tsf-M, DiOLOGf LiSRAR* G BIRD-NESTING IN NORTH-WEST CANADA BY P^TOTED BY HUNTER, ROSE AND COMPANY. 1892 PRINTED AND BOUND BY UUNTER, ROSE & COMPANY 23 WELLINGTON STREET, TORONTO PREFACE. HOUGH the preface comes first it is usually written last, and to this custom " Bird-Nesting in North- West Canada " is no exception. Now that the last chapter has been written, the time has come to give a few words of explanation. The only time I have been able to devote to this work was during evenings after business hours, and not only had the book to be written, but the illustrations had also to be drawn at night, consequently the work has taken longer to execute than I had anticipated, and I wish to thank my subscribers for their patience and indulgence in waiting so long for their copies. Though the title of the book would lead readers to expect the work to be purely Oological, it will be found to treat on matters not strictly Ornithological. I have branched off and given descriptions of the habits of the more important animals inhabiting the region traversed, and have also given a de- scription of the scenery between Toronto and Vancouver. The book is also intended to be a guide to sportsmen and anglers who intend visiting this territory, and it may even be of some use to intending settlers. I have given accurate descriptions of the birds' eggs, and also given their measure- ments. At the end of the book is an index, so that the book may answer as a reference. The colored plates of birds' eggs are faithful representa- tions of specimens in my collection, and have been drawn on 862512 iv Preface. stone by myself, as well as the other illustrations of birds and scenery. It must be understood that the- book does not describe all the species which inhabit the North-West, for many common species known to be summer residents were not even observed, and the songs of many warblers, vireos, sparrows, and other small birds were heard in the bluffs and along the wooded streams, but I could not recognize the species. At some future time I hope to be able to give a more complete list of the birds of the North-West, and having recently succeeded in obtaining collectors at Great Slave Lake, and at the mouth of the Mackenzie River, on the Arctic coast, I hope, before long to be able to give an account of the birds which breed in this northern region. Though this book claims no literary pretentions, I trust my readers will find it of sufficient interest to be worthy of their perusal, and, with all its faults, I therefore place it before you. WALTER RAINE. TORONTO, 1892. INDEX. PAGE American Avocet 46, 54, 56, 74 Bittern 120, 185 Coot 165, 181 Crossbill 145 Crow 170 Goldfinch 158 Goshawk 178 Hawk Owl 158, 160 Herring Gull 47, 62 Long-eared Owl 192 Pine Grosbeak 143 Robin 27, 140 Rough-legged Hawk 10, 179 Scaup Duck 44, 55 Stint 61 Sparrow Hawk 147 White-fronted Goose . . 80 White Pelican ....... 47 Wigeon 46 Arctic Towhee 28 Baird's Sparrow 33 Bald Eagle 18 Baldpate 46 Baltimore Oriole 141 Barrow's Golden-eye 99 Bartram's Sandpiper 35, 119 Bay-winged Bunting 171 Belted Kingfisher 141 Bittern, American 120, 185 " Least 18H Black Tern 180 Black-billed Cuckoo 140 Blackbird, Brewer's 159 Red- winged.. 27, 112, 164 Rusty 41, 112 Yellow-headed . . 164, 182 Blue-winged Teal 29 Bohemian Wax wing 27 Bonaparte's Gull 56, 57, 62 Bronzed Grackle 26 Brown Creeper 156 Buff-breasted Sandpiper 65 Buffle-headed Duck 62, 15 '> Burrowing Owl 66, 70* Buzzard Rough-legged 10, 179 " Red-tailed . . .194 PAGE Ruzzard, Ferruginous 114 " Swainson's 28, 149, 186 Turkey 44, 69 Canada Goose 45, 57 " Grouse 159 " Jay 159 Canvas-back Duck 44, 164 Carolina Crake 142, 164 Catbird 27, 140 Cedar Waxwing 159 Chestnut-collared Longspur, 53, 146, 171 Clay-coloured Sparrow 147, 149 Coot, American 165, 181 Cormorant, Double-crested 155 Cowbird „ 77 Creeper, Brown 156 Crane, Little-brown 22, 151, 166 " Whooping 82 Crossbill, American 145 White-winged 145 Cuckoo, Black-billed 140 Curlew, Long-billed 66, 119 " Esquimaux 114 Duck, American Scaup 55 Canvas-back 44, 164 Buffle-headed 62, 155 Harlequin 99 Lesser Scaup 44, 55 Pintail 49, 82 Duck, Ring-necked 182 Ruddy 146 Shoveller 43, 44, 61 Wood 64 Summer 64 Hawk ' 12 Eagle, Bald 18 " Golden 12, 17 Evening Grosbeak 144 Esquimaux Curlew 114 Falcon, Peregrine 12 Prairie 127 Ferruginous Buzzard 114 Field Plover 35. 