154 DOUGLAS' JOURNAL 



a less pleatif ul bird than most species of tte tribe, and not so shy as many. 

 Is not so ferocious as the Silver-beaded, of which he stands in great awe. 

 I was able to procure only one of this species in February ; the sex is 

 unknown to me. Appears not to live on fish, as wUd-fowl was in the 

 stomach. Small Eagle ; this appears to be a rare bird ; only one pair 

 have I seen, one of which I killed. It flies with amazing speed and pursues 

 all other species although far inferior in strength and much smaller ; the 

 legs and feet of a bright light blue colour. What food it lives on I cannot 

 say, as the stomach was empty. Large Horned Owl ; seems not to be 

 very abundant ; I have not seen more than twelve or fourteen. One I 

 killed by the light of the moon, after having watched for six successive 

 evenings. It was not the species I was in quest of ; I am given to under- 

 stand there is a species here much larger than the Snowy Owl, of a 

 yellowish-brown, but although I have been constantly in search of him, 

 I am as yet unsuccessful. Two species of Crow, one large and one small ; 

 the small one is less abundant and more shy, generally seen on the sides 

 of rivers ; both frequent old encampments and live on carrion ; one of 

 each is in the collection ; killed in February. Of the Hawk tribe I have 

 seen four species ; only two males of different species I have been able 

 to kill, which are both preserved. I have seen one nearly a pure white 

 about the size of a Sparrowhawk, a very active bird and continually 

 on the chase after all the other species which all shun its society. I am 

 sorry that this with the other two species I am unable to kill. In Wild- 

 fowl there appears to be little difference from those found in most parts 

 of uninhabited America. The common Canadian Wild Goose, the Grey 

 or Calling Goose, and the Small White Goose, are very plentiful in all 

 lakes, low plains, and on the sandbanks of the Columbia. They migrate 

 northward in April and return in October. A pair of each are in the 

 collection, the male of the grey is a fine mottled bird. Of Swans there 

 appear to be three species or varieties : one large, the Common Swan ; 

 one small, of the same colour (probably age may account for that) ; a 

 third, equal in size to the largest, bluish-grey on the back, neck, and 

 head, white on the belly. All three are seen together in flocks frequenting 

 the same spots as the wild geese and migrate at the same time. The 

 third species, of which there is a female in the collection, differs I think 

 specifically from the others and is not so plentiful. In Ducks there are 

 ten or twelve species; I have been able to kill only three. On the 

 Columbia there is a species of Buzzard, the largest of all birds here, the 

 Swan excepted. I killed only one of this very interesting bird, with 

 buckshot, one of which passed through the head, which rendered it unfit 

 for preserving ; I regret it exceedingly, for I am confident it is not yet 

 described. I have fired at them with every size of small shots at respect- 

 able distances without effect ; seldom more than one or two are together. 

 When they find a dead carcase or any putrid animal matter, so gluttonous 

 are they that they will eat until they can hardly walk and have been 

 killed with a stick. They are of the same colour as the common small 

 buzzard found in Canada, one of which was sent home last October. 

 Beak and legs bright yellow. The feathers of the wing are highly prized 



