256 DAN BEARD'S ANIMAL BOOK 



GEESE AND DUCKS 



are numerous and tame. At one place wild geese 

 marched along the bank of a stream within twenty 

 feet of our surrey, and viewed us without alarm. 

 The ducks only showed their distrust by placing 

 themselves between us and their fluffy little broods. 

 Swans are rarer and wilder. As might be expected, 

 birds of prey are numerous and bold. The crags 

 are crowded with their eyries, and every bit of 

 open grass land has its hovering hawks, on the 

 lookout for unwary shrews, moles, or gophers. 

 Many varieties of grouse inhabit the woods and 

 prairies, and in winter numbers of beautiful mag- 

 pies. The hoarse croak of the raven can be heard 

 at the Thumb, and crows are seen in all parts of 

 the Park. The black-headed jay, a variety which 

 was new to me, and the Canadian jay, are not only 

 tame, but mischievous. Having occasion to use my 

 pocket knife, I placed it temporarily on a stump 

 near camp, and after twice saving it, by shouts and 

 mad rushes, I was at last compelled to put it in 

 my pocket to prevent the jays from carrying it 

 away. 



While many of the smaller birds are new or un- 

 familiar to Atlantic coast people, their old friend, 

 the robin, makes his home in the Park. 



THE INTERESTING LITTLE WATER OUSEL 



bobs up and down on the rocks and dives into 

 the water of the Gardiner and the Gibbon, and 

 kingfishers are common. 



