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1915  VOL,  XXIX.  1916 


THE 


OTTAWA  NATURALIST 


Being  Volume  XXXI  of  the 


TRANSACTIONS 


OF  THE 


OTTAWA  FIELD-NATURALISTS'  CLUB 


Organized  March,  1879.  Incorporated  March,  1884. 


^be  ©ttawa  jfielO^'IRaturaltets'  Club. 

patron: 

HI5  ROYAL  HIGHNESS  THE  DUKE  OF  CINNAUGHT, 

GOVERNOR-GENERAL    OF    CANADA. 

Council  19 15-16 

B>rc0l&ent : 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 

lDlccs^resiOent0i 

Mr.  H.  I.  Smith.  Dr.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt. 

Secretary;  treasurer: 

Mr.  G.  O.  McMillan,  M.A.  Mr.  G.  LeLucheiar.  i^  S.A. 

BMtoc:  Xtbratiatir 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson.  ;  "  Mr.  J.  R.  Fryer.  B.A. 

(Entomological  Brancrh,  (Seed  Branch,  Dept. 

Dept.  of  Agriculture)  of  Agriculture) 

Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams.  Mr.  J.  R.  Dymond,  B.A. 

Mr.  Andrew  Halkett.  Mr.  L.  D.  Burling. 

Mr.  P.  A.  Tavemer.  Mr.  E.  D.  Eddy. 

Mr.  L.  H.  Newman.  Miss  F.  Fyle.'^,  B.A. 

Dr,  M.  O.  Malte.  Miss  D.  Stewart. 

StanOino  Committees  of  Council; 

Publications:  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  A.  Gibson,  J.  R.  Fryer,  H.  I.  Smith,  E.  D. 
■  Eddy,  G.  O.  McMillan. 

Excursions:  E.  D.  Eddy,  Dr.  M.  Y.  WiUiams,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte.  A.  Halkett. 
J.  R.  Dymond.  G.  O.  McMillan,  G.  LeLacheur,  Miss  F.  Fyles, 
Miss    D.  Stewart. 

Lectures:  H.  I.  Smith,  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  L.  H.  New- 
man, P.  A.  Tavemer,  L.  D.  Stirling. 

Xea&ers  at  Bicureions; 

•Archcrologv:  H.  I.  Smith,  F.  W.  Waugh,  T.  W.  E.  Sowter,  J.  Ballantyne, 
Botany:  W.  T.  Macoun,  J.  M.  Macoun,  L.  H.  Newman,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte. 

Miss  F.  Fyles,  J.  R.  Dymond,  E.  C.  Wight,  G.  O.  McMillan, 

F.  L.  Drayton. 
Entomology:  A.    Gibson,   W.    H.    Harrington,    Dr.    C.    G.    Hewitt,   J.    M. 

Swainc,  F.  W.  L.  Sladen. 
Geology:  W.  J.  Wilson,  Dr.  H.  M.  Ami,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  H.  McGiUivray, 

L.  D.  Burling,  E.  Poitevin,  Dr.  Schofield. 
Ihnitholagv    P.  A.  Tavemer,   Dr.    M.  Y.  Williams,  A.  G.  Kingston.  A.  E. 

Kellett,  C.  Patch. 
Zoology:  A.  Halkett,  E.  E.  Lemieux,  E.  A.  LeSueur,  C.  H.  Yotmg. 

auditors: 

J.  Ballantyne.  E.  C.  Wight. 

Membership  Fee  to  O.F.N.C.,  with   "Ottawa  Naturalist, 

$1iOO  pep  Annum. 


LIST  OF  MEMBERS  OF 
THE  OTTAWA  FIELD-NATURALISTS'  CLUB 

1915-1916 


Adams,  John,  M.A. 

Ami,   H.    M.,   M.A.,   D.Sc,   F.G.S., 

F.R.S.C. 
Ami,  S.  T. 

Anderson,  James  R.,  (Victoria,  B.C.) 
Anderson,    Lt.-Col.   W.    P.,   C.M.G., 

M.  Inst.  C.E.,  F.R.G.S. 
Ardley,  Edw.,  (Montreal). 
Arnold,  Edw.,  (Montreal). 
Attwood,  A.  E.,  M.A. 

Baldwin,  J.  W. 

Ballantyne,  James. 

Bangs,  J.  S. 

Beaulieu,  G.,  B.A.,  LL.B. 

Beaulne,  J.  I. 

Beat:pre,  Edwin,  (Kingston,  Ont.) 

Bennett,  Miss  K.  E. 

Billings,  C.  M. 

Blackader,  Dr.  E.  H. 

Blair,  Prof.  W.  S.,  (Kentville,  N.S.) 

Blythe,  Mrs.  Geo. 

Borden,  Hon.  Sir  F.  W.,  M.D. 

Bothwell,  G.  E. 

Bowers,  H.  L.,  (Oshawa,  Ont.) 

Brainerd,  Dwight,  (Montreal). 

Brewster,  W.,  (Cambridge,  Mass.) 

Brittain,  Prof.  W.,    (Truro,  N.S.) 

Brown,  A.  A.,  (Chatham,  N.B.) 

Bro\vn,  Mrs.  A.  F. 

Brown    Mrs.  R.  D. 

Brown   W.  J.,  (Westmotmt,  Que.) 

B^o^vn,  F.,  B.S.A. 

Bryce,  P.  H.,  M.D. 

Bullock,  Rev.  C  S. 

Bunting,    Prof,    T.    G.,    (Macdonald 

College,  Que.) 
Buck,  F.  eT,  B.S.A. 
Burgess,  T.  J.  W.,  M.D.,  F.R.S.C, 

(Montreal) . ' 
Burling,  L.  D. 
Burt,  Miss  F.  M. 
Butterfield,     Frank,     (Lennoxville, 

Que.) 

Calder,  Alex.,  (Winnipeg). 
Calvert,  J.  F.,  (London,  Ont.) 
Cameron,  E.  R.,  ill.. 4. 
Carter,  J.  J. 


Carter,  EsHe,  B.A.  (Clandeboye,  Ont.) 
Campbell,   A.    D.,   B.S.C.,    (Calgary, 
Alta.)  ^ 

Campbell,  D.  A.,  B.A. 
Campbell,  R.  H. 
Cheney,  Miss  A.  M. 
Chrystal,  R.N.,B.  Sc. 
Clark,  G.  H.,  B.S.A. 
Clark,  T.  E.,  B.A.,  B.  Paed. 
Cobbold,  Paul  A.,  (Haileybury,  Ont.) 
Cole,  John  E.,  (Westboro',  Ont.) 
Connor,  M.  F.,  B.Sc. 
Cram,  A.  S. 

Criddle,   N.,    (Treesbank,  Man.) 
Criddle,  S.,  (Treesbank,  Man.) 
Crozel,  G.,  (OuUins,  Rhone,  France). 
Cuttler,  W.  E.,  (Calgary,  Alta.) 
Currie,  P.  W. 

Davidson,  John,  (Vancouver,  B.C.) 

Davis,  M.  B.,  B.S.A. 

Deara,  C.  C,  (Bluffton,  Ind.) 

Dempsey,  J.  H.  C,  (Hamilton). 

Dent,  Miss  E. 

Dewar,  Miss  Ethel. 

Dickson,  James. 

Dixon,  F.  A. 

Dod,    F.    H.    Wolley-,    (Midnapore, 

Alta.) 
Donaldson,  W. 
Dowling,   D.   B.,  B.A.Sc. 
Drayton,  F.  L.,  B.S.A. 
Dreher,  W.,  B.S.A. 
Duff,  H.  C,  B.S.A.,  (Norwood,  Ont.) 
Dwight,  Jonathan,  Jr.,  M.D.,   (New 

York). 
Dymond,  J.  R.,  5..4. 

Eastham,  A.,  B.S.A. 

Eastham,  J.  W.,  B.Sc,  (Vernon,  B.C.) 

Eddy,  E.  D.,  B.S.A. 

Eifrig,  Rev.  Prof.G.,  (Oak  Park,  111.) 

Elford,  F.  C. 

Evaiis,    John    D.,    C.E.,     (Trenton, 

Ont.) 
Evars,  T.  C,  D.V.Sc.   (Tor.) 
Ewart,  D.,  7.5.0. 

Farley,  F.  L.,  (Camrose,  Alta.) 


List  of  Members 


[April 


Farr,  Miss  E.   M.,    (Philadelphia). 

Fenn,  Miss  L. 

Ferrier,  W.  F.,  (Toronto). 

Finn,  J.  P.,  B.A. 

Fisher,  Hon.  Sydney  A.,  B.A. 

FitzHenry,  W.,  (Mvrtle,  Man.) 

Fleck,  A.  W. 

Fleming,  J.  H.,  (Toronto). 

Fleming,    Sir    Sandford,    K.C.M.G., 

C.E.,  F.R.C.I.,  F.R.S.C. 
Fortier,  Miss  F.  M.,  (Annapohs,  N.S.) 
Fryer,  J.  R.,  B.A. 
Fyles,  Miss  F.,  B.A. 
Fyles,  Miss  Winnifred 

Gallup,  A.  H.,  (Saskatoon,  Sask.) 

Gibson,  Arthur. 

Gibson,    J.    W.,    B.A.,    (Vancouver, 

B.C.) 
Godson,  F.  P.,  B.A. 
Gorman,  M.  J.,  LL.B. 
Gormley,  L.,  (Amprior,  Ont.) 
Grant,  Sir  J.   A.,  K.C.M.G.,  M.D., 
•■    F.R.C.S.  Edin.,  F.R.S.C,  F.G.S. 
Grant,  Mrs.  E.  C. 
Grant,  W.  W.,  (New  York). 
Graham,  W.  L.,  B.S.A. 
Grisdale,  J.  H.,  B.  Agr. 
Grist,  Miss  Mary  L. 
Groh,  H.,  B.S.A.,  (Preston,  Ont.) 
Gussow,  H.  T.,  F.R.M.S. 

Halkett,  Andrew. 

Hamilton,  Dr.  B.  A.,  (Highland  Park, 

111.) 
Hanham,  A.  W.,  (Duncan,  B.C.) 
Harcourt,  Geo.,  (Edmonton,  Alta.) 
Harrington,  W.  Hague. 
Harrison,  Lt.-Col.   Edward. 
Harvey,  R.  V.,   (Victoria,  B.C.) 
Hayes,  J.  A.,  (Sheffington,  Que.) 
Henry,  J.  K.,  (Vancouver,  B.C.) 
Herriot.'W.,  (Gait,  Ont.) 
Hewit,  H.  O. 

Hewitt,  C.  Gordon,  D.Sc,  F.E.S. 
Higgins,  Dr.  C.  H. 

Hobson,  W.  D.,    (Woodstock,  Ont.) 
Hodge,    C.    F.,    Ph.D.,    (Worcester, 

Mass.) 
Holmes,  Miss  A.  S. 
Holmden,  R. 
Hope,  James. 

Houghton,  J.  A.,   (Bennington,    Vt.) 
Howes,  E.A.,  B.S.A. 
Hudson,  Prof.  G.  H.,   (Plattsburgh, 

N.Y.) 
Hudson,  H.  F.,  B.S.A. 


Hughson,  W.  G.,  B.Sc. 

Irwin,  Lt.-Col.  D.  T.,  C.M.G. 

Jacombe,  F.  W.  H.,  M.A.,  M.F. 

Jamieson,  Thos.,  B..A. 

James,  C.  C,  M.A.,   (Toronto). 

James,  L.  E.,   (St.  Thomas,  Ont.) 

Janssen,  J.  T.,   (Hillsdown,  Alta.) 

Janson,  J.  T.,  B.Sc. 

Jenkins,  S.  J.,  B.A. 

Jenny,  C.  F.,  (Boston,  Mass.) 

Jennings,  O.  E.,  (Pittsburg,  Pa.) 

Joanes,  Arthur. 

Johnston,   Geo.    S.,    (Meaford,   Ont.) 

Johnston,  W.  A.,  B.Sc. 

Johnsone,  Miss  A. 

Keams,  J.  C. 

Keele,  J.,  5. .4. 5c. 

Kellett.  A.  E. 

Kindle,  E.  M. 

Kingston,  A.  G. 

Kitto,  V. 

Klotz,  Dr.  Otto. 

Klotz,  Julius,  M.D.,  (Lanark,  Ont.) 

Knechtel,  A. 

Labarthe,  J.,  (Trail,  B.C.) 

LeLacheur,  G.,  B.S.A. 

Lajeunesse,  Rev.  J.  A. 

Lambart,  Hon.  O.  H. 

Lambe,  L.  M.,  F.G.S. ,  F.G.S. A., 
F.R.S.C. 

Latchford,  Hon.  F.  R.,  B.  A., 
(Toronto). 

Lawler,  James. 

Leclaire,  J.  M.,  (Macdonald  Colle>ge, 
Que.) 

Lee,  Miss  K.  G.,  (Clinton,  N.Y.) 

Lees,  Miss  V. 

Lemieux,  E.  E. 

Lemoine,  Alp. 

Le  Sueur,  E.  A. 

Lewis,  J.  B.,  C.E. 

Leyden,  Miss  M. 

Lloyd,  Prof.  F.  E.,   (Montreal). 

Lochhead,  W.,  B.A.,  M.Sc,  (Mac- 
donald   College,    Que.) 

Low,  R.  A., 

McCready,  Prof.   S.   B.,    (Guelph). 
McCurry,  H. 
McDougall,  Miss  J.  C. 
McElhinney,  Dr.  M.  G. 
McGill,  A..  B.A.,  B.Sc. 
McGilUvray,  H. 


1915] 


List  of  Members 


Mclnnes,  Wni.,  B.A. 

McMillan,  H.  R.,  B.S.A.,   (Victoria, 

B.C.) 
McMillan,  G.  O.,  M.A. 
MacCraken,  John  I.,  B.A. 
MacKay,     A.     H.,     LL.D.,     B.Sc, 

F.R.S.C.,  (Halifax). 
Macnamara,  C,  (Arnprior). 
Macouii,  Prof.  John,  M.A.,  F.L.S., 

F.R.S.C.,    (Sidney,   B.C.) 
Macoiin,  J.  M.,  C.M.G. 
Macoun,  W.  T. 

Malcolm,  John,  (Fergus,  Ont.) 
Mallock,  G.  S.,  B.A. 
Malte,  M.  O.,  Ph.D. 
Martin,  D.  A.,  (Lawson,  Sask.) 
Matthews,  Miss  Annie  L. 
Mason,  A.  E.,  (Vancouver,  B.C.) 
Megill,  W.  H.  T.,  B.A. 
Merrill,  G.  K.,  (Rockland,  Me.) 
Metcalfe,  W. 

Michaud,  Geo.,  (Quebec). 
Millen,  Miss  C,  (Hull,  Que.) 
Miller,  Prof.  W.  G.,  (Toronto). 
Mitchell,  P.  C,  (Brandon,  Man.) 
Morris,  H.  U. 
Morton,  B. 
Munro,  J.   A.,    (Okanagan   Landing, 

B.C.) 
Murphy,  John. 

Narraway,  J.  E. 

Nash,  C.  W\,  (Toronto). 

Newcombe,  C.   P.,   M.D.,    (Victoria, 

R  C  ^ 
Newman,  L.  H.,  B.S.A. 
NichoUs,  A.,  (Sault  St.  Marie,  Ont.) 
Noble,  J.  W.,  (London,  Ont.) 
Nunnick,  F.  C,  B.S.A. 


O'Brien,  S.  E. 
Oakely,  Mrs.  W.  D. 
Odell,  W.  S. 
Orde,  J.  F.,  K.G. 
Oberholser,     H.     C, 
D.C.) 


(Washington, 


Patterson,  A.  M. 
PhiUips,  Rev.  E. 
Phillips,  P.  B.,  (New  York). 
Plaskett,  J.  S.,  D.Sc,  F.R.S.C. 
Prince,  Prof.   E.  E.,  B.A.,  F.L.S. 
Putman,  J.  H.,  B.A.,  B.  Paed. 
Raine,  Walter,  (Toronto). 
Raymond,    Dr.    P.    E.,    (Cambridge, 

Mass.) 
Reynolds,  Miss  G.  B. 


Richard,  Rev.  A.  E.,  (Perkins,  Que.) 

Ritchie,  Miss  Isabella. 

Robertson,  C.  N.,  (Montreal). 

Robinson,  Hiram. 

Rose,  B. 

Rush,  M.  L.,  B.A. 

Russell,  Miss  Maud. 

Russell,  Miss  Margaret. 

Sanders,  G.  E.,  5. 5. .4.,  (Bridgetown, 

N.S.) 
Sanson,  N.  B.,  (Banff,  Alta.) 
Saunders,  W.  E.,  (London,  Ont.) 
Scott,  C.  H. 

Scott,  Miss  Mary  McKay. 
Scott,  W.,  B.A.,  (Toronto). 
Scott,  Rev.  C.  T.,  (Victoria,  B.C.) 
Seton,  E.  Thompson,  (Coscob,  Conn.) 
Shannon,  Frank,  (Saskatoon,  Sask.) 
Shearman,  F.  J.  W. 
Shutt,    F.   T.,   D.Sc,   M.A.,  F.l.C, 

F.C.S.,  F.R.S.C. 
Simpson,  Willibert. 
Sirett,  H.,  B.S.A.,   (Brighton,  Ont.) 
Sitwell,  Capt.  L.  H.,  F.R.G.S. 
Skales,  Howard,    (Mt.  Forest,  Ont.) 
Sladen,  F.  W.  L.,  F.E.S. 
Small,  H.  Beaumont,  M.D. 
Smeaton,  W.,  B.A. 
Smith,  Harlan,  I. 
Soper,  John. 
Sowter;  T.  W.  E. 
Speechly,  Dr.  H.  M.,  (Pilot  Mound, 

Man.) 
Spreckley,  R.  O. 
Sternberg,  C.  H.,  M.A. 
Sternberg,  C.  M. 
Sternberg,  G.  F. 
Stewart,  A.  T.,  B.A. 
Stewart,  Miss  D.  M. 
Summerby,  Wm.  J.,  M.A.,  (Russell, 

Ont.) 
Sutton,  Mrs.  L.  L. 
Swaine,  J.  M.,  M.Sc. 
Symes,  P.  B. 

Taverner,  P.  A. 

Taylor,  F.  B.,  (Fort  Wayne,  Ind.) 

Terrill,  L.  M.,  (St.  Lambert,  Que.) 

Topley,  Mrs.  W.  J. 

Treheme,  R.  C,  (Agassiz,  B.C.) 

Tuer,    Miss    Margaret,    (Port    Hope, 

Ont.) 
Tyrrell,  J.   B.,   B.A.,   B.Sc,  F.G.S., 

F.G.S.A.,  (Toronto). 

Uglow,  R.  H. 


List  of  Members 


[April 


Valin,  A. 

Venables,     E.   P.,    (Vernon,  B.C,^ 
Victorin,  Rev.  Bro. 
(Longueuil,  Que.) 


Waddell,  Miss  K.  T. 

Walker,  Sir  Edmund,  (Toronto) , 

Walker,  E.  M.,  B.A.,  M.b., 
(Toronto) . 

Walker,  Bryant,  (Detroit.) 

Wallace,  J.  S.,  (Toronto). 

Wallis,  J.  B.,  (Winnipeg,  Man.) 

Warwick,  F.  W.,  B.Sc,  (Bucking- 
ham, Que.) 

Watson,  J.  F. 

Watterson,  A.  E. 

Waugh,  F.  W. 

White,  Mrs.  Annie  G.  H.,  (Toronto). 

White,  George  R. 


White,    James,    (Snelgrove,    Ont). 

White,  O.  C,  B.S.A. 

Whyte,  Miss  Ida  V. 

Whyte,  Miss  Isabella. 

Whyte,  R.  B. 

Wickware,  A.  B.,  V.S. 

Wight.  E.  C. 

Williams,  Miss  M.  B.,  B.A. 

Williams,  ].  B.,  (Toronto) , 

Williams,  Dr.  M.  Y. 

Willing,  T.  N.,  (Saskatoon,  Saik.) 

Wilson,  Morley  E. 

Wilson,  W.  J.."  Ph.B. 

Winchester,  H.  S. 

Wintenberg,  W.  ). 

Wright,  Miss  S.  E. 

Young,  C.  H, 

Ziemann,  Arthur. 


CORRESPONDING    MEMBERS. 

Bethune,  Rev.  C.  J.  S.,  M.A.,  D.C.L.,  F.R.S.C,  Guelph,  Ont. 
Greene,  Dr.  E.  L.,  United  States  National  Museum,  Washington,  D.C. 
Hill,  Albert  J.,  M.A.,  C.E.,  New  Westminster,  B.C. 
Holm,  Theodor,  Ph.D.,  Brookland,  Washington,  D.C. 
Merriam,  Dr.  C.  Hart,  Washington,  D.C. 
WiCKHAM,  Prof.  H.  F.,  Iowa  City,  Iowa,  U.S. 


i 

J 


THE  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

VOL.  XXIX  APRIL,  1915  No.  1 

ANNUAL  REPORT  OF  THE  OTTAWA  FIELD- 
NATURALISTS'  CLUB,   1914-15. 


The  council  of  the  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club,  on  the 
completion  of  another  Club  year,  begs  to  report  on  the  work 
during  the  past  season.  The  work  of  the  Club  has  been  con- 
ducted along  much  the  same  lines  as  have  been  followed  in  past 
years  and,  with  some  features  especially,  good  progress  has  been 
made. 

Standing  committees,  the  editor  and  associate  editors  of  The 
Ottawa  Naturalist,  the  librarian  and  excursion  leaders,  were 
appointed  at  the  first  meeting  of  the  council,  held  on  March  31. 
Five  meetings  of  the  council  were  held  during  the  year.  Fewer 
meetings  than  usual  were  required  on  account  of  more  work 
being  handled  directly  by  the  sub-committees.  Connection  with 
other  scientific  organizations  has  been  maintained  through 
correspondence,  exchange  of  publications  and  other  means.  The 
Club  was  represented  at  the  meeting  of  the  Royal  Society  of 
Canada,  held  in  Montreal,  by  Dr.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt. 

During  the  year  substantial  progress  has  been  made  in 
securing  new  members,  43  being  elected,  compared  with  14  last 
year.  Against  this  2  5  members  have  resigned  or  have  been 
removed  from  the  list  by  death,  leaving  a  net  gain  of  18.  The 
membership  of  the  Club  is  now  329.  Unfortunately,  an  un- 
usually large  number  of  members  have  not  paid  their  dues,  which 
has  hampered  the  work  of  the  Club  considerably.  At  the  close 
of  the  year  there  is  a  balance  of  $3  6 . 2  5 ,  with  some  accounts  unpaid . 

PROTECTION    OF    BIRDS    AROUND    OTTAWA.| 

The  arrangements  announced  in  Dr.  Hewitt's  lecture  before 
the  Club  on  February  10,1914,  (Ottawa  Naturalist,  March,  1 9 14, 
pp.  161-171),  for  the  distribution  of  nesting  boxes  in  Rockcliffe 
Park  and  the  Central  Experimental  Farm  and  Botanical  Gardens, 
which  areas  were  declared  bird  sanctuaries,  were  carried  out  in 


8  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Apnl 

the  spring.  The  Ottawa  Improvement  Commission  instructed 
their  Superintendent,  Mr.  Stuart,  to  have  2  50  nesting  boxes  of 
the  two  sizes  recommended  made,  and  these  were  distributed 
throughout  Rockcliffe  Park.  The  Department  of  Agriculture 
purchased  and  distributed  at  the  Experimental  Farm  160  nest- 
ing boxes  of  the  Berlepsch  pattern  of  three  sizes  suitable  for 
birds  using  such  cavity  nests,  from  wrens  to  flickers.  Many  of 
the  boxes  in  Rockcliffe  Park  were  not  very  suitably  hung,  which 
would  prevent  a  large  proportion  of  them  from  being  used,  as 
would  otherwise  have  been  the  case ;  nevertheless  it  was  seen 
that  some  of  the  boxes  were  utilized.  Many  of  the  boxes  at  the 
Central  Experimental  Farm  were  inhabited  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  this  distribution  was  unavoidably  delayed.  Wrens,  blue- 
birds and  three  swallows  were  observed  making  use  of  them;  in 
one  case  a  box  was  appropriated  by  a  pair  of  wrens  the  day  after 
it  was  hung. 

Before  the  opening  of  the  spring  it  is  intended  to  make  a 
complete  examination  of  all  the  nesting  boxes  in  Rockcliffe  Park, 
and  at  the  Central  Experimental  Farm,  for  the  purposes  of 
cleaning  and  ascertaining  the  number  of  the  boxes  occupied 
during  the  season  of  1914. 

Encouraging  reports  have  also  been  received  from  private 
individuals  who  adopted  our  recommendation  and  provided 
nesting  boxes  in  their  gardens.  The  example  that  has  been  set 
and  the  educational  work  since  carried  on  is  having  very  gratify- 
ing results  in  other  parts  of  Eastern  Canada. 

THE    OTTAWA    NATURALIST. 

The  official  organ  of  the  Club,  The  Ottawa  Naturalist  has 
appeared  regularly  during  the  year.  Volume  XXVIII,  com- 
prising 180  pages,  has  been  completed.  Mr.  Arthur  Gibson  has 
continued  to  edit  it.  The  following  are  the  most  important 
papers  published  in   the   volume: — 

"  On'a  new  genus  and  species  of  carnivorous  Dinosaur  from 
the  Belly  River  Formation  of  Alberta,  with  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  skull  of  Stephanosaurus  marginatus  from 
the  same  horizon."     By  L.  M.  Lambe. 

"The  Waterways  of  the  Mackenzie  River  Basin."  By 
Charles  Camsell. 

"  Lichens  from  Vancouver  Island.      Bv  G.  K.  Merrill. 

"Abscission."     Bv  F.  E.  Lloyd. 

"  Gall  Midges  as  Forest  Insects."     Bv  E.  P.  Felt. 

"The  Problem  of  Bird  Encouragement."  By  W.  E. 
Saunders. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  9 

"Myosurusin  Canada."     By  E.  L.  Greene. 

"The  genus  Antennaria  in  Greenland."     By  M.  P.  Porsild. 

"Geological  St:rvey  Museum  Work  on  Point  Pelee."      By 
P.  A.  Taverner. 

"Pleistocene  Raised  Beaches  at  Victoria,  B.C."     By  C.  F. 

Newcombe. 
"The  Snow-flea."     By  Charles  Macnamara. 

"List  of  Tachinidae  from  the  Province  of  Quebec."     By 
J.D.Tothill. 

"The  value  of  some  Mammals  and  Birds  as  destroyers  of 
Noxious  Insects.     By  Norman  Criddle. 

"  Ceramograptus  ruedemanni."     By  G.  H.  Hudson. 

"The  Banded  Pocket  Mouse,  Perognathus  fasciatus  Wied." 

By   Stuart  Criddle. 
"The  New  Zealand  Peripitus."     By  E.  E.  Prince. 
"Notes  on   the   Preparatory   Stages  of  Proserpinus  favo- 

fasciata  ulalume."     By  Arthur  Gibson. 

"  Hvbridization  in  the  genus  Viola."     By  M.  O.  Malte  and 
'  J.  M.  Macotm. 

"  Fauna  Ottawaensis :  Order  Lepidoptera:  Family  Noctuidae 
subfamily  Phytometrinae."     By  Arthur  Gibson. 

"Botanical  notes  from  Portneuf  Co.,  Que."      By  Bro.   M. 
Victorin. 

THE    LIBRARY. 

During  the  past  year  a  large  ntmiber  of  requests  for  back 
numbers  of  The  Ottawa  Naturalist  have  been  received.  In 
some  instances  the  current  issues  were  not  all  received  by  the 
members,  btit  in  most  cases  only  a  few  numbers  were  required  to 
complete  volumes. 

The  Club  library  is  now  in  a  somewhat  more  satisfactory 
condition  than  a  year  ago.  During  the  year  the  books  and  other 
publications  stored  in  the  Carnegie  Library  were  catalogued  and 
systematically  arranged  on  the  shelves.  The  catalogue  is  now 
undergoing  revision,  the  most  valuable  publications  being 
selected  and  listed  for  the  purpose  of  ptiblication  in  The  Ottawa 
Naturalist. 

At  present  no  use  whatever  is  being  made   of  the   library, 
but  it  is  hoped  that  in  the  near  futi:re  arrangements  will  be  com- 
pleted, which  will  enable  members  to  make  some  use  of  the 
valuable  literature  belonging  to  the  Club. 


10  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [April 

EXCURSIONS. 

A'meeting  of  the  Excursions'  Committee,  to  arrange  for  the 
spring  excursions,  was  held  in  the  Carnegie  Library  on  Wednes- 
day, 8th  April.  There  were  present  Mr.  Halkett  in  the  chair,  Mr. 
Carter,  Dr.  Williams,  and  Miss  Fyles.  It  was  decided  to  hold 
excursions  as  follows,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  council: — 

May        2nd — RockcUffe. 

9th — Above     the     Chaudiere     Falls — north     shore 
Ottawa  River. 

16th — Britannia. 

23rd — Ironside. 

30th-  Leamy's  Lake. 
June        6th — Rideau  Canal  bv  motor  boats. 

13  th — Stittsville. 

20th — Fairv  Lake  via  Chelsea  Road. 

2  7th — Experimental  Farm. 

Seven  of  these  excursions  were  held — that  on  the  Rideau 
Canal  being  cancelled  as  no  motor-boats  could  be  had,  and  that 
to  Stittsville  also  cancelled  as  arrangements  could  not  be  made 
for  the  C.P.R.  express  to  stop  at  that  station.  There  was  some 
misunderstanding,  too,  as  to  an  early  afternoon  train  up  the 
Gatineau  line,  so  that  the  excursion  arranged  to  be  held  at  Iron- 
side on  23rd  May  was  postponed  until  6th  June,  and  that  to 
Fairy  Lake  substituted  for  it. 

Two  excursions  were  also  held  during  the  autumn — one  to 
McKay's  Lake  and  the  other  to  the  Experimental  Farm,  both 
of  which  were  well  attended.  , 

LECTURES 

The  series  of  lectures  presented  during  the  winter  was  also 
very  successful.  The  attendance  was  good,  and  the  subjects 
discussed  of  much  interest.  The  following  is  the  programme  as 
carried  out : — 

December  8th,  1914,  (Tuesday).  "Sea  Fisheries  of  Nor- 
way." Illustrated  with  lantern  views.  By  Dr.  J.  Hjort,  of 
Norway.      In  the  Normal  School  Assembly  Hall. 

January  12th,  1915,  (Tuesday).  "The  Royal  Botanic 
Gardens,  Kew."  Illustrated  with  lantern  views.  By  Prof.  R. 
B.  Thomson,  Botanical  Lalioratory,  University  of  Toronto.  In 
the  Normal   School   Assembly   Hall. 

January  26th,  1915,  (Tuesday).  "The  Indians  of  the  West 
Coast."  Illustrated  with  lantern  views.  By  Dr.  Edward  Sapir, 
Department  of  Anthropology,  Geological  Survey,  Ottawa.  In 
the  Normal  School  Assembh-  Hall. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  11 

February  9th,  1915,  (Tuesday).  "Fossils."  Illustrated 
with  lantern  views.  By  Mr.  L.  D.  feurling.  Geological  Survey, 
Ottawa.     In  the  Carnegie  Library  Assembly  Hall. 

February  23rd,  1915,  (Tuesday).  "Milk."  Illustrated 
with  lantern  views.  By  Mr.  J.  H.  Grisdale,  Director  Experi- 
mental Farms,  Ottawa.    In  the  Normal  School  Assembly  Hall. 

March  9th,  1915,  (Tuesday).  "  Some  Interesting  Canadian 
Birds."  Illustrated  with  lantern  views.  By  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams, 
Geological  Survev,  Ottawa.  In  the  Carnegie  Librarv  Assemblv 
Hall.  ■ 

March  23rd,  1915,  (Tuesday).  Annual  Meeting  and  Presi- 
dential Address,  "The  Habits  of  Insects  in  Relation  to  their 
Control."  By  Mr.  Arthur  Gibson,  Entomological  Branch, 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Ottawa.  In  the  Carnegie  Library 
Assembly  Hall. 

THE    botanical    BRANCH. 

This  branch  of  the  Club  held  seven  meetings  during  the  1914- 
1  5  winter  season ;  two  each  at  the  residences  of  Mr.  Geo.  H.  Clark 
and  Mr.  R.  B.  Whvte,  and  one  each  at  the  residences  of  Mr.  D.  A. 
Campbell,  Mr.  W.'T.  Macoun  and  Mr.  J.  M.  Macoim. 

At  these  meetings  there  was  an  average  attendance  of  about 
14  members.  Reports  of  these  meetings  are  printed  in  The 
Ottawa  Naturalist.     The  subjects  presented  were  as  follows: 

"The  Possibilities  in  Canada  for  Home  Grown  Seed,"  bv 
Messrs  G.  H.  Clark,  M.  O.  Malte  and  W.  T.  Macoun. 

"  Some  Canadian  Wild  Fruits,"  by  J.  M.  Macoun;  "Climatic 
and  Soil  Conditions  asThey  Influence  Plant  Life,"  with 
special  reference  to  Canadian  Grasses,  by  M.  O.  Malte. 

"The  New  Greenhouses  at  the  Experimental  Farm"  and 
lantern  slides  illustrating  some  "Native  Shrubs  and 
Trees,"  by  W.  T.   Macotm. 

"An  Account  of  a  Trip  to  Egypt  and  Palestine,"  by  R.  B. 
Whvte  and  lantern  shdesof  "Plant  Adaptations,"  bv 
D.  A.  Campbell. 

"Forestry  Problems  in  Canada,"  by  J.  R.  Dickson  and  "Facts 
regarding  the  Organization  of  the  Forestry  Branch," 
with  lantern  slides,  by  C.  J.  Tulley. 

"Wood  Fibre — Its  Uses  in  Pulp  and  Paper  Making,"  by  J. 
S.  Bates,  of  the  Forest  Products  Laboratories,  McGill 
Universitv,  Montreal. 


12  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [April 

THE    ENTOMOLOGICAL    BRANCH. 

The  Entomological  Branch  has  held  no  meetings  during  the 
winter  of  1914-15.  This  has  been  largely  owing  to  the  fact  that 
there  are  very  few  workers  in  entomology,  other  than  those 
employed  officially  in  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 

Throughout  the  Ottawa  district  large  numbers  of  insects 
in  the  various  orders  were  collected  during  the  season  of 
1914  for  systematic  studv  and  manv  new  records  have  been 
obtained.  Many  of  these  captures  are  being  recorded  in  the 
Entomological  Record  for  1914,  which  will  appear  in  the  annual 
report  of  the  Entomological  Society  of  Ontario  for  that  year. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 

The  Club  has  again  been  fortunate  in  securing  suitable  ac- 
commodation for  lectures  and  committee  meetings  through  the 
courtesy  of  the  management  of  the  Carnegie  Public  Library  and 
the  Normal  School,  and  our  thanks  are  also  due  to  the  city  press 
for  free  insertion  of  lectures  and  excursion  notices  and  reports. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

E.  D.  EDDY, 

Secretary. 


ERRATUM. 

In  Mr.  Melville  Dale's  article  on  "August  Bird  Life  at 
Pleasant  Point,  Ont."  which  appeared  in  the  March  (1915) 
issue  of  The  Ottawa  Naturalist,  the  fotir  paragraphs  on 
page  174  beginning  with  "The  discovery  of  this  bird  .  .  .  .  " 
and  ending  with  "within  the  range  of  the  observer"  should 
have  been  placed  under  the  Caspian  Tern,  Sterna  caspia,  and 
not  under  the  Bluebird,  Sialia  sialis.  Ornithologists  please 
make  note. 

SUBSCRIPTION     1915-1916. 

Members  of  the  Club  are  reminded  that  membership  fees 
for  1915-1916  are  now  due,  and  that  the  same  are  payable  to 
the  new  Treasurer,  Mr.  G.  Le  Lacheur,  Seed  Branch,  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  Ottawa. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  13 

TREASURER'S  STATEMENT    1914-15 

Receipts. 

Balance  from   1913-14 $     28.59 

Membership  fees: 

Arrears $     1 6 .  00 

1914-15 138.00 

1915-16 33.00 

$   187.00 

187.00 

Advertisements  in  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  93.90 

Authors  Extras  sold 82  .  29 

Provincial  Government  Grant 200  .00 

Miscellaneous 1 .  43 

$   593.21 

Disbursements. 

Printing  The  Ottawa  Naturalist,  8  Nos.  of 

Vol.  XXVIII... $  305.09 

Illustrations 27.18 

.  Authors'  Extras 92  .  14 

Miscellaneous  printing,  envelopes,  etc 24.30 

Postage,  The  Ottawa  Naturalist   to   mem- 
bers   23.89 

Editor 50  .  00 

Lectures  expenses 18 .  00 

Postage,  bank  exchange,  etc 16.36 

Cr.  Balance 36  .  25 

S   593.21 
Examined  and  found  correct. 

J.  BALLANTYNE, 
^       _        E.  C.  WIGHT.  J.  F.  WATSON, 

^'^n^^v.  Auditors.  Treasurer. 

BRARY 


14  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [April 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  ORNITHOLOGICAL  WORK 

IN  CANADA* 


By  p.   a.  Taverner, 
Geological  Survey,  Ottawa. 


In  surveying  the  results  of  ornithological  work  done  in  the 
Dominion  to  date,  one  is  struck  with  the  number  of  blank  spaces 
in  our  knowledge,  and  the  fine  field  yet  offered  for  original 
research. 

In  the  subject  of  life-histories,  there  is  hardly  a  species, 
amongst  our  typical  Canadian  forms,  that  has  been  compre- 
hensively worked  up.  Most  of  the  work  accomplished  along 
these  lines  has  been  done  in  the  adjoining  republic  and  describes 
conditions  abroad,  slightly  foreign  to  us  zoologically  as  well 
as  politically.  Of  course,  our  workers  have  been  fewer  both 
actually  and  proportionally  in  Canada  than  in  the  United  States, 
and  perhaps  under  the  circumstances  the  broader  generalizations 
that  our  few  have  accomplished  has  been  of  more  pressing  nature 
than  the  detailed  surveys  accomplished  in  the  older  community. 

In  geographical  distribution  our  knowledge  of  Canadian 
avifauna  is  fragmentary  and,  if  it  were  not  for  the  results  of 
work  accomplished  in  the  United  States,  would  still  be  but  an 
outline.  The  Maritime  Provinces  have  been  touched  but 
locally.  The  Labrador  and  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  has  been 
worked  intermittently.  From  Montreal  west  to  the  Toronto 
region  but  high  spots  have  been  touched;  in  fact,  the  southern 
peninsula  of  Ontario  is  perhaps  the  onh^  area  of  any  size  in 
Canada,  that  has  had  anything  like  adequate  attention  from  an 
ornithological  standpoint.  From  a  line  east  of  Georgian  bay 
to  the  Manitoba  boundary  we  know  practically  nothing  of  bird 
conditions.  Continuous  systematic  work  in  Manitoba  ceased  some 
years  ago  and  the  other  Prairie  Provinces — Saskatchewan  and 
Alberta — have  received  but  desultory  attention  from  visiting 
naturalists.  British  Columbia  is  being  investigated  in  spots  but 
most  of  its  area  except  locally  in  the  southern  portions  is  a  terra 
incognita  as  far  as  exact  ornithological  knowledge  is  concerned. 

In  the  northern  regions,  on  the  Yukon  river  and  some  of  its 
tributaries  and  main  highways,  considerable  work  has  been  done 
by  occasional  visitors.     Along  the  route  from  Lake  Athabasca 


Published  by  permission  of  the  Deputy  Minister  of  Mines. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  IS 

to  the  mouth  of  the  Mackenzie  river  various  investigations  have 
been  conducted  from  time  to  time  and,  considering  the  accessa- 
bility  of  the  locaHty,  our  records  are  comparatively  full. 

The  Arctic  coast  of  Coronation  gulf  has  been,  and  is  being 
studied.  Of  Hudson's  bay  and  Ungava  we  have  but  scattered 
notes  and  short  lists.  Though  considerable  geographical  ex- 
ploration has  been  conducted  by  various  parties  amongst  the 
islands  of  Franklin  and  the  far  north,  our  knowledge  of  the 
ornithological  conditions  there  is  fragmentary  and  imperfect. 

In  economic  ornithology,  Canada  has  done  little  if  any 
original   work. 

In  systematic  science  our  working  collections  have  been, 
and  still  are,  too  small  to.  accomplish  anything  comparable  to 
the  work  done  on  our  own  forms  in  the  United  States,  even  if 
we  had  our  natural  quota  of  trained  zoologists  to  use  such 
material  to  advantage. 

Thus,  it  seems  that  ornithology  in  Canada  still  has  most 
of  its  history  before  it,  and  outside  of  a  few  brilliant  excep- 
tions the  work  that  should  have  been  done  by  our  own  people 
has  been  accomplished  by  naturalists  from  the  United  States 
who  have  turned  their  attention  in  our  direction. 

The  introduction  of  nature  study  in  our  schools  and  the 
general  interest  that  has  been  awakened  in  allied  subjects  of  late 
years  has  not,  to  date,  entirely  ftiltilled  the  results  expected  of  it. 
in  fact,  reliable  observers  of  ornithological  phenomena,  both  in 
Canada  and  the  United  States,  are,  perhaps,  fewer  to-day  both 
numericallv  and  in  proportion  to  population  than  they  were  a 
generation  ago.  An  elementary  introduction  to  nature  in  our 
schools  has  failed  to  awaken  any  serious  interest  in  natural 
problems.  General  and  elevating  interest  in  nature  may  be 
more  widespread  to-dav  but  no  ornithologist  of  marked  ability  has 
found  his  or  her  avocation  Or  has  been  developed  through  these 
means.  Whether  this  has  been  the  fatilt  of  methods  pursued, 
or  causes  more  deep  seated,  the  writer  cannot  tell.  Certainly 
if,  a  generation  or  so  ago,  when  the  opportunities  for  learning 
even  the  rudiments  of  natural  history  were  few  and  difficult  to 
obtain,  naturaHsts  were  developed  at  all,  we  should  expect  that 
to-dav  when  the  subjects  are  taught  in  every  public  school  and 
the  introduction  to  the  study  is  almost  forced  upon  large  num- 
bers of  people,  the  percentage  of  serious  and  enthusiastic  workers 
would  be  greater.  These  are  the  facts;  the  causes  of  the  ap- 
parent failure  must  be  left  to  pedagogs  to  argue  over. 

Does  it  not  seem  that  Canada  has  reached  that  stage  in  its 
development  where  it  can  take  its  rightful  position  in  the  world 
as  well  along  ornithological  as  in  other  lines? 


16  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [April 

For  many  years  the  Geological  Survey  of  Canada  has  de- 
voted what  attention  its  limited  staff  could  spare  from  its 
numerous  other  activities  towards  gathering  Dominion  ornitho- 
logical data  and  there  have  been  a  few  private  investigators 
that  have  been  observing  and  noting  with  commendable  industry. 
With  the  broadening  out  of  the  work  of  the  Geological  Survev 
and  its  Museum,  great  impetus  should  be  given  to  bird  work  in 
Canada.  Museums  are  also  being  started  or  rejuvenated  in  the 
various  provinces  and  the  time  seems  ripe  for  a  general  wakening 
of  interests  in  zoological  subjects.  To  call  attention  to  our 
shortcomings  in  data  and  workers  it  seems  advisable  to  outline 
a  few  fruitful  fields  of  endeavour  that  can  be  worked  by  various 
individuals  whose  tastes  incline  in  that  direction. 

Ornithology  can  be  approached  and  studied  from  various 
sides  and  by  individuals  of  many  different  tastes  and  inclina- 
tions. For  the  general  nature  lover,  interested  in  birds  from  a 
poetic  or  asthetic  standpoint,  the  study  of  life-histories  offers  a 
most  attractive  field.  Careful  watching  and  observing  of 
feathered  friends  in  their  secluded  haunts,  bloodlessly  stalking 
them  with  camera  and  note  or  sketch-book  and  divining  the 
hidden  secrets  of  their  lives  is  a  pleasure  that  can  be  indulged 
in  by  all  and  enjoyed  by  many.  The  most  common  bird  of  our 
vicinity  is  an  object  worthy  of  the  most  careful  and  painstakin 
attention.  The  Wren  building  in  the  improvised  nesting  box 
in  the  garden,  the  Song  sparrow  of  the  near-by  thicket  are  both 
awaiting  a  careful  record  of  the  story  of  their  daily  lives.  The 
amount  of  original,  valuable  and  interesting  information,  that 
can  be  gathered  from  such  homelike  sources  is  almost  infinite 
and  unexpected  surprises  will  almost  daily  repay  the  close 
observer.  To  those  whose  time  and  opportunities  are  limited 
such  birds  about  home  are  fruitful.  By  those  with  more  leisure, 
greater  ambition  or  ampler  opportunities  work  farther  afield 
may  be  pursued  and  species  less  commonplace  can  be  studied. 
In  fact  there  is  work  in  this  line  for  everybody  of  widely  divergent 
taste  and  situation  and  even  city  parks  and  backyard  gardens 
will  amply  repay  attention. 

As  a  suggestion  for  investigation,  the  following  outline  of 
problems  to  be  solved  may  be  followed.  It  is  merely  suggestive 
and  can  be  enlarged  indefinitely. 

Is  the  species  a  resident  or  a  migrant  ? 

When  does  it  arrive  and  leave? 

What  are  the  determining  influences  upon  its  migrations, — 
food  supply,  weather,  or  does  physiological  development  pro- 
duce a  periodical  desire  to  migrate? 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  17 

Which  individuals  come  or  leave  first,  male  or  female,  young 
or  old? 

Are  they  mated  when  they  arrive  or  do  thev  select  mates 
after  arrival? 

Are  there  any  courtship  ceremonies? 

What  characters  seem  to  determine  sexual  selection? 
Vigor?     Beauty?     Song? 

Do  the  same  individuals  return  year  after  year  to  the  same 
localities,  and  do  they  mate  together  annually? 

How  wide  is  the  local  range  of  the  individual,  do  they  keep 
close  to  this  home  area  or  wander  widely? 

When,  where  and  how  do  they  nest? 

Which  sex  choses  the  site? 

Which  sex  builds  the  nest  and  how  much  and  in  what  way 
do  they  aid  each  other? 

What  seems  to  be  the  qualities  that  they  look  for  in  selecting 
a  nesting  site  ? 

Do  they  work  on  the  construction  throughout  the  day  or 
only  at  regular  intervals? 

What  is  the  technic  of  nest  building? 

Is  the  technic  the  result  of  instinct,  experience  or  memory 
and  does  it  improve  with  experience. 

Are  all  individuals  of  the  species  equally  expert  in  nest 
building  ? 

How  far  can  they  adjust  nest  to  new  materials,  situations 
or  conditions? 

Is  there  any  change  in  the  routine  habits  before,  during  or 
after  nest  building  ? 

Are  the  eggs  deposited  immediately  after  the  nest  is'^finished? 

What  is  the  incubation  period? 

How  many  eggs  are  laid  and  when,  how  often,  what  is  a 
normal  set? 

Does  the  egg  laying  seem  under  the  conscious  control  of  the 
individual  ? 

What  determines  the  number  of  eggs, — the  size  of  the  nest, 
the  judgment,  age  or  vigor  of  individual? 

How  are  the  eggs  brooded,  by  which  sex,  do  they  divide 
the  labor?  Are  the  feathers  removed  from  the  abdomen  of  the 
brooding  bird  consciously  or  do  they  wear  ofif  by  friction  with 
the  eggs?  What  is  the  incubation  temperature?  How  often 
are  the'eggs  tvirne'd  by  the  parent? 


18  "   The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [April 

How  are  the  eggs  protected  during  exceptionally  incle- 
ment weather? 

This  list  covers  but  a  short  time  in  the  bird's  life,  but  it 
shows  how  much  can  be  learned  and  studied  in  but  one  phase  of 
its  existence ;  other  moments  in  the  lives  of  any  species  are 
equally  interesting. 

One  of  our  greatest  desiderata  is  an  accurate  investigation 
of  distribution  of  bird  life  in  the  Dominion.  The  uniniated 
rarely  realize  how  many  of  the  published  ranges  of  our  birds 
are  based  upon  geographic  probabilities,  a  priori  reasoning  or 
are  copied  and  recopied,  from  previous  writers.  Examples 
are  many.  A  great  proportion  of  our  southern  Canadian  lists 
give  the  Northern  Hairy  woodpecker  as  the  common  form  and 
the  Eastern  Water  thrush  as  ranging  to  the  plains.  The  fact 
is,  that  the  first  is  but  a  very  rare  winter  visitor  to  the  area,  and 
Grinnell's  Water  thrush  is  the  common  form  in  the  Lake  Erie 
peninsula.  Many  more  such  cases  could  be  cited.  The  onty 
basis  acceptable  for  such  determinations  are  specimens  examined 
by  trained  experts.  Even  when  the  forms  are  collected,  com- 
parison with  series  of  specimens  of  allied  forms  is  necessarv  to 
certainly  established  its  identity.  In  these  we  are  woefully  lack- 
ing and  still  have  to  depend  upon  the  courtesy  and  interest  of 
our  friends  across  the  hne  in  the  separation  and  substantiation 
of  many  difficult  forms. 

To  establish  the  Canadian  ranges  of  our  birds,  their  migra- 
tion routes  and  general  statvis,  we  need  skilled  observers  at  all 
possible  points,  to  note  and  collect  local  data  and  .specimens. 
Ideally  there  should  be  an  observer  and  collection  in  everv 
county  in  the  Dominion;  each  keeping  track  of  his  own  area 
and  comparing  and  checking  it  with  results  from  adjoining 
stations.  Provincial  Museums  should  gather  up  these  local 
details  within  their  sphere  of  influence  and  the  whole  should  be 
amalgamated  and  correlated  by  the  Dominion  authorities,  re- 
presented by  the  zoological  branch  of  the  Geological  Survev  at 
Ottawa.  In  this  way  we  would  have  co-operation  and  ser'es  of 
local  collections  illustrating  intensive  work  throughout  the 
Dominion. 

All  such  work,  however,  to  be  of  service  must  be  based  upon 
exact  personal  knowledge  and  substantiated  in  every  way  pos- 
sible. We  look  back  to-day  upon  apparent  mistakes  made  by 
our  predecessors,  even  those  of  marked  and  recognized  ability, 
and  wish  for  data  by  which  to  check  their  statements.  The  next 
generation  will  demand  the  same  of  us  and  with  more  reason 
for  impatience,  if  it  is  a1)sent.  Ornithology  has  advanced  and 
the  necessity  for  substantiating  everything  is  more  generj 
re'^oenized  now  than  in  the  past. 

{To  he  continued) 


mAi 


iiJlLIBRAR 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  19 

MEETING  OF  BOT-ANICAL  BRANCH. 

February  5th,  1915,  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  D.  A.  Campbell. 
There  were  present  Messrs.  Blackadar,  Buck,  Clark,  Dymond, 
Donaldson,  Fryer,  Grindley,  Honeyman,  Lelacheur,  Newman, 
Simpson,  Tully,  Whyte  and  the  host,  Mr.  D.  A.  Campbell. 

Mr.  R.  B.  Whyte  described  his  recent  trip  to  Egypt  and 
Palestine,  and  exhibited  interesting  specimens,  photographs,  etc., 
collected  during  the  trip.  Mr.  Campbell  showed  a  series  of 
lantern  slides,  consisting  of  certain  examples  of  the  adaptation 
of  plants  to  their  environment,  etc.,  which  are  used  in  his  botani- 
cal and  nature  study  courses  at  the  Collegiate. 

Mr.  Whyte,  in  addition  to  describing  many  interesting 
experiences  in  Egypt  and  Palestine,  drew  attention  to  places 
through  which  they  passed  en  route.  Madeira,  for  instance,  the 
first  stopping  place,  produces  large  quantities  of  grapes  and 
sugar  canes;  Gibraltar,  the  great  fortress;  Algiers,  the  city  with 
beautiful  Moorish  architecture;  Monaco  and  Monte  Carlo,  with 
their  unique  histories  and  present  tragedies;  the  trolley-ride  to 
Nice  with  the  blue  waters  of  the  Mediterranean,  200  feet  below; 
Naples  and  Pompeii — all  received  passing  notice.  The  country 
between  Alexandria  and  Cairo  was  described  as  fiat,  with  canals 
about  a  mile  apart  intersecting  it  in  all  directions.  The  houses, 
in  many  cases,  are  built  of  mud,  and  elaborate  pumping  systems 
distribute  the  water  to  the  agricultural  land,  from  which  several 
crops  are  taken  every  year.  In  this  district  a  forage  crop, 
somewhat  like  alfalfa,  known  locally  as  berseem,  is  produced  in 
great  quantities.  It  is  really  one  of  the  clovers,  and  is  listed 
as  Egyptian  or  Alexandrian  clover,  an  annual  winter  variety 
used  in  warm  countries  where  irrigation  is  practiced.  Wheat 
is  also  produced  in  great  quatities  around  Alexandria. 

At  Cairo,  Mr.  Whyte  found  many  things  of  interest  in  its 
numerous  bazaars  and  incidentally  picked  up  a  new  method  of 
buying.  At  Ghizeh,  noted  for  its  pyramids,  14  in  all,  the 
canals  are  far  below  the  level  of  the  Nile.  Heliopolis,  five 
miles  from  Cairo,  was  the  old  university  city  of  Egypt.  Only 
an  obelisk  is  now  left  to  mark  its  site. 

From  the  standpoint  of  the  botanist,  there  was  not  very 
much  of  great  interest  in  the  Nile  valley.  Only  a  few  weeds  or 
wild  flowers  had  an  opportunity  of  becoming  established,  owing 
to  the  annual  overflow  of  the  river.  A  small  iris  and  a  few  odd 
weeds  were  all  that  could  be  found.  All  the  public  parks  of 
Egypt,  such  as  those  in  Cairo,  had  flower  beds,  in  which  were 
grown  poptilar  garden  flowers  like  the  annual  phlox,  verbena, 
etc.,     Farm  hands  in  Egypt  received  from  15c.  to  2  5c.  per  day. 

At  Jaffa,  the  port  of  entry  to  Palestine,  Mr.  Whyte  picked 
the  fine  flavoured  Jaffa  oranges.     The  orange  groves  extend 


20  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [April 

for  about  eight  miles  around  the  city.  Most  of  the  crop  is  sent 
to  England.  A  very  effective  hedge,  consisting  of  a  form  of 
cacti  is  generally  used  around  the  orange  groves.  The  countr}^ 
around  Jaffa  is  fairly  prosperous.  The  field  crops  consist  largely 
of  wheat.  The  flowers  of  this  region  are  poppy  anemones,  and 
cyclamens,  many  of  the  latter  being  as  good  as  our  cultivated 
forms.  Thirty  miles  inland  from  Jaffa,  the  country  begins  to 
get  barren  and  desolate.  Palestine  has  few  trees  and  in  the 
Jerusalem  district  the  Olive  is  the  only  tree.  There  are  a  few 
annual  flowers. 

Mr.  Whyte  spent  four  days  in  Jerusalem  and  from  there 
visited  such  places  as  Bethlehem.  His  large  collection  of  picture 
postcards  added  interest  to  the  talk. 

F.  E.  B. 


EXCURSIONS. 

The    Excursion  Committee  of  the  Club    has  arranged  the 
following  spring  excursions  : — 
May     8 — Rockcliffe. 
"       IS — Iron  Mines  at  Ironside. 
"        22 — Britannia. 

29 — Aylmer. 
June  5 — Rideau  Canal  by  Motor  Boats. 

Prizes  offered  for  Collections  to  be  made  During  1915 
For  the  best  collection  of  not  less  than  50  different  species 
of  native  Canadian  deciduous  trees  and  shrubs,  illustrating  the 
reproductive,  vegetative  and  dormant  stages  of  the  same. 
Prize  valued  at  $5.00  offered  by  Miss  F.  Fyles,  Experimental 
Farm,  Ottawa. 

For  an  essay  on  any  topic  relating  to  Canadian  Botany — 
No  limit  to  length.  Prize  valued  at  $5.00  offered  by  Mr.  H. 
T.  Gussow,  Dominion  Botanist,  Experimental  Farm,  Ottawa. 

For  the  best  collection  of  dried  specimens  of  fungi  of  no 
less  than  100  species.  Prize  valued  at  $5.00  offered  by  Mr. 
H.  T.  Gussow,  Experimental  Farm,  Ottawa. 

For  the  best  collection  of  at  least  200  species  of  insects 
from  the  Ottawa  District,  special  marks  to  be  given  for  species 
attacking  garden  and  field  crops.  Prize  valued  at  $5.00  offered 
by  Mr.  Arthur  Gibson,  Entomological  Branch,  Ottawa. 

For  the  first  information  of  a  prehistoric  village  site  or 
cemetery  within  ten  miles  of  the  Victoria  Memorial  Museum, 
available  for  exploration.  Prize  valued  at  $5.00  offered  by  Mr. 
Harlan  I.  Smith. 

Directions  re  the  making  of  above  collections  and  further 
information  may  be  had  on  application  to  the  donors. 


THE  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

VOL.  XXIX.  MAY,   1915.  No.  2, 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  ORNITHOLOGICAL  WORK 

IN  CANADA. 

By  p.  a.  Taverner, 
Geological  Survey,  Ottawa. 

(Continued  from  page  18). 


The  local  worker,  then,  should  collect  industriously  and 
determine  his  specimens  with  accuracy,  getting  expert  opinion 
whenever  necessary.  The  fact  that  no  one  can  be  equally 
famiHar  with  all  the  recognizable  forms  of  every  species  should 
be  recognized  and  no  hesitation  shown  in  referring  to  those 
having  greater  experience  in  special  directions.  It  should  be 
the  endeavour  to  study  the  bird  Hfe  of  the  chosen  locality 
thoroughly  and  no  means  should  be  neglected  to  extend  an  under- 
standing of  conditions  in  past  times  as  well  as  present.  For  this 
purpose  old  Hterature  pertaining  to  the  locality  should  be  search- 
ed and  the  accounts  verified  as  far  as  possible.  In  fact  the 
compiling  of  a  bibliography  of  local  application  is  an  important 
line  of  research.  The  aim  should  be  to  tie  up  every  record, 
when  possible,  with  an  extant  and  fully  confirmed  specimen, 
if  not  one  in  the  observer's  collection,  its  whereabou'^s  should  be 
noted  so  that  it  may  be  available  for  future  examination  and  re- 
consideration. Examination  of  old  collections  of  stuffed  birds 
in  out  of  the  way  places  and  old  houses  is  a  fruitful  source  of 
information,  but  the  greatest  care  should  be  exercised  in  sub- 
stantiating the  data  in  connection  with  them.  When  there  is 
any  doubt  whatever  on  this  point  the  fact  should  be  noted.  In 
fact,  to  a  local  faunal  list  it  is  better  to  add  a  hypothetical  list 
for  all  species  whose  occurrence  cannot  be  substantiated  by 
specimens  or  on  equally  unimpeachable  evidence.  A  long  hypo- 
thetical list  is  often  an  indication  of  careful  work  rather  than  the 
contrary. 

In  collecting,  the  local  student  should  attempt  to  gather 
representative  series  of  all  the  birds  of  his  area,  showing  every 
possible  plumage  in  which  they  occur  in  the  locality.    This  means 


22  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [May- 

more  than  single  individuals  or  even  pairs,  nor  is  one  only  of 
each  stage  sufficient.  Any  single  individual  may  be  and  usuallv 
is  abnormal  in  some  particular.  It  is  only  by  a  series  of  several 
that  the  average  can  be  established.  Freaks,  albinos,  melanos 
and  other  abnormal  occurrences  are  of  little  general  scientific 
interest,  the  normal  is  a  much  more  desirable  subject  of  study. 

In  gathering  up  information  of  specific  occurrences  the 
local  taxidermist  is  a  man  to  cultivate,  not  only  to  secure  speci- 
mens but  to  learn  and  see  what  passes  through  his  hands.  It 
is  well  also  to  keep  in  touch  with  the  shooting  and  sporting 
fraternity,  for  they  often  obtain  material  of  great  interest. 

The  desirable  form  in  which  to  keep  such  collections  is 
undoubtedly  as  dry  skins  and  not  stuffed  and  mounted  speci- 
mens. The  taste  for  the  latter  is  waning  for  one  thing,  and  they 
are  otherwise  too  bulky  to  house  and  keep  in  any  number.  As 
the  object  is  the  indefinite  preservation,  the  skin  is  much  to  be 
preferred,  for  the  action  of  dust  and  light,  to  say  nothing  of 
insect  ravages  upon  mounted  specimens,  is  highly  destructive 
and  their  life  is  limited.  Besides  this,  a  mounted  specimen  is 
not  available  for  the  handling  necessary  for  close  examination. 
One  hesitates  to  maltreat  a  nicely  mounted  bird  to  get  at  hidden 
characters,    that    are    easily    seen    in    properly    made    skins. 

A  word  here  may  be  included  as  to  the  much  vexed  question 
of  subspecies  and  how  far  it  is  desirable  to  recognize  and  study 
them.  Originally,  when  the  conception  ruled  that  living  forms 
were  the  result  of  special  creation,  a  species  was  considered  a 
fixed  quantity,  whose  limits  could  be  definitely  placed.  The 
acceptance  of  the  evolutionary  theory  of  the  growth  of  species 
from  others  pre-existing  necessitated  a  rearrangement  of  our 
ideas  and  it  was  found  that  what  were  regarded  as  permanent 
types  were  more  or  less  unstable  and  that  geographic  variations 
occurred,  extremes  of  which  when  compared  without  considering 
intermediate  stages,  exhibited  differences  of  almost  specific 
value.  i\s  all  stages  of  differentiation  between  these  extremes 
were  to  be  found,  it  became  e\'ident  that  they  must  be  regarded 
as  evolutionary  departures  from  the  specific  type  and  be,  in  fact, 
"species  in  the  making,  "before  the  connecting  sequence  between 
them  and  the  parent  stock  has  been  disrupted  or  broken  down 
to  form  isolated  species. 

Our  modern  system  of  nomenclature  gives  each  species  a 
binomial  name,  one  term  representing  the  genus  to  which  it 
belongs  and  the  other  the  species.  As  it  seemed  desirable  to 
apply  definite  cognomens  to  geographical  variants  from  the 
typical  form  in  order  to  facilitate  referring  to  them,  "give  them 
a  handle,  "  as  it  were,  a  third  name  was  added,  making  our  system 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  23 

a  trinomial  one  and  thus  carrying  out  Linneaus'  great  invention 
in  the  spirit  in  which  it  was  conceived.  The  result  is  logical 
and  necessary,  but  it  should  be  remembered  that  such  geo- 
graphical races,  varieties,  subspecies  or  whatever  the  student 
cares  to  call  them  are  mere  divisions  of  the  species  and  the  specific 
binomial  is  to  be  regarded  as  a  collective  name,  including  all  the 
trinomial  variants  within  its  meaning.  Thus  a  "Western  Robin" 
is  as  much  an  "  American  Robin"  as  the  "  Eastern  one"  and  the 
name  Planesticus  migratorius  is  equally  applicable  to  any  of  the 
forms  into  which  the  "American  Robin"  divides.  It  is  in  fact 
only  necessary  to  name  subspecies  either  vernacularly  or  scien- 
tifically where  special  exactness  is  required  by  context  or  scope 
of  consideration.  In  any  event,  it  is  wiser  to  ignore  it  altogether 
unless  there  is  definite  and  accurate  knowledge  for  justification. 
Subspecific  designation  should  only  be  based  upon  examinations 
and  authoritative  determination  of  specimens,  and  not  upon 
probabilities  or  assumptions. 

In  every  subspecifically  divided  form  there  is  one  race  that 
is  called  the  "type  form,"  loosely  called  the  "species;"  this  is 
scientifically  named  by  repeating  the  specific  name  in  the  trino- 
mial ;  as,  the  Eastern  Robin,  Planesticus  migratorius  migratorius. 
Theoretically  this  should  represent  the  original  stock  from  which 
the  variants  departed  but  as  these  are  often  impossible  to  deter- 
mine and  scientific  nomenclature  must  be  exact,  it  means  in 
practice  that  this  form  is  the  one  that  was  first  discovered  or 
described  and  to  which,  by  the  canons  of  nomenclature,  the  name 
must  permanently  adhere.  The  t3^pe  race  then,  is  really  of  no 
more  scientific  importance  than  its  co-races. 

The  realization  of  the  proper  relative  importance  between 
type  and  subspecific  forms  and  the  applications  of  sane  principles 
in  practice  will  go  far  towards  rectifying  the  abuses  from  which  a 
valuable  system  has  suffered. 

Some  subspecies  are  marked  and  conspicuous  in  character; 
but  as  there  must  be  species  in  all  stages  of  making,  some 
exhibit  but  minute  differences  only  evident  from  the  examina- 
tion of  series  of  comparable  material  by  trained  perception  and 
judgment. 

Theoretically,  the  numbers  of  subspecies  of  a  widely  varying 
race  must  be  innumerable,  but  the  most  of  them  are  too  fine 
for  human  recognition.  The  question  is,  of  course,  where  to  draw 
the  line.  Subspecies  are  actual  facts  and  do  exist.  Whether  it 
is  serving  the  best  interests  of  science  to  deferentiate  and  name 
the  finer  variations  that  only  an  expert,  especially  trained,  can 
recognize  is  a  subject,  that  is  still  being  argued.  However, 
whether  we  hold  with  the   "Splitters"   or  the   "Lumpers"  it 


24  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [May 

seems  best  for  the  majority  of  us  to  follow  the  lead,  perhaps 
under  protest,  of  the  consensus  of  representative  opinion  as 
evidenced  by  our  American  Ornithological  Union  Check  List'^ 
though  we  can  reserve  to  ourselves  the  liberty  of  departing  from 
their  findings  in  cases  where  mature  judgment  or  data  justifies 
it.  However,  for  the  sake  of  uniformity  it  is  better  to  err  on  the 
conventional  rather  than  the  radical  side  and  to  keep  as  largely 
as  possible  in  harmony  with  accepted  contemporary  authorities. 

Others, to  the  contrary, notwithstanding  no  enduring  fauna! 
work,  can  be  accomplished  without  the  collection  of  specimens. 
The  field-glass  and  camera  are  most  valuable  auxiliaries,  but 
cannot  altogether  take  the  place  of  a  bird  in  the  hand.  Due 
regard  must,  however,  be' given  to  the  principles  of  humanity. 
Collecting  is  a  necessarv  evil  to  scientific  study  and  is  amply 
justified  bv  it,  but  the  responsibility  of  the  collector  is  great  and 
his  influence  should  be  always  thrown  against  the  useless  killing 
of  anvthing.  The  collector  kills  for  a  good  and  sufficient  reason 
and  should  never  do  it,  without  that  justification.  Man,  who 
has  been  given  or  has  assumed  the  rights  of  the  earth,  should 
recognize  his  responsibilities  and  bear  the  relation  of  a  guardian 
to  harmless  lower  life.  Our  laws  recognize  this  and  it  is  neces- 
sary for  a  collector  to  get  a  permit  from  the  game  warden  of  his 
province.  This,  however,  is  issued  to  duly  qualified  students 
who  should  be  careful  that  the  privilege  is  not  abused.  Nothing 
should  be  killed  without  a  good  and  sufficient  reason  and  when 
so  killed  particular  care  shottld  be  exercised  that  the  best  use 
possible  is  made  of  it  and  that  it  is  preserved  for  all  times. 

The  privilege  to  collect  specimens,  the  legal  property  of  the 
people,  is  granted  by  the  representatives  of  the  people  for  the 
benefit  and  increase  of  knowledge  of  the  people.  Hence  such 
specimens  are  in  a  manner  public  trusts  and  when  once  taken 
should  be  preserved  as  such  and  not  for  individual  gain  or 
hoarding.  They  should  be  kept  as  safely  from  damage  by  time, 
dust,  light,  insects  or  accident  as  circumstances  permit  and,  as 
the  owner  has  morally  but  a  life  interest  in  them,  arrangements 
should  be  perfected,  so  they  may  be  for  the  present  available 
for  study  by  other  workers  and  finally  deposited  in  some  known 
repository  where  they  will  be  available  to  coming  generations 
of  investigators. 

The  fear  that  the  legitimate  collector  will  deplete  our  bird 
life  is  groundless.  Even  were  the  number  of  our  collectors 
increased  many  times  and  stimulated  to  greatly  increased  energy 
they  would  have  a  negligible  effect.  Large  collections  are  some- 
times pointed  to  as  causes  of  a  supposed  reduction  in  bird  life 
but  all  the  collections  in  North  America,  the  results  of  fifty  years 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  25 

industrious  work,  would  not  nearly  equal  the  destruction  caused 
in  one  year  by  millinery  plumage  hunters.  When  we  consider 
the  constant,  widespread  persecution  and  the  number  of  widely 
distributed  sportsmen  it  has  taken  to  reduce  our  game  birds, 
it  is  obvious  that  a  few  scattered  collectors  can  have  little,  if 
any,  influence  upon  the  bird  population.  The  ideal  conditions 
suggested  before,  call  for  a  collector  in  every  county.  If 
we  had  but  one  dozen  sportsmen  shooters  in  every  county 
would  game  be  scarce  to-day? 

There  is  also  a  sentiment  against  the  scientist  collecting 
"rare  birds"  on  the  supposition  that  if  these  were  allowed  to 
breed  they  would  become  common.  There  are  practically  no 
birds,  but  game,  raptorial  and  plumage  forms,  that  suffer 
systematic  persecution.  The  number  of  small  or  rare  birds  that 
are  killed  by  human  agencies,  except  for  profit  or  food,  is  on  the 
average  negligible.  Are  there  a  dozen  people  in  Canada, 
seeking  or  hunting  for  Cory's  Least  Bittern?  How  many  would 
know  one  if  they  saw  it?  The  species  has  had  hundreds  of 
generations  in  which  to  become  common,  if  they  are  rare  now 
it  is  due  to  the  action  of  still  operating  natural  causes.  The 
rarity  of  a  creature  not  especially  or  generally  hunted  for  profit 
is  an  indication  that  it  is  not  adapted  to  conditions  and  is 
nearing  extinction  through  natural  causes.  Rarity  obviouslv 
just  precedes  extinction. 

Of  course  with  species  that  are  much  hunted,  or  that  are 
rare,  owing  to  the  geographical  limitations  of  the  habitable  or 
breeding  ranges,  the  question  is  different.  Scientific  collectors 
have  occasionally  gone  into  small  .isolated  colonies  and  practically 
wiped  out  a  species  that,  but  for  them,  might  have  survived 
for  a  while  longer.  But  even  in  these  cases  the  fact  of  such  limited 
range  itself  indicates  that  the  species  is  declining  and  its  end 
has  been  only  hastened.  A  dominant,  virile  race  will  tend 
continually  to  spread ;  that  it  has  not  done  so,  it  is  an  indication 
of  inherent  weakness  in  the  species. 

The  Passenger  Pigeon  is  often  pointed  out  as  an  example 
of  man's  ruthlessness,  and  a  great  deal  of  sentimentality  has 
been  exercised  over  it.  In  the  first  place,  great  flocks  of  birds 
of  this  species  would  to-day  be  incompatible  with  agricultural 
pursuits.  If  man  destroyed  the  Passenger  Pigeon  it  was  by 
extensive  netting  operations  against  them  and  not  by  the 
desultory  shooting  of  scattered  farmers  and  sportsmen.  Yet 
the  last  year  of  netting  at  the  Petosky  rookeries  left  countless 
pigeons  alive.  The  fact  that  few  of  these  returned  the  next 
spring  was  no  fault  of  the  trappers.  For  years  thereafter 
occasional  flocks  and  bunches    of  Passenger  Pigeons  were  seen; 


26  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [May 

enough  to  have  stocked  the  continent,  at  any  rate  to  the  limit 
of  economic  safety,  had  they  been  adapted  to  present  conditions. 
The  Bluebird  population  was  almost  entirely  wiped  out  one 
winter.  Fewer  were  left  of  them  than  of  pigeons  just  after  the 
Petosky  rookery  was  deserted;  yet  in  five  years  the  Bluebird 
regained  its  old  numbers.  But  the  Bluebird  is  a  strong,  virile 
race,  suitably  adapted  to  the  conditions  of  a  cultivated  country. 
The  pigeon  was  not;  hence  it  passed  away  while  its  close  rela- 
tive, the  Morning  Dove,  still  thrives  and  increases. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  our  bird  population  is  limited 
by  natural  conditions.  In  most  cases  this  limit  was  reached 
long  ago,  and  no  more  birds  can  inhabit  North  America  than 
can  find  support  during  the  season  of  least  food  supply.  In  a 
normal  or  stationary  population,  the  death  rate  must  equal 
the  birth  rate  or  else  the  population  ceases  to  be  stationary. 
The  breeding  season  increases  the  population  enormousl}^  and 
one  way  or  another  this  increase  must  be,  and  is,  reduced  to 
the  smaller  supporting  power  of  the  land  through  winter. 

It  is  evident  that  this  allows  of  a  considerable  margin  of 
reduction  and  shows  that  even  quite  considerable  numbers  can 
be  destroyed  without  interfering  with  the  ultimate  numbers 
of  the  population  and  that  the  comparatively  few  individuals 
taken  by  collectors  cannot  have  an  appreciable  effect  upon  their 
number. 

The  professional  collector  has  come  in  for  popular  abuse, 
far  beyond  his  deserts.  In  the  first  place,  the  professional 
collector  is  almost  an  unknown  quantity.  He  is  too  scarce  in 
fact  to  find  when  wanted.  In  the  next  place,  there  is  little  or  no 
market  for  his  wares.  Few  scientists  are  wealthy  or  able  to  pay 
prices  that  allow  the  professional  a  livelihood.  The  trade  in 
big  game  heads  and  trophies  with  wealth v  sportsmen  is  con- 
siderable and  the  plumage  business  for  millinery  purposes  has 
wrotight  devastation  amongst  certain  species  but  the  oppor- 
tunities for  professional  scientific  collectors  are  small  indeed. 
This  is  to  be  regretted  as,  allowing  that  the  study  of  birds  is 
justifiable,  it  follows,  as  a  matter  of  course,  that  the  man  who 
supplies  the  material  is  justified  also  and  is  engaged  in  commend- 
able work.  No  one  person  can  personallv  gather  material  from 
ever^^where,  yet  extra-limital  material  is  just  what  the  serious 
investigator  requires  in  his  work.  Without  a  system  whereby 
the  earnest  student  can,  at  least  partially,  pay  the  expenses  of 
his  explorations,  modern  science  would  still  be  in  the  dark  con- 
dition of  middle  ages.  The  epoch  making  field  works  of  Bates 
or  Wallace  would  have  been  impossible  if  they  had  not  found  a 
market    for    their    wares. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  2.7 

To  hope  that  each  of  our  counties  will  have  facilities  for 
the  proper  and  safe  storage  for  such  valuable  objects  is  perhaps 
to  wish  for  the  millennium.  However,  man}--  of  the  provinces 
are  establishing  museums,  that  should  develop  into  just  such 
repositories  for  provincial  data  and  we  hope  the  time  is  not 
distant  when  this  use  of  them  will  be  more  highly  and  scien- 
tifically developed.  In  the  meantime  we  have  a  Dominion 
Museum,  that  is  prepared  not  only  to  store  but  to  scientifically 
use  such  material  and  is  slowly  building  up  a  national  collec- 
tion for  future  Canadian  students  in  proportion  with  the  growing 
dignity  of  the  country  it  represents.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
time  will  come  when  it  will  take  equal  rank  with  other  national 
museums  of  the  world,  the  British  Museum,  the  Smithsonian 
Institute  and  others  of  like  repute.  To  do  so,  however,  requires 
the  co-operation  and  SA^mpathy  of  the  Canadian  people  as  a 
whole.  No  public  institution  can  do  all  the  necessary  work 
itself  but  must  rely  largely  in  the  building  up  of  its  collections 
and  prestige  upon  the  interest  and  aid  of  the  people  it  represents. 
Thus  grew  the  great  British  Museum  through  the  practical  help 
of  its  private  friends  into  an  institution  that  is  an  imperial  pride. 
On  this  side  of  the  water  the  scientific  and  enthusiastic  generosity 
of  such  men  as  Roosevelt,  Abbot  and  others  who  donate 
large  collections  resulting  from  their  sporting  expeditions  at 
home  and  in  various  parts  of  the  world  to  the  public  good,  as 
represented  by  their  national  institutions,  has  gone  far  to  place 
the  Smithsonian  Institution  well  into  the  forefront  of  scientific 
progress.  Our  people  should  be  no  less  interested  in  the  advance- 
ment of  our  institutions  than  those  abroad  are  to  theirs.  The 
government  alone  can  never  raise  its  museums  to  a  commanding 
position  in  the  world;  the  people  in  their  private  character 
as  individuals  only  can  bring  about  that  consummation  and  with 
them  the  future  of  zoological  science  rests  in  Canada,  as  well  as 
elsewhere . 

On  the  economic  side  of  ornithology  much  work  remains 
to  be  done.  So  far  we  have  been  content  to  draw  from  the 
results  of  the  United  States  Biological  Survey  and  other  workers 
across  the  international  boundary.  In  so  far  as  they  treat  of 
our  species,  their  problems  are  our  problems  and  it  is  question- 
able whether  we  want  to  duplicate  their  work.  They  have  al- 
ready developed  an  elaborate  technical  staff  of  specialists  and 
special  facilities  besides  gathering  an  immense  amount  of 
material  and  data.  We  could  not  compete  with  their  efficiency 
for  many  years.  It  seems,  except  in  the  case  of  special  problems 
of  peculiar  Canadian  interest,  we  can  do  better  by  leaving  the 
bulk  of  such  investigation  to  them,  co-operating  when  possible 


28  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [May 

and  helping  when  we  can,  secure  in  the  knowledge  that  any 
results  arrived  at  in  Washington  are  applicable  here  and  avail- 
able for  our  use.  In  the  meantime  we  will  have  our  hands  and 
time  free  for  other  original  work  and  avoid  unnecessary  and 
wasteful  duplication. 

Systematic  zoology  is  pre-eminently  the  work  of  the  closet 
naturalist  and  though  to  the  laity  it  is  the  proverbial  dry-as- 
dust  work  of  the  naturalist  of  caracture  it  ultimately  underlies 
our  whole  modern  conception  of  life.  The  tracing  out  of  the 
relationships  of  species  is  our  means  of  retracing  the  chain  of 
life  back  through  the  ages  to  its  beginnings.  The  conditions 
under  which  development  arises  gives  us  cities  by  which  we  are 
beginning  to  understand  the  fundamental  principles  of  living 
creation.  It  is  work,  however,  for  the  specially  trained  and 
can  onlv  be  successfully  engaged  in  after  considerable  experiences 
and  preparatory  study.  In  the  ornithological  field,  so  far, 
Canada  has  been  too  busy  with  practical  development  to  give 
much  attention  to  this  field  of  endeavour.  For  the  present, 
therefore,  we  cannot  hope  to  seriotisly  compete  with  older  coun- 
tries who  have  already  trained  their  staffs  and  where  collections 
represent  material  in  series  such  as  ours  do  not  as  yet  contain. 

