leaders . Stuart L. Thompson ..T. F. MclIlwraith and F. H. Emery. High Park... WR V- Eindsay ‘. Lake Shore: .. ..Murray ‘Speirs Cedar Vale’-722 ; ..stuart Downing. Holboell’s Grebe, 1; Great Blue Heron, 1 (R.V.L.); Common Mallard, 1; Black Duck (subsp.?), (believed to be feral), 60; Baldpate, 1; Scaup Duck (sp.?), 100; American Golden-eye, 92; Buffle-head, 2; Old-squaw, 99; White-winged Scoter, 1; Hooded Merganser, 2(M.S.) ; American Merganser, 16; Red-breasted Merganser, 2; Cooper’s Hawk, 1; Eastern Red-tailed Hawk, 1; American Rough-legged Hawk, 4; Eastern Sparrow Hawk, 1; Ring-necked Pheasant, 15; Red-backed “Sandpiper, 1 (R.V.L.); Glaucous Gull, 2,;° Great Black-backed Gull, 24; Herring Gull, 959+; Ring-billed Gull, 11; Horned Owl (subsp. ?) (doubtful), 1; Eastern Hairy Wood- pecker, 4; Northern Downy Woodpecker, 7; Northern Blue Jay, 5; Eastern Crow, 34; Black- capped Chickadee, 34; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Brown Creeper, 5; Eastern Golden-crowned Kinglet, 2; Starling, 100; English Sparrow, 100+ ; Eastern Purple Finch, 12; Redpoll (sp.?), 50; -Eastern Goldfinch, 20; Slate-colored Junco, 50; Eastern Tree Sparrow, 56; Song Sparrow (subsp.?), 14; Eastern Snow Bunting, 1. Total, 41 species, 1894 individuals. Subspecies deter- mined geographically. — Arnorr M. Parrerson, President, Toronto Field-Naturalists’ Club. VINELAND, ONTARIO, DECEMBER 24, 1934.—9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. Weather fairly cold, temp., 22° at beginning of census, 26° at end. Sky over- cast, wind west, moderate. Two inches of snow on the ground. Route followed: Shore of Lake Ontario, Ex- perimental Farm, farm land and woods on top of the escarpment, edge of Jordan Marsh, and small area of -heavily timbered land’ Five miles on foot, remainder by automobile. Observers together most of time. ea -colored Junco, 12; Eastern Tree Sparrow, 6; THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 4] Very noticeable this year was the “absence of some species usually found in the taking of our Christmas Bird Census, such as Herring Gull, Eastern Crow, and Song Sparrow (subsp.?). Species that were ‘seen on more than one occasion very close to our census date were Eastern Sparrow Hawk and Northern Flicker. Starlings are much more numerous than our returns indicate and one observer’ saw a flock of many hundreds of them an hour or so after the census had ended. Duck (2 species, probably Scaup Duck (sp.?) and female Common Mallard), 5; Ring-necked Pheasant, 2; Red-headed Woodpecker, 1: East- ern Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Northern Downy Woodpecker, 6; Black-capped Chickadee, 4: _White-breasted Nuthatch, 4; Brown Creeper, 3; Starling, 2; English Sparrow, a few; Slate- Eastern Snow Bunting, 75 (about). Total, 14 species, 121 individuals (plus English Sparrows). —W. E. Huripurt, D. Ross, F. Strone. HAMILTON, ONTARIO, DECEMBER 27, 1934.—The day was clear but cold. The ground was covered with three inches of snow. The temperature varied from 8° to24°. The wind was moderate and from the N. W. Observers, organized in 7 parties, were out from dawn till dark. All observers were on foot except one, who used a bicycle. Distance travelled, 40 miles. The principal territory covered was Burlington Bay and the Dundas Marsh. Horned Grebe, 3; Double-crested Cormorant, 2. American Bittern, 1 (E.O.S.): Common Mal- lard, 4; Red-legged Black Duck, 450; Green- winged Teal, 1 (G.W.N.); Greater Scaup Duck, 200: American Golden-eye, 235; Buffle-head, 1; Old-squaw, 12; American Merganser, 130; Cooper’s Hawk, 1; Eastern Red-tailed Hawk, 1; American Rough-legged Hawk, 3; Northern Bald Eagle, 1; Eastern Sparrow Hawk,1; Cana- da Ruffed Grouse, 7; Ring-necked Pheasant, 8; American Coot, 1 (G.W.N.); Glaucous Gull, 3; Great Black-backed Gull, 102; Herring Gull, 3450: Ring-billed Gull, 50; Northern Flicker, 1; Eastern Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Northern Downy Woodpecker, 19; Northern Blue Jay, 20; East- ern Crow, 5; Black-capped Chickadee, 53; White- breasted Nuthatch, 5; Brown Creeper, 3; Ca- rolina Wren, 1 (J.H.W.); Eastern Golden- crowned Kinglet, 1; Cedar Waxwing, 72; Star- ling, 550; English Sparrow, 355; Eastern Car- dinal, 2; Eastern Goldfinch, 2; Slate-colored Junco, 58; Eastern Tree Sparrow, 187; Eastern Song Sparrow, 13. Total, 41 species, 6015 in- dividuals. 42 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST The Green-winged Teal was observed on Bur- lington Bay. A bird of this species had been seen in Dundas Marsh on December 24 by J. H. Williams. The American Coot was observed at Burlington Canal with the aid of a telescope. The usual identification marks of the American Bittern, for which there is a January record at Hamilton in a previous year, were noted. This is the second winter in which a Carolina Wren has been seen in LaSalle Park. It was observed this winter on December 24, as well as on census day. When seen during the taking of the census, it was uttering its call, but not its song. The following additional species of birds were observed near Hamilton in the days either just before or just after the censtis day: Eastern Screech Owl, Snowy Owl, Eastern Winter Wren, Eastern Robin, Eastern Meadowlark, Eastern Purple Finch, Swamp Sparrow, Lapland Long- spur.—William Brown, Mrs. MacLoghlin, Miss E. Malcolm, Dr. and Mrs. McMillan. Rev. Cal- vin McQuesten, Miss R. Mills, George W. North. Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Nunn, Roger Nunn, Miss Emma O. Smith, Vernon Trott. J. H. Williams (Hamilton Bird Protection Society). Creprt Forks, Peer County, Ontario, DEc- EMBER 24, 1934.—11.30 a.m. to 3.45 p.m., partly cloudy, no wind, temp., 29° at start, 31° at finish. About 4 inches of snow on ground. Approx- imately 2% miles on foot through dense mixed woods. Eastern Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Northern Downy Woodpecker, 3; Northern Blue Jay, 7; Black-capped Chickadee, 6; White-breasted Nut- hatch, 1; Eastern Purple Finch, 6; Eastern Goldfinch, 6; Slate-colored Junco, 20; Eastern Tree Sparrow, 15; Eastern Snow Bunting, 1. Total, 10 species, 65 individuals—C. E. Hop. KrtcHener, ONTARIO, DECEMBER 28, 1934.— Combined list of four field parties. First party, on foot, 8.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., except writer to 5.30, to Grand River at point about a mile below Bridgeport via New Park and Bridgeport Dam, two younger members returning home via Springwood Park, writer continuing down-river to Gabel’s Swamp (what’s left of it!), whence cross-country to East-end Swamp, 6 miles plus writer’s extra jaunt, at least 12 miles, 18 species (G.W.K.); second party, 10.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., to “friend’s farm”, mostly by car, total about 25 miles (object, rabbit-hunting), 2 species; third (VoL. XLIX party, 1.30 p.m. to 4.00 p.m.,to Grand River near where first party divided and fields between there and home, 4 miles, 13 species; fourth party, 1.00 p.m. to 4.30 p.m., east Waterloo to Bridgeport Dam, 4 miles by auto, 4 on foot, 10 species. Overcast all day; miserable outing weather; light to moderate easterly winds; temp. about 20°-27°-30° ; several hours light sleet after 4.30 p.m., 10 inches of snow on ground. Sub- species are presumed on geographical grounds. A fair bird-list, considering poor visibility and virtual absence of erratic boreal finches, birds of prey, and ducks. Canada Ruffed Grouse, 8; Herring Gull, 1; Ring-billed Gull, 1 (adult, close range, detected ring on bill, noted smaller size, through 8X binoculars—G.W.K.); Eastern Hairy Wood- pecker, 3; Northern Downy Woodpecker, 3; Northern Blue Jay, 30 (est.—restless, largely in white-cedar, hard to count; certain other species even worse); Black-capped Chickadee, 50+ ; White-breasted Nuthatch, 4; Brown Creeper, 9; Eastern Golden-crowned Kinglet, 5; Cedar Wax- wing, 10 (1 flock, seen also December 22); Northern Shrike, 1 (though observed hotly pursuing an Eastern Snow Bunting almost a quarter of a mile, up-river, would-be victim was not seen to be caught!—party no. 3); Starling, 65; English Sparrow (common, but uncounted as usual); Eastern Goldfinch, 80 (est.) (unexpectedly numerous—nearly 60 atop one yellow birch, in Gabel’s Swamp; flock scanned for Siskins, Redpolls—no luck!) ; Slate-colored Junco, 20 (est.); Eastern Tree Sparrow, 25; Song Sparrow (subsp.,?), 9 (comparatively common, locally, this winter; more than for several years); Lapland Longspur, 1 (noted amidst the Eastern Snow Buntings; “bird of the day”, contrastive marks of identification repeatedly discerned through 8X glasses—G.W. K.): Eastern Snow Bunting, 300 est.) (1 compact flock, a boisterous, inspiringly dynamic continual swirl of Arctic sprites!). Total, 20 species, 625 individuals, plus English Sparrows. Noted locally since early November: Eastern Pigeon Hawk (1 immature near home), Nov- ember 11 (evidently a decidedly late date), ob- served closely through 8X _ glasses; writer’s first of species in town in nearly 8 years) ; Wilson’s Snipe (at least 2 distinctly heard at dusk on November 24, Bridgeport Dam; 2 observed December 15, 1 at each of two small marshy or creek-drained areas within city near its north edge); Eastern Mourning Dove (1, flushed by writer from weedy hill beside gravel-pit near Bridgeport Dam, on November 24; bird not seen since, not likely to February, 1935] have migrated, rather likely to have perished) ; Eastern Screech Owl (November 24, December 27; probably other instances); Snowy Owl (1 reported by farmer friend, mile south of city, about November 15); Eastern Winter Wren (1 on November 16, at least 2 since, vicinity of Bridgeport Dam); Eastern Robin (1 reported seen about a week before Christmas) ; Bohemian Waxwing (1 reported as seen about November 1, larger size and distinctive wing-markings observed in direct contrast with corresponding characters of Cedar Waxwings); Eastern Purple Finch (3, November 16; 5, December 27—at and near Bridgeport Dam). The Eastern Cardinal, here in small (and apparently varying) numbers since at least 1929, seems not to have been reported by any one for several weeks or longer, strangely enough—G. W. Knechtel. Respective field parties: Lorne Wettlaufer, Douglas Hagen, G. W. Knechtel: F. A. Shantz; Fred Cooper, Herbert Longstreet; F. W. R. Dickson. F. H. Montgomery, C. B. Price (“Kitchener-Waterloo Nature Club”). Woopstock, ONTARIO, DrcEMBER 30, 1934.— 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., clear and bright, wind N.W., very light. hard crust on deeply drifted snow, temp., 10° at 10.00 a.m. Observers in one party at first, later dividing into three parties, but all working in the same district, viz,; Sweaburg Swamp, the woods around Hodge’s Pond, and the springs which supply the city’s water. Mileage covered: 4 miles by automobile, 9 miles on foot. Eastern Ruffed Grouse, 7; Ring-necked Pheas- ant, 1; Eastern Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Northern Downy Woodpecker, 1; Northern Blue Jay, 2; Eastern Crow, 10; Black-capped Chickadee, 35+: White-breasted Nuthatch, 1; Eastern Robin, 1; Eastern Golden-crowned Kinglet, 5; Cedar Waxwing, 1; Starling 8; English Spar- row, 50+; Slate-colored Junco, 40+(1 flock); Eastern Tree Sparrow, 4; Eastern Snow Bunt- ing, 150+ (1 flock). Total, 16 species, 318+ individuals. Also seen during the past week; Common Mallard, 1; Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1; Gull, 1; Red-headed Woodpecker, 2. Mammals seen: Grey Squirrel, 2; Red Squir- rel, 1; Chipmunk, 1; Cottontail, 1; European Hare, 2—E. Dutton, G. Nutt, C. Cooke, C. Pooley, H. Schroers, H. Milnes, B. Dutton, H. Battae and V. Utting (Woodstock Naturalist Society). Herring — THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 43 London, Ontario, DrEcemBer 22, 1934.—The plan and route followed this year were practical- ly the same as on previous occasions, the valley of the River Thames between the city and Delaware proving to be the best ground, al- though not as many Ducks as usual were ob- served on account of the river being pretty well frozen up. A large number of summer birds are apparently attempting to winter over, some being species that are rarely met with in winter. The almost complete absence of boreal species is marked. The weather was just about ideal, sky slightly overcast, but visibility still quite good. Temperature just below freezing through- out the day. Ground covered with about 8 inches of snow. Wind very, very light. The list which follows is the combined one of ten parties consisting of 16 individuals some of whom went out in the morning, some in the afternoon and some both times, practically from daylight until dark. This is the best list we have ever made, topping our 1931 census by one species. As specimens were not taken, the identifications are not positive, some being quer- ied, others put in as those which are normally supposed to be present in this district. Great Blue Heron, 1; Common Mallard, 1; American Golden-eye, 19; Old-squaw, 6; Amer- ican Merganser, 37; Cooper’s Hawk, 1; Eastern Red-tailed Hawk, 2; Northern Red-shouldered Hawk, 1; American Rough-legged Hawk, 3; Northern Bald Eagle, 1; Ruffed Grouse (subsp.?), 3; Eastern Bob-white, 12; Ring-necked Pheasant, 70; Herring Gull, 61; Eastern Mourning Dove, 3; Eastern Screech Owl, 1; Great Horned Owl, 1; Eastern Belted King- fisher, 7: Northern Flicker, 1; Red-headed Woodpecker, 1; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 1; Eastern Hairy Woodpecker, 13; Northern Downy Woodpecker, 26; Horned Lark (subsp?), 1: Northern Blue Jay, 79; Eastern Crow, 100; Black-capped Chickadee, 79; White-breasted Nuthatch, 18: Brown Creeper, 6; Eastern Winter Wren, 1; Catbird, 1; Eastern Golden-crowned Kinglet, 32; Northern Shrike, 1; Starling, 941; English Sparrow, (estimated) 300; Eastern Red-wing, 1; Eastern Cardinal, 16; Eastern Purple Finch, 23; Eastern Goldfinch, 2; Red- eyed Towhee, 5; Slate-colored Junco, 23; East- ern Tree Sparrow, 44; Song Sparrow (subsp.?), 6: Eastern Snow Bunting, 360. Total, 44 species, 2311 individuals. Also seen within a week, but missed on census day: Cedar Waxwing (several flocks), ailyo Eastern Robin, 4; as well as another Red-eyed Towhee. A Snowy Owl was shot near here quite recently —E. M. S. Date, Chairman Census Committee, Mcllwraith Ornithological Club. 44 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST NorrH Bay, OnvaArto, DEcEMBER 23, 1934. 10.30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m., cloudy, snowing, temp. about 8° all day; wind north-east, strong; & inches of snow on ground. North along T. & N. O. Ry. to Trout Lake, west about 2 miles, south to North Bay; about 11 miles on foot. Subspecies determined geographically. Eastern Goshawk, 1; Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus (subsp.,?)), 2; Northern Downy Wood- pecker, 1; Black-capped Chickadee, 13; White- breasted Nuthatch, 3; Starling, 8; English Spar- row, 16. Total, 7 species, 44 individuals. — Rosert D. Lockwoop. AWEME, MANnitopa, DBCcEMBER 26, 1934.—8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Weather bright to cloudy, with light snow; temp., maximum, —11.4°, minimum, —38.5°. Six and one-half inches of snow on ground. Eastern Goshawk, 1; Golden Eagle, 2; Canada Ruffed Grouse, 17; Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse, 14: Horned Owl (subsp.?), 1; Eastern Hairy Woodpecker, 2; Northern Downy Woodpecker, 4: Northern Blue Jay, 2; American Magpie, i: Black-capped Chickadee, 7; Shrike (Lanius bo- realis (subsp.?)), 1; English Sparrow, 47; Evening Grosbeak (subsp.?), 2; Pine Grosbeak (subsp.?), 6; Eastern Snow Bunting, 125. Total, 15 species, 232 individuals. Goshhawks are quite common and are taking heavy toll of the Grouse. Owls are scarce; no small ones have been seen this winter. Redpolls are rare and Grouse are much below last year’s numbers.—STUART CRIDDLE. EASTEND, SASKANDCHEWAN, DECEMBER 30, 1934.— 9.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. Overcast, occasional bright sun, light west breeze, temp. at start,—8°, at finish, 4°. Snow mostly in drifts, about two inches on the level, high spots bare. Valley of the Frenchman River. Six miles on foot. Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse. 12; European Partridge, 7; Horned Lark (subsp.?), 3; Amer- ican Magpie, 7; Long-tailed Chickadee, 3. otal, 5 species, 32 individuals. Seen during the month of December: Downy Woodpecker (subsp.?), on the 12th; American Rough-legged Hawk, on the 13th; Sage Hen, on the 18th; Eastern Goshawk, on the 20th; Eastern Snow Bunting (2), on the 26th; Gold- en Eagle, on the 29th; Horned Owl (subsp.?), on the 3lst; Bohemian Waxwing (20), on the 31st. Subspecies determined geographically.—L. B. POTTER. [Von. XLIX SUMMERLAND, OKANAGAN LAK&,BritisH CoLuM- BIA, DECEMBER 23, 1934.—8.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. Northwesterly wind, strong in early a.m., dying to almost a calm in p.m. A fair day, partly cloudy at Summerland, but clear in morning at Penticton. Average temp., 34°. Snow on ground varied from six inches deep on the hills to none on lake-front. A short but furious snow flurry in a.m. in vicinity of West Summer- land and benches. Area included: From Pen- ticton to just north of Summerland (12 miles along lake-front), Penticton marshes and Sum- merland fruit benches, back to pine-clad hills. Observers separate. Horned Grebe, 2; Common Mallard, 53; Bar- row’s: Golden-eye, 4; Red-breasted Merganser, 2: Hawk (Butco borealis (subsp.?)), 1; Marsh Hawk, 1; Pigeon Hawk (subsp.?), 1; European Partridge, 6; California Quail, 290; Ring-necked Pheasant, 57; Virginia Rail; 1; American Coot, 557: Killdeer, 5; Wilson’s Snipe, 2; Herring Gull, 29: Short-eared Owl, 2; Belted King- fisher (subsp.?), 2; Red-shafted Flicker, 44; Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus (subsp.?)), 2; Black-headed Jay, 2; American Magpie, 120; Northern Raven, 2; Western Crow. 1; Long tailed Chickadee, 53; Mountain Chickadee, 8: Slender-billed Nuthatch, 6; Red-breasted Nut- hatch, 3; Black-eared Nuthatch, 6; Western Marsh Wren, 2; Western Golden-crowned King- let, 4: Northwestern Shrike, 2; English Spar- row, 60; Western Meadowlark, 2; Red-wing — (Agelaius phoeniceus (subs.?)), 45; Pine Gros- beak (subsp.2?). 4; Redpoll (sp?), 108; Shu- feldt’s ‘Tunco, 425; Western Tree Sparrow. 5; Rusty Song Sparrow. 51. Total, 39 species, 1970 individuals— S. A. Lippeut, S. J. Darcus, H. M. Srmpson, E. M. Tart. CuLrtrus LAKE NEAR CHILLIwACK BritisH CoL- UMBIA, DECEMBER 27, 1934.—Weather clear with a few cirrus clouds, light east wind, freezing. Lake not frozen. Eight inches of snow on the ground. Observations made along % mile of lake shore during morning, and along the Indian Reserve road to Vedder Crossing in afternoon, returning by the main road. Seven miles on foot. Horned Grebe, 1; Northwestern Coast Heron, 1;:American Golden-eve. 2; American Coot. 40; Glaucous-winged Gull, 25; (unidentified Gulls, 500): Flicker (Colaptes cafer (subsp.?)), 1; Northern Red-breasted Sapsucker, 1; Gairdner’s Woodpecker. 2; Steller’s Jay, 2: Northwestern Crow, 20; Oregon Chickadee, 1: (unidentified Chickadees, 10); Dipper, 3; Wren (Nannus February, 1935] hiemalis (subsp.?)), 3; Seattle Wren, 2; Varied Thrush (subsp.?), 1; Western Golden-crowned Kinglet, 120; Northern Pine Siskin, 1; Oregon Towhee, 1; Oregon Junco, 30; Rusty Song Spar- row, 3. Total, 20 species, 770 individuals. Sub- specific determinations made by reference to geographical position—-M. T. Carpweii, W. E. RICKER. CourTtENAY, VANCOUVER ISLAND, BritisH Cor- UMBIA, DECEMBER 23, 1934.—9.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. At start frosty and clear and no wind, gradually clouding, and in afternoon rain and snow show- ers with south-east wind. Weather has heen particularly mild all fall. Temp. around 40°. Through Courtenay around Park to Comox, from there to Goose Spit (Comox Harbour) along road and river and shore-line, back to Comox by road. Ten miles on foot. Observers together. Lesser Loon, 7; Pacific Loon, 5; Holboell’s Grebe, 10; Horned Grebe, 15; White-crested Cormorant, 5; Baird’s Cormorant. 6; North- western Coast Heron, 5; Common Mallard, 500+: American Widgeon (Baldpate), 450+: Canvas-back, 6; Scaup Duck (Greater and Lesser), 600+; American Golden-eye, 300+; THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 45 Barrow’s Golden-eye, 4; Buffle-head, 50+; White-winged Scoter, 2000+; Surf Scoter, 500 4: ; Hooded Merganser, 1; American Merganser, 2; Red-breasted Merganser, 5; Sharp-shinned ~ Hawk, 2; Northern Bald Eagle, 1; Black Pigeon Hawk, 1; California Quail, 1; Ring-necked Pheasant, 8; American Coot, 20; Wilson’s Snipe, 2; Glaucous-winged Gull, 700+; Thayer’s Gull, 1; Short-billed Gull, 300+;. Western Belted Kingfisher, 7; Flicker (sp.?, all had red shafts), 17; Western Pileated Woodpecker, 1; Gairdner’s Woodpecker, 1; American Raven, 55; Northern- western Crow. 300+; Chestnut-backed Chick- adee, 15+; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1; Wren (Nannus hiemalis (subsp.?)), 2; Seattle Wren, 4- Northwestern Robin, 3; Pacific Varied Thrush, 2; Western Golden-crowned Kinglet, ‘12+; English Sparrow,60-+; Western Meadow- lark, 25; Brewer’s Blackbird, 50+; California Purple Finch, 3; Northern Pine Siskin, 100 +; Oregon Towhee, 4; Oregon Junco, 50; Song Sparrow (subsp?), 13. Total, 50 or 51 species (3 introduced), 6232 + individuals. The subspecies are assumed. December 26, Audubon’s Warbler. — THEED PEARSE, DAvip GUTHRIE. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS CoORRECTION.—In The Canadian Field-Naturalist for November, 1932 (vol. 46, p. 181-183). under the heading “Rare birds in the Montreal district’, I gave what seemed to be a reliable sight record of the Field Sparrow (Spizella p. pusilla), a new bird for the district (p. 182). The following autumn I went cut to collect specimens to substantiate the record and found, as indeed I had by that time guessed, that the “Field Sparrows” in question were young White- crowned Sparrows. Reading over the descrip- tion of the bird as I gave it, I am surprised that someone with more experience of Canadian ° birds than myself did not detect the mistake, for the description of the bird seen is accurate. I take this opportunity of withdrawing my share of the record. The other new record given there, the Ring- billed Gull (Larus delawarensis), was soon afterwards confirmed by a specimen (juv. female. 26 Sept. 1932), now in the collection of the National Museum of Canada at Ottawa. We have seen these birds regularly since that time during fall migration, the earliest date being Aug. 20, the latest Nov 12.—V. C. WYNNE- EDWARDS. BEHAVIOUR OF THE GARTER SNAKE DURING THUN- DERSTORMS.—From observations made during 1932 and 1933 on Garter Snakes(Thamnophis sirtalis) in captivity, I have come to the conclusion that thunder storms make them restless in a marked degree. If a snake may be said to be alarmed, this would best describe their actions. A crash of thunder—or perhaps the flash of lightning— would send them to the “den”, and the next brought them out again to glide rapidly about, pushing aside stones, etc., apparently seeking to escape the storm. One case in particular comes to mind. During the late afternoon of August 17th, 1933, a severe electric storm burst and I particularly watched its effect on the snakes. In one cage a num- ber of them were very restless; in another was a large female alone, which tore round the cage twisting her head about in a strange manner. During the night this snake gave birth to eight young, of which seven were dead and one alive. Following this she seemed disinclined to move, refusing food, not even drinking, and remaining in one place all the time. This continued until the night of September 5th, when she gave 46 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST birth to 24 more young, all alive, after which the parent snake began to move about again and to eat as before. The premature birth of the eight young, im- mediately following the thunderstorm, and the subsequent lethargy leave no doubt in my mind as to the state of alarm felt by snakes at such storms. It would be most interesting to note if any- one else has made observations on the subject.— H. MILNES. Do PTARMIGAN MIGRATE BETWEEN ICELAND AND GREENLAND?*—From the inexplicable dis- appearance of Ptarmigan every few years, many have conjectured that there might be a migration. (VoL. XLIX to Greenland and there have been some obser- vations which appear to support this view. In the current issue of “Natturufredingur” (The Naturalist), John Gudlaugsson says: “About mid-December, 1919, I happened to be on Hellisheidi (Cavern Heath) west of Skalafell. It was frosty weather with snow on the ground. I heard above me the sound of wings and saw high in the air a flock of possibly a thousand or fifteen hundred Ftar- migan. I have never seen Ptarmigan fly that high before or since. They came from an easterly direction and were flying northwest. While they were in my sight they did not decrease their flying level.” * From Revkjavik daily ‘“Morgunbladid’”’ as quoted in the Winnipeg weekly “‘Légberg”’ of Feb. 15, 1934. Translated by Vilhjalmur Stefansson. : REVIEW ON THE MINERALOGY OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS. A Series of Essays and a Bibliography. By P. G. H. Boswell, O.B.E., D.Sc, F.R.S. 1933. Demy 8v0 pp. X,+393 Published by Thomas Murby and Co., London. Price 21/— net. Since 1923, Prof. Boswell has written various reviews of our knowledge of the mineral com- position of sedimentary rocks, together with useful abstracts of many important papers deal- ing with that subject. The value of these was quickly recognised, and it soon became apparent that their publication in book form would be fully justified. This has now been accomplished with such additions as bring The Mineralogy of Sedimentary Rocks thoroughly up to date. The book is a bibliography with over 100 abstracts, preceded by eleven chapters dealing. amongst other things, with a history of the study of sediments, the study of minerals which contpose them (detrital minerals), the source and origin of sediments as indicated by their constituent minerals, sands, present day deep sea sediments, and the minerals of clays. Early in the book, the author comments on the fact that practicallv all the common minerals are constituents of sedimentarv rocks rather than a relatively few minerals. In the chapter of the source: of sedi- ments is summarized work which has been car- ried out during the last ten years or so on the accessory minerals of igneous rocks, and the author shows how much investigations contribute to deciding the origin of specific sediments, and how far detrital minerals indicate whether a sediment is derived directly from a rock massif or from an older sediment. The list of authigenic minerals (exclusive of “ore minerals”) recorded in sediments is over 40—a total that may be somewhat surprising to many workers. In the chapter on clays, due recognition is given to American investigators for “the most notable advances in knowledge of clay-minerals in re- cent years”. As The Mineralogy of Sedimen-— tary Rocks deals with many problems of interest to the geologist, its appeal will in no way be restricted to those who specialise in detrital mineralogy. As always Prof. Boswell is most readable from start to finish. The bibliography takes the place of an author index, and six ad- ditional indexes give what every investigator In this subject wants, references to stratigraphical horizons, localities, minerals varieties, figured minerals in original papers, and technique; any- thing not included under any of these headings is given in a general index. In the preface, the author makes the practical (and complimentary) suggestion that as the task of compilation grows too great for one worker to undertake, it might — - well be carried on by the Journal of Sedimen- tation (Tulsa,, Okla.), now in its third year. Should such a suggestion materialise, and if the Journal can do half as well in the future as Prof. Boswell has done in the past, it will per- form a valuable service to geological science in general, and sedimentary petrologists in particular. Probably not one of the least in- teresting statements in the book is in the preface: “Some day, perhaps, these esays may be expand- ed into an interesting story....”. Such is the wish of any who have studied the author’s contributions to a subject which every year grows in academic and economic importance.— RAI) date _ NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF MANITOBA E is 1929-30 - President Emeritus: C.E. rane ROO SPEECHLY, M Sc., A. A. “oi ier aig J. B. W. W. JACKSON M.Sc., A. M. ehh \RDLE, M.Sc.; Vice-Presidents: Mrs. L. R. SIMPSON, W. H. Ranp, Dr. R. S. “kKmrk, B. W A. BuRTON GRESHAM, Treasurer: A. LAWRENCE; Auditor: R. M. Fromas; Social Convenor: — A. J. SEARLE; Fra Secretary: Norman Lowe, Simeoe St., Winnipeg; Executive Secretary: J. HADDOW. President: G. Chairman Secretary LT. S, Nonnis-Exve, B. A. A. H. SHORTT Miss M.F. PRATT d. P. KENNEDY R. A. Sse aint M.Sc. c. Ww. Lowe, M.Sc. mS “ Meetings are held each Monday evening, except on holiday rom October to April, in the physics theatre of the University ‘Winnipeg. Field excursions are held each Saturday after- _ noon during May, June and September, and on public holidays 3 ee July and August. THE HAMILTON BIRD PROTECTION SOCIETY H.Cuas. PBRARCE iacaroamted) n. President: Mr. W. E. SAUNDERS, London, Ont.; President; in. J. H. WILLsAMS; Firat Vice-President: REV. CoA HEAVEN; Second Vice-President: Dr. H. G. ARNOTT; Treasurer: Miss . M. BAvER; Corresponding-Sceretary: Miss E. McEwIn; Committees Miss -M. E. GRAHAM: a F.. MacLocaun; _ Rev. Cari McQuesTon: Mr. H. C. NuNN. cILWRAITH ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB, i LONDON, ONT. CHARLES MADDEFORD; Vice-President: Mr. E: 148 William Street, London, Ont.; Reeording . VERNON FRANKS, 195 Duchess Ave., London, Es “Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer: Miss ADA IPLEY, 639 Sect St., London, Ont.; Migration Secretary: fs DALE, "297 Hyman Street, London, Ont.; embers oialgfied to answer questions: W. E. S 0 Central Avenue, London, Ont.; C. G. Watson, 201 i dout Street South, London, Ont.; J. F. CALVERT, 461 se ‘ecumseh Avenue, London, Ont.; E. M.S. DaLy, 297 Hyman 4 Street, London, Ont. § Meetings held the second Moniy of the month, except ring the summer. sident: RA rary President. L.S. KLINK, (D.Sc.), President Univer- of B.C; President: JoHN Davipson, F.L.S., F.B.S.E., niversity of B.C.; Vice-President: Dr. M. Y. ‘WILLIAMS, logy Dept., University of B.C.; Honorary Secretary: Mrs. '. FARLEY; 6607 Laburnum St., Vancouver, B.C. First a: Secretary: Mrs. LAURA ANDERSON, 2nd Assistant Miss Nora Swirt, Honorary Treasurer: A. H. 2142 Collingwood Street, Vancouver, B.C.; Librarian: McGinn. Members oj Executive. C. F. CONNOR, M. A. F 1 Crmmine; Mr. J. D. TURNBULL, Mr. Ppapheltel es .J MoTION: Auditors: H. G. SELWoop, W. B. Woops. Sections: prod Pror. JOHN DAVIDSON, Geology: 4 MMEK, P’ olography: Mr. Puitir Trams, Entym- Ney: Mr Wootton, Microscopy: MR. J.A. JOHNSTON, Ornith- gy: Mr. J. D. TURNBULL. i! meetings at 8 ! eda Auditorium, Normal School, 10th enue and Cambie Street unless bode announced. RITISH COLUMBIA BIRD AND MAMMAL 3 SOCIETY | ident: Dr. M. Y. Wiiuiams; First Vice-President; .TON M. LAING; Second Vice-President: Dr.C. J BASTIN: r Lal rer: KENNETH RACEY, (8262 West 1st Ave. SHIRLBY _. ‘ ae du Canada; : Ce - Afiiliated Societies "PROVINCE OF QUEBEC SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS INC. OFFICERS & COMMITTEE: Past Presidente: Mr. re MclI. TERRILL, MR. NAPIER Survey Mr. W. S. Hart; President: Mas. C. L. HENDERSON, 1536 - St. Matthew St., Montreal; Vice-Presidents: Mr. H. A. C: - JACKSON, - Mr V. C. WYNNE-EDWARDS, Vice-President and Treasurer: Ma. Hmnry Mousiny; Seeretary: Miss M. SEATH; Committee: Mrs. C. F. DALE, Mr. J. A. DECARIB, ‘a W. S. Hart, Mrs. H. Hieser?, Dr. A. N. JENKs, Mr. BE. L- _ JupaH, Mr. FRASER KEITH, Miss P. B. MATTINSON, Taste L. Murpry, Miss M. S. NicoLson, MR. McI.SPACKMAN, Mr. L. McI. TERRILL. . Meetings held the second Monday of the month except dur- C. Sart, Mr. L., a ing summer, Societe PROVANCHER D’HISTOIRE _. NATURELLE DU CANADA _ Pairon Honoraire: Son Exciioiee: a TRES HONORABLE ComTp DE BesssoroucH, P.C., G.C.M.G., Gouverneur- Vice-Pairon Honoraire: HONORABLE G. H. CARROLL, Lieutenant-Gouverneur de la Province de Québec; Bureau de Direction pour 1934: Président: EDGAR. Rocuetre, C.R., M.P.P.; Jer vice-président: G.. STUART AHERN; 2iéme vice-président: Dr. J.-E. BERNIER; Secrétaire- trésorier: Louis-B. LAVOIE; Chef de la acetion ‘scientifique: Dr. D.-A.Drry; Chef de la section de Eopoaanie éducation-, nelle: ALPHONSE DESILETS, B.S.A.: Chef de la section dé protection: ADRIEN FALARDEAU, C.R.; Chef de la section. @information scientifique et pratique: JAMES F. Ross: Directeure: A. W. AHERN. R. MBREDITH, N.P., U. G_ Seerétaire-trésorier: Lours-B. LAVoIw $8, rue Sherbrooke, Québec. THE TORONTO F IELD-NATURALISTS? CLUB OFFICERS FOR 1934-35. Honorary President: Dr. A. P. COLEMAN; President: ARNOTT M.PATTERSON; Hon. Vire-Presidents: Hon. G. H. CHALLIEs, Mr. J. H. FLEMING, Dr. N. A. toes Vice-President: Mk. F. P. Ippr, Secretary-Treasurer: H. M. Hauuway: ( ouncil— Dr. E. M. WALKER, S. t THOMPSON, Prop. J. R. _ eERONE: C. S$. FARMER, Prov. T. F. MCILWRAITH, Norma ForD, MAGISTRATE J. E. Jones, L. T. re RUPERT Davips, F. C. Hurst, Dr. T. M. C. TAYLon, C. G. BRENNAND, R. - SAUNDERS; Chairman of Conservation Commiitee: Mnas. L. THOMPSON: President of Junior Club: MURRAY SPEIRS; Vice-President of Junior Club: HUBERT RICHARDSON. Leaders: Birde—MeEszrs. S. L. THompson. L. L. Sie, JL. BaILuig, JR., PROF. T. F. MCILWRAITH, R. M. SPEtRs, F. H. Emery. Mammals—Pror. A. F. CoveNTRyY, MESsRs. E.. D. A. McLULICH. Reptiles and Amphibians— .S. Logier, WM-~LERAy. Fish—Pror. J. R. DyMonp, Prov. W J. K Bae Insects— Dr. E. WALKER, Dr. N. Forp. Mr. F. P. IDE. Botany—Pror. R. B. THomson. Dr. H. B. SIFTon, Dr. T.M. C. TAYLOR: Mr. W. R. Watson. Mr. L. T. OWENS. Geology—Dnr. A. P COLEMAN: Pror. A- MCLEAN. ts We would ask the Officers, and more particularly the Secretaries, of all the Affiliated Societies to assist us in our task of building up the circulation of By securing every member as a subscriber we can truly this magazine. make this magazine into one of the leading Natural History publications ~ of America. AUTOBIOGRAPHY of JOHN MACOUN, M.A. These are attractively bound, and contain @ wealth of information concerning Canadian Natural History and Exploration. The author was a former President of the Club and this is a g Memorial Volume PRICE $3.00. = 305 pp. WILMOT LLOYD 582 ‘Mariposa Avenue | FOR SALE:— COMPLETE SET OF THE CLUB'S | - PUBLICATIONS 1879-1935 ‘This is a rare opportunity. For particulars address the Treasurer— WILMOT LLOYD : 582 Mariposa Avenue Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa I do hereby give FORM 7 y Naturalists’ Club OF BEQUEST Kindly mention The Canadian Fteld-Naturatist to advertisers Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa: By E. M, KINDLE Special profusely illustrated number of. ‘Naturalist’, 86 pages, 31 illustrations. Canadian should know thie prize essay. PRICE FIFTY ‘CENTS | WILMOT LLOYD” ' 582 Mexionee Avenue | Rockcliffe Park = WILMOT LLOYD, Treasurer, Ottawa Ficld-Naturalists’ Club, ge 582 Mariposa Avenue, — Sete Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa. — Enclosed please find $2.00 as iniitealoocakbes ie The O.F.-N.C. and Subscription to ae ‘Canadian Field Natural for the year 1935. * ¥ ai Name Se SMididrese ) oie ane City, Prov. or State... and bequeath to The Ottawa Field- of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada the poke t 33, SHS VOL. XLIX, No. 3 MARCH, 1935 vo By pie 4 a rn . ! D ¥ 4 nh ; ‘ | y eo, iY ers i , s ) “al f ‘7N Ne | ALISTS’ CLUB Entered at the Ottawa Post Office as second-class matter he THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATUE . é Patrons: eo nal THEIR EXCELLENCIES THE GOVERNOR GENERAL AND COUNTESS OF BESSBOROUG ALISTS’ Cl. President: M. E. WILSON. Deen eae 1st Vice-President; HERBERT GROH ; - 2nd Vice-President: P. A. TAVERNE! Secretary: PEGGY WHITEHURST, - Treasurer; WiLMoT LLOYD, 582 Mariposa Ave., — 110 Prospect Avenue, Westboro. eK _ Rockcliffe Park. Additional Members of Council: F. J. Aucock, R. M. ANDERSON, ‘Henry Bowers, M. EB. of Affiliated Societies: C. SHIRLEY BROOKS, CALVIN McQuEsTon, EDISON MATTHEWS, JOHN DAVIDSON, M. Y. WILLIAMS, C. L. HENDERSON, W. STUART ATKINSON, ARNOTT M. PATTERSON a Auditors: W.H. LANCELEY and Harrison F. Lewis. Editor: DoucLAsS LEECHMAN National Museum, Ottawa, Canada. Associate Editors: POCCIEINNESS 34 cfs lok ay, ep yee Anthropology CLYDE L. PATCH........... Re diye Eee OO AMS NS a oe Sie yale Se aeni a ak Botany R. M. ANDERSON........... ee BR. LATCHFORD, 0). 6 o.oo Conchology A. G@. HUNTSMAN..... Bi jatere ate Tari ARTHUR: GIBSON. 62,022) Soe oe oe Entomology POA. TAVBRNER() (00. ieee sean He MAL COCK aS ud oak at ak a Geology Be VEEN DEB ys 62 ie ee CONTENTS Notes Relative to Passerella iliaca fuliginosa Ridgway. By Kenneth Racey...... a The Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) Wintering in Alberta. By Frank L. Harley,Camrose,; Alberta 200.02 25) 3 ee Extension of Range of Cotton-tail Rabbits. By Oliver Trafford...............--.. Correction Mditor jf 8 ieee ce SS eae le PO ORES as ho. Reviews :— y ae Exploring The Animal World. By Charles Elton. By J.R.D........ ........... we chtael A. Field: Guide to the Birds... By P.AGT. o3).5 3h OS ie ee me Ha The official publications of THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB have been issued | # since 1879. The first were The Transactions of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club, 1879-1886, # two volumes; the next, The Ottawa Naturalist, 1886-1919, thirty-two volumes; and these have i; been continued by The Canadian Field-Naturalist to date. The Canadian Field-Naturalist is ze issued monthly, except for the months of June, July and August. Its scope is the publication # of the results of original research in all departments of Natural History. . Price of this volume (9 numbers) $2.00; Single copies 25¢ each The Membership Committee of The Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club is making a special effort to increase the subscription list of The Canadian Field-Naturalist. We are, therefore, asking every reade who is truly interested in the wild life of our country to help this magazine to its rightfu! place amon: the leading Natural History publications in America. i Subscriptions ($2.00 a year) should be forwarded to WILMOT LLOYD, — ; Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club, 582 Mariposa Ave., Rockceliffe Park, OTTAWA, CANADA, — The Canadian Field-Naturalist VOL. XLIX OTTAWA, CANADA, MARCH, 1935 No. 3 THREE SPECIES OF EUBRANCHIPUS NEW TO CANADA By M. S. FERGUSON Department of Zoology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada URING the past ten years very little has been done in Canada on the occurrence of the fairy shrimps of the genus Eubranchipus. Early in 1921 Johansen (1921 a) published a comprehen- sive account of the larger freshwater crustacea from Canada and Alaska, one section of which was devoted to the Euphyllopoda. At that time, as Johansen states, only one species of the genus Eubranchipus was known to occur in Canada. This was E. gelidus Hay (1889) and it had been reported from the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and the Yukon Territory. After -a recent critical study, Creaser (1930) decided that E. gelidus was a direct synonym of E£. bundyi Forbes (1876), a view which was later confirmed by Van Cleave (1931). The fact that Forbes had failed to mention the peculiar lateral processes on the ninth and tenth trunk segments of the female led the Hays to erect a new species. This characteristic, it might be mentioned, has been considered by some to be of sufficient taxonomic importance to warrant the placing of this species E. bundyi in a separate genus, that ‘of Pristicephalus. in the fall of 1921 reported the in southern British Columbia of Eubranchipus vernalis Verrill (1869), a form previously reported from Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. In this paper it will be shown that Johansen’s identification of the British Columbia specimens no doubt was in error. Johansen occurrence An investigation carried on by the writer during the past five years, and begun as part of an undergraduate problem at the University of Western Ontario in London, makes it possible for him to report four of the six known species of Eubranchipus as occurring in Canada. Col- lections made around London resulted in the identification of two species, namely E. bundy and &. vernalis. Specimens of fairy shrimps received from the University of Manitoba have been identified as E. ornatus Holmes (1910). Others received from British Columbia have Proved to be E. oregonus Creaser (1930). Eubranchipus bundyi has been collected by naturalists in the London district for several years, but no attempt at classification was made. These collectors report this species as being very common in shallow pools during March, April and May. In April of 1930 the writer made a search for this phyllopod near the city of St. Thomas, a distance of fifteen miles south of London. It was found in four ponds and one large flooded woodland area, all of which localities were close together. Since that time four additional ponds in this region have been found to contain &. bundyi. As reported by previous writers the popula- tions of this fairy shrimp vary greatly from year to year in the same ponds and also in ponds in close proximity to one another. In the writer’s observations it is usual for a pond to be populated by only a single species. Only twice has he found &. bundyi in the same body of water with E. vernalis, the only other svecies known to occur in this district, and in each case the former was the more numerous. On April 2, 1932, several vernalis were collected in a small but deep pool, one mile south of London. This was the first time to the writer’s knowledge that this fairy shrimp had ever been collected in this locality and as will be shown later was doubtless a record for Canada. Johansen (1921 a), how- ever, believed that this species should occur in Canada since it was fairly common from New England to Wisconsin, south of the international boundary line. This same year five additional and widely separated locations for E. wvernalis were recorded for the London and St. Thomas specimens of E 48 districts. It has been noted by the writer that E. vernalis seems to live only in temporary but fairly deep ponds. Such an environment seems necessary since the eggs of this species hatch in the fall after the first rains fill the ponds. Maturity is gradually attained under the ice during the winter. If the water were not sulfi- ciently deep the ice might extend to the bottom and no doubt this species would perish as has been noticed in the case of &. bundyi on several occasions. From local observations E. vernalts would appear to be fairly common in south- western Ontario and to inhabit only deeper ponds, a characteristic which makes its occur- rence more scattered. In a letter received from Dr. E. P. Creaser of the University of Michigan in May, 1932, he stated that he had reasons to doubt the record of E. vernalis from British Columbia as reported by Johansen in the fall of 1921. He suspected that this species might be that of E. oregonus Creaser (1930) which he had described from specimens collected in northern Oregon. In October, 1933, a series of specimens was received by the writer from Mr. T. L. Thacker of Little Mountain, Hope, B.C. (who had also supplied Johansen with the British Columbia fairy shrimps in 1921). All collections were made from November, 1932, to May, 1933, near Little Mountain on the east side of the Fraser River with the exception of one, which was made on the west side. The fairy shrimps were reported by Thacker as being much more common on the east side of the river. The eggs of E. oregonus, like those of E. vernalis, hatch in the fall after the rains have filled the temporary ponds. The adult males of E. oregonus average about 15 mm. in length while those of E. vernalis average about 23 mm. These two species cannot be easily confused on account of marked differences in the following characteristics of the males: the frontal append- ages, the second antenne and the length of the body. Since ,the fairy shrimps identified by Johansen as E. vernalis were collected by Thacker and since no subsequent report of this species has been made from western Canada or the western United States, the writer assumes that Johansen’s identification was in error, possibly due to the fact that he failed to notice the characteristics which have since been considered of sufficient importance to warrant the erection of a new species. Recently (November, 1933) two lots of fairy shrimps were received from Professor Ferri. Neave of the University of Manitoba. These THE CANADIAN FIBLD-NATURALIST . were [VoL. XLIX identified: as E. ornatus Holmes (1910), a species known to occur in Wisconsin and Min- nesota. This is a species measuring on the average about 12 mm. in length and in life is of a beautiful bluish green coloration. Accord- ing to Holmes (1910) these fairy shrimps live for only a few weeks in the spring. This characteristic is similar to that of E. bundyi, a form with which they are sometimes associated in the same pond. Professor Neaye states, “Eubranchipus is abundant in spring in many ditches, temporary ponds, etc., near Winnipeg.” Since E. bundyi is found in Wisconsin and has also been reported from Alberta it is reasonable to expect that it, as well as E. ornatus, may occur in Manitoba. Probably it is to one or both of these species that Professor O’Donoghue of the University of Manitoba referred when he wrote to Johansen in June, 1920: “.... a species of Branchipus or more probably an Eubranchipus is fairly common all around Winnipeg on both sides of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, as a rule in the pools formed where the snow Meltssersees It is rather doubtful if the two remaining species of this genus, &. serratus and E. neglec- tus will ever be found in Canada. BE. Garman (1926) has been reported by Garman as occurring only in the Bluegrass regions of Kentucky and to be approaching extinction due to changed conditions. &. serratus Forbes (1876) has been collected in the states of Illinois, Nebraska and Missouri; possibly it may occur farther north of this area. A survey of the above notes would indicate that Eubranchipus bundyi is the only species found more or less commonly in Canada and in the northern half of the United States. The remaining species appear to be distributed over this territory in certain regions, according to latitude. In this connection the writer to state that he has considerable data on_ the ecology of the two local species and that he hopes to present these in the near future. The writer wishes to acknowledge the valuable assistance given him by Dr. J. D. Detwiler, Department of Applied Biology of the University of Western Ontario, in the direction of this investigation. Credit is due to Dr. E. P. Creaser of the University of Michigan for the checking of specific identifications and other information. The writer further wishes to thank the following for supplying specimens: Mr. T. L. Thacker and family, for nineteen lots of the British Columbia species, E. oregonus; Professor Ferris Neave { neglectus wishes — ’ > 7 ee ne March, 1935] for two lots of the Manitoba species, E. ornatus and Mr. Vernon Franks of the University of Western Ontario for collections of the local species, E. vernalis and E. bundyi. References* CrEASER, E. P. 1929. The Phyllopoda of Mich- igan. Pap. Mich. Acad. Sci. Arts, Letters, 11. 1930. Revision of the Phylopod Genus Eubranchipus with the Description of a New Species. Occas. Pap. Mus. Zool. Univ. Mich., No. 208. HuntsMan, A. G. 1913. Invertebrates: Natural History of Toronto Region, Toronto, 1913. THE CANADIAN FIELD-NA1URALIST 49 JOHANSEN, Frits. 1921 a. The Larger Fresh- water Crustacea from Canada and Alaska. Can. Field-Nat., 35 :21-30. k 1921b. A Fairy Shrimp New to Canada and America. -Can. Field-Nat., 35: 132-133. Van Creve, H. J. 1928. The Fairy Shrimps of rie Trans. Ill. State Acad. Sci., 20:130-132, g. Van CreEave, H. J. and Hogan, Sister Stella Maria. 1931. A Comparative Study of Certain Species of Fairy Shrimps Belonging to the Genus Eubranchipus. Trans. Ill. State, Acad. Sci., 23. No. 3. Ge reat A: to the older literature may be found in Creaser, LIST OF THE VASCULAR PLANTS OF THE HORSETHIEF CREEK-- PURCELL RANGE, B.C. By TITUS ULKE, Ph.D. HIS CHECK-List is based on plant- collections made by the writer in 1928, and now in the herbaria of the Catholic University, Brookland, D.C., and of Toronto University, Toronto, Canada. Observations as to prevalence and habitat of each species collected are included. Altogether the names of 405 species are enume- rated. OPHIOGLOSSACEAE Botrychium lunaria (1,.) Swartz Occasional; in wet grassy meadows border- ings the Creek at middle to high altitudes. PoLYPODIACEAE Woodsia glabella R. Br. Rare; in crevices of shale rock above Lake _ of the Hanging Glaciers at 2700 m. alt. Cryptogramma acrostichoides R. Br Rare; on calcareous slopes of the Purcell Range at middle to high elevations. Filix fragilis (L.) Underw. Not uncommon; in crevices of calcareous shale at middle elevations. Dryopteris dryopteris (1..) Christ. Locally abundant; under spruces in rich soil at low to middle elevations. Dryopteris dilatata (Hoffm.) Gray. Occasional; under spruces in rich soil at 2000 m. alt. Polystichum lonchitis (1,.) Roth. Occasional; in moist woods at middle to high elevations. Asplenium viride Huds. Common; in crevices of quartzitic rock above Lake of the Hanging Glaciers at 3000 m. alt. E,QUISETACEAE Equisetum variegatum Schl. Occasional; in clumps in moraine sands below Starbird Glacier at 2000 m. alt. Equisetum palustre \.. Occasional; in gravel flats along the Creek at 1300 m. elev. r Equisetum scirpoides Mich. Occasional; in mossy soil under shrubs at 1300 m. altitude. LYCOPODIACEAE Lycopodium alpinum L. Uncommon; in shaded rich soil along the Creek at 1900 m. alt. Lycopodium complanatum LL. Locally abundant; along grassy edge of forest at 1300 m. alt. Lycopodium annotinum LL. Common; along wood trails in the Creek valley at 1800 m. alt. SELAGINELLACEAE Selaginella Standleyi Maxon. Rare; on dry shale slopes at high eleva- tions, Selaginella selaginoides (L.) Link. Occasional; under shrubs on mossy bank of Creek at 1900 m. elev. 50 THE CANADIAN FierD-NATURALIST TAXACRAE Taxus brevifolia Nutt. Rare; on rocky slopes at middle altitudes. PINACEAE, Pinus albicaulis Engelm. Common about timberline. Pinus contorta latifolia (Engelm.) S. Wats. Locally abundant at mouth of Horsethief Creek at 1000 m. alt. Pinus flexilis James. Rare; on exposed slopes and near moun- tain tops. Larix occidentalis Nutt. Occasional; near the Starbird Ranch, at 1350 m. alt. Larix Lyall Parl. Rare; about timberline. Picea canadensis (Mill.) B. S. P. Frequent: at middle altitudes and in the low valleys. Picea Engelmanm (Parry) Engelm. Abundant; forming forest stands at 1300 to 2500 m. elev. Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt. Abundant; at 1700 to 2600 m. alt. Pseudotsuga mucronata (Raf.) Sudw. Occasional; near Starbird Ranch at 1350 m. alt. Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sargent. Occasional; near Starbird Ranch at 1350. m. elev. Tsuga mertensiana (Bong) Carr. Occasional; on exposed slopes in the Purcell’s. Thuja plicata Don. : Not uncommon; near Starbird Ranch at 1350 m. elev. Juniperus communis L. var. montana. Occasional; on dry slope near junction of Horsethief and Gopher Creeks. Juniperus occidentalis Hook. var. horizontalis. Occasional; on dry stony slopes at 1500 m. alt. POTAMOGETONACEAR Potamogeton amplifolius Tuckerm. Rare; in ponds at low elevation. Potamogeton Richardsoni A. Benn. Rare; probably in slow streams and ponds. SCHEUCHZERIACEAE Scheuchzeria palustris L. Rare; in bogs at low altitude. Triglochin palustris L. Rare; in boggy places at low altitude. [VoL, XLIX ALISMATACEAE Alisma brevipes Greene. Rare; in low places. GRAMINEAE Phalaris canartensis \,. Occasional; about dwellings at Wilmer. Phalaris arundinacea L. Occasional; in wet soil at low alt. Torresia odorata (1,) Hitche. Rare; in sphagnum at 2000 m. Orysophis asperifolia Michx. Occasional; on dry gravelly slopes at 1700 m. elev. Phleum alpinuin LL. Common; in meadows above timberline. Agrostis humilis Vasey. Not uncommon; in wet meadows at 1300- 1700 m. elev. Calamagiostis canadensis (Michx.) Beauv. Occasional; in boggy ground at 2600 m. alt. Calamagrostis inexpansa A. Gray. Occasional; in swampy meadow at 1950 m. elev. Deschampsia (Aira) atropurpurca (Wahl) Scheele. Not uncommon; on open slope at 2000 m. alt. Trisetum spicatum (L,) Richter. Locally abundant; on shale slope of Mt. Thompson at 2350 m. elev. Keeleria cristata (1,.) Pers. Occasional; on open slope at about 1650 m, alt. Avena sativa 1, Common; along road to Starbird Ranch. Danthonia intermedia Vasey. Rare; near mouth of Horsethief Creek. | Poa alpina \. Common; above timberline and along brooklets lower down in the valleys. Poa interior Rydb. Rare; in meadow near the Starbird Ranch. Poa reflexa Vasey & Scribn. Not uncommon; in wet sandy soil at about 2160 m. alt. Poa Wheeleri Vasey. Rare; on higher slopes. Poa eptlis Scribn. Rare; in meadows above timberline. Poa gracillima Vasey. Rare; at or near timberline. March, 1935] THE CANADIAN Festuca ovina L,. Rare; at 2300 m. elev. Festuca brachyphylla Schult. Rare; on calcareous shale above timberline. Bromus pumpellianus Scribn. Rare; near the Starbird Ranch. Bromus Richardsoni Link. Occasional; at border of woods near the Starbird Ranch. Agropyron violaceum (Hornem.) Lange. Rare: in alpine meadow at 2300 m. elev. Triticum @stivum LL. Common; along trail near the Starbird Ranch. Hordeum jubatum L,. Very common; in meadowland about Wil- mer Elymus innovatus Beal. Occasional; along road near the Starbird Ranch. CYPERACEAE Eriophorum chamissonis Mey. Common; in bogs at low altitudes. Dulichium arundinaceum (L.) Britton. Rare; in sphagnum bogs. Carex Halleri (alpina) Gunn. Locally abundant; on rocky slope of Mt. Thompson at 2600 m. elev. Carex arcta Boott. Occasional; in wet thicket at 1500 m. alt. Carex aurea Nutt. Frequent; in wet meadows at 1300-1700 m. elev. ; Carex Bebbii Olney. Rare; on sandbar at middle elevation. Carex atrata L.. Common; in grass-covered shaly soil at 2600 m. alt. Carex capillaris \.. Occasional; on rocky bench at 2600 m. elev. Carex limosa L.. Rare; in sphagnum at low altitude. Carex migricans C.A. Meyer. Not common; along bank of Creek at 2000 m. elev. Carex viridula Michx. Rare; on sandy flat near mouth of Creek. Carex petasata Dewey. Occasional; in alpine meadow at 2600 m. alt. Carex spectabilis Dewey. Abundant; along swampy border of Creek at 1900 m. elev. FIELD-NATURALIST 51 Carex rostrata Stokes. Abundant; in wet meadows at 2000 m. alt Carex scirpoidea Michx. Occasional; on shale soil at about 2650 m. elev. Carex scopulorum Holm. Rare; on slopes at high elevation. Carex concinna R. Br. .. Occasional; in rich soil near the Starbird Ranch. Carex pratensis Dreher. Occasional; on sandy bar at 2300 m. elev. Carex vaginata Tausch. Rare; in rich soil near the Starbird Ranch. JUNCACEAE Juncus balticus Willd. Occasional; in wet meadows at 2000 m. elev. Juncus subtriflorus(Drummondii) (Mey) Coville. Not uncommon; in dense clumps on dry slope below Hanging Glaciers Lake. Juncus mertensianus Bong. Occasional; in mountain meadow at 3000 ms alt Juncus Richardsonianus Schult. Common; in wet meadow at 1000 m. eley. Juncus saximontanus A. Nels. Occasional; in wet meadows at low eleva- tions. Lugula parviflora Ehr. Common; along border of woods at 1000 m. elev. Luzula Piperi Coville. Rare; along border of open woods at 1000 m. alt. Luzula spicata DC. Occasional; growing below the Lake of the Hanging Glaciers. Luzula intermedia (Thuill.) A. Nels. Common; at 2000-2500 m. elev. LILIACEAE Stenanthium occidentale A. Gray. Frequent; in meadows at 1000-2000 m. alt. Tofieldia intermedia Rydb. Abundant; in wet meadows and along brooks at high elevations. Tofteldia palustris Huds. Frequent; along rocky banks of brooks at middle to high elevations. Zygadenus elegans Pursh. Common; in woods and meadows at middle and high altitudes. 52 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST Zygadenus paniculatus S. Wats. Rare; near Wilmer. Veratrum viride Ait. Occasional; in moist thickets or meadows at 2000-3000 m. elev. Allium cernum Roth. Common; in moist alpine about 2000 m. alt. Erythronium grandiflorum Pursh. Frequent; on wet slopes at 2000-2500 m. elev. Clintonia uniflora (Schult.) Kunth. Common; in deep moist woods 2000 m. elev. Vagnera stellata (L.) Morong. Occasional; in moist woods at middle elevations. Vagnera racemosa (1,.) Morong. Occasional; at low and middle Sireptopus amplexifolius (L.) DC. Frequent; in moist thickets and woods at 1000-2500 m. elev. Disporum trachycarpum S. Wats. Frequent; in thickets and moist woods at 1000-2000 m. alt. Calochortus elegans Lindl. Infrequent; about Wilmer. Lilium montanum A. Nels. Occasional; in sandy soil near 1500 m. elev. meadows at at 1000- low and altitudes. Creek at TRIDACEAK Sisyrinchium mucronatum Michaux. Occasional; on moist unshaded bank at low elevation. ORCHIDACEAE Corallorhiza multiflora Nutt. Occasional; in deep moist woods at low elevations. Corallorhiza corallorhiza Karst. Occasional; along border low elevations. Ophrys convallarioides (Sw.) F. W. Wright Occasional; on shaded banks of bogs at 2000-2500 m. elev. Ophrys cordata Occasional; in moist woods under shrubs at 2000-3000 m. alt. Cytherea bulbosa (1,) House. Infrequent; in deep shaded moss under Engelmann spruces at 2000-3000 elev. Epipactis decipiens Ames. Occasional; on shaded banks pine needles at 1500 m. elev. of woods at in rotting (VoL. XLIX Epipactis ophioides A. A. Eaton. Rare; on shaded banks among at 1500 m. alt. Spiranthes romansoffiana Cham. Infrequent; in sphagnum moss or thickets at low altitudes. Habenaria obtusata (Pursh) Richards. Occasional; on mossy banks in wet woods at low elevations. Flabenaria bracteata (Willd.) R. Br. Very rare; along the Creek in wet woods at about 1000 m. alt. ; Habenaria dilatata (Pursh) Hook. Common; in bogs or wet woods at 1000- 3000 m. elev. Habenaria stricta (Lindl.) S. Wats. Common; in bogs or wet woods at 1000- 3000 m. alt. Habenaria unalaschensis (Spreng.) S. Wats. Very rare; at middle to high altitudes. Orchis rotundifolia Pursh. Abundant locally; on mossy banks at 1500- 2000 m. alt. Cypripedium parviflorum Salish. Occasional; on calcareous slopes and in rich woods at about 1500 m. elev. pine needles wet Cypripedium passerinum Richards. Infrequent; at edges of moist meadows, under willows, at 1500 m. elev. s SALICACEAE Populus aurea Tidestrom. Occasional; at middle elevations. Populus trichocarpa T. & G. Common ; along stream at low altitude. Salix anglorum Cham. Frequent; in alpine meadows at high elevations. Salix barrattiana Hook. Abundant; in extensive dense clumps at about 2500 m. alt. Salix bebbiana—perrostrata (Rydb.) C. Schneid. Occasional; at low altitudes. Salix brachycarpa Nutt. var. Sansoni Ball. Rare; in alpine meadow at 2500 m. elev. Salix commutata Bebb. Occasional; in alpine meadows at 1500- 2500 m. alt. Salix nivalis Hook. Abundant; forming extensive carpets above timberline. Salix drummondiana Barr. var. (or a new sp.). Occasional; on alpine slopes at 1500-2000 m, alt. March, 1935] Salix vestita Pursh. Abundant; on moist slopes at high eleva- tions. Salix vestita erecta Anderss. Abundant; on moist slopes at high alti- tudes. BETULACEAE Betula glandulosa Michx. Frequent; in bogs and along streams at 1000-3000 m. alt. Betula papyrifera Marsh. : Common; along streams at low and middle altitudes. Betula occidentalis Hook. Occasional: along the Creek at 1000 m. elv. Alnus sinuata (Regel) Rydb. Frequent; along streams and moist woods at 1000-2000 m. alt. Alnus tenutfolia Nutt. Occasional: at lower elevations. URTICACEAE Urtica Lyallu. S. Wats. Infrequent; in moist woods or thickets at 1000-2000 m. elev. LORANTHACEAE Razoumofskya americana (Nutt.) Kuntze. Rare; parasitic on lodge pole pine at low altitudes. SANTALACEAE Comandra livi7a Richards. Common; in rich woods at low altitudes. POLYGON ACEAE Eriogonum subalpinum Greene. Common; on open hillsides. Polygonum bistortoides Pursh. Common; in moist meadows above timber- line. Polygonum Douglasii Greene. Occasional: on open brushy slopes at 1000 m. alt. Polygonum convolvulus 1. Occasional; in waste ground at 900 m. Polygonum viviparum \,. Frequent; in wet meadows and on rock- slides above timberline. Rumex crispus 1. Occasional; in waste ground at low al- — titude. Oxyria digyna (L.) Hill. Abundant; on slopes and rocks above timberline. slides THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 53 CHENOPODIACEAE Chenopodium album UL. Frequent; along the trails at about 1000 m. elev. Chenopodium capitatum (1) Aschers. Occasional; along the pack trail at 1200 m. alt. PoRTULACACEAE Claytonia lanceolata Pursh. Infrequent; on grassy slopes at middle elevations. Claytonia megarrhisa (A. Gray) Parry. Occasional; on mud slides on east slope of the Purcell’s at 3000 m. elev. CARYOPHYLLACEAE Lychnis apetala L. Infrequent; on the above timberline. Lychnis Drummondi (Hook.) S. Wats. Occasional; in alpine meadows at high elevations. highest rock slides Silene acaulis J. Common; in meadows and on rock slides above timberline. Stellaria leta Richards. Occasional; on open rocky slopes at high elevations. Stellaria borealis Bigel. Not common; at low to high altitudes. Cerastium alpinum var. beeringianum (L.) Cham. & Schlecht. Rare; in a moist meadow below Hanging Glaciers Lake. Cerastium strictum L.. Common; in moist meadows above timber- line, also at low altitudes. Arenaria formosa Fisch. Abundant; on rock slides or in meadows above timberline. Arenaria sajanensis Willd. Occasional; in alpine meadows at 2500 m. elev. Arenaria propinqua Richards. Frequent; on banks of brooks or on rock slides at high altitudes. Mechringia lateriflora (L.) Fenzl. Infrequent; in moist thickets at 1000-2000 m. elev. Paronychia Jamesii T. & G. Rare; in dry soil near Wilmer. 54 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST RANUNCULACEAE Clematis columbiana (Nutt.) T. & G. Occasional; in aspen thickets or moist woods at 1000-2000 m. elev. Actea rubra (Ait) Willd. Common; in moist woods and thickets at low and middle altitudes. Delphinium reticulatum A. Nels. Frequent; in thickets at elevations. Delphinium Menziesii DC. Common; on grassy slopes at about 2000 m. elev. Aquilegia flavescens S. Wats. Common; at middle and high altitudes. Aquilegia brevistyla Hook. Rare; along stream mouth of Creek. Trollius albiflorus (A. Gray) Rydb. Common; in wet meadows near timberline. Caltha lebtosepala DC. Infrequent; in mossy brooks at high altitudes. Batrachium grayanum (Freyn.) Rydb. middle moist and meadow near bogs and along Rare; floating in pond 3 miles beyond Starbird Ranch. Ranunculus Escholtzii Schlecht. Occasional; at edge of snow in alpine meadows. Ranunculus cymbalaria Pursh. Frequent; in wet mud at low and middle elevations. Ranunculus inamenus Greene. Rare; in moist open ground at 2000-3000 m. elev. Ranunculus Macounii Britton. Common; on edges of moist meadows at 1000 m. alt. Ranunculus Purshii Richards. ; Occasional; at edge of meadow at 1500 m. elev. pool in a wet Ranunculus sceleratus We Not common; in swampy ground along the Creek at 1600 m. elev. Thalictrum occidentale A. Gray. Occasional; on brushy slopes at low and middle elevations. Pulsatilla ludoviciana (Nutt.) Heller. Not common; on grassy slopes at 2000 m. eley. Pulsatilla occidentalis (S. Wats) Freyn. Occasional; in alpine meadows at 2000 m. alt. (VoL. XLIX Anemone globosa Nutt. Frequent; on rocky slopes at low to high elevations. Anemone Drummondu S. Wats. Common; near the snow at high elevations. Anemone parviflora Michx. Frequent; in alpine meadows at 2500 m. elev. : BERBERIDACEAE Berberis repens Lindl. Infrequent; at 1300 m. elev. FUMARIACEAE Corydalis aurea Willd. f Occasional: on brushy hillside at 1000 m. alt. CRUCIFERAE Thlaspi arvense \,. Common; near Wilmer. Capsella bursa-pastoris Medic. Frequent; about fields and in waste places . at low altitudes. Norta altissima (1..) Britton. Infrequent; in waste places about Wilmer. Arabidopsis nove-angliae (Rydb.) Britton. ° Rare; on rocky slope at 2500 m. alt. Sophia gracilis Rydb. Occasional; on open slopes near Wilmer. Smelowskia americana Rydb. Rare; at 3100 m. alt. on Mt. Thompson. Chetrinia cheiranthoides (1,.) Link. Frequent; near Wilmer. Brassica juncea (1,.) Cosson. Occasional; near Wilmer. Cardamine cordifolia Gray. Occasional: on wet bank of Creek at 1800 m. Cardamine parvifolia L. Infrequent; in dryish soil at 1000-2000 m. elev. Draba cana Rydb. Occasional; border of wet meadow at 2800 m. alt. Draba aurea Vahl. Frequent; in woods at 1500-2000 m. eley. Draba glacialis Adams. Rare, on rocky slope of Mt. Dome at 3000 m. alt. Draba nemorosa \,. Occasional; in moist woods at 1000 m. elev. Draba oligosperma Hook. Rare; on moraine of Mt. Thompson at 2800 m. elev. \ Pen a a ee March, 1935) Draba lonchocarpa Rydb. Occasional: above timberline on moraines and rocks slides. Draba prealta Greene. E Very rare; rocky slope of the Purcell’s at 2500 m. elev. Arabis Bourgovii Rydb. Frequent; in meadows and on rocky hill- sides at 1000-2000 m. alt. Arabis Lyallii S. Wats. Occasional: at 2000 m. elev. Arabis Nuttall. Frequent; along sandy borders of woods at 1000-2000 m. elev. CRASSULACEAE Sedum stenopetalum Pursh. Common; on open rocky slopes at 1000- 3000 m. alt. Rhodiola integrifolia Raf. Occasional; on stony slopes at 2000 m. eley. SAXIFRAGACEAE Parnassia fimbriata Konig. Common; along streams and bogs at 2000 m. alt. Parnassia Kotzebui Cham. Occasional; along edges of brooks at 2500 mi elev. Parnassia montanensis Fern. & Rydb. Infrequent; on banks of wet meadows at 1000 m. alt. Mitella violacea Rydb. Rare; on open slope at 2500 m. elev. Mitella nuda L. Common; on mossy banks at 1000 m. elev. Mitella pentandra Hook. Common; at 1000-3000 m. alt. Mitella Brewerit A. Gray Abundant; in woods or on open slopes above and near timberline. Suksdorfia violacea A. Gray. _ Very rare; on a wet mossy cliff near main camp at 2200 m. elev. THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 55 Heuchera ovalifolia Nutt. Occasional; in rocky places. Heuchera glabella T. & G. Common; on cliffs or in rocky places at 1000-2000 m. elev. Tiarella’ unifoliata Hook. Common; in moist woods at 1000 m. alt. Leptarrhena pyrolifolia (Don) R. Brit. Abundant; along brooks and meadows at 2000-2500 m. elev. in wet Saxifraga adscendens \,. Occasional; on moist rock on slope of Mt. Thompson. Saxifraga punctata 1. Occasional; at 2700 m. elevation. Saxtfraga autumnalis 1. Frequent; on shingle flats at 1200 m. elev. Saxifraga bronchialis 1. : Frequent; at 2500 m. on Mt. Thompson, and on rocky slopes at 2000 m. Saxifraga cespitosa L. Rare; on moist rock at 2500 m. elev. on Mt. Thompson. Saxifraga cernua L. Occasional, along wet rills and slide rock at 2000-3000 m. alt. Saxifraga Lyall Engl. Occasional: at 2700 m. elev. Saxifraga rhomboidea Greene. Occasional; in wet meadows at 2000 m. elev. : Saxifraga oppositifolia L. Not infrequent; on crest of divide at 3000 m. near Mt. Thompson. if Ribes lacustre (Pers.) Poir. Occasional; from middle elevations up to timberline. (To be concluded) 56 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST [Von. XLIX BIRD NOTES FROM VANCOUVER ISLAND, 1933 By HAMILTON M. LAING HE YEAR 1933 brought some additional bird notes to the Vancouver Island list that are worthy of record. April 21,22) and 23 were “spent on 7an expedition up the Oyster River in quest of the breeding form of Branta canadensis. On the evening of April 2lst a pair was found in a swamp on Caribou Creek—this a tributary of the Oyster—the female already incubating five eggs in a nest on an old beaver house in a vacated dam. Next day both geese and the nest were collected, these birds proving as expected, the large, brownish form of Canada goose or as understood by the writer Bramnta c. -occidentalis, White-cheeked Goose. The deep snow of the winter of ’32-33, follow- ed by a late spring, was responsible apparently for some changes in nesting of local birds. Juncos (Junco o. oreganus) that usually take to the hills to breed remained commonly in the burns and slashings near sea level. Similarly the Varied Thrush (Iroreus n. nevius) bred within a stone’s throw of salt water, two young just from the nest being taken on my place at Comox, May 8. This is the first time they have been observed nesting here so low. The first two weeks of July spent at the ex- treme northerly end of the Island in the vicinity of Cape Scott established somewhat unsatisfactor- ily the breeding there of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Each spring, early, Ruby-crowns. main- ly, if not entirely Corthylio calendula grinnelli, pass through Comox, always in fine song, to disappear until late autumn. The muskegs of the north end of the Island may give the answer. On July 11 a very immature bird, apparently recently from the nest came to my owl call and was secured, though no sign of parent could be found then or at any other point. Better fortune attended a quest on the tide flat at Cape Scott, July 10, for Savannah Spar- rows, when of a pair found, a male in good feather was secured. This bird is of the very small race, apparently identical with specimens in the writer’s collection from the Fraser delta (Huntingdon) formerly designated Passerculus s, brooksit. Undoubtedly this is the same form known to nest at Cowichan, Vancouver Island, and once previously taken in song at Seal Island in the Comox area (May 5, 1931). The Cape Scott specimen, in breeding condition, would seem to be the northerly record of this form of Passerculus to date. Two new owls established themselves as local breeders during the season. On August 4, BE. M. Laing discovered a young Saw-whet Owl at the creek beside the garden. When secured, it proved exceedingly juvenile, and a cripple as well, ruling out any lengthy journey. One eye was missing and the beak badly mutilated, the mandibles crossed at a wide angle. Plainly the youngster was dependent on his parents, though these were not seen or heard here during the summe~. This specimen was identified by Ta- verner as Cryptoglaux acadica acadica. On the 28th of August, John Pritchard, of Comox, presented the writer with a specimen of the Long-eared Owl, Asio wilsonianus, a juv- enile he had taken at the McBain’s swamp, seven or eight miles inland in the region of slashings and burns adjoining the Oyster River. As he reported seeing three of these hunting in the evening, it is quite a certainty that this Owl, taking advantage of the passing of the heavy timber, has decided to become a breeder if not a resident. In regard to the nesting of the Sandhill Crane on Vancouver Island as reported previously in The Canadian Field-Naturalist (Vol. 46 Nov. 1932.) it is a pleasure to be able to record that the species still is holding to old haunts. On October 5 while deer-hunting near Lower Quin- sam Lake, four Cranes were observed winging in the direction of the former nesting swamp. Two of them were plainly juveniles—even in the matter of their voices as they were still in the whistling stage unable to emulate the croak of the parent. The Iateness of these young suggested a second nesting, as normally the young of this species are as far advanced as this by mid-August or September first. In late November for some days the pursuit of crows offered some excitement. While deer- hunting up the Tsolum River, seven or eight miles inland from salt water, a flight of crows was observed at daybreak to come winging in high to drop to a small tributary creeklet. The call notes of most of these birds marked them as. not the common resident but. the Western Crow of the interior—Corvus b. hesperis. These birds were very wary, schooled in the ways of ‘gun- ners and the getting of specimens necessitated three very early morning expeditions. Two birds however were secured, a male, December 8, and female, November 29, both in measurements March, 1935] decidedly beyond the limits of thé resident North- western Crow, Corvus b. caurinus. In the flesh the adult female measured eighteen inches, the wing a shade under twelve inches, the adult male about the same, wing twelve and a quarter inches. Both birds we-e fat, the male exceed- ingly so, suggesting that this flock came either from a feeding ground in the yellow pine country—on the seeds of which iree they feéd commonly in the southern interior (or from grain-fields. The beach-combing Corvus Db. caurinus never is able to put such a coating of yellow tallow below his skin. As crows as a rule do not go to their watering-place first thing in the morning the purpose of this dawn flight was not plain, but probably it was to pick up scraps of salmon left on the bank by THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 57 the bears at work on the fish during the night. Usually there were plenty of these, though not enough to feed three or four hundred crows. Where the day feeding-ground of this flock was located was not determined even by search of considerable mileage across the valley farm lands. The above is not the first sight record by the writer of Corvus b. hesperis on Vancouver Island though in this case such record is a record by sound. The voices of these two crows may be distinguished quite definitely. Indeed there is so much difference in voice and habits as well as in size between Corvus b. caurinus and Corvus b. hesperis as to suggest that the maritime bird (caurinus) might well have been left in his former status as a distinct species. SOME 1932 BIRD NOTES FROM LONDON, ONTARIO By E. M. S. DALE HE YEAR 1932 produced a number of very interesting items in the London district,, including two new bi-ds for the county. Particulars of a pubes of these have already appeared in print either in A History and List of the Birds of Middlesex County (Saunders and Dale 1933) or the columns of The Canadian Field-Naturalist. The following summary will, therefore, deal largely with those an account of which has not yet been published, passing reference only being made to the others. The year began, on January 9th, with the sight record of a White Gyrfalcon (Falco rus- ticolis candicans) by W. E. Saunders. * This was followed on January 10th by our first winter warbler record, a Nashville (Verim- vora ruficapilla ruficapilla) rather an unusual species to be found in northern latitudes at this season of the year.* A third item of interest for January was an Eastern Mocking-bird (Mimus polyglottos poly- glottos) on the 24th, discovered by Eli Davis near Byron. There are two other records prior to this of winter Mockingbirds from the London district. On March 25th (Good Friday) three of our club members (Saunders, Davis and Dale) were crossing Byron bridge on the way to Wonnacott‘s farm when attention was called to a bird stand- ing on the ice just east of the bridge. It proved to be a Blue Goose (Chen cerulescens), the second record for the county.* July. dist. 2. C, Aigoins, Lack of suitable territory for waders in the immediate vicinity of London makes these birds of special interest to students from the city and each spring trips are taken to Rondeau, Long Point and Ipperwash Beach for the pur- pose of renewing acquaintance with some of the rarer species which usually pass our district by. It is with peculiar pleasure, therefore, that We report a Hudsonian Curlew (Pheopus hud- Sonicus) observed near Thorndale on May 10th, by Mr. and Mrs, FE. H. McKone. “This is our third record for the species, only one bird on each occasion. A Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora Pinus ) was taken by A. A. Wood near Strathroy, on May 16th. This is the first record for the county and one of the few records for this bird for Canada.+ On July 15th Mr. Wood reported another interesting bird, a Clay-coloured Sparrow (Sp7- sella pallida) about ten miles north-west of London. It was living in the front yard of a farm house, rather an unusual place for a ~Clay- colour” to locate. It remained for some weeks and was seen by other members of the Bird Club. One of our rarest owls is the Saw-whet (Cryptoglaux acadica acadica). In the night of who has a farm at * A History and East of the Birds of Middlesex County, Ontario, Saunders and Dale, 1 + The Canadian hae dis 48:58, March, 1933. 58 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST Melrose, was awakened by Killdeer. Securing a flash-light he went out into the garden to see what might be causing the disturbance. There he discovered a Saw-whet Owl sitting on a stake that marked the end of a row of peas. He got to within three or four feet of the sitting bird and shone the flash-light upon it. He is quite familiar with the Screech Owl (Otus asio nevius) and, in addition, is one of the few members of the Bird Club who have seen the Saw-whet in life, having taken a specimen a few years ago. It is quite possible it may have nested in the vicinity as there are suitable places for it to do so on the Higgins farm. Other species noted during the year but which do not, perhaps, require any particular comment, follow: WHISTLING Swan (Cygnus columbianus).— One on the river near Delaware on March 3lst. BLack-crowNep Nicut Herron (Nycticorar nycticoraxy hoactli)—One on May /th near [VoL. XLIX Strathroy. Spring records of this species are not very numerous. Duck Hawk (Falco peregrinus anatum)— Noted twice, February 27tn and March 25th. This is one of our rarest hawks. Arctic THREE-TokED WooDPECKER (Picoides arcticus).—On March 13th one was seen in the spruce swamp four miles west of London, the first record for four years. EASTERN HENSLoW’s SPARROW (Passerherbulus henslowi susurrans).—First heard on May Ist, was noted in a number of places in the sur- rounding district during the spring and summer. NorTHERN PRAIRIE WARBLER (Dendroica discolor discolor).