NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND P.0. BOX 2346, CHARLOTTETOHN, P.E.I. ClA 8C1

MEETINGS are held on the first Tuesday of the month (except June, July, August, and September) at 7:30 p.m{ at the Farm Centre on 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 Dan McAskill, Charlottetown RR # 5, Donagh, P.E.I. CIA 7J8 (phone 569-4351). Annual membership rates are: single - 54; family - $5. 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. 1990 Executive: President.......Pat Hootton, Charlottetown 892-5761 or 962-3641

Vice-President. . . . . . . . . ..Hendell MacKay, Stanley Bridge 886-2495 Past President...........Sue Stephenson, Charlottetown 368-2789 Secretary...... . . . . ......Barbara Currie, Charlottetown 894-9297 Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...........Dan McAskill, Donagh 569-4351 Directors............ . . . . . . . ..Vic Toews, Charlottetown 566-4998

. . . . . . . . . . . . ..Mary Beth Harris, Battery Point 569-2665

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. "Today's notations become tomorrow‘s history". All contributions should be sent to:

Dan McAskill, The Newsletter Editor

Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown RR # 5, Donagh, P.E.I. ClA 7J8 The next newsletter deadline is December 10th, 1990.

The Natural History Society gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance from the Department of Tourism and Parks which enables the newsletters to be distributed 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. Tax receipts are issued for donations to the Society and these funds are used to further the work of the Society. Editors of other newsletters are welcome to reprint articles from the Island Naturalist (except when copyrighted). Acknowledgment would be appreciated.

THIS MONTHS COVER

The American Smelt (Osmerus mordax) is common in our bays and estuaries at this time of year. Many Islanders take to harbour wharves each fall and to ice shacks in winter to fish this species. The smelt is anadramous, i.e. it lives in salt water for much of its 3 to 5 year life but spawns in fresh water. Copepod and other planktonic forms are its primary food when small while larger smelt take amphipods, euphausiids, mysids, shrimp, marine worms, and any small fish that are available. It in turn is food for cod, salmon, cormorant, seals.

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