110 COMMON BIRDS. 



Few birds are to be seen in Canada during the winter 

 months except an occasional flock of Snow-buntings,* 

 flitting through the air with a jerking flight or running 

 cheeping on the snow. Somewhat larger than a lark, 

 with the upper plumage of a light variegated brown 

 and the under pure white, these birds are very fat, 

 and the flesh strongly resembles that of the ortolan of 

 Southern Europe, for which reason they are much 

 sought after, and are sold in the markets as an article 

 of luxury. 



Though grouse may be found in the spruce districts 

 by those who will take the trouble to follow them up at 

 this season, and in some districts a stray covey of " quail" 

 is at times to be seen huddled together on the snow, all 

 the wild-fowl, and the smaller birds which at other 

 seasons give an appearance of life to nature, are absent 

 in the more genial regions of the Southern States, and 

 the woods and waters remain silent and deserted till the 

 return of spring. 



When the ice arid snow, rapidly breaking up, convert 

 the whole country into a quagmire, when plants and 

 trees which for weeks past have been slowly vegetating 

 under their snowy garb, begin to bud with incredible 

 rapidity, and the air suddenly swarms with insect life, 



* Plectrophanes nivalis. 