However,  we  can  all  do  our  mite  towards  preparing  the 
countrv  for  future  work  and  future  needs,  gather  data  and 
specimens  and  gradually  train  a  scientific  body  competent  to 
attack  the  "riddles  of  existence"  from  the  ornithological  side  as 
well  as  from  other  directions.  We  are  all  searching  for  the  truth, 
the  biologist,  the  geologist,  the  physicist,  the  chemist  and  the 
astronomer.  Far  apart  as  we  seem  to  be  in  our  work,  we  are 
all  attacking  the  one  great  question  from  different  directions. 
The  answer  to  an  astronomical  detail  is  often  found  by  the 
geologist  or  the  chemist  and  the  geologist  receives  illumination 
from  the  physicist  and  the  biologist. 

It  is  not  an  overstatement  to  say  that  zoology  has  had  more 
to  do  with  the  development  of  modem  thought  in  its  various 
branches  than  any  other  science.  The  enunciation  of  the  evolu- 
tionary theory  had  a  more  fundamental  effect  upon  current 
thought  and  conception  of  life  than  anything  that  ever  went 
before  it.  Ornithologv  is  a  branch  of  biologv  and  has  done 
its  honorable  share  in  making  the  intellectual  world  what  it  is 
to-day.  If  we,  as  ornithologists  labor  and  do  our  work  con- 
scientiously, with  due  appreciation  of  our  responsibilities  both 
to  science  and  to  mankind,  we  can  shed  the  light  of  our  individual 
tapers  in  some  of  the  dark  places  and  add  our  quota  to  the 
general  enlightenment.  In  the  foregoing  I  have  attempted  to 
outline  or  indicate  a  course  for  such  work. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  29 

MEETINGS  OF  THE  BOTANICAL  BRANCH. 

February  20th,  1915,  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  R.  B.  Whyte. 
^  Mr.  J.  R.  Dickson,  of  the  Forestry  Branch,  spoke  on  the  subject 
"  Forestry  in  Canada."  Mr.  Tulley,  of  the  same  Branch,  also  gave 
a  synopsis  of  the  administrative  data  relating  to  the  Forestry 
Branch  and  showed  a  series  of  very  interesting  lantern  slides, 
illustrating  forestry  problems. 

Mr.  Dickson  aptly  emphasized  the  inconceivable  quantities 
of  timber  used  each  year  in  Canada  by  pointing  out  that  the 
railway  companies  used  one  hundred  and  fifty  millions  of  ties 
each  year,  that  the  1911  cut  was  five  billion  feet  board  measure, 
and  other  facts  involving  stupendous  figures.  In  a  condensed 
yet  clear  and  forceful  way,  he  toviched  on  most  of  the  great  sub- 
jects comprehended  in  the  term  "forestry,"  forestry,  as  he  de- 
cribed  it,  being  "The  Parent  of  Industries." 

He  stated  that  information  available  shows  that  on  60% 
of  the  cropable  land,  timber  can  be  more  profitably  grown  than 
farm  crops.  The  science  of  forest  management  seeks  first  to 
ensure  the  permanence  of  the  lumbering  industry,  and,  secondly, 
to  gain  the  many  other  auxiliary  benefits,  which  nourish  the  life 
of  a  nation.  The  ftmdamental  importance  of  wood  in  nearly 
all  phases  of  indtistrial  life  was  emphasized.  At  present,  there 
is  a  very  small  stand  of  merchantable  timber  in  the  so-called 
"  Great  Northern  Spruce  Forest,"  the  mature  timber  having  been 
nearly  all  swept  away  by  repeated  fires  during  the  past  century. 
An  analogous  condition  exists  in  our  southern  hardwood  belt — 
but  due  to  cutting  rather  than  fire.  Last  year  some  60%  of 
the  hardwood  used  in  Canadian  woodworking  industries  was 
imported. 

It  was  pointed  out  that  the  main  elements  of  a  forest  policy 
for  Canada  must  be: 

(1)  Education  of  public  opinion  in  order  to  provide  the 
authority,  the  money,  the  driving  power. 

(2)  Classification,  according  to  its  producing  capacity,  of 
all  publicly  owned  land,  to  provide  for  permanence  of  use. 

(3)  A  plan  of  cordial  and  mutually  profitable  co-operatiou 
on  an  equitable  basis  of  duties  and  rewards. 

(4)  Organization  on  a  strictly  non-partisan  basis,  of  a  trained 
and  efficient  forest  service  personnel. 

(5)  Provision  and  equipment  for  investigation  and  re- 
search work  relating  to  forest  problems. 

(6)  Whatever  legislation  may  be  required  to  place  trained 
men  in  charge  of  our  forest  lands,  and  insure  uniform  require- 
ments from  every  forest  user. 


30  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [May 

Reference  was  also  made  to  the  relation  of  the  forest  to 
stream  flow  as  affecting  domestic  supply,  irrigation  and  water- 
power,  municipal  and  city  forestry,  and  the  immense  wealth 
of  fish  and  game  in  Canadian  forests. 

Mr.  TuUy,  in  dealing  with  the  administrative  side  of  the 
work,  stated  that  there  were  thirty-one  organized  Forest  Re- 
serves, under  the  control  of  the  Branch,  each  in  direct  charge 
of  a  trained  forester.  The  area  covered  by  these  reserves  was 
43,800  square  miles.  In  addition  to  these  reserves,  there  were 
Fire-ranging  Districts  and  two  Forestry  Stations,  from  which 
young  forest  trees,  etc.,  were  distributed  to  settlers  in  the 
Prairie  Provinces.  One  of  these  stations  was  at  Indian  Head 
and  the  other  at  Sutherland.  From  the  former  over  three  mil- 
lion young  trees  were  distribtited  in  1914.  The  Branch  also  had 
research  laboratories  at  McGill  University,  where  problems 
relating  to  the  products  from  forest  timber  of  all  sorts  were  dealt 
with  by  trained  investigators.     Those  present  were: — 

Messrs.  Attwood,  Buck,  Campbell,  Clark,  Dickson,  Eddy, 
Fryer,  Honeyman,  Lelacheur,  Newman,  Tulley  and  Whyle. 

F.  E.  B. 

March  13th,  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  Geo.  H.  Clark.  Dr.  J.  S. 
Bates,  Superintendent  of  the  Forestry  Products  Laboratory  for 
Canada,  at  McGill  University,  Montreal,  dealt  with  the  subject 
"Wood  Fibre,  Its  uses  in  Pi^lp  and  Paper  Making."  The  sub- 
ject was  handled  in  a  very  able  and  thorough  manner  and  was 
made  still  more  educative  by  a  series  of  well  prepared  lantern 
slides  illustrating  the  fibres  of  various  woods  and  the  pulp  mak- 
ing process  in  the  mills. 

Mr.  Clark,  the  host,  in  introducing  the  speaker,  assured 
him  that  the  members  appreciated  his  coming  from  Montreal 
for  the  purpose  of  addressing  the  Club  and  to  Mr.  D.  A.  Camp- 
bell also  thanks  were  due  for  arranging  Dr.  Bates'  trip  for  this 
purpose. 

After  referring  to  the  botanical  classification  of  the  principal 
and  minor  trees  and  many  varied  plants,  which  were  used,  or 
could  be  tised,  in  the  manufacture  of  paper,  and  the  history  of 
the  various  processes  of  making  forest  timber  into  paper,  Dr. 
Bates  stated  that  at  the  present  time  it  cost  about  two  cents  per 
pound  to  manufacture  paper  from  the  forest  timber,  or  stated  in 
another  way,  forest  timber  suitable  for  paper  making  realized, 
when  sold  as  paper,  the  equivalent  that  it  would  if  sold  as  lum- 
ber at  $40.00  per  1,000  feet  board  measure.  There  were  about 
70  factories  in  Canada  manufacturing  pulp  and  paper.  About 
50  per  cent  of  the  lumber  cut  for  this  purpose  was  shipped  out 
of  the  country  as  pulp  wood,  and  of  the  SO  per  cent  made  into 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  31 

pulp,  one-third  of  that  was  also  shipped  as  pulp,  the  remaining 
two-thirds  being  manufactured  into  paper  in  Canada. 

There  were  four  main  processes  of  manufacture,  and  some 
minor  prbcesses,  which  were  not  commercially  profitable.  The 
beginning  of  the  manufacture  of  paper,  from  wood,  dated  from 
about  1863,  and  the  new  extensive  sulphite  process  from  about 
1883.  The  reason  why  forest  timber  could  be  used  to  such 
advantage  in  paper  making  was  due  to  the  fact  of  the  relative 
shortness  of  its  fibre.  The  length  of  fibre  in  the  Black  and 
Balsam  Spruce  was  better  for  the  manufacture  of  news  print 
paper  than  it  was  in  the  other  woods  of  the  forest.  Black  Spruce 
contributed  70  per  cent  of  the  pulp  used  for  this  purpose  and 
Balsam  Spruce  about  25  per  cent.  In  addition  other  conifers 
such  as  the  Jack  Pine  and  Hemlock  Spruce  were  also  used  in 
limited  quantities,  as  also  were  Poplars  and  Basswood  among 
deciduous  trees.  The  conifers  were  easily  amenable  to  the 
chemical  treatment  necessary  in  paper  making,  while  the  Black 
Spruce  and  Balsam  were  the  two  which  were  also  very  easily 
bleached.  The  lignin,  which  is  in  larger  proportion  in  some 
woods  than  in  others,  is  the  cause  of  discoloration.  The  chemical 
process,  used  to  reduce  spruce  wood,  dissolves  out  most  of  the 
lignin,  leaving  the  65  per  cent  of  cellulose,  which  spruce  contains, 
available  for  paper.  In  one  process  an  alkaline  solution  is  tised 
by  which  the  guins,  resins,  etc.,  of  the  woods  are  dissolved  out. 

By  means  of  the  several  chemical  processes  now  used  the 
best  quality  of  paper  is  made.  The  large  proportion  of  54  per 
cent  of  the  total,  however,  is  made  from  mechanically  ground 
pulp  in  which  the  lignin,  etc.,  still  remains.  In  many  cases  this 
mechanically  made  pulp  is  mixed  with  a  smaller  percentage  of 
chemically  treated  pulp,  which  then  gives  a  paper  of  better 
color  and  quality. 

The  stilphite  is  the  most  important  of  the  chemical  processes. 
This  process  is  one  which  u§es  a  liquor,  made  by  burning  sulphur 
etc.,  in  which  the  pulp  wood  is  cooked.  The  chemical  reactions 
which  result,  involves  the  ketone  compounds,  which  unite  with 
the  stdphur  and  separate  from  the  cellulose.  The  wood  previous 
to  the  ten  hour's  cooking  is  barked  and  chopped  into  small  blocks. 
In  addition  to  the  sulphite  process  the  sulphate  and  the  soda 
processes  are  also  used  in  the  manufacture  of  pulp-wood  into 
paper.  Craft  or  brown  and  all  unbleached  papers  are  made  by 
a  soda  and  sulphide  process. 

Those  present  were: — Messrs.  Bartlett,  Buck,  Blackader, 
D.  A.  Campbell,  R.  H.  Campbell,  Dexter,  Dickson,  Eddy,  Grind- 
ley,  Low,  Lawler,  Masters,  Rice,  Robertson,  Tulley,  and  the  host, 
Mr.  Geo.  H.  Clark.  F.  E.  B. 


32  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [May 

NOTE  ON  A  WOUNDED  DEER. 


On  December  1st,  1914,  the  writer  shot  a  male  deer,  the 
condition  of  which,  owing  to  strange  circumstances,  seems 
worthy  of  record. 

The  animal,  a  Mule  deer  {Odocoileus  hemionus)  had  been 
wounded,  the  wound  being  inflicted  almost  surely  the  previous 
year.  The  bullet  had  entered  from  the  right  side  and  penetrated 
the  flesh  of  both  hind  legs,  just  missing  the  bones,  and  in  passing 
through  had  destroyed  the  genital  glands.  Owing  to  the  injury 
to  the  muscels  both  legs  were  slightly  drawn  up  behind  and 
appeared  somewhat  stiff,  otherwise  the  deer  was  as  active  and 
healthy  as  any  other. 

While  this  animal  had  in  ever}^  respect,  but  one,  made  a 
perfect  recovery,  it  presented,  nevertheless,  several  abnormal 
conditions.  For  instance,  the  deer  was  unusually  large,  weighing 
when  "  dressed' '  184  pounds;  it  also  appeared  far  more  like  a  doe 
than  a  buck.  This  was  particularly  noticeable  in  the  neck 
which  had  lost  all  that  strong  muscular  appearance,  so  charac- 
teristic of  a  stag,  the  neck,  instead,  being  slender  and  doe-like. 
Lastly,  the  horns  are  much  aborted.  Close  to  the  head  is  a  club- 
like excrescence  from  which  several  points  protrude.  The  main 
points,  one  on  each  side,  are  about  ten  inches  long  without 
branches,  the  remaining  ones,  consisting  of  two  on  one  side  of 
the  head  and  five  on  the  other,  vary  from  mere  knobs  to  points 
of  five  inches  in  length.  One  of  the  most  interesting  features 
connected  with  these  horns  is  their  immature  condition,  for  while 
it  was  December,  when  all  normal  horns  had  long  since  become 
hard,  these  were  still  soft  and  in  the  "velvet,"  that  is  to  say, 
still  covered  with  short,  more  or  less  wiry,  gray  hairs.  The  horns 
appeared,  also,  to  be  still  growing,  this  being  evident  from  the 
fact  that  in  falling  the  animal  had  broken  one  of  the  points,  from 
which  blood  trickled. 

From  the  general  appearance  of  the  deer,  taking  into  con- 
sideration its  size  and  the  condition  of  its  teeth,  I  am  convinced 
that  it  was  at  least  five  years  old,  probably  older.  The  im- 
mature conditions  of  the  horns  were  doubtless  due,  in  Dart,  to 
the  wounds  having  taken  many  weeks  to  heal;  while  their 
crumpled  abnormal  shape  and  the  unusual  condition  of  the 
animal  generally  would  be  directly  due  to  the  nature  of  the  wound. 

This  deer  was  extremely  fat  and  the  venison  unusually 
sweet  and  juicy. 

Stuart  Criddle,  Treesbank,  Man. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  33 

A  CHEAP  CASE  FOR  SMALL  MUSEUMS. 


By  Harlan  I.  Smith. 
Geological  Survey,  Ottawa. 

For  many  years  we  have  heard  complaints  from  museum 
curators  and  others  interested  in  museums,  that  there  was  not 
sufficient  money  available  for  the  purchase  of  specimens,  the 
erection  of  a  desired  building,  and  the  making  of  cases.  It  is 
trtie  this  complaint  was  not  always,  though  often,  made  as  a  sort 
of  apology  for  the  lack  of  arrangement  and  labelling,  the  presence 
of  dirt,  and  the  failure  of  the  museum  to  be  useful  to  the  com- 
munity, or  even  interesting  to  the  average  visitor.  Some  mu- 
setims  spend  for  specimens  thousands  of  dollars  annually,  for 
many  years  in  succession,  while  their  exhibition  halls  lack  suf- 
ficient labels  of  all  kinds,  and  especially  the  general  divisional 
labels  and  case  labels  which  are  among  the  first  needed  to  make 
a  museum  useful  to  the  public.  It  is  like  paying  $5.00  for  a 
volume  and  not  reading  it  when  it  were  better  to  buy  a  five  cent 
book  to  read.  It  is  known  by  actual  experience  that  a  few 
hundred  dollars  invested  in  lumber,  stain  and  the  services  of  a 
painter,  will  remove  this  main  stigma  of  faulty  labelling  from  a 
fairly  large  museum.  After  all,  a  museum  had  better  be  with- 
out many  specimens  than  to  be  lacking  in  essential  labels.  One 
specimen,  such  as  a  diamond  or  an  elephant,  may  cost  more  than 
thousands  of  equally  instructive  specimens,  such  as  a  piece  of 
coal  or  a  kernel  of  corn,  and  will  actually  use  up  funds  needed  to 
completely  label  a  large  part  of  a  great  museum  or  an  entire 
small  one.  Many  institutions  waste  years  in  discussing  what 
color,  and  weight  of  cardboard,  or  other  material  is  to  be  used 
for  labels,  and  many  years  pass  before  any  exhibit  is  adequately 
labelled;  it  would  be  better  to  attach  labels — either  written  in 
longhand,  or  by  typewriter,  so  that  the  present  generation  may 
get  useful  service  from  the  exhibit.  Such  tentative  labels 
may  be  replaced  whenever  a  better  kind  is  decided  upon. 

Waiting  for  a  fire-proof,  or  permanent,  or  larger  building 
is  certainly  a  waste  of  time.  I  once  knew  of  a  professor  who 
complained  that  he  could  not  teach  a  number  of  interested 
students  because  he  had  no  class  room,  but  I  believe  I  can  recall 
hearing  of  certain  great  teachers  of  antiquity,  who  taught  their 
disciples  by  the  road  side,  without  either  class  room  or  place  to 
lay  their  heads,  and  this  idea  also  applies  to  museums,  for  after 
all,  the  whole  out-of-doors  is  the  best  museum.  A  comer  in 
every  school-house  may  be  a  museum;  a  nook  in  every  Board 
of  Trade  building  may  serve  the  same  purpose ;  even  the  Sunday 


34  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [May 

School  room  may  have  its  mttseiiin.  A  cheap  inflammable  build- 
ing may  be  a  more  useful  museum  building  than  a  fire-proof 
structure  costing  millions.  In  an  inflammable  building  it  would 
not  be  wise  to  store  valuable  material,  but  in  it  could  be  dis- 
played labels,  pictures,  maps  and  books  illustrated  by  such 
cheap  and  common  specimens  as  elm  leaves,  squash  seeds, 
broken  pebbles,  English  sparrows,  mice,  or  the  skull  of  a  dog. 
A  museum  of  such  specimens,  accompanied  by  appropriate  labels, 
books,  maps,  pictures  and  models,  might  easily  be  of  more  ser- 
vice to  a  community  than  some  existing  museums  costing  say 
ten  times   as  much. 

Case  problems  may  delay  curators  not  months  but  years. 
First  there  is  the  discussion  as  to  what  kind  of  a  case  and 
how  to  make  it  dust  proof;  what  it  should  be  made  of,  the 
color  the  back-ground  is  to  be  painted,  or  whether  burlap  will  be 
used  instead  of  paint.  In  this  way,  while  waiting  for  cases, 
years  go  by.  People  who  would  use  the  museum  grow  old  and 
die.  Children  who  have  time  in  their  receptive  condition  of 
mind  to  profit  most  in  the  museum  grow  up  and  have  their  time 
occupied  by  necessary  labor.  Their  minds  become  blunted  to 
the  useful  impressions  which  they  might  gain  in  the  museum, 
and  still  the  museum  curator  has  not  secured  the  case  he  needs 
for  the  exhibit  in  time  to  benefit  all  the  classes  of  people,  from 
the  old  people  to  the  school  children.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  all 
these  people  could  have  gotten  the  maximum  amount  of  benefit 
from  the  museum,  had  the  specimens  been  exhibited  without 
any  case  at  all,  on  the  wall,  on  tables,  on  the  floor,  or  even  out 
in  the  big  out-door  world,  had  there  been  sufficient  and  ap- 
propriate labelling.  Thus  the  kind  of. material  and  color  of  case 
seems  to  have  little  to  do  with  the  usefulness  of  a  museum.  I 
have  seen  museums  with  black  cases,  white  cases,  reddish  cases, 
yellowish  cases  and  portions  of  museums  with  no  cases  at  all, 
and  every  one  of  these  had  some  exhibits  that  were  superior  in 
graphic  usefulness  to  some  class  of  the  public  than  were  any 
other  exhibits  known  to  me.  No  doubt  the  back-grounds 
should  be  carefully  considered,  certain  colors  being  better  than 
others.  Perhaps  the  relationship  of  colors  or  general  harmony 
and  the  relationship  of  light  and  a  subdued  quietness  of  color  are 
of  extreme  importance,  but  visitors  have  been  in  a  museum 
where  the  cases  were  entirely  white,  been  interested  and  ob- 
tained useful  information  some  little  time  before  noticing 
whether  the  cases  were  white  or  black.  While  black  cases  may 
not  be  advisable,  several  of  our  best  museums  have  them,  and 
in  some  instances  one  sees  the  exhibit  before  it  is  realized  that 
the  case  is  black.    No  doubt  either  a  white  or  a  black  case  may 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  35 

be  very  bad  in  a  wrong  setting,  wrong  relations,  or  if  it  is  not 
harmonious,  and  not  used  wisely. 

The  museum  of  the  Natural  History  Society  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, located  at  St.  John,  has  a  comparatively  small  amount  of 
money  to  spend  each  year.  In  this  the  museum  is  perhaps  for- 
tunate, for  in  so  far  as  the  curator's  funds  permit,  some  of  the 
most  up-to-date  museum  methods  are  actually  being  put  in 
force.  The  curator  has  insufficient  help,  a  comparatively  poor 
building  and  miserable  cases,  yet  he  carries  on  field  research, 
conducts  a  lecture  course  for  adults  and  one  for  school  children, 
so  that  two  lectures  are  given  each  week  during  the  school 
season.  Large  parties  of  young  people  are  taken  out  to  investi- 
gate and  study  in  the  field ;  some  publications  are  issued,  material 
collected  by  school  children  and  sent  to  him  by  their  teachers 
is  identified,  and  the  teachers  of  the  schools  are  provided  with 
nature  study  leaflets  suggested  by  the  object  sent  within  twenty- 
four  hours  of  its  receipt.  Every  school  child  is  interested  in 
what  Willie  Jones  of  School  No.  2  found  yesterday. 

In  autumn  when  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway  supplies 
two  cars  to  be  drawn  over  its  lines  and  side  tracked  for  a  few 
hours, more  or  less,  at  each  station.where  an  audience  may  be  had, 
and  when  these  oars  are  filled  with  exhibits  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Provincial  Government  of  New  Brunswick,  the  curator 
accompanies  the  train.  One  of  the  cars  usually  contains  ej^hibits 
of  pigs,  chickens  and  other  live  stock;  other  exhibits  relating 
to  agriculture  consist  of  bees,  nursery  trees,  cream  separators, 
or  whatever  the  Government  experts  consider  may  uplift  the 
agriculture  of  the  Province.  Our  curator  friend  installs  material 
from  his  museum,  supplemented  by  specimens  collected  for  the 
purpose.  Specimens  of  birds  which  benefit  the  farmer's  crops, 
insects  which  damage  them,  are  shown,  as  well  as  drawings 
hastily  made  with  cheap  materials,  but  which  may  be  fastened 
to  the  walls  of  the  car  or  held  up  while  lectures  are  delivered 
to  the  rural  audiences  on  subjects  which  will  make  their  work 
more  successful  and  pleasant.  But  more  interesting  to  us 
in  the  present  connection  is  the  cheapness  of  the  cases  which  the 
curator  of  the  above  museum  has  had  built  as  a  beginning  to- 
wards those  which  he  intends  to  have  throughout  the  museum 
for  the  housing  of  instructive  and  useful  exhibits,  his  idea  being 
that  while  these  cases  are  not  all  he  would  like  to  have  them,  still 
they  will  serve  the  purpose  so  that  the  public,  old  and  young, 
scientist  and  layman,  may  derive  benefit  from  the  museum  until 
such  time  as  he  has  secured  funds  for  ideal  cases,  and  has  decided 
what  an  ideal  case  is  and  what  color  to  paint  it.  But  now,  he 
has  found  that  if  the  school  children  of  to-day  derive  benefit 


36  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [May 

from  the  exhibits  in  these  cheap  cases,  when  they  are  women  and 
men  of  to-morrow,  his  museum,  though  he  may  then  be  dead, 
will  not  want  for  ideal  cases,  an  ideal  fire-proof  building,  its  own 
railroad  train,  or  even  the  most  valuable  tho^^gh  perhaps  not  very 
instructive  specimens. 

With  this  inspiration,  and  having  in  the  Rocky  Mountains 
Museum  a  need  to  build  at  least  one  case  as  a  sample  and  install 
it  within  three  weeks,  I  designed  a  cheap  case  for  a  small  museum 
or  a  museum  having  small  funds.  A  contractor  in  Ottawa  will 
make  such  a  case  for  $10.00  or  less,  casing  a  museum  for  less  than 
one-fiftieth  the  cost  of  our  finest  cases.  Any  ordinary  house  car- 
penter can  make  such  a  case.  The  materials  may  be  obtained 
wherever  window  sashes  are  to  be  had.  All  the  woodwork  may 
be  cut  to  sizes  at  the  local  mill,  and  this  is  especially  desirable 
where  a  large  number  of  cases  are  to  be  made,  as  it  will  save  much 
of  the  expense  of  the  carpenter  work. 

The  kind  of  wood  and  moulding  may  be  varied  according 
to  what  is  cheapest  and  most  easily  obtainable  where  the  cases 
are  being  made,  care  being  taken,  however,  if  any  moulding  is 
used,  to  choose  that  which  is  simple,  dignified,  and  will  not  gather 
dust.  It  may  be  desirable  to  let  the  size  of  the  glass  panels  and 
even  of  the  case  depend  somewhat  on  the  size  of  glass  that  can 
be  obtained. 

The  advocating  of  a  cheap  case,  its  manufacture,  installa- 
tion and  use,  in  no  way  militates  against  advocating  the  best 
and  most  expensive  cases  on  the  market,  their  manufacttire, 
installation  and  use,  but  on  the  contrary  paves  the  way  for  them. 
The  museum  that  waits  to  be  useful  until  it  can  have  cases  cost- 
ing many  hundreds  of  dollars  each  will  probably  wait  along  time 
for  financial  support.  The  museum  that  teaches  and  otherwise 
becomes  useful  to  the  public  with  clean,  neat,  though  cheap 
cases,  will  gain  the  sound  financial  support  which  it  deserves, 
at  least  as  soon  as  the  children  of  the  present  generation  grow 
to  positions  of  authority,  and  then  the  cheap  cases  may  be  dis- 
carded, or,  better  still,  sold  or  given  to  a  branch  museum  or  a 
small  struggling  museum,  and  replaced  by  the  very  best  cases 
to  be  obtained  on  the  market  or  to  be  manufactured. 


.^^ 


(To  be  continued). 


THE  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

VOL.  XXIX.  JUNE-JULY,    1915  Nos.  3  and  4 

ON  THE  VALIDITY  OF  THE  GENUS   PLETHOPELTIS. 

(Raymond). 

By  Richard  M.  Field. 


While  studying  some  fossils  collected  by  Dr.  Percy  E.  Ray- 
mond from  the  Hoyt  Quarry,  Saratoga,  the  writer  became 
interested  in  the  relationship  of  the  two  forms  which  have  been 
described  by  Walcott  as  Agraulos  saratogensis.  In  his  recent 
description  (7)  of  the  Hoyt  fauna  Dr.  Walcott  has  figured  a 
form  with  strongly  outlined  glabella,  bearing  glabeilar  furrows, 
while  in  his  first  description  of  the  fauna  he  illustrated  under 
this  name  a  specimen  with  smooth  glabella  and  very  faint  circum- 
glabellar  furrow.  This  latter,  or  "  smooth-glabella "  variety,  is 
found  to  predominate  in  the  collection.  A  still  closer  inspec- 
tion of  the  material  seemed  to  show  that  although  both  forms 
may  belong  to  the  same  species,  it  is  extremely  doubtful  if  they 
are  to  be  placed  under  the  genus  Agraulos.  The  writer  believes 
that  the  following  evidence  shows  that  Raymond  was  justified 
in  erecting  his  new  genus  Plethopeltis  for  trilobites  such  as 
Agraulos  saratogensis  Walcott. 

To  determine  the  validit}^  of  the  genus  Plethopeltis  it  is 
necessar}^  to  discuss  the  following  facts.  Raymond,  in  the 
"Revision  of  the  Bathyuridae"  (8)  designated  Agraulos  sara- 
togensis instead  of  Bathyurtis  armaius  Billings,  as  the  type  of 
the  new  genus  Plethopeltis.  It  is  tmdertsood  that  he  did  this 
because  only  a  single  cranidium  of  P.  armatus  was  known  and 
no  pygidium,  while  numbers  of  pygidia  were  found  associated 
with  P.  saratogensis.  Some  doubt  has  recently  been  expressed 
as  to  whether  after  all  the  species  saratogensis  should  be  removed 
from  the  genus  Agraulos.  If  the  latter  be  the  case,  then  the 
genus  Plethopeltis  automatically  drops  out  of  the  nomenclature. 
Ra3^mond's  generic  diagnosis  of  Plethopeltis  is  as  follows : — 

"Cephalon  strongly  convex,  wider  than  long,  without  con-, 
cave  border  or  marginal  rim.     Glabella  faintly  defined,  without 
glabellar   furrows.     Eyes   small,    situated  well   forward.     Free 


38  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [June- July- 

cheeks  rather  wide,  smooth,  with  short  spines  at  the  genal 
angles.  Pygidium  small,  with  few  traces  of  segmentation; 
convex;  no  border." 

The  writer  finds  from  the  investigation  of  the  material 
lately  collected  by  Dr.  Raymond  that  the  characteristics  given 
by  him  as  "glabella  faintly  defined,  without  glabellar  furrows" 
is  neither  a  generic  nor  a  specific  characteristic.  The  present 
collection  fortunately  allows  a  close  comparison  of  the  variety 
first  figured  and  described  by  Walcott  (5),  his  holotype,  and 
the  plesiotype  later  figured  by  him  in  his  description  of  the  Hoyt 
fauna.  Here  we  have  the  two  varieties  closely  associated,  having 
lived  and  died  under  the  same  physical  conditions.  Judging 
from  the  few  well  preserved  specimens  examined  by  the  writer, 
not  more  than  nineteen  in  all,  it  would  seem  that  the  form  with 
the  smooth  glabella  predominated.  Further  and  more  careful 
collecting  is  necessary,  however,  before  this  assertion  can  be 
proved.  It  shotild  be  noted  that  Walcott  in  his  first  description 
already  noted  (p.  276)  noticed  "two  pairs  of  slightly  indented 
glabellar  furrows  that  curve  inward  with  a  slight  backward 
obliquity;  on  the  casts  of  the  interior  of  the  larger  specimens 

the  furrows  are  scarcely  to  be  seen ."     But  he  shows  n,o 

trace  of  these  furrows  in  his  figure.  At  any  rate  the  presence  or 
absence  of  glabellar  furrows  has  in  this  case  at  least,  nothing  to 
do  with  the  generic  classification.  We  shall  have  more  to  say 
regarding  the  development  of  glabellar  furrows  later. 

Walcott  (7)  in  his  second  paper  gives  the  following  descrip- 
tion of  A gr aulas  saratogensis: 

"Head  convex,  slightly  semi-elliptical  in  outline  and 
terminating  in  round,  short,  postero-lateral  spines;  glabella 
moderately  convex,  truncate  conical,  sides  converging  slightly 
towards  the  broadly  rounded  front,  about  ^  longer  than  wide; 
marked  by  two  pairs  of  slightly  indented  glabellar  furrows  that 
extend  inward  with  a  slight  backward  obliquity;  on  the  casts 
of  the  interior  of  the  larger  specimens  the  furrows  are  scarcely  to 
be  seen;  occipital  furrow  well  defined  and  arched  forward  at 
the  centre;  occipital  segment  rising  to  a  short  blunt  spine  at 
the  centre  and  narrowing  toward  the  sides;  dorsal  furrow  well 
defined  abotit  the  glabella.  Fixed  cheeks  narrow;  anteriorly 
they  merge  into  the  broad,  rounded,  frontal  limb  and  posteriorly 
into  the  short  posterior  lateral  limbs ;  palpebral  lobes  small  and 
situated  a  little  in  front  of  the  tranverse  centre  of  the  head. 
The  frontal  limb  about  \  the  length  of  the  head  and  curved 
,down  to  the  margin  without  an  intervening  furrow.  Free 
cheeks  convex  and  somewhat  tumid,  irregularly  triangular  in 
outline  and  -without  a  marginal  border.     The  associated  pygi- 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  39 

diuni  is  convex,  strongly  lobed  and  withcMit  a  distinct  marginal 
furrow.  Axial  lobe  intermarginal,  convex  and  divided  into 
four  annulations  and  an  interior  doublure  by  four  distinct 
transverse  furrows;  lateral  lobes  crossed  by  three  main 
furrows  and  two  shorter  ones,  corresponding  to  the  furrow  on  the 
lateral  lobe  of  the  thoracic  segments,  thus  otitlining  the  anchy- 
losed  segments  in  the  pygidium;  a  fourth  segment  and  the  ter- 
minal portion  are  also  outlined  by  a  faint  ridge.  Thorax  un- 
known. This  is  a  very  distinctly  marked  species  allied  to 
Bathyurus  armatus  Billings."    (4). 

Corda  (1)  was  the  author  of  the  genus  and  the  first  to  figure 
Agraulos  (in  1847)  but  his  drawing  is  so  inaccurate  that  one  can 
hardly  recognize  any  similarity  between  it  and  the  original  type 
described  by  him  as  .4.  delphinocephalus .  Later,  Barrande  (2) 
gave  an  excellent  description  of  the  same  species  under  the  name 
Arionelhis  ceticephahts,  declining  to  use  Corda's  generic  name. 
Barrande's  figures  are  so  accurate  that  the  indices  worked  out 
from  these  compare  favorably,  indeed  very  closely,  with  those 
worked  out  on  the  actual  specimens.  Barrande  does  not  appear 
to  have  noticed  the  presence  of  eye-lines,  a  primitive  aspect  of 
this  species  and  of  many  other  Cambrian  trilobites.  One  has 
but  to  compare  the  indices  (38-64)  to  appreciate  how  widely 
Corda's  figure  differs  from  those  of  Barrande.  x-V  drawing  from 
an  actual  specimen  found  in  the  type  locality  of  Skrey,  Bohemia, 
is  shown  on  the  plate.  Fig.  3.  The  first  mention  of  ^4.  sarato- 
gensis  was  by  Walcott  (3)  in  1879  when  he  listed  it  as  Ptycho- 
paria  {A.)  saratogensis.  In  his  next  paper  (5)  he  referred  the 
species  definitely  to  the  genus  Agraulos.  A  copy  of  his  figure  is 
shown  on  the  accompanying  plate  in  Fig.  2.  Walcott,  (7)  in 
1912,  figures  another  specimen  of  the  same  species  showing  a 
strong  circum glabellar  ftirrow;  glabellar  furrows  and  ridge,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  1.  Both  of  the  varieties  above  described  occur  at 
the  same  horizon  at  the  Hoyt  Quarry.  Raymond,  (8)  in  his 
"  Revision  of  the  Species  which  have  been  referred  to  the  genus 
Bathyurus,"  took  Agraulos  saratogensis  as  his  type  of  the  new 
genus  Plethopeltis,  as  has  been  previously  stated. 

The  writer  made  a  critical  and  comparative  examination 
of  the  features  of  the  four  types  referred  to  above  and  has 
recorded  a  summary  of  his  observations  in  the  accompanying 
plate,  which  is  to  a  large  extent  self-explanatory.  Figures  1  and 
2,  representing  the  two  variations  of  P.  (A.)  saratogensis  are 
drawn  from  specimens  from  the  Hoyt  Quarry.  Figure  3  is 
drawn  from  a  specimen  of  Agraulos  ceticephalus  Barrande. 
Figvire  4  represents  Phethopeltis  armatus  (Billings).  On  the 
right  of  the  figures  are  arranged  in  order  the  chief  characteristics 


40  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [June-July 

of  the  cephalons.  On  the  left  are  placed  the  generic  character- 
istics which  connect  P.  saratogensis  and  P.  armaius.  In 
working  out  of  the  indices,  the  length  of  the  cephalon  was  meas- 
ured from  the  middle  of  the  neck  furrow  to  the  anterior  extremity, 
the  length  of  the  glabella  being  measured  from  the  middle  of 
the  neck  furrow  to  the  anterior  edge.  The  index  in  each  case 
was  derived  by  dividing  the  smaller  by  the  larger  measvirement 
and  multiplying  the  resultant  by  1 ,000  to  make  it  a  whole  num- 
ber. It  was  hoped  that  by  making  careful  measurements 
(within  0.2  5  of  a  mm.)  that  the  indices  would  afford  valuable 
criteria  for  the  classification,  but  unfortunately  the  results  do 
not  appear  to  be  decisive,  probably  because  of  the  lack  of  suf- 
ficient working  material.  Nineteen  specimens  representing  the 
total  available  material  of  P.  saratogensis,  were  measured  and 
their  indices  calculated.  The  average  index  proved  to  be  70 
but  a  careful  inspection  of  the  individual  indices  showed  this 
figure  to  be  tdo  low.  Fourteen  of  the  indices  range  between 
75  and  80;  only  two  fall  below  70,  while  two  others  are  as  high 
as  85.  The  figures  seem  to  show  that  further  collecting  would 
raise  the  average  considerably.  It  is  also  important  to  note  that 
measurements  taken  on  P.  saratogensis  figured  by  Weller  (6)  as 
representative  specimens  from  New  Jersey  show  an  index  of  80. 
The  writer  has  therefore  made  a  conservative  estimate  of  75 
as  the  index  for  P.  saratogensis.  So  far  as  can  be  determined 
at  present  the  index  does  not  vary  between  the  forms  A\dth 
smooth  and  those  with  furrowed  glabella.  Eleven  specimens 
of  A.  ceticephalus  were  measured  and  their  average  index  proves 
to  be  63.  This  average  was  shown  to  be  practically  identical 
with  that  calculated  from  measurements  made  on  Barrande's 
figures.  The  writer  was  forced  to  calculate  the  index  for  P. 
armatus  from  the  original  drawing  by  Billings.  So  far  only  one 
cranidium  of  this  species  is  known,  and  its  high  index  (88)  may 
not  be  entirely  indicative  of  the  average  for  the  species.  All 
the  evidence  seems  to  show  that  the  indices  of  P.  armatus  and 
P.  saratogensis  are  very  similar  and  dissimilar  from  that  of 
A.  ceticephalus.  In  addition,  P.  saratogensis  and  P.  armatus 
have  the  following  characteristics  in  common,  which  in  turn  are 
dissimilar  from  those  of  A.  ceticephahis: 

1.  Greater  convexity  of  the  cephalon. 

2.  Eyes  close  to  the  glabella. 

3.  Cephalon  never  upturned  at  the  anterior  margin. 

4.  Facial  sutures  carried  well  forward. 

5.  Opposite  portions  of  the  circum-glabellar  furrow  nearly 

parallel  and  converging  only  slightly  forward. 
The  writer  therefore  believes  in  the  validity  of  Raymond's 
new    genus. 


1915] 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


41 


Plethopeltis 

saratogensis 


Index ;  75. 

Convexity ;  great. 

Eyes  ;  close  to  glabella . 

Cephalon ;  unvariable,  wider  than 
long,  never  upturned  at  anterior 
margin.  Posterior  development 
into  nucal  spine. 

Glabella ;  circum -glabellar  furrow 
faint  to  strong,  2  pairs  of  faint 
glabellar  furrows  and  median 
ridge. 


Plethopeltis 

saratogensis 


Index;  75. 

Convexity ;  great. 

Eyes  ;  close  to  glabella. 

Cephalon ;    unvariable,  wider  than 

long,  never  upturned  at  anterior 

margin.     Posterior   development 

into  nucal  spine. 
Glabella ;    circum-glabellar    furrow 

faint     to     strong,     no     glabellar 

furrow-,  no  ridge. 


Agraulos 

ceticephalus 


Index  ;  63 . 

Convexity ;  low. 

Eyes  ;  farther  apart  than  in  preced- 
ing. 

Cephalon;  variable,  from  wider  than 
long  to  longer  than  wide,  anterior 
margin  slightly  upturned  in  some 
specimens.     No  nucal  spine. 

Glabella;  no  circum-glabellar  furrow, 
4  pairs  of  glabellar  furrows,  ridge, 
eye  lines. 


Plethopeltis 

armatus 


Index  ;  88  ? 

Convexity  ;  great. 

Eyes  ;  close  to  glabella. 

Cephalon;  only  one  known.  No 
signs  of  upturning  of  anterior 
margin.  Nucal  spine  better  de- 
veloped than  in  1  and  2. 

Glabella ;  circum-glabellar  furrow 
faint  and  dying  out  anteriorly. 
No  glabellar  furrows.     No  ridge. 


Characteristics  common  to  1,  2  and  4. 

1.  Great  convexity. 

2.  Eyes  close  to  glabella. 

3.  Cephalon  never  upturned  at  anterior  margin. 

4.  Facial  sutures  more  nearly  similar. 

5.  Circum-glabellar  furrows  similar  in  outline  and  roughly  paralle 


42  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [June- July 

Development  and  Distribution. 

The  writer  does  not  propose  here  to  discuss  the  genus 
Plethopeltis  but  there  are  one  or  two  points  which  are  of  interest 
regarding  the  morphological  development  and  migration  of  the 
species,  P.  saratogensis.  By  glancing  at  the  diagrams  it  will 
be  seen  that  both  1  and  2  are  referred  to  the  same  species, 
although  certain  morphological  features  are  shown  to  be  more 
strongly  developed  in  one  than  in  the  other.  As  has  been  men- 
tioned previously,  the  "  smooth-glabella "  forms  predominate 
in  the  present  collection  and  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  this 
form  is  also  the  more  stable,  exhibiting  more  specialized  develop- 
ment. Why  the  type  possessing  glabellar  furrows  and  ridge 
should  have  persisted  may  be  attributed  to  some  inhibitor  which 
is  difficult  to  explain  at  present.  At  first  the  writer  was  led  to 
beHeve  that  the  differences  of  glabellar  furrows  and  circum- 
glabellar  furrow  was  one  mainly  of  preservation,  but  a  more 
careftd  inspection  of  the  material  has  led  to  the  conclusion  that 
this  is  not  the  case  and  that  we  have  in  the  specimens  collected 
from  the  Hoyt  Quarries  two  distinct  types,  showing  stages  of 
gradation  from  the  smooth  to  the  furrowed  form.  In  the 
development  of  the  species  the  glabellar  ftirrows  and  ridges  are 
the  first  to  disappear  while  the  circum-glabellar  furrow  often 
persists  into  the  more  specialized  individual. 

Gushing  and  Rudemann  (9)  describe  the  rocks  in  which  the 
species  occur  as  follows: 

" the  Hoyt  is  a  local  phase  of  the  upper  Theresa, 

probably  an    off-shore  phase .     The  waters  were   clearer, 

less  subject  to  incursions  of  sand,  Crytozoon  reefs  flourished  as 
they  did  not  in  the  normal  Theresa,  and  trilobites  and  gastro- 
pods lived  on  the  surface  of  the  reefs,  where  we  find  their  fossil 
remains  to-day." 

When  we  consider  the  specimens  of  .4.  saratogensis  de- 
scribed by  Weller  (6)  from  New  Jersey  we  notice  here  that  only 
the  "smooth  glabella"  forms  are  represented.       Weller  stated 

that  :  " glabellar     furrows are     wholly 

absent  from  the  New  Jersey  specimens."  The  pygidia  associated 
with  the  New  Jersey  specimens  do  not  entirely  agree  with  the 
description  of  that  portiom  of  the  animal  as  it  occurs  at  Saratoga, 
the  transverse  furrows  being  much  less  conspicuous.  Notwith- 
standing these  differences  the  specific  indentity  of  the  specimens 
from  these  two  localities  can  hardly  be  questioned.  Most  of 
the  specimens  observed  are  smaller  than  the  one  illustrated, 
some  of  them  being  less  than  5  m/m.  in  length.  The  writer  also 
found  a  large  number  of  small  individuals  amongst  the  specimens 
from  the  Hoyt  Quarry,  but  these  were  not  measured  for  obvious 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  43 

reasons.  It  wotild  seem  as  if  Saratoga  were  the  centre  of  dis- 
tribution for  this  species  and  that  only  the  fixed  type  was  able 
to  migrate. 

Bibliography. 

1.  A graulos  delphinocephalMS  Hawle  and  Covda.  Prodrom. 
einer  Monographie  der  bohemischen  Trilobiten,  1847.  Taf.  3, 
fig.,  13. 

2.  Arionellus  ceticephalus  Barrande.  Systeme  Silurien 
du  Centre  de  la  Boheme,  1852,  vol.  1,  Part  1.  pi.  10,  figs.  1-20. 

3.  Piychoparia  (A.)  saratogensis  Walcott,  1879.  Thirty- 
second  Rep'.  N.Y.  State  Museum  Nat.  Hist.,  p.  131. 

4.  Bathyurus  armatus  Billings.  Paleozoic  Fossils  of 
Canada.     Vol.  1,  1865,  p.  411. 

5.  Agraulos  saratogensis  Walcott.,  1890.  Proc.  U.  S.  Nat. 
Mus.,  vol.  13,  pi.  21,  fig.  14. 

6.  Agraulos  saratogensis  Weller.,  1903.  Pal.  N.  J.,  vol.  3„ 
pl.  l,fig.  7. 

7.  Agraulos  saratogensis  Walcott.  1912.  Smithsonian- 
Misc.  Col.,  vol.  57.  pi.  43,  fig.  11. 

8.  Plethopeltis  saratogensis  Ra^^mond.  1913,  Bull.  1,  Vic, 
Mem.   Mus.   p.   64. 

9.  Agraulos  saratogensis  Cushing  and  Ruedemann,  1914,, 
Bull.  169,  N.  Y.  State  Mus.  Rep.,  pp.  41-42. 

Department  of  Geology, 

Harvard  University. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

The  Editor,  The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 

Mr.  P.  A.  Taverner's  "Suggestions  for  Ornithological  Work 
in  Canada,"  strike  the  right  note.  At  present  we  Canadian  bird 
lovers  are  more  in  touch  with  Washington,  D.C.,  than  with  our 
own  Ottawa.  Only  a  few  of  us  even  know  each  other.  By  the 
formation  of  an  Audubon  Society  in  Winnipeg  recently  an 
attempt  has  been  made  to  bring  bird  observers  together.  Hardly 
anyone  in  the  West  outside  a  limited  circle  is  aware  of  the 
splendid  original  work  of  Norman  Criddle  and  his  brother  Stuart. 
Probably  none  of  your  readers  have  the  least  idea  that  in  A.  G. 
Lawrence,  of  Winnipeg,  and  H.  E.  Pittman,  of  Wauchope,  Sask., 
there  are  some  rising  lights  in  nature  lore,  especially  in  ornitho- 
logy. I  could  name  a  few  qthers,  old  and  young,  who  might 
be  linked  together  for  the  purposes  suggested  by  Mr.  Taverner. 
As  a  writer  of  sorts  and  as  a  lecturer  on  our  birds  I  am  impresse  d 
by  the  unused  material  lurking  in  Manitoba  alone. 

H.  M.  SPEECHLY,  Pilot  Mound,  Man. 


44  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [June-Jtdy 

A  CHEAP  CASE  FOR  SMALL  MUSEUMS. 


By   Harlan  I.  Smith. 

Geological  Survey,  Ottawa. 

(Continued  from  page  36). 


One  form   and    size    of    this    case   is   practically  a    simple 
box,  three  feet  wide  over  all  with  a  window  sash  screwed  on  as  a 
cover.     The    sides    of   the   case  may   be  7  feet   high.     The  top 
and  bottom  of  lyi  inch  material,  1  foot  wide,  is  set   in  about 
2ys  inches,  more  or  less,  from  the  ends  of   the  sides.       These 
four  boards  constitute  the  box'  frame   without   front    or  back. 
A   piece   2}4   inches  wide    and   as   thick    as  the  window   sash, 
usually  13/i,    or,    better,    1}4    is    nailed    across    from    side    to 
side  at  the  top  and  bottom  of  both  front  and  back  to  strengthen 
the  frame  and  to  cover  the  space  above  and  below  the  top  and 
bottom  of  the  case;  the  lower  one  also  serves  as  a  support  upon 
which  the  lower  edge  of  the  glass  front  and  glass  or  wooden  back 
frames  may  rest.      This  2,^/2 -inch  strip  only  partly  covers  the 
edge  of  the  top  and  bottom,  so  that  the  screws  holding  the  front 
and  back  may  be  inserted  into  the  top  and  bottom,  but  also  so 
that  there  may  be  no  crack  or  space  from  the  front  or  back  into 
the  space  left  at  the  outside  of  the  top  and  bottom  of  the  case. 
A  kicking  moulding  may  then  be  put  across  from  side  to  side 
at  the  bottom  of  the  case,  both  front  and  back,  but  it  should 
not  project  beyond  the  sides  of  the  case,  as  this  would  prevent 
several  cases  being  placed  close  together,  side  by  side.      In  short, 
the  sides  of  the  case  should  be  flush.      A  board  is  next  put  over 
the  top  of  the  case  to  keep  dust,  etc.,  from  gathering  in  the  space 
outside  of  the  case  top,  and  to  give  the  case  finish.      This  board 
should  project  an  inch  or  two  in  front  and  behind,  but  as  in  the 
case  of  the  kickboard  should  not  extend  beyond  the  sides  of  the 
case  except  where  a  case  is  to  stand  alone.     A  moulding  may  be 
placed  below  this  top  in  the  corner  between  it  and  the   2  >^ -inch 
strip  across  the  top  of  the  front  of  the  case  according  to  taste. 
The  general  label  of  the  entire  case  may  then  be  fastened  on 
this  moulding  on  the  2  ^/2  inch  strip  or  from  the  cover  of  the  case 
to  the  214  inch  strip,  by  means  of  round  headed  screws  through 
the  middle  of  the  end  of  the  label  board.      In  fact  one  purpose 
for  having  the  case  extend  above  the  top  of  the  exhibition  space, 
that  is  above  the  top  of  the  glass  sash,  is  to  provide  this  space 
for  a  case  label.     On  the  other  hand  a  case  label  may  be  painted 
directly  on  the  2}^  inch  strip,  or  the  sash. 


[1915  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  45 

The  front  of  the  case  is  made  of  a  simple  window  sash,  such 
as  may  be  obtained  in  any  town  where  a  sash  and  door  factory 
exists,  or  for  that  matter  any  place  where  houses  are  built.  It 
is  fastened  with  round  headed  screws  engaging  the  edge  of  the 
sides  and  top  of  the  case,  the  frame  resting  upon  the  2^  inch 
strip  across  the  lower  part  of  the  case.  By  screwing  the  frame 
on,  it  is  not  necessary  to  go  to  the  expense  of  hinges  and  locks. 
The  screw  holes  may  be  soaped,  waxed,  or  m.etal  screw  sockets 
may  be  used  if  it  seems  desirable  to  go  to  that  expense.  A 
screwdriver  serves  as  a  key.  Moreover,  by  drawing  the  screws 
tight,  the  case  may  be  made  as  near  dust-proof  as  is  necessary 
in  a  small  museum.  In  fact  much  more  fuss  is  made  about 
dust-proof  cases  and  about  getting  fine  cases  than  about  using 
them,  after  fine  dust-proof  cases  are  obtained;  that  is,  the 
curator's  energy  seems  to  be  used  up  in  getting  building,  cases, 
and  specimens ;  then  he  rests  on  his  oars  as  a  rvile,  leaving  the 
exhibits  without  understandable  labels,  and  practically  useless. 
A  little  attention  given  to  wiping  otit  cases,  cleaning  specimens 
and  looking  to  the  upkeep  of  the  specimens  in  most  cases  would 
be  cheaper  and  quicker  than  giving  so  mvich  attention  to  dust 
and  insect  proof  cases.  Moreover,  going  over  the  specimens 
say  once  a  year  for  such  a  purpose,  the  curator  could  hardly  fail 
to  note  the  lack  of  order  and  labels,  and  many  things  which  he 
would  then  want  to  do  to  improve  the  usefulness  of  his  exhibit. 
However,  cotton  tape  or  wicking  set  in  a  planed  groove  may 
be  added  to  exclude  dust  if  desired. 

The  frame  should  be  cut  down  on  the  outer  sides  and  ends 
as  much  as  is  consistent  with  sufficient  strength  to  hold  the  glass, 
but  of  course  it  cannot  be  cut  down  to  less  than  the  "^/i  of  an  inch 
necessary  to  cover  the  edges  of  the  sides  and  top  of  the  exhibi- 
tion case,  to  which  it  is  screwed.  The  glass  should  be  in  the 
largest  pieces  obtainable,  up  to  the  full  size  of  the  frame,  and 
where  more  than  one  piece  of  glass  is  required  preference  should 
be  given  to  running  the  mullions  horizontally  so  that  they  may 
the  more  often  fall  opposite  a  horizontal  shelf  edge  instead  of 
vertically  across  the  line  of  vision.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say 
that  the  glass  should  be  of  the  best  quality  which  the  museum 
can  afford,  and  certainly  shotdd  be  free  from  blebs  and  other 
blemishes.  If  it  is  sufficiently  heavy,  there  will  be  no  need  of 
disfiguring  signs  requesting  visitors  not  to  lean  on  the  glass. 

Shelves  may  be  cut  about  Vi  of  an  inch  shorter  than  the  top 
and  bottom  of  the  case,  so  that  they  may  be  moved  easily  and 
may  rest  upon  round  headed  screws,  or,  still  better,  on  screw 
eyes  turned  horizontally  in  the  sides  of  the  case,  one  at  each 
corner  of  the  shelf.     When  it  is  necessary  to  raise  or  lower  the 


46  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [June-July 

shelf  these  screws  are  easily  changed  and  the  holes  may  be 
puttied  up  and  touched  with  color,  although  if  left  they  will 
no  more  disfigure  the  case  than  the  ordinary  ratchets  used  for 
holding  shelves  at  various  heights.  The  case  may  be  stained 
or  painted  with  a  dull  finish,  certainly  not  a  very  glossy  var- 
nish, perhaps  preferably  with  a  thin  wash,  to  give  it  a  somewhat 
neutral  color  in  harmony  with  that  of  the  walls  of  the  building 
in  which  it  is  to  stand. 

The  back  of  the  case,  it  seems,  should  certainly  be  put  on  in 
the  same  way  as  the  front,  so  that  if  it  is  ever  desirable  to  turn 
the  case  at  right  angles  and  have  glass  upon  both  front  and  back, 
the  back  may  be  removed  and  a  glass  frame  similar  to  the  one  in 
front  may  be  put  on  as  easily  as  one  would  open  and  shut  the 
case  to  put  in  or  take  out  a  specimen.  If  the  back  is  to  be  solid 
woodwork,  which  is  perhaps  desirable  where  heavy  things  are 
to  be  hung  from  it,  care  should  be  taken  that  it  is  built  so  that 
the  expansion  and  contraction  due  to  changes  in  the  weather 
or  the  heating  of  the  building  may  not  strain  the  rest  of  the  case, 
and  the  boards  should  run  up  and  down  or  crosswise  rather  than 
either  diagonally  or  possibly  even  in  panels,  so  that  they  may 
not  be  optically  disagreeable  in  connection  with  the  exhibit. 
Perhaps  as  good  a  way  as  any  woidd  be  to  let  the  back  of  the 
case  be  a  frame  with  compo  board  instead  of  glass,  as  the  compo 
board  could  be  replaced  at  any  time  glass  was  desired,  and 
meanwhile  would  serve  very  well  as  a  background  to  exhibits 
or  upon  which  to  hang  exhibits  that  were  not  too  heavy.  A 
diaphragm  set  back  against  the  rear  frame  would  serve  for 
heavy  objects  and  be  desirably  smooth  or  could  be  covered  with 
burlap,  paint,  paper,  or  what  not,  as  desired. 

When  the  case  has  glass  front  and  back,  that  is,  when  the 
exhibit  is  to  be  viewed  from  two  sides,  or  when  it  is  not  desirable 
to  use  the  full  depth  of  the  case  for  the  exhibit  on  hand,  a  dia- 
phragm about  14  of  an  inch  shorter  and  narrower  than  the  inside 
of  the  case  may  be  inserted  at  any  distance  from  the  front  of 
the  case,  and  held  in  place  either  with  round  headed  screws 
through  the  sides  of  the  case  or  with  small  angle  irons  or  ^-inch 
cove,  in  front  and  behind  the  diaphragm  at  the  corners,  or 
oftener  according  to  taste  and  the  amount  of  strength  desired. 
This  method  of  fastening  the  diaphragm  allows  it  to  be  adjusted 
or  removed  in  a  very  few  minutes  with  practically  no  waste  and 
no  unsightly  scars  which  could  not  be  retouched  with  putty 
and  colored,  or  which  if  not  retotiched  would  be  no  more  un- 
sightly than  the  complicated  and  expensive  diaphragm  holders 
usually  used. 

The  cases  should  be  made  in  uniform  sizes  or  multiple  sizes 
like  sectional  book  cases,  so  that  they  may  be  moved  about  and 


1915] 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


47 


M 


-\ 


?    »- 


^ 


AWJ.:  -^^iw; 


reassembled,  for  instance,  by  placing  two  3-foot  cases  side  by- 
side  to  harmonize  with  a  6-foot  case,  and  so  on,  or  by  placing 
two  cases  6  inches  deep  back  to  back,  to  approximately  har- 
monize with  a  case  1  foot  deep.  Cases  should  never  be  fastened 
to  the  walls  of  the  room  in  such  a  way  that  when  they  are  moved 
the  room  is  disfigured,  requiring  replastering,  repainting  of  the 
replastered  part,  and  then,  as  so  often  happens,  repainting  of 
the  entire  ];t)om  because  it  is  discovered  that  the  patch  of  new 
painting  does  not  match  the  whole  because  of  its  freshness.  A 
little  forethought  along  these  lines  will  save  a  large  portion  of 
the  funds  of  museums  which  might  be  used  for  other  purposes, 
instead  of  being  thrown  on  the  junk  heap. 

If  it  is  desirable  to  let  light  in  one  or  both  sides  of  the  case 
they  may  be  made  like  the  front  and  back,  but  then  care  must 
be  taken  that  the  frame  is  large  enough  to  hold  the  screws  neces- 
sary for  support- 
ing any  shelves 
used.  If  a  dia- 
phragm is  used, 
the  screws  to 
hold  the  rear 
corners  of  the 
shelves  may  be 
inserted  in  the 
diaphragm. 

These  general 
plans  may  be 
varied,  the  cases 
may  be  made  of 
various  heights, 
various  widths, 
and  various 
depths.  They 
may  be  built 
with  higher  or 
lower  bases  and 
tops ;  or  again 
shorter  cases 
may  be  built  and 
placed  upon 
tables  or  pedes- 

,     tals ;  cases  may 

be  super-impos- 
ed or  hung  upon 
a  wall.  Very 
largecases  might 


/2 


i 


—  Sc(;tion  —  —  ftoNT    V'lESSf  — 


48  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [June-July 

be  made  on  this  same  principle,  by  substituting  frames 
with  glass  in  place  of  the  wooden  sides  of  the  cases,  it 
being  only  necessary  in  such  cases  to  carry  the  sides  up  and  down 
from  the  top  and  bottom  of  the  frame  in  the  same  manner  that 
the  front  and  back  is  carried  up  and  down.  If  the  case  is  so 
large,  as  for  habitat  groups, that  it  is  necessary  to  have  more  than 
one  frame,  a  mullion  to  which  to  screw  the  frames  may  be  in- 
serted between  the  top  and  bottom  of  the  case  where  necessary, 
but  this  should  not  project  sidewise  beyond  the  wooden  frame. 
By  this  means  the  amount  of  wood  exposed  to  view  is  kept  at  a 
minimum,  whereas  in  many  cases  such  as  we  often  see,  the  mul- 
lion is  exposed  to  view  and  the  frames  are  on  each  side  of  it, 
making  three  thicknesses  of  wood  to  obscure  the  exhibit  instead 
of  only  two.  If  desired,  a  moulding  can  be  screwed  over  the 
crack  where  the  frames  meet,  and  if  fastened  to  one  of  the  frames 
that  frame  may  be  taken  off  first  in  opening  and  closing  the  case, 
which  will  save  the  trouble  of  unscrewing  the  moulding. 

In  the  simple  cases  the  front  and  back  sashes  may  all  be 
made  the  same  size;  where  the  cases  are  not  very  deep  and 
sashes  are  tised  in  the  sides,  it  will  of  course  be  necessary  to 
have  a  smaller  size  of  sash  for  the  sides;  but  if  the  cases  are 
very  large  this  will  not  be  necessary,  although  it  will  make  any 
attempt  at  a  square  case  as  much  longer  than  it  is  wide  as  twice 
the  thickness  of  the  sash,  unless  the  frame  at  each  corner  laps 
the  same  direction. 

One  of  the  simple  forms  of  these  cases  three  feet  wide  by 
one  foot  by  seven  feet,  was  made,  with  the  exception  of  the 
frame  and  glass,  by  two  carpenters,  during  the  time  which  they 
could  take  from  other  work  in  a  single  day  while  assisting  in 
reorganizing  the  Rocky  Mountains  Park  Museum.  It  was 
thought  that  the  frame  and  glass  could  be  put  on  later  The 
case  was  wanted  immediately  and  an  exhibit  was  installed  in  it 
as  soon  as  it  had  been  given  a  coat  of  stain.  This  seemed  a 
fair  test  of  the  cheapness,  ease  and  speed  with  which  such  cases 
could  be  made  available. 

The  specifications  which  have  been  made  by  Mr.  P.  A. 
Taverner  to  accompany  this  description  are  for  a  somewhat  more 
complicated  and  slightly  more  expensive  case,  and  consequently 
a  number  of  the  dimensions  and  methods  of  construction  are 
slightly  different. 

SPECIFICATIONS.— By  P.  A.  Taverner. 

Material — Lumber. 

All  material  in  case  to  be  of  clear,  white  pine,  whitewood 
or  other  material  most  readily  obtainable  in  locality,  in  clear 
lengths  free  from  large  or  unsound  knots  or  shakes. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  49 

All  exposed  work  may  be  in  oak  or  other  wood  to  match 
fittings  a,lready  installed. 

Sash. 

To  be  IH  inch  thick  of  common  stock  pattern — rails  and 
styles  2  inch  wide  from  glass  to  jamb,  and  of  sizes  as  shown. 

Top  and  Sides. 

May  be  of  ?^  stuff  with  H  inch  by  IH  rebate  along  sash 
jamb  or  may  be  built  up  of  two  thicknesses  of  X  inch  stuff.  The 
inner  lining  being  of  matched  stuff  well  cramped  together  and 
blind  nailed. 

Diaphragm  to  be  supplied  only  where  desired. 

To  be  of  J4  inch  stuff  fastened  together  with  flush  end 
styles  well  nailed  to  prevent  warping.  All  should  be  covered, 
both  sides  with  burlap  or  other  covering  material,  or  paneled 
according  to  decoration  or  other  scheme  of  museum.  Dia- 
phragm to  be  held  upright  and  in  place  by  1  inch  by  1  inch  by 
}4  inch  iron  angles  screwed  to  top  and  bottom  of  case  on  either 
side  of  diaphragm.  For  three-foot  cases  there  should  be  two 
pairs  of  such  angles,  top  and  bottom,  and  for  six-foot  cases  there 
should  be  three  such  pairs.  Diaphragms  may  be  moved  to  any 
situation  in  case  by  changing  position  of  angles. 

Shelves. 

Shelves  for  light  specimens  may  be  supported  by  screw  eyes 
inserted  in  ends  and  diaphragm  or  mullions  as  indicated  on 
drawings,  turning  them  flatways  and  allowing  them  to  project 
enough  to  engage  shelves.  For  heavy  specimens,  iron  brackets — 
stock  sizes,  or  Shrosbree  specimen  hangers  may  be  used  when- 
ever needed.  If  a  coarse  burlap  is  used  over  diaphragm,  screws 
may  be  put  in  and  removed  as  many  times  as  necessary  without 
causing  disfiguring  scars  on  the  surface. 

Base  or  Mopboard. 

To  be  stock  6  inch  base  of  whatever  design  may  be  desired 
and  may  be  readily  obtained  at  local  lumber  yard  or  mill. 

Sides. 

All  sides  of  cases  to  present  perfectly  flush  surface,  so  that 
two  or  more  cases  may  be  butted  together  to  appear  as  one  case 
without  tmsightly  or  dust  catching  spaces  between. 

Cases  may  be  made  in  units  of  either  1  or  2  sash.  A  1 
sash  case  will  then  be  just  half  the  length  of  the  2  sash  cases 
and  will  line  up  with  them  in  series.  The  sashes  are  to  be  fas- 
tened in  place  by  2^  inch  brass,  round  headed  screws,  driven 
through  the  sash  into  the  frame  behind.     With  this  method 


50 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


[June-July 


neither  locks  or  hinges  are  necessary,  and  all  can  be  constructed 
by  an  ordinary  carpenter  without  special  joinery  skill. 

Glass. 

To  be  the  sizes  shown  and  of  as  good  quaUty  as  procurable 
tinder  the  circumstances.  The  principal  faults  to  be  looked  for 
being  color,  waves,  bubbles  or  flaws. 


Diaphragm 
SECTlOri  A-A 


Diapbragmi 


^ 


Section  p-p 
Scale:  it"  1' 


ii.LE:V>Oriort 


SczJe .  4" 


m 


r 


Plan  of   corner 

OF-   A   CASE     WHtRC, 
SlJiaS    tMO  IS     OESlRtD. 


Section  c-c 

Scale 


Section  B-B 


A    CHEAP   case:    rOR    MU5E:UM5 

OESISMEX)     BY    HARUAN  1. SMITH 
WITH 
PLAN    UNO    SPECiriCATlOH  .  BY     P.  A  .  TAVtRNtR 


GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. CANADA 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  51 

CONCHOLOGICAL  NOTES. 

But  few  mussels  have  been  recorded  from  the  Hudson  Bay- 
drainage  area  of  Ontario,  though  many  must  occur. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Tyrrell,  who  explored  the  District  of  Patricia  in 
1913,  found  Unio  (Lampsilis)  luteolus  in  the  Fawn  and  Severn 
about  lat.  54°  N.  The  species  doubtless  extends  down  to  Hud- 
son Bay  as  it  does  down  the  Mackenzie.  The  shells  are  smaller 
and  lighter  in  color  than  these  of  the  same  species  from  the 
Rideau  river  and  the  Rideau  canal.  In  the  latter  between 
Bank  and  Concession  Streets,  Ottawa,  they  are  ordinarily  of 
large  size,  green  in  color,  and  beautifully  rayed.  The  Patricia 
shells  resemble  closely  the  L.  luteola  found  in  Lake  Nipissing  at 
North  Bay,  and  in  Lake  Talon,  near  Rutherglen,  but  are 
not  as  yellow  on  the  same  species  from  Lake  Gauvreau  in  the 
Gatineau  hills. 

No  mussel  peculiar  to  America  has  a  wider  range  than  this. 
It  is  found  from  the  Brazos  of  Texas  to  the  Arctic  Circle  and 
from  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  Hudson 
drainage  areas.  Throughout  this  vast  extent,  under  conditions 
varying  from  crystal  lakes  and  streams  to  muddy  sloughs  and 
pools,  in  polar  cold  and  torrid  heat,  it  preserves  unvaried  the 
pecuhar  undulations  of  the  beaks  which  distinguish  it  from 
alhed  species.  It  thus  affords  a  striking  proof  of  the  proposi- 
tion of  Quatrefages,  that  specific  characteristics — properly  so- 
called — are  not  permanently  affected  by  environment. 

An  Anodonta  found  by  Mr.  Tyrrell  in  the  Fawn  river  has 
the  beaks  so  eroded  that  it  cannot  be  identified.  It  is  not  im- 
probably A.  kennicottii  Lea,  which  was  described  from  Lake 
Winnipeg  and  Great  Slave  lake. 

Another  lot  of  mussels  from  Northern  Ontario  was  collected 
in  1914  by  Mr.  J.  K.  Latchford  in  the  Missinaibi,  where  on  its 
way  to  Hudson  Bay  it  flows  under  the  National  Transconti- 
nental Railway,  about  twenty  miles  east  of  Hearst.  They  are 
mainly  L.  luteola,  but  include  two  Anodontae  which  may  be 
undescribed.  Throughout  Ontario,  especially  northward,  the 
Anodontae,  or  paper-shell  mussels,  abound.  It  is  seldom,  how- 
ever, that  any  but  mature  specimens  are  collected.  The  beaks  of 
old  shells  are  nearly  so  always  eroded  that  positive  identification 
is  extremely  difficult,  except  in  the  case  of  a  few  species  with 
prominent  characteristics.  The  result  outside  of  narrow  limits 
is  absolute  confusion.  It  is  safe  to  say  the  only  thin-shelled 
mussels  found  near  Ottawa  which  can  be  identified  with  any 
certainty  are  A.  (Strophitus)  edentula  Say  A.  cataracta  Say  (= 
ftuviatilis  Dillw.  of  our  lists)  and  A.  subcylindracea  Lea.     Many 


52  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [June-July 

others  undoubtedly  occur.  In  the  Rideau  canal  for  instance, 
while  it  is  impossible  to  distinguish  two  species  among  the  large 
Anodontae  found  there,  a  series  of  young  shells,  such  as  may 
easily  be  obtained  in  the  little  bay  on  the  left  side  of  the  canal 
immediately  above  Hartwell's  Locks,  demonstrates  the  pres- 
ence of  two  species — one  certainly  cataracta  Say,  and  the  other 
probably  implicata  Say.  I  used  the  word  "probably"  because 
I  do  not  know  what  the  5^oung  of  implicata  are  like,  and  I  know 
of  no  satisfactory  description.  Stimpson  in  his  Descriptive 
Catalogue  of  the  Naiades  (Detroit,  1914)  says  "their  sculpture 
consists  of  straight  bars  running  parallel  with  the  linge  line,  or 
they  may  be  slightly  curved  and  sometimes  a  little  corrugated, ' ' — 
which  seems  to  me  a  confounding  of  two  species.  The  beak 
sculpture  of  the  Unionidae  is — I  have  observed — for  any  species 
invariable.  A.  cataracta  in  every  stage  of  growth  has  been 
collected  by  the  writer  in  at  least  fifty  localities  in  Quebec  and 
Ontario — from  the  lakes  in  the  Laurentides  to  Toronto  Bay, 
where  it  occurs  with  A .  grandis  Say — and  the  undulations  of  the 
beaks,  when  they  could  be  made  out,  were  in  every  case  the  same. 

In  addition  to  the  three  species  named,  man}^  others  occur  in 
the  Ottawa  valle}^,  but,  until  large  series  of  shells  are  procured 
in  every  stage  of  growth,  they  cannot  be  determined,  or,  if  new, 
described.  It  is  really  not  more  difficult  to  collect  the  young 
of  mussels  than  to  collect  other  small  bivalves ;  that  they  cannot 
be  seen  should  not  prevent  a  search  for  them — nor  the  fact  that 
they  are  often  far  less  numerous  than  adults.  A  wire  bowl 
.strainer  with  a  suitable  handle  will  often  produce  the  most 
astonishing  returns  from  places  that  appear  quite  barren  of 
mollusc  an  life. 

Tjll  the  Missinaibi  is  visited  by  an  experienced  collector,  the 
Anodontae  from  it  can  be  regarded  as  only  probably  new. 

Among  the  Missinaibi  shells  are  two  medium  sized  examples 
of  Unio  pressus  Lea,  now  designated  Symphonota  compressa 
Lea.  In  addition  of  the  localities  mentioned  in  previous  notes — 
the.  Rideau  at  Strathcona  Park  and  Paquette's  Rapids,  near 
Pembroke  and  Moore's  Creek  on  the  A3dmer  Road,  and  a  brook 
crossing  the  Opeongo  Road,  near  Foymount,  in  the  County  of 
Renfrew,  afford  this  attractive  little  mussel.  It  has  been 
recorded  from  as  far  north  as  the  Montreal  river  near  Sault  Ste. 
Marie  (Stimpson,  Des.  Cat.  483)  but  has  not  hitherto  been  known 
to  exist  in  the  Hudson  Bav  drainage. 

L. 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


Vol.  XXIX.   Plate  1 


Illustrating  Dr.  Raymond's  paper  "  Revision  of  the  Canadian  Species  of 

'  Agelacrinites.'  " 


THE  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 


>. 


VOL.  XXIX.       AUGUST-SEPTEMBER,  1915       Nos.  5  and  6 

REVISION  OF  THE  CANADIAN   SPECIES  OF 
"AGELACRINITES." 


By  Percy  E.  Raymond* 

There  are  two  famous  regions  for  these  pretty  medallion- 
like little  fossils,  one  in  the  Trenton  formations  of  Ontario,  and 
the  second  in  the  younger  Cincinnatian  and  Richmond  strata 
of  southern  Ohio  and  Indiana.  The  localities  in  Ontario  have 
produced  by  far  the  more  perfect  specimens,  but  those  found  in 
the  higher  strata  of  the  "Cincinnati  dome"  are  generally 
larger.  The  specimens  found  in  the  latter  region  are  almost 
always  attached  to  a  shell  of  some  sort,  most  often  abrachiopod, 
generally  a  Rafinesquina.  In  Ontario  it  is  very  unusual  to  find 
a  specimen  attached  to  any  foreign  object,  though  such  specimens 
do  occur. 

It  has  been  the  custom  to  refer  all  the  Canadian  specimens 
to  two  species,  Agelacrinites  hillingsi  Chapman  and  A.  dicksoni 
Billings,  while  a  third  name,  Agelacrinites  chapmani,  has  been 
current,  and  ascribed  to  Billings,  though  I  cannot  find  that 
such  a  species  was  ever  described.  In  the  present  paper 
several  new  species  are  described.  More  adequate  illustrations 
will  be  given  in  a  paper  soon  to  be  published  in  the  Bulletin  of 
the  Victoria  Memorial  Museum. 

Genus  Lebetodiscus  Bather. 

Lebetodiscus,  Bather,  Geol.  Mag.  dec.  5,  5,  1908,  p.  550. 
Type,  Agelacrinites  dicksoni  Billings. 

Dr.  Foerste  in  his  recent  "Notes  on  Agelacrinidae "f 
remarks  that  a  new  name  is  required  for  the  Ordovician  species 
usually  referred  to  Agelacrinites  or  Lepidodiscus.  It  seems, 
however,  that  a  name  proposed  by  Dr.  Bather  in  the  third  of 
his  Studies  in  Edrioasteroidea,  entitled  "Lebetodiscus,  N.G.  for 
Agelacrinites  Dicksoni,  Billings,"  may  possibly  supply  the  want. 

Bather  proposed  the  name  after  studying  the  incomplete 
specimen  of  Agelacrinites  dicksoni  collected  by  Bigsby  and 
figured  by  Billings  as  figs.  4  and  4a  of  plate  8  of  the  third  of  the 
"Decades." 


♦Published  by  permission   of   the   Director  of  the   Geological   Survey  of 

Canada. 
tBull,  Denison  Univ.  17,  p.  400,  1914. 


54  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Aug.-Sept. 

Specimens  of  this  species  are  rare  and  the  best  one  known  is 
that  figured  by  Dr.  (now  Sir  James)  Grant  in  the  Ottawa  Field 
Naturalist.  During  my  incumbency  as  Invertebrate  Paleonto- 
logist to  the  Geological  Survey,  this  specimen  was  donated, 
among  other  valuable  fossils,  to  the  Victoria  Memorial  Museum, 
and  after  comparing  it  with  Billings'  and  Bather's  figures,  I 
am  convinced  that  it  is  a  real  Agelacrinites  dicksoni.  Bather 
states  that  Lehetodiscus  difi^ers  from  Agelacrinites,  first,  in  the 
absence  of  a  differentiated  margin il  zone;  this  I  believe  is  due 
to  the  imperfection  of  the  specimen  he  studied;  second,  he 
regarded  it  as  having  a  less  flattened  and  less  sessile  habit ;  this 
also  proceeds  from  the  study  of  an  incomplete  specimen ;  third, 
"It  seems  clear  that  the  side  plates,  here  called  flooring  plates, 
are  homologous  with  the  flooring  plates  of  Edrwaster.  Whether 
those  plates  have  homologues  in  the  Agelacrinidae  is  a  matter 
for  debate ;  at  any  rate,  no  genus  of  that  family  has  similar  plates 
with  intervening  depressions  so  like  pores."  I  may  have  mis- 
understood the  figures  and  descriptions  of  both  writers,  but  as  I 
understand  it,  the  "flooring  plates"  of  Bather  in  Lehetodiscus 
are  the  same  as  the  "outer  covering  plates"  of  Foerste,  and 
Bather's  specimen  was  not  so  preserved  as  to  enable  him  to  get 
at  the  real  flooring  plates,  which  in  a  Canadian  specimen,  are 
concave  and  single,  not  double.  (Compare  Dr.  Bather's  fig.  1, 
p.  545,  with  Dr.  Foerste's  figs.  1,  pi.  1,  fig.  4,  pi.  2,  and  fig.  4,  pi. 
3,  or,  for  the  genus  Thesherodiscus,  fig.  8,  pi.  1).  The  small 
plates  which  Dr.  Bather  took  for  the  real  covering  plates  are  the 
"median  or  intercolated  covering  plates"  of  Foerste.  I  see  no 
real  difference  between  the  structure  of  the  subvective  system 
of  Lehetodiscus  and  such  a  typical  (Ordovician)  Agelacrinites  as 
A.  pileus,  except  in  the  large  pores  between  the  lateral  covering 
plates.  These  may,  however,  be  of  such  importance  as  to  justify 
the  restriction  of  Lehetodiscus  to  the  species  L.  dicksoni  and  L. 
loriformis,  and  the  creation  of  two  new  genera  for  the  reception 
of  the  other  species  here  described. 

Lebetodiscus  dicksoni  Billings. 

Billings,  Rept.  Progress,  Geol.  Sur.  Canada,  1857,  p.  294; 
Can.  Org.  Rem.,  dec.  3,  1858,  p.  84,  pi.  8,  figs.  3,  3a,  4,  4a; 
Chapman,  Expos.  Min.  Geol.  Canada,  1864,  p.  110;  Grant, 
Trans.  Ottawa  Field-Nat.  Club,  1,  No.  2,  1881,  fig.  9;  Jaekel, 
Stamm.  Pelmat.  1899,  p.  50,  pi.  2,  fig.  2;  Clarke,  Bui'.  N.  Y. 
State  Mus.  49,  1901 ,  p.  191 ,  fig.  3  ;  f^g'd without  name  by  Sowerby , 
Zool.  Journal,  1825,  2,  p.  318,  pi.  11,  fig.  5. 

Of  this  rare  species,  the  Museum  of  the  Geological  Survey 
contains  the  type,  another  poor  specimen  collected  by  Billings 
(No.   1415),  a  specimen  collected  by  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  at  Peter- 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  55 

boro,  Ontario,  (No.  1412),  and  the  beautiful  specimen  donated 
by  Sir  James  Grant,  and  figured  by  him  in  1881. 

The  type  is  a  very  poorly  preserved  specimen,  as  is  also  the 
one  numbered  1415.  This  specimen  has  been  cut  so  as  to  expose 
a  section  across  arms  II  and  III,  and  the  section  of  the  anterior 
arm  shows  that  the  strticture  is  the  same  as  in  Agelacrinites 
pileus,  there  being  a  single  concave  flooring  plate,  and  two  roofing 
plates  meeting  above  the  groove  thus  formed. 

