KW-

Vol. XI

Regina, Sask., Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

No. 1

£ ailzatcfizivan i <zN atuiz ^/{ajazCnz
Founded by Isabel M. Priestly in 1942

Published by

THE SASKATCHEWAN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

in cooperation with the Provincial Museum
of Natural History.

Spring is always a season of rejoicing, par¬
ticularly among those who are interested in
nature. The grass and the trees once more bedeck
the landscape in fresh and numerous shades of
green; the birds arrive from the south and fill
the morning air with song; insects and other
animals, large and small, appear from hiberna¬
tion or seclusion as if by magic; the flowering plants awake
from their long winter’s sleep, and burst into fragrant bloom.

Such is the annual recurrence of vibrant life, springing
from a cold and dormant world, reminding us that resurrection,
one of the most common gifts of natural phenomena, is an
exhilarating and established fact.

The photographs on this page, the Crocus by Cliff Shaw;
the Robin by Doug Gilroy; the Spring Beauty by Hugh M.
Halliday, and the Moss Phlox by myself, are among the first harbingers of
spring, that never fail to gladden the hearts of boys and girls, men and women
everywhere. But why include the Spring Beauty? Is its presence here a
mere reminiscent token for those of us who spent our younger days in the
East — down by the sea? Not so — the Spring Beauty is a Saskatchewan flower
of the Cypress Hills. Mr. Budd tells us all about it, on page 23.

Not only do we rejoice, this spring, because of the fascinating gifts
which Nature has to bestow, but in the knowledge that the “Blue Jay” seems
to be on the brink of a success, only dreamed about a few short years ago.
Over three hundred nature enthusiasts have joined with us since the beginning
of the year, and our total circulation will reach a new high of eleven hundred
or' more, before this issue is off the press.

The enthusiasm of our president, Dr. Stuart Houston, has increased by
leaps and bounds. Wherever he is — whatever he is doing — he continues to
solicit support for the Natural History Society. Not only has he signed up
47 new members as well as many renewals, but, assisted by our business
manager, Cliff Shaw, he has sent out hundreds of letters to prospective mem¬
bers, the results of which show in the bundle of mail which daily reaches
the editor’s desk.

This unbounded enthusiasm is shared by our vice-president, Jack Shaver,
of Yorkton, who has established a record which will be difficult to equal.
He has solicited and obtained 54 new members since the beginning of the year.

Space forbids my enumerating the similar excellent missionary work
done on our behalf by members throughout the province. On the back inside
cover are listed the patrons for the year, who in generous cash donations
and gifts subscriptions have increased our bank account by a hundred dollars.

Besides these, I would like to mention in particular the names of: Dr.
George Ledingham of Regina; G. B. Gollop of Saskatoon; Mrs. O. L. Walters
of Tolland, Alberta; J. V. Harper of Saskatoon; H. L. Paine of Moose Jaw;
Mrs. Arthur Ward of Swift Current; Doug Gilroy of Regina; Cliff Shaw of
Yorkton; May Shaw of Rocanville; Frank- Baines of Saltcoats; Mrs. Harry
Bray of McLean and T. H. Mack of Lumsden. To these men and women
must be given the credit for swelling our membership to such proportions,
the the future welfare of the “Blue Jay*’ now seems assured.

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

THE BLUE JAY

1

Go Then and Plant a Tree

C. STUART FRANCIS, Torch River.

Apple-blossom time at Sprucedale Farm.

This has been a mild winter all
the way through, with the exception
of three or four cold days in January
when the mercury dropped on one
occasion to a low of forty-two degrees
below zero. But for the most part it
has been an easy winter for the native
birds and animals.

The deers are to be noted with
sleek coats and well covered bodies,
as they have had lots of good feed
found around threshing sets, sheaf
stacks, etc. However, one large buck
with a very fine set of antlers met
a tragic fate over on our west place
during December, by trying to cross
several yards of ice which had seeped
through a beaver dam. The way he
was lying on the ice gave us the im¬
pression that he had slipped, and the
legs had spread so far apart as to
have paralyzed the spine, so that it
had been unable to move at all. We
came upon it when we observed an
unusual number of fox, coyote, and
an occasional Timber Wolf track, all
leading to the spot where the tragedy
had occurred.

Bohemian Waxwings and Evening
Grosbeaks have been quite numer¬
ous all winter and have not had any
difficulty finding a square meal, with
lots of leaves and maple seeds to
dine on.

The usual early and late daily par¬
ade of our barnyard friends, the
Ruffed Grouse, has been carried on
as usual, for the fourth winter now,
while Sharptails are to be seen feed¬
ing at the pigs’ trough every morning.

The boys trapped a coyote in late
November and hung the very fat
carcass up about seven feet off the
ground. It has provided a continu¬
ous meal ticket for several Black-
capped Chickadees, a pair of Hudson-
ian Chickadees, Hairy Woodpeckers,
Downy Woodpeckers, and Canada
Jays. Sometimes as many as three
species could be seen feeding, all at
the same time, until now, all that is
left is an almost bare skeleton.

Before the second-quarter of the
“Blue Jay” appears, most of us will
have been busy seeding and planting
for this year’s crops, so while we are
at it, let all of us that live on a farm,
with all its wides spaces and often
unused fence cover or slough borders,
do a bit of planting that will endure
for many decades in the future.
Plant a few trees, or quite a nice big
lot of them, if you like, for there is
nothing more attractive than a
stately pine or spruce, or a spreading
maple or elm or oak. So early in
the spring do as the poet says, in the
following lines, by Marion Couthouy
Smith:

“Go, then, and plant a tree, lovely in sun and shadow,
Gracious in every kind, maple and oak and pine
Peace of the forest glade, wealth of the fruitful meadow,
Blessing of dew and shade, hereafter shall be thine.”

2

THE BLUE JAY

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

JANUARY-1953

Mrs. John Hubbard, Grenfell, Sask.

It was a beautiful day, New Year’s,
when we went out to take our bird
census, clear sky and hoar frost.

Birds were noticeable by their
absence, but we found the usual
flock of 100-odd Redpolls on the
roadside weeds past the school. On
to the Tiree road and turning north
we notice the absence of bush rabbit
tracks around sloughs and bush tho
there hadn’t been snow for a long
time. In opener country we noticed
one field where Jack Rabbits had
made well-packed trails.

Down the Tiree hill into the
Qu’Appelle Valley. Something new
in colours there, a symphony of greys;
the usual winter purples masked by
hoar frost and mist away in the dis¬
tance. Just before ascending the hill
on the north side I got out of the
car. An almost summer medley of
voices confused me. I called on
John for aid. Before he got there a
Ruffed Grouse let out a characteristic
call and rustled away in the bush.
A Blue Jay, also unseen, squawked
and disappeared around a small hill.
Some Redpolls drifted off ahead
with friendly cheerful notes. Some
other small birds with a call un¬
familiar to me departed hurriedly
and remained unidentified. In the
distance Chickadees called.

John and I rejoined the noisy crew
in the car and ascended the Tiree
hill. On the road north to Neudorf
John’s eagle-like eyes picked out an
Eagle coming our way. We stopped
and eventually with glasses I was
abie to spot him — and adult Bald
Eagle with white head and tail — the
first adult Bald Eagle I’ve ever seen.

On north thru quite thickly bluffed
country the odd Magpie but not as
plentiful as last year, an odd Sharp¬
tailed Grouse and large flocks of
Redpolls. We counted some of Neu-
dorf’s Sparrows, and returned across
the Qu’Appelle Valley by the Hyde
hill. Springs were frozen in cascades
on the north bank but in the Valley
one was running and the river was
partly open.

Home we counted our long-with-us
flock of Pine Grosbeaks, our usually

troublesome Hairy Woodpeckers, our
own House Sparrows, and a Horned
Owl that turned up late that after
noon after I had remarked that they
were getting scarce.

On the 5th of January we saw a
Vesper Sparrow, very much alive and
perky although it was around zero.

Bohemian Waxwings pay us the
odd visit but they don’t stay long.
They evidently think the Pine Gros¬
beaks have priority on the dried
crabapple crop in the orchard. The
Grosbeaks have been here since
November and varied in number
from 12 to the present flock of
around 25, and only one brightly
coloured bird in the lot. The pup,
always a bit crazy, also eats crab-
apples that he digs up, chews, and
spits out the remains. The Grosbeaks
eat large quantities of snow — John
figures the fruit is pretty well de¬
hydrated by now. They also feed on
the honeysuckles and snowberries.

P.S. February 1, 1953: The Wax-
wings returned, 150 strong. They
fluttered and rattled and denuded the
trees of fruit. The ground beneath
the trees was red with fallen fruit,
which is now covered with snow.
They left. I’m afraid the Grosbeaks
have gone too — there’s nothing left to
eat.

— ★ ★ —

A Winter Canvas

By Ray Peterson,

R.R. 2, Tofield, Alberta.

When the gay, riotous, color-
splashed handiwork of autumn fades
to the lonely, leaf-bare landscape of
late fall, one is tempted to think that
beauty has packed her luggage and
departed for the winter. But Mother
Nature, fortunately, is an artist at
heart. She paints out the drab, dead
remains of summer’s luxuriant living
with a bold, generous brush of snow.
Then, in moments of sheer ecstasy

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

THE BLUE JAY

3

and inspiration, calls in her co¬
worker, Jack Frost, and creates a
masterpiece of beauty and ingenuity.

Such was a morning, one day this
winter. The entire countryside was
touched with the magic of heavy hoar
frost.

The nude poplar trees were trans¬
formed in new, sparkling gowns. A
beautiful, exotic jungle of white
fronds, tufts, and lacy foliage shim¬
mered and glistened where, only the
evening before, had been an uninter¬
esting tangle of willow bushes and
underbrush. Grass and small shrubs
flourished in sprays of tinsel, Strange¬
ly pronged and nubbined as the frost
collected on their spines, rose bushes
offered their red haws like a display
of deliciously frosted bon-bons.
Paralleling the road ran a line of
jewell-encrusted staffs strung with
delicately wrought garlands, a series
of intricate knots masking the sharp
barbs of the wire fence. A big gran¬
ite boulder stood up proudly, its
weather-scarred sides softened and
scintillating, like a throne for some
snow queen to hold court from.

Lithe, graceful, a weasel poked in¬
quisitively about a group of small,

gem-studded pyramids, pocket gopher
mounds. From a clump of frost-
plumed pigweed a flock of Redpolls
twittered, patterning the snow with
myriads of tiny tracks. Dee! Dee! a
Chickadee sang cheerfully, and as he
flitted among the branches of a birch
tree he loosened showers of twinkling
diamonds. A coyote’s trail along the
edge of a meadow was filled in with
shiny particles, and from an open
sidehill, the dark mouth of an old
groundhog den showed a throat
fringed and whiskered in white.

The sun heightened, a slight breeze
trembled through the fairyland of
diamond and crystal and sparkling
white. Soon, this glistening, jewell-
hung tapestry of fragile lace and ex¬
quisite carvings would vanish. But
the beauty of it would be a thing to
remember, to marvel at, and to be
looked forward to, again.

The March of Days

Elizabeth Cruickshank, Regina

“There is no greater eloquence I know
Than sun and frost setting the day
aglow.”

So many of these eloquent days
this mild winter. On one we drove
to Lumsden to find “a silent loveli¬
ness, on hill and wood and field.”
Ridges in the stubble fields made
rhythmic patterns of gold and white,
the fields made merry by flocks of
snow buntings rising and falling like
waves. We saw no other birds.
Tracks and tunnels led from the
stooks, some short leaps, as if made
with dancing feet, but the fan-shaped
impressions where tails were used as
brakes, were mute evidence of
sudden changes in direction. How
dangerously deermice live.

Cactus spines were soft now so the
dogs walked in comfort on the hill.
Judy showed us the very cactus that
kept her wee bantam chick impaled
a whole July day.

On how many days has our yard
been a fairyland, when even Spar¬
rows made a charming picture in the
maple, frost petals falling at their
feet as they flew down for breakfast;
days when everywhere was gleaming
crystals or glistening frost; when, by
the creek, dock made “silver candles
straight;” when grass crunched
underfoot; when frost filagree trans¬
formed every humble weed.

