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THE SPORTSMAN

AND

NATURALIST IN CANADA.

THE SPORTSMAN

AND

NATURALIST IN CANADA,

fRrits

ON

THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE GAME, GAME BIRDS,
AND FISH OF THAT COUNTRY.

BY

MAJOR W. ROSS KING,

Unattached.

F.R.G.S., F.S.A.S.

AUTHOR OF

“ CAMPAIGNING IN KAFFIRLAND.”

ILLUSTRATED WITH COLOURED PLATES AND WOODCUTS.

LONDON :

HURST AND BLACkETT, PUBLISHERS,

13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.

1866.

The right of Translation is reserved.

LONDON :

SAVILL AND EDWARDS, PRINTERS, CHANDOS STREET,
COVENT GARDEN.

PREFACE.

Few scenes so easily reached from our own shores better
repay a visit than the forests, lakes, and rivers of British
North America.

Whether to the sportsman, the naturalist, or the
traveller, nothing can well be more alluring ' than its
vast tracts of primaeval forest, inhabited by moose and
caribou ; its game-stocked prairies of boundless extent ;
and its broad rivers, filled with silvery salmon and spotted
trout; flowing through grand and picturesque solitudes,
little known and less frequented.

Taking the St. Lawrence route, the traveller from our
own country is landed at Quebec in about ten or eleven
days. He may revel among the salmon rivers below

A

that city; strike up-country in pursuit of large game;
make a pilgrimage to the Falls of Niagara ; float over
the great Lakes ; fill his sketch-book with the glorious
views that everywhere attract the artist; may kill his
grouse on the broad prairies ; and be back again before
winter, relating his adventures by his own fireside.

VI

PREFACE.

The climate is as healthy as it is delightful, at all
seasons: whether in the glorious days of summer, when
ruby-throated humming-birds flit from flower to flower;
in the glowing autumn, when tints of brightness unknown
in other lands invest the forest with their gorgeous
mantle; in the dreamy softness of that wonderful period
called the “Indian summer;” or in the clear glistening
winter, with its sparkling fields of pure snow, its cloudless
blue skies, and merry sleigh-bells.

During a sojourn in these regions, extending over a
period of three years, constantly rod in hand or roaming
the woods with dog and gun, I habitually recorded in my
note-book memoranda on the haunts and habits of the
birds and animals which I have endeavoured to describe
in the succeeding pages; and I can only hope that my
jottings may be useful to those who read them, with the
view of themselves enjoying the same pursuits, and
interesting to those who w6uld recal similar bygone days
of agreeable recreation.

In the following chapters I have, as far as regards the
Mammals and Birds, adopted the nomenclature of Baird,
(the most recent writer on the Natural History of his
own country, ) and in the remaining division of the work
I am personally indebted to Mr. Nettle, the Government
Superintendent of the Fisheries of Lower Canada, for
details of statistical information not generally accessible,

PREFACE.

V1L

and on which his official position enables him to speak
with weight and authority.

Our great works on Natural History, while too bulky
for the traveller, are only within reach of the few;
separate accounts relating to special localities, when based
on personal and accurate observation, are therefore
always of value. I have accordingly attempted to give
an account of the game, and fresh-water fish, of the
Canadas, with notices of their habitats, which, while
possessing some scientific arrangement, shall be suffi-
ciently free from unintelligible terms to make the work
available for the use of those who have no taste for the
systematic study of Natural History.

Tertowie, May , 1866.

GENERAL CONTENTS

CHAPTER I,

Decrease of Carnivores — The Black Bear— Its Present Haunts — Head
Waters of the Ottawa — Distinct from Black Bear of Europe —
Period of Hibernation — Its Duration — Female Bear — Cubs — Hunt-
ing— Fur of the Bear— Indian Superstition — Migration in Search
of Food — Bear Killed at Niagara — The Wolf — Districts which it
inhabits — Compared with European Wolf — Habits and Cunning —
Wolf-Hunting — Varieties of Foxes — The Red Fox — Different from
European One — The Cross Fox — The Silver Fox — Trade in Fox
Skins — Great Value of Silver Fox Skin — The Lynx — Its Inoffen-
siveness— Variety in Colour of Fur— Flesh eaten by Indians —
Power of Swimming — Food — The Wolverine — The Puma — Its
Scarcity — -Skunks in Forest — Their Odour — The Canadian Otter —
Erroneously described by various Writers — Distinctions between
it and European Otter — Its Habits— Otter Trapping — Trade in
Otter Skins — Young Cubs pp. 5 — 22

CHAPTER II.

Variety of Hares in North America — Absence of Rabbits — Distinctions
between Hares and Rabbits — -The Northern Hare— Weight and
Description — Winter Coat — Change of Colour — Nature of Change
—Doubts concerning it — Discrepancies of different Writers- — Haunts
of Northern-Hare — Its Latitudes — Abundance in certain Districts —
Malformation of Incisors — Habits — Attacked by the Lynx — Snaring
and Trapping — When in Season — Poorness of Flesh — The Grey
“ Rabbit” — Its^general Appearance- — The Prairie-Hare — Its Northern
Limits — Abundance of Squirrels— Their Variety — Black Squirrels
— Excellence of their Flesh — Grey Squirrels' — Chipmunks- — The
Beaver — Former Habitations — Its Sagacity — Popular Fallacies con-
cerning it — Formation of Huts — Gnawing down Trees — Compared
with European Beaver — Its Skin- — Method of Trapping — Excellence
of Flesh — Present Districts of Beaver pp. 25 — 38

X

GENERAL CONTENTS.

CHAPTER III.

The Moose — Parts of Canada in which it is found — Derivation of Name
— Compared with Elk of Europaeo-Asiatic Continent — Its early
Distribution — Pleistocene and Prehistoric Remains — Gradual
Diminution of the Moose — Wanton Destruction — Erroneously con-
founded with Ancient Irish “Elk” — Their Antlers compared — Antlers
at Forglen — Form and Dimensions of the Moose, and general
Description — Its Winter Coat — Growth of Antlers in different
Stages — Manner of Feeding — Formation of the Muzzle — Its Food —
Peculiarity of Hoofs — “ Cow”-Moose — Young Moose or “ Calf” —
Modes of Hunting Moose — “ Calling” — How performed — Response
to — “ Driving” — Gait of Moose when Pursued — Herding of Moose
in Canada — “ Still Hunting” — Its Difficulties — Qualifications neces-
sary— Herd at Rest — Summer Haunts — Destruction of Moose by
Indians and Settlers — “ Moose-Yard” — Besieged by Wolves — Winter
Hunting — Snow Shoes — Bivouac in Snow — Rifle for Moose Shoot-
ing— Moose Flesh — Manufacture of Pemmican — Probable Lon-
gevity of the Moose — Preparation and Uses of Skins, Hoofs, and
Sinews pp. 41 — 69

CHAPTER IV.

The Caribou — Two Varieties — Compared with the Reindeer — Present
Range of Reindeer and its former Latitudes — Early Existence in
Western Europe — Remains found in France, Great Britain, and
Ireland — Difference in Size between Caribou and Reindeer — Intracta-
bility of Former — Difference between their Antlers — Effect of Food
on Antler Growth — Description of Caribou Horns — Not used for
removing Snow — Antlers in Female — Immature Horns — General
Description of the Caribou — Infested with (Estrus — Districts where
found — Nature of its Food — Its Call — Stalking — Great Fleetness —
Winter Herds — The Wapiti — Its Southern Limits — Size, Colour, and
Antlers — Misnamed “ Elk” — Its Habits, Food, &c. — The American
Deer — Antlers and general Description — Colour of Fawns — Quality
of Venison — Abundance of Deer — Where to be found — Their Food
and Habits — Torch and Fire-light Shooting — Driving — Stalking —
Seasons for — Canadian Winter — Sleigh Drive to Forest — Still
Hunting in Snow — Mode of securing Carcase — Value of Deer
Skins pp. 73 — 102

GENERAL CONTENTS.

XI

CHAPTER -V.'

Silence of the Forests — Interesting Birds — White-headed Eagle — Variety
of Hawks — Musquito Hawk — Owls — Great Horned Owl — Snowy
Owl — -Absence of Birds in Winter— Snow-Birds — Esteemed a Deli-
cacy— Their Resemblance to Ortolan — Arrival of Birds in Spring — •
Bine-Bird, Harbinger of Spring — Scarlet War-Bird — Orioles — Hum-
ming-Birds— Familiar English Birds — Characteristics of Country —
Canadian Forest — “ May-Apple” — Woodpeckers — Red-winged Star-
ling— Absence of the Common Sparrow — Principal Feathered In-
habitants of the Forest — Game Birds of the Coverts and Plains —
Waders and Water-Fowl- — Game Seasons of the Upper and Lower
Provinces — Their Discrepancy — Its Effects — Proposed Altera-
tion pp. 107 — 117

CHAPTER VI.

The Passenger Pigeon — -Its Periodical Flights— Great number Killed —
Breeding Places — The Wild Turkey— Probable Parent of Domestic
Bird — Its Importation into Spain — Early Accounts of — Misnomers —
Mexican Origin — Differences between Wild and Farm-yard Birds- —
Nest and Eggs— Craftiness of the Hen — Young Birds- — Association
of “ Gobblers” — Food of Wild-Turkey — Their Wanderings — Former
Abundance — Present Haunts — Difficulty of approaching them —
Season for Hunting — Their Game Qualities — Use of the Dog —
Gradual Extermination — The Grouse of Canada — The Spotted-
Grouse — Plumage and Habits— Female — Their Size — The Prairie-
Hen — The Prairies — Fires on Prairie — Weight and Plumage of
Prairie-Hen — Singular Call — -Female Bird — -Pugnacity of Male
Birds — Breeding Season — Eggs — Young Birds — Season for Prairie-
Hen Shooting — Dogs for — Size of Coveys — Food of Prairie-Hen —
Winter Habits — Prairie-Hen sent to English Market — Flesh not
Poisonous — Questionable Advantages of Acclimatizing — The Ptar-
migan— Plumage in Summer and Winter — Where found — Eggs —
The Ruffed-Grouse — Habitat — Its Size and Appearance — “Drum-
ming”— Manner of Walking — Flight — Shooting Season — Unfit for
Food in Winter— American Kalmias- — The Colin — Erroneously
called “Quail” — Its Plumage — Haunts — Call Note — Season for
Shooting — Introduction into England ..... pp. 121—164

Xll

GENERAL CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VII.

American Bittern — Its general Distribution — Appearance — Eggs and
Nest — Excellent Flesh — The Little Bittern — Golden Plover —
Different from European Bird — The Ring Plover — Highly Esteemed
— “ Killdeer” — The American Woodcock — Distinct from European
one — Dimensions and Colouring — Its Range — Localities — Habits —
Season for Shooting — Coverts — Mosquitoes — Difficulty of Shooting
— Dogs necessary — Migration — The American Snipe — Found in
Bushy Ground — Compared with European Snipe — Nest and Eggs —
Migration to South — Birds left behind — Shooting Season — Diminu-
tion of Snipe — Return in Spring — Curlew — Esquimaux Curlew —
Sandpipers — The American Rail — Its Excellence — Plumage, Habits,
and Flight pp. 167 — 181

CHAPTER VIII.

Extraordinary Quantity of Wild-Fowl — Number of Geese annually pass-
ing over Canada — Breeding Grounds in the North — British and
American Species and Varieties of Anatidae — The Trumpeter Swan
— Peculiar to North America — The American Swan — The Canada
Goose — Annual Migration — Cautious Flight — Lost in Fogs — Domes-
tication of — Return to Wild Life — The White-Fronted Goose —
General Distribution of — Plumage — The Snow Goose — Note of —
Its Food — Delicacy of Flesh — The Brent Goose — Seaward Flight —
The Wild Duck or Mallard — Driven southward in Winter — Stray
Birds — Change of Plumage in Male — Methods of shooting — The
Shoveller — Flesh highly esteemed — Form and Peculiarities of Bill
— Handsome Plumage — Appearance of Young — Assimilation of
Plumage — Similarity to European Shoveller — The Gadwall — Its
Shyness and Cunning — Swiftness of Flight — Signification of “ Gad-
wall” — Number and Colour of Eggs — The American Pintail —
Superiority of Flesh — Singular Change of Plumage — Feeding in
the Forest — Sleeping on open Water — How to approach — Colour
of Eggs erroneously described — The American Teal — Compared
with European — Difference of Opinion concerning — Plumage of Male
and Female — Large Size of Nest — The Blue-winged Teal — Rude-
ness of Nest — Excellence of Flesh — Dislike to Cold — Return in
Spring — Peculiarity of Flight — Favourite Resorts — The American
Widgeon — Different from European — Autumn Migration in Flocks

GENERAL CONTENTS.

Xlll

— Spring Return in Pairs — Habit of Feeding by Day — Fondness
for the Yalisneria — The Dusky Duck — Peculiar to North America —
Non-Migratory — Description of Female — The Wood-Duck —
Singular Habit of frequenting Trees — Nest and Eggs — Carrying
Young — Latitudes of — Easily domesticated — Oceanic Ducks — The
Eider Duck — Plumage — Female — The Surf Scoter — Peculiar to
America — The Velvet Scoter — Difference between Male and Female
— The Ruddy Duck — Colour of Plumage — Peculiar Form of Bill —
Different Colour of Female — The Pied-Duck — Inferiority of Flesh —
The Scaup — Nature of Food— Origin of Name — Difficulty of ap-
proaching— The American Scaup — Not mentioned by Naturalists —
Difference between this and former Bird — Comparative Scarcity—
The Ring-necked Duck — Confounded with Tufted Duck — Colour
of Plumage — The Buffle-headed Duck — Instantaneous Diving of —
Difficult to Kill — Colour and Markings — Irregular Migration — Dif-
ference in Female — Found in Great Britain — The Harlequin Duck
— Abundant in Gulf of St. Lawrence — Breeding Places — Neatness
of Nest — Incubation — Males in Flocks — Excellent Flesh — Beauty of
Appearance — Size of Female — Seen in England — The Canvas-back
Duck — Well-known Delicacy — The Valisneria favourite food' —
Resorts of Canvas-back — Colour and Markings — Compared with
Pochard — Appearance in Canada — Numbers killed— Methods of
Shooting — Accompanied by Widgeon — The Red-headed Duck —
Similarity to Canvas-back — The Long-tailed Duck — Irregular Ap-
pearance of — Inferiority of Flesh — Tail-feathers — Common in Scot-
land in Winter— The Smew— Handsome Appearance — Hooded
Merganser — A North American Species — Strikingly marked —
Smaller Size of Female — Red-breasted Merganser — Goosander —
Its wary Habits — Diving . pp. 185- — 239

CHAPTER IX.

The Fisheries of Canada— Imperfectly known in this Country — Their
great Extent and Value — Number of Salmon Rivers — Large Trade
in Dried and Salted Fish — Their Exportation — Immense Takes —
Importance of the lesser Waters — Variety of Fish in the Lakes and
Rivers — Former greater Abundance of Fish — Causes of the Diminu-
tion— Legislative Protection — Revival of the Fisheries — Great Con-
sumption of Eels — Torchlight Spearing .... pp. 245 — 252

XIV

GENERAL CONTENTS.

CHAPTER X.

The Salmon — Distance found from the Sea — Its Ascent of the Rapids —
Breeding in Fresh Water — Scarcity of Salmon in Ontario — Its
Irregular Distribution — Preference of Salmon for cold Rivers —
Proposed Restoration of Rivers of Ontario — “ Open Season” — No
Rod-fishing in Upper Province — Beautiful Sail down the St. Law-
rence — The Thousand Isles — The Rapids — Quebec — Fishing
Licences — Rentals of Fisheries — Government Management of Rivers
— How taken — The Jacques Cartier — Rivers near Quebec — Mode
of reaching lower Salmon Streams — Salmon Flies — Fisheries of
Northern Shore of Gulf — The Saguenay and its Tributaries —
Principal Salmon Rivers below the Saguenay — Fine Scenery —
List of Fish killed in the Godbout and Moisie — Mischief done
by Spearing — Salmon Rivers of Southern Shore of the Gulf — The
Gaspe District — Its Rivers — Size of Fish — The Trout — Variation
of Colour — Instances of Transformation — Fishing Season — Average
Size of Trout — Trout not to be netted in Canada — Artificial Flies —
Falls of Montmorenci — Trout Streams in Neighbourhood of Quebec
— The Lake-trout — Its Sluggishness — The Mackinaw Trout — Peculiar
to Northern Lakes — The Sea-trout — Artificial Fly for — Where to
be found — Good Sport — The White-fish — Peculiar to North
America — Description of White-fish — Numbers taken — Supposed
Food of White-fish — Delicious Flesh — Worthy of Introduction into
this Country 255 — 297

CHAPTER XI.

The Canadian Shad — Compared with that of Europe — Excellence of its
Flesh — Confined to the Lower St. Lawrence — Its Size and Appear-
ance— The Pike — Specifically identical with ours — Native of North
America — Widely distributed — Methods of Trolling — Habits of
Pike — Their Presence in isolated Waters — Ancient Ideas concerning
— The Masq’allonge — Derivation of Name — Its Resemblance to the
Pike — Its enormous Size — Habits — Capture of — Waters inhabited
by — The Carp — The Chub — The Bream — Bait fishing for — The
Dace or “ Shiner” — The Roach — Fishing Parties — The Sucker —
The Cat-Fish — Its ugly Appearance — Prescience of coming
Storms 301 — 312

GENERAL CONTENTS,

XV

CHAPTER XIL

The “ Tom-Cod” — Its annual Arrival in the Gulf of St. Lawrence — Fish-
ing through the Ice — Freezing and Resuscitation — The Yellow Perch
— Varieties — The Black-Basse — Fly-fishing for — Excellence of Sport
— Black-Basse peculiar to North America — Its Colour, Form, and
Weight — Where found — Gregarious Character — Worthy of Acclima-
tization— The Rock-Basse — Its Weight and Colour — Qualities —
Abundance — The White-Basse — Common in Upper Lakes — A bold
Biter — The Striped-Basse — Common to Salt and Fresh Water — Its
Great Size — Markings and Appearance — The Oswego Basse — Errors
concerning it — The Common Lake Sheepshead- — The Black Sheeps-
head — Confined to the Upper Lakes — Its Resemblance to the Perch —
An excellent Fish — The Sturgeon — Its immense Growth — Abun-
dance in Lake Ontario — Absence in Northern Rivers— Sturgeon
Meat — Trade in Sounds 315—326

ERRATA.

Page 85, line 2 from bottom, for “ a foot” read “ three-quarters of a foot.”
„ 88, line 16, for “hart” read “ hind.”

„ 249, line 12, for “ leave” read “ lease.”

✓

ERRATA.

Page 60 and 61, line 2 from bottom, strike out accent over “ ravage .”
Page 66, line 17, strike out accent over ce depov/ille.”

Page 95, line 15, before “ Flumina” insert “ geluque.”

Page 113, line 2, strike out “ thickly .”

Page 247, line 5 from bottom, strike out “ extraordinary.”

Page 261, line 16, strike out “ glossy.”

Page 294, line 15, for “ a fish, of another family,” read “ another fish
of this family.”

Line 16, same page, after the word “ becoming,” insert “ so.”

ILLUSTRATIONS

COLOURED PLATES.

THE WILD-TURKEY

THE PRAIRIE-HEN .....
THE CANADA, AND RUFFED-GROUSE .
THE WHITE-FISH .

THE MASQ’ALLONG^

THE BLACK-BASSE

. Frontispiece,
to face page 144
» 156

290

308

))

318

WOOD ENGRAVINGS.

PAGE

FALLS ON THE OTTAWA 22

CANADIAN LAGOON ........... 38

THE MOOSE 69

THE CARIBOU ............ 79

AMERICAN DEER ............ 102

THE THOUSAND ISLES .......... 117

FORT MISSISSISAUGUA .......... 164

FALLS OF MONTMORENCI 181

WOOD-DUCK 239

EEL SPEARING, LAKE ST. FRANCIS . . . V . . .252

THE CEDAR RAPIDS ........... 297

NIAGARA RIVER, AND LAKE ONTARIO ...... 312

LOWER NIAGARA RIVER 326

DIVISION I.

Jtflammals

CHAPTER I

llapria.

DECREASE OF CARNIVORES — THE BLACK BEAR — ITS PRESENT HAUNTS —
DISTINCT FROM BLACK BEAR OF EUROPE — PERIOD OF HIBERNATION

ITS DURATION — FEMALE BEAR CUBS HUNTING — FUR OF THE

BEAR — MIGRATION IN SEARCH OF FOOD — BEAR KILLED AT NIAGARA

THE WOLF DISTRICTS WHICH IT INHABITS —COMPARED WITH

EUROPEAN WOLF HABITS AND CUNNING WOLF-HUNTING —

VARIETIES OF FOXES THE RED-FOX DIFFERENT FROM EUROPEAN

ONE THE CROSS-FOX THE SILVER-FOX — TRADE IN FOX SKINS—

GREAT VALUE OF SILVER-FOX SKIN THE LYNX — ITS INOFFENSIVE-
NESS VARIETY IN COLOUR OF FUR — POWER OF SWIMMING— FOOD —

THE WOLVERINE THE PUMA THE CANADIAN OTTER — ERRONEOUSLY

DESCRIBED BY VARIOUS WRITERS — DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN IT AND

EUROPEAN OTTER HABITS OTTER-TRAPPING TRADE IN OTTER SKINS

YOUNG CUBS.

B

O

CHAPTER I.

€mxbQX%.

all the mammals of the Canadas, few perhaps have
receded before the advancing strides of civilization
more rapidly than the Carnivores, which — though com-
mon enough but a few years ago — exist only at the
present day in the most remote wooded tracts, and are
yearly decreasing in numbers.

The most important and valuable among them,
namely, the Black Bear ( Ursus Americanus ), has pro-
bably diminished less than other species, and is still not
uncommon in the country lying between the southern
side of the St. Lawrence, and Gaspe; and also in the
district at the head- waters of the Ottawa, the scenery of
which alone, with its foaming falls, rugged rocks, and
noble timber, would well repay the journey thither.
The motionless forests of stately pine, the still lakes, and
the solemn silence of an utterly wild country, convey the
impression of a land unchanged since the Deluge. A
few Indians, or a stray lumberer with equally dark skin
and even wilder locks, are the only signs of life; but the

6

URSID.E.

woods that stretch away north, east, and west, are
all inhabited by bears, wolves, foxes, and herds of
deer.

The Black Bear of North America has been confounded
with that of Europe, but it is a distinct species, and
may easily be distinguished by its smaller head and
the greater height of the forehead ; its ears are also
longer and its feet smaller than those of the latter
animal. This Bear appears to be peculiar to North
America, and no remains of it, as far as I am aware,
have ever been found either in Europe or Asia.

Its usual winter retreat is in some hole among the
rocks, or under the trunk of a fallen tree, and here it
sleeps away the long cold months. The period of its hiber-
nation varies in length in different latitudes, and also
according to the variation in the seasons of particular years,
commencing and terminating with the continuance of the
snow upon the ground. With the she-bear this period
is also that of gestation, which lasts for four months, and
with a view to the future safety of her young, she gene-
rally selects for her retirement the hollow of some trunk,
broken off by the wind at a sufficient height from the
ground to render approach difficult. The cubs vary
in number from one to four.

As may be supposed, the bear, when deeply covered
by the snow, is not very liable to discovery ; but in the

THE BLACK BEAR.

7

summer and autumn months it has a habit of scratching
the trunks of the trees with its claws, by frequently stretch-
ing itself, as the cat often does ; and even without this
indication of its proximity, the well-worn path which it
makes between the nearest water and its bed in the
tangled thicket or tall reeds soon betrays it. A mongrel
pack of dogs, trained to the work, is employed to track
and bring it to bay, afterwards teasing and attacking it
while the hunter watches his opportunity for a deadly
shot at the breast or behind the shoulder. On the dis-
cretion and pertinacity, rather than on the courage of
these dogs, depends very much the safety of the
hunter ; for though naturally timid and inoffensive,
the bear, when wounded or attacked, is a formidable
antagonist to encounter, a full-grown animal standing
about three feet high, and measuring frequently five
feet in length.