—One stayed for several days in the vicinity of the London South Collegiate Institute, having been first heard on May 12th. Total species observed in Middlesex County by Club members during the year, 198. THE YELLOW RAIL IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC By R. MEREDITH LTHOUGH I have been interested in birds practically all my life I had a paid little or no attention to the SPO} Vellow Rail [Coturnicops novebora- censis| in this province, perhaps because there seemed to be no definite reference in any of the books I had read to its being a frequenter of this part of the world, and perhaps, which is more likely, because I had never seen one, and I began to regard it as a sort of myth. However, after hearing a few years ago that Mr. Willie Labrie, of Kamouraska, had secured one in 1922, and that in 1930 two more had been killed at Ste. Anne de la Pocati¢re, my interest became awakened and I decided to look for it more attentively. Luckily I was well rewarded, for on October 4th, 1931, while hunting snipe at Riviere des Chiens, about four miles west of Ste. Anne de Beaupré, with Mr. Cecil Thomson, his dog caught the first Yellow Rail I had ever seen, and on the seventh of the same month while shooting with Mr. Stuart Ahern, just west of Ste. Anne de Beaupré, my setter flushed another, which, luckily enough, contrary to the general habits of these birds, flew a long way and passed in front of me, so that I was able to shoot it. On September 4th, 1932, I shot another at Chateau Richer. On September 17th, 1933, while hunting snipe, without a dog, I was lucky enough to flush one of these birds at which I shot quickly as he was passing behind a low bush. I saw him alight, apparently unhurt, in the long grass on the other side of the bush and, having no dog, rushed up on the chance of finding him. Arriving on the spot I found he was quite alive and running through the coarse grasses which were about two or three feet tall, trying to evade me, all the time making a very faint, squeaking noise something like a young mouse. Curiously enough, again to the contrary of the general observations of others, on being hard pressed he flushed again and flew about ten feet, and this time I was lucky enough to be able to tramp the grass down over him and secure him. On the twenty-second of September, 1934, Dr. D. A. Dery, of Quebec, was hunting snipe with Dr. Gustave Ratté, just west of Riviere des Chiens, when the former flushed and killed a Yellow Rail. A few moments afterwards Dr. Ratté flushed another which flew only a few feet, settled in the shallow water and _ started swimming away, but he made a dash for it and succeeded in catching it alive. It was kept in captivity for a short time; it was very tame and, almost at once, ate earth-worms readily. March, 1935} On the nineteenth of October, 1934, Mr. Ray- mond, of Quebec, also shot one near Riviere des Chiens. Mr. Willie Labrie writes me that he captured his bird in a rather singular manner. On the first of August, [922, a farmer at Kamouraska told him that he had heard a strange noise in one of his fields for the past few nights, so he went to investigate but could see nothing. ‘He decided the noise was made by some sort of bird so he shot as carefully as he could toward the sound, and in the morning, with the help of a dog, to his delight found he had killed a Yellow Rail. The Ste. Anne de la Pocatiére birds were taken on the 23rd and 24th of June, 1930, by Professor Elzear Campagna of the Agricultural College there. in company with Mr. George Bouchard, M.P., Dr. C. E. Pouliot, and others. These birds had been heard making their mys- terious noises at night toc-toc, toc-toc-toc; toc-toc. toc-toc-toc; and were captured about midnight after a considerable chase with the aid of a lantern and a landing net. Two or three years ago a gentleman from St. Charles de Bellechasse, whose name I do not ~ recollect, told me that he had once killed a Yellow Rail in that vicinity while shooting snipe. I am also informed that Mr. Low, taxidermist, of Montreal, secured a Yellow Rail at Yama- chiche on October 9th, 1921. The above are all the actual records I can find of the Yellow Rail having been taken in the Province of Quebec. Mr. Taverner in Birds of Eastern Canada describes it as being one of our rarest birds, although he ‘admits, as do all other writers, that it may be more common than is_ supposed, owing to the difficulty of flushing it, even with a dog. i Evidently Mr. C. E. Dionne had never seen one as his only mention in his Oiseaux de la _ Province de Quebcc is to the effect that Couper THE CANADIAN FIBLD-NATURALIST 59 thought they were to be found in the province, © and that Mr. Wintle believed some were killed between Sorel and Boucherville. Mr. Comeau in his list of birds of the North Shore makes no mention of the Yellow Rail. Macoun, in his Catalogue of Canadian Birds, makes only one reference to it in the Province -of Quebec, and that is at Fort George, James Bay. ; It may be that this little Rail is only lately spreading into our Province, and in about ten or fifteen years from now, if a census is taken, it may be found to have become much more common -than at present. This has been the _€ase with many birds of which we know, and it is with that end in view that I have prepared these few notes. Personally I am inclined to believe the reason so few of them are seen, even by snipe hunters in the fall, is because they seem to remain with us only during the month of September, and the early part of October, and live for the most part in the long uncut grass on our marshes, unfrequented by the snipe at that time of the year, and if a more extensive search for them were made in suitable spots, I feel certain they would be found more abundantly. In all probability the birds taken by Mr. Labrie and Mr. Campagna and his friends. were nesting, or about to nest, but it still remains for one of our ornithologists to have the honour of finding the first nest in this Province, and it may be helpful to them to know that the Reverend Mr. P. B. Peabody, of North Dakota, who has found so many nests there, and who knows more about it than anybody else, states that they are always found in a dryish meadow which has been cut over during the previous year, and are hidden under a wisp of last year’s hay. If anybody has any additional data regarding our elusive little friend, I shall be most grateful if he will send them to me, so that the present status of this bird may be made as up to date as possible. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS A Note on THE MicRATION of THE TIGER SALAMANDER, Ambystoma tigrinum—I am in- clined to believe that in this locality the Tiger Salamander carries out a sort of fall migration. This habit may be partly hereditary and partly due to force of circumstances. Salamanders of this variety are to be found moving about on land only at the harvest season, and I have noticed that it invariably rains within a day or two after they begin their migration. This means that their bodies are moistened again within 48 hours after leaving their former habitation and, as they are always fully developed, they require only cool moist conditions 60 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST in their migratory search for a place to hibernate. Only a few must find suitable places for winter hibernation. I have reached the above con- clusions after only three years’ observation, but this note may suggest seasonal observations to persons in the other localities—Roy L. Fow er, Aldersyde, Alberta. Gastrodonta multidentata Near OTTawa.— While collecting lands shells in Rockcliffe Park. Ottawa, Ontario, during the month of July, 1934, I came across a colony of Gastrodonta multi- dentata (Binney.) on a rocky slope under the trestle of the toboggan slide. The diameters in millimetres of the six specimens are as following; 18, 2.0, 2.3, 2.7, 2.8, 2.8, the average diameter being 2.4. Two of the specimens taken were alive. This species is very rare in the Ottawa district and the only previous find recorded is by F. R. Latchford, who mentions having found them on King’s Mountain, Ottawa County, Quebec, and on the hills north of Hull City, Quebec. See Trans. O. F.-N. N.C.6; 211, February 5th. 1885.— G. E. FAIRBAIRN. Notre on LAmMpreys.—In the November, 1934, issue of The Canadian Field-Naturalist 1 find, on page 133, a note on “boils” in Esox Ilucius. “Boils” is used in some lay and not medical sense. In the latter case a boil is never an open sore, but means a confined collection of pus. The context of the note leads me to suppose that we are dealing with wounds made by Lam- preys. These never cause death so far as I know unless they are invaded hy saprolegnia Or some other microbe. Sea salmon when in- jured by nets or rocks in the course of their anadromous annual trip appear to be aware of the infection and that salt water will kill it. They go back to sea unless caught in the slack of nets on the way down. Netters all know about it. Incidentally, Lampreys are so highly prized in Europe that the catch in any one river might be more valuable than the salmon catch. Any merchant can import “Aal in Gellee” from Europe and introduce a delicious food delicacy. I prefer the German form, still holding its French name in Germany.—Rosert T. Morris, M.D. (VoL. XLIX FRESHWATER CLams As Bair.— Anglers are sometimes annoyed by the question of bait. Either they run short of bait, or have no means of procuring any, the soil being of a sandy nature or too dry to yield the ever reliable angleworm. I may say that in many instances fresh-water clams, which are generally plenti- ful, will prove to be good substitutes for worms. This past summer, the writer was most success- ful with clams when teasing Small-mouth Black Bass. Clams also landed Rock Bass and large minnows,— which could be used as bait later. You simply break open the clam and bait your hook with a piece sliced from the hard part of the mollusk. The bit of information may not have much scientific value, but it might be useful to many an embarrassed fisherman and add to the question of fish food—Harry Brrnarp, Sf. Hyacinthe, Que. Notes RELATIVE to Passerella ilaca fuliginosa Ridgway—The references made. to the Sooty Fox Sparrow by Mr. Hamilton M. Laing in The Canadian Field-Naturalist of February, 1934 (page 37) are extremely interesting. A few further notes in relation to the known breeding range of fuliginosa may prove of in- terest. During the month of May, 1931, when collect- . ing on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Sooty Fox Sparrows were frequently heard and seen and a series of breeding birds and young secured. On May 7th and 8th six breeding birds were seen along Chesterman’s Beach, near ‘Tofino, the males being in full song and on May 9th numerous breeding birds were seen on Bare Island. It was not until May 22nd that juvenile birds were seen and secured and these were in numbers on Bare Island in different stages of development. Mr. Laing makes mention of the colour of the lower mandibles of the specimens secured on Hornby Island. The same remarks apply to the adults, both male and female, from the west coast and in referring to our notes we find that the bill colouring of all the adult birds is as follows: Upper mandible dark brown with _marginal edges pale; lower mandible pinkish at base shading to bluish or blue-gray, tip brown. In the very young birds the whole bill is yellow- ish brown and in the fully fledged young the bill is olive brown with marginal edges yellow. No nests were found but in every instance the birds, both adult and young, kept about dense patches of salal and scrub. March, 1935] Referring to quotation from Brooks and Swarth Distribution List of Birds of British Columbia. north and north-east of Vancouver within a radius of one hundred miles, during the past fifteen years, have failed to disclose any breeding -furm of Fox Sparrows other than altivagans which is quite common in suitable localities above five thousand feet altitude—KENNETH RAcey. THE ReED-BREASTED NutTHaAtcH (Sitta cana- densis) WINTERING in ALBERTA.—Early in January, 1934, Mr. Lew Hutchinson, whose farm is situated on the south bank of the Battle River, about twelve miles south-west of Camrose, phoned the writer that a Red-breasted Nuthatch was spending the winter in the spruce woods in the coulee near his farm buildings. He stated that it made frequent visits to his garden daily, where it fed with Black-capped Chickadees, on suet. provided for the latter birds. On February ist, Mr. Alex. Ross. whose farm also is on the Battle River, and about two miles east of the Hutchinson farm, phoned that two Red-breasted Nuthatches had for some time been feeding with his Chickadees in his yard. In company with a party of Normal students, I visited the Ross farm on February 3rd and, while watching a flock of Redpolls as they fed on weed-seeds in the garden, a Red-breasted Nuthatch came from the spruces at the rear of the house, and alighted on a piece of suet, tied to the branches of a tree. Although we waited for some time hoping to see the second bird, it failed to appear. While the Red-breasted Nuthatch is usually considered a fairly common migrant in Central Alberta, and in suitable localities, an irregular summer visitant, this is the first time I have ever noted it during the winter months. When consideration is given to the fact that the early part of the past winter was extremely severe, with temperatures in December, 1933, as low as 45° degrees below zero, and also that the above records were made in lat. 53° north, the occur- rence of these birds at this time is all the more remarkable. — Frank L. Fariey, Camrose, Alberta. EXTENSION oF RANGE oF CoTron-Tan, Rassirs. —Cotton-tail Rabbits (Svlvilagus floridanus) made their first appearance in this district during the autumn and winter of 1933. Prior to that Occasional trips to the mountains THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 61 time they were not known to occur within forty or fifty miles. I.refer to the area covering the Townships of East Hawkesbury and Lochiel at the extreme eastern tip of the Counties of Pres- cott and Glengarry, bordering on the Province of Quebec. It is not generally known that rab- bits “trek”. or migrate. Personally I was always of the opinion that they did so and now I am able to verify it. The first capture of Cotton- tails in this locality came to my notice during the month of November, 1933. While in conversation with a local trapper on whose veracity I can rely he told me of having caught three grey rabbits in a single hole and expressed the opinion that we were going to have a mild winter on account of the rabbits’ not having turned white at that late season. This, and the fact that he had caught the rab- bits in a hole, aroused my curiosity, as I was fully aware that the Snowshoe Rabbit (Varying Hare—Lepus americanus) does not burrow. On questioning him further he said he had been trapping for. Skunk, and thought it a skunk hole but got no skunk in it. This set me to thinking, and I decided they must be Cotton- tail Rabbits, although I had no definite p-oof of this as, unfortunately, he had eaten the rabbits. Subsequently I met another trapper who had also caught some grey rabbits in a hole and, as he still had them, I was able to secure one in the flesh and to determine it as a Cotton-tail on sight. Finally I got one in my own bush. All in all, about a dozen of these rabbits were taken during the past winter, so I feel sure they have become fully established here. The Cotton-tail differs. from the Snowshoe Rabbit in having shorter ears and legs, in being more stockily built. in averaging smaller in size and in retaining its grev pelage throughout the vear. This “trek” of the Cotton-tails is east- wards and I assume that they have already crossed the boundary and are by this time, established in the Province of Quebec. My assumption is based on the knowledge that some of the fore-going captures were made within a mile of the Quebec boundary.—Ontver TRAFFORD. CorreECTION.—In The Canadian Ficld-Naturalist for December, 1934, page 138, Nelson’s Sparrow is referred to as Melospiza lincolni. This, obviously enough, is an error, the correct name being Ammospiza caudacuta nelsoni.—Eprtor. 62 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST (VoL. XLIX REVIEWS ExpPLorInG THe ANIMAL Word by Charles the recognition of species, it will be invaluable. Elton. George Allen and Unwin Ltd., 1933. 3s. 6d. Those who know Elton’s Animal Ecology will want to read this little volume, based on a series of radio talks. The aim of the talks ap- parently was to awaken interest in observing animals. The subjects dealt with are how to look for animals, woodland life, animal life at night, nature sanctuaries and plagues of animals. Naturally, the animals dealt with are those of the English countryside, the mammals, birds, ants, bees, spiders, etc., but as most of the ones mentioned ‘have their Oanadian oounterparts, the accounts have nearly or quite as much interest and charm for the Canadian reader as for those for whom they were originally prepared. The book should be read by everyone interested in the new natural history of which Elton is one of the leading exponents.—J. R. D. A Fie_p GuIne To THE Birps. Giving field marks of all species found in Eastern North America. Text and Illustrations in colour and in black and white. By Roger Tory Peterson. Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company, The Riverside Press, Cambridge, 1934. Price. $2.75. A book that the amateur bird observer has long been looking for and which the most seasoned ornithologist will find of value. Pre- sented as “a bird-book on a new plan’ it is the culmination of a movement in popular bird li- terature, that has been for some time in pro- gress, whereby bird study has been stripped of its technicalities and with no loss of real ac- curacy, the meat offered to the general public without a shell of scientific verbiage and ped- antry. It seems difficult to see how, within its class, it could be improved upon. It is a very practical working manual of field-marks, ignor- ing confusing detail and concentrating on the salient characters by which one bird can be distinguished from another under ordinary field conditions. It is not for the closet naturalist identifying birds in the hand who has other literature for the purpose; but, for the field worker who depends on eyes and glasses for For this purpose it is far and away the best that we have seen. The descriptions of individual species are broadly generalized, the essentials are presented as they appear in life, and are easily visualized from the written. word. The details of distinc- tion are admirably chosen and models of con- ciseness. The reviewer has essayed considerably along these lines and can vouch for the difficulty as well as the success of this accomplishment. He has searched the volume with a rather critical and somewhat experienced eye and has found little to object to and much to admire. His difficulty is to keep his enthusiasm within judicial bounds. The ample illustrations are naturally an impor- tant feature of the work. Nearly every species is illustrated either in black and white or in colour. A few of the former are pen and inks but most are wash-drawings in half-tone. They are not naturalistic representations, but are more or less conventionalized or diagrammatic. with confusing details omitted, to show the bird as it appears to the eye in the field with the critical distinctive points emphasised. The draw- ings are remarkable for their clear definiteness The author-artist shows not only competent draughtsmanship and command of his art-media but knowledge and feeling for his subjects. In many cases in these simplified sketches he has caught the spirit as well as the outline and pat- tern of the various species. Many birds in juxtaposition are shown in identical attitude, a proceeding that may not satisfy artistic yearn- ings but is of practical assistance to direct com- parison. coloured plates of sparrows and warblers; these birds are shown of small size but with a sharp- — ness of detail that is unusual in four-colour half- tone work. For these the plate maker and the printer should be commended. It is a light, compact little volume in water- proof leatherette binding to stand the weather and fits nicely into the side coat pocket, just the form, size and substance to accompany one on a walk in a birdy neighbourhood. We highly recommend it and anticipate a great success for it—P.A.T. Particularly should be mentioned the — HISTORY SOCIETY OF “MANITOBA 1929-30 sident Emeritus: C.E. BAsTIN; President: G. SHIRLEY 90KS, Past Presidents: H. M. SPEECHLY, M.D., C. W. 3, M.Sc., A. A. McCousrey, J. B. WALLIS, M.A., JACKSON M.Sc., A. M.Davipson, M.D. R. A. , M.Sc.; Vice-Presidents: Mrs. L. R. SIMPSON, . Brotey, W. H. Ranp, Dr. R.S. Kirk, B. W. RIC A. BURTON GRESHAM, Treasurer: A. G. M. Tsomas; Social Convenor: SHARLE; General Secretary; NORMAN LOWE, meoe St., Winnipeg; Hxecutive Secretary: J. HADDOW. i Chairman Secretary |. L. T. S. Norris-E.ye, B.A. A. H. SHORTT A. V. MITCHENER, M.Sc. Miss M.F. PRATT _ Mags. I. M. PRIESTLY Mrs. H. T. Ross P. H. STOKES - G. D. RUSSELL J. P. KENNEDY. NATURAL = - R.A. WARDLE, M.Sc. CC. W. Lows, M.Sc. S. Hart; President: Mrs. C. L. HBNDERSON, 1536 St. Matthew St., Montreal; Vice-Presidenis: Mr. H. A. C. JACKSON, MR “Nr. C WYNNE-EDWARDS, Vice-President and Treasurer: Mr. HENRY MousLEy; Secretary: Miss M. SBATH: Committee: Mrs. C. F. DALE, Mr. J. A. DECARIE, MR. W, . Hart, Mrs. H. Hissert, Dr. A. N. Jenks, Mr. E. is JUDAH, Mr. FRASER KuitH, Miss P. B. MATTINSON, MIss L. Mureuy, Miss M. S. NIcoLson, Mr. C. see Mr. L. McI.Spackman, Mr. L. Mcl. TERRILL. i Meetings held the second Monday of the month eee dur- ing summer. SOCIETE PROVANCHER D’HISTOIRE NATURELLE DU CANADA Patron Honoraire: Son eters LE TRES HONORABLE. COMTE DE BEssBorouGH, P.C., G.C.M.G., Gouverneur- Général du Canada; Vice-Patron Honoraire: “HONORABLE M. G. H. Carro.u, Lieutenant-Gouverneur de la” Province de Québec; Bureau ae Direction pour 1934: Président: EDGAR ROCHETTE, C.R.,- M.P.P.; ler vice-président- G. STUART AHERN; 2téme vice-président: Dr. J.-E. Bernier; Secrétaire- trésorier: ‘Louts-B. Lavore; Chef de la section "scientifique: Dr. D.-A.Dery; ‘Chefde la section de ee éduration- nelle: ALPHONSE DESILETS, B.S.A.; Chef de section de protection: ADRIEN FALARDEAU, C.R.; Chef an la section d'information scientifique et pratique: JAMES F. Ross: Directeurs: A. W. AHERN. R,. MEREDITH, N.P., U. G TESSIER. 3 — Sccrétaire-trésorier: LouIs-B. LAVorB = 38, rue Sherbrooke, Québec. ‘ THE TORONTO FIELD-NATURALISTS’ ‘CLUB ce OFFICERS FOR 1934-35. : Honorary President: Dr.A. P. COLEMAN: President: ARNOTT M.PaTTERSON; on. Vice-Presidents: Hon. G. H. CHALLIES, Mr. J. H. Freminc, Dr. N. A. POWELL: Vice-President: MR. ‘F. P. Ips, Scecretary-Treasurer: H. M. HALLIDAY; Council— ‘Dr. E.M. Waker, 8. L. THompson, Prog. J. R. Dymonp, C. S. FARMER, ~Pror. T. F. McILWRAITH. Dr. NorMA ‘ForD, MAGISTRATE J. E. Jones, L. T. eee RUPERT DAvips, F.C. Huret, Dr. T. M. C. Taytor, C.G. BRENNAND, R. M. SAuNpDERS; Chairman of Conservation Committee: Mrs. ‘Ss. L. THOMPSON; President of Junior Club: MURRAY SPEIRS; Vice-President of Junior Club: HUBERT RICHARDSON. Leaders: : .Birds—Messrs. S. L. THompson, L.’ L. SNyprErR, J. L. BAIuuiz, JR., Pror. T. F. McItwraitu, R. M. SPEtRs, -F. H. Empry. Mammals—Pror. A. F. CovENTRY, MEssrs. E. C. Cross, D. A. McLuLicns. Reptiles ané Amphibianse— “Messrs. E. B.S. Locier, oy LERAY. Fisk—Pror. J. R. Dymonp, Pror. W. J. Faget Insects—Dr. E. _.M. Wavgeer, Dr. N. Seas Mr. F. P. IDE. ‘Botany—Pror. ‘R. B. THomson, Dr. H. B. SIFToN, Dr. T.M. C. TAYLOR: “Mr. W. R. Watson, Mr. L. T. OWENS. - Geology—Dnr. A. P ‘COLEMAN: ProFr. A. MCLEAN. We would ask the Officers, and more particularly the Secretaries, of all the Affiliated Societies to assist us in our task of building up the circulation of this magazine. By securing every member as a subscriber we 'can truly make this magazine into one of the ~ leading Natural History publications of America. | AUTOBIOGRAPHY of JOHN MACOUN, M.A. CANADA N NORTH OF FIFTY SIX, pean S d _ By E, M. KINDLE elias pa mah eile alec de eoneenine cone @ Special rofusely illustrated number of_ The Natural History and Exploration. The author — **Naturalist’’, 86 pages, 3! illustrations. Every was a former President of the Club and this is a Canadian should know this prize essay. Memorial Volume PRICE FIFTY CENTS | PRICE $3.00. - 305 pp. _WILMOT LLOYD WILMOT LLOYD 582 Matigcss Avenue Rockcliffe | Park, Ottawa Pe 582 Mariposa Avenue Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa WILMOT LLOYD, ‘ - Treasurer, Ottawa. Ficld-Naturaliste’ Club, ’ FOR SALE:— ; 582 Mariposa Avenue, j Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa. i COMPLETE SET OF THE CLUB Ss : Enclosed please find $2.00 as Pr 2 in af PUBLICATIONS | The O.F.-N.C. and Subscription to the ‘Conadian a 1879-1935 ; Field-Naturalist for the year ae i ei | This is a ae opportunity. For particulars — ress the Treasurer— ? WILMOT LLOYD a8 582 Mariposa Avenue Rockcliffe’Park, Ottawa City, Prov. or State. _ Name pee uu een Spit Aree acorn on enn nem evenerensenvanenntenansenssnnt FORM I os hereby give and bendceth to The Ottawa Fig d- me Naturalists’ Club of Ottawa, oo Canada the su ; OF bes a Uanabiene Me eemeras aun rer em MLC. 2000 5 Pn PO esa eae “00 BEQUEST Seenenassecuqscescem=snae we eee cena een econ en ccenere nec cence nccsccceseseesceses LEPOoO Soo Hoes Pome eedeom ens : : ree $ . FOR SALE =. WANTED $ : O.F.-N.C. g A second-hand copy, ‘ | TR ANS ACTIONS + in good condition, of * COMPLETE ? : | eS = 9 “Our Wild Orchids" By Frank Morris and — _ Edward A. Eames (rN OTTAWA NATURALIST$ o, e ae 290 Mariposa Ave., Rockcliffe Park, ._ Ottawa ; LOPDPOEEDEED EEE Dao Eee eeeeeh REX EM ly Kindly mention The Canadian Field-Naturalist to advertisers Tae : a < TO VOLUME 24, 1910 “ ? ae ; % xe { ih ees oie % Bound in sevcn volumes, & State what Price — age — leather backs and corners, oy om = 3 % py & cloth sides. In good con- & Mi fe dition. = wie eS ee : : Bu 3 : y Bary if ¢ Apply:— 3 (Mrs.) Anna E. MacLoghlin, _—_ a Dr. Frank T. Shutt, + 43 Inglewood Drive, — “e Hamilton, Ont. | | VOL. XLIX, No. 5 , MAY, 1935 85343 CoA) Bed ASE THE CANAL a are practically flat and so give the lateral] margin a somewhat resupinate appearance. The alar angle is about 70°. The shell is punctate. The puncta have a tendency to be regularly arranged, and when so, occur in grooves be- tween the costella; however, there is consider- able variation in this. The costella are narrow, rounded, and increase by interpoJation on the pedicte valve. The variation in coarseness is not very conspicuous, being best displayed on the convex part of the shell, where it resembles that of R. alternata, but is entirely lacking at the margin. Number of costell:e varies in the medial area and at the cardinal extremities, being 24 per cm. at the margin in the median area, and 32 per cm. at the margin near the cardinal extremities. Costelle are crossed by numerous fine, crowded, concentric lines. Differs from R. alfernata (Emmons) in the absence of definite alternation of fine and coarse costellz, in the convexity of umbonal region and greater gibbosity. Differs from KR. deltotdea (Conrad) in being more uniformly rounded and neither triangular nor geniculate. From R. camerata (Conrad) it differs in having car- dinal wings and a greater size. Horizon and locality: Lowville of Pointe Claire, aand Leray at St. Vincent de Paul, Que. Rafinesquina wagneri n. sp. Platte ie: Shell moderately convex and uniformly round- ed. Dimensions of the holotype are: width, 24 mm., length, 16 mm., depth, 7 mm. (pedicle valve). This species is exceedingly finely costel- (VoL. XLIX lated there being 56 costelle per cm. near the antesior margin; the costelle alternate in coarse- ness, the number of narrow costelle between single coarser ones varying from 4 to 7. WNar- row, crowded, concentric lines give the surface a finely woven appearance. Greatest curvature of the shell is at about two-thirds the length from the beak, but the change in slope is not sufficiently abrupt to be called a geniculation. The shell is almost flat from the beak to this region. The angle between lateral margin and hinge is approximately 90°. _ Differs from R. alternata (Emmons) in size, fineness of costelle and convexity. It is not as gibbous as R. camerata (Conrad) and has a different proportion of length to width, R. camerata being more nearly square. Florizon and locality: herey at St. Vincent de Paul, Oue. Specific name in honour of Prof. Jalins Wag-- ner of Belgrade, Jugoslavia. Rafinesquina williamsi n. sp. Plate 1, fig. 6. The skell is very globose with an average width of 25 mm., length 22 mm., and depth, 10 mm. (pedicle valve). The convexity of the pedicle valve is not quite uniform, but has a pronounced break about half way along the length, where the curvature is increased. ‘There is also a less pronounced change in the curva- ture about 3 mm. in front of the beak. There is a definite demarcation in convexity between the umbonal region and that of the anterior part of the shell. The less convex posterior region occupies about one-half of the surface. Near the cardinal extremities it is’ not very convex. The change in curvature along the median line is not as gradual as in R. robusta Wilson, but is more uniform than in R. deltotdea. The shell is irregularly punctate and the cos- telle resemble those of FR. alternata. However, there is not as much contrast between fine and coarse ones. All are crossed by fine concentric lines. The lateral and central muscle scars radiate from a point immediately beneath the beak. The scars are visible as narrow grooves, and are about 5 mm. long. The outer lateral grooves make an angle of about 90°, whereas the central scars make an angle of about 30°. The entire area, therefore, appears as a triangle, separated into three equal triangular areas. The cardinal (pedicle) scars. are not visible. The beak is not prominent. This shell differs from FR. deltoidea (Conraii) in general shape and curvature along the median line; it differs from FR. robusta Wilson, by a different ratio of length to width (35:40 mm.) in size, and curvature along the median line. In all probability R. williamsi is transitional be- tween R. wagneri (local Leray) and Rk. camerata (Conrad) (Trenton of Ontario). September, 1935] Z Horizon and locality: Leray at St. Vincent meoede Pal Que. Specific name in honour of Prof. M. Y. Wil- lams of the University of British Columbia. = Evolution oF Rafinesquina. ; Dr. Alice E. Wilson (1932, b. p. 397.) at- tempted to trace the evolution of Rafinesquina. The new species of this genus found in the Black River of Montreal suggest a slight modification of her evolutionary series. Tie appended dia- gram illustrates the evolution better than a lengthy description. Two lines appear to start from R. alternata. In one, terminating in 7. robusta and R. camerata. the rather flat umbonal %, region becomes convex. This line is represented - by R. wagneri n. sp. and R. williams: n. sp. _ The other line of evolution terminates m Rk. deltoidea which retains the flattened umbonal -region, although it is reduced in area. The anterior part of the shell shows a pronounced -_ geniculation. This line is represented by KX. transitionalis n. sp., R. precursor Raymond, and -R. normalis Wilson. R. clara n. sp. differs from R. alternata by a slight increase of curvature at the margin, and seems to be the first step leadirg from the flat R. alternata to the more convex forms. eas R. deltoidea R. normalis PR. robusta R.camerata R. praecursor TRENTON BLACK RIVER + R.williamsi R. transitionalis o R. wagneri De y ‘: ic ‘Ric lata a \ f 4 Rafinesquina alternata ~ v/s “ Strophomena corrugata un. sp. a Plates), fie. Z By 8 Shell resupinate, slightly concavo-convex, with the anterior part strongly deflected. The holo- — type has a width, 28 mm., length, 19 mm. The + shell is semi-circular, with rectangular cardinal extremities. The margin is somewhat crenulated. It is wrinkled by two or possibly more con- __ centric undulations, particularly prominent at the = middle. The beak is inconspicuous. On the surface there are radiating costelle, narrow and ___ rounded, increasing by interpolation. There are 40 of these per cm. at the margin. The costelle ¢ are crossed by fine, raised, concentric growth lines. The interior of the shel! is not known. It differs from S. irregularis Wilson in having THE CANADIAN FIELD-NAIURALIST 99 wrinkles, coarser costelle, greater convexity, and no alteration in coarseness of its costelle. S. incurvata (Shepard) has finer costelle, much more closely packed, and greater convexity. Horizon and locality: Leray of St. Vincent de Paul, Quebec. Leptena radialis n. sp. Plate 1, fig. 9. The shell is small, transversely semi-ellip- tical. Its greatest width at the hinge is 11 mm. length, 7 mm. The pedicle valve is sharply geniculate; the down-bent anterior part crenul- ated by numerous radial folds; the disc is slightly convex, without prominent concentric wrinkles. The geniculation is about two-thirds of the way from the beak to the margin. Along the border of the flat disc there are several small pits, ap- parently representing interruptions in a single concentric wrinkle just at the line of genicula- tion. The beak is inconspicuous and only slight- ly raised. Only the pedicle valve is known; its surface is covered by very fine, crowded radial costelle, crossed by still narrower concentric Iines. The specimen belongs to the group of I.ept- znas, which do not have strong concentric un- dulations. Other members of this group are L. unicostata Meek and Worthen and L. char- lotte Winchell & Schuchert. JL. radialis differs from these in the presence of radial wrinkles on its geniculate portion, and pits along the line of geniculation. Known only from the holo- type. Horizon and locality: Vincent de Paul, Que. THE PELPCYPODA. Pelecypods are fairly numerous’ in the Low- ville of this vicinity, particularly in the so called “black bands” or shaly partings. Usually they occur as casts of the exterior and so do not preserve any indications of hinge structure or muscle scars; seldom even surface makings. Specific determinations must be based upon the general shape of the shell, which is the only diagnostic feature to be seen. Two sepecies of Cyrtodonta were definitely recognised, Cyrto- donta subcarinata and C. hurenensis; both species have been listed from Pointe Claire but because the original descriptions are somewhat difficult to obtain it seems advisable to repeat them below. Vower Jeesay sates Cyrtodonta huronensis Billings. Billings, Geol. Survey Canada, Rept. of Pro- gress p. 180, figs. 3, 4. 1857. “Description — Transversely oval; anterior and posterior extremities rounded; ventral mar- gin moderately convex, dorsal margin a little more convex than ventral; umbones rather small, incurved; greatest tumidity extending from the umbones obliquely towards the posterior ventral 100 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST angle; surface concentrically marked with fine strie and ridges of growth. Width one inch five lines [36 mm.]; length at the centre, one inch, “Locality and formation — The specimens were originally desc-ibed from an island in the group lying off Point Palladeau, Lake Huron, where they were found associated with Chazy, Black River and Trenton fossils [N. B. probably all Black River] also at Pointe Claire, Island of Montreal.” Our specimens were all collected from the Lowville of the Golf Course and Devito quar- ries, Pointe Claire. Cyrtodonta subcarinata Billings. Billings, Geol. Surv. Canada, Rept. of Pro- gress, p. 181, 1857. “Description — ‘Transversely ventral margin scarcely convex, slightly sinuated for a small space of the centre; dorsal margin elevated in the centre and sloping with a slight curve towards the posterior end, which is narrowly rounded or truncate in the casts of the interior; umbones moderately small, incurved, and somewhat carinate for a greater or less distance; surface marked with obscure concentric ridges of growth. The interior has not been seen. Width one inch three lines; [31. 5 mm.] length nine lines [18.5 mm.]. “This species may perhaps be considered a variety of the last; but the proportions are some- what different, and it is always charact2rised by the strong rounded carina, which extends from the umbones to the posterior ventral angle. “Locality and formation — Occurs at Pointe Claire and in numerous localities in the valley of the Ottawa. in the top of the Chazy, through- out the Birdseye and Black River timestones, and in the base of the Trenton.” Our specimens were all collected from muddy or shaly beds of the Jowville of St. Vincent de Paul and Pointe Claire, Que. GASTROPODA. The gastropods of the Black River beds in the vicinity of Montreal form a characteristic group, and are distinct from either the Chazy or Trenton forms. Unfortunately they are badly preserved. ‘The majority of the shells are rather imperfect casts of the interior, whose cystalline condition ren- ders extraction from the rock almost impossible. However, fairly good specimens can be found if one looks carefully, and some show enough of the surface markings to permit specific de- termination. The shells are about the same size as typical specimens from other localities, show- ing no tendency to such dwarfing as was noted in case of the brachiopods. Several general observations can be made. The gastropod fauna of the Black River reprsents a fairly distinct group, the majority of the species being limited sub-oval ; straight or [VoL. XLIX to the formation. This is particularly striking if we omit from consideration such common and. long lived species as Hormotoma gracilis and Lophospira bicincta. However, the affinities of the Black River gastropods are with those of the Trenton rather than with those of the Chazy. It ‘s also apparent that within the Black River group certain species are confined to the Low- ville. and others to the Leray. Thus Hormotoma subangulata, H. wilsoni, n. sp., Liospira micula and L. vitruvia have been found only in the Upper Leray, whereas Lopthospira perangulata and Trochonemvlla montrealensis gen. et sp. nov. are found only in the Lowville. The abundant Hormotoma gracilis is more common in the Leray than in the Lowville. 