36 Flicker, Yellow-shafted 158, 192 Foster's Tern . . 56 VI Index. PACE Franklin's Gull 181 Gadwall 59 Godwit, Marbled 31, 59 Golden Eagle 12, 17 Golden-crowned Kinglet 190 Golden-winged Woodpecker. 158, 192 Golden-eye, Barrow's 99 Goose, Brant 113 " Canada 45, 57 " LesserSnow 80, 113 " White-fronted 80 Ooshawk, American 178 Grackle, Bronzed 26 Rusty 41, 112 Green-winged Teal , 93, 142 Oreat Grey Owl 16, 91 " Horned Owl 191 " Northern Diver 153 Grebe, Eared 183 Red-necked 151, 181 Horned 165, 183 Sclavonian 165, 183 " Western 150 Grouse, Canada '. . 159 Sharp-tailed 31, 171 Grosbeak, Evening 144 Pine 143 Gull, American Herring 47, 62 " Bonaparte's 56,62 " Franklin's 181 " Ring-billed 151 Gyrfalcon 128 " Iceland 129 Harlequin Duck 100 Harrier, Marsh 80, 92 Hawk, Pigeon 184 Red-tail 194 Rough-legged 10, 179 Sharp-shinned 193 Swainson's 28, 149, 186 Owl 160 Hooded Merganser 64 Horned Lark 60 Kildeer 29, 37, 142 Kingbird 29, 149 Kinglet, Golden-crowned 190 " Ruby-crowned 191 Knot 187 Lapland Longspur 53, 54 Lark, Prairie-horned 60, 146, 190 " Pallid-horned 59 " Shore 60 Leconte's Sparrow 171 Least Sandpiper 61 Least Bittern 186 Lesser Redpole 143 Little Brown Crane 22, 151, 166 Long-billed Marsh Wren 146 PAGE Long-billed Curlew 60, 119 Longspur, Chestnut-collared. 53, 146, 171 Lapland 53, 54 McCown's . 52, 58, 73, 119 Loon, Common 6, 152 ' ' Black-throated 154 " Red-throated 153 Mallard 59, 164 Magpie, Yellow-billed 116 Marbled Godwit 31, 59 Marsh Hawk 80, 92 Marsh Wren, Long-billed. . . 146, 164 " Short-billed, 146, 182, 186 Meadow Lark, Western 170 Merlin, European 118 " Richardson's 117 Night-hawk, Western 142, 170 Northern Phalarope 56 " Raven 130 " Wax wing 27 Shrike 141 Owl, American Hawk 160 European " 160 Burrowing 66, 70 Great Grey 16, 91 Great-horned 191 Richardson's 91 Saw-whet 161 Short-eared 44, 45 Long-eared 192 Tengmalm's 91 Pelican, White 47 Peregrine Falcon 12 Phalarope, Northern 56 Wilson's... 34, 56,65, 121 Pigeon Hawk 184 Pine Grosbeak 143 Prairie Falcon 127 Ptarmigan Rock 97 Willow 97 " White-tailed 97 Raven 130 Red-winged Starling 30, 112, 164 Red-headed Woodpecker 112 Redpole, Lesser 143 Red-head Duck 182 Richardson's Grouse 97 Merlin 117 Owl 91 Ruffed Grouse 195 Rusty Grackle 41, 112 Sandpiper, Buff-breasted 65 Least 61 " Bartram's 35, 36, 119 Spotted 65, 74 Shoveller 44, 61 Index. PAGE Shore Lark 60, 146, 190 Shrike, Northern 141 Short-billed Marsh Wren 146 Semipalmated Plover 74 Snipe, Wilson's 37, 46 Snow Bunting 53 Snowy Owl 89 Spotted Sandpiper 65, 74 Sprague's Pipit 75 Sparrow-hawk 147 Swainson's Buzzard 28, 149 Sparrow, Baird's 33 Clay-coloured 147, 149 " Leconte's 171 White-throated 190 Vesper, Western 171 PAGE Trumpeter Swan 37 Teal, Blue-winged 29 "• Green-winged 93, 142 Turkey Vulture 44, 69 Virginian Rail 168 WThooping Crane 82 White- throated Sparrow 190 Whip-Poor- Will. . „ 170 Willet 58, 64 Winter Wren 156 Wilson's Snipe 36, 46 " Phalarope . . 34, 56, 121, 165 Wood Duck 64 Woodpecker, Golden- winged. 158,192 Red-headed.. . 112 ZOOLOG-Y. Antelope 41, 46, 50 Bear, Black 15, 172 " Cinnamon 155, 172 " Grizzly 104, 108 Buffalo 48, 124 Cariboo 110, 178 Deer, Black-tailed 172 Elk 109 Fox 172, 187 Grey Wolf 86 Lynx 175. Moose 175, 177 Puma 10& Prairie Wolf 47, 75, 85, 120 Rattlesnake 95 Skunk 192 Wolverine , 172: ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Colored Plate I.— Eggs of Golden Eagle, Peregrine, Red tail Hawk, Pigeon Hawk, Sharp- shinned and Sparrow Hawks, opp. 1 II.— Eggs of Knot, Phalaropes, Plovers, Avocet, Sandpipers, etc. - opp. 56 III. — Eggs of Curlew, Ptarmigans, Bona- parte's Gull, Turnstone Green-shank, Yellow-shank, Grey Plover, etc. opp. 98 IV. — Eggs of Iceland Falcon, Prairie Falcon, Swallow-tail Kite, European Merlin, Kestril, Osprey, etc. opp. 130 V.