1916] The Ottawa Naturalist. 149 



'When Itmch time arrived we landed on an island separated 

 by a narrow stretch of water from the shore, and while we were 

 busily engaged, a large, black, hawk-like bird came sailing up the 

 narrow channel, and was promptly identified as a Raven. He 

 rose over the banks on the other side, and while passing gave 

 ont two or three of his characteristic notes. He was followed 

 by two others, which did not come quite as far before turning, 

 but still gave us a fair view of their flight. 



There are times when a Raven and a Crow might puzzle 

 an observer, but when flying they can be easily identified; the 

 flight of the larger bird is very hawk-like and entirely different 

 from that of the crow. 



No other rarity was noted until we had passed up the 

 five portages to Otter Slide lake again, where we camped at 

 the entrance of the stream. Here we were in great luck in 

 choosing the very spot used by the local troop of warblers as 

 one of their promenades. 



While setting traps across the stream that evening we 

 heard, but failed to find, a Hudsonian Chickadee. Next morn- 

 ing he passed with the Warblers, Chickadees, Nuthatches, etc.. 

 over the route right around our camp, but succeeded in getting 

 by without giving us a chance to see him; but before we left that 

 camp the warblers passed us again, and this time the Hud- 

 sonian came out in the open and settled in the top of a little 

 balsam tree close by, giving us every opportunity for examina- 

 tion. From this camp also we heard the Barred Owl, thanks 

 to the sleeplessness of my companion. The bird was at a con- 

 siderable distance, but his notes were unmistakably not those 

 of the Great Horned Owl. 



During the first night's camp at this spot our slumbers 

 were interrupted by a Porcupine, which was apparently eating 

 up the canoe. An expedition in undress uniform was made to 

 scare him away, but he was sitting out in the far end of the canoe 

 and was not inclined to be interrupted, and when we spoke to him 

 he chattered his teeth as if in defiance, and it was not until we hit 

 him with a little stick that he ran down the length of the canoe 

 at a surprising speed and disappeared in the woods. These 

 animals are tolerably common, but are easy victims to the de- 

 structive instincts present in many persons, and we found the 

 remains of one that had been recently and uselessly killed on 

 Otter Slide lake. Even the rangers are said to kill this animal, 

 althotigh it is not only against the law, but it is indefensible 

 destruction, as the worst harm that can be charged against 

 the Porcupine is that he injures a few trees during the winter. 

 and if the damage done were calculated on a basis of a per- 

 centage value of the standing timber, it wotild be so small as 