5 It will also be noticed that fossils are more abundant in the upper portion of both the Leray and Lowville than in their lower layers. No other explanation of this peculiarity is apparent than that the basal strata of both Lowville and Leray consist of massive and sandy beds, whereas shaly partings become more common towards the top. Dr. Raymond, (1913, p. 148) mentions that Pointe Claire is a typical locality fo- Lophospira caphne (LL. arachne), but this species is not reprsented in our collection. Maclurites logan has been found only in Martineau quarry, Mon- treal. Homotoma wilsoni n. sp. Plate 2, fig. 4. Shell high, slender, consisting of about 8 rounded or sub-angular whorls. General ap- pearance much the same as that of Hormotoma gracilis (Hall), the difference being in the apical angle, which varies from 10° to 14°, whereas in H. gracilis the apical angle constantly mea- sures 18°. The available specimens are not per- fect enough to show the umbilicus and surface markings, but these are presumably the same as in A. gracilis. Horizon and locality: Vincent de Paul, Que. Specific name in honour of Dr. Alice E. Wilson of the Geological Survey of Canada. Liospira peneplana n. sp. Plate 2, fig. 3. The shell is small, discoidal, about 15 mm. wide and 6 mm. high. There are about four volutions; the last whorl and a half lying al- most in the same plane. The sutures are very shallow, hence the spire projects slightly above the almost uniform slope of the last two whorls. The apical angle is 135°. The slit- band occupies the periphery, and is very nar- row, giving a sharp-edged appearance to the shell, The holotype does not show surface markings. This species resembles closely Lio- spira micula Hall, but differs in having a greater apical angle. Middle Leray at St. September, 1935] 3 Horizon and locality: Pointe Claire, Que. Lowville at Trochonemella gen. nov. The proposed genus embraces those shells which Ulrich classed as the trochonemoides — section of Lophospira, and a new species from the Lowville. Ulrich described the ftrochonemoides section as: “In all respects like Trochonema save that the supra-peripheral keel bears a distinct band. Differs f-om ordinary types of Lophospira in the relatively depressed form, large umbilicus, thick shell, and oblique. mouth.” (Ulrich, 1897,° p. 964.) Farther on describing Lophospira (?) notabilis the same author said: “The most strik- ing feature of this remarkable shell, and one that distinguishes it at once from every one of the host of Lower Silurian Pleurotomaride known to us, is the coarsely marked slit-band. This, as well as the form of the aperture and in fact, the general aspect of the whole shell, is so different from the usual type of Lophosjira that, if we had not at the same time seen L. knoxvillensis, and L. trochonemoides which. while having the usual Lophospira band, yet ‘agree very very closely with it in all other re- spects, we would have considered ourselves justi- fied in proposing a new genus for its special benefit. As it is, we are not at all satisfied that it would not be better to set these three species apart as a distinct genus, thereby facilitat- ing references to a genetic relationship that be- fore the discovery of these shells was not even suspected. That a relationship of this kind does exist between Trochonema and the Pleuroto- maride is now scarcely to be denied, for it seems almost inconceivable that such intimate agreement in structure could occur except in near branches of the same stock.” (Ulrich, 1897. p. 991). The discovery of a new species at Pointe Claire, Quebec, strengthens the idea that Lopho- Spira (?)knoxvillensis. L. (2?) trochonemoidcs and L. (2) notabilis, should be withdrawn from Lophospira and placed in a separate genus. Ad- ditional reasons to those expressed by Dr. UI- rich are: (1) that the discovery of a shell un- doubtedly belonging to the trochonemoides group, so far from the original localities in Tennessee and Kentucky, indicates that this group represents a definite development and not merely a local variation, and (2) that the group is a good index for the Black River beds over a very wide area. Unfortunately the available specimens of the new species do not permit a study of the umbilicus and the aperture, but the general appearance, the flat shoulder above the upper carina, the marked slit-band, the al- most vertical peripheral portion between the suture and the slit-band, all set this shell suf- THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 101 ficiently apart from the known species of Lo- bhospira to warrant creating a new genus. The genus is intermediate between Lophospira and Trochonema and serves as a link between the Pleurotomaride d’Orbigny and the Tro- chonematide. Trochonemella is included with the Pleurotomaridz because the origninal trochone- moides group of Ulrich was included by him in that family. ; Species which belong to this genus are:— Lophospira (?) knoxvillensis Ulrich. Es Ce)) trochonemoides Ulrich, L. (?) notabilis Ulrich, and Trochonemella montrealensis Okulitch. The genotype is Lophospira (?) notabilis Ulrich. Trochonemella montrealensis n. Sp. Plate 2, figs 2: Height and width are nearly equal, each in the largest specimen measuring about 19 mm., in a smaller one 12 mm. Apical angle about bsyaiehe there are four volutions. Upper carina, which is situated midway between the suture and the slit-band, is very strong and prominent, orna- mented by ribs produced by raised growth lines ; lower peripheral carina faint or absett and not ornamented. Midway between these carine ‘and separated from them by narrow concave areas is the broad salient slit-band, crossed hy convex imbricating lamellze, averaging, on the body whorl, about 14 in 10 mm. In section the top of the whorls (that is, the space between the suture and upper carina) is flat. The aper- ‘ture and umbilicus have not been seen, but presumably are similar to those of YTrochone- mela notabilis. The shell is in general very similar to T. notabilis (Ulrich) from which it differs in being considerably smaller; in having a smaller apical angle (7. notabilis has an apical angle of 87°): in the less prominent lower carina, and in the finer ornamentation of the slit-band, there being 14 lamelle instead of 7 per cm. Horizon and locality: Lowville at Pointe Claire, Quebec. CEPHALOPODA. All the cephalopods found appear to belong to species previously reported from Ontario and localities further south, indicating a great uni- formity of the cephalopodan fauna over a large area. A particularly noteworthy resernblance was found to exist between the Montreal fossils and the ones from Paquette Rapids, Que., on the Ottawa River, almost all the species in our col- lection having been previously listed from that locality. : TRILOBITA. In the collection of fossils from the local Black River formations trilobites are not very numerous, and, with a few exceptions, are in a bad state of preservation. 102 Bathyurus extans is the most common trilobite and numerous pygidia of this species can be found at Pointe Claire. Almost all the species mentioned by Dr. Wilson from the Black River in the vicinity of Ottawa are present in our collection. The list from Kingston, Ontario, exceeds ours by three species. There is, there- fore, a close similarity between the trilobite faunas of the three localities. Bathyurus extans is entirely limited to the Lowville, while Cvr- aurus pleurexanthemus, Encrinurus vigilans, and Isotelus gigas? occur both in the Lowville and Leray, and extend into Trenton. The Trenton affinities of the local Black River trilobite fauna are apparent, but the fact that some abundant species such as Bathyurus extans are entirely confined to the Black River is an- other reason for considering the Black River to be an independent group. Illenus martineauensis n. sp. Plate 2, fig. 5. The species is known from a slightly imper- fect cranidium and free cheeks. Cephalon strongly convex and smooth. Dorsal furrows wide and shallow, diverging anteriorly but not quite reaching the anterior margin. Glabella subtriangular, not marked off from the anterior of the cephalon, and tapering toward the bluntly rounded posterior portion. Free cheeks narrow with no genal spines. The facial sutures, be- hind the eye, diverge somewhat; in front of the eye, they are probably nearly parallel. Eyes small, distant from the glabella, located about one-third of the way in front of the posterior margin of the cephalon. This species closely resembles /l/e@nus amer- icanus Billings, from which it differs in its diverging dorsal furrows and lack of genal lap- pets. Horizon and locality: Middle Leray at Mar- tineau quarry, Mile End, Montreal, Que. Pterygometopus harrisi n. sp. Plate 2, fig. 6. The species is known only from an imperfect THE CANADIAN FIBLD-NATURALIST (Vou. XLIX cranidium, which is sufficiently distinctive to afford an easy separation from other species of Pterygometopus. Glabella is moderately convex; the anterior part transversely elliptical, covered with small tubercles. The first pair of glabellar furrows are deep, wide at the dorsal furrow, but do not meet each other. From the dorsal furrow they _ proceed slightly backward. The second pair are short, indistinct, do not reach the dorsal furrows, and are inclined from it anteriorly. The third pair are deep, their outer halves strictly trans- verse, the inner halves deflected anteriorly. The neck furrow is incomplete. Only a fragment of the fixed cheek is presery- ed; this contains the palpebral lobe, which is” situated just behind the middle of the glabella, extending from opposite the first to opposite the third furrow. In outline this lobe is ir- regularly lunate, and its anterior part approaches, but does not quite reach, the dorsal furrow near the first glabellar furrow. The nuchal seg- ment is imperfectly preserved, but there 1s enough of it to indicate that it was very strong- ly raised. Measurements — glabella 5 mm. long, and 5 mm. wide at the widest (anterior) part. This species differs from Pterygometopus annulatus Raymond (Chazy of Valcour Is.) by having a more nearly elliptical anterior part of the glabella, the tubercles seem to be finer, and the second pair of glabellar furrows do not reach the dorsal furrow. The first and third glabellar furrows are deeper than in P. annul- atus. In P. callicephalus (Hall) the tubercles are coarser and the second glabellar furrows do reach the dorsal furrow. Horizon and locality: Claire, Quebec. Specific name in honour of Mr. J. J. Harris, M.Sce., whose work on the detail of the strati- grsphy of the local Black River was a great help to the author. Lowville of Pointe LIST OF BLACK RIVER FOSSILS. ABBREVIATIONS USED: L—Logan and Billings. R—Raymond. A—Ami and Ells. O—Okulitch. Listed Distribution of fossils collected by by Okulitch Name Lowville Leray iG Ww U Nia CiAss ANTHOzOA. Streptelasma cormculum Hall .. AO Bx x x S. profundum (Conrad) . ; LO x ae Columnaria alvcolata Goldfuss LO x t x September, 1935} THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 103 Listed Distribution of fossils callected by by Okulitch Name Lowville Leray eee RIM AG) Pea 10) C. halli Nicholson .. . nord Wet Sol > acer HAIER) 5K css x x Fletcheria incerta (Billings) PNR act Nate oh is Tetradium cellulosum (Hall) Rate eer cel ec) Bs enclarki Okaliteh 45, hiets.acc Shek sels d> ss euO T. cylindricum? NUaisone Merten ie O Wie LaiLIN OAtOrds <. -.< ee a Ue) oo se ARO WPROMITIS SAtOLd asa ste ye ee ct. oe a oO x T. racemosum Raymond .. ..-.. .... .. ..O x x x mM od Criass Hyprozoa. Stromatocerium canadense N. & M. .. .. ..O x S. canadense cf. var. mininuum Parks .. ..O x S. rugosum dale Naa See Ree vee tlie hemeamenr ines a Pe 74 (0) x x x x “Worms” . opihocineathi ten aoe dota Phytopsis fibwlosun lal 600 ae LARO x x x CiAss Bryozoa. O Sucroponm porosa Billings sss. .. «2 a. cell, Pachydictya acuta Hall . A acca eee aig tN CLASS BRACHI P_DA. Lingwia sp. ind. .. Trematis montrealensis ‘Billings Hebertella sp. ind. : ae rene iets Hesperorthis cf. tricenaria (Conrad) : Hesperorthis sp. ind. SM a SIR Dinorthis sp. ind. .. eeites “Pionodema sinuata Okulitch |. P. subequata gibbosa (Billings) Leptena radialis Okulitch .. : Rafinesquina alternata (Emmons) > GUE A OUGINe teite oem) Cel ae eacre ee PL ROnISiOnaws O)\ailitchinnen ssa sane ne . grandis Okulitch .. . minnesotensis (Winchell) . wagnert Okulitch .. OG COT ar MCUs OkAtlitClt on. 62s earn eck as Semue (Pamelia) AA AVA Strophomena corrugata Okulitch .. .. .. . S. emaciata Winchell & Schuchert .. .. .. .. S. incurvata (Shepard) j S. irregularis Wilson .. : Rhynchotrema increbescens (Hall) Zygospira recurvirostris (Hall) MOOzOO COODOOHOHOOOOOFO 6 Pat mm MM OM O " m mo Ciass PELECYPoDA. Ctenodonta abrupta (?) Billings .. C. contracta Salter... .. : C. nasuta (Hall) ; Cyrtodonta huronensis Billings Cyrtodonta subcarinata Billings .. tal SHHHO = fe) 4 ‘e) » » CLAss GASTROPODA. Phragmolites triangularia Ulrich & prone ee x Hormotoma gracilis (Hall) .. .. .. ARO) x x Xe H. wilsom Okulitch .. .. eter teres H. subangulata Ul-ich & Scofield Bere PG: Inospira larvata (Salter) oe JE, Clits Temi (slats she sae a ene L. peneplana Okulitch .. .. .. s L. cf. vitruvia (Billings) Lophospira bicincta (Hall) . Ae aes see L. cf. owem Ulrich & Scofield weaisa Sas L. perangulata (Hall) ; L. ventricosa (Hall) . Trochonemella montrealensis Okulitch Oo Pita ita iita ita (ata ite tae ied fe ° Po 104 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST (Vou. XLIX Listed Distribution of fossils collected by by Okulitch Lowville Leray Name le i OY boo Nia Helicotoma planulata Salter .. aN esl Cala Maclurites logani (Salter) .. .. .. -. --. -.L RO x Raphistoma aperta Salter .. .. .. .. souk, R. rotuloides (Hall) . tele ea Raphistomina lapicida alter) | Se er eS i Holopea similis Ulrich & Scofield .. .. .. ..O x Trochonema umbilicata (Hall) .. .. .. ..L O x Ciass CEPHALOPODA. Cameroceras? multicameratum (Emmons) ..LARO x x Endoceras sp. .. .« Suan Meemcete gale Orthoceras recticameratum ates Sodae Cycloceras decrescens (Billings) -. ..O x x x x x x Spyroceras cf. paquettense Foerste .. .. .. ..O 5 Seaevindratum Koerste 2. s:o-0 +202. os 2 O x x x ra Zitteloceras sp. eee ce @) x Sactoceras josephianum Ferste .. . 50 x x x S. pictolineatum Foerste .. .. .- .-O x Actinoceras bigsbyi Bronn .. B aarsere geal AmbillimosmCerstee 5s 8 ee Bee ee LO x x x A, sp. ind. See aie eo IR Gontoceras ‘anceps “12 0h peepee .-A O x Ormoceras sp. ind. .. ae en eae aeee nO) x x Richardsonoceras (?) sp. ind. Bian pee) © x Gyrtoceras sp. md) =. +. .->.5.. -LA CLASS CRUSTACEA. ~ Supciass el nilobitais ss. < hst ep heme tte fee Bathyurus extans (Hall) Nee We as cae tumor O) x x Bese cits...) sac eer ra = eae come oO) x Tsotelus gigas De ‘Kay au --RO x x x x Bumastus bellevillensis Raymond & ‘Narrawa: O x B. milleri (Billings) .. .. Me ON eT RR Tllenus martineauensis Okulitch esi meee el Gi, x Encrinurus vigilans (Hall) tn os GAO x xK Ceraurus pleurcxanthemus Green .. .. ..O x x Pteryometopus harrisi Okulitch .. .. .. . O x CrEASs EUCRSTACEA. Leperditia canadense Jones .. . sere mised Primitia logan leperditoides (Jones) . be A PLANTAE, Fuccoids .. TRAE Ee Coleen aee RANE Se Licrophycus cf. L. ottawacnse Billings .. ..A Solenopora compacta Billings .. soll; SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY. 1913—Two New species of Tetradium, Geol. (b) Surv. Canada, Victoria Mem. Mus. Bruuincs, E. Bull. 1, pp. 49-50. 1857—Report for the year 1857. Geol. Surv. Utricu, E. O. Canada, Rp. Prog. 147-192. Forrste, A. F. 1932—Black River and other Cephalopods from 1933 Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ontario, Pt. 1 & 2; Denison. University Boll, jour «sci, Lab. “Vol 27; 28: Raymonp, P. FE. 1908—(and Narraway, J. E.) Notes on Or- dovician Trilobites; Illaenide from the Black River near Ottawa, Canada. Car- negie Mus, Annals 4, pp. 242-255. 1913—Ordovician of Montreal anc Ottawa. (a) Geol. Surv. Canada, Internat. Geol. Cong., XII, Guide Book No. 3; 137-160. 1897—-(with Scofield, W. H.) The Iower Silurian Gastropoda of Minnesota. Geol. Surv. Minnesota, Vol. 3, pt. 2. Witson, A. E. 1916—(and Mather, K. F.). Synopsis of the Common Fossils of the Kingston Area. Rept. Ontario Bureau of Mines, Vol. 25, pt. 3 1921—The Range of certain. Ordovician Faunas of the Ottawa Valley with description of some New Species. Geol. Surv. Canada, Mus. Bull. 33, p. 19. 1932—Ordovician Fossils from the Region of Cornwall, Ont. Trans. Royal Society Canada, Section 4, pp. 373-404. September, 1935] : THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 105 PLATE 1 (VoL. XLIX 106 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST PLATE September, 1935] EXPLANATION. OF PEATES. Pirate 1. Page 105 Fig. 1. Rafinesquina clara n. sp. x 1-1/3. Fig. 2. Rafinesquina grandis n. sp. x 2/73. Fig. 3. Rafinesquina transitionalis n. sp. natural size, pedicle valve of an adult individual. ; Fig. 4. Rafinesquina transitionalis n. sp. x 1-1/3, pedicle valve of a young in- dividual. showing the geniculaticn to be considerably closer to the anterior margin than in an adult. Fig. 5. Rafinesquina wagneri n. sp. x 1-1/3. Fig. 6. Rafinesquina williamsi n. sp. natural size. a) pedicle valve. b) pedicle valve showing muscle scars. Fig. 7. Strophomena corrugata n. sp. na- tural size, showing prominent wrinkles on the pedicle valve, . TdE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 107 Fig. 8. Pionodema sinuata n. sp. x 1-1/3. Fig. 9. Leptena radialis n. sp. x 1-2/3. Prats 2. | Page’ 106: Figs. la, lb, le Tetradium clarki n. sp. la. appearance of a corallum with a polished longitudinal section. x 1/3. lb. transverse section showing “lami- ne” and corallites. x 1/3. Ic. showing portion of laminz; some corallites show double wall. x 8. . 2. Trochonemella montrealensis sp. et gen. nov., side view shows the coarsely marked slit-band. x 1-1/3. ig. 3. Liospira peneplana n. sp. x 1-1/3. Fig. 4. Hormotoma wilsoni n. sp. x 1-1/3. Fig. 5. [llenus martineauensis n. sp. x 2. / ’ Fig. 6. Pterygometopus harrisi n. sp. x 2. SOME FUNGI FROM ANTICOSTI ISLAND AND GASPE PENINSULA* By J. ADAMS lected du.ing a short visit to Anticosti in August, 1933, and to Anticosti and Gaspé Peninsula during the latter part of August and the beginning of September, 1934. No particular attention was given to the study of this group of plants as I was interested mainly in the ferns and seed-plants. In Schmitt's Monographie de I'Ile d’ Anticosti, 1604, only eleven species of fungi and several genera incompletely named are mentioned. The names given below are all additions to the flora of the island. Numerous saprophytic forms were seen in the woods but as these are difficult to preserve they can he identified satisfactorily only by a specialist on the spot. My thanks are due to Mr. I. L. Conners who named most of the parasitic species, and to Miss I. Mounce who undertook the identifica- tion of the saprophytes. MYXOMYCETES On dead wood. Ellis Bay, Anti- Lycogala sp. costi. * Contribution No. 423 from the Division of Botany, Experimental Farms Branch, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, Canada. HE FUNGI mentioned below were col-— PHYCOMYCETES Cystopus candidus Lévy. On Capsella Bursa- pastoris. Port Menier, Anticosti; Cap des Rosiers, Gaspé Peninsula. Cystopus cubicus Lév. On Senecio aureus. In wood along logging railway, Anticosti. Peronospora parasitica (Pers.) de Bary. On Cap- Sella Bursa-pastoris. Port Menier, Anticosti. ASCOMYCETES Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul. On Poa eminens and Secale cereale. Port Menier, Anticosti. Helvella sp. On cleared ground along the logg- ing railway. Anticosti. Mycospherella Cerastii (Pers.) Schroet. On Stellaria borealis. Ellis Bay, Anticosti. Plowrightia morbosa (Schw.) Sacc. On Prunus sp. Gaspé. RKhytisma Andromede (Pers.) Fr. On And- romeda Polifolia. In swamp along the logging railway. Anticosti. R. salicinum (Pers.) Fr. On Salix candida Port Menier. Anticosti. Spherotheca Humuli (DC) Bur. var. fuliginea (Schl.) Salmon. On Prenanthes altissima. Ellis Bay, Anticosti. 108 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST USTILAGINEAE Cintractia Caricis (Pers.) Magn. On Carex sp. Ellis Bay. Anticosti. UREDINEAE Accidium sp. On Conioselinum canadense Swamp along logging railway. Anticosti. Chrysomyxa ledicola (Pk.) Lagerh. On Picca canadensis. Ellis Bay. Anticosti. Coleosporium Solidaginis Thuem. On Aster sp. and Solidago sp. Gaspé. Cronartium ribicola Fisch. Melampsorclla elatina Arth. On Abies balsamea causing witches’ brooms. Common in west- ern end of Anticosti Island. Phragmidium americanum (Peck) Diet. On Rosa blanda. Ellis Bay, Anticosti. Phragmidium Potentille (Pers.) Karst. On Potentilla pectinata. Pe-cé. Puccima Arenarie. (Schum.) Wirt. On Aren- aria latertflora. Ellis Bay, Anticosti. P. atropuncta Pk. et Cke. On Zygadenus chlor- anthus. Baie Ste. Claire. Anticosti. P. Bistorte (Str.) DC. On Polygonum viviparum. Ellis Bay. Anticosti. On Ribes sp. Percé. P. Clematidis (DC) Lagerh. On Thalictrun: alpinum. Swamp along logging railway. - Anticosti. P. Heuchere (Schw.) Dict. On Mitella nuda. Ellis Bay, Anticosti. (VoL. XLIX Puccinia Hieracii (Schum.) Mart. On Hieracium sp. Ellis Bay, Anticosti, and Gaspé. Ellis P. Iridis (DC) Wallr. On Iris versicolor. Bay, Anticosti. P. karelica Tranz. On Carex paupercula. Ellis Bay, Anticosti. P. recedens Syd. On Senecio aureus. Ellis Bay, Anticosti. P. suaveolens (Pers.) Rostr. On Cirsium aruense. Ellis Bay, Anticosti. P. Viole (Schum.) DC. On Viola sp. Ellis Bay, Anticosti. Puccimastrum americanum (Farl.) Arth. On Rubus strigosus. Ellis Bay, Anticosti. BASIDIOMYCETES Dacryomyces palmatus (Schw.) Bres. On dead bark. Ellis Bay. Anticosti. Fomes pinicola (Sw.) Cooke On dead wood. Along logging railway. , Anticosti. Lenzites sepiaria (Wulf.) Fr. On dead wood. Ellis Bay, Anticosti Panus stypticus Fr. On dead wood. Ellis Bay. Anticosti. Polyporus abictinus (Dicks.) Fr. Ellis Bay, Anticosti. P. cinnabarinus (Jacob.) Fr. Ellis Bay, Anticosti. Cn dead wood. On dead wood. EPILOBIUM LATIFOLIUM L. nov. subsp LEUCANTHUM fine leg ‘“‘White Alpine Willowherb’’) A Tito Ulke descriptum Hec subspecies similis est Epilobio latifolto L,. sed planta tota robustior, petalis dimidio fere latioribus et albis non purpureis: foliis duplo fere latiot ribus; caule perenni, firmo, alto 15-35 em., terete, glauco, rubente et piloso supra, ramoso et ad radicem lignoso; ramis axillaribus folia minora et opposita ferentibus; follis ovato- lanceolatis, integris aut densiculatis, 3-6cm. longis, 1-2 cm. latis, basibus et apicibus acutis, pilis sub- tilibus indutis, in caule alternantibus, oppositis in tamis, coriaceis, glaucis, subsessilibus, venis jater- alibus haud visibilibus plerumque liberis; floribus positis in terminalibus racemis brevibus, foliosis, plerumque confertis; petalis 4, integris, obovatis, long. 2 cm.,, lat. 1.5 cm., albis, purpura minuta venatis, lobis calicis angustis, lanceolatis aut oblongis, long. 13-15 mm.; staminibus 8, long. 11-12 mm., antheris purpureis, imis filamentis dilatatis; pistillo 1, long. 7 mm., purpureo, in- clinato, stilo glabro; stigmatibus 4, divaricatis, oblongis, long. 3-4 mm.; capsula fusiformi line- ari, canescenti, long. 2-5em., lat. 3-4 mm., pluris- eminata; seminibus long. 2 mm., fusiformibus, sine rostris, comosis albicantibus elongatis. Plants usually in dense clumps, 3 or 4 m. in diameter, associated with Epilobium latifolium on gravelly flats forming islands mear the head of Horsethief Creek at about 2300 m. elevation, just below the moraine of Starbird Glacier, Kootenay District, British Columbia. A dozer plants were obtained. The type specimen, No. 1267, of E. L. leucan- thum is in the hebarium of the Catholic Univer- sity at Brookland, D.C., and cotypes are in the University of Toronto and Harvard University collections. September, 1935] THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 109 NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS Woop TurTLE FRom OntTAriIo—About May Ist, 1933, I received from Mr. Elwood Camp- bell of Clinton, Huron County, two specimens of the wood turtle (Clemmys insculpta (Le Conte) ) which he had collected in the vicinity of Clinton. One of these was given to the Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology and the other retained at the Ontario Agricultural Col- lege. The publication of this brief note appears to be warranted by the scantiness of previously p ublished information on the occurrence of this turtle in Ontario—W. FE. HeEMING, Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, Ontario. ANOTHER Woop TurTLE Record From Onr- ARIO.—During the summer of 1934 I followed up the discovery of the wood turtle near Clinton, ‘Ontario, by visiting the vicinity where the speci- mens reported by Mr. Heming had been found. On July 26, 1934, in company with Mr. Elm- wood Campbell, and my nephew D'Arcy LeRay, I visited the farm of Mr. Fred Hopkins, Holmes- ville, near Clinton, Huron County. During the evening of that day, Mr. Campbell found two specimens under the roots of scrub willows near a small stream. The next morning D’Arcy LeRay and I each found one. In both cases, the individual was sunning itself on a mass of debris at the side of the stream.—W. J. LERayY, Department of Butology, University of Toronto. THE Opossum IN Kent County, ONTARIO.—A fine female opossum (Didelphis virginiana) was trapped on or about December 15th, 1934, on the farm of Mr. Hiram McLarty, township of Howard, Kent County, Ontario. It was caught in a burrow under a stump. This is the second specimen from this locality. The previous one was taken by Mr. Bert E. Shanks, lot 16, con- cession 6, township of Harwich, Kent Co., about the middle of February, 1892. It was found under a partly uprooted tree by Mr. Shank’s hound which worked all day trying to dislodge it. In the evening Mr. Shanks assisted the hound and they succeeded in capturing it. The opossum is believed to have been in hibernation. The snow was quite deep at the time and as Mr. Shanks was. cutting logs, he passed the place where the opossum was found every day and no tracks had been seen at any time. ‘This latter specimen is now in the Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology—J. H. Smiru, Blenheim, Ontario. ANOTHER LEAST WEASEL SPECIMEN FROM Ontario.—During the summer of 1931, a flat “unmade” skin of the least. weasel, (the form Mustela rixosa rixosa, assumed on geographic grounds) was presented to the field party of the Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology by Mr. Arthur Caron of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Mr. Caron informed the writer that this weasel was taken along the railway track at Tatnall, near Oba, Ontazio, in late summer, 1929, by his brother. It is in the brown pelage. : This is the second inland Ontario specimen, the other, taken at Heaslip, Temiskaming Dis- trict, has been recorded by Saunders, (Trans. Royal Can. Inst., July, 1932). The earlier records are of specimens in the United States National Museum taken at “Fort Albany’ and ‘Moose Factory” and were recorded by Bangs (Proc. Biol. Soc. of Wash., Feb., 1896). Seton, in his Life Histories of Northern An- imals (p. 861) marks a record on his map of distribution which falls on the Minnesota-Ontario boundary line. The text, however, does not supplement this record with a specific locality statement— L. L. SNYDER. BOOK REVIEWS AMERICAN Birp BIOGRAPHIES; complete life-histories of familiar birds written in autobiographical form by Dr. Arthur A. Allan, Professor of Ornithology in Cornell University, etc. With ten colour plates and ten wash-drawings by George Miksch Sutton and 190 photographs of birds in nature by the author. Comstock Pub- lishing Company, Ithaca, New York, 1934. Pp. 238, large 8vo. Price $3.50. in the U.S. cohtauung the Anything on birds from the pen of Dr. Allen is worth while and this volume demonstrates the rule. In the mass of popular nature liter- ature put before (often foisted upon) the amateur public one can rely on his work being not only delightfully presented to the casual reader but as accurate in its substance as a heavily scientific treatise. The volume consists of a number of life histories of familiar and interesting birds that have previously been run 110 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST serially in Bird-Lore. The viewpoint of the bird is given sympathetically and directly with- out undue sentimentality or anthropomorphism. The author and publisher have performed a benefit to the nature student in bringing them together in this convenient and admirable form. Dr. Allen is an expert with the camera and the ‘numerous half-tone reproductions of his photo- graphic work give many charming and intimate views of the birds at home in nature. The plates in both wash and colour by Dr. Sutton corroborate our growing impression that he is a bird artist to be reckoned with and is taking his place among the masters of that branch of art that America has so notably produced of late. This series is in some re- spects the best work that he has had published and shows the development of an attractive individuality. His birds are well detailed with good knowledge without being fussy, and show control of medium. They are particularly well modeled and distinctly three dimensioned. The backgrounds are broadly treated without dis- tracting detail but richly coloured and throw out the birds in harmonious contrast and very pleasing colour scheme. A feature that adds greatly to the general effect of the plates is the soft gray matting that surrounds them. The volume is well bound in brown lIinen; the paper and printing are excellent. It is a book that is desirable in every bird-lover’s [VoL. XLIX library and is particularly appropriate to gift seasons. — P. A. T. Soncs or Witp Birps. By Albert R. Brand, Associate in Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History. Thomas Nelson and Sons, New York. 1934. 8% x 7%. 91 pp..and two phonograph records. $2.00. Students of ornithology, both professional and amateur, have long recognized both the import- ance and the difficulty of learning how to identify an unseen bird by its song or call. The appearance of this book should do much to shorten the years necessary to acquire proficiency in this fascinating but often disheartening pursuit. A day or so ago, I played the records over for the benefit of the most severe critic available, — the family cat, whose interest was keen and immediate. He seemed to think the various thrushes most realistic, but was less taken with the cry of the Whip-poor-Will, though I thought it one of the best. Mr. Brand’s suceess in re- cording these songs by means of specially con- trived microphones and other elaborate and ex- pensive equipment must be as great a satisfac- tion to him as it is to his many friends who have watched his progress with interest. The future volumes which we are promised will be awaited with keen anticipation. — D. L. AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION MEETING IN TORONTO At the invitation of the Royal Ontario Museum, the American Orni- thologists’ Union will hold its next annual meeting in Toronto from October 21 to 25, inclusive. Headquarters will be in the Royal York, a splendid hotel where rates of $3.00 per day for single rooms and $5.00 per day for double rooms, European plan, have been arranged. Public sessions for the reading of papers commence on Tuesday, October 22. This is the most important feature of A.O.U. meetings. Ornithologists from all over North America will be present and matters pertaining to birds will be discussed by the most eminent authorities of the continent. Canadian bird-sudents should plan now to attend the Toronto meeting and take advantage of the opportunitty to hear and make the acquaintance of the ornithologists of Canada and the United States. programme. Topics of popular as well as technical interest will appear on the On Friday, October 24, the meeting will conclude with a field day at Hamilton, the former home of Thomas Mcllwraith, a founder of the A.O.U. The Dundas Sanctuary will be inspected and an apportunity to see the congregation of wild fowl on Burlington Bay will be afforded. ’ NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF MANITOBA. 1934-35 ‘ nis: H. M.- age M.D., 3. W. Lowe, M.Sc., J. B. WALLIS, M.A., A. A. My A. M. Davipson, M.D., R. A. WARDLE, SHIRLEY BROoKS; Vice-Presidents: B. W. Cart- iT, . PEARCE, L. T. s. NorRIS-ELYE, B.A., Mrs. L. = N, W. H. RAND; Treasurer: DR. W. G. CAMPBELL, ical Arts Bldg., Winnipeg, Manitoba; General . NoRMAN LowWE, 317 Simcoe St., Winnipeg: Auditor: ‘Taomas; Executive Secretary: a: Happow, Social Miss O. A. ARMSTRONG. ; Chairman al A. H. SHORTT al G SHIRLEY BROOKS H. F. Reserts, M.Sc. y A.A. McCouBREY iP. He ialogical V. W. JACKSON, M.Sc. = logicul G. D. RUSSELL p Secrétary: J. P. KENNEDY. R.A. WARDLE, M.Sc. C. W. Lowe, M.Sc. Secretary: H. C. PEARCE. Secretary A. M., MAcKIn Miss M. F. PRATT Mrs. I. M. PRIESTLY STOKES ings are held each Monday evening, except on holiday October to April, in the physics theatre of the University ipeg. Field excursions are held each Saturday after- yon during May, June and September, and on public holidays g a and August. HE HAMILTON BIRD PROTECTION SOCIETY (Incorporated) esident: Mr. W. E. SAUNDERS, London, Ont.; President; ', WILLIAMS; First Vice-President: Rev. C. A HEAVEN; ice-President: Dr. H. G. ARNOTT; Treasurer: Miss ER; Corresponding-Secretary: Miss E. McEwIn; ees Miss M. EK. GRAHAM: Mrs. F. MacLocGHuin; CALIN McQuEsTon: Mr. H. C. NUNN. c LWRAITH ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB, - LONDON, ONT. te CHARLES MADDEFORD, Vice-President: Mr. E. D. BRAND, 148 William Street, mn, Ont.; Recording Secretary: Miss H=LEN SHIPLEY, mery St., London, Ont.; Migration Secretary: MR. E: DALE, 297 Hyman Street, London, Ont.; Corresponding London. Ont.; Members quatified fo answer questions: W. E. ‘SAUNDERS, 240 Central Avenue, London, Ont.; C. G. WATSON, 201 Ridout Street South, London, Ont.; J. F. CALVERT, 461 3 2s Ae London, Ont.; E. M.S. eae 297 ee g ne summer. COUVER NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY orary President. B.C: President: rsity of B.C.; Vice-President: JOHN Davipson, F.L.S., F.B.S.E., Dr. M. Y. WILLIAMs, Farley; 6507 Laburnum St., ‘Vaneouver, B.C. First nt Secretary: Mrs. LAURA ANDERSON, 2nd Assistant cretary: Miss Nora Swirt, Honorary Treasurer: A. H 2142 Collingwood Street, Vancouver, B.C.; Librarian: . McGinn. Menzbers of Executire: C. F. CONNoR, M. A. J. Cummine; Mr. J. D. TURNBULL, Mr. Curtis JOHNS, J Motion; Auditors: H. G. SELWoop, W. B. Woops, men. of Sections: Botany: PRoF. JOHN DAVIDSON, Geology: PLOMMER, Photography: Mr. PHitir Timms, Entym- OOTTON, Microscopy: Mr. J.A.J OHNSTON, Ornith- Acifert 0.5 TURNBULL. SOCIETY -M. Y. Wiwurams; First Vice-President; LAING; Second Vice-President: Dr. C. J. BASTIN: urer: KENNETH RACEY, 3262 West ist Ave. V.W.d ORSON: y 180 Bruce S5,, London 4 L. S. KLINK, (D.Se.), President Univer- — Dept., University of B.C.; Honorary Secretary: Mrs. — - Affiliated Societies : PROVINCE OF QUEBEC SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS INC. OFFICERS & COMMITTEE: Pasi Presidenis: Mr. lL. MclI. TprrRitt, Mr. NAPIER SMITH, Mr. W. S. Hart; President: Mrs. C.L. HENDERSON, 1536 St. Matthew St., Montreal; Vice-Presidenis: Mr. H. A. C. JACKSON, MR. V. C. WyNNE-EDWARDS, Vice-President and Treasurer: Mk. HENRY MOUSLEY; Secreiary: Miss M. SEATH; Committee: Mrs. C. F. DaLn, Mr. J. A. Decarm, Mr. W, S. Hart, Mrs. H. Hrspert, Dr. A. N. Jenks, Mr. E. L. JUDAH, MR. FRASER KeITH, Miss P. B. MATTINSON, Miss L. Murpeuy, Miss M. S. Nicotson, Mr. C. Sait, Mr. L. MclL.SPACKMAN, Mr. L. MclI. TERRILL. Meetings held the second Monday of the month except dur- ing summer. SOCIETE PROVANCHER D’HISTOIRE NATURELLE DU CANADA Patron Honoraire: Son Exeslenee, LE TRES HONORABLE COMTE DE BESSBOROUGH, P.C., -C.M.G., Gouverneur- Général du Canada; Vice-Pairon Honoraire: HONORABLH ~ E.-L. PATENAUDE, Lieutenant-Gouverneur de la Province de Québec; Bureau de Direction pour 1935: Président: REx MEREDITH, N.P.; Jer vice-président: ALPHONSE DESILETS, B.S.A.; 2iéme vice-président: JAMES F. Ross; Secrétaire- trésorier: LoutIs-B. LAVOIR; Chef de la section scientifique: Dr. D.-A.DERY; Chef de la section de Propagande éduration- nelle: G. - ULRIc Tessier, Chef de la section de protection: ADRIEN FALARDEAU, C.R.; Chef de la section d’information scientifique et pratique: A. WESTON AHERN. Directeurs: G .S. AHERN, EDGAR ROCHETTE, C.R., M.P.P., DR. GUSTAVE’ . RATTE. Secrétaire-trésorier: Louts-B. LAvorn 38, rue Sherbrooke, Québec. THE TORONTO FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB OFFICERS FOR 1934-35. Honorary President: Dr. A. P. COLEMAN; President: ARNOTT M.PATTERSON; Hon. Vice-Presidents: Hon. G. H. CHALLIEs, Mr. J. H. FLeminc, Dr. N.A. POWELL; Vice-President: MR. F. P. Ipe, Secretary-Treasurer: H. M. Hauiipay; Council— Dr. E. M. WALKER, S. L. THOMPSON, PROF. J! R. DymMonpD, Cc. S. Farmer, Pror. T. F. MCILWRAITH, Dr. NorMA ForD, MAGISTRATE J. E. Jones, L. T. OWENS, RUPERT DAVIDS, ¥F. C. Hurst, Dr. T. M. C. TAyLor, C. G. BRENNAND, R. M. SAUNDERS; Chairman of Conservation Committee: Mrs. S. L. THompson; President of Junior Club: MURRAY SPEIRS; Vice-President of Junior Club: HUBERT RICHARDSON. Leaders: Birds—Messrs. S. L. TuHompson. L. L. SNypger, J. L. BaILim, Jr., Pror. T. F. McItwraita, R. M. SPEtrs, — F. H. EMERY. Mammals—Pror. A. F. COVENTRY, MEssrs. E. C. Cross, D. A. McLULIicu. Reptiles and Amphibians— Messrs. E. B. S. Locizr, WM. LER4yY. Fish—ProF. J. R. DyYMoND, PrRoF. W. J. K. HARKNESS. Insecis—Dr. E. M. WALKER. Dr. N. Forp, Mr. F. P. IpE. Botany—Pror. - R. B. THomson, Dr. H. B. Sirton, Dr. T.M.C. Taytor; Mr. W. R. Watson, Mr. L. T. Owens. Geology—Dnr. A. P COLEMAN: ProF. A. MCLEAN. We would ask the Officers, and more particularly the Secretaries, of all the Affiliated Societies to assist us in our task of building up the circulation of this magazine. By securing every member as a subscriber we can truly make this magazine into one of the leading Natural History publications of America. 582 Mariposa Avenue Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa AUTOBIOGRAPHY of JOHN MACOUN, M. A. These are eerecetinely Bowne, Bnd contain a By E. M. KINDLE wealth of information concerning Canadian Special profusely illustrated reciae Natural History and Exploration. The author Naturalist’’, 86 pages, 31 illustratio. " was a former President of the Club and this is a Canadian should know this prize eee tee or a alate x : PRICE FIFTY CENTS _ PRICE $3.00. = 305 pp. ‘ Fs Hy are WILMOT LLOYD he WILMOT LLOYD 582 iMecinced: Avenue Rockeliffe. Parks, 58? OMances Avenue Rockcliffe Park, Ottaws TA ea ss WiILMOT LLOYD, os hates ai: : ; ‘ Treasurer, Ottawa’ Ficld-Naturalists’ club, FOR SALE:— 582 Mariposa Avenue, BS iat a j ; z j i a Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa. COMPLETE SET OF THE CLUB’S Enclosed ‘please find $2.00 as mem ers PUBLICATIONS ; ‘The: ‘O.F.-N.C. and Subscription to the Field-Naturalist for the year 1935. 3 1879-1935 Heo f This is a rare opportunity: For particulars address the Treasurer— _WILMOT LLOYD FORM I do hereby give and bequeath to The, ‘Gieawe Naturalists’ Club of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada ide OF : | Of ee BEQUEST i Date 2 ee By Beagle Morris aad) Edward A. Eames THIS SPACE FOR SALE ‘State what Price et (Mrs.) Anna E. ‘MacLoghling 5 43 bial das ig oy Kindly mention The Canadian Field-Naturalist to advertisers SS) SYS VOL. XLIX, No. 7 OCTOBER, 1935 ee Lh s Ne > ‘ peewrara = , * + ee ( -~ ( t 4 | j | I RA TN AN I I. “ ace uh @ a NT A lt ddl hy M Hv Nik NAA an yen Aik fy SN tied ¢ AELDLAVORALISTS CLUB ISSUED OCTOBER 1, 1935 Entered at the Ottawa Post. Office as second-class matter | art : THE OTTAWA F IELD-NATURALISTS’ cL E ‘Patrons: THEIR EXCELLENCIES THE GOVERNOR GENERAL AND COUNTESS OF pussnc 0 ' President: M. E. WILSON. Ist Vice-President: HERBERT Grom a a a! View President: P. A." _Secretary: PEGGY WHITEHURST, pa Treasurer; WILMOT ‘Lioyp, 582 Mz 110 Prospect Avenue, Westboro. Ro Additional Members of Council: F. J. ALcocK, R. M. ANDERSON, HENRY BOWERS, M CRAWFORD, ARTHUR Crowson, R. ine DELuRY, F. J. FRASER, A. HALKETT, Cc EM. KINDLE, W. H. LANCELEY, A. LAROcQUE, DOUGLAS LEECHMAN, GR. HARRISON F. Lewis, HOYES LLoyp, C. W. LOUNSBURY, MARK G. McELHINNEY, E. E. PRINCE, L. S. RussELL, C. M. STERNBERG, E. F. G. WHITE, R. T. D. WIc the following Presidents of Affiliated Societies: C. SHIRLEY BROOKS, CALVIN McQu EDISON MATTHEWS, JOHN Po, M. Y. WILLIAMS, C. L, HENDERSON, W. Stuart AT ARNOTT M. PATTERSON. PISO SRS dati naa Auditors: W. H. LANCELEY and HARRISON F. Lewis. AOS al Editor: ee ae ee DouGLAS LEECHMAN : Re National Museum, Ottawa, Canada. EE aha Associate Editors: DATENNESS scot neta Anthropology CLYDE: Ly. PATCH 5 CU ee SSDAMS e010) Cty ot ag Cay Botany — R. M. ANDERSON. .......... ...Ma BRO UATCHFORD) 6) osu ny Conchology A;G. HUNTSMAN: 62.55.8240. ARTHUR GIBSON................ Entomology PY AvPAVERNER. 002 woe Pa sale! BJ AUCOCK 0s iy ee ee Geolcgy BM -RINDLE. eo ae _Balzo i CONTENTS The Red-Backed Sandpiper at Toronto. By Stuart L. Thompson..................-.