270 



THE CANADIAN SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 



twelve page magazine. Success to Canadian 

 literature, say we. The Canadian Sportsman 

 and Naturalist has had to work its way with- 

 out Government pap ; the " Scientist " may 

 have had hard work to place itself in its pre- 

 sent position, but such success may be attri- 

 buted to positive friendshqD towards a good 

 cause. Poor Provancher, the Editor of " Le 

 Naturalists Canadien " who received Govern- 

 ment aid for fourteen years past, now says : — 

 " Mort ressucite, et remort, comme aurait dit 

 un celebre maire d'une commune de France, 

 nous ne reparaissons anjourd'hui devant nos 

 lectenrs, que pour leur adresser nos adieux." 

 Poor old man, he deserved a better fate. 

 Canadian Natural History it appears is not 

 appreciated as it should be by the Government 

 of Quebec— C. 



AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' 

 UNION. 

 The following Canadians are members of 

 the American Ornithologists' Union lately 

 tormed in New York: — Regular members: 

 Mr. Montague Chamberlain, of St. John, N.B ; 

 Mr. W- E. Saunders, of London, Ont., and 

 Mr. Mcll wraith, of Hamilton, Ont., who are 

 also among the "founders" of the Union; 

 Associate members : — Mr. Brodie, Toronto ; 

 Mr. Boardman, New Brunswick ; Mr. William 

 Couper, Editor of The Canadian Sportsman and 

 Naturalist, Montreal ; Dr. Gilpin, Halifax ; 

 Prof. Macoun, Ottawa; Mr. J. M. Lemoine, 

 Quebec ; Mr. Morden, Hyde Park, Ont., and 

 Mr. W. L. Scott, Ottawa. The associate mem- 

 bers have all the privileges of regular members 

 except that of voting. 



A GOOD SUGGESTION. 

 Mr. Editor — Taking a great interest in the 

 columns of the Canadian Sportsman and Na- 

 turalist, I thought it would not be out of place 

 10 make a few brief notes on the study of 

 Natural History for the young. I notice that 

 the majority of the institutions in Canada 

 which embrace this delightful science are 

 composed mainly of adults who are interested 

 in discussing problems too deep for the young 

 mind ; and I also notice that our American 

 Cousins are ahead of us in this respect, Why 

 should it be thus ? Have we not an Associa- 

 tion in the Dominion that would be willing to 



devote a little of its time and means to instil 

 in our bo\s and girls a love for Natural His- 

 tory, and shall we allow our friends over the 

 line to do it alone ? Until very recently the 

 American i;>eople were on a par with us, but a 

 gentleman in Lenox, Mass, came forward and 

 proposed to organize an American Agassiz 

 Association (called after Prof. Louis Agassiz, 

 who was for years professor in Harvard Col- 

 lege) in connection with the St. Nicholas 

 monthly Magazine, to be devoted to boys and 

 girls, which was accordingly done, and from 

 the latest report I learn that it has 525 bran- 

 ches, and 5970 members ; and it is really 

 astonishing the interesting observations that 

 are made by even the youngest of its members. 

 I might mention that branches have been 

 formed in Montreal,Toronto, Ont., and Sydney, 

 C.B., all of which are in a flourishing condi- 

 tion, but without the assistance of older or- 

 ganizations they cannot expect to fulfil their 

 mission. Those advanced in years know that 

 they must be parted from their work very 

 soon and perhaps Jeave it unfinished : the 

 question here arises, who will finish it? I can 

 easily answer no person if the young of to-day 

 are not trained to do it. I wish not only to call 

 the attention of scientists to this very impor- 

 tant subject as I think all should be interested 

 alike, fathers, mothers, teachers and even the 

 Council of Education, because I think it is a 

 matter of the greatest importance to the Do- 

 minion. Hoping Mr. Editor that the preceding- 

 notes ma> r be read by the right authorities and 

 that a reform may take place among some of 

 our most influential institutions, and that they 

 may organize clubs all over the country for 

 the benefit of our young scientists and others 

 that would study this branch, only for the 

 difficulties it exhibits, is the most sincere wish 

 of one of the oldest patrons to your journal, 

 which cannot be praised too highly for the 

 manner in which it presents to the people of 

 Canada and the United States original obser- 

 vations and research on the Natural History 

 of the country, so that even the youngest of its 

 readers may read and understand. 

 Yours, &c, 



Naturalist. 

 Montreal, Oct. 1883. 



AN ICTHYOLOGICAL QUESTION. 



Can the salmon (Salmo salar) live and 

 propagate in bodies of fresh water which have 

 no communication with the sea ? 



This question is now agitating the minds of 