Kingsley has urged us to “treat
beauty wherever we see it as a way-
side sacrament.” A clump of lovely
pale green western dock, with its
dense fruiting heads, provided the
“charmed draught, the cup of bless¬
ing” on one silver and gold and blue
day.

How many times muskrat burrow
entrances have been unbelievably
beautiful, wreathed exquisitely with
diamonds and stars.

The one surprise for us this winter
on the golf course was a Ring-necked
Pheasant’s arrow track on fresh shal¬
low snow.

In this small territory we have
stored treasurable memories of the
beauty and mystery of the varied
dramas of life in all seasons.

4

THE BLUE JAY

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

CANADA JAY

By Doug Gilroy, Regina

For two months this winter we
had, as our guest, a Canada Jay.
Although the odd Canada Jay has
been reported on occasion from the
Regina area, he is a comparatively
rare visitor. In fact this was the
first that I have seen since back in

the thirties.

%

I first sighted him down at the
creek, November 17, and again the
following day. On December 3, we
hung up lumps of suet in the trees
around the yard hoping to attract
some Chickadees or Woodpeckers. We
had no sooner finished when the Jay
suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
All that afternoon he fed from it
almost steadily — never leaving it any
longer than five minutes at a time.

Early next morning he was back
and fed continually all day. He just
ate and ate. Where he put it all I’ll
never know. This gorging lasted for
three days. After that he still ate
greedily but would work it off with
flights down to the creek and back.

The following week he was either
getting tired of his fatty diet or was
finally filled up, as he would only
pay short visits to the farm two or
three times a day.

One thing that puzzled me was that
whenever I went for a hike along
the creek, no matter in what direction
I went, I always ran into Mr. Jay
— sometimes at quite a distance from
home. At times I almost believed
that there were more than one Jay in
the neighborhood.

After the first of January his visits
to our yard became less and less.
His last visit was January 17. Where
he is now, I do not know, but as
they are early nesters he has doubt¬
less migrated back to his northern
home.

I obtained some very fine kodo-
chromes of him for souvenirs and
shall always remembers him as an
old friend who did much to make a
pleasant winter just that much more
pleasant.

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

THE BLUE JAY

5

JB/u£ %^’iLzj'i

BIG RIVER, January 30.- — Each year the number of birds seems to in¬
crease. They are a never-ending source of interest and, sometimes, amuse¬
ment. There are three Canada Jays here every day (only one last winter)
and they are quite tame. A few days ago, three Pine Grosbeaks appeared at
the feeding station and now their number has increased to eight. They are
such beautiful birds! and their colorful plumage brightens the drab winter
scene.

— Mrs. S. Olson

SANFORD, Man. — I have a bird box and many birds feed here
all winter. There are four or five different kinds. Each night a
Flying Squirrel comes and eats at the box. Last year I was caught
out in the rain and as I neared the house I looked up to see how our
old Robin was doing, as she was nesting on a low elm just behind the
house. She was sitting on her nest and Mr. Robin was sitting on the
edge with his wings spread out over her, just like an umbrella. She
was nice and dry but he looked pretty bedraggled and sat blinking the
rain from his eyes. What is home without the daddy!

— Mrs. Clara Parker

:Js

TULLIS. — In the last issue of the “Blue Jay,” Mr. Ward asked about the
Black-billed Cuckoo. I have only one record of them, in 1939. They nested in
July in one of the poorest nests I’ve ever seen. I think they raised only one
of the two eggs they laid. Once you have heard their call — it certainly is no
song — you' can never forget it. Where can I get information about bird¬
banding?

Write Fred G. Bard, Director of the Provincial Museum, Regina, Sask.

— Mrs. C. E. Boon

PONOKA, Alta. — Was in a house at Red Deer when the first
snow fell, and a Hummingbird came up to the nasturtiums in the
window box. The hum was like that of a motor running, and not
until ii moved to the next window was I sure it was the bird.

— C. H. Grant

BLADWORTH. — On October 26 I watched about twenty swans on the
Arm River. This body of water is in the community pasture — so there is no
shooting there. It’s really surprising how the ducks and swans take advan¬
tage of it. As these were the first Swans I’ve ever watched, I didn’t know
what to look for to distinguish them as a Trumpeter or Whistler. They were
magnificant birds. (The Trumpeter Swan is no longer found in Saskatchewan .
Now only a few small flocks are known in British Columbia and Alberta.
Strenuous efforts are now being made to preserve the last remaining indi¬
viduals of this beautiful species. Ed.)

— P. Lawrence Becky

SKULL CREEK. — This is the first year since 1913 that I have not
seen at least a few. Horned Larks staying with with us for the winter.
There haven’t been any since late November; nor have I seen or
heard Great Horned Owls, but a neighbour six miles south of here
told me that he had seen one several times during December. There
were a great number of Bohemian Waxwings around during the
winter, seen in flocks of from ten to fifteen to the large one I saw
around Christmas of from 450 to 500. Earlier in the season I saw
several fairly large flocks of Pine Grosbeaks, but no Evening Gros¬
beaks which usually appear with them.

S. A. Mann

6

THE BLUE JAY

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

WINTER WREN

P. Lawrence Becky, Bladworth

Yesterday, December 6, we had a
rare visitor in our yard. And what
a small bundle of feathers it was! I
identified it (and I think correctly) as
a Winter Wren. It was an unusual
day, 36 degrees above at the time,
with a clear sky and not even a
slight breeze. Perhaps this Wren had
overstayed its summer, being that the
weather was so agreeable.

This little Wren is quite a shy and
retiring fellow — but not unsociable. I
was able to get within ten feet of it
while it remained safely in the
depths of a clump of willows. Its
nervous bobbing habit is what I first
noticed. It is a compact little bird
— with a stubby little tail.

This was my first encounter with
the visitor. Taverner says it is an
exceptionally fine songster — and that
it nests in the woods of our northland.

Yorkton Bird Notes

On November 22, Cedar Waxwings
were noted in the maples in Dr.
Stuart Houston’s front yard, whilst
Bohemian Waxwings visited a crab-
apple tree in his back yard. Although
Cedar Waxwings have twice remained
in Yorkton until shortly after New
Year’s, and the Bohemians often
arrive from the north in late October,
this is the first time that both species
have been observed in the same local¬
ity at the same time.

An intersting visitor from the coni¬
ferous belt was a little Brown-capped
or Hudsonian Chickadee, constituting
the second record for the Yorkton
district. First seen on November 11,
it was an intermittent visitor to the
Houston’s feeding tray and was band¬
ed on February 4th.

THE BLUE HERON

Arthur Ward, Swift Current

The most outsanding of many vari¬
eties of shore birds that stayed around
here during the late summer was the
Blue Heron. Three of these im¬
mature birds, finding conditions
favorable for their nests, could be
seen in the creek on the south side of
the city well within the fringe of the
residential quarters. They provided
a pleasant and unusual sight.

Shallow waters, much more prefer¬
able than those of the much deeper
bird sanctuary further south, provid¬
ed good feeding grounds for the
largest member of the Heron family.
They are wary and suspicious, rising
from the water with a squawk —
head drawn in with folded neck,
and legs outstretched to seek a
change upstream. Following them, I
took a photograph of one standing
upright in the water.

Whether one of the remaining
Herons got safely away in migration
is not known, but one was mercilessly
shot and it is feared that the other
may have suffered the same fate. On
looking over the sanctuary, trespass¬
ing signs were observed to have been
shot down and the posts studded with
bullet holes.

It is becoming apparent that with
the easy means of transportation at
the disposal of the so-called sports¬
men, the only place we will be able
to see our vanishing species is be¬
hind the protective wires of the zoo.

A Note of Appreciation

D. P. Robinson, Extension Dept.,
University of Saskatchewan

Each issue of the “Blue Jay” ap¬
pears to be a little better than the
previous one. Four times a year —
when the “Blue Jay” arrives — I stop
thinking about the cares of the world
for an hour or so and wander afield
with the nature lovers who contri¬
bute to this excellent publication. In
memory I am back again in my boy¬
hood days among the birds, animals,
flowers and trees of Saskatchewan’s
Parklands. I was raised west of
Wadena.

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

THE BLUE JAY

7

CUCKOO AND FOX SPARROW

William Niven, Sheho

Birds of most species were more
plentiful in mid-winter than they
were last year. After the count was
taken last year, I found out why the
Pine Grosbeaks were so scarce. Large
flocks of them, in the hundreds, were
feeding on fields of flax-seed left
standing in some places owing to the
early approach of winter. Also still
larger numbers of Common Redpolls
were on the same fields in thousands.
This was something new as the Pine
Grosbeaks generally feed on the
Snowberries and Redpolls on differ¬
ent field weed seeds. It proves they
are adaptable to change of diet, when
such is available. This winter no
grain of any kind is left standing in
the fields, so they are on their usual
fare.

Arthur Ward, of Swift Current,
wishes information on the Black¬
billed Cuckoo and the Fox Sparrow
— the former which has disappeared
from his district, and the Fox Spar¬
row which has never been seen there.
Both of these birds seem to have
their cycles of abundance and times
when they are entirely absent here.

The Cuckoo was for years quite
plentiful here nesting in summer,
though they are very late arriving.
Then for years they disappeared al¬
together. The last three or four
years they have returned again, but
in much smaller numbers. I believe
only one was heard last summer.
According to Taverner, they feed on
hairy caterpillars and their numbers
increase with the insects, but I can¬
not say whether this is the case or not.

The Fox Sparrow, I believe, only
nests in the northern forests. Many
years ago it use to be see in fairly
large numbers in spring, staying for
a week or two along with Juncoes
and Tree Sparrows. For many weeks
none passed through here. The last
couple of years a very few have been
noted. One was seen and heard sing¬
ing from the top of a willow. The
male has a beautiful song, loud and
clear — better than any of the spar¬
rows — more like the warble of the
Purple Finch or Robin. In spring
they are a fine foxy red on the back.
They have a white breast with large
dark spots.

A Bird in the Bush

By Marianne E. Clark,
Woodcock, B.C.

A little Wilson Warbler
Comes to my lilac bush.

His cap could not be blacker
And his coat is greenish plush.
His breast is lemon yellow,

And he's really quite a fellow
As he flits and goes aflutter
In the lilac bush.

Oh! he’s up and down and over,
Then on another tack
Where he scans a plant of clover
Then round again, and back,

And he pries the leave asunder —
Always searching for his plunder,
Every fold and crack.

In the early, early morning
When everything’ s a’hush,

When spring time is a’borning
And the eastern sky’s a’flush,
Then you see him hopping - se aching
Skipping - flying - perching
In the lilac bush.

8

THE BLUE JAY

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

22 Whooping- Cranes
Return to Arkansas

Twenty-two whooping cranes re¬
turned to their wintering grounds in
Texas, the National Audubon Society
has reported. The present count,
which was determined by an aerial
survey conducted by the Fish and
Wildlife Service, is one less than last
year’s total of 23 cranes. Only two
young of the year havb been indenti-
fied, though further surveys may re-,
veal that some of the others are
young.

All that remains of the original
wild population, these stately white
birds migrate from their breeding
range in the far north to the Aran¬
sas Wildlife Refuge on the Texas
coast.

At least two cranes fell to guns of
law-violating gunners, as they made
their annual flight toward Texas this
fall, the co-operating conservation
agencies reported.

One of the cranes was shot south of
Regina, Saskatchewan. The U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service sent a
plane from La Crosse, Wisconsin,
hoping that the injured bird could
be flown to San Antonio, Texas,
where it would receive expert atten¬
tion at the San Antonia Zoo. Despite
forced feeding of barley and milk
and doses of penicillin, the crane
died en route to Texas.

A day or two after the Saskatche¬
wan incident, school children near
Olathe, Kansas, found an injured
whooping crane in a field and brought
it to their school. The bird had been
seriously wounded by illegal gunfire
and died not long after being found.

John H. Baker, president of the
National Audubon Society, said,
“Each year it becomes more appar¬
ent that illegal hunting is the major
factor in the reduction of the num¬
bers of whooping cranes and in in¬
creasing the threat of their extinc¬
tion.”

The continental whooping crane
population now stands at 24, which
figure includes two crippled cap¬
tives at the Audubon Park Zoo in
New Orleans. These are the birds
that attempted unsuccessfully to raise
young at the Arkansas Refuge. So
far they have not nested at the 700,
though officials reported that the
birds performed some courtship
dances.

