120 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. 



below the falls, where its rocky course is bounded on each 

 side by high cliffs, topped with thick evergreen woods, I saw 

 sitting on the limb of an old hemlock that grew out of the 

 side of the cliff, a very large eagle, of a dark brown colour, 

 except the whole of the head, which was white. I suppose 

 it was the celebrated Bald Eagle (Falco Leucocephalus ) , the 

 emblem of America : it took to flight before I could come 

 near it, and sailed down between the cliffs, till a bend in the 

 river hid it from me, and I saw it no more. 



F. It was doubtless what you suppose it to have been ; 

 it is a noble bird, and is not altogether rare. 



C. Some pretty birds were running about the field at 

 the margin of the river : the upper parts of the body were 

 brown, mottled with black, the under parts bright yellow, 

 except a black mark on the breast. They allowed me to 

 approach pretty near, but I fired and missed my bird, when 

 they all took to wing. 



F. That is the Meadow Lark, another visitant from the 

 south (Alauda Magna) : they are shot for the table, and 

 are a delicacy. They are much larger than the larks of 

 England, but resemble them in many of their habits. Their 

 song is sweet. 



C. Early this morning, before I set out on my walk, I 

 saw a bird, evidently a species of thrush, sitting on the top 

 of a tree, singing with all his might, and with great sweet- 

 ness of expression. He was of a bright red-brown above, 

 and the under parts white, spotted with brown, like the 

 songthrush of England. His attitude was singular; for he 

 kept his tail spread out, and bent under him as he sat on 

 the bough. I could easily have shot him, but he sang so 

 delightfully that I had not the heart to do him a wrong. 



F. It is the Ferruginous Thrush (Turdus Rufus) ; 

 and is a very prominent musician among the choir, which 

 are just beginning to fill our woods with harmony. 



