146 



THE OOLOGIST. 



expansions, resembling red sealing wax, 

 while the wild turkey bears on its breast 

 a tuft, which certainly resembles hair 

 more than feathers. 



F. Barker. 



Canadian Birds. 



As very few readers of the Oologist 

 reside in this vicinity, I may perhaps 

 add a few notes on some of the birds 

 that are found here. Not that I hunt 

 them, or study them in their haunts, 

 but go in an unsportsmanlike manner, 

 to Montreal's great produce and game 

 stronghold, the Bonsecours Market. 

 Here it is, and for years past that the 

 fowl, game and agricultural products 

 have been vended. 



It is worth a fortune, on some after- 

 noon, to find your way slowly and tor- 

 tuously, between innumerable carts 

 and even more plentiful natives, to 

 study nature here exhibited, and the 

 numerous discussions arising about 

 goods connected with their bandy carts. 



But to return. Birds of several kinds 

 are shot (and snared) in this vicinity 

 and invariably find their way to the 

 market place. 



It is also an understood affair that 

 about double the wanted price is to be 

 asked. I suffered at first for want of 

 this knowledge. An example. Care- 

 fully looking to see what was hung up 

 I espied a fine specimen of that noble 

 bird, the Pileated Woodpecker. Al- 

 most turning my nose at the bird, I 

 asked its name? "Don't know, some 

 sort of crow!" What's the price. Well 

 give me .75 and have him. I bought 

 that woodpecker for .25, and four spe- 

 cimens to my knowledge have been 

 there since. 



Great numbei's of the Duck tribe are 

 represented, such as our beautiful 

 Wood Duck, the shapely Mallard, Blue 

 and Green-wing Teal, Golden-eye, 

 dainty Buffle-head, Blue- bill, Black 

 Mallard. Shoveller, two species of Mer- 



ganser's, Horned Grebe, and Canada 

 Goose! That grand bird, the Great 

 Horned Owl is quite plentiful. Barred 

 Owl's are quite common, also the Long 

 and Short-eared Owl's can be had now 

 and then. Fine specimens of the 

 Snowy Owl's from this vicinity have 

 been exposed for sale. Most of our 

 Northern Raptores are found in this 

 locality, especially that bold bird the 

 American Goshawk. The Black Rough- 

 legged Hawk has also been very com- 

 mon. The Osprey is not rare. Several 

 species of Sea Gull's fly up the St. Law- 

 rence in the fall, and numbers are shot. 

 The Loon is shot on or near Lakes and 

 and are hung up for sale. 



As for mammals, the beaver,raccoon, 

 fox, several species of squirrel's and 

 muskrat (dressed) are common enough, 

 the beaver comes in but rarely. Sever- 

 al species of Snipes and Plovers are very 

 abundant. Of these Wilson's Snipe, 

 Golden Plover, Killdeer aud the Wood- 

 cock are very plentiful, also Yellowleg's 

 and stray Sandpipers. The Canada 

 Grouse are always on hand and cheap, 

 and thousands of our Ruffed Grouse, 

 packed in barrels, and killed, it seems 

 to me more by strangulation than shoot- 

 ing. It is in part, the humanity met 

 there, that interests one, as going 

 through their midst with'Owl' or'Duck' 

 in view, an old woman accosts you 

 (French), giving you information on 

 po rk, onions, blood-sausage etc; or see 

 the seething multitude, buying, bargain- 

 ing, selling, and in all this your humble 

 servant jostled, hurried forward until 

 arriving at the coveted place, some fine 

 birds await you. 



The above is, I know, a very un- 

 scientific rambling, but it perhaps 

 agrees with the relations attending the 

 procural of the specimans, and gives 

 an idea of some of the birds that, with 

 few exceptions, are taken in this vicin- 

 ity. Respectfully yours, 

 Albert U. Roberts, 

 Montreal, Canada. 