The colour of the fur, with the exception of a light
brown patch on either side of the muzzle, is of a uniform
deep black over the whole body. The hair being very long,
straight, and evenly laid, gives the coat a remarkably
soft and sleek appearance, and the skins (though they do
not fetch so much as they used to do) are always in re-
quest, whatever may be the fluctuations in the demand
for other furs. They are especially in esteem as wraps for
sleighing. Nothing can be richer and more handsome in

8

URSIDiE.

appearance, especially when in contrast with the snow,
than a set of “ sleigh- robes ” of black-bear skin, trimmed
with scarlet. The summer hides are cut by the Indians
into cords, which are used for a variety of purposes; and
the claws are highly valued as necklaces. The flesh, which
is much eaten by these tribes, is white, devoid of flavour,
and rather greasy than fat. Mr. Ross, of the Hudson’s
Bay Company’s Service, alluding to the extensive use of
the fat as a pomatum, does not coincide wTith those who
esteem it as a hair renovator, but on the contrary, says
that when used pure, it is more likely to cause the hair
to split and fall out.

The principal food of the bear consists of roots,
wild fruit, acorns, nuts, masts, and berries of different
kinds, chiefly that called the “ blueberry and it is also
in the habit of eating various kinds of insects. Though
less carnivorous than vegetarian, it will, when pressed
by hunger, occasionally carry off a young lamb or pig from
outlying farms, but commits more serious depredation on
the fields of young maize, thereby bringing on itself the
wrath of the settler, by whom it is always remorselessly
hunted down. The Indians are more superstitious in this
respect, for as Sir John Richardson* says, “Many of the
native tribes of North America will not join the chase till

* Fauna Borealis Americana.

THE BLACK BEAR.

9

they have propitiated the whole race of bears by certain
speeches and ceremonies, and when the animal is slain
they treat it with the utmost respect, speak of it as a
relation, offer it a pipe to smoke, and seldom fail to make
a speech in exculpation of the act of violence they have
committed in slaying it, although the hunter at the same
time glories in his prowess. This veneration for the
bear seems to have arisen from the ability and pertinacity
with which it defends itself ; and it is interesting to
observe in how similar a manner the same feeling mani-
fests itself in tribes speaking diverse languages, and

A-

widely separated from each other by geographical posi-
tion.”

Scarcity of food sometimes compels it to migrate
from one part of the country to another, and even to
venture into populated neighbourhoods. I saw one
brought in to Niagara, which had been killed within a
mile or two of the town, but it was in very poor condition,
and had evidently got lost in searching after the food
which its own forests no longer afforded.

The Racoon ( Procyon lotor ) though much more abun-
dant in the United States than in Canada, is not unfre-
quent in some parts of the country, as in the districts
of Argenteuil and Ottawa.

Not unlike the badger in general appearance, though
with longer legs, it has a sharp, pointed nose, short

10

URSIDiE.

round ears, and a bushy tail. In point of colour
it varies a good deal, but is generally grey and
different shades of brown, the hairs being tipped with
black. Of two skins in my possession, obtained in
Upper Canada, one is grey and brown mixed, the other
entirely brown, with very dark extremities to the
longer hairs. Along each side of the face is a brown
stripe ; the under parts are whitish, and the tail is marked
with alternate black and yellowish-brown bars.

The Racoon preys upon wild ducks, for which it
watches among the thick reeds at the edge of swamps, and
also greedily devours their eggs; it has no objection to
mussels and frogs, and like the bear, is very partial to
fields of growing maize. As soon as its presence is
thus discovered in the neighbourhood, the farmer takes
advantage of the first moonlight night to compass its
destruction by the aid of dogs trained for the pur-
pose, which, casting about till they strike the scent,
chase the animal to the foot of some large tree, in which
it is its invariable habit to take refuge. The barking
guides the party to the place, and the only difficulty
then is to discover the object of their chase, which
is sufficiently cunning to lie flat on the large branches
and keep as much of its body out of sight as possible, so
that without the aid of a blazing fire it is not easy to get
a shot at it. The flesh is said to be excellent.

THE WOLE.

11

The Wolf, in certain districts, is more abundant
than the bear, as on the St. John River, and in
many of the northern parts of the country. A
considerable difference of opinion exists among natu-
ralists, as to whether or not there is any real difference be-
tween the European and American animals. Richardson^
distinguishes the latter as having a thicker fur and a
more robust form than the other; a nose less pointed,
and profile not so straight ; with shorter legs and
ears, and a more bushy tail. Baird f considers it

difficult to occupy a middle ground between consider-
ing all the American wolves as one species with many
varieties, or making all the varieties into as many distinct
species. Until better means of comparison and determi-
nation indicate otherwise, he prefers to consider them all
as one species, and assuming this to be distinct from the
European one, which however is not yet proved, employs
Richardson’s provisional name of Canis occidentalis for it.

The variety now under notice ( C '. occ. var. griseo -
albus ), which is the only one found in Canada, is fre-
quently observed to exhibit very different shades of
colour ; generally speaking, however, it is of a reddish-
brown tint, grizzled with scattered white hairs. The tail

* Fauna Borealis Americana.

t Report on Zoology of Pacific Routes : Washington, 1857.

12

CANIDiE.

is bushy, and the hair round the neck is considerably
longer than on the rest of the body. It is gregarious,
and also very uncertain in its movements, sometimes
suddenly deserting a particular district without any
apparent cause; or, after having long forsaken the neigh-
bourhood, as unexpectedly reappearing, probably to the
great loss and terror of some luckless settler’s sheep.

Wild and cunning as the Wolf appears to be in its
mature age, it is nevertheless easily tamed if taken
young; instances are on record of its associating with
common dogs, and learning from them the habit of bark-
ing; but its sagacity later in life renders its capture very
difficult. Most other animals fearing danger from a trap
would cautiously avoid it altogether, but the Wolf, with a
perfect discrimination of its exact nature, carefully under-
mines it, so as to remove the bait from beneath, unhurt.
With set-guns also they have been known to bite off the cord
close to the trigger, and then devour the tempting morsel
placed in front of the muzzle; and Mr. Eoss, H.B.C.S.,
writing in the “ Canadian Naturalist and Geologist,” men-
tions the fact of a wolf having on more than one occasion
hauled up the fishing lines set in a hole cut through the
ice, and helped itself to the fish. They are in the habit
of following the camps of hunters and Indians for the
sake of the scraps and refuse; they also form them-
selves into bands, and systematically hunt the deer and

THE WOLF.

13

young moose with extraordinary cunning, and a display
of what can only be termed forethought.

They are killed in considerable numbers by means
of traps and pit-falls. The latter are holes about
seven feet in depth, wider at the bottom than at
the mouth ; these are overlaid with sticks and grass
at the beginning of winter, and when the snow has
entirely covered them, the bait is carefully laid over
the centre of the pit, falling into which the animal is
easily despatched. On the prairies they are sometimes
killed by large parties of Indians, who form a circle
extending over many miles of country, and gradually
approaching in a lessening ring, enclose frequently
a number of wolves together, when they are de-
stroyed with heavy clubs, tomahawks, and stones, and
occasionally with guns ; though there are palpable
objections against shooting from opposite points of
a small circle.

Among the several distinct types of Foxes belonging to
North America one species only is found in Canada, which
species (Vulpes fulvus) contains three varieties, viz., the
Eed Fox, the Cross Fox, and the Silver Fox.

The Red Fox (F fulvus ) was till quite lately con-
sidered as identical with our common fox (F vulgaris ),
but they differ considerably, the Canadian animal
being a good deal larger, and its colour a much

14

CANIDiE.

brighter red, while the coat is also far longer, softer,
and more silky. As with the wolf, its muzzle is not
so sharp as in its European congener; the feet, too,
are stronger and more completely covered with hair
beneath. Lastly, the brush is darker and very much
fuller, and is composed of an under fur, having long
hairs growing through it; the tip being pure white.
The chin is also white, a dark grey stripe runs under
the throat and chest, and the anterior faces of the legs
are black.

The Cross Fox (F /. var. decussatus ), so called from a
dark mark across the shoulders, not unlike that in the ass,
is perhaps rather larger than the preceding ; the sides and
neck are a reddish yellow, and the legs and under parts of
the body are black; the tail, which is very full, is of a
blackish hue, the extreme point being white.

The Black or Silver Fox ( V. f. var . argentatus) is a
shining black, grizzled with silvery grey on the back, the
loins, and the thighs, and less conspicuously on the
shoulders and along the tail, the extreme tip of which is
perfectly white, as are also the under parts and feet ; they
vary, however, a good deal in colour.

An important trade is carried on in foxes’ skins, and
large quantities are annually sent to England of all
descriptions, those of the Cross Fox, and Silver Fox being
exceedingly valuable; indeed, so great is the beauty of the

THL LYNX.

15

fur of the latter variety, and the rarity of the animal itself,
that a superior skin is worth as much as from 20Z. to 30/.

Many of the remote forests, especially those on the
southern shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, are inhabited
by the Lynx, or, as it is generally called, Catamount —
Lynx Canadensis . Naturalists are now inclined to return
to the opinion of Pennant, that the Lynx of Northern
Europe and this are identical. Though rather a large
animal, measuring nearly three feet in length, with thick
and powerful looking legs, it is harmless and inoffensive,
and flies from man rather than face him ; nevertheless,
when brought to bay or met unexpectedly at close quarters
it will set up its back and spit like a cat. It is, however,
so easily killed, that an ordinarily severe blow with a stick
is sufficient to despatch it.

Its appearance is too well known to need descrip-
tion : its disproportionately large hind- quarters, round
head, and long ears tipped with tufts of black hair,
being familiar to all. It varies a good deal in colour;
sometimes it is a hoary brown, at others nearly grey,
and often of different intermediate shades. The coat
is very thick and close, and the under hair lead
colour. The throat is white, and there are several very
dark marks through the whiskers and on the sides of
the neck.

The Lynx is hunted chiefly for the sake of its skin,

16

FELIDiE.

which, however, is not very valuable, and the Indians eat
the flesh, which, though white and tender, would not, as
may easily be imagined in an animal of the cat kind, be at
all appreciated by a European. It has a very unfeline pro-
pensity of taking to the water, and swims remarkably
well, sometimes crossing rivers of more than two miles in
width. On land it has a singularly free bounding gait.
It preys on birds, squirrels, or any other small animals
that come in its way; it is a deadly enemy of the so-
called “rabbit,” and is said to be very destructive to
young lambs.

The name “ Carcajou” is erroneous as applied to
this animal. It is used chiefly in the United States, to
designate the glutton or wolverine,* which belongs to
another family, and is at the present day seldom heard of
in either of the Provinces, inhabiting more generally
the higher latitudes.

I have only seen, in Canada, one specimen of the
Puma (Felis concolor ), and that was shot a few miles
from St. Catherines by Dr. Maitland, R.C.R.

It is a much larger animal than the lynx, though the
head is smaller in proportion, while the tail, which is
slightly tufted at the extreme point, is very long. The
colour of its fur is observed to change at different periods

# Gulo L use us.

THE PUMA.

of the year, but is perhaps most commonly a yellowish
brown, darker on the back, and greyish white on the
belly.

This is the same Puma as that of South America, and
in both continents is very widely distributed. In the
United States it is styled a “ Painter !” It is a most
destructive enemy to sheep, killing sometimes scores in a
single night, in apparent wantonness, and on this account
has always been systematically hunted down by the
farmers, so that it is not to be wondered at that it should
have so greatly diminished in numbers in Canada of late
years that at the present day it is only to be found in
the largest tracts of wood, and at rare intervals.

Any one who has roamed much in the Canadian forest
must have often come across the sickening trail of the
skunk,* called by the French Canadians Enfant du diable.
This horrid little animal, which is of the weasel kind, has
a beautiful coat of jet black, broadly marked with two
lateral stripes of white ; and on account of its extreme
softness, as well as beauty, the fur is much sought
after by dealers. But so disgusting and powerful is the
odour emitted by this creature, that nothing can with-
stand it : no dog can be induced to approach the track it
leaves behind, still less to attack the animal itself. I

* Mephitis mephitic a.

C

18

MUSTELIDiE.

have more than once, when shooting, been obliged
to rush with suspended breath past the spot where a
skunk had crossed, and on one occasion was compelled
to beat a hasty retreat from a small inn near Chippewa,
in consequence of one of these animals having been killed
in the cellar several hours previously. In similar cases,
it is said that any food in the place, even though not
actually touched by the animal, is so infected by the
penetrating scent, that it has to be thrown away. Not-
withstanding this offensiveness, its own flesh is said to be
excellent. The odour, which the skunk emits as a
means of defence from its enemies, proceeds from a liquid
secreted in two caudal glands ; these having been removed,
the animal may be domesticated without fear, and cases
are known in which it has become as tame as a cat.
Its food is young birds, mice, frogs, and the eggs of
ducks or poultry. Its strong and sharp claws enable it to
burrow or to climb with equal facility ; in winter, for
instance, it lives entirely underground, but forms its
nest in summer and brings forth its young, which are
six or eight in number, as often high up in a tree as
in its hole.

The Canadian Otter ( Lutra Canadensis ), though com-
mon enough in all parts of the country, has for some
unaccountable reason been singularly misrepresented by
various naturalists.

THE CANADIAN OTTER.

19

Goldsmith, contrasting it with the European animal,
actually informs us that “it is usually found white,
inclining to yellow!” According to Sir John Richardson,
Cuvier has confounded it with the otter of Brazil; while
Pennant* considers it identical with the common European
otter; and Buffon describes it as differing from the latter
in its size and hue. In the “ Fauna Borealis Americana ”
its length is correctly given as “five feet, including the
tail, which measures eighteen inches ;” but in another work
we are told that it measures only two feet in length, and
that the tail is not more than ten inches long.

The principal distinctions between it and the common
otter of our own country are its superior size, and the
very much darker colour of its fur. This is a very
deep brownt which in summer, and if the animal is
in good condition, is often nearly black on the back,
the upper side of the tail and on the legs ; the under
parts are lighter in their hue ; and the sides of the
head, the throat and breast are grey with a brownish
tint. They are found to increase in darkness and
depth of colour further north. A peculiarity also, which
is not found in the European otter, is that the fur
on the under parts presents the same glossy appear-
ance as the upper. In point of size, the Canadian

* Arctic Zoology.

c 2

20

MUSTELIDiE.

Otter is considerably larger than the other, and its tail
is also less taper.

In habits the two are precisely similar ; they live in
holes in the banks of lakes and rivers, preferring those
waters where the bottom is stony; when unsuccessful
in procuring fish will take almost anything that comes
in their way, not refusing even a vegetable diet occa-
sionally; but are dainty enough when their favourite
food is plentiful, selecting only the choicest portions of
each fish, and leaving the rest in disdain.

The Otter is sometimes shot at a considerable distance
from the water, being in the habit of travelling during
the winter from place to place in search of unfrozen
streams, and for that reason is then most commonly found
at the foot of waterfalls, or in the proximity of rapids.
When surprised, away from its retreat, and especially in
snow, it is very quickly overtaken; but it has an un-
pleasant habit of snapping savagely at anything ap-
proaching it, and its bite is very severe. I have heard
an instance in which one, after being mortally wounded,
left the marks of its teeth deeply indented on a gun-
barrel. If it succeed in seizing a dog incautious enough
to have come within range of its fangs, nothing will
induce it to relinquish its hold, and even after death it
is sometimes with difficulty that its jaws can be parted
to release the victim. Notwithstanding this apparent

THE CANADIAN OTTER.

21

ferocity, the Otter is in reality an animal of a naturally
gentle disposition, and if taken young may be rendered
so tame as to follow its owner. This I have seen in
India, and there are, I believe, instances known in which
the European animal has been trained to catch fish for
its master.

In its own holes or in the water it is not easily
attacked; there is no such sport as our otter-hunting
practised or known in Canada, and the animals are
generally taken by means of the trap. This is one size
smaller than that used for taking beaver, and very
strongly made; the ordinary method being to set it
just under water at the foot of the “slide,” or place
which the Otter uses for getting into the stream. In
setting this, the trapper is especially careful not to
allow his hand to touch the bank or trees near, as
otherwise the cautious animal would at once detect the
danger, and carefully avoid the spot.

A great number of otter skins are annually im-
ported into England, where they are always in request
on account of the softness and beauty of the fur, which
is exceedingly close and fine; they are also largely
employed in the manufacture of the military caps and
gauntlets which form a part of the officers’ winter
costume in Canada — the warmest and most service-
able articles of the kind I ever wore. The best

22

MUSTELID^E.

skins are now selling at Quebec at not more than six
dollars each.

The cubs, or young Otters, which never, I believe,
exceed from two to three in number, are generally born
in the month of April, they are soon able to shift for
themselves and take to the water very early.

FALLS ON TIIE OTTAWA.

CHAPTER II

lloirratk.

VARIETY OF HARES IN NORTH AMERICA — ABSENCE OF RABBITS DIS-
TINCTIONS BETWEEN HARES AND RABBITS THE NORTHERN-HARE

WEIGHT AND DESCRIPTION WINTER COAT — CHANGE OF COLOUR —

NATURE OF CHANGE — DOUBTS CONCERNING IT — DISCREPANCIES OF

DIFFERENT WRITERS HAUNTS OF NORTHERN- HARE ITS LATITUDES

ABUNDANCE IN CERTAIN DISTRICTS — MALFORMATION OF INCISORS

HABITS ATTACKED BY THE LYNX SNARING AND TRAPPING

WHEN IN SEASON POORNESS OF FLESH — THE GREY - “ RABBIT ”

GENERAL APPEARANCE — THE PRAIRIE-HARE NORTHERN LIMITS

—THE BEAVER — FORMER HABITATIONS — ITS SAGACITY POPULAR

FALLACIES CONCERNING IT — FORMATION OF HUTS GNAWING DOWN

TREES— COMPARED WITH EUROPEAN BEAVER — ITS SKIN METHOD

OF TRAPPING EXCELLENCE OF FLESH PRESENT DISTRICTS OF

BEAVER

CHAPTER II.

PT1H0UGH the continent of North America furnishes
numerous species of hares, it is nevertheless en-
tirely without the true rabbit, notwithstanding that
many of the above are invariably so called.

Such confusion of two species, so plainly separated
one from the other, by external characteristics, can only
have arisen from the most careless observation.

Independently of size and colour, the hare is easily
distinguished from the rabbit by the greater comparative
length of its ears and feet, in which latter, by the way,
there is also a slight osteological divergence. The rabbit
burrows, while the hare always makes its “form” above
ground ; the latter is solitary, * and the former gre-
garious ; and the young of the hare are born with their
eyes open and their bodies clothed with fur, while
those of the rabbit are blind for nine days after their
birth and are during that period entirely destitute of
hair.

The common Hare of Canada, or Northern Hare

26

LEPOEIDiE.

(Lepus Americanus), though one of those generally de-
nominated throughout the country a “ rabbit,” is in its
habits and anatomy a true hare, and presents the follow-
ing very distinctive characteristics of the species : — its
legs are much longer than those of the common rabbit;
there is a greater disproportion between the length
of the fore and hind legs ; and the eye is yellow.

In summer its general colour is a yellowish-brown,
darker along the back and on the crown of the head;
the throat and under parts are white, the sides of the
muzzle are greyish, and there is a light patch or circle
round the eye ; the ears being tipped with black, which
also extends down their edges. On close examination
it will be found that the greater part of the hair is of
three colours, viz., grey at the roots, brown in the
middle, and very dark at the extreme points. The tail
is white underneath and brown above.

The winter coat is rather longer than the summer
one, and, with the exception of the ears, which remain
unchanged, presents a uniform white appearance ; though
on blowing aside the fur it will be seen that the change
goes no further than the surface, the grey roots and yel-
lowish-brown centre remaining as in summer. In this
respect it differs from the Polar-hare, the finer and
softer fur of which is in winter pure white to the

roots.

THE NORTHERN HARE.

27

Waterhouse* is of opinion that the white of the winter
coat is not always due to change of colour only, but in
some cases, as in the present instance, is accompanied by
a partial shedding of the summer fur. Sir J. Richardson,
however, attributes it entirely to a lengthening and
blanching of the summer coat, but is of opinion that the
change in beginning of summer consists in the winter
coat falling off during the growth of the new fur. This
can only be decided by examination of specimens at both
seasons in their transition state.

The winter coat is gradually assumed in November,
the head and shoulders being the last parts of the body
to change their colour, and it remains unaltered until
April, when it is shed. The young are later at both
seasons in changing than the old ones are.

Dekay,f among other ‘writers, affirms that this
change of colour does not take place in the Northern
Hare at all, and I have a letter now before me from
Canada, in which the writer, a known sportsman, also
states that it does not turn white. This contradiction
may probably be explained by the fact that the change
is dependent on the effect of climate as influenced by
latitude. The animals in the States, doubtless, as Dr.
Dekay says, undergo no change whatever, while those

* Nat. Hist. Mam.

t Fauna of New York.

28

LEP0RID2E.

in latitudes removed a little further north exhibit it in
a partial degree, and the complete assumption of the
white coat commences only in Canada.

Other discrepancies, met with in various writers as to
its size, weight, number of young, and so on, which are
so puzzling and contradictory, may be traced to the
adoption of different methods of measuring, and to the
use in one instance of stuffed specimens, in another of
freshly killed ones; to weighing at non-corresponding
seasons of the year; and to the mixing up in various
accounts, of this hare with the “ grey-rabbit” or others,
a confusion increased by the indiscriminate application
of the term “ Lepus Americanus Hence it is that we
find one author stating its length to be thirty-one inches,
and another only half that ; one informing us that it
never weighs more than three pounds, another that its
usual weight is between six and seven pounds. In one
work we are told that it breeds four times in the
season, while others affirm that it does so only thrice
in the year; one says that it has not more than from
two to four at a birth, and another, that it has from
five to seven. The true length of a full-sized, freshly
killed specimen, measured from the point of the nose to
the root of the tail, is, according to the “ Canadian Na-
turalist,” nineteen inches and a quarter, and of smaller
animals often only sixteen inches. Its weight varies

THE NORTHERN HARE.

29

at different seasons from three, to six and a half pounds,
but five and a half pounds is the average weight of a
full-grown one.

It is probable that the doe produces two families in
the season, the young numbering from four to six each
time, and the period of gestation is about six weeks ;
but this species is said to be subject to failures through
a disease which is of periodical occurrence.

This Hare is found in pine-woods and in thickets on
rocky hill sides and in undisturbed districts, preferring
dry and rather high situations ; and is generally to be
met with, in greater or less abundance, wherever there
is any quantity of dwarf birch or of willow. In the
summer the chief part of its food consists of grass
and the leaves of various plants. It is said to be very
fond of the young twigs of the Laurus benzoin or wild
allspice ; and in winter scratches up the snow to feed on
the berries and leaves of various species of Pyrola .*

It ranges as far north as latitude 68°, and, according
to Dr. Bachman,f its southern limit is 51°; but I have
myself seen and shot it at the Short Hills, in the
Western Province, which is about 43° 15', and it is com-
mon still further south in many parts of the State of
New York, to my own knowledge. It is very abundant

# Can. Nat. Geo., Mont.

t Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil.

30

LEPORIDiE.

in many districts of both Provinces, and in those of
Rimouski, Gaspe, and Bonaventure, is the commonest
animal in the woods.

I have seen a specimen of this hare presenting an
instance of a malformation of the front teeth, or incisors,
which is not uncommon, namely, a growth of several
inches in a circular direction. This, in the case of a single
tooth, is owing to the absence of the opposing incisor, the
constant friction of which, when in its proper place, keeps
down the growth intended by nature to supply the daily
wear to which the teeth are exposed. When, as is often
the case, both an upper and lower incisor are similarly
lengthened and distorted, it will be found to be owing to
a divergence of their points.

It is not the case, as has been stated by some writers,
that these animals when pursued take refuge in a hole, or
in hollows under old roots ; on the contrary, they are not
easily run down, even by dogs trained for coursing. They
never burrow, and are generally to be found lying out
among the long tufts of grass, though in cold weather
they keep under the shelter of close bushes, or the
foliage of fallen trees. Their hours of feeding are
during the night, but a curious and wonderful instinct
teaches them to foretell the coming of storms hours
in advance, and to go forth at mid-day to procure the
subsistence which they may, a little later, be unable to

31

THE GREY-“RABBIT.”

obtain. In the spring and summer it is not unusual to see
them out early in the morning, or at sunset.

