A PUBLICATION CONCERNED WITH
NATURAL HISTORY AND CONSERVATION

TRAIL & LANDSCAPE Vol.9 No.4 p.105-124 Ottawa, Sept.-Oct. 1975

TRAIL & LANDSCAPE

Editors: Anne Hanes

18 Briarcliffe Drive,
Ottawa, Ont. KIJ 6EA
Joyce Reddoch

Production Staff:
Leone Brown
Dorothy Greene

Business and Production Manager:

Harry A. Thomson

THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB
- Founded 1879 -

President: Dr. Ewen C.D. Todd, 1818 Paisley Ave., Ottawa

Corr. Secretary: C.G. Gruchy, Box 3264 Station C, Ottawa

Objectives of the Club : To promote the appreciation,
preservation and conservation of Canada’s natural
heritage; to encourage investigation and publish the
results of research in all fields of natural history
and to diffuse information on these fields as widely
as possible; to support and co-operate with organiz¬
ations engaged in preserving, maintaining or restoring
environments of high quality for living things.

Club Publications : THE CANADIAN FIELD-NATURALIST,

devoted to publishing research in natural history.

TRAIL & LANDSCAPE, a non-technical publication of
general interest to local naturalists.

Field Trips , Lectures and other natural history
activities are arranged for local members.

See inside back cover.

Membership Fees :

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP: (per year) $7.00

FAMILY MEMBERSHIP: (per year) $9.00

SUSTAINING MEMBERSHIP: (per year) $25.00

LIFE MEMBERSHIP: (one payment) $200.00

Subscription (only) to Trail & Landscape $5.00 per year

Apply for Membership (or subscription) to:

THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE,

Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club,
Box 3264, Postal Station ’’C”,
Ottawa, Canada KlY 4J5

Second Class Mail - Registration #2777

Published by

THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS’ CLUB
Box 3264 Postal Station C,
Ottawa, Ontario
KlY 4J5

A Case for O.F.N.C. Land Acquisition - 106

G. A. Neville

Urban Wildlife in Canada ----- 109

J. Wickware

Spring Birds, 1975 ------- 112

H. MacKenzie, B. Dilabio

Owl Incident - -- -- -- -- 114

G. E. Findlay

Fishes of Canada’s National

Capital Region ------- 115

D. E. McAllister, B. W, Coad

F 0 N News - -- -- -- -- 122

Films on Natural History ----- 123

Coming Events

124

A CASE FOR O.F.N.C. LAND ACQUISITION

George A. Neville

In response to an appeal made at our Annual Meeting
on January 20, 1975, by Hue MacKenzie of the Centennial
Planning Group for ideas on how to celebrate the Club’s
100th Birthday, a suggestion was made that the Club
should purchase some land as a regional preserve. In
the March-April issue of Trail & Landscape, it is stated
’’that old chestnut, purchase of land, was brought out ~
and shot down rather quickly”. This is an inaccurate,
biased and unfortunate piece of reporting in that while
the suggestion was immediately followed by remarks from
Allan Reddoch critical of the proposal, the matter was
certainly not considered shot down as judged from favor¬
able conversation with others later over coffee. Rather
the old chestnut, having been tossed out for all to see,
was first rejected as being too costly for land prices
in this area, impractical for management, and, moreover,
retrograde at a time when other organizations are
selling their land holdings.

Somewhat smitten by this initial reception, other
hands were extended to verbalize a case for the old
chestnut. Their argumentation seemed strangely more
appropriate to a meeting of naturalists, and the old
chestnut began to glow as its texture was progressively
revealed amid the disconcerting wrinkles. First, the
amount of land for acquisition does not necessarily have
to be large, and a more remote location such as in the
Pakenham region would result in lower acquisition cost.
It was explained that it would seem preferable to leave
the land in a natural state with minimum management
rather than promote concentrated usage through erection
of shelters, viewing stations, etc. In lieu of Club
management of such property, an arrangement could most
probably be made with the Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources for overall management and periodic inspection
Members of the club could be encouraged to visit the
property and to leave it as they found it I Strong
support was given to the proposal by one respondent who

106

felt that the aims of such an objective were more clear¬
ly identified with the aspirations and interests of the
founders of the Club than were many of our present en¬
deavors, and that such an undertaking would not only
constitute a fitting memorial to the Club’s founders
but also a legacy to future generations.

