BEASTS, BIRDS, AND FISH. 81 



bers, is the blue jay. In the popular imagination this 

 is a sacred bird, and we were informed that the kilHng 

 of it is forbidden by law. We failed to see any 

 reason for killing it; it does no damage, so far as 

 our observation goes. Its worst offence appears to 

 be that it sometimes pilfers from the elderberry 

 bushes when the berries are ripe. 



Tiny humming birds, with bright vermilion 

 throats, hover on tireless wings above the blossoms 

 of apple, pear, plum, and cherry during May, and 

 later sip honey from the nectar cups of gladioli, sweet 

 peas, and other fragrant flowers. 



The principal game bird, though we did not find 

 its numbers at all inconvenient, is called the grouse. 

 This is by no means a shy or timid bird. It clings 

 to cover until you almost tread on it, and even when 

 it does "flush," it will settle again a very few feet 

 away. On one occasion I " put up " the same bird 

 three times within the space of twenty-five yards and 

 less than two minutes of time. 



Slocan Junction, which is within a mile and a 

 half of Bonnington Falls, boasts of one of the most 

 famous fishing pools in the interior of British 

 Columbia. The Canadian Pacific Railway have 

 recently built there a "fishing chalet" for the 

 accommodation of sportsmen, and although pas- 

 senger trains do not run in that direction on a 

 Sunday, provision is made to convey devotees of the 

 rod out and back on the usual Sunday freight train. 



Lawrie, our gardener, is an enthusiastic fisher- 

 man, and he is as skilful with the reel as he is 

 enthusiastic, having fished in the Tweed when a boy. 

 Every evening, as soon as his day's work was done, 



G 



