Correspondence from Toronto Field Naturalists

On August 2l, l976, I received a letter from Harold Taylor, Chairman of the Public Relations Committee of the Toronto Field Naturalists. He said that he found our “Winds of Sea and Wood“ in a Charlottetown bookstore and

“part of the enjoyment that resulted was a trip to the Moore Sanctuary”.

He indicated a wish to exchange newsletters with us as their society, like ours, has a table for publications from other naturalists groups. He sent two sample newsletters which I will circulate at the October meeting. After perusing these, I'm sure you will feel that we would profit from such an exchange.

Kathy Martin Biology Department U.P.E.|.

Correspondence from Canadian Nature Federation

The financial position of the CNF has greatly strengthened and it is now able to progress more freely with its development program. They have sent our society

a letter inviting us to submit an application (or applications) for funds for

a project which we would be interested in conducting. The nature of the project would ideally be a joint grant application in which funds would come from the Provincial government, a P.E.l. based foundation or corporation, or private monies as well as financial imput from the C.N.F. In our application we would have to consider who will administer the funds and how would the responsibility of the execution of the project be handled. There are many projects on P.E.I. which are urgently needed, which would be interesting and enjoyable to do. At our October meeting, please come with some ideas and we will discuss which would betin'top priorities. Since I am P.E.l.'s representative director for CNF,

I will provide the liaison between the Natural History Society and CNF on

Such a project.

Kathy Martin Biology Department U.P.E.I.

Charlottetown Wildlife

The editor would like to compile sightings of birds and mammals sighted within

the limits of Charlottetown. Already there are a few people who keep records at their bird feeders. There is a paucity of records on wild mammals living in Charlottetown. If enough sightings are submitted, I would be willing to summarize these in an article in a future newsletter issue. Please send sightings to:

Kathy Martin Biology Depa rtmen t U.P.E.l.

The Blue Jay - Our Candidate Provincial Bird

Francis Bain, our renowned naturalist from the Nineteenth Century expreses his opinion on the Blue Jay, our choice for Provincial Bird:

The bright-plumed jay is one of our most familiar birds. In winter he comes, like a chieftain from the wilds, with gay crest and dainty steps, picking up refuse at Our doors. Stray nuts in the forest afford him food now, too. In summer, he feeds more luxuriously, robbing the nests of feebler birds

and devouring their helpless young. It is part of his foraying