Sir  James  Grant's  specimen  of  Agelacrinites  dicksoni  is  the 
finest  one  of  this  species  which  has  been  found,  and  it  seems 
undeniable  that  it  belongs  to  the  same  species  as  the  specimen 
described  by  Dr.  Bather.  It  has  the  same  large  pores  along  the 
sides  of  the  rays,  and  the  same  large  inter-ambulacral  plates. 
The  super-oral  series  is  well  shown,  and  is  of  the  same  type  as 
in  Agelacrinites  pileus,  billingsi,  and  others.  There  is  a  single 
plate  behind  the  center  opposite  the  anal  inter-radius,  and  two 
in  front,  between  rays  II  and  III,  and  III  and  IV.  On  each 
side  of  the  lower  plate  there  are  two  narrow  side  plates,  and  two 
more  small  plates  outside  the  upper  plates.  The  breaking  up 
of  these  plates  and  the  introduction  of  some  of  the  proximal  ray 
plates  into  the  disk  probably  accounts  for  the  large  number  of 
supra-oral  plates  seen  in  the  specimen  figured  by  Dr.  Bather. 

The  inter-ambulacral  areas  are  beautifully  preserved  in 
this  specimen,  showing  between  the  arms  the  very  large  plates 
which  are  so  characteristic  of  the  species,  the  smaller  but  still 
large  plates  just  outside  the  arms,  and  the  very  small  plates  of 
the  outer  border. 

Finally,  there  is  the  Bigsby  specimen  on  which  Dr.  Bather 
based  the  genus  Lebetodiscus .  It  agrees  with  other  specimens  of 
A.  dicksoni  in  having  five  contra-solar  rays,  subequally  spaced, 
in  having  the  outer  covering  plates  but  slightly  inter-locking 
over  the  rays,  in  having  very  large  inter-radial  plates  and  in  the 
size  and  position  of  the  anal  structure.  It  differs  in  lacking 
the  outer  border,  but  after  an  inspection  of  Dr.  Bather's  photo- 
graph, one  is  easily  persuaded  that  that  is  due  entirely  to  an 
accident  of  preservation,  as  half  the  known  specimens  of  A. 
dicksoni  lack  the  border  entirely  or  in  greater  part.  There 
appears  to  be  a  difference  between  the  supra-oral  region  of  the 
Bigsby  specimen  and  that  of  the  other  specimens  known.  In 
that  specimen  the  arms  seem  to  be  more  or  less  massed  together 
to  form  a  sort  of  supra-oral  disk,  somewhat  as  in  L.  inconditus. 
It  is  not  possible  to  make  out  the  orientation  of  these  plates 
without  seeing  the  specimen,  but  as  stated  above,  it  seems, 
possible  that  the  appearance  of  a  large  disk  is  due  to  the  dis- 
turbed condition  of  the  plates. 

Horizon  and  locality: — All  the  specimens  of  this  species 


56  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Aug. -Sept. 

whose  exact  locality  is  known  have  been  found  in  the  Cystid 
beds  of  the  Prasopora  zone,  and  about  180  feet  below  the  top 
of  the  Trenton.  Beside  Peterboro  and  Ottawa,  a  specimen 
has  been  listed  by  Dr.  Ami  from  Pakenham,  Ontario.  The  speci- 
mens from  Kirkfield  identified  by  Mr.  Springer  as  this  species 
are  almost  if  not  entirely  all  L.  rnultihrachiatus . 

LebETODISCUS    LORIFORMIS    SP.    NOV. 

(Plate  1,  fig.  6). 

This  specimen  has  long  been  known  to  the  collectors  about 
Ottawa  as  one  of  the  prizes  of  Dr.  Van  Cortlandt's  collection. 
(Now  in  the  Museum  of  the  Geological  Survey,  No.  1414).  It 
has  always  been  considered  as  an  abnormal,  long-rayed  specimen 
of  Agelacrinites  dicksoni,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  is 
very  closely  related  to  that  species,  but  since  it  forms  one  of 
the  "connecting  links"  with  the  species  of  the  later  formations, 
I  propose  to  give  it  a  new  name.  It  may  be  described  briefly 
as  a  Lebetodiscus  with  rays  so  long  that  each  one  nearly  touches 
its  neighbor,  all  rays  contra-solar,  and  equally  spaced,  the  outer 
border  of  small  plates  narrow,  supra-oral  structure  apparently 
as  in  L.  dicksoni.  This  species  is  believed  to  be  ancestral  to  the 
very  long  rayed  forms  for  which  Hall  erected  the  genus  Strep- 
taster. 

The  holotype  is  23  mm.  in  greatest  diameter,  and  is  from  the 
Trenton  at  Ottawa,  Ontario.  Probably  froni  the  "Cystid 
beds,"  about  180  feet  below  the  top  of  the  formation.  It  is  No. 
1414  in  the  Victoria  Memorial  Museum. 

Lebetodiscus  billingsi   (Chapman). 

Agelacrimis  billingsi  Chapman,  Canadian  Journal,  5,  1860, 
pp.  358,  204. 

Hemicystites  (Agelacrinites)  billingsi  Sladen,  Quart.  Jour. 
Geol.  Soc.  London,  35,  1879,  p.  750. 

Agelacrinites  billingsi  Chapman,  Ann.  Mag.  Nat.  Hist, 
third  ser.  6,  1860,  p.  157,  fig.  ;  Billings,  Canadian  Journal, 
n.  s.  6,  1861,  p.  516,  fig.  86;  Chapman,  ibid.,  n.  s.  8,  1863,  p. 
199,  fig.  180;  Expos.  Min.  Geol.  Canada,  1864,  p.  110,  fig.  86, 
p.    171,   fig.    180. 

Hemicystites  billingsi  Ja?kel,  Stammes.  Pelmat.  1,  1899,  p. 
49. 

Local  collectors  have  for  a  long  time  recognized  two  forms  of 
Agelacrinites  billingsi  in  Ontario,  one  with  straight,  and  one 
with  curved  rays. 

Chapman's  original  specimen,  collected  at  Peterboro,  was 
of  the  straight-rayed  variety.  The  species  has  never  been 
properly   described  or  figured,  though   fairly  common.     I  am 


1915]  ■    The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  57 

now  restricting  Chapman's  name  to  the  form  with  straight  rays 
and  the  plate  ornamentation  described  below. 

Description. 

Specimens  small,  circular  in  outline,  not  ordinarily  resting 
upon  any  foreign  object.  Rays  five  in  number,  narrow,  straight, 
and  tapering  but  little  toward  the  distal  end,  the  two  rays  enclos- 
ing the  anal  inter-radius  a  little  further  apart  than  the  others. 
Each  ray  has  about  thirteen  pairs  of  alternately  placed  lateral 
covering  plates,  which  are  truncated  at  the  ends,  so  that  they 
interlock  along  the  median  line.  The  points  of  these  plates 
are  curved,  so  that  when  the  ray  is  slightly  sagged  apart,  alter- 
nating pores  are  seen  between  the  covering  plates.  Over  the 
central  area,  presumably  covering  the  mouth,  there  are  three 
principal  plates,  a  large  one  next  to  the  anal  inter-radius  and  two 
smaller  ones  anterior  to  it. 

For  convenience  in  speaking  of  these  fossils,  the  anal  inter- 
radius  is  called  posterior,  the  ray  opposite  to  it  anterior,  and 
the  rays  numbered  in  clock-wise  (solar)  order,  beginning  with 
the  one  at  the  left  of  the  anal  inter-radius. 

The  single  large  plate  of  the  supra-oral  series  is  then, 
between  rays  I  and  V,  and  its  great  width  is  due  to  the  enlarge- 
ment of  the  posterior  inter-radius  by  the  anal  opening.  The 
other  two  plates  are  inter-radial  in  position,  one  being  between 
rays  II  and  III,  and  the  other  between  III  and  IV.  There  are 
also  two  other  narrow,  five- sided  plates  accessory  to  the  supra- 
oral  system,  one  between  rays  I  and  II,  and  the  other  between 
IV  and  V.  These  plates  at  their  proximal  edges  abut  against 
the  anterior  supra-oral  plates.  Numbering  these  plates  accord- 
ing to  the  inter-radial  areas  which  they  oppose,  we  have  the 
broad  posterior  one  as  5,  the  next  one  to  the  left  1,  the  first 
anterior  lateral  2,  second  anterior  lateral  3,  and  the  right  pos- 
terior lateral  4. 

There  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  that  Chapman's  specimen 
had  this  structure.  In  his  principal  description,  in  the  Ann. 
Mag.  Nat.  Hist,  he  says:  "These  rays,  at  their  origin,  leave  a 
small  central  space  covered  by  larger  and  somewhat  rhombic 
plates.  The  latter  appear  to  be  five  in  number,  and  to  con- 
stitute the  first  ray  plates,  one  being  common  to  two  adjacent 
rays." 

None  of  the  covering  plates,  either  of  the  rays  or  of  the 
supra-oral  system,  seem  to  be  in  any  way  joined  together,  but 
were  probably  all  movable.  The  three  principal  supra-oral 
plates,  Nos.  2,3,  and  5,  are  of  such  form  and  strength  as  to 
suggest  that  they  could  have  functioned  as  jaws. 

The  inter-radial  spaces  are  covered  with  small  imbricating 


58  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Aug.-Sept. 

plates.     The  anal  opening  is  surrounded  by  a  small  pyramid  of 
six  triangular  plates. 

Just  outside  the  tips  of  the  rays  there  is  a  ring  of  large, 
thick  plates  ornamented  •  ith  pits  and  rather  large  granules. 
There  are  two  or  three  of  these  plates  opposite  each  inter-radius 
except  the  posterior  one,  which  has  four.  These  plates  are 
much  thicker  and  less  scale-hke  than  is  usual  in  this  group  of 
fossils,  and  such  ornamentation  of  the  plates  is  unique  in  the 
family. 

Chapman  says  that  his  specimen  was  h  inch  in  diameter. 
Specimen  1413  is  12  mm.  in  diameter,  while  another.  HOSE, 
is  only  10  mm. 

The  plate  structure  as  here  described  seems  to  be  common 
to  several  species  of  Agelacrinites  and  Cytaster. 

Horizon  and  locality:  This  species,  as  now  restricted,  is 
fairly  common,  but  only  at  the  type-locality.  The  original 
specimen  was  found  at  Peterboro,  Ontario.  At  this  city,  speci- 
mens of  Agelacrinites  have  been  found  in  some  numbers  in  an 
old  quarry  near  the  entrance  to  Jackson  Park,  and  it  is  presumed 
that  the  original  specimen  came  from  that  locality.  If  so,  it 
was  from  the  ' '  Cystid ' '  beds  of  the  ' '  Prasopora  zone. ' ' 

LeBETODISCUS    YOUNGI    SP.    NOV. 

(Plate  1,  fig.  4). 

This  species  is  very  like  L.  billingsi,  having  straight  rays, 
the  same  supra-oral  structure,  and  about  the  same  size.  It 
differs  in  lacking  the  thick,  ornamented  plates  of  the  outer  ring 
and  the  rays  are  broader.  The  inter-ambulacral  areas  are' 
covered  with  large  transversely  elongated,  scale-like,  imbricat- 
ing plates,  about  fifteen  to  each  of  the  lateral  and  anterior 
areas,  while  in  the  posterior  inter-radius  the  plates  are  somewhat 
smaller  and  more  numerous.  The  anal  opening  is  surrounded 
by  two  circles  of  small  plates,  five  or  six  of  which  are  in  the 
inner  circle.  Outside  the  area  to  which  the  rays  extend  is  a 
narrow  margin  of  smaller  imbricating  plates. 

The  holotype  (No.  3234,  Vict.  Mem.  Mus.)  is  from  lot  12, 
Con.  I,  Eldon,  Ontario,  where  it  was  collected  from  strata 
belonging  to  the  upper  part  of  the  "Prasopora  zone"  of  the 
Trenton  by  Mr.  W.  A.  Johnston.  The  name  is  in  honor  of  Dr. 
G.  A.  Young,  of  the  Geological  Survey. 

LeBETODISCUS    CHAPMANI    SP.    NOV. 

(Plate  1,  fig.  3). 
This  species  may  be   described  briefly  by   saying  that  it 
differs  from  L.  youngi  in  having  longer  and  more  slender  rays, 
all  of  which  show  a  slight  curvature  in  the  contra-solar  direction. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  59 

and  also  in  having  a  wider  border  of  small  plates.  The  plate 
arrangement  is  the  same  at  in  L.  youngi,  but  the  lateral  covering 
plates  are  not  so  narrowly  pointed  on  their  inner  ends.  No 
median  covering  plates  have  been  seen. 

The  specimen  selected  as  the  holotype  is  18  mm.  in  diameter. 

This  is  one  of  the  forms  which  have  been  identified  usually  as 
A.  hillingsi,  but  as  it  persistently  differs  irom  it,  as  well  as  from 
L.  youngi,  in  the  points  mentioned,  and  through  them  is  inter- 
mediate in  characteristics  between  L.  hillingsi  and  L.  pileus  of 
the  Upper  Ordovician,  it  seems  to  be  worthy  of  a  specific  name. 

Ray  I  of  this  species  is  almost  straight,  the  only  curvature 
being  just  at  the  point  where  it  joins  the  peristomal  plates.  At 
the  outer  end  there  is  no  curvature. 

Ray  IV  is  the  most  curved  of  any  on  the  type,  and  all  show 
the  greatest  curvature  at  about  half  way  between  center  and 
margin. 

Horizon  and  locality: — The  holotype  (No.  3235,  Vict.  Mem. 
Mus.)  is  from  an  abandoned  quarry  near  the  entrance  to  Jackson 
Park,  Peterboro,  Ontario,  and  was  collected  by  Mr.  W.  A. 
Johnston.  The  horizon  is  the  "  Cystid  beds  "  in  the  "  Prasopora 
zone"  of  the  Trenton.  The  same  form  has  been  found  in  the 
"Prasopora  zone"  at  Fenelon  Falls  and  Brechin,  Ontario,  and  in 
the  "Cystid beds"  at  Ottawa  and  Hull. 

LeBETODISCUS    PLAtYS    SP.    NOV. 

(Plate  1,  fig.  5). 

This  species  is  based  upon  a  single  specimen  which  has  long 
been  in  the  Museum  of  the  Geological  Survey.  It  is  imperfect, 
having  been  cut  off  by  a  joint  along  the  anal  side,  thus 
losing  the  distal  ends  of  rays  I  and  V.  The  specimen  is  other- 
wise quite  well  preserved.  The  outline  is  rounded  pentagonal 
and  the  rays  are  long,  reaching  nearly  to  the  margin.  The  rays 
are  nearly  straight,  though  the  anal  rays  probably  curved 
toward  each  other  somewhat,  partially  enclosing  the  anal  struc- 
tures. Such  a  curvature  is  suggested  by  such  parts  as  remain. 
The  anal  structure  is  entirely  missing,  but  it  would  appear  to 
have  been  small  and  far  from  the  mouth.  The  inter-radial 
spaces  are  covered  with  small,  thin,  imbricating  plates,  those  near 
the  margins  being  much  larger  and  stronger  than  the  others. 
The  plates  along  the  rays  alternate  in  position,  there  being  about 
twenty-four  to  twenty-six  pairs.  The  inner  ends  are  diagonally 
truncated  and  pointed,  so  that,  where  undisturbed,  they  fit 
together  very  closely.  Where  they  have  been  displaced,  as  is 
the  case  with  most  of  the  arms,  they  are  somewhat  drawn  apart, 
and  thus  leave  alternating  openings. 

The  plates  above  the   mouth  are  like  those  in  L.  hillingsi, 


60  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Aug. -Sept. 

the  anterior  pair  between  rays  II  and  III,  and  III  and  IV,  being 
clearly  seen,  and  the  posterior  one  less  distinctly.  At  the  end 
of  each  ray  is  a  small,  central  terminal  plate,  suggesting  the 
ocular  of  a  starfish. 

The  greatest  diameter  is  24  mm. 

This  species  is  quite  like  L.  chapmani  but  differs  from  it  in 
its  larger  size,  longer  and  more  slender  arms,  less  circtilar  outline, 
and  the  curvature  of  rays  I  and  IV. 

Horizon  and  locahty: — The  type  and  only  known  specimen 
(No.  7941,  Vict.  Mem.  Mus.)  was  collected  at  Ottawa  by  the 
late  T.  C.  Weston  in  1881.  It  is  presumed  to  be  from  the 
"Cystid  beds,"  probably  from  the  foot  of  Parliament  Hill  or 
Queen's  Wharf. 

LeBETODISCUS    MULTIBRACHIATUS    SP.    NOV. 

(Plate  1,  fig.  2). 

This  is  a  small  Lebetodiscus,  and  remarkable  for  the  pos- 
session of  eight  rays,  instead  of  the  usual  five.  Rays  I  and  V  are 
far  apart  and  curve  somewhat  toward  each  other,  thus  partially 
embracing  the  anal  area.  All  the  other  rays  are  approximately 
straight.  Rays  I,  II  and  IV,  are  all  bifurcated,  I  and  II  near  the 
center,  while  IV  bifurcates  half  way  between  the  center  and  the 
margin.  The  disc  is  not  symmetrical,  ray  III  being  crowded 
to  the  right  of  its  normal  position,  and  rays  I  and  II  taking  up 
as  much  space  as  rays  III,  IV,  and  V.  All  the  rays  are  short 
and  the  border  outside  them  is  wide,  with  rather  large  imbricating 
plates  opposite  the  inter-ambulacral  areas,  and  a  margin  of 
small  plates  outside.  The  supra-oral  plates  are  of  the  simple 
type  of  L.  billingsi,  chapmani,  yoitngi  and  pileus,  No.  5  being  a 
large  wide  plate,  and  the  two  plates  anterior  to  it  small.  The 
inter-ambulacral  areas  are  small,  and  are  covered  with  small 
plates.  Unforttmately  the  anal  area  is  not  well  preserved.  The 
type  is  10  mm.  in  diameter. 

This  form,  since  it  has  numerous  arms,  naturally  suggests 
the  recently  described  Thresherodiscus  ramosus  Foerste,  but  is 
really  not  allied  to  that  species,  which  has  three  primary  rays, 
all  of  which  bifurcate  at  least  twice.  The  present  species  is 
much  more  closely  allied  to  L.  chapmani  and  to  L.  billingsi,  and 
when  first  noted  several  years  ago,  was  supposed  to  be  an  abnor- 
mal specimen  of  one  of  these  species.  It  is  of  interest  to  note  that 
this  form  is  found  at  the  same  horizon,  the  "Crinoid  layers" 
(Hull  or  Curdsville  forniation)  in  the  lower  part  of  the  Trenton, 
as  Thresherodiscus  ramosus,  these  being  the  oldest  of  the  Age- 
lacrinitidae.  Unfortunately  the  specimens  found  at  Kirkfield 
are  ustially  very  badly  preserved,  so  that  it  is  not  known  how 
many  of  the  specimens  so  far  found  are  to  be  referred  to  this 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  61 

species.     A  second  specimen  seems  to  have  only  six  rays,  and 
the  normal  number  may  prove  to  be  seven. 

The  holotype  is  No.  7789  in  the  Victoria  Memorial  Museum, 
and  is  from  the  Crinoid  beds  (Hull  formation)  at  the  Kirkfield 
Lift  Lock,  Ontario. 

LebETODISCUS    INCONDITUS    SP.    NOV. 

(Plate  1,  fig.  1). 

This  is  the  form  which  is  so  common  in  the  "  Cystid  bed" 
below  Parliament  Hill  and  at  Queen's  Wharf,  Ottawa,  and  which 
has  always  been  identified  as  Agelacrinites  hillingsi.  It  differs 
in  several  respects  from  that  species. 

Description. 

Specimens  circular  in  outline  with  a  broad  border  of  small 
plates.     Rays  five  in  number,  rather'stout,  broad  at  the  proximal 
end  and  tapering  rapidly.     They  are  almost  straight  in  small 
specimens  while  in  large  ones  they  are  slightly  curved,   four  of 
the  rays  having  a  contra-solar  turn,  and  the  fifth  curved  a  little 
in  the  opposite  direction,  so  as  to  embrace  the  posterior  inter- 
radius.     In  some  specimens,  rays  I,   II,   and  III,   are  contra- 
solar,  and  IV  and  V  solar,  while  in  the  one  selected  as  the  holo- 
type, IV  is  almost  straight.     The  rays  bear  short  interlocking 
lateral  covering  plates,  about  twelve  to  fifteen  pairs  to  a  ray. 
Median  covering  plates  have  not  been  seen.     An  appearance  of 
unusual  width  is  given  to  the  rays  by  the  fact  that   the   plates 
of  the  inter-radii  which  abut  against  the  rays  are  somewhat 
higher  than  the  remainder  of  the  plates  of  the  inter-radial  spaces. 
The    supra-oral    area    is  large,   and  covered  by  numerous 
small  plates.     Their  arrangement  is  difficult  to  make  out,  because 
of  the  way  the  inter-ambulacral  plates  are  mixed  in  with  ray 
and  supra-oral  series.     In  the  center  of  the  disc  there  appears  to 
be  a  central  plate  dove-taihng  with  two  plates  which  are  between 
rays  I  and  V,  and  abut  on  the  posterior  inter-radius.     At  the 
sides  and  in  front  of  the  central  plate  are  five  more  small  plates, 
one  on  each  side  and  three  in  front  of  the  central  plate.     Two 
of  the  plates  are  inter-radial  in   position,  one  between  rays  II 
and  III,  and  one  between  III  and  IV.      This  is  on  the  type. 
On  the  small  specimen  next  to  it  in  the  figure,  there  seem  to  be 
only  five  plates  which  really  belong  to  the  supra-oral  series,  the 
central,    two   posteriors,    and   two    anterior    laterals,    between 
rays  II  and  III  and  III  and  V. 

The  inter-radial  areas  are  covered  with  small  imbricating 
plates,  the  plates  of  the  inner  part  of  the  outer  marginal  band 
being  somewhat  larger  and  wider  than  the  plates  between  the 
rays.     The  posterior  inter-radius  is  wider  than  the  others,  and 


62  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Aug.-Sept. 

the  anal  pyramid  is  large  and  distinct.  It  is  situated  a  little 
more  than  half  way  from  the  center  to  the  margin,  and  is  com- 
posed of  a  ring  of  seven  or  eight  long  triangular  plates.  In  some 
specimens  it  is  situated  half  way  between  rays  I  and  V,  while 
in  others  it  is  eccentric,  and  nearer  V  than  I,  as  in  the  type. 

The  holotype  is  a  large  specimen,  15.5  mm.  in  diameter. 
Other  specimens  on  the  same  slab  with  it  (all  figured)  are  11.5, 
10,   and  9   mm.  respectively. 

This  species  differs  from  L.  dicksoni  in  having  shorter  rays, 
one  or  two  of  which  are  solar,  and  in  having  much  smaller  inter- 
radial  plates.  It  is  most  hke  L.  platys,  but  has  more  numerous 
supra-oral  plates.  While  small  specimens  of  L.  incondiuis  have 
straight,  broad  arms,  they  may  readily  be  distinguished  from  L. 
hillingsi  or  L.  youngi  by  the  more  numerous  supra-oral  plates. 

Horizon  and  locality  :^— This  species  is  common  in  the 
"Cystidbed"  in  the  "Prasopora  zone"  on  both  the  Ottawa  and 
Hull  sides  of  the  Ottawa  River.     It  occurs  at  Peterboro  also. 

The  holotype  is  No.  1409  in  the  Geological  Survey  Museum 
and  was  collected  by  Mr.  T.  C.  Weston.  It  is  undoubtedly  from 
the  "  Cystid  zone  "  at  Queen's  Wharf,  Ottawa,  Ont. 

Explanation  of  Plate. 

1.  LebetodiscMS  inconditus  Raymond.  Four  specimens 
in  natural  position,  resting  on  the  sea  bottom,  showing  that  they 
were  not  attached  to  shells  or  other  objects.  With  the  decay  of 
the  animal  the  central  portion  sinks  in,  leaving  an  elevated  ring 
of  marginal  plates.     The  largest  specimen  is  the  holotype.  x  1 .5. 

2.  Lebetodiscus  multibrachiatus  Raymond.  The  holotype, 
showing  the  branching  arms.  The  specimen  does  not  lend  itself 
readily  to  photography,     x  3.8'. 

3.  Lebetodiscus  chapmani  Raymond.     The  holotype.  x  3. 

4.  Lebetodiscus  youngi  Raymond.     The  holotype.     x  3.8. 

5.  Lebetodiscus  platys  Kd^ymond.     The  holotype.  x  1.5. 

6.  Lebetodiscus  loriformis  Raymond.  The  holotype,  a 
large  part  of  the  surface  of  which  is  concealed  by  shale,     x  2.8. 

Figs.  1  and  5  were  made  at  the  Geological  Survey  photo- 
graphic laboratories.  Figs.  2,  3,  4,  and  6  were  made  by  Mr. 
Nelson  at  the  Museum  of  Comparative  Zoology,  through  the 
kindness  of  Director  Samuel  Henshaw. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  63 

MINERALS  FROM  BAFFIN  LAND. 


By  T.  L.  Walker,  University  of  Toronto. 


The  Royal  Ontario  Museum  of  Mineralogy  has  recently 
received  from  R.  J.  Flaherty,  Esq.,  M.E.,  of  the  North  Lands 
Exploration,  Limited,  a  fine  series  of  minerals  collected  by  him 
on  his  recent  visit  to  Baffin  Land.  Most  of  the  material  came 
from  near  the  shore  to  the  south  of  Amadjuak  Lake. 

The  geoJogical  character  of  this  region  is  indicated  in  the 
following  passages  from  the  reports  of  Dr.  Robert  Bell*; — 

"The  distinguishing  feature  in  the  geology  of  the 
southern  part  of  Baffin  Land  is  the  great  abundance,  thick- 
ness and  regularity  of  the  limestones  associated  with  the 
gneisses.  At  least  ten  immense  bands,  as  shown  on  the 
accompanying  may,  were  recognized,  and  it  is  probable 
that  the  two  others,  discovered  in  North  Bay,  are  distinct 
from  any  of  these.  There  would,  therefore,  appear  to  be 
twelve  principal  bands  as  far  as  known,  to  say  nothing  of 
numerous  minor  ones,  between  Icy  Cape  and  Chorkback 
Inlet.  The  limestones  are  for  the  most  part,  nearly  white, 
coarsely  crystalline  and  mixed  mth  whitish  felspars.  The 
individual  crystals  in  some  parts  of  the  limestone  masses 
wotild  measure  two  or  three  inches  in  diameter  and  the 
crystallization  of  the  felspar  is  occasionally  equally  coarse." 
"The  limestones  u.sually  contain  scattered  grains  of 
graphite  and  among  the  other  minerals  which  commonly 
occur  in  the  various  bands  are  mica,  garnet,  magnetite, 
pyrite,  and  hornblende.  Serpentine  of  a  dark  colour  was 
abundantly  disseminated  as  grains  and  small  irregular 
masses  in  a  band  which  crosses  the  head  of  Canon  Inlet. 
Disseminated  specks  of  bright  green  and  blue  serpentine 
were  found  in  another  band  at  White  Bluff  Harbour  and 
similar  specks  of  both  colours  occur  in  the  eastern  band  at 
the  head  of  North  Bay.  The  late  Mr.  Ashe  gave  me  a 
crystal  of  sphene,  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter,  which 
had  been  brought  to  him  by  an  Eskimo  from  North  Bay — 
probably  obtained  from  the  limestone  there." 
The  series  of  minerals  contained  in  Mr.  Flaherty's  collection 
is  such  as  might  be  expected  from  an  archaean  region  where 
cyrstalline  limestones  alternate  with  gneiss  in  a  great  complex. 
In  many  respects  the  collection  suggests  the  mineral  association 
fotmd  in  Ottawa  County  to  the  north  of  the  Capital. 


*  Report  Geol.  Survey  of  Canada,  New  Series,  Vol.  XI.,  p.  24M. 


64  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Aug.-Sept. 

ScAPOLiTE,  Macdonald  Island. 

This  mineral  occtirs  in  crystals  some  of  which  are  five 
inches  in  diameter.  The  only  forms  observed  are  the 
prisms  (100)  and  (110)  and  the  unit  pyramid  of  the  first 
order  (111).  The  mineral  is  white  in  colour  and  possesses 
a  vitreous  lustre. 

Rose  Quartz,  Amadjuak  Bay. 

The  specimens  of  this  mineral  consist  of  a  large  number  of 
fragments  devoid  of  crystal  form  and  varying  in  colour 
from  deep  rose  to  colourless.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  those 
fragments  spotted  by  lichens  and  evidently  from  the  very 
surface  are  either  very  pale  rose  or  colourless,  while  the 
deeper  tinted  specimens  are  usually  free  from  lichens. 
This  contrast  seems  to  give  support  to  the  view  commonly 
held  as  to  the  gradual  bleaching  of  rose  quartz  when  ex- 
posed to  bright  sunlight. 

Graphite,  i\.madjuak  Bay,  North  side;   Fair  Ness. 

This  mineral  has  been  reported  from  this  region  by  several 
explorers.  The  graphite  from  Amadjuak  Bay  consists  of 
large,  flat  cleavage  plates  sometimes  two  inches  in  diameter. 
That  from  Fair  Ness  is  very  pure  and  more  or  less  coarsely 
fibrous.  The  quality  of  the  graphite  from  both  localities 
suggests  the  possibility  of  commercial  development  in  case 
the  deposits  are  of  sufficient  dimensions. 

Garnet,  Garnet  Island  (about  Long  72°  30',  Lat.  63°  45'). 

The  rock  in  which  the  garnet  occurs  is  somewhat  schistose, 
fine  grained  and  consists  almost  entirely  of  small  scales  of 
dark  biotite  and  felspar  which  the  microscope  shows  to  be 
microperthite.  The  felspar  constitutes  at  least  nine  tenths 
of  the  rock.  The  garnet  is  found  only  in  the  form  of  large, 
more  or  less  rounded  crystal  masses  sometimes  four  inches 
in  diameter.  It  possesses  a  fine,  deep  blood  red  color  and 
is  so  free  from  cracks  that  some  at  least  could  be  used  for 
gemstones.' 

Ophicalcite. 

Pure  white  calcite  is  mixed  with  about  an  equal  amount 
of  very  beautiful  sulphur  yellow  serpentine  which  is  remark- 
able for  the  uniformity  and  delicacy  of  its  colour.  Un- 
fortunately, the  exact  locality  of  this  exceedingly  beautiful 
ornamental  stone  is  not  available. 

Serpentine. 

This  material  is  greyish,  greenish  or  yellowish  in  colour, 
fine  grained  and  inassive  as  a  rule  but  sometiines  inter- 
sected by  veinlets  of  chrysotile. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  65 

Phlogopite. 

The  colour  of  this  mineral  varies  from  amber  brown  to  a 
almost  white.  The  largest  crystals  are  about  four  inches 
across  but  are  too  imperfect  to  be  of  economic  value. 

DiopsiDE,  Macdonald  Island. 

Crystals  of  diopside  sometimes  three  inches  in  length  occur 
in  calcite.  They  are  olive  green  in  colour  with  very  fresh, 
brilliant  surfaces  in  the  prism  zone  while  the  terminal  faces 
are  often  rounded  and  even  corroded.  The  habit  of  the 
crystals  is  peculiar  in  that  the  most  prominent  end  face  is 
the  positive  orthodome  (101).  Basal  cleavage  or  parting 
is  so  well  developed  that  most  of  the  crystals  have  been 
broken  across  showing  very  smooth  cleavage  surfaces.  The 
material  is  much  brighter  and  fresher  than  the  diopside 
found  to  the  north  of  the  city  of  Ottawa.  Owing  to  the 
unusual  crystal  habit  and  the  degree  of  corrosion  this 
mineral  merits  further  study. 

Spinel,  Locality  unknown. 

The  mineral  occurs  in  the  form  of  octahedra  whose  edges 
are  sometimes  trtincated  by  the  rhombic  dedecahedron. 
The  largest  crystals  are  about  half  an  inch  in  diameter. 
The  crj^stals  are  lilac  in  colour  but  too  much  fractured  to  be 
of  value  for  gem  purposes. 

CoRDiERiTE,  Garnet  Island  (Long  72°  30',  Lat.  63^  45'). 

The  specimens  of  cordierite  consist  of  irregiilar  fragments 
of  vitreous  lustre  which  are  sometimes  two  inches  in  dia- 
meter. It  is  associated  with  white  felspar  rock  and  prob- 
ably occurs  as  lenses  in  gneiss.  The  mineral  is  deep  blue 
in  colour  and  some  of  the  fragments  are  sufficiently  free 
from  flaws  to  stiggest  its  use  as  a  gem  mineral.  Cordierite 
has  up  to  the  present  been  a  very  rare  mineral  in  Canada  so 
that  its  discovery  in  Baffin  Land  has  considerable  minera- 
logical  interest. 

In  thin  sections  under  the  microscope  the  mineral  is  seen 
to  be  polysynthetically  twinned  so  that  it  is  difficult  to 
believe  that  the  section  is  not  composed  of  plagioclase.  A 
subordinate  part  of  the  cordierite  consists  of  an  intimate 
intergrowth  of  twinned  mineral  in  which  the  two  portions 
present  a  vermicular  intergrowth.*  It  is  also  characteristic 
that  though  the  cordierite  as  seen  in  thin  sections  there  are 
distributed  many  small  inclusions  of  rutile  or  zircon,  each  of 
which  is  surrounded  by  a  deep  pleochroic  aureole,  orange 
in  colour. 


*     Walker  and  Collins.,  Rec.  Geol.  Survey  of  India,  Vol.  XXXVI.,  p.   1. 


66  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Aug.-Sept. 

AcTiNOLiTE,  West  side  of  Ottawa  Island,  Hudson's  Bay. 

This  mineral  approaches  the  variety  asbestus  but  it  is  too 
splintery  to  be  of  commercial  value.  It  is  greenish  grey  in 
colour.  The  fibrous  masses  are  sometimes  six  inches  in 
length.  It  will  be  noted  that  this  mineral  is  found  in 
quite  a  different  region  from  the  others  referred  to  in  this 
paper. 

The   chief   points   of  interest  connected  with  this  series  of 
minerals  are: 

1 .  The  remarkable  agreement  between  the  variety  of  minerals 
found  in  south  Baffin  Land  and  those  found  in  other 
regions  where  crystalline  limestones  form  a  prominent  part 
of  the    gneiss    complex. 

2.  The  presence  of  cordierite,  spinel,  garnet,  rose  quartz  and 
ophicalcite  suggests  that  in  the  future  Baffin  Land  may 
produce  minerals  valued  for  ornamental  purposes. 

3.  Mica,  graphite,  serpentine  and  actinolite  are  minerals  fre- 
quently mined  economically. 

University  of  Toronto, 
June  I5th,  1915. 


QUEBEC  DRAGON-FLIES. 


By  Rev.  T.  W.  Fyles. 


A  few  weeks  ago  I  had  the  pleasure  of  a  visit  from  Prof.  E. 
M.Walker,  editor  of  the  "  Canadian  Entomologist."  Dr.  Walker 
is  an  authority  on  the  Odonata,  and  he  kindly  examined  some 
of  the  dragon-flies  taken  by  me  in  Quebec  Province.  He 
identified  several  of  them,  and  verified  the  names  of  the  rest. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  the  insects,  giving  the  locality  in  which 
each  was  taken.  It  should  be  regarded  as  an  appendix  to  my 
paper  on  the  Dragon-flies  of  the  Province  of  Quebec,  which  ap- 
peared in  the  31st  Annual  Report  of  the  Entomological  Society 
of  Ontario. 

list. 
Names.  Localities. 

ACRIONIDiE. 

Calopteryx  maculata  Beauv.         "The  Beaver  Meadow,"  Hull. 
"  cequabilis  Say.  Cowansville. 

"         amata  Hagen.  St.  David's,  near  Levis. 


1915] 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


67 


LIST 

Names. 

Lestes  unguiculatus  Hagen. 

"       disjunctus  Selys. 
Amphiagrion  saucium  Burm. 
Ennallagnia  hageni  Walsh. 

"  ■  calverti  Morse. 

"  exsulans  Selys. 

^SHNIDiE 

0 phiogomphus  rupinsulensis 

Walsh. 
Gomphus  brevis  Hagen. 
"        vastus  Walsh. 
"        notatus  Ramb. 
Corduhgaster  diastatops  Selys. 
Boyeria  vinosa  Say. 
^shna  sitchensis  Hagen. 
"        eremita  Scudder. 
"        canadensis  E.  Walker. 
"       umbrosa  E.  Walker. 
"        constricta  Say. 
Anax  Junius  Drury. 

LlBELLULID^. 

Didymops  transversa  Say. 
Macromia  illinoiensis  Walsh. 
Tetragoneuria     cynosura     simu 

lans  Muttkowsky. 
Tetragoneuria     canis     Maclach- 

Ian. 
Libellula    quadrimaculata  Lin- 

neus. 
Libellula  pulchella  Drury. 

lydia  Drury. 
Leucorrhinia  intacta  Hagen. 

proxima  Calvert. 
hudsonica  Selys. 
Sympetrum  costiferum  Hagen. 
obtrusum  Hagen. 
vicinum  Hagen. 
scoticum  Donovan. 


continued 

Localities. 

"The  Beaver  Meadow,"  Hull. 


"The  Gomin,"  Bergerville. 
"The  Beaver  Meadow,"  Htill. 
Levis  Heights. 
Hull. 

River  St.  Charles,  Quebec. 

Island  of  Orleans. 

"The  Beaver  Meadow,"  Hull. 


Island  of  Orleans. 
"Mer  de  Papon,"  Levis. 

Levis  Heights. 

"The  Gomin." 

"The  Beaver  Meadow." 

"The  Gomin." 

"Mer  de  Papon,"  Levis. 

"The  Beaver  Meadow." 

Bergerville. 

"The  Beaver  Meadow." 


"The  Gomin.' 


68  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Aug. -Sept. 

PARTIAL  LIST  OF  LITERATURE  IN  THE  LIBRARY  OF 
THE  OTTAWA  FIELD-NATURALISTS'  CLUB. 


American  Grasses,  by  F.  Lawson-Scribner.     U.  S.  Dept.  Agri., 

Div.  Agrostology,  Bui.   No.   7.    1897. 
American  Midland  Naturalist:  Vol.    1,    1910,   Nos.    7,   8,  9,    10, 

Index;  Vol.  II,  1911-12,  Nos.  1,  4,  8,  9,  11,  12,  Index;  Vol. 

Ill,  1913-14,  Nos.  1,  2,  5,  6,  9. 
American   Museum   of   Natural  History:  41st  Annual   Report, 

1909;  43rd  Annual  Report,  1911;  Bui.  Vol.  XXIX,  1911. 
American  Palaeozoic  Fossils,  by  S.  A.  Miller,  1877. 
Annals   of  Missouri  Botanical  Garden;  Vol.  I,  1914,  No.  1. 
Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Public  Museum 

of  City  of  Milwatikee,   1908-09. 
Annual  Report  of  New  Jersey  State  Museum,  including  a  Report 

of  the  Insects  of  New  Jersey,  1909, 
ArkivforBotanik:  V,  neft  3,  4;  VII,  1,  2,  3,  4;  VIII.  1,  2,  3,  4; 

IX,  1909,  1,  2,  3,  4;  X,  1910,  1;XII.  1912,  neft  1,  2;  XIII, 

1913,  1. 
Arkiv  for  Zoologe;  Vol.  IV,  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4;  Vol.  V,  1909,  Nos. 

1,  2,  3,  4;  Vol.  VI,  1910,  Nos.  1,  2,  3,4;  Vol.  VII,  1913,  Nos. 

I,  4;  Vol.  VIII,  1913.  No.   1. 

Auk.  Preliminary  Report  of  Committee  on  Bird  Migration ;  Bui. 

II,  No.  1,  1885:  III,  (new  series),  1886;  IV,  1887;  V,  1888; 
VI,  1889;  VII,  1890;  VIII,  1891;  XXIV,  4;  XXV,  1908, 
1,  2,  3,  4;  XXVI,  1,  2,  3,  4;  XXVII,  1910,  1,  2,  3,  4;  XXV- 

III,  1911,  1,  3,  4;  XXIX,  1912,  1,  2,  3,  4;  XXX,  1913, 
1,  2,  3,  4;  XXXI,  1914,  1,  2. 

Bibliography  relating  to  the  floras  of  Italy,  Spain,  Portugal, 
Greece,  European  Turkey,  Bulgaria,  Montenegro,  Moldavis, 
Roumania  and  Servia.     WilHam  Holden,  Librarian. 

Bot.  Gazette:  bound— Vols.,  IX,  1884;  X;  XI;  XII;  XIII; 
XIV;  XV,  1890;  not  bound,  XVI,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9, 
10,  11,  12;  XVII,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12;  XVIII, 
1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10, .11,  12;  XIX,  1,  2.  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8, 
9,  10,  11,  12;  XX,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12;  XXI, 
1,  2,  4,  5,  6;  XXII,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6;  XXIII,  1,  2,  3,4;  XXV, 
3,4,5,6;  XXVI, 1,2,3,4,5;  XXVII,  1,  2,  3,  4,  6;  XXVIII, 
1,  2,  3,  4,  5;  XXIX,  1,  2,  3,  4,  6;  XXX,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6; 
XXXI,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6;  XXXII,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6;  XXXIII, 
1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6;  XXXIV,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5;  XXXV,  1,  2,  3,  5,  6; 
XXXVI,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6;  XXXVII,  1,  2,  3,  4,  6;  XX2CVIII, 
1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6;  XXXIX,  1,  2. 

Bot.  Soc.  West.  Penn.:  1911-12,  Pub.  2.. 

To  be  continued. 


THE  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 


VOL.  XXIX.  OCTOBER,  1915  No.  7 


THE  DANGERS  OF  OUR  WILDS. 


By  Charles  Macnamara,  Arnprior,  Ont. 


The  French  traveller,  lately  returned  from  Algeria,  was 
frankly  joking  when  he  told  an  enquirer  that  the  most  dangerous 
animal  in  North  Africa  was  not  the  lion,  as  generally  supposed, 
but  the  gazelle.  "The  lion,"  he  said,  "it  never  molests  you. 
But  the  gazelle,  when  you  are  riding  across  the  plain,  suddenly 
springs  up  at  your  horse's  nose;  your  horse  shies,  and  throws 
you  off  and  you  break  your  neck."  While  this  was  admittedly 
a  pleasantry  on  the  part  of  the  traveller,  a  consideration  of  the 
dangers  of  our  native  woods  leads  to  a  conclusion  almost  as 
surprising. 

In  the  first  place,  the  only  real  menace  to  human  life  comes, 
not  from  the  animals  of  our  forests,  but  from  the  plants.  Our 
woods  and  fields  harbour  a  far  larger  number  of  poisonous  plants 
than  is  commonly  suspected.  Everyone  knows  of  poison  ivy 
and  the  painful  and  annoying  skin  eruption  it  causes;  but  its 
effects,  however  unpleasant  while  they  last,  very  rarely  result 
in  any  serious  or  permanent  injury.  Much  more  grave  are  the 
consequences  of  the  internal  poisonings  by  plants  which  attract 
by  their  succulent  roots  or  bright-coloured  berries.  To  men- 
tion only  a  very  few  of  the  commonest  of  these,  the  sweet  roots 
of  the  hemlocks,  Conium  maculatum  and  Circuta  maculata,  are 
most  deadly,  and  the  rash  partaker  seldom  recovers.  Another 
plant  with  a  bad  record  is  Indian  tobacco,  Lobelia  infiata,  which 
grows  plentifully  in  dry  fields.  Although  it  has  a  strong  and 
disagreeable  taste,  children,  misled  by  the  common  name, 
sometimes  chew  this  weed  with  fatal  results.  The  bright  red 
pulp  enclosing  the  seeds  of  the  yew,  Taxus  bacota,  found  all 
through  our  woods,  is  probably  harmless  enough  in  itself,  but 
the  seeds  are  very  poisonous.  The  vivid  colour  of  the  "berries" 
makes  them  attractive  to  children,  and  a  good  many  young 
lives  have  been  sacrificed  to  them. 

But  the  fungi  of  the  genus  Amanita  have  more  deaths 
against  them  than  all  the  rest  of  our  flora  put  together.  Never 
a  season  passes  without  one  or  more  records  of  persons  fatally 


70  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Oct. 

poisoned  by  these  pleasant-tasted  but  deadly  mtishrooms.  In 
this  connection  it  may  be  worth  while  mentioning  that  the  popu- 
lar tests  of  the  edibility  of  mushrooms,  such  as  the  blackening 
of  silver  during  cooking,  the  change  of  colour  of  the  flesh  when 
broken,  easy  peeling  of  the  skin,  and  a  host  of  others,  are  all 
perfectly  worthless,  and  the  mushroom  eater  who  relies  on  them 
is  in  inortal  peril  of  his  life. 

When  we  turn  to  the  animal  life  of  our  wilds  we  find  no 
such  deadly  enemies  as  these.  Although  our  fauna  includes 
a  number  of  large  mammals  and  about  a  dozen  species  of  snakes, 
it  can  be  stated  with  the  utmost  confidence  that,  with  the 
single  exception  mentioned  later  on,  no  animal  of  Eastern 
Canada  ever  makes  an  unprovoked  attack  on  man,  and  very  few 
of  them  indeed  show  any  fight  even  when  brought  to  bay. 

Tonsidering  first  some  of  the  lower  forms,  it  may  be  remarked 
that  in  many  coiintries,  insects  are  to  be  counted  among  the 
worst  foes  of  mankind.  The  pestiferous  mosquitoes  of  the 
tropics  and  sub-tropics,  the  tse-tse  fly  of  Africa,  and  the  flea 
that  spreads  the  bubonic  plague  are  best  known  examples. 
"We  have  our  share  of  biters  and  blood-suckers, — deer  flies,  black 
flies,  sand  flies  and  mosquitoes, — and  it  is  hard  to  think  of  any- 
thing kind  to  say  about  them.  They  make  life  in  the  woods 
miserable  during  the  finest  season  of  the  year;  but  annoying 
as  their  attacks  are,  at  least  we  must  admit  that  they  do  not 
inoculate  us  with  yellow  fever  or  malaria,  sleeping  sickness  or 
the  plague. 

Our  ophidia  comprise  about  a  dozen  species.  The  only 
venomotis  one  of  these,  the  rattle  snake,  once  common  in  Western 
Ontario,  is  now  practically  extinct  there,  and  as  far  as  I  know, 
never  lived  in  the  Ottawa  district  at  all.  Without  exception, 
the  other  species  are  perfectly  harmless.  Some  of  them,  such 
as  the  milk  snake,  live  almost  exclusively  on  rats  and  mice. 
Others  are  largely  insectivorous,  and  all  of  them  serve  a  very 
useful  purpose  in  helping  to  maintain  that  balance  of  wild  life 
that  man  sometimes  disturbs  with  such  dire  consequences  to 
himself.  One  must  then  deplore  the  wanton  cruelty  and  gross 
superstition  that  prompt  so  many  people  to  kill  these  harmless 
and  beautiful    creatures   at   sight. 

The  catalogue  of  mammals  of  Eastern  Canada  recites  such 
formidable  names  as  the  coug^ar,  the  wild  cat,  the  lynx,  the  bear, 
the  wolf.  But  it  is  not  among  these  that  our  "dangerous" 
animals  are  to  be  found.  The  cougar,  which  reached  the  ex- 
treme northern  limit  of  its  range  in  Southern  Ontario,  has  long 
been  extinct  in  these  regions,  and  while  a  powerful  animal  and 
very   destructive   of  deer  and   domestic  live   stock,   was  never 


.1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  71 

known  to  attack  man.  The  wild  cat,  Lynx  rufus,  is  also  extinct 
and  was  never  more  to  be  feared  than  the  harmless  necessary 
domestic  variety.  The  lynx,  Lynx  canadensis,  is  still  fairly 
common  in  our  northern  woods,  and  despite  the  blood-curdling 
stories  of  some  of  our  nature  fakirs,  it  is  a  most  innocuous 
creature,  living  largely  on  hares  and  as  averse  to  fighting  as  the 
Hon.  W.  J.  Bryan.  The  bear,  Ursus  americanus,  would  doubt- 
less defend  itself  if  cornered,  but  when  it  meets  a  man  its  first 
imptdse  is  instant  flight.  A  she-bear  with  cubs  generally  waits 
to  cover  the  retreat  of  her  young,  but  I  never  heard  of  one  taking 
the  offensive. 

And  what  of  the  ravening  wolves  that, — in  newspaper 
stories, — hunt  in  fierce  packs,  and  devour  hapless  hunters  and 
trappers?  There  are  certainly  plenty  of  wolves  in  the  back 
woods,  and  they  destroy  large  numbers  of  deer  and  in  some 
districts  kill  the  young  cattle  of  the  settlers.  But  the  cold 
truth,  well  known  to  every  woodsman,  is  that  the  Canadian 
timber  wolf,  large  and  powerful  animal  as  it  is,  never  attacks 
anyone.  The  ordinary  farm  dog  is  a  far  more  formidable 
animal.  The  wolf  is  exceedingly  wary  and  has  an  overwhelming 
distrust  and  fear  of  man  and  all  his  works.  Anything  that  man 
has  touched  or  handled  inspires  dread  in  the  wolf.  Conse- 
quently it  is  very  hard  to  trap  or  poison  him,  and  even  harder 
to  get  a  shot  at  him.  Although  always  apparently  half  famished, 
he  will  prowl  for  days  around  a  dead  horse  before  he  dares  to 
feed  on  it,  his  exceedingly  keen  scent  warning  him  that  his 
dread  enemy,  man,  has  had  something  to  do  with  it.  Every 
hunter  knows  that  it  is  quite  safe  to  leave  the  carcass  of  a  deer 
hung  from  a  low  branch  anywhere  in  the  woods.  If  there  is 
snow  on  the  ground,  the  tracks  of  wolves  will  be  seen  all  around 
the  suspended  game,  but  not  one  of  them  will  venture  to  touch 
the  meat  tainted  for  them  by  the  contact  of  man.  Much  less 
likely  are  they  to  attack  man  himself,  and  all  the  stories  of  their 
treeing  or  devouring  woodsmen  should  be  catagorized  with  the 
German  statements  as  to  the  causes  of  the  war. 

The  moose  is  not  at  all  pugnacious,  but  it  is  much  more 
respected  in  the  wilds  than  the  wolf.  It  is  not  a  particularly 
timid  animal,  and  impelled  by  curiosity,  it  sometimes  approaches 
the  woods  traveller  quite  fearlessly,  its  imposing  bulk  making 
it  appear  decidedly  formidable.  As  far  as  I  know,  there  is  no 
record  of  anyone  ever  having  been  hurt  by  a  moose,  but  occasion- 
ally its  threatening  attitude  causes  an  unarmed  man,  perhaps 
unduly  alarmed,  to  take  to  a  tree.  A  friend  told  me  recently 
of  a  curious  display  of  woodcraft  in  connection  with  an  obstinate 
moose.  My  friend,  who  was  without  a  weapon  of  any  kind, 
was   crossing   a   portage   in   the    Kipawa   district   last   summer 


72  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Oct. 

with  his  Indian  carrying  the  canoe  on  his  head  as  usual,  when 
they  suddenly  came  on  a  large  moose  standing  in  the  narrow 
pathway.  The  animal  showed  a  determined  front  and  ap- 
parently intended  to  dispute  the  right  of  way.  It  was  hard  to 
see  how  he  could  be  driven  off  without  running  the  risk  of  a 
savage  kick,  but  the  Indian,  wise  in  forest  lore,  knew  a  safe  and 
easy  way.  He  slipped  one  end  of  the  canoe  to  the  ground  and 
still  supporting  the  other  end  on  his  head,  drew  his  pipe  and  a 
match  from  his  pocket.  Quickly  lighting  the  pipe,  he  blew  a 
cloud  of  tobacco  smoke  down  the  wind  towards  the  moose. 
One  whiff  of  the  "tabac  canadien"  was  enough  for  the  King 
of  the  Forest  and  he  dashed  off  into  the  woods. 

Then  if  our  snakes,  bears  and  wolves  are  all  perfectly  harm- 
less, what  are  our  "dangerous"  animals?  Well,  as  already 
stated,  none  of  our  fauna  ever  really  menace  human  life;  but 
there  are  two  denizens  of  the  Canadian  woods  that,  though  they 
do  not  ordinarily  command  any  respect,  I  am  inclined  to  treat 
with  considerable  circumspection.  These  are  the  skunk  and 
the  horned  owl. 

The  skunk  when  undisturbed  is  really  a  well-disposed  and 
unoffensive  little  animal.  It  is  never  the  aggressor  as  far  as 
mankind  is  concerned;  but  it  has  justifiably  great  confidence  in 
its  peculiar  means  of  defence,  and  so  it  stands  firmly  on  its 
rights  and  is  very  loath  to  make  way  for  anyone.  When  it 
thinks  it  is  being  imposed  on,  it  takes  the  literal  offensive  in  a 
most  effective  manner,  and  an  incatitious  approach  always 
results  in  the  loss  of  a  suit  of  clothes  to  say  nothing  of  one's 
dignity. 

The  horned  owl  is  a  much  more  dangerous  enemy  than 
this.  It  is,  indeed,  the  only  creature  in  our  woods  that  ever 
makes  an  unprovoked  attack  on  man.  True,  it  has  nothing 
against  man  personally,  and  its  assaults  are  always  the  results  of 
a  misapprehension,  but  nevertheless  it  sometimes  inflicts  painful 
wounds.  Like  all  its  race,  it  is  nocturnal  in  its  habits,  and 
its  usual  mode  of  attack  is  to  swoop  down  in  the  dusk  on  the 
head  of  the  passerby,  its  long  claws  causing  severe  lacerations. 
It  is  evident  that  the  bird  from  its  elevated  outlook  sees  the 
moving  figure  of  the  man  beneath  it  very  much  foreshortened,  and 
mistaking  a  shock  of  hair  or  a  fur  cap  for  one  of  the  small  animals 
on  which  it  usually  preys,  it  pounces  on  its  victim.  In  his  most 
interesting  book  "  Sport  and  Life  on  the  North  Shore"  Napoleon 
Comeau  records  a  number  of  instances  of  such  onslaughts  by 
the  horned  owl.  I  know  a  man  who  bears  a  large  scar  on  his 
forehead  as  a  consequence  of  such  an  encounter,  and  there  are 
many  well  authenticated  stories  of  shantymen  having  been 
attacked.     At  one  camp  it  is  said  that  the  owls  were  so  plenti- 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  73 

ful  and  aggressive  that  the  teamsters  had  to  wear  half  a  pork 
barrel  over  their  heads  when  going  out  to  the  stables  in  the  dark, 
but  I  do  not  vouch  for  the  terminological  exactitude  of  that 
story! 

But  after  all,  such  adventures  are  very  rare,  and  it  may 
safely  be  said  that  the  benighted  traveller  can  lay  his  head  any- 
where in  the  woods  of  Eastern  Canada  in  perfect  security  from 
venomous  reptile  or  predacious  beast;  and  with  the  exception 
of  annoying  insects  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  he  need  "fear 
no  enemy  but  winter  and  rough  weather." 


BIRD  NOTES  FROM  MULVERHILL,  MAN. 

The  Bluebird,  Sialia  sialis.  In  this  district,  during  last 
summer,  I  did  not  meet  a  single  one  until  fall.  One  day  in  the 
autumn,  a  flock  of  some  twenty  birds  (mostly  young  ones)  ap- 
peared near  my  home.  They  remained  about  half  a  day  and 
then  disappeared.  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  they  had  been 
breeding  further  north,  and  were  on  their  way  south. 

Canada  Jay,  Perisorcus  canadensis .  During  last  summer 
several  pairs  stayed  with  us  all  the  summer.  This  season  I  have 
not  seen  a  single  one. 

Northern  Pileated  Woodpecker,  Phaeotomus  pileatus 
pileatus.  During  last  summer  at  least  two  pairs  stayed  in  our 
poplar  bush  all  the  season.  This  summer  not  a  single  one  has 
been  seen. 

Greater  Yellow  Legs,  Totanus  melanoleucus,  and  Lesser 
Yellow  Legs,  Totanus  flavipes.  Contrary  to  the  general  rule 
of  both,  these  sister  waders  have  been  here  in  large  flocks  all  this 
spring.  Saw  several  of  them  on  June  9.  Last  year  I  did  not  see_ 
a  single  one  of  either  variety  until  late  in  the  fall,  when  the 
migrants  came  down  in  flocks  from  the  north.  I  found  the  nest 
of  a  Yellow  Legs  on  June  24,  less  than  a  mile  from  my  house. 

Canada  Goose,  Branta  canadensis.  Last  year  they  all 
passed  by  both  spring  and  fall;  this  year  at  least  two  pairs  are 
staying  in  the  big  marsh  in  the  middle  of  Birch  Lake,  evidently 
breeding. 

Ernest  Norman. 
August,  1915. 


74  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Oct. 

MIMICRY— SOME  OF  NATURE'S  STRATEGEMS. 


By  B.  C.  Tillet,  Hamilton,  Ont. 


Nature  teems  with  instances  of  what  are  called  mimetic  re- 
semblances, instances  of  organisms  closely  imitating  their  neigh- 
bours for  the  sake  of  some  advantage  to  be  gained  thereby.  Thus 
is  instituted  a  sort  of  system  of  false  pretences,  an  elaborate  series 
of  confidence  tricks  which  in  their  most  interesting  examples 
have  the  merit  at  least  of  being  defensive  rather  than  aggressive. 
It  is  rather  curious  that  while  protective  colouration  in  the  general 
sense  has  certainly  been  elaborated,  not  only  for  defence  but  for 
attack  also,  that  manifestation  of  it,  technically  termed  mimicry, 
seems  to  have  been  developed  solely  for  the  purposes  of  defence 
and  escape. 

The  gradation  between  ordinary  protective  colouration  and 
the  most  highly  specialised  form  of  mimicry  is  practically  com- 
plete. Our  green  caterpillars,  our  butterflies  with  brown  under- 
sides to  their  wings,  the  colouring  of  certain  birds,  and  the  mark- 
ings of  certain  birds'  eggs,  are  all  instances  of  ordinary  coloured 
organisms.  They  do  not  resemble  anything  in  particular.  Their 
colours  are  such  that  in  most  of  their  daily  circumstances  they 
harmonise  in  a  general  sense  with  their  surroundings,  thus  ceas- 
ing to  be  specially  noticeable,  at  any  rate  so  long  as  they  are  at 
rest.  A  further  step  is  illustrated  by  the  caterpillars  of  those 
geometers  usually  called  stick-caterpillars.  These  caterpillars  are 
of  such  form  and  colouring  that  when  stretched  out  stiffly,  they 
have  a  strong  resemblance  to  short  dead  twigs,  sometimes  even 
with  buds  and  leaf-scars  complete;  while,  to  render  the  illusion 
quite  perfect,  they  have  also  acquired  the  habit  of  resting  in  just 
the  very  poses  that  twigs  inight  themselves  take  up.  No  better 
example  of  this  can  be  found  than  the  caterpillar  of  Ennomos 
magnarius,  which  when  poised  by  the  hind  feet  on  a  twig,  with 
the  body  thrown  backwards  into  space,  may  well  escape  detec- 
tion by  all  except  the  keenest  observer.  Perhaps  one  of  the  inost 
remarkable  examples  of  special  protective  resemblance  is  seen 
in  the  leaf  butterfly  of  Malay,  Kallima  paralecta.  The  wings  of 
this  insect  so  exactly  resemble  a  leaf  when  closed,  that  it  may 
pass  altogether  unnoticed.  We  find  an  elaboration  here  again 
of  the  protective  instinct.  These  insects  have  a  rapid  flight,  but 
they  will  drop  suddenly  and  closing  their  wings  as  they  alight, 
take  on  all  the  appearance  of  a  leaf.  Thus,  they  seem  to  com- 
pletely vanish.  The  protective  instinct  may  be  observed  in  many 
insects.     A  butterfly  which  has  been  captured,  fearing  destruc- 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  75 

tion,  will  lie  prone  on  its  side;  moths,  too,  will  mimic  death  by 
lying  on  their  backs.     Beetles  will  feign  death  in  the  same  way. 

Battle  within  battle  must,  Darwin  says,  throughout  nature, 
be  continually  recurring  with  varying  success.  The  weak  suffer 
at  the  hands  of  the  stronger,  and  they,  having  no  other  means  of 
protection  against  a  stronger  enemy,  have  recourse  to  various 
strategies.  If  the  caterpillar  does  not  exhibit  the  protective  re- 
semblance, it  may  be  it  is  unnecessary,  that  there  are  other  means 
of  protection  existing.  There  are,  for  instance,  many  caterpillars 
that  may  be  said  to  be  quite  conspicuous  by  their  brilliant  colour- 
ing. But  no  bird  will  touch  them.  Their  safeguard,  no  doubt, 
is  that  they  taste  nasty,  and  their  bright  colours  thus  serve  to 
protect  them.  Other  forms  of  insect  life  escape  elimination 
through  the  development  of  offensive  weapons,  such  as  the  sting 
of  wasps  and  bees.  Animals  which  prey  upon  these  forms  learn 
to  avoid  them,  and  thus  it  becomes  an  advantage  to  other  insects 
not  possessing  such  means  of  protection  to  mimic  them.  And 
so  we  have  that  venomous-looking  insect  the  great  Sirex  gigas, 
and  the  clear-wing  hornet  moth,  Sphecia  apiformis,  with  its  abdo- 
men arrayed  in  the  bright  colours  of  the  hornet,  and  its  sting-hke 
projection  and  ovipositor.  Yet  this  is  a  quite  inoffensive  and 
harmless  insect. 

As  in  the  case  of  protective  resemblance,  so  too,  in  its  aggres- 
sive correlative,  the  resemblance  may  be  general  or  special,  or 
may  reach  the  climax  of  mimicry.  Hence,  what  may  serve  as 
a  protective  resemblance,  may  also  enable  the  prey  to  steal  upon 
its  enemy.  The  ctickoo  bee  Psithyrus  rttpestris,  an  idle  queen, 
who  collects  no  pollen,  and  has  no  pollen  baskets,  steals  into  the 
nest  of  the  bumble  bee  and  there  lays  her  eggs.  So  great  is  the 
resemblance  here,  that  not  only  is  the  mother  bee  able  to  enter 
the  nest  unchallenged,  but  the  young  bees  when  hatched  are  by 
the  same  means  enabled  to  escape.  Our  various  bumble  bees, 
no  doubt,  find  great  advantage  in  so  closely  resembling  one  an- 
other. Many  other  insects,  too,  find  eqtially  great  advantage 
in  so  closely  resembling  the  bumble  bees.  Many  common  flies 
mimic  them,  and  each  colour  type  of  bumble  bee  has  its  appro- 
priate mimic.  Certain  bees,  called  Apathi,  are  parasitic  in  the 
nests  of  the  bumble  bees.  They  are  indeed  very  much  like  real 
bumble  bees,  from  which  they  may  be  distinguished  by  the  thin-^ 
ness  of  their  fur  and  the  consequent  shining  appearance  of  their' 
bodies.  These  very  large  bees  have  precisely  the  colouring  of  the 
true  bumble  bees.  Some  are  parasitic  in  the  nests  of  those  bees 
which  they  resemble  in  colour,  and  it  may  be  that  this  resemblance 
assists  them  in  entering  the  nests.  Hence,  it  would  seem  that 
the  mimicry  is  not  so  much  an  aid  to  the  imposition  upon  the 
bumble  bees,  as  a  means  of  protecting  the  Apathi  from  the  general 


10; 


76  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Oct. 

enemy.     The  honey  bee  has,  of  course,  many  mimics,  of  which 
the  common  drone  fly  is  a  familiar  instance. 

Nor  is  protective  resemblance  confined  to  invertebrates.  We 
find  it  in  animals,  birds,  fish  and  various  reptiles.  The  wild 
rabbit  is  a  common  example  of  it.  Not  so  common,  but  a  more 
striking  instance  of  it,  may  be  found  in  the  zebra.  Travellers  in 
Africa  have  found  themselves  at  night  in  the  presence  of  zebras, 
and  only  been  aware  of  the  fact  by  their  breathing.  Had  the 
zebras  been  black,  or  had  they  been  white,  they  would  have  been 
easily  visible,  but  in  the  starlight  night,  the  combination  of  black 
and  white  stripes  blend  exactly  with  the  twilight,  and  so  render 
them  invisible. 

Some  animals,  moreover,  possess  a  variable  protective  resem- 
blance. We  have  an  example  of  this  in  the  chameleon,  which 
adapts  its  colours  according  to  its  surroundings,  an  adaptation 
which  is  brought  about  by  the  expansion  and  contraction  of  cer- 
tain pigment  cells.  The  same  phenomena  may  be  observed  in 
the  Arctic  hare,  and  the  Arctic  fox,  animals  which  change  their 
colour  according  to  the  season,  brown  in  summer,  and  snowy 
white  in  winter.  Among  birds  numerous  instances  of  protective 
resemblance  may  be  noticed;  and  so  too  with  the  eggs  of  many 
of  our  wild  birds,  which  so  closely  resemble  the  shingle  in  which 
they  are  laid  as  to  be  unnoticeable. 

Thus  we  find  that  there  are  two  kinds  of  mimicry.  In  the 
one  the  mimic  is  really  weak  and  defenceless,  but  by  assuming 
the  appearance  of  some  better  armed  and  perhaps  savage  species, 
acquires  also  the  latter's  evil  reputation.  This  is  called  Batesian 
mimicry.  In  the  other  we  have  the  real  hard  cases,  creatures 
which  are  as  well  protected  by  unamiable  qualities  as  they  well 
can  be;  and  which  imitate  equally  disagreeable  beings  merely 
for  the  sake  of  the  additional  free  advertisement  of  their  ill  quali- 
ties which  the  latter  afford.     This  is  called  Mullerian  mimicry. 

Mimicry  depends  for  its  effective  expression  upon  the  power 
that  all  the  higher  animals  have  of  memorizing  their  experiences. 
The  puppy  which  captures  the  bee  and  is  stung  learns  to  avoid 
such  dangerous  playthings.  In  this  way  the  death  of  one  or  two 
individuals  frees  the  whole  species  from  danger  of  attack  by  that 
particular  puppy.  Moreover,  any  other  kinds  of  bees,  or  of  other 
insects  resembling  in  appearance  the  first  one,  would  also  be  looked 
upon  with  suspicion  and  avoided.  So  that  the  deaths  of 
these  one  or  two  individuals  would  have  the  effect  of  protecting 
every  kind  of  insect  that  resembled  them  in  appearance. 


^^^ 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  77 

BOOK  NOTICE. 


The  Dominion  Parks  Branch  of  the  Department  of  Interior, 
Ottawa,  has  recently  issued  three  publications  which  are  note- 
worthy on  account  of  the  attractive  form  in  which  they  are 
printed,  and  the  interesting  matter  they  contain.  They  are: 
"Classified  Guide  to  Fish  and  Their  Habitat,  Rocky  Mountains 
Park";  "The  Nakimu  Caves";  and  "Glaciers  of  the  Rockies 
and  Sel kirks." 

The  Fish  Guide  is  written  for  the  sportsman  and  naturalist 
rather  than  the  scientist.  It  is  a  compilatiou  of  first-hand  in- 
formation for  anglers  by  one  who  has  fished  in  all  the  principal 
waters  of  the  park.  It  takes  up  each  locality,  describes  the  best 
means  of  reaching  it,  the  different  varieties  of  fish  which  can  be 
secured,  and  the  best  bait  to  use.  The  game  fish  of  the  Rockies 
include  five  species  of  trout,  one  of  which — the  Lake  Minnowanka 
trout — has  been  known  to  run  as  high  as  50  pounds.  The  Gray- 
ling, the  Dolly  Vardeti,  and  the  Cut  Throat  trout  are  found  in 
many  of  the  lakes  and  streams  of  the  park,  and  a  fish  hatchery 
has  recently  been  established  at  Banff  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
stocking those  which  have  become  depleted. 

The  second  pamphlet  gives  an  interesting  account  of  the 
formation,  character  and  discovery  of  the  famous  Nakimu  Caves 
near  Glacier,  B.C.  These  interesting  natural  curiosities  are 
supposed  to  be  about  40,000  years  old,  and  consist  of  a  series 
of  underground  chambers,  some  of  them  fifty  feet  high  and  more 
than  two  hundred  feet  long,  hollowed  out  partly  by  erosion  and 
partly  by  volcanic  action,  and  opening  into  each  other  at  dif- 
ferent levels.  The  walls  of  the  caves  are  covered  with  strange 
florescent  limestone  formation,  and  they  reverberate  to  the  roar 
of  underground  torrents.  The  different  chambers  have  been 
given  names  suggestive  of  their  character:  "The  Pit,"  "The 
Marble  Way,"  "The  Ballroom,"  "The  Art  Gallery,"  "The  Judg- 
ment Hall,"  "The  White  Grotto,"  "The  Bridal  Chamber,"  etc., 
and  when  they  are  lit  with  electricity,  and  proper  guards  and 
handrails  have  been  placed  on  the  stairs  and  platforms,  they 
should  be  among  the  most  interesting  sights  in  the  Rockies  for 
tourists. 

"Glaciers  of  the  Rockies  and  Selkirks"  is  by  Dr.  A.  P.  Cole- 
man, Professor  of  Geology  in  the  University  of  Toronto,  and 
bears  on  the  cover  an  attractive  reproduction  in  color  of  a  sketch 
of  Mt.  Ball,  one  of  the  picturesque  peaks  near  the  Divide.  Dr. 
Coleman  is  a  scientist  with  the  imagination  of  a  poet,  and  he  has, 
written  the  story  of  the  formation  and  work  of  the  Canadian 
glaciers  with  all  his  well  known  literary  charm.     The  pamphlet 


78  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Oct. 

should  prove  not  only  a  great  help  to  the  student  of  glacial 
phenomena  who  visits  the  parks,  but  it  should  inspire  many 
Canadians  with  a  desire  to  see  the  wonderful  mountain  scenery 
of  their  own  country  for  themselves,  "to  put  on,"  as  Dr.  Cole- 
man says,  "warm,  strong  clothes  and  hob-nailed  shoes,  and  to 
fill  one's  lungs  with  mountain  air  in  a  scramble  up  to  the  snow 
fields  to  see  how  the  glacial  machinery  works." 

The  pamphlets  may  be  obtained  free  on  application  to  the 
Dominion  Parks  Branch,  Ottawa. 


A  HYBRID  ROSE. 
Rosa  gymnocarpa  Nutt.  x  R.  nutkana  Presl. 

Stems  rather  slender,  1.3 — 2  m.  high;  prickles  below  densely 
soft-prickly,  slightly  retrorse,  above  slender  but  stiff;  leaflets 
simply  serrate,  1 — 2.7  cm.,  broad,  oval,  rounded  at  both  ends, 
glabrous  beneath;  stipules  broad;  flowers  mostly  in  clusters  of 
2 — 4  or  solitary,  bright  pink  with  pink  stigmas  4 — 4.5  cm.  broad; 
calyx  more  or  less  glandular,  persistent,  the  appendages  5 — 15 
mm.  long;  receptacle  at  flowering  3 — 6  mm.  in  diameter;  pollen 
scanty  and  abortive ;  fruit  mostly  not  developing,  the  few  seen 
7 — 8  mm.  in  diameter,  producing  few  nutlets. 

Several  clumps  of  this  rose  occur  near  Crescent  Beach,  B.C., 
at  the  base  of  a  bluff  facing  Boundary  Bay.  The  bushes,  with 
their  rather  slender  flourishing  stems,  rising  somewhat  above 
the  surrounding  R.  nutkana,  look  much  like  R.  pisocarpa, 
especially  as  the  flowers  are  mostly  in  small  clusters,  and  smaller 
than  those  of  K.  nutkana.  R.  pisocarpa,  however,  does  not  occur 
in  the  immediate  vicinity,  and  does  not  flower  till  late  in  June. 
The  plant  just  described  flowers  with  R.  nutkana  and  R.  gymno- 
carpa, all  three  being  in  full  bloom  May  20,  1915. 

The  clustered  flowers,  the  prickles  and  the  glabrous  leaflets, 
suggest  R.  gymnocarpa;  the  large  leaves  and  the  glandular  per- 
sistent sepals,  R.  nutkana.  With  its  long,  rather  slender,  very 
floriferous  stems  and  bright  flowers,  this  is  a  most  attractive 
rose.  It  is  readily,  even  at  some  distance,  distinguished  from 
R.  nutkana,  by  which  it  is  surrounded,  by  the  brighter  pink 
petals. 

J.   K.   Henry. 


NOTE. 

In  Mr.  P.  A.  Taverner's  article,  "Geological  Survey  Museutn 
Work  on  Point  Pelee,  Ont.,"  published  in  the  November,  1914, 
issue  of  The  Ottawa  Naturalist,  the  year  in  which  the  ob- 
servations recorded  therein  were  made  is  not  mentioned.  This 
was  1913.     Ornithologists  please  note. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.     "  7.9 

PARTIAL  LIST  OF  LITERATURE  IN  THE  LIBRARY  OF 
THE  OTTAWA  FIELD-NATURALISTS'  CLUB. 

(Continued  from  page  68.) 


Botanisk  Tidsskrift  udgivet   af   Dansk   Botanisk  forening:  29, 

(1909),  4;  30,    (1909-10),    1,  2,   3;  31,    (1911),    1,  2,  3;  32, 

1912,  1;  33,  1913,  1,  4. 
Bui.  of  the  American  Geographical  Society:  Vol.  XLI,  No.  5, 

6,    (1909);  Vol.   XLII,    7,    1910. 
British  Assoc,  for  Adv.  of  Science;  Leeds  meeting  1890;  Sixth 

Report  of  the  North  West  Tribes  of  Canada. 
Bui.  American  Museum  of  Nat.  Hist.:  Vols.  XXIII,  complete, 

1907;  XXIV,  complete,  1908;  XXV,  Part  1;XXVI,  com- 
plete,   1909;  XXVII,   complete,    1910. 
Bui.  of  the  Geological  Institution  of  the  University  of  Upsala: 

Vol.  XI,  1912. 
Bui.  of  Nat.  Hist.    Soc.  of  New  Brunswick:  Vol.    VI,    Part  5, 

(No.  XXX),  Part  2   (No.  XXVIII);  Vol.,  VII,  1909,  Part 

3,  4;  Vol.,  VIII,    1910,    1. 
Bui.   of  New  York  Botanical  Garden:  Vols.    V,    (1909),    1,  8; 

VI,  1909,  19,  20;  VII,  1909,  23;  VIII,  1912,  27,  28. 
Bui.  of  Torrey  Botanical  Club:  bound;  Vols.  IX-XII,  1882-1885; 

XIII-XVIII,  1886-1891. 
Bui.  Univ.  of  Kansis:  Vols.  XI,  1910,   No.    7;  XIII,  1911,  2,  3; 

XIV,   1913,   16;  XV,   1913,  2. 
Bui.  Wis.  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Vols.  VIII,   1910,  2;  IX,   (1911),  4; 

XI,  N.S.,  1913,  3,  4. 
Canadian  iVlmanac,  1899. 
Canadian    Entomologist ;  bound ;     1868-1888;  Vol.     XL.,     1908, 

Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12  ;  Vol.  XLI,  1909,  1,  2, 

3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12;  Vol.  XLII,  1910,  1,  2,  3,  4,  6,  7, 

8,9,  10,  12;  Vol.  XLIII,  1911,  1,2,  3,  4,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12; 

Vol.   XLIV,    1912,    1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,   8,  9,    10,    11,    12;  Vol. 

XLV,   1913,   1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,   10,   11,   12;   Vol.  XLVI, 
'      1914,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5. 
Canadian  Forests,  Forest  Trees,  Timber,  and  Forest  Products, 

by  H.  B.  Small,  1884. 
Canadian    Horticulturist:  B.    Vol.    Ill    and    IV,    1880-81;  VII, 

1884;  XVI,   1893;  XVII,  1894. 
Canadian  Record  of  Science:  Vol.  I,   1884-1885;  II,   1886;  III, 

1888-1889;  IV,   1890-91. 
Catalogue  of  Can.  Plants:  bound;   1883,  Part  1;   1888,  Part  2. 
Cincinnati  Quarterly  Journal  of  Science:  Vol.  I,  1874;  II,  1875. 


80  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Oct. 

Commission  of  Conservation,  Canada:  1910,  Report  of  Inter- 
national Commission  on  Control  of  Bovine  Tuberculosis; 
1910,  An  address  on  Pure  Water  and  the  Polution  of  Water- 
ways, by  Chas.  A.  Hodgetts,  M.D. 

Dept.  Agri.  U.S.:  1884,  Report;  1886,  Report;  1893,  Report 
Secretary  of  Agri.;  1895,  Year  Book;  1897,  Year  Book; 
1898,  Year  Book;  1890,  Bibliography  of  Economic  Ento- 
mology by  Henshaw. 

Dictionary  of  Altitudes  in  Canada,  (Dept.  of  Interior,  Can.)  by 
J  as.  White,  1903,  bound. 

Entomologica  Americana:  Vols.   I-VI,   1885-1890. 

Entomological  News:  Oct.  21,  1910,  Reprint,  "Notes  on 
Mamestra  trifolia  (Roth)  and  its  Allies"  by  J.  B.  Smith. 

Field  Museum  of  Nat.  Hist.,  Report  Series:  Vol.  Ill,  No.  1, 
(Annual  Report  for  1906);  III,  No.  4,  (Annual  Report  for 
1909). 

Field  Museum  of  Nat.  Hist.,  Zool.  Series:  Vol.  IV,  1912,  No.  2, 
(160);  VII,  1910,  8,  9,  10;  VIII;  IX,  X,  1910,  2,  3,  5,  6. 

Forestry  Branch,  Dept.  of  Interior,  Canada:  Arc,  No.  9,  1914; 
Arc,  No.  7,  1914;  Bull.  42,  1914;  Bui.  30,  1913. 

Geol.  Survey,  Dept.  Mines,  Canada:  1910,  Summary  Report  of 
1909;  1910,  Mem.  2,  Nos.  6,  7;  1910,  A  Reconnaissance 
across  the  Mackenzie  Mountains  on  the  Belly,  Ross  and 
Grand  Rivers,  Yukon  and  N.W.  Territories;  1910,  Mem. 
14N;  1910,  Mem.  1;  1910,  Mem.  8E;  1910,  Mem.  5;  1910, 
Mem.  2;  1910,  Mem.  6;  1910,  Report  on  part  of  N.W.  Terri- 
tories drained  by  Winick  and  Attawapiskat  (and  included  a 
transverse  through  southern  part  of  N.W.T.  from  Lac  Seul 
to  Cat  Lake  in  1902);  1911,  Memoir  18E;  1912,  Mem.  No.  13, 
21,  28,  24E,  27;  1912,  Summary  Report  of  1911,  Mem.  31; 
1913,  Memoir  19;  1913,  Memoir  25,  26;  1913,  Bui.  No.  1. 
Guide  Books,  5,  8,  (1.  2.  3)  9,  10;  1914,  Memoir  47;  1914, 
Museum  Bui.  No.  2;  1914,  Summary  Report  of  1912; 
Victoria  Memorial  Museum ;  Mem.  17E,  1912;  Mem.  (1913), 
39,  40;  Bui.  1861-5,  Palaezoic  Fossils,  Vol.  1,  Figures  and 
Descriptions  of  Canada.  Bui.  1859,  Organic  Remains, 
Decade  1,  2,  3,  4. 

