I2 6 The Ottawa Naturalist. | September 



with a golden tongue. Coming down to Plover Mills with four 

 of the fairy boats what voyageur ever made a lighter portage? 

 There, R. V. had caught for me a Menobranchus and no stronger 

 contrast could be found in nature than was presented between the 

 burden of my right hand and cf my left, in one a glorious flower, 

 in the other a hideous amphibian. 



The Menobranchus measured 1 1 3-4 inches ; it was rather 

 dark brown on the back with five lighter brown blotches and some 

 large very dark brown spots all over, the back and sides ; abdomen 

 yellowish brown with a few spots along the centre. The gill 

 tufts (three pairs) had dark brown ends with blood red bases at 

 the gill orifice ; four toes on each foot ; upper lip slightly overlap- 

 ping the lower ; many small teeth on palate, tongue large but 

 short ; head measured one and half inches in length ; body from 

 fold of throat to vent five and half inches ; tail 4 inches. Is this 

 lateralis or maculata ? It seems to be the latter but it is 



lateralis that Dr. Brodie has. Dr. Gamier mentions another 

 species which he describes as rare, namely M. Huronense which 

 is said to be about one foot long, deep sooty brown en back, 

 lighter beneath, throat white, upper jaw hooked over the lower. 

 This seems to agree pretty well with mine. Concerning my 

 specimen I should ncte that it was caught on a hook baited with 

 earth worm; this was about 3.30 P.M. ; the water was very dirty 

 and the river high owing to recent rains. 



June 28. At the head of Plover Pond I was looking at a red 

 squirrel at foot of maple and black squirrel close to a nettle tree. 

 The dog Dash made a run for the squirrels when I noticed a, great 

 blue heron rise from the shore ; and closer, and of much more in- 

 terest, a female merganser moving out into the water making a 

 quacking sort of a sound. She then flew south half a mile and 

 presently returned. While watching the squirrels I thought I 

 noticed something like a large bird fly down from a dead tree 

 close by the shore and the idea took hold that the bird may be 

 breeding there. This is worth attending to. I resume the 

 hooded merganser is the most likely species to be found here. 



