Selected Excerpts from the Vancouver Natural History Society “Bulletin”
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Selected Excerpts from the Vancouver Natural History Society “Bulletin” (With Notes and an Index) (Number 1, September, 1943 to Number 153, December 1971) Compiled by Bill Merilees Vancouver Natural History Society 2005 Dedication I would like to dedicate this contribution to our understanding of Greater Vancouver’s natural heritage to the members, past, present and future, of the Vancouver Natural History Society. To those past, for putting on record the observations and information contained within these pages, and to present and future members, in the hope that they will continue the ‘tradition’ as well as gain an appreciation of the Society’s roots and accomplishments. Along my personal path of life, three individuals have played very important roles in shaping my appreciation of the natural world. First is my father, Welborne Lawrence Merilees, whose love of the out doors, its vegetation and wildlife, first introduced me to Vancouver’s living heritage. Second is William Marsden Hughes, war veteran, bird- bander and V.N.H.S. Ornithology (Birding) Section leader during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Bill took me ‘under his wing’ and honed my skills in the techniques of field observation and data collection. Finally to Dr. Ian McTaggart-Cowan, Head of the Zoology Department and later Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies at U.B.C., who further inspired and stimulated me to build on my curiosity from a more academic perspective. Along my path, an incredible number of individuals have ‘assisted the process’ in countless ways. Many, are mentioned within these pages. Introduction to the V.N.H.S. Newsletter Project Although the Vancouver Natural History Society had its origin in 1918 it was not until 1943 that the Society began producing a newsletter. Although titled V.N.H.S. News it was simply referred to as ‘The Bulletin’ and began as a way of informing members of the Society’s activities. Under the direction of Allan Wooton, accounts of field trips began to appear, primarily those led by our first President, Professor John “Botany John” Davidson. Up to the time that the first edition Discovery appeared (March, 1972), 153 editions of ‘The Bulletin’ had been produced. While an Index to the first ten years of Discovery (1972 -1982) appeared in 1994, the content of ‘The Bulletins’ has largely remained ‘hidden’ in the Special Collections (U.B.C.), the Vancouver City or VNHS Archives. Without easy access to these newsletters, some fascinating aspects of Greater Vancouver’s early natural history, and our Society’s accomplishments have somewhat been overlooked. A great many dedicated members recorded their observations or are mentioned in the V.N.H.S. News . The purpose of this project has been to bring this record forward into the present and to recognize the contribution our Society and its members have made to the understanding of Greater Vancouver’s natural heritage. Through these pages it is possible to witness the evolution of our Society. The improving quality of our documentation, the contributions of members and our accomplishments can be noted. The formation of the B.C. Nature Council and the Federation of B.C. Naturalists is documented, as well as the earlier ‘junior and intermediate’ naturalists programs. Over the years, a number of knowledgable, energetic leaders strongly influenced our Society’s program. Some, who made substantial contributions to our understanding include: • William M. (Bill) Hughes and R. W. (Wayne) Campbell (birds); • Foote and Mary Alice Waugh (mushrooms, toadstools and fungi) • Charlie Ney and Dr. Jack Armstrong (geology) • Ruth Brink and Louise Elliott-McLuckie (marine life) • Roy Edgell (photography) • Katherine Beamish, Nancy Anderson and Emmy Fisher (botany) • Bert Brink and Norm Pursell. (conservation and habitat protection) These people were supported and encouraged by a considerable cast of appreciative members who not only participated in these activities, but also prepared accounts which were published in ‘The Bulletin’. Sadly many of these writers are anonymous, or only identified by their initials. The arrival of ‘new’ species to the Vancouver area, for example European starling, house finch and Anna’s hummingbird are recorded. Often new and/or unusual species receive considerable attention while more common ‘everyday’ species receive little ‘press’. For example Harris’s and white-throated sparrow received more citations than house sparrow! Changes in status (numbers), for some species, are also suggested from the 1940’s and 50’s to the present. Are lesser scaup, lesser yellowlegs, surf scoters, California and ring-billed gulls more common today? Subjects such as ‘fashion’ (Ken Kennedy’s tam), great food (Roy Phillip’s Yule Log dessert) and wonderful camp culinary offerings and courageous adventures on English Bay (to add bird species to bird lists) are also presented. Conservation efforts to establish parks and protected areas; suggestions to encourage the wise use of resources; the