Great havoc is caused among their numbers by their
natural enemy, the lynx, which subsists almost entirely
upon them. As the runs or paths that they make
through the woods are even more marked and permanent
than those of our own hare, they are also very exten-
sively snared in the remoter districts by the Indians,
who make use of the skins in the manufacture of their
winter clothing, and are also taken by means of a trap
of thick pieces of bark, which, being saturated with salt,
the animal attempting to gnaw, brings down on itself.

A friend in Canada informs me, that u among the
country people it is not considered fit for food till after
the first frost, but that the flesh is, at the best, in
poor repute in the cuisine , being hard and dry, and
is looked upon with disdain as a dish, except in a
potage with plenty of other ingredients.”

The u Grey- Rabbit” ( L , sylvaticus ), which Desmarest,
Harlan, Audubon, Thompson, and Bachman call L.
Americanus , in general appearance very much resembles
our common rabbit. Its back is a yellowish-brown, mixed
with grey and black ; the sides being much greyer, as
well as the loins and thighs. The under parts are white,
and the sides of the head reddish grey. The fur is full
and close, and especially so on the under parts of the feet.

32

LEPORI DM.

The Prairie Hare ( L . campestris) is one of the largest
hares of the continent, weighing from seven to eleven
pounds, and is of a grey colour tinged with yellow, the
entire under parts dusky white. It does not burrow,
and is found by the sportsman, like the two preceding
kinds, either with or without the use of dogs.

The forests in most parts of Canada abound with
squirrels, which are perhaps more abundant and in greater
variety in North America than in any other part of the
world, widely distributed though they are. A large
black one,* fully double the size of our common red
squirrel, is so numerous at times, that scores may
be seen leaping from bough to bough. The flesh of this
kind, especially after the hickory nuts come in, is not
to be despised, being very white and tender, and of deli-
cate flavour. 1 have occasionally killed them when on
short commons, and consider the flesh, either stewed or
made into a curry, as equal to rabbit, and have passed it
off as such; on one occasion eliciting the highest com-
mendations of a brother officer, who had often expressed
his disgust at the idea of eating squirrel.

Black-squirrel shooting ranks as a field-sport among
the Yankees, whose aspirations, however, do not rise
very high in such matters ; and there are authenticated

* Sciurus niger .

SMALLER FOREST ANIMALS.

33

instances of two guns having killed upwards of one
thousand head in a week. The grey-squirrel,* which
is even larger than the above, does not appear to be so
common, though I have seen it in tolerable abundance,
and it is much sought after for the sake of its beautiful
skin, which is used in the manufacture of caps, muffs,
and other articles of winter attire. Both these squirrels
are migratory, and move to the south when the cold
weather sets in. The black one is a capital swimmer, and
does not hesitate to cross the widest rivers in his course,
though I cannot bear out the report which gravely states
that u they are accustomed to cross the great lakes, using
their tails after the manner of a sail, and choosing a
favourable wind.”

An exceedingly pretty and very interesting variety,
which is familiar to all who have been in the forest, is the
ground-squirrel, or u chipmunk, ”f which may be seen in
almost every wood. It is smaller than the common
British squirrel, with a tail much less bushy in pro-
portion. A specimen that I brought home is of a bright
fawn colour, inclining to grey on the back, along which
run three parallel stripes or bars at a little distance apart,
the two outer of a light cream colour, with a border of
deep brown, and the centre one of the latter colour only.

# Sciurus leucotis.

t Tamias striatus.

34

sciurid^:.

The eyes, which are very prominent, are black and piercing.
Its nest is generally to be found at the root of a tree or
in the hollow of some fallen trunk, and is neatly and very
firmly built of small twigs and dead leaves, the interior
being warmly lined with abundance of dry moss, and so
ingeniously covered in as to be perfectly protected from
the heaviest rain. The chipmunk, I believe, rarely
climbs like the squirrel, for I have often, when lying in
wait for ducks or posted at some deer run, watched their
amusing gambols, and observed them continually leaping
on and clinging to the trunk of a tree, now and then
scrambling a few inches up it, but dropping to the ground
again without ascending higher.

The Beaver ( Castor Canadensis) perhaps barely comes
under the denomination of game, being more usually
trapped than shot; but an animal so interesting de-
serves more than a mere passing notice.

Though once spread over the whole of Canada it is
now found only in the most northern districts, and would
doubtless ere this have become altogether extinct but for
the fortunate stop put to the demand for its skin, by the
introduction of other materials in the manufacture of hats ;

indeed, since this change, the beaver is said to be rather

*

on the increase.

Traces of their former habitations are still visible
in many of the most cultivated and populous parts

THE CANADIAN BEAVER.

35

of Canada. In one of these interesting remains near
Niagara, called u Beaver Town,” the dam — which they
invariably erect across streams in which the supply of
water is liable to be cut off — is of such large dimension
and regular workmanship that at first I could hardly be
persuaded it was not the work of human hands.

The skill and sagacity of these animals in the erection
of their dwellings can hardly be over-rated ; for the
ingenuity shown in the prosecution of their labours
appears to be rather the result of thought and reflection
than of mere instinct. But many plans and devices
have been attributed to them of which they are
perfectly innocent. For instance, it is a fallacy to
suppose, as many do, that the Beaver drives in stakes,
or that it first forms a framework of wood, and then
plasters it ; neither is it a fact that its hut is made with
back and front doors, or that in finishing its house it
uses its tail as a trowel, constantly dipping it into the
water, and smoothing the clay surface like a plasterer.

The flapping of the tail, which has given rise to this
vulgar error, is a habit which the Beaver indulges in as
much on the dry ground or tree-trunk as on its own
house-top. The exterior of the hut is certainly most
neatly plastered over, and the wonderful sagacity of the
animal teaches it annually to replaster the structure
before the setting in of winter; but the original build-

d 2

36

SCIURIDiE.

in g is all made at one time, and is done entirely by the
paws, which are also used in carrying both mud and
stones. Wood is usually brought in the teeth, un-
less large logs are required, in which case they are
floated down stream to the desired position. Beavers
are popularly supposed to fell large forest trees, but
they never attempt one above two feet in circum-
ference, at the utmost : and this is sufficiently won-
derful, especially considering the extraordinary neat-
ness and celerity with which the work is done.
It is a curious fact that they thus fell and prepare
the wood required for new huts, early in summer,
though they do not use it till the autumn.

The greater part of their building operations are
carried on at night, and their unity of purpose and
labour, and mutual assistance are not the least interest-
ing traits of the animal which has been so well chosen as
the national badge of the Canadians.

In the summer the huts are deserted, their inhabi-
tants wandering about in search of food ; before the
frost commences, however, they reappear, and prepare
their dwellings for the winter as above.

The cleanliness of their habits is most remarkable,
and they are also exceedingly playful, the young ones
especially gamboling like kittens.

The North American Beaver is probably rather larger

THE CANADIAN BEAVER.

37

than the European one, and the coat is generally darker,
though the colour varies considerably in different indi-
viduals, even from the same colony ; the form and position
of the nasal bones also constitute an important osteo-
logical distinction between the two. Numerous fossil
remains of the American Beaver have been discovered
in different parts of the country, which do not differ at all
from the existing species. The ear of the Beaver is very
curious, being so formed as to lie flat when the animal is
diving, thereby covering the orifice so completely as to
exclude the water.

The “pelt” or fur is still in request among the trappers
and Indians, who kill a great number of these animals
in the course of the year. Some of the native tribes use
the skins in the manufacture of their winter clothing,
others merely as an article of barter and commerce.

The trap is baited, not with food, but with a scented
oil, taken from the animal itself, and is set under water,
fastened, like a common rabbit trap, by a chain to the
bank, and having a float attached, by means of which,
in the event of its being carried off by the Beaver’s
struggles, its whereabouts may be discovered. This oil,
or “ castoreum,” as it is properly called, is also used as a
bait for attracting the lynx and other animals.

The trappers esteem the tail a great delicacy, and
the flesh of the young Beaver is really excellent,

38

SCIURIDiE.

and very like that of young pig. The orthodox method
of cooking it is to roast the animal in its skin, but as
this is worth several dollars, it is not often that a trapper
is willing to make the sacrifice.

The favourite food of the Beaver is the stem of the
water-lily called Nuphar luteum, ; it also feeds upon the
bark of several trees, as the poplar and birch, and especi-
ally the willow, and lays up a store for winter use.

At the present day, the Beaver is found on lagoons
and streams in the country about Lake Superior, and
the Roseau River. Eastward it is tolerably plentiful
on many of the small tributaries of the Restigouche;
and in the more remote regions of British North
America is abundant.

CANADIAN LAGOON.

CHAPTER III.

IjUtmhtattfiit.

THE MOOSE — PARTS OF CANADA IN WHICH IT IS FOUND — DERIVATION OF

NAME — COMPARED WITH ELK OF EUROPJEO- ASIATIC CONTINENT ITS

EARLY DISTRIBUTION — PLEISTOCENE AND PREHISTORIC REMAINS

GRADUAL DIMINUTION OF THE MOOSE WANTON DESTRUCTION —

ERRONEOUSLY CONFOUNDED WITH ANCIENT IRISH “ ELK” FORM AND

DIMENSIONS OF THE MOOSE AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION — ITS WINTER
COAT — GROWTH OF ANTLERS IN DIFFERENT STAGES — FORMATION

OF THE MUZZLE ITS FOOD— PECULIARITY OF HOOFS — “ COW

MOOSE — YOUNG MOOSE OR “ CALF ” MODES OF HUNTING MOOSE —

“ CALLING ”■ “ DRIVING ” — GAIT OF MOOSE WHEN PURSUED HERDING

OF MOOSE IN CANADA “ STILL HUNTING ” SUMMER HAUNTS —

WINTER RESORTS — “ MOOSE- YARD” WINTER HUNTING MOOSE FLESH

— PROBABLE LONGEVITY OF THE MOOSE — PREPARATION AND USES OF
SKINS, HOOFS, AND SINEWS.

CHAPTER III.

THOUGH greatly diminished in numbers during the
last half century, and year by year retreating
within more circumscribed limits, the Moose ( Cervus
alces ) still ranges the wooded country north of Quebec,
away up to Hudson’s Straits; is found eastward as far as
the Saguenay River, and frequents in considerable abun-
dance the districts of Rimouski, Gaspe, and Bonaventure.
Westward of Quebec, it exists only on the northern
side of the St. Lawrence, but below the city is found
on both shores of the river.

The North American Elk, or Moose — the latter term
being a corruption of the Indian synonyme “Moosoa”— I
believe to be specifically identical with the Elk* of Northern
Europe and Asia. For excepting that the Moose is of
greater size than the European animal, there does not
appear, on the most careful examination, to be any real
difference whatever between them. The form and growth

* The term Elk (in Scandinavia JElcTi) is in America applied only to
the Wapiti.

42

CERVIDyE,

of the antlers are closely similar ;* the colour of the
hair, the nature of the food, and the general habits of
the two animals are precisely alike : and in Asia, where,
I believe, they occupy nearly the same latitudes as in
Europe, even the difference in size ceases to be observ-
able, and the identity is complete.

Though, generally speaking, the latitudes inhabited
by the European animal range rather higher than those
occupied by the Moose, the climate and temperature
will be found to be nearly the same in both cases.
According to the just quoted 'writer, the entire range
of the North American animal “extends, at the present
day, on the west coast, from the shores of the Arctic
Ocean nearly to the Columbia River. Further east, the
northern limit is about latitude 65°, and thence through
Canada to Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and the
northern parts of the State of New York, where a few
are killed every year, although, owing to the com-
paratively inaccessible nature of their resorts, their
pursuit has become extremely difficult.”

That the Old World Elk formerly covered a much
more extensive area than at the present day, is manifest

* Baird, in his “ Zoology of the Pacific Routes,” says an extensive
series of horns from Sweden, though somewhat different from the
American ones he had compared with them, yet furnish nothing of
apparent specific value.

THE MOOSE.

43

from the discovery of fossil remains in various European
countries where it has been extinct for ages.

Mr. Boyd Dawkins says: In the turbaries of North
Germany, and especially in Pomerania, its remains are
very abundant, and are there associated with those of
reindeer and other animals.

Even our own land appears to have been once inha-
bited by this noble animal, for its bones have been
found in a cave on the coast of Pembrokeshire,
associated with those of Ursus 'spelceus and the mammoth,
proving that it lived in Britain, as it did in France,
during the Pleistocene times. According to Dr. Percival
Wright, an antler attributed to the true Elk was found in
Ireland, and exhibited at a meeting of the Dublin Royal
Society last spring. And the case adduced by Mr. Howse
proves that this animal lived in England also after the
disappearance of the mammoth, cave-lion, and other
Pleistocene mammalia, in the period that, for want of a
better name, we call prehistoric. In his u Notes on the
Fossil Remains of Extinct Mammalia found in North-
umberland and Durham,” * he says, “ The former
existence of the true Elk or Moose Deer of the Canadians
in England rests upon the authority of a very fine antler
which was found in Chirdon Burn. The perfect appear-

* Trans. Tyneside Nat. Field Club.

44

CERVIDJ3.

ance of the burr or boss shows it to have been shed, and
the number of joints or digitations indicate it to have
belonged to an individual six or seven years old3 and
therefore immature, as the Elk is said not to complete the
growth of its horns till the fourteenth year. Though the
above-mentioned instance probably belongs to the pre-
historic period, the following quotation, if it may be relied
on, would lead us to infer that the true Elk existed in
this country at a much later date. In Maxwell’s “ Hill-
side and Border Sketches,” it is said that a medal of
Trajan, a patera, a fibula, and a Moose Deer were
discovered near North Berwick. There is no historical
account of the former existence of the Elk as a native of
Britain by any Roman author, though it is particularly
mentioned by Caesar, among other animals, as living in
the great Hercynian forest during the Roman period.
With the progress of civilization, it has, however, gradu-
ally disappeared from the countries formerly occupied by
this extensive forest, and occurs now in Europe only
in northern Prussia, Lithuania, Finland, Russia, and
Scandinavia.”

Unfortunately this process of extinction is going on
slowly but surely, among the Moose of Canada, aided by
the yearly inroads upon the forest, and till lately by the
barbarous destruction to which they have been exposed —
not alone on the part of the savage Indian or the ignorant

THE MOOSE.

45

settler, but, less excusably, at tbe hands of men claiming
to be sportsmen, yet slaughtering indiscriminately old and
young, pregnant mothers, and half-grown a calves,” and
leaving the useless carcasses to rot on the ground. Such
deeds have been perpetrated to within a very recent
period in Nova Scotia — deeds which, to the disgrace of
our country, characterize the presence of Englishmen alike
in the elephant jungles of the East, the buffalo prairies of
North America, and the noble plains of South Africa. It
is indeed to be feared that in time the Moose may
become as completely extinct as its prehistoric congener,
the so-called u Irish-elk,”* in comparison with which the
proportions of the Moose sink into insignificance.

Perhaps some of the most perfect existing specimens of
this magnificent deer are those in the possession of Sir
George Abercromby, at Forglen House, N.B. ; namely, two
entire heads, with part of a third, and portions of four
skeletons, which were found on his Irish property at
Fermoy, at a depth of fourteen feet below the surface of a
peaty swamp, resting on a solid bed of clay and gravel,
and lying close together, as if washed in by some eddy.

These, or rather, similar remains, have often been
erroneously confounded, under the name of elk, with
C. dices; but the Irish “Big-horn,” or Megctceros , is not

* Megaceros Hibernicus.

46

CERV1D JE.

an elk, but a true deer, intermediate between the fallow-
deer ( C . dama ) and the rein-deer ( C tarandus ) ; and its
horns are of a very different type from those of the elk,
which have no stem, and are also of much smaller
growth.

The finest of the specimens of antlers just alluded to,
at Forglen, measures no less than eight feet two inches
across from tip to tip ; the stems of the horns at base
are nearly a foot in circumference, and some of the tines
are two feet three inches in length.

Though of greatly inferior proportions to this colossal
animal, the Moose is of far larger dimensions and more
imposing appearance than any other existing species of
the Cervida , though, at the same time, of such strange
and ungainly form that we can hardly wonder at the
absurd fables concerning it which are to be found among
Greek and Roman writers ; some of whom gravely
describe it as having no joints to its legs, antlers
growing from its eyelids, and only able to graze when
walking backwards. Its habit, when pursued, of blindly
stumbling over fallen trees and the like obstacles, owing
to the elevated carriage of the head, also gave rise to
the belief that it was subject to fits, and recovered itself
by smelling its hoof.

A full -srr own Bull-Moose stands from seventeen to
eighteen hands high, and weighs nearly twelve hundred

THE MOOSE.

47

pounds. He lias a bristly mane about five inches in height,
and from a lump under the throat hangs a tuft of coarse
hair. The coat is very long, and so exceedingly brittle
that it breaks when bent. ' Except on the legs and belly,
where it is of a much lighter hue, it is of a varying ash
colour, having the extremities of the hairs tipped with
dark brown. The tail is very short, and is white on the
under side. In winter, unlike many other animals inha-
biting the higher latitudes — as the hare and the fox, which
at that season become as white as the snow on which they
move — the Moose assumes a muck darker shade, the bull
being often nearly black, and consequently more conspi-
cuous to his enemies ; and this coat, which is not shed till
spring, is much longer and coarser than the summer one.

The horns of the young Moose are in their first year
only an inch high ; in the next they rise to a foot, and are
shaped somewhat like a large spear-head ; in the following
year they are forked ; in the fourth season they have six
snags, and at five years old are of triangular form, with
points on the external edges. In the mature animal the
points are sometimes thirty in number, and the antlers
frequently measure as much as six feet from tip to tip.
They are shed in January and February, and are so
rapidly developed again, that by the month of June they
are restored to their full size. The young males do not
lose theirs till spring, and they are in consepuence corre-

48

CERVID JE.

spondingly later in reappearing. A better idea of the
size of the full-grown antlers may be conveyed by a
comparison of their weight with that of the antlers of
the Highland red-deer. These, in a full-grown stag,
seldom weigh more than from twelve to thirteen pounds,
whereas the horns of an old Moose often attain to fifty
pounds and upwards, and have, I believe, been known to
weigh as much as sixty.

The muscles of the neck are of extraordinary size
and development, and the neck itself, as if intended the
better to enable the animal to support the above enormous
weight, is excessively short, measuring not more than
twelve inches from the shoulder to the back of the head.
The fore legs at the same time are disproportionately
long, so that it can only graze with difficulty and in a
posture apparently extremely irksome, one fore foot being
awkwardly placed in front and the other thrown back
under the body. That this attitude is really inconve-
nient is proved by the fact that whenever possible they
give the preference to herbage lying on a slope, as being
more easily accessible.

Nature has, however, in some measure compensated
for so inconvenient a neck by the extraordinary length and
prehensile power of the upper lip, or “mouffle,” and also by
endowing the animal with a liking for young twigs,
tree- lichen, bark, and the tender branches of the birch,

THE MOOSE.

49

moose- wood and willow, which the giraffe-like formation
of his body and limbs enables him to obtain more easily;
while water-lilies, which are also a favourite food, he is
likewise enabled to procure with facility by wading.

There is another peculiarity in this useful muzzle,
namely, the formation of the nostrils, which are of such
extraordinary size that I have heard of the lower end of
a quart bottle being introduced into them without the
slightest difficulty. The space between them is very
broad, and almost entirely covered with close short hair,
only a very small patch of bare skin being visible in the
centre. The Moose, as is the case with most of the
order to which it belongs, has no incisors in the upper
jaw.

Though the fore feet are perfectly straight and well-
formed, the hind hoofs, on the contrary, are splayed and
awkward, and the horny points, which are very long
and loose, strike together at every step with a singular
clicking sound. This expansion of the foot is, doubtless,
intended to support, to a certain extent, the weight of the
animal on the snow-fields in winter, as well as on the
vast swamps it loves to frequent in the heat of
summer, though, on ordinary ground, it appears to in-
crease the naturally somewhat shuffling gait.

Using their fore feet with great force and wonderful
dexterity and quickness, they are enabled, with the heavy

E

50

CERVIDJ3.

sharp-edged hoof, to inflict a most severe and often
dangerous wound, and are therefore not to be rashly
approached when wounded or at bay, though under or-
dinary circumstances they are by no means pugnaciously
inclined. In fact, their natural disposition, as is the case
with many other animals of great size and conscious
strength, is rather to avoid combat than court it; and
when taken young they may be easily tamed, in which
respects they differ widely from the caribou.

The “Cow-moose” seldom exceeds sixteen hands in
height, and has no horns ; her coat is also redder or
more sandy than that of the bull, though in both there
is at times a very considerable variation of colour. She
has only one calf at a birth for the first few years, but
after that period has generally two. They are of a
light brown colour, and are usually born in the spring,
at which time the mother retreats to the deepest and
thickest parts of the forest, chiefly in order to hide her
young from the bulls, which would infallibly destroy
them.

The calves continue to be suckled by the mother for a
longer time after their birth than is the case with
any other animal that I am acquainted with. They
follow her likewise for a period of unusual duration;
generally indeed until she has another family to look
after. The slow growth of their horns as weapons of

THE MOOSE.

51

defence, and the time that the young animals are in
coming to maturity, are thus compensated for by the
maternal protection; for, as a recent writer* has noticed,
the affection of young animals to their parents does not
extend beyond the period when they are able to provide
for themselves, and varies in its duration in accordance
with the time necessary for attaining that end. Its
intensity also ceases simultaneously both in parent and
offspring, and after the period of its cessation not even
recognition appears to remain.

During the rutting season, which is in September,
the Moose seldom quits the covert, and is not to be
approached without considerable risk, the bulls being
especially dangerous at that time.

Moose hunting lasts throughout the autumn and
winter, and there are several different methods of
pursuing the sport, as u calling,” “ driving,” u creeping,”
and “tracking,” or hunting on snow-shoes, sometimes
called “ crusting.”

“ Calling,” which is practised generally in September
and October, as soon as the bellow of the bull begins
to be heard at night, is thus managed, and though it
may at first sight appear unsportsmanlike, is neither
without danger or excitement. On a calm, light night,

* Thompson’s “ Passions of Animals.”

52

CERVIDJ3.

the hunter, accompanied by an Indian or Canadian,
skilled, not only in woodcraft, but in the imitation of
the call or bellow of the Cow-moose, repairs to the forest
or swamp in which the animals are known to be feeding.
The instrument by which the u call ” is produced is a
cone or trumpet of bark, generally that of the birch,
about a foot and a half in length. With this the native
mounts a tree, in order to enable the sound to travel
further; the shooter below concealing himself either
among the chance bushes, or, if necessary, behind an
artificial screen of lopped boughs or sapins.

After the startling sound of the call has echoed away
through the dusky forest, the ordinary deathlike silence
again ensues, till the answer of the bull is faintly heard
in the distance, for the range to which the call reaches
on a still night is almost incredible.

When necessary to guide or encourage the advance
of the approaching Moose, the call is repeated ; but he
generally makes straight to the point with wonderful
accuracy, even from a distance of a mile or more.

The caller at this juncture, descending to the ground,
retires, with a reserve gun, to the rear of the sportsman,
and, motionless as the dark trunks around, they await
the appearance of their prey. However cramped or con-
strained their attitude, they must not move a finger, for
the suspicious animal invariably approaches up-wind if

THE MOOSE.

53

practicable, often making a very extended circuit to do
so, and is not easily led into ambush.

Listening for the first response to the call, and still
more anxiously for the slightest indication of an ap-
proaching animal, is a period of some excitement, but
the moment the formidable beast is heard actually
advancing nearer and nearer, crashing heavily through
the obstructing branches in his onward course, now
emitting a dull hollow grunt, now striking his antlers
sharply against the trunks of the trees, every nerve is
strung to the highest pitch, till the mighty tenant of the
forest stands before the concealed hunter, who hardly
dares to draw his breath as he steadies his hand for the
fatal shot.

A bull, on approaching the whereabouts of the sup-
posed female, will often stand in full view bellowing
in tones that ring startlingly through the forest depths,
stamping impatiently, and turning his shaggy head, now
in one direction now in another, the large ears moving
continually backwards and forwards, the mane erect, his
enormous antlers glancing in the moonlight, and his
breath wreathing in the night air.

When, as is sometimes the case, two bulls chance to
meet at the spot, laying back their ears and gnashing
their teeth together, they will rush at each other with
the most sudden and appalling fury, roaring, bellowing,

54

CERVIDiE.

and clashing their antlers together in presence of the
hunter, who, in utter forgetfulness of his rifle, stands
rooted to the ground at the sight of the magnificent
struggle.

