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REPORT OF THE ZOOLOGICAL BRANCH OF THE OTTAWA 

 FIELD-NATURALISTS' CLUB FOR THE YEAR ENDING 

 18th MARCH, 1890. 



In the year which is just closing there have been no mammals ob- 

 served in the immediate vicinity of Ottawa, which have not hitherto 

 been seen and more or less accurately described. This does not mean, 

 however, that the field is exhausted, as there is no certainty of such 

 being the case, on the contrary, there are reasons for believing that 

 there yet may be found among the smaller mammals species new to this 

 locality, it being only about three years ago since the hairy-tailed mole 

 ( ' Scapanus breweri) was first noted as having been seen in this 

 neighborhood 



During the past year two specimens of mole shrew ( Blarlna 

 brevicaudaj were caught, one by Mr. Lees in the early part of December 

 in the village of Ottawa East, and the other by Mr. Fletcher in 

 Stewarton in January last, both of which were sent to Mr. Whiteaves 

 of the Geological Museum and duly acknowledged. The one caught by 

 Mr. Leeg has been prepared and mounted and placed among the other 

 animals in the museum. One specimen of the field mouse (Arvicola 

 pennsylvanica) was caught in Mr. Fletchei*'s house on the 10th Feb- 

 ruary, after having gnawed off about a yard of a lace curtain where it 

 touched the ground. It gnawed its way into the room through the 

 floor. It is well known that the common house mouse will eat starch 

 quite readily, and probably the field mouse, having a similar taste, was 

 attracted by the starchy dressing of the curtain. 



A jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonins) was caught near Billings 

 Bridge last summer by Mr. Bartlett, of the city post office, who ought to 

 be a member of this club. The mouse is somewhat rare in this vicinity. 

 It is now mounted and placed in the Geological Museum. 



It is hardly necessary to mention that Mr. W. P. Lett gave a very 

 nstructive and interesting lecture on the 21st Februarv on the habits 

 and characteristics of the common grey wolf before the members of this 

 club. The animal in question having been very common in this locality 

 thirty or forty years ago, but now never seen. 



We think it well to recommend that in future the different mem- 





