6 Jeffries on the Fingers of Birds. 



During September we are visited by various birds of prey. 

 Every autumn brings one or two Hawk Owls to perch upon the 

 top of the flag-staff or wind-vane, while young Goshawks and 

 Gyrfalcons circle about, frequently alighting for a short time upon 

 the fence or any convenient post. More rarely, a Pigeon Hawk 

 appears for a moment, only to vanish as quickly. Several times 

 during the evening, I have surprised a Short-eared Owl perched 

 upon the fence or hovering over the yard, probably attracted by 

 the mice which gather about the buildings at this season. One 

 fall, in October, a Great Horned Owl for several successive 

 evenings converted the woodpile into a lookout station, but was 

 careful to decamp before a gun could be brought into requisition. 



As winter sets in a small party of Black-capped Titmice may 

 appear for a day or two and. less often, the Hudsonian Titmouse 

 may be seen. Both climb about the old log houses or examine 

 the weed patches, all the while cheerilv uttering their familiar 

 dee-dee-dee, and, in the end hurrying off as though they had not 

 a moment to spare. Then follows a long blank, broken only by 

 a stray party of Redpolls from their winter quarters in the inte- 

 rior ; or, as may happen, a Ptarmigan perches upon the roof of 

 one of the buildings for a few moments, gazing with astonish- 

 ment on the mixture of dogs and men below ; then, probably 

 remembering a pressing engagement elsewhere, it precipitately 

 departs. Once a Ptarmigan, more philsophicallv inclined or 

 more foolish than the average, came whirring along and dropped 

 into the centre of the yard amidst forty or fifty Eskimo dogs. 

 Several persons who saw the performance stated that, as the 

 birds feet touched the ground, there was a wild rush of dogs, a 

 few feathers floated upward, and the dogs walked innocently away 

 casting back regretful glances to make sure the gods were not to 

 provide another heaven-sent gift for their delectation. 



ON THE FINGERS OF BIRDS. 



BY J. A. JEFFRIES. 



The anterior limb or wing of birds is homologous with the 

 anterior limb of reptiles, batrachians and mammals. Hence it is 