Now, what kind of specific and reasonable proposal
for land acquisition could be considered by the Club?

While in Sweden for a year, I had an opportunity to visit
various natural preserves and to appreciate the Swedish
attitude and long tradition concerning environmental pro¬
tection and conservation. In earlier times, the southern
portion of Sweden, known as the Province of Skane, was
renowned for its extensive stands of beech forests. Now,
much of this fine, rolling land has been cleared, and
drained for the cultivation of wheat, rye, rapeseed and
sugar beets. Indeed, Skane is Sweden’s bread-basket.

For years, the beeches of Skane provided valuable wood
for manufacture of furniture, their twisted limbs and
grotesque forms provided myriad legends of trolls so
that some beech woods today are still referred to as
’’trollskogen". The wild boar was hunted in the beech
woods, their natural habitat whose renewal was assured
in large measure by the implantation of beech nuts in
the forest soil as the wild pigs fed upon the fallen
fruit. These pigs have long disappeared from SkSne;
the remaining stands of mature beech are threatened by
the insatiable demands of manufacturing interests, and
little natural renewal of the beech is occurring due
to loss of the symbiotic cloven hooves.

A few years ago, action was taken to preserve a
dense stand of beech, comprising an area of approximately
ten acres, about seven kilometres southeast of the medi¬
aeval town of Lund. This forest, known as Dalby S8derskog,
is now protected as a National Park. It is contained by
rustic fencing and is provided with an adjacent parking
lot. Planks have been laid out in marshy and wet areas
to supplement the three or four walking trails that have
developed in a natural way. In springtime, these woods
abound in wildflowers so typical of Skane; in autumn the
forest is fragrant and resplendent in golden brown hues.
People return time and again to this forest during all
seasons to relax, meditate and enjoy its features remin¬
iscent of Viking days save for the snorting of rummag¬
ing boars.

107

So Ottawans, by this model we could seek to estab¬
lish a wooded preserve as a memorial to our Club’s 100th
anniversary. We cannot accommodate the chestnut here,
and while our beech groves are in need of recognition,
it is a stand of white pine that so badly requires pro¬
tection somewhere in the Ottawa Valley. The majestic
white pine that once covered so much of this valley and
whose value for ship’s spars and general construction
lured lumber barons to this district and gave impetus
to its early settlement, is almost all gone. What more
fitting tribute could be paid to the Club’s founders and
what better gesture of good faith could be extended to
future members than to assure that some parcel or tract
of land be given over to the protection and continued
cultivation of a stand of white pine as far as is
humanly and ecologically possible.

No, that old chestnut has not yet been shot down.
Through the medium of Trail & Landscape it may continue
to glow and spark a movement like that of the living
preservation of some of Sweden’s beech forests.

Editor’s note: Can anyone tell us whether such parcels
of ’’majestic white pine” still stand? Readers are invited
to send in their ideas concerning land acquisition, either
in reaction to Dr. Neville’s proposal, or as alternative
suggestions. We know that other natural history clubs
in Canada own land and operate nature reserves. Will
someone volunteer to put together an article on the
experience of these clubs in the discovery, purchase and
management of their lands?

108

A report from the Guelph Symposium

by Jim Wickware

WILDLIFE IN URBAN CANADA

A world with an urban population four times larger
than the present one billion people who live and work in
the cities of today is the probable growth to be expected
by the year 2000. This was a startling statement in the
theme address at a Symposium on Wildlife in Urban Canada
in May of this year.

The Symposium was sponsored by the Ontario Ministry
of Natural Resources and the University of Guelph, and
was also co-sponsored by other private organizations and
governmental agencies concerned with environmental
matters.

