Image Caption: One of the Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) recently found in a novel, marginal, patchy, anthropogenically-disturbed habitat in New Brunswick. This 2023 discovery (see feature article) expands the known range of the species in the province, the single previously known site being relatively undisturbed and surrounded by extensive forest in Fundy National Park. Photo: Joshua J.A. Christiansen.

Free Online Access to Feature Article in 139(1) is at https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v139i1.3403

The Canadian Field-Naturalist (CFN) is the official journal and publication of record for the Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club (OFNC). Issue 1 of volume 139, the current issue, is posted online at https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn. Those with print copy subscriptions should soon be seeing their printed copy in their mail boxes.

As has occurred for the last few issues, the first issue of volume 139 is a bit thinner than normal as we strive to return to a more regular publication schedule. There is also an explanation in the News and Comment section about what happened to CFN publication year 2025. Four of the seven manuscripts in the issue deal with mammals: North American Badgers, Canada Lynx, and Raccoons; Collared Pikas and Hoary Marmots; Big Brown Bats; and American Black Bears. There’s a manuscript on Four-toed Salamanders, one on two species of turtles that were found desiccated in marshes invaded by non-native plants at Point Pelee, and another on Common Yellowthroats in Newfoundland. The Feature Article in this issue “Discovery of novel Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) occurrences in New Brunswick, Canada” has a nice tie-in with the Tribute to John Gilhen, a frequent contributor to CFN. Several of his last publications appeared in CFN and the Feature Article, which also is the cover picture for the issue, references John’s 1984 book: Amphibian and Reptiles of Nova Scotia, bridging the time gap between current and historical field-naturalist research.

The issue also contains OFNC business items: minutes of recent Annual Business Meetings, Committee Reports, and Awards notices. It also sadly contains short in memoriams for two OFNC Honorary Members who recently died. Seven Book Reviews and the lists of New Titles and Upcoming Meetings and Workshops complete the issue.

OFNC members can freely access the entire current and past issues online. Contact Bill Halliday at wdhalliday@gmail.com to obtain instructions on how to create an account on the CFN website.

Enjoy!

Dwayne Lepitzki, Ph.D.

Editor-in-Chief