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Vol. XXXV. 



LONDON, JANUARY, 1903. 



No. I 



WILLIAM E. SAUNDERS. 



In this issue of our magazine we have pleasure in presenting to our 

 readers a portrait of the Secretary of the Entomological Society of Ontario 

 for the last fifteen years, Mr. W. E. Saunders, who is well known as a 

 prominent member of the fraternity of Canadian naturalists. Mr. 

 Saunders's home is in London, where he was born and where most of his 

 life has been spent. His father, Dr. William Saunders, Director of the 

 Experimental Farms of the Dominion, has always been devoted to 

 the study of the natural sciences, and hence the son's attention was in 

 early years directed to similar pursuits, interest in them being maintained 

 by the making of collections in the different departments. Geology, 

 Botany, Entomology and Ornithology all in turn provided object-lessons 

 for study, training the mind to habits of close observation and filling the 

 leisure of later years with delightful employment. 



After a few years of miscellaneous collecting, Mr. Saunders turned 

 his attention more exclusively to Ornithology, and as soon as the use of a 

 gun was permitted he commenced a scientifically-arranged collection of 

 our native birds, showing male and female in summer and winter 

 plumage, with any variations from the types ; also the nest and eggs of 

 each species. Year by year the collection is added to, until now it 

 numbers over 1,000 specimens. Mr. Saunders's birds are his intimate 

 friends, and whether in his own house or on the public platform, his " Bird 

 Talks," illustrated with specimens, show to his audience that he speaks of 

 what he has learnt by personal experience in the fields and woods. His 

 enthusiasm for this study is such that he counts it no hardship to walk 

 miles into the country in time to hear some favourite songster greet the 

 dawn. He has also been known to spend a night in the woods in the 

 depths of winter, just to see what he missed by spending his nights in 

 bed! 



About two years ago Mr. Saunders accompanied his father on an 

 official visit to Sable Island, a place he had long wished to go to in order 



