PROVINCIAL MUSEUM REPORT 



FOR THE YEAR 1913. 



Provincial Museum, 

 Victoria, B.C., December 31st, 1913. 



The Honourable H. E. Young, M.I)., 



Provincial Secretary, Victoria, B.C. 



Sir, — The work of the Provincial Museum of Natural History during the past year has 

 been more extensive in its scope, and, I believe, more productive in results which are calculated 

 to advance and serve the purposes of popular instruction, than in any preceding year. It is 

 gratifying to note that the earnest and persistent efforts made during the past years have won 

 the generous and appreciative recognition not only of scientific men, but of the general public, 

 and that our institution as a Museum of Provincial Natural History and Anthropology is 

 recognized as one of the foremost of its kind. 



There is no way of accurately recording the attendance, but a glance at the visitors' 

 register shows the names of people from all parts of the world. Only a very small proportion 

 of persons visiting the Museum utilize the register, 33,896 only having recorded during 1913. 

 Several classes from the public schools under the direction of their teachers have visited the 

 Museum, and I think that, if other teachers would take an opportunity of bringing their 

 classes To visit the Museum, it would be of great benefit to the students in their nature-studies. 



It has been the endeavour of the Director to make every dollar of expenditure tell in the 

 direction of increasing the extent and value of the possessions of the Museum. 



Considerable scientific research has been carried on in the field during the year, and the 

 Director proposes to continue this work and have parties in the field each year until every 

 portion of the Province has been covered ; the country offering almost unlimited opportunities 

 for the enthusiastic collector. 



On April 7th, E. M. Anderson, of the Museum staff, accompanied by an assistant, C. B. 

 Garrett, were sent afield to make a general collection of zoological specimens in the Okanagan 

 A alley from the south end of Okanagan Lake to the United States boundary. Many valuable 

 specimens were added to the Museum, several species being new to the collection. During the 

 three months' trip there were collected: 306 birds, 580 oological specimens (comprising 114 

 sets of eggs with nests), 278 mammals, 36 batrachins and reptiles, 11 fishes, and over 4,000 

 entomological specimens. 



ial attention was given during the year to our collection of fishes. An interesting 

 and beautiful series of casts has now been arranged in eight cases on the upper floor in the 

 north section of the Museum. These casts, carefully coloured, represent the salmon family in 

 both salt-water and spawning forms, and other fishes indigenous to the waters of the Province. 

 In addition to the above, many new specimens have been preserved in alcohol, and the whole 

 collection of fishes rearranged. 



During the months of May and June the Director, accompanied by an official of the Pro- 

 vincial Secretary's Department, made several week-end trips to Bare and Saturna Islands, and 

 secured some very interesting material. 



The Director has this year taken up with more activity the question of the preservation 

 of wild life, and having the permission of the Honourable H. E. Young, M.D., Provincial 

 Secretary and Minister of the Department, invited the Royal Commission on Indian Affairs 

 for the Province of British Columbia to visit Bare Island, an Indian reserve, which has been 

 proposed as a bird sanctuary. The invitation was accepted, the launch " Gunhild " chartered, 

 and the trip taken on July 4th. The Commission was greatly impressed with what they saw 

 of the bird-life on this island, and negotiations are now in progress with the Department of 

 Indian Affairs at Ottawa to have Bare Island made a permanent bird sanctuary for the 



rvation of wild life. 