The objectives of the

• to define the problems
associated with wildlife
and people in growing
urban communities with
special emphasis on the
role of educators,
planners, business and
industry personnel and
public servants

• to review and discuss
innovative projects and
their application to the
urban environment of
Canada

• to make recommendations
to governments and urban
planners concerning the
complementary aspects of
people and wildlife in
the urban setting.

The noted international city planner, C.A. Doxiadis,
whose paper ’Wildlife and Human Settlements’ was presented
as the theme address, foresees a marriage between nature
and city where ultimately two thirds of the globe is given
to continuous wildlife and almost eighty-four percent of
the total available to different types of wildlife. Man
has control of thirty-three percent of the land surface,
building his cities on only 2.5 percent.

Dr. Doxiadis presents a future prospect that is
frightening but offers exciting and visionary ideas to
create both new cities and a new world. His books on
Architecture, Human Settlement, Urban Planning and other
associated subjects make fascinating reading for all
interested in a continuously changing world.

In workshop sessions, participants examined and
discussed the impact of the urban environment on wildlife
and the relationship between wildlife and people in that
environment.

Questions fundamental to an understanding of the
problems were asked:

What is urban wildlife?

Who should we be educating?

Who should be the educators?

What about disease?

Are pets compatible with urban wildlife?

What is happening to existing wildlife resources?

Do urban dwellers really care?

The discussions went on and on and far into the
night for many. The subject of wildlife in urban Canada
is not one of special interest to a single discipline
but overlaps into many fields of professional expertise.
The urban dweller as most of us are, can make our contri¬
bution to a subject that properly understood can contri¬
bute much to a quality of life that we hope can be
experienced by our children.

110

DO YOU STUMBEL OVER MITSAKES IN SPELING OR TYPNIG?

Trail & Landscape has need of proofreaders.

Someone must check the Editor’s mock-up for typos, and
compare it with the manuscripts to catch words left out,
etc. This job can be done very effectively by a couple -
one to read aloud while the other checks - or by one
person with a tape recorder. It can be done at home.

The other job requires someone who can spare one
or two evenings for each issue, to proofread the final
copy (which is photographed to make our printing plates)
at the time and place where it is being typed.

If you feel moved to make a valuable contribution
to our magazine, please call the Editor 749-2400, or the
Co-ordinator, Dorothy Greene 722-3421 (day).

THANK YOU, BARBARA

Barbara Coleman has resigned from her position as
Co-ordinator on the production team of T & L to have
more time to devote to her family. Barbara has been
helping produce T & L almost from its beginning. From
1968 to 1971 she was an Associate Editor with a special
interest in conservation activities. Since 1971 she has
had the task of arranging for the typing of every issue
of the magazine, and for proofreading both the mock-up
and the final copy. Quite a contribution’. The Editors
and Production staff were happy to be associated with her
during her 8 years with T & L and wish her all the best.

Ill

^OuU, 1^75

Following the relatively open winter we had a
colder than usual April which caused the migration to
be some ten days behind normal by the end of the month.

In May the sudden arrival of hot, dry weather resulted in
very rapid passage with the peak warbler movement on the
10th and 11th, After a brief period at the end of May
and early June when temperatures were relatively normal,
hot and generally humid conditions prevailed until the
end of June.

An early Blue-winged Teal was at the Champlain
Bridge on April 2nd and a Double-crested Cormorant at
Shirley’s Bay on April 26th. A Black-bellied Plover on
June 27th was possibly an early southward migrant.

Late winter birds included a Hoary Redpoll on
April 19th, a Snowy Owl April 27th, a Northern Three¬
toed Woodpecker on May 13th and a Black-backed Three¬
toed Woodpecker on May 18th. There was a Rough-legged
Hawk on May 21st, 4 Red-necked Grebes on June 4th and
a Lesser Scaup on June 15th.

Species which seemed less common than usual were
Barred Owls (only 2 reported in the period), Black-
crowned Night Heron (3). Very few Solitary Sandpipers,
Philadelphia Vireos and White-crowned Sparrows were
observed, the latter passing through very quickly, as
frequently happens.