Guide  to  Anthropological  Collection  in  the  Provincial  Museum, 
British  Columbia,  1909. 

Indiana  Dept.  of  Geology  and  Nat.  Hist.:  12th  Report,  1882; 

13th  Report,  1883;  14th  Report,  1884;  15th  Report,   1886; 

16th  Report,  1888. 
Indiana  Department  of  Geology  and  Natural    Resources,    19th 

Annual  Report;   1894;   17th,  1891;   18th,  1893;   19th,  1894; 

21st,  1896;  22nd,  1897;  23rd,  r898;24th,  1899;  25th,  1900. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  81 

Insect  Life.  Published  by  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agri.  Div.  of  Ento- 
mology, Vols.  I,  II,  III,  1888-1890. 

International  Scientists  Directory,  1881-82. 

Jahrbtich  der  Hambtirgirchen  Wissenschaftlichen  Anstaltn. 
Mitteilungen  ausdem  Naturhistorischen  Museum  zu  Ham- 
hxirg.  2  Beiheft;  XX,  (1902),  Jahrgang;  XXI,  1903, 
Jahrgang;  XXII,  1904,  Jahrgang;  XXIII,  1905,  Jahrgang; 
XXIV,  1906,  Jahrgang;  XXV,  1907,  Jahrgang;  XXVI, 
1908,  Jahrgang;  XXIX,  1911,  Jahrgang;  XXIX,  1911, 
Yearly    Report;  XXX,    1912,    Jahrgang. 

Jahrbuch  der  Hamburgirchen  Wissenschaftlichen  Anstaltn. 
Mitteilungen  ausdem  Botanischen  Staatsinstituten  in  Ham- 
burg: XXIX,  1911;  XXX,  1912. 

Journal  of  New  York  Entomological  Society:  Vols.  XVI,  1908, 
Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4;  XVII,  1909,  1,  2,  3,  4;  XVIII,  1910,  1,  2; 
XVIII,  1910,  No.  3,  Reprint — Notes  on  North  American 
species  Agroperina  Hampson;  XVIII,  1910,  No.  2,  New 
species  of  Noctuidae  for  1910,  by  J.  D.  Smith;  XIX,  1911, 
Nos.  2,  3,  4;  XX,  1912,  1,  2. 

Journal  of  Mycology:  Vol.  I,  1885;  VI,  1890. 

Journal  and  Proc.  of  Hamilton  Scientific  Association:  No.. 22, 
Session  1905-06;  23,  Session  1906-07;  24,  Session  1907-08; 
27,  Session  1911-12;  Jubilee  Celebration,  1907  (proceedings). 

Mammals  of  Adirondacks,  by  C.  H.   Merriam,  1884. 

Manual  of  Injurious  Insects  and  Methods  of  Prevention,  by 
Eleanor  A.   Ormerod,    1881;   1890,   second  edition. 

Mem.  American  Museum  of  Nat.  Hist.:  I,  N.S.  1912,  Parts  1,  2, 
3,4. 

Missouri  Bot.  Gardens:  Annual  Report,  1891;  1894;  1896;  1899; 
1904;  1905;  1906;  1909;  1912. 

North  Staffordshire  Field  Club:  Annual  Report  and  Transac- 
tions,  1911-12;   1913-14. 

National  Academy  of  Sciences:  Memoir  XI,  1913. 

Le  Nattiralist  Canadien:  Vols.  X,  1878,  10;  XXXV,  1908,  3,  4, 

5,  9,  10,  11,  12;  XXXVI,  1909,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11, 
12;  XXXVII,  1910,  1,  2,  3,  5,  6,  7,  8,  12;  XXXVIII,  1911, 
3,  4,  6,  8,  10,  12;  XL,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9. 

Nature  Study  Review:  Vols.  IV,  1908,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9; 
VI,  1910,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8;  VII,  1911,  1,  2,  3,  4,  6;  VIII, 
1912,  3,  6,  7,  8,  9;  IX,  1913,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9;  X,  1914,  1,  2,  3,  4. 

New  Jersey  Agric.  Exp.  Station:  Report  on  Mosquitoes,  by  John 
B.  Smith,  Sc.  D.,  1904. 

Ohio  Naturalist:  Vols.  VIII,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8;  IX,  1908-09, 

I,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8;  X,  1909-10,  1,  2,  3,  5,  6,  7,  8;  XI,  1910- 

II,  1,  2,  3,  4,  6,  7,  8;  XII,  1911-12,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8; 
XIII,  1912-13,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8;  XIV,  1913,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5, 

6,  7. 


82  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Oct. 

Ornithologist  and  Oologist:  Vols.  VII,  (Mar.  1882,  Dec.  1883); 

IX,    1884;  X   and   XI,    1885-86;  XII    and   XIII,    1887-88; 

XIV  and  XV,  1889-90. 
Papilio,  Organ  of  New  York  Entomological  Club;  I-IV,   1881- 

1884. 
Proc.  Acad,  of  Nat.  Sc.  of  Philadelphia :  Vols.  LXI,  1909,  Part  3; 

LXII,   1910,   1;  LXII,   1910,   1,  2;  LXIII,   1911,  3;  LXV, 

1913,  3,  1. 

Proc.  Californian   Academy  of  Sc,  4th  series:  Vols.,  I,  1911-12, 

Nos.  3,  4,  5,  6,  7;  II,  1913,  391,  454,  259,  264  Parts  8,  9; 

III,  1911-12,  pp.  73-148,  147-154,  155-160,  161-182,  181-186, 

57-72,  265-390. 
Proc.   American  Acad,  of  Arts  and  Science:  Vol.   XLV,    1910, 

16,    17,    18,    19,  20. 
Proc.  Boston  Soc.  Nat.  Hist.:  Vols.  XXII,  1883-4;  XXIII,  1884; 

XXXIV,  1912;  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  13;  XXXV,  1914,  1. 
Proc.  Indiana  Acad,  of  Sc. :   1894;  1895;  1906;  1907;  1908;  1909; 

1911;  1912. 
Proc.   of  Rochester  Acad,   of   Sc:  Vol.   V,    (1912),    (P.    39-58) 

Early  Botanists  of  Roch.   and  vicinity  and  the  botanical 

section. 
Proc.  of  Royal  Society  of  Edinburgh,  Session  1909-10,  Vol.  XXX, 

(1910),  Part  6,  p.  439-518. 
Proc.  and  Transactions  of  the  Nova  Scotian  Institute  of  Science, 

Vol.  XII  1907-08. 
Proc.  of  Washington  Academy  of  Science:  Vols.  VI,    1904,  428- 

438  (missing);  VII,   1905,   (complete);  VIII,  1906,  (missing 

pages    25-40);  IX,    1907,    (complete);  X,    1908,    p.    1-248 

XI,  1909,  p.  1-299;  XII,  1910,  p.  1-335. 
Reminiscences    Among   the    Rocks   in    Connection   with    Geol 

Survey  of  Canada,  by  Thos.  Chesmer  Weston,  F.  G.  S.  A 

1899. 
Report   of   New  York   State   Entomologist:  Vols.   VIII,    1891 

IX,    1892;  X,    1894;  XI,    1895;  XII,    1896,      nd    Annual 

Report.  1885. 
Rhodora,  Journal  of  New  England  Bot.Club:  Vol.  XII,  (1910), 

No.  136. 
Smithsonian  Report,  1911,  pp  335-424,  433-462,  659-671. 
Species  of  Rumex  occurring  north  of  Mexico,  by  Wm.  Trelease, 

1892. 
State  of  Connecticut:  State  Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Survev,  1912, 

19. 
Torreya:  Vols.  VI,    1906,    1,   6;  VII,    1907,  4;  VIII,   1908,    1-12 

complete;  IX,  1909,  1-12  complete;  X,  1910,  1-12  complete, 

XI,  1911,  1,  2,  3,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12;  XII,  1912,  1-12  com- 
plete; XIII,  1913,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12;  XIV, 

1914,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  83 

Trans.  Can.  Institute:  Vol.  IX,  1912,  Part  2  (No.  21). 

Trans.  Kansas  i\cad.  of  Science:  Vols.  X,  1885-86;  XI,  1887-88, 

XII,    1889-90;  XIII,    1891-92;  XIV,    1893-4;  XV,    1895-6; 

XVI,  1897-8;  XVII,  1899-1900;  XVIII,  1901-2;  XIX,  1903- 

04;  XXII,  1908-09. 
Trans.  Mass.  Hort.  Soc. :  1881-1883,  Parts  1  and  2  ;  1910,  Part  1,; 

1911,  Part  2;   1912,  Part  1;   1913,  Part  2. 
Trans,  and  Proc.  of  Botanical  Soc.  of  Edinburgh:  Vol.  XXIV, 

Part  1,  1909. 
Trans,    of   Wisconsin   Academy   of  Sciences,  Arts  and  Letters: 

Vol.  XV,  Part  2;  XVI,  Part  1,  (No.  1,  3,  4,  5,  6). 
U.    S.    Dept.    of  Agri.:  Reprints  from  Year  Book  of   Dept.    of 

Agri.:   1894,   The   Crow   and   Black   Birds   and   their  food; 

1898,  Danger  of  introdiicing  Noxious  Animals  and  Birds; 

1899,  A  Review  of  Economic  Ornithology  in  U.S.;  1901, 
Two  Vanishing  Game  Birds;  1903,  Economic  Value  of  Bob 
White;  1903,  Some  New  Facts  about  migration  of  Birds; 
1905,  Federal  Game  Protection;  1911,  Our  Mid-Pacific 
Bird  Reservation;   1911,    Craw    Fish   as    Bird   Destroyers 

U.S.  Dept.  of  Agri.  Division  of  Ornithology  and  Mammalogy 
Bui.  Nos.  IV,  1893;  V,  1895;  VI,  1895;  VII,  1895;  IX 
1898. 

North  American  Fauna,  Nos,  1,  1889;  2,  1889;  3,  1890;  4,  1890 

5,  1891;  7,  1893;  8,  1895;  (Division  of  Biological  Survey) 
14,  1899;  15,  1899;  17,  1900.;  19,  1900;  20,  1901;  21,  1901 
22,   1902;  24,   1904;  45,   1913. 

U.S.  Geol.  Survey,  (Dept.  of  Interior):  Professional  Papers  44 
48,  Parts  1,  2,  3;  58,  60,  61,  63,  79,  78,  80,  85A. 
Bulletin  367.     The  Significance  of  Drafts  in  Steam-Boiler 
Practice,  by  Walter  T.  Ray,  1909. 
Water  Supply  Paper  221,  1909. 

"      226,  1909. 
Bui.    361,    Anozore    Mammal    Horizons    of   Western  North 
America,  1909. 

Bui.   364,   Geol.   and  Mineral   Resources    of    the    Laramie, 
Wyoming. 

U.S.  Geol.  Survey:  Annual  Reports,  second,  1880-81;  third, 
1881-82;  fourth;  eighth.  Parts  1,  2,  1886-87;  eleventh,  1; 
twelfth,  1;  thirteenth,  1,2;  fourteenth,  1,  2;  sixteenth,  1, 
2,3,4,  1894-95;  seventeenth,  1,  3,  4,  (continued);  eight- 
eenth, 1,  2,  3,  5,  5  (continued);  nineteenth,  1,  2,  3,  5,  (Atlas 
Forest  Reserve);  6,  6  (continued);  twentieth,  1,  2,  3,  5,  5 
(maps)  6,  6  (continued);  twenty-first,  1,  2,  3,   4,  5    (maps), 

6,  6  (continued),  7;    twenty- second,  1,  2,  3;  twenty-fourth, 
1902-03;  twenty-sixth,  1905. 

U.S.  Geol.  Survey:  Annual  Report  U.S.  Entomological  Com- 
missioner on  Rocky  Mountan  Locust,  1877. 


84  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Oct. 

U.S.  Geol.  and  Geographical  Survey  of  the  Territories  of  Wyom- 
ing, Idaho,  1878,  Part  1. 

U.S.  Geol.  Survey:  Mineral  Resources  of  U.S.,  1883-84;  1885; 
1886;  1887;  1888;  1891;  1892;  1893;  1900;  1901;  1902;  1905; 
1907,  Parts  1,2;   1908,  Parts  1,  2.  • 

U.S.  Geol.  Survey  Monograph:  1,  2,  3,  4,  6,  7,  8,  9,  11,  12,  13, 
14,  15  (Parts  1,  2),  16,  17,  18,  19,  20,  21,  22,  23,  24,  25,  26, 
27,  28,  29,  30,  31,  32  (Part  2),  33,  34,  36,  37,  38,  39,  40,  41, 
44,  45,  46,  47,  48  (Parts  1,  2). 

University  of  Toronto  Series.     Geol.  Series:   1909,  6;   1910,  7. 
University  of  California  Chronicle:  Vols.   X,    1908,    1,   2,   3,   4; 
XI,  1909,  1,  2;  XII,  1910,  1,  2. 

Wilson  Bulletin :  Vols,  XX,  1908,  1,  2,  3,  4;  XXI,  1909,  1,  2,  3,  4; 
XXII,  1910,  2,  3,  4;  XXIV,  1912,  2,  3,  4,  5,  XXV,  1913, 
2,  3,  4;  XXVI,   1914,   1,  2. 

Zeitschrift  fur  Wissenschaftbche  Insecten  biologie:  Vols.  VI, 
1910;  XI,  1911. 

Zoologiska  Bidrag  fran  Uppsala:  Vols.  1,  1911-12,  II,  1913. 


THE  ENTOMOLOGICAL  SOCIETY  OF  ONTARIO. 


The  fifty-second  annual  meeting  of  the  above  society  will  be 
heldin  Ottawa,  on  November  4th  and  5th,  1915.  The  day  sessions 
will  be- held  in  the  large  laboratory  of  the  Entomological  Branch, 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Birks'  Building,  Sparks  street,  and 
the  evening  meeting  on  November  4th  in  the  Assembly  Hall  of 
the  Normal  School.  At  this  latter  meeting  Dr.  H.  T.  Fernald, 
State  Entomologist  of  Massachusetts,  will  deliver  the  popular 
lecture,  the  subject  of  which  will  be  "Life  Zones  in  Entomology 
and  their  relation  to  Crops." 

A  very  full  programme  has  been  arranged  for  the  day  sessions- 
Many  of  the  papers  to  be  presented  will  be  of  an  economic  nature > 
on  subjects  of  extreme  interest  to  the  agriculturist,  horticulturist, 
etc.  Entomologists  from  every  province  in  Canada  will  be  pre- 
sent, in  addition  to  which  prominent  authorities  from  the  United 
States  will  also  be  in  attendance.  Members  of  the  Ottawa  Field- 
Naturalists  Club  interested  in  insect  Hfe  will  be  welcomed  ^l^fQAj 
meetings.  *O^^L-J/^  j 


jy 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


Vol.  XXIX.  Plate  II. 


Mr 

i 

1 

HA/r 

n 

W\KIA\ 

THE  OTTAWA  NATURALIST--*-^ 

VOL.  XXIX.  NOVEMBER,   1915  No.  8 

A  NEW  ORDOVICIAN  PELECYPOD  FROM  THE  OTTAWA 

DISTRICT.* 

By  Alice  E.  Wilson. 

The  shell  is  of  medium  size  and  subelliptical  in  outline, 
length  and  height  about  as  2:5.  The  valves  are  very  slightly 
convex.  The  cardinal  margin  is  straight  posterior  to  the  beaks 
for  about  two-thirds  the  length  of  the  shell,  making  an  angle  of 
45°  with  the  anterior  margin,  which  continues  as  a  straight  line 
nearly  to  the  median  transverse  axis  of  the  shell,  thence  curving 
into  the  anterior  and  basal  margins.  The  latter  margin  bends 
slightly  upward  opposite  the  broad  weakly-defined  sinus.  The 
posterior  end  is  slightly  trtmcated  obliquely,  but  joins  the  basal 
margin  with  a  moderately  narrow  curve.  The  anterior  margin 
and  Lhe  straight  cardinal  margin  form  a  more  obtuse  angle  than 
that  f  the  posterior  end,  and  the  curve  with  which  it  joins  the 
vent  '.  margin  is  less  narrow.  There  is  a  slight  constriction 
benea uh  the  very  moderately  raised  umbones.  The  lunule ,  which 
is  evidently  very  narrow,  is  partially  destroyed  on  the  specimen 
examined.  The  sinus  is  very  shallow,  moderately  broad  and  less 
oblique  than  most  other  species  of  this  genus.  The  umbonal 
ridges  are  not  prominent,  and  become  imperceptible  in  the  pos- 
terior portion  of  the  shell,  which  is  almost  fiat.  Anterior  to  the 
sinus  there  is  a  slight  infiatation.  The  concentric  growth  lines 
are  very  tine,  but  anteriorly  they  are  gathered  into  about  a  dozen 
strong  ridges,  which  end  abruptly  in  the  oblique  cardinal  margin. 
Posteriorly  the  ridges  of  growth  lines  almost  disappear. 

The  most  striking  characteristic  of  the  species,  however, 
is  the  unique  marking.  A  series  of  fine  granules  crosses  the  con- 
centric growth  lines,  radiating  from  the  umbonal  region.  Near 
the  beak  they  are  very  fine,  hardly  visible  to  the  naked  eye,  but 
they  become  much  stronger  away  from  it,  so  that  in  the  ventral 
half  of  the  shell  they  have  almost  obliterated  the  concentric 
growth  lines,  except  anteriorly  where  the  strong  ridges  of  con- 
centric growth  lines  are  still  prominent.  On  the  dorsal  half  of 
the  posterior  portion  of  the  shell  there  is  a  still  more  complex 
marking.  In  addition  to  the  very  fine  concentric  growth  lines 
crossed  by  the  radiating  series  of  granules,  which  here  are  very 
minute,  there  is  a  very  fine  double  network  of  lines  running 
obliquely  from  granule  to  granule,  forming  a  regular  mesh,  with 

♦Published  by  permission  of  the  Deputy  Minister  of  Mines. 


86  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Nov. 

one  granule  at  each  intersection  of  the  lines.  The  lines  of 
growth,  with  a  gentle  curve  towards  the  posterior  margin,  pass 
from  apex  to  apex  across  the  longest  diameter  of  the  inesh. 
Some  of  this  very  fine  network  is  worn,  and  in  places  the  granules 
appear  to  be  shoved  up  together,  but  there  is  much  of  it  that  is 
remarkably  well  preserved. 

The  length  of  the  right  valve,  which  is  the  only  specimen 
found,  is  53  mm.,  height  21  mm. 

This  species  closely  resembles  Rhytim^'a  oehana  Ulrich,  but 
differs  from  it  in  the  straight  anterior  cardinal  margin  in  the 
narrower  and  less  oblique  sinus,  with  its  consequent  less  sinuate 
ventral  margin,  in  its  narrow  and  more  rounded  posterior  por- 
tion. 

It  differs  from  Rhytimya  compressa  Ulrich,  in  the  more 
abrupt  downward  slope  of  the  anterior  portion  of  the  dorsal 
margin,  in  the  somewhat  more  distinct  mesial  sinus,  and  the 
corresponding  slight  upward  flexure  of  the  ventral  margin. 
Rhytimya  granulosa  is  larger,  the  posterior  portion  is  more  pro- 
longed, and  the  mesial  sinus  is  less  oblique. 

Compared  with  Rhytimya  convexa  Ulrich,  this  species  is  less 
convex  on  the  whole,  although  slightly  more  inflated  anterior  to 
the  mesial  sinus.  The  folds  of  concentric  growth  lines  are  less 
prominent  posteriorly  and  the  cardinal  margin  is  straighter. 

For  this  species  I  would  propose  the  name  Rhytimya 
granulosa. 

The  Museum  is  indebted  to  Mr.  G.  S.  Blake,  geologist  of 
the  Standard  Oil  Company  of  Canada,  for  the  shell. 

Formation :  Lorraine,  in  the  Proetus  zone,  several  hundred 
feet  below  the  Sirophomena  ftuciuosa  horizon,  which  is  regarded 
as  near  the  base  of  the  Waynesville  division  of  the  Richmond, 
by  Aug.  F.  Foerste. 

Locality:  Twelve  miles  east  of  Ottawa,  near  Vars,  on  the 
Grand  Trunk  railroad.  Immediately  west  of  the  intersection  of 
the  roads  between  concessions  VII  and  VIII,  between  lots  20 
and  2 1 ,  nearly  two  miles  west  of  Vars. 

Explanation  of  Plate  II. 

RHYTIMYA  GRANULOSA,    N.  SP. 

1.  Portion  of  network  on  the  upper  posterior  portion  of 
Rhytimya  granulosa  x  ten  diameters.  The  lines  of  nodes 
from  right  to  left  are  the  radiating  lines  shown  on  the 
specimen.  The  single  long  lines  through  the  long  axis  of 
the  mesh  are  the  lines  of  growth. 

2.  Rhytimya  granulosa,  photograph  of  type  x  1>2.     Number 

4.319  in  the  Geological  Survey  Museum. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  87 

SHALLOW  WATER  DEPOSITION   IN  THE  CAMBRIAN 
OF   THE    CANADIAN    CORDILLERA.* 

By  Lancaster  D.   Burling. 


During  the  field  season  of  1915,  the  writer  was  engaged  in  a 
strati  graphic  study  of  the  Cambrian  rocks  along  the  Canadian 
Pacific  and  Grand  Trunk  Pacific  railways  in  British  Columbia 
and  Alberta.  One  of  the  most  striking  features  observed  was 
the  very  considerable  evidence  of  shallow  water  conditions  of  de- 
position in  the  limestones  of  the  region. 

The  Stephen  formation  ( i)  occupies  a  central  position  in  the 
Middle  Cambrian  and  forms  a  two  or  three  hundred  foot  shelf  be- 
tween clift^s  of  massive  limestone  each  a  thousand  feet  or  more  in 
thickness.     In  the  vicinity  pf  Motmts  Stephen  and  Field,  on  the 
Canadian  Pacific  Railway,  it  includes  those  striking  Middle  Cam- 
brian faunal  horizons  to  which  the  terms  Ogygopsis  shale  and 
Burgess  shale  have  been  applied.     Here  the  limestones  and  shales 
of  which  it  is  composed  betray  no  evidence  of  shallow  water  con- 
ditions of  deposition;  in  fact  it  is  hard  to  see  how  the  jelly  fish, 
sea  cucumber,  sponge,  worm,  crab,  and  pteropod  fauna  of  the 
Burgess  shale  (b)  could  have  been  preserved  in  strata  deposited 
outside  of  the  most  sheltered  of  habitats.     In  Castle  Mountain, 
30  miles  southeast  of  the  locality  to  which  these  faunas  appear 
to  be  confined,  however,  the  limestones  of  the  Stephen  forma- 
tion, which  are  both  coarse  and  fine  grained  and  apparently  pure- 
ly calcareous,  are  very  largely  mud-cracked  and  ripple-marked. 
The  areas  outlined  by  these  mud-cracks  vary  from  one  inch  to 
three  or  four  feet  in  diameter,  and  the   distance  between  crests 
of  the  ripple-marks  varies  from  one  inch  to  two  or  more  feet,  some 
of  the  larger  ripple-marks  being  impressed  upon  layers  carrying 
limestone  conglomerate  pebbles  two  inches  or  more  in  diameter. 
Nearly  all  of  these  limestones  carry  an  abundant  trilobite  and 
brachiopod  fauna.     Pure  limestones  carrying  what  we  have  been 
accustomed  to  regard  as  marine  faunas  thus  bear  unimpeach- 
able evidence  that    they  have  not  only  been  deposited  under 
shallow  water  conditions,  but    that  in    many    cases  they  have 
suffered  prolonged  exposure  to  the  air.     Glottidia,  Kraussina, 
Terebralulina,  Lingula  and  Discina,  among  recent  brachiopods, 
are  known  {c)  to  live  at  or  above  low  tide,  and  there  is  no  reason 

*  Published  with  the  permission  of  the  Deputy  Minister  nf  Mines. 

{a)  Walcott,  1908,  Smithsonian  Misc.  Coll.,  vol.  Si,  No.  5,  pp.  209-212. 

(b)  Walcott,  Smithsonian  Misc.  Coll.,  vol.  57,  1910-1912. 

(c)  Davidson,  British  Fossil  Brachiopoda,  vol.  S,  1883,  p.  337. 


88 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


[Nov. 


why  the  extinct  trilobite  should  have  needed  a  deep  water 
habitat.  In  fact,  specimens  in  our  collections  show  this  form  to 
be  present  upon  the  surface  of  interformational  conglomerate 
layers — those  curious  bands  which  owe  their  origin  to  the  edge- 
wise packing  and  cementing  of  broken  bits  of  sun-dried  crust 
upon  a  tidal  flat — a  characteristically  shallow  water  phenomenon 
exhibited  by  limestone  strata  scores  and  hundreds  of  feet  in 
thickness  throughout  large  areas  of  the  Cambrian  in  Wyoming, 
British  Columbia,  Alberta,  and  Yukon.  It  may  be  of  interest 
to  record  here  also  the  fact  that  brachiopods  and  trilobites  have 
been  discovered  in  a  massive  Cambrian  limestone  composed  al- 
most entirely  of  Cryptozoon-like  algal  masses  approximating  a 
foot  in  diameter  and  six  to  eight  feet  in  length.  The  gradually 
accumulating  weight  of  evidence  is  thus  strongly  in  favour  of 
the  conclusion  that  neither  marine  faunas  nor  limestones  are, 
either  of  themselves  or  jointly,  a  criterion  of  deep  water  deposi- 
tion, and  that  for  much  of  the  Cambrian  the  postulation  of  deep 
sea  basins  is  unnecessary.  Moreover,  we  have  shown  this  to  be 
true  for  at  least  part  of  a  horizon  whose  faunas  preserve  their 
individuality  through  the  one  thousand  or  more  miles  separating 
the  Nevada  localities  from  those  in  British  Columbia  and  Al- 
berta, (d) 

Evidence  of  shallow  water  conditions  in  the  Cambrian  is 
most  striking,  however,  nearly  3,000  feet  above  the  Stephen 
formation  at  the  line  separating  the  Middle  from  the  Upper 
Cambrian.  The  base  of  the  Bosworth  formation  (e)  in  the 
Canadian  Pacific  Railway  section  and  the  base  of  the  Lynx 
formation  (/)  in  the  Grand  Trunk  Pacific  section  comprise 
several  hundred  feet  of  red  and  yellow  shales  which  are  covered 
with  mud-cracks,  ripple-marks,  and  casts  of  salt  crystals  two 
inches  or  more  in  diameter.  The  emergence  of  the  sea  bottom 
indicated  by  these  occurences  must  have  been  prolonged,  but 
the  quiet  limestone  forming  conditions  which  immediately  pre- 
ceded thein  soon  followed.  The  occurence  is -of  special  interest, 
because  the  correctness  of  the  division  of  geologic  time  into 
major  units  is  believed  to  be  confirmed  when  those  units  are 
discovered  to  represent  periods  of  deposition  separated  by  emer- 
gences of  the  sea  bottom. 


(d)  Geol.  Survey  Canada,  Museum  Bull.  No.  2,  1914,  p.  113. 

(e)  Walcott,  Smithsonian  Misc.  Coll.,  vol.  53,  No.  5,  1908,  pp.  205-208. 
(/)  Idem,  vol.  57,  No.  12,  1913,  p.  337. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  89 

NOTES  ON  THE  HERRING  GULL  (LARUS 
ARGENTATUS). 

By  M.  Y.  Williams,  Ottawa. 

Between  June  8th  and  October  26th  the  writer  cruised  by 
launch  from  Wiarton  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  visiting  nearly  all  the 
islands  included  in  the  Manitoulin  group.  Throughout  the  sea- 
son herring  gulls  were  very  numerous.  On  and  after  July  21st 
the  immature  birds,  in  brown-gray  plumage,  began  to  appear. 

These  gulls  are  reported  to  nest  freely  on  Half  Moon  Island, 
where  the  fishermen  obtain  plenty  of  eggs  for  eating.  On  July 
21st,  wh-en  we  visited  Wall  Island,  I  saw  old  nests,  and  also  a 
dead,  half-grown  gull.  What  appeared  to  be  the  remains  of  a 
nest  was  also  observed  on  James  Island,  and  many  gulls  made  it 
a  resting  place.  This  species  is  also  reported  to  nest  on  some  of 
the  islands  in  the  north  channel. 

A  number  of  well-informed  fishermen  and  hunters  report 
that  the  herring  gull  destroys  whole  families  of  young  wild  ducks. 
Following  the  flock  as  it  swims  in  open  water,  they  hover  over 
the  little  ducks,  which  try  to  escape  by  diving,  and  swallow 
them  as  soon  as  they  come  to  the  surface. 

On  September  2  7th  the  writer  saw  a  small  flock  of  what 
appeared  to  be  hooded  merganzers  off  the  west  end  of  Barrie 
Island.  Several  herring  gulls  hovered  near  and  dropped  to 
the  surface  of  the  water  alongside  the  ducks  as  soon  as  they  rose 
to  the  surface,  swam  up  and  appeared  to  take  something  away 
from  them.  On  October  1st  a  large  flock  of  American  mer- 
ganzers were  fishing  along  the  Lake  Woolsey  side  of  Indian 
Point.  In  spite  of  a  fresh  wind  blowing  on  shore,  they  fished 
close  to  shore  in  the  shallow  water,  following  up  the  innumerable 
minnows  which  were  to  be  found  at  this  locality.  A  number  of 
herring  gulls  mingled  with  the  ducks,  and  paid  close  attention 
to  them  as  they  rose  from  beneath  the  water.  I  shot  two  of  the 
ducks,  and  found  their  mouths  overflowing  with  minnows. 

Mr.  J.  Merrylees,  of  Gore  Bay,  hunter  and  taxidermist,  says 
that  the  gulls  regularly  rob  the  ducks  of  their  fish  when  they 
rise  to  swallow  their  catch.  This  appears  to  be  the  only  con- 
clusion to  be  drawn  from  the  above  observations.  It  was  fur- 
ther stated  by  Mr.  E.  Gaulin,  of  Meldrum  Bay,  that  the  gulls 
rob  the  loons  as  well  as  the  ducks. 

From  evidences  seen  this  summer,  the  herring  gtill  has  at 
least  one  dangerous  natural  enemy.  On  July  10th  the  writer 
discovered  four  duck  hawks  along  the  cliffs  of  the  north  side  of 


90 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


[Nov. 


Echo  Island,  which  lies  but  three  or  four  miles  north  of  the  Bruce 
peninsula.  The  two  young  birds,  which  were  fully  developed, 
were  secured.  One  was  shot  from  a  dead  stub  at  the  top  of  the 
cliff,  which  was  a  much  frequented  roosting  place.  Just  below 
were  the  feathers  of  blue-jays  and  the  wing  primaries  of  a  herring 
gull.  Yeo  Island,  which  was  visited  July  13th,  was  also  fre- 
quented by  duck  hawks,  and  numerous  wings  of  crows,  gulls  and 
blue -jays  lay  scattered  along  the  top  of  the  cliffs. 


THE  EVOLUTION  OF  THE  SHEEP. 


By  B.  C.  Tillett,  Hamilton,  Ont. 


To  the  curiotis  and  enquiring  mind  which  first  strikes  the 
question,  viz :  "What  are  the  origins  of  the  domesticated  animals 
and  plants  of  mankind?"  there  opens  out  a  world  of  interesting 
investigation.  How  did  man  come  to  subdue  the  wild  animals 
of  the  earth  to  his  uses  for  labour,  for  hunting,  and  for  food, 
and  even  for  fancy  and  amusement?  How  came  he  to  discover 
and  cultivate  the  leaves,  roots,  seeds,  and  even  th^  flowers  of 
the  vegetable  world  for  food,  as  well  as  for  ornament  and  artistic 
gratification?  And,  what  is  more  wonderful,  how  did  he  mul- 
tiply and  develop  from  single  common  stocks  all  their  innumer- 
able and  diverse  varities?  The  last  question  has  become,  in  its- 
biological  aspects,  a  problem  so  profound  and  interesting  as  to 
develop  a  new  school  of  inquirers  in  Europe — the  Mendelians. 

The  Impermanence  of   Form. 

Charles  Darwin  threw  a  powerful  and  important  light  upon 
these  problems  when  he  demonstrated  and  developed  the  simple 
yet  remarkable  fact  of  life,  that  all  living  forms  existing  around 
us  have  in  reaHty  no  fixed  permanence.  1  hey  have  all  inherent 
in  their  nature  a  vital  flexibility  of  tissue,  of  anatomy,  and  of 
function.  And  it  is  this  which  causes  them  to  fluctuate  and 
vary  from  those  qualities  which,  in  their  sum  total,  go  to  the 
make-up  of  that  distinctive  type  of  life  we  term  the  species. 
When  the  world  was  young,  and  reptilian  monsters  dominated 
the  tropical  forests  and  swamps  of  the  earth,  the  birds  of  that 
period  showed  their  affinities  with  these  creatures  in  the  posses- 
sion of  teeth.  The  teeth  have  disappeared,  but  the  population 
of  the  air  remains.  While  no  living  bird  now  possesses  true 
teeth,  within  the  jaws  of  an  unhatched  parrot  there  are  certain 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  91 

microscopic  points  capped  with  enamel,  which  indicate  its  an- 
cestral connections.  They  are  absorbed  before  the  bird  is  many- 
days  old.  In  the  unborn  parrot  is  the  vanishing  point  of  a 
"missing  link  "  with  its  primeval  progenitors. 

With  the  disappearance  of  the  primeval  swamp  has  also 
disappeared  the  five-toed  ancestor  of  the  horse.  Transferred 
to  the  plains,  he  now  races  free  upon  a  single  digit,  developed 
into  a  hardened  hoof,  leaving  the  vanishing  remains  of  other 
digits  within  his  pastern  to  mark  the  transition  of  slow  develop- 
ment, through  aeons  of  time,  from  one  form  of  life  to  another. 
These  are  instances  of  a  plastic  power  within  the  living  organism 
which  enables  it  to  fit  itself  in,  and  adapt  itself  to,  the  exigencies 
of  its  environments.  The  very  urgencies  of  subsistence,  and 
the  necessities  of  survival  at  Nature's  table,  demand  this  con- 
stitutional tendency  to  impermanence  of  form  or  function. 

Variability  of  Nature  and  Life. 

For  in  all  her  physical  aspects,  Nature  is  herself  changeable" 
and  inconstant.  The  rigors  of  her  chequered  and  ever-change- 
able conditions  have  aided  in  eliciting  and  fixing  the  quality 
of  mutability  in  her  life  forms.  There  is  thus  an  element  of 
mutability  and  reciprocation  between  the  internal  organism  and 
its  external  surroundings.  And  the  instability  of  the  organism- 
is  a  natural  and  a  necessary  part  of  the  dual  state  of  its  existence  .■ 
As  Herbert  Spencer  has  sententiously  remarked  in  defining  life 
itself,  it  is  "a  continuous  adjustment  of  internal  relations  with 
external  relations."  Such,  in  brief,  is  the  doctrine  of  variation, 
which  is  the  starting  point  of  Darwin's  theory  of  the  origin  of 
species  and  the  evolution  of  life. 

Darwin  at  once  seized  hold  of  the  enormous  range  of  varia- 
tion seen  in  domestic  species,  and  its  power  of  diversity  and  ex- 
tension under  the  hand  of  the  expert  breeder  and  cultivator. 
And  in  utilising  its  multifarious  phenomena  in  support  of  his 
thesis,  he  personally  experimented  with  both  animal  and  vege- 
table species.  Here  he  showed  that  the  key  of  man's  power 
over  species  lies  in  the  accumulation  of  his  selections  of  varying 
and  variable  points  of  structure  and  character.  Nature  pro- 
vides variations,  and  their  succession  in  heredity.  Man  adds 
them  up  in  directions  useful  to  him.  In  this  way  he  has  built 
up  great  and  serviceable  breeds.  He  can  not  merely  modify 
the  character  of  his  types,  but  he  can  change  them  altogether. 
It  does  not  require  a  great  eflfort  of  the  imagination  to 
determine  the  motives  of  man  in  his  selection  and  improvements 
of  breeds  to  serve  his  ends.  It  is  known  that  sheep  skins  were 
used  for  tents,  as  well  as  for  clothing   and  foot-wear,  from  the 


92  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Nov. 

earliest  nomadic  times.  Size  would,  therefore,  be  a  desidera- 
tum. Warmth  and  comfort  would  be  desired.  Length  and 
fineness  of  fleece  would,  therefore,  be  sought  for.  Purity  of 
colour  would  be  appreciated.  White,  and  its  pure  and  uniform 
tints,  would  be  desired.  Principles  of  economy  would  dictate 
considerations  as  to  weight,  strength,  and  healthiness  of  skin 
and  so  forth. 

The  First  Experiment. 

Early  in  the  history  of  the  world  it  can  be  well  imagined 
that  wealth  was  measured  by  sheep.  And  the  dignity  of  shep- 
herding and  the  peace  of  pastoral  pursuits  bulk  largely  in  ancient 
literature.  The  flocks  of  Abraham  and  Lot,  as  the  measure  of 
their  prosperity,  are  said  to  have  been  more  than  the  land  could 
support.  They  were  the  chief  resources  as  well  as  the  spoils 
of  the  whole  history  and  the  wars  of  the  Israelites.  Solomon 
dedicated  120,000  sheep  to  the  purposes  of  religion  and  the 
temple.  Pliny  remarks  that  sheep  were  used  as  sacrifices  to  the 
gods,  as  well  as  for  food  and  clothing.  The  enormous  super- 
fluity of  the  flocks  of  ancient  times  must  have  been  the  product 
of  careful  selection;  and  it  will  be  remembered  that  the  first 
successful  experiment  for  the  production  of  a  new  colour  was 
made  by  Jacob,  as  recorded  in  the  Scriptures.  He  peeled  rods 
of  poplar,  hazel  and  chestnut,  so  as  to  give  them  a  "ring- 
streaked"  or  dark  and  white  appearance.  These  he  placed  in 
the  water  troughs  of  the  flocks.  In  this  he  supposed  .according 
to  the  world-old  tradition  that  the  speckled  appearance  would 
be  reproduced  in  the  young  lambs  through  the  impressionable 
character  of  the  ewes  carrying  young.  White  troughs  have 
since  been  used,  and  even  white  cloths  have  been  hung  up  in 
the  fields  for  the  same  purpose. 

Wild  and  Domestic  Animals. 

The  original  stock  of  domestic  sheep  is  represented  by,  and 
more  or  less  obscurely  traceable  to,  less  than  a  dozen  wild  species. 
These  vary  in  outward  appearance  and  character,  considerably 
from  the  goat-like,  furry  rather  than  fleecy,  blue  sheep  of  Tibet, 
to  the  Moufflon  or  Armenian  wild  sheep  of  Europe.  The  latter 
is  said  to  be  the  original  progenitor  of  our  domestic  varieties. 
They  formerly  existed  in  the  islands  of  Sardinia  and  Corsica  in 
large  numbers,  and  were  the  object  of  large  organized  hunts,  as 
many  as  500  being  shot  in  a  single  drive.  To-day  they  are  not 
so  numerous,  and  the  captured  are  much  less.  Their  affinity 
with  domestic  sheep  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  now  and  then  the 
wild  Moufflon  will  forsake  the  wilds  and  mix  with  the  homestead 
sheep,  while  it  is  also  known  that  orphan  lambs  of  the  home- 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  93 

stead  have  found  a  dam  amongst  the  wild  species.  The  varia- 
bility of  the  domestic  sheep  of  the  world  is  more  marked.  The 
Africander  fat-tailed  sheep  carries  a  tail  which  is  frequently 
found  to  w^eigh  50  pounds,  trails  on  the  ground,  and  is  sup- 
ported by  the  breeder  with  a  contrivance  on  little  wheels.  It 
is  regarded  as  a  delicacy,  and  is  an  important  item  in  the  mutton. 
On  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  breed  of  sheep  in  Central  Asia  with 
a  mere  rudimentary  tail,  the  fat  natural  to  this  part  having  ac- 
cumulated on  each  side  of  the  haunches  in  large  protuberances 
as  if  like  the  camel's  hump  they  were  nature's  store  against 
future  famine,  which  man  takes  advantage  of  and  breeds  out. 
Darwin  notices  the  Angola  variety  of  the  long-tailed  race  which 
has  similarly  curious  growths  of  humpy  fat  in  the  region  of  the 
head.  The  multiplicity  of  varieties  of  the  sheep  and  their  ex- 
tremes of  peculiarity  render  the  veriest  reference  to  specially 
interesting  features  out  of  the  question  in  these  notes.  There  are 
in  the  museums  of  the  world  collections  of  mediaeval,  modern, 
and  wild  stocks,  and  in  some  of  the  European  zoological  collec- 
tions a  few  living  specimens.  In  the  museums  may  also  be  seen 
fossilized  remains  which  carry  us  back  to  the  very  early  geolo- 
gical times  in  the  earth's  history.  Although  the  ancestry  of 
the  horse  may  be  definitely  traced  to  the  most  ancient  primeval 
epochs,  that  of  the  sheep  still  remains  in  obscurity.  But  it  is 
known  that  this  important  domestic  animal  appeared  wild  in 
the  tertiary  epoch  in  company  with  the  horse,  camel,  ox,  hog 
and  elephant.  This  takes  us  back  to  about  2,500,000  years  ago. 
And  according  to  authorities  on  the  subject,  there  is  ample  evi- 
dence that  in  the  quartermary  epoch  of  the  earth's  geological 
age  man  had  acquired  some  of  the  arts  of  agriculture.  He  had 
domesticated  the  docile  sheep,  and  afterwards  the  ox,  the  cat, 
the  dog,  and  the  fowl.  He  had  learned  to  dress  hides,  and  had 
accomplished  primitive  methods  of  weaving.  And  this  period 
is  fixed  as  variously  approximating  500,000  years  ago. 


BEQUEST  TO  O.F.N.C. 


The  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club  is  pleased  to  acknow- 
ledge a  bequest  of  $100  by  the  will  of  the  late  John  Charles 
Kearns.  The  late  Mr.  Kearns  was  a  member  of  the  Club  for 
many  years,  and  always  took  a  very  keen  interest  in  its  work. 

The  Council,  at  a  recent  meeting,  decided  to  set  this  bequest 
aside  as  an  endowment  fund,  the  interest  from  which  could  be 
ffered  as  an  annual  prize  bearing  the  name  of  the  donor. 

G.  LeL. 


A^ 


94  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Nov. 

SOME  HABITS  OF  SWAINSON'S  HAWK  IN  MANITOBA. 


By  Norman  Criddle,  Treesbai^k,  Man. 


Swainson's  Hawk  (Buteo  Swainsoni),  is  essentially  a  bird  of 
open  woodlands  or  hilly  country.  It  prefers  a  mixture  of  the 
two  for  nesting  purposes,  and  the  open  gopher-infested  plains 
for  a  hunting  ground.  Reaching  us  rather  later  in  the  spring 
than  most  of  our  other  hawks,  it  almost  immedietaly  sets  about 
selecting  a  nesting  site,  the  place  chosen  being  usually  either  a 
scrub  oak  or  an  isolated  aspen  poplar.  Occasionally,  however, 
the  birds  abandon  their  usual  practice  and  select  a  hill  instead  of 
a  tree  for  nesting  purposes,  even  when  trees  are  available.  On 
the  plains  farther  west  they  do  not  have  so  much  choice  in  the 
matter,  and  in  conseqtience  they  are  obliged,  if  they  nest  at  all 
in  such  places,  to  be  contented  with  a  hill  or  river  bank. 

As  I  have  previously  pointed  out,  on  several  occasions, 
there  are  few  more  useful  hawks,  in  our  Canadian  west,  than  this 
species.  Years  ago,  in  his  "Birds  of  Manitoba,"  Thompson 
Set  on  suggested  the  name  gopher  hawk  for  this  bird,  and  I  know 
of  no  more  fitting  title.  This  does  not  suggest,  however,  that 
these  birds  live  only  on  such  animals.  Those  of  us  who  know 
them  well  are  aware  that  they  are  by  no  means  partial  in  th?s 
choice.  Young  grouse,  meadowlarks  and  other  birds  certainly 
form  a  portion  of  their  diet,  as  do  also,  occasionally,  young 
poultry.  But  oVjservation  also  teaches  us  that  at  least  80  per 
cent  of  the  food  is  made  up  of  noxious  rodents,  and  that  is  surely 
an  excellent  showing,  well  entitling  the  bird  to  protection. 

In  former  times  these  handsome  dashing  hawks  frequented 
the  plains  in  considerable  numbers,  seeking  and  obtaining  an 
easy  living  among  the  gopher  population.  As  time  went  on, 
however,  the  persecution  they  were  subjected  to  by  farmers  and 
others  greatly  thinned  their  ranks,  so  that  to-day  they  are  re- 
stricted to  a  few  isolated  or  unsettled  districts,  where  they  are 
permitted  to  rear  their  young  in  comparative  safety.  I  am 
pleased  to  say  that  one  such  district  occurs  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  my  home,  it  being  situated  on  one  of  the  Dominion  timber 
reserves.  It  is  there  that  I  have  been  privileged  to  watch  the 
birds  for  a  number  of  years  past,  and  have  gleaned  some  interest- 
ing information  relating  to  their  habits  and  life  history.  Some 
of  this  information  I  have  already  related  in  a  previous  volume 
of  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  I  shall  here,  therefore,  chiefly 
confine  myself  to  some  observations  made  last  summer,  •.  hile 
I  was  out  on  some  of  my  usual  Sunday  afternoon  rambles. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  95 

My  first  excursion  into  the  "Sand  Hills,"  where  the  hawks 
reside,  was  in  early  June,  when  in  company  with  two  of  my 
brothers,  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  run  across  three  nests.  The 
first  of  these,  which  I  shall  call  No.  1,  was  situated  in  a  dwarf 
oak  (Quercus  macrocarpa),  the  tree  being  some  14  feet  in  height, 
and  the  nest  about  8  feet  from  the  ground  in  its  bushy  limbs. 
In  the  nest  were  five  eggs  of  the  usual  blotched  type,  and  sitting 
upon  them  was  a  bird  which  was  very  loath  to  leave.  It,  how- 
ever, rose  on  our  close  approach  and  rapidly  soared  skywards. 
When  well  out  of  reach  it  was  joined  by  a  companion  and  uttered 
shrill  shrieks  of  defiance.  The  second  nest  was  located  about  three 
miles  from  the  first,  and  some  five  miles. from  home.  This,  un- 
like the  first,  was  situated  upon  the  point  of  a  hill  which  rose 
some  20  feet  above  the  surrounding  level.  This  hill,  however, 
was  by  no  means  isolated,  there  being  numerous  others  round 
about,  some  of  them  actually  higher,  its  only  advantage  in  com- 
parison being  that  it  reached  more  of  a  point  at  one  end  where 
the  nest  was  placed.  The  nest  itself  was  of  a  decidedly  bulky 
nature,  being  built  of  large  sticks,  with  smaller  ones  and  some 
bark  as  a  lining.  In  this  were  seven  eggs,  the  greatest  number 
I  have  ever  observed  in  one  nest,  the  usual  number  being  four, 
and  not  infrequently  one  finds  only  three.  The  third  nest,  like 
No.  1 ,  was  situated  in  a  dwarf  oak  growing  this  time  at  the  bottom 
of  a  hill.  It  contained  no  eggs,  though  a  few  green  leafy  boughs 
in  it  showed  that  its  builders  had  recently  been  at  work.  This 
nest  was  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  No.  2,  and  on  account 
of  its  distance  from  home  was  not  again  visited. 

On  June  2  7th  I  visited  the  first  two  nests  for  the  second 
time.  No.  1  now  had  some  downy  young  in  it,  two  striped 
gophers  (Cetellus  iridecemlineata)  and  one  gray  gopher  (C  Rich- 
ardsonit).  No.  2  harboured  five  young  and  one  "egg,  the  young 
being  half  grown,  though  of  different  ages  as  usual.  They  were 
curious  fluffy  fellows,  having  a  mixture  of  down  and  feathers, 
the  latter  being  chiefly  confined  to  the  wings.  They  all  opened 
their  beaks  as  I  approached,  and  the  largest,  as  if  guardian  over 
the  rest,  did  his  best  to  defend  them  and  frighten  me  away.  In 
this  nest  half  a  gray  gopher  was  the  only  available  food. 

On  July  4th  I  was  again  in  the  vicinity,  and  found  No.  1 
nest  with  the  young  still  present,  and  that  their  hunger  had  been 
recently  appeased  was  evident  from  the  presence  of  two  un- 
touched striped  gophers  in  the  nest.  In  nest  No.  2  the  young 
were  still  unable  to  fly,  though  three  had  made  their  way  some 
distance  along  the  hill.  I  returned  these  for  the  sake  of  a  photo- 
graph, and  they  made  very  little  effort  to  prevent  my  handling 
them.  Curiously  enough,  there  was  still  but  one  of  a  pug- 
nacious nature,  and  he,  as  previously,  seemed  to  consider  himself 


96  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Nov. 

in  charge  of  the  remainder,  and  in  that  capacity  resented  in  a 
ferocious  manner  my  handling  of  the  rest.  One  of  the  parents 
also  made  a  half-hearted  effort  to  frighten  me  by  diving  towards 
me.  It  took  good  care,  however,  to  remain  well  out  of  reach. 
In  the  nest  at  the  time  were  two  gray  gophers,  one  of  them  partly 
eaten,  showing  in  spite  of  five  almost  fully  grown  young  that  the 
parents  were  able  to  keep  the  larder  well  supplied.  I  would  like 
to  draw  attention  here  to  the  habit  these  birds  have  of  going  far 
afield  for  their  hunting.  In  the  case  of  nest  No.  2  the  nearest 
gray  gopher  colony  was  fully  two  miles  away,  while  to  secure 
them  in  numbers  entailed  a  journey  of  fotir  or  five  miles,  and 
there  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  hawks  went  even  further  than 
this.  That  they  usually  flew  directly  to  their  hunting  grounds 
was  also  evident  froii  the  fact  that  in  no  instance  were  striped 
gophers  found  in  the  nest,  though  those  rodents  were  met  with 
more  than  once  in  its  vicinity.  While  the  hawks  keep  the  nest 
and  its  immediate  surroundings  free  from  refuse,  I  was,  never- 
theless, able  to  secure  a  few  pellets,  which,  as  is  well  known,  all 
birds  of  this  kind  disgorge.  An  examination  of  these  revealed 
much  gopher  hair,  a  few  feet  of  those  animals,  and  two  feet  of 
a  meadowlark,  both  in  the  same  pellet,  showing  that  they 
doubtless  belonged  to  one  bird. 

As  I  left  the  nest  its  defender  still  stood  erect  on  its  edge 
watching  my  every  movement,  like  a  sentry  on  duty,  and  thus 
he  remained  until  distance  h"d  him  from  my  sight. 

On  July  5th,  a  parent  hawk  which  was  flying  very  high, 
suddenly  made  one  of  those  dives  for  which  the  birds  are  re- 
markable. In  a  moment  it  was  among  a  brood  of  young  turkeys, 
and  but  for  their  remarkable  instinct  in  hiding,  and  my  presence 
soon  after,  would  have  undoubtedly  carried  oft'  one  of  them.  As 
it  was,  the  hawk  continued  on  its  journey  southward  to  the  usual 
hunting  grounds. 

On  July  1  7th  I  visited  nest  No.  1  for  the  last  time.  I  found 
it  inhabited  by  four  almost  fully-fledged  young.  I  had,  in  fact, 
just  taken  a  photograph,  and  was  searching  for  pellets  beneath 
the  nest,  when  the  strongest  bird  flew  out,  but  finding  its  weight 
still  too  great  for  its  wings,  it  came  to  earth  rather  suddenly 
some  40  yards  away,  not,  however,  with  sufficient  force  to  be 
injured,  as  was  indicated  by  the  vicious  manner  in  which  it  met 
me  as  I  approached.  Its  onslaught  was  most  determined,  and 
I  was  obliged  to  defend  myself  with  a  spade,  which  the  hawk 
struck  repeatedly  with  its  claws,  but  never  with  the  beak. 
When  exhausted  with  its  efforts  at  jumping,  it  threw  itself  upon 
its  back  and  struck  out  with  both  feet.  Having  finished  my 
observations  I  retired,  the  hawk  actually  making  after  ine,  evi- 
dently considering  that  I  was  being  driven  from  the  field.     The 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  97 

other  birds  remained  in  the  nest  in  company  with  two  striped 
gophers,  one  being  partly  devoured.  Pellets  around  the  tree 
showed  much  gopher  hair  and  some  broken  bones,  but  no  in- 
dication of  birds.  It  seems  strange  that  this  pair  of  hawks  fed 
their  young  mostly  upon  striped  gophers,  while  those  of  No.  2 
preferred  gray  ones;  doubtless  situation  had  something  to  do 
with  this,  though  both  kinds  of  gophers  were  within  reach.  An- 
other nest  I  had  not  previously  visited  was  located  in  an  aspen 
poplar,  in  an  opening  among  the  lower  trees.  There  was  a  single 
hawk  in  the  nest  which  immediately  flew  on  my  approach  and 
disappeared  in  the  distance.  In  this  case  the  parent  birds,  as 
is  customary,  had  been  shrieking  overhead  while  I  was  yet  more 
than  a  mile  away,  and  had  even  attacked  me  in  the  usual  timid 
manner.  As  a  matter  of  fact  it  was  their  own  stupidity  that 
led  me  to  the  nest,  which  but  for  their  efforts  I  shotdd  never 
have  found.  Pellets  in  this  instance  were  absent,  consequently 
I  could  learn  nothing  of  the  birds'  food  habits. 

To  those  unacquainted  with  the  fauna  of  Manitoba  the  ques- 
tion might  arise,  how  do  these  hawks  manage  to  defend  them- 
selves while  nesting  on  the  ground,  particularly  txpon  a  hill 
which  is  so  frequently  used  as  a  vantage  spot  by  coyotes.  Is  it 
that  hawks  make  but  poor  eating,  or  do  the  coyotes,  badgers, 
etc.,  fear  those  formidable  claws?  I  do  not  know,  but  suspect 
the  latter  is  more  probably  correct. 

It  is  a  very  great  pity  that  lack  of  knowledge  regarding  the 
usefulness  of  these  hawks  has  caused  them  to  be  so  severely 
persecuted.  We  are  all  of  us  aware  in  the  west  what  a  large  toll 
gophers  take  of  our  crops,  yet  strange  to  relate,  we  seem  to  have 
done  our  best  to  propagate  them  by  destroying  the  hawks  and 
weasels,  which  are  their  natural  enemies. 


FIFTY-SECOND  ANNUAL  MEETING  OF  THE  ENTOMO- 
LOGICAL SOCIETY  OF  ONTARIO. 


This  meeting  will  long  be  remembered  by  those  present  as 
an  extremely  successful  gathering,  at  which  'members  convened 
from  both  ends  of  the  Dominion,  to  meet  their  fellow  workers 
at  the  Capital.  The  meetings  of  this  Society  have  long  been 
known  for  their  successful  programmes,  but  if  we  are  to  believe 
those  competent  to  judge,  the  gatherings  on  the  4th  and  5th  of 
November  last  excelled  ia  this  respect  any  previous  conventions, 
and  in  point  of  value  to  agriculture,  were  to  Canada  equally  as 
profitable  as  the  meetings  of  the  Association  of  Economic  En- 
tomologists are  to  the  United  States. 


98  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Nov. 

The  meeting  was  held  in  the  large  laboratory  of  the  Ento- 
mological Branch,  Department  of  Agriculttire,  Ottawa,  thus  not 
only  providing  ample  accommodation,  but  also  enabling  visitors 
to  inspect  the  large  collections  of  insects  housed  there.  While 
the  Society  had  to  deplore  the  unavoidable  absence  of  Dr. 
Howard,  Chief  of  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Entomology,  who 
was  to  have  delivered  the  popidar  lecture,  we  were  fortunate 
in  securing  instead  another  distinguished  American  in  the  person 
of  Dr.  H.  T.  Fernald,  of  Amherst,  Mass.,  who  delivered,  on 
Thursday  evening,  November  4th,  a  most  interesting  and  in- 
structive lecture,  the  title  of  which  was  "  Life  Zones  in  Entomo- 
logy in  relation  to  Crops." 

It  is  unnecessary  to  mention  the  names  of  all  those  present ; 
sufficient  to  relate  that  the  meetings  were  very  largely  attended. 
There  were,  however,  a  few  visitors  who  cannot  well  be  passed 
over,  namely:  Prof.  C.  P.  Lounsbury,  Chief  of  the  Division  of 
Entomology,  Department  of  Agriculture,  Pretoria,  Union  of 
South  Africa;  Mr.  A.  F.  Burgess,  who  has  charge  of  the  United 
States  gipsy  and  brown-tail  moth  work,  and  Di^.  Hugh  Glasgow, 
of  Geneva,  N.Y.  In  addition  to  many  prominent  members  of 
the  Society,  there  were  in  attendance  all  the  scientific  staff  of 
the  Dominion  Entomological  service,  as  well  as  the  following 
well  known  Canadian  visitors:  Sir  James  Grant,  Dr.  F.  S.  Tor- 
rance, Veterinary-Director  General;  Dr.  F.  T.  Shutt,  Dominion 
Chemist;  Mr.  W.  T,  Macoun,  Dominion  Horticulturist;  Dr.  C.  H. 
Higgins,  Pathologist,  Dominion  Department  of  Agricidture;  Mr. 
H.  T.  Gusrow,  Dominion  Botanist;  Mr.  R.  H.  Campbell,  Director 
of  Forestry;  Mr.  W.  Ide,  private  secretary  to  the  Minister  of 
Agriculture;  and  Mr.  D.  Johnson,  Dominion  Fruit  Commissioner. 

The  papers  read,  while  usually  of  a  scientific  nature,  and 
therefore  of  interest  to  a  limited  audience,  provided,  neverthe- 
less, some  noteworthy  exceptions,  which  nuist  have  appealed 
to  any  lover  of  wild  life.  In  this  connection  we  would  mention 
the  paper  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Fyles,  of  Ottawa,  on  "Observations 
upon  some  of  the  Predaceous  and  Parasitic  Hymenoptera," ; 
"The  Home  of  Gortyna  stramentosa,"  by  Mr.  A.  F.  Winn,  of 
Montreal;  "The  Founding  of  the  Science  of  Cecidology,"  by  Dr. 
A.  Cosens,  of  Toronto;  and  "Fresh  Woods  and  Pastures  New," 
by  Mr.  F.  J.  A.  Morris,  of  Peterboro,  Ont. 

Of  truly  scientific  papers,  of  which  there  were  many  not- 
able contributions,  we  will  mention  but  one :  Dr.  Seymore  Had- 
win's,  of  Agassiz,  B.C.,  "Further  Notes  on  the  Warble  Fly 
{Hypoderma  bonis),"  a  valuable  contribution,  in  which  the  writer 
produces  conclusive  evidence  as  to  how  the  larvae  enter  the  bodies 
of  cattle,  the  method  being  quite  at  variance  with  ideas  pre- 
viously held.     All  the  papers  presented  at  the  meetings  will 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  99 

ultimately  appear  in  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Society,  and 
should  be  in  the  hands  of  all  interested  in  either  agriculture  or 
entomology. 

The  meetings  were  presided  over  by  the  President,  Dr.  C. 
Gordon  Hewitt,  until  the  last  afternoon,  when  setting  a  new  and 
appropriate  precedent  he  vacated  the  chair  in  favour  of  the 
newly  elected  president,  Mr.  A.  F.  Winn.  The  other  officers 
elected  were:  Vice-President,  Prof.  L.  Caesar,  Guelph;  Secretary- 
Treasurer,  Mr.  A.  W.  Baker,  Agrictdtural  College,  Guelph;  Cur- 
ator, Mr.  G.  J.  Spencer,  O.  A.  College,  Guelph;  Librarian,  Rev. 
Prof.  C.  J.  S.  Bethune,  Guelph.  Directors':  Division  No.  1,  Mr. 
Arthur  Gibson,  Ottawa;  No.  2,  Mr.  C.  E.  Grant,  Orillia;  No.  3, 
Dr.  A.  Cosens,  Toronto;  No.  4,  Mr.  C.  W.  Nash,  East  Toronto; 
No.  5,  Mr.  F.  J.  A.  Morris,  Peterboro;  No.  6,  Mr.  J.  W.  Noble, 
London,  and  No.  7,  Mr.  W.  A.  Ross,  Vineland  Station. 

On  Friday  evening,  November  5th,  a  smoker  was  held  in 
honour  of  the  Society,  the  hosts  being  the  entomological  sec- 
tion of  the  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club,  the  president,  Mr. 
Arthur  Gibson,  welcoming  the  members  in  a  short  speech.  The 
proceedings  that  followed  w^ere  presided  over  by  Dr.  Hewitt,  and 
Avere  greatly  enjoyed.  They  ended,  as  was  to  be  expected,  in 
the  height  of  good  fellowship. 

N.C. 


THE  CANADIAN  FISHERIES  MUSEUM. 


Members  of  the  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club  will  be  in- 
terested to  learn  that  the  above-mentioned  museum  has  been 
recently  entirely  remodelled  by  Mr.  Andrew  Halkett,  the  well 
known  naturalist  of  the  Dominion  Fisheries.  The  object  of  this 
museum  is  to  display  in  an  educational  manner  all  forms  of 
aquatic  life,  and  chiefly  to  illustrate  the  value  of  our  vast  fishery 
resources.  The  fishes  proper,  which  for  the  most  part  are  mounted 
specimens  of  the  fishes  themselves,  are  beautifully  arranged  and 
classified,  according  to  Mr.  Halkett's  recently  published  "Check- 
List  of  the  Fishes  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada  and  Newfound- 
land," in  cases  arotmd  the  walls  on  the  ground  floor  of  the 
museum.  In  view  of  much  additional  material,  most  of  which 
has  been  recently  acquired  and  mounted,  the  large  room  up 
stairs,  formerly  used  as  an  Art  Gallery,  will  in  the  near  future 
be  devoted  for  the  display  of  this  material,  and  will,  therefore, 
soon  be  open  to  the  general  public.  A  conspicuous  object 
which  will  be  on  view  in  this  room  will  be  a  mounted  skeleton 
of  a  Fin-back  Whale,  51>2  feet  long,  from  the  Seven  Islands 
Whaling  Station,  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence. 


100  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Nov. 

Whilst  the  direct  object  of  the  Fisheries  Museum  is  to  point 
out  the  value  of  the  Canadian  fishery  resources,  yet  incidental 
to  the  collection  there  are  also  on  view  a  variety  of  natural  ob- 
jects, embracing  fishes,  corals,  sponges,  mollusk  shells,  etc.,  from 
the  Bahama  Islands,  and  such  form  an  ornamental  feature  of 
the  museum. 

Models  of  vessels,  weirs,  traps,  etc.,  to  illustrate  the  fishing 
industry,  are  also  on  exhibition. 

Recently  two  specimens  of  octoptis  or  devil  fish  have  been 
installed,  and  are  to  be  seen  in  glass  cases,  preserved  in  a  solu- 
tion of  formalin.  Tffese  specimens  are  from  the  coast  of  British 
Columbia. 


OTTAWA  FIELD  NATURALISTS'  CLUB. 


Programme  of  Winter  Lectures. 


December  7th,  1915  (Tuesday). — ''Wheat  Improvement  in 
Canada."      Dr.  Charles  E.  Saunders,  Dominion  Cerealist,  Ottawa. 

January  11th,  1916  (Tuesday). — "Canadian  Folk-tales  and 
Oral  Traditions."  Mr.  C.  M.  Barbeau,  Division  of  Anthropology, 
Geological  Survey,  Ottawa. 

January  2  5th,  1916  (Tuesday). — "The  Use  of  Ornamental 
Trees  and  Shrubs."  (Illustrated  with  lantern  views).  Mr.  W. 
T.  Macoun,  Dominion  Horticulturist,  Ottawa. 

February  8th,  1916  (Tuesday). — "The  Formation  of  the 
Great  Plains."  (Illustrated  with  lantern  views.)  Mr.  D.  B. 
Dowling,  Geological  Survey,  Ottawa. 

February  22nd,  1916  (Tuesday). — "The  Evolution  of  Army 
Sanitation."     R.  Lorme  Gardner,  M.D. 

March  7th,  1916  (Tuesday). — "The  Identification  and  Nest- 
ing Habits  of  Some  of  our  Common  Birds."  (Illustrated  with 
specimens  and  lantern  views.)  Mr.  W.  E.  Satmders,  London, 
Ontario. 

March  2 1st,  1916  (Tuesday). — Annual  Meeting,  Exhibits  and 
Brief  Addresses  by  Members. 

All  the  above  meetings  will  be  held  in  the  auditorium  of  Jda^^l^iy 
Victoria  Memorial  Museum.  /c^^^^^STSst. 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


Vol.  XXIX.  Plate  III. 


Benthopectcn  simplex  Perrier,  inner  portion  of  arm  viewed  from  the  side 

(marginal  removed)  x  20  dia.  mounted  under  gum.      West  Indies  1323 

fathoms.     Specimen  from  Museum  of  Comparative  Zoology,  Cambridge, 

Mass.     To  be  viewed  through  a  stereoscope. 


THE  OTTAWA  NATURALIStt 


VOL.  XXIX.  DECEMBER,  1915  No.  9 

THE  USE  OF  GUM  DAMAR  IN  PALEOHISTOLOGY. 

(With  Notes  on  the  Genus  Benthopecten.) 
By  George   H.   Hudson,   Plattsburgh,   N.Y. 

In  the  study  of  the  detail  of  opaque  objects  with  the  simple 
or  compound  microscope,  there  are  some  very  decided  advan- 
tages to  be  obtained  through  covering  the  object  with  some 
transparent  meditim  that  may  be  used  to  hold  a  cover  glass  in 
position.  The  writer  has  long  used  a  solution  of  gum  damar 
in  benzol  for  this  purpose,  and  whether  the  mounting  was  for 
temporary  observation,  for  drawing  under  camera  lucida  or 
for  photomicrographic  work,  the  results  were  often  of  surpris- 
ing value.  For  instance,  he  was  enabled  by  this  method  to 
obtain  a  microphotograph  which  without  retouching  was  used 
for  the  production  of  a  figure  (1911,  plate  VI,  fig.  1)  showing 
clearly  the  sutures  surrounding  the  radianal  of  Palaeocrinus 
striatus,  Bill.  Billings  stated  that  he  could  not  make  out  the 
sutures  in  this  region,  and  so  left  it  blank  in  his  published 
analysis.  Bather,  in  Lancaster's  "A  Treatise  on  Zoology," 
Part  III,  p.  1  72,  gives  an  analysis  that  for  this  region  is  in  error. 
How  great  a  help  this  process  is  in  revealing  sutures  may  also 
be  seen  by  comparing  (1911)  figures  2  7  and  28  on  page  2  52. 
The  writer  will  here  give  reasons  for  the  character  of  the  results 
obtained,  present  other  advantages  of  the  method,  and  give 
briefly  a  description  of  the  process  as  he  uses  it. 

Suppose  that  we  make  the  attempt  to  photograph  a  printed 
page  through  a  sheet  of  ground  glass  placed  directly  over  it. 
Much  of  the  incident  light  will  be  reflected  and  scattered.  Such 
of  these  rays  as  enter  the  lens  will  tend  to  produce  a  uniform 
fog  over  the  whole  negative.  They  are  from  the  ground  glass 
surface  .and  not  from  the  covered  paper.  That  portion  of  the 
light  which  reaches  the  printed  surface  cannot  return  without 
being  subjected  to  both  reflection  and  refraction  on  accoimt 
of  the  many  minute  angles  presented  by  the  ground  surface 
through  which  it  must  pass.  This  tends  to  give  us  numerous 
overlapping  images.  If  now  we  will  wet,  oil  or  varnish  the 
ground  surface  we  shall  cut  down  its  reflecting  power  to  a 
marked  degree.  The  more  nearly  alike  the  indices  of  refrac- 
tion of  the  two  transparent  media  the  greater  will  be  the  amotmt 
of  light  received  by  the  lens  from  the  covered  object,  and  the 
sharper  will  be  the  negative  secured. 


102  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Dec. 

In  the  making  of  photomicrographs  of  recent  or  fossil 
specimens  we  have  to  face  conditions  very  similar  to  those  just 
described.  The  innumerable  elevated  microscopic  grains  on  an 
ordinarily  rough  surface  catch  light  on  their  summits  and  scat- 
ter it  as  do  motes  in  a  sunbeam.  This  light  caught  on  a  photo- 
graphic plate  swamps  the  detail  which  lies  just  under  these 
summits.  If  our  specimen  is  of  calcite  a  thin  outer  layer  is 
practically  transparent,  and  with  the  light  scattering  reduced, 
we  should  get  some  structural  detail  just  under  the  surface  it- 
self. In  this  way  we  secured  a  view  of  the  sutural  canals  of 
Palaeocrinus  striaius.  Bill.,  and  their  membranous  linings  in 
(1911),  plate  V,  fig.  2,  while  only  the  canal  coverings  were  visible 
where  the  gum  was  not  used,  as  in  fig.  1  of  same  plate.  Com- 
pare also  figs.  3  and  4  of  this  plate.  In  1913  (a)  plates  6  and  7, 
we  illustrated  the  difference  in  effect  secured  when  this  process 
was  used  on  very  recent  material.  In  same  reference,  in  plates 
3  and  4,  we  also  showed  the  value  of  being  able  to  penetrate 
thin  sheets  of  calcite  adhering  to  the  surface  of  a  mold.  Its 
value  in  revealing  features  just  underneath  the  surface  was  also 
shown  in  1913  (a)  plate  10.  Sometimes  we  desire  just  the  surface 
contours  or  topography, and  we  may  then  add  to  the  reflecting 
points  by  using  the  Williams  process  (holding  the  specimen  in 
the  combining  vapors  of  ammonia  and  hydrochloric  acid).  We 
may  thus  avoid  all  stains  or  detail  in  colour  and  get  pure  form. 
If,  however,  we  are  to  do  something  more  than  simple  species- 
making,  we  should  desire  the  detail  due  to  difference  in  tone 
or  hue.  For  instance,  in  the  author's  work  on  Blastoidocrinus 
and  Paleocrinus  (1911),  he  found  internal  organs  outlined  with 
black  and  partially  filled,  by  respiratory  and  alimentary  pro- 
cesses, with  mud  now  yellow  with  limonite.  The  contrast  be- 
tween ossicle  and  decayed  soft  tissue  could  have  been  repro- 
duced almost  as  pure  white  and  black,  or  very  like  the  results 
obtained  in  1913  (a),  plates  7  and  8. 

The  better  to  compare  these  two  methods  we  may  suppose 
that  a  dM^eller  on  the  moon  desires  to  photograph  the  earth. 
If  he  could  but  find  the  illuminated  hemisphere  covered  with 
cloud  he  could  eliminate  surface  stain  and  get  pure  but  very 
general  form.  On  the  other  hand,  could  he  find  a  hemisphere 
free  from  cloud  he  could  get  general  form  plus  many  differences 
due  to  hue  and  tone.  He  would  have  the  deeper,  truer  surface, 
the  detail  of  mountain  and  valley,  and  a  very  significant  differ- 
ence between  sea,  mountain  top,  Sahara  and  valley  of  the 
Amazon. 

The  ability  by  means  of  this  process  to  reduce  the  amount 
of  reflection  from  the  microscopic  facets  of  granular  surfaces 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  103 

also  allows  one  to  quickly  view  detail  on    a  surface  one  is  grind- 
ing down  in  order  to  reveal  internal  structure. 

The  paleobotanist  is  well  aware  that  soft  parts  may  be  pre- 
served in  fossil  forms,  for  he  not  only  recognises  different  tissues 
but  sometimes  individual  cells.  For  him  there  is  a  true  paleo- 
histology. The  paleozoologist,  on  the  other  hand,  has  hitherto 
been  skeptical  as  to  preservation  of  soft  parts  in  fossil  forms. 
The  marvellous  finds  of  Wolcott,  his  beautifully  preserved  an- 
nelida  and  delicate  medusa-like  holthurians — his  reproductions 
of  inner  organs  and  discovery  of  fossil  crustacean  livers  which 
still  show  their  characteristic  microscopic  structure  on  cross  sec- 
tion— these  things  now  compel  the  paleozoologist  to  also  be- 
come a  believer.  Traces  of  such  soft  parts  should  then  be  looked 
for,  and  the  gum  mounting  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  reveal 
them.  By  this  process-the  author  has  been  enabled  (1913  (b) 
plate  IX,  fig.  1)  to  show  the  remains  of  muscle  fibres  still  adher- 
ing to  a  well-defined  muscle  field  lying  between  the  right  hand 
fifth  and  sixth  marginals  of  an  arm  of  Protopaloeaster  narrawayi. 

method. 

Portions  of  the  crude  gum  are  selected  for  their  clearness 
and  lack  of  colour,  and  dissolved  in  benzol,  to  form  a  liquid 
that  will  filter  easily.  The  stock  solution  should  be  kept  in  a 
glass-stoppered  bottle,  and  a  very  fine  bit  of  wire,  or  an  insect 
pin,  kept  between  the  stopper  and  neck  of  bottle.  Portions 
for  use  should  be  allowed  to  evaporate  to  such  a  consistency 
that  the  fliiid  will  slowly  drop  from  a  glass  rod.  A  regular  drop- 
ping bottle  will  be  found  to  be  a  convenient  receptacle  for  the 
thicker  gum. 

The  specimen  to  be  treated  may  be  attached  to  a  glass  slide 
by  means  of  a  few  pellets  of  beeswax.  Care  should  be  taken  to 
have  the  specimen  so  oriented  that  when  placed  on  the  stage 
of  the  microscope  it  will  receive  light  at  the  angle  which  will 
best  emphasize  the  features  to  be  observed. 

A  cover  glass  of  appropriate  size  and  shape  is  then  selected 
and  cleaned,  the  specimen  freed  from  dust,  and  a  drop  of  benzol 
placed  on  it  to  free  the  pores  or  crevices  from  air.  A  few  drops 
of  gum  solution  are  now  added,  and  a  drop  also  placed  on  the 
cover  glass,  which  is  then  inverted  and  placed  on  the  specimen. 
Additional  gurh  may  be  easily  run  under  the  cover  glass,  and 
if  bubbles  are  present  a  slightly  inclined  position  will  allow  them 
to  pass  to  one  side  and  escape.  Twenty-four  hours  or  more  is 
usually  required  to  so  fix  the  cover  glass  that  it  will  not  creep 
when  placed  on  a  vertical  stage. 

In  case  the  specimen  has  a  small  or  convex  surface,  the 
cover  glass  is  first  placed  on  a  smaller  support,  such  as  the  screw 


104  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Dec. 

cap  of  a  small  vial,  and  the  specimen  attached  to  a  slide  is  in- 
verted over  it.  This  slide  is  supported  by  a  block  or  bunch  of 
slides  at  one  end,  and  a  weight  placed  upon  it  to  hold  it  in  posi- 
tion. After  making  the  proper  adjustments  the  slide  is  re- 
moved, specimen  and  cover  glass  treated  as  before,  and  the 
specimen  then  returned  to  its  inverted  position.  Gum  may 
now  be  added  from  time  to  time  until  the  gummed  area  is  sufh- 
ciently  large. 

Porous  specimens,  such  as  colonies  of  bryozoa,  are  best 
treated  by  slowly  lowering  them  into  a  very  small  volume  of 
the  thinner  gum  solution,  thus  driving  out  most  of  the  air. 

If  it  is  desired  subsequently  to  shift  the  position  or  angle 
of  the  cover  glass,  it  is  only  necessary  to  add  a  little  fresh  gum 
at  the  edges  and  slowly  push  the  cover  to  the  new  position. 
Deep  Petrie  or  covered  cylindrical  glass  dishes  will  be  found 
useful  in  housing  the  mounted  specimens  and  keeping  them 
from  dust. 

To  clean :  place  in  benzol  until  the  gum  is  dissolved.  Rinse 
with  a  Httle  clear  benzol  and  let  dry.  The  benzol  used  for  dis- 
solving and  rinsing  may  be  saved  for  subsequent  operations. 

The  plate  accompanying  this  article  is  introduced  to  show 
the  value  of  the  process  where  penetration  of  recent  organic 
material  is  desired.  The  remains  of  muscle  fibers  here  shown 
are,  in  appearance,  practically  as  they  appear  in  many  fossil 
forms,  when  revealed  by  the  gum  process.  Note  that  the  first 
(upper)  ambulacral  (jaw  piece)  is  supported  by  a  process 
arising  from,  the  second.  The  oral  end  of  each  ambulacral  is 
firmly  attached  to  the  adam.bulacral  in  advance  of  it.  Between 
the  lowest  adambulacral  in  the  figure  and  the  ambulacral  at  the 
left  of  it,  there  is  a  dark  spot  revealing  a  bit  of  the  buried  am- 
bulacro-adambulacral  mtiscle.  A  contraction  of  this  muscle 
served  to  draw  the  following  ambulacral  orad.  The  aborad 
wings  on  the  oral  ends  of  the  ambulacra  are  so  shaped  as  to 
allow  this  motion.  While  the  ambulacra  themselves  are  not 
truly  imbricated,  the  pairs  (adambulacral  and  following  ambul- 
acral) are  distinctly  so  placed.  The  numbers  on  the  lower  edge 
of  stereogram  are  those  of  the  original  negatives. 

References. 

1911. — Hudson,  G.  H.  Studies  of  some  early  Siluric  Pelmato- 
zoa.     New  York  State  Museum,  Btdletin  149. 

1913  (a).— Hudson,  G.  H.  The  use  of  the  Stereogram  in  Paleo- 
biology.    New  York  State  Museum,  Bulletin  164. 

1913  (5).— Hudson,  G.  H.  Does  the  type  of  Protopalaeaster 
narrawayi  present  an  Oral  or  Aboral  Aspect?  The 
Ottawa  Naturalist,  Vol.  XXVII  (Oct.  1913)  plates 
VIII-IX. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  105 

"GLEANINGS  IN  FERNLAND." 

By  Frank  Morris,  Peterborough  Collegiate. 

Readers  of  the  Ottawa  Naturalist  in  1910  who  went 
"Fern-hunting  in  Ontario"  with  me,  may  remember  that  our 
treasure-trove  amounted  to  3  7  species.  In  the  course  of  our 
wanderings,  as  I  seem  to  remember,  we  had  good  store  of  plea- 
sure, and  surprises  not  a  few;  the  charm  of  surroundings  pos- 
sessed by  the  ferns  forming  a  spell  of  peculiar  potency,  our  sheaf 
of  fronds,  in  the  getting  and  the  gathering,  gave  us  communion 
with  Nature  in  soine  of  her  most  enchanting  haunts;  while  in 
tedding  and  garnering,  these  peaceful  trophies  of  ours  were  still 
redolent  of  the  woods,  and  even  to-day  keep  green  and  fragrant 
with  glad  memories  of  summer  days  and  rambles. 