Sometimes, also, an animal, on approaching, comes to
a stand, apparently seized with vague doubts, and the
caller lures him on again with a suppressed grunting
sound, the imitation of which at close quarters is the
most difficult part of the accomplishment. In this the
“red men” are unrivalled; for though many of the
French-Canadian hunters imitate the ordinary bellow
very successfully, they are generally inferior in this most
critical point. If the sounds are clumsily executed, the
disappointed animal, though he would not hesitate, if con-
fronted, to attack any one rash enough to meet him, takes
alarm at an invisible danger, and beats a rapid retreat at
the very moment when the anxious watcher is about to
realize the reward of his toil and patience. When this
unfortunately happens, the sport is over for the night,
and there is nothing to be done but to light a fire and
smoke, or lie down to sleep till a little before daylight,
which is a very favourable hour for “ calling,” and by
that time the alarm has generally subsided, or other
moose have fed up to within call. A temporary bivouac
is also not unfrequently rendered necessary by the sudden
springing up of a breeze in the early part of the night.

THE MOOSE.

55

If the panic has been so complete as to prevent either
“ calling” or stalking with any chance of success, the
Indians resort to “ driving/7 and while the sportsman lies
concealed in a likely “run,” they make a considerable
detour in order to get round the covert, and advancing
through it, drive the animals towards the rifle.

When moving rapidly in this way the Moose carry
their heads thrown back, their noses high in the air,
and the hind legs wide apart, in order to avoid striking
the heels of the fore feet, and, as may be imagined, have
a most singular appearance as they shuffle swiftly away
through the forest, twisting their huge horns in all
directions to escape contact with the trees. Though
their usual pace is a slouching trot, they can, when
necessary, gallop ; but, except when very hard pressed
and on firm ground, seldom exert themselves to that
extent; their ordinary pace, easy as it appears, being
sufficient in most cases to distance their pursuers.

It not unfrequently happens that a small herd is ascer-
tained to be feeding in some open glade at the edge of the
forest, when of course it is simply necessary to advance
cautiously up-wind under cover of the trees, and select
at leisure the best or nearest, as the case may be.
But they will never be found in such a position in thick
or stormy weather; for though they are said by the
Indians to hear the snap of a bough, even in the highest

56

CERVIDiE.

wind, the extra caution they exhibit in avoiding proximity
to any covert under such circumstances, seems to argue
the contrary.

“ Creeping,” or “ still-hunting,” which, except as
affected by the nature of the country, differs in no
respect from deer-stalking at home, may be followed
both in autumn and in winter; though the former is
certainly the pleasanter, and in some respects the better
season of the two.

Few sports in the world, perhaps, more test the skill
of the hunter than Moose-creeping, and I have stalked
wildebeest and springbok on the plains of South Africa,
the Great Rusa on the Neilgherry Hills, and alligators in
Malabar (than which, not many animals more difficult of
approach are easily to be found,) and therefore speak
advisedly.

Shy and watchful as the deer, the Moose is even more
cautious and keen of scent, and the eye, though so
comparatively small, is extremely quick. The open
forest, too, while certainly affording some degree of
cover, adds difficulties unknown on the heather. Though
not perplexed by the shifting winds of mountain corries,
the hunter has to contend with the more dangerous
stillness of the forest atmosphere, and the echoing dis-
tinctness with which every sound is borne on the clear
air, and has to pick his hazardous path through clustering

THE MOOSE.

57

trees, over prostrate trunks, and among rotten boughs,
where a chance blow from his rifle-barrel, or a careless
step on an unnoticed stick, while he is eagerly noting the
wind, the ground, the “ sign/’ and fifty other essential
points, may ruin in an instant results achieved only by
hours of toil and exertion.

Nor are the feeding herd and watchful bull the only
objects of his cautious regard. He must pay attention to
the smallest birds and animals in their vicinity with equal
care ; for a chipmunk scampering through the dry leaves,
or a chattering jay startled by his too sudden appearance
or rapid advance, will probably scare away a whole herd,
or excite such a degree of suspicion and alertness that
further approach is a matter of doubly increased diffi-
culty. These lesser inhabitants of the covert, how-
ever, often afford information of the greatest value to
the practised hunter. Posted on a run, or crouched
in his cache of green boughs, silent and alone, he knows
that the bird darting suddenly from the thicket, or
the squirrel abruptly arrested in his gambols, announces
the unseen approach of the wished-for deer. The ex-
perienced in woodcraft discovers at every step signs to,
him as plain as day, where others see only accident or
the merest trifles; he follows tracks invisible to unaccus'
tomed eyes, with a sort of instinct ; and pushes on with
equal speed and certainty over dead leaves, elastic moss,

58

CERVIDjE.

and rocky ground. By the elevation of the newly
broken twigs, by the height of the rubbings, or the
appearance of the gnawed bark on the larger trees, by
the form, the depth and size of the slot or footprints, by
the droppings, connected or separate, he will tell whether
the Moose in front are male or female, old or young; and
knows their weight and antlers, and whether the animals
are flying, or retreating leisurely. By the springy grass,
still prostrate, or just recovering from the pressure of
the hoof, he will judge his distance to a nicety, and
by a hundred other minutiae comprehend as clearly
every movement of the invisible objects of his pursuit
as though they were within reach of his eyes.

When Moose are close at hand, a faint warm whiff
of musk scents the air, and he who has learned to thread
his way with the stealthy tread of the panther may
sometimes manage to creep pretty close in upon them.
From the resemblance, however, in colour which their
bodies bear to surrounding objects, it is often so difficult
to detect them that the flapping of their long ears is
the first indication of their whereabouts.

Some are lying, some standing; some stamping their
large heavy hoofs, and others tossing back their vast
antlers, impatient of the tormenting flies, which during
the summer and autumn months attack them in myriads.

If an alarm is given, in the twinkling of an eye

THE MOOSE.

59

everything is changed, the herd is off in a moment,
madly rushing onwards, heedless of every obstruction,
and bearing all before it. It is singular that the mere
sound of firing does not appear to alarm other Moose
in the neighbourhood ; though the sight of a flying
animal will scare away every herd in its course, and the
forest will be deserted for days after.

In spring and summer, the Moose frequents the
swamps and lagoons in search of rushes and aquatic
plants, and in the hot weather stands, sometimes for a very
long time together, immersed up to the neck in the cool
lakes in order to escape the flies, or to browse on the
broad lotus leaves floating on the surface, as well as on
their stalks, which it procures by immersing its head
under water. At such times they are much more easily
approached — either in a canoe, or from the thickly
wooded bank — than when in the forest ; though the
more common method is for the hunter to take up his
position before daylight within shot of the place which
he has previously discovered by the trail is a favourite
resort. Here he lies in ambush as quietly as he can,
seeing he is probably half devoured by musquitoes, till
about mid-day, when the cracking of dry branches and
the rustle of dead leaves warn him of the approach of
the antlered monarch, which presently emerges from the
shade, and after looking cautiously round, wades into the

60

CERVID.E.

water, to fall an easy prey to the pot-shot of the patient
watcher.

Even more illegitimate modes of destruction are un-
fortunately practised against these unoffending animals.
The settlers hunt them at all seasons, with packs
of yelping curs of every kind and breed, and though
seldom successful in bringing them to bay, the country,
after such runs, is entirely forsaken by the Moose for
many months, if not altogether. The Indians also, when
the snow is thickly crusted, which is generally the case
late in the season, are in the habit of driving them into
the deep drifts, where, being unable to escape, they are
butchered in cold blood ; and a system in vogue with
the lumbermen is that of trapping them by means of
a springe. This is formed by bending down a strong
young ash tree, and laying a running noose of rope on
the path they are found to frequent ; by this means the
passing animal is caught and hoisted up high in the air,
where it struggles till the gradually tightening cord ends
its painful throes.

In winter, the Moose, being, from their great weight,
unable to travel without much difficulty in the deep snow,
select some sheltered part of the forest, which also affords
a good supply of food, and there form what is termed a
“ yard ” or ravage ; not, as a writer on the field sports
of North America tells us, “by regularly trampling

THE MOOSE.

61

down the snow in due form,” but simply by confining
themselves, for the above reason, to one spot, which, of
course, very soon produces the same effect, the interior
being screened and protected by the deep drift around.

Unless disturbed, they will remain in one of these
places for a considerable time, gradually enlarging the
area, often to the extent of twenty or thirty acres, and
browsing on the bushes, and on the branches and bark
of the surrounding trees, as long as there is anything
left ; the trunks being peeled to a height which it appears
almost incredible the animal should be able to reach,
while the young and lower trees are stripped bare of
every branch ; the spruce alone appearing to escape.
The maple, mountain-ash, and “ button- wood,” or plane,
are especial favourites.

There is little doubt that the Moose is capable of
undergoing long privation, and in proportion to its
great size is at ail times a sparing feeder, and able to
subsist on very little nourishment. The old males gene-
rally “ yard” together, for as they advance in years
they keep more and more aloof from the females and
young animals ; and at last become so unsociable that
they even dislike each other’s society, and live an entirely
solitary life.

The exterior of the ravage is often found thickly
trampled by wolves, which, though mortally afraid to cross

62

CERVID.E.

the rampart, will notwithstanding lay siege to the place
night after night, howling round it with impotent rage.

Indians sometimes come in to report the discovery of
these “yards,” just as on the Neilgherries the Todas and
Khotas come in to the European garrison to report a
tiger, and, in like manner, parties are organized to go in
pursuit ; but more generally expeditions start for the most
likely districts, with the object of searching for and
finding their own game, and are of course invariably
accompanied by skilful guides and hunters. “Paul,”
and the elder and younger “ Francis,” Lorette Indians,
who still act in these capacities, are names which mil be
familiar to all who have hunted Moose in the neigh-
bourhood of Quebec.

Long and sometimes tedious marches through the
snow, up hill, down dale, and through thick forest, have
to be undertaken, and it is necessary to be prepared for
an absence of several days.

After reaching the farthest point practicable for
sleighing, or even using a calash through the narrow
difficult paths, the camp supplies, blankets, biscuit,
pork, coffee, and so on, are transferred to tarboggins ,
or light hand - sledges, which are drawn after the
hunters by their dusky attendants. When the snow
has accumulated to any depth snow-shoes are of course
indispensable, but these are not to be used without

THE MOOSE.

G3

practice, and even when their use has been mastered, a
little preparatory exercise is advisable before starting on
one of these expeditions, in order to accustom the ankles
to the unusual strain upon the muscles, which, under the
name of mal a raquette , frequently confines the tyro to
his room. The snow-shoe, which it is perhaps hardly
necessary to describe, is a light ash frame of an oval
form, varying in dimensions according to circumstances,
the full size being about thirty-nine inches in length by
seventeen in breadth at the widest part, which is near
the centre. This framework, strengthened by a couple
of transverse bars, is laced across with a strong and
beautifully made net-work of caribou or moose skin,
which is cut into fine strips resembling catgut, and
interwoven close enough to prevent the feet sinking
even into the softest snow; this part of the work is
generally performed by the squaws, the men manu-
facturing the wooden frame. When in use the snow-
shoes are attached by stout straps to the fore part of
the feet ; and if necessary while hunting, to remove them,
in order to advance more noiselessly, are generally hung
round the neck.

Each night the party bivouacs in the sombre snow-
laden forest :

11 Manet sub Jove frigido Venator

and a convenient and sheltered spot being selected, the

64

CERVINE.

snow is dug out from an area proportioned to the shelter
required, and piled up by the aid of the snow-shoes to
windward, either simply as a screen, or in the form of a
rude hut. The ground is strewed with savins, buffalo
robes are laid over them, and in front a blazing fire is
built on large logs. Though this is comfortable enough,
the latter part of the night is intensely cold; and in
spite of blanket-coats, sleigh-robes, and fire, it is neces-
sary to lie very close together to maintain the animal
heat at all.

In Canada Moose more frequently form into small
herds than they do further north, but it is not an un-
common occurrence to come unexpectedly on a single
bull lying in the snow. As it starts suddenly to its feet
and bounds forward, the novice in all probability fires a
snap-shot at random, either missing it altogether or
merely wounding it ; but the practised hunter, knowing
well that it will turn round in a moment or two to gaze
at the cause of alarm, raises his rifle and steadily awaits
a surer aim.

When a herd is in flight the animals keep in Indian
file, each treading in the track of the one before it, for
the crust on the surface of the snow, obliging them
to lift their feet perpendicularly out of the deep holes
made at each step, very much hampers their flight ; while
it is further impeded by the dogs used in the chase,

THE MOOSE.

65

which, barking close at their heels, yet always keeping out
of harm’s way, cause them constantly to stop and charge.

Though the hunter’s broad snow-shoes bear him lightly
on the glistening surface, while the flying Moose sinks
to the knee at every step, it holds its own, and keeps
the lead in a manner which, considering its awkward
gait, appears incredible, and is not to be overtaken with-
out a trial of strength and endurance which none but
the robust need attempt.

Keeping to leeward of the tracks and cutting off all
angles possible, the intervening distance is gradually
lessened, and the excited hunters, straining every nerve,
gain sensibly on their prize. Again, however, it struggles
with more desperate energy through the crusted snow, its
tracks stained with the blood that flows from its lacerated
fetlocks, and once more regains the advantage. Strong
thews, sound wind, and determined endurance, however,
know no defeat, and the chase leads on and on, till at
length the furious animal, with heaving flanks and
distended nostrils, is brought to bay; or perhaps even
till the descending sun crimsons the western horizon,
and the quickly succeeding shades of night put an end
to the pursuit till the morrow. With a two-year-old
bull the latter is the more frequent occurrence of the
two, as they have much greater powers of endurance than
the others, but the old males, though more easily run

F

66

CERVIDiE.

down, are more dangerous and vicious when brought to
bay; indeed they will sometimes even refuse to run at all,
in both which cases a steady hand and dry powder are
essential points. As to the weapon suitable for Moose,
Caribou, and Deer shooting, a light double-barrelled
smooth-bore rifle is, in my opinion, of all others’ the most
convenient and useful ; but every-one has his own ideas
on these subjects.

When a Moose is slaughtered, the tongue, palate,
mouffle , and marrowbones are reserved for the white-
hunters, while their attendants feast on the flesh. This,
though coarse in grain, is, when in good condition, very
tender, and rather like beef, with the addition of a
slightly gamey flavour ; it is largely preserved by
means of smoke-drying. The fat, unlike that of the deer
tribe in general, is quite soft, and the layer on the
chine, known as the depouilli , is highly esteemed by
the trappers and Indians; though that of the Caribou
ranks, I believe, still higher in their estimation. The
fat and marrow in both animals, when mixed with the
pounded flesh, form “ pemmican.”

The Moose have been lately very much hunted for
the sake of their skins, which have risen in value within
the last year or two. Mr. Bell, of Montreal, in an in-
teresting paper on the “ Natural History of the St.
Lawrence District,” mentions the fact of a hunting

THE MOOSE.

67

party having, during the winter of 1857-8, procured
three hundred skins ; while another, consisting of only
three Indians, had on a single expedition the same
season killed nearly one hundred Moose.

The uses to which the various parts of this animal are

m

put, says Mr. Ross,* are many. “ The hide supplies
parchment, leather, lines, and cords; the sinews yield
thread and glue; the horns serve for handles to knives
and awls, as well as to make spoons of ; the shank bones
are employed as tools to dress leather with ; and with
a particular portion of the hair, when dyed, the Indian
women embroider garments. To make leather and
parchment, the hide is first divested of hair by scrap-
ing ; and all pieces of raw flesh being cut away, if
then washed, stretched, and dried it will become parch-
ment. In converting this into leather, a further pro-
cess of steeping, scraping, rubbing, and smearing with
the brains of the animal is gone through, after
which it is stretched and dried, and then smoked over
a fire of rotten wood, which imparts a lively yellow
colour to it. The article is then ready for service.
Of parchment, as such, the Indians make little use,
but the residents avail themselves of it in lieu of
glass for windows, for constructing the sides of dog-

* Can. Nat. Geo. : Montreal ., Dee., 1801.
F 2

68

CERVID^.

carioles, and for making glue. The leather is serviceable
in a variety of ways, but is principally made up into
tents and articles of clothing, and in the fabrication of
dog-harness, fine cords, wallets, &c. The capotes, gowns,

4 fire-bags,’ mittens, and moccasins made of it are
often richly ornamented with quills and beads. The
lines and cords are of various sizes, the largest being
used for sled -lines and pack -cords, the smaller for
lacing snow-shoes and other purposes. In order to
make the sled-lines pliant — a very necessary quality
when the temperature is 40° or 50° below zero, Fahr. —
the cord is first soaked in fat fish-liquor ; it is then
dried in the frost, and afterwards rubbed by hauling it
through the eye of an axe. To complete the operation it
is well greased, and any hard lumps masticated until they
become soft, by which process a line is produced of great
strength and pliancy, and which is not liable to crack in
the most severe cold. To obtain thread, the fibres of the
sinews are separated, and twisted into the required sizes.
The Moose furnishes the best quality of this article, which
is used by the natives to sew both leather and cloth, to
make rabbit snares, and to weave into fishing nets.”

The long white hairs are used by the squaws in
the ornamental embroidery of their different articles of
clothing and finery ; and the hoofs of the fore feet with
about twelve inches of the skin attached, and flattened

THE MOOSE.

69

out, are manufactured into pouches, or bags called
capuches , on which a large amount of labour and in-
genuity is generally expended. The beautifully inter-
laced and durable net- work of the snow-shoes before
alluded to, is made from carefully cut strings of the
undressed or raw hide.

I have not been able to obtain any reliable informa-
tion as to the longevity or otherwise of the Moose ; it is,
however, believed by the Indians to live to a great age,
a supposition which, considering the tardiness of its
attainment to maturity, is not improbable.

THE MOOSE.

CHAPTER IY.

|Utmimutfi;t — continued.

THE CARIBOU TWO VARIETIES — COMPARED WITH THE REINDEER PRE-

SENT RANGE OF REINDEER AND ITS FORMER LATITUDES — EARLY
EXISTENCE IN WESTERN EUROPE — REMAINS FOUND IN FRANCE, GREAT
BRITAIN, AND IRELAND — DIFFERENCE IN SIZE BETWEEN CARIBOU AND

REINDEER — INTRACTABILITY OF FORMER DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

THEIR ANTLERS — EFFECT OF FOOD ON ANTLER GROWTH DESCRIP-
TION OF CARIBOU HORNS ANTLERS IN FEMALE — IMMATURE HORNS

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CARIBOU — INFESTED WITH ^ESTRUS

DISTRICTS WHERE FOUND NATURE OF ITS FOOD ITS CALL

STALKING GREAT FLEETNESS — THE WAPITI— -ITS SOUTHERN LIMITS

SIZE, COLOUR, AND ANTLERS MISNAMED “ ELK ” ITS HABITS,

FOOD, ETC. THE AMERICAN DEER ANTLERS AND GENERAL DESCRIP-
TION— COLOUR OF FAWNS ABUNDANCE OF DEER — THEIR FOOD AND

HABIT? TORCH AND FIRE-LIGHT SHOOTING — DRIVING — STALKING

SEASONS FOR WINTER STALKING— MODE OF SECURING CARCASE

VALUE OF DEER SKINS.

CHAPTER IY.

^nminm&K- — continued.

fTIHE Caribou of Canada ( Cervus tarandus , var. Caribou)
is not to be confounded with the smaller variety
( Groenlandicus ) which inhabits the more northern
regions lying between the sixty-fifth degree of latitude
and the coast of the Arctic Sea; and is an equally
distinct variety of the typical reindeer* of the Old World.

As Sir John Richardson remarksf — “Neither of these
varieties of Caribou has as yet been properly compared
with the European or Asiatic races of reindeer, and the
distinguishing characters, if any exist, are still unknown.
So great is their resemblance in habits and appearance to
the Lapland deer, that they have always been considered
to be the same species, without the fact having ever been
completely established.”

These remarks, written more than five-and-thirty
years ago, are still true, for no complete skeleton of
American Caribou exists in any European collection

Cervus tarandus.

t Fauna Borealis Americana. I. 238.

74

CERVJDjE.

for comparison, and specific characteristics cannot of
course be founded on mere antler variation ; but I shall
as briefly as possible point out the differences that exist
between them, and show them to be in reality only very
distinctly marked varieties of one and the same species.

The Reindeer has its modern range east and west, from
Kamtschatka to Norway. Pallas mentions it as existing in
the Ural Mountains in his time — namely, from 1760-80;
and according to Wilson,* “ herds are still found among
the pine woods which stretch from the banks of the Oufa,
under the fifty-fifth degree, to those of the Kama. They
proceed even farther south, along the woody summits
of that prolongation of the Uralian Mountains which
stretches between the Don and the Wolga, as far as the
forty-sixth degree. The species thus advances almost to
the base of the Caucasian Mountains, along the banks of
the Kouma, where scarcely a winter passes without a few
being shot by the Kalmucks, under a latitude two degrees
to the south of Astracan. This remarkable inequality of
the polar distances in the geographical positions of this
species, according to the difference of meridian, is of
course dependent on the laws which regulate the dis-
tribution of heat over the earth’s surface, as explained
by Humboldt. It is well known that physical climates

* Enc. Brit., Ed. 1857.

THE CARIBOU.

75

do not lie, as it were, in bands parallel to the equator,

%

but that the isothermal lines recede from the pole in
the interior of continents, and advance towards it as we
approach the shores. It follows, that the further any
northern animal is naturally removed from the amelio-
rating climatic influence of the ocean, the more extended
may be its range in a southerly direction.”

In former ages the reindeer appears to have ex-
tended very nearly as far south as this in Western
Europe also. There is no evidence of its having ac-
tually crossed the Pyrenees or Alps; but remains have
been discovered at no great distance from the northern
base of the former chain, and vast numbers of others
have been traced thence through France, Great Britain,
and Ireland.

In the caves of Bruniquel in Southern France, the
Yicomte de Lastic found in a group of cave-remains
immense numbers of those of reindeer, which had evi-
dently served for food to the human denizens of the
cavern, whose relics in skulls, bones, worked flints, and
horns were afterwards secured by Professor Owen for
the British Museum. In many of the caves of the
Dordogne quantities of remains of C. tarandus have also
been brought to light ; in one instance an artificial
flint weapon was found deeply fixed or embedded in a
vertebra of one of this species.

76

CERVIDiE.

The Rev. S. W. King, F.G.S., discovered numerous
remains in the cave of Aurignac in Haute Garonne, in
1864, where they had also been found to the probable
extent of some ten or twelve individuals by M. Lartet,
associated with Pleistocene remains.

Sir Charles Lyell* also notices remains as having
been found in Brixham Cave, near Torquay, and in the
ossiferous caves in Glamorganshire, from which latter
no less than a thousand reindeer antlers were extracted,
several hundred more being estimated to remain there.
Professor Owenf records their occurrence in a cavern in
Devonshire, also in a peat moss in Norfolk, and probable
specimens in a marl-pit in Forfarshire. Others have
recently been dredged from the bed of the Thames.

In the West of England, Mr. Boyd Dawkins and
Mr. Ayshford Sanford detected two varieties of fossil
reindeer in the Pleistocene caverns of the Men dip Hills :
one very large ( query , Caribou?) the other very small,
and corresponding with the extreme variety of C.
tarandus — the Cervus guettardi of Cuvier.

In Ireland reindeer remains were found with those
of mammoth, cave-bear, and brown-bear, in a cave near
Dungarven. Professor Oldham records, as quoted by

* Antiquity of Man, pp. 99, 172.
t British Fossil Mammals, p. 479, et seq.

THE CARIBOU.

77

Professor Jukes,* that in a cutting through a bog at
Kiltiernan, near Dublin, in a layer of mud and vege-
table matter, covered by sand, and again by peat, two
heads of reindeer, with perfect horns, were found,
together with heads and antlers of thirty elks ( Megaceros
Hib. ) ; and in a note Professor J ukes adds, u I believe
these horns were more like those of the Caribou ( Cerf
boeuf ) of North America than those of the Lapland
Keindeer.”

