384 A JOURNEY TO THE 



off their eggs.* Pigeons^ of a small size, not larger than 

 a thrush, are in some Summers found as far North as 

 Churchill River. The bill is of a flesh-colour, legs red, 

 and the greatest part of the plumage of a light lilac or 

 blush. In the interior parts of the country they fly in large 

 flocks, and perch on the poplar trees in such numbers that 

 I have seen twelve of them killed at one shot. They usually 

 feed on [41 8] poplar buds, and are good eating, though seldom 

 fat. They build their nests in trees, the same as the Wood 

 Pigeons do ; never lay but two eggs, and are very scarce near 

 the sea-coast in the Northern parts of Hudson's Bay. 

 Red-breasted The Red-breasted Thrushes, commonly Called in Hud- 

 son's Bay the Red Birds,^ but by some the Black Birds, on 

 account of their note, and by others the American Fieldfares 

 usually make their appearance at Churchill River about the 

 middle of May, build their nests of mud, like the English 



* Besides the birds already mentioned, which form a constant dish at our 

 tables in Hudson's Bay, during their respective seasons, Mr. Jeremie asserts, 

 that during the time he was Governor at York Fort, the bustard was common. 

 But since that Fort was delivered up to the English at the peace of Utrecht 

 in 17 1 3, none of the Company's servants have ever seen one of those birds : nor 

 does it appear by all the Journals now in the possession of the Hudson's Bay 

 Company, that any such bird was ever seen in the most Southern parts of the 

 Bay, much less at York Fort, which is in the latitude 57° North ; so that 

 a capital error, or a wilful design to mislead, must have taken place. Indeed, 

 his account of the country immediately where he resided, and the produc- 

 tions of it, are so erroneously stated as to deserve no notice. His colleague, 

 De le Potries, asserts the existence of the bustard in those parts, and with 

 an equal regard to truth. 



[This is explained by the fact that the early French writers referred to the 

 Canada goose under the name Outarde.^ 



\^ Ectopisies migraiorius (Linn.). This short account of the habits is 

 evidently founded on Hearne's experience with the species in the Cumberland 

 House region, where at that time it was doubtless abundant. The present 

 record for Fort Churchill, as well as other early notices of its occurrence at 

 York Factory, probably represent the northward wandering of flocks after the 

 breeding season.] 



[2 Planesticus migratorius (Linn.). The American robin is rather common 

 in the Hudson Bay region north to the tree-limit. At Fort Churchill, in late 

 July 1900, I saw flocks composed of old birds and young just from the nests.] 