Manifold  sights,  unseen  or  unheeded  before,  taught  us  to  keep 
eyes  open  and  wits  a-stretch  for  all  the  observations  and  reflec- 
tions we  could  make.  Some  of  the  inferences  that  we  drew 
might  perhaps  provoke  inquiry;  some  of  our  questions  never 
found  an  answer:  moot  points,  one  or  two  of  which  have  since 
cleared  themselves  up;  but  nothing  had  happened  till  quite 
lately  to  jtistify  rushing  into  print.  Since  last  July,  however, 
it  has  been  my  good  fortune  to  add  no  less  than  six  species  to 
our  list,  and  I  believe  it  would  be  possible  for  a  careful  fern- 
hunter  to  extend  the  record  to  a  grand  total  of  50,  without 
stepping  over  the  border  of  old  Ontario.  All,  then,  who  love 
thes^  most  beautiful  forms  of  living  foliage,  especially  in  their 
native  haunts  of  woodland  dell  and  rocky  height,  are  now  in- 
vited to  "follow  the  gleam"  once  more,  and  dream  themselves 
back  into  summer  this  Christmas-tide. 

One  of  my  first  trips  for  ferns  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Peter- 
borough was  two  or  three  miles  south  east  into  Otonabee,  my 
objective  being  Burnham's  wood.  The  net  result  of  two  days' 
roaming  was  IS  species  of  fern:  the  Oak  and  the  Bracken,  the 
Silvery  Spleenwort  and  the  Lady  Fern,  the  Christmas  and  the 
Marsh,  the  Marginal,  Crested  and  Prickly  Shield  Fei»Lis,  the  two 
Bladder  Ferns,  the  two  Onocleas,  the  Adder's  Tongue,  and  the 
Virginia  Grape  Fern.  A  series  of  tramps  west  of  the  city  added 
10  more  to  my  local  check-list  of  the  fern-flora,viz. :  Maidenhair, 
Narrow-leaved  Spleenwort  and  Goldie's  Shield  Fern,  the  New 
York  and  the  Hay-scented,  the  three  Osmundas,  and  two  more 
Grape-ferns — the  Little  and  the  Ternate.  This  June,  in  the 
intervals  of  a  day's  trout  fishing  south  of  Bethany,  I  found  an- 
other station  for  the  Narrow-leaved  Spleenwort  and  its  ''fides 
Achates,''  the  Goldie's,  besides  having  the  exquisite  pleasure  of 


106  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Dec. 

discovering  five  or  six  fine  clumps  (in  full  bloom)  of  the  Macrae's 
or  Striped  Coral  Root  orchid. 

Just  before  the  month  ended  I  paid  a  flying  visit  to  my  old 
home,  30  miles  south  of  Peterborough.  In  the  few  days  avail- 
able I  had  to  choose  which  of  my  ancient  cronies  to  gladden  my 
eyes  with,  and  after  a  tramp  north  to  the  ridges,  known  locally 
as  the  "Rocky  Mountains,"  I  determined  on  one  long  day  near 
Newtonville,  in  the  tamarack  swamp  with  its  surrounding  fringe 
of  cedars,  where  ten  years  ago  I  made  my  first  rare  find  among 
ferns.  In  order  to  give  some  spice  of  variety  to  the  coming 
banquet,  I  chose  the  nsw  C.P.R.  route,  which  landed  me  further 
west  by  two  miles  than  I  had  ever  been  before.  Tramping 
steadily  north  for  a  mile,  I  found  myself  in  full  view  of  the  village, 
and  with  a  very  inviting  swamp  to  the  east.  Shaking  the  dust 
of  the  road  from  my  feet,  I  swung  myself  over  to  the  happier 
side  of  the  fence,  and  crossing  a  couple  of  pastures  soon  gained 
the  edge  of  the  swamp;  distance  often  lends  enchantment,  no 
doubt,  but,  fortunately,  nearness  by  no  means  always  brings 
disillusionment;  the  stretch  of  swamp  had  looked  promising 
even  from  the  road,  and  when  I  got  a  nearer  view  of  it,  I  felt  sure 
the  promise  spelled  fulfilment.  Do  you  know  the  delightful 
sense  on  a  field  day  of  being  on  the  verge  of  mystery,  the  edge 
of  some  discovery,  a  sense  of  expectancy  like  a  hush,  that  some- 
times in  the  shadow  of  the  woods  deepens  into  awe?  That  feel- 
ing came  over  me  now,  and  I  paused  a  few  moments  for  it  to 
thrill  me  through,  before  advancing  into  the  unknown. 

All  the  details  of  a  long  eventful  morning  are  fresh  in  my 
memory  as  I  write,  but  space  and  time  forbid  more  than  a  sum- 
mary. I  found,  in  my  very  incomplete  survey  of  the  swamp, 
hundreds  of  plants  of  the  Adder's  Tongue,  and  besides  the  Vir- 
ginia and  Ternate  Grape-ferns,  I  discovered  some  six  stations  for 
the  Little  Grape-fern  and  the  Matricary;  and  also  (to  my  huge 
delight)  two  colonies  of  the  Narrow-leaved  Beech  Fern.  In  the 
autumn  I  found  another  station  for  this  last,  north  of  Colborne, 
but  except  for  these  two  finds,  I  have  never  seen  the  plant  so  near 
Lake  Ontario.  In  the  afternoon  I  hurried  on  to  the  tamarack 
swamp,  intending  to  make  a  round  of  calls  and  hob-nob  an  hour 
or  so,  but  while  in  the  heart  of  a  huckleberry  marsh,  gathering 
a  posy  of  Arefkusa  and  Poconi\  I  was  overtaken  by  drenching 
rain,  which  threw  a  wet  blanket  on  all  my  plans.  To  get  out 
of  the  swamp  I  had  to  wade  over  100  yards  through  shrubbery 
almost  waist  high,  and  by  the  time  I  gained  a  corduroy  road, 
flanked  with  Royal  Osmunda,  and  serving  (among  other  things) 
to  cleave  in  two  a  most  wonderful  colony  of  Boirychium  simplex 
— thousands  of  plants — I  was  like  a  drowned  rat.  Had  it  been 
fine,  my  plan  was  to  go  north  to  the  C.N.R.  station  of  Starkville, 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  107 

for  this  would  have  brought  me  past  at  least  two  of  my  favorite 
haunts  in  Fernland:  a  roadside  colony  of  the  Hay-scented  Fern, 
and  a  series  of  grassy  slopes  and  low  knolls  in  a  willow  swamp, 
on  which  in  the  short  turf  are  scores  of  enormous  plants  of 
Boirychium  ramosum  (Matricary  Grape-fern).  But  it  was  not 
to  be,  and  this,  one  of  the  earliest  of  my  all-day  fern-hunts, 
proved  curiously  typical  of  the  whole  season :  a  promise  of  sun- 
shine that  ended  in  rain. 

In  the  first  week  of  July  I  had  to  report  for  duty  in  Toronto, 
and  mark  matriculation  papers  in  the  arid  waste  of  a  Varsity 
lecture  room,  while  ever  and  anon  the  wizard's  wand  of  imagina- 
tion transformed  the  bare  space  into  a  leafy  grove  with  ferns 
and  orchids  unfurling  their  crosiers  and  gay  bannerets  about 
my  desk.  On  July  2  5th,  a  drudge  no  more,  I  hurried  down  to 
the  Yonge  Street  wharf,  and  got  the  fresh  lake  breeze  from  the 
upper  deck  of  a  Niagara  boat  to  blow  the  dust  and  grime  of  city 
haunts  away,  clear  my  head  of  cobwebs,  and  sweeten  my  heart 
for  the  reception  once  more  of  the  fair  works  of  nature. 

From  headquarters  at  Queenston  village  next  day,  before 
5  a.m.,  I  went  up  to  the  Heights  on  foot,  and  then  along  the 
electric  railway  track  towards  Niagara  Glen.  This  meant  16 
hours — an  all-day  revel — among  woods  and  thickets  near  the 
stupendous  gorge,  or  down  in  the  moist,  shady  glen,  within 
sight  and  sound  of  the  rushing  cataract.  It  was  a  glorious  day, 
and  on  the  New  Jersey  Tea  blossoms  by  my  path  I  found,  among 
scores  of  insect  visitors,  several  strange  beetles  of  the  Leptura 
and  S'ringHii  genera,  besides  many  little  chrysomelians busy 
at  their  various  food  plants.  The  Glen  itself  is  famous  for  its 
flora,  and  I  wandered  for  hours  among  the  giant  growth  of 
Goldie's  Shield-fern  and  Narrow-leaved  Spleenwort,  past  huge 
boulders  wreathed  with  Walking-leaf  and  crowned  with  Poly- 
pody, or  under  cliffs  studded  with  the  Purple  Cliff-brake  and 
Black  Spleenwort.  Soon  after  twelve  o'clock  I  left  the  last 
fountain  and  followed  the  footpath  upstream  as  far  as  it  went ; 
then  I  made  my  way  on  over  loose  stones  and  tangled  under- 
growth to  a  grove  of  hemlock  and  cedar,  where  I  sat  down  in 
silent  communion  with  my  favorite  denizen  of  this  silvan  re- 
treat: a  tiny  colony  of  the  Ebony  Spleenwort.  This  beautiful 
fern  is  far  from  common,  the  only  other  colony  of  my  acquaint- 
ance being  on  the  north  shore  of  the  Upper  Rideau,  nearly  op- 
posite Sand  Island. 

It  was  far  on  in  the  afternoon  when  at  last  I  climbed  reluct- 
antly out  of  this  fern  paradise  by  the  steep  flight  of  wooden 
stairs.  Having  absorbed  all  the  beauties  of  the  wayside  on  my 
morning's  tramp,  I  had  myself  flashed  back  to  Brock's  Monu- 


103  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Dec. 

ment  in  the  electric  trolley  car,  and  thus  stole  a  march  of  over 
an  hour  on  fleet-foot  Time. 

From  the  Monument  I  walked  along  a  wooded  lane  on  the 
edge  of  the  Heights  till  I  reached  a  fine  rich  open  wood,  char- 
acteristic of  the  peninsula  in  the  number  of  chestnut  trees  among 
its  larger  timber, — not  Aescnlus,  the  Horse  Chestnut,  but 
Castanea,  what  in  England  we  term  the  Spanish  Chestnut — 
characteristic,  too,  in  its  rich  clumps  of  Beard  Tongue  and  Oak- 
leaved  Gerardia,  both  blooming  luxuriantly  at  this  latter  end 
of  July.  The  wood  was  much  dryer  than  our  woods  further 
east,  and  quite  open — compact  of  sunny  glades  rather  than  shady 
groves.  Here,  to  my  great  delight,  I  found  five  or  six  colonies 
of  a  fern  till  then  new  to  me,  the  Broad-leaved  Beech  fern.  The 
living  frond  is  quite  distinct  in  appearance,  especially  when  still 
young, -from  that  of  the  Narrow-leaved ;  exactly  where  the  differ- 
ence lies  is  a  little  diflncult  to  say ;  sometimes  the  two  are  in  shape 
and  proportions  identical,  but  as  a  rule  in  the  Broad-leaved 
species,  the  frond  is  light  yellow-green,  and  smoother,  less  hirsute. 
In  writing  of  it  five  years  ago,  I  was  in  error  when  I  said  it  was 
common  near  Owen  Sound.  The  Narrow-leaved  species  is  com- 
mon near  Barrie,  but  the  true  home  of  the  Broad-leaved  is  further 
south,  and  in  south-western  Ontario,  Welland,  Niagara  and  other 
districts,  it  seems  to  take  the  place  of  the  Narrow-leaved  form. 
It  is  recorded  from  woods  near  Campbellford,  and  evidently 
prefers  limestone.  In  the  Algonquin  Park,  where  Huronian  and 
Laurentian  granite  abound,  the  Narrow-leaved  Beech-fern  luxur- 
iates in  every  moist  woodland  hollow,  and  even  subsists  in 
dwarfed  form  on  bare  crags  and  the  sides  of  railway  cuttings. 

The  close  of  July  found  me  established  in  lodgings  at  Owen 
Sotmd,  with  a  fern  press  and  piles  of  blotting  paper.  I  had  long 
wanted  to  visit  this  famous  fern-centre,  but  till  now  had  never 
realized  my  wishes.  It  is  a  beautiful  neighbourhood,  and  (to 
a  fern  lover)  unique  in  the  Province  for  some  of  its  plants.  The 
city  lies  in  a  great  hollow  delta,  flanked  on  either  side  by  high 
limestone  cliffs  that  start  from  Sydenham  Falls,  a  few  miles  back 
of  the  town,  and  rapidly  diverge  in  the  direction  of  the  Sound. 
The  ferns  are  almost  entirely  those  peculiar  to  limestone,  but 
within  these  limitations  it  is  one  of  the  richest  localities  in  North 
America. 

I  got  there  at  1  p.m.,  and  as  soon  as  I  Jiad  found  my  quar- 
ters and  lunched,  I  hurried  out  to  explore.  Making  my  way 
west  to  the  nearest  flank  of  limestone,  I  followed  a  steep  road  to 
the  top  of  the  cliff,  and  looked  about.  South  of  me  ran  another 
diverging  cliff,  with  signs  of  an  active  lime  and  cement  quarry 
not  far  off.  Making  a  slight  detour  round  this  to  a  more  seques- 
tered part  of  the  cliff,  I  got  my  first  surprise.      In  a  stony,  half- 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  109 

wooded  pasture  near  the  cliff,  where  limestone  strata  cropped 
out  of  the  grass,  were  several  large  plants  o*f  the  Holly  Fern! 
And  some  of  them  actually  showing  signs  of  having  been  chewed 
by  that  omnivorous  ruminant,  the  domestic  cow.  You  may 
well  imagine  what  a  rude  disillusionment  and  shock  it  was  to 
me,  when  I  tell  you  that  the  only  other  time  I  had  seen  this  fern 
was  3,000  feet  up  the  steep  side  of  lone  Ben  Lui,  in  the  Perth- 
shire Grampians.  It  is  abundant  in  the  Rockies,  and  all  through 
this  limestone  district,  from  Collingwood  west  to  Tobermory, 
at  the  head  of  the  Bruce  Peninsula,  it  fairly  runs  riot.  While 
slowly  moving  along  at  the  foot  of  the  cliff,  I  found  in  the  course 
of  a  few  hundred  yards,  plants  of  Purple  Cliff -brake.  Slender 
Clift'-brake,  Black  Spleenwort,  and  finally,  to  grace  the  triumph, 
a  fine  colony  of  Green  Spleenwort.  This  fern  is  almost  identical 
with  the  Black,  except  that  the  stalk  is  brown  at  the  base,  and 
then  green  from  the  upper  part  of  the  stipe  to  the  tip  of  the 
frond.  It  is  abundant  on  mountain  heights  in  Wales,  North 
England  and  Scotland,  and  I  have  seen  it  once  in  Ontario,  grow- 
ing on  deeply  shaded  limestone  ledges  by  the  Speed,  near  Rock- 
wood.  Later,  I  found  it  growing  abundantly  on  detached 
limestone  boulders  in  the  v/oods  below  Sydenham  Falls,  near 
the  opposite  cliff  that  flanks  the  east  of  the  city.  By  this  time 
it  was  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  I  returned  to  headquarters. 

Next  day  I  v/ent  out  to  Sydenham  Falls,  and  rambled  in  the 
wood  below,  with  its  rich,  swampy  hollows  filled  with  Narrow- 
leaved  and  Silvery  Spleenvv^orts,  Goldie's  Fern  and  Maidenhair, 
and  found  (along  with  more  Holly  Fern)  the  treasure  for  which 
the  district  is  noted,  the  far-famed  Hart's  Tongue.  This  fern  is 
very  plentiful  in  the  west  of  England,  and  in  parts  of  Somerset 
and  Devon  fairly  chokes  the  v/ayside  ditches  and  hedgerows. 
But  on  the  American  continent  it  is  extremely  rare,  Woodstock 
in  New  Brunswick,  Central  New  York  and  Tennessee  providing 
the  only  known  stations  for  it  outside  of  Ontario.  It  belongs 
to  the  talus  at  the  foot  of  limestone  cliffs,  or  to  moist  shady 
situations  in  limestone  districts;  at  one  time  it  was  apparently 
more  generally  distributed,  and  specimens  are  recorded  from 
Niagara,  as  well  as  many  widely  divergent  points  of  Bruce  and 
Grey  counties.  Among  the  ferns  of  temperate  regions,  the 
Hart's  Tongue  is  almost  unique  in  form,  the  frond  being  simple 
and  entire — ^like  a  long,  narrow  dock  leaf — but  the  surface, 
like  that  of  the  Holly  Fern,  is  smooth  and  glossy.  Near  the 
Sydenham  Falls  this  rarity  proved  very  abundant,  both  belov/ 
the  cataract  and  above,  the  crevices  of  the  limestone  floor 
throughout  the  extensive  woods  being  filled  with  plants  of  this 
and  the  Holly  Fern.  The  growth  of  the  fronds  below  the  falls 
was  very  luxuriant,  soinetimes  from  24  to  30  inches.     Before 


110  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Dec. 

my  stay  ended  I  found  many  other  stations  for  the  Hart's 
Tongue,  several  miles  west  of  Owen  Sound,  also  on  the  Rocky 
Saugeen,  near  Durham  and  close  to  Wiarton.  Had  this 
ended  my  successes  I  should  have  been  well  satisfied.  But 
a  delightful  surprise  was  still  in  store  for  me.  Prof.  Macoun's 
catalogue  of  1890  mentions  for  many  of  the  ferns  the  name 
of  Mrs.  Roy,  of  Roystone  Park,  Owen  Sound.  Among  the 
late  Mrs.  Roy's  recorded  finds  is  the  Male  Fern,  "at  the  foot  of 
cliffs  behind  Roystone,  and  under  the  same  line  of  cliffs 
some  ten  miles  up  the  coast."  Finding  that  Roystone  Park 
was  a  farm,  I  called  on  the  tenant,  and  was  directed  across  hay 
fields,  past  the  shooting  butts,  to  the  cliffs  in  question.  Not 
five  minutes'  search — though  the  record  is  probably  30  years 
old — revealed  the  plant,  its  identity  being  all  the  less  question- 
able because  I  had  so  often  gathered  its  fronds  in  England, 
Wales  and  Scotland.  But  so  rare  is  it  in  our  part  of  Canada, 
that  I  had  never  seen  it  at  all  on  this  continent,  and  indeed 
there  is  no  other  station  for  it  known  in  Ontario.  Not  only  was 
it  abundant  at  the  back  of  Roystone,  but  two  or  three  plants 
were  found  in  sheltered  crannies  of  talus  on  the  adjoining  lot. 
As  soon  as  opportunity  served,  I  made  an  expedition  by  buggy 
up  the  coast  as  far  as  Kemble,  and  back  to  the  cliffs  behind  this 
village.  Here  the  Male  Fern  was  again  discovered,  both  below 
the  cliff  and  in  the  woods  above,  robust,  luxuriant  and  plentiful, 
occasionally  hybridising  with  its  neighbour  and  congener,  the 
Marginal  Shield  Fern.  But  how  is  one  to  account  for  such  a 
limited  range  in  the  Province?  Two  stations  about  10  miles 
apart,  with  a  diameter,  the  one,  of  some  SO  yards,  the  other, 
of  perhaps  half  a  mile,  in  the  single  county  of  Grey  and  nowhere 
else. 

On  August  the  10th  my  wife  and  I  had  arranged  to  set  up 
our  usual  summer  tent  on  Cache  Lake,  in  the  Algonquin  Park. 
Shortly  before  that  date  I  made  a  trip  from  Owen  Sound  to 
Durham,  in  the  hope  of  finding  Pellaea  densa,  the  extremely 
rare  Cliff-brake  discovered  there  by  Dr.  H.  M.  Ami  some  years 
ago.  Unfortunately  the  date  fixed  for  our  trip  proved  the  day 
of  the  great  gale  and  rainstorm  over  Lake  Ontario,  and  the  west 
of  the  Province.  It  had  already  begun  to  rain  when  Durham 
was  reached,  and  conditions  grew  rapidly  worse  for  the  rest  of 
the  stay.  Bad  weather  and  lack  of  time  combined  to  make 
three  proposed  trips  impossible,  two  from  Owen  Sound  and  the 
third  from  Utterson,  on  the  way  up  to  the  Algonquin  Park, 

To  be  continued. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  ill 

THE  CURIOUS  EGG  OF  THE  HAGFISH  (MYXINE). 

By  Professor*  Edward  E.  Prince,  Dominion    Commissioner 

OF  Fisheries,   Ottawa. 

In  classifying  fishes,  scientific  authorities  have  always  plac- 
ed lowest  on  the  list  the  hagfishes  and  lampreys.  Indeed, 
the  well-known  writer  on  fishes,  William  Swainson,  in  his  ex- 
cellent book,  the  "Classification  of  Fishes,"  London,  1838,  goes 
so  far  as  to  claim,  regarding  the  hagfish  (Myxine),  that  "all 
authors  agree  in  placing  it  near  the  worms."  These  fish  are,  of 
course,  far  removed  from  the  worms;  but  with  the  exception 
of  the  Lancelet  (Branchiostoma  or  Amphioxus),  they  are  the 
lowest  and  most  rudimentary  of  vertebrate  animals.  The  late 
Dr.  Theodore  Gill  and  others  concluded  that  they  ought  to 
be  separated  from  the  true  fishes,  and  placed  in  a  separate  class, 
owing  to  their  many  rudimentary  structural  features.  Thus, 
they  have  no  paired  fins,  no  scales,  no  segmented  backbone, 
(the  jelly-like  notochord  persists),  no  complete  skull,  no  spleen, 
no  pancreas,  a  very  simple  brain  and  nervous  system,  a  peculiar 
series  of  gill-pockets  instead  of  typical  filamentous  gills,  and 
their  whole  form  and  structure  are  in  contrast  with  the  true 
fishes,  and  higher  vertebrates  generally.  It  is  still  a  debated 
question  whether  or  not,  in  this  peculiar  group,  the  features 
referred  to  are  original  and  primitive  or  degraded  and  dege- 
nerate. In  all,  the  mouth  is  rotmd  and  adapted  for  sucking, 
not  biting.  The  lamprey  attacks  fishes,  adhering  to  the  out- 
side with  its  mouth,  w^hich  it  uses  like  a  vacuum  sucker,  and 
removes  flesh  and  blood  with  its  rasp-like  horny  teeth.  The 
hagfish  bores  its  way  into  fishes,  living  or  dead,  and  eats  out 
the  interior,  leaving  little  more  than  the  skin  and  bones  of  its 
victim.  Fishermen  find  cod  and  haddock  hanging  to  their  hooks 
which  have  been  destroyed  in  this  way.  Moreover,  the  hagfish 
has  a  remarkable  device  for  protecting  itself  from  enemies.  The 
skin  is  provided  with  slime  glands  and  pores,  which  enable  it, 
at  will,  to  pour  out  a  great  quantity  of  tenacious  ropy  slime, 
in  which  it  envelops  itself.  I  have  seen  a  specimen,  the  size 
of  a  medium-size  eel,  fill  a  bucket  with  this  gummy  grey  sub- 
stance, exuded  from  the  slime  pores.  There  are  not  many 
species  of  hagfishes,  and  they  are  very  local  in  their  occurrence. 
Thus,  Myxine  gluiinosa  is  well  known  to  abound  off  St.  Abb's 
Head  on  the  Scottish  coast,  but  is  rather  rare  in  other  areas. 
Our  Canadian  hagfish  so  closely  resembles  the  British  form  that 
both  were  included  in  the  same  species,  though  our  western 
form  is  now  known  as  Myxv^ie  liniosa. 


112  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Dec. 

Many  years  ago,  when  I  was  the  Naturalist  at  the  Scottish 
Marine  Station,  St.  Andrews,  I  paid  special  attention  to  Myxine, 
for  the  reason  that  no  one  had  ever  seen  a  male  specimen,  and 
very  little  was  known  about  its  eggs.  One  egg  oflly  was  known 
to  scientific  men,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  viz.,  a  single  specimen 
in  the  Bergen  Museum,  Norway.  No  doubt  it  was  the  study 
of  this  unique  and  valuable  specimen  vv^hich  enabled  Professor 
Allen  Thomson,  of  Glasgow,  to  describe  and  figure  the  hag- 
fish's  egg  in  his  article  "Ovum,"  in  Todd  and  Bowman's  En- 
cyclopagdia  of  Anatomy.  I  dissected  many  htmdreds  of  speci- 
mens and  found  plenty  of  eggs,  yellowish  brown,  very  hard  to 
the  touch,  and  about  the  size  of  a  small  bean.  Each  egg  was 
narrow  at  the  two  ends,  as  Professor  Thomson  had  described, 
but  I  never  found  the  bunch  of  hooks  at  both  apices,  which 
appeared  in  his  description  and  figure.  Carl  Claus,  in  his 
"Zoology,"  says  that  "the  deposited  egg  is  recognisable  by  the 
filaments  attached  to  both  poles,  and  which  probably  serve  to 
fix  it  to  sea  weeds,"  while  Professor  Arthur  Thomson,  of  Aber- 
deen (Outlines  of  Zoology,  1892)  states  that  "each  has  an  oval 
horny  case,  with  knobbed  processes  at  each  end.  By  these 
they  become  entangled  together."  In  Dr.  Lenn's  "Synopsis 
der  Thierkunde,"  Hanover,  1883,  Bd.  I.,  Professor  Hubert  Lud- 
wig  describes  the  "horny  shell  as  provided  at  both  ends  with  a 
long  bunch  of  thread-like  hooks."  This  bunch  of  threads  or 
filaments  is  evidently  pushed  out  after  the  eggs  are  deposited, 
for  I  saw  no  trace  of  them  in  the  large  number  of  eggs,  many 
thousands,. which  I  removed  from  ripe  hagfish  in  Scotland.  I 
may  add  that  I  found  no  males,  and  this  was  due  to  a  fact,  one 
of  the  most  astonishing  in  the  whole  field  of  zoology,  viz.,  that 
only  the  very  small  specimens  are  males,  and,  as  they  grow 
bigger,  each  changes  its  sex,  and,  later  in  life,  produces  not 
sperms  but  eggs.  This  sex-transformation,  first  discovered 
by  Mr.  J.  T.  Cunningham,  and  by  the  famous  Dr.  Nansen,  is 
called  ' '  protandry . ' ' 

It  was  with  very  great  delight  that  I  found  in  July  last 
some  of  these  exceedingly  rare  objects,  the  ripe- eggs  of  Myxine, 
at  the  Biological  Station,  St.  Andrews,  N.B.  Professor  Philip 
Cox,  of  Fredericton,  who  was  engaged  in  scientific  researches 
at  the  station,  had  placed  them  in  a  sea-v/ater  tank,  under  a 
constant  circulation  of  water,  with  the  hope  that  they  might 
hatch  out.  The  larval  hagfish  has  never  been  seen  by  any 
zoologist,  and  a  description  of  it  wotild  be  of  the  profotindest 
scientific  interest.  After  several  weeks  the  eggs  died  and  began 
to  show  signs  of  decay,  and  before  their  condition  was  too  ad- 
vanced I  made  a  study  of  their  external  features.  In  view  of 
my  work  on  Myxine  in  Scotland,  I  felt  a  special  interest  in  ex- 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  113 

amining  the  structure  of  these  rare  specimens.  Like  the  Scot- 
tish examples,  they  were  over  half  an  inch  in  length,  oval  in 
shape,  and  of  a  whitish  yellow  colour.  The  colour  is  due  to 
the  creamy  yoke  inside  the  horny  shell,  for  the  shell  is  very 
transparent,  and  somewhat  thickened  at  the  apices.  Each  end 
or  apex  of  the  egg  rose  into  a  protruding  mound,  from  which 
projected  forty  or  fifty  slender  threads,  about  a  fifth  of  an  inch 
long.  At  its  root  each  thread  was  enlarged  and  outspread, 
but  diminished  distally  and  became  slender,  until  near  the  free 
tip,  it  enlarged  again  and  expanded  in  the  flattened  form  of  a 
hooked  head.  They  cannot  be  described  simply  as  "thread- 
shaped  hooks,'"  to  use  Ludwig's  phrase,  or  as  "knobbed  pro- 
cesses," according  to  Professor  Thomson's  description.  They 
vary  so  much  in  shape  that  hardly  two  are  alike.  Most  of  them 
may  be  likened  to  a  bent  and  half-closed  hand,  the  wrist  very 
slender  and  the  fingers  much  flattened.  Inside  each  finger  tip, 
a  cushion  or  pad  studded  with  short  but  very  sharp  points 
occtn-s.  Some  of  the  expanded  hands  or  heads  possess  two  fin- 
gers only,  others  have  three,  but  a  great  many  have  four,  and  a 
few  seem  to  possess  five.  Usually  the  fingers  are  curved  over 
as  described,  but  many  are  bent  in  various  ways,  some  turned 
up,  or  twisted  sideways,  just  as  the  fingers  of  the  hand  may  be 
variously  contorted.  The  whole  of  the  flattened  edge  of  the 
"finger  tip  "  may  in  some  cases  be  studded  with  minute  denticles 
or  teeth ;  indeed  these  toothed  surfaces  are  so  variously  turned 
that  they  grasp  or  cling  to  anything  and  everything  which 
comes  in  contact  with  them.  When  once  hooked  to  any  object 
they  are  as  difficult  to  detach  as  some  of  the  familiar  seeds  which 
cling  to  one's  clothing  when  walking  through  the  bush.  The 
eggs  were  entangled  with  each  other  when  I  first  examined 
them,  and  they  could  be  separated  only  at  the  risk  of  tearing 
off  some  of  the  hooked  threads. 

These  rare  and  interesting  specimens  were  procured  by  a 
Bay  of  Fundy  fisherman,  attached  to  each  other,  and  to  the 
rope  or  line  of  a  baited  trawl  set  for  pollack,  between  Campbell's 
Island  and  the  Wolves,  New  Brunswick,  vv^here  the  depth  ranges 
from  40  to  SO  and,  in  somic  places.  70  fathoms.  The  parent 
fish  are  said  to  burrow  in  the  mud  or  sand  at  depths  of  40  to  300 
fathoms,  and  to  protrude  the  snout  only,  so  that  they  are  rarely 
procured,  excepting  when  they  emerge  and  swim  about  in  search 
of  prey.  As  already  stated,  they  bore  into  hooked  cod  and 
haddock,  passing  eel-like  into  the  abdominal  cavity  of  the  fish, 
or  at  times  they  suck  in  thc^  baited  hook  set  for  superior  fish, 
and  the  hook  is  swallowed  so  far  down  the  gullet  that  the  fisher- 
men usually  cut  off  the  head  of  the  hagfish,  to  make  them  dis- 
gorge the  hook  being  practically  impossible. 


114  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Dec. 

A  SUGGESTIVE  NOTE  AS  TO  WHAT  MIGHT  BE  BROUGHT 
TO  LIGHT  ABOUT  THE  PADDLEFISH  THROUGH 
DEEP  LAKE  DREDGING.* 

By  Andrew  Halkett. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  things  in  modern  biological 
research  concerns  what  has  been  brought  to  light  through  deep 
sea  dredging.  Many  new  species  of  fishes,  often  grotesque  in 
appearance,  constructed  so  as  to  resist  pressure,  and  many  of 
them  furnished  with  phosphorescent  organs  enabling  them 
to  see  in  the  darkness  of  the  abyss,  have  through  such  re- 
searches been  added  to  the  list.  An  instance  of  the  kind  from 
our  own  marine  waters  relates  to  the  only  specimen  known  of 
Raja  abyssicola — a  male  obtained  at  a  depth  to  1,588  fathoms 
from  off  the  coast  of  the  Queen  Charlotte  Islands,  British  Col- 
umbia. Upon  this  fish,  in  my  "  Check  List  of  the  Fishes  of  the 
Dominion  of  Canada  and  Newfoundland,"  I  bestowed  the  ver- 
nacular name  of  Deep  Sea  Ray;  and  in  a  foot  note,  here  quoted 
from  that  work,  I  drew  attention  to  that  remarkable  find: — 

"  No  ray  was  ever  found  at  any  such  a  depth  as  this  before. 
A  ray  from  a  depth  of  565  fathoms  is  included  in  the  list  of 
deepsea  fishes  obtained  by  the  dredgings  of  the  'Challenger' 
(Gtinther),  and  'R.  mamillidens' ,  a  uniform  jet-black  species, 
has  been  obtained  from  a  depth  of  597  fathoms  in  the  Bay  of 
Bengal'  (Bridge),  but  as  far  as  available  records  show,  none 
have  been  obtained  at  a  greater  depth  than  some  600  fathoms 
except  this  one." 

Now,  it  has  occurred  to  me,  for  reasons  presently  to  be 
pointed  out,  that  possibly  something  concerns  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  Paddlefish  {{Polyodon  spa'liula),  which  as  yet  is  un- 
known. This  singular  fish  still  exists  in  plenty  in  the  Miss- 
issippi Valley,  and  in  waters  of  the  southern  United  States, 
besides  which,  at  exceedingly  rare  intervals,  it  has  been  found 
in  waters  of  the  Great  Lakes  system,  its  records,  as  again 
quoted  from  my  "Check  List,"  being  these: — 

"Exceedingly  rare  in  Canada — the  following  appearing 
to  be  its  records:  Lake  Huron,  near  Sarnia,  Ontario  (two  speci- 
mens) ;  Spanish  River,  District  of  Sudbury  (one  specimen) ; 
Lake  Helen,  Nipigon  River  (one  specimen);  Lake  Erie  (if 
from  the  Canadian  side  of  the  lake — one  specimen) :  plentiful 
in  the  Mississippi  valley  and  southern  United  States:  also  re- 
corded from  Ohio  River    (LeSueur,    1817,    as    Plaiirostra  eden- 


*Published  by  permission  of  the  Deputy  Minister  of  Naval  Service. 


1915]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  115 

/w/a;  and  Rafinesque,  1820,  as  Acipenser  lagenarius) ;  and  irom 
Lake  Ontario  (Rafinesque,  1820,  as  Proceros  vUtaitis)." 

Supplementing  its  records,  a  quotation  from  Dr.  Prince, 
given  as  a  foot  note  in  the  Check  List,  is  introduced  here: — 

"  Old  fishermen  near  Point  Edward,  on  the  Lambton  county 
shore,  vaguely  refer  to  other  specimens  occurring  in  Lake 
Huron." 

The  form  and  structure  of  the  paddle-fish  determine  it  to 
be  a  species  whose  habitat  is  at  the  bed  of  the  rivers  or  lakes 
where  ordinarily  it  occurs.  The  fusiform  body  is  little  com- 
pressed, and  its  long  spatulate  and  somewhat  flexible  blade, 
preceding  the  rest  of  the  head,  enables  it  to  scoop  among  the 
mud  or  ooze  in  the  obtaining  of  its  food.  It  is  probably  for 
this  reason  that  it  has  seldom  been  found  in  lakes  or  rivers  tri- 
butory  to  such  deep  lakes  as  Lakes  Superior  and  Huron  are, 
and  the  inference  is  that  it  normally  remains  in  the  depths; 
and  whilst  it  is  true  that  individuals  of  this  fish  have  been 
found  with  ripe  eggs  in  Kentucky,  in  the  month  of  May,  and 
that  the  paddle-fish  was  then  swimming  up  stream,  so  that  it 
has  been  supposed  to  spawn  in  bayous  along  the  river,  yet  its 
spawning'^grounds  do  not  appear  to  have  been  located;  be- 
sides which  the  fry  are  entirely  unknown,  and  the  young  of  the 
paddle-fish,  even  where  it  occurs  plentifully  in  the  United  States, 
has  never  been  found  of  a  length  less  than  about  six  inches. 

The  idea  that  the  paddle-fish  normally  remains  in  the 
depths,  or  even  spawns  there,  is  perhaps  strengthened  by  what 
is  known  concerning  the  structure  and  habits  of  its  only  im- 
mediate ally,  the  fish  krfown  as  Psephurus  gladius  of  great  rivers 
of  China,  such  as  the  Hoangho  and  Yang-tse-Kiang.  That 
fish,  which  is  said  to  attain  the  great  length  of  twenty  feet,  has 
a  rostrum  of  conical  shape  instead  of  a  spatulate  blade  like  that 
of  the  paddle-fish,  but  this  organ  also  serves  the  purpose  of 
scooping  in  the  mud;  and  it  may  therefore  readily  be  seen  how 
well  it  is  equipped  for  living  at  the  beds  of  those  great  rivers 
in  China,  which  appear  locally  to  vary  in  their  character  from 
clear  and  sparkling  to  ttirbid  and  muddy. 

This  suggestive  note  claims  to  be  no  more  than  a  hypo- 
thesis, but  the  idea  seemed  to  commend  itself  to  Dr.  Garman, 
the  ichthyologist  of  the  Cambridge,  Mass.,  University,  and  to 
Dr.  Hussakof,  the  palaeontologist  of  the  American  Museum  of 
Natural  History,  New  York,  to  whom  I  mentioned  it;  and  these 
gentlemen  seemed  to  share  my  opinion  that  there  is  no  saying 
what  deep  lake  dredging,  carried  on  after  the^manner  of  deep 
sea  dredging,  which  has  been  so  prolific  in  what  it  has  yielded, 
might  bring  to  light  concerning  the  paddle-fish  which  other- 
wise must  remain  unknown. 


116  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Dec. 

BOOK    NOTICE. 

A  List  of  Canadian  Mineral  Occurences.      By  R.  A.  A. 
Johnston,  Ottawa,  1915,  Geological  Survey  of  Canada. 

In  view  of  the  great  advance  of. the  mineral  industry  of 
Canada  in  recent  years,  a  complete  list  of  its  minerals  and  their 
localities  has  been  much  desired.  Such  a  list  now  appears 
among  the  publications  of  the  Geological  Survey,  and  the  com- 
piler, Mr.  R.  A.  A.  Johnston,  mineralogist  of  the  Geological 
Survey,  is  to  be  congratulated  upon  the  thoroughness  of  the 
work. 

As  is  usual  in  such  lists,  the  work  is  divided  into  two  parts, 
the  first  of  which  discusses  the  minerals  and  indicates  the  local- 
ities where  each  mineral  is  found,  while  the  second  part  con- 
tains a  list  of  localities  and  indicates  the  minerals  to  be  found 
in  each  placs. 

In  view  of  the  rapid  development  of  the  country  involving 
changes  in  the  boundaries  of  districts,  it  was  hardly  to  be  ex- 
pected that  the  mineral  occurrences  should  always  be  listed 
under  the  districts  as  they  exist  to-day.  This  difficulty  is  illus- 
trated by  the  District  of  Nipissing,  which  in  recent  years  has 
been  sub-divided  so  that  portions  of  the  original  district  are 
now  contained  in  four  districts.  In  a  few  instances  Mr.  John- 
ston has  failed  to  make  the  necessary  readjustments,  particu- 
larly in  regard  to  Algom.a  and  Kenora  districts.  There  are 
som&  errors  as  to  the  chemical  composition  of  minerals,  as  illus- 
trated by  breithauptite,  which  is  an  antimonide  of  nickel  rather 
than  of  iron. 

Unfortunately  the  localities  recorded  by  Dr.  J.  J.  Bigsby 
and  by  Dr.  Samuel  Robinson  have  been  largely  ignored,  though 
some  of  Bigsby's  localities  are  mentioned.  In  some  cases  proper 
references  are  given,  while  in  others  this  has  not  been  done. 
In  the  case  of  beryl  from  Rainy  Lake,  the  reference  is  to  a  Geo- 
logical Survey  Report,  but  in  that  publication  Dr.  Bigsby  is 
given  credit  for  the  locality.  Interesting  omissions  are  the 
staurolite  on  La  Croix  or  Namaycan  River,  the  jasper  on  Gun- 
flint  Lake,  celestite  from  Lake  Simcoe,  and  selenite  from  Mani- 
toulin  Island,  which  were  mentioned  by  Dr.  Bigsby  (American 
Journal  of  Science,  vol.  8,  p.  60  et  seq.) 

In  spite  of  these  minor  defects,  this  book  is  of  a  character 
in  press  work,  plan  and  contents  to  take  its  place  besides  such 
noted  works  as   Robinson's   American   Mineral  Localities  and 


-■~--mt'£— 


T.  L.  Walker. 


THE  OTTAWA  NATURALIST       " 

VOL.  XXIX.  _        JANUARY,  1916.  No.  10 

FOSSIL  COLLECTING.* 


By  E.  M.  Kindle. 


Introduction. 

Away  back  in  the  mists  of  antiquity,  so  long  ago  that  no 
record  of  him  stirvives,  "some  pastoral  savage,  more  reflective 
and  less  practical  than  his  brethren,"  made  the  first  collection 
of  fossils  and  placed  them  in  front  of  his  tepee.  From  the  time 
of  this  first  unrecorded  collector  to  the  present,  most  thoughtful 
and  reflective  men  have  some  time  or  other  felt  the  spell  of  the 
past  which  the  discovery  of  the  fossil  remains  of  extinct  ani- 
mals casts  over  the  mind,  and  have  become  temporarily  at 
least  collectors  of  fossils.  Even  statesmen  burdened  with  the 
affairs  of  nations  have  found  time  to  collect  fossils.  It  is  re- 
lated of  Thomas  Jefferson  that  when  he  journeyed  on  horse- 
back from  his  Virginia  home  to  Philadelphia  to  be  inaugurated 
President  of  the  United  States,  he  carried  with  him  in  his  saddle 
bags  some  fossils  which  he  wished  to  submit  to  the  Philadelphia 
savants. 

From  the  rude  mound  of  fossils  so  often  met  with  in  the 
farm-house  front  yard,  or  the  mantlepiece  collection  in  the 
mountain  cabin,  to  the  great  collections  of  our  large  geological 
museums,  is  a  long  step,  but  the  former  may  be  regarded  as 
the  prototypes  of  the  latter.  The  mantlepiece  and  front  yard 
collections  usually  have  slight  value  because  no  record  of  the 
exact  locality  of  the  several  specimens  has  been  preserved. 
The  museum  collection  should  show  not  only  the  geographical 
source  of  the  fossils  but  their  geological  horizon  as  well.  In 
other  words  the  fossil  exhibits  of  a  properly  arranged  museum 
show  the  specimens  in  both  their  space  and  time  relations. 
The  fossil  exhibits  of  large  museums  like  the  British  Museum 
show  the  ancient  life  of  the  world  in  epitome.  The  educa- 
tional value  of  the  great  museums  of  geology  depends  largely 
upon  the  extent  to  which  the  visitor  has  prepared  himself  to 
understand  their  message.  There  is  no  preparation  for  receiv- 
ing the  knowledge  which  museums  and  books  on  geology  have 

*Published  with  the  permission  of  the  Director  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  Canada. 


'...•- 


^  I  ■•■  .  t 


118*  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Jan. 

to  offer  which  will  compare  with  the  use  of  the  hammer  and 
chisel  in  collecting  fossils  from  nature's  own  museum.  It  is 
the  object  of  this  paper  to  encourage  the  reader  to  collect  fossils 
in  such  a  way  that  their  scientific  value  will  not  be  impaired 
or  destroyed,  as  often  happens  through  the  use  of  improper 
methods. 

Collecting  Methods.* 

In  collecting  fossils  a  rather  heavy  hammer  is  indispensible . 
Many  palaeontologists  prefer  the  ordinary  bricklayer's  hammer, 
with  its  long  broad  blade,  which  is  very  effective  in  splitting 
open  blocks  of  rock  and  in  digging  in  shales.  A  small  chisel 
is  frequently  useful,  and  a  note  book  should  be  carried.  A 
tube  of  glue  and  a  small  vial  of  hydrochloric  acid  are  valuable 
adjuncts  to  the  collector's  outfit.  A  bag  or  basket  with  a 
supply  of  old  newspapers  or  tissue  paper  for  wrapping  specimens, 
together  with  a  substantial  lunch,  complete  the  essential  ele- 
ments of  the  collector's  outfit  for  a  day  in  the  field. 

There  is  no  royal  road  to  finding  fossils.  But  success 
usually  comes  to  the  collector  who  prostrates  himself  on  the 
ledges  and  searches  the  beds  foot  by  foot  as  he  crawls  over  the 
surface.  Beds  which  are  nearly  or  quite  barren  of  fossils  are 
often  separated  by  comparatively  thin  bands  in  which  fossils 
abound.  Much  patience  and  close  scrutiny  are  often  required 
to  detect  these  rich  beds.  In  this  work  haste  has  no  place, 
and  keen  eyesight  plays  the  same  role  in  finding  fossil  animals 
that  it  does  in  hunting  living  ones.  Sometimes  the  fossils  are 
composed  of  harder  material  than  the  enclosing  rock,  and  stand 
out  in  strong  relief  on  the  surface  of  the  ledge.  In  such  cases 
they  are  easily  found.  But  more  frequently  the  only  clue  to 
the  presence  of  fossils  is  the  indistinct  outline  on  the  surface 
of  the  rock  of  the  cross  section  of  fossil  shells,  w^hich  have  little 
resemblance  to  the  specimens  as  they  appear  after  removal 
from  the  matrix.  Where  the  fossils  occur  in  shales  they  are 
often  found  lying  loose  on  the  surface,  having  been  set  free 
by  weathering. 

If  the  collector  wishes  the  fossils  which  he  finds  to  have 
scientific  value  he  must  keep  a  systematic  record  of  the  exact 
geographic  locality  from  which  each  lot  comes.  This  is  easily 
done  by  keeping  a  numbered  record  in  a  note  book  of  the  col- 
lecting stations,  and  attaching  a  corresponding  ntmiber  to  each 
lot  of  fossils  collected.  It  shotdd  be  the  practice  of  the  collector 
or  field  geologist  to  prepare  for  each  specimen  or  group  of  speci- 
mens a  field  label  before  leaving  the   collecting  station,  giving: 

*No  attempt  is  made  here  to  discuss  methods  of  collecting  vertebrate  fossils. 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  119 

(a)  the  serial  field  number  assigned  to  it,  (6)  a  precise  defini- 
tion of  the  locality  from  which  the  specimen  was  taken,  (c) 
name  and  formation,  if  known,  (ci)  the  relationship  to  each 
other  of  the  beds  from  which  different  lots  of  fossils  have  been 
taken — best  shown  by  reference  to  a  section  in  the  note  book 
of  the  beds  collected  from — (e)  name  of  collector,  (/)  date:  day, 
month  and  year;  (g)  number  and  page  of  field  note  book  in 
which  the  section  or  bed  furnishing  the  collection  is  described. 
The  serial  field  number  placed  on  the  label  should  appear  in 
the  note  book  in  connection  with  the  description  of  the  part  of 
the  section  or  bed  from  which  the  specimen  was  obtained.  All 
specimens  taken  from  one  bed  in  one  locality,  whether  repre- 
senting one  or  more  species  or  individuals,  should  be  given 
the  same  number  and  label.  Fossils  collected  from  different 
beds,  even  when  only  a  few  feet  apart,  should  as  a  rule  be  given 
distinctive  labels,  and  specimens  taken  from  talus  slopes  or 
boulders  should  be  kept  separate  from  those  found  in  place.  As 
a  rule,  each  individual  fossil  should  be  wrapped  separately  in 
newspaper  or  tissue  paper  at  the  locality  where  collected.  Where 
the  specimens  are  very  fragile,  like  the  shells  of  the  post  glacial 
clays  of  the  Ottawa  valley,  for  example,  cotton  batting  and 
small  vials  or  pasteboard  boxes  are  required  to  protect  the  speci- 
mens from  breaking.  A  single  label  will  suffice  for  all  the  speci- 
mens from  one  collecting  station  if  heavy  manilla  paper  is  used 
in  making  them  into  a  secure  package.  This  should  be  num- 
bered on  the  outside  in  addition  to  having  a  label  inside. 
Abundant  material  should  be  obtained  wherever  circumstances 
permit . 

The  preservation  of  both  the  moulds  and  casts  of  a  fossil 
where  the  original  material  of  the  fossil  has  been  removed  is 
most  important.  All  of  the  parts  of  a  broken  specimen  should 
be  carefully  preserved  and  kept  together.  A  tube  of  glue  for 
repairing  broken  specimens  should  always  be  included  in  the 
collector's  outfit.  The  collector  should  bear  in  mind  the  fact 
that  his  collection  of  fossils  may  be  of  much  value  in  furnish- 
ing new  data  regarding  the  stratigraphic  range  and  geographic 
distribution  of  species. 

In  collecting  from  a  section  where  a  considerable  thick- 
ness of  rock,  with  several  fossiliferous  beds,  is  exposed,  the 
section  should  be  measured  as  collecting  proceeds.  The  section 
may  be  given  a  number,  and  each  subdivision  of  it  designated 
by  a  letter  of  the  alphabet,  the  several  lots  of  fossils  from  the 
different  levels  being  marked  with  their  respective  letters.  De- 
tailed information  concerning  the  physical  and  chemical  char- 
acteristics of  each  subdivision  of  the  section  should  be  recorded. 
If  the  section  studied  is  exposed  along  the  sides  of  a  gorge,  a 


120  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Jan. 

simple  method  of  measuring  the  beds  collected  from  is  to  cut 
a  light  pole  10  or  15  feet  in  length  and  mark  it  with  bands  of 
peeled  bark  at  intervals  of  5  feet,  one  of  the  5 -foot  subdivisions 
being  marked  off  into  1-foot  spaces.  The  section  can  then  be 
measured  by  holding  the  pole  at  right  angles  to  the  bedding 
and  using  it  yard-stick  fashion.  In  the  case  of  horizontal  beds 
exposed  along  the  slope  of  a  hill  or  mountain-side,  the  aneroid 
barometer  or  a  Locke's  hand  level  is  generally  used.  When  the 
beds  are  inclined,  neither  of  these  instruments  will  suffice.  The 
method  used  by  Blackwelder  for  measuring  sections  of  inclined 
strata  is  a  modification  of  the  Walcott  method,  and  includes  the 
use  of  a  clinometer  compass  attached  to  a  rod  5  feet  1  inch  in 
length.     Walcott  describes  this  method  as  follows: — 

"The  strata,  in  section  to  be  measured,  were  inclined  to 
the  east  40°.  Placing  the  lower  end  of  the  rod  at  the  base  of 
the  section,  I  inclined  the  rod  towards  the  edges  of,  and  at  a 
right  angle  to,  the  line  of  the  dip  of  the  strata,  which  was  in- 
dicated by  the  needle  of  the  clinometer  standing  at  40°.  Then, 
looking  through  the  compass  sights  the  point  where  the  line  of 
sight  touched  the  ground  was  marked  as  the  next  station  for 
the  rod,  and  on  this  station  the  base  of  the  rod  was  placed  for 
the  second  sight,  which  was  made  exactly  as  in  the  first  instance, 
and  so  on  to  the  end  of  the  section.  Frequent  trials  were  made, 
at  the  exposed  outcrops,  to  determine  the  angle  of  dip  of  the 
strata,  so  that  the  rod  might  be  held  at  a  right  angle  to  it." 

The  application  of  this  method  is  clearly  shown  by  Black- 
welder's  figure  which  is  given  below. 


Fig.  1.     Diagram  illustrating  the  meaEurement  of  strata  by  means  of  a  spirit  level 
clinometer  and  sighting  arm  attached  to  a  five-foot  rod.     (After  Blackwelder.) 

In  case  the  collector  is  not  provided  with  a  clinometer 
compass,  fairly  accurate  measurement  of  a  section  of  inclined 
beds  may  be  made  with  the  aid  of  a  roughly  improvised  T- 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  121 

shaped  square.  The  long  arm  should  be  of  a  known  length. 
The  T-shaped  staff  when  used  is  held  vertical  to  the  surface  of 
the  inclined  beds  to  be  measured,  while  the  eye  sights  along 
the  short  arm  in  a  direction  at  right  angles  to  the  line  of  strike 
to  a  point  on  the  ground  which  will  be  the  next  station  base 
for  the  staff.  Each  station  occupied  will  have  an  elevation 
above  the  preceding  one  in  the  section  corresponding  to  the 
length  of  the  staff. 

Objects  Sought. 

Brief  consideration  of  some  of  the  purposes  for  which  fossils 
are  collected  will  indicate  to  what  extent  the  methods  outlined 
in  the  preceding  pages  are  essential  in  different  classes  of  work, 
and  whether  they  may  be  expanded  or  shortened  in  connection 
with  collecting  which  has  different  objects  in  view. 

There  is  probably  no  other  branch  of  natural  history  col- 
lecting which  may  lead  to  the  solution  of  such  a  variety  of 
problems  as  the  collecting  of  fossils.  The  problems  of  the 
the  palaeontologist  include  within  their  range  those  of  struc- 
tural geology,  the  restoration  of  ancient  physical  geographies, 
and  the  problem  of  evolution.  Whatever  the  purpose  of  the 
collector  may  be,  however,  the  precise  location  of  the  rocks 
furnishing  the  specimens  and  their  relationship  to  other  beds  in 
the  locality  should  always  appear  on  the  locality  label. 

During  an  earlier  stage  in  the  development  of  palaeon- 
tology the  discovery  of  new  species  was  the  ultima  thule  of  the 
collector.  This  is  still  an  important  and  legitimate  object  of 
the  collector's  work,  for  many  thousands  of  species  as  yet  un- 
known to  science  doubtless  remain  to  be  discovered,  described 
and  systematically  placed  in  the  immense  catalogue  of  the 
earth's  extinct  life.  Many  collectors  and  palaeontologists  of 
an  earlier  generation  were  content  to  refer  their  new  species 
to  the  LoAver  Carboniferous,  the  Upper  Silurian,  or  to  a  major 
division  of  whatever  system  they  were  derived  from.  Our  pre- 
sent ideal,  though  not  always  attained,  is  to  indicate  the  place 
of  a  new  species  in  the  section  where  discovered  with  the  utmost 
exactness.  This  kind  of  painstaking  care  on  the  part  of  the 
collector  and  the  author  of  a  new  species  will  ultimately,  if  not 
at  once,  make  possible  its  reference  to  its  proper  place  in  the 
general  geological  time  scale  w4th  a  precision  comparable  to 
that  with  which  the  railway  engineer  refers  a  particular  station 
on  his  line  to  its  exact  position  above  sea  level.  This  tendency 
toward  greater  refinement  and  precision  in  the  methods  of  the 
palaeontologist  is  one  of  the  factors  which  has  lead  to  an  exten- 
sive revision  and  expansion  of  formational  nomenclature.  The 
description  of  a  new  species,  important  as  it  is,  can  at  present  be 


122  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Jan. 

regarded  as  only  one  of  several  objects  to  be  attained  through 
the  collection  and  study  of  fossils.  The  description  of  fossils 
is  in  fact  only  the  first  step  in  their  use  for  the  purpose  of  corre- 
lation in  palaeogeography,  attacking  the  far-reaching  problems 
of  evolution. 

It  is  worth  while  recalling  here  that  Wm.  Smith,  the  father 
of  stratigraphic  palaeontology,  made  excellent  use  of  certain 
fossils  even  before  they  were  named  in  tracing  the  formations 
which  they  characterized  over  a  great  part  of  England. 
•  Smith's  discovery  of  the  value  of  fossils  in  correlation  enabled 
him  to  prepare  the  first  geological  map  of  which  we  have  any 
record.  The  fundamental  importance  of  fossils  to  the  geologist 
in  enabling  him  to  recognize  or  identify  the  same  beds  in  dif- 
ferent areas  has  been  universally  recognized  since  the  days  of 
Wm.  Smith.  It  is  for  this  purpose  that  the  fossil  collections 
of  the  field  geologist  are  generally  made.  They  necessarily 
often  represent  a  great  many  localities,  and  frequently  a  small 
number  of  specimens  from  the  individual  localities  which  may 
or  may  not  be  as  large  as  the  conditions  incident  to  the  work 
will  permit,  and  the  preparation  of  stratigraphic  sections  in 
connection  with  them  is  most  important. 

Progress  in  stratigraphic  palaeontology  in  recent  years  has 
been  largely  along  the  Hne  of  increasing  our  knowledge  of  the 
range  and  distribution  of  faunas,  and  of  the  individual  species 
composing  them.  The  important  bearing  of  this  class  of  knowl- 
edge upon  questions  concerning  the  evolution  and  dispersal  of 
faunas  is  evident.  Its. interest  to  the  general  geologist  Hes 
chiefly  in  the  fact  that  the  accuracy  with  which  fossils  can  be 
used  in  correlation  is  in  direct  proportion  to  the  completeness 
of  our  knowledge  of  their  range.  The  presence  in  certain  areas 
of  recurrent  faunas  or  faunas  which  re-appear  at  higher  levels 
after  completely  disappearing  for  a  considerable  interval  from 
a  series  of  beds,  sometimes  introduces  for  particular  regions  a 
new  and  difficult  factor  into  the  use  of  fossils  in  correlation 
until  the  inter-relations  of  the  recurrent  with  the  associated 
faunas  has  been  worked  out.  Such  areas  require  an  amount 
of  collecting  and  careful  comparison  of  faunas  and  sections 
which  would  be  unnecessary  in  ordinary  regions.  The  recur- 
rence in  the  Devonian  section  of  southern  New  York  of  Tropi- 
dolepins  carinaius  in  the  Chemung,  2,000  feet  above  its  dis- 
appearance at  the  top  of  the  Hamilton  formation,  is  an  example 
of  this  phenomenon.*  (See  fig.  2.)  We  learn  from  it  and 
similar  examples  that  the  disappearance  of  a  fossil  from  a  sec- 
tion may  not  mean  that  it  has  become  extinct,  but  that  it  has 
changed  its  habitat. 

*E.  M.  Kindle.  Jour.  Geol.,  vol.  XIX,  pp.  346-347,  1911. 


1916] 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


123 


Centtal  Nsw  York 


Eastern  New  York 
(Chenango  Valley) 


Chsm'jng 
■fc-malion 


Porlage 
formalion 


Spirii'er  d'ijunclu;  I'oun.i 


Tropidoleptus 


Buchic'a  retro£lii;'.i  fcuna 


■fully  l.meslone   y^^^^^   ' "  ~  ~'- ' 

Kamilion    j 
fomiatior;  "j 


Tropidoleptus  carinalus  fauna 


20 


30 


40 


50  Miles 


Fig.  2.     A   diagrammatic   east-west  cross-section   of  the   Middle   and   Upper   Devonian  of 

southern  New  York,  showing  the  relations  of  Tropidoleptus  carinatus  to  the  western  faunas 

during  Portage  and  Chemung  time.     Total  thickness  of  the  section  is  about  2,700  feet. 

The  presence  of  a  recurrent  Hamilton  species  like  Tropi- 
doleptus carinatus  in  the  Chemung  fauna  of  southern  New  York 
involves  its  withdrawal  from  at  least  the  major  part  of  the  New 
York  area  at  the  end  of  Hamilton  sedimentation  to  some  part 
of  the  sea  furnishing  a  more  congenial  environment  than  that 
which  accompanied  Genesee  and  Portage  sedimentation.  In 
the  newly  adopted  habitat,  or  in  a  small  portion  of  the  old  one, 
it  fotmd  a  haven  where  those  conditions  of  the  Hamilton  sea 
which  were  essential  to  its  life  were  maintained  throughout 
Genesee  and  Portage  time.  With  the  initiation  of  Chemung  sedi- 
mentation T.  carinatus  extended  its  habitat  back  again  over  a  part 
of  the  area  which  it  h'ad  previously  occupied,  as  shown  in  fig.  2 . 

These  recurrent  faunas  furnish  convincing  evidence  of  the 
existence  during  the  Palaeozoic  of  distinct  faunal  provinces. 
It  seems  safe  to  conclude  that  the  recurrence  of  a  fauna  has 
been  due  to  the  oscillation  or  migration  of  the  factors  which 
conditioned  its  geographic  distribution. 

Palaeogeography  is  a  field  of  knowledge  to  the  extension 
of  which  the  collection  of  fossils  contributes  most  important 
data,.  Collections  which  will  contribute  most  to  this  subject 
are  those  concerning  which  the  collector  has  supplied,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  data  already  mentioned  under  methods  of  collecting, 
complete  data  regarding  the  physical  features  of  the  rocks  in 
which  they  are  found.  This  physical  data  should  indicate  very 
fully  the  nature  of  the  sediments  associated  with  individual 
fatmules,  as  to  composition,  texture,  hardness  and  colour.  The 
collector  should  note  the  character  of  the  lamination,  whether 
in  thin  or  thick  sheets  or  variable,  and  whether  uniform  or 
alternating  composition  characterizes  the  beds.  The  presence 
or  absence  of  cross  bedding,   ripple  marks,  current  marks  and 


124  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Jan. 

wave  marks  should  be  noted  with  care.  The  direction  of  these 
features  when  successive  beds  show  a  degree  of  uniformity 
should  be  noted.  Particular  attention  should  be  given  to  ob- 
serving the  amplitude  of  ripple  marks,  and  whether  they  are 
symmetrical  or  asymmetrical.  A  great  predominance  of  one  or 
the  other  type  of  ripple  mark  may,  as  I  have  elsewhere 
shown,*  afford  conclusive  evidence  regarding  the  continental  or 
marine  origin  of  a  set  of  beds.  Mud  cracks,  rain  drop  impres- 
sions, and  other  features  characteristic  of  the  intertidal  zone, 
should  be  looked  for  with  the  greatest  care  by  the  collector. 

It  is  true  that  the  literature  treating  of  fossils  seldom  gives 
much  data  of  this  kind.  The  palaeogeographer  in  making  use 
of  fossils  in  drawing  the  boundaries  of  ancient  seas,  has  had  but 
little  data  of  this  class  to  curb  his  imagination  or  stay  his  hand. 
Structural  features  of  comparatively  recent  origin  have  too  often 
assumed  for  him  a  significance  which  they  did  not  possess. 
while  the  really  significant  features  indicating  proximity  to  a 
shore  line  were  neglected  because  unrecorded  by  palaeontol- 
ogists and  geologists. 

The  observation  and  record  of  the  physical  characters 
which  have  just  been  enumerated  are  of  the  utmost  impor- 
tance in  connection  with  the  collection  of  certain  classes  of 
fossils,  like  the  eurypterids  and  certain  fishes  whose  normal 
habitat  is  still  a  subject  of  discussion.  It  is  to  the  careful  study 
of  the  physical  features  of  the  beds  enclosing  such  fossils  that 
we  must  look  for  the  solution  of  the  problems  relating  to  the 
character  of  their  habitat. 

Zoology  gave  to  the  world  the  hypothesis  of  evolution, 
but  its  demonstration  and  its  actual  history  is  the  province  of 
palaeontology.  It  is  the  privilege  of  the  collector  of  fossils  to 
assist  in  discovering  the  actual  course  wdiich  the  steady  upward 
trend  of  life  has  followed  through  the  geologic  ages.  For  the 
study  of  problems  relating  to  orthogenesis,  saltation  and  other 
elements  in  evolution,  fossils  offer  a  great  advantage  over  living 
animals  and  plants.  The  time  element  in  the  latter  is  an  un- 
determined factor,  while  in  the  geological  section  its  vakie  may 
be  determined.  Zoologists  are  too  little  acquainted  with  the 
excellent  results  which  have  been  attained  in  this  field  through 
the  work  of  such  men  as  Waagen  on  mutation,  Hyatt  on  the 
cephalopods,  and  Beecher  on  the  evokition  of  spines.  Only 
very  well  preserved  material  can  be  utilized  in  sttidies  of  this 
class.  The  collector  q|  perfectly  preserved  fossils  derives  an 
added  pleasure  from  hu  work  through  knowing  that  it  may  bs 
of  vaKie  in  contributing  to  the  solution  of  some  of  the  most 
fundamental  problems  of  the  organic  world. 

*Recent  and  Fossil  Ripple  Marks  (in  Press). 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  125 

"GLEANINGS   IN    FERNLAND." 
By  Frank  Morris,  Peterborough  Collegiate. 

{Continued  from  page  110.) 

From  our  summer  schedule  of  trips,  the  first  place  to  suffer 
a  "  washout  "  this  wet  season  was  the  Bruce  Peninsula  between 
Wiarton  and  Tobermory;  the  next  was  Manitoulin  Island,  where 
the  Parsley  Fern  has  been  recorded;  and  the  third  was  the  north 
margin  of  Twin  Lake,  near  Port  Sydney.  Here  grows  a  mag- 
nificent colony  of  the  Virginia  Chain  Fern  (and  with  it  the 
handsome  rein-orchid  Habenaria  hlephariglottis).  The  Wood- 
wardia  I  have  never  found  except  here,  and,  as  you  maj^ 
remember  from  our  "field  day"  in  1910,  the  sight  of  it  in 
its  ordered  ranks  made  a  profound  impression.  The  fronds 
seemed  all  standing  to  attention,  and  facing  one  way  out 
over  the  "mud  lake"  from  their  beds  of  sphagnum,  buck- 
beans,  cranberry,  and  plants  of  the  heath  family.  I  suggested 
that  sunlight  was  the  key  to  the  mystery,  for  it  certainly  was 
mysterious  to  see  those  silent  forms  standing  in  the  midst  of 
an  open  space  in  the  heart  of  forest  and  swamp,  as  though  all 
endowed  with  one  consciotis  purpose,  and  obeying  some  unseen 
power:  "Eyes  front  !"  and  every  member  of  every  rank  stood 
focused  to  the  same  point  in  space.  This  was  one  of  the  "moot 
questions"  referred  to  before.  The  fern  is  peculiarly  fond  of 
moistvire,  often  growing  submerged  in  water,  and  spreading, 
by  very  long  runners  under  the  surface.  Just  as  the  fruiting 
pinnae  of  the  Crested  Fern  are  twisted  into  a  new  plane  at  right 
angles  to  the  rhachis  in  order  to  protect  the  sporangia  from  the 
sun's  rays,  so  where  there  are  not  shrubs  enough  to  throw  heal- 
ing shadows  for  a  colony  of  Virginia  Chain  Fern,  every  stalk 
will  be  found  twisted  on  the  underground  runner  so  .as  to  face 
due  south  to  the  sun  at  its  zenith;  by  keeping  "eyes  front"  to 
the  foe,  the  fronds  preserve  the  spore-cases  from  parching  and 
eva-  oration.  This  was  first  observed  by  D.  C.  Eaton,  author 
of  "Ferns  of  North  America." 

A  second  moot  point  was  the  determination  of  one  of  the 
smaller  species  of  Botrychium.  This  was  a  plant  first  found 
by  me  under  cedars  fringing  the  tamarack  swamp  near  New- 
tonville.  The  first  colony  was  discovered  west  of  the  corduroy 
road  that  leads  to  Starkville.  Since  then  I  have  found  the 
plant — in  hundreds — at  nearly  a  dozen  points,  over  a  space 
whose  diameter  is  perhaps  1%  miles.  I  have  also  found  it  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  Rideau,  of  Stony  Lake,  of  Peter- 
borotigh,  and  of  Garden  Hill.  Always  under  cedars  in  rich 
swamps,  usually  in  thin  moss,  occasionally  in  sphagnum,  often 


126  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Jan. 

in  detritus  of  cedar  and  spruce.  It  has  always  been,  to  my 
mind,  a  form  of  B.  simplex  peculiar  to  moist,  shady  situations. 
The  plant  ranges  from  2  or  3  to  6  or  8  inches  in  height.  The 
barren  frond  consists  of  from  one  to  four  or  five  pairs  of  lunate 
sessile  lobes,  opposite  to  alternate,  and  terminates  in  a  notched 
lobe.  This  barren  leaf  is  decidedly  fleshy ;  apparently  the  plant 
seldom  lives  more  than  three  or  four  seasons,  for  though  in  a 
colony  I  have  found  hundreds  of  plants,  the  vast  majority  ap- 
pear to  have  sprung  recently  from  wind-blown  spores,  and  to 
be  not  more  than  two  years  old.  Very  rarely  large  plants  are 
found  with  four  or  five  pairs  of  lobes  on  the  barren  frond,  and, 
still  more  rarely,  in  such  patriarchs  of  the  colony  the  basal  pair 
of  lobes  show  a  tendency  to  become  compound  by  branching 
out  into  similar  lobes.  My  first  specimens  were  sent  to  the  late 
Prof.  Fletcher,  in  Ottawa.  He  inclined  to  think  them  B.  matri- 
cariae  (ramosum),  but  was  not  familiar  with  these  smaller 
inembers  of  the  genus,  so  handed  them  over  to  Prof.  Macoun. 
He  also  thought  them  B.  matricariae. 

Next  season  I  found  the  genuine  B.  matricariae  by  hundreds 
in  the  iVlgonquin  Park,  but  remained  convinced  that  my 
earlier  find  was  B.  simplex.  Later  on  I  fotmd  the  strange  fern 
in  the  Rideau  district,  and  still  never  wavered,  though  I  was 
unable  to  get  more  than  a  doubtful  assent  to  my  view  from  other 
collectors  in  the  Province.  Then  I  sent  specimens  of  both  ferns 
to  W.  N.  Clute,  of  the  Fern  Bulletin,  but  to  my  chagrin  he  too 
pronounced  the  stranger  a  variety  of  the  Matricary  Fern;  luck 
was  against  me,  it  seemed  the  wind  simply  wotildn't  blow  my 
way.  At  last  (more  than  four  years  ago)  I  sent  specimens  to 
Prof.  Robinson,  of  the  Asa  Gray  Herbarium,  and  waited  for 
nearly  a  year.  Then  I  wrote  again,,  and  heard  that  my  first 
consignment  had  gone  astray  or  been  lost.  By  this  time  I  was 
desperate,  but  made  my  last  venture  with  a  parcel  of  specimens 
to  Harvard,  from  five  or  six  different  localities.  My  Argosy 
came  to  port  safely  with  its  precious  cargo,  and  I  got  word  that 
every  specimen  forwarded  in  the  half-dozen  sheets  of  plants, 
was  undoubtedly  B.  simplex. 

If  the  last  week  in  Owen  Sound  was  wet,  our  three  weeks 
under  canvas  on  Birch  Island  were  to  prove  little  better.  But 
we  managed  to  snatch  a  few  days  and  half  days  out  of  the  de- 
luge and  salvage  them  to  some  profit.  We  gathered  black- 
berries and  raspberries  galore;  we  caught  lake  trout  and  black 
bass,  we  made  flapjacks  and  jam,  and  ate  them  too;  and  every 
now  and  then^'we  paddled  our  own  canoe  (a  new  one)  to  various 
portages  and  explored  the  trails.  Once  I  made  my  way  to  the 
back  of  "Skymount"  and  gathered  in,  from  a  certain  trough 
of  the  hardwoods  that  I  had  found  years  before,  specimens  of 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist,  12  7 

Botrychiuni  ramosum  and  Botrychium  lanceolatum,  and  on  the 
return  trip  (for  curiosity)  Botrychiuni  Virginianum  and  Botry- 
chium ternatum.  Another  day,  after  gathering  plants  of  Aspi- 
dium  fragrans  from  a  cliff  overlooking  the  lumber  slide  on  the 
Madawaska,  I  crossed  the  railway  and  explored  the  woods  for 
shaded  cliffs.  Here  I  stumbled  on  a  veritable  El  Dorado,  for 
on  three  successive  outcrops  of  rock  in  the  depths  of  the  forest, 
I  found  clump  after  clump  of  silvery  green  fronds — the  Fragrant 
Shield  Fern  in  all  its  aromatic  loveliness.  Passifig  out  from  the 
woods  to  the  cliff  exposed  at  the  lake  shore,  I  found  dense 
masses  of  Woodsia  ilvensis,  but  no  more  Aspidimn  fragrans. 

These  two  or  three  trips  sent  my  enthusiasm  up  to  fever 
heat,  and  whenever  I  saw  a  piece  of  woodland,  the  botanist 
in  me  ettled  to  explore  it,  and  as  the  woods  were  ever}rwhere, 
I  was  forever  diving  into  their  recesses  and  carefully  scanning 
the  ground  for  some  lilliputian  treasure,  or  hurrying  over  to  a 
line  of  cliffs  in  the  background. 

That  will-o'-the-wisp  of  the  unknown  led  me  many  a  dance 
all  to  no  purpose ;  but  one  day,  while  exploring  a  piece  of  cliff 
near  one  of  the  trails,  I  found  a  small  fern  growing  in  the  rock 
seams  that  I  could  not  reconcile  with  any  familiar  species.  It 
was  much  like  the  Brittle  Bladder-fern  in  frond,  but  the  root- 
stock  was  different;  it  was  very  much  like  the  Rusty  Woodsia, 
but  neither  "rusty"  nor  jointed;  it  grew  in  loose,  detached 
moss  at  the'^base  of  the  cliff,  up  and  down  a  vertical  seam,  along 
a  horizontal  ledge,  and  inside  a  crevice  some  20  feet  up;  it  ex- 
tended over  30  or  40  yards  of  the  cliff,  and  formed  a  colony 
of  three  or  four  score  plants.  It  was  closely  tufted,  the  stipes 
were  dark  brown,  and  the  rhachis  and  frond  covered  with 
white  hairs  and  yellow  resinous  glands.  I  had  no  microscope, 
nor  even  a  table,  in  camp,  but  I  made  the  plant  out  to  be 
Woodsia  scopulina.  A  guest  in  our  camp,  who  scorns  to  be 
initiated  into  the  noble  brotherhood  of  "men  of  grass"  (to 
use  the  title  given  to  Douglas  by  the  Indians),  went  so  far  as 
to  school  his  wife  to  greet  me  on  my  return  to  civilization  with 
the  magic  password : ' '  Woodsia  Scopulina. ' '  I  understand  there 
were  dress  rehearsals  of  the  scene,  but  the  best  laid  schemes 
of  mice  and  men  gang  aft  agley,  and  when  there  fell  on  my 
ear  words  that  sounded  like  "  Woodulina  Scopsia,"  I  was  only 
a  little  less  bewildered  than  the  old  bishop  who,  wakened  out 
of  slumber  at  a  country  vicarage  by  a  thunderous  knock  at  his 
bedroom  door,  and  asking  in  quavering  tones  "Who's  there?" 
heard  the  appalling  response:  "The  Lord,  my  boy." 

Specimens  of  the  new  find  were  sent  to  the  Asa  Gray  Herb- 
arium at  Harvard,  and  identified  at  first  sight  as  Woodsia 
obtusa,  but  Mr.  J.  M.  Macoun,  at  the  Victoria  Museum,  Ottawa, 


128 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


[Jan. 


and  (I  believe)  Prof.  Fernald,  of  Harvard,  both  inclined  to  the 
view  that  it  was  W.  scopulina.  Accordingly  I  sent  the  plant 
to  Prof.  Maxon,  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  and  in  due 
course  heard  from  him  that  the  plant  was  undoubtedly  Woodsia 
scopulina,  and  this  ha»now  been  corroborated  at  Harvard. 

By  way  of  summary.  The  list  of  our  finds  in  1 9 10  amounted 
to  3  7,  but  since  then  two  varieties  have  been  given  specific  im- 
portance, viz.,  Aspidium  bootii  and  Botrychium  o^rdiquum;  so  our 
list  was  virtually  39.  Add  Pellaea  densa  from  near  Durham,  and 
the  Parsley  Fern  from  Manitoulin,  and  you  have  41.  The  six 
new  species  added  to  our  list  this  season  make  a  total  of  47, 
and  all  these  in  old  Ontario — I  mean  from  Detroit  in  the  west 
to  Montreal  in  the  east — and  for  northern  marches,  the  French 
River,  Lake  Nipissing,  and  the  Mattawan.  In  New  Ontario, 
between  the  Lake  of  the  Woods,  James  Bay  and  Lake  Abitibi, 
some  seven  more  species  are  known  to  occur,  and  of  these,  it 
seems  to  me  quite  likely  that  two  or  three  at  least  may  be  dis- 
covered by  some  happy  enthusiast  nestling  among  the  thousand- 
and-one  yet  unsearched  nooks  and  crannies  this  side  of  North 
Bay.  I  will  end  our  ramble  by  listing  the  fern-flora  of  the 
Province : — 


I. 

1. 

Polypodium  vulgare. 

II. 

2. 

Phegopteris  polypodioides. 

( t 

3. 

hexagonoptera. 

a 

4. 

"              dryoptcris. 

III. 

5. 

Adiantum  pedatum. 

IV. 

6. 

Pteris  aquilina. 

V. 

7. 

Pellaea  atropurpuria. 

VI. 

8. 

Cryptogramma    densa. 

( I 

9. 

acrostichoides 

( ( 

10. 

stelleri. 

VII. 

11. 

Woodwardia  virginica. 

VIII. 

12. 

Asplenium    viride. 

13. 

trichomanes. 

14. 

platyneuron. 

15. 

angustifolium. 

16. 

acrostichoides. 

17. 

filix-femina. 

IX. 

18. 

Scolopendrium  vulgare. 

X. 

19. 

Comptoso"us  rhizophyllus. 

XI. 

20. 

Polystichum  acrostichoides. 

t  ( 

21. 

lonchitis. 

XII. 

22. 

Aspidium  thelypteris. 

i  ( 

23. 

noveboracsnse. 

I  ( 

24. 

fragrans. 

1916] 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


129 


XII. 

25. 

Aspidium  marginale. 

*  i 

26. 

filix-mas. 

•  > 

27. 

goldianum. 

<< 

28. 

bootii. 

it 

29. 

cristatum. 

( i 

30. 

spinulosum. 

XIII. 

31. 

Cystopteris  bulbifera. 

t  c 

32. 

fragilis. 

XIV. 

33. 

Woodsia  ilvensis,. 

i  i 

34. 

"              scopulina. 

XV. 

35. 

Dicksonia  punctilobula. 

XVI. 

36. 

Onoclea  sensibilis. 

i  i 

37. 

struthiopteris. 

XVII. 

38. 

Osmunda  regalis. 

i  ( 

39. 

claytoniana. 

i  i 

40. 

cinnamomea. 

iVlU. 

41. 

Ophioglossum  vulgattim. 

XIX. 

42. 

Botrychium  simplex. 

4   i 

43. 

lanceolatum. 

( t 

44. 

ramosum. 

1 1 

45. 

"              obliquum. 

I  i 

46. 

ternatum. 

t  i 

47. 

virginiantim. 

Ontario,   N.  and  N.W. 

II. 

48. 

Phegopteris  robertiana. 

VIII. 

49. 

Asplenium  ruta-muraria  (?) 

XIII. 

50. 

Cystopteris  montana. 

XIV. 

51. 

Woodsia   glabella. 

( i 

52. 

"          hyperborea. 

it 

53. 

"         oregana. 

XIX. 

54. 

Botrychium  lunaria. 

BUPRESTID^  KNOWN  TO  OCCUR  IN  THE 
OTTAWA  DISTRICT. 

By  Bro.  Germain,  of  the  Christian  Schools,  Acad6mie 
De  La  Salle,  Trois- Rivieres. 

In  1909,  Mr.  G.  Chagnon  published  an  interesting  mono- 
graph of  the  Buprestidae  of  Quebec.  Practically  all  of  the 
species  mentioned  were  recorded  from  Montreal,  Rigaud,  and 
a  few  from  Hull.  The  following  is  a  Hst  of  these  interesting 
beetles  which  the  writer  has  captured  in  the  Ottawa  district. 
I  hope  it  will     prove  of  value  to  Canadian  coleopterists.     The 


130 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


[Jan. 


asterisks  indicate  those  species  which  are  not  included  m  the 
literature  above  mentioned.  The  numbers  preceding  each 
species  are  those  given  in  Henshaw's  List  of  Coleoptera  of 
America,  North  of  Mexico: — 


CHALCOPHORA  Sol. 
4568 — anguHcolHs  Lee. 
4569 — virginiensis  Drury. 
4570 — liberta  Germ. 
4572 — fortis  Lee. 

DICERCA  Esch. 

