12
The couple lived on their Comox property, christened "Baybrook" by Ethel, in a pre-built, mail-order Aladdin Readicut house which Laing had assembled in 1923. During the rest of the 1920's, Mack Laing spent a large portion of each year away on collecting expeditions for various museums. During the depressed 1930's, however, the couple began to use their land for nut-farming.13
Laing with a bowlful of filberts from his ''Baybrook'' nut farm.1947
Comox, British Columbia, Canada
14
Laing found the soil in Comox highly amenable to this project; by the time he sold the farm in 1949, Laing claimed that it was producing 5000 lbs. altogether of filberts and walnuts annually.15
Laing's second Comox house, 'Shakesides'.19 August 2003
Comox, British Columbia, Canada
16
The house located today in Mack Laing Park is Laing's old home, "Shakesides" (the name is reminiscent of homes owned by two of Laing's early influences, Ernest Thompson Seton and John Burroughs, both of which were named "Slabsides"). The house is a pre-made, mail-order model, manufactured by the Aladdin Readicut company, but it was assembled entirely by Laing himself in 1949-1950, with the exception of some professional help for plumbing and electicity.17
A Christmas card from Laing to Betty Brooks in December 1972.December, 1972
Comox, British Columbia, Canada
18
Laing's lifelong proclivity to reclusiveness became somewhat more pronounced in his later years. He ceased traveling abroad not long after the sale of Baybrook. He remained a regular correspondent to a large number of relatives and friends (and, often, their families), however, and he also exchanged letters with several of the new generation of post-war ornithologists.19
Photo of Laing in his nut orchard.1982
Comox, British Columbia, Canada
20
He was well-known within Comox as a bird-expert and as a man with a sharp sense of humour. He was frequently seen making the trek along Comox Avenue with his rucksack to accomplish his errands in town.21
Photo of Mack Laing (right) and Gerald Tyler at Laing's artshow at the D'Esterre House in Comox, BC.25 October 1978
22
Once he had moved to Comox, and during his life at "Shakesides" (his second home, located in Mack Laing Park), Laing kept most of his paintings up in his attic. When he showed his works to Comox Alderman Alice Bullen, however, she set about to arrange a one-man art-show for Laing at the d'Esterre House in Comox. This took place in 1978 and was attended by Bullen's uncle Gerald Tyler (among others), a Vancouver artist and art critic who praised Laing's work. Tyler was also responsible for a large amount of restoration work done on Laing's paintings.23
Photograph of Mack Laing Nature Park in Comox, BC, Canada.20 August 2003
Comox, British Columbia, Canada
24
He asserted until the end of his days that no place could simply be let go -- a forest had to be carefully tended, and predators had to be kept in check, lest a bird sanctuary should become nothing but a haven to hawks, eagles, and owls. His term for this was "practical conservation". This eventually led to a downturn in the popularity of Laing's magazine articles, as the reproduction-balances-predation theorem became more and more accepted into mainstream ornithology.25
The cover of Richard Mackie's biography of Hamilton Mack Laing.1985
Comox, British Columbia, Canada
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