— Eggs of Raven, Nutcracker, Grackles, Blackbirds, Longspurs, Larks, etc. Opp. 148 VI.— Eggs of Little Brown Crane, Whip- poor-will, Night-hawk, Bohemian Waxwing, Pine Grosbeak, Great Shrike, etc. - opp. 170 ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Red Rock, Nipigon River 10 Thunder Cape, Lake Superior 12 j Pointe de Meuron 13 \ Lake of the Woods 14 Golden Eagle and Eyrie 18 Kildeer and Wilson's Phalarope . . 38 The Sportsman's Paradise 41 Antelope Hunting 50 Avocet and Nest 55 j Canada Goose, Curlew and Nests.. 59 Shore Lark and Turkey Vulture . 71 Marsh Hawk and Nest 81 Death of the Prairie Wolf 86 j Rocky Mountains near Calgary ... 96 , The haunts of the Grizzly 104 ' Frazer River Canyon 105 | Puma and Grizzly Bear 108 j Banff Hot Springs Ill j American Bittern and Nest 120 PAGB Indians and their Tepees 122 Buffaloes 126 Emigrant Train, Assiniboine Valley 134 Feast of the White Dog 138 Near Virden 142 West of Virden 148 Loon's Nest 152 Peregrine Falcon and American Hawk Owl 160 Nests of Canvas Back and Yellow- headed Blackbird 164 Little Brown Crane and Yellow- shank 167 Still hunting , 176 American Goshawk and Great Nor- thern Shrike 178 The dying Moose 185 The Great Horned Owl and Nest. 191 Skunk . 192 SHARP SHINNED HAWK GOLDEN EAGLE 2 PEREGRINE FALCON 3X7 SPAR ROW HAWKS 3 PIGEON HAWK & RED-TAILED HAWK BIRD-NESTING IN NORTH-WEST CANADA. CHAPTER I. OR several years I had contemplated spending a season collecting Ornithological specimens in north- west Canada, but it was not until June of the pre- sent year, 1891, that I found myself prepared for a month's sojourn amongst the prairies of Manitoba and Assiniboia. Ornithologists, anglers, and sportsmen puzzling their brains to decide where they will spend a fishing or shooting holiday, will do well to be guided by this book. As will be learned by a perusal of its pages, the Canadian Pacific railway offers inducements of no ordinary nature. Florida was once considered the Ornithologist paradise, but of late years the plume-hunters have made sad havoc amongst, the rookeries of the egrets, herons, ibis, terns and other birds, and friends of mine who have recently visited Florida have come away disappointed, having seen nothing of those vast communities of herons and other birds which we read of as once nesting there in large colonies. What are undoubtedly the finest shooting-grounds to be found in any part of North America at the present day, are enclosed within the boundaries of the Canadian North- West No other territory can claim such a variety of game, nor such an abundance of it, nor such splendid facilities for reaching the haunts of the different species, and no other country can offer the daring sportsman such a chance of securing the heads and skins of the nobler game animals, such as Moose and Caribou as trophies of his skill and nerve in their pursuit. 2 Bird-Nesting Although the following pages will be found devoted chiefly to the nidification of birds in the North- West, still I have also endeavored to make this book useful as a guide to sportsmen and anglers who intend visiting this territory, and will attempt to cover some of the best shooting and fishing points in the vast expanse of prairies, brush-lands and lakes, lying between the eastern boundary of Manitoba and the Rocky Mountains. Roughly speaking the prairie country is about 1000 miles wide, while other vast tracts extend far to the north of the Canadian Pacific Railway, offering inducements for special ex- plorations to the Ornithologists who can afford to devote sufficient time to the work, for it is within this region that most of our rarest plovers, sandpipers, swans, ducks and geese, retire to lay their eggs and bring forth their young. Of the birds of this prairie country, i.e., the Provinces of Manitoba, Assiniboia and Alberta, too much can hardly be said. They simply comprise the " happy hunting-grounds " of the Ornithologist dreams, and only those who have tested for themselves their amazing resources, can have any idea of the variety of birds to