114 The Ottawa Naturalist. 



(Larus argentatus, Brunnichj swimming on the water and 

 flying about. Farther on, at Vermilion Bay, were two bears 

 {Ursus Aniericamis, PallasJ chained near the railway station, a 

 medium sized one and a very small one, the latter about the 

 size of a Newfoundland dog pup ; these occasioned much amuse- 

 ment, especially among the colonist passengers. On the prairies 

 some of the barns are rudely thatched, and, as the cattle often 

 stand out of doors, smudges are built for them. Regarding mos- 

 quitoes, judging from size and colour, it would seem there are 

 several species, and one has only to step off the train to pluck a 

 few flowers or look for insects, when he will soon have multitudes 

 of those unbidden dipterous on his back and sleeves. One 

 morning early I looked out of the puUman window and saw a 

 Cow-bird ( Molothrus ater, BoddaertJ alight on a horse's back, and 

 the horse was quite willing to allow it, ior doubtless the bird is a 

 great boon to horses and cattle in devouring the insects which 

 torment them. At Moose Jaw the train stopped for some 

 time. Here I caught a specimen of one of the Garter Snakes, 

 probably the variety known as the Riband Snake {Eiitainia 

 saurita, L.) Not having access to boxes at the time I 

 managed to get him into my razor case, awaiting an oppor- 

 tunity of attending to his interests as a Natural History specimen, 

 and am happy to say every thing possible has since been done 

 for him, and he is now in excellent spirits. When caught he was 

 minus the tip of the tail. Here also we saw a Kill-deer Plovet 

 {u'Egialitis vocifera, L.), and two Marsh Harriers {Circus hud- 

 sonicus, L.) The kill-deer acted as if it designed to draw us away 

 from its nest; and the female hawk floated about like a boy's 

 kite just over our heads, and did not appear inclined to get out 

 of the way. After leaving Boharm, those interesting little 

 Rodents, the Gophers {Spermophiliis sp.), were to be seen sitting 

 up straight or jumping about. At different places heaps of 

 Buffalo (Bison bison, L.J bones are exposed to view. I collected 