A number of species were observed in higher than
usual numbers. On April 12th there were 14 Snow Geese
at Britannia and on April 29th at Shirley’s Bay 104
Horned Grebes. More than 100 Broad-winged Hawks were
there on May 3rd and 50 Knots on May 27th. The same
day there were 72 Knots at the Richmond sewerage
lagoon. At Ramsa 5 rville marsh there were 35 Short¬
billed Dowitchers on May 18th. Tennessee Warblers
were very abundant around May 20th. Up to 4 Wilson’s
Phalaropes were seen at once.

112

Reports of rare and uncoimnon birds were numerous.

The first Snowy Egret in Ottawa was found by Bruce
Dilabio, Bruce Barrett and others on May 18th at Shirley’s
Bay. It was present until the 23rd. On May 23rd Roger
Foxall and Stanley Shaddick, editor of Saskatoon Field
Notes, recorded the area’s first Sandhill Crane. Foxall
and Richard Poulin found our first Worm-eating Warbler
in Beechwood Cemetery on May 18th. Also first for the
area were the two Little Gulls present near the Britannia
filtration plant from June 4th to 9th. They were found
by Simon and Steve Gawn and Bruce Dilabio, and species
confirmation was made by Richard Poulin. The second
Hooded Warbler was seen at Wychwood on May 24th by
Murray Brigham. The third Marbled Godwit appeared at
the Richmond sewerage lagoon on June 15th and was still
present at the end of the month. Two Piping Plovers,
our 3rd and 4th records, the 4th Cattle Egret, the 4th
and 5th Willets and the 3rd Great Egret were also seen
in the period.

Uncommon Warblers included a Cerulean, a Prairie
5 Golden-winged, and a Louisiana Waterthrush. Henslow’s
Sparrows were found breeding in the North Gower area.

An encouraging note was the observation of three
Peregrine Falcons.

Good Birding’.

Hue MacKenzie
Bruce Dilabio

A CAUTION

We have become aware that some people are
scanning the bird columns in the newspapers
to learn the location of raptors, especially
falcons. They then collect eggs or young
birds from the nests to raise as captive
birds. Be very careful about disclosing
the location of such nests — you will
probably save the lives of some of the birds.

113

IKClIIKKT

O \V I.

About 3:30 p.m. on January 21st, I walked down the
south bank of the river east of the town, to find out
if the ducks which had been wintering in the open water,
were still there. The "regular inhabitants" were a
female Scaup Duck, a Black Duck (both, I think, winged
birds, able to swim and dive but not to fly), and two
healthy Common Mergansers which could fly well and moved
up and down the river with ease. A Belted Kingfisher
had been another interesting resident, but I had not
seen it since the cold snap of a few days before.

The female Scaup was in her usual position near
the north shore just above the island which splits the
river. No sign of the Black Duck. I could see the
Mergansers fishing in the north channel as I walked to
Lookout Point below the island. I examined the river
with binoculars up and down as far as I could see but
could not find the Black Duck.

Just as I turned away from looking down river,
a dark brown object floated out from behind a screen
of brush in the little bay, 200 yards downstream. I
put the binoculars on the object but it seems too large
for a Black Duck, and no head showed. "Perhaps a pair
of Black Ducks dabbling close together", I thought.

The object twisted and turned in the water, sometimes
looking like two separate objects, and sometimes like
one mass of feathers or fur.

Fascinated, I watched while the object whirled
downstream in the strong current. Then, suddenly,
from the dark brown mass, a pair of huge wings spread
out and up, and with a couple of flaps the whole object
lifted from the water. It was a Great Horned Owl
carrying a muskrat in its claws’. With no apparent
difficulty it flapped ashore to the shelter of some
rushes and brush beneath a large willow.

114

I ^ithdrGw into ths woods bosido ino nnd msdo my
way downstream, cautiously and quietly. Seventy-five
yards from the spot where I thought the owl flew ashore
I halted and examined the area through the binoculars.

