REVIEWS THE HAND-BOOK OF TORONTO. 503 



It might, indeed, be assumed from some of our author's remarks, 

 that we are still in a considerably more primitive state, in relation to 

 vulpine and ursine neighbourship, than recent experience would 

 justify. After a detailed list of Canadian flora, the author thus 

 proceeds : — 



" The Fauna of the neighborhood has no doubt been considerably modified by 

 the progress of civilization, or at least by the cleai'ing of the forest. The Wolf 

 and the Bear, and other large animals so frequently met with by the early settler, 

 are now seldom seen except by the lumberman, whose store of bacon lures them 

 to his hut. Now and again, indeed, one or other of these ferocious animals, impel- 

 led by hunger, or allured by the scent of prey, strays beyond the line marked by 

 civilization, and finds, when too late, that it has wandered too near the haunts of 

 its relentless enemy, man. Of several of the orders of mammals, we have no 

 representatives here." 



In other cases, however, the Canadian ; ettler extends his courtesy 

 to the old denizens of the woods, and welcomes them to the new seat 

 of civilisation.. The sociable House "Wren (Troglodytes domestica), 

 and also the Purple Martin (Hirimdo purpui'ea), add to our migra- 

 tory city population, along with other summer visitors, and find 

 apartments prepared for them as welcome southern tourists : — 



''This inteiesting and beautiful bird is so much a favorite in consequence of its 

 social character, that it is no uncommon thing for persons to prepare it a place of 

 abode during its brief sojourn. Hundreds of little boxes are stuck up on long 

 poles in the gardens throughout the city, where these wanderers annually find a 

 resting place, and a temporary home after their long flight." 



Of the New York Bats {Vespertilio Novehoracensis) our Hand- 

 Book informs us : — 



"In the winter of 1854, Mr. Couper, Entomologist, found one of these bats 

 asleep one forenoon suspended by the feet from the branch of a tree in the Home- 

 wood Estate. He stuffed it and sent it to the celebrated Naturalist, L. Agassiz, 

 to whom it was of the utmost importance, for it enabled him to correct an error 

 into which he had fallen in regafd to the geographical range of this species. He 

 had set it down as ranging no farther north than the Middle States ; yet here it 

 was apparently at home, a little north of Oarlton Street." 



So of the Sand Martin {Hh-undo riparia). "We learn that the 

 sand banks near the 'Toronto Necropolis contain large colonies of 

 them. And of the beautiful little Blue-eyed Yellow Warbler {Mni- 

 otilta aestivd) : — 



" Great numbers of them may be seen in the gardens in the upper part of the 

 city, among the shrubs and fruit trees, and sometimes in the streets, unmindful of 

 ihe bustle and din of a crowded thoroughfare. For many summers past they 



