Note> from Field and Study 



283 



invaded gardens, in order to pilfer apples 

 and small fruits, hut I have not been able 

 to ascertain whether these conditions are 

 general. 



Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyano- 

 cephalus). Air. A. S. Barton, who is a 

 keen observer of bird-life reports noticing 

 an exceptionally large flock of Brewer's 

 Blackbirds following the plough in a field 

 near Victoria in company with a number of 

 Crows, reminding him of Rooks and Star- 

 lings in the old country. It would have been 

 interesting to have examined the crops of 

 these birds, though there is little doubt 

 that they were feeding on the grubs and 

 worms that were being exposed to view. 

 These birds appear to be increasing as 

 more land is brought under cultivation. 

 A few years ago they were seldom seen 

 here, and never in such large numbers as 

 at present. I myself can corroborate 

 this. The bird has, however, been quite 

 common on the mainland in the vicinity 

 of the Fraser River. 



Northwestern Crow. The usually 

 much execrated old Crow is present, as 

 usual, in great numbers. Papers have been 

 written in condemnation and defence of 

 this sagacious bird, but without any real 

 decision as to whether his sins are not 

 condoned by his industry in hunting out 

 the enemies of the farmer and horticulturist 

 during the many months when damage by 

 him cannot be done. He is an amusing 

 fellow in many ways. To watch him dig- 

 ging up clams on the sea beach, soaring 

 aloft with them and dropping them upon 

 the jagged rocks below as far as possible 

 from his astute neighbor, and swooping 

 down to pick up the exposed mollusc 

 when the shell breaks, is an education in 

 itself. 



An incident has been related recently 

 about a Crow who had his claw caught by 

 the clam he had picked up. As he was 

 unable to fly well he was easily captured. 

 Another Crow found a hard crust which 

 he could not eat. He took it to a puddle of 

 water and after trying its coming softness 

 several times, was soon able to gobble it 

 up. They are to be seen in the vicinity of 

 suburban schools patiently waiting about 



for the bell for school after lunch, when 

 they dash down and clear up the crumbs. 



California Quail. This bird was 

 introduced some years ago and has made 

 itself at home and has freely taken posses- 

 sion of the vacant lands, parks, etc., and 

 prohibited shooting areas near Victoria. 

 The Scotch broom, another exotic which 

 grows in great profusion around Victoria, 

 is a favorite haunt of the Quail, affording 

 shelter and food supply. It is only with the 

 greatest difficulty that sportsmen are able 

 to drive them out to be shot. 



English Song-birds. With the single 

 exception of the Skylark, some of which are 

 seen in the vicinity of Victoria every year, 

 it would seem that the well-intentioned 

 scheme of the Natural History Society and 

 the expenditure of several hundred dollars 

 in 191 2 were of no avail in the successful 

 introduction of the English song-birds 

 which it was endeavored to bring out from 

 England. 



The chief trouble in the matter was the 

 miserable shipping arrangements by which 

 the birds were huddled up in the bow of a 

 freight steamer through a stormy passage 

 of sixteen days. This weakened the little 

 birds so much that they were unable to 

 withstand the long train journey across 

 Canada, and more than half the birds had 

 succumbed before they reached their 

 destination; the remainder, greatly weak- 

 ened, have apparently all succumbed, 

 though some of the English Robins have 

 been reported at various times, such as 

 'killed by cat' or 'nest raided by Crows.' 

 Perhaps, too, the absence of water during 

 the hot summer months, which is so 

 essential both for the bath and for drink- 

 ing purposes, may have been a contributing 

 cause. Mr. Barton advances the theory 

 that while the imported game-birds all 

 indulge in a dust bath, the English song- 

 birds, like the typical Englishman, cannot 

 thrive without their daily bath, but it 

 must be in water. 



Capercaillie (Telrao urogallus). An 

 apparently authentic report has been 

 made by the Society's president, A. R. 

 Sherwood, that a hen Capercaillie had been 

 seen this last summer at Pitt Meadows 



