Letters , Announcements , tyc. 
20a 
wrong to suppose that game-birds of any kind constitute 
its ordinary food,, whatever ignorant game-preservers may 
say. Would it not, help to intensify the hatred with 
which such people regard every “ hawk/' and would it 
not ee sanction and propagate a grave error/' if a group of 
Kestrels were to be publicly exhibited in our Museum, 
showing the old birds feeding their nestlings with young 
Pheasants ? It would be as misleading to say that English 
children (especially those of Norfolk) feed on blackberries, 
and to quote the ballad of “ The Babes in the Wood " in 
proof thereof.—H. S.] 
Milton, Co. Halton, 
Ontario, Canada, 
February 5th, 1886. 
Sirs, —The weather here is now severe, 18° below zero this 
morning, with about a foot of snow over the country, but 
not a Bedpole has come as yet. 
I am looking out for the long-expected Linota hornemanni. 
It seems now to be rather a rare straggler here. But even 
the common L. Unarm has not put in an appearance this 
year. Some years they are plentiful, and during others not 
one is to be seen. It is very strange. A few “Meadow- 
Larks " ( Sturnella ) have been trying to pass the winter here 
(the snow did not lie till late in January), but at last they 
have disappeared, either frozen to death or gone south. It 
was rather curious to see these summer-birds feeding on 
horse-dung on the sleigh-tracks. One kept about our 
stables for a time, generally feeding on the pile of horse- 
dung outside the door; there it was joined by another, but 
they have gone at last. Not in a condition to fly far, they 
must have died. A few Snow-Buntings now and then, 
generally feeding on the sleigh-tracks, are the only birds to 
be seen now, except in the woods, where there are a few 
Woodpeckers and Titmice and Nuthatches. Canada in 
winter is a most dreary country so far as ornithology is 
concerned. 
There is no doubt whatever, I think, of the excellency of 
ser. v.— VOL. IV. Q 
