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for the Federation of Ontario Naturalists.

,

After mentioning the pleasure and challenge of wildlife photogra-
phy he sounds a warning on behalf of the wild creatures we are so eager
to capture on film. All of us who attempt to photograph wildlife are
sure to be guilty of harassment to some extent, even the biologist who
needs data for management and protection programs. The biologist whose
helicopter accidentally blasts the eggs from a gyrfalcon's nest is just

as guilty as the photographer whose persistence causes a song bird to
desert her eggs.

If you find you are causing much anxiety and distress, if you feel
like breaking off branches or leaves for the sake of a picture, if you
are keeping a brooding bird from her rapidly cooling eggs, it's time
to pack up and call. it a day.

- Margaret Mallett

Unusual Red Fox Litter Sizes for P.E.I.

Prince Edward Island's largest mammalian predator, the red fox,
is one of the more common and well known animals on P.E.I. A high
incidence of the silver or black color phase is characteristic of
the Island population and "cross" or "patch" foxes are not uncommon.
The more unusual color phases are the result of large numbers of
ranched silvers being released in the late forties when prices dropped

to all time lows and it was cheaper to,release the animals than to
raise them.

Examination of 40 adult female red foxes by P.E.I. Fish and
Wildlife personnel this fall indicates that each fox produced an
average of 5.60 pups in the spring of 1974. Studies conducted by
students at U.P.E.I. in 1973 showed a similar production while 1972
studies indicated an average litter size of only 4.50.

This year unusually large litters were noted in several instances.
Of the 40 animals analyzed, 20% produced litters of 7 pups, while 3
foxes from South Lake, Fanningbrook and Pownal, respectively, produced

litters of 8 pups. One fox from Forest Hill excelled above all others
with a litter of 9 pups!

The red fox breeds throughout late January until mid February and
the pups are born 51 days later in March and April. Both parents care
for the pups until autumn, when the young, then able to fend for
themselves, disperse from the rearing area to set up their own territories.

For further information on the Red Fox refer to "Familiar Wildlife
of P.E.I." available from Fish & Wildlife Division, P.O. Box 200,
Charlottetown.
- Rosemary Curley
Environmental Technologist
Pied. Fish & Wildlife’ Div.

Avian Ingenuity

On January 3, I dug myself out of my Winsloe abode and proceeded
over the snow covered front yard to my car. En route I noticed that
my dog was very interested in some of the tracks my brother had made
earlier. I soon realized the source of her interest as I saw 5 or 6
house sparrows using the broken snow of his footsteps to ease their
digging to the ground. The snow underneath was powdery and they had
succeeded in scratching up many grass seeds and some spilled feed. On
a day when the snow has become crusty due to high winds, the available
feeding areas diminish greatly and the hardy passerine birds which
chose to stay around all winter must exercise considerable ingenuity to
utilize all possible avenues.

- Kathy Martin
Us Pror..T..