1902] Halkett Observation of Animals. 157 



ordinary fur or hair, covered with defensive spines. It is blamed 

 for being- injurious to dogs, which are said to get its quills into their 

 feet ; and for approaching^ farm buildings in order to suck the 

 eggs of hens ; and I am sorry to say in various places in the 

 country I have found these inoffensive creatures wantonly slaugh- 

 tered. On examining the stomach of one which had been shot in 

 the Gatineau district, I found it to be literally packed with spruce 

 leaves. 



The first day's journey took us to the head of Smoke Lake, 

 where we put up for the night in an* empty hut. Next morning a 

 merganser with her brood of duckling-s was seen in the distance, 

 near the margin ol the lake on the opposite side. The mergansers 

 differ conspicuously from other ducks in having the bill cylindrical 

 and serrated, instead of being flattened and laminate. The sexes 

 are unlike. In this species, the Red-breasted Merganser {Mer- 

 ganser serrator)^ the male has the head and neck dark green, and 

 there is a white ring around the neck ; the back is black, turning 

 grayish lower down, the breast is tinted salmon colour on a white 

 ground, the feet are red, and the bill and iris carmine ; whilst the 

 female has the head of a chestnut colour, the back grayish, the 

 breast white, and the feet and bill duller coloured than in the male. 

 Both sexes in this species have crests ; whereas in the Sheldrake 

 or Goosander [Me7'ganser atnericanus) only the female is properly 

 crested. The merganser constructs a downy nest concealed upon 

 the ground, in which are deposited her buff, or yellowish drab, 

 coloured eggs, which may vary in number from six to twelve. 



In the same direction where the merganser was seen, a heron 

 kept hovering about, and judging from its actions it is possible 

 that it had a nest in the vicinity, for this bird although usually 

 gregarious in its breeding habits, having extensive heronries, 

 sometimes builds singly. 



The Great Blue Heron [Ardea herodias) is our typical repre- 

 sentative of the ArdeidcB, and is often erroneously called the 

 crane. ^ This bird has its own especial way of attracting notice ; 

 noiselessly and suddenly it is seen on the wing, flying somewhat 

 clumsily, with its neck folded in, and its long legs stuck out be- 



^The herons are the true allies of the bitterns, storks and ibises, Herod- 

 lONES ; the cranes of the rails, gallinules and coots, Alectorides. 