be found there. But the reader unacquainted with the country may ask : Wherein lies the special superiority of the Canadian North- West, and why is it better than any other region ? The answer is easily found. These rolling, grassy seas of rich prairie-land, intersected with an endless succession of lakes and sloughs, are the natural breeding-grounds now, as they have been for ages in the past, of the swift- winged myriads of migratory water-fowl that every spring, in obedience to their wonderful instinct, rise in blackening clouds from the drained lands, lagoons and rice fields of the south, and fan their long way over states and provinces, league after league, until they have gained these secure and lonely haunts, where they can reproduce their species unmolested by the destroyer. The lakes, streams and marshes are the fitting homes of these fowl, and they break the vast expanses of grass everywhere. There is a practically inexhaustible supply of food, and consequently the birds return year after year to the same points where they In North -W<>*t Canada. 3 were bred, and they will continue to do so as long as there is a flock left. Keen sportsmen were among the first to explore this region, when it was opened for settlement by the building of the railway, for right well they guessed what royal fields were there for the gun. And there is big game also in plenty. The buffalo is nearly extinct, 'tis true, but the giant moose, king of the deer tribe, yet haunts every part of the country where a proper amount of browse can be found. The elk, caribou, jumping deer, com- mon deer, prong-horn antelope, black and brown bears, grey wolf, lynx, coyote, fox, wolverine, beaver, and several other animals valued for their furs, are yet to be found in numbers, and finer variety of game than these, sportsmen cannot ask for. But the amazing variety is among the feathered game. No less than seven species of grouse may be killed, including the prairie chicken, Canada grouse, dusky grouse, pintail grouse, ruffed grouse, ptarmigan, and willow ptarmigan. Among the water-fowl are the trumpeter and whistling swans, the Canada goose, Ross's goose, lesser snow goose and brant ; the mallard, canvas-back, redhead, ruddy duck, pintail, gad wall, wood duck, American widgeon, green-winged and blue- winged teal, shoveller, golden-eye, buffle-head and ring- necked duck ; added to these are the curlew, golden plover avocet, snipe, godwits, kildeer, Bartram's sandpiper, and numer- ous sandpipers and waders of lesser importance. About every marshy bit, the bittern, herons and rails will be found, and in addition to these are hundreds of white pelicans, little brown cranes, Franklins, Bonapartes, herring and ring-billed gulls ; common, Foster's, and black terns, which are found in the lakes and sloughs, while amongst the rushes bordering the lakes and pools may be found nesting hundreds of yellow-headed black- birds, red-winged starling, rusty grackle, and marsh wrens. In the bluffs, where the trees are large enough to hold the nests, may be found breeding, the great-horned owl, long-eared and hawk owl, the rough-legged, redtail, and Swainson's buz- zards, the goshawk, pigeon, sharp-shinned and sparrow hawks, 4 Bird-Nesting crows, and woodpeckers, while in the bushes may be found numerous nests of bronzed grackles, kingbirds, great grey shrike, vireos, thrushes and warblers. Out on the dry open prairie on the ground may be found the nests of shore larks, chestnut-collared and McCown's longspur, bay-winged buntings, Sprague's pipit, marsh harrier, Kildeer and Bartram's sand- piper. This book has been written for the special benefit of young Oologists, and I have tried to make it both interesting and in- structive, but I hope the more advanced Ornithologists, as well as sporstmen, will find something in the following pages to interest them. To those who know nothing of the pleasure and excitement of bird-nesting, or the healthful fascinating pursuit of collect- ing specimens in any branch of natural history, this book may seem to be nothing but prattle, but such persons are to be pitied by the naturalist, for the uninitiated know nothing of the pure solid pleasure to be derived from these pursuits, and to them the beauty of summer is robbed of half its glory. SUMMER TIME. 0 the sunny summer time ! 