THE HALCYON IN CANADA. 



By JOHN BURROUGHS, 



AUTHOR OF "WINTER SUNSHINE," "WAKE ROBIN," " LOCUSTS AND WILD HONEY," ETC. 



THE halcyon, or kingfisher, is a good guide when you go to the 

 woods. He will not insure smooth water or fair weather, but 

 he knows every stream and lake like a book, and will take 

 you to the wildest and most unfrequented places. Follow his rattle, 

 and you shall see the source of every trout and salmon stream on 

 the continent. You shall see the Lake of Woods, and far-off Atha- 

 baska and Abbitibbe, and the unknown streams that flow into Hud- 

 son's Bay, and many others. His time is the time of the trout, too, 

 namely, from April to September. He makes his subterranean nest 

 in the bank of some favorite stream, and then goes on long excur- 

 sions up and down and over woods and mountains to all the waters 

 within reach, always fishing alone, the true angler that he is, his 

 fellow keeping far ahead or behind or taking the other branch. He 

 loves the sound of a water-fall, and will sit a long time on a dry 

 limb overhanging the pool below it, and, forgetting his occupation, 

 brood upon his own memories and fancies. 



The past season, my friend and I took a hint from him, and when 

 the dog-star began to blaze, set out for Canada, making a big detour 

 to touch at salt water and to take New York and Boston on our 

 way. 



I h<- latter city was new to me, and we paused there and angled 

 a couple of days, and caught an editor, a philosopher, and a poet, 

 and might have caught more if we had had a mind to, for these 

 waters are full of 'em, and big ones. too. 



