DECEMBER 
345 
tumbler with pure water^ and putting therein a few water- 
insects, or any substances that would float just beneath the 
surface ; a globe containing gold fish is a good illustration, 
and the illusion caused by the fish's occasionally coming up 
and meeting its image has a pretty appearance. Of course, 
the observer must look through the side of the glass, obliquely 
up to the surface. 
C. — Yonder are two little birds singing on a cherry 
tree. 
F. — Their song and their colours show that they are 
Yellowbirds ( Fringilla Tristis J, but in their sober winter 
plumage. It is very late for these birds to be here ; I should 
think they would hardly retire at all, since they have de- 
feiTed it so long. — The Canada Jay (Corvus Canadensis) 
is quite numerous now ; it appears with us about the middle 
of October, hopping about in fields and pastures, and at the 
margins of woods. Wilson appears to have had a very slight 
acquaintance with this species ; it is by no means a bird of 
solitary habits, almost always appearing in parties of three 
or four : neither does it, with us, confine itself to unfre- 
quented shaded retreats,'* as his informant reports, but, on 
the contrary, seems to be a saucy, familiar, fearless bird, 
often coming about the house, and playing about till one gets 
very near it. In Newfoundland, where they are com- 
mon, they live in the woods, but are very often found in the 
paths, feeding on the crumbs of bread, droppings, &c. which 
are met with in frequented places. A winter or two ago, 
there were several Canada jays that used to come and play 
about some fir trees on the banks of the Masuippi, close to 
a village school, unterrified by the uproar of the boisterous 
boys. I observed a party of them a few days ago, around 
Q 5 