The latitudes which the reindeer frequents in the
Old World at the present day, — viz., in Europe, from
Southern Scandinavia to the Isle of Spitzbergen, and in
Asia, throughout Siberia and Kamtschatka, are — with the
exception of the Caucasian range before alluded to —
much higher than those occupied by the North American
variety, which inhabits the tract of country lying be-
tween the southern shores of Hudson’s Bay and the
frontiers of Maine, extending westwards as far as
the northern shore of Lake Superior ; and it is a known
fact that in both continents they increase in size as
they are found further north ; yet the Caribou exceeds
in dimensions the largest Asiatic specimens. A mature
male weighs, when gralloched, full 300lbs, and measures
upwards of six feet in length, standing also about ten

Jour. G-eo. Soc. Dub.

78

CERVIDJE.

and a half hands high; whereas the wild reindeer of
Lapland seldom approaches within an inch or two of
these dimensions, and the domesticated one is still
smaller. This, however, may possibly be attributable to
the effect of food, and facilities for procuring subsistence.

It is a remarkable fact that there is not a single
instance on record of the Caribou having ever been
tamed to domestic use, like the well-known friend and
companion of the Laplander ; on the contrary, even
those that have been reared by the hand of man from
their very birth, have invariably proved wild and in-
tractable on attaining maturity.

The Caribou also differs from the reindeer in the
formation of its antlers, which are less slender, and not
so much curved as those of the latter. It is true that
in both a considerable variation is common in this
respect, even among individuals of the same herd; but
the dissimilarity between the two varieties is of another
nature, and neither casual nor accidental.

The size of the horns in all the Cervhhe is probably
the result of food; if that be abundant then the antler
growth reaches its maximum, and both diminish in a
direct ratio. This curious fact is proved by the animals
with the larger antlers being always found in areas
where their food is plentiful, which is the case in a
marked degree with the red-deer of our own country.

THE CARIBOU.

79

Partly palmated and partly cylindrical, the Caribou
antlers are of singular and fantastic form, and though
of great expanse — apparently but ill adapted for a forest
life — are so slight that their weight seldom exceeds 91bs.

The stem of the horn is considerably curved, the
concave side being to the front, and the extremities of
the palmated brow-antlers project nearly fifteen inches
over the face. Sometimes only one of these brow-antlers
occurs on one or other of the horns, though they are

80

CERV1D.E.

more frequently present on both, especially in the case
of the older males ; and it is doubtless their peculiarity
of form which has led to the belief that they are in-
tended by nature for the purpose of removing the snows
of winter in search of food. The fact, however, that
the male animal sheds his horns about the commencement
of that season demolishes the theory in his case; and it
is well known that he uses for this purpose his fore
feet and muzzle only, the skin of which latter is ex-
ceedingly hard and tough.

It is a singular fact that the female of this species
is furnished with antlers as well as the male, and
equally curious that while the latter shed their horns,
as just mentioned, at the beginning of the winter, she
should retain hers until the spring. If for the purpose
of enabling her to procure food as above, in the winter,
we may ask why should she be provided with facilities
for such a purpose which are denied to the opposite sex ?

The horns of the Caribou in the earlier stages of
their growth bear wonderfully little resemblance to those
of the mature animal. I have in my possession a pair
which I brought from Quebec, believed to be those of a
three-year-old, in which each horn is simply a plain,
slender, and very slightly curved stem, bearing equally
slender cylindrical brow-antlers, or rather tines, with
no appearance of any tendency to palmate.

THE CARIBOU.

81

The Caribou is not a graceful animal, having shorter
and thicker legs and a larger head, together with less
general symmetry, than most of the family to which it
belongs.

The hair, which in summer is a reddish brown, be-
comes rougher and changes to grey in the winter,
the throat and belly alone remaining white. Cuvier
says,# “ II change, en general, du brunatre au blan-
chatre et au blanc ; mais en qualite d’animal domestique,
ses couleurs ne sont point constantes, et chaque individu
a presque les siennes.”

The coat is composed of two kinds of hair : an under
one, of a woolly texture, which is very short, and so
close that it is difficult to reach the skin, and an upper
one of long straight hair of a darker colour. It is a
peculiarity of the latter that when rubbed or roughly
handled it breaks off short instead of coming out by
the roots. The hair under the neck is long and pendent.

This animal is much infested in summer with the larvae
of the CEstruSj which breed beneath the skin, causing
open wounds, apparently very troublesome and even
painful, and so numerous are they at times that the
skin is worthless for any purpose of manufacture. As
Mr. Ross, before quoted, states, “ The only hides service-

# Ossemens Fossiles, p. 125. Paris. 1835.
G

cervid.e.

82 .

able for converting into leather are those of animals
killed early in the winter, which, when subjected to a
process similar to that detailed in the case of the
moose, but bleached in the frost instead of being smoked,
furnish a most beautiful, even, and white leather.”

The districts in which the Caribou is now most
commonly found are the wilds north of Quebec, and the
country about the upper waters of the Restigouche, and
here they are met with in considerable abundance,
roaming the picturesque forests and solitary tracts in
small herds or broken parties of six or seven ; seldom or
ever being seen singly, like the moose. Mr. Robert Bell,
in his Report on the natural history of the St. Lawrence
District, already mentioned, states that they are also very
common in the Shick- shock range of mountains in the
Eastern province, and that “ some of his party reported
having found on the extensive table-top of Mount Albert,
one of this chain, a large area covered with immense
quantities of Caribou horns, most of them evidently of
great antiquity.” Mr. D’ Urban also, in his Report on the
fauna of the Yalley of the River Rouge, says the
Caribou is found in the districts of Argenteuil and Ottawa,
on Trembling Mountain, “ the gneiss rocks of which are
covered with its peculiar food, the Cladonia rangi-
ferina .”

This lichen is what the settlers call “ white moss

THE CARIBOU.

83

another kind is found on the trunks of forest trees, to
which the Caribou is also very partial, though it occurs
more sparingly. When neither are to be procured, grass,
leaves, bark, buds, and young twigs, are readily devoured.
Its flesh is tender and well flavoured in the early
wdnter, and is considered superior to that of the Moose.

The call of the Caribou is a sort of bark, though it
is not often heard, and would hardly be recognised by
one unaccustomed to it.

Though not so suspicious as the less agile moose,
this animal is not to be approached without great care
and circumspection on the part of the stalker, who, as
on all similar occasions, is better with no other com-
panion than his Indian guide. Many a disappointment
has been caused by the indiscretion or ignorance of a
friend and fellow-hunter, or by the presence of more
attendants than necessary. In following up either
Moose, Caribou or Deer, it is well always to bear
in mind the advice given by Scrope.* 44 In all cases of
approach, when it is necessary to advance in a stooping
position, or to crawl, you had better keep a constant eye
upon the man in the rear, for, believe me, no man is im-
plicitly to be trusted. One will most unconscionably put
his head up because, forsooth, his back aches insupportably ;

Deer-Stalking in the Highlands.

G 2

84

CERVIM.

another likes to have a peep at the deer ; a third (and he
is the most unpardonable of all) does not like to have the
burn water enter the bosom of his shirt, which is very-
inconsiderate, as nothing tends to keep a man more cool
and comfortable than a well applied streamlet of this
description. So look back constantly to the rear, that
every gillie may do his duty, and observe that no man
has a right to see the deer in approaching to get a quiet
shot, except the stalker.’’

In point of swiftness, the Caribou possesses a great
advantage over the moose ; and partly from its lighter
weight, partly from its feet being larger and wider, is able
to travel over snow which would not bear the weight of
the other, while at the same time it is gifted with greater
powers of endurance ; whence it is that they do not form
“yards” like the moose. On the contrary, they collect
together as soon as the snow comes, and form wander-
ing herds, which vary in number from a dozen to a
hundred, though often attacked and dispersed by the
wolves.

If it fairly takes to flight, it is useless to attempt to
follow the Caribou, even on snow-shoes, unless when there
is a crust on the surface sufficiently strong only just to
break through with its weight at every step ; this, lace-
rating the animal’s legs, and so crippling its movements,
places it more on an equality with its pursuer. The

THE WAPITI.

85

females, however, being generally fatter than the males,
are more easily run down. The prints of the Caribou
footsteps in the snow resemble those of a bullock, though
they are longer.

In the summer and autumn, if pursued, the Caribou
betakes itself, whenever practicable, to the nearest swamp
as a refuge. If pressed, its pace is very rapid, and it
takes extraordinary leaps in its stride ; at such times,
however, it will occasionally turn and stand at bay, show-
ing fight with the utmost determination. When moving
quickly the same sharp clicking sound is made by the
hoofs which has been previously adverted to in describing
the moose.

The Wapiti ( Cervus Canadensis ) would appear, from
its specific name, to be entitled to a place among the
large game of Canada, but is, in fact, found no further
south than the limits of the North- V^est Territory;
ranging as far as 56° or 57° in the opposite direction.
It is, however, so beautiful an animal that I gladly
avail myself of its name to give a short description of it.

Though frequently classed under the genus Elaphus , it
is included by Baird in the present one, as keeping
all the deer with naked muzzles together.

It stands about four and a half feet high at the
shoulder, or nearly a foot higher than the red-deer
of Scotland, though in general form both are very

86

CERVIDiE.

similar. In summer its prevailing colour is a light
chestnut red, darkest on the neck and legs, the throat
and centre of the belly being almost black ; the
chin is dusky, with a narrow patch of light yellow on
either side, and a broad one of the same colour under
the head. The rump is yellowish white, bordered by a
dusky band extending down the hind legs: the hair is
very brittle, and the tail much shorter than that of
the European stag. In autumn it turns grey, and con-
tinues so through the winter. The ears, though large,
are shorter in proportion to the size of the animal than
those of the moose, and are more sharply pointed. The
antlers, which are exceedingly handsome and of great
size, often between four and five feet in height, are
cylindrical, brown in colour, and of very rough surface
except at the points, which are worn quite smooth and
white. All the snags spring from the anterior face of
the horn : the longest two from the base, the one
above the other; while two and sometimes three others
spring at nearly equal distances higher up; they are
usually shed in March and April. In the young animals
Baird* describes the horns as being “ club-shaped spikes,
truncate at the end, curved as in the adult, and with-
out branches.”

* Mammals of North America.

AMERICAN DEER.

87

The Wapiti is called the Elk in most parts of North
America, excepting the Hudson Bay districts, where it
is called the Red-deer: a confusion of names which has
given rise to equal confusion in the various accounts
and descriptions of the animal. Similar misnomers are
of constant occurrence in North America, though I must
confess that even in India I have heard the large deer
of the Neilgherries also called elk.

The Wapiti move together in herds, keeping in covert
during the daytime, and likewise when not feeding.
They are not so cautious and watchful as either the
moose or caribou, and are consequently less difficult of
approach. Their principal food is grass and the young
shoots of the willow and poplar. The flesh is coarse,
but the skin is more valued as leather than either moose
or caribou hide.

The common Deer of America ( Cervus Virginianus ),
though very generally called “ Red- deer,” is not to be
supposed as at all similar to that inhabiting the High-
lands of Scotland. In its slight and graceful form it
more nearly approaches the fallow-deer, but the horns
differ widely in form and growth from those of either.

The principal stems bend backwards from the base,
and then curve forwards and outwards, with from three
to five points or tines on each, the basal ones springing
from the anterior face of the horn, the remainder from

88

CERVIDuE.

the upper edge of it. In several fine specimens of mature
antlers which I brought home with me to this country
there are only three points on each horn. The general
surface of the antlers is also smoother, and the colour
lighter, than those of the red-deer, and their weight is
never more than six pounds, and probably on an average
about a pound or a pound and a half below that, whilst
the antlers of the Scottish animal reach to twelve pounds
or even more. They are usually shed in January or
February, begin to appear again in May, and are fully
grown by the end of August or the beginning of Sep-
tember. In young animals the horns may of course
be seen in every stage of development, from a simple
spike upwards.

In point of size the American Deer is decidedly
inferior to the Scottish hart, being about four inches
lower at the shoulder. Its colour is yellowish red during
the summer and autumn months, paler on the sides,
limbs, and front of the neck. In the winter it changes
to a roan or greyish chestnut, though during both seasons
the under parts remain white. In some animals a patch
is observable round the eye, of a much lighter colour
than the general surface of the body.

The hair in summer is thin, but the texture of the
winter covering is very extraordinary, each individual
hair being thickened, in appearance resembling crumpled

AMERICAN DEER.

89

quills, which, when pressed, either break off short or
remain in a bent position. The tail, which is very
full, is white underneath ; the point of the chin and
the sides of the muzzle are also white.

The hind has one fawn, and occasionally two, at a
birth, generally late in the spring. During the earlier
months of their existence the young are marked with
white spots, which, however, gradually disappear as
they attain maturity.

The flesh of the Deer, when in season, is tender and
well-flavoured, but generally rather lean, though it fre-
quently happens that it is condemned on that score very
unjustly, owing to its having been killed at an improper
time. A hart at certain seasons is quite unfit for food,
and for several weeks afterwards does not entirely regain
its normal condition, while a hind that has a calf never
has any fat whatever; yet both are constantly killed at
these times by traders and Indians, and sent into the
market in a state of course inferior to the poorest mutton.

The Deer is common in Upper Canada, though less
abundant in the western portion of the Lower Province,
and below Quebec is unknown on the northern shore of
the St. Lawrence. At the present time it is plentiful in
the Upper Ottawa country; to the north of Lake Simco;
and in most of the unfrequented districts or uncut and
remote forests in Canada West. In many of the more

90

CERVID.E.

open woods, where there is a luxuriant undergrowth of
fine grass, they are abundant ; and as it is their habit to
return daily to the same spots, and even year after year
to frequent the same haunts, the hunter may in such dis-
tricts calculate with tolerable certainty on finding them.
The tender shoots and young leaves of many of the
trees of the forest are likewise a great attraction, they
also feed on the pendent lichen which grows in such
weird-like fashion on the branches, and, according to
Mr. D’ Urban, the Indians declare that “ they are very
fond of the leaves of the Kalmia angustifolia, from eating
which they become intoxicated, and are easily killed. ”

Their general hours of feeding are in the early morn-
ing, before the sun is high, and again in the cool of the
evening. In summer, during the heat of the day, they
lie under the shade of the trees, often creeping in under
quite low bushes in order to escape the persecution of
the flies, they also frequently bathe in the lakes about
noontide. If there is not sufficient water in the neigh-
bourhood for this purpose they content themselves by
repairing about the same hour to the nearest spring or
stream to quench their thirst — a habit of which Indians
and others do not neglect to take advantage. In the
spring and winter they are said seldom to drink, finding
sufficient moisture in the dew of the grass.

Whenever they have the chance they will venture out

AMERICAN DEER.

91

of the forest to luxuriate on the settler’s corn, turnips,
pease, and even potatoes ; but as they generally select the
night-time for these marauding expeditions, it is only
when the moon shines that they can be detected, and
even then it is frequently necessary to watch for many
hours for that purpose. Except, however, in India or
South Africa, I know no pleasanter climate for such an
occupation ; the summer nights are delightful, and so dry
is the atmosphere that one may sit out in the lightest
costume, enjoying the sweet chirping whistle of the
piping-frog, which rings soothingly in the still air, while
fire-flies glance in every thicket.

The u salt licks” met with in many parts of the
country are also a favourite resort of the Deer, and if any
at all are about the neighbourhood they are sure to be
found there, and are consequently watched for and killed
by shooters stationed beforehand in the nearest trees.

A mode of destruction, less common in Canada than
in the States, is practised on dark summer nights as
follows. A blazing light of birch bark and u fat pine” is
kindled in an iron cresset fixed in the bows of a canoe,
precisely as in salmon spearing ; the rifleman sits amid-
ships, covered by green boughs, and the steersman
similarly concealed, gently paddies the little skiff along
the dark wooded shores of the lake or river, at the hour
when the Deer, after the heat of the day, repair to the

92

CERVIM.

cool waters. As the strange light glides noiselessly
towards them they stand transfixed and apparently
fascinated by the glare, until its reflection in their
glittering eyeballs discovers their position to the con-
cealed marksman, who, at close quarters, fires between
the two with deadly effect.

Among the Yankees it is usual, I believe, for the
shooter to carry the blazing fire in a pan with a long
handle over his left shoulder, and in this manner to
move stealthily on, with his rifle at the “ ready,” the
handle of the fire-pan serving at the moment of taking
aim as a rest for the barrel! It appears a somewhat
awkward performance, and loading must be attended
with even greater inconvenience, while there is little to
be said for the sport, if indeed it deserves such a
name. A somewhat similar plan is, I believe, practised
by the natives in Ceylon. Sometimes a fire is lighted
on the ground, and the shooter, concealing himself
behind the trunk of some neighbouring tree or bush,
lies in wait for the deer, which the strange light is sure
to attract.

A method much resorted to by those who do not
appreciate the superior attractions of the more noble
art of stalking, is that of u driving,” which, as practised
in Canada, only differs from roe shooting in Scotland
in the fact that the u guns” are not stationary. After they

AMERICAN DEER.

93

have been posted at the different points or runs, where
the deer are likely to break cover or give the chance of a
shot, the dogs and drivers enter the forest at a distant
point, and the intervening tract is hunted with loud
halloos and the barking and yelping of the motley pack.
These dogs, however, are not taught to keep together
on one deer, but are allowed, or rather encouraged, to
chase different animals, a part of the pack following
the original or first viewed one, while the rest in twos
or threes are hunting others. These fly in different
directions simultaneously, with the hounds in full cry,
and the guns make with all speed for the points they
are likely to cross. The regular backwoodsman rarely
adopts this practice, for he seldom fires at a deer unless
it is stationary, and never attempts very long shots.

The only really sportsman-like way of deer-killing
is u still-hunting” or stalking, which in the forest is
similar of course in all its details to the stalking of
either moose or caribou, and may be followed
equally in autumn or winter, the proper season being
from the 1st of September to the 31st of January.
In the former period the months of September and
October are the best, and at that time the Deer are
also more abundant, being driven to the lakes and
rivers as a refuge from the swarms of flies which
still infest the up-country forest. In stalking it is

94

CERVIDiE.

to be borne in mind that Deer, when disturbed, in-
variably move up-wind; when, therefore, a herd is dis-
covered a rifle should be posted at the point they are
likely to make for, while another, taking a wide circuit,
gradually and cautiously steals round, till the herd
gets a slight sniff of him from a distance great
enough not to alarm them, and yet sufficient to cause
them to move off gradually towards the concealed rifle,
upon whom, at the right moment, a more rapid advance
or a shot will drive them with the greatest certainty.

In winter stalking, the time generally chosen is rather
early in the season, before the snow has accumulated
to any great depth. The Deer are then compelled again
to seek the forest, not merely for protection from the
biting blast and sweeping drift, but because the sheltered
surface, being less deeply covered with snow, affords
more chance of obtaining food.

Their presence at this time in any particular locality
is ascertained at once by their tracks in the snow, the
discovery of which immediately puts all the hunters of
the neighbourhood on the qui vive. This is, in short,
the season par excellence for deer-stalking.

In the Canadian winter ice and snow assume the
most attractive and enjoyable aspects they are capable
of, and without our tedious prelude of cold and broken
weather the season comes all at once. The glowing

AMERICAN BEER.

95

autumn woods rain down their shower of bright and
many-coloured leaves, mingled sometimes with the falling
snow-flakes, and in an incredibly short time the forest
stands cold and bare on the whitened plain.

As the fall continues, the snow-drift gathers high
against the double-glazed windows, and enormous fires
of huge logs are piled in the wide open hearths. But
after a few days of storm the sun shines out again
from a cloudless sky of the deepest blue, though without
thawing even the smallest twigs of the frosted trees ;
and the white expanse of country, broken only by
snow-laden masses of dark pine, glitters to the horizon.

All the rivers are frozen over; even the broad and
rapid St. Lawrence is arrested in its course,

“ Flumina constiterint acuto

and like the streets is covered with horses, and sleighs
arrayed in rich furs, and with figures dressed in blanket
coats, red sashes, and moccasins. The wonderful and
glorious sunsets of this season cannot fail to strike the
inhabitants of our dull clime with astonishment. The
period associated in our minds with dreary afternoons and
leaden clouds, is here a constant succession of gorgeous
evening skies, suffusing the snow-fields with a rosy
tinge.

The moon, too, shines with a brilliancy, and the stars,

96

CERVID^.

doubled in apparent magnitude, flash with tints unknown
in skies less clear ; while the aurora shoots nightly across
the heavens in ever-changing rays of prismatic hue.

On the great lakes, however, fogs of Newfoundland
intensity are not unfrequent. The larger lakes never
freeze over for any distance from shore, but Erie, being
much shallower, is frequently covered with ice to a very
considerable extent. Every storm of wind breaks it up
again, and carries it over the Niagara Falls; thus covering
the surface of the lower lake (Ontario) for miles out
with white and glistering floes, causing an extraordinary
depression of temperature.

On two different winters, I have seen this broken ice
come over the Falls in such quantities as completely to
block up the river below the cataract, forming a
solid mass of enormous blocks extending from bank to
bank, enabling us to approach to the very foot of the
Great Horseshoe.

Notwithstanding the low range of the thermometer,
25° below zero (Fahrenheit) being a common state
of things, the extraordinary degree of cold that really
exists is not felt to anything like the extent that might
be anticipated. In fact, excepting in the case of wind,
which produces a painful burning sensation, I never
suffered more inconvenience from it than I have often
done in many of our own winters, though huge trees

AMERICAN DEER.

97

are frequently riven by tbe frost— echoing through
the woods with thundering reverberations, — and a rifle
barrel incautiously grasped with the naked hand will
adhere to it like red-hot iron.

The raw sloppy weather, the half-melted heaps of dirty
snow in shady corners ; the mud and slush, and dripping
trees, characteristic of the British winter, are almost
unknown miseries. From month to month the snow
rests pure and bright as on the day it fell, the azure
sky is without a cloud, and the weather is often so
indescribably clear and brilliant, and the atmosphere so
exhilarating, as to impel one to almost boisterous
mirth. It is probably this that makes the winter so
pre-eminently the season of gaiety and enjoyment.

Braced with renewed energy the deer-stalker packs
his sleigh and prepares for work, preferring the keen
air and invigorating exercise of the winter “tracking”
to the relaxing heat and the clouds of musquitoes
which are the accompaniments of autumn hunting.

His ammunition and creature comforts being stowed
away, and the warm sleigh-robes duly arranged, the
snorting horses, with tinkling bells and gay u streamers,”
speed along the crisp and shining track, bound for the
distant deer-forest. Away along the silent roads, that
stretch through dark pine woods — away over open clear-
ings— through acres of blackened stumps — past solitary

H

98

CERVID^E.

log-huts or groups of wooden houses — skirting miles of
high snake-fence, or of dark river covered with crashing
blocks of ice — they fly along, never relaxing their pace
except to pass some heavy-laden wood-sledge.

This manoeuvre, by the way, when the road is only
wide enough for a single sleigh (invariably the case
at any distance from a town), is not so simple a matter
as it may appear, neither party being willing to yield an
inch more of the hard-beaten track than he can help
doing, well knowing that if he get one “ runner” in the
soft snow on either side he must of necessity be capsized.
These large rough sledges, heavily loaded with firewood
— an article not easily spoiled — occupy, on these occa-
sions, much the same position in relation to a private
sleigh that a heavily-loaded waggon would to a small
pony-phaeton ; that is to say, they have it all their own
way, and when the driver is a recently arrived Irish
emigrant he generally avails himself of the advantage,
with an open rudeness which is in pitiable contrast to
the manly good-humour of the Canadian or the ready
assistance of the grinning negro.

After sunset the temperature sinks rapidly, icicles
hang from the horses’ nostrils, and the breath freezes on
the beard or blanket-coat, as the north wind whistles
through the leafless forest, sweeping the drift in clouds
across the country. At night-fall a desolate wooden inn

AMERICAN DEER.

99

is hailed with delight as their halting place : a solitary
dwelling, half-buried in snow, at the edge of an endless
forest, and miles away from any other habitation.

At early morn, clothed in a blanket suit, and armed
with knife and rifle, the hunter is on his way to the
forest, accompanied by some squatter or half-breed guide.
A slight fall of snow having taken place during the
night is a subject of mutual congratulation, for the
crunching of a frozen surface is obviously a serious
drawback to still-hunting, besides which, the freshly
sprinkled surface renders the trail more easy to follow.

After making a detour, more or less extended, in order
to get an up-wind beat, they hit fresh trail, and after a
careful reconnoissance proceed with redoubled caution.
Shortly the appearance of moving objects causes them
to crouch suddenly behind the nearest , tree, and after a
whispered consultation one creeps stealthily round
towards a point for which the Deer are likely to make,
while the other is left to approach them with all the skill
and address he is possessed of.

