APPENDIX. 349 



the rigours of our winter. The former is already an acclimatised 

 inhabitant of the sandbanks of Sable Island, according to Dr. Gilpin, 

 having been introduced by the Honourable Michael Wallace, and 

 increased amazingly, affording the islanders many a fresh dinner 

 when salt junk is plenty and fresh beef scarce. No easier experi- 

 ment could be made in applied natural history than the extensive 

 breeding of the common grey rabbit by some resident near town, 

 whose premises bordered on uncleared bush or scrub. To commence, 

 a large bank of loosely piled earth and stone might be made, here 

 and there perforated by a length or so of suitable tubing, such as 

 used for drains, the bank enclosed by wire netting, and a few pairs of 

 rabbits turned in. They would soon tunnel the bank in all directions, 

 and as the families increased they might be allowed to escape into 

 the neighbourhood. A fair warren once established would be the 

 means of a quick colonisation of the surrounding country. And the 

 true rabbit, living so constantly under ground, would enjoy much 

 greater security from animals and birds of prey than his indigenous 

 congeners. 



Still keeping in view the acclimatisation of creatures intended to 

 exist in a state of nature^ and not for domestication — a division of the 

 subject which appears to be most feasible and best adapted to the 

 condition of this province — let us next turn to the birds. 



We have already existing in our woods as game birds, two species 

 of Tetraonidse — the T. umbellus, or the ruffed grouse, and the 

 T. Canadensis, or spruce partridge — as permanent residents ; and, as 

 summer visitors, the two North American Scolopacidae, the woodcock 

 and snipe. There is but one representative of the Phasianidae in 

 North America, the only gift of the new to the old world, whence the 

 domestic race has sprung, and that is the wild turkey. It certainly 

 would appear that our large woodland solitudes offer especial facilities 

 for the introduction of some new members of the grouse family, 

 birds especially formed for existence in cold climates. Formerly 

 common in the Scotch pine forests, now only to be met with in 

 abundance in the north of Europe, in Norway, Sweden, and Eussia, 

 the magnificent capercailzie, or cock of the wood (T. urogallus), 

 equalling, in the case of the male bird, the turkey in size, presents 

 so tempting an experiment that it should be almost introduced 

 regardless of expense. A bird inhabiting so widely the fir woods of 

 subarctic Europe and Asia, would surely succeed if transplanted to 

 the corresponding region of North America. It appears to feed 

 exclusively on pine shoots. Mr. Bernard, author of a recent work 



