26 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXVI 



been a root. Although I have never seen nor 

 heard of arbutus throwing out adventitious shoots 

 from roots, in the way poplars and many other 

 broadleaf trees do, it can, nevertheless, make 

 adventitious growths from stumps and roots 

 under certain conditions. There are many 

 instances of rings of shoots arising from the rims 

 of the stumps of the huge dead pioneer arbutus 

 trees of the isolated type once scattered over the 

 area surrounding Victoria. Adventitious growths 

 can also spring up at the base of the stems of the 

 big ancient arbutus trees of the forest as soon as 

 the competing trees are cleared away. The young 

 growth often takes the place of the parent tree 

 which, owing to its wisp of canopy, usually dies 

 away. Further proof of the ability of arbutus to 

 develop adventitious shoots from roots is to be 

 seen when a large tree is blown over on its side 

 but part of its root system remains in the soil. 

 In cases of this kind, adventitious shoots are 

 known to be thrown out by the upturned roots 

 near the base of the stem. A striking illustration 

 of this was noted at a field meeting of the Natural 

 History Society of British Columbia held at 

 "Tiswild," the residence of Mrs. McVicker, in the 

 Highland district, Vancouver Island. A still 

 more remarkable instance of a similar occurrence 

 was found at "AUbay," the property of W. T. V. 

 Copeman, Esq., near Sidney, on the Saanich 

 peninsula, Vancouver Island. A fair-sized arbu- 



tus growing in shallow soil had been blown down 

 but the roots on one side had remained in the 

 soil. The flat base of the stem had become 

 upturned and had exposed its underside to light. 

 The consequence of this was that a strong shoot 

 sprang from the upturned lower side and when I 

 saw the tree both the original stem and the 

 young shoot were thriving. 



Another explanation of the cause of the peculiar 

 position and mode of growth of the arbutus in 

 Fig. No. 4 may simply be that a seed had germinat- 

 ed in the crevice at "C". If this be so, the 

 length of the root "C" - "B" - "A" - "D" is 

 remarkable and its course and the loop and 

 fasciation of the stem at "C" are unusual. 



The heliotropic power of the arbutus may be 

 another reason for the peculiar appearance of this 

 arbutus. Contest for light between the arbutus 

 and some other trees once growing together on 

 the crest of the cliff may have induced the ar- 

 butus to creep along the ground and therefore 

 "A" - "B" - "C" may be a stem which, in bending 

 toward the light, had layered where it has touched 

 the soil. Arbutus, however, so far as I am aware, 

 does not naturally layer. Some scrub oak 

 {Quercus garryana Dougl.; can be seen in the 

 illustration near the point "A" and may be 

 sprouts from the remains of some former large 

 oak that once competed with the arbutus for 

 light. Garry oak is plentiful in the neighborhood. 



A PROPOSED BIRD SANCTUARY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. 



By J. A. MuNRO, Okanagan Landing, British Columbia. 



The notable increase in the migrations of ducks 

 and geese, following the ratification of the Migra- 

 tory Birds Convention, has given an impetus to 

 bird-protection which is apparent wherever 

 sportsmen or nature-lovers are gathered together. 

 In marked contrast to the pessimism rife in the 

 five years preceding 1918 (which, at its worst, 

 prophesied the end of water-fowl shooting in 

 another decade, and at best looked for its survival 

 only as an interest vested in the owners of large 

 estates) is the present enthusiasm and confidence 

 in the future. 



This is manifested among sportsmen by the 

 earnest discussion of protective measures that 

 would have been condemned as radical and 

 visionary a few years ago. Measures for vermin 

 control, plans for licensing that persistent enemy, 

 the domestic cat, reduction of bag limits, etc., 

 are questions brought up at every game associa- 

 tion meeting. 



Another expression of the popular enthusiasm 



is the growing demand for Bird Sanctuaries. 

 Unfortunately, the supply of Dominion lands 

 suitable for sanctuary purposes in this Province 

 is not equal to the demand or the need. A 

 number of property owners who control land of 

 this type have requested, with characteristic 

 western generosity, that such areas be created 

 permanent Bird Sanctuaries under The Migratory 

 Birds Convention Act, even though this restriction 

 would mean the loss of their shooting privileges. 

 Swan Lake, which has been proposed as a Bird 

 Sanctuary, is approximately three miles long and 

 half a mile wide, its southern end being three 

 quarters of a mile from the city limits of Vernon. 

 The land surrounding it is of high fertility, and 

 the greater portion is under cultivation. There 

 is a considerable acreage in orchard, and alfalfa 

 is grown extensively. Between the edge of 

 cultivation and the lake shore is a fringe of brush, 

 chiefly alder, willow, mountain birch, and black 

 haw, and in several places on the east shore there 



