NATURAL HISTORY UPDATE 
     
    
   
   
    
     APRIL MEETING: The usual monthly reports at the April 2 meeting in— . 
     
     cluded a release from the CNF regarding the recent."Conservation Re- 
     
     port Card on the Provinces". This study, which took 2 years to complete, 
     
     rated the provinces on 9 environmentally related categories and gave 
     
     eachcnuaa grade. (See article in next newsletter). P.E.I. rated 8th 
     
     among the ten provinces. Dan McAskill also reminded members of the CNF 
     
     annual meeting to be held in Ottawa starting July 5 - contact Dan for 
     
     details. Rosemary Curley reported that Joyce MacLeod and Cathy Grey 
     
     are planning to attend the Canadian Environmental Network meeting in 
     
     Halifax. Rosie also discussed plans for the Maritime Bird Breeding 
     
     Atlas project that is scheduled for 1986. Money for the project will 
     
     be supplied for the Department of Supply and Services and the Canadian 
     
     wildlife Service . Meetings are planned for May 11 and 12 in Halifax 
     
     and Moncton to discuss the setting up of the project and anyone inter- 
     
     ested in participating should contact Rosemary Curley at 651-2585. 
     
     Rosemary has also planned a practice session for June 15 which is 
     
     North American Atlas Day; anyone interested in having a practice in 
     
     collecting information for a breeding atlas is invited to join Rosie 
     
     in the Glenfinnan area that day. Come out and look for various species, 
     
     nest sites, singing males or adults carrying food to young. 
     
     UPEI SCIENCE FAIR: Other business discussed included the winners at the 
     
     Science Fair held March 29. There were 2 winners in the Grade 4,5 & 6 
     
     group and 2 winners in the Grade 7, 8 & 9 group; there were no projects 
     
     in the Grade 10, 11 & 12 group that fit into the NHS category. The four 
     
     projects that were chosen included a study of the Irish moss industry 
     
     on PEI; clear-cutting vs woodlot management; "Do plants have feelings?" 
     
     and a study of the effects of acid rain in the Kensington/Margate area. 
     
     Many thanks to Col. Pat Wooton and Bruce Smith for their time and in- 
     
     terest. It was announced that John Sylvester will be the judge for the 
     
     annual members‘ slide show to be held at May's meeting. Unfortunately, 
     
     Dr. Lawson Drake was unable to give his annual talk due to sickness, 
     
     and we would like to thank Randy Dibblee for filling in at short no- 
     
     tice. He enlightened us on the life cycle of the muskrat with slides 
     
     to illustrate the theme. (Hopefully, Dr. Drake can join us next fall.) 
     
     THE MAY MEETING is the last of the season. Meetings will resume the 
     
     first Tuesday in October. We look forward to seeing you then. Have a 
     
     good summer and keep track of all the wildlife you see. Also we would 
     
     like to hear from people regularly throughout the summer for bird 
     
     sightings for the newsletter. Please note new address below. 
     
    
   
   
    
     NEW EDITOR, NEW ADDRESS 
     
    
   
   
    
     After this issue of the Island Naturalist, Jane Symmes will be 
     
     taking over as editor. Jane is already busy as president of the Natural 
     
     History Society, so I'm sure she would appreciate getting bird sight- 
     
     ings and articles in as early as possible and ideas for future news- 
     
     letters. Ruth Richman and I will be leaving in mid—June on an extended 
     
     bicycle trip and may not be back until next spring. Thanks to all 
     
     those who have sent in sightings, articles and comments and best of 
     
     luck to Jane.-Please send all correspondence for the newsletter to Jane 
     
     Symmes, P.O. Box 1716, Ch'town, ClA 7N4 (675-4806) 
     
    
   
   
    
     GARY SCHNEIDER