ARRIVAL OF SUMMER BIRDS. 105 



in more genial climes. An indelible attachment 

 leads them back to their natal places, and the en- 

 suing summer sees them winging their way north- 

 wards in cuneal bands, with unerring instinct. 

 Their arrival in a district enlivens white man and 

 Indian : during their passage, plenty reigns in every 

 encampment; and the dingy, pot-bellied children 

 run about with smiling, greasy faces, brandishing 

 in each hand the leg or wing of a goose. 



The Canada geese come in the van, and remain 

 breeding in the woody country ; snow geese next 

 arrive, and pass onwards to Wollaston's Land ; 

 then the laughing geese come and go, holding a 

 north-west course ; and at the same time with the 

 latter, the Hutchin's geese speed to the sea coast. 



On the 22d, pin-tail ducks were seen ; on the 

 24th, swans; and, on the 30th and 31st, large 

 flocks of snow geese and brown cranes passed 

 northwards. On the 1st of June, bees, sandpipers, 

 long-tailed ducks or cacawees, eider and king ducks, 

 and northern divers were seen : the catkins of the 

 earliest willows also burst their envelopes on this 

 day. On the 5th, teal, widgeon, scaup-ducks, 

 shovellers, and jagers arrived ; but, on the 8th, the 

 fur of the polar hare was still white. 



The progress of spring at Fort Confidence, 

 subsequent to the 7th of May, is recorded from 

 Mr. Rae's notes, as on that date Mr. Bell and I 



