"black" cat-like animals, often with white chin and chest. Estimated 
     
     length varies from four to eight feet including the "long,.upturned 
     
     tail". Several refer to seeing the mystery animal in pursuit of deer. 
     
     There is no mistaking the sincerity of most of these informants. Among 
     
     them are hunters, anglers, farmers, loggers and forest rangers, many 
     
     with years of experience in the woods. They are convinced that they saw 
     
     eastern cougars in the flesh. And yet... ' 
     
    

    
     A truly clear photograph, attested by reliable witnesses, would go 
     
     far. to establishing the presence of the species in the Atlantic Pro— 
     
     vinces. Skeptics point to the fact that none of the cougar reports on 
     
     file is backed up by an acceptable picture. Most casts or photos of 
     
     tracks have been indistinct, inconclusive; some have turned out to be 
     
     the tracks of dogs or coyotes. the characteristics of a fur sample sent 
     
     to the forensic laboratory in Sackville for analysis turned out to be 
     
     consistent with skunk hair, not cougar. 
     
    

    
     ‘Trained to accept only scientific evidence, many biologists remain 
     
     frankly disbelieving. Says one, "It's the UFO syndrome. If you want to 
     
     see flying saucers, you'll see flying saucers. People who want to see 
     
     cougars, see cougars." 
     
    

    
     And yet... 
     
    
   
   
    
     Nafure sfeuls the show 
     
    
   
   
    
     Touch Nature, the theme of this year's tourism campaign, is in 
     
     full swing and rated six pages in the 1988 Tourism Guide. In the guide, 
     
     tourists will be able to read about nature on P.E.I., and how to share 
     
     in its beauty. \ 
     
    

    
     The exquisite colour photographs steal the show, and make it the 
     
     most beautiful section in the guide. A woman on the ice very close to ‘ 
     
     a white-coated harp seal, a red fox, a man fly—fishing, a Great Cor- 
     
     morant on its nest and a Great 
     
     Blue Heron highlight the pages. 
     
    

    
     A Blue Jay, starfish and Lady's 
     
    

    
     Slipper add to the effect. The 
     
    

    
     P.E.I. bird checklist is reprinted 
     
    

    
     in the section. 
     
    

    
     The Great Blue Heron is also fea- 
     
     tured on a large tourism poster 
     
    

    
      that is available to everyone and 
     
     it is quite a work of art. 
     
     Wayne Barrett, Geoff Curtis, Anne 
     
     MacKay, Bob Semple and John Sylvester 
     
    
   
   
    
     1S953£3 are the photographers who help bring 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     nature to tourists and Islanders 
     
     alike in Touch Nature '88. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Island Wings 5e} +0 +oke off 
     
    
   
   
    
     Island Wings, the Natural History Society's colouring book of 
     
     Prince Edward Island birds, is finally at the printer. There is still 
     
     work to do on once the typesetting is done, but it is a great relief to 
     
     at least get it to this stage. Connie Pound—Gaudet donated the drawings 
     
     for the colouring book, while NHS director Geoff Hogan added the text. 
     
     Gary Schneider handled the design. To get it for a reasonable price, we ‘ 
     
     will have a thousand copies printed (gulpl) but they should be a hot 
     
     item with Islanders and tourists alike. 
     
    
   
   
    
     _ 8 -