77 
Interior of British North America. 
68< Spizella monticola. 
No sailor ever looked out more anxiously for the land than did 
I, after the long and dreary winter spent at Fort Carlton, watch for 
the arrival of the first harbinger of approaching spring. A few 
days of mild weather (which set in before the middle of March) 
having made considerable diminution in the depth of the snow 
caused me to look out with more than usual anxiety; and each 
day I mounted a convenient eminence near the fort, telescope 
in hand, in expectation of catching sight of some winged voyagers. 
At last, on the 15th, I was rewarded by the appearance of a 
Hawk, which I took to be the Sparrow-Hawk, sailing along high 
in the air; but, as a fresh nor'-wester was blowing, he was sood 
out of sight. I subsequently learned that, on the 14th, a White- 
headed Eagle, and considerable flocks of small white birds, which 
were doubtless Snow Buntings, had been seen by some buffalo- 
hunters on the prairies between Fort Carlton and the south 
branch of the Saskatchawan, where the snow had in many places 
disappeared from the ground; but, as I have before observed 
when speaking of Plectrophanes nivalis, I believe that some of 
these hardy birds remain in certain situations during the entire 
winter, and we must consequently look upon them as winterers. 
Waiting patiently for a few days, on the 18th I started out 
after dinner with my gun, and took a track which led from the 
fort across the plain to the south-east. The forenoon had been 
overcast with the last touch of a north-easter, bringing its usual 
accompaniment of snow; but the wind having died away by 
the middle of the day, the sun broke through and dispersed 
nearly all the cloud, so that, although the thermometer was only 
just up to the freezing-point, it was a delightful afternoon. 
There was still sufficient snow on the ground to cause walking 
to be awkward, but I laboured along in expectation of falling in 
with something in the way of the Falcon tribe, for such birds are 
said to be the first to make their appearance,-—which, by the by, 
I have always thought rather curious; for surely, if the Hawks 
come, they must have some smaller birds to live upon, and I 
fancy that if we searched diligently we should find them. 
Having gone some distance, I turned homewards with the full 
intention of inserting in my journal, “ Not a single spring 
