OBSERVATIONS ON CANADIAN BIRDS. TH 
are now found farther north than the limits assigned to them by 
their historians, and as the country is better cleared, we may yet 
expect to find many species in our woods and gardens which at present 
do not come so far north, 
Of the birds found in our vicinity at present, I may say that these 
first attracted my attention in the spring of 1856 while indulging in a 
series of morning rambles along the edge of the mountain, west of 
the city. Since that time I have devoted some of my leisure hours to 
preserving specimens, and have been able to identify all the sorts 
procured, though it may be worthy of remark, that at the time 
referred to, there was not even the beginning of a museum in the 
city, and the principal public library contained no book which could 
be of the least assistance to the amateur, in this branch of Natural 
History. 
It will not be expected in a paper of this description that I can 
refer to each of the numerous species which frequent our woods and 
marshes: for the benefit of those who may be desirous of obtaining 
fuller information of this description I have prepared a list, which 
has already appeared in this Journal, of all that have come under my 
own observation, arranged according to the classification of Audubon 
in Families, Genera, and Species. I will now only refer to a few of 
the more remarkable species in the different Families. 
Following the arrangement referred to, we find highest on the 
list, the Family Falconide, which includes all our Diurnal birds 
of prey, such as Eagles, Hawks, Buzzards, &c. These are dis- 
tinguished by their short and powerful beaks, strong hooked 
talons, and the great length and breadth of their wings; this class 
is well represented in our woods, and along the Bay shore; the most 
conspicuous member of it being the Bald Eagle, whose grand circling 
flight makes him an object of interest wherever he appears. With us 
this species is seldom seen during summer, but at the approach of 
winter, when the fish hawk has gone south, and game gets scarce in 
the woods, a few pairs are usually observed about Land’s bush, and 
along the beach, where they prey on musk rats, and feed on such 
animal matter as may be thrown up by the waters of the Lake. 
During the two past winters the fishermen residing on the beach have 
been offered a liberal price for a mature specimen of this bird, but 
so difficult are they of approach, that although individuals have been 
seen nearly every day during two months in each season, yet all the 