0 the leafy summer time ! Merry is the bird's life When the year is in its prime, Birds are by the waterfall, Dashing in the rainbow's spray ; Everywhere bright and lovely there are they. Birds are in the forest old, Singing in each hoary tree ; Birds are in the green fields, Birds are by the sea. In CHAPTER II. LET'S AWAY TO THE PRAIIUES. Art sick of the city's rush and strife, And the endless chafe of a business life, The crush and the roar of the busy street, The jar of pavement, and stifling heat, The endless toiling for dear-bought gain. The wearying tension of nerve and brain ? Then cast all from you, and hie away For a glorious, restful holiday. The gun hangs long on the lonely wall ; The tackle is hid 'neath a dusty pall ; The reel has forgotten the song it sings ; The flies would fain stretch their deadly wings ; The basket can boast no tempting spread, And the flask is cold and its spirits fled. Man ! is it right such things should be ? Why clank your chain when you might be free ? The breeze sighs soft with a breath divine, And whispers a welcome from the pine ; The rocks re-echo the syren calls Of a thousand rushing, foaming falls ; The game trout leaps in the shadowed pool ; The deer drinks long of the water cool ; And moose and caribou safely stray, For your rod and rifle are far away. Leave then, the desk, and ease the strain ; Leave the noisy machinery and the doubtful gain. The breath of the woods gives strength anew, And tunes the nerves till they answer true— Seek nature's shrine that she may bless, And lose your care in the wilderness ; For the grouse is sounding his rallying drum, And the voice of forest and stream says " come ! " T is the first of June, the happiest month of the year to the lovers of birds. The lilacs and apple-trees are in full blossom, sending forth a delicious per- fume which comes through the open windows as I sit at supper, the last I shall have at home for many days. Several robins are singing their evening song before going to rest, and the nighthawk's screech can be heard 6 Bird-Nesting as they hover in circles in the sky above the house, while the mosquitoes sally forth singing merrily, and make their pres- ence known by an occasional probe in the back of one's neck. The sun has now gone down and supper being finished, 1 again look over my baggage to see that nothing has been for- gotten, and, taking leave of the dear ones at home, I soon reach the street car, and a ride of fifteen minutes brings us to the station. The train is ready and the engine is hissing as if impatient for to start; the platform is crowded with folks who have come to -see their friends off; many apparently are going out to the west to seek new homes. The passengers are all seated ; in a few moments the signal is given, the engine bell begins to toll, and we glide out of the station into the dark. It is midnight, and the passengers soon quiet down, and as the train was very crowded I could not obtain the comfort of a berth in a sleeper, so made myself as comfortable as I could under the circumstances; putting on my slippers and wrapping myself in a rug and placing a pillow in a corner of the seat, I managed to doze for a few hours. We jogged along, and at day-break we find we have reached the famous Muskoka district, the summer resort for Toronto- nians, where, amongst the numerous lakes, excellent boating and fishing may be had. This is also a fine district for the sports- men, and scores of deer and many a large fat black bear find their way into the Toronto market every winter. We pass many lakes studded with numerous rocky islands, with a few pine trees growing on them. Many ducks are seen swimming out on these small lakes, and several Loons are observed, for this is one of their favorite haunts, and I have several clutches of their eggs that have been collected on the islands of these lakes. In this district the loon makes no nest, but simply lays its two large brown eggs, spotted .with black, on the bare rocks a few feet from the water's edge. We soon reach Bracebridge, well-known to hunters, for this is one of the places they get off at, and the woods, two or three miles back from the railway, abound with deep and small game. In North- \Y <'«t Canada. 