After carefully noting the next point of cover for
an advance, he commences cautiously to glide from tree
to stump, and from stump to bush, watching with
breathless anxiety, at each point gained, the movements
of the herd before him. A noble buck with branching
antlers drops behind his companions, to enjoy the luxury

h 2

100

CERVIDjE.

of rubbing his neck against a tree — an occupation
apparently so agreeable and engrossing that the stalker
steals a hundred yards nearer without giving any alarm.
Though there is not a moment to lose, and silence and
circumspection are momentarily more necessary, he is
still too far off to hazard a shot, and to increase the
difficulty, he has probably got into such a labyrinth of
rotten sticks and fallen trees, that the possibility of
getting nearer without discovery seems hopeless.

Strange as it may appear, it is not on the eye or
head of the feeding deer that the steady gaze of the
stalker is fixed, but on its tail. If that is jerked with
a quick nervous shake, he crouches lower, warned that
the animal is about to raise its head. If after a short
gaze round, it again twitches the tail, he prepares to
move on, knowing the animal will return to its food.
Then seizing the opportunity, with one or two swift
and silent strides, he is safely behind a giant trunk,
within easier range of his object. But though he has
not made the slightest appreciable noise, and the little
wind moving is in his favour, so acute are the deer’s
senses of smell and hearing that it suddenly lifts its
head erect, and sniffing the air suspiciously, begins to
move off

Simultaneously with the sudden crack of the rifle it
gives a convulsive leap, and, throwing up clouds of

AMERICAN DEER.

101

snow at every stride, bounds away at headlong speed.
If the tail is down — always a sign that the wound is
mortal — the blood-stained tracks are followed up with
all haste, and more than likely with many a fall over
the stumps and trunks of snow-hidden trees; a chase
which, according to the nature of the wound, and the
age and strength of the animal, may either be very
short, or so protracted that the hunter may consider
the loss of his prize a minor consideration in comparison
with the chance of losing himself in the forest. Sooner
or later, however, he will find it, either stone dead or
stretched before him in its last struggles. Let him not
approach incautiously in the latter case, or he may
chance to receive a kick that will lay him up for
days: a fact which personal experience gives me cause
to remember.

The Indian’s usual method of temporarily securing
the carcase is by attaching it to the top of a young
tree, which, by climbing, he has bent to the ground,
this being let go, springs back with its lighter load
to its upright position, the flesh safe, not only from
prowling wolves, but even from the tree-climbing bear,
which has a mortal antipathy to venture up anything
unequal to its weight. The Canada-jay, however, will
not fail to attack the flesh at the earliest opportunity.

The backwoodsman, to whom the difficulty of obtain-

102

CERVIX.

ing supplies is a matter of consideration, considers the
recovery of his bullets a point of such importance that
he invariably cuts them out of the carcase, to be
remelted in his wooden ladle for future service.

Valuable as are skins of the Moose and Caribou,
those of the Deer are still more esteemed on account
of their greater softness and pliability, as well as their
property of better resisting injury from wet.

AMERICAN DEER.

DIVISION II.

BStrtfS

CHAPTER V

§irbs.

SILENCE OF THE FORESTS —INTERESTING BIRDS — WHITE-HEADED EAGLE —
VARIETY OF HAWKS— MUSQUITO HAWK — OWLS — GREAT HORNED OWL
SNOWY OWL — ABSENCE OF BIRDS IN WINTER SNOW-BIRDS ES-
TEEMED A DELICACY THEIR RESEMBLANCE TO ORTOLAN FAMILIAR

ENGLISH BIRDS— CHARACTERISTICS OF COUNTRY THE FOREST

ABSENCE OF THE COMMON SPARROW PRINCIPAL FEATHERED IN-
HABITANTS OF THE FOREST GAME BIRDS OF THE COVERTS AND

PLAINS WADERS AND WATER-FOWL GAME-SEASONS OF THE UPPER

AND LOWER PROVINCES — THEIR DISCREPANCY ITS EFFECTS — PRO-

POSED ALTERATION,

CHAPTER V.

§irtrs*

THOUGH one might not unnaturally imagine that
birds of every kind would enliven the vast tracts of
wood clothing the face of the country, the Canadian forest
slumbers in everlasting and almost oppressive silence;
and even beyond its precincts the general impression
produced on my own mind was rather that of the defi-
ciency than the number and variety, of the feathered
tribes, as compared with those of Great Britain and
other parts of the world; though some of the species
and varieties were both new and interesting.

h ew sights of the kind can well be more so, than that
of the great-whiteheaded-eagle* on the wing: a spec-
tacle I had the gratification of witnessing in the neigh-
bourhood of the Falls. It was a bright sunny morning
when we suddenly descried it floating almost overhead,
with an immense expanse of wing, and apparently sus-
pended motionless in the air. As we stood and watched

* Halicetus leucocephalus .

108

COMMON BIRDS.

in admiration, it ascended, without any perceptible
motion of the wings and in a series of circular sweeps,
higher and higher, till it dwindled to a mere speck, and
finally disappeared in the deep blue above.

I was fortunate also in twice seeing during an un-
usually hot summer the somewhat rare swallow-tail
or musquito-hawk,* in the neighbourhood of St. Davids,
soaring in pursuit of insects, and performing the most
singular and graceful evolutions. It has a most beautiful
black and white plumage, with very elegant form, and
is not often seen in such high latitudes, being peculiar
to the Southern States.

There are a number of hawks of the more ordinary
kinds, most of which are either similar to or varieties
of those common to own country : as the peregrine,
goshawk, and merlin; and there would be no difficulty
in training them for the purposes of hawking : a sport
for the pursuit of which the cultivated parts of the
country are admirably adapted.

Owls of different kinds inhabit nearly every wood,
waking the echoes at night, with loud unearthly cries
and melancholy hootings, startling alike the settler in
his lonely hut, the hunter at his fire, and the belated
traveller who hurries along the gloomy forest track.

* Nauclerus fur cat us.

COMMON BIRDS.

109

Those who have only heard the cries of the English
owls can have no conception of the loud and startling
calls of some of these enormous birds. The great-
horned-owl,* which is nearly two feet high, is perhaps
the most remarkable in this respect of all its tribe ; but
though often heard it is seldom to be seen, passing the
day, as it does, in the impenetrable coverts of the
swamps. Of the snowy-owl, f I had the fortune to
inspect closely a splendid specimen, a female, fully two
feet in height, which, perched in a lofty hickory, was
fired at and brought down by a brother-officer with
whom I was out shooting. Softly, and without a rustle,
it descended like a parachute to the ground, where it
hopped on a log, and sat staring at us with its great
round yellow eyes in the utmost astonishment, making
no attempt to escape, but hissing loudly when approached.
It did not appear to be wounded, and was evidently more
surprised than hurt, for it soon after flew off as noise-
lessly as it had alighted. The greater part of the
plumage was white, beautifully marked with light brown
spots or half moons, and it was literally a mass of the
softest down. The cry of the snowy-owl is most hoarse
and dismal, and has been well compared to that of a full-
grown man calling in distress for assistance.

# Stria Virginiana.

f Stria nyctea.

110

COMMON BIRDS.

Few birds are to be seen in Canada during the winter
months except an occasional flock of Snow-buntings,*
flitting through the air with a jerking flight or running
cheeping on the snow. Somewhat larger than a lark,
with the upper plumage of a light variegated brown
and the under pure white, these birds are very fat,
and the flesh strongly resembles that of the ortolan of
Southern Europe, for which reason they are much
sought after, and are sold in the markets as an article
of luxury.

Though grouse may be found in the spruce districts
by those who will take the trouble to follow them up at
this season, and in some districts a stray covey of u quail”
is at times to be seen huddled together on the snow, all
the wild-fowl, and the smaller birds which at other
seasons give an appearance of life to nature, are absent
in the more genial regions of the Southern States, and
the woods and waters remain silent and deserted till the
return of spring.

When the ice and snow, rapidly breaking up, convert
the whole country into a quagmire, when plants and
trees which for weeks past have been slowly vegetating
under their snowy garb, begin to bud with incredible
rapidity, and the air suddenly swarms with insect life,

* JPlectrophanes nivalis.

COMMON BIRDS.

Ill

then the familiar blue-bird,* the looked-for and wel-
comed harbinger of spring, first of all the feathered
tribes appears upon the scene.

In succession arrive the scarlet war-bird, f its gor-
geous hues glancing among the green leaves of the
forest; the orange oriole J displaying its rich black and
gold as it flies from tree to tree, and ruby-throated
humming-birds§ flitting hither and thither and hovering
among the flowers. Not the least interesting of the
summer visitors is the cat-bird, || which is constantly to
be heard imitating with extraordinary exactness the
mewing of the cat, and performing other singular coun-
terfeits, as well as the notes of most of the ordinary birds
of the country. Time after time I endeavoured to get a
sight of one of these birds which daily took up its
position among the highest branches of a lofty tulip-tree
near my quarters, but I never succeeded in obtaining more
than an unsatisfactory glimpse of a slate- coloured bird
about the size of a thrush, to which family it belongs.

In strange contrast with these bright and novel
plumages appear the homely chaffinch, jay, and yellow-
hammer, with many other old friends : a mingling of
objects familiar and foreign, that here meets the eye in

# Silvia sialis. + Tanagra rubra.

§ Trochilus colubris.

} Oriolus galbula.
|| Turdus felivox.

112

THE CANADIAN FOREST.

every direction. Side by side, for example, with oak,
ash, and elm, stand gigantic hickories, sugar-maples, and
butter-nut trees ; * while fire-flies and rattlesnakes in-
habit the same woods with the common squirrel and
the hedgehog of one’s boyish hunts. Fields of common
oats alternate with those of towering maize and rows
of huge orange pumpkins, hoed and tended by negroes
and negresses; and the roadside is bordered by peach
orchards, their ripe fruit weighing down the trees, and
covering the ground.

The grand forests, free of all brushwood, present a
more striking appearance than anything else to the
eye of one just arrived from the Old World. No one
can enter their shadows or tread their long-drawn vistas
of tall grey stems, spanned by over-arching roof of dark
leaves, without the idea of a vast cathedral involuntarily
rising in the mind. Like ruined columns, huge
prostrate trunks lie strewn around, some but newly
fallen, others moss-grown and verdant, with creeping
plants ; while many show only a dark line of decayed
vegetable mould, the last and rapidly disappearing
vestige of their former stateliness. Here the ground is
blue with hyacinths, there covered with beds of dry
leaves, the resort of snakes, blind-worms, and huge centi-

* Juglans cinerea.

THE CANADIAN FOREST.

113

pedes ; or clothed with green turf is thickly sprinkled
with the pale orchis, or thickly with the broad-leaved
May-apple. #

The silence of the forest is broken only, and rendered
even more striking, by the occasional loud tapping of
some busy woodpecker, of which industrious birds there
are an extraordinary variety. I have preserved speci-
mens of several of the most interesting among them :
viz., the yellow-winged woodpecker, f which is the largest
of the family, and is the workman by whom are so neatly
drilled the large round holes, so often seen placed close
together high up in the trunks of old trees ; also the
black and white woodpecker, the grey, the “ hairy,”
and the diminutive downy woodpecker, with its crimson
crown and breast of primrose.

Emerging suddenly from the cool and solemn forest
shades on some sunny clearing, echoing with the shrill
chirp of locusts and fragrant with the sweet-scented
vine, gorgeous butterflies are seen sailing from plant to
plant, and flocks of the red- winged starling, or Field

* Podophyllum peltatum . This is a delicious and refreshing wild fruit,
of a deep yellow colour, and about the size of a bantam’s egg, somewhat
similar in appearance to the loquat. When stripped of its outer skin it-
presents a mass of juicy pulp and seeds, not unlike pine-apple in flavour.
The plant is of low growth, and has deeply indented broad leaves and a
simple white blossom.

t Ficus auratus.

I

114

COMMON BIRDS.

officer,* with jetty plumage and flashing epaulets of red
and yellow, chatter round the marshy pools. Or a few
steps from the sylvan gloom probably bring one to
the bright shore of some lake, where the rippling waves
murmur with refreshing sound on the sandy beach.
Many a mid-day siesta have I thus enjoyed, and whiled
away many a happy hour on the shores of Erie and of
Ontario, gazing with untiring delight on the calm blue
surface of the water, dotted here and there with a lazy
sail, and mingling the heated haze of its distant horizon
with the cloudless summer sky.

A peculiarity of these lake shores is the great number
of Sandpipers, and the large proportion of Ravens that
are at times to be seen there — the former running along
the beach in large flocks, and the latter, after every
storm or breeze, busily picking among the weeds and
rubbish, or devouring the dead fish cast up by the
waters ; crows being comparatively rare birds. The
Canadian crow, by the way, is smaller than ours, and
has a different note.

It is not necessary, however, to enlarge upon the
general ornithology of Canada; but before passing on to
the more important divisions of it which the present work
professes to describe, it may not be out of place to

# Agelaius phoeniceus.

THE GAME BIRDS OE CANADA.

115

mention the curious fact that, notwithstanding the pre-
sence of so many of our common birds in Canada,
the ubiquitous sparrow is unknown there. I have
encountered its familiar plumage in Egypt and at
the Cape, and abundantly in Madras, Malabar, and
Bombay, where hardly any other British birds are
known, yet in Canada where so many abound, it is
entirely absent.

Of all the feathered inhabitants of the forest there are
but three of any importance; but these belong to the
highest class of game-birds, namely, the Wild-Turkey,
the Spotted-Grouse, and the Ruffed-Grouse.

The beautiful and game little Colin is abundant in the
thickets and broken ground of the Upper Province ;
Woodcock and Snipe swarm in the young woods and
swampy coverts throughout the country ; myriads of
wild-fowl, such as can be seen in few other lands,
cover the face of the broad lakes and noble rivers; and
the Prairie-Hen, though not properly belonging to the
game-birds of Canada, ranges the vast plains north and
south of its frontiers, within a distance so easy of access,
that to omit it would be to ignore a sport which few real
lovers of shooting leave Canada without having indulged
in.

The singular discrepancy that has hitherto existed
between the two Provinces of Canada, as to the seasons

i 2

116

GAME LAWS OF CANADA.

in which it is allowed by law to kill game, is a subject
which has fortunately been noticed and reported upon
by the Natural History Society of Montreal within the
last few months ; so that it is probable that, as far as
regards some of the most important game-birds, there
may ere long be a uniform law for the whole country,
and one more in accordance with their habits.

The above-mentioned Society’s Report justly remarks
that there is not so great a diversity of climate between
East and West Canada as to require separate legislation,
and that the temperature differs less probably than that
of different parts of Great Britain, e.g ., Devonshire and
Sutherland, for which there is but one law ; yet in some
cases game may be killed in Upper Canada, twenty miles
eastward of the boundary of Lower Canada, twenty days
earlier than in the latter province. In other words, the
eastern boundary of the Western Province overlaps the
western boundary of the Eastern; therefore a bird which
flies across from the one to the other after the 1st of
August loses all claim to protection, though by remaining
where it was it would have been safe for three weeks longer.

A uniformity of seasons and dates is the more
necessary in a country where the game is not preserved
for the exclusive right of any one, and where even the
law of trespass is ill-defined as regards marshes, in which
a great part of the game is to be found.

GAME LAWS OE CANADA

117

The case of wild ducks is one of the most glaring
instances of shooting out of season; for by the present
law they may be killed until the 30th of May, which with
many varieties is the period of incubation, while there are
probably few that have not then commenced to lay.

Wild-turkey and Grouse ought, in short, to be pro-
tected from the 1st of February to the 1st of September,
and Wild ducks and Ptarmigan from the 1st of March to
the 1st of September, which would allow them proper
time to rear their young.

CHAPTER VI

THE PASSENGER PIGEON — ITS PERIODICAL FLIGHTS — BREEDING PLACES —
THE WILD-TURKEY PROBABLE PARENT OF DOMESTIC BIRD IMPOR-

TATION INTO SPAIN — EARLY ACCOUNTS OF — MISNOMERS — MEXICAN

ORIGIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WILD AND FARM- YARD BIRDS NEST

AND EGGS — CRAFTINESS OF THE HEN YOUNG BIRDS ASSOCIATION

OF “ GOBBLERS” FOOD OF WILD-TURKEY — THEIR WANDERINGS

FORMER ABUNDANCE PRESENT HAUNTS DIFFICULTY OF APPROACH-
ING THEM SEASON FOR HUNTING THEIR GAME QUALITIES GRADUAL

EXTERMINATION THE GROUSE OF CANADA THE SPOTTED-GROUSE

PLUMAGE AND HABITS— FEMALE THEIR SIZE THE PRAIRIE-HEN

WEIGHT AND PLUMAGE — SINGULAR CALL — FEMALE BIRD — PUGNA-
CITY OF MALE BIRDS BREEDING SEASON — EGGS YOUNG BIRDS

SEASON FOR PRAIRIE-HEN SHOOTING DOGS FOR SIZE OF COVEYS

FOOD OF PRAIRIE-HEN WINTER HABITS — QUESTIONABLE AD-
VANTAGES OF ACCLIMATISING — THE PTARMIGAN PLUMAGE IN

SUMMER AND WINTER WHERE FOUND — EGGS — THE RUFFED-GROUSE

HABITAT ITS SIZE AND APPEARANCE — “ DRUMMING” MANNER OF

WALKING — FLIGHT — SHOOTING SEASON — UNFIT FOR FOOD IN WINTER
— THE COLIN — ITS HAUNTS— CALL NOTE — SEASON FOR SHOOTING
—INTRODUCTION INTO ENGLAND.

CHAPTER VI.

much® ;

TTTHILE quartered at Fort Mississisaugua (Anglic^,
* * Rattlesnake), an old frontier post of earthwork
and palisades, near Niagara, I had one year, in the month
of May, the gratification of witnessing a spectacle I had
frequently heard of — namely, a grand migration of the
Passenger Pigeon ( Ectopistes migratoria).

Early in the morning I was apprised by my servant
that an extraordinary flock of birds was passing over,
such as he had never seen before. Hurrying out and
ascending the grassy ramparts, I was perfectly amazed
to behold the air filled and the sun obscured by millions
of pigeons, not hovering about, but darting onwards
in a straight line with arrowy flight, in a vast mass a
mile or more in breadth, and stretching before and
behind as far as the eye could reach.

Swiftly and steadily the column passed over with a
rushing sound, and for hours continued in un diminished

122

COLUMBIDJE.

myriads advancing over the American forests in the
eastern horizon, as the myriads that had passed were
lost in the western sky.

It was late in the afternoon before any decrease in
the mass was perceptible, but they became gradually
less dense as the day drew to a close. At sunset the
detached flocks bringing up the rear began to settle in
the forest on the Lake-road, and in such numbers as
to break down branches from the trees.

The duration of this flight being about fourteen
hours, viz., from four a.m. to six p.m., the column (allow-
ing a probable velocity of sixty miles an hour, as assumed
by Wilson), could not have been less than three hundred
miles in length, with an average breadth, as before
stated, of one mile.

During the following day and for several days after-
wards, they still continued flying over in immense
though greatly diminished numbers, broken up into
flocks and keeping much lower, possibly being weaker
or younger birds. As they were now within easy shot,
sometimes flying so low as to be brought down even by
sticks and stones, every one fortunate enough to own
anything in the shape of fire-arms turned out with it,
whether musket, flint-lock, Yankee rifle, or blunder-
buss. For several weeks afterwards, small flocks re-
mained behind in the woods, affording more real

PASSENGER PIGEON.

123

sport than the above wholesale slaughter, though we had
had quan . suff of pigeon diet.

During these flights parties carrying lanterns and
torches often repair at nightfall to the woods, armed
with guns and long poles. The ruddy light cast up
into the dark trees reveals thousands of dazzled
stupified pigeons, weighing down the branches high
and low. In a moment the long poles are rattling
among the lower boughs and the guns blazing away
at the higher, bringing down the birds by hundreds,
fluttering on the ground and showering on the heads of
the clamorous crowd that scrambles and scuffles beneath.

The Passenger Pigeon differs a good deal from the
common wild pigeon of Great Britain; its appearance
when flying more resembling that of the sparrow-hawk,
in the sharp pointed wings and long narrow tail. The
plumage is of a somewhat bluish ash colour ; the breast
ana sides being of a rich chocolate ; the neck and throat
tinted with iridescent green and purple.

Though these flocks, in greater or less number, pass
over the country every summer, they are not of course
always seen in the same districts. The time of their
appearance also varies considerably, depending as it does
on the scarcity of food in the regions they have left.

It is not the case, as stated by Wilson and other
naturalists, that the female lays and hatches only a single

124

COLUMBIA.

egg at a time, for there are generally two birds in each
nest, which are also said to be male and female ; but even
with this increased proportion of young their numbers
appear extraordinary, when it is remembered that they
have as many enemies to contend with as the quail,
which has a nest of twenty eggs, or the wild-turkey,
with a brood of fifteen, both which birds are rather on
the decrease than otherwise. Wilson,* who describes
some of the breeding places in the States as being forty
miles in extent, with every tree killed, the ground
covered deep with their dung, and all grass and
underwood destroyed, says, “ As soon as the young
birds are fully grown, and before they leave the nests,
numerous parties of the inhabitants from all parts of
the adjacent country come with waggons, axes, beds,
and cooking utensils, many of them accompanied by
the greater part of their families, and encamp for several
days at these immense nurseries. The noise in the
woods — i.e.y from the pigeons — is so great as to terrify
their horses, and it is difficult for one person to hear
another speak without bawling in his ear. The ground
is strewed with broken limbs of trees, eggs, and young
squab pigeons precipitated from above, and on which
herds of hogs fatten. Hawks, buzzards, and eagles sail

American Ornithology.

THE WILD TURKEY.

125

about in great numbers, and seize the squabs from their
nests at pleasure, while, from twenty feet upwards to the
tops of the trees, the view through the woods presents
a perpetual tumult of crowding and fluttering multi-
tudes of pigeons, the sound of their wings roaring
like thunder, and mingled with the frequent crash of
falling timber; for now the axe-men are at work, cutting
down those trees that seem to be most crowded with
nests, and contriving to fell them in such a manner
that in their descent they might bring down several
others, by which means the falling of one large tree
sometimes produces two hundred squabs, little inferior
in size to the old ones, and almost one mass of fat;
on some trees upwards of one hundred nests are found.
It is dangerous to walk under these flying and flutter-
ing millions, from the frequent fall of large branches,
broken down by the weight of the multitudes above,
and which in their descent often destroy numbers of
the birds themselves.”

The Wild Turkey of North America ( Meleagris gallo-
pavo) is without doubt the parent stock from which the
domestic breed of our farmyards is originally descended,
notwithstanding the existing differences between the two
birds at the present day, and the scepticism that prevails
among so many on the point.

It does not appear unreasonable to suppose that these

126

PHASIANIDiE.

differences may have been brought about in the course
of generations by the change in food and climate, and
by the influences of confinement and domestication to
which the common turkey has been subjected, and I
shall show how little data there is to go upon in
assuming any other country than North America to be
the native place of its ancestors.

From Bonaparte’s account we learn that it had been
introduced into Spain only a very short time previously
to its appearance in England, which was about 1520 to
1524, having been taken thither by the Spaniards from
Mexico, about the time of the conquest of that country,
and by them named Pavon des las Indias .

This appellation was evidently bestowed under the
impression that Mexico had originally been indebted to
the West Indies for the possession of this valued and even
then domesticated bird : an assumption which is coun-
tenanced at the expense of his own country by Baird,
the celebrated naturalist and latest writer on American
ornithology, who meets the fact of there being no wild
turkeys in any of those islands at the present day, by
the supposition of their gradual extinction, as in the
case of the dodo.

We learn however from Prescott* that Oviedo (Rel.

* Conquest of Mexico.

THE WILD TURKEY.

127

Sumaria, cap. 38), the earliest naturalist who gives
any account of the bird, mentions having seen it in
the West Indies, “ whither it had been brought from
New Spain.” The former author further states, quoting
from Buffon,# that “ the Spaniards saw immense num-
bers of turkeys in the domesticated state on their
arrival in Mexico, where they were more common than
any other poultry ; and that they were also found wild,
not only in New Spain, but all along the continent in
the less frequented places, from the North-Western terri-
tory of the United States to Panama.” And again, in
the interesting relation of the advance of Cortes to
Cempoalla, he says that “ Deer and various wild animals
were seen, with which the Spaniards were unacquainted ;
also pheasants and other birds, among them the Wild-
turkey, the pride of the American forest, which the
Spaniards described as a species of peacock.”

