The NiDioivOGisT. 



133 



an abrupt p3'raraid rising more than a mile 

 and a half above the railway. To the left 

 is Grizzly Mount, so called on account of 

 the number of bears which inhabit its 

 berry-bearing slopes. Game is very abund- 

 ant in this region, and big-horned sheep 

 and mountain goat are plentiful in the sur- 

 rounding heights, and Caribou occur in 

 numbers along the sands of the Columbia 

 River. 



Continuing our journey Kamloops on 

 the Thompson River is reached, and ninety 

 miles further the Fraser River joins the 

 Thompson. The railway now enters the 

 canyon of the united rivers, and the scene 

 becomes even wilder than before. The line 

 follows the right-hand side of the canyon 

 with the Fraser River surging and swirling 

 far below. The old Government Road at- 

 tracts attention all along the Fraser valley; 

 twisting and turning about the cliffs, it 

 sometimes ventures down to the river's 

 side, six miles below Cisco, where it follows 

 the cliffs opposite to the railway. It is 

 forced to the height of a thousand feet 

 above the river, and is joined by seemingly 

 slender sticks to the face of a gigantic 

 precipice. All along the river, Indians are 

 seen on projecting rocks, spearing salmon 

 or scooping them out with dipnets, and in 

 sunny spots the salmon are drying on poles. 

 Chinamen are seen on the occasional sand 

 bars, washing for gold, and Indian farms or 

 villages with their quaint and barbarously 

 decorated graveyards, alternate with the 

 groups of huts of the Chinese. 



On reaching Port Moody, the line runs 

 along Burrard Inlet to Vancouver. Snow- 

 topped mountains rise opposite, and are 

 vividly reflected in the mirror-like waters 

 of the deep-set inlet. The situation of the 

 City of Vancouver is most perfect as regards 

 picturesqueness, natural drainage, harbor 

 facilities and commercial advantages. It 

 has many miles of well-made streets, and 

 has several fine buildings of brick and 

 granite, and is lighted by electricity'. 



I spent two days in Vancouver and went 

 on board "The Minowa, " a splendid 



steamer, which had just arrived from 

 Australia. There is also a regular steam- 

 ship service to China and Japan. I visiti^d 

 Stanley Park, which is noted for its im- 

 mense trees. One large log is hollowed 

 out and allows a man on horseback to ride 

 through with ease. 



After spending a pleasant time at Van- 

 couver, I returned to BauflF, arriving there 

 on June 12, and took photographs of the 

 Bow River. 



A Query. 



CAN any of your readers enlighten me 

 upon the following subject: Are 

 there any other localities in North 

 America where the Long-tailed Duck 

 or "Old Squaw" lingers in the spring until 

 late in May, before departing for their 

 breeding grounds in the far north, and be- 

 fore the said departure takes place do the 

 birds undergo a complete transformation in 

 plumage, and about the first week in Maj^ 

 appear in full summer dress? 



Vast numbers of "Old Squaws" spend 

 the winter upon L,ake Ontario, and in early 

 spring congregate in immense straggling 

 flocks along the water front at Toronto, 

 where they linger until late in May; the 

 latest record I have is May 24, 1893, when 

 I examined a specimen shot on that date. 



About the beginning of May the birds 

 can be seen in various stages of plumage 

 from the full winter dress to their handsome 

 black and brown summer dress. I have 

 seen birds of the same flock in both winter 

 and summer plumage, and the contrast is 

 very striking. 



Some three or four years ago it used to 

 be a rare occurrence to obtain a specimen 

 in full summer plumage; now the}' are ob- 

 tained by the dozen. This season of 1894 I 

 have examined about fifteen specimens. I 

 should be obliged for any information in 

 regard to their being obtained in summer 

 phimage on any other part of the continent 

 south of Lake Ontario. 



Toronto, Canada. G. F. Dippie. 



Pot-hunters have almost annihilated the 

 California Clapper Rail, formerly abundant 

 about San Francisco bay. Tne Alameda 

 county supervisors have passed an ordi- 

 nance prohibiting the killing of Rail until 

 September i, 1896. 