Mural, Whooping Cranes
F. W. Lahrman, Provincial Museum.

He Fed Whooping
Cranes

On reading in the press the story
of the wounded Whooping Crane
being taken to the United States,
Mr. W. W. Cunningham, Telkua,
B.C., wrote the following interest¬
ing letter to Mr. Bard, at the
Provincial Museum.

“Over 60 years ago in the northern
part of North Dakota and southern
Manitoba, east of the Turtle Moun¬
tains where I was a boy, it was prac¬
tically open prairie and lots of
sloughs, mostly full of water and
these birds were not plentiful like the
Blue or Sandhill Cranes but still there
were quite of few of them — at least
not uncommon, and I was lucky
enough to get one when it was quite
young, I also had two Blues which I
raised, and I think their nesting habits
are the same as I have seem them in
their nests and seen the young when
they were hatched. But it is the feed¬
ing question that I would like to
bring to your attention; I know they
eat frogs and worms, etc., but I do
not think it is enough, for the ones
I raised did not do well until I
started feeding them fresh meat. I
used to keep several traps set for
gophers and I used a hatchet on a
block of wood to cut the gophers up
in small pieces, bones and all. Each
Crane would eat from 3 to 4 gophers
in a day — no more frogs or worms
and did they ever grow! They also
liked a good piece of cheese. I win¬
tered these birds on wheat and meat
and they did well. I never penned
them up, only on cold days, and
when I saddled my horse and called
them they would follow me for miles
— I had them until the next fall
when the call was too great they
went south.

“I trust this will be of interest to
you.”

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

THE BLUE JAY

9

Greetings to the
Blue Jay Members

Eleanor Denlinger,
Lemon Grove, California.

Having enjoyed this little magazine
for two years now I thought I’d better
tell you how much I appreciate it.

You see I am an Ex-Canadian, and
I started reading this magazine
through the kindness of a very old
and dear friend of mine, Doug Gilroy,
whom I lived near for several years —
many years ago.

Three years ago, May, I visited
Regina and Condie after a fourteen
year absence. While there I renewed
many friendships among the people as
well as the wild life and botanical
life of my old birthplace. It was
really thrilling to poke abut here and
there down by the creek where I
once had spent many happy hours.
I relived many a happy experience
over that two-week visit, and also
enjoyed many of the pictures that
Doug had taken on his tours of
prairie, valley and farm.

Here in California, we have many
pretty birds, wild deer in the moun¬
tains and also tamed ones in our
protected parks. Even the little Chip¬
munks at Yosemite National Park
will feed from your hand. At first
I was a bit skeptical, but my fears
took wing and soon he was sitting
with his paws in my hand, content¬
edly nibbling raisin nut bread.

The Duck with
One Foot

Mrs. W. J. Bobier,

Rapid View

One day in the spring of 1950, the
boys brought home a Mallard Duck
that they had found caught in a
muskrat trap. They wanted to keep
it for a pet. The duck was healthy
and strong but one foot was nearly
severed just below the small back toe.
There was little chance of the leg

healing as nearly half an inch of
bone protruded beyond the flesh.

If the boys wanted to keep it,
something had to be done. As I
had before mended hens’ broken legs,
I decided to do what I could for the
duck. With the hacksaw I cut off a
piece of the bone and sewed the
loose flesh over the end. I bound
wooden splints securely in place so
that the stump was protected.

We put our duck in an unused
chicken-run, she seemed quite satis¬
fied and ate the barley that the boys
provided. On the fourth morning
she was gone.

I often wondered if she had sur¬
vived. If so, how did she manage
to swim — handicapped like that? If
she could swim, would it always be
in a circle?

Last October I had my first ques¬
tion answered. One day the boys
brought in some ducks they had shot.
There was my one-footed duck! There
could be no doubt about it as the skin
was healed over the end of the bone,
just as I remembered having sewn it.
Our duck had lived alright, but I am
still wondering if she had to swim in
circles.

A Noticeable Change

Mrs. Arthur Thompson,

R.R. 1, Bangor

There has been quite a change in
the bird life around this district dur¬
ing the forty years I have lived here.
Blue Jays, Canada Jays, Snipes,
Bobolinks, Mourning Doves and
Partridges used to be numerous, and
now are rarely seen. I saw a Blue
Jay on the south hill of the
Qu’Appelle, at No. 9 highway this
fall, the first I have seen in 16 years.

In the last few years Blue Birds
have become very numerous and
now nest in our bird houses. I saw
the first pair 14 years ago. Magpies
have moved in and are plentiful. I
saw my first Blue Heron last fall, and
the first Burrowing Owl, last summer.
Their nest was near the road, and the
comical little birds would perch on
the mound of earth at the entrance
to their burrow, or fly to the near¬
by fence post and stare solemnly at
us as we drove slowly by.

Several times last summer a doe
had been seen on our fields with three
little fawns — even when crossing
wide open fields. We are sure they
are triplets.

10

THE BLUE JAY

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

The Baltimore Oriole

Arthur Ward, Swift Current

There is scarcely a season that we
do not observe the ingenuity of the
Yellow Warbler in dealing with the
persistent intrusion of the Cowbird.
Other birds, too, have demonstrated
the ability to cope with interference
in this respect. Usually in the spring,
before the migratory birds appear

House Sparrows take possession of
the choice nest building sites adjacent
to the traps. Wishing to reserve these
for the ones we hope to trap and
band, the Sparrows have to be dis¬
couraged. Later on they seek the
close proximity of other birds fur¬
ther away and will even chum up
close to the Kingbird.

Later in the incubation season,
whilst working in the garden, my
attention was drawn to the presence
of a pair of Baltimore Orioles. Enter¬
ing the grove raised a clamor of
protests— every species seemed to be
there piping notes of distress, such as
one would hear if an owl were present.
Looking up into the branches I could
see the delicately woven gourd-like
structure — -the masterpiece of Lady
Baltimore. Hanging by the neck over
the side of the nest, hidden by binder
twine was a dead young sparrow. So
securely was it fastened that when I
reached up and pulled, its head was
left hanging by the string. On the
other side was another dead sparrow
and still another one lying dead in the
nest. The only occupant was a
sprightly Baltimore fledgling.

Both the Baltimore parents and
the sparrows vied in hauling goods
to feed the lively youngster. Failing
to acquire total possession of the
nest, the sparrows had jointly aided
incubation. Strange as it may seem,
sparrows never attempt to take pos¬
session of Oriole nests which some¬
times are finished and then aban¬
doned.

A flashing gem of orange and black,
flitting from tree to tree, intoning
intermittingly in rich contralto
“Peter Pan” — easily trapped for
banding purposes — the Baltimore
Oriole is a most useful and ornament¬
al tenant of one’s Grove.

“Waterfowl Banding-
1939-1950

by Ducks Unlimited”

Winnipeg, Man., Oct. 1952
Dr. Stuart Houston

This 53-page booklet summarizes
results from the banding of 63,826
waterfowl by Ducks Unlimited be¬
tween 1939 and 1950. 22,270 birds

were banded in Saskatchewan, many
of them near Yorkton (6,710 by J. H.
Wilson, 5,011 by Stuart Houston).
Fred Bard banded 3.093 near Regina.

Somewhat more than 10% of these
birds were subsequently heard from.
Maps and tables show the travels of
these birds, subdivided to show such
facts as age, species, province of
origin, state recovered from, etc.
Some species seem to have a greater
“hunting pressure” than others —
e.g. 18.6% of the Redheads, 15.6% of
the Mallards and only 3.9% of the
Blue-winged Teal were recovered.
Other information includes a list of
birds trapped at the same locality in
subsequent years, a list of recoveries
indicating an eastern migration route
through Ontario, and evidence of a
post-breeding northward movement.
Of 6,855 recoveries, only 114 reached
the age of five years or more.

Appropriately, the cover photo¬
graph depicts the late Mrs. Priestly
releasing a banded duck at Rousay
Lake.

A Hint from the
President

To indentify birds, one needs a
good book — and the BEST book of
the many available is Peterson’s
“FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS.”
Lavishly illustrated, it makes identi¬
fication simple. Every member should
own one. (Do not be trapped into
buying the guide to the Western
birds — it is for the Rockies and the
Pacific Coast). The book is $4.25
at any bookstore — e.g. — Logan’s Drug
& Book, Yorkton; Canada Drug &
Book, Regina; or T. Eaton Co.

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

THE BLUE JAY

11

THE QU APPELLE VALLEY

Clarissa Stewart and M. W. Lawson , Fairy Hill

HPhe qu’appelle valley, which runs
like a large crooked flat-bottomed
ditch from where it begins near the
South Saskatchewan, passes about
twenty-five miles north of Regina on
its easterly way to where its little
winding river empties into the
Assiniboine.

Its flora and fauna contrast ^harply
with the prairie. Many kinds of trees
clothe the wooded ravines that climb
through the sharply rising hills to
the plain above. Many varieties are
not found on the parklands of the
north. Elms with their waving
plumes, clumps of Manitoba Maples,
Black Ash both in ravines and on
the slopes, abound in many districts.
White and Black Poplar or Balm o!
Gilead and White Birch may be
found where they have not been cut
for domestic uses.

Lesser shrubs of many varieties
are to be seen: Dogwood, Red Willow,
and Golden Willow fringing the river,
many sorts of wild fruits, Saskatoons,
Chokecherries, Pincherries, High
Bush Cranberries with their exquisite
white blossoms, Black Currants and
Gooseberries which put forth their
tiny green leaves and pale yellow
blossoms, the first harbingers of
spring, and even Raspberries in favor¬
able seasons, all add to the charm of
“the Valley” in blossom and fruitage.

Both ravines and hills are flower¬
decked from early spring when the
tiny White Phlox appears among the
dray grass and the Mauve Anemone,
popularly known as the Crocus, ap¬
pears like a shimmering veil of
purple on hillsides, till the Michael¬
mas Daisy and the Sunflowers are
nipped by October frost. Blue, pur¬
ple, white and yellow Violets sudden¬
ly make themselves known, the blue
one in damp spots, yellow on sunny
hillside and white Johnny-jump-ups
in woody ravines. In spring also
bloom the gay Yellow Vetches or
Wild Sweet Peas, and rarer, Wild
Valley Lilies. Later white, cream,
and purple Vetches and the dainty
three-flowered Aven brighten the
hillsides. In secluded bluffs may be
found blue Pea-Vine, another Vetch,
and the fluffy Wild Clematis. Wild
Roses spring up everywhere, and

Wild Honeysuckle twines around the
fruit trees. With midsummer ap¬
pears our emblem flower the Orange
Lily, the Coneflower, yellow or
maroon like short-skirted dancers,
Black-eyed Susans, Blue Bells, Blue¬
eyed Grass, and' Gentians. Then
Wild Flax and Meadow Rue, Yar¬
row, and the gay Willow Herb mark
summer’s passing. Various kinds of
Daisies and Sunflowers appear in late
summer with graceful pink-blossom¬
ed Wild Buckwheat and occasionally
a bank of Wild Blue Hyacinths turn¬
ing purplish as they fade. Many
years ago I picked and pressed over
one hundred varieties of wild flowers
in the Fairy Hill neighborhood. My
co-worker on this effort had a most
beautiful garden of tame and wild
blooms.

The valley bottom is absolutely
flat and covered with Thatch Grass,
and often in spring from bank to
bank with the flooded river. The hill¬
sides are dotted with stones of many
colors; among these grow and bloom
varieties of cacti, one kind with
magenta blossoms, which later bears
edible berries, the other with waxy
yellow rose-like blooms. The flooded
meadows are a paradise for water-
fowl: Geese, Ducks, Plovers, Bitterns,
Swans, Herons, Coats and Pelicans
frequent the meadows.

