1913] The Ottawa Naturalist. 69 



tended them almost daily and given them various titbits. All 

 the horror which the name skunk implied had vanished and in 

 its place we found a pretty, attractive animal, surpassed by few 

 in cleanliness. When they were attended to and their house 

 kept thoroughly clean, little, if any, of that odor for which they 

 are famous was discernible. 



The mother remained about for some time, but eventually 

 acquired a habit of visiting the poultry house and stealing the 

 chickens. She was trapped by the junior writer, but given her 

 liberty again in the hope that the lesson w r ould prove sufficient. 

 She remained perfectly quiet while being released, and only by 

 persistent chasing could be made to leave the premises, which 

 she did at last without any reminder that would suggest a skunk. 

 Returning a few days later she encountered the dogs, much to 

 their discomfort and ours, but even this did not restrain her from 

 her nightly raids, so eventually necessity obliged us to make 

 away with her. As a parting, she left a by no means desirable 

 legacy, which remained in evidence for at least a couple of 

 months afterwards. 



Of the two remaining young little is known, but from the fact 

 that a dog met with a somewhat hasty check near the old home 

 late in the season we have reason for hoping that at least one 

 has survived. 



SCARCITY OF BUMBLE-BEE NESTS IN THE VICINITY 



OF OTTAWA. 



Queens of Bombus terricola, temarius, fervidus and borealis 

 were common on the Experimental Farm in the spring, and those 

 of seven other species, pennsylvanicus , perplexus, vagaus, 

 impatiens, rufocinctus, ajjinis (only one) and separatus (one only) 

 were observed. During July and early August, however, very few 

 workers were seen and no nests could be discovered. The trial plots 

 of red clover, a plant that never fails to attract large numbers of 

 Bombi in Europe, were seldom visited by bumble-bees, though 

 in a red clover field at Danford Lake, Que., numerous workers 

 of B. borealis, an uncommon species in the United States, were 

 noticed. Why are bumble-bee colonies so rare around Ottawa? 

 Is it because the queens cannot find suitable nests? Or are they 

 destroyed by parasites or larger enemies, such as skunks? 

 Observations on the nests that have survived might reveal the 

 main cause of the scarcity, and the writer would be very pleased 

 to hear of any nests that may be found in the district or else- 

 where, in order that he may make a careful investigation. 



F. W. L. Sladen, Asst. Entomologist for Apiculture, Division 

 of Entomology, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa. 



