History, or more inviting to the sportsman, than this garden of the 

 middle districts. Its Great South Bay, " occupying a distance of 

 seventy miles' uninterrupted inland navigation," with its sea-washed 

 shores, abounding with numerous species of shell and other fish, 

 doubtless contains treasure unknown to the Ichthyologist and 

 Conchologist. Its variety of soil affords an excellent field to the 

 Botanist, and its alluvial formations furnish much that is interest- 

 ing to those pursuing the grand and comprehensive science of Geo- 

 logy. The frequent occurrence of those beautiful streams for 

 which the Island is so justly celebrated, excites the admiration of the 

 Angler ; and the noble Buck roams proudly through its forests. 

 Often when examining the shell banks, (the Indian's mint) found 

 on the margins of many creeks, in search of some relic of 

 by-gone days, have I wandered back into the past, and readily 

 imagined that the primitive inhabitants have on this productive Is- 

 land enjoyed all that is pictured in the red man's happiest dream 

 of paradise. A few half-breeds still cling to the soil of their 

 ancestors ; but the next generation will have to refer to the pages 

 of history to point out where dwelt the once-powerful race of 

 Montauks, and other tribes that have dwindled away before the 

 rapid strides of civilization. 



Before describing the " Birds of Long Island," I will 

 here remark, that the difference in plumage and other characteris- 

 tics, does not arise from their indiscriminately mating, as supposed 

 by some. This cannot be ; if it were, every season would pro- 

 duce such endless varieties, that any attempt at classification 

 would prove abortive. On the contrary, we see year after year 

 the same broad characters which determine the Genera, with the 

 specific markings denoting the species ; and at this late period, a 

 new species discovered east of the Mississippi, is of rare 

 occurrence. 



