1917] , The Ottawa Naturalist. 63 



NOTES. 



Deer Mouse devours her young. On September 8th. while 

 hunting Batrachians, my friend Johnson and I turned a six foot log 

 exposing two Jefferson's Salamanders and the nest of a White-footed 

 Mouse. 



The White-footed mother, leaving in haste, dragged two of her 

 five pink, blind and hairless young a foot or so from the nest. We 

 replaced them and put the log pack in position. 



Passing that way two days later, we again turned the log and 

 were surprised to find only three young mice, the other two having 

 totali\' disappeared. We captured the mother and placed her with the 

 nest and three young in a covered aquarium with plenty of food and 

 water. The following morning the young were gone, without doubt 

 devoured by the mother, who evidently considered them contaminated 

 by the human touch. 



Johnson, who has had considerable experience in pet raising, states 

 that ferret, white rat and domestic raM.it females will sometimes eal 

 their young if the nest is disturbed even very slightly. 



Clyde L. Patch, Ottawa. 



Killing Birds helps the Enemy. Killing birds that eal 

 insects and weed seeds helps the enemy. The annual food loss in the 

 United State- from the ravages of insects on crops, according to the 

 1 S. Department of Agriculture, exceed- SI JOO.000,000. The loss in 

 Canada is in proportion. Every careless person who kill- a bird that 

 i- less injurious than il luable as an eater of weed seeds and 



insect.- i.- helping the > nemy by killing our bird allies and by so doing 

 i- giving aid and comfort to the weeds and insects that reduce our 

 'food supply. Most of our birds are of this beneficial class and are 

 really our allies. Robbing their nests is also an aid to the enemy. 

 One can hardly go into the country without seeing boys and even men 

 killing birds. Doubtless many of these persons would be -urprised 

 to know they were practical traitors and would gladly stop aiding 

 the enemv if they knew 



A large number of utterly fearless wild ducks are reported near 

 Niagara. In one swamp along a brick highway where hundreds of 

 auto.- pass daily and trolley car- run every 15 minutes, there have been 

 5 no ducks for a month and the} come up to this roadway to feed. Such 

 a sight lias not been seen in the region at least for years and the 

 residents would pity any one who would molest the ducks. This is 

 due to the Migratory Bird Law, and the recently arranged treaty 

 between Canada and the United State-. 



