The Canadian Spo^tsma^ ahp Naturalist. 



No. 2. 



MONTREAL, FEBRUARY, 1883. 



Vol. III. 



WILLIAM COUPER, Editor. 



fi®* Subscribers, please notice that the 

 pages of " The Canadian Sportsman and 

 Naturalist " are to be consecutive until the 

 end of the third volume, when we will 

 supply an index. 



PROPOSED CONVENTION OF CANADIAN 

 SPORTSMEN. 



In Vol. II., No. 9, of this journal, in con- 

 eluding our remarks on the Forestry Congress 

 we stated that the next good move should be a 

 Congress of American and Canadian sports- 

 men to provide correct means tor the protec- 

 tion ot Fish and Game of both countries. 

 There are several interesting subjects which 

 may be discussed at meetings of true sports- 

 men — such as the effect of forest fires caus- 

 ing the decrease of animals ; fish and game 

 protection in an American and Canadian view ; 

 harmonizing the game laws of the Provinces ; 

 correct nomenclature of the game animals and 

 other kindred subjects. American sportsmen 

 have a greater interest according to numbers 

 and position in taking part in a Congress of 

 this nature than we have ; besides, there is 

 something congenial in a meeting of true 

 sportsmen ; all have the same objects in view. 

 We at least protect the bulk of woodcock and 

 snipe bred in the north, more for the benefit of 

 our neighboring sportsmen than our own. We 

 do the same with geese and ducks, classed as 

 game occurring on the waters of both coun- 

 tries. 



At the suggestion of several of the leading 

 sportsmen of each Province, a Committee con- 

 sisting of Mr. F. J. Boswell, Major H. R. Smith 

 and Mr. W. A. Allan has been formed for the 

 purpose of holding, if possible, a representa- 

 tive convention of the sportsmen ot the Do- 

 minion to consider the present anomalous con- 

 dition of the game laws, and, if thought ad- 

 visable, to take immediate action with a view 

 of doing away witli market shooting by for- 

 eigners, and the export of game, and tor the 

 discussion of other matters of interest to lov- 

 ers of sport. At a meeting of the Central 

 Committee (held at Ottawa) it was resolved : 



" That the Secretary be instructed to issue a 

 circular requesting some leading sportsman to 



call a meeting of the sportsmen in each coun- 

 ty in the Dominion for the purpose of electing 

 a delegate to attend a general convention, to 

 be held in the city of Ottawa, on Easter Mon- 

 day, the 26th of March." 



The objects of the above named sportsmen 

 are exactly what our remarks referred to in 

 the issue of the " C. S. and N." last Septem- 

 ber, but we fear that the time stated for calling 

 a convention of the sportsmen of the Dominion 

 is too limited, even to secure a thoroughly re- 

 presentative meeting from die counties in the 

 Provinces of Ontario and Quebec; but even 

 should these two Provinces be well represent- 

 ed, a good beginning will be made, offering 

 some encouragement in the first attempt to 

 bring the lovers of the rod and gun together 

 to discuss these matters. 



We are in favour of American sportsmen 

 taking part in this convention, nationality hav- 

 ing nothing to do with sporting matters, as far 

 as we can see. There is quite a difference be- 

 tween a man shooting for the purpose of sup- 

 plying a foreign market and a gentleman visit- 

 ing Canada for legitimate sport and recreation. 

 These and many other points will no doubt be 

 discussed at the convention, the result of the 

 labors of which will be looked forward to with 

 interest by all sportsmen. 



MONTREAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 



The monthly meeting of this society was 

 held at the Natural History Society's Rooms, 

 on Monday evening, 12th instant, Mr. Wm. 

 Muir in the chair. 



There was a good attendance, and a number 

 of microscopes were on the table. Mr. G. J. 

 Bowles was elected a member of the society. 



The subject for the evening, " Insect wea- 

 pons," was opened by a paper from Mr. Edward 

 Murphy, who dealt more particularly with the 

 proboscis of the mosquito. Mr. Murphy illus- 

 trated his remarks with drawings on the black- 

 board, showing the parts as seen by him under 

 the microscope. He was followed by Mr. Win. 

 Muir, on the same subject, after which a dis- 

 cussion arose as to whether this insect had 

 poisonous glands or not. Dr. Geo. Wilkins, 

 in the absence of Dr. Osier, exhibited an appar- 

 atus for counting the corpuscules in blood, 

 and gave an illustration under the microscope 

 with blood drawn from a member present. 



