1826, JANUARY MARCH. FORT VANCOUVER 



the nest on the branches of the trees for several weeks, and seldom leave 

 the place where they were hatched any considerable distance. The colour 

 of the first plumage is a brownish -black. The first spring they assume a 

 mottled-grey, the head and tail of a lighter cast ; the second, the head 

 and tail become perfectly white, and the body black. When returning 

 from the Grand Rapids last September, I observed one take a small 

 sturgeon out of the Water and come over my head. I lifted my gun and 

 brought him down. The claws were so firmly clenched through the carti- 

 laginous substance of the back, that he did not let go until I introduced a 

 needle in the vertebrae of the neck. The sturgeon measured 15 inches long, 

 weighing about 4 Ib. Common Magpie ; is a rare bird in the low country. 

 The first I observed Was in November. I am informed they are very 

 abundant in the upper country at all seasons, whither they probably 

 migrate in the summer. They appear not to differ specifically from the 

 European species except in size,and the tail feathers of the male a brighter 

 azure-purple. The American variety has the same trait in his character as 

 the European of annoying horses that have any sores about them. I killed 

 a pair, male and female, in January. Wood Partridge ; is not a rare bird 

 although they are by no means seen in such numbers as many of the 

 tribes on the other side of the continent. They frequent dry gravelly 

 soils on the outskirts of woods, among hazel bushes and other brushwood ; 

 are very shy. The breaking of a small twig is sufficient to raise them, 

 and as they very generally are in the low thicket, it is only by a chance 

 shot on wing they can be secured. I preserved two pair of this fine species, 

 but a villainous rat mutilated one of the males so much that I had to 

 throw it away, and I had no opportunity to replace it, and there is in the 

 collection one male and two females. On the Multnomah there is one of very 

 diminutive size not so large as the English thrush, with a long azure crest ; 

 the whole bird is pease-grey except the neck and head which are azure - 

 purple. I have not seen it myself. I have furnished one of the hunters 

 with a small quantity of fine shot to procure it for me. In the upper 

 country there are two or three species of grouse, one, a very large bright 

 grey bird as large as the smaller size of turkeys, it is very plentiful and 

 easily procured ; another of the same colour, about the size of the English 

 black-cock, inhabits the same place, and is abundant. In addition to 

 these there is a very beautiful species of pheasant, a little on this side of 

 the Rocky Mountains, about the size of the common hen, of a blackish 

 colour. It cackles exactly like a hen, it was never seen to fly, but runs 

 with great speed. The large grouse I have never seen alive, only tail 

 feathers, and parts of the skin forming war capes in the possession of 

 Indians from the interior. Small Blue Jay ; a very distinct bird from 

 C[uculus\ cristatus of Wilson. Indeed I do not remember any species that 

 will agree with it in his work. If I recollect rightly, the common blue 

 jay is rather a shy bird, and in the autumn is seen in great flocks, seldom 

 near houses. This one is also very plentiful, but seldom more than thirty 

 or forty together ; it is very tame and visits dunghills of Indian villages, 

 the same as the English robin. I preserved three, sex unknown. It is of 

 a darker blue than the other, with a black crest. Large Brown Eagle ; ia 