-+-- : William Couper’s Observations of Birds of the Labrador Peninsula. By Harrison F. jews. Avian Murder. By P. IN Taverner . EEGs STe Su Sacha Boorse a RRR ONE RUS TER RSE RIG RRO RCT 10 Fe a A Guide oe Bird Songs. By ae Sander! The Hawks of North America. By P.A.T # since 1879. The first were The Transactions of the Ottawa Pood Nadurabicle Club, 18 ? two volumes; the next, The Ottawa Naturalist, 1886-1919, thirty-two volumes; and the been continued by The Canadian Field-Naturalist to date. The Canadian Field-Natura issued monthly, except for the months of June, July and August. Its scope is the public i: of the results of original research in all departments of Natural Gp Ses Price of this volume (9 numbers) $2.00; Single copies 25¢ each ecaancus seegscee The Membership Committee of The Ottawa Field- Nets Club is making a Special effo increase the subscription list of The Canadian Field-Naturalist. We are, therefore, asking every who is truly interested in the wild life of our country to help this magazine to its rightfu Hak the leading Natural History publications in America. ; Subscriptions ($2.00 a year) should be forwarded to — i WILMOT LLOYD, Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club, z 582 Mariposa Ave Rockeliffe Park, fl kes CAN ‘The Canadian Field-Naturalist VOL. XLIX OTTAWA, CANADA. OCTOBER, 1935 — © No. 7 HE CHRISTMAS CENSUS of the Toronto Field Naturalists’ Club in 1934 brought to light at least one re- markable record. To Robert Lindsay, the leader of the lake shore group, goes the credit of reporting the occurrence of a Red-backed Sandpiper [Pelidna alpina.] Had this been on some former census when Toronto had little or no snow and sandy beaches were in evidence all winter, one would scarcely be surprised at a sandpiper out of season. The habitat in such a winter would have been unchanged. But to bh F THE RED-BACKED SANDPIPER AT TORONTO By STUART L. THOMPSON find a bird of the sand running around in the midst of ice and snow was at least a unique sight. The Sandpiper was found wading in a mere thread of running water which drains Grenadier Pond into Lake Ontario at Sunnyside. All else about was frozen solid. As might be expected with such a limited feeding ground the bird was loath to leave and permitted a very close ap- proach. It was examined at leisure at a distance of ten feet, was iri fine fall plumage, very active, apparently in good health and uninjured. 112 The following day, December 31st, I went down early in the morning and found it still there in its stream, wading up and down search- ing the bottom for food, quite unconcerned at my close approach. As its hunting ground was limited it soon arrived at the end of the open stream. It was laughable to see the bird slipping and skidding on the smooth ice over which it made a short cut back to its starting point in the strong wind that was blowing. At noon I secured the services of a photogra- pher with a “Graflex” and drove down again. The bird was still there and we snapped it several times as it waded and fed in the stream. In the deeper water it did not hesitate to swim. The question came to mind of how and where the bird passed the night. Certainly there was no shelter here — a stream of running water amid the ice and snow of a frozen beach. So THE CANADIAN FISLD-NATURALIST (VoL. XLIX at 5 p.m. I made a third trip to observe. In the fading light I found the bird still wading and feeding. For half an hour I watched it till in the gloom it was difficult to see anything but a whitish breast. At this time it had ceased feeding and was preening itself. All at once it whistled a clear shrill distinctly “limicoline” note, several times, then sprang into the air and circled around whistling. Though iost to sight in the gloom of the evening I could hear its note growing fainter and fainter in the northern sky. Finally I could hear no more> Where the bird spent the night it is impossible to say. To the north is nothing but frozen Grenadier Pond, wooded hillsides and city, noth- ing a sandpiper would seek. Of course it is posible that after a wide circle in flight the bird flew southward over Lake Ontario. In any case it flew well enough to have left the unfrozen stream days ago had it chosen to do so. WILLIAM COUPER'S OBSERVATIONS OF BIRDS OF THE LABRA\OR PENINSULA . By HARRISON F. LEWIS N THE YEAR 1867, William Couper, who is well known as a Canadian J naturalist prominent in the second half EQ of the nineteenth century, made a visit, extending from May 28 to July 30, to the south- ern coast of the Labrador Peninsula, which is the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, “for the purpose of identifying, collecting and studying the eggs of birds found breeding on the coast, and, as far as could be ascertained, in the interior of the country”. Ornithological information obtained by Couper on the fringe of the Labrador Peninsula during this journey was published by him from time to time. I have been able to find various items of it in three different publications of his. Dr. Glover M. Allen and the late Dr. Charles W. Townsend, in their important paper, Birds of Labrador’, in which they endeavored to sum- marize ornithological work in the Labrador Peninsula and resulting knowledge up to 1906, make no reference to Couper’s visit to that region. In their summary of the pertinent literature they include only one of his published papers, namely, Bird Nesting in Labrador, which 1 Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., 33 :277-428. they attribute erroneously, as James L. Baillie, Jr., has pointed out, in his interesting and in- formative paper’ on Couper’s life and work, to the late Napoleon A. Comeau. In this they probably followed W. A. Stearns*, who made the same mistake. In their annotated list of birds found in Labrador, Townsend and Allen do not quote any information from this paper or make any direct reference to it. They do refer* to a record, probably erroneous, of the nesting of the King Eider, which was first pub- lished in this paper, but they give as_ their authority neither Couper nor Comeau, but W. A. Stearns, who had published a quotation of the record. It seems probable that Townsend ~ and Allen never saw the original publication of Bird Nesting in Labrador, but included it in their summary of literature wholly on the au- thority of Stearns. It therefore seems desirable at this time to call attention anew to Couper’s work in this field and to comment briefly, in the light of our present knowledge, on those of his records that have any special interest. 2The Canadian Field-Naturalist, 43 :169-176. 3 Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus.. vol. VI, no. 8, page 121, (for 1883), Washington, 1884. 40p. cit., page 336. ete? ab» . notes and queries. -and Watchicouti, to find such a list. October, 1935] Those relating to four species, namely, the King Eider, the Red-tailed Hawk, the Blackburnian Warbler, and the Redstart, have been briefly discussed by Baillie.’ Unfortunately, the ornithological observations made by Couper during the above-mentioned journey were not published anywhere in the form of a systematic, annotated list of the birds observed. His three publications on the subject which I have been able to discover consist of two papers and one short series of published They are as follows: “Investigations of a Naturalist between Mingan Labrador. By Wm. Couper, Vice-President, Quebec Branch, Entomological Seciety of Canada; Cor. Mem. Ent. Soc. of Phila- delphia, and Nat. Hist. Soc. of Montreal. Quebec: printed at the ‘Morning Chronicle’ office, 1868.” This is a paper-covered pamphlet of 14 pages. It includes notes on birds, insects, fish, mam- mals, topography, human inhabitants, administra- tion, fisheries, and fur trade in the region men- tioned in its title. The Public Archives of Canada and the Library of the Geological Survey of Canada, both at Ottawa, each contain a copy of it.” As the author mentions that he received some financial support for his investigations from the late E. A. Samuels, of Boston, Massachusetts, it is not unlikely that copies of this pamphlet exist in New England also. Records appearing in this pwblication are distinguished jin this present summary by being marked with “A”. Bird Nesting in Labrador, published in The Canazian Sportsman and Naturalist, vol. I, no. 7, pages 50-52, Montreal, July 15th, 1881. Couper Was owner and editor of the periodical in which this paper appeared. The paper itself is a rambling narrative, overlapping its predecessor to a large extent, but omitting mention of 7 species recorded in the earlier publication and including 14 species which were not named in that pamphlet. It concludes with the statement that “We will give a list of the Western forms of birds occurring on the Labrador coast, in our next number’, but neither in the next number of the magazine nor elsewhere have I been able This paper is not accom- panied by an atithor’s name, presumably because Couper regarded it as editorial matter. This lack of an author’s name opened the way for 5 loc. cit. 6James L. Baillie, Jr., informs me that he possesses an autographed copy of this pamphlet and that the library of McGill University, Montreal, and the library of Laval University, Quebec, each possess a copy of it. THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 113 the error of W. A. Stearns and others in at- tributing the paper to Napoleon A. Comeau. That the paper was written by Couper is indi- cated by internal evidence, such as the corres- pondence of much of its information and even of the wording of some passages with like features of Couper’s paper of 1868 and the statement, in the introductory remarks, that “In 1867, such was the object of the Editor of this journal, who went there to collect a series of bird eggs, and determine the species breeding on the coast”. The authorship of the paper is made entirely clear, however, in a later number of the same periodical’, where, after the publication of the erroneous attribution by Stearns of one of the records from the paper to Mr. Napoleon A. Comeau, we find the definite correcting statement that “Bird-nesting in Labrador was written by Mr. William Couper, the Editor of this Journal” Records appearing in this second paper are distinguished in this present summary by being marked with “B”. 6 “O nithological Queries”, a continued series of editorial requests for new information about va~ious matters relating to Canadian ornithology, was published in The Canadian Sportsman and Naturalist, and contains, in the instalments that appear, respectively, in vol. II, no. 5, page 136, Mont-eal, May, 1882, and in vol. II, no. 6, pages 141-142, Montreal, June, 1882, scattered state- ments about Couper’s experiences with several species of birds in the Labrador Peninsula. Re- cords appearing under this title are distinguished in this present summary by being marked with Cee The ornithological records contained in these three papers are united, re-arranged in modern order, and summarized in the annotated list thai follows. The bird names used by Couper are here repeated without change, as all of them are identifiable without difficulty. B Leacn’s Prtrer. Thalassidroma Leachii — To be seen skimming over the stormy sea be- tween Seven Islands and Mingan, “but where the birds nest is only conjecture”. A Canapa Goosr. — Frequenting islands, not easily reached except by swimming, in woodland lakes near lower part of Little Watshishu River, and thought to be nesting there. AB EIpER Duck. Nesting in abundance. Somateria mollissima, — 7The Canadian Sportsman vol. TIT, no. 10, p. 275, Montreal, and Naturalist, October, 1883. & 114 = B Kine Ener. SS. spectabilis. — It is stated that the nest of this species was found on a small island between Esquimaux Point and Wat- shishu. This record has previously spread through the literature through having been quoted by W. A. Stearns*, who erroneously attributed it to the late Napoleon A. Comeau, of Godbout, Quebec. Couper published’ a correction of this, stating that he himself wrote the paper in which the record first appeared. Townsend and Allen” refer to this record as “an exceptional and rather doubtful southern instance”. Couper presented no details or other evidence to support the record and it is rejected by Baillie’. It is the opinion of the present writer that it originated in error and that its rejection is warranted, for reliable data about the nesting of the King Eider that have since accumulated indicate that it does not nest on the Labrador coast south of northern Labra- dor and that it selects for its breeding-grounds treeless Arctic areas very different, from the region in which this nesting is said to have taken place. If Couper did indeed find a nest of the King Eider on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, it is almost certain that it must have been the nest of a bird prevented by injuries or other abnormal conditions from making its usual migration to the Arctic. AB ReEpD-BREASTED MERGANSER. Mergus ser- ratory. — Very common and nesting at Wat- shishu. B ReEp-TAILED HawKk. Buteo borealis—Couper states that a nest containing young was found near Mingan by Sir Greville Smyth. There is no reason to question this. B Batp Eacie. — Said to nest on cliffs near Corneille River. B Picron-Hawk. Hypotriochius columbarius.— Nesting. AB Wutte Prarmican. Lagopus albus.—The reference is, no doubt, to the species now known as Willow Ptarmigan, Lagopus lagopus albus. Couper says that a nest of this bird containing a few eggs was found at Kegashka. This pre- sumably occurred on or shortly before July 5, 1867, for on that date he arrived at Kegashka and saw five eggs from the nest strung against the wall of a house. In recent years this species 8 loc. cit. 9 The Canadian Sportsman and Naturalist, vol. III, no. 10, p. 275, Montreal, October, 1883. 10 Op. page 336. wloc. cit. cit., THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST (Vou. XLIX has not been known to nest on this coast farther west than The Bluff Harbour, 35 miles east ot — Kegashka. A SporreD SANDPIPER. Tringoides macularits.— Observed at Appeetetat Bay. AB NortHeRN PHALAROPE. Phalaropus hyper- boreus. — One shot, May 29, near Esquimaux Point. AB BLAckK-BACKED Gui. Larus marinus. — Nesting. AB Herrinc GULL. Larus argentatus. -— Nesting. AB Arctic TERN. Sterna macroura—Nesting. AB Razor-BILLED AUK. Alca torda. — Breed- ing on islands near Watshishu. AB CoMMoN GUILLIMOT. Uria ringvia — Breeding on islands from Musquarro eastward. B WHITE-WINGED GUILLIMOT. Nesting at Seven Islands. , B Arctic PuFFin. Mormon gracialis. — Nest- ing in numbers on Perroquet Island, near St. John River. (It is worthy of notice that Couper makes no mention of Gannets nesting on this island. ) ; Uria grylle. -— A BLACK-BACKED ‘THREE-TOED WoODPECKER. Picoides arcticus. One shot, June 27, at the first falls of the Natashquan River. ABC Canapa Jay. Perisoreus Canadensis. — On June 8, at Watshishu, Couper encountered this species, “in company with its young, which were nearly fledged”. ‘They were following their parents, flying from tree to tree, but their heads were covered with white downy feathers, therefore, I must have found them in the vicinity of their nest.” Four of this family group were shot by Cou- per, who found that “their stomachs contained abundance of a soft red berry that grows in swampy places on the plains. It is a species of cranberry, which ripens under the snow during winter.” This was, no doubt, the fruit of Vac- cintum Oxaycoccos 1, the small cranberry. B Raven. — Said to nest on cliffs near Cor- neille River. A Rosin. Turdus migratorius. — Observed at Appeetetat Bay. A Witson’s THrusH. Turdus fuscescens. — Couper recorded this species in the following words: Next morning, [May] 30th, after breakfast, I wandered into the woods where I noticed.... Wilson’s Thrush (Turdus fuscescens)....” This observation was made at “Attepetal Bay”, October, 1935] doubtless the bay now known as Appeetetat Bay, or Baie Victor, about 3 miles east of St. Genevieve Harbour and 25 miles east of Havre Ste 2ierre: There is no other record for this species in the Labrador Peninsula save that of Audubon”, who states, “On the 20th of July, while in the latter country [Labrador], I saw the young of this species following their mother. They were there almost full grown, and could fly a hundred yards or so at a time. By the 12th of August none were seen, although during my stay they were as common as any other birds.” This record by Audubon was accepted at its face value by Townsend and Allen in their Birds of Labrador®, and such action may have been justifiable in 1907, in view of the paucity of knowledge of the birds of the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence at that time. It seems to me, however, that these records of Wilson’s Thrush, or the Veery, Hylocichla fuscescens fuscescens, in that region, should no longer be allowed to stand without question. My reasons for this view are as follows: No one else has found this species in this region, although many capable ornithologists have visited it since 1907. Most of the region is in the Hudsonian zone, and part of it is sub-arctic, and it does not ap- pear to provide a type of environment suitable for the Veery. Audubon’s record of young or the wing on July 20, 1833, was made at Little Mecatina Island’, where Hudsonian and _ sub- arctic areas intermingle and where nothing sug- gests the Veery’s haunts. When Audubon visited Labrador, as well as when he published the record quoted above, he was apparently unacquainted with the Olive- backed Thrush, Hylocichla ustulata swainsoni, for he does not describe or mention it in either his Ornithological Biography or his Birds of America. He did not know the Gray-cheeked - Thrush, H. minima aliciaec, for it was not des- cribed or named until 1858. Neither of these species is mentioned in the three publications by Couper, herein referred to, although they were generally known prior to. 1867. Both of them are now known to be common in summer on 2 Ornithological Biography, 2:362 Edinburgh, 13 Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., 33 :417. 14 Audubon and His Journals, by Maria R. Audubon, London, 1898, 1 :406. THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 115 the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where they undoubtedly breed. There is a gen- eral similarity of color-pattern and size among these three Thrushes, which no doubt confused the early ornithologists and concealed from them the fact that they are three different species and not all one species, Hylocichla fuscescens. The voices of the Gray-cheeked Thrush and the Veery are also very similar. So common and widely distributed in suitable territory are the Olive-backed and Gray-cheeked Thrushes on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence that Audubon’s party, working from Quetachu-Manikuagan Bay eastward to Forteau, must have encountered both of them frequently. Couper, who did not go east of Washikuti, must have met the Olive-backed Thrush and probably met the Gray-cheeked Thrush also. Since neither of these Thrushes was reported from the region under consideration by either of these scientists. both of whom, however, did report AHylocichla fuscescens, whose occurrence there is most un- likely, it is probable that their published records of the last-mentioned species in the region are really based on observations of the Gray- cheeked Thrush or of the Olive-backed Thrush or of both these species and should not be ac- cepted as correct. C GoLDEN-CRESTED WREN. Kegulus satrapa Licht. — “I saw this species feeding its young at Mingan on the North Shore of the Lower St. Lawrence.” Despite the explicitness of this state- ment, there is some ground for thinking that possibly Couper here made a slip of the nen or of the memory and really had in mind his ob- servations recorded under the next species. The Golden-crowned Kinglet is rare in the vicinity of Mingan and there is no other record indicat- ing that it breeds there. It may be that Couper actually saw two species of Kinglet feeding young at Mingan, but in his paper of 1868, in which he records such an observation of the Ruby-crowned species, he does not even mention the Golden-crowned. A RusBy-CROWNED WREN. Regulus calendula.—- Observed feeding its young in woods near the Mingan River, July 22. AB YELLOW WARBLER. Nesting at Natashquan. Dendroica aestiva. — BC Brack AND YELLOW WarBLER. D. maculosa. — Nesting at Natashquan. ABC BLACKBURNIAN Warsier. Dendroica blackburniac. — Both sexes observed at Natash- quan, June 20, but no nest found. 116 THE CANADIAN FIRLD-NATURALIST The only other record of this species in the Labrador Peninsula is that of Audubon”, who says, ‘In Labrador we saw several individuals of both sexes”. Despite the failure of other ornithologists to find the Blackburnian Warbler in this region there appears to be no good ground for setting aside these records, as the species is distinctly marked and well known, and there is undoubtedly a considerable southern influence manifest in the avifauna and flora of the immediate vicinity of Natashquan. A Blackburnian Warbler was taken on June 9, 1882, by the late N. A. Comeau, near Pointe des Monts, Quebec, about 60 miles southwest of the nearest part of the Labrado1 Peninsula™. AB BLacK-PoLt, WARBLER. Dendroica striata.— Nesting. 15 op. cit., 2:208. 16 ©. H. Merriam, Bull. Nuff. Orn. Club. 7:234. [VoL. XLIX — B Reopstart. Sctophaga ruticilla. — Abundant at Natashquan. The present writer would rank it as “common” there in suitable habitats. AB PurpLe FINCH. Carpodacus purpureus. — Heard singing at Appeetetat Bay. B Prine Fincw. — Noticed. B “Two species of Cross-bill”. Noticed. There are very few records of Loxia curvirostra in the Labrador Peninsula. A SNOW-BIRD. at A.ppeetetat Bay. AB WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW. Zonotrichia leucophrys. — Observed at Appeetetat Bay. Junco hyemalis. — Observed B WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. bicolhs. — Observed. AB Fox-corourep Sparrow. Passerella iliaca.— A nest of this species, containing eggs, and built “in a low fir tree, about three feet from the ground”, was found at Natashquan on June 15. ~ Zonotrichia al- AVIAN MURDER By P. A. TAVERNER * Published by permission of the Acting Direc- tor of the National Museum of Canada. FEW SUMMERS ago we were en- joying a sun bath near the top of the Murailles, those perpendicular cliffs that descend some seven hundred feet directly into the Gulf of St. Lawrence adjacent to the village of Percé, Gaspé County, Quebec. We were lazily watching a flock of Herring Gulls circling like white midges over the deep blue water far below, when a small brown hawk like a shadow was seen to dash out from the shore and pass through the idly inter- weaving gulls. A faint chorus of excited re- monstrance rose to our ears and several gulls took after the intruder. One seemed to make momentary contact with it and at the touch the little raptor set its wings and glided down into the water. Immediately the larine excitement waxed fiercer, the whole flock set upon the helpless victim, and their white forms hid it from view. When they separated all that could be seen was a little brown jetsam floating inertly upon the sea. Most of the gulls turned away with loss of interest once their purpose was accomplished but occasionally one would re- turn, give an extra precautionary dig and pass on. Even with good glasses it was impossible in the fleeting moment before the disaster to see just what species the hawk was but it gave the impression of a Sharpshin. Afterwards the remains were too nondescript to be recognized at the distance. We hurried to the village where we found our old friend Willie Duval and his gas boat and made haste from the south beach, round the great rock, and to the scene of the tragedy. But nearly an hour had elapsed and we discovered nothing. The tide was coming in and though we searched the bouldery talus shore minutely and scanned the smooth sea with care no corpus delicti could be found. Whether it was washed away by the tide or -the gulls had made ‘off with their prey could not be told. The species of hawk remains hypothet- ical, The incident recalled a similar occurrence many years previous when fishermen at Point Pelee, Lake Erie, on returning from their daily ~oc- cupation gave us the bedraggled remains of a Sharp-shinned Hawk that they told us had been beaten down into the water and killed by the Herring Gulls off the tip of the point. _ October, 1935] Another occurrence happened once on Bona- yenture Island off the Percé mentioned above. We had dug out a Leach’s Petrel from its nest burrow. It refused to leave the excavation, was taken in the hand and carried to the nearby verge of the great Gannet cliffs and tossed into the air. There are always a few Herring Gulls in this neighbourhood and as the little Petrel flew off seaward a number of them gave chase. ‘It dodged here, there, one after another of its assailants, successfully ran the gauntlet, and dis- appeared to sea. It escaped, but only through its agility and erratic flight. The intent of its attackers was only too evident; one snap of their bills driven home and its fate would have been that of the two little hawks. A case surprising because of the species in- - volved was witnessed by J. S. Wallace at Point Pelee. He came upon a Red-tailed Hawk and a Raven in a final struggle on the public road. When he arrived on the scene the affair had already been transferred from +h air to the ground. He had not seen the beginning of the attack nor which was the aggressor. If it had been started by the Red-tail it showed greater initiative and nerve than we usually associate “with the Buteo group. If it was the Raven, its heart had proved greater than its bite. Prob- ably it was the result of a casual feint giving an unexpected accidental advantage that was immediately pressed home. The hawk was shot, the Raven was already in its death throes. Both specimens were preserved; the Raven constituted the only recent record of the species in this part of southern Ontario. A wanton case of murder occurred in a Ring-bill gullery on a small stony island near the north end of Lake Winnipeg. We had landed for inspection purposes. There were many young gulls in all stages of juvenility hiding between boulders and under weeds. A few of the better grown paddled off shore. The adults had taken wing and circled in great excitement over the lake near by. One bar-tailed, nearly grown juvenile, was swimming near shore. Whether it was a weakling, such as it seems a law of the jungle for the strong to pick upon, was not noticed, but an adult winging past gave it a seemingly casual peck. The blow struck home with un- expected effectiveness and it was at once evident that the youngster was seriously affected. As if at a signal, at the sight of its disorganized struggles, a considerable proportion of the adults - turned upon the unfortunate. On our approach they left their victim only to return as we re- THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST took to water and ~ LAL treated and the last seen was an array of waving wings accompanied by raucously ex- cited voices surrounding a lifeless bunch of white feathers that drifted or was dragged farther and farther out over the lake. A clear case of murder occurred in another Ring-bill gullery on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Photographing from a blind every detail was seen at close range. We were observing a couple of nests nearby, separated from each other by a little tongue of lush grass. Both nests had little spotted downy young. As a rule one parent brooded while the other stood about, making casual trips away and back again. The young remained in the shelter- of the parental breast or momentarily wandered a few feet away. One from the nearer nest strayed a little farther than usual, around the separating point of grass and into the bailiwick of the neighbour. One of the guardians of the invaded territory unhappily returned at the moment, saw the little stranger chick, and ran to meet it. One stroke of the heavy bill at the base of the head and the deed was done. It worried the remains a moment or so and then left the tangled gray lump of down in the fly-infested sunlight, dis- regarded it the remainder of the day and tramped it into flat unrecognition during its regular patrolling. Throughout the episode the parent or parents of the innocent victim looked on un- heeding and without interference or remonstrance. A murder mystery story is recalled by the foregoing. It involved a mammal instead of a bird but falls in with the previously mentioned incidents and demonstrates again that nature is normally red in tooth and nail. We were work- ing in -towards the base of Pont Peleg one spring morning. As we passed a little open glade in the heavy timber, a small body came hurtling down from overhead, landing with a dull thump on the ground. Another and another fell until four or five followed quickly. On investigation we found an equal number of quarter-grown Red Squirrels breathing their last in the short grass and dead leaves under the wide spread of a large walnut tree. Each had_ a small stream of blood flowing from a small puncture in the side of the neck. It looked like a Dracula vampire bite or the chisel-like incision of a squirrel’s tooth. Was pater-squirrel jealous of his wife’s attentions to her family? Was mater-squirrel impatient of her responsibilities? Was it a raid by a neighbour? Or was it squirrel’s work at all? It was only circumstan- tial evidence and a process of elimination that 118 directed suspicion to the species’ door. We searched with our eyes from below the branches vf the great tree overhead from which the evi- dence fell but in the leafy screen could discover THER CANADIAN FIBLD-NATURALIST [VoL. XLIX nothing. No living thing stirred there nor could we perceive a hollow limb, trunk or other evidence of squirrel habitation. We departed in ignorance and still wondering. SOME NOTES ON THE HABITS OF THE RUFFED GROUSE, Bonasa umbellus By DAN McDONALD » HILE DRUMMING, the Ruffed Grouse stands very erect, possibly tilting slight- ly backwards. While in this position the wings are brought forcibly forward, throwing the air from one wing against that from the other. This makes the booming sound. The wings do not touch the sides nor do they meet in front of the breast. When starting to drum they can stop at one, two, or three beats, but when fast motion starts they seem unable to stop and the writer, by proper timing, has run up and caught the birds in the heen. At this time they must be easy prey for the fox. It is not hard to see a bird drum, only a matier of time and caution. You can get within twenty feet and the bird will still drum aithough aware of your presence. During the proceeding they drum within a few seconds of regular intervals, usually, in the heat of the season, with about two minutes between. The writer does not think that Ruffed Grouse suffer by death under the snow crust. They never enter the snow unless conditions are per- fect. The snow must be soft and the weather very cold. On other nights they roost in trees in thick places. No snow drifts over them as they are never in a position where snow drifts. When they enter the snow it is always along a river or in an opening in the bush. They dive from a perch in a tree and hit the soft snow with some force. The only chance of getting killed would be to hit a sharp snag buried under the snow. They dive in about dusk or just before and then work their way under the snow about two feet from the opening. If you en- deavour to catch them in the snow, as I have done many times, they come out in full flight without struggling, making it impossible so to trap them. One reason for the difference in the number of eggs in the nest is because they sometimes eject their eggs while in flight. I have, on one occasion, observed a bird flying over camp to drop an egg that fell on a manure pile, un- broken. I took the egg fo a nest and put it along with others. It hatched, showing that it was not disease that caused the dropping. 1 have also noticed grouse eggs broken on bare rocks and wondered if they were stolen and dropped, but now I am certain that on some occasions they lay flying. There is no evidence that rain kills the young. In very wet Junes we have as large coveys “as in dry Junes. That cause of decline in num- bers is not real. In fifty years with the grouse I find that they change in numbers greatly in two months and always in the summer. In 1924 I had 200 men peeling poplar pulp. These men showed me more nests than I have seen in the rest of my life. Grouse or, as we call them, Partridge were everywhere. The eggs hatched but by the time the peeling season closed, July 25th, there were no birds left. This shows plainly that they die in June and July. As this very marked decline in numbers was general from Nova Scotia to western Wisconsin in the United States and to Kenora in Canada, it tells us that disease, not weather, was the cause. The writer never saw a bird under the snow crust in fifty years in the bush or a dead bird when the snow was leaving. -In a country where, at times, there are many birds this should have been noticed if it happened at all frequently. I have never talked with a real bush man who ever found such a condition, so we can eliminate crusting also as a cause for general mortality. Human beings have had little effect upon their numbers. In seasons when very plentiful many are killed but there are as many next year. The area they cover is so great and human popula- tion so few that it has little effect. I would place the bear as their greatest enemy. Bears eat their eggs, catch their very young, and hunt all the time. When their nest is destroyed I have never been able to discover whether they lay again or not; they certainly never do so in the same nest. (Sault Ste. Marie). October, 1935] THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 119 THE EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris) IN ALBERTA By FRANK L. FARLEY N OR ABOUT May 21st, 1934, Mr. Laurie Blades, teacher of Hartiand school, located fourteen miles due east ake of Camrose, noticed a strange bird fly from the belfry of the school and alight on a fence post a short distance away. Later in the day, both teacher and pupils saw the bird many times as it carried nesting materials into the belfry. Entrance to the closed tower was by way of an old nesting-hole of a Yellow-shafted Flicker. At the time Mr. Blades believed the stranger to be a Starling. Although a close watch was kept for its mate it was never seen. On May 25th, Mr. Blades made an inspection of the nest and found it to be a bulky affair in which were three light-coloured, unspotted eggs, one of which he collected. About a week later he came into Camrose to inform the writer of his find but on account of my absence from home was unable to do so. He then referred the matter to Mr. Frank Crossley, R.C.M.P., one of our local bird-men, and asked him to go out and check up on his identification. This, Mr. Crossley did on June 12th, when he ex- amined the nest and eggs, but the female had disappeared and had not been seen since the 5th of the month. Mr. Crossley, who was well acquainted with starlings in his boyhood days in England, had no hesitation in stating that the nest and eggs belonged to that species. He collected the six eggs and on my return from Hudson Bay gave them to me. I immediately sent them to Mr. Taverner for identification and deposition in the National Museum. Later Mr. Blades learned that the bird, or one similar to the one that nested in the belfry, had been seen in a barn a few miles north of the nesting site. In a letter to the writer, Mr. Taverner says: “Your record of the Starling near Camrose is indeed interesting, and an enormous jump from our last previous record at Fort William, Ontario. That it was breeding suggests more Starlings in the immediate future. We have been wonder- ing whether Starlings would find the prairies congenial; probably our next surmise is whether it will cross the mountains. It looks as though it will finally inherit the continent as the House Sparrow has. Any further reports on the sub- sequent history of the species will be welcome.” The appearance of this solitary starling so far from its nearest known companions presents some interesting problems. One of the most likely explanations for its occurrence here is that it arrived in a box car from Fort William or some other point further east, and did not gain its liberty until it reached one of the stations in the vicinity of where it was found nesting, probably Ohaton or Bawlf, only a few miles distant. Another supposition is that a colony of these birds may have established themselves somewhere on the prairies east of here, and this stragegler, Or even a pair of them may have travelled west- ward, the male possibly being accidentally killed on the journey. The former seems the more plausible. ON THE ACCIDENTAL PASSAGE OF BIRDS ON SHIPS FROM CANADA | TO THE BRITISH ISLES By J. A. STEVENSON ) N May 24th of this year, [1934] I em- barked upon a cattle-steamer at Mon- treal, that was taking a cargo of live sae cattle to Birkenhead, Eng. In order that the cattle might be landed in good condition, a large number of bales of hay and bags of grain Were taken on board at Montreal, with which to feed them throughout the voyage. This re- sulted in the decks of the steamer being some- what liberally covered with the seeds during the trip: and one result of this became apparent when we were steaming down the Gulf of St. Law- rence toward Cape Race, Newfoundland. A num- ber (about six or seven) of Chipping Sparrows came aboard, and busied themselves about the deck eating the loose grain. This appeared to 120 attract them so much that they were inclined to linger on board until land was far astern. How- ever, before we left Newfoundland out of sight, all but one of the birds had disappeared, having presumably flown to land. The weather was very fine, and it is to be assumed that they had no difficulty in flying the ten or tweive miles necessary. The Chipping Sparrow remained on board, through fair weather and foul, scurrying about the deck and keeping out of the way of the men, until June 2nd, when we sighted the south coast of Ireland, when it, too, disappeared. I inquired of some of the more experienced cattlemen about the birds, and was informed that “Them’s ’ay-birds: there’s always a few on board. Sometimes as many as a dozen go all the way across on the boats.” Immediately upon leaving Newfoundland. we ran into dense fog-banks; and these continued until May 29th. On that day I was up in the bow, when I was very much surprised to see a small bird come flying toward the ship’s port side from afar off. Its flight was weak, and it seemed very glad to be able to find something firm to perch upon as it alighted upon the deck. I had no difficulty in identifying it as a White- crowned Sparrow; and it allowed me to cveep very close to it, it apparently being nearly ex- hausted. I saw that its feathers were much dishevelled, as if it had flown a long way, prob- ably through the fog we had just left behind us. Possibly it had become lost in the fog and would have perished had it not seen the ship. This bird, too, accompanied us all the way to Ireland, when approximately at the same time as the other, it flew off the ship. These two cases seem to indicate, and parti- cularly the first one, that it is no uncommon thing for birds to pass on ships from the New to the Old World. It seems likely that the cattle- steamers, carrying abundant food upon their decks for small passerine birds, are more res- THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST (Vou. -XLIX ponsible than other ships, such as liners and other cargo vessels. When it is considered that throughout the whole year twice or even three times a week, cattle-steamers are leaving Cana- dian ports for England, not a few birds must have made the passage; and this fact should be taken into account in such cases when typical North American species are captured in the Bri- tish Isles. That British or European birds are carried over to this side is far less likely, be- cause there are no cattle-steamers bringing cattle to this side, hence any birds that do land on steame-s coming west are likely to die from starvation before they reach land. The possible exception is the fast transatlantic liners, which can do the trip in from four to stx days. Mr. Douglas Leechman informs me _ that others, in speaking of the passage of small birds on board ships, have said that the birds greatest difficulty on board ship was in finding drinking water rather than food On these cattle-ships, there is an abundant supply of fresh water, which is used for watering the cattle during the passage over to Europe; and in, I believe, practically all cases, a portion of this water is always kept handy in large, open tanks situated on the decks on which the cattle are. It should be a compar- atively simple matter for birds to drink this water when the cattlemen are not around to disturb them; and in any case, in the actual watering of the cattle, many bucketfuls are upset by the cattle themselves into the feeding troughs, which likewise are easily accessible to small birds that are not afraid of close proximity of cattle. Hence, there is an abundant drinking-water supply at hand always for the birds, and upon the cattle-ships it is unlikely that, when cattle are on board, the birds would die of thirst. NOTES ON MAMMALS OF THE UPPER LIARD AND FRANCES RIVERS By CHARLES ELTON HE FOLLOWING NOTES upon Rocky Mountain marmots were found in an apparently unpublished letter written by Robert Campbell, whose exploration work on behalf of the Hudson’s Bay Company, of which he was later on a Chief Factor, is well known. The letter was copied by me from the original, in the course of an investigation into the Hudson’s Bay Company’s archives in Lon- don,:and I have to thank the Governor and Committee of the Company for permission to publish it here. I owe thanks also to the New October, 1935] York Zoological Society who financed the in- vestigation and to Dr. R. M. Anderson for the valuable comments which he has added. As Campbell’s letter apparently accompanied spec- imens which had been asked for by the British Natural History Museum, I enquired from Dr. M. A. C. Hinton whether any were still in ex- istence. The only marmot skin received from the Company and mentioned in the Museum catalogue was one in the midd!le of the nine- teenth century, labelled Arctomys monax, and marked “duplicate”, It had not been kept. If Campbell collected any skins or skulls, they are not im the British Museum, though he may possibly have sent specimens to museums in the United States, which began to receive some Mac- kenzie River materials through the Company about this time. Frances Lake post was estab- lished by Campbell in the summer of 1840, and was known at first as Glenlyon House. It lay at the head of Frances River, the north branch of the Liard River, and was for eleven years a connecting link for transport of the fur busi- ness from the Mackenzie River Valley into the Upper Pelly River (to Pelly Banks and Fort Selkirk). Frances Lake post was ap- parently abandoned in the summer of 1851, after a great deal of danger and hardship had been experienced. The opening of a different portage route over the dividing mountains by Peel River and La- Pierre’s House, rendered the Frances Lake route no longer necessary. This statement is based on Hudson’s Bay Company official corres- pondence; also on Campbell’s private diary, which includes a vivid account of this period, is well known, but has never been officially pub- lished. I am indebted to his grand-daughter, Mrs. J. W. Waddie, for permission to use material from this dairy. J. L. Lewes was in charge of the Mackenzie River District, at Fort Simpson. Although the letter was not specifically addressed, it formed part of a series of official letters addressed to Lewes. — Campbell’s notes are very interesting, parti- cularly in his differentiation of the various forms of marmots, ground squirrels, and chipmunks, most of which had not been scientifically describ- ed at that time. Very little exploration has been done in that particular region (Frances Lake. Yukon), and almost no zoological collect- trappers. THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 121 ing. About the only white men who have made observations since Campbell’s time are Dr. G. M. Dawson and Dr. Charles Camsell of the Geological Survey, Warburton Pike (prospector and gentleman sportsman), Fenley Hunter (ex- plorer and big game hunter), and a few odd In spite of the fact that there has been little zoological work done in southeastern Yukon, we have quite a bit of material from southwestern Yukon and northern British Co- lumbia, as well as from the country on the east side of the Rocky Mountains in that region, so that the mammal life is fairly well known in the surrounding areas. Campbell gives encugh information so that I think I can be fairly certain in determining the names of the species he mentions. I have written some footnotes giving my ideas on various points in the Camp- bell manuscript—R. M. ANDERSON. Frances Lake, September 29th, 1843. Campbell to J. L. Lewes). “The only specimen of mammalia I have been (Robert able to procure for the British Museum is 6 Siffleus’ of the large kind, viz., an adult male and female, likewise a male and female of the last season and two females of this season, all taken the first week of this month (September), but I am sorry they are all imperfect from the skull and bones of the head being ignorantly mutilated by the Indians who procured them. I can neither give their scientific name or what species of the Mando” (sic) family they belong to, whether they be the Rocky Mountain Badger*® 1 “‘Siffleus.”” The ordinary spelling is sifflewr, pl. siffleurs. French for ‘“‘whistler.” The name is still in use for the large Hoary Marmots of the north- western mountains. Probably Campbell wrote the — word as it is pronounced. 