Land birds are more numerous
than we can name. From the Red¬
polls, Chickadees, Blue Jays, Canada
Jays, Woodpeckers, Grosbeaks, Ra¬
vens, Waxwings, etc., in winter, to
the long procession of spring and
summer denizens; the early Moun¬
tain Blue Bird and Crows which
divide the honours of early arrival,
the cheery Robin, the Baltimore
Oriole, the Meadow Lark, to the
little Yellow Warbler, the Goldfinch,
Catbird, Bobolink, Brown Thresher,
Yellow-breasted Chat, Vireos, Wrens,
all the numerous family of Sparrows
whose most charming members, the
White-throated and White-crowned
Sparrows appear with the last traces
of snow. It would be impossible to
name them all. In rainy seasons the
Cuckoo may be heard calling from
thick bluffs. Hawks and Owls of

(Continued on Page 13)

12

THE BLUE JAY

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

MAURICE G. STREET

One of the Continent’s Outstanding Bird Banders

Cliff Shaw , Yorkton

REGINA LEADER POST. — A feathered visitor to Saskatchewan this past
summer has ended up as dinner for a cat in Tennessee. The bird was a
Tennessee Warbler, so perhaps the cat figured such was legal prey for a
Tennessee cat.

In any event pussy’s action added to the records of science for the bird
wore a small metal band on its leg showing that had been banded Aug. 23,
1952 at Nipawin Sask., by Maurice G. Street.

The bands each bear a number and are used to trace the migration
routes and life habits of birds. While the vast majority of the bands are
never recovered the odd one, such as in this case, is forwarded to the United
States fish and wild life service which acts as a clearing house for the bird
banders.

The department advised Mr. Street that the band had been sent to them
by Lee R. Herndon of Elizabethton, Tennessee, after a cat had caught the
warbler at Fish Springs on Watauga lake, Garter county, Tennessee, Oct. 4,
1952. The Tennessee Warbler breeds chiefly north of the United States and
winters in southern Mexico to Colombia and Venezuela.

Mr. Street is one of the continent’s outstanding bird banders. This past
year he banded 462 warblers of this one particular species, a figure more
than double the yearly average of all banders combined. Bird banding is his
hobby and in the past seven years he has banded over 6,000 birds. He has
also discovered the nesting sites of 120 different kinds of birds, a record
with few parallels in Canada.

BIRDS BANDED AT NIPAWIN, SASK.

JAN. 1/52 to DEC.

3D52

M.G.S.

B.M.

( The figures in the first column

American Crow .

3

represent the number

of birds

Black-capped Chickadee ...

14

4

banded by M. G. Street

and in

the

Hudsonian Chickadee .

1

second column those banded

by

Red-breasted Nuthatch .

4

Billy Matthews .)

Brown Creeper .

1

M.G.S.

B.M.

House Wren .

11

4

American Bittern .

1

Catbird .

7

Mallard .

10

Eastern Robin .

39

19

Canvas-back .

1

Hermit Thrush .

4

1

Lesser Scaup .

1

Olive-backed Thrush .

8

American Merganser .

1

Gray-cheeked Thrush .

10

Red-tailed Hawk .

3

Ruby-crowned Kinglet .

1

Marsh Hawk .

5

Bohemian Waxwing .

2

1

Ruffed Grouse .

1

Cedar Waxwing .

44

1

Coot .

.... 1

White-rumped Shrike .

7

Black Tern .

2

Blue-headed Vireo .

2

Long-eared Owl .

.... 8

Red-eyed Viero .

2

Short-eared Owl .

1

Black and White Warbler

3

Nighthawk . . .

1

2

Tennessee Warbler .

462

3

Yellow-shafted Flicker ...

1

Orange-crowned Warbler...

5

Hairy Woodpecker .

1

Nashville Warbler .

4

3

Downy Woodpecker .

1

Yellow Warbler .

1

Eastern Kingbird .

5

Magnolia Warbler .

3

Least Flycatcher .

.... 2

Cape May Warbler .

45

Barn Swallow .

13

Myrtle Warbler .

248

19

Canada Jay .

.... 3

5

Chestnut-sided Warbler .

1

Blue Jay .

.... 2

Bay-breasted Warbler .

23

American Magpie .

4

Black-poll Warbler .

5

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

THE BLUE JAY

13

M.G.S. B.M.

Palm Warbler . 15 25

Water-thrush . 1

Connecticut Warbler . 1

Mourning Warbler . 3 1

Wilson’s Warbler . 2

Redstart . 6

Brewer’s Blackbird . 4

Red-winged Blackbird . 4

Baltimore Oriole . 5

Cowbird . 1

Evening Grosbeak . 13

Purple Finch . 6 1

Hoary Redpoll . 3

Mrs. Edith Orman

We are pleased to have received
again from Mrs. Edith Orman,
teacher at Walton School, gift re¬
newals to twelve of her students in
the Stoughton district. This is the
third successive year that Mrs. Or¬
man has done this in order that each
family in her district may have the
“Blue Jay” in the home. It has been
for this reason that her daughter,
Constance Orman, has been listed
among the Patrons for 1953.

QU’APPELLE VALLEY

(Continued from Page 11)

different kinds make their home
here and many Woodpecker^, and
the tiny Hummingbird.

Many animals may still be seen by
the observant. Herds of Deer in
some seasons, at times single grace¬
ful Whitetails bound across the mea¬
dow. Lynx have rarely been seen,
also Red Foxes, Porcupines, Wood¬
chucks, badgers and coyotes in deep
dens in the ravines. Buffalo wallows
still show where those noble animals
frequented the many springs.

Turtles are found near the river,
and the small Newts and colorful
Garter Snakes have not all been
exterminated. Gophers, plain and
stripped, red and grey Squirrels and
tiny Chipmunks still make their
homes here.

We have made our homes here for
over forty years, and have noted
these things and many others in our
beloved valley, once a place where
bands of horses were herded, now
more given over to cattle raising.

M.G.S. B.M.

Common Redpoll . 313 563

Pine Siskin . 17 99

American Goldfinch . 3 6

Savannah Sparrow . 36

Vesper Sparrow . 32

Slate-colored Junco . 338 335

Tree Sparrow . 8 65

Chipping Sparrow . 33 23

Clay-colored Sparrow . 11 106

Harris’s Sparrow . 11 5

Gambel’s Sparrow . 6 16

White-throated Sparrow . 49 40

Fox Sparrow . 5

Lincoln Sparrow . 9 53

Swamp Sparrow . * . 16

Song Sparrow . 7 79

Total Individuals . 1837 1628

Total Species . 60 45

Grand Total Species . . . 79

Grand Total Individuals . 3465

VISITORS

By Dora Bardal, Wynyard

There is a lot of bush around here
and consequently some of the birds
that do not linger on the bald prairie
are quite common. We haven’t seen
Blue Jays for several years, but they
used to nest here. Perhaps that is
because the Magpies are so numerous
now!

Two years ago in the fall, just
before the Bluebirds left us and after
the snow came, we saw a solitary
Bluebird with a rust colored breast.
Would that be the Arkansas Blue¬
bird? (It probably was an Eastern
Bluebird, which appear in Mani¬
toba, and rarely in Saskatchewan.
“A famous writer has described the
Eastern Bluebird as ‘ The sky above,
the earth beneath ’ referring to blue
back and red breast. Following this
figure of speech, the Mountain Blue¬
bird is purely celestial with no
earthly contamination .” — Taverner.
Ed.)

We have seen flocks of Golden
Plovers, and once, several years ago,
a flock of Starlings. During the past
winter Grosbeaks were common,
feeding on the dried-up Saskatoon
and Chokecherry berries. We re¬
cently haye had a Canada Jay with
us. Some winters we do not see them
at all.

SUMMARY of 11th ANNUAL SASKATCM

DR. STUART I

W/ITH a record 27 localities reporting, a total of 49 species were noted
’’ during the Christmas season (Dec. 20 to Jan. 2). This represents 9 more
than last year’s all-time high of 40 species, and includes 3 species never
before recorded in a Saskatchewan Christmas bird count: — A Bald Eagle noted
2 miles north of the Qu'Appelle Valley by the Hubbards of Grenfell; a Richardson’s
Owl noted at Nipawin on January 1; and a Vesper Sparrow with an injured wing
noted by Baines and Wiley near a grain bin on John Trowel’s farm east of Saltcoats.
The eleven year list now totals 65 species noted in the Christmas season!

The sixteen species most commonly reported were, respectively, Magpie, Black-
capped Chickadee, English Sparrow, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Redpoll, Snow Bunting,
Pine Grosbeak, Ruffed Grouse, Bohemian Waxwing, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy
Woodpecker, Canada Jay, Blue Jay, Great Horned Owl, Hungarian Partridge and
Snowy Owl. Pine Grosbeaks, Waxwings and Redpolls appeared more frequently
than last year. Sharp-tailed Grouse and Ruffed Grouse remained plentiful.
Hungarian Partridge appear to have decreased.

Because of the mild weather, a number of summer birds remained: Mallards

Big River (wooded); Dec. 31, 1952, 1
p.m. to 3.30 p.m. Clear, 3 inches snow.
4 miles on foot. 9 plus 3 species —

Anne and Sam Olson.

Bladworth (rolling cultivated land, many
low spots rimmed with willow and
poplar); Dec. 26, 1952, 10 a.m. to 12
noon. Clear, 14 inch snow. 6 miles
on foot. 6 plus species. — P. Lawrence
Beckie.

Bredenbury (parkland); Jan. 2, 1953.
Clear, 20 above. 23 miles by car. 4
species. — Stuart and W. A. Baines.

Grenfell (parkland and across
Qu’Appelle Valley); Jan. 1, 1953; 2.30
to 5 p.m. Clear, 3 inches snow. 47
miles by car, 1 on foot. 11 plus 1
species. — Mr. and Mrs. John Hubbard.

Hawarden (prairie and fields); Jan. 1,
1953; 3 to 5 p.m. 3 miles by car, 1
mile on foot. 3 species. — Harold

Kvinge.

McLean (pastureland, partly treed);
Dec. 30, 1952; 1 to 5 p.m. Clear, IV2
inches snow. 4 miles on foot. 3
plus 3 species. — Mrs. T. H. Bray, Mrs.
P. L. Newton.

Broadview (parkland plus Qu’Appelle
Valley); Dec. 28, 1952; noon to 5 p.m.
Clear, 1 inch snow. 66 miles by car,
1 mile on foot. 9 plus 1 species. —

Audrey and Charles Thacker.

Naicam (partially wooded); Jan. 2, 1953;
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Clear, 5 inches
snow, 20 above. One hour by car, 5
hours on foot. 9 plus 6 species. —

W. Yanchinski.

Brora (wooded banks of Boggy Creek);
Dec. 29, 1952; 1 to 3:30 p.m. Clear,
2 inches snow. 3 miles on foot. 5 plus
4 species. — Doug Gilroy.

Craven (Regina to Hungry Hollow and
to the valley near Craven); Dec. 30,
1952; 2 to 5 p.m. Clear, 1 inch snow.
37 miles by car, 3 on foot. 4 species
plus an unidentified owl. — S. P.
Jordan.

Dilke (rolling prairie with sparsely
scattered “bluffs”); Dec. 25, 1952;

8 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4.15 p.m. Cloudy,
partly covered with snow. Three ob¬
servers in two parties. 19 miles by
car, 5 on foot. 8 plus 4 species. —
J. B., Margaret and S. R. Belcher.

Nipawin (Nipawin to Fishing Lake;
also farm area east of Codette); Dec.
26, 1952; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cloudy,
214 inches snow. 4 observers in 2
parties. 9 party hours by car, 114
on foot; 112 party miles by car, 3 on
foot. 24 plus 3 species. — Ralph E.
Street, M. G. Street, Walter and Billy
Matthews.

Pathlow (roads, open fields, some wood¬
land); Jan. 1, 1953; 214 hours between
8.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. Cloudy, 5
inches snow. 1 14 hours by car, 1 on
foot. 32 miles by car, 3 on foot. 8
plus 3 species. — Rev. T. M. Beveridge.

Regina (residential and Wascana Park);
Dec. 22, 1952, 2 to 4 p.m. Clear, 1
inch snow. 2 species. — E. Barker.

WAN CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT- 1952

TON, YORKTON

and Goldeneyes on open water below the power plant at Saskatoon, and a Mallard
at Kvinge’s flowing well near Hawarden; a Flicker, Robin and Red-winged Black¬
bird at Skull Creek; a Robin at Yorkton (where the City disposal water flows into
Little Whitesand Creek); a Brewer’s Blackbird near an open spring west of Yorkton;
and a Meadowlark at Dilke.