promotion and fostering of education programs add variety to our accomplishments. The establishment of the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary and the construction of causeways to Iona Island and the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal have provided easy access to natural history areas not easily visited in the 1940’s and 50’s. This compilation provides a rich ‘pot pourri’ of VNHS early history, that all members surely will enjoy. About this project: For this compilation of material, each edition of the Bulletin was reviewed. The articles and material considered to have natural history or historic information of interest to the V.N.H.S. were extracted. This material was then entered into a word processing document; animal, plant and geographic names were upgraded to ‘year 2000’ understanding, and an index was developed to include the names of all people, places and natural history subject matter. More than 2,600 entries are included. Errors and omissions undoubtedly have occurred during this process and for these I take full responsibility. Serious researchers and writers should check carefully specie identifications. While I have ‘done my best’, common and scientific names are constantly being revised and subject to change so the ‘opportunity’ for ambiguity and/or confusion requires careful checking. I am greatly indebted to the assistance of the following: Elthea Dale, (typing and indexing), Judy Wise (typing), Dr. Bert Brink and Marilyn Dutton (biographical and editorial assistance), and Marian and John Coope (editing). Without their assistance this Index would still be a ‘long way off’. Expenses incurred during this work have largely been covered from the V.N.H.S. Special Projects Fund. I am greatly indebted to all those wonderful ‘old timers’, most sadly no longer present, who made the contributions presented on these pages. Working on this project Vancouver Natural History Society - Newsletter Notes -1943-1971 has been a wonderful ‘education’. I trust the reader will find this record as fascinating as have I. Bill Merilees March, 2005. #2 November 1943 Caulfeild Trip: Twenty-four members of the Society and botany class, under the leadership of Prof. John Davidson studied the rocky bluff flora. It was pointed out that the flora on the south side of English Bay is different from that on the north side because of the geological formation. On rocky bluffs the soil is too shallow to support the plant species found around Vancouver, hence many different plants peculiar to exposed rocky bluffs are found to be common at Caulfeild but not on the southern side of the Bay. Plants of the area are particularly suited and thrive in this environment. The party studied individual plants to see how they overcame the long, hot, dry summer when for a long time they seemed dried and dead. Plants included blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia) , sea blush, bulbous plants such as [meadow] death camas, dogtooth lily [white fawn lily], tiger lily, and the thick leaved stonecrop ( Sedum ) and the small leaved springbeauty [small-leaved montia] spring beauty ( Claytonia ). The floral structure was studied of dogwood [Pacific], Scotch broom, bearberry [kinnikinnick], falsebox and mimulus [monkey flower]. Some practice was done in classifying flowers to their families. Last winter’s cold spell was rather hard on the plants especially those on exposed slopes. Many Collinsia and Valerianella [seablush] were killed, and arbutus trees also suffered severely. Dogwoods with their showy blooms were abundant. #3 December 1943 Botany Mrs. McGinn reported that in August of this year the coral root orchid grew on Hollyburn Trail in unusually large patches and with extra thick tall spikes. Among those found was a solitary pure white one that Prof. Davidson identified as Corallorhiza innata an albino form of Corallorhiza maculata , the spotted coralroot not commonly found on the Coast. Some years ago near Cultus Lake she found a rare white orchid identified by Prof. Davidson as a Platanthera [the phantom orchid, Cephalanthera austiniae ] not listed in “Henry”. [J. K. Henry, 1915, Flora of British Columbia and Vancouver Island ]. It grows in tall spikes without any green and is parasitic [saprophytic]. Mrs. McGinn, a Kitsilano resident, was a staunch supporter of Prof. John Davidson. She attended camps, served in an executive capacity, helped to organize banquets and other social events. She 1 Vancouver Natural History Society - Newsletter Notes -1943-1971 was an amateur botanist and a good general naturalist. Her husband, Frank McGinn was a prominent Vancouver businessman not greatly interested in the V.N.H.S. Their son Wentworth McGinn, however, accompanied his mother on camps and trips including the Garibaldi camps of the 1920s. Mrs. McGinn continued to backpack into the mountain camps in her later years. Mammalogy Dr. [Ian]McTaggert Cowan reported that during the past year, increased field activity in the University forest and adjacent areas [U.B.C. Endowment Lands] had led to several important additions to our knowledge of local mammal fauna.