May, 1922.] 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



91 



nesting season and at such a distance from their 

 breeding ground would lead one to surmise that 

 the sexes segregate after the eggs are laid and that 

 the Tnales take no part in the subsequent domestic 

 duties. 



The Terns, which were hardly distinguishable 

 amongst the great wheeling flocks of Gulls, re- 

 mained circling over the island after the latter had 

 departed. Their rather well-built nests of grass, 

 the majority of which contained two or three 

 eggs each, were found everywhere on the island, 

 hidden in the thick woods. They showed a wide 

 variation of color and markings, ranging from a 

 pale greyish-green, lightly spotted with black, to 

 a rich olive, blotched with sepia. A few nests 

 contained downy young and several youngsters 

 beginning to feather out were seen hiding in the 



woods. Avocets were also breeding here and the 

 downy young, preposterous balls of fluff on attenu- 

 ated legs, scampered over the sand and into the 

 water where they rode as buoyantly as corks. At 

 one time I held the downy young of Scaup, Tern 

 and Avocet in my hand where the tiny olive, grey, 

 and fawn morsels relaxed contentedly as if glad 

 of the warmth. 



Lake Newell is of particular interest at the 

 present time owing to the recent proposal that it 

 be created a Bird Sanctuary under The Migratory 



Birds Convention Act. This project has the 

 sympathy of many of the residents of that dis- 

 trict and the foregoing notes are submitted as 

 evidence that there will be no lack of tenants for 

 the proposed refuge. 



THE HUNGARIAN OR EUROPEAN GREY PARTRIDGE 



By F. Bradshaw, Chief Game Guardian, Regina, Sask. 



C Considerable interest has been aroused 

 ' among sportsmen by the appearance of the 

 Hungarian or European Grey Partridge at many 

 points in southwestern Saskatchewan, and those 

 whose love of birds is due more to an appreciation 

 of their economic and aesthetic values, than to 

 their sporting possibilities, are equally delighted 

 to know of this new addition to the fauna of the 

 province. 



The occurrence of a new species of bird or 

 animal is also a matter of scientific importance, 

 therefore it might not be out of place to record a 

 few facts concerning the history of this new arrival. 



The source of supply was undoubtedly in the 

 province of Alberta, and I am indebted to Mr. 

 Austin de B. Winter, of Calgary, Alberta, for the 

 following interesting account of the introduction 

 of the Hungarian Partidge into that province. 

 Mr. de B. Winter states that: 



"In about the year 1906 or 1907, three of us 

 imported a few quail (Bob White) from Kansas 

 which, however, arrived in extreme temperature 

 towards the end of February, I think, and which, 

 owing to being confined in heated cars in transit, 

 contracted pneumonia or some disease to which 

 they very shortly succumbed after they were 

 , liberated. 



^ The following year we renewed our efforts and 

 secured funds from other sportsmen, resulting in 

 our importing about fifteen pair that spring, and 

 about a similar number of Hungarian Partirdge 

 that fall. These were liberated about ten or 

 twelve miles south of Calgary. Later importa- 

 tions were made, and to the best of my recollection, 



the total number of partridge liberated did not 

 much exceed 150 birds, if indeed it reached that 

 number, and these continued to multiply and 

 spread all over the province. 



"After 1914, I think, an open season with a bag 

 limit of 25 birds was established, and a full 

 month's open season, and sometimes two, has 

 since been maintained, the present season's bag 

 limit being 50 birds. These birds have increased 

 unbelievably, and have literally spread all over 

 the province. My impression is that they have 

 practically all radiated from the point at which 

 they were originally liberated. 



"It is true that small quantities of five pairs or 

 so were liberated at distances, say 100 miles north 

 and about 60 miles south. I am informed that 

 they are to be found in districts around Edmonton 

 and North of Edmonton towards the Peace 

 River (which I can hardly credit), and it is known 

 that they have spread as far south as the inter- 

 national boundary. 



"I have seen these birds at distances of 150 

 miles North and West of Calgary. 



"So much at any rate for their spreading pro- 

 pensities, and you will observe that the birds have 

 spread into new districts, notwithstanding the 

 fact that in the new districts to which they have 

 spread there has been an open season, and ap- 

 parently no particular effort made by people to 

 preserve them. 



"The bird likes the stubble and seems to thrive 

 well in prairie country. It is not a brush bird, 

 although, naturally, cover affords protection from 

 vermin. The bird is wonderfully prolific and 