Their abundance is evident from a fact which I find
mentioned in an old book, called “ Gay’s Survey of the
West Indies and Mexico,” published in 1702, namely,
that in Montezuma’s menagerie, the animals were “fed
daily with turkey cocks, deere, dogs, and such like ; one
house having for daily allowance five hundred turkeys.”
Nor were they by any means confined to this southern

# Histoire Naturelle,

128

PHASIANIDA2.

portion of the continent. Ogilby, in his curious work on
America, dated 1671, quoting Hudson, the celebrated
North American explorer, remarks, that not only in
Maryland and Carolina were these birds common, but even
as far north as the State of New York; speaking of
which, he says, “ the country abounds chiefly in turkeys,
whose plenty deserves no less admiration than their bulk,
and the delicious taste of their flesh ; for they go feeding
forty or fifty in a flocke, and weigh sometimes forty or
fifty pounds apiece. The natives either shoot them, or
take them with a bait stuck on an angle.”

From the above evidence it will therefore be seen,
that while we have accounts of their existence at an early
date in great abundance over a very large area of the con-
tinent of North America, the earliest record we have of
their existence in the West Indies, specially mentions the
fact of their having been brought thither from the main
land.

The slight value to be attached to mere local names
is well exemplified in our own misnomer, “ Turkey,”
which we have absurdly bestowed on this bird for no
better reason than that at the time of its introduction into
England most foreign articles were vulgarly supposed to
come from that country; while the French dindon ,
which is a corrupted abbreviation of coq d'Inde ; the
Italian gallo d' India, and the German Calecutische llahn ,

THE WILD TURKEY.

129

assign it to the Old World instead of the New, apparently
from a confusion of the East Indies with the West.

There is, I think, in short, no doubt whatever that
long before the landing of the Spaniards in Mexico, the
natives, who are to this day in the habit of trapping the
bird alive in great numbers, had been accustomed to
bring them for sale from the interior to the coast, and
that the name joavon de las Indias was ignorantly be-
stowed on them by the sailors or soldiers to whom they
were offered for sale; much in the same careless manner
in which our own equally inapplicable designation was
bestowed not long afterwards.

The most apparent and easily observed differences
between the wild and the farmyard bird are the
presence in the latter of a fleshy dewlap, extending from
the under mandible to the neck; the bare wrinkled
skin of its head and neck is much less blue, and is
sprinkled with a smaller number of hairs; and the tip
of its tail and the edges of the tail-coverts are gene-
rally white or whitish, but never so in the one of
which we are treating. There is said to be a variety
peculiar to Mexico, in which the white does appear
at these particular points.

The care and attention of man have not in this in-
stance improved the breed, for the fostered descendants
are less hardy, and also inferior in plumage and form to

K

130

PHASIANIDJE.

the uncared-for tenants of the forest. About sixteen
pounds is probably the average weight of the male
wild bird when in good condition, and they have been
shot weighing nearly double as much; but they vary
greatly in this respect, according to the season, and
to the abundance or scarcity of food obtainable. In the
summer months they are poor and lean, and much in-
fested with vermin, but improve rapidly when the beech-
mast comes in, and are in their highest perfection late
in autumn. The flesh is darker in colour than in our
turkey, and more game-like in flavour.

The length of the male bird is nearly four feet; its
head and neck are covered with purplish-red excrescences
on a naked blue skin, thickly overspread with bristles,
and a tuft of horsetail-like hairs hangs from the breast,
similar to that seen in the domestic bird, but larger and
longer. The game-looking head is smaller than that of
the latter, and the general hue of the plumage is a beau-
tiful golden copper, with purple and green reflections,
mottled and banded with a deep soft black. The lower
part of the back is an iridescent brown, and the tail,
which is of a darker hue, has a broad black band at a
short distance from the extremity, with an outer border
of dark yellowish brown.

The female, which is a much smaller bird than the
male, seldom weighing more than nine pounds, is also less

THE WILD TURKEY.

131

showy. Her plumage has sometimes a grey tinge, and the
general colour is always less brilliant. The fleshy
process on the head is much smaller, and is without
bristles; she has no spur, and seldom any tuft on the
breast, though in old hens this appendage is sometimes
found in conjunction with a partial assumption of the
male plumage ; appearances which are common in many
other gallinaceous birds, and may generally be traced to
some abnormal state of the ovaries. The legs are red
in both sexes.

Their breeding season varies a little according to the
latitude, though from the beginning of March to the
end of April is probably the extent of its range, and
during this period the forest echoes with their calls. The
note of the female sometimes brings several male birds to
the spot at once, when a battle royal immediately ensues,
the victor securing a harem of faithful followers, over
whom as well as over his vanquished rivals he acts the
tyrant for the rest of the season.

The hen lays her eggs, varying from ten to fifteen in
number, about a month later. The nest is merely a
hollow scratched in the ground, under the shelter of a
bush or by the side of a fallen tree, and filled with dead
leaves. The similarity of these in colour to that of her
plumage is so great that she is not easily detected, even at
close quarters : a circumstance of which, judging from the

K 2

132

PHASIANIDiE.

courage with which she remains on her nest when closely
approached, she appears to be fully aware. She is also
singularly crafty in guarding against its discovery, her
devices in this respect exhibiting rather the presence of
thought than of mere instinct. She never leaves it nor
returns by the same approach, and always covers the
eggs over with dry leaves, so as to resemble the surround-
ing ground, during her absence in quest of sustenance.
In spite, however, of her precautions they are frequently
destroyed by other birds or by the smaller animals of the
forest.

It is not uncommon to find a couple of hens on the
same eggs, and it is the opinion of some that they thus
become partners for the sake of mutual protection : one
or other in such instances being always left in charge.

The eggs differ a good deal in colour and marking ;
those which I have seen were rather smaller and more
obtuse than the eggs of the domestic turkey, and in place
of the small reddish-brown spots with which the latter
are mottled, were marked with irregular blotches of a
darker colour.

When the young birds are hatched, the mother leads
them carefully to the driest ground in the vicinity, where
she endeavours to keep them until they are sufficiently
strong to wander more at large. In a very short time
they are able to fly to the lower branches of the trees, on

THE WILD TURKEY.

133

which they roost at night under cover of the maternal
wing, and in the month of August such as have escaped
the claws of the lynx and the attacks of the “old
gobblers,” are able to take care of themselves. Except-
ing in the breeding season the male and female birds, like
our own pheasants, are seldom seen together, but feed in
separate flocks, though not very far apart, and roost with
similar unsociability on different trees.

According to Wilson’s* account of this bird, “the
gobblers keep together in flocks varying from ten to a
hundred, whilst the females with their young form dis-
tinct troops, remaining at a distance from the old males,
which never lose a chance of attacking, and, if not driven
off by a posse of females, killing the young. The same
general direction of travel is observed by the troops of
both sexes in their migration in search of new feeding
grounds, and the journeys are always performed on foot.
When their progress is interrupted by a river they will
hesitate for a day or two on the banks, as if unwilling to
risk so formidable an undertaking. All this time the
males gobble continually, and strut about with absurd
importance ; the females and young also assuming much
of the same pompous air. At length the moment arrives,
and the whole mount to the tops of the highest trees and

American Ornithology.

134

PHASIANIDiE.

take flight together towards the opposite bank. The
older birds cross, without much difficulty, rivers even a
mile in width ; but the young and weak often fail to reach
the other side and have to swim for it, which they do well
enough. If, in the endeavour to land, they approach an
inaccessible bank, they resign themselves to the stream
for a few moments, in order to gather strength for one
grand effort; but many of the weaker, which cannot rise
sufficiently high in the air, fall again and again into the
water, and are finally drowned.”

The Wild-turkey subsists principally on nuts, beech-
inasts, acorns, wild strawberries, grapes, and dew-berries ;
corn, when it can be got, and grasshoppers and other
insects whenever they chance to come in the way. Though
properly speaking not migratory, these birds range very
widely in search of food, and the common impulse to
desert an exhausted country for fresh ground causes them
to wander as well as to assemble together, as just de-
scribed, in the flocks which are commonly met with in
the month of October; but they invariably return to
certain localities in which they may be said to be
resident.

Though formerly abounding in every part of the
country, from the Mexican Gulf to the Great lakes, the
increase of population and extension of cultivated tracts
have now confined them entirely to one or two districts.

THE WILD TURKEY.

135

In Canada they are met with in the detached belts
of wood west and north of Lake Superior, and in the
forests west of Amherstburg. There are a few near
Chatham, and I am told that there are scattered birds
in the neighbourhood of Hamilton, at the upper end of
Lake Ontario, and also in other western townships; but
I never heard of them when in those parts myself and
should be inclined to doubt it. It is a singular fact that
they are unknown in the Eastern Province, though they
still extend from western Canada through the States, as
far south as Mexico.

As a sport, the pursuit of the Wild-turkey ranks
high in the estimation of the sportsman. I do not of
course allude to the practice of shooting the roosting
birds on moonlight nights, when they guide the gunner
by their continual gobbling, and sit helplessly looking at
their falling companions without attempting to escape;
or co the equally exciting amusement of calling the male
birds in the breeding season by imitating the cry of the
hen, and then riddling the unsuspecting dupe at close
quarters with a charge of buck-shot. Nor is the practice
of the Indians and settlers much more to be commended,
who, immediately after the breeding season, when the
males are in the worst possible condition — poor, lean, and
reduced — hunt them on horseback, and with the assist-
ance of their curs run them down, at a time when they

136

PHASIANID^E.

are scarcely half their proper weight, and altogether unfit
for food.

The proper season for the legitimate sport is late in
the autumn, when, after a summer diet of strawberries
and wild fruit, they have had a six weeks’ or couple of
months’ run among the acorns and masts. It is then
a splendid bird in every respect, and so wild and diffi-
cult of approach as to require no inconsiderable amount
of skill in stalking, and even then is not often to be
reached without the rifle. A bird with these qualities,
excelling, also, in point of size, beauty of plumage,
and culinary qualities, may well rank among game-birds
of the highest order.

The difficulty of approaching within range, how-
ever cautiously the hunter may conceal himself, has
led some to suppose that the Wild-turkey is gifted
with an acute sense of smell. In all birds, however,
excepting those of prey, this faculty is very imper-
fectly developed, and I do not think there is any reason
to believe that this individual one is any exception
to the rule. A quick ear and keen eye, combined with
great watchfulness, alone enable it so easily to detect the
presence of danger ; for the old birds are always on the
alert even while feeding, and it requires all the caution
and address of the practised stalker to steal in upon them.

The chief difficulty in finding them is the absence

THE WILD TURKEY.

137

of sufficient trail to indicate their proximity, whence it
happens that one may either never find a flock at all,
or may come on it unawares, and frighten the birds away
before there is a chance of a shot.

For this reason the half grown birds are some-
times tracked with a dog trained for the purpose,
which, on striking the trail, follows it up without an
instant’s hesitation, and without giving tongue, till he
runs right into the flock. Thus alarmed, the birds at
once take to the trees, the dog sitting at the foot
of the trunk barking at them, and so engrossing their
attention that the guns, with a little caution, are able
to get within range. The old birds, however, if thus
disturbed, run so swiftly and for such extraordinary dis-
tances that few animals are able to overtake them, their
pace being a sort of flying stride.

Single birds, instead of running, crouch in the grass,
and lie till flushed, when they rise suddenly, and so close
as to give a fair flying shot. Flocks even of twenty or
thirty will occasionally rise in this manner and fly to
another thicket ; but this is the exception rather than the
rule, and he who beats the woods in hopes of “ walking
up” the birds will in general drive them all away long
before he comes near.

Their flight, except when pressed by some imminent
danger, is generally only for short distances, the bird’s

138

PHASIANIDiE.

bulk and small expanse of 'wing being obstacles to any
lengthened journey in the air.

The Wild-turkey, though so shy, is not unfrequently
found in forests within reach of cultivated ground,
especially late in the year, when wild-fruit and berries
have become scarce, its partiality for the settler’s grain
being the inducement thus to brave the neighbourhood
of man. In severe winters too in the early morning,
when no one is stirring, they will occasionally venture
even into the farm-yards in search of corn.

Though the immigrant farmer cannot be blamed for
not preserving these birds, which are at times exceed-
ingly destructive to his crops of maize and oats, it is
to be regretted that they should be wantonly killed at
a season when they are useless ; for by sparing them a
few months he might supply his table with delicious
food, and in the interim they could not eat more than
the domesticated ones fattened at home. But every
possible device is resorted to by the uneducated that can
assist in the work of gradual extinction. The landlords
of the outlying taverns catch them alive with the object
of enticing customers, a number of whom pay so much a
head for each shot with the rifle at an unfortunate bird,
which is secured at a certain distance, close behind the
trunk of a tree sufficiently large to conceal all but its
head. Whole flocks are sometimes caught in a cage made

THE WILD TURKEY.

139

of sticks, placed on a sloping piece of ground, with corn
strewed around, and leading through a low entrance to
a larger supply within ; once inside, the turkeys raise
their heads in alarm, and vainly attempt to escape, never
stooping to look for any egress below their own height.

Though this mode of destruction is in Canada
forbidden by the game-laws of the country, it is obviously
impossible in wild and thinly inhabited districts to
prevent the lower and more ignorant class of emigrants
from imitating the customs of the free and enlightened
citizens over the border, in spite of any argument to the
effect that by so doing the ultimate extinction of the
objects of their selfish crusade is rendered certain ; and
thus the gradual extermination of this noble bird proceeds
slowly but surely year by year.

As a means of suppressing this slaughter, it was at
one time proposed to legalize the seizure of any birds
exposed for sale that did not exhibit marks of having
been shot ; though this requirement was easily com-
plied with, as the poachers had only to fire a charge
of shot into a whole heap of trapped birds in order to
satisfy the condition.

Next in importance to the Wild-turkey are the
different kinds of Grouse peculiar to North America,
which are arranged by Baird in the following four
Divisions : —

140

TETRAONID2E.

1. Those haying the legs feathered to and on the
basal membrane of the toes ; and without any ruff on
the neck ; which has, however, a bare extensible space.

2. Those with the legs scarcely feathered to the
extreme base of the tarsus, the lower joint of which is
bare, with large transverse scutellae.

3. Those with legs feathered to the claws.

4. Those having the lower half of the tarsi bare, with
two rows of scutellae anteriorly.

Tetrao , belonging to the first division, Lagojpus
forming the third, and Bonasa the fourth, only frequent
wooded tracts ; while Cupidonia , which forms the second,
inhabits the open prairie : these four genera comprising
all that come under notice in the present work.

The Canada or Spotted Grouse ( Tetrao Canadensis ) is
better known in its own country as the u Spruce Par-
tridge:” a glaring misnomer, which its marked charac-
teristics render inexcusable in British provinces.

Though not a scarce bird, it does not exist in any
great numbers in any part of the country, nor is it easy
to find, even in those districts where it is known to be
in tolerable abundance, seeking, as it does, the most
tangled and difficult recesses of unfrequented spruce
forests and cedar swamps.

It ranges from the confines of the Northern States
to latitude 68°, though never found to the westward of

THE CANADA GROUSE.

141

the Rocky Mountains. They are common in many parts of
the Eastern Province of Canada, including the Montreal
and Quebec districts, and are found plentifully in
the neighbourhood of Lake Matapediac, the Marcouin
River, and the Magdalen River ; also near Penetan-
guishene, and in other parts of the Upper Province.

It is a matter of congratulation to learn from the
Fifth Annual Report of the Montreal Game and Fish
Protection Club that this bird is increasing in numbers.
According to the above report, the destruction by snaring
appears to have lessened considerably of late years, and
if the amendment to the bill asked for were passed, and
snared game could be seized in the market, there is
no doubt that the practice would soon cease, and this
fine bird become exceedingly abundant.

When disturbed the Spotted Grouse runs swiftly along
the ground, and does not take to the wing unless pressed;
then, rising with a clucking cry, it flies only a short
distance and rather heavily, generally settling in some
convenient tree where it is easily approached. I have
often heard Canadians and others repeat the assertion,
which is also common as regards the Ruffed Grouse,
that a whole covey, when treed, may be killed by merely
taking the precaution to shoot those on the lower
branches first; yet I have never been able to meet with
any well authenticated instance of its having been done.

142

TETRAONIDAS.

There is no doubt, however, of the fact that it evinces
very little fear of the gun.

In appearance this is a very handsome bird, the general
colour above being a deep brown, beautifully barred with
black and dark grey; the throat and head are black,
with a scarlet semicircle over the eye, and a small wdrite
mark near the base of the bill, which is black and rather
slender. The breast and sides are marked with large
white spots, and there are a few on the tail-coverts; the
tail, which consists of sixteen feathers, and is about six
inches long, is black, slightly mottled with dull brown
and tipped with dark orange.

The female has a greater predominance of white be-
neath and yellowish brown above ; has little or no black
on the head or upper parts, and the feathers on the legs
are of a lighter colour than in the male ; though she
has also, contrary to a very common opinion, the same
scarlet space over the eye.

They breed far north, up in the Hudson’s Bay
country, and return to Canada in the winter. The
nest, which is formed on the ground, is most carefully
concealed among branches and long grass and is rarely
found, whence it is that the eggs have been so variously
described by different writers. According to a paper
in the u Canadian Naturalist,” they appear to be “ white,
spotted with black and yellow.”

THE CANADA GROUSE.

143

The food of the Canada Grouse is wild berries and
the buds of different trees and bushes, and in winter
spruce tops and the seeds found in the cones of the
pines. The flesh, which is dark, is very like that of
the common grouse, but more bitter, and in the latter
season has a considerable flavour of turpentine.

This is the smallest of the three kinds of grouse
inhabiting Canada, and does not exceed fifteen inches in
length. Its acclimatization has been, I am told, con-
templated with a view to its introduction into this
country, in certain districts of which no doubt it would
succeed well enough ; and where there is no other game
to be interfered with, might prove to be an acquisition
well worth the trouble of the experiment.

The Prairie-Hen ( Cupidonia Cupido ), though bearing
a general family resemblance to the red grouse of Britain,
will be seen on comparison with it to be a much larger
bird, the male measuring about nineteen inches in length,
and averaging nearly three pounds avoirdupois in weight;
not far from that of an ordinary cock pheasant.*

The flesh is dark, very tender, and of most excellent
flavour. Individual birds often vary very much in
colour, as is the case with our own grouse, which in some
parts of Scotland are much lighter coloured than their

* The average weight of the Scottish grouse is li lb.

144

TETRAONIDjE.

normal plumage, and in others very much darker.
Generally, however, the upper plumage of the Prairie
Hen is a rich brown, banded with yellowish stripes. The
wings, of a grey brown, are barred with reddish yellow ;
a brown stripe extends from the nostril along the
side of the head, and another from the lower mandible
to the throat, the naked space above the eye being of
a bright orange. The lower plumage is grey, tawny,
and cream colour, barred and variegated with pale brown.
The tail is varied with light brown and brownish-
yellow, marked most commonly with bars of darker
brown, though some specimens have the tail of a uniform
colour throughout.

The male bird has a small crest, and on either side
of the neck a tuft, consisting of five long black feathers,
and thirteen smaller ones of a very dark brown, striped
down the centre with a warm buff. These tufts, or
neck wings, conceal a wrinkled yellow membrane of bare
skin, which he has the power of inflating to a con-
siderable size, and by means of which, during the
breeding season, he makes a curious hollow sound, which
though not loud, may be heard nearly a mile off.
Audubon, in order to prove whether these bladders were
necessary to the production of the booming sound,
having procured a tame bird, passed the point of a pin
through each of the air cells, the consequence of which

hAHHART Ch/ROMd-i-irH

PRAIRIE-HEN .

( \CityidonLou • Cujouk))

londorvliurat &Bla.c!kjett .186 6.

THE PRAIRIE HEN.

145

was that the bird was unable to toot any more. With
another tame bird he performed the same operation on
only one of the cells, and next morning the bird tooted
with the sound one, though not so loudly as before, but
could not inflate the one that had been punctured.

Wilson* says, the call “ consists of three notes of the
same tone (resembling those produced by the niglit-
ha wksf in their rapid descent), each strongly accented,
the last being twice as long as the others. When several
birds are thus engaged the ear is unable to distinguish
the regularity of these triple notes, there being, at such
times, one continued drumming, which is disagreeable
and perplexing from the impossibility of ascertaining
from what distance or even quarter it proceeds. While
uttering this, the bird lowers its head like the pigeon,
and exhibits all the. gesticulations of a turkey-cock.
Fluttering his neck-wings, and erecting them so that
their usual position is reversed and they almost meet
over the head, he wheels and passes before the female,
and close before his fellows, as in defiance. This drum-
ming continues from a little before daybreak to eight or
nine in the morning, when the parties separate to seek
for food.”

The hen, which is rather smaller than the cock, has

American Ornithology.

L

f Cajprimulgus popetue.

146

TETRAONIDiE.

very much the same plumage, but is without the crest,
although she has rudimentary neck-wings, covering a
somewhat similar though smaller naked space on the
neck ; this, however, is not capable of inflation.

At all times of a pugnacious character, the male birds
are especially so at the commencement of the pairing
season, when they fight with one another like game-cocks,
strewing the sward with their feathers, returning again
and again to the charge, leaping from the ground with
shrill cackling, and every feather erect with fury, those of
the neck forming a ruff which completely encircles the
throat. The Indians, who are inveterate pot-hunters,
often set nooses or lie in ambush with their guns at
these spots.

The breeding season is in April and May, and the
nest, which is very rude and simple, being in fact
nothing more than a rough collection of dead grass
and leaves, is most carefully hidden in the thick tufts
of long prairie-grass. It contains from ten to twelve
or even fifteen eggs, about the size of those of the
bantam, and of a very pale brown colour.

They are hatched within three weeks, and the young
birds leave the nest at once. When leading her brood
about, and teaching them to find for themselves the
various berries, seeds, and insects which are their peculiar
food, the mother, if surprised, feigns lameness, and while

THE PRAIRIE HEN.

147

her little ones run to cover as fast as their legs can
carry them, she leads the intruder in a contrary direction.

Like the red grouse, this is a stationary bird, and
is only met with on the vast tracts of prairie to the
north and south-west of the Upper Province.

As the mountain scenery of our Highlands forms so
great a portion of the enjoyment of grouse shooting,
so does the majesty of these ocean -like plains add to
the fascination of Prairie-hen shooting. There is some-
thing even supernaturally impressive in their vastness,
everlasting silence, and solitude, and in no other situa-
tion perhaps does man feel more strikingly what an atom
he is on the face of the earth than when fairly launched
on the prairie. With a glorious feeling, however, of
unbounded freedom, he wanders on over the grassy
surface, which, dotted with bright flowers and brighter
butterflies, gently rolls in the undying breeze that ever
fans the plain. Here and there is a clump of stunted
trees or a patch of brushwood, but these can hardly be
said to break the uniformity of the surface, for they are
completely lost in the immense space and are rarely
noticed at all till close at hand. Indeed, so utterly
destitute of any landmark is the face of the plain that
a person unused to move alone in these regions would
quickly lose his way, and might wander on with a
hundred miles of prairie before him, in vain search of

l 2

148

TETRAONIDiE.

the point he had started from, each moment serving only
to increase his distance from it, and every weary step
leading him farther away from human aid, fainting with
fatigue and parched with thirst. No one should venture
alone for any distance on the prairie until thoroughly
able to trust himself to steer his own way by the aid
of the sun.

Blackened tracts are sometimes seen extending for
miles on every side, marking the course of those destruc-
tive fires that so often sweep with resistless fury over
the wide expanse. During these conflagrations the
Prairie-hens fly before the flames in countless numbers,
settling after each succeeding flight, half stupified,
either on the ground or on any chance tree, till
again driven on by the advancing tide of smoke and
heat. Where the grass is short the fire spreads more
slowly, and in a thin line easily passed through, even
by a man on foot, but when the waving mass of dry
vegetation stands as high as the head, the devouring
flames travelling with frightful rapidity, roaring and
crackling in sheets of fire, scorch and suffocate all
before them. The mode of escape recommended, when
far out on the prairie, is to ride off at a gallop as soon
as the clouds of smoke are seen on the horizon, and
after gaining a sufficient distance, to dismount and set
fire to the grass in front, following down wind in its

THE PRAIRIE HEN.

