18 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXIV. 



Puss IN A Sparrow Chase. — Our family cat 

 doubtless has figured in other sparrow chases — of 

 her own instituting, but I want here to introduce 

 her as a star actor in a real humanly-conducted 

 chase, such as the boys in some communities at 

 least, are all familiar with. 



As everyone knows, the noisy, quarrelsome, 

 hungry, dirty, little English or house sparrow be- 

 comes an intolerably numerous and annoying nuis- 

 ance at times. To keep him within some sort oi 

 bounds, shooting, poisoning, and other means must 

 be employed, and as I have intimated, these var- 

 ious measures may be applied in concert by a 

 whole community. A sparrow chase is ordin- 

 arily launched by the choosing of sides, usually 

 in the winter season, when other birds are out of 



harm's way. 



On one ocasion Puss entertained us to some rather 

 extraordinary behavicur, and set us wondering just 

 what goes on in the mind of a mere cat. When our 

 quest of sparrows one night, took us up into the barn, 

 we found Puss there ahead of us on a like errand, 

 experience having taught her that occasional strag- 

 lers might be had for the taking. Being an old 

 pet, our proceedings did not disturb her much, ai.d 

 she looked on quietly, until presently escaping 

 sparrows, blundering about the mows, aroused her 

 interest. In the fitful light of our lanterns the 

 birds would sometimes find new roosting places 

 under the roof, but as often as not they would 

 settle where quite accessible to us, or the cat. The 

 latter was quick to see her advantage, and would 

 spring after a passing sparrow, or marking its 

 course, would pick her way along the frame- 

 work cr across mows, to reach its new resting- 

 place. She was soon fairly beside herself over 

 the novelty of the situation; at least that is how 

 we charitably accounted for some of her eccentric 

 doings. Time and again on capturing a bird, she 

 hurried directly to us, and dropping it at our feet, 

 proceeded to divide her attention between jealously 

 guarding her precious booty, and rubbing herself 

 furiously about our legs. Evidently she knew she 

 "hadn't ought to" trust us humans so far, and yet 

 she was consumed with a desire to manifest her 

 delight, and we were the only beings about to 

 show any adequate appreciation of her magnificent 

 prowess. We surely did lionize her, seeking in so 

 doing to hold her attention sufficiently to enable 

 us to appropriate the sparrow's head before she 

 should take the notion to eat it. The head wa.^ 

 all we wanted, but when we feared her appetite 

 might begin to fail, we deftly slipped an occasional 

 bird out of sight, and took care to get her in- 



terested in the chase again as quickly as possible. 

 For several nights the comedy was repeated, Puss 

 retaining her inordinate vanity, or whatever we 

 call it, to the end of our operations in this barn. 

 Once in a while, through a lurking suspicion of us, 

 or some other whim of her own, she was ready- 

 to ignore us, and make a meal of her capture by 

 herself, but usually coaxing was effective, when 

 her own motives would not have brought her. 



I have thought it worth while to record this, be- 

 cause, while a cat with a bird or mouse will often 

 show a certain degree of friendliness, I have never 

 seen or heard of anything to compare with this de- 

 monstration. On a couple of occasions I have 

 known a cat with young kittens to behave in a 

 somewhat similar manner. After keeping them 

 carefuly secreted for a time, she one day displays 

 unusual attachment to a human friend, persisting 

 in her attentions until she succeeds in drawing him, 

 with evident purpose, to their hiding place — another 

 instance, it would seem, of some overwhelming 

 hunger after human sympathy or commendation, 

 which domestication has placed there. 



Herbert Groh. 



Alberta Natural History Society. — The 

 14th annual meeting of the society was held at 

 Red Deer, on Friday, Nov. 28, 1919. 



At the afternoon session the usual business was 

 transacted, including the reading and passing upon 

 of the report and financial statement of the secre- 

 tary-treasurer, and the election of officers for the 

 ensuing year, viz: Hon. President, Hon. D. Mar- 

 shall; Hon. Vice-President, Mr. J. J. Gaetz, 

 M. P. P. ; Second Vice-President Mr. H. A. 

 Craig; President, Mr. F. C. Whitehouse; Vice- 

 President, Mrs. W. A. Cassels; Second Vice- 

 President, Dr. H. George; Directors, Mrs. 

 George, Mrs. Pamley, Mrs. Root, Mr. E. Wilton, 

 Mr. C. H. Snell, Mr. W. F. Harris; Edmonton. 

 Messrs. K. Bowman, F. S. Carr, D. Mackie. 



At the evening session the following papers were 

 read: The executive report, Mrs. Cassels; Annual 

 entomological report, dealing with insect pests, Mr. 

 Whitehouse; The crow family. Dr. George, illus- 

 trated with specimens and eggs; Birds of Flagstaff, 

 Alberta, Mr. Fleming, of the University staff, Ed- 

 monton. 



During the year the following papers were 

 given : 



Feb. 31 — Notes of a survey tour down Peace 

 river and through the Peace Delta, 1916, Mr. C. 

 H. Snell. 



March 28 Butterflies of Alberta, demonstrating 