An interesting feature was the number of unidentified hawks reported. These
were omitted from the count, but were as follows: Lawrence Beckie saw either a
Golden Eagle or American Roughleg Hawk at Bladworth on Dec. 22nd; a Hawk
or Eagle was seen by George T. Wiley at Saltcoats, Dec. 21st; a hawk, likely a
goshawk, was noted at Naicam Dec. 20th by W. Yanchinski; a falcon (duck hawk)
vas observed by Margaret Belcher at Dilke, Dec. 23rd; and Cliff Shaw saw a small
falcon flying over Yorkton on Dec. 24th.

The coniferous areas have a greater variety of bird life in winter than the
open prairie, and the Nipawin group led the list for the sixth time in eleven years,
with an amazing total of 27 species (24 species and 17,794 individuals during the

3ne day outing).

Rose Valley (Nut Lake Indian Reserve);
Dec. 28, 1952. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Clear,
7 inches snow. 4 hours and 18 miles
by car, 3 hours and 1 V2 miles on foot.
14 species. — W. A. Brownlee.

Round Lake (Saltcoats to Round Lake
via Bangor aand Stockholm); Dec. 21,
1952; 10.20 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fog, then
clear, 25 above. 47 miles by car. 7
species. — Lawrence and George T.
Wiley.

Saltcoats (parkland); Dec. 27, 1952, 2
to 5.15 p.m. Clear, 3 inches snow,
calm, 20 above. 50 miles by car. 9
species. — Frank Baines, George Wiley.

Saskatoon (10 mile radius); Dec. 24,
1952; 8.15 a.m. to 2 p.m. Partly

cloudy, calm, 1 to 2 inches snow, 5
above. Hoar frost. 71 miles by car,
3 miles on foot. 15 plus 2 species. —
F. J. H. Fredeen, Bernard Gollop.

Sheho (parkland); Dec. 25, 1952; 9 to 11
a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m. Partly cloudy, 2
to 3 inches snow. 3 mile walk in
afternoon. 12 plus 1 species. — Wm.

Niven.

Skull Creek (ranchland). Birds noted
during work around ranch. 20 species
between Dec. 20 and Jan. 2. — S. A.

Mann.

■Somme (spruce, poplar and birch forest;
open fields and poplar bluffs); Dec. 27,
1952, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Clear, 3 inches
snow. Total party hours, 18, while
doing bushwork. 14 plus 10 species. —
— Ronald, Donald and Edna Hooper.

Spirit Lake (woods, brush and mea¬
dows); Dec. 25, 1952, 1 to 4 p.m. Clear,
2 inches snow. 5 miles on foot. 8 plus
6 species. — William Anaka.

Swan River, Man. (10 miles from Sask.
border); Dec. 31, 1952; 10 a.m. to 3
p.m. 9 plus 8 species. — Mrs. J. H.
McDonald.

Tisdale (feeding station and one mile
south to disposal grounds); Dec. 26,
1952; 2 to 5 p.m. Clear, 2 inches snow.
9 plus 1 species. — E. W. Van Blari-
com, Q.C.

Torch River (open fields, mixed forest,
muskeg); Dec. 24, 1952; 1 to 4 p.m.
Cloudy, 2 inches snow, 15 above. 4
miles by car, 3 on foot. 6 plus 18
species. — Stanley, * Stuart Jr., and C.
Stuart Francis.

Wallwort (side road and highway, part
in spruce timber). Cloudy, 4 inches
snow. 3 hours and 4 miles by team,
2 hours and 3 miles on foot. 6 plus 3
species. — J. Turnquist.

Yorkton (parkland); Dec. 26, 1952; 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. Overcast, 2 inches snow.

11 to 22 above, wind E. 10 mph. 24
observers in 6 parties. 10 party hours
and 104 miles by car; 17 party hours
and 29 miles on foot. 18 plus 2 species.
— Norma Beck, Henry Chilman, Jr.,
Brother Clarence, Lionel and Ronald
Coleman, Dr. C. J. Houston, Dr. and
Mrs. Stuart Houston, Professor and
Mrs. C. W. Lightbody, Allan Nurse,
Jack Park, Tony Pawluck, Gordon
Greg, Irving and Wayne Pearce, Ray
Riesz, Cliff Shaw, Jeff Smith, Frank
and Gillean Switzer, Darcy and Merril
Wershler.

16

THE BLUE JAY

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

Distribution and Totals by Species

(Species in brackets were seen between Dec. 20 and Jan. 2, but not on
the day of the count reported above.)

Mallard — Hawarden, 1; Saskatoon 1;
(Skull Creek, 1).

Amer. Goldeneye — Saskatoon, 2.
Goshawk — Nipawin, 3; Saskatoon, 3;
(Somme, 1); (Torch River, 1).

Amer. Roughleg Hawk — (Skull Creek,

2).

Golden Eagle — Broadview, 1; Dilke 1;
(Skull Creek, 1); (Nipawin, 1).

Bald Eagle — Grenfell, 1.

Prairie Falcon — (Skull Creek, 1).

Spruce Grouse — (Torch River, 2).

Ruffed Grouse — Broadview, 3; Gren¬
fell, 1; Naicam, 3; Nipawin, 4;
Pathlow, 2; Rose Valley, 1; Salt¬
coats, 2; Sheho, 2; Somme, 3; York-
ton, 6. (Skull Creek, 5); (Spirit
Lake, 1); (Torch River, 6); (Wall-
wort, 3).

Willow Ptarmigan — Big River, 1 ;
Nipawin, 2.

Sharp-tailed Grouse — Bladworth, 3;
Bredenbury, 25; Broadview, 2; Cra¬
ven, 2; Dilke, 3; Grenfell, 3; Mc¬
Lean, 14; Naicam, 10; Nipawin, 42;
Pathlow, 1; Rose Valley, 30; Salt¬
coats, 2; Round Lake, 32; Saska¬
toon, 8; Sheho, 4; Torch River, 100;
Yorkton, 52. (Brora, 6); (Skull
Creek, 24); (Somme, 20); (Spirit
Lake, 15).

Hungarian Partridge — Bladworth, 23;
Craven, 5; Dilke, 15; Nipawin, 7;
Pathlow, 8; Rose Valley, 6; Saska¬
toon, 39; Yorkton, 18. (Skull Creek,
8); (Somme, 10).

Ring-necked Pheasant — (Brora, 2);
(Saskatoon, 2); (Skull Creek, 2).

Great Horned Owl — Grenfell, 1; Nip¬
awin, 2; Pathlow, 1; Saltcoats, 1;
Sheho, 1; Yorkton, 2. (Brora, 1);
(Naicam, 1 ) ; (Saskatoon, 1 ) ;
(Somme, 1); (Spirit Lake, 1);
(Torch River, 1).

Snowy Owl — Craven, 1; Nipawin, 3;
Rose Valley, 2; Saskatoon, 4. (Blad¬
worth, 1); (Brora, 1); (Dilke, 1);

(Naicam, 1); (Pathlow, 3); (York¬
ton, 1).

Hawk Owl — (Torch River, 1).

Richardson’s Owl — (Nipawin, 1).

Yellow-shafted Flicker — (Skull
Creek, 1).

Pileated Woodpecker — Big River, 1.
(Nipawin, 2); (Torch River, 1).

Hairy Woodpecker — Big River, 3;
Grenfell, 1; Naicam, 2; Nipawin, 5;
Sheho, 1; Somme, 3; Tisdale, 1;
Wallwort, 1; Yorkton, 6. (Spirit
Lake, 1); (Swan River, 2); (Torch
River, 1).

Downy Woodpecker — McLean, 2 ;
Nipawin, 4; Rose Valley, 1; Sheho,
1; Somme, 1; Spirit Lake, 2; Tis¬
dale, 1; Wallwort, 1; Yorkton, 6.
(Naicam, 1); (Skull Creek, 1);
(Swan River, 1); Torch River, 1).

Arctic 3-Toed Woodpecker — Nipawin,
1; Somme, 3.

Amer. 3-Toed Woodpecker — Somme,
7. (Swan River, 1); (Torch River,
1).

Horned Lark — (Bladworth, 3); (Dil¬
ke, 1).

Canada Jay — Big River, 3; Brora, 1;
Nipawin, 10; Rose Valley, 2; Sheho,
1; Somme, 14; Swan River, 2;
Tisdale, 1; Torch River, 3; Wall¬
wort, 3; Yorkton, 1. (Naicam, 1).

Blue Jay — Big River, 2; Grenfell, 1;
Nipawin, 5; Rose Valley, 1; Saska¬
toon, 2; Somme, 6; Spirit Lake, 2;
Tisdale, 1; Yorkton, 1. (Swan
River, 1); (Torch River, 1).

Magpie — Big River, 1; Bladworth, 3;
Bredenbury, 5 ; Broadview, 1 ;
Brora, 5; Craven, 4; Dilke, 5; Gren¬
fell, 3; Naicam, 4; Nipawin, 16;
Pathlow, 4; Rose Valley, 6; Round
Lake, 1; Saltcoats, 3; Saskatoon, 11;
Sheho, 5; Somme, 2; Spirit Lake, 1;
Tisdale, 7; Yorkton, 30. (McLean,
1); (Skull Creek, 19); (Swan River,
1); (Torch River, 2); (Wallwort, 2).

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

THE BLUE JAY

17

Raven — Big River, 5; Nipawin, 9;
Rose Valley, 2; Somme, 3; Torch
River, 3. (Swan River, 2); (Wall-
wort, 1 ) .

Black-capped Chickadee — Big River,
41; Bladworth, 1; Broadview, 5;
Brora, 6; Dilke, 2; Grenfell, 5; Mc¬
Lean, 6; Naicam, 6; Nipawin, 8;
Pathlow, 2; Rose Valley, 40; Round
Lake, 4; Saltcoats, 2; Saskatoon, 4;
Sheho, 5; Somme, 8; Spirit Lake, 6;
Swan River, 4; Tisdale, 18; Wall-
wort, 5; Yorkton, 63. (Skull Creek,
5); (Torch River, 5.)

Hudsonian Chickadee — Somme, 20;
Swan River, 4; Torch River, 2.
(Yorkton, 1).

White-breasted Nuthatch — Big River,
4; Somme, 4.

Brown Creeper — (Somme, 2).

Golden-crowned Kinglet — Somme, 1.

Amer. Robin — Yorkton, 1. (Skull
Creek, 1).

Bohemian Waxwing — Broadview, 10;
Nipawin, 807; Round Lake, 6; Salt¬
coats, 40; Saskatoon, 31; Tisdale, 80;
Yorkton, 29. (McLean, 5); (Nai¬
cam, 3); (Sheho, 2); (Skull Creek,
450); (Spirit Lake, 25); (Swan
River, 17); (Torch River, 20).

Northern Shrike — Nipawin, 1. (Blad¬
worth, 1); (Pathlow, 1); (Torch
River, 1).

European Starling — Nipawin, 3; Swan
River, 22. (Dilke, 1).

English Sparrow — Bladworth, 2 5 ;
Bredenbury, 6; Broadview, 24;
Brora, 50; Dilke, 20; Grenfell, 138;
Hawarden, 200; Naicam, 11; Nipa¬
win, 1500; Pathlow, 50; Regina, 20;
Rose Valley, 50; Round Lake, 3;
Saltcoats, 9; Saskatoon, 875; Somme
1; Spirit Lake, 50; Swan River,
many; Tisdale, many; Yorkton,
1030. (McLean, 26); (Skull Creek,
68); (Torch River, 25).

Western Meadowlark — (Dilke, 1).

Red- winged Blackbird — (Skull Creek,

1).

Brewer’s Blackbird — Yorkton, 1.

Evening Grosbeak — Nipawin, 56; She¬
ho, 12; Spirit Lake, 18; Swan River,
5. (Naicam, 5); (Somme, 6); (Tis¬
dale, 6); (Torch River, 12).

Pine Grosbeak — Bredenbury, 2;
Broadview, 3; Grenfell, 25; Naicam,
9; Nipawin, 38; Rose Valley, 20;
Round Lake, 9; Saskatoon, 4;
Sheho, 16; Spirit Lake, 1; Swan
River, 4; Tisdale, 4; Wallwort, 5;
Yorkton, 15. (Big River, 5); (Skull
Creek, 4); (Somme, 101); (Torch
River, 1).

Hoary Redpoll — Nipawin, 50; Swan
River, 15. (Somme, 10); (Torch
River, 5).

