Miscellaneous Facts and Observations . 161 



Ornithology. 

 8. The Corvus Pica, or Magpie, has lately been 

 discovered in the country that is washed by the Mis- 

 souri, at a considerable distance from the mouth of 

 this river, and a specimen of it has been transmitted 

 to the Museum of Mr. Peale. This bird, which is 

 altogether unknown in the Atlantic States of the 

 American Union, is also a native of Hudson's-Bay 

 where it is called, by the Natives, One ta-kee Aske, 

 or the Heart-Bird. It is not improbable, that it mi- 

 grates to the Missouri-country from Siberia or Kamt- 

 schatka, in both which countries it is a very common 

 bird. At Hudson's-Bay, it is not common. 



Editor. 



9. " The Canvas-Back has been killed at Colum- 

 bia (on Susquehanna), and has been seen by Mr R 

 of Delaware, Mr. L., by a clergyman from the Eas- 

 tern Shore of Maryland, and others, who all pronounce 

 It to be, unquestionably, the real Canvas-Back— 

 These birds have been killed at, and above, Colum- 

 bia before, but were never known to frequent the 

 River so high up, in large numbers, until last winter. 



"The clergyman, alluded to, told me, he sup- 

 posed, that Xh^ freshes in the creeks and inlets, last 

 year, must have destroyed the root upon which' they 

 feed, m their usual feeding places, and induced them 

 to go higher up the river, in pursuit of it : and hav- 



VOL. II. PART J. 



