120 Field and Forest Rambles. 



the northern portions of both continents. I think there is also 

 a disposition in the present day to keep closely-allied birds 

 apart, rather than link them together — too much of what 

 might be called the cabinet diagnosis, founded on the bare 

 aspect of skins in museums, without any consideration of 

 the influence of habits, climate, and other causes, in bringing 

 about alterations in form and external appearances of such 

 objects as closely resemble each other, but differ in a few 

 minute points of distinction. Again, the naturalists of 

 particular countries often hold fast by the names originally 

 given to species since shown to be identical with others 

 previously known ; thus the Canadian eagle, duck, hawk, 

 and American osprey still retain separate specific appel- 

 lations, although it is well known that they are identical 

 with the golden eagle, peregrine, falcon, and osprey of the 

 Old World. 



The Peregrine remains here throughout the year, and 

 breeds on the rocky shores of the Bay of Fundy. 



The OSPREY is plentiful along the rivers and their fiords 

 in summer, where it may be seen constantly stooping on fish. 

 It arrives early, when the ice is breaking up on the lakes 

 and rivers, and just as the migratory fishes are pushing 

 up from the sea. 



The Pigeon Hawk (F. columbarius) spends the year in the 

 region, and feeds in winter on the Canadian grouse and 

 ruffed partridge, as does its ally the goshawk, one of the most 

 destructive and daring enemies of the poultry-yard. I am 

 inclined to believe it kills hares also ; at all events the young 

 suffer in common with smaller rodents. A straggler of the 

 Greenland gyr falcon has been seen now and then in winter, but, 

 according to Baird, it has been killed as far south as New York 

 and Providence. When all the alder swamps are bare, and the 

 forest more opened out, no doubt buzzards, now uncommon, 

 will increase in numbers in summer, when there is abundance 

 of frogs and the like. At present the marsh, broad-winged, 