Common Redpoll — Broadview, 2 ;
Brora, 10; Dilke, 25; Grenfell, 446;
Naicam, 3; Nipawin, 3651; Round
Lake, 40; Rose Valley, 50; Saska¬
toon, 405; Sheho, 6; Spirit Lake, 30;
Swan River, 92; Torch River, 25;
Wallwort, 7; Yorkton, 96. (Big
River, 42); (Bladworth, 17); (Path-
low, 35); (Somme, 12); (Skull
Creek, 21).

Vesper Sparrow — Saltcoats, 1.

Slate-colored Junco — Saskatoon, 4;
Yorkton, 1.

Tree Sparrow — (Skull Creek, 18).

Snow Bunting — Bladworth, 29; Dilke,
150; Hawarden, 4; Naicam, 35; Nip¬
awin, 11,567; Pathlow, 60; Regina,
8; Rose Valley, flocks; Saltcoats,
14; Saskatoon, 250; Sheho, 100;
Torch River, 400; Yorkton, 520.
(Big River, 150); (Broadview, 25);
(Grenfell, flock); (Skull Creek,
700); (Somme, 300); (Spirit Lake,
18); (Swan River, 36).

ANIMAL TRAVELLERS

Over the silent snowfields,

Empty of life and heat,

See how the tracks go winding,
Tracks of the swift small feet!

Here in the silent snowfields,

When there is no man near,

Many a furry rabbit,

Many a gentle deer

Come on their own strange errands,

Vanish swift as they came,

Leaving for human travellers
This signature of their name.

Mary Garland Coleman ,
Regina, Sask.

18

THE BLUE JAY

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

The Provincial Museum

Pintail Ducks — male and female.

This picture of a pair of Pintail Ducks is only one of the numerous
displays which you will see when you visit the Provincial Museum, at Regina.
Every bird and animal found in Saskatchewan is on display, most of them
backed by natural habitat scenes and lifelike murals whose artistic excellence
and beauty is unequaled anywhere in Canada.

It is expected that in the near future the museum will have a new home,
and that its priceless displays will be housed in a new and suitable building,
to be erected near the north-west corner of Wascana Park, where College
Avenue meets Albert Street.

The New Museum

Elizabeth Cruickshank

How thrilling to know that the new museum is at last to be a reality.
How fitting to commemorate Saskatchewan’s Golden Anniversary to have its
natural history preserved and on view in an adequate building, conveniently
located.

What a force for education it can be, for native and tourist to have
graphically presented the natural resources of the province, its flora and
fauna, geology and minerology, as well as its history.

Here will be a monument to the faith and courage of our pioneers and
to those who followed them to develop this prairie province.

Is There a Blue Jay in Your School ?

During the month of February a circular letter was sent by the
Saskatchewan Department of Education to every school in the province,
recommending the “Blue Jay” as a useful reference book in the field of
natural science, for teachers and students.

Did you know that money from the provincial school library grant
may be used for purchasing the subscription? The “Blue Jay” is al¬
ready a quarterly visitor to many of our schools.

Will each member of the Society urge that the trustees of the school
in their district provide a copy or two of each issue for the use of the
boys and girls there.

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

THE BLUE JAY

19

An Invitation to Visit Your Saskatchewan
Museum of Natural History

Fred G. Bard, Director

The Museum of Natural History
under Conservation Education oper¬
ates as a Branch of the Department
of Natural Resources.

The purpose of the Museum from
its beginning was to exhibit the birds
and mammals of Saskatchewan. In

1912 the cyclone destroyed a consider¬
able portion of the collection. In

1913 the first full time Preparator,
Mr. H. H. Mitchell was engaged to
collect and prepare the birds and
mammals. Each Spring a field camp
was selected to collect representative
specimens, these sites varied each
year to give reasonable Province wide
coverage. Usually each Spring a
“first” or new bird record turned up
and by 1924 Mitchell published the
“Catalogue of the Birds of Saskat¬
chewan.” The last new record was
a Yellow-throated Vireo taken by
F. W. Lahrman at Madge Lake in
1951.

Field camps are expanded from
faunal collecting to include some
activity in Archaeological excavations
to and including the Fur Trading Post
era; Paleontological excavations are
carried out in the Eastend area. These
last two activities are an acknowl¬
edgement of our responsibility for
collecting and preserving such mater¬
ial to form the nucleus for future
research.

Mr. Fred Bradshaw was the first
Museum Director (1928-1935) and
visited the country schools giving il¬
lustrated lectures. These lectures
stressed the value of wildlife and the
need for conservation. Mr. F. A. Dunk
served the Province as Museum
Director from 1935-1947. In tms
period our most serious drought hit,
and with the great decline in the
waterfowl population, conservation
programs were active. These two
men were active in conservation pro¬
grams. For as long as I can remem¬
ber the Museum has always advocated
conservation of our Wildlife Re¬
sources.

Our bird collection is one of the
most complete. It numbers over three
hundred varieties all within our

provincial boundaries — besides the
cases that house separate bird fam¬
ilies we have habitat group cases,
each includes the male, female, eggs
or young. While some are small
cases, for example the Yellow-
throat: the newest are 12 feet long and
include several species of birds and
animals to illustrate those living in
close association. The latter is more
natural — no species lives isolated.

We are beginning seven more 12-
foot habitat groups. The cases are
complete, Mr. Swanston and Mr.
Walker are building the portable
backgrounds. These cases will de¬
pict such groups as the Whooping
Crane, Otosquen Ecological group,
Timber Wolves, Beaver, Pelicans of
Last Mountain, Ring-billed Gulls and
Coyote. There completion will take
several seasons. Seven cases were
started to build an island of groups.
These cases are not permanent, that
is, they can be moved when suitable
quarters are available. More perm¬
anent foregrounds can be made when
the museum is permanently housed.

More recently we have moved into
the field of motion pictures and our
first film the “Pelicans of Last Moun¬
tain” is currently being distributed.
We are confident the Museum will
continue to play an important part in
having our citizens of the Province
better understand and appreciate our
Wildlife resources to reserve sanctu¬
aries for this heritage for generations
yet to come.

We invite you to visit your “Sas¬
katchewan Museum of Natural
History” located at College and
Broad Street in the Provincial Health
Building, Regina.

The “Summer Season” open hours
are 8.30-5 o’clock weekdays; 2-5
o’clock Saturdays and Sundays — May
to October.

The “Winter Season” open hours
are 9-5 o’clock weekdays; Saturdays
9-12 o’clock and Sundays 2-5 o’clock
during November to April. The
Museum is closed on all holidays.
This is an invitation to visit your
Museum of Natural History.

20

THE BLUE JAY

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

BUTTERCUPS (Ranunculus) OF SASKATCHEWAN

11. R. pensylvanicus

12. R. Macounii

10. R. sceleratus

14. R. Gmelini

M.

PLATE I

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

THE BLUE JAY

21

Buttercups of Saskatchewan

August J. Breitung

Seventeen species of buttercups ( Ranunculus ) occur in Saskatchewan
(Plate 1, figs. 1-17). They are herbs with shiny yellow flowers, or white
in nos. 15, 16, andl7. Buttercups grow in water, swamps, marshes, wet
meadows and on prairie, depending upon the species. In the following brief
descriptions, the 17 Ranunculus species are arranged in a natural sequence,
the species numbers refer to the figures on plate 1. The figures show a
characteristic plant, reduced, and an enlarged achene, which serve to replace
lengthy descriptions.

1. Ranunclus lapponicus L. Lapland Buttercup. Glabrous perennial
from a stoloniferous rootstock; scape 1-flowered, naked, or with a small leaf;
basal leaves 2-6 cm. broad, flowers 8-10 mm. across'; achenes 5-15.
( Coptidium lapponicum (L) Gand.). Among moss in spruce swamps. July.

2. R. Cymbalaria Pursh Alkaline Buttercup. Glabrous perennial,

spreading by runners; flowers solitary or 2-7 together on scapes or scape¬

like peduncles, 5-15 cm. high; basal leaves 1-2 cm. long, on slender petioles;
petals 5-12; achenes distinctly striate. ( Halerpestes Cymbalaria (Pursh)
Greene). Frequent in wet alkaline soil. June-July.

3. R. Flamula L., var. ovalis (Bigel.) Benson Creeping Buttercup.

Glabrous or slightly pubescent perennial; stem trailing, rooting at the nodes;
leaves in fascicles, oblanceolate, entire, 1-5 cm. long, 3-7 mm. broad; flowers
solitary on slender pedicels; petals 3-5 mm. long; achenes in a spherical head,
glabrous. ( R . replans L. var. ovalis (Bigel.) Torr. & Gray). Damp meadows.
Saskatoon, Cypress Hills. July.

4. R. glaberrimus Hook. Sagebrush Buttercup. Glabrous perennial.

7-10 cm. high, ascending; basal leaves elliptic or oblanceolate, 3-5 cm. long,
entire or 3-lobed at the apex; upper stem leaves entire or. 3-cleft; petals 8-10
mm. long; achenes numerous in a large globose head. ( R . ellipticus Greene;
R. Buddii Boivin). Southern sagebrush plains. April-May.

5. R. rhomboideus Goldie Prairie Buttercup. Pubescent perennial, 0.5-
1.5 dm. high, erect; basal leaf-blades oval, oblong or ovate-oblong, 1-3 cm.
broad, crenate; flowers 10-15 mm. across; sepals pilose; achenes in a spherical
head, short-beaked. ( R . ovalis of Britt, and others, not Raf.) Our earliest
and most common prairie buttercup, flowering in May-June.

6. R. inamoenus Greene Graceful Buttercup. Sparingly silky perennial,
2-3 dm. high, erect; basal leaves simple, ovate, obovate, or orbicular, 1-4 cm.
long, 1-3.5 cm. broad, crenate, rarely 3-lobed or divided; stem leaves sessile,
cut into 3-5 narrow divisions; sepals slightly pubescent; petals 4-6 mm. long;
achenes numerous, densely canescent. Meadows. Cypress Hills. June-July.

7. R. pedatifidus J. E. Smith Northern Buttercup. Slightly silky or
glabrate perennial; stem slender, 2-3 dm. high, erect; basal leaves 2-4 cm.
broad, pedately divided into 5-7 linear divisions, seldom only toothed; stem
leaves nearly sessile, the lobes narrow; sepals with dense ashy pubesence;
petals 5 or rarely nonoe, 8-10 mm. long; achenes finely canescent or glabrate.
(R. affinis R. Br.; R apetalus Farr). Scarce in grassland. Cypress Hills,
Luseland, Saskatoon, Lloydminster. June-July.

8. R. cardiophyllus Hook. Heart-leaved Buttercup. Pilose perennial;
stem 3-6 dm. high, erect; basal leaves cordate or reniform, 3-4.5 cm. long, 2-4
cm. broad; stem leaves divided into linear lobes; sepals densely pilose; flowers
15-20 mm. across, showy; archenes numerous, finely canescent, in an oblong
or ellipsoid head. (R. pedatifidus, var. cardiophyllus (Hook) Britt.) Prairie
on Cypress Hills. June-July.

9. R. abortivus L. Kidney-leaved Buttercup. Glabrous biennial or short¬
lived perennial, 2-6 dm. high, erect; lower and basal leaves simple, 1-5 cm.
broad, on slender petioles; upper stem leaves sessile, deeply cleft into linear or
oblong divisions; petals 1.5-4 mm. long, shorter than the reflexed sepals.
(R. micranthus of western reports, not Nutt.) Frequent in moist woods.
June-July.

10. R. sceleratus L. Celery-leaved Buttercup. Annual or short-lived
perennial, fleshy, glabrous; stems 1-10 dm. high, erect, branching; lower stem

22

THE BLUE JAY

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

and basal leaves 3-5 lobed, 2.5-5 cm. brad, on long and broad-based petioles;
upper stem leaved deeply divided; flowers numerous, 6-8 mm. broad; achenes
numerous in a cylindrical head, apiculate. Common in wet ditches and
swamps. June-August.

11. R. pensylvanicus L.f. Bristly Buttercup. Hairy annual or perennial;
stems 4-10 dm. high, erect, branching above; leaves pinnate, the lower 5-7
cm. long, leaflets petiolate, the one 3-parted and again lobed; flowers 6-8
mm. broad; achenes many in a cylindrical head, glabrous; receptacle elongated,
10-14 mm. long. Frequent on damp shores. June-August.

