June, 1885.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



93 



A most comical affair happened one day in con- 

 nection with three Goshawl^s. A friend of mine 

 had shot a Harrier, and left it near his house. 

 Some time after, as some chickens were feeding on 

 the maggots in the body, three Goshawks ap- 

 peared on the scene and quickly swooped at the 

 birds, to all appearance carrying one off to a 

 neighboring field. Mr. Selon, who followed to 

 avenge the death of this supposed hen, soon shot 

 two of the Goshawks, when he found that, in- 

 btead of carrying off a hen, they had possessed 

 themselves by mistake of the putrid and dried-up 

 body of the Harrier. 



Numerous as were many of the larger Hawks 

 at this time, I was told that they were far more so 

 at the time of the Spring migration northwards ; 

 so it appears probable that for some reason they 

 follow different routes upon the two journeys, as 

 is often observed in England. The same remark 

 probably applies to the Whooping Crane, (Qvus 

 amcriaina^ for, although in the Autumn I did not 

 see one, it is said to be common in Spring-time. 



The American Bittern, (Botaurus mugitans^ is 

 pretty common in the moister parts of the country, 

 — near the Red River, for instance, — where I have 

 often seen it disturbed by the passing train. 



On August 30tli a friend shot a young specimen 

 of the Passenger Pigeon, (Ectopistes migratoHus,) 

 as it sat upon a tree near Carberry, but this was 

 the only specimen seen during my visit. 



No small portion of the Manitoban settlers' diet 

 is formed of the flesh of the Sharp-tailed Grouse, 

 (Pedimcctes phasiaiiellus,) always known as the 

 "Prairie Chicken." To this bird, which is resi- 

 dent in Manitoba throughout the year, Mr. Seton 

 has devoted much attention, and has elucidated 

 many interesting points in its natural history. 

 Tlie nest is usually formed in long grass, generally 

 near trees. In it the hen deposits fourteen to six- 

 teen eggs, which, curiously enough, are rather 

 smaller, as Mr. Seton points out, than those of the 

 "Quaily" (Bartram's Sandpiper), a bird just one- 

 eighth of its weight. The pairing is carried on 

 in a very absurd fashion, parties of from one or 

 two to twenty assembling in the early morning on 

 some small hillock, and there dancing in a manner 

 which ismost ludicrous to behold. About the mid- 

 dle of August, or earlier, a row of stiff bristles com- 

 mences to grow on each side of the toes of both 

 old and young. These are fully grown by Octo- 

 ber, and henceforth the birds are provided with 

 snow-shoes for use during the Winter. In Spring 

 these bristles entirely drop off. The birds spend 

 the Summer out on the open prairie, and wliile it 

 lasts they seldom perch on trees ; but in Winter 

 they all adjourn to the bluffs and woods, and spend 

 the time there feeding on the buds of the trees, 



and at night diving down into the soft snow- 

 drifts for warmth and shelter. Although they 

 bury themselves to the depth of about a foot, 

 many are killed by wolves and foxes, whilst 

 others are fatally imprisoned should a slight thaw 

 and subsequent frost harden the surface of the 

 drift. In early Spring, before the snow is gone, 

 they emerge again upon the prairies where the 

 hips of the wild prairie-rose, which are held up 

 above the snow, provide them with food, while 

 the excessively hard seeds the hips contain act as 

 a substitute for grit in the stomachs of the birds. 

 Early in May they feed, like many other prairie 

 animals, upon the blossoms of the abundant sand- 

 flower or prairie anemone. Anemone putens, var. 

 nuttdlUmui ; and later on they consume quanti- 

 ties of grasshoppers, together with seeds and 

 berries, but they never, so far as Mr. Seton has 

 observed, touch grain. 



The Kildeer Plover, {^^Jgrnlites vociferuK,) is not 

 uncommon round some of the lakes. 



On August 3d we shot several specimens of the 

 Lesser Yellow-shanks, (Tutanus flimpen^ and one 

 of the Greater Yellow-shanks, (T. meUinnhndu:,) 

 round a lake near Carberry; Ihey were clciirly 

 on migration, as they were the first of their kind 

 seen. 



On July 10th, 1884, I shot a specimen of the 

 Solitary Sandpiper, (Rhyamphilus soUturiiu,) at 

 Maple Creek, 597 miles west of Winnepeg; it 

 was doubtless breeding. In the dry bed of tlie 

 creek I also caught a nestling bird, which was 

 probably of this species. 



During the Summer no bird is more familiar on 

 the Manitoban ))rairies than the Upland Plover 

 or Barti-am's Sandpiper, (Bartranwi longkavda,) 

 commonly there known as the " Quaily," from 

 its note. Surely no bird ever differed more com- 

 pletely from the generality of its relatives than 

 this! It is a Sandpiper which does not appear 

 to frequent marshes, which breeds habitually on 

 the dry open prairies, and which is frequently to 

 be seen perched among the branches of trees. 

 Its tameness is excessive. Often when driving 

 over the prairie I have seen it remain witliin 

 three yards of the passing vehicle without the 

 slightest concern. When on the wing, it offers a 

 shot so temptingly easy that few can resist. Its 

 note is a highly remarkable one, not easily for- 

 gotten when once heard. Dr. Coueswell describes 

 it as a" long-drawn, soft, mellow whistle, of a pe- 

 culiarly clear, resonant quality." It breeds abun- 

 dantly on the open prairie, and I have several 

 times caught the young in down. The majority 

 left Manitoba towards the latter end of August, 

 but I was several times surprised at hearing or 



