NATURE IN ACADIE. 23 



Nova Scotia and also in other parts of Northern North 

 America. 



In passing I may mention that the great loon, or great 

 northern diver, and also the red-throated diver breed 

 not uncommonly on the Nova Scotian lakes, even within 

 some few miles of Halifax. Both of these species are 

 for the most part only summer visitors north of the 

 United" States, and I do not think they can be met with 

 in Nova Scotia during the winter months. 



The little pied-billed grebe, a bird belonging to a 

 closely-allied group, is worthy of note as being the 

 American representative of the familiar little grebe (Podi- 

 cipes fluviatilis) of England. The American bird is just 

 as widely distributed and abundant, while its habits are 

 also very similar. 



The great blue heron of North America bears no 

 small resemblance to the common heron of Europe, to 

 which it is in fact very closely related. It is a common 

 and well-known species in the States, being as charac- 

 teristic a bird there as our species is in England, although 

 naturally not being met with in protected heronries as 

 in the latter country. One morning, a few weeks pre- 

 viously, one of these herons or "blue cranes," as they 

 are popularly called dropped down on a piece of marshy 

 ground close to Halifax and not far from where I was 

 living. But its temerity in venturing so near to the 

 habitations of man cost it dearly, for it was soon 

 observed and shot. 



During a ramble in the woods around Melville Island 

 on November i, I observed several juncos, or black 

 snowbirds, and some small parties of golden-crowned 

 kinglets and chickadees. This last is a typical Parus, 

 and has the crown, nape and throat black ; sides of the 

 head and neck white ; mantle brownish-olive ; wing 

 and tail-feathers edged with white ; and the under 

 parts with a yellowish-buff tint, except the centre of 

 the abdomen, which is white. 



I also observed a single white-throated sparrow which 

 crept away among the underwood uttering a slight 

 chirp. This large and handsome sparrow has the head 