7 We are now going through a very wild, rocky piece of country, and are on the alert for the sight of a bear or a deer. Passing Huntsville, one hour's ride brings us to within sight of Lake Nipissing, an extensive and beautiful sheet of water, 40 miles long and 10 wide, with forest-clad shores and islands. A short ride along the shore of the lake, and we run into the small town of North Bay, and here we have to change cars, having reached the main line of the Canadian Pacific railway. The train from Montreal and Ottawa soon afterwards arrives, and we have to stop here for two hours. The day is very cold and it began to rain. North Bay is a favorite centre for moose hunters, and many a handsome head and pair of antlers have I seen that have been obtained in the forests to the north of North Bay. At this place guides and supplies for shooting expeditions may be obtained. This is also an excellent district for fishing. As it was very cold and beginning to snow, we were glad to get into the train which was now being made up of colonists' cars, and which has to be our home for three days and two nights before Winnipeg is reached. Selecting a car, we find among the new passengers representatives of all grades of society, gentlemen travelling for pleasure, commercial travel- lers, young men just out from England going out seeking for- tunes in farms or ranching, emigrants, sturdy Scotchmen with their rosy-cheeked daughters going to take up farms in the North- West, and land-hunters in plenty, with their pockets stuffed full of maps and pamphlets, gold and silver miners for the mountains, and coal miners for the Saskatchewan region. There is not a sorrowful visage in the party, every face wears a bright and expectant look, and all try and make themselves agreeable, and for the first few hours it's a common expression to hear, " what part are you going to ? " Some are only going as far as Winnipeg, others to British Columbia and California, but most are going to Manitoba or Assiniboia, to settle down to farming. One young woman has come from Scotland and is on her way to Edmonton, in Alberta, to marry a young farmer who had left Scotland three years previously, and now possessed a large farm at Edmonton. Leaving North Bay, we 8 Bird-Nesting run along the shores of Lake Nipissing for 20 miles, and reach Sturgeon Falls. The railway crosses directly over the falls of the Sturgeon river. Sudbury is reached, famous for its copper and nickel mines. Large quantities of the ores are seen in the cars along the railway sidings, and the smoke from the smelt- ing furnaces can be seen a distance away above the tree tops. We now strike out across a wild country towards Lake Sup- erior. The scenery is fine, and in places extremely interesting. We move on through the rocky hills and forests, passing hundreds of lakes which swarm with fish ; the forests are full of game, the lordly moose, cariboo, red deer and bears of the large sort, and of smaller game, hares, swan, geese, ducks, par- tridges and quail. Of fur-bearing animals, there are the silver- gray, red and black fox, the otter, marten, mink and beaver. The climate is clear, bracing and healthy. Biscotasing is situated on an extensive and irregular lake, and is a fine district for trappers, who obtain the pelts of the fur-bearing animals here in quantity. The sun is now sinking fast, and soon after supper I turned into my berth and tried to go to sleep, but the first night in a sleeper one seldom gets a good night's rest. In Norf/i-Wrsf ('a, ><«/«. CHAPTER III. X awaking next morning, we find we have reached Heron Bay, on