VI PREFACE. 



The climate is as healthy as it is delightful, at all 

 seasons : whether in the glorious days of summer, when 

 ruby-throated humming-birds flit from flower to flower ; 

 in the glowing autumn, when tints of brightness unknown 

 in other lands invest the forest with their gorgeous 

 mantle; in the dreamy softness of that wonderful period 

 called the "Indian summer;" or in the clear glistening 

 winter, with its sparkling fields of pure snow, its cloudless 

 blue skies, and merry sleigh-bells. 



During a sojourn in these regions, extending over a 

 period of three years, constantly rod in hand or roaming 

 the woods with dog and gun, I habitually recorded in my 

 note-book memoranda on the haunts and habits of the 

 birds and animals which I have endeavoured to describe 

 in the succeeding pages; and I can only hope that my 

 jottings may be useful to those who read them, with the 

 view of themselves enjoying the same pursuits, and 

 interesting to those who would recal similar bygone days 

 of agreeable recreation. 



In the following chapters I have, as far as regards the 

 Mammals and Birds, adopted the nomenclature of Baird, 

 (the most recent writer on the Natural History of his 

 own country,) and in the remaining division of the work 

 I am personally indebted to Mr. Nettle, the Government 

 Superintendent of the Fisheries of Lower Canada, for 

 details of statistical information not generally accessible. 



