PROVINCIAL MUSEUM REPORT 



FOR THE YEAR 1916. 



In reviewing the activities of the Provincial Museum for the year ending December 31st. 

 lOltj. it is to he noted that considerable progress has been made, and that a number of rare 

 specimens have been added to the collection, with valuable data. 



At the beginning of the year the Director was informed that all departments of the Civil 

 Service would be expected to exercise the strictest economy and still keep up efficiency. With 

 that end in view the work in the Provincial Museum has been carried on throughout the year. 

 Only two parties were sent afield for any length of time during the summer months. 



Mr. J. A. Munro was engaged from the middle of April to the end of October to carry 

 on the biological investigations commenced last year in the Northern Okanagan and Shuswap 

 Districts. 



Mr. E. M. Anderson, of the Museum staff, was stationed in the Lillooet District from the 

 1 eginning of May to the end of July, headquarters being established at the Provincial Government 

 Hatchery, at Seton Pake, by kind permission of Mr. J. P. Bahcoek, Assistant to the Commissioner 

 of Fisheries. Mr. Anderson made trips to Blackwater Pake, and also ascended Mount McPeau. 

 where some good material was secured, of which no detailed reports have been received. 



The Director, accompanied by Dr. C. F. Newcombe, also visited this district, and secured 



• very interesting specimens for the Herbarium, also for the anthropological sections. 



The matter of obtaining Bare Island for a permanent bird sanetury has not made any further 

 advancement. However, the Director made special arrangements again with the Indian Depart- 

 ment for this Department to place a guard on the island during the nesting season to look after 

 the preservation of bird-life. This arrangement has done away with the proposed matter of 

 arbitration for the present, and is very satisfactory, as it does not prevent the Indians from 

 camping there while gathering " camas." which is used extensively by them for food. 



It will be noticed by the following lists that the field collectors have collected a vast amount 

 of material other than their special line of birds and mammals, more particularly in collecting 

 the plants of the district where they were located, which means a great deal of labour and 

 time in addition to their other duties. Nearly all the botanical specimens have been identified 

 by Mr. J. M. Macoun. of Ottawa, who has always shown a great interest in the Herbarium 

 of the Provincial Museum. 



Mr. W. II. Carter, of Alberni, has also taken a keen interest in the botanical branch, and 

 has si-cured some very rare and interesting specimens for this Department. 



The Director is also pleased to report that to the collection ©f fishes has been added several 

 species new to British Columbia, namely: Sunfish {Mola mold), giant black bass (Erilepis 

 sonifer), also a species of frost fish (Senthodesmits atlantieus) , of which there is only one other 

 known specimen. 



The entomological collection has been greatly enriched by several new species, and others 

 that are new to the Province. 



Several good additions have been made to tne anthropological collection. Three stone 

 hammers wore presented to the Director for the Museum while on a trip to Seton Lake, and 

 although the Indian reservations were visited by the Director and Dr. O. F. Newcombe, little 

 or no information could be secured concerning them, the present generation not appearing to 

 know for what use they had been intended. 



Information was received later from Lieutenant F. C. Swannell, B.C.L.S., of this city, who' 

 has one of these hammers in his possession, who states that he had received the information 

 from the chief of the Lillooet Indians, which confirms our theory that these implements were 

 used as pile-drivers. One of these specimens is figured in this report. 



One of the most interesting specimens that has been added to the collection of fossils is the 

 molar tooth of an extinct Sirenian species (Desmontylus hesperus); which is a close relation 

 to the recently extinct mammal, the arctic sea-cow of the North Pacific, that was practically 

 exterminated about the year ITS". 