the north-east angle of Lake Su- perior, and soon we are running along the shores of the lake. The scenery is very beautiful, and for hours we look out upon the lake, its face now still and smooth, and dotted here and there with white sails. At times we are back from the lake a mile or more, and high above it amongst the rocky- hills ; again we are running along the cliffs on the shore as low down as the engineers dared ven- ture.. For sixty miles the railway is carried through and around the bold promontories of the north shore of Lake Su- perior, with its deep rock-cuttings, viaducts and tunnels con- stantly occurring. In some places the line is cut out of the face of the cliffs, and as we glide along the ledges, we look down upon the lake from the dizzy heights above. No part of this wonderful scenery should be missed by the traveller, who will be impressed by the extraordinary difficulties that had to be overcome by the men who built the line. Rocky streams, with numerous waterfalls, find their way down from the mountains, and empty themselves into the lake, and we are seldom out of sight of dancing rapids or foam- ing cataracts. At a small station, the engine stops to get a supply of water, and two of us get off the train and wander a couple of hundred yards away from the railway track ; there a pair of white-throated sparrows were noisy and evidently had a nest, but before we could find it, the engine bell began to ring, and we had to hastily retreat and make a jump for the train as she began to move off. We now reach Jackfish Bay, and the great sweep around the bay is particularly fine. This is a great centre for fishing, and the evening train going east to Montreal and Toronto always stops to take a carload of white fish and large lake trout. A short distance from the railway track an Indian has his wig- wain, and he is mending his not, while his two squaws aro gathering wood for a tiro. Down on the beach is his canoe ; and there are two fishing boats out on the lake. The pano- rama hero is very extensive, and the train goes slowly up the incline in rounding Jacktish Bay. In a tree a short distance from the track, a pair of large buzzards have a nest ; one of the birds is perched on a bough close to the nest, and simply flaps his wings, but did not leave his post: the other bird was sailing over the tree top. From their dark plumage and feathered legs, I took them to be rough-legged buzzards ; how I wished the train would come to a standstill for ten minutes so as to allow me time to examine that nest, but on wo go, and soon reach Schreiber, where the train stops fifteen minutes for refreshments, and we partake of breakfast. Beyond Schreiber, a chain of islands separates Nepigon Bay from Lake Superior: the lake is shut out from our view, and we appear to be run- ning along the banks of a river with rocky cliti's on the oppo- site side, reminding one of the Hudson river. The constantly changing views on Nepigon Bay are charming. All the streams emptying themselves into Lake Superior contain speckled trout in plenty, and Nepigon river is noted for its six-pound trout and its beautiful scenery. The river is crossed by a fine iron bridge just before we reach Nepigon station. Three miles beyond, the railway turns around the base of "Red Rock. The white houses of the Hudson's Bay post come into view. Near by are fine cliffs of columnar trap, and in the distance we see a steamer coming up the river from the lake, bringing supplies to the Hudson's Bay post. This river has become of late years a resort for anglers. The trout are mag- nificent, and in June and July are caught in astonishing num- bers: six and seven pounds are ordinary sizes. There is, too a peculiar delicacy in a trout caught by your own rod, and cooked before the fire on sticks — spatch-cock fashion — within ten minutes after it has left the water. The fish bite best when the flies do, and are caught at the foot of any swift rapid. In the eddy, under logs half hid in creamy foam, or in RED ROCK, NIPIGON RIVER. In North- West Own