338 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO ITj'l. 



grouses, as it may in time afford a distinguishing character for a division in this 

 great genus: the ptarmigan, or t. lagopus, Linn, is without these teeth. 



IV. Columbag, columbine. Faun. Am. Sept. 



7. Columba, pigeon. 19. Migratoria. 285. 36. Migratory pigeon, Catesb. 

 1.23. Kalm II. p. 82. t. Passenger pigeon. Faun. Am. Sept. 11. Severn 

 river, N^Ss. Wood-pigeon. 



These pigeons are very scarce so far northward as Severn river, but abound 

 near Moose-fort, and further inland to the southward. Their common food are 

 berries and juniper buds in winter; they fly about in great flocks, and are 

 reckoned good eating. This account is confirmed by Kalm in his travels (Eng 

 lish edition) vol. ii. p. 82 and 311. They hatch only 2 eggs at a time, and their 

 nests are built in trees. Their eyes are small and black, the irides yellow, the 

 feet red : the neck finely glossed with purple, brighter in the male. They weigh 

 9 ounces. 



V. Passeres, passerine. Faun. Am. Sept. 



8. Alauda, lark. 20. Alpestris. 289. 10. Klein, Hist, of Birds, 4to. p. 73. 

 Shore lark. Faun. Am. Sept. 12. Catesb. i. 32. Albany Fort, N° 6. 



This species is indifferently described by Linnaeus, who says that all the tail- 

 feathers on their inner web are white, (rectricibus dimidio interiore albis) ; 

 though it does not appear that he saw a specimen of it himself. Both the quill 

 and tail-feathers are dusky, and in both the outermost feather only has a white 

 exterior margin. The coverts of the tail are of a pale ferruginous colour, and 2 

 of them are nearly as long as the tail itself The scapulars are ferruginous; in 

 the male, the head and whole back have a tinge of the same colour, marked with 

 dusky streaks ; in the female the back is grey, and the dusky stripes of a darker 

 hue. The crown of the head is black in the male, dusky in the female; the 

 forehead is yellow, the bill and feet are black, the belly of a dirty reddish white. 

 These larks are migratory, they visit the environs of Albany Fort in the begin- 

 ning of May, but go farther northward to breed: they feed on grass seeds, and 

 buds of the sprig birch ; run into small holes, and keep close to the ground, 

 whence the natives give them the name of chi-chup-pi sue. 



9. Turdus, thrush. 21. Migratorius, 292. 6. American fieldfare, Kalm 

 II. p. 90. Faun.Am.Sept.il. Catesby i. 29. Severn river, N° 59. Albany 

 Fort, 7, 8, 9. 



The descriptions of these birds in various authors coincide with the specimens ; 

 at Severn river they appear at the beginning of May, and leave the environs be- 

 fore the frost sets in. At Moose Fort, in the north latitude 51", they build 

 their nest, lay their eggs, and hatch their young in the space of 14 days; but at 

 York Fort and Severn settlement this is done in 26 days: they build their nests 

 rn trees, lay 4 beautiful light-blue eggs, feed on worms and carrion: when at 



