Fauna Boreali- Americana, 363 



observe) for the traveller to refrain, at such moments, from 

 joining his aspirations to the song which every creatm'e 

 around is pouring forth to the Great Creator. 



Many of the habits of birds are rendered singularly ser- 

 viceable to man. No sooner has a hunter in the fur countries 

 slaughtered an animal, than the ravens are seen coming from 

 various quarters to feast on the offal. The experienced 

 native, when he sees from afar a flock of ravens wheeling in 

 small circles, knows that a party of his countrymen, well 

 provided with venison, are encamped on the spot ; or that a 

 band of wolves are preying upon the carcass of some of the 

 larger quadrupeds ; and pushes on briskl}^, in the certain 

 prospect of having his wants supplied. In Lapland, and 

 other countries where musquitoes abound, the natives highly 

 value the swallow and martin, and place small pots about 

 their houses for these birds to build in, as a return for the 

 destruction they cause among their most annoying and venom- 

 ous insects. In America the purple martin (Hirundo pur- 

 purea) is also encouraged, by hundreds, to rear its young 

 about the various buildings of agriculturists ; but for a dif- 

 ferent purpose. No sooner does a hawk make his appearance 

 in the vicinity of a farm, to the danger of straggling poultry, 

 than the purple martins, ever on the watch, give notice of the 

 intruder by vociferous notes of alarm. The whole party of 

 martins are instantly assembled ; and the common enemy, 

 assailed on all sides, is actually exposed and mobbed, till 

 driven from the spot. 



Ten beautiful species of grouse are described by the 

 authors as inhabiting the fur countries. Flocks of ptarmigans, 

 when pursued by the jerfalcon, endeavour to save themselves 

 by plunging instantly into the loose snow, and making their 

 way beneath it to a considerable distance. 



But the -^4natidae (duck family) are the birds of the greatest 

 importance, as they furnish, at certain seasons of the year, in 

 many extensive districts, almost the only article of food that 

 can be procured. The arrival of the waterfowl, it is said, 

 marks the commencement of spring, and diffuses as much joy 

 among the wandering hunters of the arctic regions, as the 

 harvest or vintage in more genial climes. The period of 

 their migration southwards again, in large flocks, at the close 

 of summer, is another season of plenty bountifully granted to 

 the natives, and enabling them to encounter the rigour and 

 privations of a northern winter. The -^natidae have, there- 

 fore, very naturally been observed more attentively than any 

 other family of birds, both by the Indians and white residents ; 

 and, as they make up the bulk of the specimens that have 



