48 



other larpg mammals the raccoon and fox are plentiful. Two years ago 

 I saw four young silver-grey foxes, captured the previous summer, and 

 which had become quite tame. They probably were the offspring of a 

 cross between the red and black varieties, a specimen of the latter 

 being occasionally seen. An otter is trapped from time to time in 

 Charleston Lake ; I heard of one last year. The porcupine is a common 

 animal, the locality being exactly suited to his requirements. In the 

 heavier timbered places there are a few black squirrels, an occasional 

 grey one, and other smaller animals are plentiful. With the excep- 

 tion of partridges, (the ruffed grouse) and some ducks, game birds are 

 not plentiful. There are plenty of the former, but lh_y are difficult to 

 follow on account of the rough nature of the ground. This year they 

 have fed eagerly on beech nuts. The spruce partridge I have not 

 heard of Of ducks the black duck {Anas ohscura) is very common 

 and affords capital sport to those who are fond of hunting them during 

 September and October. During the day time they are often found 

 resting in the little lakes I have mentioned, where they usually 

 find i^erfect quiet and seclusion. In the evening they fly down 

 to the bays and marshes around Charleston i,ake to feed. Of 

 other ducks the wood duck, {Aix sponsa) the " fall ducks and broad 

 bills" as they are plentiful on larger waters in October and November, 

 as also the "golden eye," some of which remain all the winter in the 

 open parts of the river St. Lawrence. Of other birds in this district I 

 will mention some of the rarer kinds, which 1 have noticed myself or 

 heard of during the last three years. The bald eagle nests every year 

 in the township of Lansdowne, near the river St. Lawrence, also near 

 Marble Rock in Leeds. The osprey is a very rare bird and does not 

 appear to nest. I have seen only one. Of hawks, the red-tail passes 

 to and fro in spring and fall, and if it breeds here rarely does so ; the 

 red-shouldered {Buteo Ihieaius) is the commonest of the large hawks and 

 breeds abundanily : I have seen one specimen of the broad winged 

 hawk {Bnteo Pennsylvantcus) in May last, so it possibly breeds. The 

 other hartks are the sharp-shinned and sparrow, the latter quite com- 

 mon. I should not forget to mention the marsh hawk, which is not 

 uncomnion and breeds in the marshes. The eggs of a set I saw in 1890, 

 five in number, were boldly marked and spotted. Of owls we have a 



