120 
THE CANADIAN NATURALIST 
below the falls^ where its rocky course is bounded on each 
side by high cliffs^ topped with thick evergreen woods^ I saw 
sitting on the limb of an old hemlock that grew out of the 
side of the cliffy, a very large eagle^, of a dark brown colour, 
except the whole of the head, which was white. I suppose 
it was the celebrated Bald Eagle ( Falco Leucocephalus ), the 
emblem of America: it took to flight before I could come 
near it, and sailed down between the cliffs, till a bend in the 
river hid it from me, and I saw it no more. 
F. — • It was doubtless what you suppose it to have been ; 
it is a noble bird, and is not altogether rare. 
C. — Some pretty birds were running about the field at 
the margin of the river : the upper parts of the body were 
brown, mottled with black, the under parts bright yellow, 
except a black mark on the breast. They allowed me to 
approach pretty near, but I fired and missed my bird, when 
they all took to wing. 
F. — That is the Meadow Lark, another visitant from the 
south ( Alauda Magna ) : they are shot for the table, and 
arb a delicacy. They are much larger than the larks of 
England, but resemble them in many of their habits. Their 
song is svv^eet. 
C. — Early this morning, before I set out on my walk, I 
saw a bird, evidently a species of thrush, sitting on the top 
of a tree, singing with all his might, and with great sweet- 
ness of expression. He was of a bright red-brown above, 
and the under parts white, spotted with brown, like the 
songthrush of England. His attitude was singular; for he 
kept his tail spread out, and bent under him as he sat on 
the bough. I could easily have shot him, but he sang so 
delightfully that I had not the heart to do him a wrong. 
F. — It is the Ferruginous Thrush ( Tiirdus Rufus J ; 
and is a very prominent musician among the choir, which 
are just beginning to fill our woods with harmony. 
