1915] The Ottawa Naturalist. IS 



to the mouth of the Mackenzie river various investigations have 

 been conducted from time to time and, considering the accessa- 

 bility of the locaHty, our records are comparatively full. 



The Arctic coast of Coronation gulf has been, and is being 

 studied. Of Hudson's bay and Ungava we have but scattered 

 notes and short lists. Though considerable geographical ex- 

 ploration has been conducted by various parties amongst the 

 islands of Franklin and the far north, our knowledge of the 

 ornithological conditions there is fragmentary and imperfect. 



In economic ornithology, Canada has done little if any 

 original work. 



In systematic science our working collections have been, 

 and still are, too small to. accomplish anything comparable to 

 the work done on our own forms in the United States, even if 

 we had our natural quota of trained zoologists to use such 

 material to advantage. 



Thus, it seems that ornithology in Canada still has most 

 of its history before it, and outside of a few brilliant excep- 

 tions the work that should have been done by our own people 

 has been accomplished by naturalists from the United States 

 who have turned their attention in our direction. 



The introduction of nature study in our schools and the 

 general interest that has been awakened in allied subjects of late 

 years has not, to date, entirely ftiltilled the results expected of it. 

 in fact, reliable observers of ornithological phenomena, both in 

 Canada and the United States, are, perhaps, fewer to-day both 

 numericallv and in proportion to population than they were a 

 generation ago. An elementary introduction to nature in our 

 schools has failed to awaken any serious interest in natural 

 problems. General and elevating interest in nature may be 

 more widespread to-dav but no ornithologist of marked ability has 

 found his or her avocation Or has been developed through these 

 means. Whether this has been the fatilt of methods pursued, 

 or causes more deep seated, the writer cannot tell. Certainly 

 if, a generation or so ago, when the opportunities for learning 

 even the rudiments of natural history were few and difficult to 

 obtain, naturaHsts were developed at all, we should expect that 

 to-dav when the subjects are taught in every public school and 

 the introduction to the study is almost forced upon large num- 

 bers of people, the percentage of serious and enthusiastic workers 

 would be greater. These are the facts; the causes of the ap- 

 parent failure must be left to pedagogs to argue over. 



Does it not seem that Canada has reached that stage in its 

 development where it can take its rightful position in the world 

 as well along ornithological as in other lines? 



