11 Geo. 5 Provincial Museum Report. R 21 



It might be of interest here to note an extract from a Bulletin published by Richard 

 McGregor, Ornithologist to the Bureau of Science, Manilla, where this bird had been imported 

 to the Island of Luzon, in the Philippine Islands, many years ago, which is quoted below: — 



" The next bird that will be noted even by those who are not devoted to ornithology is a 

 slate-grey starling, JZtliiopsar cristatellus (Linnaeus), about the size of an American robin. 

 When this bird flies a white band across the primary quills is conspicuously displayed. The 

 feathers of the frons are long and erect or strongly antrorse, giving the head a curious profile 

 view. The larger tail-feathers are tipped with white. For several years there was a roost of 

 these starlings in the trees in front of the Luueta Police Station, on Bagumbayan Drive, where 

 their chatter was very noticeable at dusk. A closely related species, Acridotheres tristis 

 (Linnams), was introduced into Hawaii, where it is well established; I found it extremely 

 abundant on Maui Island in 1900. Both of these species are natives of Southern Asia. 



" JEthiopsar cristatellus appears to have been introduced by the Spanish Government about 

 1850 with the hope that it would reduce the number of locusts, which were and still are a very 

 serious pest to the agriculturist. 



" A quotation in Blair and Robertson indicates that at least three attempts, 1S49 to 1S52, 

 were made to introduce and establish a species of martin (probably one of the starlings) in the 

 Philippines. Foreman says : — 



" ' In 1S51 the Government imported some martins from China with the hope of exterminating 

 the locusts. When the birds arrived in the Port of Manila they were right royally received by 

 a body of troops. A band of music accompanied them with great ceremony to Santa Mesa, 

 where they were set at liberty, and the public were forbidden to destroy them under severe 

 penalties.' 



"'Martin' as a Spanish word, is correctly applied to birds called 'starlings' in English, 

 and is not equivalent to 'martin' (species of Hirundinida?). I have been under the impression 

 that the bird introduced into the Philippines received its local name from Juan Antonio Martinez, 

 Governor from 1S22 to 1825, but this Governor left the Philippines twenty-five years before the 

 arrival of pajaros martincs. Casto de Elera gives the name martin langostero for Acridotheres 

 cristatellus." 



There is no record of any definite data as to how this Chinese starling came to be found in 

 the vicinity of Vancouver ; it is presumed that this bird was probably brought here direct from 

 the Orient by one of the Oriental liners, and that it escaped or was liberated. 



The Provincial Museum now has three specimens which have recently been collected. 



BOTANY. 



While no field collecting was undertaken by any of the staff of the Provincial Museum, the 

 Herbarium collection is steadily growing, for which appreciation must be extended to Mr. W. B. 

 Anderson, Dr. C. F. Newcombe, and others for the donation of a number of interesting specimens 

 not hitherto in the collection. 



Mr. Anderson's contributions are desirable and extensive, covering a large range of territory 

 within the Province, including Anaham. Hazelton, and districts adjacent to Fort George, the 

 Columbia River Valley, and Southern Okanagan. 



Many of these plants have been mounted and placed in the Herbarium collection, among 

 which are to be found the following of special interest: — 



Adiantum-Capillus-Ycncris L. Phlox Douglasii Hook. 



Pellwa oceidcntalis (Xels.) Rydb. Castillcja lutesccns (Greenman) Rydb. 



Valla palustris L. Orthocarpus lutcus Xutt. 



Lilium montanum (A. Xels.). Orthocarpus tenuifolius Benth. 



Pcramium repens Salish. Pentstemon pinetorvm Piper. 



Halix sp. fluviatilis Xutt. Pentstemon Richardsonii Dougl. 



Comandra livida Richards. Lobelia Kalmii L. 



Rosa Woodsii Lindl. Crcpis elegans Hook. 



Astragalus tcncllus Pursh. Circium sp. foliosus Hook. 



Hedgsarum horcale Xutt. Ratibida cohimnaris (Sims) D. Don. 



Hedgsarum sulphurescens Rydb. SoUdago corymbosa Xutt. 



Oxgtropis monticolor Gray. SoUdago decumbens Greene. 



Glarkia pulchella Purscb. Tetradymia canescens DC. 



