Fauna Boreali- Americana. S61 



sidered a fauna of the British American fur countries worthy 

 the high patronage it has received. 



The exertions of the officers, during the lengthened track 

 pursued by the body of the expedition itself, the extent of 

 country traversed by various diverging parties, and the very 

 liberal assistance afforded by the Hudson's Bay Company at 

 their numerous stations in the fur countries, produced ma- 

 terials of no common extent and value. Dr. Richardson 

 passed seven summers and five winters surrounded by the 

 objects he has so faithfully described. His volume, on the 

 Mammalia, is a valuable contribution : and of the present 

 volume, the habits of the birds and much of the minute detail 

 of species are also by Dr. Richardson. The plates, as we 

 have before observed, and the systematic arrangement, are by 

 Mr. Swainson. 



These scientific zoologists, eminently qualified for the un- 

 dertaking, have carefully examined the accounts of all the 

 various travellers, from the earliest influence of the Hudson's 

 Bay Company to the present time. Their descriptions include 

 all the birds hitherto found over an immense expanse of 

 country north of the 49th parallel of latitude, and east of the 

 Rocky Mountains, which lie much nearer to the Pacific 

 coast than to the eastern shore of America. Many of these 

 birds are now, for the first time, made known to ornitholo- 

 gists. About 80 of the birds common to North America 

 inhabit also the northern parts of the European continent; 

 and the whole number produced by each of these continents, 

 north of the same parallel of latitude, is very nearly equal, 

 about 320 species. 



The French Canadians appear to have been the first who 

 penetrated into the regions beyond the Great Lakes; but their 

 journals, rich in personal adventure, contribute little or no- 

 thing to natural history. The early English navigators, 

 who explored Hudson's Bay and the Arctic Seas, limited 

 their notes in zoology to brief remarks on the animals used 

 for food ; but seldom gave descriptions sufficiently character- 

 istic to identify the species. The first collections of Hudson's 

 Bay birds of which there appears to be any record, are those 

 formed by Mr. Alexander Light, who was sent out, ninety 

 years ago, by the Hudson's Bay Company, on account of his 

 knowledge of natural history ; and by Mr. Isham, who, 

 during a long residence as governor of various forts or trading 

 posts, employed his leisure hours in preparing the skins of 

 Mammalia, birds, and fishes. These two gentlemen, returning 

 to England about the year 1745, entrusted their specimens to 

 Mr. George Edwards, and 40 of them were figured and 