12. R. Macounii Britt. Macoun’s Buttercup. Hirsute perennial, 2-5 dm
high, erect or decumbent, branched; leaves 3-8 cm. long, ternately coumpand;
flowers 10-12 mm. broad; achenes in a globose head, glabrous. Common in
wet meadows. June-August.

13. R. acris L. Tall Buttercup. Erect, hairy perennial, 3-9 dm. high,
branched above; basal leaves deeply 3-parted and again lobed, appearing 5-
parted; sepals pubescent; petals 8-12 mm. long; archenes in a globose head,
glabrous. (R. Stevenii Andrz.; R montanensis of Sask. reports, not Rydb.).
Occasional along roadsides. Natives of Europe. June-August.

14. R. Gmelini D.C., var. Honkerii (D. Don) Benson Small Yellow
Water Buttercup. Glabrous perennial, floating, or creeping on shores; stem
1-3 dm. long, rooting at the nodes; leaves 1.5-2. 5 cm. broad, palmately divided
or sometimes dissected into ribbon-.like divisions; petals 4-7 mm. long;
archenes in an ovoid head, smooth, glabrous. ( R . Purshii Richards.; R. Purshii
var. dissectus Lunell; R. delpinifolious of Sask. reports, not. Torr.). Frequent
in ponds or on muddy shores. June-August.

15. R. trichophyllus Chaix. White Water Buttercup. Glabrous aquatic
perennial, stem branched, 2-6 dm. long; leaves distinctly petioled, submersed,
dissected into spreading filiform divisions, collapsing when withdrawn from
water; pedicels not recurved in fruit; petals white or yellow at base, 4-8
mm. long; archenes transversely wrinkled, beak none. (R. aq uatilis L. var.
cappilaceus (Thuill.) DC.; Batrachium. trichophyllum (Chaix.) Bosch). In
brook by power house in Cypress Hills Park. June-August.

16. R. longirostris Godr. Long-beaked Water Buttercup. Leaves sessile,
stiff, not collapsing when withdrawn from water; pedicels not recurved in
fruit; petals white, 5-9 mm. long; beak of achenes 1 mm. long. (R. aq uatilis,
var. longirostris (Godr.) Lawson; Batrachium longirostre (Godr.) F. Schultz).
In lakes and streams. Crane Lake, Cypress Hills. June-August.

17. R. subrigidus Drew Stiff Water Buttercup. Leaves sessile or nearly
so, divisions rather short, usually firm but sometimes collapsing wJien with¬
drawn from water; pedicels recurved in fruit; petals white, yellow at base,
5-9 mm. long, beak of archenqs 0.2-0. 5 mm long. (R. circinatus Sibth., var.
subrigidus (Drew) Benson; Batrachium ,). This species and nos. 15, 16 are
probably better regarded as varieties of R. aq uatilis. According to Benson,
Amer. Midi. Nat. 40(1): 238, 1948, Ranunculus divaricatus, R. circinatus,
R. Drouetii, and R. jlaccidus are old European names used in America.

LADY’S SLIPPER

Mrs. O. L. Wolters, Tolland, Alta.

I have had a Yellow Lady’s Slipper in my
garden now for about four years. I wasn’t able
to find any growing around wild, but managed
to get one from a nursery in Manitoba. I’m sure
it had just one slipper the first year it bloomed.
It was transplanted in the fall and bloomed in
June. Next year it was the same, but last sum¬
mer it had two slippers and a new stalk. This
year I’m looking for more slippers.

I believe they must multiply by their bulbs
and not very fast at that. Mine is planted in
a shady spot with wild fern and wild blue
violets. I would like to get another plant or two
on a trade, but only for fall planting.

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

THE BLUE JAY

23

A HARBINGER OF SPRING

Arch. C. Budd, Swift Current

The Lanced-leaved Spring Beauty,
Claytonia lanceolata, is a plant which
deserves to be better known, as it
is one of the earliest of our spring
flowers. Unfortunately, in our Pro¬
vince, it is restricted to the Cypress
Hills and blooms when that prairie
oasis is a little difficult to reach.
When the snow in the hills has almost
disappeared the Spring Beauty can be
found in great profusion along the
margins of the woodlands and on the
banks of ravines close to the remain¬
ing snowbanks. Often what appears
at first sight to be a snow bank proves
to be a mass of Claytonia, some flow¬
ers even protruding through the snow.

The plant belongs to the Portulaca
family, has two stalkless, opposite
leaves part way up the stem, and
bears a loose raceme of white flowers,
with an occasional pinkish tinge. The
flowers, which are from V2 to % inch
in diameter, have 2 sepals, 5 petals
and 5 tiny yellow stamens, and are
boren in a raceme of from 4 to 15
flowers. The root is a globose corm
from V2 to % inch in diameter, and
is generally from 3 to 5 inches below
the surface, sometimes with only one,
but often with 6 or 7 stems arising.
These fleshy roots were dug by the

Indians and eaten either raw, boiled
or roasted.

Spring Beauty is quite plentiful in
the Foothills Region and in the lower
levels of the Rocky Mountains from
Canada to New Mexico. The scien¬
tific name is in honour of John Clay¬
ton, one of America’s earliest botan¬
ists who died in 1773.

These plants seem to transplant
well if taken with a good ball of soil,
and are my earliest flowering garden
plants, being in bloom on the north
of the house on May 5 in 1951 and
April 27 in 1952. In the Cypress Hills
we have found them about mid-May
as a rule.

Maytime

Come out, come out, the earth is
green,

Behold the budding tree
And bluebirds where late snows
have been,

The robin sings with glee,

They call to all enticingly
To come where soft winds blow
The miracle of life to see —

For May days quickly go.

Ethel Eroll Boyd.
Calgary, Alberta.

24

THE BLUE JAY

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

LOCKED HORNS INDICATE STRUGGLE

C. C. Shaw, Yorkton

Weasels, Squirrels
and Racoons

Ronald Hooper, Somme

One day during the winter- 1 tried
squeaking like a mouse to attract a
weasel. Sure enough — he ran around
my feet and looked under all the
nearby sticks for the would-be mouse.
Once, when I did this, he did come
out with a mouse.

In a similar way I once imitated
baby birds’ peeping to attract a Red
Squirrel. The frisky fellow gave a
jerk of his tail and scampered to a
large grass nest which had fallen
from a tree, and energetically search¬
ed it again and again. Then he came
a little closer and picked up a small
object from the ground, nibbled at it,
and then carried it to a stump, not
a fooot from me. He went up the
stump and, leaving the object on top
of it, descended and went his merry
way through the forest. I looked at
the object and found that it was a
toadstool, which was full of insect

Grim evidence of one of nature’s
battles for survival and supremacy
are these locked horns. Holding
them is Jack Shaver, conservation
officer at Yorkton and Vice-President
of our Society.

Mr. Shaver said the two deers were
found in the Beaver Hills community
pasture, 35 miles west of Yorkton,
by John Loeppky, pasture manager.
About an acre of grass and snow,
heavily tramped down by the hoofs
of the deer, indicated the struggle
that had waged in an endeavour to
free themselves.

When found, the youngest buck had
been dead for some time and the
body fed on by coyotes. The other
had been dead only a few hours and
its body had not been touched.

Mr. Shaver said at the time the
discover was made, Joe Burfitt, a
coyote hunter for the Department of
Natural Resources, was in the area
placing coyote bait for control mea¬
sures.

holes. I wonder if he was eating
insects or actually eating the toad¬
stool. If so, what a variation from
his more common winter diet of
spruce cones.

One time, two summers ago, I saw
a Red Squirrel eating a half-grown
White-throated Sparrow, while the
parent birds scolded piteously. He
had started with the head and had
peeled the skin back as he went until
it was half eaten.

Raccoons occasionally occur in the
Somme vicinity. A friend of mine
who lives north of Carragana, shot
one two years ago last fall. A man
from Endeavour claims to have seen
one last fall. My sister saw one
about five years ago.

( Readers of the last issue of the
“Blue Jay” may get the impression
that Raccoons are found only east
of Estevan in Saskatchewan. This
is an error. The sentence in ques¬
tion should have read: “As far as
we know they are most prevalent
in the Souris watershed, east of
Estevan.”)

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

THE BLUE JAY

25

THE MONARCH OF THE FOREST

Charlie W. Ahra, Usherville

Some years ago, in the early part
of the summer, I was following an old
Indian trail through the Maloneck
Hills Forest Reserve. The trail was
narrow and winding up and down
hill.

As I came round a bend, going up
hill, a big moose came around another
bend coming down hill. He slid to a
stop about ten yards from me. He
must have been as surprised as I was
because he remained, as if frozen,
with his feet pushed down hill in
front of him. He did not look un¬
friendly — just very surprised. I stood
and looked at him for probably fifteen
seconds, then I began to think it was
a little too close to be to a live moose
— so I started to back away from him.
When I was about twenty yards
away, he suddenly straightened up,
and made a hasty get-away to the
north and into the timber.

A few years ago, moose had be¬
come very scarce in Northern Saskat¬
chewan. It almost seemed as if they
were on the way out. They are now
protected by a logical and far-seeing
conservation measure. They are not
plentiful but are definitely making a
come-back. The north woods would
indeed be desolate without this
monarch of the forest.

The moose does not molest the
settlers’ grain fields or hay. Its food
is in the forest and it is abundant —
the hazel bush and buck-bush on the

ridges, almost every shrub and plant
that grows in the forest is relished by
him. If you travel through the bush
in the fall of a year when they are
plentiful you will see the white blazes
on the poplars where they have
rubbed the velvet from their horns.

Some winters the moose become in¬
fested with wood ticks, especially in
late March, but as soon as the lakes
open up in the spring they get rid of
the ticks. They wade in the water up
to their backs and stand there until
the irritating insects loosen and fall
off.

NATURAL AREA PRESERVES

Submitted by M. McConnell, Director of Conservation Education, Regina.

“How to preserve an area ” is the
title of a new bulletin issued by the
Nature Conservancy. It is written
for the landowner and it discusses the
problems he faces in attempting to
assure permanent preservation of
natural conditions on his property.

The bulletin commences with an
analysis of the objectives a person
might have in wanting to preserve an
area. It goes on to discuss types of
preservation, requirements for assur¬
ing perpetuation of a nature reserve,
custodial agreements, buffer areas,
preservation under private ownership,
and management policies for natural
area preserves.

The Conservancy stresses three
essential requirements for assuring
preservation of a nature reserve: 1)
management under a stated policy of
preservation, 2) assurance of continu¬
ing control by a permanent organiza¬
tion, and 3) assurance of continuing
maintenance funds from endowment
or other sources. It discusses the
value of buffer areas and the need
for careful planning to assure per¬
petual protection of a proposed nature
reserve.

Copies may be obtained from the
Nature Conservancy, 1840 Mintwood
Place, N.W.. Washington 9, D.C.

26

THE BLUE JAY

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

“KING”

T'HE MOOSE JAW Wild Animal
Park has a small herd of elk.
For many years the leader of this
band was a stately bull elk who came
to be known as “King.” He was a
beautiful elk with a wonderful dis¬
play of perfect antlers. Often he
made a very noble picture by stand¬
ing at the entrance of one of the
various trails in the park with head
erect. He watched the people drive
by and many stopped and were able
to obtain fine pictures of him. “King”
finally died early in 1938 and his
antlers are displayed in the Provincial
Museum in Regina.

Mr. F. McRitchie of Moose Jaw
tells us of one of the dangerous ex¬
periences of “King.” He was playing
around in the snow when one of his
huge antlers became entangled in a
loose pile of barbed wire. Away he
went trailing several hundred feet of
wire. When the wire caught and held
in a tree he went around and around
the tree until he was like a fly in a
spider’s web. He was very mad and
pounded the ground with his feet
and he did not look very inviting to
approach. The largest and heaviest
dray horse in Moose Jaw was brought
out to the park and backed toward
“King.” Although badly entangled the
elk was still able to whip his body
around with lightning speed and
knock anything over. “King” practi¬
cally lifted the back end of the horse
off the ground. “King” was gradually
crowded to a standstill then the wire
was cut and cut until it came to the
last snip that freed him. He raced like
mad for about two or three hundred
feet then wheeled around and stood
with head erect, ready for battle.
There never was a king with a proud¬
er and more majestic bearing.

