6324 



Birds. 



Loon. Supposed great northern diver, seen at beginning of 



voyage. 



And now 1 have run through my list, and hope that the comparing 

 these notes with the observations of others will afFord you some 

 amusement : I shall be glad when I receive any general conclusions 

 which you may draw from the same. 



Of the progress of the season, suffice it to say, that in the beginning 

 of the time comprised in this second part of my voyage, Nature was 

 in her " fall " dress, and, before I reached Carlton, ice was forming 

 along the banks and in the small bays of the river. 



While we were in that land of waterfowl below Cumberland, I 

 witnessed a shower of feathers : as we sailed up a reach of the river 

 with a fresh breeze, without the knowledge of a human being within 

 many miles of us, it appeared to be snowing; this was nothing more 

 than small feathers, and we supposed that at some Indian Camp in 

 the swamps to windward the operation of goose-plucking must be 

 going on ; these feathers had likely travelled many miles, and would 

 continue while the breeze lasted. 



I hope that you may be at some place where you may be able to 

 refer to the ' Fauna Boreali-Americana,' and I should feel much 

 obliged if, from the perusal of it, you would call my attention to points 

 requiring special observation. At present I feel myself on ground 

 trodden by those more capable, and with greater facilities than myself, 

 as Ornithology is only secondary with me, on account of duty requiring 

 so much of my time ; but once at the Rocky Mountains, which I hope 

 I may be ordered to cross, I shall consider myself on new ground. 

 ****** 



I have a young "half breed" under instructions in the way of 

 skinning, who I hope will be of great use to me next summer while 

 travelling, as my time is not my own. 



****** 



There is a species of grosbeak, which, as well as the pine grosbeak, 

 has been here all winter, but is not so numerous as the latter; I cannot 

 identify it by Wilson or Brewer's Synopsis, and in my Journal have 

 therefore called it for distinction "yellow-fronted grosbeak," however, 

 if as you wish, and 1 hope for your sake, you are at present stationed 

 in Dublin, you will have no difficulty in procuring the ' Fauna Boreali- 

 Americana' from the Dublin Society's library, and no doubt make 

 the bird out. I therefore, as I have two specimens of each sex now 

 before me, will attempt a description : — 



