VIII. 



REPORT OF THE BIRDS COLLECTED AND OBSERVED AT 

 LAKE SUPERIOR, 



BY J. E. CABOT. 



The striking scarcity of birds and quadrupeds about the lake has 

 already been noticed in the Narrative. In the case of the granivo- 

 rous and frugivorous species, this might be accounted for from the 

 scarcity of their proper food. To the insectivorous birds, however, 

 this reasoning certainly could not apply. One would have expected 

 to find the warblers, especially, breeding in abundance in this 

 region. But the only birds that could be called tolerably abundant 

 (except in special lo'calitics) were Zonotrichia pennsylvanica, and in 

 a less degree, Parus atricapillus and Ampelis cedrorum. Some- 

 thing, no doubt, must be attributed to the season, many birds having 

 passed further northward, and others being engaged in incubation. 

 Then all birds are more silent at this season, and less inclined to loco- 

 motion. On the other hand, we found a great abundance and 

 variety of birds at the Sault, much greater than would be found in 

 Massachusetts at that season. And whenever we came to a trading 

 post, we found a great difference in this respect, although the In- 

 dians, whether from scarcity of food or from wantonness, destroy 

 great numbers even of the smaller species. It would seem, that 

 apart from a more abundant supply of nourishment, the neighbor- 

 hood of man is in some way attractive to birds, — partly perhaps 

 from the greater freedom of such situations from beasts and birds of 

 prey. As to the water-birds, the nature of the country would at 

 once indicate that none but piscivorous species were to be expected. 

 In the annual migrations, it is said large numbers of ducks, and 

 particularly of geese, aUght, for a day or two, in the streams and 