2 “Mando family” should probably read ‘‘Mar- mot family.’’ 3 “Rocky Mountain Badger.’’ The true Badger (Taxidea taxus) is found in the Rocky Mountains farther south as well as in the southern interior of British Columbia, but does not occur as far north as the Frances Lake region. Some of the white traders still call the Hoary Marmots “bad- gers’, as the size and general colour of the animals are somewhat similar, although the mar- mots are rodents and the badgers are carnivores. (See discussion of this point in ‘“‘Notes on Distri- bution of the Hoary Marmots.” by R. M. Anderson, eee Sr et vol. 48, no. 4, April, 1934, p. 2 122 Marmot', or the Siffleus. The latter name 1s derived from their shrill whistle, which is ex- actly like that of a person giving notice to a companion at a distance. The length of a large full-grown (one) from nose to tail is about 30 ins., and tail 7 ins. As the skins of the above are forwarded it is unnecessary to say anything of their generic character, etc. As to locality, habits, etc., they inhabit the high ridges of the Rocky Mountains, where they are in large colonies Or societies, burrowing among and under the crevices of the fallen rocks. Their food ap- pears to be entirely vegetable, of such herbs as grow in their vicinity, which they collect with great industry during the summer season. To- wards the latter part of their busy harvest— being then very fat—the Indians take them by snaring in great numbers, their flesh being con- sidered a great delicacy, as in fact is all greasy things to their palate. On the first appearance of snow they disappear into their burrow, which is generally about the 15th or 20th of Septem- ber. I am sorry I have not been able to procure a specimen of all the different kinds throughout this quarter and by the voyagers and termed Sif- fleus promiscuously, of which there are a great variety. The next family in point of size and impé By. Tl) Tantony io Ne ee Pet aes Thrush Songs. By W. E. Saundersand F. P. Lord.................... BER EERE EU NS fre, hecho Observations on the Behaviour of Adult Sockeye Salmon during the Spawning Migration. By — Walliam:K. Ricker“and A: Robertson «02/205 82 ee leon Trout pieces Killed by Natural Fishhooks or Spears: the Seeds of Bidens. By A. G.. untsman ahi xy ST A Badger Specimen from Port Dover, Norfolk County, Ontario. By L. L.Snyder........ 8 Great Migration of Snow Geese in the Neighbourhood of Meaford, Ontario. By L.H. Beamer Further Additions to the Vascular Plants of Anticosti Island. By J. Adams. .5 eee John Townson. By L.L.S Notes and Observations:— i Tc Cr Cr CC CC tC iC Cac Crossbills and Starlings. By AE Allin,.M:D.: (0. oe ee ule aes Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitia canadensis). By Elsie Cassels............. ee STS Fox Sparrow Wintering at Toronto. By R.D.Ussher............. casera Pe German Bird Bands: oer 00 oR a I oh Aes Book Reviews:— a Contributions from the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. By J. A.......... — ‘The Amphibian Fauna from the South Joggins, Nova Scotia. By T. H. Clark. eee sem SSeS eae eee eee Seee acces cacasensnscucneccccsnescsrascsnecccnssccasssnnscacecacscuecaccnccascssaccascasacccsnsccascocconcseccsssscsanccccs coe cess eee e ee se eeseSOR Geneon eecrssocsenuecnscenscscSuccccanceSaecsescecccccassaseceuscusaccecccpecageseccsenseecceesesseccsescccecescoussscscncasens oe sevecressssngucccve=ssscscecsscescsun=cessccsssescescsssenctscssssrssesceccocsccsscnserececererscsscsrsccesasecsessesecseastessscesscssessvecsees =e i The official publications of Taz OTTawA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB have been issued #? since 1879. The first were The Transactions of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club, 1879-1886, two volumes; the next, The Ottawa Naturalist, 1886-1919, thirty-two volumes; and these have been continued by The Canadian Field-Naturalist to date. The Canadian Field-Naturalist # issued monthly, except for the months of June, July and August. Its scope is the publicatio # of the results of original research in all departments of Natural History. Bah @ ¢ : : Price of this volume (9 numbers) $2.00; Single copies 25¢each i Subscriptions ($2.00 a year) should be forwarded to _ WILMOT LLOYD, | iat . Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club, 582 Mariposa Ave., Rockcliffe Park, OTTAWA, CANA y The Canadian Field-Naturalist VOL. XLIX OTTAWA, CANADA, NOVEMBER, 1935 No. 8 PECTINATELLA IN RAINY RIVER DISTRICT, ONTARIO By T. L. TANTON* N SEPTEMBER, 1934, the writer ob- served several living colonies of the freshwater bryozoon, Pectinatella mag- nifica, in a creek flowing from the north into the Seine River half a mile east of Partridge Crop Lake. This locality (approxima- tely 48°44’ N. and longitude 92°21’ W.) is about 12 miles easterly from Mine Centre station on the Canadian National Railways in Rainy River district, Ontario. For the identification of the organism the writer is indebted to Prof. W. J. K. Haikness of the Department of Biology, University of Toronto, to whom a description and photographs were submitted. From him and Mr. Douglas Leechman, of the National Museum of Canada, it was learned that the occurrence herewith re- ported is the first from Rainy River district and is at a locality farther north than any hitherto reported in the scanty literature relating to freshwater bryozoa in Canada. The writer had not previously observed the organism in Northern Ontario and was not acquainted with its retiring habits, timidity and sensitiveness to shock. Upon approaching the creatures in a canoe each colony presents the appearance of a greyish white ball o- bulging mass of jelly. After regarding them attentively for some time without detecting any motion or change of appearance, the writer’s method for making closer inspection was to split them with a paddle. It is doubtful whether the expanded polyzoa in all their beauty can be observed in their native habitat from a canoe. Those familiar with the creatures recommend that the colony be carefully transferred to a collecting bottle with water, and set in a shady place convenient for observation with a hand lens. The protrusion and unfolding of the polyzoa is said to be well described in the following passage’: * Published with the permission of the Director, Bureau of Economic Geology, Department of Mines, Ottawa. 1 STOKES, ALFRED C.: Aquatic Microscopy for Beginners. Fourth edition. John Wiley & Sons, New York; p. 225 (1918). “Perhaps while you gaze at the jelly, a pink little projection appears within the field of your lens, slowly lengthens and broadens, retreating and reappearing it may be many times, but final- ly, after much hesitation, seeming suddenly to burst into bloom. A narrow body, so deeply red that it is often almost crimson, lifts above the jelly a crescentic disc ornamented with two rows of long tentacles that seems as fine as hairs.. They glisten and sparkle like lines of crystal, as they wave and float and twist the delicate threads beneath your wondering gaze. While you scarcely breathe, for fear the lovely vision will fade, another and another spreads its disc and waves its silvery tentacles, until the whole surface of that ugly jelly-mass blooms like a garden in Paradise—blooms not with motionless perianths, but with living animals, the most exquisite that God has allowed to develop in our sweet waters.” If then the water be jarred, even slightly, the polyzoa flash their tentacles together and dart backward, out of sight, into the jelly mass. Within a few minutes, if undisturbed “the little bodies again slip out- ward, the crescentic discs again spread open, the shining tentacles unfold and curl and lash the water, until once more the ugly jelly mass becomes a thing of undescribable beauty. This is Pectinatella, well named the magnificent”. Hasira’. The creek in which the colonies were observed has an average width of about 25 feet and depth of 5 feet for a distance of % mile above its junction with Seine River. Farther upstream it is a mere rill flowing swiftly through a rocky, hilly area. In its lower part it is entrenched in a clay plain. The current is very sluggish and the water is brownish and turbid. Several var- ieties of water plants grow from the creek bot- tom; and alders, with projecting, submerged, dead branches, line the banks. Fallen trees and logs, partly submerged, occur along the shore at a few places. COLONIES :—DISTRIBUTION AND ATTACHMENT. About a dozen colonies were observed in the lower part of the creek distributed over a dis- THE CANADIAN FIBLD-NATURALIST [VoL. XLIX Colonies of Pectinatclla magnifica in creek east oi Mine Centre, Ontario. (Photo by T. L. Tanton, Geol. Surv., Canada). tance of nearly % mile. AIl were found near the surface of the water, none at a greater depth than 2 feet. The majority were attached to submerged dead branches of bushes, one was attached to a partly submerged log and one to the stem of a living water plant. SIZE AND SHAPE. The colonies have the general appearance of simple globular masses from 4 inches to 1 foot in diameter and in some cases compound glob- ular masses apparently formed by the growing together of two or more of the simple type. One colony of the compound type with a maxi- mum dimension of 2 feet almost encircled a partly stranded floating log to which it was at- tached; in this case the colony was bounded by a plane coinciding with the surface of the water. This plane was smooth, structureless and coated with green slime possibly an algal growth. Pre- sumably the growth of bryozoa had been arrest- ed at the surface of the water while the sub- merged part of the colony continued to thrive. i lt oe =, November, 1935] A typical colony has the appearance of a globular mass of clear jelly encased in a thin granular greyish-white skin.. The surface is net- ted with a system of branching white lines that faintly delimit numerous polygonal areas rang- ing in size from % square inch to 1 square inch. The central part of each polygon pro- trudes about */. inch higher than its margin; and in the bulging inner part of each polygon a network of curved and irregularly branching crease lines can be observed radiating from the central part to the vicinity of the margin. Pre- sumably the retracted polyzoa were folded up and hidden beneath these. Along the crease lines on some of the spe- cimens there were numerous, dark brown, flatten- ed discs about */x inch in diameter. These be- came detached and sank as the colony was dis- turbed. These were the statoblasts or winter eggs. It is reported that when naturally detached from the colony late in the season they float. A colony, 9 inches in diameter, was split in half by a thrust of the paddle and was found to consist, inside the enveloping skin, of colour- less, almost transparent, jelly-like material. This THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 129 material occurs in closely packed polygonal prisms that radiate from the center and that become thicker toward’ the periphery. The widths of the prisms near the surface of the colony is commonly between % and % inch and the termination of each prism is defined by polygonal, proterberance visible on the outer surface. The prisms can not be readily detached from one another. In some colofiies the central part of the jelly- like mass was green as if an alga were growing in the jelly; and in some there was a red centrai part surrounded by a green zone, sur- rounded in turn by the clear, colourless jelly. ‘The colonies when dislodged from their sup- port were observed to sink slowly; it was evident that their specific gravity was slightly greate- than one. The natural surface appearance and the method of attachment to a submerged twig is shown in the compound globular specimen at the left, the internal radiating structure in the jelly-like mass is shown in the section of the globular specimen at the right. The latter was 9 inches in diamete-. THRUSH SONGS By W. E SAUNDERS and F. P. LORD OME YEARS ago I learnt (so i thought) the song of the Gray-Cheek so well that I could always tell it, the : 2} difference being exactly as told to me by F. A. Saunders, and E. T. Seton, namely a vibrant buzzing quality which was lacking in the song of the Olive-back. But when I had a chance to test my newly acquired “knowledge” on the south shore of the St. Lawrence in July of 1933, I found at first that every thrush I heard had much vibrance, and when we looked up the singer, every one proved to be an Olive- back, so we concluded that we were hearing nothing else; then, when we were nearly at the end of our stay, a thrush flew out into the open, and to our dismay, it was a Gray-cheek. Its mate had been singing on one or two occasions and was written down as an Olive. So I have come to the definite and positive conclusion that in the present state of my education, I know nothing whatever of the differences between the songs of these two species, and with particular definiteness I am positive that no one can de- scribe those differences to me with any real expectation that I shall identify them at the first hearing. I have never heard any thrush that seemed to my ear to fulfil the statement of Dr. Lewis in a recent number of The Naturalist that each roll begins on the same note, but on the con- trary, I do positively notice that neither of these thrushes has that habit. Now, one of us is mistaken and with my small experience it is more likely that it is I, yet my ideas may be worth publishing because they illustrate the dif- ficulties of the situation. There is every prob- ability that Dr. Lewis can distinguish the songs, and I have said that I cannot do so, but it is equally sure that his criteria are useless to me, and I make this statement chiefly because others may find the same trouble. Now, with the Hermit, I find no such diffic culty. His clear, flute-like tone is entirely dif ferent, and he usually commences with a very long note. Sometimes, as Dr. Lewis says, the trend of the song is downward, but I believe that the contrary is usually the case, and some- times the song of this bird may be represented on our musical scale with almost perfect ac- curacy. Dr. Lewis says that “no two successive series of notes sung by this species ‘begin on the same note” but I think he does not mean 130 just that, for very often the hermit will repeat the same song over and over, and in such a case, it naturally follows that the first notes of those songs are identical. I take it that he means to apply this reference to different songs and not to repetitions of a single song. I have submitted these notes to my brother, Dr. F. A. Saunders, and at this point he comments that he thinks Dr. Lewis is more nearly correct, but “both are wrong”. I must differ with Dr. Lewis"again and very emphatically, when he says of the Gray-cheek series, in each of which at least “‘a part of the notes are often arranged in a descending order” and I think that there he is entirely wrong. The Hermit rarely travels down in his songs though this applies only when the whole song is con- sidered; the Veery always travels down bnt the other two always go up. (“Not to me”, says my brother). Dr. Lewis may be pardoned if he thinks that “always” is a strong word for me to use in view of my limited experience with some of these species, but, from the style of the songs, I am convinced that the statement is very nearly correct. I have found the Gray- cheek giving the exact song that has been describea to me, namely, that of the Veery, only going up instead of down, but it must be remembered that the upward trend of the Gray-cheek refers to the average pitch of the sections of the song, - each of which curves up, then down, but each of the three or four sections is pitched higher than the preceding one, so that the total effect is upward. There is the same character in the song of the Olive-back, but its range is much higher, and between these two songs I get lost in “no man’s land”, complicated as the matter usually is by the music of some abhorred little insects that often compel one to quit listening just when he wants to continue. In conclusion, I would say that the Hermit. Wood and Veery are not easily confounded with one another, and are rather easy to separate from any other, but distinguishing the Olive- back and the Gray-cheek is another matter entirely. All of this may be just a testimony to my own density or ignorance, but Bree others are in much the same box. Dear Gordon :— It was good of you to send me the letters from your brother, Miss Betty Smart and Dr. Harrison F. Lewis, all of which, you can well imagine, I read with great pleasure and interest. In regard to the thrush, let me say a few words, as I have been looking up my old notes in re- gard to his song especially. Tue CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST (VoL. XLIX When I was staying at the Parker House (now burned to the ground, I am told) in Benton, N.H., in the summer of 1913, 1 made a special trip to get acquainted with the Bicknell thrush, which I had read would be found on the higher levels of the White Mts. Why not on Moosi- lauke? I left the house before 2 A.M., by moonlight for a short time, then in the darkness until the daylight of June 18 began to give me aid and reached the top before 4 A.M., in time, I recall with a thrill to this day, to see the sun tise and stand poised for a minute on the very top of Mt. Washington. On that trip I first saw, so as to indentify it, the Bicknell thrush, getting good views up to twenty-five feet and less distant, with my field glasses. I also learned the song and _ call-notes, which were new to mie, and which I could then well compare with those of the previously learned Olive-backed thrush. If I may quote from my notes, made at the time, it struck me as follows: “Song is perhaps most like Olive-backed in qua- lity (suggests also Veery). It begins high and slides down, in notes, unmistakably thrush’s. Sometimes I could hear a preliminary three to six unmusical, cackling notes, then song. Some were short as given below, others longer, but very similar in scheme to the short one; seemed to cover whole octave or more. All ended with a slide (glissando) up to dominant note. Did not carry very far.” ee 8 va This, I labelled, the simplest type of song. You will notice that the pitch was an octave higher than written. The call note a slurred whistle, with accent on the first note. A similar call-note was an octave higher than this, and much louder, a sort of piercing, clear scream. It always had two tones, never like that of the Olive-backed thrush. Then follows a description of coloration, field-marks and _ size, which fits in well with the text-book descriptions. hide November. 1935] Two days before I had made a notation on the Olive-backed thrush, which bears on the general subject: of these birds. “This bird has a call- note, a single short whistle (F or G in the top - octave) (very bell-like, but muted). He seemed to say (and this impression remains to this day, though nothing like the note of the bird it brings to a reader’s mind) “Whip-poor-will-ee-will-ee-”. ~~ nee ° aie he Se ai ie cae wiles Read an octave higher. Many times since have I heard the Bicknell on Moosilauke and others of the White Mts., and there is no other song or call quite like it. The song of the Bicknell, as all the evidence you send me attests, I also heard as a descent, except for the final rise from the grace note to the last note. Perhaps, as some say, its quality is more like the Veery’s than the Olive-backed, but it has not (?) anything of the so-called “beaded” effect, so marked in the Veery, though both des- cend. It is more like the Olive-backed thrush’s quality, as I recall it, but not an ascent, like his. The call-note of the Bicknell is much like that of the Veery, but much higher pitched, I think. It was very interesting near the 3000 foot level, below which the Bicknell did not seem to be found, but above which the Olive-backed was occasionally found, to hear the two birds THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 131 both within singing distance, giving their char- acteristic song and call. I remember, apropos of this overlapping of territory, hearing near but below the 3000 foot level, on both Moosilauke and Mansfield, later, the songs of the Olive- backed, Veery, Hermit and Wood thrush, with perhaps the Bicknell’s left a few hundred feet farther up the mountain. One could add the bluebird and robin, and get the whole group al- most within hearing distance of a single spot. The thrushes I saw in the Gaspé, and which I spoke of as Bicknell thrushes might have been the Gray-cheeked for aught I know from my careless observation. I do not know whether the Gray-cheeked’s song is the same as that of the Bicknell or not, having supposed they were alike, perhaps for no good reason. Since those days I have scrambled amongst the scrub of the mountain tops to find a Bicknell’s nest, but never successfully. For some reason » they are the most wary fellows, who have no need to be in their chosen habitat. It is my ambition yet to find one, not to rob it, how- ever. I should like a photograph of one at its nest. I notice Forbush gives the Gray-cheeked’s song as “not noticeably different from that of the Bicknell’s thrush”. His descriptions of the Bick- nell’s thrush’s song are not to my liking as I have heard it. In May, 1913, Mr. Henry Oldys and I took a walk near Pompanoosuc, Vt., and there heard a remarkable Hermit thrush song, “the most in- teresting bird-song I have heard in ten years”, says Mr. Oldys, and later he published it in The Auk. Here is a copy of his rendition of that song: Ce, to = gee easea losses we A 132 THE CANADIAN FI&LD-NATURALIST The enclosure sent with this letter may interest you. The book is a joy, and I can only give a few quotations for your pleasure. The second is entitled, “The First Library Mention of Halitosis”. The table of values, esthetic, of certain English bird-songs, reminds me of many of the scientific (sic!) evaluations which you must have had as Dean of Freshmen of the can- didates for Darmcuth College. The more scienti- fic one is, the stranger often the results. It seems to work like a cumulative error in a mathematical © (VoL. XLIX problem. When I see the thrush and blackbird placed at the bottom of the list of English avian musicians I marvel at the difficulties of “ponder- ing the imponderable”. I rate the blackbird at the top of the list, and wonder whether the at: mosphere and aura that surround the hermit thrush is why I prefer him to even the English — blackbird. This is already too much — and I had hardly begun. I spare your more. — Frep P. Lorp. OBSERVATIONS ON THE BEHAVIOUR OF ADULT SOCKEYE SALMON DURING THE SPAWNING MIGRATION. By WILLIAM E. RICKER, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, B.C. and A. ROBERTSON, Cultus Lake Hatchery, Cultus Lake, B.C. HE OUTLET of Cultus Lake, British Columbia, is Sweltzer Creek, which leaves the northern end of the lake and flows for about two miles before it empties into the Vedder River, a tributa:y of the Fraser. The Vedder is at least ten times the volume of Sweltzer Creek, and daily temperature readings made in the fall of 1934 show that it is consistently the colder of the two. Artificial propagation of Sockeye Salmon [Oncorhynchus mnerka] is carried on in this locality, and six weirs or wooden fences have been constructed in Sweltzer Creek to facilitate spawning operations. This series of structures may be divided into a lower group, numbered 1 to 3, of which the lowest (No. 1) lies 1050 Sweltzer Creek, B.C. r0) 100 1200 —-—_——+ Marked Sockeye Here Yards. November, 1935] yards from the Vedder, and an upper group near the lake, numbered 4 to 6. Each autumn a greater or lesser number of sockeye ascend Sweltzer Creek on their way to spawn in Cultus Lake and its tributary streams ; in 1934 there were about 20,000, all told. These must all enter the traps in fence 1, from which they are dipped and placed on the upstream side to proceed on their way. For several years it has been the observation of the watchmen stationed at fence 1 that on many nights large numbers of sockeye would crowd along the fence, yet by morning only a few would have entered the traps, or be visible in the creek. This suggestion of downstream wandering be- comes significant in the light of the experiment described below During the dry weather of early October, 1934, the time at which the salmon run was beginning in the creek, several hundred sockeye were observed resting in the Vedder River just below the mouth of Sweltzer. On October 11, between 50 and 100 were seen in a pool of the Vedder 450 yards above the mouth of the creek, and a school whose estimated number varied from 25 to 250 remained in the same place until at least October 19. After that date high water made further observations impossible. Since the run of sockeye to the upper Vedder River usually occurs earlier in the summer, the possibility was suggested that these were fish which had endeavoured to ascend Sweltzer Creek, but finding the fence an obstacle to their prog- ress, has dropped back to the Vedder and gone up it to where they were now seen. Further- more it was not unreasonable to suppose that some of them might never reach their original goal, but might go on up the Vedder instead. To establish the identity of the resting fish was therefore a question of considerable interest. To this end 50 sockeye taken from the traps of fence 1 were marked by removal of the outer half of the dorsal fin, on October 11, and placed below the fence. A similar number was treated in the same manner on October 15. As a check on the behaviour of these experimental fish, a gill net was set in the Vedder pool where sock- eye had previously been seen. From October 11 to 16, during which time the net was in constant operation, 4 unmarked and 1 marked male sockeye were captured. Through the co- operation of Fisheries Inspector W. J. Barker another net was set about a mile and a half farther up stream. No sockeye were captured in it. THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST gira 133 In addition to the information provided. by these nets, it was possible to make direct ob- servations. At least one male and one female whose dorsal fins had been clipped were ob- served in the Vedder above its confluence with Sweltzer Creek, from October 16 to 18. On October 18 ten marked males were seen in the Vedder below the junction. It was therefore well established that these marked sockeye had returned downstream after being liberated from the traps for more than half a mile to the Vedder River, and that some of them had ascended the latter stream to a distance of a quarter of a mile above the union. Their subsequent movements were not fully known until two months later. Since in 1934 the sockeye ruuning to Cultus Lake were retained for use in artificial pro- pagation, a careful examination could be made of all of them. Those which died in the creek, as well as those which were actually stripped, were salvaged, and their fins inspected. As is evident from the table, all of 100 sockeye marked and liberated below fence 1 were recovered in Sweltzer Creek, with the exception of the one netted in the Vedder. After leaving the “parent” stream for another, the entire lot had sooner or later returned to it. None stayed in the Vedder permanently. Regarding the time which the marked fish spent in the river before returning to Sweltzer Creek, it is possible to make only approximate calculations. On the day immediately following the first marking, 6 re-entered fence 1 traps; 9 of the second lot did likewise. Close watch was kept for 5 days thereafter, but no more appeared. Unfortunately it then became im- possible to examine all sockeye dipped over this weir, but a few marked males were noticed, from October 21 to November 1. It seems probable that most of the marked fish passed through during that interval. In any case, 77 males and 8 females had gone up before Nov- ember 5, because they had passed through fence 3 before its closure on that date. The “parent stream” theory of salmon mi- gration postulates that on returning from the sea, the adult fish ascend the same river and the same tributaries as they traversed as young on their seaward migration a few years pre- viously. The egg-measuring study of Robertson (1921), and the marking experiments of Foers- ter (1934), leave no doubt as to the general applicability of this theory to the case of the Fraser River sockeye, though it 15 not yet known what influence guide the fish to their native 134 waters. It is possible, thougin not easy, to imagine a salmon, on arriving at the junction of two rivers, recognizing the native stream by some physical or chemical characteristic to which it is conditioned. It is much less easy to picture a salmon, baulked in its attempt to ascend this “parent” stream, descending to an alternative one and proceeding up it for a quarter of a mile; then, though no barrier stands in its way, refusing to go farther, and returning once again toward its early haunts. Yet any complete theory of the mechanics of migration must ac- count for this phenomenon. oe SUMMARY Migrating adult sockeye salmon, meeting an obstacle in the “parent” stream, returned downstream to a larger river, and some of THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST (VoL. XLIX them ascended this larger river for a con- siderable distance. Of an experimentally marked group vf 100 such salmon, all eventually returned to the parent stream again, after a period of ab- sence lasting up to three weeks. CITATIONS. Foerster, R. FE. 1934. An investigation of the life-history and propagation of the sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) at Cultus Lake, British Columbia. No. 4. The life- history cycle of the 1925 year class with natural propagation. Cont. Can. Biol. & Fish. 8 (27). Ropertson, A. 1921. Further proof of the parent stream theory. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 51: 87-90. Number Mkd Counted through Recovered Dead Recovered Dead 1 2 Date Fence g lor) Oct. 44 Nov. I RT ET ay es) IS TS Se EA Sesssesiseat en Dec. MITER TI TPT SIS ee ete Ea ey (Bee alesis esp] Totals 83 17 24 *One of these had the dorsal stump much Fence 1 Traps 2 OWE idee ar see ee ee ey leds fra to 6 Q Fences 4 ) Fences 1 to 3 3 g a ee WWoRwWaANH AE REE | | (el llereoylisreee| sel | BRR rRoNWNoObAae Se oe ple pec cred self ae al ee hast ra esr red al | | 78* yed, hence was rather doubtful as a mark. In addition to the above recoveries, one male was taken in a gill-net in the Vedder River. Total males marked: 83. Recovered: 83 plus one doubtful. Total females marked: 17. Recovered: 17. November, 1935] THE CANADIAN FIELD-NAIURALIST 135 TROUT FINGERLINGS KILLED BY NATURAL FISHHOOKS OR SPEARS: THE ‘SEEDS OF BIDENS By A. G. HUNTSMAN N DECEMBER of: 1933,” Mr... ‘J. A. - Rodd, Director of Fish Culture, sent me specimens of trout fingerlings, which had been killed by the barbed seeds of “wild sunflower.” The matter was being given some publicity in the Fisherics News Bul- letin (1933). These trout were being reared in a small stream near Sardis, British Columbia, by Edwin A. Wells and Sons, when their death occurred from this’ cause. Mr. Oliver Wells furnished me with the following information: 18 1 @7 “Early in April I scraped out a long pond in a little side stream of the creek which flows through our farm. This pond is about 125 ft. long, 8 to 12 ft. wide and from 6 in. at head to 2 ft. deep at lower end. The native weeds and grasses grew up around the pond and among them grew a weed, said to be the wild sunflower. During the summer it made shade for the pond and with its heavy green foliage and large yellow flowers made quite an acceptable plant for the pond. I believe it blooms in August and September, and the seeds likely fall from October Ist till perhaps the middle of November here in British Columbia. “The seeds fall into the water sepa~ately or several in a clump and are picked up around the pond edge by the feeding fingerlings. Of 1,000 of these about 120 picked up the seeds of the sunflower and died; so that from 10 to 12% of the fry in a pond around which only a few of the plants were growing were killed by the seeds of the sunflower. The young fish apparently mistake the seed for an insect and strike at it. The seed has four little barbs at one end which cling to whatever they touch. I have caught some of the fry while they were quite lively and trying to feed with the seed attached to them, and found if I tried to pull the seed off it brought the flesh and all with it. “Young fingerling from 1'4 in. up to 3 in. in length seem to be likely to be killed by this sunflower seed. I have found a few salmon fry in natural waters killed when they are about 3 in. in length. If the seed is not at- tached to the head it may be stuck in the throat of the fish.” The seeds have been identified by Dr. H. B. Sifton of the University of Toronto as those of a bur marigold, probably Bidens cernua, the “sticktight.” As to the fingerlings mentioned by Mr. Wells, Mr. Rodd informs me that he was sent Cran- brook cutthroat trout (presumably Salmo clarkii lewisi) hatched at the Cultus Lake hat- chery. The smallest fingerling (32 mm. long) has the awns of a seed embedded in the upper jaw on the right side, the remainder of the seed projecting forward and to the right. The fun- gus has overgrown an area extending outward from the points of entrance ot the awns and involving part of the right eye. The next fingerling is 35 mm. long and has a seed extend- ing from the under surface of the right half of the lower jaw downwards and slightly outwards and backwards. The awns has passed through the lower jaw so that their tips had entered the upper jaw and thus closed the mouth. The head is extensively involved with the fungus. The largest fish is 45 mm. long, and has three seeds radiating in a horizontal plane from a point between and in front of the eyes. The awns of the three seeds are interlocked and in part penetrate the skin of the tish, but there is no fungus in evidence. Gudger (1931) reports and figures a 33cm. long rainbow trout with a “horn” sticking up from the top of its head, obtained from a trout hatchery in North Carolina. On careful exam- ination the “horn” proved to be a seed of Bidens cernua and fungus was growing around the site of attachment, this being considered responsible for the death of the fish. He also states that the seeds of “sticktights” are, in the experience of Dr. F. E. Lutz, responsible, by becoming at- tached to their heads, for the death of aquarial fishes, when accidentally introduced into aquaria at Ramsey, New Jersey. Lorenz (1880), as related by Gudger, des- cribed how the seeds of Bidens cernua var. radiata are injurious to pond fishes, by being carried by breathing movements into the smell- ing, feeding and breathing mechanisms of the fishes, and causing death by producing fungus- covered sores and preventing feeding. It seems clear from the case described and figured by Gudger that death results from the growth of fungus (Achyla or Saprolegnia) in the tissues of the head of the fish, starting from the wounds made by the penetration of 136 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST the barbed awns of the seed. The position of the seed was such as not to interfere with either feeding or breathing. How do the seeds reach the fish? Lorenz’ account, as translated by Gudger, is that “through the breathing movements of the fishes the seed pods are disturbed so that they desert their radiate container and, vampire-like, sink their bearded points into the mouth and food openings of the fishes.” Gudger theorizes that “the trout- let swimming around in the tank, no doubt stuck its head against the tip of the seed pod and the recurved hooks fastened themselves in the tender skin.” T asked Mr. Wells to make further observ- ations during another season and he has written me under date of October 28, 1934, as follows: “This summer I was watching for the plant and found little sign of it until it came into bloom in the month of September. At this time the weed -was springing up into bloom all around my trout ponds. Seeds form and ripen and drop during October and for some time following. “When the plant was blooming I kept pulling any that grew along the pond edges and have had no loss of trout fingerlings in the ponds this year. “T scattered a few seeds of this weed on the water of a trough in which I have about 100 late fingerlings (1% in. long). Almost im- mediately two of the fish struck at seeds and were caught by the burr clinging to the nose -bur marigold, (Vou. XLIX and upper jaw. The burrs are clinging there still and remain until the fish dies of starva- tion or fungus setting in.” esaDs These very precise observations demonstrate clearly that the fish strikes at the seed as food and impales itself on the awns. The seed of the sunflower, as it is variously named, is truly a natural fish hook, although the awns of the seed with their many backwardly directed barbs might more appropriately be called minute spears. The young fish take the seed in the same way that large trout and salmon take the artificial dry fly, so much used by anglers. It should be noted that Mr. Wel's considers that these seeds are taken only by fish of a certain size, namely from 14 to 3 inches in length. The conclusion of Lorenz can scarcely be improved. “In the light of this knowledge, the extermination of Bidens cernua is to be recom- mended to eveiy fish culturist or pond owner.” REFERENCES Anonymous. Barbed plant seeds bring trout death. Fisher. News Bull., vol. V. No. 50. December, 1933. Gupcrr, FE. W. A young rainbow trout (Salmo irideus) with a “horn” (the achene of Bidens cernua) on its head. Amer. Mus. Novit., 465, pp. 1-5. March, 1931. Lorens, O. Ein Fischverderber (Bidens cernua) aus dem Pflanzenreich. Oesterreich.