48 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



he has taken alarm and is trying to reach his burrow in advance of his 

 enemy. A little farther on we find that he succeeded for his tracks end 

 in front of a small burrow under the roots of an immense maple. We 

 read in the snow where Reynard had stopped to sniff down the hole, 

 and we can almost see the disappointment in his wicked, sharp-featured 

 visage, as he trotted off to look after his breakfast elsewhere. 



As we stand, silently applauding bunny for his escape, we hear the 

 familiar ''Chickadee-dee-dee" We soon discover the authors of the 

 song; they are flitting about among the under branches of the spruces a 

 short distance away and appear to be slowly working their way in our 

 direction. Here they come flitting from branch to branch, the most 

 cheerful little feathered beings that can be found in our winter woods. 

 Right on their flank and almost over our heads are two other Chicka- 

 dees with brown caps instead of black and with much brown on their 

 under parts. These are the Hudsonian Chickadees, less common in 

 Nova Scotia than the Black-capped but still often met with in company 

 with the others. We find also in company with the Chickadees, a num- 

 ber of Golden-crowned Kinglets and a pair of Red-bellied Nuthatches. 



As we continue our tramp and reach the lake, we startle a flock of 

 seven Black Ducks that have come in from the coast to get a drink of 

 fresh water from the brook, which because of the swiftly flowing water 

 rarely freezes. With much splashing and quacking they are off and 

 settle down into their well known whistling flight, their wings keeping 

 perfect time. 



After examining some mink tracks along the edge of the brook we 

 strike off back of the hill and make our way back to the village. 



MARSH HAWK, 



A. O- U. No. 331. (Circus hudsonicus.) 



RANGE. 



This bird ranges over practically the whole of North America, breed- 

 ing throughout its range but more especially in the northerly parts 

 than in the extreme south. It winters in the southern parts of the Unit- 

 ed States and in Cuba and Mexico. 



DESCRIPTION. 

 Length from 18 to 21 in. the female being the larger bird; Iris and 

 feet bright yellow. Male^— Very old males have the whole of the up- 

 per parts except the rump a light bluish gray; most specimens, how- 

 ever, are plain gray sometimes washed with dusky; the upper breast is 

 always grayish generally mixed with some brownish; rest of under 

 parts pure white with long brownish spots and some bars. The upper 

 tail coverts in all plumages of both the adults and young are white. 