The owl was sitting on a fallen log beneath the willow,
watching me. We stared at each other for a few moments.
Then, apparently deciding that I was unfriendly, it
flew across the river to a tall elm and watched me
approach the spot where it had been sitting. There,
beside the log was the muskrat, limp and dead, not mut¬
ilated or torn, but just pierced by the great claws.

The remarkable part of the incident was that the
owl, having clutched the muskrat in the water, and being
unable to lift it while alive and struggling, had settled
down on the water to kill it. As soon as the animal was
dead, or nearly so, the owl had no trouble in lifting it
out of the water, even though it must have been pretty
well drenched.

I returned the next day to see if the muskrat
still lay where the owl had dropped it — but it had
vanished. The marks of the great talons in the snow
were good evidence that the owl had returned for its
prey.

George E. Findlay

Box 1783, Carleton Place, Ont.

KOA IJO

BIRD IDENTIFICATION

Members wishing to improve their knowledge of the
local birds may be interested to know that Mr. George
McGee plans to continue his series of lectures on
BIRDWATCHING under the Adult Education Program of the
Ottawa Board of Education, this fall.

Lecture schedules, registration dates, etc. for the
fall program will be completed and published by the
Board in local newspapers in early September.

For additional information call the Ottawa Board
of Education 563-2325 or George McGee 733-1739.

115

New Book for Ottawa’s Naturalists

There may be other naturalists of my sort. We have
picked up a fair bit of information about members of four
of the five great classes of vertebrates - mammals, birds,
reptiles and amphibians. But we are deplorably uninformed
regarding the fifth class (the first, in an evolutionary
view), the fishes. Not being brought up in a fishing
tradition, some of us associate the subject with sports¬
men as distinct from naturalists. It is illogical to
ignore this important group of animals, which shares so
much of the same environment and history with the other
organisms we study. Moreover, we may be missing out on
something of fascinating interest in itself.

Now a book has appeared just for us. FISHES OF
CANADA’S NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION / POISSONS DE LA REGION
DE LA CAPITALE DU CANADA is aimed at the amateur natural¬
ist, the skin or scuba diver, as well as the angler, in
English and French. The authors frankly point out gaps
in their knowledge of local fishes, hoping to stimulate
readers to contribute information of use in a future
edition. Gaps aside,the book gives a solidly satisfy¬
ing look at fishes, their habits and habitats, migration-
al history, and changes that humans have worked in their
environment, within the same Area of 30-mile radius we
use in studies of other fauna and flora. Needless to
say, every Ottawa naturalist should own a copy. It is
available at the Museum bookshop. Nature Canada bookshop
and National & Provincial Parks Assoc., Box 400 Station A,
Ottawa, for a modest $4.

FISHES OF CANADA’S NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION came
into being as a tribute to Dr. J. Sanford Hart, an
internationally acclaimed environmentalist and physio¬
logist, who died in Ottawa in May 1973. Sandy Hart was
a founder of the Ottawa—Hull Chapter of the National and
Provincial Parks Association. The book is jointly spon¬
sored by the NPPAC with the National Capital Commission,
the National Museum of Natural Sciences, and the Fisheries
and Marine Service.

TRAIL & LANDSCAPE is privileged to bring to readers
some excerpts from the book, with kind permission of the
publishers. Here are portions of the Introduction and
two figures. In later issues we hope to reprint species
accounts of fishes representative of major habitats.

(A.H.)

116

from: FISHES OF CANADA’S NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

by Don E. McAllister and Brian W. Coad

A rich variety of 75 species of fishes lives in the
rivers and lakes surrounding Canada’s capital. This
richness is due to the geological history of the area,
to past and present drainage connections, to the variety
of topography and habitats, and to introductions by man.

• • •

The amateur can play a real role in contributing to
knowledge of fishes of the region. Except for mooneye,
rainbow smelt, brown bulhead, channel catfish, yellow
perch, walleye, and sauger, there have been no detailed
studies on the biology of fishes in the region. We are
ignorant about distribution, spawning time (temperature
and place), migrations, depth ranges, maximum lengths
and weights, behavior, and food of many species.

