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THE CANADIAN SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 



thank the Siar for the latter portion of his 

 article, and, if when writing on " Fish and 

 Game," he would keep his eye on the " Pot- 

 hunter," discover, arrest and fine him, then 

 the space appropriated by the paper would he 

 of use to all parties concerned. — C. 



BARE BIRDS IN CANADA. 



It may not be generally known that the Green 

 Heron (Butorides virescens) breeds in Canada. 

 During three years past, a few of these 

 herons have been forming small communities 

 in neighbouring swamps and woodlands adja- 

 cent to Missisquoi Bay. Mr. Chris. Beatty, our 

 old sporting friend, presented us with a very 

 good specimen on the last day of August. A 

 sharp look-out should be kept for strange 

 ornitholigical forms, as it is probable that many 

 rare species which visit latitudes north of Mon- 

 treal may be overlooked. In the month 

 of June, several years ago, we shot a male of 

 the Blue Bunting {Oyanospiza parellina) at 

 Baie Mille Vaches, on the north shore of the 

 St. Lawrence. Instances like this illustrates 

 the changes that occasionally occur in the lati- 

 tudinal ranges and longitudinal circles of birds. 

 The following birds were shot by Mr. N. A. 

 Comeau, at Godbout, Lower St. Lawrence, in 

 latitude 49 20. Yellow-headed Blackbird, 

 (Xanthocephalus icier oceplialus.) The occur- 

 rence of this bird in the above latitude is to us 

 a paradox. Mr. Comeau is an intelligent 

 student of Natural History, and his keen eye 

 detected this bird in the neighbourhood of his 

 house. We are not surprised when we record 

 the accidental appearance in Canada of birds 

 and insects belonging to the far West and South. 

 Insects have been discovered in Canada which 

 have so far puzzled Entomologists. They are 

 supposed to come here by the force of atmos- 

 pheric currents, but this is mere theory. 

 Several specimens of the BlueBuntingwere shot, 

 and a nest of this species containing four eggs 

 was found in a stump near Mr. Comeau's house. 

 A nest of the Hudsonian Tit (Parus Hudson- 

 icus) with four eggs was also found in an old 



stump in the vicinity of Godbout. This is the 

 second nest of this species found in Canada ; 

 Audubon having found the first while travell- 

 ing in Labrador. The nest is a curious struc- 

 ture. The bird selects an old stump or dead 

 tree, making a cavity similar to that made by 

 the Black-cap Tit or Downy Wood-pecker. 

 The Hudsonian Tit has an eye to comfort for 

 itself and progeny ; it lines the interior walls 

 of the tree with hairs from the common white 

 Northern Hare. When the nest is properly 

 taken out it resembles a bag generally about 

 twelve or fifteen inches long. The youth who 

 discovered it, obtained ten dollars for nest and 

 eggs.— C. 



THE GODBOUT RIVER. 



Considering the scarcity of salmon in the St. 

 Lawrence this season, the Godbout, scored a 

 fair average. Two gentlemen fished it with the 

 following result : 53 salmon, averaging about 

 fourteen pounds each ; 15 grilse, averaging four 

 pounds each . A large mini ber of sea trout were 

 caught by anglers, besides 5635 trout taken by 

 the seine after (he salmon season was over. 



THE ST. CHARLES RIVER. 



In an article on Salmon and Trout Rivers 

 and Lakes of Quebec in our January number, 

 we made remarks on the St. Charles, near the 

 city of Quebec. This river, at one time worthy 

 of being angled for Salmon and Sea Trout, was 

 doubtless a source of pleasure to a few Quebec- 

 ers who loved the sport at that time, knowing 

 also that these luscious fishes passed their doors 

 towards the pools near Lorette. But alas ! a 

 change has come over the waters of the St. 

 Charles, and the delicate Salmon will not now 

 enter its poisonous waters. 



It appears that a few years ago a building 

 was erected on its banks, near Lorette, for the 

 manufacture of pulp or paper of some kind. 

 A pipe leading from these premises to the river 

 conveys the refuse and poisonous acids into 

 the clear spring water of the river, preventing 

 the passage of fish and destroying all that 



