76 



THE CANADIAN SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 



females, the ova of which were destroyed by 

 thousands. If this system is to go on for a 

 few years longer, the lobster canning business 

 will be at a stand still for half a century at 

 least, and the crustacean will become a luxury. 

 It takes a long time to produce an adult 

 lobster ; it has to go through peculiar phases 

 of existence before it becomes in condition to 

 be food for mankind. These facts should not 

 be overlooked but remembered by the men 

 now in the business ; its continuity rests with 

 them. In the article above referred to, we 

 mentioned that the Island of Anticosti was a 

 good locality for lobsters, then stating that there 

 is a lack of keen venture amoung the Can- 

 adian people in allowing this fishery to go to 

 waste. We are astonished that the Americans 

 did not place a cannery on Anticosti years ago. 

 But now, that the crustacean has been exhaust- 

 ed in several places on the south coast of the 

 Gulf, one New Brunswick firm is preparing to 

 establish a cannery on an extensive scale on 

 that island. So much good has therefore 

 arisen from the influence and utility of our 

 remarks, and it will be the aim of the Canadian 

 Sportsman and Naturalist to continue to 

 place before the public, other matters of equal 

 interest. — C. 



OTTB GAME. 

 In former numbers of this magazine, we 

 reprinted reports of the Michigan Sportsmen's 

 Association on the Nomenclature of a portion 

 of our game. Additional matter on this subject 

 was read by President Holmes at the last meet- 

 ing, and we have taken the liberty to compile 

 it to suit our Canadian Sportsmen, giving full 

 credit to the venerable Dr. and the Committee 

 for their report on popular and scientific nom- 

 enclature. In order to show that there is a 

 similarity of species occuring in the Provinces 

 of Ontario and Quebec, with those recorded 

 from Michigan, we append certain marks to 

 indicate their geographical range. 



REPORT OF THE MICHIGAN SPORTSMEN'S 

 COMMITTEE ON NOMENCLATURE. 



The careful analyses of classification with 

 reference to certain genera submitted at the 



session of 1880, will, we think, sufficiently 

 indicate the methods adopted by this committee 

 in arriving at conclusions, " both popular and 

 scientific." It will therefore be unnecessary 

 to occupy your time in the enunciation of our 

 analyses of the genera herein considered, 

 and we will proceed at once to our task, an J 

 continue the work of making a correctly named 

 list of game animals, by naming a portion of 

 our water-fowl. We do not intend to make a 

 complete list of any order or family, but to 

 confine ourselves to such species as occur 

 either habitually or accidentally in our State. 



As belonging to the latter class we may 

 mention the swans. There are but two species 

 that can be considered as belonging to our 

 fauna, even accidentally. These are the 

 whistling swan, Cygnus Americanus* also 

 called the American swan, and the Trumpeter 

 swan, Cygnus buccanator. 



Of the goose family there are but two genera 

 containing species likely to be found within the 

 borders of our commonwealth. 



The goose genus, proper; all having bright * 

 or light- colored feet and bills, and white or 

 much varied plumage, namely : White Front- 

 ed Goose, Anser albifrons ; * also called 

 prairie brant, and speckled belly. This is 

 probably identical with the white-fronted goose 

 of Europe. 



Snow goose, Anser hyperborens ; t also 

 called white brant. 



Lesser Snow Goose, Anser liyperboreus ; % 

 varitey albatus. Like the snow l goose, only 

 smaller. 



Blue Goose, Anser cozrulesens ; also called 

 bald brant. » 



The brant genus, proper ; all having black 

 feet and bills, and the head and neck black 

 with white spaces, the general color of the 

 body being gray, namely : The 



Canada Brant, Branta Canadensis ; t also 

 called Canada goose, gray goose, and common 

 wild goose. This is the only goose — or 

 properly speaking — brant, that is common to 

 Michigan. There is a variety, Leucopareida, 

 which is not known to have occured in this 

 State, while the Hutchins Brant, Branta 

 Canadensis* var. Sucthinsii, is quite generally 

 distiibuted, and is smaller than the Canada 

 brant. 



The Brant, Branta bernicla, t also called 

 brant goose, barnacle goose. There is a well 

 defined variety of this brant, viz : 



The Black Brant, Branta bernicla,% var. 

 nigricans ; on which the black is more exten 





