ProvinciAL Museum Report. R 21 


It might be of interest here to note an extract from a Bulletin published by Richard 
McGregor, Ornithologist to the Bureau of Science, Manilla, where this bird had been imported 
to the Island of Luzon, in the Philippine Islands, many years ago, which is quoted below :— 
“The next bird that will be noted even by those who are not devoted to ornithology is a 
slate-grey starling, thiopsar cristatellus (Linnieus), about the size of an American robin. 
When this bird flies a white band across the primary quills is conspicuously displayed. The 
feathers of the frons are long and erect or strongly antrorse, giving the head a curious profile 
view. The larger tail-feathers are tipped with white. For several years there was a roost of 
these starlings in the trees in front of the Luneta Police Station, on Bagumbayan Drive, where 
their chatter was very noticeable at dusk. A closely related species, Acridotheres tristis 
(Linneus), was introduced into Hawaii, where it is well established; I found it extremely 
abundant on Maui Island in 1900. Both of these species are natives of Southern Asia. 
“ D#thiopsar cristatellus appears to have been introduced by the Spanish Government about 
1850 with the hope that it would reduce the number of locusts, which were and still are a very 
serious pest to the agriculturist. 
“A quotation in Blair and Robertson indicates that at least three attempts, 1849 to 1852, 
were made to introduce and establish a species of martin (probably one of the starlings) in the 
Philippines. Foreman says :— 
“*Tn 1851 the Government imported some martins from China with the hope of exterminating 
the locusts. When the birds arrived in the Port of Manila they were right royally received by 
a body of troops. A band of music accompanied them with great ceremony to Santa Mesa, 
where they were set at liberty, and the public were forbidden to destroy them under severe 
penalties.’ 
“*Martin’ as a Spanish word, is correctly applied to birds called ‘starlings’ in English, 
and is not equivalent to ‘martin’ (species of Hirundinidw). I have been under the impression 
that the bird introduced into the Philippines received its local name from Juan Antonio Martinez, 
Governor from 1822 to 1825, but this Governor left the Philippines twenty-five years before the 
arrival of pajaros martines. Casto de Elera gives the name martin langostero for Acridotheres 
cristatellus.” 
There is no record of any definite data as to how this Chinese starling came to be found in 
the vicinity of Vancouver; it is presumed that this bird was probably brought here direct from 
the Orient by one of the Oriental liners, and that it escaped or was liberated. 
The Provincial Museum now has three specimens which have recently been collected. 
BOTANY. 
Whiie no field collecting was undertaken by any of the staff of the Provincial Museum, the 
Herbarium collection is steadily growing, for which appreciation must be extended to Mr. W. B. 
Anderson, Dr. C. F. Neweombe, and others for the donation of a number of interesting specimens 
not hitherto in the collection. 
Mr. Anderson's contributions are desirable and extensive, covering a large range of territory 
within the Province, including Anaham, Hazelton, and districts adjacent to Fort George, the 
Columbia River Valley, and Southern Okanagan. 
Many of these plants have been mounted and placed in the Herbarium collection, among 
which are to be found the following of special interest :— 
Adiantum-Capillus-Veneris L. Phlox Douglasii Hook. 
Pellwa occidentalis (Nels.) Rydb. Castilleja lutescens (Greenman) Rydb. 
Calia palustris L. Orthocarpus luteus Nutt. 
TAlium montanum (A. Nels.). Orthocarpus tenuifolius Benth. 
Peramium repens Salish. Pentstemon pinctorum Piper. 
Nuliav sp. fluviatilis Nutt. Pentstemon Richardsonii Doug}. 
Comandra livida Richards. Lobelia Kalmii L. 
Rosa Woodsii Lindl. Crepis elegans Hook. 
Astragalus tenellus Pursh. Circium sp. foliosus Hook. 
Hedysarum voreale Nutt. Ratibida columnaris (Sims) D. Don. 
Hedysarum sulphurescens Rydb. Solidago corymbosa Nutt. 
Oxytropis monticolor Gray. Solidago decumbens Greene. 
Clarkia pulchella Purseh, Tetradymia canescens DC, 