4576 — prolongata  Lee. 

4577 — divaricata  Say. 
*4578 — pugionata  Germ, 
caudata  Lee. 

4579 — obscura  Fab. 

4583 — tenebrosa  Kirby. 

4585 — tuberculata  Chev. 

POECILONOTA  Esch. 
4594 — cyanipes  Say. 

BUPRESTIS  Linn. 
*4598 — rufipes  Oliv. 

4601 — lineata  Fab. 

4602 — consularis  Gory. 

4604 — nuttalh  Kirby. 

4606 — maculiventris  Say. 

4607 — fasciata  Fab. 
*4608 — sulcicolhs   Lee.      (1    sp. 
det.  by  Schwarz). 

4609 — striata  Fab. 

MELANOPHILA  Esch. 
4619 — logipes  Say.       (acumin- 

nata  DeG.) 
4621 — drummondi  Kirby. 
4622 — fulvoguttata  Lee. 

ANTHAXIA  Esch. 

4630 — viridifrons  Lap. 
*4631 — viridicornis  Say. 

4633 — ^quercata  Fab. 

CHRYSOBOTHRIS  Esch. 

4639 — femorata  Fab. 
4640 — floricola  Gory. 
4647 — dentipes  Germ. 


Chrysohothris  Esch.  (continued). 

4650 — trinervia  Kirby. 

465 1 — scabripennis  Lap.&  Gory 
*4652 — ptisilla  Lap.  &  Gory. 
(Ent.  Rec.  1901). 

4657 — sexsignata  Say. 

4658 — chrysoela  111. 
*4660 — azurea  Lee. 

4661 — harrisii  Hentz. 

ACMMODERA  Esch. 
4699 — pulchella  Hbst.      (Ent. 

Rec.  1901.) 
4707— culta  Web.     (Ent.  Rec. 

1901.) 

EUPRISTOCERUS  Deyr. 
4718 — cogitans  Web. 
AGRILUS  Steph. 
4721 — ruficolHs  Fab. 
4724 — otiosus  Say. 
*4724a-pusillus  Say. 
472  7 — bilineatus  Web. 
4731 — fallax  Say. 
4738 — acutipennis  Mann. 
4739 — anxius  Gory. 
4742— politus  Say. 
4746 — egenus  Gory. 
10109 — obsoletoguttatus  Gory. 
10112 — masculinus  Horn. 
*  10 118 — pensus  Horn. 
10 119 — blanchardi  Horn. 

TAPHROCERUS  Sol  . 

4755 — gracilis  Say. 
BRACHYS  Sol. 

4758— ovata  Web. 

4761 — aerosa  Melsh. 

4762 — aeruginosa  Gory. 

PACHYSCELUS  Sol. 
4766 — laevigatus  Say. 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  131 

MUSEUMS  AS  AIDS  TO  FORESTRY. 


By  Harlan  I.  Smith,  Geological  Survey,  Ottawa. 


In  gaining  due  recognition  and  support  from  the  great 
mass  of  the  people,  museums  may  be  great  aids  to  forestry. 
Even  the  further  application  of  museum  methods  in  forestry, 
may  be  of  valuable  service.  The  extent  of  the  possibilities  in 
these  lines  of  recruiting  aid  by  means  of  museum  methods  of 
publicity,  recreation,  instruction  and  research  can  hardly  be 
forecast.  Such  museums  or  methods,  however,  must  be  pro- 
perl}^  adininistered  to  be  effective.  The  methods  used,  for  in- 
tance,  in  the  large  and  costly  Botanical  Museum  in  New  York, 
wotild  be  of  little  or  no  avail  to  forestry.  That  museum 
may  be  of  use  to  scientists,  but  is  not  of  much  human  interest 
to  me,  and,  therefore,  I  judge,  not  to  the  average  citizen,  lum- 
berman or  forester. 

Vast  expenditure  of  time  and  money  is  not  necessarily 
needed  to  secure  valuable  aid  by  these  means.  Museum  cases, 
if  such  are  really  required,  may  be  made  at  a  cost  of  less  then 
four  dollars  per  foot  front,  as  I  have  pointed  out  in  The  Ottawa 
Naturalist  of  May,  1915,  and  The  Scientific  American  of  May 
29,  1915.  A  large  collection  of  specimens,  maps,  photographs 
and  labels  is  not  needed  to  inoculate  whole  regions  with  the 
germs  of  the  ideas  of  the  practicability  and  economic  im- 
portance, to  say  nothing  of  aesthetic  values  and  the  love  of 
forestry.  A  small  exhibit  may  teach  the  general  and  valuable 
principles  of  forestry,  perhaps  even  better  than  a  complete  ex- 
hibit of  all  kinds  of  trees,  such  as  is  shown  in  the  American 
Museum  of  Natural  History  in  New  York.  Such  a  complete 
exhibit  might  confuse  or  burden.  The  persons  to  be  influenced 
to  give  aid  to  forestry  might  be  lost  in  the  woods  as  it  were. 

In  the  Rocky  Mountains  Park  Museum  at  Banff,  Alberta, 
a  beginning  to  a  tree  exhibit  has  been  made.  There  are  eleven 
species  of  trees  in  the  Park.  Five  grow  in  the  valley,  but  the 
other  six  are  found  only  on  the  higher  land.  A  complete  col- 
lection of  the  trunks  and  leaves  of  the  trees  growing  in  the  valley 
was  made  in  two  half  days  as  a  bi-product  of  other  work,  and 
without  any  expense  except  as  for  time  in  cutting  the  trunks 
to  lengths  for  exhibition.  At  the  same  time  two  photographs 
were  made  of  each  of  these  five  kinds  of  trees ;  one  of  a  grove 
or  group  of  each  kind  of  tree  from  a  distance,  and  one  of  the 
details  of  the  trunk,  bark,  leaves  and  such  flowers  or  fruits  as 
were  then  in  season.     Later  photographs  are  to  be  made  of  the 


132  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Jan. 

parts  of  the  trees  not  yet  taken,  and  of  uses  and  abuses  of  each 
tree  and  its  products.  Tentative  labels  had  previously  been 
prepared  at  my  request  by  the  late  Mr.  Abraham  Knechtel, 
Chief  Forester  of  the  Parks  Branch  of  the  Department  of  the 
Interior.  These  refer  particularly  to  the  Park,  and  conse- 
quently are  to  be  revised,  so  as  to  serve  as  labels  to  the  same 
trees  in  any  other  museums  that  may  accept  the  labels.  Sup- 
plementary labels  describing  the  peculiarities  of  the  same  trees 
as  to  the  Park  are  also  in  preparation.  These  labels  were  printed 
in  the  Handbook  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  Park  Museum,  and 
from  the  same  type  the  labels  were  printed  for  labelling  the 
specimens  in  the  museum.  The  museum  labels  were  printed 
on  card  of  a  yellow  colour  to  harmonize  with  the  furniture  of 
the  museum,  and  with  a  brown  ink  for  the  same  purpose.  They 
were  framed  and  securely  screwed  to  the  trunks  of  the  speci- 
mens, so  that  they  cannot  easily  be  displaced.  The  glass  cover- 
ing them,  which  can  be  cleaned  readily  by  any  janitor,  pro- 
tects the  label  from  dirt  or  breakage.  When  these  labels  are 
revised  to  include  instruction  and  explanation  of  the  most  im- 
portant of  the  forestry  abtises  and  needs,  and  when  specimens 
of  uses  of  the  lumber  and  other  tree  products,  such  as  wood 
alcohol,  charcoal  and  turpentine,  are  added  with  full  labels, 
this  exhibit  will  be  the  beginning  of  a  suggestion  for  a  museum 
aid  to  forestry.  An  example  of  such  a  fact  as  should  go  iii  a 
label  is  that  the  obnoxious  pitch  of  the  balsam  is  so  largely  in 
the  bark  that  the  wood,  formerly  not  used  at  all  for  paper  pulp, 
is  exceptionally  valuable  for  this  purpose.  The  qualities  of  a 
great  number  of  woods  may  be  sho.vn  by  the  exhibition  of  the 
volumes  of  American  Woods  published  by  Hough,  illustrated 
by  cross  radial  and  longitudinal  s'^ctions  of  actual  trees.  But 
certainly  to  accomplish  the  best  results  expert  foresters  who 
know  the  scientific  facts  must  co-operate  with  those  who  un- 
derstand people  well  enough  to  translate  forestry  facts  into 
terms  that  not  only  can  be  understood  by  those  whom  forestry 
seeks  to  convert  to  its  aid,  but  into  terms  that  will  also  attract 
those  people  to  read  the  labels  and  study  the  specimens. 

The  same  labels  may  serve  as  outlines  for  lectures,  each 
label  being  illustrated  by  lantern  slides  made  from  the  photo- 
graphic negatives  previously  mentioned.  It  is  part  of  the 
work  of  all  progressive  museums  to  give  popular  lecture  inter- 
pretations of  science,  as  well  as  scientific  lectures  and  recreation 
based  on  instruction.  Then,  too,  the  museum  may  send  out 
both  travelling  exhibits  of  forestry  and  lecture  outlines  made 
up  of  the  labels  together  with  loan  sets  of  lantern  slides. 

The  President  of  the  Ohio  Academy  of  Science,  spsaking 
at  the  2  5th  anniversary  of  the  Academy,  stated  that  the  exist- 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  133 

ence  of  the  Academy  was  unknown  to  the  great  majority  of  the 
people  of  Ohio,  and  a  "Pan-American  Scientific  Congress"  was 
organized  last  month  in  Washington,  under  the  chairmanship 
of  the  third  assistant  United  States  Secretary  of  State,  with  a 
program  of  nine  sections,  but  ignoring  Canada,  and  also  mathe- 
matics, physics,  pure  chemistry,  pure  geology,  zoology,  psy- 
chology and  botany,  so  it  was  really  a  Congress  of  American 
Republics,  neither  Pan-American  nor  scientific.  The  United 
States  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  in  selecting  the  societies  to  elect 
members  of  the  Naval  Advisory  Board,  ignored  the  National 
Academy  of  Science,  which  is  by  law  the  advisor  of  the  Govern- 
ment, and  also  ignored  the  American  Association  for  the  Ad- 
vancement of  Science,  which  is  the  great  democratic  body  of 
over  4,000  scientific  men  of  the  United  States  and  Canada.  He 
apparently  never  heard  of  either  association.  These  striking 
examples  seem  sufficient  to  suggest  that  the  forestry  branch  of 
science,  as  well  as  the  whole  tree,  would  do  well  to  seek  aid  by 
every  means  of  publicity,  recreation,  entertainment,  education 
and  research  possible.  Since  all  these  means  are  included 
among  museum  methods  and  in  the  work  of  up-to-date  museums, 
museums  may  become  of  great  aid  to  forestry,  while  forestry 
may  provide  museums  with  many  necessary  scientific  facts. 


^^^. 


<\ 


THE  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 


VOL.  XXIX.        FEBRUARY,  1916.  No.  1 1 


THE  GENERA  OF  THE  ODONTOPLEURIDAE. 


By  Percy  E.  Raymond. 


Odontopleura  {Acidaspis  auct.)  is  essentially  a  Bohemian 
genus,  as  may  be  seen  if  one  contrasts  the  40  species  listed  by 
Barrande  with  the  2  species  of  Esthonia,  the  12  or  15  species 
of  Scandinavia,  and  the  same  number  in  Great  Britain. 

Practically  the  only  attempt  at  a  subdivision  of  the  Odonto- 
pleuridae  is  that  of  Dr.  John  M.  Clarke.*  He  recognized  six 
subgenera  of  the  genus  Ceratocephala,  viz.,  Ceratocephala  s.  s., 
Acidaspis,  Odontopleura,  Dicranurus,  Selenopeltis  and  Ancy- 
ropyge.  I  adopted  this  classification  in  the  second  edition  of 
the  Eastman-Zittel  text  book  (1913),  raising  the  subgenera  to 
generic  rank,  and  grouping  them  under  Burmeister's  family 
name  Odontopleuridae.  Recently  I  have  had  occasion  to  study 
the  very  large  collection  of  trilobites  of  this  family  in  the  Museum 
of  Comparative  Zoology,  and  while  I  have  been  able  to  con- 
tinue the  use  of  the  names  listed  above,  I  find  that  the  defini- 
tions and  limits  of  the  genera  Odontopleura,  Ceratocephala  and 
Acidaspis  must  be  very  considerably  modified. 

Dr.  Clarke's  definitions  of  the  three  genera  were  as  follows: 
Odontopleura,  occipital  ring  smooth  or  with  a  central  tubercle; 
Acidaspis,  occipital  ring  with  a  single  straight  median  spine; 
Ceratocephala,  occipital  ring  with  two  straight  divergent  spines. 
This  scheme  was,  of  course,  simplicity  itself,  and,  so  long  as 
applied  to  the  American  species  alone,  seemed  to  work  very 
well.  If,  however,  one  turns  to  plate  38  of  Barrande's  "Systeme 
Silurien  du  Centre  de  la  Boheme,"  and  looks  at  the  three  figures 
(22,  25  and  30)  at  the  bottom  of  the  plate,  he  sees  at  once  that 
this  classification  is  not  a  natural  one.  The  figures  represent 
Acidaspis  dormitzeri  Hawle  and  Corda,  .4.  dufrenoyi  Barrande, 
both  from  the  Silurian,  and  .4.  hoernesi  Barrande,  from  the 
Lower  Devonian  of  Bohemia.  In  glabella,  free  cheeks,  thorax 
and  pygidium,  these  species  are  exceedingly  alike,  yet  the  first 
has  a  neck  tubercle,  so  would  be  called  Odontopleura,  the  second 

♦Notes  on  the  Genus  Acidaspis.      10th  Rept.  N.Y.  State  Geologist,  1891,  p.  61. 


\ 


136  ^         The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Feb. 

has  two  long  neck  spines,  and  would  be  a  Ceratocephala,  while 
the  third  has  a  single  long  neck  spine,  and  ^vould  have  to  be 
called  Acidaspis.  Except  for  these  spines,  the  species  show  no 
important  differences,  and  it  is  evident  that  in  any  natural 
classification  they  would  be  congeneric.  Compared  with  the 
type-species  of  Ceratocephala  and  Acidaspis,  Acidaspis  dujrenoyi 
and  .4.  hoernesi  show  marked  differences  in  all  parts  except  in 
the  spines  on  the  occipital  ring. 

Ce)-aiocephaIa,  Warder,  Am.  Jour.  Sci.  34,  1838',  p.  377.  Type, 
C.  goniata,  ibidem,  p.  378,  fig.  The  typical  species  was  badly 
described  and  figured  by  Warder,  but  all  parts  are  now  known. 
Among  the  striking  features  of  this  trilobite  one  may  note  the 
coalescence  of  the  free  and  fixed  cheeks,  accompanied  by  the 
obliteration  of  the  facial  stiture,  the  almost  complete  oblitera- 
tion of  the  dorsal  furrows  on  the  cephalon,  and  the  position  of 
the  eyes,  far  from  the  glabella,  and  half  way  to  the  front  of  the 
cephalon.  On  the  thorax  the  horizontal  furrow  on  the  pleural 
lobe  of  each  segment  is  weak,  and  the  two  low  ridges  separated 
by  this  furrow  are  equal.  The  pygidium  has  long  subequal 
barbed  spines. 

Acidaspis,  Murchison.  Silurian  System,  1839,  p.  658. 
Type,  .4.  hrighii  Murchison,  ibidem,  pi.  14,  fig.  15.  The  glabella 
of  the  typical  species  is  roughly  triangular  in  outline,  tapering 
rapidly  forward.  The  eyes  are  situated  far  back  and  close  to 
the  glabella,  and  the  whole  neck  ring  is  prolonged  backward 
into  a  long  heavy  spine.  No  more  than  the  cephalon  of  the 
typical  species'is  definitely  known.  In  the  American  .4.  anchor- 
alis  and  ,4.  onealli,  which  have  the  same  sort  of  a  cephalon,  the 
thoracic  segments  are  narrow,  and  the  linear  horizontal  furrow 
separates  a  high  narrow  posterior  ridge  from  a  low  narrow 
anterior  one  on  the  pleural  portion  of  each  segment.  In  these 
same  species,  the  pygidium  has  two  long  lateral  spines,  between 
which  are  short  spines,  and  outside  of  which  are  small  spines. 
A  similar  pygidium  has  been  referred  to  .4  .  brighii. 

Odontopleura,  Emmrich.  De  Trilobitis,  1839,  p.  53.  Type, 
0.  ovata  Emmrich,  ibidem,  pi.  fig.  3.  The  type,  an  entire  speci- 
men, is  characterized  by  its  broad  form,  an  oval  glabella  which 
does  not  taper  much  toward  the  front,  and  the  central  position 
of  the  elevated  ridge  on  the  pleural  lobe  of  each  thoracic  seg- 
ment. The  pygidium  is  not  unlike  that  ascribed  to  Acidaspis, 
except  that  the  spines  are  more  nearly  equal  in  size. 

As  one  looks  over  the  various  Odontopleuridae* which  have 
been  described,  it  is  seen  that  there  are  a  few  which  agree  with 
the  type  of  Ceratocephala  in  having  the  fixed  and  free  cheeks 
in   symphysis,   eyes  well  forward,   and  pleura  of  thoracic   seg- 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  137 

merits  without  a  pronounced  ridge;  there  are  also  a  few  which 
agree  with  the  type  of  Acidaspis  in  having  a  triangular  glabella 
and  a  broad  stout  nucal  spine;  a  few  others  which  have  the 
characteristics  of  Dicranurns,  Sele)iopeltis,  or  Ancyropyge,  but 
the  great  majority  have  an  oval  glabella  and  a  prominent 
median  ridge  on  the  pleural  portion  of  each  thoracic  segment, 
as  in  Odonto pleura.  Hence,  the  name  given  to  the  family  by 
Burmeister  is  not  only  the  oldest,  but  is  particularly  appro- 
priate. 

It  is  quite  possible  that  the  species  which  I  have  grouped 
under  Odontopleura  can  and  will  be  arranged  in  other  subgenera 
or  genera.  The  type  is  a  very  broad  form,  and  a  row  of  tubercles 
on  each  of  the  thoracic  segments  is  a  prominent  feature  of  the 
ornamentation.  With  it  could  be  associated  0.  prevosti  Bar- 
rande,  and  0.  hughsi  (Salter).  Another  group,  with  a  narrower 
form,  fewer  tubercles  on  the  thorax,  and  fewer  and  longer  spines 
on  the  pygidium,  is  exemplified  by  0.  dufrenoyi,  0.  hoernesi,  0. 
roemeri,  and  other  Bohemian  species.  A  third  group,  with 
thick,  subequal  pygidial  spines,  would  include  0.  pectinifera  Bar- 
rande,  and  O.  cornuta  (Salter).  Then  there  is  the  exceedingly 
spinose  O.  mira  Barrande,  with  very  numerous  and  small 
pygidial  spines,  barbed  lateral  thoracic  spines,  and  very  tall 
eyes.  J^or  the  present,  however,  it  seems  useless  to  break  up 
the  genus  into  such  small  groups. 

To  replace  my  definitions  in  the  Zittel-Eastman  text  book, 
I  would  suggest  the  outline  of  the  family  which  follows;— 

Family  Odontopleuridae  Burmeister. 

Opisthoparia  with  large  free  cheeks  and  eyes  (usually), 
far  back  and  close  to  the  glabella.  Lateral  lobes  of  the  glabella 
reduced  to  two  or  one.  Thorax  of  8  to  11  segments.  All 
parts  of  the  test  usually  very  spinose,  the  spines  usually  of 
the  horizontal  type. 

Odontopleura,  Emmrich.  Glabella  oval  in  outline.  The 
pleural  lobe  of  each  segment  of  the  thorax  has  a  narrow,  strongly 
elevated  median  ridge.    Ordovician  to  Devonian.    Cosmopolitan. 

Acidaspis,  Murchison.  Glabella  roughly  triangular  in 
outline,  tapering  towards  the  front.  The  pleural  lobe  of  each 
segment  is  divided  by  a  linear  furrow  into  a  low  anterior  and 
an  elevated  posterior  ridge.  Ordovician  and  Silurian.  Europe 
and  North  America. 

Ceratocephala,  Warder.  Free  and  fixed  cheeks  anchylosed, 
eyes  far  forward  and  far  from  the  glabella.  The  pleural  lobe 
of  each  thoracic  segment   is    divided  by   a  shallow  median  fur- 


138  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Feb. 

row    into    equally    elevated    portions.     Silurian,    Europe    and 
North  America. 

Dicranurus,  Conrad.  Dorsal  furrows  weak  on  cephalon, 
but  the  free  and  fixed  cheeks  not  anchylosed.  Occipital  ring 
with  two  very  long  spirally  curved  spines.  Pygidium  with  only 
a  single  pair  of  spines.  Lower  Devonian,  Europe  and  North 
America. 

Ancyropyge,  Clarke.  Margin  of  pygidium  with  12  very 
long  slender  curved  spines.     Devonian,  North  America. 

Selenopeltis ,  Hawle  and  Corda.  Eyes  half  way  to  the  front 
of  the  cephalon.  The  pleural  lobe  of  each  thoracic  segment  is 
crossed  diagonally  by  a  ridge  which  is  extended  into  a  very 
long  spine.  Pygidium  with  only  a  single  pair  of  spines.  Ordo- 
vician,  Bohemia. 

GlaphMrus ,  Raymond.  Probably  does  not  belong  to  the 
Odontopleuridae. 

Note  on  Dicranurus. 

The  Dicranurus  monstrosus  (Barrande)  of  Bohemia  is  ex- 
ceedingly like  our  D.  hamatus  Conrad,  of  New  York.  The  col- 
lection in  the  Musetmi  of  Comparative  Zoology  contains  many 
fine  specimens  of  the  Bohemian  form,  including  the  originals 
of  figures  1-3,  plate  15,  of  the  supplement  to  volume  1  of  the 
"Silurian  System."  The  original  of  figure  3  is  an  indeter- 
minable fragment,  but  certainly  has  nothing  to  do  with  the 
pygidium  of  this  species.  The  pygidium  was  unknown  to  Bar- 
rande, but  our  collection  contains  an  example  from  Lochkow, 
where  the  species  seems  to  be  rather  common.  It  is  of  the 
same  type  as  that  described  by  Barrande  as  Acidaspis  spoliata 
(Suppl.  1872,  p.  82,  pi.  14,  fig.  46).  The  type  of  this  latter 
species  is  from  Mnienian,  Bohemia,  and  it  also  is  in  the  Museum 
of  Comparative  Zoology.  The  pygidium  is  short,  triangular, 
and  there  are  two  strong  spines  which  arise  from  the  upper 
surface  of  the  test,  and  not  from  the  margin.  The  spines  arise 
in  the  same  way  in  Selenopeltis,  the  spines  in  that  genus  being 
of  considerable  length,  but  seldom  preserved,  even  on  excellent 
specimens.  It  is  interesting  that  the  oldest  genus  (Selenopeltis), 
and  the  youngest  (Dicranurus) ,  of  the  Odontopleuridae,  should 
both  have  a  pygidium  with  an  aspinose  margin,  while  the  other 
members  of  the  family  all  have  numerous  spines  on  the  pygidium. 

American  Species. 

In  the  following  list  I  have  attempted  to  arrange  the  Ameri- 
can species  in  accordance  with  the  above  definitions.     It  is  not 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  139 

necessary  to  give  references  to  the  place  of  publication  of  the 
Ordovician  and  Silurian  species,  since  they  may  readily  be 
found  in  Bassler's  recent  and  exceedingly  valuable  "Index  of 
American  Ordovician  and  Silurian  Fossils."*  In  cases  where 
I  have  had  to  change  the  name,  I  have  added  in  brackets  the 
name  under  which  it  is  to  be  found  in  Bassler's  catalogue:  — 

Ancyropyge  romingeri  (Hall),  Pal.,  N.Y.,  vol.  7. 

Acidaspis  anchoralis  Miller  (Ceratocephala) . 

A.  ceralepta  (Anthony)   {Ceratocephala). 

A.  cincinnatiensis  Meek  {Ceratocephala) . 

A.  crosota  (Locke)     {Odontopleura). 

A.  obsoleta  Van  Ingen. 

.4.  onealli  Miller  {Odontopleura). 

A.  parvula  Walcott     {Odontopleura). 

A.  quinquispinosa  Lake. 

.4.  trentonensis  Hall     {Odontopleura). 

A.  vanhorni  Weller. 

Ceratocephala  depauperata  Van  Ingen. 

C.  goniata  Warder. 

Dicranurus  hamatus  Conrad.     Pal.,  N.Y.,  vol.  3. 

Odontopleura  arkansana  Van  Ingen. 

0.  callicera  (Hall). 

0.  coalescens  (Van  Ingen)   {Ceratocephala) . 

0.  halli  (Shumard). 

O.  horani  (Billings)   {Ceratocephala) . 

0.  illinoisensis  Weller. 

0.  narrawayi  Raymond  {Ceratocephala) . 

0.  nodulata   (Van  Ingen)    {Ceratocephala) . 

0.  ortoni  (Foerste). 

0.  perarniata  (Whiteaves)   {Acidaspis). 

0.  robina  (Clarke).     Mem.  N.  Y.  State  Mus.     Memoir  9. 

O?  brevispinosa  (Foerste) f   {Acidaspis). 

0?  fimbriata  (Hall)t  {Ceratocephala). 

Museum  of  Comparative  Zoology, 
Cambridge,  Mass. 


*Bull.  U.S.  National  Museum,  92.   1915. 
fNot  adequately  described. 


140  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Feb. 


PRENANTHES  MAINENSIS 


Notes  on  the  Morphology,  Taxonomy  and  Distribution 

OF  this  Hybrid  Form. 


By  Bro.  M.  Victorin,  Longueuil  College,  Longueiiil,  Que  . 


Up  to  the  present  time  very  little  attention  has  been  de- 
voted in  this  comitry  to  the  study  of  natural  hybrids.  The 
subject,  however,  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  not  only  to 
students  of  Mendelism,  but  also  to  the  average  systematist. 
"In  fact,"  says  De  Vries,  "the  majority  of  authors  agree  that 
systematic  and  sexual  affinity  are  essentially  parallel,  as  they 
are  really  no  more  than  two  manifestations  of  one  and  the  same 
thing ;  but  we  have  not  yet  succeeded  in  explaining  the  apparent 
exceptions  to  this  parallel."  (*)  If  some  light  is  ever  to  be 
thrown  on  the  subject,  it  will  doubtless  be  through  observa- 
tions on  natural  hybrids,  in  widely  separated  groups  of  the 
plant  kingdom. 

We  have  in  a  previous  paper  (f)  studied  quite  extensively 
a  cross  of  two  distant  species  of  Lysimachia  :  L.  terrestris  (L.) 
B.S.P.  X  L.  thyrsiflora  L.,  and  hinted  that  the  recently  proposed 
genus  Naumhurgia,  created  to  account  for  L.  thyrsifora,  was 
not  founded  in  nature,  since  the  plant  hybridizes  freely  with 
other  Lysimachia  species.  The  writer  knows  such  hybrid  to 
occur  constantly  in  Chateauguy.  Que.,  and  Professor  M.  L. 
Fernald,  of  the  Gray  Herbaritmi,  states  that  he  has  collected 
it  in  Maine,  and  also  in  Prince  Edward  Island. 

The  present  paper  will  deal  with  another  interesting  hybrid 
in  the  genus  Preiiaiithes  (Compositae) ,  which  is  of  rare  occur- 
ence and  has  never  received  close  stud5^ 

In  a  detailed  botanical  survey  conducted  during  the  sum- 
mers of  1913  and  1914  along  the  coastal  portion  of  the  county 
of  Temiscouata,  Que.,  our  attention  was  called  to  various  forms 
of  Prenanthes  growing  intermingled  in  a  salt  marsh  at  Anse  a 
Persi,  near  Riviere-du-Loup.  Specimens  were  collected  and  a 
preliminary  study  showed  the  bulk  of  the  crop  to  be  typical 

*Hugo  de  Vries,  "Mutation  Theory,"  II.,  593-599  (English  translation). 

tFr.  Marie  Victorin,  "Notes  sur  Detix  Cas  d'Hvbridisma  Nature!."     Nat.  Can.  XXXIX., 
177-189. 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  141 

but  stunted  P.  trijoiiata  and  P.  racemosa,  whilst  the  rest  ap- 
peared soinewhat  puzzhrg  and  intermediate  between  the  two. 
We  determined  to  prepare  a  large  series  of  specimens  to  faci- 
litate a  thorough  study,  but,  alas!  the  next  morning  the  marsh 
was  found  neatly  mowed,  and  the  Prenanthes  were  no  more. 

Later  study  and  comparison  with  type  in  the  Gray  Her- 
barium have  shown  our  doubtful  forms  to  be  equivalent  to  P. 
mainensis  Gray.  There  can  be  hardly  any  doubt  now  that 
the  so-called  P.  mainensis  is  a  natural  hybrid :  P .  racemosa  yi 
P.  trijoiiata.  Gray's  text  reads  as  follows:  "About  two  feet 
high,  leafy  up  and  into  the  panicle;  leaves  nearly  those  of  P. 
racemosa,  but  thinner  and  less  glaucous;  the  radical  ovate, 
commonly  with  abrupt  or  rounded  base ;  upper,  subtending  clus- 
ters of  the  interrupted  narrow  thrysus;  heads  all  drooping  both 
before  and  after  anthesis,  resembling  those  of  the  following 
species  (P.  virgata  Michx).  Shore  of  the  St.  John's  River  at 
St.  Francis,  North  Maine,  Pringle.  Growing  with  or  near  P. 
racemosa.  And  a  looser  form  of  the  latter,  "very  common  on 
the  St.  John's  River,"  (Goodale)  is  somewhat  between  the 
tAvo;  so  that  this  may  be  a  hybrid  between  P.  racemosa  and  P. 
serpentaria."  C^) 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  when  these  lines  were 
written  (1886),  P.  trijoiiata  had  not  yet  been  separated  from 
P.  serpentaria.  From  the  description  of  Gray  it  appears  that 
the  plant  named  by  him  P.  mainensis  was  an  extreme  form  of 
the  hybrid,  differing  from  the  "looser  form  of  P.  racemosa'-' 
only  quantitatively,  and  that  both  are  but  distant  terms  of  a 
Mendelian  series. 

We  will  now  give  the  result  of  our  own  study  based  on  the 
comparison  of  15  specimens  of  P.  racemosa,  20.  of  P.  trijoiiata, 
and  8  of  P.  mainensis. 

Stem. 

An  important  reduction  in  size  is  first  noticeable,  which 
is  doubtless  a  response  to  the  semi-halophytic  habitat.  In  nor- 
mal conditions  P.  racemosa  reaches  fully  2m.,  whilst  here  its 
maximum  is  30cm.  P.  trijoiiata  generally  grows  to  a  height 
of  l.SOm.,  and  exceptionally  to  3m. ;  in  this  locality  no  specimen 
higher  than  32  cm.  was  found. 

It  is  well  known  to  breeders,  as  well  as  to  sttidents  in 
hybridism,  that  crosses  between  nearly  related  forms  are  more 
vigorous  than  either  parent.  The  following  tabulation  will 
emphasize  the  law  as  applied  to  the  present  case: — 

*Gray,  Asa,  "  Synoptical  Flora,"  I.,  433,  1886. 


142 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


[Feb. 


Compared  Size  of 
P.  racemosa,  P.  trifoliata,  P.  mainensis. 


Height 

Racemosa 

Trifoliata 

Mainensis 

in 
cm. 

Number 

Product 

Number 

Product 

Number  'Product 

IS 

2 

30 

,    , 

,    •. 

16 

,    , 

.    . 

17 

2 

34 

2 

34 

18 

2     ! 

36 

19 

2 

38 

2 

38 

20 

4 

80 

21 

2 

42 

1 

21 

22 

1 

22 

23 

4 

92 

24 

3 

72 

1 

24 

25 

26 

2 

52 

27 

1 

27 

27 

28 

1 

i 

28 

29 

1 

1 

29 

29 

30 

!          1 

30 

31 

! 

32 

1 

i 

32 

32 

33 

1 

.  • 

34 

35 

.  . 

36 

.  . 

36 

'     37 

,  , 

.  . 

.  ■ 

38 

,  , 

1      i          38 

39 

,     , 

. . 

1      \          39 

40 

,    . 

t 

41 

2                82 

Total 

15 

309 

20 

452 

8      \        283 

Mean 

20. 

6  cm. 

22.6  cm. 

35.3  cm. 

The  series  of  specimens  is  not  numerous  enough  to  show 
very  clearly  a  curve  of  Quetelet,  but  what  stands  prom'nently 
is  the  fact  that  P.  mainensis,  the  hybrid,  is  taller  by  63  per  cent, 
than  the  parent  species  (figuring  on  the  means).  What  are  the 
causes  of  this  increased  luxuriance?  They  are  yet  a  matter  of 
research.  Tischler  and  Jost  (*)  agree  that  it  is  probably  due 
to  a  "poisoning"  effect  of  one  species  on  the  other. 

Leaves. 
We  have  not  been  able  to  see  the  radical  leaves  of  P.  main- 
ensis of  which  Gray  makes  so  much  in  the  above-mentioned 
description,  but  we  observe  that  the  lowest  stem  leaves  taper 
into  a  winged  petiole  which  sometimes  reaches  10  cm.     Most  re- 

*"Arch.ZelIsforchung,"  I.,  33-151,  1908. 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  143 

?.TRirOLIATA  P.  MAINENSIS  P  KACEn05A 


^^     [Leaves  and  bracts  of  Prcnanthcs  trifoliata,  P.  raccmosa  and  their  hybrid 
rl  MB.  P.  mahicnsis.      Bracts  mvich  enlarged. 


t 
144  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Feb. 

markable  is  the  tendency  some  of  the  leaves  exhibit  to  lobate 
after  the  manner  of  P.  trifoliata.  But  this  tendency  is  checked 
in  some  way  in  its  action,  as  it  succeeds  in  affecting  onl}^  one- 
half  of  the  leaf,  thus  showing  that  the  elementary  characters  of 
P.  raceniosa  are  dominant  over  those  of  P.  trifoliata. 

In  the  three  plants  the  leaves  are  bordered  with  glandular 
teeth. 

Flower  and  Fruit. 

The  color  of  the  ray-flowers  of  P.  mainensis  is  evidently 
intermediate  between  the  pale  purple  of  P.  racemosa  and  the 
straw  yellow  of  P.  trifoliata. 

The  inner  bracts  of  the  involucre  are  about  the  same  in 
outline  in  the  three  plants,  but  they  differ  mtich  in  the  amount 
of  pubescence.  In  P.  trifoliata  these  bracts  are  perfectly 
glabrous ;  in  P.  racemosa  they  are  covered  with  very  long  ribbon- 
like flattened  hair  tipped  with  a  spherical  gland;  P.  mainensis 
shows  a  pubescence  much  like  that  of  P.  racemosa,  but  very 
scarce,  the  evident  result  of  the  fusing  of  opposed  characters. 

The  bract  of  P.  mainensis  ends  in  a  somewhat  fimbriate 
obtuse  point  bearing  septate  hair,  very  different  from  those 
described  above;  they  are  much  shorter,  and  consist  in  a  single 
line  of  hyaline  cells.  The  bracts  of  P.  trifoliata  and  P.  racemosa 
show  the  same  peculiarity. 

The  bracts  of  P.  racemosa  and  P.  mainensis  are  covered 
with  truncate  conical  papillae,  inclined  towards  the  point  of 
the  bract.  Every  cell  being  papilla-bearing,  their  number  can 
be  estimated  in  round  figtires  to  10,000  per  sq.  mm.  None  of 
the  twenty  specimens  of  P.  trifoliata  from  the  halophytic  habitat 
of  Anse  a  Persi  showed  these  papillae,  but  we  found  them  in 
smaller  numbers,  and  different  in  form,  on  a  giant  specimen 
collected  on  the  qviartzite  rocks  of  the  "  Gros  Pelerin,"  one  of 
the  islands  off  the  Kamotiraska  coast. 

The  akene  of  P.  mainensis  is  slightly  longer  than  that  of 
P.  racemosa,  and  much  longer  than  that  of  P.  trifoliata,  even 
when  giant  specimens  of  the  latter  are  considered. 

Distribution. 

We  do  not  believe  that  P.  mainensis  has  been  before  noted 
outside  of  the  type  station  on  the  St.  John's  River,  neither  do 
we  think  it  can  be  found  frequently  on  account  of  the  distri- 
bution of  the  parent  species  and  their  different  habitat. 

P.  racemosa  is  very  widely  distributed  in  North  America, 
from  Eastern  Quebec  to  Alberta,  whilst  P.  trifoliata  is  distinctly 
eastern  and  boreal.  In  the  Province  of  Quebec  there  is  no  sure 
record  west  of  "Gros  Pelerin"  island,  though  some  of  Macoun's 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  145 

localities  under  P.  serpentaria  may  belong  here.  The  distri- 
bution of  P.  trijoliata  is  therefore  restrictive  as  regards  the  pos- 
sible occvirrence  of  P.   niainensis. 

Moreover,  P.  racemosa  is  a  riverside  and  prairie  species, 
and  P.  trijoliata  a  plant  with  xerophytic  preferences,  so  that 
the  two  are  rarely  to  be  met  together,  except  in  such  habitat 
as  the  halophytic,  or  more  exactly  the  semi-halophytic,  where 
water  is  to  be  found,  but  which  at  the  same  time  is  physio- 
logically dry. 


BIRDS  OF  ALGONQUIN  PARK.* 


By  W.   E.  Saunders,  London,  Ont. 


On  August  11th,  1915,  Mr.  E.  M.  S.  Dale  and  the  writer 
started  from  Joe  Lake  on  an  investigation  of  the  birds  and 
mammals,  chiefly  the  foriner,  of  Algonqtiin  Park.  It  is  pro- 
bably unnecessary  to  give  any  description  of  the  character  of 
the  country,  in  which  spruce,  pine,  poplar  and  birch  alternate, 
as  is  usual  in  the  northern  parts  of  Ontario. 

The  fauna  of  this  region  should  be  more  northern  than 
would  be  called  for  by  latitude  only,  because  of  the  altitude, 
which  is  nearly  two  thousand  feet. 

After  packing  our  dunnage  in  bags  and  loading  it  into  the 
canoe,  we  got  away  to  a  favorable  start.  During  the  first  day 
we  saw  nothing  of  moment  until  we  reached  Island  Lake,  where 
our  ears  were  assailed  by  the  calling  of  two  hawks,  which  proved 
to  be  Goshawks.  Their  calls  were  of  rather  a  peculiar  char- 
acter. They  were  in  descending  thirds,  as  is  the  case  with  the 
Marsh  Hawk,  and  more  particularly  the  Sharpshin,  but  they 
had  two  different  calls.  In  one  the  phrases  werejrepeated  about 
every  second  and  a  half,  and  in  the  other,  which  was  about 
half  an  octave  higher,  they  were  repeated  about  four  times  each 
second.  We  paddled  over  near  where  they  were  sitting  in  some 
dead  timber,  and  one  of  them  flew  over  us  with  a  scissor- 
tail  eft'ect,  opening  and  shutting  the  tail. 

The  first  night's  trapping  for  mice  yielded  nothing  but 
one  Sorex  personatus  and  several  of  the  northern  deer  mice. 
While  passing  over  the  portage  and  through  the  Otter  Slide 
lakes  it  rained  so  hard  that  we  vSOught  shelter  at  the  point 
where  the  creek  leaves  for  White  Trout  lake,  and  spent  the 
night  in  a  tumbledown  lutnberman's  building.  Next  morning 
we  had  a  call    from    an    Olive-sided  Flycatcher,   of  which  we 

*Read  at  the  December  meeting  of  the  Mcllwraith  Ornithological  Club. 


146  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Feb. 

met  a  good  many  on  the  trip.  They  were  not  using  their 
whistling  call  but  the  Ku-Ku-Ku  which  some  of  them  repeated 
endlessly ;  in  fact  there  were  two  which  we  concluded  must  have 
made  a  bet  as  to  which  could  say  it  the  most  times  in  a  day, 
and  one  of  them  stuck  to  it  almost  all  day.  Being  an  exceed- 
ingly monotonous  note,  we  both  felt  that  we  got  very  well 
acquainted  with  it  indeed,  and  should  not  forget  it  in  a  hurry. 
At  this  point  we  saw  the  only  solitary  Sandpiper  on  the  trip. 
It  was  rather  a  surprise  not  to  see  more  of  these  birds,  as  a  great 
deal  of  the  country  is  well  suited  to  them.  The  trip  down  the 
stream  into  White  Trout  lake  provided  rather  more  walking 
than  we  appreciated,  as  the  portages  were  long  and  somewhat 
arduous,  but  we  met  here  our  first  Ruffed  Grouse,  Black- 
backed  Woodpecker,  and  Duck  Hawk,  the  latter  flying  high 
overhead  while  we  were  on  one  of  the  portages  right  opposite 
a  high  cliff,  which,  however,  did  not  look  very  suitable  for  nest- 
ing on  account  of  recent  devastation  by  fire. 

On  these  portages  we  found  numerous  runs  of  field  mice, 
and  subsequent  trapping  succeeded  in  getting  a  couple  of  them. 
They  seemed  rather  too  reddish  to  be  our  southern  form,  but 
this  has  not  yet  been  definitely  determined.  The  creek  is  wide 
and  well  filled  with  stumps  and  grass  for  the  last  half  mile  before 
it  enters  into  the  lake,  and  the  banks  are  covered  with  dead  and 
dying  timber,  which  made  a  very  attractive  spot  for  wood- 
peckers. Here  we  became  very  well  acquainted  with  a  good 
many  notes  of  the  Black-backed  Woodpecker.  Once  or  twice 
we  heard  some  genuine  Blackbird  notes  [from  a  Rusty  at 
this  point,  but  all  the  rest  of  the  notes  of  that  character 
were  from  the  woodpecker.  Here,  also,  we  met  our  first 
Canada  Jay  or  Whiskey  Jack,  a  pair  of  which  came  flying 
down  to  interview  us  at  the  end  of  one  of  the  portages.  We 
tried  to  make  friends  with  them,  but  they  were  not  to  be  cajoled, 
and  the  bread  which  we  laid  on  top  of  a  burnt  stump  remained 
there  untouched.  As  usual  they  were  very  quiet,  but  later  on 
we  heard  from  them  quite  a  variety  of  notes,  mostly  of  a  very 
liquid  character,  and  for  the  writer,  not  very  easily  described. 
Their  flight  resembles  that  of  the  Blue  Jay  to  a  considerabe 
extent,  but  there  were  differences  which  would  make  them 
readily  identifiable  by  one  who  was  well  acquainted. 

Paddling  around  the  left  corner  of  the  entrance  into  the 
White  Trout  lake  we  found  the  most  beautiful  camp  of  the  trip 
in  a  sandy  bay  which  made  excellent  bathing.  The  level  of 
the  woods  was  only  about  ten  feet  above  the  lake,  and  a  beauti- 
ful location  was  all  ready  for  our  tent,  with  a  sun  parlor  over- 
looking the  bay.  Here  we  stayed  for  two  nights  while  we_ 
trapped  on  the  last  portage  and  explored  the  nearby  islands. 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  147 

which  contained  nothing  of  very  great  interest.  Our  next  stop 
was  at  the  northern  end  of  White  Trout  lake,  where  we  slept 
in  the  shelter  hut  on  the  portage  into  Longer  lake.  The  traps 
were  set  on  a  small  island  which  had  been  burnt  over  about  ten 
years  before,  and  now  contains  a  beautiful  stand  of  young  red 
pine  five  to  ten  feet  high.  We  were  interested  to  investigate 
the  mammal  inhabitants  of  this  little  islet,  and  found,  as  we 
expected,  that  nothing  was  on  it  excepting  deer  mice,  and  very 
few  of  them,  both  the  cover  and  the  food  having  been  burnt 
off  by  the  fire,  and  replacement  not  having  progressed  to  any 
great  extent. 

The  ranger  who  was  located  at  this  portage  had  a  boy  who 
was  somewhat  interested  in  the  trapping  industry,  and  wanted 
not  only  to  catch  some  mice  for  himself  but  to  see  how  they 
were  prepared,  and  we  spent  an  evening  in  the  house  illus- 
trating the  operation.  The  boy  had  set  a  trap  which  we  gave 
him,  on  top  of  a  cupboard  in  the  one  room  of  the  house,  and 
twice  during  the  evening  the  trap  was  sprung  and  each  time 
caught  a  deer  mouse,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  room  was 
lit  and  contained  five  people,  who  were  making  no  effort  to  be 
quiet. 

A  short  exploration  of  Longer  lake  and  one  of  the  beaver 
streams  leading  into  it  completed  this  end  of  our  trip.  From 
the  middle  of  the  lake  we  saw  a  fine  nest  of  the  Osprey,  located 
some  four  or  five  hundred  yards  back  from  the  shore.  It  was 
exceedingly  conspicuous,  being  placed,  as  usual,  high  up  in  a 
dead  tree.  Retracing  our  steps  to  White  Trout  lake  we  spent 
another  evening  in  the  shelter  hut,  and  in  the  early  morning, 
while  preparing  breakfast,  the  writer  had  a  call  from  a  beautiful 
large  skunk  which  was  not  at  all  aggressive,  but  rather  timid, 
and  immediately  retreated  on  being  discovered.  These  ani- 
mals are  said  to  be  very  common  in  the  park. 

Launching  again  on  White  Trout  lake,  we  turned  our  bow 
towards  the  north-west  corner,  and  paddling  through  the  nar- 
rows,  went   down  through  Grassy  bay  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Petewawa  river. 

Here  there  is  a  good  deal  of  shallow  water  and  some  grass 
showing  through  it.  There  was  an  attractive  point  which 
overlooked  the  bay  from  quite  a  nice  elevation.  Here  we 
landed  and  stayed  some  time,  the  most  interesting  part  of  which 
was  spent  in  admiring  the  antics  of  three  otters  which  came  to 
the  surface  about  a  hundred  yards  away,  and  were  at  first  taken 
for  beaver,  but  the  style  of  swimming  with  the  head  elevated, 
as  is  the  habit  of  a  mink,  not  held  level  on  the  water  as  is  the 
habit  of  the  beaver  and  muskrat,  at  once  identified  them.  As 
this  animal  was  a  new  acquaintance  for  both  of  us  we  watched 


148  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Feb. 

with  great  interest  their  movements.  When  swimming  under- 
neath the  water  they  had  a  most  interesting  habit  of  following 
each  other  on  every  little  deviation.  When  one  wotdd  come 
to  the  surface,  breathe  and  go  down,  the  one  immediately  after 
did  the  same  thing  at  the  same  place,  and  then  the  third  fol- 
lowing; they  soon  went  into  the  grasses  where  they  were  not 
clearly  visible,  but  they  began  working  towards  a  little  opening 
near  us  in  which  sat  a  Pied  Bill  Grebe.  She  kept  a  watchful 
eye  on  the  motions  of  the  otters,  and  when  they  were  within 
twenty  or  thirty  yards,  disappeared  and  re-appeared  some 
thirty  yards  to  one  side,  and  it  happened  that  they  did  not  go 
any  nearer  to  her.  They  soon  caught  some  fish  and,  fortunately 
for  us,  there  were  some  stranded  stumps  and  roots  on  which 
they  climbed  out  and  ate  their  catch.  They  also  played  with 
each  other,  and  quarreled  in  a  friendly  way,  which  led  us  to 
suppose  that  they  were  young,  or  at  most  a  mother  and  two 
young,  though  we  could  see  no  difference  in  their  size. 

This  was  perhaps  the  rarest  sight  of  our  trip,  and  we  were 
exceedingly  gratified  that  it  lasted  nearly  an  hour. 

We  then  proceeded  up  Mcintosh  creek  as  far  as  the  first 
portage,  where  we  decided  to  retrace  our  steps.  We  followed 
the  portage  trail  up  through  the  woods,  and  had  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  there  our  only  pair  of  the  Pileated  woodpecker. 
They  were  not  very  tame,  and  gave  us  little  opportunity  for 
observation,  but  it  was  a  joy  to  see  these  big  birds  again.  They 
are  said  to  be  quite  common  in  some  parts  of  the  park.  Two 
boys  from  Toronto  camping  on  Lake  LaMuir  told  us  that  they 
were  frequently  seen  near  their  camp.  A  ranger  with  whom 
we  talked  told  us  that  they  inhabited  the  big  timber  only,  which 
means  the  districts  where  the  pine  has  not  been  cut  off,  and  it 
was  in  a  region  of  large  trees  that  these  two  birds  were  seen. 

Next  morning  we  began  ovir  return  trip  through  White 
Trout  lake. 

After  paddling  two  or  three  miles  we  came  to  the  high 
bluff  facing  the  lumber  camp  on  the  north  side  of  the  lake, 
where  we  had  climbed  on  the  preceding  day  hunting  for  ferns. 
This  time  we  found  something  much  better  than  the  ferns,  in 
the  person  of  a  Duck  Hawk,  which  gave  us  one  of  the  most 
beautiftil  illustrations  of  sailing  with  motionless  wings  that 
either  of  us  had  ever  seen.  Evidently  he  was  keeping  watch 
over  something,  and  as  the  location  was  entirely  suited  to  their 
needs  as  a  nesting  place,  we  thought  it  not  improbable  that  the 
young  were  nearby.  After  wc  had  passed  the  cliff  we  heard 
him  scream,  and  looking  back  found  that  he  had  been  joined 
by  his  mate,  but  we  gathered  no  more  information  regarding 
their  habits  or  location. 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  149 

'When  Itmch  time  arrived  we  landed  on  an  island  separated 
by  a  narrow  stretch  of  water  from  the  shore,  and  while  we  were 
busily  engaged,  a  large,  black,  hawk-like  bird  came  sailing  up  the 
narrow  channel,  and  was  promptly  identified  as  a  Raven.  He 
rose  over  the  banks  on  the  other  side,  and  while  passing  gave 
ont  two  or  three  of  his  characteristic  notes.  He  was  followed 
by  two  others,  which  did  not  come  quite  as  far  before  turning, 
but  still  gave  us  a  fair  view  of  their  flight. 

There  are  times  when  a  Raven  and  a  Crow  might  puzzle 
an  observer,  but  when  flying  they  can  be  easily  identified;  the 
flight  of  the  larger  bird  is  very  hawk-like  and  entirely  different 
from  that  of  the  crow. 

No  other  rarity  was  noted  until  we  had  passed  up  the 
five  portages  to  Otter  Slide  lake  again,  where  we  camped  at 
the  entrance  of  the  stream.  Here  we  were  in  great  luck  in 
choosing  the  very  spot  used  by  the  local  troop  of  warblers  as 
one  of  their  promenades. 

While  setting  traps  across  the  stream  that  evening  we 
heard,  but  failed  to  find,  a  Hudsonian  Chickadee.  Next  morn- 
ing he  passed  with  the  Warblers,  Chickadees,  Nuthatches,  etc.. 
over  the  route  right  around  our  camp,  but  succeeded  in  getting 
by  without  giving  us  a  chance  to  see  him;  but  before  we  left  that 
camp  the  warblers  passed  us  again,  and  this  time  the  Hud- 
sonian came  out  in  the  open  and  settled  in  the  top  of  a  little 
balsam  tree  close  by,  giving  us  every  opportunity  for  examina- 
tion. From  this  camp  also  we  heard  the  Barred  Owl,  thanks 
to  the  sleeplessness  of  my  companion.  The  bird  was  at  a  con- 
siderable distance,  but  his  notes  were  unmistakably  not  those 
of  the  Great  Horned  Owl. 

During  the  first  night's  camp  at  this  spot  our  slumbers 
were  interrupted  by  a  Porcupine,  which  was  apparently  eating 
up  the  canoe.  An  expedition  in  undress  uniform  was  made  to 
scare  him  away,  but  he  was  sitting  out  in  the  far  end  of  the  canoe 
and  was  not  inclined  to  be  interrupted,  and  when  we  spoke  to  him 
he  chattered  his  teeth  as  if  in  defiance,  and  it  was  not  until  we  hit 
him  with  a  little  stick  that  he  ran  down  the  length  of  the  canoe 
at  a  surprising  speed  and  disappeared  in  the  woods.  These 
animals  are  tolerably  common,  but  are  easy  victims  to  the  de- 
structive instincts  present  in  many  persons,  and  we  found  the 
remains  of  one  that  had  been  recently  and  uselessly  killed  on 
Otter  Slide  lake.  Even  the  rangers  are  said  to  kill  this  animal, 
althotigh  it  is  not  only  against  the  law,  but  it  is  indefensible 
destruction,  as  the  worst  harm  that  can  be  charged  against 
the  Porcupine  is  that  he  injures  a  few  trees  during  the  winter. 
and  if  the  damage  done  were  calculated  on  a  basis  of  a  per- 
centage value  of  the  standing  timber,  it  wotild  be  so  small  as 


150  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [Feb, 

to  be  almost  invisible.  It  seems  a  pity  that  the  rangers  cannot 
be  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  protection  which  ought  to  be  one 
of  the  great  features  of  such  a  reserve  as  this  park. 

Many  persons  who  visit  the  northern  woods  complain  of 
the  small  number  of  birds  seen,  and  the  limited  number  of 
species,  but  the  truth  seems  to  be  that  their  faculties  have  not 
been  trained  to  observe  the  birds  under  altered  conditions.  On 
this  trip  we  noted  never  less  than  35  species  each  day,  and  the 
smallest  number  of  individuals  was  160,  while  for  the  whole 
trip  we  saw  exactly  90  species.  And  when  it  is  remembered 
that  the  song  season  was  over  and  most  of  these  birds  had  to 
be  seen  to  be  recognized,  ninety  is  not  such  a  small  number  for 
a  short  two  weeks  trip. 

Coming  from  a  region  where  rock  ferns  have  no  existence, 
we  were  both  much  interested  in  meeting  a  number  of  un- 
accustomed species,  and  besides  the  Common  Polypody,  we 
brought  home  roots  of  Dicksonia,  Woodsia  ilvensis  and  Aspi- 
dium  noveboracense,  which,  though  it  is  not  strictly  a  rock 
fern,  appeared  in  large  clumps  in  some  of  the  deeper  woods. 
A  few  other  plants  which  were  unusual  or  unknown  to  us  were 
Hieracium.  aurantiacum  and  Trillium  erythrocarpuyn.  A  gentle- 
man from  Toronto  whose  acquaintance  we  made  in  the  park 
told  us  this  was  Trillimn  cernuum,  but  reference  to  Gray's 
Manual  shows  that  our  surmise  was  correct,  and  it  is  erythro- 
carpuyn, the  proof  being  in  the  long,  attenuated  points  of  the 
leaves. 

The  last  day  was  spent  in  walking  along  the  railway  track 
for  the  sake  of  possible  additions  to  our  bird  list,  as  there  were 
a  number  of  common  species,  such  as  the  Crow,  Vesper  and 
Chipping  sparrows  which  we  did  not  see  when  canoeing. 

We  heard  from  Ranger  Robinson  of  the  occurrence  of 
Spruce  Partridge  near  Joe  Lake  station,  and  made  a  little  walk 
through  the  region  indicated,  but  without  success. 

It  seemed  strange  that  on  the  return  journey  we  should 
meet  a  brother  botanist  at  the  station  at  Scotia  Junction,  in 
the  person  of  Mr.  Stevenson  of  Oshawa,  who  had  been  devoting 
special  attention  to  the  ferns,  and  was  just  then  making  a 
journey  with  the  hope  of  finding  the  Dicksonia,  of  which  we 
had  seen  such  beautiful  patches. 

This  little  trip  into  the  park  left  us  filled  with  the  desire 
to  visit  it  again  in  the  springtime,  when  all  these  interesting 
northern  species  would  be  nesting,  and  we  could  enjoy  and 
study  their  songs  and  their  home  life.  The  songs  of  the  Thrushes 
alone  would  probably  repay  any  interested  persofluipr  the  time 


THE  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

VOL.  XXIX.  MARCH,   1916  No.   12 

DATA  ON  SEED  MATURITY  OF  SOME  ONTARIO 

PLANTS. 

By  W.  Herriot,  Galt,  Ont. 


During  the  seasons  from  1909  to  1914,  the  writer  collected 
extensively  the  seeds  of  many  native  and  naturalized  plants, 
in. the  vicinity  of  Gait,  Ont.,  for  the  Seed  Branch  at  Ottawa. 

While  our  standard  works  on  botany  usually  give  the 
month  of  flowering  of  most  plants,  and  many  published  lists 
of  local  floras  give  exact  dates  of  flowering,  very  little  has  been 
published  as  to  the  time  of  the  maturing  of  the  seed. 

Having  accumulated  considerable  data  on  this  point,  the 
list  published  here  may  prove  of  some  value;  the  dates  given 
for  flowering  are  when  the  plants  are  well  into  bloom,  and  in 
early  flowering  plants  this  may  vary  considerably  in  different 
years,  according  to  weather  conditions  in  spring.  The  dates 
given  for  seed  maturing  are  when  seed  was  collected,  and  where 
plants  ripen  and  shed  their  seed  during  a  short  period,  as  in 
Claytonia,  the  dates  can  be  taken  to  represent  fairly  well  the 
fruiting  season.  In  some  few  instances  where  the  seed  is  per- 
sistent after  maturity,  as  in  Rumex,  the  date  of  collecting  may 
be  some  Httle  time  after  maturity,  and,  therefore,  not  so  accu- 
rate. Again,  the  dates  of  flowering  and  of  seed  maturity  in 
many  cases  were  not  taken  during  the  same  year,  but,  as  before 
mentioned,  except  in  early  flowering  species  the  time  of  flower- 
ing from  year  to  year  is  fairly  constant: — ■ 

Time  of  Seed 

NAME  Flowering         Mature 

v'^PARGANiUM  DivERSiFOLiuM  Gracbncr Jul    15  Sep  23 

ScHEUCHZERiA  PALUSTRis  L Jun    8  Sep    4 

Sagittaria  arifolia  Nutt Jul    2  7  Sep    9 

Alisma  Plantago-aquatica  L Aug  14  Sep    7 

Andropogon  scoparius  Michx Aug    7  Sep  17 


( 


152  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [March 

NAME  Time  of  Seed 

Flowering         Mature 

Andropogon  furcatus  Muhl Aug  2  5     Sep  19 

SoRGHASTRUM  NUTANS  (L.)  Nash Aug  25     Sep  17 

DiGiTARiA  HUMiFUSA  Pers Aug  1 7     Sep  2 1 

DiGITARIA  SANGUINALIS  (L.)   Scop Sep        1      Oct      2 

Panicum  linearifolium  Scribn Jul      6  Jul  23 

Panicum  latifolium  L Jun  28  Jul  20 

Leersia  oryzoides  (L.)  Sw Aug    5  Sep  18 

MiLLiUM  effusum  L Jun    3  Jun  17 

Oryzopsis  asperifolia  Michx Apr  23  Jun  10 

Muhlenbergia  mexicana  (L.)  Trin 'Sep    6  Oct  15 

Brachyelytrum   erectum  (Shreb.)  Beauv. . .   Jun  2S  Jul  29 
Alopecurus  geniculatus  L.  var.  aristula- 

Tus  Torr Jun    14  Jul    1 1 

CiNNA  latifolia  (Trcv.)  Griseb Aug     1  Aug  26 

Sphenopholis  pallens  (Spreng.)  Scribn Jul       6  Jul    20 

Deschampsia  CAESPiTOSA  (L.)  Bcauv Jun    16  Jul      2 

AVENA  STERILIS  L Jul    26  Aug  12 

Danthonia  spiCATA  (L.)  Beauv Jul       1  Jul    19 

Spartina  Michauxiana  Hitchc Aug    1  Sep  17 

PoA  ANUUA  L ; Apr  30  Jun    3 

Poa  triflora  Gilib .- Jul       9  Jul  29 

PoA  DEBiLis  Torr May  28  Jun  16 

Poa  alsodes  Gray Jun      1  Jun  16 

Glyceria  canadensis  (Michx.)  Trin Jul      6  Aug  8 

Glyceria  nervata  (Willd.)  Trin Jun    3  Jun  2  7 

Glyceria  grandis  Wats Jun  29  Jul  19 

Glyceria  septentrionalis  Hitchc Jun  14  Jul     9 

PucciNELLiA  DiSTANS  (L).  Pari Jun  23  Jvil     8 

Festuca  NUTANS  Spreng Jul      1  Jul  13 

Melica  STRIATA  (Michx.)  Hitchc Jun  21  Jul   13 

Bromus  tectorum  L Jun  13  Jul   13 

Bromus  Kalmii  Gray /lug  25  Sep    4 

Agropyrum  repens  (L.)  Beauv Jul   2  5  Sep  13 

Agropyrum  caninu.m  (L.)  Beauv Jul      1  Sep  11 

Elymus  striatus  Willd Jul    20  Aug  13 

Elymus  canadensis  L Aug  25  Sep  18 

Hystrix  patula  Moench Jul     13  Sep    4 

Cyperus  esculentus  L Aug  18  Oct  30 

Eleocharis  ov.\ta  (Roth.)  R.  &  S Jun    15    Jul  21 

SciRPus  validus  Vahl Jtxl    2  7  Sep    9 

SciRPus  atrovirens  Muhl Aug    3  Oct     7 

SciRPUs  cyperinus  (L.)  Kunth Jul    31  Oct     1 

Rynchospora  fusca  (L.)  Ait.  f Aug  31  Sep    6 

Cladium  mariscoides  (Muhl.)  Torr Aug  31  Sep    2 

Carex  cristata  Schwein Aug    6  '  Avig  2  5 


1916]                         The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  153 

■KT  A  .^T-                                                                      Time  of  Seed 

NAME                                                                    Flowering  Mature 

Carex  Bebbii  Olney Jul      3  Aug    6 

Carex  sychnocephala  Carey Jul    30  Aug  26 

Carex  scirpoides' Schkuhr Jun    3  Jun  24 

Carex  vulpinoidea  Michx Jul     1  Jul  18 

Carex  diandra  Schrank Jun  20  Jul   1 1 

Carex  stipata  Muhl Jun    4  Jun  21 

Carex  stricta  Lam Jun    4  Jun  2  5 

Carex  leptalea  Wahlenb Jun     1  Jun  26 

Carex  pubescens  Muhl Jun     1  Jun  21 

Carex  flava  L May  28  Jul  13 

Carex  hystericina  Muhl Jtm   16  Jul     2 

Carex  Schweinitzii  Dewey Jun     4  Jul   13 

Carex  lupulina  Muhl Aug    1  Oct    7 

Carex  rostrata  Stokes Jun  10  Jul     9 

Arisaema  triphyllum  (L.)  Schott May  26  Aug 26 

Calla  palustris  L May    6  Sep    7 

Symplocarpus  foetidus  (L.)  Nutt Apr  20  Oct  14 

JuNCus  TENUIS  Willd Jun   29  Jul   1 1 

JuNCus  effusus  L Jun   23  Jul  29 

JuNCus  CANADENSIS  J.  Gay Aug  31  Sep    4 

LiLiUM  suPERBUM  L Jul      6  Sep  16 

Clintonia  borealis  (Ait.)  Raf Jun     3  Jul  22 

Smilacina  racemosa  (L.)  Desf Jun    15  Sep  16 

Streptopus  roseus  Michx Jun      3  Jul  22 

Trillium  grandiflorum  (Michx.)  Salisb...  .    May  14  Jun  15 

Cannabis  sativa  L Aug  23-  Sep  25 

Urtica  gracilis  Ait Jul    25  Oct  15 

BOEHMERIA  cyhndrica  (L.)  SW Aug    3  Oct  28 

Rumex  Britannica  L Jul    26  Sep     7 

RuMEX  VERTiciLLATUS  L Jul    23  Sep    6 

Rumex  obtusifolius  L Jul      8  Jul  27 

Rumex  Acetosella  L Jun    13  Jul  15 

Rumex  crispus  L Jun  27  Jul  15 

Polygonum  pennsylvanicum  L Aug    3  Sep     1 

Polygonum  Hydropiper  L Aug  26  Sep  19 

Polygonum  sagittatum  L Aug    6  Aug  23 

Polygonum  aviculare  L Sep     1  Oct  14 

KocHiA  scoPARiA  (L.)  Schrad Aug  31  Oct    9 

Spergula  arvensis  L Jun  26  Aug  17 

Arenaria  serpyllifolia  L Jun    1  Jun  28 

Cerastium  vulgatum  L Jun    4  Jun  22 

Lychnis  alba  Mill .   Jun    5  Sep  19 

SiLENE  LATiFOLiA  (Mill.)  B.  &  R Jun  14  Jul  22 

Saponaria  officinalis  L Aug    2  Sep  22 

Claytonia  virginica  L Apr    9  May24 


154  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [March 

1ST  A  TVT-n-  '  Time  of  Seed 

^AMb  Flowering         Mature 

Castalia  odorata  (Ait.)  W.  &  W Jul      9  Aug  6 

Ranunculus  delphinifolius  Torr May    7  Jun  18 

Ranunculus  sceleratus  L May  24    Jun  21 

Ranunculus  abortivus  L May    7  Jun  11 

Ranunculus  recurvatus  Poir May  28  Jun  27 

Ranunculus  fascicularis  Muhl Apr  16  Jun  11 

Ranunculus  septentrionalis  Poir Jun     4  Jul     4 

Ranunculus  repens  L May  24  Jul     5 

Ranunculus  pennsylvanicus  L.f Jul      9  Aug  6 

Thalictrum  dioicum  L Apr  23  Jul     6 

Thalictrum  polygamum  Muhl Jul     13  Oct  18 

Hepatica  triloba  Chaix Apr     4  Jun  10 

Anemone  virginiana  L Jun   14  Sep  11 

Caltha  palustris  L May  10  Jun  17 

Aquilegia  canadensis  L Jun      1  Jun  24 

AcTAEA  RUBRA  (Ait.)  Willd May  24  Jul   15 

Menispermum  canadense  L Jul      6  Sep  23 

Podophyllum  peltatum  L Jun      7  Aug  15 

Caulophyllum  thalictroides  (L.)  Michx..  .    Apr     4  Aug25 

Sanguinaria  canadensis  L Apr     9  Jun  25 

Chelidonium  majus  L May  21  Jun  28 

Papaver  Rhoeas  L Jul    2 1  Aug  1 5 

FuMARiA  officinalis  L Aug    4  Sep    9 

Berteroa  incana  (L.)  DC Jul    23  Oct  16 

Lepidium  apetalum  Willd Jun      1  Jul  10 

CapsellaBursa-pastoris  (L.)  Medic May  24  ]x\n  17 

Camelina  microcarpa  Andrz Jun     3  Jul     7 

Brassica  alba  (L.)  Boiss Jul       1  Sep  15 

Brassica  nigra  (L.)  Koch Jul      6  Sep  25 

Sisymbrium  officinale  (L.)  Scop Jul      9  Aug  31 

Radicula  Nasturtium-aquaticum(L)  B.&B.  Jun   15  Jul  25 

Barbarea  stricta  Andrz May  20  Jul  29 

Eruca  sativa Aug    1  Sep  25 

Sarracenia  purpurea  L Jun  20  Aug  2  7 

Penthorum  sedoides  L Jul    30  Aug 26 

MiTELLA  DiPHYLLA  L May  1 1  Juu    3 

Parnassia  caroliniana  Michx. .  .  .■= Sep    16  Sep  31 

Physocarpus  opulifolius  (L.)  Maxim Jul      3  Sep    7 

POTENTILLA  RECTA  L JuU    18      Aug    6 

Potentilla  palustris  (L.)  Scop Jul       1  Jul  23 

Geum  canadense  Jacq Jun  25  Aug  2  5 

Geum  strictum  Ait Jul    13  Sep    4 

Geum  rivale  L Jun    3  Jun  28 

Geum  triflorum  Pursh May  24  Jun  2  5 

Agrimonia  gryposepala  Wallr Jul     18  Sep  10 


1916]                        The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  155 

^,  «,,^                                                                      Time  of  Seed 

N-AME                                                                        Flowering  Mature 

Gleditsia  triacanthos  L Jun    14  Nov  17 

LuPiNus  PERENNis  L.  .  .  . Jun    14  Jul     9 

Melilotus  officinalis  (L.)  Lam Jul      6  Aug  10 

Melilotus  alba  Desr Jul       6  Aug  26 

Lotus  corniculatus  L Jul     15  Aug 28 

RoBiNiA  Pseudo-Acacia  L Jun  20  Nov  23 

Desmodium  paniculatum  (L.)  D.C Aug    6  Sep  24 

Lespedeza  frutescens  (L.)  Britton Aug  14  Sep  24 

Lespedeza  capitata   Michx Aug  24  Oct  26 

Geranium  maculatum  L May  28  Jul      1 

Polygala  Senega  L Jun  18  Jul     4 

ACALYPHA  VIRGINICA  L Aug  25  Oct      1 

Euphorbia  Cyparissias  L May  24  Jul     7 

Floerkea  proserpinacoides  Willd May  15  Jun    1 

Rhus  toxicodendron  L Jun   23  Oct    9 

Impatiens  fulva  Nutt Aug    1  Sep  10 

Ceanothus  americanus  L Jul    2  8  Aug  25 

Malva  rotundifolia  L Jul    19  Sep  15 

Malva  moschata  L Jun   14  Aug    9 

Hypericum  perforatum  L Jul      4  Sep  18 

Viola  arvensis  Murr May  22  Aug    7 

Decodon  verticillatus  (L.)  Ell Aug    4  Sep  23 

Epilobium  angustifolium  L Aug    1  Aug  26 

Oenothera  biennis  L Aug   1  7  Sep    9 

CiRCAEA  lutetiana  L Jul     17  Aug  13 

Aralia  racemosa  L Jul    2  7  Sep  10 

Aralia  nudicaulis  L May  28  Jul  23 

Panax  quinquefolium  L Jul       1  Sep     5 

Sanitula  marilandica  L Jun   16  Sep    4 

Sanicula  gregaria  Bicknell Jun      8  Aug  26 

Sanicula  trifoliata  Bicknell Jun    19  Aug  13 

Osmorhiza  Claytoni  (Michx.)  Clarke May  28  Jul  2  5 

Osmorhiza  longistylis  (Torr.)  DC Jun  10  Jul  25 

CoNiuM  maculatum  L Jul    29  Sep  15 

CicuTA  MACULATA  L Jul   25  Sep  20 

Carum  Carvi  L Jun  1 1  Jul  20 

Sium  cicut.'Efolium  Schrank Jul    23  Sep  25 

Cryptotaenia  canadensis  (L.)  DC Jun  16  Aug26 

ZiziA  aurea  (L.)  Koch Jun     5  Aug    6 

Foeniculum  vulgare  Hill Aug  15  Oct    4 

Taenidia  integerrima  (L.)  Drude Jun  14  Aug  12 

Aethusa  Cynapium  L Jul    10  Sep  18 

Levisticum  officinale  (L.)  Koch Jul      6  Aug  15 

Anethum  graveolens  L Jul     15  Sep  30 

Heracleum  lanatum  Michx Jun   2  7  Sep  11 


156  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [March 

iMAiviT^  Time  of  Seed 

NAME  Flowering  Mature 

CoNiosELiNUM  CHiNENSE  (L.)  BSP Aug  31  Sep  24 

Angelica  atropurpurea  L Jul      8  Jul  2  5 

Daucus  Carota  L Aug    6  Sep  17 

Kalmia  polifolia  Wang Jun    4  Jul     8 

Lysimachia  vulgaris  L Jul       7  Sep  18 

Anagallis  arvensis  L Jul  1 7  Aug  3 1 

Gentiana  crinita  Froel Sep     4  Sep  30 

Gentiana  Andrewsii  Griseb Sep      1  Sep  16 

Frasera  caroliniensis  Walt Jun   15  Sep  15 

Halenia  deflexa  (Sm.)  Griseb Aug  16  Sep  2  7 

Menyanthes  trifoliata  L r .  .  .  .  Jun    2  Jul  14 

ASCLEPIAS  TUBEROSA  L Jul     13  Oct      7 

Asclepias  incarnata  L Jul  11  Sep  11 

ASCLEPIAS   SYRIACA  L Jul        8  Oct      2 

Ipomoea  PURPUREA  (L.)  Roth Jul    29  Sep     1 

Convolvulus  sepium  L Jun   2  7  Oct    2 

CuscuTA  Gronovii  Willd Aug  23  Sep  16 

Hydrophyllum  virginianum  L Jun  30  Jul  28 

Lapulla  virginiana  (L.)  Greene Jul    17  Sep  10 

Myosotis  arvensis  (L.)  Hill Jul    16  Aug  17 

Verbena  urticaefolia  L Aug    3  Sep  18 

Verbena  hastata  L Jul     1 1  Sep  18 

Marrubium  vulgare  L Jul      5  Aug  17 

Prunella  vulgaris  L Jun  29  Aug  2  5 

Leonurus  Cardiaca  L Jul      1  Sep  11 

Hyssopus  officinalis  L Jul    10  Sep  18 

Lycopus  viRGiNicus  L Aug  1 1  Sep  13 

Lycopus  americanus  Muhl Aug  1 1  Sep  1 1 

Solanum  Dulcamara  L Jun   18  Oct    2 

SoLANUM  nigrum  L Sep     2  Oct     1 

Physalis  heterophylla  Nees Jul     15  Sep  24 

NiCANDRA  PHYSALOiDES  (L.)  Pcrs Sep      5  Sep  21 

Hyoscyamus  NIGER  L May  26  Sep  25 

Datura  Stramonium  L Aug  1 7  Oct     1 

Verbascum  Blattaria  L Aug    3  Sep  18 

Penstemon  hirsutus  (L.)  Willd Jun     8  Aug  5 

Chelone  glabra  L Aug  1 1  Oct    2 

Digitalis  purpurea  L Jun   25  Aug  7 

Veronica  officinalis  L Jun    16  Jul  29 

Gerardia  virginica  (L.)  BSP Aug    6  Sep  24 

Gerardia  paupercula  (Gray)  Britton Jul    25  Sep'^30 

Pedicularis  canadensis  L May  19  Jul    9 

Epifagus  virginiana  (L.)  Bart Aug  27  Oct    6 

Phryma  Leptostachya  L Jul    21  Sep    9 

Plantago  lanceolata  L Jul    2  7  Aug  23 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  157 

Time  of  Seed 

NAME  Flowering  Mature 

Galium  Aparine  L May  2 1  Jul     1 

Galium  Aparine  VAR.VAiLLANTn(DC.)KocH.  May  19  Junl7 

Galium  circaezans  Michx Jun  30  Aug  13 

Galium  trifidum  L Jun  15  Aug  23 

Galium  Mollogo  L Jtil      1  Sep    4 

Cephalanthus  occidentalis  L Jul    27  Oct     7 

Triosteum  aurantiacum  Bicknell Jun    8  Sep    2 

DiPSACus  sylvestris  Huds Aug  11  Sep  11 

EcHiNOCYSTis  LOB  ATA  (Michx.)  T.  &  G Aug    2  Sep  2  5 

Lobelia  siphilitica  L Jul    20  Oct  14 

Eupatorium  purp'ureum  L Aug    2  Sep  17 

Eupatorium  perfoliatum  L Aug  1 1  Oct  15 

SoLiDAGO  SQUARROSA  Muhl Aug  2  7  Oct  15 

SoLiDAGO  juNCEA  Ait Aug  23  Oct  22 

SoLiDAGO  GRAMiNiFOLiA  (L.)  Salisb Aug  2  5  Oct  22 

Aster  macrophyllus  L Aug  31  Oct  19 

Aster  novae-angliae  L Sep     2  Oct  2 1 

Aster  multiflorus  Ait Sep    19  Oct  30 

Aster  puniceus  L Aug  31  Oct  21 

Inula  Helenium  L Aug  11  Oct  25 

Xanthium  spinosum  L Aug    5  Oct  29 

Xanthium  canadense  Mill Sep      1  Oct  16 

Xanthium  echinatum  Murr Aug    2  Oct  2 1 

RuDBECKiA  HiRTA  L Jul    27  Sep  18 

Helianthus  stromosus  L Aug  23  Sep  27 

BiDENS  frondosa  L Aug  3 1  Oct    2 

Bidens  cernua  L Sep      1  Oct  23 

BiDENS  LAEVIS  (L.)  BSP Aug  3 1  Oct  15 

Anthemis  arvensis  L Jun   10  Jul  26 

Tanacetum  vulgare  L Aug  17  Oct  14 

Artemisia  vulgaris  L Aug  22  Sep  29 

Erechtites  hieracifolia  (L.)  Raf Aug  20  Sep  17 

Senecio  vulgaris  L Jul     10  Aug  20 

CiRSiUM  muticum  Michx Aug  31  Sep    2 

Onopordum  Acanthium  L Aug  23  Oct    9 

Centaurea  Cyanus  L Aug    1  Aug  25 

Cnicus  benedictus  L Aug  15  Oct     1 

Lapsana  communis  L Jul     1 5  Aug  13 

Tragopogon  pratensis  L Jun    4  Jul   1 5 

Lactuca  scariola  L Aug    1  Aug  31 


158  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [March 


CANADIAN  ANTHROPOLOGY  AT  THE  WASHINGTON 

MEETINGS. 


By  Harlan  I.  Smith,  Geological  Survey,  Canada. 


The  19th  International  Congress  of  Americanists  met  in 
Washington  from  December  27th  to  31st,  1915,  in  afhliation 
with  the  American  Anthropological  Association,  the  American 
Folk-lore  Society,  Section  I  of  the  "Pan-American  Scientific 
Congress,"  the  American  Historical  Association,  and  the  Archaeo- 
logical Institute  of  America.  The  meetings  were  chiefly  held 
in  the  large  auditorium  of  the  United  States  National  Museum, 
but  branch  ineetings  were  held  in  one  of  the  small  lecture  halls, 
and  one  session  was  held  at  Georgetown  University,  followed 
by  a  demonstration  of  Rare  Americana  and  other  objects,  and 
a  reception  under  the  auspices  of  the  University. 

The  programme  was  unusually  full,  so  that  it  is  possible  here 
to  refer  only  to  the  titles  of  papers  relating  to  Canada,  or  on 
general  subjects  touching  Canadian  problems,  and  to  indicate 
the  part  taken  in  the  meetings  by  Canadian  representatives. 

"The  Culture  of  a  Prehistoric  Iroquoian  Site  in  Eastern 
Ontario,"  was  presented  by  W.  J.  Wintemberg,  of  the  Geolo- 
gical Survey  of  Canada. 

"Archaeological  Work  in  Northern  Nova  Scotia,"  illus- 
trated with  slides;  and  "Remarkable  Stone  Sculptures  from 
Yale,  B.C.,"  illustrated  with  slides,  were  presented  by  Harlan 
I.  Smith,  Geological  Survey  of  Canada. 

"The  Beaver  Indians"  were  described  by  Dr.  Pliny  Earle 
Goddard,  Ctirator  of  Ethnology,  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History,  New  York. 

"Earl}^  Jesuit  Missions  in  North  America"  was  the  sub- 
ject of  a  paper  by  Rev.  John  O'Cono",  F.X.,  S.J. 

"Le  verbe  dans  les  adjectives  et  les  adverbs  Portetu's" 
was  the  title  of  a  paper  presented  by  Father  A.  G.  Morice,  O.M  .1., 
St.  Boniface,  Manitoba. 