-Ungarn Fischer. Zeit. III, pp. 27-28. 1880. A BADGER SPECIMEN FROM PORT DOVER, NORFOLK COUNTY, ONTARIO By L. L_ SNYDER . NEWS ITEM in the local press of Toronto for November 24, 1934, gave an account of the capture of a badger [Tavidea taxus] near Port Dover, The writer immediately communicated Ontario. with a naturalist of the region, Mr. Munroe Landon, of Simcoe, Ontario, who replied that the report was correct and gave further. details. He was unable to find that anyone in the region had kept a captive specimen. A complete ac- count of the capture has been related by Mr. William Pursley who had secured the animal and has forwarded the pelt to the Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology, Toronto. Mr. Pursley writes, ‘T caught him on November 5th, 1934, on my farm about three miles west of Port Dover along the fence in an open field about’ one half-mile away from any woods. While ploughing I noticed my dog along the fence and thought he had something. The badger had been digging in a groundhog’s hole and the dog was worrying him so that he could not dig. -I struck the animal with a club and the one blow killed him. I did not weigh him but I thought he would weigh between forty- five and fifty pounds as he was very fat.” In the Journal of Mammalogy for May, 1934, E. L. Moseley gives an account of the “Increase of Badgers in Northwestern Ohio”. He states sticktight, beggar tick, or wild ~~ November, 1935] . that “I now have data for nearly seventy badgers caught or killed in ten counties of northwestern Ohio. About half of these badgers were found in the last six vears”. A lette- from Dr. Lee R. Dice, Curator of Mammals, University of Michigan, states that “According to Mr. N. A. Wood, a few badgers were found in southern Michigan when the first settlers arrived here over a hundred years ago. At the present time badge-s are thinly distributed over the whole state. They probably have increased somewhat since the clearing of the forest. They occur not only in open fields, but also in open stands of timber”. THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 137 Saunders (Trans. Royal Can. Inst. Vol. 18, Part 2, p. 286) has recorded an Ontario specimen of badger taken at Grand Bend, Ontario, late . in the 1890’s. This record indicates the early presence of the species in southern Ontario and suggests the possibility that badgers may have persisted in this part of the province. If this seems unlikely in view of the complete settle- ment of the region and the absence of reports, there is still another possibility. The inform- ation given in the foregoing paragraph which relates to Ohio and Michigan suggests that these areas are possible sources of the recent badge- specimen. GREAT MIGRATION OF SNOW GEESE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF MEAFORD, ONTARIO By L. H. BEAMER, Meaford, Ontario OTH SNOW GEESE [Chen hyperbo- rea] and Blue Geese [Chen cacrules- cens] have been seen several times near Meaford and Owen Sound in recent years, so that members of the Meaford Natural History Club were not surprised to learn that white geese had been seen on October 16 near the Clay Banks which are about three miles south-east of the town along the shore. This flock numbered about one hundred and included about thirty white geese. This flock or one like it stayed in the neigh- bourhood till October 27. On this Saturday a gale blew from the North and continued for two days but decreased in intensity. After 11 o’clock at night large flocks of geese were heard over the town, some settling in the harbour and others passing over the town towards the interior. On Sunday morning hundreds of these geese were seen along the Clay Banks resting on the land. From the description these flocks includ- ed both Blue and Snow Geese and numbered hundreds, possibly over a thousand. On the evening of the same day, hundreds of geese settled on the river at Walter’s Falls. On Monday the height of the migration was reached. Flocks varying from a single stray goose to one of five hundred were seen. These almost invariably flew towards the South or South-east. Whenever the flocks flew low enough or the sun shone on them at the proper angle, the pure white individuals could be seen. These constituted anywhere from 25% of the flock to 100% of it. In all about six thousand geese were seen, the majority of these being white. From October 28th till November 1st other flocks were noted. On the latter date, a flock of one hundred white geese was seen at the Clay Banks. The above observations were made by a number of people of the town of Meaford, who are interested in natural history. Many of them are hunters of considerable experience, who have seen both Blue or Snow Geese before. This year we have the skin of a splendid Snow Goose to add to the High School collection, while the Royal Ontario Museum has the wings, head and feet of a Blue Goose, as souvenirs of this migration. 138 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST (VoL. XLIX FURTHER ADDITIONS TO THE VASCULAR PLANTS OF ANTICOSTI ISLAND‘ By J. ADAMS N A PREVIOUS list of species not recorded hitherto as occurring in Anti- costi Island and published in The Can- a ian Field-Naturalist for April, 1934, one species, namely Ammophila arenaria Link, was mentioned in error. This should have been Elymus mollis Trin. already known from Schmitt’s Monographie as being present on the island. While the American variety breviligula- ta Fernald of Ammophila arenaria has found in several localities on the north shore, such as Mingan and Natashkwan, there is no authentic record so far of its occurrence on Anticosti Island. My visit during 1934 extended from 25th August to 7th September. All the plants men- tioned in the present list—36 in number—were found in the west end of the island between Baie Ste. Claire and Lake Simonne. The se- quence of families follows that in Schmitt’s Monographie, the int-oduced species having an asterisk prefixed. LYCOPODIACEAE Lycopodium obscurum L. Along logging rail- way. NAIADACEAE Naias fievilis Rost. et Schmidt. Lake S1- monne. POTAMOGETON ACEAE Potamogeton interior Rydb. Vicinity of Ellis Bay. P. lucens 1,. Wake Simonne. GRAMINEAE *Poa compressa 1, Vicinity of Ellis Bay. CYPERACEAE Carex arctata Boott. Crawfordiu Fernald. exilis Dewey. paupercula Michx. rhomalea Mackenzie tribuloides Wahl. trisperma Dewey . wvulpinoidea Michx. The above species of Carex were obtained in the neighbourhood of Ellis Bay. Scirpus paludosus A. Nelson. On salt marsh, Ellis Bay. aqaaaaaa 1 Contribution No. 431 from the Division of Botany, Experimental Farms Branch, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa. been ~ JUNCACEAE Juncus filiformis L. Vicinity of Ellis Bay. Luzula~ campestris DC. Vicinity of Ellis Bay. ORCHIDACEAE Corallorhiza trifida Chatelain. Ellis Bay. Vicinity of POLYGONACEAE *Rumex Patientia 1. Ellis CARYOPHYLLACEAE Cerastium arvense 1, Anse aux Fraises. *Silene noctiflora L. Ellis Bay. Only one specimen seen. Bay. RANUNCULACEAE Ranunculus Purshu Richards. Bay. Thalictrum polygamum Near Ellis Muhl. Ellis Bay. CRUCIFERAE *Neslia paniculata Desv. Ellis Bay. Only one specimen seen. Sisymbrium Hartwegianum Fourn. Garden at Port Menier. Only one specimen seen. BALSAMINACEAE Impatiens biflora Walt. Vicinity of Ellis Bay. LYTHRACEAE *Lythrum Salicaria 1, Edge of Lake St. George. LEGUMINOSAE *Vicia hirsuia Koch. On wharf, Port Menier. TENTIBULARIACEAE Utricularia minor L.. Vicinity of Ellis Bay. RUBIACEAE Galium palustre L. Ellis Bay. *G. uverum IL, In field near Chateau Menier. COMPOSITAE *Centaurea nigra L. In field near Chateau Menier. j *Cirsium lanceolatum Hill. Ellis Bay vic-. inity. - Reais : Gnaphalium silvaticum WL. Along ° logging railway. : Hieractum canadense Michx. Ellis Bay. *H. pratense Tausch. Along logging railway. Senecio pauperculus Michx. Marsh near Chateau Menier In addition to the above a species of grass was collected a little above high water mark at Ellis Bay close to the Chateau Menier. In November, 1935] appearance it resembled Elymus mollis Trin. being about 3 feet high, robust, and glaucous. But the spikelets all occurred singly, in this res- pect resembling the condition found in Agro- pyrum. A specimen was submitted to Dr. A. S. Hitchcock, the *eminent Agrostologist of the Bureau of Plant Industry at Washington, D.C., THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 139 who reported concerning it: “This specimen is different from anything that I have seen. 1 am unable to place it with any species known.” The presumption at present is that it is a hybrid between Elymus and Agropyrum but further in- vestigation will be necessary to determine its exact status. JOHN TOWNSON May 13, 1856 — October 9, 1934 On October 9, 1934, John Townson, a_ well- known naturalist-sportsman of To onto, died suddenly while proceeding to his shooting blind at Weller’s Bay, Prince Edward County, Ontario. Mr. Townson was born at Carlisle, England, on May 13, 1856. At the age of three he came to Canada with his parents who established res- idence in Toronto. John Townson represented that admirable group of sportsmen who are primarily naturalists and secondarily marksmen. His bag was fre- quently divided between scientific collections and the tables of his many friends. He was familiar with such shooting stations as Long Point (Nor- folk County), Weller’s Bay, St. Clair Flats, and Conroy's Marsh (Halton County), in Ontario. His proficiency in identifying waterfowl and shorebirds was widely recognized and his inter- esting accounts of the ways of birds in general appeared regularly for upwards of fifteen years in the Toronto Globe. He also contributed art- icles to Rod and Gun which are dependable records of observations. His only contribution to The Canadian Field-Naturalist concerned the nesting of the Lesser Scaup Duck at Toronto, (Vol. 44: 167. 1930). Mr. Townson’s memory for incidents and in- formation concerning the Toronto region, cover- ing a period of more than three score years, was most remarkable. As a member of the Brodie Club he formed a valuable link between the past and present in our rapidly changing environ- ment. His passing, at the age of seventy-eight, takes from Toronto natural history circles a most useful life and an admirable individual who en- joyed the wide range of human activities from the sportive to the serious.—L,.L,.S. NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS Wuitre Tires oF Napacozapus Tai_s.—That the amount of white tip on the tail of Napaeo- sapus was far from constant was apparent to me from my first acquaintance with this species. Recently, while showing my collection to some friends, I laid a series of nine Napaeozapus on the table, arranged in order of the amount of white on the tips of their tails. Two dis- tinct groups were apparent, one with only a small amount of white, the other with a consi- derably larger amount. The former group con- sisted entirely of females, the latter of males. When specimens from other collections were compared with mine, this grouping was broken up, but the data still show a slight sex differ- entiation with respect to the extent of the white tip. Since the tip of the tail is so often torn in wiring, it is suggested that an additional measurement “White Tip of Tail’ should be taken before skinning specimens of Napacoza- pus.—C.H.D. CiarKe, University of Toronto. Unusua, Nestinc oF EasteRN REDWING (Agelaius phoeniceus phoeniceus) at Toronto.— Two unusually situated nests of the Eastern Redwing were found by the writer in the Hum- ber marshes at Toronto on June 25, 1934. Both were in willows bordering the marsh, one eight feet up, the other eleven feet and they contained 140 partially incubated eggs. No explanation can be offered for such unusual nesting as plenty of sites were available in the rushes and a number of nests were found there—C. E. Horr, Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology. CROSSBILLS AND STARLINGS—On August 3lst, 1934, I had the pleasure of spending a very profit- able day with that enthusiastic naturalist, Mr. Kay, of Port Sydney, Muskoka District, Ontario. During our general conversation he observed that the White-winged Crossbills, formerly abundant in the Macy Lake district, were now but occasionally seen. Moreover, their disappear- ance had coincided with the early occurrence of large flocks of Starlings in the area, several years ago. He correlated the two facts on the grounds that the Crossbills formerly fed exten- sively on the seeds of the Elm. Now the Star- lings consume the seeds and none are left for the northern visitors. Just another link in the chain of evidence which has piled up against the introduction of foreign species——A. E. ALLIn, M.D., Toronto. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH (Sitta canadensis) .— In the March, 1935, issue of The Canadian Field- Naturalist I saw F. L. Farley’s report of the Red-breasted Nuthatch having wintered at Cam- rose, Alberta. Last autumn three of these birds came to my feeding place and two have been fed all through the winter with other birds. During our very sévere month (parts of De- cember and January) I felt a bit anxious about them, but they came through in good condition and are still feeding daily (March, 1935). They are very tame and come close to my hands when I am putting out fresh food, “talking” to-me all the time—Eusiz Casseis, Red Deer, Alberta. Fox Sparrow WINTERING At ‘Toronto.—In view of the scarcity of published winter records for this species the following occurrence may be worth reporting. THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST (Von. XLIX A single bird spent the winter of 1922-23 in and around a garden in North Toronto and was seen on numerous occasions from December 11th to March 25th. It appeared to be normal in every way and survived in spite of fairly deep snow through most of January and February— R. D. UssHer, King, Ontario. CERMAN Birp Banps.— The German Ambas- sador has officially, advised the Government of Caneda through the Honourable Mr. J. H. Thomas, Secretary of State for Dominion Af- fairs, that official bird bands or rings used by two: German bird observatories in studying the movements and life histories of wild birds bear, in addition to a serial number, the following inscription :— “Vogelwarte Helgoland” or “Vogelwarte Ros- sitten”’. 99 66 The wo ds “Germania” “retour” or “urgent” are are also sometimes inscribed on the bands. Should any person in Canada take a bird wear- ing a band from either one of the two German bird-banding stations, it would be very much appreciated if they would report the facts to the Commissioner, National Parks of Canada, Ot- tawa, who has custody of the official bird-band- ing records for Canada. Reports concerning wild birds wearing bands of any kind are very much appreciated by the Naticnal Parks Service of Canada since every banded bird ~eported helps to add to the store of valuable scientific data-being collected by the banding method. Bird banding in North Amer- ica is an international investigation of the gen- eral life histories of native wild birds and is being conducted in full co-operation between the Canadian and United States Governments which have the assistance of hundreds of voluntary co- operators throughout Canada and the United States in conducting this valuable work. Reports concerning bird bands, if mailed in Canada, may be forwarded postage free if enclosed in en- velopes marked “O.H.M.S.” and addressed to The Commissioner, National. Parks of Canada, Ottawa. REVIEWS Contributions from. the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, No. VI Phytogeogra- phic Studies in the Peace and Upper Liard River Regions, Canada. With a Catalogue of the Vascular Plants. By Hugh M. Raup. Pp. 1-230, Plates 1-9, map. 1934. $2.50. This work contains an interesting historical description of the exploration of the region followed by an account of the Geology, Physio- February 15, November, 1935] -.. graphy, and Climate. Forty-five pages are devot- ed to an ecolozical survey of the vegetation while the detailed list of species and their distribution covers rather more than 100 pages. Altogether 754 species are enumerated of which -five are new. These are Antennaria atriccps, A. megacepha'a, Braya Henryac, Draba longipes, and Salix fal'ax all of which are illustrated by phetographs. Potter, David—Plants collected in the southern region of Jamcs Bay. Rhodora, vol. 36, pp. 274-284, map, August, 1934. The area covered extends from Moose River in Ontario to Eastmain River in Quebee and also includes Charlton Island. Altogether 340 species and varieties of vascular plants are enumerated arranged under their respective families. For purposes of distribution the area investigated was divided by the author into eight separate districts. . Newton, D. FE. & Stobbe, P.C.—The relation of flora to soil types in the countics of Cha- teauguay. Huntingdon and Argenteuil in Quebec. Pasture studics V. Macdonald Col- lege Technical Bulletin No. 14, 47 pages, map and 8 figures. August, 1934. The distribution of 336 species of the highe= plants, including ferns and lycopods, in relation to the various soil types considered in the above area is indicated in a special table. Zenkert, Charles A-—The Flora of the Niagara Fronticr Region. Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, volume 16. x+ 328 pages, 77 illustrations and map, Buffalo, 1934. Price $2. This volume which is neatly bound and print- ed on good naper opens with a brief description of previous exnloration dating trom the visit of Peter Kalm to Niagara Falls in 1750. The next section deals with the topography, geology and climate of the region which in addition to a large part of the State of New York includes also the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario. The greater part of the book, namely, about 200 pages, is devoted to the detailed distribution of the plants enumerated numbering altogether 1702 species and varieties. The illustrations consist for the most part of photographs of plants growing in their natural habitats which have heen reproduced very sucess- THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 141 fully. The last part of the book deals with plant societies, the final illustration giving a view “in the Garden of God, Point Abino, Ontario.”— JisAs The Amphibian Fauna from the South Joggins, Nova Scotia. By Margaret C. Steen, Ph. D. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, part 3, pp. 465- 504, 5 plates, 1934. “The first discovery of an Amphibian fauna in the great fossil trees at Coal Mine Point, South Joggins, Nova Scotia, was made by Lyell and Dawson in 1852. These few fragmentary fossil vertebrate bones were, with the exception of the single specimen of Baphetes planiceps from the Albion Mines, Pictou, found by Daw- son in 1850, the first discovered remains of a Carboniferous land or semi-land fauna, and the great interest which they attracted resulted in a periodic investigation of the South Joggins locality for over forty years.” Thus Dr. Steen begins her revision of the amphibia concerned. The first description of these amphibian re- mains was made by Owen in 1853. In a long series of papers, published from 1853 to 1896, Dawson supplemented Owen’s initial effort by his own observations. The field never seemed to lose its appeal for him and some of his most charming pieces of writing are concerned with these fossils. On page 148 of The Story of the Earth and Man (1873) he gives in delightful phrases his verbal reconstruction of one of these amphibia, a page deserving to be read by all who enioy the literature of Geology at its best. In Some Salient Points in the Science of the Earth, Chapter 10, he gives the principal points regard- ing the history of the discoveries and much else of inte-est besides. In the eighty years since their discovery and the forty since Dawson’s last publication, our knowledge of the taxonomy of the group to which these amphibia belong has improved considerably, and it was with the intention of applying this newer knowledge that Professor D. M. S. Watson of the University of London requested the loan of our Joggins tree trunk material. To this we gladly acceded, and the work in London was prosecuted by Dr. Steen, the results of whose revision of this fauna are now before us. : It might be noted that little. if any, of this material exists outside of the collections in the Redpath Museum, McGill University, and the British Museum of Natural History, and that all of the material in those two Museums was collected by Dawson. No collecting for this 142 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST specific purpose, apparently, has been pursued for a half a century. The rapid erosion along the South Joggins cliffs has doubtless exposed new tree-trunks, from which additional materiai, possibly new, may await the specialist. Modern critical examination, in the light of the present state of our knowledge, has shown that many of the species erected by Dawson are nut acceptable, for as Dr. Steen says, “The validity of species, based on such characters as relative size, shape and size of teeth, number of dentary teeth, etc. is, in a fauna where all growth-stages are potentially present, question- able.” Dawson’s Dendrerpeton~ owen now be- comes a synonym for D. acadianum Owen. Eight other species are called “indeterminate” by Dr. Steen. These are in some cases obviously valid, but even so they add very little to our knowledge of the fauna and, as species, might very profitably be dropped from the list. Dawson’s enthusiasm for his remarkable dis- coveries led him into paths which today we can hardly tread. Miss Steen leaves us five of the original species, the initial one by Owen and four by Dawson. These are Dendrerpeton acadianum Owen (includes D. owent Dawson) (VoL. XLIX Platystegos loricatum Dawson Hylonomus lyelli Dawson “Hylonomus”’ latidens Dawson Fritschia curtidentata (Dawson) In addition, Dr. Steen has determined five new genera of known affinities, and two of whose precise relationships she upon as_ scientifically secure a foundation as possible. . Dr. Steen’s report is free from unwarranted restorations. Disregarding the tenuity of the evidence upon which such things may be based, they are invariably interesting, and therefore are sometimes too freely indulged in by authors to whom the effect of such cynosures appeals more than it should. Abundant cuts illustrate most of the known features of the species described. — Owing to the generally unsatisfactory preser- vation and completeness of the actual specimens it is inadvisable to rely very much upon photo- graphs. Nevertheless Dr. Steen gives us four- teen such reproductions, and it is a matter of considerable satisfaction to us at McGill Univer- sity to see that of that number eight are photo- graphs of specimens from the Redpath Museum. —T. H. Crark, Curator, Redpath Museum. is uncertain. All in_ all the interpretation of this fauna now rests’ aa ‘NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF MANITOBA 1934-35 ent Emeritus: C. E. BASTIN; President: A. G. LAWRENCE; residents; H. M. SPEECHLY, M.D., V. W. JACKSON, C. W. Lowe, M.Sc., J. B. WALLIS, M.A.. A. A. A. M. DAVIDSON, M.D., R. A. WARDLE, c. G. SHIRLBY BROooKS; Vice-Presidents: B. W. Cart- WR IGHT, H. C. PEARCE, L. T. S. NORRIS*ELYE, B.A., Mrs. L. IMPSON, W. H. RAND; Treasurer: Dr. W. G. CAMPBELL, Medical Arts Bldg., Winnipeg, Manitoba; General etary. NORMAN Lowe, 317 Simcoe St., Winnipeg; Auditor: M. poe Executive ee 3. Happow, Social Secretary A. M. MACKIE Miss M. F. PRATT Mrs. I. M. PRIESTLY P. H. STOKES - Chairman A. H. SHORTT G SHIRLEY BRooKs . F. Roperts, M.Sc. ACA. McCousrey G. D. RussELt Secrétary: J. P. KENNEDY. R.A. WARDLE, M.Sc. . W. Lowe, M.Sc. - Secretary: H. C. PEARCE. Meetings are held each Monday evening, except on holiday rom October to April, in the physics theatre of the University ‘Winnipeg. Field excursions are held each Saturday after- noon during May, June and September, and on public holidays peering July and August. _ THE ene ON BIRD oe SOCIETY (Incorporated) Ho President: Mr. W. E. SAUNDERS, London, Ont.; President: Mr, J. H. WILLIAMS; First Vice-President: REV. C. A HEAVEN: ond Vice-President: DR. H. G. ARNOTT; Treasurer: Miss -M. BAvuser; Corresponding-Secretary: Miss E. McEwIn; mumiitecs Miss M. EB. Pe aoe F. MacLocHuin; UNN. LONDON, ONT. resident: CHARLES MADDEFORD, 180 Bruce St,, London, Ont.; Vice-President: Mr. E. D. BRAND, 148 William Street, London, Ont.; Recording Secretary: MisS HELEN SHIPLEY, 339 Emery St., London, Ont.; Migration Secretary: MR. E. M.S. DALs, 297 Hyman Street, London, Ont.; Corresponding ecretary and Treasurer: WM. G. GIRLING, 530 English Street, : on, Ont.; Members qualified to answer questions: W. E. INDERS, 240 Central Avenue, London, Ont.; C. G. WATSON, 201 Ridout Street South, London, Ont.; dls F. CALVERT, 461 a een Avenue, London, 0 Ont.; ‘E. M.S. Dan, 297 Hyman L. S. Kink, (D.Sc.), Pe Univer- y of B.C; President: JoHN DAVIDSON, F.L.S., F.B.S.E., iversity of B.C.; Vice-President: Dr. M. Y. WILLIAMs, ology Dept., University of B.C.; Honorary Secretary: Mrs. _ F.W. Farry; 6507 Laburnum St., Vancouver, B.C. First “st Apsistant Secretary: Mrs. LAURA ANDERSON, 2nd Assistant ecretary: Miss NoRA Swirt, Honorary Treasurer: A. H. JAIN, 2142 Collingwood Street, Vancouver, B.C.; Librarian: IRs. F. McGinn. Members of Executive: C. F. CONNoR, M. A. ANG Mr. J. CUMMING; Mr. J. D. TURNBULL, Mr. CurTIS JOHNS, Mrs. J MOTION: Auditors: H. G. SELWOOD, W. B. Woops. ‘Chairmen of Sections: Botany: PRor. JoHN DAvmson, Geology: Mr. J. J. PLoMMER, Photography: Mr. PHILIP Timms, Entym- logy: Mr. Wootton, Microscopy: Mr. J.-A. JOHNSTON, Ornith- logy: Mr. J. D. TURNBULL. All meetings at 8 p.m., Meainodun, Norma! School, 10th tae and Cambie ———- unless otherwise announced. morary President. SOCIETY esident: Dr. M. Y. WILLIAMS; First Vice-President; fILTON M. Latina; Second Vice-President: Dr. C. J. BASTIN: » tary-Treasurer: KENNETH RACEY, 3262 West Ist Ave. + Var couver, B.C. ' JENKS; Affiliated Societies PROVINCE OF QUEBEC SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS. INC. OFFICERS & COMMITTEE: Past Presidents: Mr. L. Mcl. TERRILL, Mr. Napipr SMITH. Mr. W. S. Hart, Mrs. C. L: HENDERSON; President: PRor. V. C WYNNE-Epwarps, 495 Prince Arthur Street, Apt. 4, Montreal; Vice-Presidenis: Mrs. H. HIBBERT, DR. A. N. Vice-President and Treasurer: Min. HENRY MOUSLEY; Secretary: Miss MAUD SEATH. Commitiee: MR. J. D. CLEGHORN, Mrs. C. F. J. A. DECARIE, Mr. W.S. Hart, Mrs. C. L. HENDERSON, Mr. H. A. C. JACKSON, Mr. B. L. JuDAH, MR. FRASER KeitH, Miss P. B. MaTTINSON, Miss L. MURPHY, Miss M. S. Nicoison, Mr. R. A. OuTHET, Mr. C. Sait, Mr. L. DALE, MR. - MclI.SpackMan, Mr. L. McL. TERRILL. Meetings held the second Monday of the month except dur- ing summer. SOCIETE PROVANCHER D’HISTOIRE NATURELLE DU CANADA Patron Honoraire: Son Excellence, LE TRES HONORABLE CoMTE DE BESSBOROUGH, P.C., G.C.M.G., Gouverneur- Général du Canada; Vice-Patron Honoraire: HONORABLD E.-L. PATENAUDE, Lieutenant-Gouverneur de la Province de Québec; Bureau de Direction pour 1935: Président: REx MEREDITH, N.P.; Jer vice-président: ALPHONSE DESILETS, B.S.A.; 2téme vice-président: JAMES F. Ross; Secrétaire- trésorier: Louts-B. Lavon; Chef de la section scientifique: Dr. D.-A.DERY; Chef de la section de Propagande éduration- nelle: G.- ULRIC TESSIER, Chef de la section de protection: ADRIEN FALARDEAU, C.R.; _Chef de la section d’information ‘scientifique et pratique: "A. WESTON AHERN. Directeurs: G. .S. AHERN, EDGAR ROCHETTE, C.R., M.P.P., DR. GUSTAVE ATTE. Secrétaire-trésorier: LovuIs-B. LAVOIE 38, rue Sherbrooke, Québec. THE TORONTO FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB OFFICERS FOR 1934-35. Honorary President: Dr. A. P. COLEMAN; President: ARNOTT M.PaTTERSON; Hon. Vice-Presidenis: Hon.\G. H. CHALLIEs, Mr. J. H. Fremine, Dr. N.A.POWELL: Vice-Presideni: Mr. F. P. Ips, Secretary-Treasurer: H. M. HALLIDAY; ( ouncil— Dr. E. M. WALKER, S. L. THompson, Prep. J. RK. DymMonD, C. S. FARMER, Pror. T. F. McILWRAITH, Dr. Norma Forp, MAGISTRATE J. E. Jones, L. T. OWENS, RUPERT Davips, F. C. Hurst, Dr. T. M. C. TAytor, C. G. BRENNAND, R. M. SAUNDERS; Chairman of Conservation Committee: MRS. Ss. L. THOMPSON; President of Junior Club: MURRAY SPEIRS; Vice-President of Junior Club: HUBERT RICHARDSON. Leaders: Birds—Messrs. S. L. THompson. L. L. Snyper, J. L. BAILLin, JR., Pror. T. F. McILwraita, R. M. SPEirs, F. H. EMERY. Mammals—PRroF. A. F. COVENTRY, MESSRS. E. C. Cross, D. A. McLuLicu. Reptiles and Amphibjans— Messrs. BE. B.S. Locrer, WM. LERAy. Fish—PRoF. J. R. DymMonpd, Pror. W. J. K. HARKNESS. Insects— Dr. E. M. WALKER, Dr. N. Forp, Mr. F. P. IDE. Botany—Pror. R. B. THomMSON, Dr. H. B. Sirton, Dr. T.M. C. Taytor: Mr. W. R. Watson, Mr.L. T. OWENS. Geology—Dr. A. P CoLEMAN: Pror. A. MCLEAN. We would ask the Officers, and more particularly the Secretaries, of all the Affiliated Societies to assist us in our task of building up the circulation of this magazine. By securing every member as a subscriber we can truly make this magazine into one of the leading Natural History publications of America. AUTOBIOGRAPHY of JOHN MACOUN, M.A. These are atiractively bound, and contain a wealth of information concerning Canadian Natural History and Exploration. The author was a former President of the Club and this is a Memorial Volume PRICE $3.00. = 305 pp. WILMOT LLOYD 582 Mariposa Avenue Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa FOR SALE:— > COMPLETE SET OF THE CLUB’S CANADA NORTH OF FIFTY six By E, M. KINDLE Special profusely illustrated nenaneee Pee , The “‘Naturalist’’, 86 pages, 31 illustrations. Canadian should know this prize é: PRICE FIFTY CENTS WILMOT LLOYD 582 avai san Avenue Rockcliffe Park WILMOT LLOYD, Treasurer, Gitawa’ Field-Naturaliste? Club, 582 Mariposa Avenue, ‘ Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa. Enclosed please find $2.00 : as mci PUBLICATIONS The O.F.-N.C, and Subscription to the ¢ : " Field-Naturalist for the year 1935. 1879-1935 This is a rare opportunity. For particulars Name PERNT: address the Treasurer— ! Address aseseenenscoeseseutconsoenscco=sessasnasaan een WILMOT LLOYD 582 Mariposa Avenue Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa City, Prov. or State SS SE FORM OF e . a BEQUEST i | Date cies: Signature... ee - THIS SPACE FOR SALE WANTED — A second-hand copy in good condition, of x “Our Wild Orc By Frank Morris and Edward A. Eames State what Price (Mrs. ) Anna E. MacLoghlin, | ‘ 43 lngtewoe Drive, — (S593 VOL. XLIX, No. 9 ; DECEMBER, 1935 i te, wll le, | | \ \ f OTTAWA FIELDNAPURALISTS CLUB ISSUED DECEMBER 10, 1935 Entered at the Ottawa Post Office as second-class matter, {A} : | ARS 4 j ef x r | Ae SN ike \ = Tan : US a \ ta cea: Dh 4 Si 1 1S (K 'Y \I Wi 4 Ny UL ist Vice-President: HERBERT GROH and Vice-President: P. A. TAVERNER, é Secretary: PEGGY WHITEHURST, Treasurer: WILMOT LLOYD, 582 Mariposa Ave. Additional Members of Council: F. J. ALcock, R. M. ANDERSON, HENRY Bowers, M. E. CowAN, De WHNNESS ccc pan ote ee aloe Anthropology CLYDE L. PATCH ae A AD AIMS Ps Sse) soe Se aaa Botany -R. M. ANDERSON..... Were Ri ~ F, R: LATCHFORD.............-.. Conchology _ A. G. HUNTSMAN,......... ae ARTHUR GIBSON............---- Entomology P. Av TAVERNER, O26 20 ee ES Be A LOOCKs foes wre esa ds Shean sea Geology — BE. MKINDLE 2 5, 4 CONTENTS | Te / ‘Hydroids from the West Coast of Vancouver Island. By C. McLean Fraser....... Dre ey Is the Eastern Goldfinch (Spinus tristis tristis) Double-Brooded? A Fourth Study of its Home Life. By Henry Mousley............. ceo taser Sue are adie srs) Aah Sa Raa Ce a MPRA ay 5 A Neglected Work on the Shells of Quebec. By A. La Rocque...................-..-.... I Notes and Observations:— ‘ Christmas: Bird: Census) 25/60... 2. ON at ee oe igh e 4 seo eters Coe ; Migration of Snow Geese) By Editor i. 5.250200. i ce ee eee ys ce tee See oe An Extralimital Record of the American Magpie in Saskatchewan. By L. L. Snyder Wintering Birds in Alberta.. By M-\P: Cole... 2.3.00 cc) 120 one 6 ee Reviews :— = ; Ln Sheep and Bear Trails: (By Bibi c. O62 es cain Oe Ree aes oh enone ae _ Index to Volume XLIX oe a EN ah sass increase the subscription list of The Canadian Field-Naturalist. We are, therefore, asking every reade who is truly interested in the wild life of our country to help this magazine to its rightful place amon; the leading Natural History publications in America. | THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB { Patrons: re ca Se THEIR EXCELLENCIES THE GOVERNOR GENERAL AND LADY TWEEDSMUIR _ President: M. E. WILSON. 110 Prospect Avenue, Westboro. Rockeliffe Park H. G. CrawrorD, ARTHUR Crowson, R. EH. DeLury, F. J. FRASER, A. HALKETT, C. E.. JOHNSON E. M. KINDLE, | W. HL LANCELEY, A. LARocQUE, DoUGLAS LEECHMAN, GRACE S. LEWIS, | Harrison F. Lewis, Hoves Luoyp, C. W. LounspurY, Mark G. McELHINNEY, A. E. Por —. BE. Prince, L.S. Russet, C. M. STERNBERG, E. F. G. WHITE, R. T. D. WICKENDEN, : the following Presidents of Affiliated Societies: C. SHIRLEY BRooKs, CALVIN MCQUESTON, ~ EDISON MATTHEWS, JOHN DAVIDSON, M. Y. WILLIAMS, C. L. HENDERSON, W. STUART ATKINSON, ARNOTT M. PATTERSON. og oe Auditors: W. H. LANCELEY and HARRISON F. LEWIS. Editor: DouGLas LEECHMAN National Museum, Ottawa, Canada. Associate Editors: Sparrow Hawk (Falco s. sparverius) Capturing a Horned Lark (Otocoris alpestris praticolu) hee _ By C. E. Hope...... melee HON eee ea iat ON bac ae ah Re Se Ie Maen oe eeairey Gre EA Aaa The Force of Example. By Stuart L. Thompson..................... fats CS ES Oe The official publications of THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB have been issued since 1879. The first were The Transactions of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club, 1879-1886, two volumes; the next, The Ottawa Naturalist, 1886-1919, thirty-two volumes; and these have been continued by The Canadian Field-Naturalist to date. The Canadian Field-Naturalist is issued monthly, except for the months of June, July and August. Its scope is the publication of the results of original research in all departments of Natural History. - lie aR Price of this volume (9 rite bers) $2.00; Single copies 25¢ each The Membership Committee of The Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club is making a special effort. to ‘ Subscriptions ($2.00 a year) should be forwarded to : : oe ra WILMOT LLOYD, | Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club, 582 Mariposa Ave., Rockcliffe Park, OTTAWA, CANADA. | The Canadian Field-Naturalist VOL. XLIX OTTAWA, CANADA, DECEMBER, 1935 No. 9 HYDROIDS FROM THE WEST COAST OF VANCOUVER ISLAND By C. McLEAN FRASER Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. HERE HAS been comparatively little collecting of marine material from the west coast of Vancouver Island, although there is every indication that along some parts of the coast, at least, the fauna is quite rich. Only 43 species of hydroids have been reported. During the summer of 1934, through an ar- rangement made between the Biological Board of Canada and the Hydrographic Survey, two representatives of the Pacific Biological Station ae) Nanaimo, Mr, J:-P.-Lully and Mr.