6 Jeffries on the Fingers of Birds. 
During September we are visited by various birds of prey. 
Every autumn brings one or two Hawk Owls to perch upon the 
top of the flag-staff or wind-vane, while young Goshawks and 
Gyrfalcons circle about, frequently alighting for a short time upon 
the fence or any convenient post. More rarely, a Pigeon Hawk 
appears for a moment, only to vanish as quickly. Several times 
during the evening, I have surprised a Short-eared Owl perched 
upon the fence or hovering over the yard, probably attracted by 
the mice which gather about the buildings at this season. One 
fall, in October, a Great Horned Owl for several successive 
evenings converted the woodpile into a lookout station, but was 
careful to decamp before a gun could be brought into requisition. 
As winter sets in a small party of Black-capped Titmice may 
appear for a day or two and, less often, the Hudsonian Titmouse 
may be seen. Both climb about the old log houses or examine 
the weed patches, all the while cheerily uttering their familiar 
dee-dee-dee , and, in the end hurrying off' as though they had not 
a moment to spare. Then follows .a long blank, broken only by 
a stray party of Redpolls from their winter quarters in the inte- 
rior ; or, as may happen, a Ptarmigan perches upon the roof of 
one of the buildings for a few moments, gazing with astonish- 
ment on the mixture of dogs and men below ; then, probably 
remembering a pressing engagement elsewhere, it precipitately 
departs. Once a Ptarmigan, more philsophically inclined or 
more foolish than the average, came whirring along and dropped 
into the centre of the yard amidst forty or fifty Eskimo dogs. 
Several persons who saw the performance stated that, as the 
birds feet touched the ground, there was a wild rush of dogs, a 
few feathers floated upward, and the dogs walked innocently away 
casting back regretful glances to make sure the gods were not to 
provide another heaven-sent gift for their delectation. 
ON THE FINGERS OF BIRDS. 
BY J. A. JEFFRIES. 
The. anterior limb or wing of birds is homologous with the 
anterior limb of reptiles, batrachians and mammals. Hence it is 
