270 Mr J. W. Dawson on the Destruction and 



barrens, when clothed with shrubs, young trees, and herb- 

 aceous plants, were in a condition highly favourable to the 

 support of wild animals ; and perhaps there are few species 

 which could not subsist more easily in a country at least 

 partially in this state. For this reason, the transition of a 

 country from the forest state to that of burned barrens is tem- 

 porarily favourable to many species, which disappear before 

 the progress of cultivation ; and this would be more evident 

 than it is, if European colonization did not tend to produce a 

 more destructive warfare against such species than could be 

 carried on by the Aborigines. The ruffed grouse, a truly 

 woodland bird, becomes, when unmolested, more numerous 

 on the margins of barrens and clearings than in other parts 

 of the woods. The hare multiplies exceedingly in young se- 

 cond growths of birch. The wild pigeon has its favourite 

 resort in the barrens during a great part of the summer. The 

 moose and cariboo, in summer, find better supplies of food in 

 second growth and barrens than in the old forests. The 

 large quantities of decaying wood, left by fires and wood- 

 cutters, afford more abundant means of subsistence to the 

 tribe of woodpeckers. Many of the fly-catchers, warblers, 

 thrushes, and sparrows, greatly prefer the barrens to most 

 other places. Carnivorous birds and quadrupeds are found 

 in such places in numbers proportioned to the supplies of food 

 which they afford. The number of instances of this kind 

 might be increased to a great extent if necessary ; enough has, 

 however, been stated to illustrate the fact. 



Nearly all the animals above noticed, and many others, 

 disappear when the country becomes cultivated. There are, 

 however, other species which increase in numbers, and at once 

 adapt themselves to the new conditions introduced by man. 

 The robin (Turdus migratorius) resorts to and derives its sub- 

 sistence from the fields, and greatly multiplies, though much 

 persecuted by sportsmen. The Fringilla nivalis, a summer 

 bird in Nova Scotia, becomes very familiar, building in out- 

 houses, and frequenting barns in search of food. The song spar- 

 row and Savannah finch, swarm in the cultivated ground. The 

 yellow bird (Sylvia a^stiva) becomes very familiar, often build- 

 ing in gardens. The golden- winged woodpecker resorts to the 