-E. G. Hart, were accommodated on the Survey Vessel, the Wm. J. Stewart, to carry on biological and physico-chemical investigations. The collection of the marine biological material was made by Mr. Hart and was restricted to that part of the coast between Long Beach, west of the entrance of Barkley Sound, and Esperanza Inlet. Much interesting and valuable material was obtained and when sorted out at the Nanaimo station, the Director, Dr. W. A. Clemens, kindly forwarded the hydroids to me for examination. While there was nothing very new or very striking in the collection, it was of considerable interest, particularly from the standpoint ‘of distribution. In all, 52 species were recognized. Of the 43 species previously reported, 29 ap- peared in this collection, and hence, there were 23 species constituting new distributional re- cords for the area. The number of species known from the region has therefore been in- creased to 66. Assuredly, this is not nearly the total number existing on the coast, but it gives some idea of the richness of the hydroid fauna. Of the 66 «species now reported, all but seven — Enudendrium vaginatum, Hydractinia mulleri, Abietinaria anguina, Sertularella tanneri, Sert- ularia furcata, Aglaophenia pluma and Plumul- aria plumularoides — have been reported from the east coast of Vancouver Island or the Puget Sound region. Only two species appeared in the collection that were not listed and described in the paper “Hydroids of the Vancouver Island region” (Fraser, 1914, Trans. Roy. Soc. Can., Vol. VIII). The one, Aglaophenia pluma, has not been reported nearer than Coronado Island, near the boundary between United States and Mexico, hence its range has been very much extended. The other, Plumularia plumularoides, has been collected at the entrance of Bull Har- bour , Hope Island, Queen Charlotte Sound (“Monobrachium parasitum and other west coast hydroids”, Fraser, 1918, Trans. Roy. Soc. Can., Vol. XII), so near the west coast of Vancouver Island, that it might be included with it. The list of 66 species gives some indication of the inshore hydroid fauna of the west coast of Vancouver Island from the entrance of the strait of Juan de Fuca to Esperanza Inlet. Northwest ot this region it is practically un- explored and oceanographic conditions are such that an abundance of hydroids may be expected in this area. By ‘dredging farther out from shore, it is probable that many other species would be obtained. Since the general distribution of nearly all the species has already been given, nothing is to be gained by repeating this, but it seems well worth while to record the distribution on the west coast of Vancouver Island as far as it is now known. SPECIES AND DISTRIBUTION Family ATRACTYLIDAE Bimeria gracilis Clark. — Off Sydney Inlet, 25 fathoms. Garveia annulata Nutting. — Port Renfrew, Ucluelet, Clayoquot Sound (Fraser); Este- van Point, low tide, Bajo Reef. low tide. bar off Indian village, Esperanza Inlet, low tide, Garveia grocnlandica Levinsen. — Swiftsure Shoal (Fraser); off Sydney Inlet, 28 fathoms. 144 Family KUDENDRIDAE Eudendrium californicum Torrey. — Port Ren- frew, Ucluelet (Fraser) ; Estevan Point, low tide, near Maquinna Point, low tide, off Nootka Island, 38 fathoms, Bajo Reef, low tide. Eudendrium insigne Hincks. — Clayoquot Sound (Fraser); bar off Indian village, Esperanza Inlet, low tide. Eudendrium vaginatum Shoal (Fraser). Family HypRaAcTINIDAE milleri Torrey. — Port Allman. — Swiftsure Hydractima Renfrew (Fraser ). Family TUuBULARIDAE Tubularia harrimani Nutting. — Port Renfrew (Fraser). Family CAMPANULARIDAE Levinsen. — Port (Fraser); off Campanularia groenlandica Renfrew, Swiftsure Shoal Sydney Inlet, 28 fathoms. Campanularia integra (McGillivray). — Off ' Clayoquot Sound, 40 fathoms, off Sydney Inlet, 25 fathoms, 28 fathoms, Hstevan Point, low tide, near Maquinna Point, low tide, Bajo Reef, low tide. Campanularia urceolata Clark. — Found almost everywhere that dredging has been done on the west coast of Vancouver Island, in depths to 45 fathoms. Campanularia verticillata (Linn.). — Clayoquot Sound (Fraser); off Long Beach, 10 fathoms. Campanularia volubilis (Linn.). — Ucluelet (Fraser). Clytia edwardsi (Nutting). — Off Clayoquot Sound, 10 fathoms, 38 fathoms. Clytia kincaidi (Nutting). — Oft Bajo Reef, 50 fathoms. Eucopella caliculata (Hincks). — Near Maquin- na Point, low tide. Eucopella everta (Clark). — Port Renfrew (Fraser); off Nootka Island, low tide, 38 fathoms, Bajo Reef, low tide, bar off Indian village, Esperanza Inlet, low tide. Gonothyraea gracilis (Sars). — Off Clayoquot Sound, 30 fathoms, 38 fathoms, south of Flores Island, 30 fathoms, off Bajo Reef, 75 fathoms. Obelha borealis Nutting. — Ucluelet (Fraser). Obelia dubia Nutting. — Off Sydney Inlet, 25 fathoms, off Nootka Island, 38 fathoms. Obeha gracilis Calkins. — Near Maquinna Point, low tide, Queen’s Cove, low tide. Obelia longissima (Pallas). — Clayoquot Sound (Fraser); off Sydney Inlet, 25 fathoms, *THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST {VoL. XLIX south of Flores Island, 24 fathoms, south- west of Flores Island, 33 fathoms, Nootka Island, low tide. Obehia surcularis Calkins. — Catala Island, low tide. Family. CAMPANULINIDAE Calycella syringa (Linn.). — In most of the localities where dredging was done, from Long Beach to Esperanza Inlet, in depths to 50 fathoms. Egmundella gracilis Stechow. — Off Clayoquot Sound, 30-38 fathoms. Family HALkcIDAE Halecium annulatum Torrey. — Port Renfrew, Ucluelet (Fraser); off Long Beach, 10 fathoms, off Sydney Inlet, 25 fathoms. Halecium corrugatum Nutting. — Clayoquot Sound (Fraser); off Clayoquot Sound, 25 fathoms. Halecitum densum Calkins. — Port Renfrew, Ucluelet (Fraser). Halecium halecinum (Linn). — Ucluelet, Swift- sure Shoal (Fraser). Halecium tenellum Hincks. — Swiftsure Shoal (Fraser) ; off Clayoquot Sound, 38 fathoms. Halecium washingtom Nutting. — Off Clayo- quot Sound, 38 fathoms, south of Flores Island, 25 fathoms, 30 fathoms. Halecium wilsont Calkins. — Ucluelet (Fraser) ; off Sydney Inlet, 28 fathoms, Estevan Point, low tide, Catala Island, low tide, bar off Indian village, Esperanza Inlet, low tide. Family \AFOEIDAE Filellum serpens (Hassall). — Off Long Beach, 30 fathoms. Grammaria abietina Sars. — Swiftsure Shoal (Fraser). Lafoea dumosa (Fleming). — Ucluelet, Port Renfrew (Fraser); off Sydney Inlet, 28 fathoms. Lafoea fruticosa Sars. — Swiftsure Shoal (Fraser). Lafoea gracillima (Alder). — Ucluelet, Port Renfrew (Fraser); off Clayoquot Sound, 32 fathoms. Family SERTULARIDAE Abietinaria abictina (Linn.). — Ucluelet, Swift- sure Shoal, Clayoquot Sound (Fraser); off Long Beach, 10 fathoms, off Sydney Inlet, 28 fathoms, Nootka Island, low tide, off Bajo Reef, 50 fathoms. Abictinaria amphora Nutting. — Port Renfrew, Ucluelet (Fraser); bar off Indian village, Esperanza Inlet, low tide. Pecee wie, : December, 1935] Abietinaria anguina (Trask). — Port Renfrew, Ucluelet (Fraser) ; Estevan Point, near Ma- quinna Point, Bajo Reef, all at low tide. Abietinaria filicula (E. & S.). — South of Flores Island, 30 fathoms. Abietinaria greenei (Murray). — Port Renfrew, Ucluelet (Fraser); Nootka Island, Bajo Reef, both at iow tide. Abietinaria traski Torrey. — Swiftsure Shoal, Clayoquot Sound (Fraser); off Clayoquot Sound, 25 fathoms, off Sydney Inlet, 28 fathoms. Abietinaria variabilis Clark. — Swiitsure Shoal (Fraser); off Long Beach, 10 fathoms, off Clayoquot Sound, 30 fathoms. Hydrallmania distans Nutting. — Claninnick, Clayoquot Sound (Fraser); at a large pro- portion of the dredging stations between Long Beach and Esperanza Inlet, in depths to 75 fathoms. Selaginopsis mirabilis (Verrill). — Off Clayo- quot Sound, 30 fathoms, off Bajo Reef, 38- 45 fathoms. Sertularella conica Allman. — Port Renfrew, Ucluelet, Swiftsure Shoal, Clianinnick (Fra- ser); Bajo Reef, Nootka Island, both at low tide. Sertularella pinnata Clark. — Estevan Point, low tide. Sertularella polyzonias (Linn.). — Clayoquot Seund (Fraser). Sertularclla rugosa (Linn.). — Off Long Beach, 38 fathoms, off Sydney Inlet, 25 fathoms. Sertularella tannert Nutting. — Swiftsure Shoal (Fraser). Sertularella tricuspidata (Alder). — Off Clayo- quot Sound, 320 fathoms, 70 fathoms, off Bajo Reef, 23 fathoms. Sertularella turgida (Trask). — Port Renfrew, THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 145 Ucluelet, Clayoquot Sound (Fraser); in nearly all the shore collections made be- tween Long Beach and Esperanza Inlet. Sertularia furcata Trask. — Ucluelet, Clayoquot Sound (Fraser); Estevan Foint, Nootka Island, Bajo Reef, all at low tide. Thuiaria argentea (Linn.). — South of Flores Island, 30 fathoms, off Clayequot Sound, 65 fathoms. Thuiaria dalli Nutting. — Ucluelet, Claninnick (Fraser). Thuiaria fabricii (Levinsen). — Off Long Beach, 10 fathoms, off Clayoquot Sound, 28 fathoms. Thwiaria similis (Clark). — Claninnick, Port Renfrew (Fraser). ; Thuaria thwiarioides (Clark). — Clayoquot Sound, Swiftsure Shoal (Fraser); off Syd- ney Inlet, 25 fathoms. Family PiUMULARIDAE Aglaophenia pluma (Linn.). — Off Bajo Reef, 23 fathoms. Aglaophenia struthionides (Murray). — Port Renfrew, Ucluelet (Fraser); in nearly all shore collections made between Long Beach and Esperanza Inlet. Plumularia corrugata Nutting. —— Off Clayoquot Sound, 30 fathoms. Plumularia goodei Nutting. — Port Renfrew (Fraser). Plumularia lagentfera Allman. — Port Renfrew, Ucluelet, Amphitrite Point, Swiftsure Shoal (Iraser); in nearly all shore collections made between Long Beach and Esperanza Inlet. Plumularia plumularioidcs Island, low tide. Plumularia setacea (Ellis). — Ucluelet (Fraser) ; off Bajo Reef, 38-45 fathoms, bar off Indian village, Esperanza Inlet, low tide. (Clark): = Catala IS THE EASTERN GOLDFINCH (Spinus tristis tristis) DOUBLE-BROODED? A FOURTH STUDY OF ITS HOME LIFE By HENRY MOUSLEY N REFERENCE to my previous studies, more especially, the third.) or last one of September, 1931, it has always struck me as somewhat of an anomaly that in the case of the present species and the Cedar Waxing (Bombycilla cedrorum) — two species which in general habits are so much alike — our text books 1 Can. Field-Nat., 46:200, Dec., 1932. invariably speak of the former as single-brooded and the latter as double-brooded. This is a mistake, I think, for whatever term is applied to the one that same term should apply equally to the other also, in view of which I would suggest they both be considered single brooded as a rule, with very often a doubie brood in September. I have been coming to this con- clusion for some little time based principally on the fact of having come across so many nests 146 —- lately occupied — of both species iespeci- ively close together. This was so in the case of my third study a second —— lately occupied — nest having been found very close to the one forming the basis of the study. Now it will no doubt be remembered that no male was ever seen at this nest, from which I surmised that he had either met with an accident, or else had joined a band of roving Goldfinches, which were very numerous at the time, and which | ofter: heard in close proximity to the nest, but could never properly see, owing to my “hide out” being under somewhat dense foliage. Had this not been so, and could I have seen all round me, as was the case this year (1933), I should no doubt have been able to state definitely, that the male had certainly joined a roving band that, however, of his own progeny — the first brood — which he was undoubtedly attending to, the same as will be seen later, the male in the present study was doing. The whole thing is perfectly clear to me now, and only at the time lacked the confirmation obtained this year, in forming a correct solution to the situation, which solution, is here offered, in the present fourth study of the home life of our Eastern Goldfinch. The nest, which was situated 4 feet up in the forks of a small birch tree, was found on August 20, practically completed, as on the following day it contained its first egg, four more being added on consecutive days, until the 25th, when the nest contained its full comple- ment of five eggs. Ten days now elapsed or, until September 4, before the first young was found breaking through its shell at 3 p.m. Just previous to this, a male accompanied by a party of five young, was seen to perch in a nearby tree, not very far from another nest — which from its fouled condition had evidently lately been occupied — this being situated 5 feet up in a small maple tree, and only 18 feet from the one in the birch tree. On the following day, the 5th, this male again put in an appear- ance, accompanied as before by the five young, but as on the previous day, he made no attempt to approach the nest, during the two and one half hours I spent watching the female. It was not until the following day, however, when I spent over five hours at the nest, that the idea dawned upon me, that this male was undoubt- edly the partner of the female I was watching, he being engaged attending to their first brood. I formed this opinion from the fact that, when- ever, the female left the nest, he and the five young, always returned with her — not only on this day, but throughout the rearing of this THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST [VoL. XLIX second brood — but he never once approached the nest. He would often perch, however, in a little poplar tree at the back of the nest, and sing as the female fed the young, and on some occasions I saw him feed his charges not only there, but also, as they sat perched on some telegraph wires, which ran alongside the nest. On one occasion, the female while perched on these wires, was solicited for food by one of these youngsters, but she absolutely refused to feed it, in fact, drove it off with vigorous pecks. I have seen this same kind of thing enacted with Cedar Waxwings, late in September, when two nests were found in close proximity to one another, and if we are to consider these birds as double-brooded, why not Goldfinches? Their ‘habits — as already remarked — are almost identical, both being fond of going in flocks, both late nesters, whilst the sexes of both show great affection for one another. In addition to this, they nest in very similar situations, and often very near to one another, and it is no uncommon thing to find nests containing young ~ birds ready to fly, while others, again, at the same time, contain fresh eggs. The nesting season with both, lasts from June to late Sep- tember, and even, in some extreme cases, into early October. Of course, in many cases, these late broods merely represent a second, or even, third nesting, owing to the loss, or destruction of the first nest, or set of eggs, and cannot, in any way, constitute the species as double- brooded. On the other hand, are we in a posi- tion to pick out one of these species in particu- lar, and say definitely, that it is either single, or double-brooded? I think not, the best solu- tion probably being — as previously suggested — to consider both as generally single-brooded, with often a double brood, in late Summer, or early Fall. After all, it is more or less a matter of opinion, I presume, based on personal ex- perience in the field, but whatever conclusion We may arrive at, I for one consider it should apply equally to both, there being no sharp dif- ferentiation possible between the two species, so far as I can see, which is the main purport of this paper. It is not my intention to go into the details of each day’s happenings at this nest, as they will be found tabulated in the annexed table of summaries, as well as compared with those of the 1931 nest. I might mention, how- ever, that all the essential happenings were in every way almost indentical with those of prev- ious studies, and it is for this reason, that I have refrained from again going into them in detail. December, 1935) In conclusion, allow me to apologize for a small error which crept into the table of sum- maries of the 1931 nest, the addition of the time spent by the female brooding, reading as 12 hours 30 minutes, instead of 14 hours 30 THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 147 minutes, thus making the length of each brood- ing 18 1-2, instead of 16 minutes, which errors have been rectified in the present table of sum- maries, of both nests, as herewith appended. ; Peniodton No. of No. of Total Times Times Species Observation Hours Times fed ees: pe: jtaeces faeces d Remarks Hee egy Pieanelle by Female | by Female Menvale by Female Hastern Sept. 4 Ist egg Goldfinch 5 21 2 2 1.15 D) hatched at Sui 2 3 p.m. (Spinus 6 52 7 9 4.32 7 tristis 5 a Wises). 7 23 4 5 1.05 4 8 5i 7 8 1.56 7 9 51 9 11 2.14 9 10 61 11 12 1.22 11 1 11 51 8 5 .30 3 12 63 9 5 13 63 10 it 14 54 7 3 15 52 a il 16 Not visited 17 63 10 18 24 3 Young left the nest. Totals 66 94 52 12.54 55 20 : Totals Sept. 5-18. 66 80 AT 14.30 56 18 1931 1933 nest 1931 nest Average rate of feeding over the whole period—once every 42.1 minutes Average rate of feeding for the first seven days—once every 40.3 minutes MhoOcalatiImesOTOOdiMMeas sas yo et, os le ee ae Ae Mumber of times brooded : Peer esi (4) White- winged. : "140, 152 Crowe ee ees 5 hi, North-western .. .. 56 Westetiinags aa s.4 eee Cryptoglaux acadica .. 56, 57 Curlew, Hudsonian .... 57 Cyanocttta c. cristata ... 152 Gycless=Rabbit’-<. -.25 9 Cygnus columbianus 58 Cyrtodonta huronensis .. 99 subcarinata.. .. .. 99, 100 D,,. J... R=cReview byzas. - 62 Dab, “Three-eyed” .. .. 66 Dale, E. M. S. Bird Notes, London, Ont. 57 Dendrepeton acadianum. 142 Dendroica aestiva .. .. 115 blackburniac .. .. 115, 116 GUSCOLOP no ee IS TOCHIKOT! Us ns ye 25> 1S) GHAI, a5 5 116 Devitt, O. E. Dicneecein 76 Dickcisselans ee 76 Dickcissel influx in See and Kent Counties.. 76 Didelphis virginiana.. .. 109 Diuckesider eee eas Kings: Bide@n 46s) ssa aeneleh Basle “Bald? 2 ee Sees Early nesting of the American Golden-eye 76 Elliptio complanatus .. 148 - GUC Ot S Oo ee eee AO Ping Seeds ofan. «see ala Elton, Charles. Mammats 121 Elton, C. and Swynner- ton, : Canadian Snowshoe Rabbit Pace 1933-34 .. 0. 79 Encrinurus vigilans.. .. 102 Epilobium latifolium leucanthum n. sbsp. 108 154 Eubranchipus Leta ee 47, gelidus a ornatus Fe eye OVEGONUS ae eee serratus .. vernalis .. European Starling in Alberta Se Eutamias minimum borealis = -. mintnum canceps .. Exploring the animal world; review .. Extension of range of Cotton-tail Rabbits. - F., F. J. Review by, Fairbairn, G. E. ; Gastrodonta multi- dentata .. ay Ray eSnrimp 2-2. 21475 Falco peregrinus anatum rusticolis candicans .. Ss. Sparucrius Farley, F. L. Red- breasted Nuthatch.. Snowy Owl .. Starling .. Fauna of the Black Rite group in the vicinity of Montreal Ferguson, M. S. Arctic iene Sirti s0so5 Sa Fairy Shrimps .. Field Guide to the Birds; review .. .. . Finch, Pine .. Masse Painplese oy loin tem First Toronto specimen of Henslow’s Sus GOW AS Flora of the Niagara Frontier region ; view .. Flycatcher, Great Cae Force of example Fowler, R. L. Tiger Salamander .. Fraser, C. MclL. West coast hydroids Freshwater clams as bait Fritschia curtidentata Fungi, Anticosti & Gaspé Further additions to the vascular plants of An- ticosti Island Ines Gallinule .. Ac Gaspé Peninsula, Fungi Gastrodonta multidentata German bird bands .. .. 60 86 58 57 15] 61 77 Ug) THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST Glaucionetta clangula americana. . Goat, Mountain .. Golden-eye, American .. Goldfinch Eastern .. 124, Gonobasis sp. .. 148, Goose eBilue, os. 7 137. Canadas eee eo: SO Wane Loe White-cheeked .. Grebe, Pied-billed Greenland, Migration of Ptarmigan to Grosbeak, Pan Even- WS a5 eg ae Grouse, Ruted” ue Guide to Bird ue re- view .. : Guillemot, Canoe Ne White-winged Gull, Black-backed .. .. Herring .. .. 114, Ring-billed . 45, Gyraulws Spr.) sees: Gyrfalcon, White .. D. Review by .. “Three-eyed”’. 61, late, J. Haddock, Hare, Varying Hawk, Duck .. .: .. Red-tailed Sharpshinned. . Sparrow .. Hawks of North Adie ties Helisoma infracarinatum trivolvis .. ae Heming, W. E. Wood turtle .. .. .. Heron, Black-crowned Nicci é Hippoglossoides limandoides .. Historical review of the habits and anatomy of the woodcock .. Hope, C. E. Eastern Kedwing Newt migration Sparrow Hawk and Horned Lark Starlings bathing Yellow Rail .. . Hormotoma gracilis subangulata .. Hormotoma wilsoni n.sp. Huntsman, A. G. Trout killed by seeds .. Hydroids from the west coast of Vancouver Island 114, 76 78 76 145 150 151 113 151 56 123 46 152 118 125 114 114 114 116 MWA 148 a7 88 64 79 58 117 116 151 126 34 34 109 58 66 1-30 139 125 fos 124 123 100 100 100 135 143 (VoL. XLIX Hydro-medusae .. 143 Hylocichla f. fuscescens ‘ 115 munma aliciae .. 115 ustulata swainsom.. 115 Hylonomus latidens 142 lyelli .. As 142 Hypotriochius columbarius .. .... 114 Iceland, Migration of Ptarmigan from :... 46 Identification of the com- mercial timbers of the U:S., Review 88 Illenus americanus .. 102 Ilicenus martineauensis Ni SPiiv. yop see 102 Itlustrations : Black River fauna 105, 106 Pectinatella .. 128 Rabbit cycles 80 “Three-eyed” Had- dock. — x eos Woodcock .. 1-30 Is the Eastern Goldfinch double-brooded?. .. 145 Isotelus gigas .. .. .. 102 Ixoreus nevius .. 56 Jackson, V. W. Little Black Bullhead .. .. 125 Jay, Bilwere: 12 Canada .. 114 John Townson: Obituary 139 Junco .. 56 Junco hyemalis .. 116 oreganus .. 56 Killdeeer .. ze Jeol SER OS Kingbird .. .. .. Beato. Kinglet, Ruby- crowiietis Per le: L., D. Review by .. .. .. ~11@ I, El Review. Dy. ems emmee Lz, ELSES Obituary byeaseeetce Labrador, Birds .. .. 112 Lagopus albus .. .... 114 Laing, H. M. Bird Notes Vancouver Island, L938 Se MeO Lamprey .. eee 60 Lampsilis radiata... .. .. 148 siliquoidea ee lag WVEniviGOS@.. - =... .. 149 December, 1935} Langelier, G. Goidfinches 124 Lark, Horned 151 LaRocque, A. Ottawa mollusca 33 Shells of Quebec. .. 147 Larus argentatus .. .. .. 114 delawarensis 45 marinus .. 114 Lasmigone costata 148 Leptana charlotte .. 99 Leptcena radialis n.sp. 99 Leptena unostata .. 99 Lepus americanus .. 61, 79 LeRay, W. J. WViood: tantle a. 54).): Lewis, H. F. Couper’s Labrador birds .. Golden-eye esting. King Rail iguimia recta =. .. ./: -- Liospira micula .. .. .. Liospira peneplana n, sp. 100 Liospira vitruvia .. London, Ont, Bird Notes, 1932 .. Lophospira bicincta .. .. daphne knoxvti'lensis . notabilis .. perangulata .. trochonemoidecs .. Loxia curvirostra Lymnea stagnalis .. stagnalis jugularis ’ stagnalis lilliane.. .. McDonald, D. Ruffed Grouse .. Maclurites logani MacNamara, C. 3 Nest of Flycatcher. INTIS Ieee cers ek, sees Mammals collected in Bowron Lake Region, B.C.; review Mammals of the Upper Liard and Frances — Rivers - Maniteba Museum .. Margaritana margaritifera Marmot, Hoary .. Marmota caligata caligata oxytona .... monax canadensis .. monax monax .. monax ochracca monax petrensis ... monax rufescens.. Melania niagarcnsis .... Melanogrammus aeglefinus d 100 on 109 100 101 101 109 101 116 Menetus exacuous 148, 149, 150 Meredith, R. Yellow Rail .. Merganser, Red-breasted Mergus serrator ... .. Miller, G. A. Obituary of Milnes, H. Snakes and Thunder .. : Mimus polyglottos Mineralogy of Sedimen- tary Rocks; review. Mocking-birds, Eastern. Mollusca, Quebec Mollusca of the Ottawa RECT OMe ine es Mormon graahie: Morris, R. T. Lampreys Mousley, H. Eastern Goldfinch. . W oodcock Munro, J. A. Faunal lists Museum, Manitoba .. Musk-rat . Mustcla rixosa rixosa .. Myiarchus crinitus. Napacosapus sp... Neglected work on shells of Quebec Nest of the Great Crested Flycatcher Newt, Common .. Newts, Migration of Note on Lampreys .. Notes on the Arctic Fairy-shrimp. Note on the migration of the Tiger Salamander Notes relative to Passe- rella ihaca fuliginosa Nuthatch, Red-breasted 61, INS) Ghammeny Clem. =e et Nycticorax n. hoactli the Obituaries : Ae Ga Koangstom 9 3 G. A. Miller ooo. 3. C. W. Townsend John Townson .. Observations on the be- haviour of adult Sockeye Salmon dur- ing the spawning migration .. .. Occurrence of a ne Rail in Southern Ontario in December THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 58 114 114 95 45 57 46 5/7 147 33 114 60 145 1-30 32 67 123 109 Si 139 59 60 132 76 Okulitch, V. J. Black River Fauna. Oncorhynchus nerka Ondatra zibethica spatula Opossum .. Opossum in Rent Co Ontario .. 155 Otocoris alpestris praticola 151 Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club: Annual Meeting.. 34 Excursions 78 Financial Statements 36, 37 Miembership list 89 Ottawa, Mollusta, 93 = 9333 Otus asio nevius .. .. .. 58 Owl, Long-eared .. .. .. 56 Saw-whet .. Ree OR AY Screech FS Snowy . CE ths ea Oxychilus Foie Pde eee Passerculus sandwichensis brooksi 56 Passerella iliaca .. 116 iliaca fuliginosa.. 60 Passerherbulus h. henslowi .. 123 henslowt sussurrans. 58 Pectinatella magnifica ... 127 Pelidna alpina 111 Perisoreus canadensis 114 Petrel, DLeach’s.. 113, 117 Pheopus hudsonicus . 57 Phalarope, Northern. 114 Phalaropus hyperboreus. 114 Philohela minor .. .. .. 1-30 Bhloebern = 105 28a, eg ae J-VBIGOF SDE GE. he 148 Pica pica .. SS ace 52 Picoides arcticus 58, 114 Pied-billed Grebe from Bathn Island <3. 22> 4123 Pigeon-hawk .. 114 Pionodema sinuata n.sp. 97 Pionodema subequata .. 97 lanonvula tsp.) subs. AS Plants collected in the southern region of James Bay: review 141 Platystegos loricatum 142 Pleurocera sp. .. .. 148, 150 Podilymbus podiceps.. .. 123 Polygyra monodon.. 148, 149 Pristicephalus sp. 47 Ptarmigan, Migration alt 46 Ptarmigan, White 114 Pterygometopus annulatus 102 callicepianus: +e aan 12 156 Pterygometopus harrist TIES PH ee ae 102 Pyvimn, Aen 2 co oc ex 114 Quebec, Mollusca .. -- 147 Rabbit, Cotton-tail.. .. 61, 70 Snowshoe. . 61, 79 IRavey, I k Sooty Fox Sparrow 060 Rafinesquina alternata .. 97 CUE 1 eee hoe Rafinesquina clara n.sp. 97 Rafinesquina delotdea .. 97 Rafinesquina grandis Nesp eee 97, 98 Rafinesquina minnesotensis 99 normalis .. ie RG) PYECUTSOT .. -- -- 98 POWUSHE! £5 08 05 -A6 98 Rafinesquina transitionalis TTS ee ce Rafinesqguina wagrert Nesp Hoe a & Rafinesquine williamsi NeGjoo ssa ehooeooe aes 98 Trail) Iie Soe ae. ee 76 Wikessiie), ss a lieamos 29 Welln? so ed boners te Rallus elegans clegans.. 70 REV ei o> ae elt LI Red-backed He ae at Toronto .. . 111 Redstart .. . er gene ea LLG) Redwing, Eastern .. .. 139 Regulus calendula .. .. 115 SOUR 90 60 06 115 Relation of flora to sei types in Quebec: SFERTATE si tS ae a cc meee der Reviews : American Bird Buio- GHPENOINNES og. a6 109 Contributions from Arnold Arbore- tum .. 140 Exploring the animal world . 62 Field Guide to the IBFCRGIS iS soon tne 62 Flora of Niagara.. 14] Guide to Bird Songs 125 Hawks of North America .. . 126 Identification of the commercial tim- bers of the U.S. 88 Joggins Amphibian vt ae eras ia eA Mammals collected by ap. 40, aya! 18, 18. McCabe in the Bowron Lake Region of Bri- tish Columbia 77 Reviews: Mineralogy of Sedi- mentary Rocks.. Plants from James Bay . ReCen of flora to soil types THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST 46 141 141 Sheep and bear trails 152 Some common birds of Nova Scotia Songs of Wild Birds Ricker, W. E. and Ro- bertson, A. Salmon PAMEATENSOML 5. oc 00 co Robin seein) ies ol, Sik. i john Lownsom: Obituary. =. Saddle-backed Sheen in Riding Mountain Na- Home Park, Manito- DA a6 Batre Salamander, iver ne Salmo clarki lewisi Salmon, Migration of.. Sockeye wane ere Sandpiper, Red-backed.. Spotted .. ae Saprolegnia sp. .. .. 60, Sapsuckers and Spar- rows .. Saunders, W. E. Saddle- backed Shrew .. Saunders, W. FE. and Lord, F. P. Thrush Songs Sayornis phoebe .. .. .. Scolopax rusticola .. Setophaga ruticilla .. Shepp and bear trails; REVAICW ron eh re ae Sheep, Mountain ; Ships, Birds carried on. Shrew, Saddle-backed .. Siiatteaaes: A. G. Kingston.. Sitta canadensis .. .. Ol, Smith, J. H. Opossum. . Snakes Gatteianmse en oc. Snake, Skin of .. in Snakes in Thunderstorms Snow-bird . ; Snowy Oni captures a Cioweer ee ie Snyder ule. Badwer = Henslow’s Sparrow. ieee Weed Magpie .. oS Pied. vpilled “Grebe .. Somateria mollissima spectabilis Some common birds of Nova Scotia; review 89 110 132 114 139 (VoL. XLIX Some fungi from Anti- costi Island and Gas- pé Peninsula. .. .. 107 Some notes on the Cot- tontail in Ontario .. 70 Songs of Wild Birds: review ..... . 110 Sones Grclicus “.) 5 = eo Sparrow, Chipping .. .. 119 Clay-coloured .. ... 57 Eastern Henslow’s . 58 Field... °. 5h. English ....2 2) Sap eels DORN ge Sc Rate ree ANG) iFox-coloured .. .. 116 ElenslowSi see eee Nelson's) >. oll Savanah 4) 72) Se ae eee Sooty) Hox) s=- tee Ol White-crowned 45, 116, 120 White-throated .. . 116 Speechly, H.. M. Manitoba Museum. . 67 Speirs, J. M. American Coot .. .. 123 Spinus tristis tristis 124, 145 Spiza americana .. ....- 76 Spizella palidal =. a= seeea DS) Ce 45 Squirrel, Bennett Growaat 122 Columbian Ground . 122 Fort Yukon Ground 122 Reds 2. ene 117 Stagnicola palasyie as eum as Starling. . . 119, 124, 140 Starlings bathing on a cold Gasyaneeee 124 Stefansson, V. (trans) Ptarmigan migration 46 Sterna macroura .. .. 114 Stevenson, J. A. Birds) ‘om ships =e Strophomena corrugata TSP hy co et eee Strophomena incurvala 97, 99 wregu'aris ae 99 Streptelasma corniculum 96 profundum ..~%.. .. 96 Sturnus vulgaris 119, 124 Succinea avaro ..... .. 149 ovalis "148, 149 rétusaG th) eel Swan, VWhistlinc 0920 soo Swarth, H. S. Review by) sees Sylvilagus floridanus Mearns... 25 . co ae T., P. A. Reviews by 62, 89, “110, 126 - December, 1935] Tanton, T. L.Pectinatella 127 Taverner, P. A. Avian Murder .. .. 116 Birds of Canada .. 77 Loxicea taxus .. .. 121, 136 Tennessee Warbler in the Magdalen Islands. . 124 ermeectic 2.5 8 os a L4 Tetradium cellulosum .. 96 Tetradium clarki n.sp. 96 Tetradium halysitoides.. 96 Minus =. .. St 96 Thalassidroma Beaches Sees Thamnophis sirtalis.. 32, 45 Thompson, S. L. Orange-crowned NVanblere at tanve son 24 Force of example.. 151 Red-backed Sand- pipers... eee al _“Three-eyed” Haddock caught at St. An- dnewsSs aNE Bis see ete 04 Three species of Eubran- chipus new to Canada 47 ~Thrush, Bicknell’s .. .. 130 Gray-cheeked .. 115, 129 Hermit .. Fi Se acaal WAS Olive-backed .. 115, 129 Wramiedi ses ani 56 WVAISO 11¢Ste = eer. rth ev Bea Voods 90>... > + 130 slthinnshie Sones... 2.22 = 129 Townsend, C. W.: Opitiatyer st OD Trafford, O. Cotton-tail Rabbits. 61 Tringoides macularius .. 114 Triturus v. viridescens.. 125 Trochonemella montreal- ensis g. et sp.n. 100, 101 Trout fingerlings killed by natural fishhooks THe CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST or spears: the seeds of Bidens .. : 135 Trout, killed by eee es Turdus fuscescens .. 114 migratorius:.. .. 31, 114 Turkey, Wild .. el25 Turtle, Wood 109 Tyrannus tyrannus .. 31 Ulke, T. Epilobium latifolium 108 Vascular plants—in- terior of British Co- lumbia 71 Unusual nesting of (agi ern Redwing at Toronto .. 139 Uria grylle .. 114 ringvia .. 114 Ussher, R. D. Fox Sparrows .. 140 Vaccinium Oxycoccos .. 114 Vancouver Island, Bird Notes, 1933 56 Vascular plants of the Horsethief Creek, Purcell Range, B.C. 49, 71 MEET Yat sane tees Ses Vermivora celata 124 peregrina 124 Pins os 57 ruficapilla 57 Viadykov, V. D. “Three-eyed” Had- dock ; ce alee te OF 157 Warbler, Black-and- yellowiess 2 fee ES Blackburnian .. 115, 116 Black-poll) 32) =) 2216 Blue=winsed. - j21ee aes, Nashvilley 226 so-so, Northern Pine.. .. 58 - Orange-crowned .. 124 Deniwessee=-2. = Sse 5, eles Vellowet > doce ae le Waxwing, Cedar.. ». .. 145 Weasels (east, cern eee White tips on Napacozapus tails .. 139 William Couper’s observa- tions of birds of the Labrador peninsula. 112 Willowherb, White Arctic 108 Wintemberg, W. J Wild Turwey’.. .. 125 Woodcockasme. estes ees) Woodpecker, Arctic Three-toed .. 58 Black-backed Three- toedess-) 8 114 DOwilye os Gre ses eel OF IBleMiny 53 os «ee ele Wood Turtle free Ontario .. .. e109 Wren, Golden-c: seetedl Foal 5 Ruby- ChOWMEed)— see uel Wynne-Edwards, V. C. Correction ©2379 os 45 Yellow Rail in the Province of Quebec 55 Zapus hudsonius tenellus 77 princeps saltator. .. 77 Zonotrichia albicollis .. 116 leucophrys .. .. . 116 Zygospira eR EROS 97 NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF MANITOBA - 1934-35 Presidents: H. M. SPEECHLY, M.D., V. W. JACKSON, C. W. Lowe, M.Sc., J. B. WALLIS, M.A., A. A. Act A. M. Davidson, M.D., R. A. WARDLE, Sci;. SHIRLBY BROOKS; Vice-Presidents: B. W. CART- RIGHT, H: C. Pearce, L. T. S. NoRRIs-ELys, B-.A., Mrs. L. Srmpson, W. H. RAND; Treasurer: Dr. W. G. CAMPBELL, 4 Medical Arts Bldg., Winnipeg, Manitoba; General tary NORMAN LOWE, 317 Simcoe St., Winnipeg; Auditor: R. M. Tsomas; [zecutive Secretary: J. Happow, Social ‘onvenor: Miss O. A. ARMSTRONG. ; Chairman uithological A. H. SHORTT intomological G SHIRLEY BROOKS Botanical H. F. Roperts, M.Se. Mrs. I. M. PRIESTLY logical A.A. McCouBREY P. H. STOKES ammalogical V.W.JAcKSON,M.Sc. _- ; hikyologtcal G. D. RUSSELL Tex Secrétary: J. P. KENNEDY. R. A. WARDLE, M.Sc. C. W. LowgE, M.Sc. Secretary: H. C. PEARCE. Secretary _A. M. MACcKI& Miss M. F. PRATT _ Meetings are held each Monday evening, except on holiday from October to April, in the physics theatre of the University Winnipeg- Field excursions are held each Saturday after- 200n during May, June and September, and on public holidays _ during July and August. ‘THE HAMILTON BIRD PROTECTION SOCIETY | (Incorporated) on. President: Mr. W. E. SAUNDERS, London, Ont.; President; R. J. H. WILLIAMS; First Vice-President: REV. C. A HEAVEN; _ Second Vice-President: DR H. G. ARNOTT; Treasurer: MIss _B. M. BAuvER; -Corresponding-Secretary: Miss E. McEwIN: Commiitees Miss M. i. Granam: Mrs. F. MacLoGHLin; MEV. CALIN McQUESTON: Mr. H. C. NUNN. _McILWRAITH ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB, as LONDON, ONT. resident: CHARLES MADDEFORD, 180 Bruce St,, London, nt.; Vice-President: Mr. E. D. BRAND, 148 William Street, _ London, Ont.; Recording Secretary: MisS HELEN SHIPLEY, _ 639 Emery St., London, On-.; Migration Secretary: Mr. E. 5 S. DALE. 297 Hyman Street, Londen, Ont.; Corresponding ecretary and Treasurer: WM. G. GIRLING, 530 English Street, London, Ont.; Members qualified to answer questions: W. BE. ‘Sacnpers, 240 Central Avenue, London, Ont.; C. G. WATSON, 201 Ridout Street South, London, Ont.; J. F. CALVERT, 461 ‘Tecumseh Avenue, London, Ont.; E.M.S. DALE, 297 Hyman Street, London, Ont. __ Meetings held the second Monday of the month, except during the summer. ee f _ VANCOUVER NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY Honorary President. 1. S. KLInK, (D.Sc.), President Univer- sity of B.C; President: JouN Davipson, F.L.S., F.B.S.E., _ University of B.C.; Vice-President: Dr. M. Y. WILLIAMS, _ Geology Dept., University of B.C.; Honorary Secretary: Mrs. ¥F.W. FARLEY; 6507 Laburnum St., Vancouver, B.C. First Assistant Secretary: Mrs. LAURA ANDERSON, 2nd Assistant Secretary: Miss Nora Swirt, Honorary Treasurer: A. H. SAIN, 2142 Collingwood Street, Vancouver, B.C.; Librarian: rs. F. McGinn. Members of Executice: C. F. CONNor, M. A. R.R. 1. CUMMING; Mr. J. D. TURNBULL, Mr. CurTIs JOHNS, Irs. J MOTION; Auditers: H. G. SELwoop, W. B. Woops. hairmen of Sections: Botany: PROF. JOHN DAVIDSON, Geology: - J.J. PLOVMER, Photogrephy: Mr. Poitier Timms, Entym- ogy: MR. WOOTTON, Microscopy: Mr. J.A. JOHNSTON, Ornith- logy: Mr. J. D. TURNBULL. __ All meetings at 8 p.m., Auditorium, Normal School, 10th Avenue and Cambie Street unless otherwise announced.’ ~ J BRITISH COLUMBIA BIRD AND MAMMAL ays SOCIETY : _ President: Dr. M. Y. WILLIAMS; First Vice-President; HAMILTON M. Latnc; Second Vice-President: Dr. C. J. BASTIN: retary-Treasurer: KENNETH RACEY, 3262 West lst Ave. couver, B.C. : _ Affiliated Societies Eadent Emeritus: C. EB. BAStTIN; President: A. G. LAWRENCE; J. A, DECARtE, Fs \ PROVINCE OF QUEBEC SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS INC. OFFICERS & COMMITTEE: Past Presidents: Mr. L. McL.Terrivt, Mr. NAPipr SMITH. Mr. W. S. Hart, Mrs. C. L. HENDERSON; President: PROF. V. C Wyxne-Epwarps, 495 Prince Arthur Street, Apt. 4, Montreal; Vice-Presidents: Mrs. H. HIsBERT, Dr. A. N. JENKS; Vice-President and Treasurer: MR. HENRY MOUuUSLEY; Secretary: Miss MAUD SRATH. Committee: Mr. J. D. CLEGHORN, Mrs. C. F. DALE, MR. Mr. W.S. Hart, Mrs. C. L. HENDERSON, Mr. Ti. A. C. JacKson. Mr. E. L. JupAH, MR. FRASER KzitH, Miss P. B. MATTINSON, Miss L. MURPHY, MIS8 M.S Nicouson, Mr. R. A. OuTHET, Mr. C. Sait, Mr. L. Mcl.SpackMAN, Mr. L. Mc. TERRILL. _ Mectings held the second Monday of the month except dur- ing summer, a SOCIETE PROVANCHER D’HISTOIRE NATURELLE DU CANADA Patron Honoraire: Son Excellence, L&E TRES HONORABLE COMTE DE BESSBOROUGH, P.C., G.C.M.G., Gouverneur- Général du Canada; Vice-Pairon Honoraire: HONORABLH H.-L. PATENAUDE, Lieutenant-Gouverneur de la Province de Québec; Bureau de Direction pour 1985: Président: Rex MEREDITH, N.P.; Jer vice-président: ALPHONSE DESILETS, B.S.A.; 2téme oice-président: JAMES F. Ross; Secrétaire- trésorier: - Louis-B. Lavoir; Chef de la section scientifique: Dr. D.-A.DeERY; Chef de la section de Propagande éducation- nelle: G.- ULRIC TESSIER, Chef de la section-de protection: ADRIEN FALARDEAU, C.R.; Chef de la section d’information scientifique et pratique: A. WESTON AHERN. Directeurs: nae AHERN, EDGAR ROCHETTE, C.R., M.P.P., DR. GUSTAVE ATTE. 2 Secrétaire-trésorier: Louis-B. LAVOIE 38, rue Sherbrooke, Québec. _ THE TORONTO FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB OFFICERS FOR 1934-35. < Gonorary Presiden. DR. A. P. COLEMAN; President: ARNOTT~ M.PATTERSON; Hon. Vice-Presidents: Hon. G. H. CHALLIES, Mr. J. H. Fir eEMInc, Dr. N. A. POWELL; Vice-President: Mr. F. P. LIne, Secretary-Treasure,. H. M. HALLIDAY; Council— Dr. E. M. Waker, S. L. THomMpson, Prog. J.R. DyMonp, C. S. FARMER, PrRor. T. F. McIiwraitH, Dr. NorMA ForD, MAGISTRATE J. E. Jones. L. T. OWENS, RUPERT Davips, F. C. Hurst, Dr. T. M. C. Taytor, C. G. BRENNAND, R. M. SAuNDERS; Chairman of Conservation Committees MRS. S. L. THompson; President of Junior Club: MURRAY SPEIRS; Vice-President of Junior Club: HUBERT RICHARDSON. Leaders: Birds—Messrs. S. L. TuHompson, L. L. Snyper, J. L. Batuir, JR.. PRor. T. F. McILwRAitH, R: M. SPEIrs, F. H. EMERY. Mammals—Pror. A. F. CovENTRY, Mussrs. EF. C. Cross, D. A. McLuLicu. Reptiles and Amphibians— Messrs. E. B.S, Locrer, Wm. LERAY. Fish—Pror. J. R. DyMOND, PRorF. W J. K. HARKNESS. Insects—Dr. E. M. WALKER, Dr. N. Forp, Mr. F. P. IDE. Botany—Pror. . B. THoMsON, Dr. H. B. Sirton, Dr. T. M. C. Taytor: Mr. W. R. Watson, Mr.L. T. OWENS. Geology—Dr. A. P . COLEMAN: PRoF. A. MCLEAN. We would ask the Officers, and more particularly the Secretaries, of all the Affiliated Societies to assist us in our’ task of building up the circulation of this _ member as a subscriber we can truly magazine. By securing every make this magazine into one of the leading Natural History publications Ags of America. AUTOBIOGRAPHY of JOHN MACOUN, M.A. CANADA NORTH OF FIFTY SIX ge By E. M . KINDLE. These are attractively bound, and contain a Special profusely illustrated number ‘of. The ; ne Histors and Explorations “The author | “Naturalist”, 86 pages, 31 illustrations. Every was a former President of the Club and this is a Canadian should know this prize essay. Memorial Volume _ PRICE FIFTY CENTS” PRICE $3.00. - 305 pp. WILMOT LLOYD ee WILMOT LLOYD is 582 Mariposa Avenue | Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa 582 Mariposa Avenue Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa WILMOT LLOYD, ' Treasurer, Ottawa’ Field-Naturalists? Club, FOR SALE:— ; 582 Mariposa Avenue, | ne Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa. COMPLETE SET OF THE CLUB’S Enclosed please find $2.00 as menibershies in | PUBLICATIONS f The O.F.-N.C. and Subscription to the Canadian 4 J Field-Naturalist for the year 1935. i 1879-1935 This is a rare opportunity. For particulars ; address the Treasurer— : Sat ier Address® 2023s Se ee ee WILMOT LLOYD 582 Mariposa Avenue Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa City, Prov. or State. Name: eS eee oo woceccecconcesscaccescso tess oosceewecnneee FORM oN oligo hereby give and bequeath to The Ottawa Field- | Naturalists’ Club of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada the sum Cc) eRe Oe ce Ue ARINC UR AM as ne MAN SCR TE ST “100 ‘Dollars — 1 BEQUEST WANTED A second-hand copy, i in good condition, of” i “Our Wild Orchids oy By Frank Morris and — _ | Edward A. Eames | State what Price — THIS SPACE FOR SALE (Mrs.) Anna E. MacLoghlin, 43 Inglewood Drive, _ 1 Hamilton, Ont. r] Kindly mention The Canadian Field-Naturalist to advertisers ERNST MAYR LIBRARY Tin ae