5 



The Ottawa Naturalist. [June 



knocks requiring more than ordinary exertion he broke off a piece 

 and apparently had some difficulty in swallowing it, but in spite of 

 his best efforts, which appeared to be directed in getting a smaller 

 piece than the first, he was unable to get a second mouthful ; and 

 I wondered what he would then do. Without any hesitation, how- 

 ever, he took the object and flew a short distance to where some 

 water trickled over the stones, and as he came nearer to me I saw 

 that he had a biscuit, probably hardtack, or part of a lunch some 

 person had thrown down the hill. He was then partly hidden from 

 view by a projecting rock, and quietly moving along the walk to 

 where I had full view of him I was astonished to see that he was 

 standing in the water holding the biscuit under water with one 

 foot and patiently waiting for it to soak. In a short time his bis- 

 cuit was partly softened, and beginning around the edge he ate the 

 softer parts. Thus he continued, and finished his meal with no 

 other discomfort than wet feet. The last piece of biscuit he took 

 in his bill broke into several pieces and fell into the water, but he 

 did not lose any of it. Then looking around to see that he had 

 taken all, he quietly flew towards his nest. 



This observation was made with the aid of a strong field glass 

 that brought the bird into such clear view that I could almost 

 count the primaries in his wings, and when he came nearer to eat 

 the biscuit I could see the water drop from his bill at each 

 mouthful. A. 



To the Editor of the Ottawa Naturalist. 



Whilst engaged in some Fisheries matters in the month of 

 month of May, 1903, I found some specimens of the American 

 Smelt {Osmerus mordax) floating dead on the surface of the water 

 of Lac des Isles, in the Gatineau District, P.Q. It is known that 

 this species of fish exists land-locked in fresh water-lakes in New 

 Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and in the State of Maine, but its occur- 

 rence in a lake so far away from the sea as Lac des Isles, is per 

 haps worthy of mention. The specimens are dwarfed and perhaps 

 may be regarded as a sub-species : otherwise the external char- 

 acters appear to agree with the ordinary form oiOrsmerus mordax. 



A H. 