• • •

Preserved specimens deposited in a museum serve as
voucher specimens. Verification of biological obser¬
vations or locality records are based on them.

(Preserving directions are given.)

• • •

The topography of the Region is varied...Rivers
to the south tend to be slow, muddy and warm. Because
of the low relief in this sector there are only two lakes
(Constance and Dow’s) enclosed within the 30-mile boundary.
To the north the streams are clearer, more rapid flowing,
and cooler. Lakes are numerous, most are small, but Lac
Lapeche is 3 2/3 miles long and has a maximum depth of
95 feet. Most lakes are stratified in summer with a
warm surface layer and cool layer, A-IO^C (40-45OF),
below depths of 20-30 feet.

During the peak of the Wisconsin glaciation most of
eastern Canada was covered by ice...About 45 species of
fish probably reached the Ottawa Valley from the Missis-
sippian refugium, about 6 from the Atlantic coastal plain,
and another 16 may have used one or both. Four species
were introduced by man.

• • •

Eastern North America, in particular the National
Capital Region, has had an extremely complex geological
history for the last 12,000 years. (The Postglacial
Geological History, by M.J. Dadswell, with four maps,
describing this history in detail follows in the book.)

117

Anatomical Features

A fish consists of two parts, the head and the body,
and no neck. On the head are jaws, snout, nostrils, and
eyes. On the snout or chin are slender filaments called
barbels that function as organs of touch, taste, or smell.
A broad platelike structure supported mainly by one bone,
the operculum, covers the gills. Extending along the
lower margin of the operculum is a membrane, supported
by bony splints called branchiostegals. Between the op¬
erculum and the eyes is the cheek. Under the operculum
are the gills: bony arches bear gill rakers on the front,
and reddish (when fresh) gill filaments behind. The gill
rakers, mounted on the first arch, vary in shape from
short and stubby to long and slender. The body can be
divided into the trunk and the narrow wristlike caudal
peduncle. The lower part of the trunk is the abdomen.

There are several types of fins, not all of which
are found on every fish. The unpaired fins are: on the
back, the dorsal fin(s); on the upper caudal peduncle,
the fleshy tablike adipose fin; on the rear end of the
body, the tail or caudal fin; and on the underside just
in front of the caudal peduncle, the anal fin(s). Paired
fins may be present: the pectoral fins immediately behind
the gill cover and the pelvic fins behind or below the
pectorals. Above the pelvic fin is sometimes found a
triangular fleshy appendage or axillary process for
streamlining the fin when it is not extended. The fins,
except for the adipose, are supported by slender rods
called rays; either soft rays (jointed and usually flex¬
ible) or spiny rays often simply called spines (unjointed
and usually stiff and pointed).

The body is usually covered with scales, which pro¬
vide a flexible protective cover for the fish. When
scales are rounded and smooth, as in trout, they are
called cycloid. When scales bear small points on the
hind edge making them rough to the touch as in perch,
they are called ctenoid. Scales on sturgeons take the
form of knoblike scutes...Of the fishes in this guide,
only lampreys and catfish are actually without scales.
Scales have growth rings which may bunch closely during
the slow growth of winter...The scale edge may be absorbed
during spawning, producing a spawning check...An expert
can learn much of a fish’s history by ’’reading” its scales.

119

PICTDRIRL KEY TD FHMILIE5 CLEF 1LLU5TRE DE5 FHMILLE5

Along the middle of the side is the lateral line.

It usually consists of a buried tube that extends from
head to tail, and opens to the exterior through pores
in the scales. In the tube are tiny sensing cells. A
similar sensory system is found on the head.

Teeth may occur on the tongue, the floor of the
mouth between the gill arches, the roof of the mouth,
the pharyngeal bones behind the gills, as well as the
jaws. Minnows have teeth only on the pharyngeal bones.

In the freshwater drum pharyngeal teeth are flat, heavy,
and pebblelike and are used for crushing shellfish.

