58 



The Canadian Fielj)-Naturaust 



[Vol. XXXIII 



pipes of the males of the two species just before 

 they enter the body at the merry-thought, are 

 strikingly different. That of Barrow's Goldeneye 

 is gradually enlarged and gradually reduced in 

 diameter at this point. That of the American 

 Goldeneye on the other hand is much more rapidly 

 enlarged and then very suddenly reduced, forming 

 a conspicuous bulbous enlargement between the 

 arms of the clavacles. The illustrations herewith 

 show this difference quite well. The sketches were 



ffli 



WINDPIPE OF BARROWS GOLDENEYE. 

 Male, adult: Perce, Gaspe Co., Que., Feb., 1916. 



made from dried specimens moderately stretched to 

 show the details and are considerably longer than 

 is normal in life. It will be noticed, also, that 

 whilst the bony rings forming the pipe of the 

 Barrow's Goldeneye are even and comparatively 

 regular in shape, those of the American Golden- 

 eye are much more irregular and confused in de- 

 sign."^ I have purposely taken the trachea of a 

 juvenile or yearling American Goldeneye in its 

 first winter for comparison with the adult Barrow's 



Goldeneye, for between these two developments 

 the least difference would be expected. Half- 

 fledged American Goldeneyes which I have exam- 

 ined show little or none of this specialization, but 

 it is notable that complete development is reached 

 by or before mid-winter. This specific difference 

 does not extend to the females at any age. 



WINDPIPE OF AMERICAN GOLDENEYE. 



Male, jv: Barklev Sound, Vancouver I.sland, B.C., 



Jan. 1, 1916; No. 8916. 



Besides offering a reliable specific test for young 

 males this specialization of the windpipe is interest- 

 ing as suggesting that Barrow's Goldeneye is the 

 more ancient type of the two as it is obvious that 

 the American Goldeneye's windpipe is a special- 

 ization of Barrow's Goldeneye and not vice-versa. 



THE MIGRATORY BIRDS CONVENTION. 



By Harrison F. Lewis, Quebec, Que. 



The Migratory Birds Convention is such a great 

 advance in systematic protection of North American 

 migratory birds, and it has already proved to be so 

 beneficial, that one hesitates to offer any criticism 

 of it. A short experience with the workings of the 

 convention and its enabling Act, has, however, re- 

 vealed not only its strong points, but also two or 

 three matters, of greater or lesser importance, where 

 improvement seems to be needed. 



The birds protected by the Treaty are classified 

 therein as "migratory game birds," "migratory in- 

 sectivorous birds," and "migratory non-game birds." 

 Further details of the species included in the terms 

 of the Treaty are given under each of the above 

 headings, but under no heading can one find any 

 of the large, important, and beneficial family of the 

 Fringillidae, except grosbeaks, which are mentioned 

 as such among the "migratory insectivorous birds." 



•Since writing the above I find that the differ- 

 ence between the windpip'^H of the two species is 

 noted and figured by .1. Bernard Gilpin; Proc. and 

 Trans. N. S. Inst. Nat. Sci., IV. 187.''.-!8 



P.A.T. 



1878, 398-399. 



The writer, having reported to the Dominion Parks 

 Branch of the Department of the Interior, which 

 is charged with the work of carrying out in Canada 

 the provisions of the Treaty, that Snow Buntings 

 were being .sold in considerable numbers by the 

 grocers of Quebec, was courteously informed that, 

 after investigation, "it would seem that the Snow 

 Bunting is not protected under the Migratory Birds 

 Convention Act." Presumably most, if not all, of 

 our other Sparrows and Finches would be classified 

 with the Snow Bunting, as they, too, are mainly 

 graminivorous. 



Surely this is a grave oversight, and one which 

 should be remedied as soon as possible, by an 

 amending Treaty, or such other action as may be 

 necessary. Sparrows and Finches are highly 

 migratory, while the usefulness to man of their 

 food habits is well known. The following remarks 

 in this regard arc quoted from E. H. Forbush's 

 "Useful Birds and their Protection." 



"Dr. Judd, in his important paper, 'The Relation 

 of Sparrows to Agriculture,' states that the value of 



