80 PEARLS AND PEBBLES. 



who wanted it as a specimen, and who was a clever 

 taxidermist. 



I could gain no further information from Peter, nor 

 have I ever seen another specimen of the bird with this 

 descriptive name. I have, however, since found in a 

 lately published work, "The Birds of Ontario," by- 

 Thomas Mcllwraith, already quoted, that the dress of 

 the female grosbeak is a pale whitish-grey, and it 

 strikes me that this may have been a hen-bird but 

 partially colored, or a male bird not in full dress. 



While speaking of my Indian friend Peter I recall a 

 little scene which took place in the post-office at Gore's 

 Landing, at that time a general rendezvous for both 

 busy folk and idlers. As is usual in country places, the 

 office was also a store, and was kept by the gentleman 

 before alluded to as a collector of birds, etc. The Indian 

 hunters were his best customers, trading their furs and 

 game for tobacco, groceries and other necessaries. 



Peter was a picturesque figure as he marched into the 

 store, gun 1 in hand, and clad in his blanket-coat and red 

 sash, especially as drawn through this red sash hung a 

 beautiful Hawk-owl.* 



Everyone exclaimed, " What a beauty ! " but Peter, 

 taking it from his sash, flung it on the counter with a 

 word that did not sound at all nice. 



" Why, Peter ! " said Major St. Q , " what's the 



matter ? " 



♦American Hawk-owl— Surnia Vlula. 



