100 General Notes. \$£ 



an. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Further Notes on the " Fishy " Flavor of Birds. — Since publishing 

 on this subject in the last issue of ' The Auk ' (October 1918, pp. 474-6), 

 the writer has been favored by correspondents with various valuable items. 

 These are presented under appropriate headings selected from the con- 

 clusions of the former paper. 



1. Certain individual birds of species not habitual fish eaters have their 

 flesh tainted by a flavor which popularly is called "fishy." Mr. C. H. 

 Young, of the Canadian Geological Survey, reports according to Mr. P. A. 

 Taverner, that last spring at Shoal Lake, Manitoba, he shot two Golden 

 Plover, which upon trial proved to be so "fishy " as to be almost uneatable. 

 The two persons who ate them both became ill afterwards, while four or 

 five others participating in other parts of the same meal were unaffected. 

 Mr. Taverner states that a stew made from two Canada Geese killed on 

 Red Deer River July 1917 was strongly fishy. Mr. Taverner again, " A 

 batch of Semipalmated Sandpipers killed on the tidal mud flats on Miscou 

 Island, in spring of 1914 were so fishy as to be edible only when other meat 

 was lacking." Also " Juvenile Harlequin ducks raised on and never off 

 from a small Ashless lake in Jasper Park were so fishy as to be inedible." 

 (This point is mentioned in (The Canadian Alpine Journal), Vol. IX, 1918, 

 p. 63). 



2. Habitual fish-eating buds do not necessarily taste fishy. 



Loon. Average proportion of fish in diet 80%. Summer 1918. Tried 

 an old bird, found it tough and not attractive in flavor but without trace 

 of fishiness. (Taverner.) 



Herring Gull. — Fish in diet, 54%. The fishermen of Nova Scotia eat 

 a great many. (Dr. L. C. Jones.) An immature Herring Gull taken at 

 Miscou Island in May was strongly fishy, but the inhabitants of the shores 

 of the Gulf of St. Lawrence regard young summer and fall birds as great 

 delicacies. (Taverner.) 



Double-crested Cormorant. — Fish in diet, almost 100%. Dr. C. W. 

 Townsend says: " The last time I was in Labrador I ate a Double-crested 

 Cormorant, whose stomach was filled with fish, and found it delicious with- 

 out a trace of fishy flavor. . . . The Cormorant almost melted in one's 

 mouth, and although I could not induce the two sailors to touch it, the 

 Captain, much to his surprise, found it good." 



Hooded Merganser. — Fish in diet, 25%. Ned Holhster states that 

 these birds are regularly shot and eaten at Delavan Lake, Wisconsin, being 

 as well flavored as any of the ducks killed there. In his family they were 

 preferred to Bluebills. 



Bittern. — Fish in diet, 15%. Both adult and young are very delicate 

 and tasty. Not as hearty as the larger Herons, almost equal to Partridge 

 (Ruffed Grouse) but less dry. (Taverner.) 



