support approximately 10,000 muskoxen and have archaeological sites from 3,400 
     
     years ago to the present. (Canada's Green Plan News Release., PR—HQ-92-4l) 
     
    

    
     The honey mushroom Armillaria bulbosa is the fruiting body of a fungus 
     
     which has an underground network of strands called rhizomorphs which are 
     
     'composed of bundles of microscopic filaments called hyphae. Two biologists 
     
     from Erindale College, Myron Smith and James Anderson, who were studying these 
     
     mushrooms in a hardwood woodlot in Michigan discovered that a 0.5 hectare area 
     
     had genetically identical mushrooms indicating they were from a single fungus. 
     
     Further testing showed that it covered 15 hectares (37 acres) and they 
     
     estimated that it could be 1,500 years old. (Adapted from Toronto Field 
     
     Naturalist 429:21) 
     
    

    
     The Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island has assisted the 
     
     Island Nature Trust in the conservation of a piece of Herring Island, one of 
     
     the Murray Islands near Murray Harbour, through the purchase of an Honorary 
     
     Deed. Honorary Deeds make an excellent gift idea and are available from the 
     
     Island Nature Trust at 566-9150. (adapted from Guardian September 19, 1992) 
     
    

    
     Mr. and Mrs. Randall Breitwisch saw sparrows opening the automatic doors 
     
     at the main bus station in Hamilton, New Zealand by flying slowly past the 
     
     sensors that work the doors, hover briefly in front of the sensors, or stick 
     
     their head in front of the sensors. The goal was to open the door to allow 
     
     foraging for food inside the station. (adapted from the Halifax Field 
     
     Naturalists' Newsletter # 67, June to August 1992) 
     
    

    
     The Baillie Birdathon's support of bird conservation reached deep into 
     
     the Maritimes to help support Piping Plover conservation through grants from 
     
     1990 to 1992 to Roland Chiasson, Sabine Dietz, and their colleagues in 
     
     northeastern New Brunswick and in 1991 to Stephen Flemming who worked on 
     
     stewardship, status, and nest-site selection in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward 
     
     Island. (adapted from Long Point Observatory Newsletter Vol. 24 #2) 
     
    
   
   
    
     ENVIRONMENTAL CALENDAR 
     
    
   
   
    
     Dec. 27 - This is the date for the Hillsborough Christmas Bird Count. A 
     
     pot-luck for the counters will be held after the count (starting time 
     
     approximately 6:00 p.m.). Please contact Dan McAskill at 569-4351 in 
     
     the evening to register as a field counter (there is a small charge) or 
     
     a feeder watcher (no charge). 
     
    

    
     Jan. 5 - A different venue will be featured at the Annual General Meeting with 
     
     members giving 5 minute show and tell presentations and a maximum of 5 
     
     slides. 
     
    

    
     Jan. 14 - The Lady Slipper Naturalists will host an illustrated talk by Brenda 
     
     Penak on Raptor Identification. The talk commences at 8:00 p.m. at the 
     
     library in Summerside. 
     
    

    
     Jan. 16 - Dan McAskill will provide an illustrated talk on the Birds of Prince 
     
     Edward Island starting at 10:00 a.m. at Mill River Resort overlooking 
     
     their new bird village. 
     
    

    
     Feb. 2 - David MacKinnon will speak on the effect of herbicide spraying of 
     
     forest songbirds in Nova Scotia at the Society's monthly meeting. The 
     
     meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Farm Centre. 
     
    

    
     Feb. 15 - Heritage Day 
     
    

    
     Mar. 2 - Coastal Birds and Waterfowl will be the topic of Wayne Barrett's 
     
     presentation for the Society's monthly meeting which commences at the 
     
     Farm Centre at 7:30 p.m. 
     
    

    
     Apr. 6 - Dr. Lawson Drake will be our monthly meeting speaker and he will be 
     
     offering a presentation on insects. The meeting commences at 7:30 p.m. 
     
    

    
     May 4 - The last Society meeting before the summer break will feature the 
     
     Society's slide contest. The deadline for slide submissions will be 
     
    

    
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