NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND LTD. P.O. BOX 2346, CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. ClA 8C1

MEETINGS are held of the first Tuesday of the month (except June, July, August, and September) at 7:30 p.m. at the Farm Centre, 420 University Avenue, Charlottetown. Members and non-members are welcome. Please bring your coffee cup so that we will contribute as little as possible to the waste stream.

Membership is open to anyone interested in the natural history of Prince Edward Island. Membership is available at any meeting or by contacting the Treasurer at P.O. Box 2346, Charlottetown CIA 8C1 (phone 569-3586). Annual membership rates are : $12. Renewals are due in January. Membership expiry dates are in the top right hand corner of the mailing label.

The Society is directed by a volunteer executive elected from its members. 1993 Executive: President..............Barbara Currie, Charlottetown 894-9297 Vice—President...........Mary Beth Harris, Battery Point 569—2665 Past President....Patrick Wootton, Sharam Point 892-5761 962-3641 Secretary.......................Nora Stephenson, Kinlock 569-5030 Treasurer.......................Ben Hoteling, Crossroads 569—3586 Directors — Program...........Linda Thomas, Charlottetown 892-7750 - Publicity ........Donald Wilkinson, Sherwood 566-1279

NEWSLETTERS are published bi-monthly on recycled paper. Articles, notes, reports, drawings, etc. are welcomed from members and non-members. If you have seen anything unusual, please share it with us. It is important to have your observations recorded so that others may learn from them. All contributions should be send to:

Dan McAskill, Newsletter Editor

Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island Ltd.

Charlottetown RR # 5, Donagh, P.E.I. C1A 7J8 The next newsletter deadline is February 21,1993.

Illustrations: The Society extends a special thanks to Jacqueline Badcock who provided the illustrations of the dike building, Phragmites, American Kestrel, plaque, Piping Plover, tern and Great Black-backed Gull, hand and pen, Gray Partridge, and swallows. The Society also acknowledges the meadowlark illustrations by Jim Edsall.

The Natural History Society gratefully acknowledges support from the Department of Tourism and Parks and the Department of Education which enables distribution of newsletters to schools and libraries and to members.

The Natural History Society is an affiliate of the Canadian Nature Federation and has representation on the board of the Island Nature Trust. The Society is a registered, non-profit organization (Part 2, Companies Act). Tax receipts are issued for donations to the Society and these funds are used to further the work of the Society.

Reprinting: Editors of other newsletters and teachers wishing to copy classroom materials are welcome to reprint articles from the Island Naturalist (except when copyrighted). Due acknowledgement must be provided to the Island Naturalist, the author and illustrator.

THIS MONTHS COVER 1 Reed grass (Phragmites communis) often invades salt marshes that have been diked or otherwise altered. It spreads by rhizomes and is resistant to most kinds of disturbance. On the Mount Stewart marsh it grows up to eight or more feet in height.

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