"The  League  of  the  Iroquois"  was  described  by  Mr.  J.  N. 
B.   Hewitt,   Bureau  of  American  Ethnology. 

"Preliminary  Remarks  on  the  Skeletal  Material  collected 
by  the  Jesup  Expedition,  especially  on  the  Pacific  Coast  of 
Canada,"  were  made  by  Dr.  Bruno  Oetteking,  American  Museum 
of  Natural  History. 

"Terms  of  Relationship  and  the  Levirate"  were  discussed 
by  Dr.  E.  Sapir,  Geological  Survey  of  Canada. 

"A  critique  on  The  Diffusion  of  Culture,"  and  a  paper  on 
"Totemic   Complexes  in   North  America,"   were  given  b}^   Dr. 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  159 

A.  A.  Goldenweiser,  Instructor  in  Anthropology,  Columbia  Uni- 
versity,  New  York  City. 

"  Chronological  Relations  of  Coastal  Algonkin  Culture" 
were  discussed  by  Alanson  Skinner,  American  Museum  of 
Natural  History. 

"The  Huron- Wyandot  Clans,"  and  "The  Growth  of  the 
Tsimshian  Phratries,"  were  the  subjects  given  by  Mr.  C.  M. 
Barbeau,  Geological  Survey  of  Canada. 

"Herb  Medicine  Practices  of  the  North-eastern  Algonkins" 
were  discussed  by  Dr.  Frank  G.  Speck,  Assistant  Professor  of 
Anthropology,  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

"  Tribes  of  the  Pacific  Coast"  were  described  by  Dr.  A.  L. 
Kroeber,  Associate  Professor  of  Anthropology,  University  of 
California. 

"Cayuga  Ownership  of  New  York  Land"  was  the  subject 
of  a  paper  presented  by -Miss  Grace  Ellis  Taft. 

"Recent  Developments  in  the  Study  of  Indian  Music" 
were  discussed  by  Miss  Franc:  s  Densmore,  Special  Investigator 
in  Indian  Music  for  the  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology. 

"Pictures  of  the  Eskimo  Culture  near  Cape  Farewell, 
South  Greenland,"  illustrated  with  shdes,  was  the  title  of  a 
paper  given  by  Wilham  Thalbitzer,   Copenhagen,   Denmark. 

"Comparative  Study  of  Pawnee  and  Blackfoot  Rituals" 
was  the  subject  of  a  paper  sent  by  Dr.  Clark  Wissler,  Curator 
of  Anthropology,  American  Museum  of  Natural  History. 

The  Aleutian  Language  was  compared  with  the  Green- 
landic  by  William  Thalbitzer,  Copenhagen,  Denmark. 

"Prehistoric  Sites  in  the  State  of  Maine"  were  described 
b}^  Warren  K.  Moorehead,  Curator,  Department  of  Archaeo- 
logy, Phillips  Academy. 

"La  Vinland — sa  localisation  probable,"  was  the  title  of 
a  paper  read  by  Alphonse  Gagnon,  Secretary,  Department  of 
Public  Works  and  Labor,  Quebec  Provincial  Government. 

"Indications  of  Visits  of  White  Men  to  America  before 
Columbtis,"  illustrated  with  shdes,  was  discussed  by  Wilham 
H.   Babcock. 

Rev.  A.  G.  Morice,  O.M.I.,  St.  Boniface,  Manitoba,  Harlan 
I.  Smith,  Geological  Survey  of  Canada,  M.  Alphonse  Gagnon, 
of  Quebec,  and  Dr.  Edward  Sapir,  Geological  Survey  of  Can- 
ada, each  acted  as  secretary  for  a  session  of  the  meetings, 

On  Wednesday  e'  ening  a  reception  was  gi-en  by  the  re- 
gents and  sec  etary  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  to  the  Con- 
gress of  Americanists  and  afhliated  societies  at  the  United 
States  National  Museum,  and  on  Thursday  e\  ening  a  dinner 
was  tendered  to  the  members  of  the  Congress  by  the  organizing 
committee  and  local  members  of  the  Congress  at  the  Cosmos  Club. 


160  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [March 

Special  exhibits  in  the  United  States  National  Museum  had 
been  prepared  for  the  meetings.  Twenty-four  busts  repre- 
senting distinguished  individual  Indians,  from  delegations  sent 
by  various  tribes  to  Washington,  were  exhibited  as  examples 
of  accurate  and  permanent  records  of  the  normal  types  of  In- 
dians. Another  exhibit  showed  three  varieties  of  artificial 
skull  deformation  practised  in  America.  Tattooing  was  also 
shown.  It  will  be  remembered  that  both  skull  deformations 
and  tattooing  are  found  among  the  Indians  of  the  Pacific  Coast 
of  Canada.  An  archaeological  exhibit  of  economic  plants  and 
plant  products  of  prehistoric  America  was  made  by  W.  E.  Staf- 
ford, Economic  Botanist  of  the  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture.  This  included  specimens  of  corn,  bean's  and 
squash  seeds,  similar  to  those  found  in  the  archaeological  Iro- 
quoian  site  at  Roebuck,  Ontario,  recejitly  explored  by  the  Geo- 
logical Survey. 


BOOK  NOTICE. 


Forest  Protection  in  Canada. 


The  Commission  of  Conservation  has  just  issued  a  report 
on  "Forest  Protection  in  Canada,  1913-1914,"  which  is  of  par- 
ticular interest.  It  contains  much  information  respecting  the 
work  of  the  provincial  forest  services  and  of  the  federal  depart- 
ments intrusted  with  the  care  of  our  forests. 

Forest  fire  protection  is  assuming  a  large  place  in  public 
attention.  It  is  obvious  that,  if  Canada  is  to  continue  as  a 
wood-producing  country,  she  must  .conserve  her  resources  of 
this  natural  product.  The  report  treats  exhaustively  of  the 
fire  protection  of  forest  lands  along  railway  rights-of-way. 
Through  co-operative  action,  great  headway  has  been  made  in 
securing  the  reduction  of  forest  losses  through  fires  traceable 
to  railway  causes. 

The  forests  of  British  Columbia  and  on  Dominion  lands 
in  the  west  have  been  dealt  with  in  reports  containing  the  re- 
sults of  special  studies  conducted  by  Dr.  C.  D.  Howe  and  Mr. 
J.  H.  White.  The  Trent  watershed  in  Ontario  has  also  received 
especial  attention,  in  a  report  of  an  investigation  by  Dr.  C.  D. 
Howe,  in  the  townships  of  Burleigh  and  Methuen.  This  dis 
trict  is  important  in  that,  while  of  yery  little  value  as  an  agri- 
cultural area,  it  is  being  repeatedly  overrun  by  forest  fires,  and 
the  little  remaining  merchantable  timber  destroyed.  It  is  sug- 
gested that  the  area  be  placed  under  the  control  of  the  Dominion 
Forestry  Branch  for  protection  from  fires  and  for  reforestation. 


•I 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  161 

THE  USE  OF  ORNAMENTAL  TREES  AND  SHRUBS.* 


By  W.  T.  Macoun,  Dominion  Horticulturist. 


The  extensive  forests  of  Canada  are  rapidly  disappearing 
through  the  inroads  made  upon  them  by  the  axe  and  by  fire, 
but  one  may  yet  see  some  fine  woodlands  and  some  magnif- 
icent specimens  of  the  stately  and  attractive  trees  with  which 
the  Dominion  is  blessed  in  great  variety.  These  have  their 
economic  valvie,  but  they  have  a  sentimental  and  an  orna- 
mental value  as  well,  a  value  which  comes  from  the  part  they 
play  in  a  beatitiful  landscape,  either  when  growing  together 
as  in  a  forest,  or  when,  as  individual  specimens,  their  attractive 
outlines  are  fully  revealed.  All  who  love  trees  should  see  to 
it  that  our  native  species  are  preserved  wherever  possible,  and 
that  areas  of  natural  woodland  near  our  cities  and  towns  should 
be  guarded  well. 

The  value  of  the  delightful  and  cooling  shade  of  a  tree 
in  a  hot  summer  day  is  not  to  be  measured  in  dollars  and  cents. 
The  contrast  between  a  street  having  attractive  shade  trees 
and  one  without  any  is  very  great.  Well  planted  home  grounds, 
with  trees  and  shrubs  judiciously  and  pleasingly  placed,  how 
attractive  they  are  ! 

There  is  great  satisfaction  in  a  well  kept  hedge,  giving  a 
trim  but  attractive  boundary  to  the  lawn  or  the  garden,  or 
screening  unattractive  objects  beyond;  and  again,  the  home- 
like and  softened  effect  of  a  vineclad  house,  how  much  we 
admire  it! 

In  Canada  the  use  of  ornamental  trees  and  shrubs  is  not 
at  all  general,  although  the  abuse  of  them  has  been  very  great. 
In  the  country  where  the  opportunities  for  beautifying  the 
home  grounds  are  abundant,  very  little  is  done,  and  the  far- 
mers' homes,  in  the  great  majority  of  cases,  are  most  unattrac- 
tive places  indeed.  Our  cities,  towns  and  villages  are,  in  many 
cases,  little  better,  except  in  limited  areas,  the  unattractive 
dwelling  houses  being  unrelieved  by  shade  trees  on  the  streets, 
or  by  ornamental  trees  and  shrubs  on  the  private  grounds. 
All  the  native  trees  and  shrubs  have,  in  many  places,  dis- 
appeared, the  natural  beauty  has  gone,  and  instead  there  are 
houses  with  hard  and  ugly  outlines. 

In  1908,  the  Ottawa  Horticultural  Society  offered  to  supply 
ornamental  shrubs  and  vines  free  to  residents  on  some  of  the 


♦Synopsis  of  lecture  befure  O.F.N.  Club,  January  25,  1916. 


162  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [March 

most  unattractive  streets  in  Ottawa,  and  to  plant  them  as 
well.  Circulars  to  this  effect  were  sent  to  every  resident,  but 
the  movement  was  not  popular,  the  people  did  not  wish  the 
planting  done,  the  main  reason  given  being  that  if  their  places 
were  made  more  attractive  the  assessment  would  be  raised, 
and  if  the  assessment  were  raised  the  rent  would  be  raised. 
Whether  their  fears  were  well  grounded  or  not  we  do  not  know. 
The  shrubs  and  vines  were  planted,  but  planted  about  public 
buildings  in  Ottawa,  not  private  residences.  There  are  some 
well  planted  private  places  in  Ottawa,  but  not  nearly  as  many 
as  there  might  be. 

In  1909,  a  by-law  was  prepared  by  the  Ottawa  Horticul- 
tural Society  and  submitted  to  the  City  Hall,  by  which  tree 
planting  and  tree  mutilation  were  to  be  regulated  through  a 
Tree  Inspector,  under  the  City  Engineer.  The  planting  of 
certain  kinds  of  trees  was  to  be  prohibited,  the  distance  apart 
of  the  trees  was  to  be  limited,  and  there  were  many  other 
good  features  of  the  proposed  by-law.  It  was,  however,  not 
passed. 

When  will  there  be  greater  uniformity  in  the  planting  of 
shade  trees  on  the  streets  of  Ottawa?  At  present  anyone 
plants  what  he  pleases,  and  there  may  be  a  hundred  kinds  of 
trees  on  one  street  for  all  that  is  done  to  prevent  it.  Ottawa 
has  much  to  learn  from  some  of  the  prairie  towns  in  this  re- 
pect.  There  the  city,  not  the  individual,  plants  the  trees,  and 
plants  a  whole  street  with  one  or  two  kinds,  with  the  result 
that  instead  of  a  himdred  species,  more  or  less,  of  trees  of  all 
ages,  there  is  uniformity,  with  a  much  more  pleasing  effect. 

As  an  example,  take  Clemow  Avenue,  where  the  uniformity 
of  the  avenue  of  elms  is  most  pleasing,  although  later  on  they 
will  be  much  too  close  for  best  effect,  unless  thinned.  What 
an  improvement  this  is  over  the  planting  on  many  of  the  streets 
of  Ottawa! 

A  Civic  Improvement  League  for  Canada  was  recently 
organized,  and  no  doubt,  some  day  before  long  we  shall  have 
a  branch  in  Ottawa.  It  can  do  good  work  by  getting  an  im- 
proved by-law  under  which  our  trees  shall  be  properly  planted 
and  cared  for.  Ottawa,  as  the  capital  of  the  Dominion,  should 
be  the  most  beautiful  city  in  Canada,  and  soine  day  it  may  be. 
Much  has  been  done  to  make  it  attractive,  but  much  remains 
to  be  done.  The  fact  that  it  is  situated  where  the  climat^'is 
rather  cold  does  not  prevent  the  use  of  many  attractive  orna- 
mental trees  and  shrubs,  and  few  cities  in  America  are  so 
fortunate  as  to  have  in  their  vicinity  such  a  collection  of  trees 
and  shrubs  as  is  to  be  found  at  the  Experimental  Farm,  where 
their  merits  may  be  studied  before  planting  is  done  in  the  city. 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  163 

About  3,000  species  and  varieties  of  trees  and  shrubs  may  be 
grown  at  Ottawa. 

For  street  planting,  the  Sugar  Maple,  (Acer  saccharum), 
and  the  American  Elm  (Ulmus  aniericana),  are  two  of  the  best 
trees.  The  maple  has  not  the  graceful  outlines  of  the  elm, 
but  as  a  shade  tree  is  very  desirable.  It  grows  rapidly,  does 
not  split  or  break  easily,  and  the  foliage  is  handsome  in  summer 
and  very  attractive  in  autumn.  It  is  not,  as  a  rule,  much 
affected  by  insects  or  disease. 

The  American  elm  is  particularly  suitable  for  wide  streets 
and  in  front  of  public  buildings,  and  has  an  advantage  over 
the  Sugar  Maple  in  that  it  can  be  pruned  up  quite  high,  with- 
out inaking  the  tree  less  attractive,  but  rather  improving  its 
appearance ;  whereas  in  the  case  of  the  Sugar  Maple  it  inakes 
the  tree  much  less  attractive  if  it  is  pruned  very  high.  The 
elm  is,  however,  more  subject  to  injurious  insects  than  the 
maple,  and  the  fall  web  worm  often  renders  the  tree  very  un- 
sightly. 

Among  the  trees  which  might  be  used  as  a  street  tree 
more  than  it  is,  is  the  Red  Oak  (Quercus  rubra).  This  is  a 
rapid  growing  tree,  not  a  slow  grower,  as  many  suppose.  The 
glossy  foliage  is  quite  attractive  in  summer,  and  it  takes  on 
very  pleasing  shades  in  autumn.  The  foliage  remains  on  the 
trees  longer  than  that  the  Sugar  Maple  and  much  longer  than 
that  the  elm. 

Some  of  the  best  ornamental  trees  are  among  the  native 
evergreens.  The  White  Pine  (Pimis  Strohus), is  the  most  de- 
sirable pine  for  ornamental  purposes.  It  is  more  graceful  than 
most  other  pines,  and  the  foliage  is  a  pleasing  shade  of  green. 
The  Yellow  or  Bull  Pine  (Pinus  Ponderosa),  of  British  Col- 
umbia, is  a  very  stately  species,  succeeding  well  at  Ottawa. 

Douglas  Fir  (Pseudotsuga  Douglasn),  the  big  tree  of  Bri- 
tish Coluinbia,  after  twenty-five  years'  growth  at  Ottawa,  pro- 
mises to  continue  to  do  well,  and  is  a  very  attractive  tree. 

Englemann's  Spruce  (Picea  Englemanm) ,  a  native  of  the 
Canadian  Rocky  Mountains  and  Selkirk  Mountains,  is  a  beauti- 
ful tree,  and  has  thriven  well  at  Ottawa.  While  not  as  blue  in 
colour  as  the  Blue  Spruce  (Picea  pungens),  it  has  softer  foliage 
and  is  of  a  different  shape.  Those  who  have  grown  the  Blue 
Spruce  longest  find  that  when  the  tree  gets  to  be  twenty-five 
or  thirty,  or  perhaps  more,  years  of  age,  the  branches  die  at 
the  bottom,  even  when  the  tree  itself  is  in  the  open.  This  is 
due  to  the  fact  that  the  growth  is  stronger  part  way  up  than 
it  is  at  the  base,  and  the  branches  at  the  base  eventually  die. 
The  Englemann's  Spruce,  on  the  other  hand,  remains  broadest 
at  the  base. 


164  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [March 

The  White  Spruce  (Picea  canadensis) ,  formerly  P.  alba, 
makes  a  fine  ornamental  tree,  but,  unfortunately,  it  has,  in 
recent  years,  been  badly  affected  with  the  Spruce  Gall  louse, 
which  disfigures  it  very  much.  While  young,  or  up  to  perhaps 
thirty  years,  the  Norway  Spruce  {Picea  excelsa),  is  one  of  the 
inost  attractive  evergreens,  and  is  a  very  rapid  grower,  but  it 
gets  ragged  looking  as  it  grows  older. 


THE   FIRE  AND  THE  MUSEUM  AT  OTTAWA. 


By  Harlan  I.  Smith,  Geological  Survey,  Ottawa. 


The  Museum  of  the  Geological  Survey,  Ottawa,  is  to- 
Canada  practically  what  the  National  Museum  is  to  the  United 
States  and  the  British  Museum  to  the  United  Kingdom.  This 
museum  has  been  greatly  affected  by  the  fire  which,  beghming 
about  9  p.m.,  February  3,  1916,  destroyed  the  Dominion  Par- 
liament building,  and  caused  the  loss  of  several  lives.  Before 
2  a.m.,  February  4,  while  the  flames  were  still  spreading,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Cabinet  was  considering  the  use  of  the  large  audi- 
torium in  the  Victoria  Memorial  Museum  building  as  possibly 
a  suitable  place  for  the  meetings  of  the  House  of  Commons, 
and  members  of  the  Geological  Survey  were  holding  themselves 
in  readiness  to  clear  any  of  the  other  space  necessary. 

The  Geological  Survey  occupied  practically  all  the  building 
except  the  three  and  a  half  floors  in  the  east  wing  and  an 
office  which  was  used  by  the  National  Gallery.  Each  hall  and 
wing  is  practically  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  long  by  sixty 
feet  wide. 

About  ten  a.m.,  February  4th,  the  morning  of  the  fire, 
the  Survey  staff  was  informed  of  the  intended  use  of  the  biiild- 
ing  as  a  temporary  home  for  the  Dominion  Parliament.  The 
large  auditorium  with  its  gallery,  which  was  only  partially 
furnished  and  had  been  but  little  used  for  lectures,  was  immedia- 
tely released  from  museum  uses,  and  prepared  by  the  Depart- 
ment of  Public  Works,  so  that  the  House  of  Commons  was 
enabled  to  begin  its  session  at  3  p.m,  or  in  less  than  twenty 
hours  after  its  deliberations  had  been  disturbed  by  the  fire. 
The  throne  used  by  the  Governor-General  in  the  privy  council 
room,  which  was  rescued  from  the  fire,  served  for  the  Speaker 
of  the  House  of  Commons.  A  press  gallery  was  built  back  of 
the  Speaker. 


1916]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  165 

The  west  hall  was  occupied  by  the  tentative  exhibit  of 
minerals.  This  exhibit  was  packed  and  removed  in  six  hours, 
or  by  4  p.m.,  Friday,  which  was  less  than  twenty  hours  after 
the  fire  began.  The  costly  cases  in  which  these  minerals  were 
exhibited  had  meanwhile  been  taken  apart  and  placed  in  stor- 
age.    Rooms  for  the  members  of  the  Senate  were  made  here. 

The  west  wing,  which  was  being  prepared  for  geological 
and  mineralogical  exhibits,  was  cleared  before  Monday  noon. 
The  Senate  met  at  8  p.m.  on  Tuesday  in  this  new  chamber, 
which  had  been  vacated  by  the  museum  within  seventy-five 
hours  after  it  became  known  that  the  Senate  would  meet  in  the 
musevim. 

The  east  hall,  with  invertebrate  palaeontological  exhibits, 
similar  in  size  to  the  other  exhibition  halls,  contained  thou- 
sands of  small  and  delicate  specimens.  These  were  all  care- 
fully wrapped,  packed  and  taken  away.  Forty  hours  after  the 
beginning  of  the  fire,  all  the  museum  specimens  and  cases 
had  been  moved  from  this  part  of  the  building,  which  was 
made  into  offices  for  the  members  of  the  House  of  Commons. 

Of  the  east  wing,  containing  tentative  vertebrate  palaeon- 
tological exhibits,  three-quarters  were  cleared,  and  these  ex- 
hibits were  stored,  with  those  of  the' other  quarters,  along  the 
walls  of  the  southern  half  of  the  hall.  This  clearing  involved 
not  only  the  moving  of  small  exhibits  in  cases,  but  also  of  such 
heavy  fragile  specimens  as  the  titanotherium  and  the  skulls 
of  dinosaurs  and  mammoths,  yet  it  was  all  done  within  two 
hours  after  this  notification,  that  is  by  noon,  or  in  less  than 
twenty  hours  from  the  time  that  the  fire  broke  out. 

The  ethnological  specimens  were  taken  out  of  the  tower 
hall,  which  was  then  fitted  up  and  used  before  Friday  noon  as 
a  newspaper  library  corresponding  to  the  one  where  the  fire 
originated. 

Before  noon,  that  is  within  less  than  two  hours  after  notice, 
the  tentative  exhibit  of  Canadian  archaeology,  in  seventeen 
cases,  covering  three-quarters  of  the  west  hall,  was  cleared  of 
specimens  and  cases,  while  the  tables  upon  which  the  cases 
stood  were  left  for  the  use  of  the  members  of  parliament.  The 
specimens  were  transferred  to  sixty-eight  trays  and  stored  in 
the  archaeological  laboratory  in  the  basement.  Meanwhile  the 
remaining  quarter  of  the  hall  had  been  cleared  of  a  tentative 
exhibit  of  entomology  in  four  cases.  In  this  hall  a  place  for 
the  press  gallery  staff  to  work,  various  offices  for  members  of 
the  Senate,  and  offices  for  the  Hansard  staff,  which  records  the 
deliberations  of  the  House,  were  made  ready  before  Monday 
noon. 


166  The  Ottawa  Naturalist,  [March 

The  exhibits  in  the  permanent  anthropological  hall  were 
left  intact.  Besides  the  exhibits  the  archaeological  specimens 
in  storage  tinder  the  exhibition  cases  were  also  undisturbed. 
The  ethnological  exhibits  which  are  of  specimens  from  the 
Eskimo,  the  Indians  of  the  north-west  coast  of  America,  and 
the  Algonquian  and  Iroquoian  Indians  of  the  eastern  woodlands, 
were  undisturbed.  The  aisles  in  this  hall,  however,  were  used 
for  storing  furnishings  and  speciinens  from  various  other  de- 
partments, and  for  office  space  for  the  ethnologists. 

The  zoological  hall,  similar  in  size  to  the  others,  was  cleared 
by  Sunday  noon.  This  necessitated  the  taking  apart  of  splen- 
did large  group  cases,  and  the  dismantling  of  groups  of  seals, 
mountain  goat,  mountain  sheep,  musk  oxen,  and  various  other 
exhibits,  and  the  removal  to  storage  in  the  ai?les  of  the  anthro- 
pological hall  cases,  containing  exhibits  of  mammals,  birds  and 
reptiles.  The  space  was  divided  into  offices  for  the  members  of 
the  House  of  Commons. 

The  offices  on  the  second  floor  were  promptly  vacated  with 
the  exception  of  two,  that  of  the  curator  and  mineralogist  and 
that  of  the  vertebrate  palaeontologist.  The  invertebrate  pal- 
aeontological  offices  were  moved  to  the  third  floor.  The  archaeo- 
logical office  was  moved  fo  smaller  space  in  the  entomological 
laboratory  on  the  third  floor,  all  specimens  being  taken  to  the 
laboratory.  The  known  loss  to  archaeological  specimens  caused 
by  the  move  from  both  office  and  tentative  exhibition  is  negli- 
gible, the  damage  being  less  than  one  dollar.  Work  on  mono- 
graphs will  be  hampered  for  lack  of  space  to  spread  out  the 
material  for  study,  but  every  specimen  is  still  available,  on  per- 
manent exhibition,  in  storage  under  the  exhibits,  or  in  the 
laboratory,  where  aisles  allowing  for  the  free  passage  of  trays 
are  maintained,  though  the  storage  reaches  the  ceiling  in  most 
of  the  remaining  space.  The  ethnological  office  was  moved 
into  the  south  end  of  the  anthropological  exhibition  hall,  and 
the  botanical  office  was  moved  into  the  botanical  herbarium  on 
the  third  floor.  The  library  was  not  disturbed.  The  vacated 
rooms  were  at  once  occupied,  chiefly  by  the  Cabinet  and  other 
members  of  the  House  of  Commons. 

The  offices,  drafting  room,  workshops,  and  storage  on  the 
third  floor,  were  mostly  retained,  but  the  little  lecture  hall  was 
released.  The  lectures  in  course  were  postponed  indefinitely. 
The  zoological  study  material  and  the  herbarium  were  undis- 
turbed. The  physical  anthropological  office  was  concentrated 
into  about  half  its  former  space,  and  an  ethnological  storage 
room  was  vacated. 

In  the  basement  the  workshops  and  laboratories  were  mostly 


March]  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  1 67 

retained,  as  were  the  taxidermist  department,  the  laboratory  of 
vertebrate  palaeontology,  the  photographic  department,  and 
half  a  hall  devoted  to  the  workshop  of  the  National  Gallery. 
Some  work  rooms  were  vacated,  however,  and  the  distribution 
ofifices,  with  their  vast  store  of  publications  and  maps,  were 
moved  to  another  part  of  the  city. 

Of  about  a  hundred  and  forty  members  of  the  Survey  staff, 
over  seventy  moved  about  a  mile  to  a  series  of  buildings  recently 
taken  over  by  the  Government  on  the  north  side  of  Wellington 
Street,  between  Bank  and  Kent  streets,  while  some  sixty  of 
those  most  intimately  connected  with  museum  work  retained 
room  in  the  Victoria  Memorial  Museum  building.  In  this  work 
of  moving,  militia  motor  lories  were  pressed  into  service,  as  well 
as  sleighs  and  other  transports,  and  the  office  furnishings  and 
working  specimens  went  out  at  the  rate  of  sixty  loads  in  one 
day. 

His  Royal  Highness,  the  Governor-General,  inspected  the 
House  of  Commons  and  the  other  parts  of  the  Victoria  Memorial 
Museum  building  turned  over  for  the  use  of  Parliament,  at 
eleven  a.m.  on  Monday,  less  than  eighty-seven  hours  after  the 
fire  began,  or  less  than  seventy-four  hours  after  the  museum 
authorities  were  notified  of  need  for  the  space. 

The  Museum  retains  intact  only  one  and  a  quarter  of  the 
exhibition  halls,  namely,  the  anthropological  hall  and  part  of 
the  hall  of  vertebrate  palaeontology. 

A  sample  museum,  by  means  of  which  to  advance  museum 
interests  in  the  Dominion,  has  been  begun  in  the  anthropo- 
logical hall.  The  archaeological  and  ethnological  exhibits  are 
are  intact,  some  of  the  best  zoological  exhibition  cases  of  birds, 
reptiles  and  insects,  have  been  placed  in  the  wider  aisles  where 
they  may  be  viewed;  while  mounted  mammals  and  skeletons 
of  various  animals  have  also  been  placed  in  the  aisles  and  on 
top  of  the  cases. 

On  the  whole,  the  scientific  work  of  the  museum  may  go 
on  practically  unhampered.  The  lecture  work  is  being  carried 
on  in  other  auditoriums.  The  exhibitions  eventually  may  be 
facilitated  by  the  present  apparent  set  back,  as  the  museum 
staff  is  undiscouraged,  and  the  members  of  parliament,  who 
are  now  in  daily  proximity  to  the  exhibits,  and  constantly 
meeting  museum  workers,  may  become  so  interested  that  they 
will  provide  future  facilities  for  museum  work  in  the  Victoria 
Memorial  Museum  building,  or  in  a  building  even  better  adapted 
for  museum  purposes.  Besides  this  they  may  carry  home  to 
all  parts  of  the  Dominion  inspiration  to  establish  useful  museums 
and  to  improve  those  already  in  existence. 


168  The  Ottawa  Naturalist.  [March 


F>:COURAGE  THE  BIRDS— WHAT  BROCKVILLE  IS 

DOING. 


An  interesting  movement  is  now  under  way  in  Brockville, 
Ont.,  for  the  protection  and  encouragement  of  birds.  Definite 
plans,  under  the  co-operation  of  the  various  educational  insti- 
tutions, were  decided  upon  at  a  large  meeting  held  on  March 
24,  1916,  on  which  occasion  Dr.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt,  Dominion 
Entomologist,  of  Ottawa,  gave  an  illustrated  address. 

The  movement  promises  much  success,  and  the  committee 
in  charge  will,  it  is  hoped,  reach  their  goal,  namely,  the  making 
of  Brockville  a  city  of  song  birds.  Every  Brockville  boy  is 
invited  to  make  a  bird  box  to  exhibit  at  an  exhibition  of  bird 
houses  to  be  held  on  April  28  and  29.  Special  prizes  will  be 
awarded  for: — 

1.  The  best  house  from  the  standpoint  of  workmanship. 

2.  The  best  bird  house. 

3.  The  most  artistic  bird  house. 

4.  The  most  unique  idea  in  a  bird  house. 

5.  The  first  house  to  have  a  bird  build  in  it. 

6.  The  boy  taking  the  best  picture  of  a  bird  house  after 

it  is  placed  for  the  season. 

7.  The  best  picture  of  a  bird  on  or  near  a  bird  house  made 

this   year,   both   bird   and    house  to   appear  in   the 
picture. 

8.  The  best  picture  of  a  song  bird  in  Brockville. 

The  committee  in  charge  of  the  campaign,  namely,  Mr. 
W.  A.  Remmer,  Principal  of  Public  Schools;  Mr.  G.  E.  Cox, 
Instructor  of  Manual  Training,  and  Mr.  W.  H.  Wood,  Secretary 
Community  Work,  are  to  be  congratulated  on  the  successful 
commencement  of  their  undertaking.  It  is  hoped  that  the  boys 
of  Brockville  will  do  their  part,  and  thus  lead  the  way  for  simi- 
lar campaigns  in  other  cities.  The  subject  of  bird  encourage- 
ment is  one  which  is  gradually  receiving  more  attention  from 
the  general  public.  Outside  of  the  economic  value  of  many 
of  our  wild  birds,  their  very  presence  in  our  cities  is  pleasing 
to  most  of  us,  and  in  inviting  them  to  stay  with  us,  the  popular 
form  of  invitation  is  the  placing  of  suitable  nesting  boxes  in 
!»ur  trees. 


INDEX 

TO 
THE  OTTAWA    NATURALIST,  VOL.  XXIX.,  1915-16 


PAGE 

Addas  pis 136,  137 

Actinolito 66 

Adiantnm  pcdaUini 128 

^shnidae  of  Quebec  Province.. .  67 
"  Agelacri  "'it'^s,"  revision  of  the 

Canadian  species 53 

Agrionidse  of  Quebec  Province.. .  66 

Agraulos  ceticephaliis 41 

"          saratogcnsis 43 

Anthropology,  Canadian,  at  the 

-    Washington  Meetings 158 

A}icyropygc 138 

Arionclliis  ceticephaliis 43 

Asplenium    acrostichnidcs 128 

"               ani^nstifoliiim.  .  .  .  .  128 

"              jelix-fcynina 128 

'■              platyneiiron 128 

"              riiti-murariaf 129 

triclumancs 128 

viride 128 

Aspidiuni       bi^otii 129 

"               cristJtiim 129 

"              felix-mas 129 

"              fragrans 128 

"              gjldianum 129 

"               marginale 129 

"              novchoracense  128 

"              spinidosutn 129 

"     •         thelypteris 128 

Baffin  Land,  minerals  from.  ...  63 

Batliyitnis  armatus 39 

Benthopect' n,  notes  on  genus.  .  .    10 

Bequest  to  O.F.N.C 9 

Birds,  protection  of,  around  Ot- 
tawa    7 

Birds  of  Alg.  nquin  Park 145 

Bird  encouragement  at   Broek- 

ville 168 

Bird  Notes  from  Ivlulverhill,  Man  73 

Blue  bird 73 

Botanical  Branch,  meetings  of.  19,  29 

Botrychiitm  hnceolatum 129 

obliquum 129 

"               hinaria 129 

"              ramosiim 129 

"              simplex 129 

.  tcrnalum 129 

vir^inianum 129 

Book  Notices.  .' 77,  116,  160 

Branta  canadensis 73 

Buprestidae  of  Ottawa  district. . .  129 

Burling,  L.  D.,  article  by 87 


PAGE 

Canadian  Fisheries  Museum 99 

Case,       a      cheap,      for      small 

museums 33,  44 

Ceratocephala 136,  137 

Conchological  Notes 51 

Comptosoriis  rhizophyllus 128 

Cordi-irite..  .  .' 65 

Correspondence 43 

Council,   O.F.N.C,  and  Leaders 

at  excursions,  1915-1916 2 

Council,  Report  of,  1914-1915  .  .  7 
Criddle,  Norman,  articles  by..  .94,  99 

Criddle,  Stuart,  note  by 32 

Cry ptogramma  acrostichoides. ...  128 

densa 128 

"   _           sfelleri 128 

Cystopieris    hidbifcra 129 

' '              fragilis 129 

moniana 129 

Deer,  wounded,  mule,  note  on. .  .  32 

Dicraniirus 138 

Dicksonia  piinctilobula 129 

Dragon  Flies  of  Quebec 66 

Diopside 65 

Eddy,   E.  D.,   Report  as  Secre- 
tary, O.F.N.C 12 

Entomological   Society   of   Ont- 
ario, 52nd  annual  meeting  of. .  97 

Ennomos  magnariiis 74 

Excursions,  spring  1915 20 

Fernland,  gleanings  in 105,  125 

Field,  R.  M.,  article  by 37 

Fossil  collecting 117 

Fyles,  Rev.  T.  W.,  article  by  . .  .  66 

Garnet \  .  .  .  64 

Germain,  Bro.,  article  by 129 

Glaphiirus 138 

Goose,  Canada 73 

Graphite 64 

Gum  Damar,  use  of  in  paleohis- 
tology. .- 101 

Hagfish,  curious  egg  of Ill 

Halkett,  Andrew,  article  by  . .  .  .  114 
Hawk,   Swainson's,  some  habits 

of,  in  Manitoba 94 

Herriot,  W.,  article  by 151 

Herring  Gull,  notes  on 89 

Henry,  J.  K.,  article  by 78 

Hudson,  Gee.  H.,    article  by..  .  101 

Jay,  Canada 73 

"Keams,    late   J.    C,  bequest   to 

O.F.N.C,  by  will  of 93 


170 


The  Ottawa  Naturalist. 


[March 


PAGE 

Kallima  paralecta 74 

Kindle,  E.  M.,  article  by 117 

Lariis  argcntatiis 89 

Libellulidae  of  Quebec  Province.  67 

Lcbetodiscus  biUingsi 56 

"              chapmani 58 

"              dicksoni 54 

loriformis 56 

"              inconditus 61 

"              midtihrachiatus . .  .  .  60 

platys 59 

"              yoitngi 58 

Literature  in 'library,  O.F.N.C..68,  79 

Macnamara,  Chas.,  article  by...  69 

Macoun,  W.  T.,  article  by 161 

Members  of  O.F.N.C 3 

Mimicry — some  of  nature's  stra- 

tegems 74 

Minerals  from  Baffin  Lund 63 

Mineral  Occurrences,  Canadian, 

Johnston's  list  of 116 

Morris,  Frank,  articles  by.  .105,  125 

Museums  as  aids  to  Forestry ...  131 
Museum,  Victoria  Memorial,  and 

Parliament  Building  fire 164 

Norman,  E.,  articb  b}' 73 

Odocoileiis  hemionus 32 

Odontopleura 136,  137 

Odontopleuridse,  genera  of 135 

Onoclca  scnsibilis 129 

"          striithiopteris 129 

Ophicalcice ' .-  64 

Ophi'jglossum  vulgatum 129 

Ornithological     Work    in    Can- 
ada  14,  21 

(.hynimda  cinnamomea 129 

"          claytoniana 129 

rcgalis 129 

Paddle  Fish.' 114 

Pellcpa  airopurpuria 128 

Pcrisoriis  canadensis 73 

Pclecypod,    a    new    Ordovician, 

from  Ottawa  district 85 

Phacotomiis  pilcatus  pilcaius..  .  .  73 

Phegoptcris    dryopteris 128 

"              hexagonoficra 128 

polypodioides 128 

' '              robertiana 129 

Phlogo[)ite. 65 

Plethopeltis,  validity  of  genus.  .  37 

PlctJiopchis  armatns 41 

"              saratogensis 41 

Prcmuithcs  mainensis 140 

raccmosa 141 

trifoliata 141 


PAGE 

Ptychoparia  (a)  saratogensis  ....  43 

Poly  podium  vulgare 128 

Polyodon  spat  hula 114 

Poiystichiini  acrostichoides 128 

lonchitis  . .  .  .■ 128 

Prince,  E.  E.,  article  by Ill 

Prizes,  O.F.N.C,  for  collections  20 

Programme  of  lectures 100 

Psithyrus  rupcstris 75 

Ptcris  aquilina 128 

Quartz,  Rose 64 

Raymond,  P.  E.,  articles  by.. 53,  135 

Ro.se,  a  hybrid 78 

Rliytimya  glaiialosa 86 

Rosa  gyninocarpa  x  R.  nutkana..  78 

Saimders,  W.  E..  article  bv 145 

'Seapolite..  .  .  : " 138 

Sc:lopcndritini  vulgare 128 

Seed  maturity  of  Ontario  ])lants  151 

Selenopeltis 138 

Serpentine 64 

Sheep,  evolution  of  the 90 

Sialia  scialis 73 

Sirex  gigas 75 

Smith,  H.  I.,  articles  by 33 

44,  131,  158,  164 

Sphecia  apiformis 75 

Speechly,  H.  M.,  note  by 43 

Spinel 65 

Tavenicr,  P.  A.,  articles  by  14,  21,  48 

Tillet,  B.  C,  articles  by 74,  90 

Totanus  flavipes 73 

"      melanoleuciis 73 

Treasurer's  Report,  1914-1915..  13 
Trees  and  Shrubs,  tise  of  orna- 
mental   161 

Victorin,  Bro.  M.,  article  by..  .  .  140 

Walker,  T.  L.,  articles  by 63,  116 

Water,  Deposition  of  Shallow, 
in  the  Canibrian  of  the  Cana- 
dian Cordillera -.  .  87 

Watson,  [.  F.,  Report  as  Treas., 

O.F.N.C, 13 

Wilds,  the  Dangers  of  our 69 

Wilson,  Alice  E.,  article  bv 85 

Williams,  M.  Y.,  article  by 89 

Woodwardia  virginica 128 

Woodpecker,  Northern    Pileated  73 

Wooodsia  glabella 129 

"          hyperborea 129 

"          oregana. , 129 

' '          ilvensis 129 

"          scopulina 129 

Yellow-legs,  Greater 73 

Lesser., 73 


APRIL,  1915 

VOL.  XXIX,  No.  1 


THE 

OTTAWA 
NATURALIST 


Published  by  The  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists»  Club 


£^ftor: 

ARTHUR    GIBSON, 
Entomological  Branch,  Dbpartmbnt  op  Agriculturb, 
OTTAWA. 

?l«#octate  jBOitore: 

Harlan  I.  Smith,  W.  H.  Harrington,         P.  A.  Taverner, 

Anthropology.  Entomology.  Ornithology. 

M.  O.  Malte,  Ph.  D.  H.  M.  Ami,  D.Sc  L.  M.  Lambe,  F.G.S., 

Botany.  Geology.  Paleeontology. 

Prop.  John  Macoun,  M.A.        Otto  Klotz,  LL.D.         C.  Gordon  Hewitt,  D.Sc- 

Conchology.  Meteorology.  Zoology- 


CONTENTS: 

Council  and  Leaders  at  ExcursionSj  1915-1916        -        .        .        _  2 

List  of  Members        _-,---____  3 

Annual  Report,  1914-1915     - 7 

Treasurer's  Report,  1914-1915  -   •     - 13 

Suggestions  for  Ornithological  W«rk  in  Canada.  By  P.  A.  Taverner  14 

Meeting  of  Botanical  Branch    --------  19 

Spring  Excursions,  1915         -        -         -        -         -         -         -         -20 

Prizes  offered  for  Collections  made  in  1915          -        -        -        _  2O 


The  Rolla  L.  Grain  Co.,  Limited  /%S^ 

ISSUED    MAY    17.   191S  /^ /^^    »^'*V^^^ 


^^ 


EnUnd  at  Ottawa  Post  Offtct  as  stcond  class  matter 


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50,000,000 


The  actual  amount  of  money  accumu- 
lated and  earning  for  you  in  a  Savings 
Account  is  a  very  valuable  resource,  but 
it  does  not  exceed  in  value  the  lifelong 
benefit  you  will  derive  from  the  exercise 
of  such  qualities  as  are  involved  in  the 
building  up  of  the  account. 


DR.   MARK  G.   McELHINNEY 

BOOTH  BLDG.,  OTTAWA 

PHONE  QUEER  SUB 

DeDtlst  to  certain  of  the  cogooscentl. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


CLEAN  AND 
ALWAYS  RELIABLE 


A.  E.  KELLY 

QROOER 


Cor.  Florence  and  Lyon 
Sts.     Phone  Queea  7090 


THE  TOPLEY  COMPANY 


PHOTOGRAPHIC   MATERIAL 
SCIENTIFIC  APPARATUS 


133  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 
THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


The  Rolla   L.   Grain   Co.,    Limited 

Printers,  Bookbinders  and  Loose  Leaf  Manufacturers 

145  Spruce  St.,  Ottawa 


THE  MORTIMER  CO.  LIMITED 

OTTAWA  -  MONTREAL  -  TORONTO  - 

Designers,    Illustrators,   Photo    Engravers,    Printers,    Lithographers 
Bookbinders,  Makers  of  Fine  Catalogues,  Manufacturers 
and  Devisers  of  Loose  Leaf  Systems    ■ 


Business 
Man's 
Lunch 
Full  Course 
Special  60c. 


MURPHY-GAIVIBLE  LilVIITED 

Phone  Queen  6-2-0-1 


Smoking 
Room 
Annexed 
To  Tea 
Room 


Pure  Spring 
Water  used 

in 

Tea  Room 

Kitchen 


Modern  Tea  Room  Distinguished 
for  the  Variety  and  Quality  of 
its  Menues  and  its  Dainty  Service 

Murpiiy- Gamble  Limited 


Pure  Spring 

Water 
served  on 
Tea  Room 

Tables. 


THE  OTTAWA   PAPER   BOX  CO. 


132   QUEEN   STREET 
OTTAWA 


Manufacturers  of  Riker  Specimen  Mounts,  ♦>, 

Natural  History  Specimen  Trays,  Glass  Topped  Boxes, 
Millboard  Mailing  Boxes,  Tubes,  etc. 


C.  A.  OLMSTED  &  SON 

Jewellers     :     Opticians     :     Watchmakers  and  Engravers 


Dealers  in  Fine  Diamonds,  Sterling  Silver, 
Electro  Plated  Ware  and  Rich  Cut  Glass. 


"THE  STORE  OF  MODERATE  PRICES" 
208  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA  Phone  Queen  1430 

E.  R.  WATTS  &  SON,  CANADA  LIMITED 

Microscopes,  Magnifiers  and  other  Naturalists'  Supplies 
Repairs  to  all  instruments  promptly  executed  at  eilber  address 

45  Bank  St.,  Ottawa        -  65  Albert  St..  Winnipeg 

L.  C.  SMITH  &  BROS.  TYPEWRITER 

BUILT  LIKE  A  WATCH 
MOST  POPULAR  TYPEWRITER  TO-DAY 

OTTAWA  TYPEWRITER  CO.  Limited 


Copies  of  back  numbers  of  the  Ottawa  Naturalist 
(15  cents  each)  may  be  had  on  application  to  the 
Librarian,  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club,  Seed  Branch, 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Ottawa. 


WE    DEAL    WtTH     OUR    AOVERTtaEfiS 


James  Hope  &  Sons 


B«okiellen,  Stitioners 
Bookbioders.  Frintert 


61  Sparks  St.  Ottawa 


tlHIS  €S>AC£  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 

THE  EDITOR.  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 
<Eatomoio»iail  Branch.  Dejut.  Age,  OttswA) 


THE    C.  C.   RAY  CO.  Lt<t 

■■•T  r^C\   A    T  LOWBtT 

goALiTT     K^\JX\M.^      nicm 
58  SPARKS  ST.    jH    PMDe(}aeei4fl 

li' TORONTO  GENERAL  TRUSTS 

CORPOI^ATION. 


CAPITAL 

RESERVE 


$1,000,000 
1.600.000 


SitcctMfal  adminlitrati*!!  of  ESTATBI 
rangInK  In  rain*  from  MOO  to  Sl.OOO.OOt 
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JAMES   OAVEY,  Maaager 

Ottawa  Branch: 

Cor.    SPARKS  end  ELGIN     STS. 

J.G.BUTTERWORTH&Co. 

ALL-RAIL    SCRANTON    COAL 
HAS    NO    BQUAL 

86  SPARKS  STREET,  OTTAWA 

WARD'S  NAT.  SCIENCE 
ESTABLISHMENT 

ROCHESTER,  K.  Y. 
Successors  to  the 

American  Entomological  Company 
of  Brooklyn 

We  have  the  largest  stock  of  insects  of 
any  dealer  in  this  country.  We  make  a 
specialty  of  collections  and  life  histories  of 
insects  of  economic  importance. 

Sole  manufacturers  of  the  genuine  Schmitt 
Insect  Boxes,  cases  and  cabinets,  also  of  the 
American  Entomological  Company's  Insect 
Pins. 

Supply  Catalogue  No.  30.  Life  history 
circular  No.  126  and  many  others  free  upon 
request. 


MULHALL  HARDWARE  LTD. 


R.  McQIFFIN 

MEN'S  FINE  FURNISHINGS 

(  76  RldMU  St. 
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THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


THE    SMIIH   PREMIER    AND 
REMINGTON  TTPfWRIIERS 

The  Wor4d*s  Two   Best  Typewriters 

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^be  ©ttawa  ]riel^-»1Raturali0t0'  Club. 

patron: 

HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS  THE  DUKE  OF  CONNAUGHT, 

GOVERNOR-GENERAL    OF    CANADA. 

Council  19 15- 16 

ptesiOent  t 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 


Mr.  H.  I.  Smith. 


\Ptce«1Prt6iDentd  t 

Dr.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt. 


Secretary ; 

Mr.  G.  O.  McMillan,  M.A. 

BDitot: 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 

(Entomological  Branch, 

Dept.  of  Agriculture) 

Dr.  M.  Y.  WiUiams. 
Mr.  Andrew  Halkett. 
Mr.  P.  A.  Tavemer. 
Mr.  L.  H.  Newman. 
Dr.  M.  O.  Malte. 


Zxeumtct : 

Mr.  G.  LeLacheur,  B.S.A. 

Xibtarian : 

Mr.  J.  R.  Fryer,  B.A. 
(Seed  Branch,  Dept. 
of  Agriculture) 

Mr.  J.  R.  Dymond,  B.A. 
Mr.  L.  D.  Burling. 
Mr.  E.  D.  Eddy. 
Miss  F.  Fyles,  B.A. 
Miss  D.  Stewart. 


StanOlng  Committees  ot  Counctl: 

Publications:  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  A.  Gibson,  J.  R.  Fryer,  H.  I.  Smith,  E  D. 
Eddy,  G.  O.  McMillan. 

Excursions:  E.  D.  Eddy,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte,  A.  Halkett, 
■  J.  R.  Dymond,  G.  O.  McMillan,  G.  LeLacheur,  Miss  F.  Fyles, 
Miss   D.  Stewart. 

Lectures:  H.  I.  Smith,  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  L.  H.  New- 
man, P.  A.  Taverner,  L.  D.  Burling. 

XeaDerg  at  Eicureions: 

ArchcBology:  H.  I.  Smith,  F.  W.  Waugh,  T.  W.  E.  Sowter,  T-  Ballantyne, 
Botany:  W.  T.  Macoun,  J.  M.  Macoun,  L.  H.  Newman,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte. 

Miss  F.  Fyles,  J.  R.  Dymond,  E.  C.  Wight,  G.  O.  McMillan, 

F.  L.  Drayton. 
Entomology:  A.    Gibson,   W.   H.   Harrington,    Dr.    C.    G.   Hewitt,   J.    M. 

Swaine,  F.  W.  L.  Sladen. 
Geology:  W.  J.  Wilson,  Dr.  H.  M.  Ami,  Dr.  M.  Y.  WiUiams,  H.  McGiUivray, 

L.  D.  Burling,  E.  Poitevin,  Dr.  Schofield. 
Ornithology:  P.  A.  Taverner,   Dr.    M.  Y.  WiUiams,  A.  G.  Kingston.  A.  E. 

KeUett,  C.  Patch. 
Zoology:  A.  Halkett,  E.  E.  Lemieux,  E.  A.  LeSueur,  C.  H.  Yoimg. 


J.  Ballantyne. 


HuOltorS: 


E.  C.  Wight. 


Memberahlp  Fee  to  O.F.N. C.,  with   "Ottawa  Naturalist, 

$1.00  pep  Annum. 


MAY,    1915 

VOL.  XXIX,  No.  2 


THE 

OTTAWA 
NATURALIST 

Published  by  The  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club 


JEditor: 

ARTHUR    GIBSON, 
Entomological  Branch,  Department  of  Agriculturb, 
OTTAWA. 

?ld0ociate  BDttors: 

Harlan  I.  Smith,  W.  H.  Harrington,         P.  A.  Taverner, 

Anthropology.  Entomology.  Ornithology. 

M.  O.  Malte,  Ph.  D.  H.  M.  Ami,  D.Sc.  L.  M.  Lambb,  F.G.S., 

Botany.  Geology.  PalcBontology. 

Prof.  John  Macoun,  M.A.        Otto  Klotz,  LL.D.         C.  Gordon  Hewitt,  D.Sc 
Conchology.  Meteorology.  Zoology. 


CONTENTS: 

Suggestions  for  Ornithological  Work  in  Canada.  By  P.  A.  Taverner  21 

Meetings  of  the  Botanical  Branch      ---___  29 

Note  on  a  Wounded  Deer.     By  Stuart  Griddle   -         -         -        -  32 

A  Case  for  Small  Museums.     By  Harlan  I.  Smith       -         -         -  33 


The  Rolla  L.  Grain  Co.,  Limited  f^^^'^^O'^   '^^^ 

ISSUED    JUNE    14,  191S 
Entered  at  Ottawa  Post  Offtct  as  second  class  matter 


WE    DEAL     WITH     OUR    ADVERTISERa 


8i 


UJ 

a: 


6E0.  E.  PRESTON  &  SONS, 


MERCHANT  TAILORS 
217-S19  RIDBAU  ST.,  OTTAWA 
WE  MAKE  BVERYTMINQ  WE  SELL  AND  GUARANTEE  EVERYTHING  WE  MAKE. 


A.  H.  JARVIS,   BOOK   STORE 

Respectfully  solicits  your  inspection 

of  his  stock.     No  pressure  to  buy  to 

Book  Lovers. 

157  Bank  St.— near  Laurier  Ave. 

P.S. — Books  ordered  promptly  and  carefully. 

ALLEN   <fc    COCHRANE 

THE  RED  CROSS  DRUGGISTS 
FIVE  STORES 

All  as  near  as  your  naarest  phona  or 
post  office 


THE  R.  J.  DEVLIN  CO.,  LTD. 

LEADING  HATTERS 


SLEEPING 
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LIMITED 

OTTAWA  >^-  WINNIPEG, 


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Fatciory     .     HULL. 

Wholesale  Manufacturers 
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Outfitting  Survey  Parties, 
Exploration  and  Outing  Parties  of  any  kind 
A.    Specialty 

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PIANOS 


9  MAKES 
ALL  PRICES 


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THE  BANK  OF  OTTAWA 


Capital  paid  up  and  Rest  - 
Total  Assets  over     -    -     - 


$8,750,000 
50,000,000 


The  actual  amount  of  money  accumu- 
lated and  earning  for  you  in  a  Savings 
Account  is  a  very  valuable  resource,  but 
it  does  not  exceed  in  value  the  lifelong 
benefit  you  will  derive  from  the  exercise 
of  such  qualities  as  are  involved  in  the 
building  up  of  the  account. 


DR.   MARK   G.   McELHINNEY 

BOOTH  BLDG.,  OTTAWA 

PHONE  QUEEN  2488 

Demist  to  certain  of  the  cogooscentl. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


CLEAN  AND 
ALWAYS  RELIABLE 


A.  E.  KELLY 

GROCER 


Cor.  Florence  and  Lyon 
Sts.     Phone  Queen  7090 


i 


THE  TOPLEY  COMPANY 


PHOTOGRAPHIC   MATERIAL 
SCIENTIFIC  APPARATUS 


132  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 
THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


The  Rolla    L.   Grain   Co.,    Limited 

Printers,  Bookbinders  and  Loose  Leaf  Manufacturers 

145  Spruce  St.,  Ottawa 


THE  MORTI/V\ER  CO.  LIMITED 

OTTAWA  -  MONTREAL  -  TORONTO 

Designers,    Illustrators,   Photo   Engravers,   Printers,   Lithographers 

Bookbinders,  Makers  of  Fine  Catalogues,  Manufacturers 

and  Devisers  of  Loose  Leaf  Systems 


Business 
Man's 
Lunch 
Full  Course 
Special  50c. 


MURPHY-GAiVIBLE  LIIVIITED 

Phone  Queen  6-2-0-1 


Smoking 
Room 
Annexed 
To  Tea 
Room 


Pure  Spring 
Water  used 

in 
Tea  Room 

Kitchen 


Modern  Tea  Room  Distinguished 
for  the  Variety  and  Quality  of 
its  Menues  and  its  Dainty  Service 

Murphy-Gamble  Limited 


Pure  Spring 

Water 
served  on 
Tea  Room 

Tables. 


THE  OTTAWA   PAPER    BOX  CO. 

\  'K  :  132   QUEEN    STREET 

OTTAWA 


Manufacturers  of  Riker  Specimen  Mounts, 
Natural  History  Specimen  Trays,  Glass  Topped  Boxes, 
Millboard  Mailing  Boxes,  Tubes,  etc. 


C.  A.  OLMSTED  &  SON 

Jewellers     :     Opticians     :     Watchmakers  and  Engravers 


Dealers  in  Fine  Diamonds,  Sterling  Silver, 
Electro  Plated  Ware  and  Rich  Cut  Glass. 


"THE  STORE  OF  MODERATE  PRICES" 
208  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA  Phone  Queen  1430 

E.  R.  WATTS  &  SON,  CANADA  LIMITED 

Microscopes,  Magnifiers  and  other  Naturalists'  Supplies 

Repairs  to  all  instruments  promptly  executed  at  either  address 

45  Bank  St.,  Ottawa  65  Albert  St.,  Winnipeg 


L.  C.  SMITH  &  BROS.  TYPEWRITER 

BUILT  LIKE  A  WATCH 
MOST  POPULAR  TYPEWRITER  TO-DAY 

OTTAWA  TYPEWRITER  CO.  Limited 


Copies  of  back  numbers  of  the  Ottawa  Naturalist 
(15  cents  each)  may  be  had  on  application  to  the 
Librarian,  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club,  Seed  Branch, 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Ottawa. 


WB    DEAL     WITH     OUR    ADVERTISEfiS 


James  Hope  &  Sons 


Bsokiellers,  Stationers 
Botkbiaders,  Printers 


61  Sparks  St.  Ottawa 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 

THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch.  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 

THE    C.  C.   RAY  CO.  Ltd. 

BUT             r^  O   A    T            LOWEST 

58  SPARKS  ST.    j»    Piw}DeQaeei461 

R.  McQIFFIN 

MEN'S  FINE  FURNISHINGS 

r  76  Rideau  St. 
3  STORES  4  106  Sparks  St. 
[  305  Bank  St. 

H' TORONTO  GENERAL  TRUSTS 

CORPORATION. 

CAPITAL            $1,600,000 
RESERVE            1,600,000 

SusctMfnl    adminiatratUn    of    EKATBS 
ranginf  In  Talu*  from  WOO  to  $»,0M.00« 
•ach,  it  the  bait  guarantae  that  yea  mcf 
conftdantly    nama   at    your   EXECUTOR 
an4  TRUSTEE  this  Corporation. 

THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

THE    SMIFH    PREMIER    AND 
REMINGTON  TYPEWRITERS    ( 

The  Vrorld's  Two   Best  Typewriters 

THE  FEDERAL  TYPEWRITER  CO. 

Daalart 

900  Quaan  St.    Phone  Queen  6267  &  Q.  291S. 

OtUwa 

Demonstration*  gladly  given 

JAMES   DAVEY,  Ma«ag«r 

Ottawa  Branch: 

Cor.    SPARKS  and  ELGIN     STS. 

HENRY  J.  SIMS  &  Co. 

Hatters — Phona  Queen  1244 

110-112  SPARKS  ST.  ■   OTTAWA. 

J.G.BUTTERWORTH&Co. 

ALL-RAIL    SCRANTON    COAL 
HAS    NO    EQUAL 

86  SPARKS  STREET,  OTTAWA 

WEAR 

MASSON'S 
SHOES 

72  Sparks   Street,    Ottawa 

WARD'S  NAT.  SCIBNCE 
ESTABLISHMENT 

ROCHESTER,  N.  Y. 

SuccesBors  to  the 
American  Entomological  Company 
of  Brooklyn 

We  have  the  largest  stock  of  insects  of 
any    dealer   in   this   country.      We   make   a 
specialty   of  collections   and   life  histories  cf 
insects  of  economic  importance. 

Sole  manufacturers  of  the  genuine  Schmitt 
Insect  Boxes,  cases  and  cabinets,  also  of  the 
American  Entomological   Company's    Insect 
Pins. 

Supply   Catalogue  No.  30.     Life  history 
circular  No.  126  and   many  others  free  upon 
request. 

MDLHALL  HARDWARE  LTD.«"0''^lf;5^ss^iiw..s,. 


231-SS3  Bank  St. 


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OTTAWA 


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^be  ©ttawa  jriel^-IRaturaUets'  Club. 

patron: 

HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS  THE  DUKE  OP  CONNAUGHT, 

GOVERNOR-GENERAL    OF    CANADA. 

I 

Counctn9l5-10 

prediDent  t 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 

\t)ice«l^re6iDent0 1 

Mr.  H.  I.  Smith,  Dr.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt, 

S«cretarB ;  ^Treasurer : 

Mr,  G.  O.  McMillan,  M.A.  Mr.  G.  LeLacheur,  B.S.A, 

BMtot :  Xtbrartan : 

Mr,  Arthur  Gibson.  Mr.  J.  R.  Fryer,  B.A. 

(Entomological  Branch,  (Seed  Branch,  Dept. 

Dept.  of  Agriculture)  of  Agriculture) 

Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams.  Mr.  J.  R.  Dymond,  B.A. 

Mr.  Andrew  Halkett.  Mr.  L.  D.  Burling. 

Mr.  P.  A.  Tavemer.  Mr.  E.  D.  Eddy. 

Mr.  L.  H.  Newman.  Miss  F,  Fyles,  B.A. 

Dr.  M.  O.  Malte.  Miss  D.  Stewart. 

StanOtng  Committees  of  Counctl; 

Publications:  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  A.  Gibson,  J.  R.  Fryer,  H.  I.  Smith,  E.  D. 
Eddy,  G.  O.  McMillan. 

Excursions:  E.  D.  Eddy,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte,  A.  Halkett, 
■  J.  R.  Dymond,  G.  O.  McMillan,  G.  LeLacheur,  Miss  F.  Fyles, 
Miss   D.  Stewart. 

Lectures:  H.  I.  Smith,  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  L.  H.  New- 
man, P.  A.  Tavemer,  L.  D.  Burling. 

XeaOers  at  Brcurgions; 

Archceology:  H.  I.  Smith,  F.  W.  Waugh,  T.  W.  E.  Sowter,  J.  Ballantyne, 
Botany:  W.  T.  Macoun,  J.  M.  Macoun,  L.  H.  Newman,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte. 

Miss  F.  Fyles,  J.  R.  Dymond,  E.  C.  Wight,  G.  O.  McMillan, 

F.  L.  Drayton. 
Entomology:  A.   Gibson,   W.   H.   Harrington,    Dr.   C.    G.    Hewitt,   J.    M. 

Swaine,  F.  W.  L.  Sladen. 
Geology:  W.  J.  Wilson,  Dr.  H.  M.  Ami,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  H.  McGiUivray, 

L.  D.  Burling,  E.  Poitevin,  Dr.  Schofield. 
Ornithology:  P.  A.  Taverner,   Dr.    M.  Y.  Williams,  A.  G.  Kingston.  A.  E. 

Kellett,  C.  Patch. 
Zoology:  A.  Halkett,  E.  E.  Lemieux,  E.  A.  LeSueur,  C.  H.  Young. 

JluDitors: 

J.  Ballantyne.  E.  C.  Wight. 

Membership  Fee  to  O.F.N.C,  with   "Ottawa  Natu pallet, 

$1.00  pep  Annum. 


JUNE-JULY,    1915 

VOL.  XXIX,  Nos.  3  and  4 


THE 

OTTAWA 
NATURALIST 

Published  by  The  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club 


JCOUOt: 

ARTHUR    GIBSON, 
Entomological  Branch,  Department  of  Agriculture, 

OTTAWA. 

H00ocfate  ]5Ditor0: 

Harlan  I.  Smith,  W.  H.  Harrington,         P.  A.  Taverner, 

Anthropology.  Entomology.  Ornithology. 

M.  O.  Malte,  Ph.  D.  H.  M.  Ami,  D.Sc  L.  M.  Lambe,  F.G.S., 

Botany.  Geology.  Palceontology. 

Prof.  John  Macoun,  M.A.        Otto  Klotz,  LL.D.        C.  Gordon  Hewitt,  D.Sc- 
Conchology.  Meteorology.  Zoology. 


CONTENTS: 

On  the  Validity  of  the  Genus  Plethopeltis.     By  R.  M.  Field       -  37 

Correspondence        -----____  43 

A  Cheap  Case  for  Small  Museums.     By  Harlan  I.  Smith     -         -         44 
Conchological  Notes  ---_-___5i 


The  Rolla  L.  Grain  Co.,  Limited 

ISSUED  AUG.   11.  191S 
Entertd  at  Ottawa  Post  Offtci  as  second  class  matter      \ 


we    DEAL    WITH     OUR    ADVERTISERS 


6E0.  E.  PRESTON  &  SONS, 


Q 
P  GQ 

GQ  O 


Q 
UJ 


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3: 


MERCHANT  TAILORS 
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lated and  earning  for  you  in  a  Savings 
Account  is  a  very  valuable  resource,  but 
it  does  not  exceed  in  value  the  lifelong 
benefit  you  will  derive  from  the  exercise 
of  such  qualities  as  are  involved  in  the 
building  up  of  the  account. 


DR.   MARK   G.   McELHINNEY 

BOOTH  BLDG.,  OTTAWA 
PHONE  QUEEN  2438 

Dentist  to  certain  of  the  cognoscenti. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


CLEAN  AND 
ALWAYS  RELIABLE 


E.  KELLY 

GROCER 


Cor.  Florence  and  Lyon 
Sts.     Phone  Queen  7G90 


THE  TOPLEY  COMPANY 


PHOTOGRAPHIC   MATERIAL 
SCIENTIFIC  APPARATUS 


132  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 
THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


The  Rolla   L.   Grain   Co.,    Limited 

Printers,  Bookbinders  and  Loose  Leaf  Manufacturers 

145  Spruce  St.,  Ottawa 


THE  MORTIMER  CO.  LIMITED 

OTTAWA  -  MONTREAL  -  TORONTO 

Designers,    Illustrators,    Photo    Engravers,   Printers,    Lithographers 

Bookbinders,  Makers  of  Fine  Catalogues,  Manufacturers 

and  Devisers  of  Loose  Leaf  Systems 


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Man's 
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To  Tea 
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132   QUEEN    STREET 
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Manufacturers  of  Riker  Specimen  Mounts, 
Natiu-al  History  Specimen  Trays,  Glass  Topped  Boxes, 
Millboard  Mailing  Boxes,  Tubes,  etc. 


C.  A.  OLIMSTED  &  SON 

Jewellers     :     Opticians     :     V/atchmakers  and  Engravers 


Dealers  in  Fine  Diamonds,  Sterling  Silver, 
Electro  Plated  Ware  and  Rich  Cut  Glass. 


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208  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA  Phone  Queen  1430 

E.  R.  WATTS  &  SON,  CANADA  LIMITED 

Microscopes,  Magnifisrs  and  other  Naturalists'  Supplies 

Repairs  to  all  instrumenls  promptly  executed  at  eilker  address 

45  Bank  St.,  Ottawa        -  6S  Albert  St.,  Winnipeg 

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BUILT  LIKE  A  WATCH 
MOST  POPULAR  TYPEWRITER  TO-DAY 

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Copies  of  back  numbers  of  the  Ottawa  Naturalist 
(15  cents  each)  may  be  had  on  application  to  the 
Librarian,  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club,  Seed  Branch, 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Ottawa.    ' 


WE     DEAL     WITH     OUR    ADVERTISERS 


James  Hope  &  Sons 


Booksellers,  Stationers 
Bookbinders,  Printers 


6 1  Sparks  St.  Ottawa 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 
Apply  to 

THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


THE    C.  C.   RAY  CO.  Ltd. 

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58  SPARKS  ST.    ^    PboneQueeo  461 

I^' TORONTO  GENERAL  TRUSTS 

GORPORATION. 


CAPITAL 
RESERVE 


$1,500,000 
1,600.000 


Successfal  administration  of  ESTATES 
ransinK  in  value  from  S800  to  $8,000,000 
each.  Is  the  best  guarantee  that  yon  may 
confidently  name  as  your  EXECUTOR 
and  TRUSTEE  this  Corporation. 


JAMES   DAVEY,  Maaager 

Ottawa  Branch: 

Cor.    SPARKS  and  ELGIN     STS. 


J.G.BUTTERWORTH&Co. 

ALL-RAIL    SCRANTON    COAL 

HAS    NO    EQUAL 

86  SPARKS  STREET,  OTTAWA 


WARD'S  NAT.  SCIENCE 
ESTABLISHMENT 

ROCHESTER,  N.  Y. 

Successors  to  the 
American  Entomological  Company 
of  Brooklyn 

We  have  the  largest  stock  of  insects  of 
any  dealer  la  this  country.  We  make  a 
specialty  of  collections  and  life  histories  of 
insects  of  economic  importance. 

Sole  manufacturers  of  the  geninne  Schmitt 
Insect  Boxes,  cases  and  cabinets,  also  of  the 
American  Entomological  Company's  Insect 
Pins. 

Supply  Catalogue  No.  30.  Life  history 
circular  No.  ±25  and  many  others  free  upon 
request. 


R.  McQIFFIN 

MEN'S  FINE  FURNISHINGS 

(  76  Rideau  St. 
3  STORES  -^106  Sparks  St. 
(  306  Bank  St. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


THE    SMITH    PREMIER    AND 
REMINGTON  TYPEWRITERS 

The  World's  Two   Best  Typewriters 

THE  FEDERAL  TYPEWRITER  CO. 

Dealers 

200  Queen  St.    Phone  Queen  6267  &  Q.  2913. 

Ottawa 

Demonstrations  gladly  given 

HENRY  J.  SIMS  &  Co. 

Hatters — Phone  Queen  1244 

110-112  SPARKS  ST.  -   OTTAWA. 

WEAR 

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r  231-233  Bank  St. 

806  Somerset  St. 

1107-1109  Wellington  St. 
1 791  Bank  St 


OTTAWA 


^be  ©ttawa  jTielD-'IRaturaltete'  Club. 

patron: 

HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS  THE  DUKE  OF  CONNAUGHT, 

GOVERNOR-GENERAL   OF    CANADA. 

Council  19 15- 16 

prcdfDent  t 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 

\Dice«]^ce5iDentd  t 

Mr.  H.  I.  Smith.  Dr.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt. 

Secretary;  treasurer: 

Mr.  G.  O.  McMillan,  M.A.  Mr.  G.  LeLacheur,  B.S.A. 

3gj)(tor:  Xlbtarian: 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson.  ^^/.J-.^-  ^^Y^U  ^Z^' 

(Entomological  Branch,  (Seed  Branch,  Dept. 

Dept.  of  Agriculture)  of  Agriculture) 

Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams.  Mr.  J.  R.  Dymond,  B.A. 

Mr.  Andrew  Halkett.  Mr.  L.  D.  Burhng. 

Mr.  P.  A.  Tavemer.  Mr.  E.  D.  Eddy. 

Mr.  L.  H.  Newman.  Miss  F.  Fyles,  B.A. 

Dr.  M.  O.  Malte.  Miss  D.  Stewart. 

Standing  Committees  of  Counctl; 

Publications:  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  A.  Gibson,  J.  R.  Fryer,  H.  I.  Smith,  E.  D. 
Eddy,  G.  O.  McMillan. 

Excursions:  E.  D.  Eddy,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte,  A.  Halkett, 
■  J.  R.  Dymond,  G.  O.  McMillan,  G.  LeLacheur,  Miss  F.  Fyles, 
Miss   D.  Stewart. 

Lectures:  H.  I.  Smith,  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  L.  H.  New- 
man, P.  A.  Tavemer,  L.  D.  Burling. 

Xea&ew  at  BicursionS; 

Archceology:  H.  I.  Smith,  F.  W.  Waugh,  T.  W.  E.  Sowter,  J.  Ballantyne, 
Botany:  W.  T.  Macoun,  J.  M.  Macoun,  L.  H.  Newman,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte. 

Miss  F.  Fyles,  J.  R.  Dymond,  E.  C.  Wight,  G.  O.  McMillan, 

F.  L.  Drayton. 
Entomology:  A.   Gibson,   W.   H.   Harrington,   Dr.   C.   G.   Hewitt,  J.   M. 

Swaine,  F.  W.  L.  Sladen. 
Geology:  W.  J.  Wilson,  Dr.  H.  M.  Ami,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  H.  McGilhvray, 

L.  D.  Burling,  E.  Poitevin,  Dr.  Schofield. 
Ornithology:  P.  A.  Taverner,  Dr.   M.  Y.  WiUiams,  A.  G.  Kingston.  A.  E. 

Kellett  C  Patch. 
Zoology:  A.  Halkett,  E.E.  Lemieux,  E.  A.  LeSueur,  C.  H.  Young. 

HuOitorS: 

J.  Ballantyne.  E.  C.  Wight. 

Membership  Fee  to  O.F.N.C,  with   "Ottawa  Naturalist, 

$1.00  per  Annum. 


AUG.-SEPT..    1915 

VOL.  XXIX,  Hos.  6  and  6 


THE 

OTTAWA 
NATURALIST 


Published  by  The  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists»  Club 


BDftOKt 

ARTHUR    GIBSON, 
ENTOuoLoaiCAL  BRANCH,  Dbpartubnt  ov  Aoriculturb, 
OTTAWA. 

Tldsoclate  B01toc6: 

Harlan  I.  Smith,  W.  H.  Harrington,        P.  A.  Taverner, 

Anthropology.  Entomology.  Ornithology. 

M.  O.  Maltb,  Ph.  D.  H.  M.  Ami,  D.Sc  L.  M.  Lambe,  F.G.S., 

Botany.  Geology.  Palceontology. 

Prop.  John  Macoun,  M.A.        Otto  Klotz,  LL.D.        C.  Gordon  Hewitt,  D.Sc* 
Conchology.  Meteorology.  Zoology 


CONTENTS: 

Revision  of  the  Canadian  Species  of  "Agelacrinites."     By  Percy 

E.  Raymond    ---------53 

Minerals  from  Baffin  Land.     By  T.  L.  Walker    -        -        -        -        63 

Quebec  Dragon-Flies.     By  Rev.  T.  W.  Fyles      -        -        -        -        66 

Partial  List  of  Literature  in  the  Library  of  the  Ottawa  Field- 
Naturalists'  Club 68 


The  Rolla  L.  Grain  Co.,  Limited 


ISSUED  SEPT.  27,  1915  /  ^^ /^^'^^•'^^  ^^^J 

Bnfrid  at  Ottawa  Post  Offut  as  ttcond  doss  matlerr  '  '  ' 


Wm    DEAL    WITH    OUK    ADVERTIStRB 


BEO.  E.  PRESTON  &  SONS, 


MERCHANT  TAILORS 
317-919  RIDBAU  ST.,  OTTAWA 
WB  MAKE  EVERYTHINQ  WB  SELL  AND  QUARANTEB  BVBRYTHINQ  WE  MAKE. 


A.  H.  JAR  VIS,   BOOK   STORE 

Respectfully  solicits  your  inspection 

of  his  stock.     No  pressure  to  buy  to 

Book  Lovers. 

167  Bank  St. —near  Laurier  Ave. 

P.S. — Books  ordered  promptly  and  carefully. 

ALLEN   &    COCHRANE 

THE  RED  CROSS  DRUGGISTS 
FIVE  STORES 

All  as  near  as  your  nearest  phone  or 
post  office 


THE  R.  J.  DEVLIN  CO.,  LTD. 

LEADING  HATTERS 


SLEEPING 
BAGS 


LIMITED 

OTTAWA  A~»  WINNIPEG, 


SILK  TENTS 


Factory     ■     HULL. 

Wholesale  Manufacturers 
Lumbermen's  and  Contractors'  Supplies, 
Outfitting  Survey  Parties, 
Exploration  and  Outing  Parties  of  any  kind 

A    Jpecialtx 

BLANKETS  CLOTHING 

For  Quotatioi^s  Phone  Queen  721 


PIANOS 


9  MAKES 
ALL  PRICES 


C.  W,  LINDSAY,  Limited 

189  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THE  BANK  OF  OTTAWA 


Capital  paid  up  and  Rest 
Total  Assets  over     -     - 


$8,750,000 
50,000,000 


The  actual  amount  of  money  accumu- 
lated and  earning  for  you  in  a  Savings 
Account  is  a  very  valuable  resource,  but 
it  does  not  exceed  in  value  the  lifelong 
benefit  you  will  derive  from  the  exercise 
of  such  qualities  as  are  involved  in  the 
building  up  of  the  account. 


DR.   MARK   G.   McELHINNEY 

BOOTH  BLDG.,  OTTAWA 
PHONE  QUEEN  24S8 

Dentist  to  certain  of  the  cogDOScenti. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


CLEAN  AND 
ALWAYS  RELLA.BLE 


A.  E.  KELLY 

GROCER 


Cor.  Florence  and  Lyon 
Sts.     Phone  Queen  7090 


THE  TOPLEY  COMPANY 


PHOTOGRAPHIC    MATERIAL 
SCIENTIFIC  APPARATUS 


132  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 
THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Brancli,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


The  Rolla    L.   Grain    Co.,    Limited 

Printers,  Bookbinders  and  Loose  Leaf  Manufacturers 

145  Spruce  St.,  Ottawa 


THE  MORTIMER  CO.  LIMITED 

OTTAWA  -  MONTREAL  -  TORONTO 

Designers,    Illustrators,   Photo   Engravers,   Printers,   Lithographers 

Bookbinders,  Makers  of  Fine  Catalogues,  Manufacturers 

and  Devisers  of  Loose  Leaf  Systems 


Business 
Man's 
Ltinch 
Full  Course 
Special  60c. 


MURPHY-GAMBLE  LIMITED 

Phone  Queen  6-2-0-1 


Smoking 
Room 
Annexed 
To  Tea 
Room 


Pure  Spring 
Water  used 

in 

Tea  Room 

Kitchen 


Modern  Tea  Room  Distinguished 
for  the  Variety  and  Quality  of 
its  Menues  and  its  Dainty  Service 

Murphy-Gamble  Llmiteil 


Pure  Spring 

Water 
served  on 
Tea  Room 

Tables. 


THE  OTTAWA   PAPER   BOX  CO. 


132   QUEEN    STREET 
OTTAWA 


Manufacturers  of  Riker  Specimen  Mounts, 
Natural  History  Specimen  Trays,  Glass  Topped  Boxes, 
Millboard  Mailing  Boxes,  Tubes,  etc. 


C.  A.  OLMSTED  &  SON 

Jewellers     :     Opticians     :     Watchmakers  and  Engravers 


Dealers  in  Fine  Diamonds,  Sterling  Silver, 
Electro  Plated  Ware  and  Rich  Cut  Glass. 


"THE  STORE  OF  MODERATE  PRICES" 
208  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA  Phone  Queen  1430 

E.  R.  WATTS  &  SON,  CANADA  LIMITED 

Microscopes,  Mignifiers  and  other  Naturalists' Supplies 

Repairs  to  all  instruments  promptly  executed  at  either  address 

45  Bank  St.,  Ottawa         -  65  Albert  St.,  Winnipeg 


L.  C   SMITH  &  BROS.  TYPEWRITER 

BUILT  LIKE  A  WATCH 
MOST  POPULAR  TYPEWRITER  TO-DAY 

OTTAWA  TYPEWRITER  CO    Limited 


Copies  of  back  numbers  of  the  Ottawa  Naturalist 
(15  cents  each)  may  be  had  on  application  to  the 
Librarian,  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club,  Seed  Branch, 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Ottawa. 


WK    DEAL     WITH    OUR    ADVERTIB£*9e 


James  Hope  &  Sons  Si'"*;,  ST  6 1  Sparks  St.  Ottawa 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 

THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 

THE    C.  C.    RAY   CO.  Ltd. 

BEST              C^  f^    A     T             I.OWB8T 
QUALITY        V-^V-rXi.JL/           PHICB 

5    SPARKS  ST.    ji    PlieneQueei46l 

R.  McQIFFIN 

MEN'S  FINE  FURNISHINGS 

(  76  Rideau  St. 
3  STORES  -    106  Sparks  St. 
[  306  Bank  St. 

H' TORONTO  GENERAL  TRUSTS 

GORPORATION. 

CAI>ITAL            $1,500,000 
RESERVE            1,600,000 

THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Successful    administration    of    ESTATES 
ranging  in  valua  from  SSOO  to  $5,000,000 
•aeh,  is  the  bast  guarantte  that  yttu  may 
•onfldcntlx    name    as    your   EXECUTOR 
and  TRUSTEE  this  Corporation! 

THE    SMITH    PREMIER    AND 
REMINGTON  TYPEWRITERS 

The  World's  Two   Best  Typewriterg 

THE  FEDERAL  TYPEWRITER  CO. 

Dealers 

200  Queen  St.    Phone  Queen  0267  fc  Q.  3018. 

Ottawa 

Demonstrationa  gladly  given 

JAMES   DAVEY,  Maaagtr 

Ottawa  Branch: 

Cor.   SPARKS  and  ELGIN     STB. 

HENRY  J.  SIMS  &  Co. 

Hatters — Phone  Queen  1244 

110-112  SPARKS  ST.  -   OTTAWA. 

J.G.BUTTERWORTH&Co. 

