N 14 Provincial Museum Report. 1916 



down by the Government under Government supervision, so that there will be no unwarranted 

 waste of life. True it is that at the present time they do not stand very high in commercial 

 value, but there is a company in Vancouver which in the year 1914 undertook to go out to 

 Pearl Rocks and Watch Reef, in the Sea Otter Group, about seven miles south-west of Cape 

 Calvert, in Queen Charlotte Sound, with the object of starting a new industry on this Coast. 

 It appears that this firm did not make a very great success of their venture on accouut of 

 starting rather late in the year, and experiencing very heavy weather ; but the leather made 

 from the sea-lion skins has been pronounced by experts to be excellent glove material. It 

 seems a pity to clear out these herds, which at some time, with a certain amount of protection 

 and a little judgment, could possibly be made of great commercial value. 



One further point in this matter I would like to mention is the fact that possibly the 

 sea-lions of the Coast of British Columbia should really come under the jurisdiction of the 

 Provincial Government, being not migratory in their habits, and being born and reared on the 

 islands along our shores. 



I might also state that this matter has been taken up by Mr. Madison Grant, Chairman 

 of the New York Zoological Society, who happened to be visiting in Victoria last July, and 

 made inquiries regarding a report in a New York press of the bounties paid on sea-lions along 

 this Coast. Mr. Grant was surprised to hear of this being a fact, after the investigation which 

 had been carried on some years ago by Professor L._ D. Dyche, of the University of Kansas, 

 under the Washington Biological Department, regarding the sea-lions of the California Coast. 

 (See Report of the United States Fisheries Commission, 1902, part 28, page 111.) Mr. Grant 

 also remarked that the matter of the Steller sea-lions would be taken up by the Zoological 

 Society this winter. 



Very little has been written with regard to the life-history of this mammal, and it is hoped 

 that the investigation will be carried on until. definite conclusions are formed. 



Birds. 



The bird collection displayed in the exhibition cases on the second floor of the Museum 

 received attention during the early part of the year, being relabelled and brought up to date 

 as nearly as possible, with the correct data on each label. A large number of specimens were 

 added to fill in gaps in several of the families, particularly birds that had been collected in 

 Atlin during the past two seasons, and which were new to the Museum collection. During 

 the past collecting season Mr. E. M. Anderson, of the Museum staff, added 209 bird-skins, 

 representing 76 species, collected on Vancouver Island; in the Okanagan District Mr. J. A. 

 Munro collected 471 birds, representing 130 species; and in the East Kootenay, near Cran- 

 brook, Mr. C. B. Garrett collected 291 birds, representing about 80 species. These skins have 

 been added to the reserve series which is kept for study, and which is now a large representa- 

 tive collection of skins from all parts of the Province. This series shows the changes of moult 

 in the different seasons, and also contains a large number of juvenals. The study collection 

 represents a great deal of work, and considerable time has been spent in the systematic 

 arrangement of the different families and species. Further work on the study collection will 

 be done as soon as additional sectional storage cases are made. These cases are made of cedar 

 throughout, with drawers and air-tight doors on the front, being moth- and dust-proof, and 

 have been found very satisfactory and more economical as to space than the old cabinet 

 drawers. The osteological series of sternum bones of birds has had to be taken from the 

 exhibition cases and placed in storage, so as to provide space for the extension of the oological 

 series, which seems to be more attractive to visitors, especially children, as many of the sets of 

 eggs are exhibited in their nests, and therefore are instructing and educating both to young 

 and old. This arrangement of the series of eggs was carried on in the early spring, the 

 specimens being labelled, giving full data, number in set, incubation, material nest is composed 

 of, locality, and date. This series now represents about 250 species. 



Bake Island Bird Reserve. — Following up the matter referred to in last year's report — 

 namely, the obtaining of Bare Island (known as Indian Reserve No. 9, Saanich Tribe) to be 

 kept as a permanent bird sanctuary for the preservation of bird-life on this Coast — arbitration 

 has as yet been impossible owing to financial reasons. However, the Department is glad to 

 report that the Honourable H. E. Young, M.D., at that time Provincial Secretary, on June 

 9th arranged through Mr. Duncan C. Scott, Deputy Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs 

 .at Ottawa, giving the Provincial Museum authority to place a guard on the island in charge 



