THE OOLOGIST. 



3-21 



across two pairs of ^Maryland Yellow- 

 throats evidently mated. I take note 

 of the locality intending to visit it 

 again, which I did upon several occa- 

 sions but never saw the birds again. 

 I hurry along and in a few more min- 

 utes 1 am at the slougli, entering the 

 water I start to wade slowly uj) keep- 

 ing a sharp look out for the birds, in a 

 few moments I can see every yard of 

 the water but no birds are to be seen, 

 while I am standing wondering what 

 can have become of the birds something 

 comes >kiniming round the corner of 

 the slough out from the Lake, and 

 comes within 30 yards of me and tlien 

 turns off liack into the Lake, not how- 

 ever before I have identitied it as a 

 male Canvas-l)a('k, my gun goes to 

 my shoulder as the bird comes so 

 clo.se, but I think better and let him go. 



Feeling encouraged I start to wade on 

 again and have not gone more than 100 

 yards, when I hear a Hutterand a splash 

 about tifteen yards in front of me and 

 while I am gazing intently ahead I see 

 the head, neck and partly submerged 

 body of the female, as she comes to the 

 surface of the water (she had dived off 

 her nest as I thought) no sooner is she on 

 the surface than she takes wing and is 

 soon away. 



A search of a few seconds is sufficient 

 to find the nest, situated on a nuiall 

 patch of dry ground aliout two yards in 

 diameter, it is composed of dry grass 

 with a little down and ('ontainc<l live 

 eggs of a pale greenish color, as I knew 

 this was not the full set I leave them 

 after carefully marking the place, I vis- 

 ited the lU'St twice after this and on 

 both occasicms th(! bird was off ami the 

 eggs were covereil up; after leaving the 

 nest four days and only finding seven 

 eggs I came to the conclusion she ha<l 

 laid her fidl .set and so took them. 



(i. F. DlITIK. 

 Toronto, Canada. 



SCENES FROM THE LIFE OF ALEXANDER 

 WILSON. 



His Southern Subscription Tour- 



(i. VltOOMANS.Mnil 



VIII. 



Althougli Wilson's Northern lunr 

 was devoid of a brilliant lioancial suc- 

 cess, yet it by no means discouraged 

 him from further pni'sning the task he 

 had entered upon with so much ardor 

 and enthusiasm. Wherever he went 

 he exhibited his work with so much 

 zeal, was received with so much kind- 

 ness, loadefl with so much praise and 

 compliments, tliat to secure only forty- 

 one subscribers for his toil and diligence 

 was a discouragement great enough to 

 depress the bouyant spirits of any one 

 save Alexander Wilson. To him, who 

 was so accustomed to disappointnitiuts 

 and failures although it ilid cast a con- 

 siderable gloom over his pros|)ecfs of fu- 

 tiu'c success, yet by no lui'aus so de- 

 pressed his hopes as to defer his dei^art- 

 ure for another extended subscription 

 tour through the south, after a lirief tar- 

 ry with his friends at Phlladeli)liia. 



Winter with its many inconveniences 

 had fairly set in when Wilson bent his 

 steps in the direction of lln^ soulli on 

 the second of hi.s famous pilgrimages 

 in search of sul)scribers and informa- 

 tion. Unaccompanied he j>ursue<l his 

 journey towards lialtimnre where he 

 arrived early in Decenilicr, 1808. The 

 journey was a fatiguing one, performed 

 at a disagreable season of the year, and 

 without a single companion to lessen 

 the sense of solitude naturally arising 

 from ones mingling with sliange peo- 

 ple in a strange locality. He pursued 

 tlu! exhibition of his ))rosp(etus at Hal- 

 limore with great «letcrmiiiation and 

 zeal, anil was rewarded by si-curing 

 sixteen new subscribers Klaled with 

 this unexpected ami gratifying success 



