400 



Bird - Lore 



THE SAME FLICKER'S NEST AFTER A RAIN 



Photographed by H. L. Ferguson. Note the ring made in the sand by its tail as the sitting 



bird turned around on the nest. 



one of the game-keepers on June 9, 19 16, 

 and had seven eggs in it at that time. I 

 visited the nest five or six times with dif- 

 ferent people, and always found the bird 

 sitting. The last time I saw her and the 

 eggs was on July 2; there were then only 

 six eggs, though the fragments of the other 

 were close beside. In one of the pictures 

 you can see the six eggs, taken a few hours 

 after a heavy rain. The sand was beaten 

 smooth except where the bird turned 

 around while on the eggs. 



"I was unable to visit the nest after 

 July 2 until July 16, and I then found that 

 the eggs had disappeared. I hope that 

 these pictures will give you a good idea of 

 the situation of the nest. I took a series 

 which are in order from beside the nest. 

 If I can give you any fuller information 

 about this freak bird at any time, I shall 

 be very glad to do so." 



NOTES 



A British Columbian Reserve 



It is gratifying to know that the 

 National Association of Audubon Socie- 

 ties is receiving further outsi 'e assistance 



in bearing the burden of protecting bird- 

 colonies from vandalism. 



A late example of independent help in 

 that direction is the guarding of Bare 

 Island, a rocky, almost treeless islet in 

 Haro Strait, separating Vancouver Island 

 from the mainland of British Columbia. 

 As this islet is almost on the international 

 boundary, its seclusion as a permanent 

 sanctuary is of as much service to us as to 

 the Canadians, and therefore merits our 

 grateful notice. Its guardianship is com- 

 mitted by law to the Provincial Museum 

 at Victoria. This institution is one of the 

 most active agencies in Canada for the 

 protection, as well as the study, of wild 

 life, and its annual reports and other 

 publications are always valuable. Bare 

 Island is guarded by wardens during the 

 breeding season of the Glaucous-winged 

 Gulls, Pigeon Guillemots, Cormorants, 

 and (a few) Puffins, that constitute the 

 nesting-population. Canada Geese and 

 other Geese throng there during autumn 

 and winter, and have been harried by 

 white and Indian hunters; they will 

 profit by a sanctuary. The Black Oyster- 

 catcher and an Auklet no longer breed 

 there. 



