NOTES ON THE ZOOLOGY OF MANITOBA. 247 
20th I heard that a Gyr Falcon had been observed; at the same 
time a friend of mine caught two young Canada Geese down by 
the river. You have no idea what a place this is for birds. I am 
often lying outside the tent, smoking, when perhaps a pair of 
Marsh Harriers will come sailing past; then a big Buzzard will 
perch about fifty yards away and remain motionless for hours, in 
spite of my firing my catapult at him; then a flight of Ducks 
passes over, or perhaps a few Sand-hill Cranes, or Geese, 
Passenger Pigeons, &c. This is an ordinary occurrence, and if 
I take the trouble to get my gun and walk down to a slough a 
quarter of a mile away, I am sure to flush Sandpipers, Plovers, 
Snipe, Yellowshanks, and other waders, a few Ducks, or perhaps 
a couple of Water Rails or a Bittern, and see the Musk Rats 
swimming and diving in all directions. I am getting almost 
indifferent now to the sight of so many birds, and rarely shoot 
one unless it be something uncommon. 
September 16th.—Three guns had good sport early in this 
month; they got 600 head in five days, mostly Duck, Snipe, and 
Prairie Chickens. Amongst the dead I found another species of 
Phalarope, smaller than those I got previously; it is in autumn 
plumage. [Possibly the Red-necked Phalarope.—Ep.] There 
were also several species of small waders, but I was too late to 
save them. Prairie Chickens are scarce this season, owing no 
doubt to the settlers shooting them during the close time. 
Amongst the birds I have got lately are Scaup, Grebes, King- 
fishers, Blue Jay, Velvet Scoter, and Peregrine. Hawks are 
particularly abundant this autumn, especially Marsh Harriers, 
but I rarely take the trouble to shoot at one now. 
October 12th.— Winter is coming on fast, and the wildfowl 
are leaving us for the south. I have shot eighty Ducks in three 
days during the early part of this month. Snipe are still 
plentiful, but will soon be leaving. I have seen several Mer- 
gansers and Buffel-heads, and secured one of the former for the 
collection. The other day I saw a Pelican [Pelecanus trachy- 
rhynchus] exposed for sale in a shop; it was shot in South 
Manitoba, and measured eight feet from tip to tip of the wings. 
I have added to my store a Little Crake, which I shot out of a 
reed-bed early this month; it is the first of the kind I have ever 
seen here. 