As admirers had sadly foreseen, the
day eventually came when ‘King’ was
dethroned. In the fall of 1937 two
young bull elk ganged up on him.
“King” put up a terrible battle but the
young elk fought in relays until
“King” was completely worn out,
battered and broken in spirit. He
wandered off by himself to a lonely
spot and there he stayed. He did not
eat and would not accept anything
that was provided for him. He be¬
came very thin; he was badly battle-

scarred and he no longer looked the
“King” he had been.

Mr. J. L. Beattie of Moose Jaw
completes the story of “King’s” life.
Late that winter about 8 o’clock one
morning “King” gave a couple of calls,
a “bugle” as they term it. It is a
wonderful sound and generally is
heard only during the fall breeding
season. An hour or so later he gave
three calls. The two mature bull elk,
who were probably three-quarters of
a mile away came on the run. For
a time they stood in a triangle, heads
toward a common center, in a sort of
conference but there was no display
of anger. Shortly after this “King”
lay down in a clump of bushes. The
other two stood guard for perhaps
two hours, then ambled off to the
herd. When the caretaker went over,
“King” was dead.

(Ed. Note : We are glad to honor
“King” and put this story of his life
on record in the “Blue Jay.” Since
twelve years have passed since the
death of “King,” we would appreci¬
ate corrections or additions if any
are necessary .)

jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

THE BLUE JAY

27

SASKATCHEWAN BEETLES

Cliff Shaw, Yorkton

(We are pleased to announce that the next issue of the “Blue Jay” will
carry the first of a series of articles on Saskatchewan beetles — how to recognize
the more common families and something of their habits.

For some time the editor has felt that this phase of nature study should
find a corner in the “Blue Jay,” and at his suggestion, Cliff Shaw, of Yorkton,
who has collected beetles for many years as a hobby has agreed to write the
serieSi As a precautionary measure for his mailman, Mr. Shaw has suggested
that if the reader desires to have specimens identified, they should be for¬
warded to: The Dominion Entomological Laboratory at Indian Head or
Saskatoon, or to the Division of Entomology, Department of Agriculture,
Ottawa. Ed.)

The hopeless task of learning the names of the vast
numbers of insects to be found within one’s own area has
perhaps been the main reason why so few amateur natural¬
ists are not better acquainted with this interesting field of
nature. To recognize all the insects within even a limited
district has been compared to being able to identify all the
birds in the world, approximately 9,000. Hence little wonder
that the amateur naturalist has turned to narrower fields of
study. Another problem is that of a text book applicable to
one particular section of the country. One we can highly
recommend is of the Putman pocket book series entitled
“Field Guide to Insects,” by the late F. E. Lutz.

The purpose of this series of articles will therefore be
an attempt to assist the reader, not so much as to learn the
specific name but rather to learn the general group to which
the insect belongs and something of its habits. Of necessity,
scientific names will in many cases have to be used for it
must be remembered that while many insects have been
scientifically named only a few have been nicknamed.

To get away to a proper start it might be as well to
describe how beetles differ from other insects. When
entomologists refer to beetles they class them as Coleoptera,
a word taken from two Greek words meaning a sheath, and
a wing. The reference is to the usually hard wing covers.
These modified wings meet in a straight line down the
back, do not overlap and with few exceptions completely
cover the abdomen. The underneath or hind wings are the
flight organs.

The next time you catch a beetle lift the wing covers
and examine the underneath or true wings. Notice how they
are folded when not in use. If you should have picked up
one of the ground beetle family do not be surprised ii the
wing covers are grown together. They sometimes are in
this family. Often these chaps are very fast runners and
no longer need their wings to escape.

And here a word of warning. Make sure it is a beetle
you are picking up. We have a vivid memory of the time
we here hunting beetles in the sand dunes South of Shilo,
Manitoba and made a grab at a colorful insect digging in
the sand. We fast learned its method of protection. Never
did find out whether it was a wasp or an ant. Grasp the
beetle firmly on either side of the back as some can deliver
quite sharp bites but they can’t nip you if held properly
and they don’t sting.

The larvae of beetles are commonly called grubs. They
have six legs on the thorax but none on the abdomen except
often a single proleg at the end. If this is kept in mind
then you will have no trouble distinguishing the difference
between the larvae of beetles and those of other insects.

28

THE BLUE JAY

Jan., Feb., Mar., 1953

Butterflies and Birds at Somme

Donald Hooper, Somme, Sask.

Last summer my brother Ronald,
and I collected 37 species of butter¬
flies. They are as follows: Great
Spangled Fritillary, Mountain Silver
Spot, Northwestern Silver Spot, Sil¬
ver-bordered Fritillary, Chariclea
Fritillary, Meadow Fritillary, Pearl
Crescent, Green Coma, Gray Coma,
American Tortoise-shell, Mourning
Cloak, Red Admiral, Cosmopolite,
Banded Purple, Prairie Ringlet, Com¬
mon Wood-nympe, Red-disked Alp¬
ine, Common Alpine, Pearly Eye,
Spring Azure, Afra Blue, Checkered
White, Gray-veined White, Cabbage
Butterfly, Clouded Sulphur, Western
Sulphur, Pink-edged Sulphur, Orange
Sulphur, Pale Swallowtail, Northern
Dusky-wing, Sleepy Dusky-wing,
Arctic Skipper, Hofomok Skipper,
Accius Skipper. We also saw a Vice¬

roy and a Tiger Swallowtail, but were
unable to catch them. Besides these
butterflies we have an interesting
collection of moths.

In the last three years we have
observed 173 species of birds within
15 miles of Somme. Some of the un¬
common ones are: Spotted Towhee,
Bohemian Waxwing, Brown Thrasher,
Bald Eagle, Saw-whet Owl, Willow
Ptarmigan, Hooded Merganser, and
Blue Goose.

( Editor’s Note : The Hooper bro¬
thers are to be highly commended
on their observations. Most Qf us
would have difficulty in correctly
identifying half a dozen of our
Saskatchewan butterflies. Like¬
wise the three year record of 173
species of birds is certainly an
enviable one.)

Co-operative Bird Migration Study-1953

This year the Saskatchewan Natural History Society, together with other
observers across the continent, is co-operating with J. H. Zimmerman of the
Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, in studying the migration patterns of a
number of species of birds. It is hoped to enroll enough observers to make
this the most intensive migration study ever undertaken. Most of the birds
chosen are commonly and easily identified, so every “BLUE JAY” member
(whether resident in Saskatchewan or not) is invited to take part.

Most important is the date first seen. If possible, also record dates of
increases in numbers, dates of decreases in numbers, last date seen, and
relation of migration to weather changes.

THIS STUDY IS RESTRICTED TO THE FOLLOWING SPECIES THIS YEAR:

Note: Use the following form, or if you do not wish to cut out this page
make a copy of it.

First Seen Increase Decrease Last Seen

Canada Goose . . . . .

Red-winged Blackbird .

Flicker .

Myrtle Warbler . . . . .

White-throated Sparrow .

Purple Martin . .. . . .

Chipping Sparrow .

Barn Swallow .

Yellow Warbler . . .

House Wren . . . . .

Baltimore Oriole . . . . . .

Eastern Kingbird . . .

Nighthawk . . .

Ruby-throated Hummingbird.... . . .

Send all reports to L. T. Carmichael, 1077 Garnet St., Regina, by July 1.
(Data on other species, for our own files, should be reported on separate
sheets of paper). Further east, the Black-and-white Warbler, Redstart, Rose¬
breasted Grosbeak, Chimney Swift and Wood Pewee are being studied.
Data on these species would be appreciated.

Natural History and Farming

Dr. George Ledingham

The Regina Natural History Society has had an invitation to present a
brief to the Royal Commission on Agriculture and Rural Life. A Committee
was appointed. The members of this committee felt that a worthwhile brief
might be presented if notice were included in this “Blue Jay” and if a large
number of the members of the Saskatchewan Natural History Society con-
tributed ideas and facts.

The Commission is investigating the whole question of the present and
future welfare of our agricultural profession in Saskatchewan. The brief
from the Saskatchewan Natural History Society will try to avoid the obvious
problems of home conveniences, roads, education, etc., and will deal only
with problems which we feel touch closely on the aims and objects of our
own Society.

We believe that the members of the Natural History Society get more
enjoyment out of life than do other people. We would like you to explain
why this is and, if possible, give facts supporting the idea that appreciation
of natural history tends to keep people on the farm and increase their enjoy¬
ment of life. As a basis for discussion we are suggesting the following
problems:

1. The deveolpment of an appreciation of the beauties of the prairies and
its plants and animals, and of farming as a way of life. The solution of
this problem would include development and expansion of the work of
the “Blue Jay,” and of the Museum and its film program.

2. The provision of recreational facilities by maintaining small free parks
and natural sites for hiking, boating, camping and nature study in the
summer, and by developing museums where people may see beautiful
paintings and habitat groups in the winter. Such places, within easy
driving distance of all the people would aid in solving problems one and
three, and would also have a considerable effect on the health of the
people.

3. The conservation of native plants and animals by the setting aside of
many small protected zones in each of the soil and vegetation regions of
the province. These areas should not be open to tourist or picnickers,
but would be important primarily in preventing extinction of any more
of our wild life.

Which of these problems is most important, and are there other problems
which we might present? Facts are required to support our statements, so
please send us facts. The value of our brief will be in direct proportion to
the number of contributions so, if you feel strongly on any question touched
on in this article, please write in as soon as possible to:

Dr. George Ledingham, Regina College, Regina.

PATRONS

John B. Richardson, Winnipeg $20.00

Dr. C. J. Houston, Yorkton . 10.00

Yorkton Natural History

Society . .. . . . 10.00

Constance Orman, Stoughton

(11 Gift Subscriptions) . 11.00

D. W. Matheson, Yorkton

(9 Gift Subscriptions) . 9.00

Dr. Stuart Houston, Yorkton

(5 Gift Subscriptions) . 5.00

FOR 1953

Elizabeth Hubbard, Grenfell ... 5.00

Allan Hudson, Mortlach . 5.00

Ernie Symons, Rocanville . 5.00

G. W. Carmichael, Montreal ... 5.00

N. S. Dunstan, Strongfield . 5.00

D. R. Robinson, Saskatoon . 5.00

Fred Robinson, Regina

(5 Gift Subscriptions) . 5.00

Mr. William Anaka,

fig

SPIRIT LAKE, Sask.

1

Dec. 53

Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Department, Ottawa.

Quarterly bulletin of the Saskatchewan Natural History Society

Published by

THE SASKATCHEWAN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

in co-operation with the Provincial Museum
of Natural History.

Edited by Lloyd T. Carmichael

The BLUE JAY is published quarterly at a yearly subscription rate of
one dollar. Anyone interested in any phase of nature will be a welcome
hiember of this organization. All subscriptions will start and terminate on
the first day of January.

The deadline for the reception of material to be printed will be March 1,
June 1, September 1 and November 20. All matter intended for publication
in the BLUE JAY should be written as it is to appear in the magazine.

Honorary President . W. P. Thompson, F.R.S., President, University of Sask.

Past President . Doug Gilroy, R.R.2, Regina

President . Dr. Stuart Houston, Yorkton

1st Vice-President . Ralph Steuck, Abernethy

2nd Vice-President . Jack Shaver, Yorkton

Business Manager . Cliff Shaw, Yorkton

Secretary-Treasurer . . . L. T. Carmichael, 1077 Garnet St., Regina

Assistant Secretary . Mrs. W. K. Cruikshank, Regina

DIRECTORS:

3 year term: Mrs. T. H. Bray, McLean; Frank Baines, Saltcoats; Arthur
Ward, Swift Current; Mrs. H. A. Croome, Regina; Fred Bard, Regina.

2 year term: Lloyd Peterson, Indian Head; Maurice Street, Nipawin; A. C.
Budd, Swift Current; W. Yanchinski, Naicam; J. F. Roy, N. Battleford.

1 year term: Judge L. T. McKim, Melfort; E. W. Brooman, Prince Albert;
H. C. Andrews, Moose Jaw; E. W. Van Blaricom, Tisdale; A. J. Hudson,
Mortlach.

Mail all communications to Lloyd T. Carmichael
at 1077 Garnet Street, Regina.