Water flows in the mouth, through the gill slits,
and over the gill filaments, which extract oxygen and
pass off carbon dioxide. The water then exits from under
the operculum. The mouth cavity narrows to the esopha¬
gus and is usually followed by a J-shaped stomach. The
narrow pyloric region following the stomach may have
little fingerlike pouches called pyloric caeca. The
intestine continues to the anus. The anus and the exit
for urine and eggs or sperm is called the vent. The
heart lies in its own small cavity behind and below the
gills. The liver, usually large and red or orange, lies
in the front part of the body cavity. Associated with
it is the small green gall bladder. In the upper body
cavity is the usually thin-walled, pink, balloonlike
organ, the gas bladder (also called swim bladder). It
helps buoy up the fish and in some species may also be
used in breathing, hearing, or sound-making. The long
dark organs along the underside of the backbone are the
kidneys. Below them lie the egg-producing ovaries or
sperm-producing testes. A small urinary bladder lies
in the hind end of the body cavity.

The skeleton of a fish includes the skull, the
vertebral column with its one to three sets of ribs,
and the supports for the fins. The skull includes the
cranium housing the brain, and the jaws, gill arches
and covers. Behind the skull is the bowlike shoulder
girdle that supports the pectoral fin. The pelvic fins
are supported by a small pelvic girdle. In the inner-
ear portion of the skull are otoliths, small bones
loose in a fluid-filled chamber. These assist the fish
in sensing changes in direction. The large otoliths in
the freshwater drum are sometimes called ”lucky stones".

121

F.O.N. NEWS

Federation of Ontario Naturalists’ 42nd Annual Meeting,
Peterborough, Ontario, June 6-9, 1975

Main priorities of FON now are: Wildlife Preservation,
Natural History Service, Assistance to Clubs and In¬
dividuals, Services, Consulting. As of July 1, the
YOUNG NATURALIST will be taken over by the Young Nat¬
uralist Foundation; first issue expected in October.

In the coming year a larger membership is expected, more
merchandising, more public relations, a greater involve¬
ment with member clubs, more studies (this year FON re¬
ceived a government grant to study herbicides and pesti¬
cides on roadsides in Ontario, and hired four students).

The following resolutions were passed: that FON express
its strong disapproval of Federal Government’s inaction
in permitting duck hunting in Point Pelee National Park,
and urge immediate steps be taken to abolish permanently
this practice in the Park...that FON urge Government of
Ontario to enforce stringently the regulations under the
Parks Act designed to protect the natural and historic
values of provincial parks...that FON urge Government
of Ontario to impose a ban on the use of non-returnable
containers and that the announced ban on non-returnable
containers in Algonquin Provincial Park be reinstated
...that FON encourage Government of Ontario to initiate
action that will result in use of returnable containers
by all segments of the packaging industry... that FON
commend Government of Ontario for its action in develop¬
ing the Nature Reserves Programme and urge that adequate
funds be allocated and that the acquisition and designa¬
tion of nature reserves proceed rapidly, taking into
account IBP and other areas...that FON support the
private member’s bill to be put before the House of
Commons by an MP from Victoria "to abolish steel leg-
hold traps".

Vi Humphreys

122

FILMS ON NATURAL HISTORY

An excellent-selection of films on Natural History
and other subjects is available in Ottawa for use by
schools and other groups. The sources of these films
are as follows:

1. Ottawa Public Library, 120 Metcalfe St., Ottawa,

KIP 3M2, phone 236-0301

A catalogue listing the titles available may be
obtained for $1.00. The many films listed may be
rented for a small charge to any adult resident in
the area served by the Ottawa Public Library or the
Eastern Ontario Library System, who holds, or is
eligible to hold, a library card. Students may be
permitted to borrow for organizational or institu¬
tional use .

2. National Film Board of Canada, Film Library, 150 Kent
St., Ottawa, KIA 0M9, phone 996-4861 after 10:30 a.m.
There is a free catalogue of the films available.

