An Ottawa Naturalist's Journey Westward. 115 



a few teeth, a vertebra, and a rib, noting the localities with the 

 intention of getting more on my return. After leaving Swift 

 Current I saw a Hare, which may have been the Jack-rabbit or 

 Prairie Hare (Lepus campestris, BachmanJ, also beautiful ducks 

 on the water, and heard the croaking of frogs. Farther on I 

 had the good fortune to observe, but just for an instant, a Coyote 

 (Cams latrans, Say) running over the prairie, and at the 

 Medicine Hat Station another Coyote was seen in a cage with 

 a bear (Ursus aniericanus, Pallas J, also a fine White Pelican 

 ( Pelecanus erythrorhynchus, Gmelin j. 



The foregoing is a meagre account of some of the forms of 

 animal life to be seen on the prairie. The plains have nothing 

 wherewith to hide them, therefore, they are fully exposed to 

 view, but — as we approach the mountains with their summits 

 covered with snow, whilst beneath them flow rivers beautifully 

 clear - the scene is all changed. Whatever may be there of 

 animated nature is mostly hidden, and the mind becomes, in a 

 direct way, attracted to the scenery. However, right beside the 

 ^errible gorge of a canyon, where the mountain towers high 

 overhead, and the river flows far beneath, there was seen a speci- 

 men of " the Ouzel or Dipper {Ctnclus mexicanus, Swainson), an 

 aquatic thrush which swims (or rather flies) freely under water, 

 although not web-footed. It is a fine singer, living about 

 mountain torrents in the Rocky Mountain regions." Jordan. 



At New Westminster we left the Canadian Pacific Railway 

 and got on board the steamer for Victoria. Whilst we are 

 passing down the Fraser River, an opportunity was afforded of 

 seeing the Salmon Canneries, and it was very interesting to 

 observe the Chinamen making the tin cans. As each had his 

 especial work assigned him, it was like the ten men to make a 

 pin story over again. As the steamer stopped at Mayne Island, 

 Plumper's Pass, I got off at the wharf for a little while to look 

 around. Here I saw a lot of fresh halibut and cod-fish ready 