ALL-RAIL    SCRANTON    COAL 

HAS    NO    EQUAL 

86  SPARKS  STREET,  OTTAWA 

WEAR 

MASSON'S 
SHOES 

72  Sparks   Street,    Ottawa 

WARD'S  NAT.  SCiraCE 
ESTABLISHMENT 

ROCHESTER,  N.  Y. 

Successors  to  the 
American  Entomological  Company 
of  Brooklyn 

We  have  the  largest  stock  of  insects  of 
any    dealer    in    this    country.       We    malie   a 
specialty  of  collections   and  lliie  histories  of 
insects  of  economic  importance. 

Sole  manufacturers  of  the  genuine  Schmitt 
Insect  Boxes,  cases  atid  cabinets,  also  of  the 
American   Entomolcgical   Company's     Insect 

Pins. 

Supply   Catalogue  No.   30.     Life   history 
circular  No.  125  and   many  others  free  upon 
request. 

r 


w 

0 

H 

w 

0 


0 

> 

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«5 


MULHALL  HARDWARE  LTD. 


4  STORES 


(281-333  Bank  St. 

806  Somerset  St. 

1107-1109  Wellington  St. 
I  791  Bank  St 


OTTAWA 


^be  (Ottawa  jTtel^^'natutaliata'  Club. 

patcottt 

HI&  ROYAL  HIGHNESS  THE  DUKE  OF  CONNAUGHT, 

GOVERNOR-GENERAL    OF    CANADA. 

aounctU9l5-l6 

pteslDent  t 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 

V)ice*9re6tDent0 1 

Mr.  H.  I.  Smith.  Dr.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt. 


Secretary ; 

Mr.  G.  O.  McMillan,  M.A. 

Editor: 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 

(Entomological  Branch, 

Dept.  of  Agrictiiture) 

Dr.  M.  Y.  WilUams. 
Mr.  Andrew  Halkett. 
Mr.  P.  A.  Tavemer. 
Mr.  L.  H.  Newman. 
Dr.  M.  O.  Malte. 


treasurer : 

Mr.  G.  LeLacheur,  B.S.A. 

Xf  bcatlan ; 

Mr.  J.  R.  Fryer,  B.A. 
(Seed  Branch,  Dept. 
of  Agriculture) 

Mr.  J.  R.  Dymond,  B.A. 
Mr.  L.  D.  Burling. 
Mr.  E.  D.  Eddy. 
Miss  F.  Fyles,  B.A. 
Miss  D.  Stewart. 


StanDing  Committecd  of  Council; 

Publications:  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  A.  Gibson,  J.  R.  Fryer,  H.  I.  Smith,  E.  D. 
Eddy,  G.  O.  McMillan. 

Excursions:  E.  D.  Eddy,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte,  A.  Halkett, 
J.  R.  Dymond,  G.  O.  McMillan,  G.  LeLacheur,  Miss  F.  Fyles, 
Miss   D.  Stewart. 

Lectures:  H.  I.  Smith,  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  L.  H.  New- 
man, P.  A.  Tavemer,  L.  D.  Burling. 

Tenders  at  lexcmeione; 

Archaeology:  H.  I.  Smith,  F.  W.  Waugh,  T.  W.  E.  Sowter,  J.  Ballantyne. 
Botany:  W.  T.  Macotm,  J.  M.  Macoun,  L.  H.  Newman,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte, 

Miss  F.  Fyles,  J.  R.  Dymond,  E.  C.  Wight,  G.  O.  McMillan. 

F.  L.  Drayton. 
Entomology:  A.   Gibson,  W.   H.   Harrington,   Dr.   C.   G.   Hewitt,  J.   M. 

Swaine,  F.  W.  L.  Sladen. 
Geology:  W.  J.  Wilson,  Dr.  H.  M.  Ami,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  H.  McGillivray, 

L.  D.  Burling,  E.  Poitevin,  Dr.  Schofield. 
Ornithology:  P.  A.  Tavemer,  Dr.   M.  Y.  WiUiams,  A.  G.  Kingston.  A.  E. 

Kellett,  C.  Patch. 
Zoology:  A.  Halkett,  E.  E.  Lemieux,  E.  A.  LeSueur,  C.  H.  Young. 


J.  Ballantjme. 


HuOitore: 


E.  C.  Wight. 


Membership  Fee  to  O.F.N.G.,  with   "Ottawa  Naturaliet," 

$1.00  pep  Annum. 


E- 


OCTOBER,    1915 

VOL.  XXIX,  No.  7 


ITHE 

OTTAWA 
NATURALIST 


Published  by  The  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club 


BMtor: 

ARTHUR    GIBSON, 
Entomological  Branch,  Department  of  Agriculture, 
OTTAWA. 

H0dociate  BOitotd: 

Harlan  I.  Smith,  W.  H.  Harrington,         P.  A.  Taverner, 

Anthropology.  Entomology.  Ornithology. 

M.  O.  Malte,  Ph.  D.  H.  M.  Ami,  D.Sc.  L.  M.  Lambe,  F.G.S., 

Botany.  Geology.  Palceontology. 

Prof.  John  Macoun,  M.A.        Otto  Klotz,  LL.D.         C.  Gordon-  Hewitt,  D.Sc 
Conchology.  Meteorology.  Zoology, 


CONTENTS: 

The  Dangers  of  our  Wilds.     By  Charles  Macnamara  -         -         -  69 

Bird  Notes  from  Mulverhill,  Man.     By  E.  Norman      -         -         -  73 

Mimicry — Some  of  Nature's  Strategems.     By  B.  C.  Tillet    -        -  74 

Book  Notice      ---------  -77 

A  Hybrid  Rose.     By  J.  K.  Henry 78 

Partial  List  of  Literature  in  the  Library  of  the  Ottawa  Field- 
Naturalists'  Club     -- 79 

The  Entomological  Society  of  Ontario          -----  84 


:$^^ 


X 


The  Rolla  L.  Grain  Co.,  Limited  /O^y^***  *Wv  -^ 

ISSUED  OCT.  30.  1915  i        (^  '"^^T**'     tAk '^ 

EtU*r*d  at  Ottawa  Post  Offtf  as  stcottd  class  nuxtttr       |  ^*^  (itBRARYl  IX 


'^^>^^ 


WE    DEAL    WITH    OUR    ADVERTISERS 


6E0.  E.  PRESTON  &  SONS, 


o 

O  OQ 
GQ  O 


Q 
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MERCHANT  TAILORS 
217-219  RIDEAU  ST.,  OTTAWA 
WE  MAKE  EVERYTHING  WE  SELL  AND  GUARANTEE  EVERYTHING  WE  MAKE. 


A.  H.  JAR  VIS,   BOOK   STORE 

Respectfully  solicits  your  inspection 

of  his  stock.     No  pressure  to  buy  to 

Book  Lovers. 

157  Bank  St.~near  Lauder  Ave. 

P.S. — Books  ordered  promptly  and  carefully. 

ALLEN   <&    COCHRANE 

THE  RED  CROSS  DRUGGISTS 
FIVE  STORES 

All  as  near  as  your  nearest  phone  or 
post  office 


THE  R.  J.  DEVLIN  CO.,  LTD. 

LEADING  HATTERS 


^R 


r^ 


n 


9 


SLEEPING 
BAGS 


LIMITED 

OTTAWA  A~o  WINNIPEG, 


SiLK  TENTS 


Factory     -     HULL. 

Wholesale  Manufacturers 
Lumbermen's  and  Contractors'  Supplies, 
Outfitting  Survey  Parties, 
Exploration  and  Outing  Parties  of  any  kind 
A    tSpecialty 
BLANKETS  CLOTHING 

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9  MAKES 
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C.  W.  LINDSAY,  Limited 

189  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THE  BANK  OF  OTTAWA 

ESTABLISHED  1874 

Capital  paid  up  and  Rest  -     -.     -     $3,750,000 
Total  Assets  over 50,000,000 


The'time  to  build  up  a  reserve,  a  safe- 
guard for  the  future,  is  now,  when  you 
are  strong  and  able  to  work  and  sacrifice. 

Many    a  man  has  lost  good    business: AM 
opportunities    by     not    being    prepared, 
financially,  to  grasp  them.  ■    .    • 


DR.   MARIC   G.   McELHINNEY 

BOOTH  BLDG.,  OTTAWA 

PHONE  QUEEN  2438 

Dentist  to  certain  of  the  cognoscenti. 


0  ;i.-.'aO  ,.. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


CLEAN  AND 
ALWAYS  RELIABLE 


A.  E.  KELLY 

GROCER 


Cor.  Florence  and  Lyon 
Sts.     Phone  Queen  709J 


THE  TOPLEY  COMPANY 


PHOTOGRAPHIC   MATERIAL 
SCIENTIFIC  APPARATUS 


132  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 
THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


The  Rolla   L.   Grain   Co.,    Limited 

Printers,  Bookbinders  and  Loose  Leaf  Manufacturers 

145  Spruce  St.,  Ottawa 


THE  MORTIMER  CO.  LIMITED 

OTTAWA  -  MONTREAL  -  TORONTO 

Designers,    Illustrators,    Photo    Engravers,    Printers,    Lithographers 

Bookbinders,  Makers  of  Fine  Catalogues,  Manufacturers 

and  Devisers  of  Loose  Leaf  SyLtems 


Business 
Man's 
Lunch 
Full  Course 
Special  60c. 


IVIURPHY-CAIVIBLE  LIMITED 

Phone  Queen  6-2-0-1 


Smoking 
Room 
Annexed 
To  Tea 
Room 


Pure  Spring 
Water  used 

in 

Tea  Room 

Kitchen 


Modern  Tea  Room  Distinguished 
for  the  Variety  and  Quality  of 
its  Menues  and  its  Dainty  Service 

Murphy-Gamble  Limited 


Pure  Spring 

Water 
served  on 
Tea  Room 

Tables. 


THE  OTTAWA    PAPER    BOX  CO. 


132   QUEEN    STREET 
OTTAWA 


Manufacturers  of  Riker  Specimen  Mounts, 
Natural  History  Specimen  Trays,  Glass  Topped  Boxes, 
Millboard  Mailing  Boxes,  Tubes,  etc. 


C.  A.  OLMSTED  &  SON 

Jewellers     :     Opticians     :     Watchmakers  and  Engravers 


Dealers  in  Fine  Diamonds,  Sterling  Silver, 
Electro  Plated  Ware  and  Rich  Cut  Glass. 


"THE  STORE  OF  MODERATE   PRICES" 
2C8  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA  Phone  Queen  1430 

E.  R.  WATTS  &  SON,  CANADA  LIMITED 

Microscopes,  Magnifiers  and  other  Naturalists' Supplies 

Repairs  to  all  instruments  prcmptly  executed  at  either  address 

45  Bank  St.,  Otiawa        -  65  Albert  St.,  Winnipeg 

L.  C,  SMITH  &  BROS.  TYPEWRITER 

BUILT  LIKE  A  WATCH 
MOST  POPULAR  TYPEWRITER  TO-DAY 

OTTAWA  TYPEWRITER  CO    Limited 


Copies  of  back  numbers  of  the  Ottawa  Naturalist 
(15  cents  each)  may  be  had  on  application  to  the 
Librarian,  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club,  Seed  Branch, 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Ottawa. 


yNE     DEAL     WITH     OUR    ADVERTISERS 


James  Hope  &  Sons  b:SS.  Sr  6 1  Sparks  St.  Ottawa 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 

THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 
(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


THE    C.  C.    RAY   CO.  Ltd. 


BBST 
QUALITY 


L0WB8T 
PRICE 


COAL 

S    SPARKS  ST.    jX    Phone  Queea  461 

155  TORONTO  GENERAL  TRUSTS 

CORPORATION. 

CAPITAL  $1,500,000 

RESERVE  1,600.000 


Successful  administration  of  ESTATES 
ranging  in  value  from  $500  to  $6,000,000 
each,  is  the  best  guarantee  that  you  may 
confidently  name  as  yeur  EXECUTOR 
and  TRUSTEE  this  Corporation. 


JAMES    DAVEY,  Manager 

Ottawa  Branch: 

Cor.    SPARKS  and  ELGIN     STS. 

J.G.BUTTERWORTH&Co. 

ALL-RAIL    SCRANTON    COAL 
HAS    NO    EQUAL 

86  SPARKS  STREET,  OTTAWA 

WARD'S  MAT.  SCIENCE 
ESTABLISHMENT 

ROCHESTER,  N.  Y. 

Successors  to  the 
American  Entomological  Company 
of  Brooklyn 

We  have  the  largest  stock  of  insects  of 
any  dealer  in  this  country.  We  make  a 
specialty  of  collections  and  life  histories  of 
insects  of  economic  importance.  j( 

Sole  manufacturers  of  the  genuine  Schmitt 
Insect  Boxes,  cases  and  cabinets,  also  of  the 
American  Entomological  Company's  Insect 
Pins. 

Supply  Catalogue  No.  30.  Life  history 
circular  No.  125  and  many  others  free  upon 
request. 


R.  McQIFFIN 

MEN'S  FINE  FURNISHINGS 

(  76  Rideau  St. 
3  STORES  4  106  Sparks  St. 
(  305  Bank  St. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


THE    SMITH    PREMIER    AND 
REMINGTON  TYPEWRITERS 

The  World's  Two   Best  Typewriters 

THE  FEDERAL  TYPEWRITER  CO. 

Dealers 

200  Queen  St.    Phone  Queen  6267  &  Q.  2913. 

Ottawa 

Demonstrations  gladly  given 

HENRY  J.  SIMS  &  Co. 

Hatters — phone  Queen  1244 

110-112  SPARKS  ST.  -   OTTAWA. 

w  eX'r 

MASSON'S 


liSift 


SHOES 

72  Sparks   Street,    Ottawa 


r 


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H 

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231-233  Bank  St. 


MULHALL  HARDWARE  LTD.* stores |??oV-°i?or^.Wonst. 


OTTAWA 


n 

PJ  0 

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3 


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.  791  Bank  St 


^be  ©ttawa  jrtelt)*'1Raturalt0t0'  Club. 


patron: 

HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS  THE  DUKE  OF  CONNAUGHT, 

GOVERNOR-GENERAL    OF    CANADA. 

Council  19 15-16 

ptediDent  t 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 

•  lD(cc*pre0iOent0 « 

Mr.  H.  I.  Smith.  Dr.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt. 


Secretary ; 

Mr.  Andrew  Halkett. 

(Fisheries  Museum) 


JEDitot: 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 

(Entomological  Branch, 

Dept.  of  Agriculture) 

Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams. 
Mr.  P.  A.  Tavemer. 
Mr.  L.  H.  Newman. 
Dr.  M.  O.  Malte. 


tTreasurer : 

Mr.  G.  LeLacheur,  B.S.A 
(Seed  Branch,  Dept.  of 
Agriculture) 

librarian : 

Mr.  J.  R.  Dymond,  B.A. 
(Seed  Branch,  Dept. 
of  Agriculture) 

Mr.  L.  D.  Burling. 
Mr.  E.  D.  Eddy. 
Miss  F.  Fyles,  B.A. 
Miss  D.  Stewart. 


StanOtng  Committees  ot  Council; 

Publications :  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  A.  Gibson,  J.  R.  Fryer,  H.  I.  Smith,  E.  D. 
Eddy,  G.  O.  McMillan. 

Excursions:  E.  D.  Eddy,  Dr.  M.  Y.  WiUiams,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte,  A.  Halkett, 
J.  R.  Dymond,  G.  O.  McMillan,  G.  LeLacheur,  Miss  F.  Fyles, 
Miss   D.  Stewart. 

Lectures:  H.  I.  Smith,  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  L.  H.  New- 
man, P.  A.  Tavemer,  L.  D.  Burling. 

XeaOers  at  Bxcursions; 

ArchcBology:  H.  I.  Smith,  F.  W.  Waugh,  T.  W.  E.  Sowter,  J.  Ballantyne 
Botany:  W.  T.  Macoun,  J.  M.  Macoun,  L.  H.  Newman,  Dr.  M.  O.  Aialte, 

Miss  F.  Fyles,  J.  R.  Dymond,  E.  C.  Wight,  G.  O.  McMillan. 

F.  L.  Drayton. 
Entomology:  A.   Gibson,   W.   H.   Harrington,    Dr.   C.    G.   Hewitt,   J.   M. 

Swaine,  F.  W.  L.  Sladen. 
Geology:  W.  J.  Wilson,  Dr.  H.  M.  Ami,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  H.  McGillivray, 

L.  D.  Burling,  E.  Poitevin,  Dr.  Schofield. 
Ornithology:  P.  A.  Tavemer,   Dr.   M.  Y.  Williams,  A.  G.  Kingston.  A.  E. 

Kellett,  C.  Patch. 
Zoology:  A.  Halkett,  E.  E.  Lemieux,  E.  A.  LeSueur,  C.  H.  Young. 


J.  Ballantyne. 


HuDltorg: 


E.  C.  Wight. 


Membership  Fee  to  O.F.N.Cm  with   "Ottawa  Naturalist," 

$1.00  pep  Annum. 


NOVEMBER.  1915 

VOL.  XXIX,  No.  8 


THE 

OTT  AW  A 
NATURALIST 

Published  by  The  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club 


BDltor: 

ARTHUR  GIBSON, 

Entomological  Branch,  Department  of  Agriculture, 
OTTAWA. 

?l0doctate  JEditocs: 

Harlan  I.  Smith,  W.  H.  Harrington,         P.  A.  Taverner, 

Anthropology.  Entomology.  Ornithology. 

M.  O.  Malte,  Ph.  D.  H.  M.  Ami,  D.Sc.  L.  M.  Lambe,  F.G.S., 

Botany.  Geology.  Palaeontology. 

Prof.  John  Macoun,  M.A.     Otto  Klotz,  LL.D.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt,  D.Sc. 

Conchology.  Meteorology.  Zoology. 


CONTENTS: 

A  New  Ordovician  Pelecypod  from  the  Ottawa  District.     By  Alice 

E.  Wilson 85 

Shallow   Water   Deposition  in    the   Cambrian  of   the   Canadian 

Cordillera.     By  Lancaster  D.  Burling   -         -         -         -  87 

Notes  on  the  Herring  Gull.     By  M.  Y.  Williams       -         -        -  89 

The  Evolution  of  the  Sheep.     By  B.  C.  Tillett          _         -         .  90 

Bequest  to  O.F.N.C. 93 

Some  Habits  of  Swainson's  Hawk  in  Manitoba.   By  Norman  Griddle  94 

Fifty-Second  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Entomological  Society  of 

Ontario  -- 97 

The  Canadian  Fisheries  Museum         ______  99 

Programme  of  Winter  Lectures           __-__-  100 

<^^/ 


The  Rolla  L.  Grain  Co.,  Limited         *>^/^^^  '^fX.'^ 

issued  NOV.  30,  1915  ^/^  ^*'f^    ^  ^\ 

Entered  at  Ottawa  Post  Office  as  second  class  matter.     »  iLIBKAKT 


WE    DEAL     WITH     OUR    ADVERTISERS 


GEO.  E.  PRESTON  &  SONS, 


MERCHANT  TAILORS 
217-219   RIDEAU   ST.,  OTTAWA 
WE  MAKE  BVERYTHINQ  WE  SELL  AND  GUARANTEE  EVERYTHING  WE  MAKE. 


A.  H.  JAR  VIS,   BOOK   STORE 

Respectfully  solicits  your  inspection 

of  his  stock.     No  pressure  to  buy  to 

Book  Lovers. 

157  Bank  St.~near  Laurier  Ave. 

P.S. — Books  ordered  promptly  and  carefully. 

ALLEN  <&    COCHRANE 

THE  RED  CROSS  DRUGGISTS 
FIVE  STORES 

All  as  near  as  your  nearest  phone  or 
post  office 


THE  R.  J.  DEVLIN  CO.,  LTD. 

LEADING  HATTERS 


SLEEPING 
BAGS 


RT-W 

LIMITED 

OTTAWA  AND  WINNIPEG, 


n 


SILK  TENTS 


Factory     .     HULL. 

Wholesale  Manufacturers 
Lumbermen's  and  Contractors'  Supplies, 
Outfitting  Survey  Parties, 
Exploration  and  Outing  Parties  of  any  kind 
A    iSpecialty 

BLANKETS  CLOTHING 

For  Quotations  Phone  Queen  722 


PIANOS 


9  MAKES 
ALL  PRICES 


C  W.  LINDSAY,  Limited 

189  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THE  BANK  OF  OTTAWA 

ESTABLISH^r   1874 


Capital  paid  up  and  Rest 
Total  Assets  over     -     - 


-  $8,750,000 

-  50,000,000 


The  time  to  build  up  a  reserve,  a  safe- 
guard for  the  future,  is  now,  when  you 
are  strong  and  able  to  work  and  sacrifice. 

Many  a  man  has  lost  good  business 
opportunities  by  not  being  prepared, 
financially,  to  grasp  them. 


DR.   MARK   G.   McELHINNEY 

BOOTH  BLDG.,  OTTAWA 

PHONE  QUEEN  34SS 

Dentist  to  certain  of  the  cognoscenti. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


CLEAN  AND 
ALWAYS  RELLABLE 


A.  E.  KELLY 

GROCER 


Cor.  Florence  and  Lyon 
Sts.     Phone  Queen  7090 


THE  TOPLEY  COMPANY 


PHOTOGRAPHIC   MATERIAL 
SCIENTIFIC  APPARATUS 


132  SPARKS  ST..  OTTAWA 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 
THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


The  Rolla    L.   Grain    Co.,    Limited 

Printers,  Bookbinders  and  Loose  Leaf  Manufacturers 

145  Spruce  St.,  Ottawa 


THE  MORTIMER  CO.  LIMITED 

OTTAWA  -  MONTREAL  -  TORONTO 

Designers,    Illustrators,    Photo    Engravers,    Printers,    Lithographers 

Bookbinders,  Makers  of  Fine  Catalogues,  Manufacturers 

and  Devisers  of  Loose  Leaf  Systems 


Business 
Man's 
Lunch 
Full  Course 
Special  60c 


MURPHY-GAIVIBLE  LIIVIITED 

Phone  Queen  6-2-0-1 


Smoking 
Room 
Annexed 
To  Tea 
Room 


Pure  Spring 
Water  used 

in 

Tea  Room 

Elitchen 


Modem  Tea  Room  Distinguished 
for  the  Variety  and  Quality  of 
its  Menues  and  its  Dainty  Service 

Murphy-Gamble  Llmiteii 


Pure  Spring 

Water 
served  on 
Tea  Room 

Tables. 


THE  OTTAWA   PAPER    BOX  CO, 

132   QUEEN    STREET 
OTTAWA 


Manufacturers  of  Riker  Specimen  Mounts, 
Natural  History  Specimen  Trays,  Glass  Topped  Boxes, 
Millboard  Mailing  Boxes,  Tubes,  etc. 


C.  A.  OLMSTED  &  SON 

Jewellers     :     Opticians     :     Watchmakers  and  Engravers 


Dealers  in  Fine  Diamonds,  Sterling  Silver, 
Electro  Plated  Ware  and  Rich  Cut  Glass. 


"THE  STORE  OF  MODERATE  PRICES" 
208  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA  Phone  Queen  1430 

E.  R.  WATTS  &  SON,  CANADA  LIMITED 

Microscopes,  Magnifiers  and  other  Naturalists'  Supplies 

Repairs  to  all  instruments  promptly  executed  at  eitber  address 

45  Bank  St.,  Ottawa        ■  65  Albert  St.,  Winnipeg 

L.  C.  SMITH  &  BROS.  TYPEWRITER 

BUILT  LIKE  A  WATCH 
MOST  POPULAR  TYPEWRITER  TO-DAY 

OTTAWA  TYPEWRITER  CO.  Limited 


Copies  of  back  numbers  of  the  Ottawa  Naturalist 
(15  cents  each)  may  be  had  on  application  to  the 
Librarian,  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club,  Seed  Branch, 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Ottawa. 


we     DEAL     WITH     OUR    ADVERTISERS 


James  Hope  &  Sons 


Booksellers,  Stationers 
Bookbinders,  Printers 


6 1  Sparks  St.  Ottawa 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 
Apply  to 

THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


THE    C.  C.    RAY   CO.  Ltd. 

BB9T  /"^  /^    A     T  LOWEST 

QUALITY       \^xV^Xi.JL^  PRICB 

S    SPARKS  ST.    ^    Plione  Queen  461 

'A' TORONTO  GENERAL  TRUSTS 

CORPORATION. 


CAI>ITAL 
RESERVE 


$1,500,000 
1.600,000 


Successful  administration  of  ESTATES 
ranging  in  value  from  SSOO  to  $6,000,000 
each,  is  the  best  guarantee  that  you  may 
confidently  name  as  your  EXECUTOR 
and  TRUSTEE  this  Corporation. 


JAMES    DAVEY,  Manager 

Ottawa  Branch: 

Cor.   SPARKS  and  ELGIN     STS. 

J.G.BUTTERWORTH&Co. 

ALL-RAIL    SCRANTON    COAL 
HAS    NO    EQUAL 

86  SPARKS  STREET,  OTTAWA 

WARD'S  NAT.  SCIENCE 
ESTABLISHMENT 

ROCHESTER,  N.  Y. 

Successors  to  the 
American  Entomological  Company 
of  Brooklyn 

We  have  the  largest  stock  of  insects  of 
any  dealer  in  this  country.  We  make  a 
specialty  of  collections  and  life  histories  of 
insects  of  economic  importance. 

Sole  manufacturers  of  the  genuine  Schmitt 
Insect  Boxes,  cases  and  cabinets,  also  of  the 
American  Entomological  Company's  Insect 
Pins. 

Supply  Catalogue  No.  30.  Life  history 
circular  No.  126  and  many  others  free  upon 
request. 


R.  McGlFFIN 

MEN'S  FINE  FURNISHINGS 

(  76  RIdeau  St. 
3  STCRES  i  lOG  Sparks  St. 
I  306  Bank  St. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


THE    SMITH    PREMIER    AND 
REMINGTON  TYPEWRITERS 

The  World's  Two   Best  Typewriters 

THE  FEDERAL  TYPEWRITER  CO. 

Dealers 

200  Queen  St.    Phone  Queen  6267  &  Q.  291S. 

Ottawa 

Demonstrations  gladly  given 

HENRY  J.  SIMS  &  Co. 

Hatters — Phone  Queen  1244 

110-112  SPARKS  ST.  -   OTTAWA. 

WEAR 

MASSON'S 


SHOES 

72  Sparks   Street,    Ottawa 


r 
Pi 


tit 

W 
0 
H 
W 
0 


0 

PI 

> 

3 


0 


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50 


MULHUL  HARDWARE  LTD. 


faSl-SSSBankSt. 
.  oTOBRs    *••  Somersrt  St. 
4  STORKS    1107.1100  WaUington  St. 

l7»lBankSt 


OTTAWA 


Zf)c  Ottawa  j^iel^|<'VlaturaU0t6'  Club. 

patron : 

HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS  THE  DUKE  OF  CONNAUGHT, 
GOVERNOR-GENERAL  OF  CANADA. 

Council  1915-16 
president : 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 


Vlce-pre0iDent0: 

Mr.  H.  I.  Smith.  Dr.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt. 


Secretary: 

Mr.  Andrew  Halkett. 

(Fisheries  Museum) 


JEOitor: 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 

(Entomological   Branch, 
Dept.  of  Agriculture) 

Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams. 
Mr.  P.  A.  Taverner. 
Mr.  L.  H.  Newman. 
Dr.  M.  O.   Malte. 


tTreadurer : 

Mr.  G.  LeLacheur,  B.S.A. 

(Seed  Branch,  Dept.  of 

Agriculture) 

Xibrarian : 

Mr.J.  R.  Dymond,  B.A 
(Seed  Branch,  Dept. 
of  Agriculture) 

Mr.  L.  D.  Burling. 
Mr.  E.  D.  Eddy. 
Miss  F.  Fyles,  B.A. 
Miss  D.  Stewart. 


Publications: 
Excursions: 


Lectures: 


ArchcBology: 
Botany: 


Entomology: 
Geology: 
Ornithology: 
Zoology: 


Standing  Committeed  of  Council : 

Dr.  C.  G.Hewitt,  A.  Gibson,  J.  R.  Fryer,  H.  I.  Smith,  E.  D 
Eddy,  G.  O.  McMillan. 

E.  D.  Eddy,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte,  A.  Halkett, 
J.  R.  Dymond,  G.  O.  McMillan,  G.  LeLacheur,  Miss  F.  Fyles, 
Miss  D.  Stewart. 

H.  I.  Smith,  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  Dr.  M.  Y.  WiUiams,  L.  H.  New- 
man, P.  A.  Taverner,  L.  D.  Burling. 

lLeadev0  at  Bicursiond: 

H.  I.  Smith,  F.  W.  Waugh,  T.  W.  E.  Sowter,  J.  Ballantyne, 
W.T.  Macoun,  J.M.Macoun,  L.  H.  Newman,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte, 
Miss  F.  Fyles,  J.  R.  Dymond,  E.  C.  Wight,  G.  O.  McMillan, 

F.  L.  Drayton. 

A.   Gibson,  W.   H.   Harrington,    Dr.  C.   G.    Hewitt,  J.   M. 

Swaine,  F.  W.  L.  Sladen. 

W.  J.  Wilson,  Dr.  H.  M.  Ami,   Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  H.  Mc- 

Gillivray,  L.  D.  Burling,  E.  Poitevin,  Dr.  Schofield. 

P.  A.  Taverner,  Dr.  M.  Y.  WiUiams,  A.  G.  Kingston,  A.  E. 

Kellett,  C.  Patch. 

A.  Halkett,  E.  E.  Lemieux,  E.  A.  LeSueur,  C.  H.  Young. 


J.  Ballantyne. 


Huditor0 : 


E.  C.  Wight. 


if  embepship  Fa«  to  O.F.N.C.,  with  ''Ottawa  Naturalist,*' 

$1 .00  pep  Annum. 


THE 


DECEMBER,  1915 

VOL.  XXIX,  Ho.  9 


OTTAWA 
NATURALIST 


Published  by  The  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club 


Harlan  I.  Smith, 

Anthropology. 

M.  O.  Malte,  Ph.  D. 

Botany. 

Prof.  John  Macoun,  M.A. 
Conchology. 


BdttOt: 

ARTHUR  GIBSON, 

Entomological  Branch,  Department  of  Agriculture, 

OTTAWA. 

Bddociate  jEditotS: 

W.  H.  Harrington, 

Entomology. 

H.  M.  Ami,  D.Sc. 

Geology. 

Otto  Klotz,  LL.D. 

Meteorology. 


P.  A.  Taverner, 

Ornithology, 

L.  M.  Lambe,  F.G.S., 

Palaeontology. 

C.  Gordon  Hewitt,  D.Sc. 
Zoology. 


CONTENTS: 

The  Use  of  Gum  Damar  in  Paleohistology  (with  Notes  on  the 

Genus  Benthopecten).     By  GeoRGE  H.  Hudson      -         -         101 

"  Gleanings  in  Fernland."     By  Frank  Morris  -        -        -        105 

The  Curious  Egg  of  the  Hagfish  {Myxine).    By  E.  E.  Prince     -         111 

A  Suggestive  note  as  to  what  might  be  brought  to  light  about  the 
Paddlefish  through  Deep  Lake  Dredging.  By  Andrew 
Halkett 114 

Book  Notice:     Johnston's  List  of  Canadian  Mineral  Occurences         116 


The  Rolla  L.  Grain  Co.,  Limited 

issued  JAN.  6,  1916 

Entered  at  Ottawa  Post  Offtce  as  second  class  matter. 


we    DEAL    WITH    OUR    AOVERTISeRS 


6E0.  E.  PRESTON  &  SONS, 


MERCHANT  TAILORS 
217-219  RIDEAU  ST.,  OTTAWA 
WE  MAKE  EVERYTHING  WE  SELL  AND  GUARANTEE  EVERYTHING  WE  MAKE. 


A.  H.  JARVIS,   BOOK   STORE 

Respectfully  solicits  your  inspection 

of  his  stock.     No  pressure  to  buy  to 

Book  Lovers. 

157  Bank  St.~near  Laurier  Ave. 

P.S. — Books  ordered  promptly  and  carefully. 

ALLEN  (k    COCHRANE 

THE  RED  CROSS  DRUGGISTS 
FIVE  STORES 

All  as  near  as  your  nearest  phone  or 
post  office 


THE  R.  J.  DEVLIN  CO.,  LTD. 

LEADING  HATTERS 


Cr-r^ 


SLEEPING 
BAOS 


LIMITED 

OTTAWA  ANo  WINNIPEG, 

Factory     .     HULL. 


SILK  TENTS 


Wholesale  Manufacturers 
Lumbermen's  and  Contractors'  Supplies, 
Outfitting  Survey  Parties, 
Exploration  and  Outing  Parties  of  any  kind 

A.    Specialty 

BLANKETS  CLOTHING 

For   Quotations  Phone  Queen  722 


PIANOS 


9  MAKES 
ALL  PRICES 


C  W.  LINDSAY,  Limited 

189  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THE  BANK  OF  OTTAWA 


ESTABLISH''  r?   1874 


Capital  paid  up  and  Rest 
Total  Assets  over     -     - 


S8.750,000 
50,000,050 


The  time  to  build  up  a  reserve,  a  safe- 
guard for  the  future,  is  now,  when  you 
are  strong  and  able  to  work  and  sacrifice. 

Many  a  man  has  lost  good  business 
opportunities  by  not  being  prepared, 
financially,  to  grasp  them. 


DR.   MARK   G.   McELHINNEY 

BOOTH  BLDG.,  OTTAWA 

PHONE  QUEEN  2438 

Dentist  to  certain  of  the  cognoscenti. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


CLEAN  AKD 
ALWAYS  RELIABLE 


.  E.  KELLY 

GROCER 


Cor.  F'orence  and  Lyon 
Sts.     Phone  Queen  Tngo 


THE  TOPLEY  COMPANY 


i^ 


PHOTOGRAPHIC   MATERIAL 
SCIENTIFIC  APPARATUS 


132  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 
THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr..  Ottawa) 


The  Rolla    L.   Grain    Co.,    Limited 

Printers,  Bookbinders  and  Loose  Leaf  Manufacturers 

145  Spruce  St.,  Ottawa 


THE  MORTIMER  CO.  LIMITED 

OTTAWA  -  MONTREAL  -  TORONTO 

Designers,    Illustrators,   Photo    Engravers,    Printers,    Lithographers 

Bookbinders,  Makers  of  Fine  Catalogues,  Manufacturers 

and  Devisers  of  Loose  Leaf  Systems 


Business 
Man's 
Lunch 
Full  Course 
Special  60c. 


MURPHY-GAMBLE  LIMITED 

Phone  Queen  6-2-0-1 


Smoking 
Room 
Annexed 
To  Tea 
Room 


I 


Pure  Spring 
Water  used 

in 

Tea  Room 

Kitchen 


Modern  Tea  Room  Distinguished 
for  the  Variety  and  Quality  of 
its  Menues  and  its  Dainty  Service 

Murphy-Gamble  Limited 


Pure  Spring 

Water 
served  on 
Tea  Room 

Tables. 


THE  OTTAWA   PAPER    BOX  CO. 


132   QUEEN    STREET 
OTTAWA 


Manufacturers  of  Riker  Specimen  Mounts, 

Natural  History  Specimen  Trays,  Glass  Topped  Boxes, 

Millboard  Mailing  Boxes,  Tubes,  etc. 


C.  A.  OLMSTED  &  SON 

Jewellers     :     Opticians     :     Watchmakers  and  Engravers 


Dealers  in  Fine  Diamonds,  Sterling  Silver, 
Electro  Plated  Ware  and  Rich  Cut  Glass. 


"THE  STORE  OF  MODERATE  PRICES" 
208  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA  Phone  Queen  1430 

E.  R.  WATTS  &  SON,  CANADA  LIMITED 

Microscopes,  Magnifiers  and  other  Naturalists'  Supplies 

Repairs  to  ail  instruments  promptly  executed  at  eilter  address 

45  Bank  St.,  Ottawa        -  65  Albert  St.,  Winnipei 

L.  C.  SMITH  &  BROS.  TYPEWRITER 

BUILT  I  IKE  A  WATCH 
MOST  POPULAR  TYPEWRITER  TO-DAY 

OTTAWA  TYPEWRITER  CO.  Limited 


Copies  of  back  nurnbers  of  the  Ottawa  Naturalist 
(15  cents  each)  may  be  had  on  application  to  the 
Librarian,  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club,  Seed  Branch, 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Ottawa. 


WE     DEAL     WITH     OUR    ADVERTISBRS 


James  Hope  &  Sons  SS, Sr  6 1  Sparks  St.  Ottawa 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 

THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 
(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


THE    C.  C.    RAY   CO.  Ltd. 


BB9T 
QUALITY 


1.0WE8T 
PRICB 


COAL 

5    SPARKS  ST.    ji    Phone  Queen  461 

155  TORONTO  GENERAL  TRUSTS 

CORPORATION. 


CAI>ITAL 
RESERVE 


$1,500,000 
1,600,000 


Successful  administration  of  ESTATES 
ranging  in  valua  from  $600  to  $6,000,000 
each,  is  the  best  guarantee  that  you  may 
confidently  name  as  your  EXECUTOR 
and  TRUSTEE  this  Corporation. 


JAMES    DAVEY,  Manager 

Ottawa  Branch: 

Cor.    SPARKS  and  ELGIN     STS. 

J.G.BUTTERWORTH&Co. 

ALL-RAIL    SCRANTON    COAL 
HAS    NO    EQUAL 

86  SPARKS  STREET,  OTTAWA 

WARD'S  NAT.  SCIENCE 
ESTABLISHMENT 

ROCHESTER,  N.  Y. 

Successors  to  the 
American  Entomological  Company 
of  Brooklyn 

We  have  the  largest  stock  of  insects  of 
any  dealer  in  this  country.  We  make  a 
specialty  of  collections  and  life  histories  of 
insects  of  economic  importance. 

Sole  manufacturers  of  the  genuine  Schmitt 
Insect  Boxes,  cases  and  cabinets,  also  of  the 
American  Entomological  Company's  Insect 
Pins. 

Supply  Catalogue  No.  30.  Life  history 
circular  No.  125  and  many  others  free  upon 
request. 


R.  iVlcGIFFIN 

MEN'S  FINE  FURNISHINGS 

(  76  Rideau  St. 
3  STORES  4  106  Sparks  St. 
I  305  Bank  St. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


THE    SMITH    PREMIER    AND 
REMINGTON  TYPEWRITERS 

The  World's  Two   Best  Typewriters 

THE  FEDERAL  TYPEWRITER  CO. 

Dealers 

200  Queen  St.    Phone  Queen  6267  &  Q.  2913. 

Ottawa 

Demonstrations  gladly  given 

HENRY  J.  SIMS  &  Co. 

Hatters — Phone  Queen  1244 

110-112  SPARKS  ST.  -   OTTAWA. 

WEAR 

MASSON'S 


SHOES 

72  Sparks    Street,    Ottawa 


MULHALL  HARDWARE  LTD-'^^^^IE^alisU 

I  791  Bank  St 


iSt. 


OTTAWA 


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^be  (S^ttawa  ]rtel^^VlaturaIi6t6'  Club* 

t  patron : 

HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS  THE  DUKE  OF  CONNAUGHT, 
GOVERNOR-GENERAL  OF  CANADA. 

Council  1915-16 

preeident : 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 


VicC'pveBi^entS: 

Mr.  H.  I.  Smith.  Dr.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt. 


Sccretacfi: 

Mr.  Andrew  Halkett. 

(Fisheries  Museum) 


BOftOt: 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson, 

(Entomological  Branch, 

Dept.  of  Agriculture) 


Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams. 
Mr.  P.  A.  Taverner. 
Mr.  L.  H.  Newman. 
Dr.  M.  O.  Malte. 


^ceasucec: 

Mr.  G.  LeLacheur,  6.S.A. 

(Seed  Branch,  Dept.  of 
Agriculture) 

librarian : 

Mr.  J.  R.  Dymond,  B.A 
(Seed  Branch,  Dept. 
of  Agriculture) 

Mr.  L.  D.  Burling. 
Mr.  E.  D.  Eddy. 
Miss  F.  Fyles,  B.A. 
Miss  D.  Stewart. 


StanOing  Committeee  or  Council: 

Publications:  Dr.  C.  G.Hewitt,  A.  Gibson,  J.  R.  Fryer,  H.  I.  Smith,  E.  D. 
Eddy,  G.  O.  McMillan. 

Excursions:  E.  D.  Eddy,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte,  A.  Halkett, 
J.  R.  Dymond,  G.  O.  McMillan,  G.  LeLacheur,  Miss  F.  Fyles, 
Miss  D.  Stewart. 

Lectures:  H.  I.  Smith,  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  L.  H.  New- 

man, P.  A.  Taverner,  L.  D.  Burling. 


Archceology: 
Botany: 


Entomology: 
Geology: 
Ornithology: 
Zoology: 


Xeadev0  at  Bicureions: 

H.  I.  Smith,  F.  W.  Waugh,  T.  W.  E.  Sowter,  J.  Ballantyne. 

W.  T.  Macoun,  J.  M.  Macoun,  L.  H.  Newman,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte, 

Miss  F.  Fyles,  J.  R.  Dymond,  E.  C.  Wight,  G.  O.  McMillan, 

F.  L.  Dra5rton. 

A.  Gibson,  W.  H.  Harrington,    Dr.  C.  G.    Hewitt,  J.  M. 

Swaine,  F.  W.  L.  Sladen. 

W.  J.  Wilson,  Dr.  H.  M.  Ami,   Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  H.  Mc- 

Gillivray,  L.  D.  Burling,  E.  Poitevin,  Dr.  Schofield. 

P.  A.  Taverner,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  A.  G.  Kingston,  A.  E. 

Kellett,  C.  Patch. 

A.  Halkett,  E.  E.  Lemieux,  E.  A.  LeSueur,  C.  H.  Young. 


J.  Ballantyne. 


BuDitora 


E.  C.  Wight. 


Membership  Fe«  to  O.F.N.C,  with  "Ottawa  Naturalist," 

$1 .00  pep  Annum. 


JANUARY    1916 

VOL.  XXIX,  No.  10 


THE 

OTT  AW  A 
NATURALIST 


Published  by  The  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club 


jeoitot: 

ARTHUR  GIBSON, 
Entomological  Branch,  Department  of  Agriculture, 

OTTAWA. 


Hssociate  BOttorS: 

Harlan  I.  Smith,  W.  H.  Harrington,  P.  A.  Taverner, 

Anthropology.                         Entomology.  Ornithology. 

M.  O.  Malte,  Ph.  D.  H.  M.  Ami,  D.Sc.  L.  M.  Lambe,  F.G.S., 

Botany.                                 Geology.  Palaeontology. 

Prof.  John  Macoun,  M.A.  Otto  Klotz,  LL.D.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt,  D.Sc. 

Conchology.                          Meteorology.  Zoology. 


CONTENTS: 

Fossil  Collecting.     By  E.  M.  Kindle 117 

"  Gleanings  in  Fernland."     By  Frank  Morris  -         -         -         125 

Buprestidae  Known  to  Occur  in  the  Ottawa  District.     By  Bro. 
Germain  -         -         -         -         -- 

Museums  as  Aid  to  Forestry.     By  Harlan  I.  Smith   -         -         - 


The  Rolla  L.  Grain  Co.,  Limited 
issued  feb.  7,  1916 

Entered  at  Ottawa  Post  Office  as  second  class  matter. 


WE    DEAL      WITH    OUR    ADVERTISERS 


6E0.  E.  PRESTON  &  SONS, 


MERCHANT  TAILORS 
217-219  RIDEAU  ST.,  OTTAWA 
WE  MAKE  EVERYTHINQ  WE  SELL  AND  GUARANTEE  EVERYTHINQ  WE  MAKE. 


oe 
o 
o 


Q 
UJ 


(0 

o 

CM 
UJ 

3: 


A.  H.  JAR  VIS,   BOOK   STORE 

Respectfully  solicits  your  inspection 

of  his  stock.     No  pressure  to  buy  to 

Book  Lovers. 

157  Bank  St.~near  Laurier  Ave. 

P.S. — Books  ordered  promptly  and  carefully. 

ALLEN  <fe    COCHRANE 

THE  RED  CROSS  DRUGGISTS 
FIVE  STORES 

All  as  near  as  your  nearest  phone  or 
post  office 


THE  R.  J.  DEVLIN  CO.,  LTD. 

LEADING  HATTERS 


MT 


SLEEPING 
BAGS 


LIMITED 

OTTAWA  AND  WINNIPEG, 


SILK  TENTS 


Factory     .     HULL. 

Wholesale  Manufacturers 
Lumbermen's  and  Contractors'  Supplies, 
Outfitting  Survey  Parties, 
Exploration  and  Outing  Parties  of  any  kind 
A    Specialty'' 
BLANKETS  CLOTHING 

For  Quotations  Phone  Queen  722 


lANOS 


9  MAKES 
ALL  PRICES 


C  W.  LINDSAY,  Limited 

189  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THE  BANK  OF  OTTAWA 

ESTABLISHED  1874 


Capita)  paid  up  and  Rest  -     -    -     $8,750,000 
Total  Assets  over 50,000,000 


The  time  to  build  up  a  reserve,  a  safe- 
guard for  the  future,  is  now,  when  you 
are  strong  and  able  to  work  and  sacrifice. 

Many  a  man  has  lost  good  business 
opportunities  by  not  being  prepared, 
financially,  to  grasp  them. 


DR.   MARK  G.   McELHINNEY 

BOOTH  BLDG.,  OTTAWA 

PHONE  QUEEN  2438 

Dentist  to  certain  of  the  cognoscenti. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


CLEAN  AND 
ALWAYS  RELLABLE 


A.  E.  KELLY 

GROCER 


Cor.  Florence  and  Lyon 
Sts.     Phone  Queen  7090- 


THE  TOPLEY  COMPANY 


PHOTOGRAPHIC   MATERIAL 
SCIENTIFIC  APPARATUS 


132  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 
THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


The  RoUa    L.   Grain    Co.,    Limited 

Printers,  Bookbinders  and  Loose  Leaf  Manufacturers 

145  Spruce  St.,  Ottawa 


THE  MORTIMER  CO.  LIMITED 

OTTAWA  -  MONTREAL  -  TORONTO 

Designers,    Illustrators,    Photo    Engravers,    Printers,    Lithographers 

Bookbinders,  Makers  of  Fine  Catalogues,  Manufacturers 

and  Devisers  of  Loose  Leaf  Systems 


Business 
Man's 
Lunch 
Full  Course 
Special  60c. 


IVIURPHY-GAMBLE  LIIVilTED 

Phone  Queen  6-2-0-1 


Smoking 
Room 
Annexed 
To  Tea 
Room 


Pure  Spring 
Water  used 

in 

Tea  Room 

Kitchen 


Modern  Tea  Room  Distinguished 
for  the  Variety  and  Quality  of 
its  Menues  and  its  Dainty  Service 

Murpiiy-Gamble  Limited 


Pure  Spring 

Water 
served  on 
Tea  Room 

Tables. 


THE  OTTAWA   PAPER    BOX  CO. 


132   QUEEN    STREET 
OTTAWA 


Manufacturers  of  Riker  Specimen  Mounts, 
Natural  History  Specimen  Trays,  Glass  Topped  Boxes, 
Millboard  Mailing  Boxes,  Tubes,  etc. 


C.  A.  OLMSTED  &  SON 

Jewellers     :     Opticians     :     Watchmakers  and  Engravers 


Dealers  in  Fine  Diamonds,  Sterling  Silver, 
Electro  Plated  Ware  and  Rich  Cut  Glass. 


"THE  STORE  OF  MODERATE  PRICES" 
208  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA  Phone  Queen  1430 

E.  R.  WATTS  &  SON,  CANADA  LIMITED 

Microscopes,  Magnifiers  and  other  Naturalists'  Supplies 

Repairs  to  all  instruments  promptly  executed  at  eitber  address 

45  Bank  St.,  Ottawa         -  65  Albert  St.,  Winnipeg 

L.  C.  SMITH  &  BROS.  TYPEWRITER 

BUILT  LIKE  A  WATCH 
MOST  POPULAR  TYPEWRITER  TO-DAY 

OTTAWA  TYPEWRITER  CO.  Limited 


Copies  of  back  numbers  of  the  Ottawa  Naturalist 
(15  cents  each)  may  be  had  on  application  to  the 
Librarian,  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club,  Seed  Branch, 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Ottawa. 


we    DEAL     WITH    OUR    ADVERTISERS 


James  Hope  &  Sons 


Booksellers,  StatioDers 
Bookbinders,  Printers 


6 1  Sparks  St.  Ottawa 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 

THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch.  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


THE    C.  C.    RAY   CO.  Ltd. 


BEST 
QUALITY 


LOWEST 
PRICE 


COAL 

S    SPARKS  ST.    ^    Piione  Queen  461 

155  TORONTO  GENERAL  TRUSTS 

CORPORATION. 

CAI'ITAL  $1,500,000 


RESERVE 


1,600,000 


Succcsgfal  administration  of  ESTATES 
ranging  in  value  from  $600  to  $5,000,000 
each,  is  the  best  guarantee  that  you  may 
confidently  name  as  your  EXECUTOR 
and  TRUSTEE  this  Corporation. 


JAMES   DAVEY,  Manager 

Ottawa  Branch: 

Cor.    SPARKS  and  ELGIN     STS. 

J.G.BUTTERWORTH&Co. 

ALL-RAIL    SCRANTON    COAL 
HAS    NO    EQUAL 

86  SPARKS  STREET,  OTTAWA 

WARD'S  NAT.  SCIENCE 
ESTABLISHMENT 

ROCHESTER,  N.  Y. 

Successors  to  the 
American  Entomological  Company 
of  Brooklyn 

We  have  the  largest  stock  of  insects  of 
any  dealer  in  this  country.  We  make  a 
specialty  of  collections  and  life  histories  of 
insects  of  economic  importance. 

Sole  manufacturers  of  the  genuine  Schmitt 
Insect  Boxes,  cases  and  cabinets,  also  of  the 
American  Entomological  Company's  Insect 
Pins. 

Supply  Catalogue  No.  30.  Life  history 
circular  No.  125  and  many  others  free  upon 
request. 


R.  McQIFFIN 

MEN'S  FINE  FURNISHINGS 

C  76  Rideau  St. 
3  STORES  \  106  Sparks  St. 
{  305  Bank  St. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


THE    SMITH    PREMIER    AND 
REMINGTON  TYPEWRITERS 

The  "World's  Two    Best   Typewriters 

THE  FEDERAL  TYPEWRITER  CO. 

Dealers 

200  Queen  St.    Phone  Queen  6267  &  Q.  2913. 

Ottawa 

Demonstrations  gladly  given 

HENRY  J.  SIMS  &  Co. 

Hatters — Phone  Queen  1244 

110-112  SPARKS  SL  -   OTTAWA. 

WEAR 

MASSON'S 


SHOES 

72  Sparks    Street,    Ottawa 


MULHALL  HARDWARE  LTD. 


'  231-233  Bank  St. 
806  Somerset  St. 


4  STORES    1107-1109  Wellington  St. 


OTTAWA 


r 


0 

0 


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S 


03 

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<Ibe  ©ttawa  jriclt)^lRaturali0t0*  Club. 

patron : 

HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS  THE  DUKE  OF  CONNAUGHT, 
GOVERNOR-GENERAL  OF  CANADA. 

Council  1915-16 

©resident: 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 


IDke-lpresiOentB: 

Mr.  H.  I.  Smith.  Dr.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt. 


Secretary: 

Mr.  Andrew  Halkett. 

(Fisheries  Museum) 


EDltor: 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 

(Entomological   Branch, 

Dept.  of  Agriculture) 

Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams. 
Mr.  P.  A.  Taverner. 
Mr.  L.  H.  Newman. 
Dr.  M.  O.   Malte. 


treasurer : 

Mr.  G.  LeLacheur,  B.S.A. 

(Seed  Branch,  Dept.  of 
Agriculture) 

Xtbrarlan : 

Mr.  J.R.  Dymond,  B.A 

(Seed  Branch,  Dept. 
of  Agriculture) 

Mr.  L.  D.  Burling. 
Mr.  E.  D.  Eddy. 
Miss  F.  Fyles,  B.A. 
Miss  D.  Stewart. 


Standing  Committees  ot  Council: 

Publications:  Dr.  C.  G.Hewitt,  A.  Gibson,  J.  R.  Fryer,  H.  I.  Smith,  E.  D. 
Eddy,  G.  O.  McMillan. 

Excursions:  E.  D.  Eddy,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte,  A.  Halkett, 
J.  R.  Dymond,  G.  O.  McMillan,  G.  LeLacheur,  Miss  F.  Fyles, 
Miss  D.  Stewart. 

Lectures:  H.  I.  Smith,  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  Dr.  M.  Y.  WilHams,  L.  H.  New- 

man, P.  A.  Taverner,  L.  D.  Burling. 


ArchcBology: 
Botany: 


Entomology: 
Geology: 
Ornithology: 
Zoology: 


ILeaDera  at  Ercursions-. 

H.  I.  Smith,  F.  W.  Waugh,  T.  W.  E.  Sowter,  J.  Ballantyne, 

W.  T.  Macoun,  J.  M.  Macoun,  L.  H.  Newman,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte, 

Miss  F.  Fyles,  J.  R.  Dymond,  E.  C.Wight,  G.  O.  McMillan, 

F.  L.  Drayton. 

A.   Gibson,  W.  H.  Harrington,    Dr.  C.   G.    Hewitt,  J.  M. 

Swaine,  F.  W.  L.  Sladen. 

W.  J.  Wilson,  Dr.  H.  M.  Ami,   Dr.  M.  Y.  WilUams,  H.  Mc- 

Gillivray,  L.  D.  Burling,  E.  Poitevin,  Dr.  Schofield. 

P.  A.  Taverner,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  A.  G.  Kingston,  A.  E. 

Kellett,  C.  Patch. 

A.  Halkett,  E.  E.  Lemieux,  E.  A.  LeSueur,  C.  H.  Yoimg. 


J.  Ballantyne. 


?luDitor9 


E.  C.  Wight. 


Membepship  Fee  to  O.F.N. C,  v«fith  "Ottawa  Naturalist," 

$1 .00  pep  Annum. 


FEBRUARY    1916 

VOL.  XXIX,  No.  11 

TLJ  p 

OTT  AW  A 
NATURALIST 


Published  by  The  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club 


:6Dttor: 

ARTHUR  GIBSON, 
Entomological  Branch,  Department  of  Agriculture, 


OTTAWA. 


nesocinte  EOltorS: 

PIarlan  I.  Smith,  W.  H.  Harrington,  P.  A.  Taverner, 

Anthropology.                          Entomology.  Ormthology. 

M.  O.  Malte,  Ph.  D.  H.  M.  Ami,  D.Sc.  L.  M.  Lambe,  F.G.S., 

Botany.                                  Geology.  P  alee  ontology. 

Prof.  John  Macoun,  M.A.  Otto  Klotz,  LL.D.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt,  D.Sc, 

Conchology.                           Meteorology.  Zoology. 


CONTENTS: 

The  Genera  of  the  Odontopleuridae.     By  Percy  E.  Raymond       -  135 
Prenanthes  mainensis.    Notes  on  the  Morphology,  Taxonomy  and 

Distribution  of  this  Hybrid  Form.     By  Bro.  M.  Victorin      -  140 

Birds  of  Algonquin  Park.     By  W.  E.  Saunders    -         -        -         -  145 


The  Rolla  L.  Grain  Co.,  Limited 

issued  mar.  6,  1916 

Entered  at  Ottawa  Post  Office  as  second  class  matter. 


we    a£AU     WITH     OUfi     AO\/EfiTISEfie 


GEO.  E.  PRESTON  &  SONS, 


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p  ca 

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MERCHANT  TAILORS 
217-219  KIOEAU  ST.,  OTTAWA 
WE  MAKE  EVERYTHING  WE  SELL  AND  GUARANTEE  EVERYTHING  WE  MAKE. 


A.  H.  JAR  VIS,   BOOK   STORE 

Respectfully  solicits  your  inspection 

of  his  stock.     No  pressure  to  buy  to 

Book  Lovers. 

157  Bank  St. —near  Laurier  Ave. 

P.S. — Books  ordered  promptly  and  carefully. 

ALLEN   <Sc    COCHRANE 

THE  RED  CROSS  DRUGGISTS 
FIVE  STORES 

All  as  near  as  your  nearest  phone  or 
post  office 


THE  R.  J.  DEVLIN  CO.,  LTD. 

LEADING  HATTERS 


SLEEPING 
BAGS 


RT-W 

LIMITED 

OTTAWA  AND  WINNIPEG, 


ID 


SILK  TENTS 


Factory      .     HULL. 

Wholesale  Manufacturers 
Lumbermen's  and  Contractors'  Supplies, 
Outfitting  Survey  Parties, 
Exploration  and  Outing  Parties  of  any  kind 
A.    Specialty 
BLANKETS  CLOTHING 

For  Quotations  Phone  Queen  722 


PIANOS 


9  MAKES 
ALL  PRICES 


C.  W.  LINDSAY,  Limited 

189  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THE  BANK  OF  OTTAWA 


ESTABLISHED  1874 


Capital  paid  up  and  Rest  - 
Total  Assets  over     -     -     - 


$8,750,000 
50,000,000 


The  time  to  build  up  a  reserve,  a  safe- 
guard for  the  future,  is  now,  when  you 
are  strong  and  able  to  work  and  sacrifice. 

Many  a  man  has  lost  good  business 
opportunities  by  not  being  prepared, 
financially,  to  grasp  them. 


DR.   MARK   G.   McELHINNEY 

BOOTH  ELDG.,  OTTAWA 
PHONE  QUEEN  2438 

Dentist  to  certain  of  the  cognoscenti. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


CLEAN  AND 
ALWAYS  RELLABLE 


A.  E.  KELLY 

GROCER 


Cor.  Florence  and  Lyon 
Sts.     Phone  Queen  7090 


THE  TOPLEY  COMPANY 


PHOTOGRAPHIC   MATERIAL 
SCIENTIFIC  APPARATUS 


132  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA' 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 
THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


The  Rolla   L.   Grain   Co.,    Limited 

Printers,  Bookbinders  and  Loose  Leaf  Manufacturers 

145  Spruce  St.,  Ottawa 


THE  MORTIMER  CO.  LIMITED 

OTTAWA  -  MONTREAL  -  TORONTO 

Designers,    Illustrators,    Photo    Engravers,    Printers,    Lithographers 

Bookbinders,  Makers  of  Fine  Catalogues,  Manufacturers 

and  Devisers  of  Loose  Leaf  Systems 


Business 
Man's 
Lunch 
Full  Course 
Special  50c. 


IVIURPHY-CAIVIBLE  LliVIITED 

Phone  Queen  6-2-0-1 


Smoking 
Room 
Annexed 
To  Tea 
Room 


Pure  Spring 
Water  used 

in 

Tea  Room 

-Kitchen 


Modern  Tea  Room  Distinguished 
for  the  Variety  and  Quality  of 
its  Menues  and  its  Dainty  Service 

Murptiy-Gamiile  Limited 


Pure  Spring 

Water 
served  on 
Tea  Room 

Tables. 


THE  OTTAWA    PAPER    BOX  CO, 


132   QUEEN    STREET 
OTTAWA 


Manufacturers  of  Riker  Specimen  Mounts, 
Natural  History  Specimen  Trays,  Glass  Topped  Boxes, 
Millboard  Mailing  Boxes,  Tubes,  etc. 


C.  A.  OLMSTED  &  SON 

Jewellers     :     Opticians     :      Watchmakers  and  Engravers 


Dealers  in  Fine  Diamonds,  Sterling  Silver, 
Electro  Plated  V/are  and  Rich  Cut  Glass. 


"THE  STORE  OF  MODERATE  PRICES" 
208  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA  Phone  Queen  1430 

E.  R.  WATTS  &  SON,  CANADA  LIMITED 

Microscopes,  Magnifiers  and  other  Naturalists'  Supplies 

Repairs  to  all  instrumenfs  promptly  executed  at  eiller  address 

45  Bank  St.,  Ottawa         -  65  Albert  St.,  Winnipeg 

L.  C.  SMITH  &  BROS.  TYPEWRITER 

BUILT  LIKE  A  WATCH 
MOST  POPULAR  TYPEWRITER  TO-DAY 

OTTAWA  TYPEWRITER  CO.  Limited 


Copies  of  back  numbers  of  the  Ottawa  Naturalist 
(15  cents  each)  may  be  had  on  application  to  the 
Librarian,  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club,  Seed  Branch, 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Ottawa. 


ME    DEAL     WITH     OUR    ADVERTISERS 


James  Hope  &  Sons  :::;S, Sr  6 1  Sparks  St.  Ottawa 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 

THE  EDITOR.  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Enttmological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


THE    C.  C.    RAY   CO.  Ltd. 


BBIT 
QUALITY 


COAL 


LOWEST 
PRICE 


5    SPARKS  ST.    ^    Phone  QuecB  461 


li- TORONTO  DENERAL TRUSTS 

CORPORATION. 


CA1>ITAL 
RESERVE 


$1,500,000 
1,600.000 


Successful  administration  of  ESTATES 
ranging  in  value  from  $600  to  $5,000,030 
each,  is  the  bast  guarantee  that  you  may 
confidently  name  as  your  EXECUTOR 
and  TRUSTEE  this  Corporation. 


JAMES    DAVEY,  Manager 

Ottawa  Branch: 

Cor.    SPARKS  and  ELGIN     STS. 

J.G.BUTTERWORTH&Co. 

ALL-RAIL    SCRANTON    COAL 
HAS    NO    EQUAL 

86  SPARKS  STREET,  OTTAWA 

WARD'S  NAT.  SCIENCE 
ESTABLISHMENT 

ROCHESTER,  N.  Y. 

Successors  to  the 
American  Entomological  Company 
of  Brooklyn 

We  have  the  largest  stock  of  inserts  of 
any  dealer  in  this  country.  We  make  a 
specialty  of  collections  and  life  histories  of 
insects  cf  economic  importance. 

Sole  manufacturers  of  the  genuine  Schmitt 
Insect  Boxes,  cases  and  cabinets,  also  of  the 
American  Entomological  Company's  Insect 
Pins. 

Supply  Catalogue  No.  30.  Life  history 
circular  No.  125  and  many  others  free  upon 
request. 


R.  McQIFFIN 

MEN'S  FIKE  FURNISHINGS 

{  76  Rideau  St. 
3  STORES  4  106  Sparks  St. 
I  305  Bank  St. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


THE    SMITH    PREMIER    AND 
REMINGTON  TYPEWRITERS 

The  World's  Two    Best  Typewrifers 

THE  FEDERAL  TYPEWRITER  CO. 

Dealers 

300  Queen  St.    Phone  Queen  6267  &  Q.  2913. 

Ottawa 

Demonstrations  gladly  given 

HENRY  J.  SIMS  &  Co. 

Hatters — Phone  Queen  1244 

110-112  SPARKS  ST.  -    OTTAWA. 

Vv'EAR    ' 

MASSON'S 


SHOES 

72  Sparks   Street,    Ottawa 


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MULHALL  HARDWARE  LTD. 


4  STORES 


'231-233  Bank  St. 

806  Somerset  St. 

1107-1100  Wellington  St. 
I  791  Bank  St 


OTTAWA 


03 

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PJ 


tTbc  Ottawa  ifielDi-flaturaUste'  Club. 

patron : 

HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS  THE  DUKE  OF  CONNAUGHT, 
GOVERNOR-GENERAL  OF  CANADA. 

Council  1915-16 

presiOent : 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 


lPice-prc0iDent0: 

Mr.  H.  I.  Smith.  Dr.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt. 


Secretary: 

Mr.  Andrew  Halkett. 

(Fisheries  Museum) 


leottor: 

Mr.   Arthur  Gibson. 

(Entomological   Branch, 

Dept.  of  Agriculture) 


Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams. 
Mr.  P,  A.  Taverner. 
Mr.  L.  H.  Newman. 
Dr.  M.  O.   Malte. 


Ztensmcx : 

Mr.  G.  LeLacheur,  B.S.A. 

(Seed  Branch,  Dept.  of 

Agriculture) 

Xibrarian : 

Mr.  J.R.  Dymond,  B.A 
(Seed  Branch,  Dept. 
of  Agriculture) 

Mr.  L.  D.  Burling. 
Mr.  E.  D.  Eddy. 
Miss  F.  Fyles,  B.A. 
Miss  D.  Stewart. 


Publications: 
Excursions: 


Lectures: 


ArchcBology: 
Botany: 


Entomology: 
Geology: 
Ornithology: 
Zoology: 


StanWnfi  Committeee  of  Council: 

Dr.  C.  G.Hewitt,  A.  Gibson,  J.  R.  Fryer,  H.  I.  Smith,  E.  D. 
Eddy,  G.  O.  McMillan. 

E.  D.  Eddy,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte,  A.  Halkett, 
J.  R.  Dymond,  G.  O.  McMillan,  G.  LeLacheur,  Miss  F.  Fyles, 
Miss  D.  Stewart. 

H.  I.  Smith,  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  L.  H.  New- 
man, P.  A.  Taverner,  L.  D.  Burling. 

XeaDere  at  JEicurdtond : 

H.  I.  Smith,  F.  W.  Waugh,  T.  W.  E.  Sowter,  J.  Ballantyne, 
W.  T.  Macoun,  J.  M.  Macoun,  L.  H.  Newman,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte, 
Miss  F.  Fyles,  J.  R.  Dymond,  E.  C.  Wight,  G.  O.  McMillan, 

F.  L.  Drayton. 

A.   Gibson,  W.   H.   Harrington,    Dr.   C.   G.    Hewitt,  J.   M. 

Swaine,  F.  W.  L.  Sladen. 

W.  J.  Wilson,  Dr.  H.  M.  Ami,   Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  H.  Mc- 

Gillivrav,  L.  D.  Burling,  E.  Poitevin,  Dr.  Schofield. 

P.  A.  Taverner,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  A.  G.  Kingston,  A.  E. 

Kellett,  C.  Patch. 

A.  Halkett,  E.  E.  Lemieux,  E.  A.  LeSueur,  C.  H.  Young. 


J.  Ballantyne. 


HuDitore : 


E.  C.  Wight. 


Membership  Fee  to  O.F.N. C.,  vtfith  "Ottawa  Naturalist," 

$1 .00  per  Annum. 


MARCH,    1916 

VOL.  XXIX,  No.  12 

THE 

OTTAWA 
NATURALIST 


Published  by  The  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club 


ARTHUR  GIBSON, 
Entomological  Branch,  Department  of  Agriculture, 


OTTAWA. 


Hssocfate  JEOitorg: 

Harlan  I.  Smith,  W.  H.  Harrington,  P.  A.  Taverner,    _ 

Anthropology.                         Entomology.  Ormthoiogy. 

M.  O.  Malte,  Ph.  D.  H.  M.  Ami,  D.Sc.  L.  M.  Lambe,  F.G.S., 

Botany.                                 Geology.  P  alee  ontology. 

Prof.  John  Macoun,  M.A.  Otto  Klotz,  LL.D.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt,  D.Sc. 

Conchology.                          Meteorology.  Zoology. 


CONTENTS: 

Data  on  Seed  Maturity  of  Some  Ontario  Plants.     By  W.  Herriot  -  151 
Canadian  Anthropology  at  the  Washington  Meetings.     By  Harlan 

I.  Smith 158 

Book  Notice :     Forest  Protection  in  Canada        -        -        -         -  160 

The  Use  of  Ornamental  Trees  and  Shrubs.     By  W.  T.  Macoun    -  161 

The  Fire  and  the  Museum  at  Ottawa.     By  Harlan  I.  Smith      -  164 

Encourage  the  Birds— What  Brockville  is  Doing      -        -        -  168 

Index  to  Vol.  XXIX  - 169 


The  Rolla  L.  Grain  Co.,  Limited 

issued  april  10,  1916 

Enttnd  at  Ottawa  Post  Offut  as  stcond  class  tnatUr. 


W£    DEAL    WtTM    OUR    ADVERTlSEFi6 


6E0.  E.  PRESTON  &  SONS. 


MERCHANT  TAILORS 
217-319  RIDEAU  ST.,  OTTAWA 
WE  MAKE  EVERYTHING  WE  SELL  AND  GUARANTEE  EVERYTHING  WE  MAKE. 


A.  H.  JAR  VIS,   BOOK   STORE 

Respectfully  solicits  your  inspection 

of  his  stock.    No  pressure  to  buy  to 

Book  Lovers. 

157  Bank  St.~near  Laurier  Ave. 

P.S. — Books  ordered  promptly  and  carefully. 

ALLEN  iSc    COCHRANE 

THE  RED  CROSS  DRUGGISTS 
FIVE  STORES 

All  as  near  as  your  nearest  phone  or 
post  office 


THE  R.  J.  DEVLIN  CO.,  LTD. 

LEADING  HATTERS 


HIKT-W 


SLEEPING 
BAGS 


LIMITED 

OTTAWA  AND  WINHIPEC, 


SILK  TENTS 


Factory     -     HULL. 

Wholesale  Manufacturers 
Lumbermen's  and  Contractors'  Supplies, 
Outfitting  Survey  Parties, 
Exploration  and  Outing  Parties  of  any  kind 
A    Specialty 

BLANKETS  CLOTHING 

For  Quotations  Phone  Queen  722 


PIANOS 


9  MAKES 
ALL  PRICES 


C.  W.  LINDSAY,  Limited 

189  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THE  BANK  OF  OTTAWA 


ESTABLISHED  1874 


Capital  paid  up  and  Rest  -     - 
Total  Assets  over     -    -    -     - 


$8,750,000 
50,000,000 


The  time  to  build  up  a  reserve,  a  safe- 

•'*?guard  for  the  future,  is  nowr,  when  you 

are  strong  and  able  to  work  and  sacrifice. 

Many   a  man  has  lost  good    business^ 
opportunities    by     not    being    prepared, 
financially,  to  grasp  them. 


DR.   MARK   G.   McELHINNEY 

BOOTH  BLDG.,  OTTAWA 

PHONE  QUEEN  2438 

Dentist  to  certain  of  the  cognoscenti. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


CLEAN  AND 
ALWAYS  RELIABLE 


A.  E.  KELLY 

GROCER 


Cor.  Florence  and  Lyon 
Sts.     Phone  Queen  7090 


THE  TOPLEY  COMPANY 


PHOTOGRAPHIC   MATERIAL 
SCIENTIFIC  APPARATUS 


132  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 
THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


The  Rolla    L.   Grain    Co.,    Limited 

Printers,  Bookbinders  and  Loose  Leaf  Manufacturers 

145  Spruce  St.,  Ottawa 


THE  MORTIMER  CO.  LIMITED 

OTTAWA  -  MONTREAL  -  TORONTO 

Designers,    Illustrators,    Photo    Engravers,    Printers,    Lithographers 

Bookbinders,  Makers  of  Fine  Catalogues,  Manufacturers 

and  Devisers  of  Loose  Leaf  Systems 


Business 
Man's 
Lunch 
Full  Course 
Special  50c. 


JVIURPHY-CAMBLE  LIIVilTED 

Phone  Queen  6-2-0-1 


Smoking 
Room 
Annexed 
To  Tea 
Room 


Pure  Spring 
Water  used 

in 

Tea  Room 

Kitchen 


Modern  Tea  Room  Distinguished 
for  the  Variety  and  Quality  of 
its  Menues  and  its  Dainty  Service 

Murpiiy-Gamble  Limited 


Pure  Spring 

Water 
served  on 
Tea  Room 

Tables. 


THE  OTTAWA   PAPER    BOX  CO. 

132   QUEEN    STREET 
OTTAWA 


Manufacturers  of  Riker  Specimen  Mounts, 
Natiu"al  History  Specimen  Trays,  Glass  Topped  Boxes, 
Millboard  Mailing  Boxes,  Tubes,  etc. 


C.  A.  OLMSTED  &  SON 

Jewellers     :     Opticians     :     Watchmakers  and  Engravers 


Dealers  in  Fine  Diamonds,  Sterling  Silver, 
Electro  Plated  Ware  and  Rich  Cut  Glass. 


"THE  STORE  OF  MODERATE  PRICES" 
208  SPARKS  ST.,  OTTAWA  Phone  Queen  1430 

E.  R.  WATTS  &  SON,  CANADA  LIMITED 

Microscopes,  Magnifiers  and  other  Naturalists'  Supplies 

Repairs  to  all  instruments  promptly  executed  at  eiiber  address 

45  Bank  St.,  Ottawa         -  65  Albert  St.,  Winnipeg 

L.  C.  SMITH  &  BROS.  TYPEWRITER 

BUILT  LIKE  A  WATCH 
MOST  POPULAR  TYPEWRITER  TO-DAY 

OTTAWA  TYPEWRITER  CO.  Limited 


Copies  of  back  numbers  of  the  Ottawa  Naturalist 
(15  cents  each)  may  be  had  on  application  to  the 
Librarian,  Ottawa  Field-Naturalists'  Club,  Seed  Branch, 
Department  of  Agriculture,  Ottawa. 


WE    DEAL    WITH    OUR    AOVERTieEfiS 


James  Hope  &  Sons 


Booksellers,  Stationers 
Bookbiaders,  Printers 


61  Sparks  St.  Ottawa 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 

Apply  to 

THE  EDITOR,  OTTAWA  NATURALIST 

(Entomological  Branch,  Dept.  Agr.,  Ottawa) 


THE    C.  C.   RAY   CO.  Ltd. 

BB8T  (~^r\    A    T  LOWBBT 

QUALITY       K^KJjTJlI-^  FRICB 

S    SPARKS  ST.    jit    Ptwne  Queen  461 


I!L°  TORONTO  GENERAL  TRUSTS 

CORPORATION. 


CAPITAL 
RESERVE 


$1,500,000 
1,600.000 


Successful  administration  of  ESTATES 
rancing  in  value  from  $500  to  $6,000,000 
each,  is  the  best  guarantee  that  you  may 
confidently  name  as  your  EXECUTOR 
and  TRUSTEE  this  Corporation. 


JAMES   DAVEY,  Manager 

Ottawa  Branch: 

Cor.   SPARKS  and  ELGIN     STS. 


J.G.  BUTTER  WORTH&  Co. 

ALL-RAIL    SCRANTON    COAL 

HAS    NO    EQUAL 

86  SPARKS  STREET,  OTTAWA 


WARD^S  NAT.  SCIENCE 
ESTABLISHMENT 

ROCHESTER,  N.  Y. 

Successors  to  the 
American  Entomological  Company 
of  Brooklyn 

We  have  the  largest  stock  of  insects  of 
any  dealer  in  this  country.  We  make  a 
specialty  of  collections  and  life  histories  of 
insects  of  economic  importance. 

Sole  manufacturers  of  the  genuine  Schmitt 
Insect  Boxes,  cases  and  cabinets,  also  of  the 
American  Entomological  Company's  Insect 
Pins. 

Supply  Catalogue  No.  30.  Life  history 
circular  No.  126  and  many  others  free  upon 
request. 


R.  McQSFFIN 

MEN'S  FINE  FURNISHINGS 

76  Rideau  St. 
3  STORES  -[106  Sparks  St. 


{ 


306  Bank  St. 


THIS  SPACE  FOR  SALE 


THE    SMITH    PREMIER    AND 
REMINGTON  TYPEWRITERS 

The  World's  Two   Best  Typewriters 

THE  FEDERAL  TYPEWRITER  CO. 

Dealers 

aOO  Queen  St.    Phone  Queen  6267  &  Q.  a91S. 

Ottawa 

Demonstrations  gladlly  given 

HENRY  J.  SIMS  &  Co. 

Hatters — Phone  Queen  12U 

110-112  SPARKS  ST.  -   OTTAWA. 

WEAR 

MASSON'S 


SHOES 

72  Sparks   Street,    Ottawa 


MULHALL  HARDWARE  LTD. 


4  STORES 


f  S31-SS3  Bank  St. 

I  806  Somerset  St. 

I  1107-1109  WoUinston  St. 

i  79t  Bank  St 


OTTAWA 


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^bc  ©ttawa  ]riel&^*Waturalt0t0V  Club. 

patron :  ^ 

HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS  THE  DUKE  OF  CONNAUGHT, 

GOVERNOR-GENERAL  OF  CANADA. 

Council  1915-16 

preeiDent : 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 


IPtce-prcelOentS: 

Mr.  H.  I.  Smith.  Dr.  C.  Gordon  Hewitt. 


Secretari^: 

Mr.  Andrew  Halkett. 
(Fisheries  Museum) 


EWtor: 

Mr.  Arthur  Gibson. 

(Entomological   Branch, 

Dept.  of  Agriculture) 

Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams. 
Mr.  P.  A.  Taverner, 
Mr.  L.  H.  Newman. 
Dr.  M.  O.  Malte. 


^rea0uter : 

Mr.  G.  LeLacheur,  B.S.A. 

(Seed  Branch,  Dept.  of 
Agriculture) 

Xibcarian : 

Mr.  J.R.  Dymoad.  B.A 
(Seed  Branch,  D.  vt. 
of  Agriculture) 

Mr.  L.  D.  Burling. 
Mr.  E.  D.  Edd3^ 
Miss  F.  Fyles,  B.A. 
Miss  D.  Stewart. 


Standing  Gommitteee  of  Council: 

Publications:  Dr.  C.  G.Hewitt,  A.  Gibson,  J.  R.  Fryer,  H.  I.  Smith,  E.  D. 
Eddy,  G.  O.  McMillan. 

Excursions:  E.  D.  Eddy,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte,  A.  Halkett, 
J.  R.  Dymond,  G.  O.  McMillan,  G.  LeLacheur,  Miss  F.  Fyles, 
Miss  D.  Stewart. 

Lectures:  H.  I.  Smith,  Dr.  C.  G.  Hewitt,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  L.  H.  New- 

man, P.  A.  Taverner,  L.  D.  Burling. 


Archceology: 
Botany: 


Entomology: 
Geology: 
Ornithology: 
Zoology: 


%cni>ev&  at  Sxcureiond: 

H.  I.  Smith,  F.  W.  Waugh,  T.  W.  E.  Sowter,  J.  Ballantyne, 

W.  T.  Macoun,  J.  M.  Macoun,  L.  H.  Newman,  Dr.  M.  O.  Malte, 

Miss  F.  Fyles,  J.  R.  Dymond,  E.C.  Wight,  G.  O.  McMillan, 

F.  L.  Drayton. 

A.  Gibson,  W.  H.  Harrington,    Dr.  C.  G.   Hewitt,  J.  M. 

Swaine,  F.  W.  L.  Sladen. 

W.  J.  Wilson,  Dr.  H.  M.  Ami,   Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  H.  Mc- 

Gillivray,  L.  D.  Burling,  E.  Poitevin,  Dr.  Schofield. 

P.  A.  Taverner,  Dr.  M.  Y.  Williams,  A.  G.  Kingston,  A.  E. 

Kellett,  C.  Patch. 

A.  Halkett,  E.  E.  Lemieux,  E.  A.  LeSueur,  C.  H.  Young. 


J.  Ballantyne. 


HuOltOW 


E.  C.  Wight. 


Membenship  Fee  to  O.F.N.Ci  with  "Ottawa  Natui*aliet,*' 

$1 .00  pet*  Annum. 


APR. 1943 


MKI    WIIOI    LIBRARY 


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