A Film Library Card must be obtained before one can
make use of this free film service. In addition to
motion picture films, the National Film Board pro¬
duces other visual aids (filmstrips, slide sets,
media kits, 8 mm film loops, overhead projectors)
of particular interest to educators and special-
interest groups.

3. Canadian Film Institute, National Science Film
Library, 1762 Carling Ave., Ottawa, K2A 2H7, phone
729-6193

The Canadian Film Institute was incorporated in 1935
as a national non-profit organization and use of film
and television as educational and cultural factors
in Canada and elsewhere. One of its main activities
is the distribution of film to specialized education¬
al and cultural groups through the National Film
Library. There are approximately 7,000 films in this
library, made up of 30 individual collections of
which the National Science Film Library is the most
comprehensive.

123

0 F N C FALL PROGRAM

arranged by the Excursions and Lectures CoTranittee
J. Donald Lafontaine (829-7273), Chairman

BIRDS IN FALL MIGRATION
VISITS TO SHIRLEYS BAY

Sunday

7

Sept.

Leader:

Saturday

13

If

II

!1

20

If

If

If

27

If

If

Sunday

5

Oct.

If

Stephen O’Donnell (737-5270)
Monty Brigham (489-3018)

Rick Poulin (232-4687)

Roger Foxall (745-7791)

Arnet Sheppard (722-0991)

Meet: Britannia Drive-In Theatre

Time: 7:30 a.m.

Bring waterproof footwear. Walks last until noon at least.

GENERAL EXCURSION TO THE CARP HILLS
Leader: Arnet Sheppard (722-0991)
Meet: Loblaws, Carlingwood Shopping

Centre

Time: 9:00 a.m.

All day outing. Bring LUNCH

Sunday
7 Sept.

Tuesday OFNC MONTHLY MEETING
9 Sept. OUTBACK AUSTRALIA

^Speaker: Jeff Harrison

Meet: Auditorium, Ottawa Public Library,
Laurier and Metcalfe Streets
Time: 8:00 p.m.

FALL MUSHROOMS AND TOADSTOOLS
Leader: Jim Ginns (827-0212)

Meet: Health and Welfare Building,

Tunney’s Pasture
Time: 9:00 a.m.

Bring a basket, hand lens and a snack

Saturday
20 Sept.

124

AN INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL HISTORY
PHOTOGRAPHY

Leader: Jim Johnston (820-0293)

Meet: Supreme‘Court, Wellington Street

Time: 9:00 a.m.

Bring your camera and questions, and a snack.
There is a follow-up workshop on Oct. 22.

WHALE TRIP - TADOUSSAC
At press time, plans for this trip are
progressing well, however, space is
limited and going fast so if you are
interested call Roger Foxall (745-7791) NOW
Tentative plans are for a stop to see the
Snow Geese at Cap Tourmente and a boat trip
at Tadoussac to look for whales. Expected
cost including transportation and accommodation
(not food) is approx. $75.00.

Tuesday OFNC MONTHLY MEETING

14 Oct. BIRDING THE OUTPOSTS OF ALASKA

-Speaker: Roger Foxall

Meet: Auditorium, Ottawa Public Library

Laurier and Metcalfe Streets
Time: 8:00 p.m.

Weekend
11-13 Oct.

Sunday
28 Sept.

PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKSHOP
Leader: Jim Johnston (820-0293)

Meet: Auditorium, Ottawa Public Library,
Laurier and Metcalfe Streets
Time: 8:00 p.m.

Bring your pictures from the 28 Sept, outing or
any others that you would like to have the leader
look at.

Wednesday
22 Oct.

ISSN

0041-0748

TRAIL & LANDSCAPE

published by

THE OTTAWA FIELD-NATURALISTS' CLUB

Second Class Mail - Registration Number 2777
Postage paid in cash at Ottawa

Change of Address Notices and undeliverable Copies
Box 3264 Postal Station C, Ottawa, Ont.

KlY 4J5

Return postage guaranteed

Lithographed by
John Marquardt, Printer