149

wake. But any one unfortunate enough under such
circumstances to be surprised on foot would have little
chance of escaping the suffocating fumes and stifling
heat, which, almost insupportable even at the distance
of half a mile, close in with fearful quickness. These
conflagrations must at dark be spectacles grand beyond
description; for the burning plains of South Africa
(on which I have many a time gazed far into the
night) are said to convey but a faint idea of their
grandeur.

The season for Prairie-hen shooting commences pro-
perly speaking on the 20th of August, though a bar-
barous and destructive practice exists among Yankee
shooters of killing the half-grown birds or “ chickens”
earlier, because they are easier to shoot than when
stronger on the wing.

Good dogs are, as in all other shooting, of course
necessary, and pointers will on some accounts be found
preferable to setters. Among other advantages, they
endure thirst better, or more probably experience it in
a less degree, and this on the prairie is a matter of some
importance, seeing that it is necessary to carry every
drop of water that may be required. Audubon, who
was a sportsman as well as a naturalist, prefers setters,
giving as his reason that the birds do not stand so well
to the former. A newly arrived dog from “the old

150

TETRAONIDzE.

country/’ for tlie first time ranging over the prairies, is
generally a good deal puzzled by tortoises, rattlesnakes,
and other novelties, which he points with vexatious per-
severance.

A good prairie dog should stand steadily for any
length of time, not only because from the extent of
range it often takes some minutes to walk up to his
point, but because the height of the grass frequently
prevents his being seen ; for this cause also a dog dis-
playing a large proportion of white is preferable.

When flushed, the birds rise suddenly with the heavy
whirr of the grouse, and not unfrequently with a loud
clucking noise, skimming away in a straight line, every
now and then appearing about to alight, but still sailing
on. The length of these flights is extremely deceptive,
owing to the vastness of the area, and to the unappre-
ciated velocity given to the bird by its weight and
strength of wing. On alighting they run very rapidly,
making for some hollow or tuft, but never take to the
thicket or close bushes, appearing to prefer a clear course
rather than any attempt at concealment, which might
afterwards prove an embarrassment. Single birds, par-
ticularly young ones, lie so close as to be with difficulty
found again, however carefully marked down or quickly
followed up.

The coveys generally consist of from eight to twelve

THE PRAIRIE HEN.

151

birds; and so abundant are they in many parts of the
prairie at the beginning of the season that twenty or
five-and-twenty brace a day may be easily killed to a
single gun. Later in the year they are not easily ap-
proached, especially if they have been disturbed and fired
at. It is at all times and seasons necessary to avoid
talking, as any noise of such a nature at once alarms
them ; and on a still day of course the greater caution
is requisite in this particular.

Splendid sport may be had in the valley of the
Assineboine, or on the frontier prairies south-west of
Lake Michigan, which are reached by way of Detroit.
Rochelle, eighty-four miles from Chicago, on the Dixon
line, is also a first-rate quarter.

The ripe corn-fields of the remote and isolated settlers
living on the borders of the prairie are favourite resorts ;
and for one or two weeks before and after harvest large
packs of these birds may there be seen feeding, morn-
ing and evening. Towards the end of October it is not
uncommon to see as many as two hundred birds, or
even more, thus collected together.

In summer they luxuriate on wild strawberries,
“partridge-berry,” insects, and larvaa of different kinds.
In winter the buds of various trees and the small
acorn of the dwarf oak, which grows in the “ prairie
scrub,” form their only support, and when the snow

152

TETRAONIDyE.

lies deep on the ground they are of course unable to
obtain the latter, and generally sit perched up in the
leafless trees : an unusual position for a grouse !

Their usual habit is to roost in a circle on the
ground, though single birds will sometimes perch on a
tree, even in summer. Why is it that in the New
World we see grouse, snipe, and ducks sitting on the
branches of trees, to the confusion of all scientific classi-
fication ? *

The packs of Prairie-hen which remain unbroken at
the end of the season, or others collecting together from
all quarters in immense numbers, often form a sort of
“yard” in the snow, squatting closely together at night,
as the quail do under similar circumstances. At such
times the whole of them may be easily netted at once,
and it is principally in this way, I fear, that the birds now
so largely sent to the English market, packed in barrels
with bran, are obtained by Yankee dealers. An erro-
neous impression prevails among many in this country
with regard to the supposed poisonous state of the flesh
of the Prairie-hen at certain seasons of the year. Such,
however, is not the case, as they do not feed on anything
of a deleterious nature. The error has arisen from con-
founding this bird with another of the same family, and
also North- American, namely, the Ruffed-grouse, which
is noticed further on.

THE PTARMIGAN.

153

Though the long continuance of severe winter weather
as well as its concomitant scarcity of food must be very
trying to the Prairie-hen, they survive even the most
inclement seasons ; and this hardiness has led to the
belief that their acclimatization in this country would
be comparatively easy, their stationary habits and the
nature of their food seeming to favour the idea. But
the continual recurrence of the cold winds, rain, and
fogs, characteristic of English weather, would probably
be less likely to be endured with impunity than the
sharp frosty air with a bright sun which is the
normal state of the Canadian winter. There are also
few districts suitable to its habits, for as the Prairie-
hen always avoids high grounds and hilly tracts,
and is exclusively a denizen of the driest plains^ our
Scottish moors and mountains are necessarily ex-
cluded.

Supposing these difficulties overcome, the advisability
of turning out these birds in our country appears ques-
tionable, for from their pugnacious habits and superior
size, as compared with the red-grouse, there would be a
great risk of their driving off the latter; in the same way
that the red-legged French partridge has done the in-
finitely superior one of our own country wherever it has
been introduced. And the loss or diminution of the British
grouse would be but ill compensated for by the most

154

TETRAONIDiE.

complete establishment of the Prairie-hen, with all its
good qualities.

The Ptarmigan, Willow-grouse, or White-grouse ( Lago -
pus albus) is mentioned by Dr. Hall* as one of the birds of
the Montreal district, though its general range is in rather
higher regions, its northern limit being about latitude 70°.

The male bird weighs on an average about two
pounds, and its plumage in summer is a reddish grey
on the upper parts, closely marked 'with zig-zag lines.
On the breast and sides are a great number of black
feathers waved with a light reddish colour, and the
under parts, breast and wings, together with the feet,
are pure white. The male has a black mark or stripe
crossing the eye, and a scarlet cicatrice over it. The
female has neither of the latter distinctions.

The winter plumage is perfectly white, with the ex-
ception of the tail; this is chiefly black, and there are
one or two brown feathers in the wings.

The female lays from eight to twelve eggs, and some-
times more ; they are of a yellowish colour, marked with
dark brown spots.

The Ptarmigan lives in winter on the buds, seeds, and
young tops of the willow, whence its other name of
Willow-grouse.

* Can. Nat. Geo., Montreal.

THE RUFFED GROUSE.

155

The Ruffed-grouse (Bonasa umbellus) in point of
size occupies a middle place between the Prairie-hen
and the Canada-grouse, and like the latter resides
entirely in thick coverts. There is, however, this dif-
ference between the habits of the two shade-seeking birds :
that while the one, as already described, inhabits only the
low-ground forests and thick spruce swamps, this as
invariably frequents the mountain woods. Still their
summer food is similar in nature to that of the other,
which lives exclusively on the bare plains and low
open scrub of the prairie, invariably avoiding the
timbered belts so common in those regions. Among
other berries and seeds, the Ruffed-grouse feeds largely
on those of the small Canadian cistus.*

The plumage of the Ruffed-grouse is exceedingly
beautiful. The head, which is a yellowish-red, variegated
with dark brown and black, is ornamented with a crest.
The lower part of the neck on either side has a dark ruff
of long curved feathers, which can be erected at will, but
otherwise cover a bare space above the shoulders; the
back is a bright brown, finely dotted with white; the
tail, which contains eighteen feathers, being of a similar
colour, crossed with wavy lines of black, and having a
broad band of the same at the end; this band in the

Helianthemum Ganadenae.

156

TETRAONIDiE.

hen and in young birds is brown. The under parts are
yellowish white, marked with dark broken bars. The legs
are not feathered so far down as either in the Prairie-hen
or in the Canada-grouse. The female does not differ
very much from the male ; but her ruffs are somewhat
smaller and of a browner hue. The general tint, how-
ever, of both male and female varies a good deal.

A curious characteristic of this bird is its “ drum*
ming,” a noise well known to backwoodsmen, which is
made by the male bird morning and evening from the
commencement of the breeding season, i. e ., in April.
This sound, which is audible at a great distance, few
persons would readily believe to proceed from such a
source. Wilson informs us that the strokes, which begin
slowly and distinctly, are caused by beating the lowered
wings on the trunk of some fallen tree; increasing in
quickness, they end at last in a continuous rumbling,
resembling low distant thunder. During this drumming
the ruffs on the shoulders are elevated, the tail is ex-
panded, and the bird wheels and struts about with great
pomposity.

These birds make their nest in the month of May,
and the female lays about a dozen eggs of a pale
yellowish-brown, rather smaller than those of the
Prairie-hen. The nest, being artfully concealed among
long grass and briars, is seldom discovered.

HANHAR-r. CHROMO-liTH

RUFFED GROUSE CANADIAN GROUSE

(Batata, ZEnAeZUts)' \¥tfcrcu> Canadas vs)

I,ondon Hurst & Ela-okett .1866

*

THE HUFFED GROUSE.

157

When moving, the Ruffed-grouse jerks its tail
after the manner of the water-hen. It is not, as many
naturalists affirm, u always found single or in pairs ;”
for small coveys are much more frequently seen than
either, and large ones too are occasionally met with.
Though generally difficult to get near, they will some-
times lie pretty close in a thicket, or in high grass, and
then rise almost from under the feet with a whirring
heavy flutter, very like that of our pheasant; though
when under way the flight is swift and steady.

Like the Jungle-fowl of India, which, on the Neil-
gherries, I have constantly surprised, picking about on
the ghauts or mountain passes at dawn of day, the
Ruffed-grouse similarly ventures from the woods in
search of food, and may be looked for on forest roads
in the early morning with more chance of success than
in the covert. Open grassy spots are also favourite places
of resort; but owing to their wandering propensities, it
is impossible to calculate on finding them in the same
neighbourhood two days successively.

The season for shooting Ruffed-grouse is fis^m Sep-
tember, to the middle of winter, though after the snow
falls there is this objection: that as the birds have then
little else to feed on than the “American laurel” or
Kalmia, the flesh, if not thereby rendered poisonous — as
it probably is, if the bird be left to hang long without

158

PERDICIMI.

being drawn — is at all events in inferior condition. This
Kalmia is not to be confounded with that already men-
tioned ( K . angustifolia ), which is a much smaller plant,
and only thrives in low ground. The present one ( K .
latifolia) is a very ornamental flowering shrub, growing
from three to ten feet high on rocky ground and hill-
sides. Both, however, have the same peculiarity of being
innocuous to certain animals and poisonous to others ;
for instance, as Loudon* states, the latter or broad-leaved
shrub, u though poisonous to cattle and sheep is not so to
deer;” and it is now shown to be as harmless to this bird
as it is the contrary to man.

The Ruffed-grouse is quite common in very many
parts of the Lower Province, and in the Ottawa country
and Argenteuil district, but does not extend further
north than latitude 56°.

This is not by any means an easy bird to kill, and will
often fly a long distance after being very hard hit.
When wounded, it is exceedingly difficult to find,
hiding in holes and hollow tree trunks, in such a manner
as to baf^e the best retrievers and the patience of the most
persevering sportsman. When flushed they seldom fly to
any great distance, and invariably settle on the trees
instead of again alighting on the ground ; generally

* Arboretum Britannicum, ii. 1151.

THE COLIN.

159

selecting tlie closest and most thickly covered, so that it
is often almost impossible to discover more than half the
number of the covey among the sheltering foliage.

The American Colin ( Ortyx Virginiana ) is one of the
prettiest and most interesting little game-birds of Canada.
Though called the “quail,” and sometimes the “partridge,”
it is a totally distinct genus from both of them. Larger
than the former, it yet bears a general resemblance to it,
whilst at the same time it presents some points of simi-
larity to the latter, to which it is in turn much inferior
in size. In point of fact it belongs to an intermediate
family ( Ortygince ) peculiar to the Old World, and con-
stituting a sub-family of the Perdicidw.

With regard to its usual misnomers, Baird^ says, —
“ Where this bird is called quail, the Ruffed-grouse, it
will be found, is generally called partridge ; and where it
is called partridge the larger species is known as the
pheasant. In reality, however, no one of these names
can be correctly applied to any American species ; though
to call the Ruffed-grouse a partridge is perhaps a worse
misnomer than to apply the same name to the Ortyx.”

The latter is characterized by the great comparative
depth and thickness of the bill, by very short rounded
wings, and proportionally heavy body. The following

* Birds of North America.

160

PERDICIDJ3.

description of the plumage of the Colin is taken from an
unusually perfect specimen in my own possession. The
upper part of the back is of a reddish colour, changing
lower down into a yellowish red, and the under parts are
brownish-white, beautifully marked with black curves.
The head, which is slightly tufted, is of a reddish
brown, with a white streak over the eye, down the neck,
and also on the chin, below which is a patch of black
spreading over the throat. The sides of the neck are
spotted with black and white on a ground of the same
colour as the head; the wings and tail are dusky,
intermixed with ash- colour and brown. The bill is
nearly black, the eye hazel, and the legs a pale bluish
grey.

In the female, which is a smaller bird, the chin is
the same colour as the rest of the head; this is also
destitute of the white markings, and the spots on the
neck are yellow and black, in place of white and black,
while the breast is nearly white, and the general hue is
lighter than that of the male. The colour and markings
of the plumage, as is frequently the case with other
game-birds, vary considerably in different parts of the
countries they frequent.

It is a singular fact that these birds are not
found in Lower Canada, though in most parts of the
Upper or Western Province they are met with in abun-

THE COLIN.

161

dance, and in autumn evenings may be heard “ calling ”
close to the roadside.

Unlike the quail proper, which is a bird of passage,
the Colin is stationary, and perhaps to a greater degree
than most non-migratory birds, often evincing extraor-
dinary attachment to particular localities. Though
occasionally seen in the woods, I have never myself
found them anywhere but in the open country; in the
vicinity of broken ground where long grass and twining
briars are interwoven ; or about the tangled bottoms
of snake-fences, and in the neighbourhood of fields of
buckwheat or maize, to which they are very partial. In
such places I have found them in abundance, and enjoyed
the prettiest shooting imaginable. They are often found
hiding among the pumpkins, which in the latter fields
grow between the rows of corn.

It is in rough neglected places, like the ground first
mentioned, that they conceal their most comfortable
and ingeniously-made nests, which are covered over with
a roof of leaves and fine grass, as a protection against the
weather, an entrance being left at the side. They pair
in March or April, and during the subsequent period of
incubation, which lasts about a month, the male bird sits
in the vicinity of the nest, whistling to his mate.
Their eggs, which are perfectly white and rather pointed,
are often twenty or twenty-four in number. Notwith-

M

162

PERDICIDJ3.

standing this prolific supply, they have two broods in
the year, while the young run about and take care of
themselves as soon as they leave the egg-shell, and are
able to fly in a fortnight; so that were it not for the
great number which are annually drowned in the heavy
rains, and either trapped or lost in the severe winters,
these birds would no doubt multiply to an extraordinary
extent. In 1861 there was a great abundance of them
in the western districts of Canada; but last year they
were not so plentiful, owing to the above causes operating
to reduce their number.

When the snow has excluded them from their usual
coverts they may be seen huddled together in a circle
on its surface, and remaining in this position during
the heavy storms, are often buried in the drifts. In
severe weather they appear to have little fear of man,
and at all times exhibit a preference for cultivated dis-
tricts, on account of the supply of grain which they
afford ; from this cause they have been less disturbed
by the advancing tide of emigration than many other
birds of more shy disposition.

The call of the cock bird, which during the autumn
is loud and frequent, sounds so exactly like the words
“ Bob White,” as to have obtained for it that sobriquet
among the Americans.

In Canada the season for shooting the so-called quail

THE COLIN.

163

begins on the 21st of August. When flushed they whirr
up suddenly, and will sometimes fly into the trees, but
more generally settle on the ground again ; notwith-
standing their very short flights, they are exceedingly
difficult to find, so close do they lie after being thus
disturbed.

The flesh, which is white, is very tender and excellent ;
and this is in every way a bird worthy of the attention
of the Acclimatization Society. Pugnacious enough to
defend itself anywhere, yet from its size not likely to drive
away any other game-bird, it is hardy enough to stand
any winter in this country, and appears to thrive, as
far as has yet been tried, equally well in the furthest
northern as in the most southern parts of England.
Yarrel* states that a small number were introduced into
this country many years ago, and that specimens have
from time to time since that period been killed in
Northumberland, Cambridgeshire, Gloucestershire, Surrey,
Kent, and Sussex; also that from the discovery of nests
and eggs they are known to have bred in Norfolk and
Staffordshire.

Though, as above stated, they are very fond of buck-
wheat and maize, of which they would of course find
little with us, they will thrive on any kind of corn, the

* British Birds.

164

PERDICIDiE.

seeds of grasses, and of many of our wild plants, on
blackberries, bilberries, cranberries, as well as grubs and
insects.

There would be no difficulty in obtaining any number
of them, as they are taken alive during the winter in
great quantities in the States, by means of traps formed
of sticks, with a trigger in the centre, and are to be
purchased in many of the markets throughout that
season.

FORT M1SSISSISAUUUA.

CHAPTER VII

(i&radafores.

AMERICAN BITTERN ITS GENERAL DISTRIBUTION — APPEARANCE EGGS

AND NEST EXCELLENT FLESH THE LITTLE BITTERN GOLDEN

PLOVER DIFFERENT FROM EUROPEAN BIRD THE RING PLOVER—

HIGHLY ESTEEMED — THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK — DISTINCT FROM
EUROPEAN ONE DIMENSIONS AND COLOURING ITS RANGE LO-
CALITIES — HABITS SEASON FOR SHOOTING COVERTS DOGS

NECESSARY— MIGRATION— THE AMERICAN SNIPE — FOUND IN BUSHY

GROUND — COMPARED WITH EUROPEAN SNIPE NEST AND EGGS

MIGRATION TO SOUTH — BIRDS LEFT BEHIND — SHOOTING SEASON —
DIMINUTION OF SNIPE— RETURN IN SPRING — CURLEW— ESQUIMAUX

CURLEW THE AMERICAN RAIL — ITS EXCELLENCE— PLUMAGE, HABITS,

AND FLIGHT.

CHAPTER VII.

Ipmrbi 0ms>;

mHOUGH the American Bittern ( Botaurus lentiginosus)
very much resembles the European bird in habit,
and makes the same booming noise, it is of a dif-
ferent species. The plumage is a brownish yellow,
mottled with two other shades of brown, and the throat
is white, while each side of the neck has a broad stripe
of black. The feathers on the front of the neck and
breast are very long, and hang loosely, the latter, as
well as those of the under parts, are of a buff colour.
The top of the head, part of the wing, and the tail are
a reddish cinnamon colour, the feathers of the latter
being very small. The bill is a dull yellow, and the
legs are greenish brown. The female is similar in
plumage to the male, and the young are a little paler.

It is common to all latitudes of North America and
extends through the whole of Canada, being especially
abundant in the swampy country through w^hich Baptiste
Creek runs. The nest is invariably made in solitary
swampy spots, and the eggs, of which the number appears

168

ARDEIDiE.

very uncertain, are two inches long and one and a half
broad, and of an olive colour.

The American Bittern is known in most parts of the
country by the name of “ Indian Hen,” and is not an
easy bird to approach. It is generally used by the
settlers for making soup ; but when in proper condition
is considered excellent eating. Specimens of this bird
have been shot in Ireland, and Yarrell* mentions several
instances of its having been killed in England, and on
one occasion in Scotland, near the residence of Sir
William Jardine, in Dumfriesshire.

The Little Bittern ( Ardetta exilis) is much rarer, and
is confined principally to the swamps lying on the
southern shore of the St. Lawrence. It is not the same
species as the Little Bittern of Southern Europe. In
the male the head and upper parts are a glossy dark
green ; the neck and shoulders purplish chestnut. In
the female the head is the same colour as the neck.

That excellent bird, the Golden Plover ( Charadius
Virginicus ), a variety of our species, is found abundantly
in different parts of the Lower Province.

Two other well-known plovers are the Semipalmated
or King Plover (. JEgialitis semi]? aim aius) and the “ Kill-
deer.” The former, which is most excellent eating, is

* British Birds.

AMERICAN WOODCOCK.

169

also called the Ring Plover, on account of its having a
white ring round the neck. The throat and under parts
are white, and a black stripe encircles the breast, meeting
at the back of the neck below the white ring. The
upper parts are ashy brown tinged with olive. There are
a few white feathers in the wings, and the bill and legs
are yellow. The Killdeer,* familiar in most parts of the
country, is so called from its note, but its flesh is not
esteemed.

It is a generally received opinion that the Woodcock
of North America is identical with ours, and some also
believe that it migrates, not regularly, but frequently,
from the New World to the Old. The two are, however,
quite distinct from one another, and differ considerably
in size, plumage, and other points.

The American bird (Philohela minor) is considerably
the smaller of the two, seldom exceeding eleven inches
in extreme length, while the average measurement of
the European one is thirteen and a half; the difference
in weight between them being nearly four ounces. In
the plumage the most noticeable difference, and one that
could hardly fail to be observed even on the most cursory
inspection, is that the whole of the under part is of a
red hue, growing brighter on the sides and under the

170

SCOLOPACIDiE.

wings. There are also minor differences, which will be
better understood by a description of the general plumage.
The occiput has three bands of black alternated with
three of pale yellowish-red, the upper part of the body
being variegated with pale ash or reddish-yellow of
different shades, and with lines of black. The throat is
ash colour, and a line of very deep browm extends from
the eye to the bill, with another of the same colour on
the neck. The wings are ashy-brown, and the tail a
very dark brown, almost approaching to black; this is
tipped with ash colour, darker on the upper surface than
on the under, where, in fact, it is often nearly vThite.
The bill is a light brown, and the legs a pale reddish
colour.

As to the theory of the transatlantic migration, it is
well known that the Woodcock never takes very long
flights, which indeed the disproportionately small size
of its wings would seem to render laborious, if not
altogether impossible, and the only foundation for
attributing to it such a feat rests on the fact that a great
abundance of Woodcock is found on the west coast of
Ireland, where it was not unnaturally supposed birds from
America would alight. That they do exist there in
larger numbers than in most other parts of the British
Isles I can testify from experience, having killed them
in extraordinary quantities in several localities when on

AMERICAN WOODCOCK.

171

detachment near the mouth of the Shannon ; but instead
of being the alighting point of the American bird, this
coast is in reality the ultima thule of the European one.

The American bird is confined to much warmer
latitudes than the other, wintering in the Southern States,
and in summer venturing no farther north than the
Great Lakes of Canada: climates compared with which
an Irish winter would be of a temperature almost fatal to
its existence.

It breeds in all parts of Canada from March to May,
and sometimes as late as June. The nest is very roughly
and clumsily formed, under any prostrate tree or
collection of dead branches, and contains four eggs,
nearly equal in size to those of the pigeon, and of an
olive colour, mottled with pale brown spots. There are
generally two broods in the year, the earlier family being
watched and taken care of by the male bird during the
second incubation of the female, and even until the
younger brood is fully grown, or at any rate able to
travel, when a brief journey northwards is undertaken
by the whole.

In many points, as regards their habits, the American
Snipe and Woodcock resemble one another very closely,
and are certainly more nearly allied than their congeners
of the Old World. The Woodcock, however, moves
farther southward than the snipe, and does not appear to

172

SCOLOPACIDiE.

penetrate nearly so far northward. It may also be added
that it remains but a very short period at its northern-
most limit ; and whilst the snipe passes through Canada
to its breeding grounds, the other rests and breeds there,
merely visiting a little further north for a few weeks
in the early autumn in search of new feeding grounds.

In these migrations they generally make very short
nocturnal flights from covert to covert, resting during the
day, and feeding at dusk in anticipation of the renewal of
the journey. In the spring their flights are generally
longer and more rapid, and at that season they are also
observed to travel in pairs ; but at all times when on the
move they are to be found in almost any swampy ground
in the vicinity of covert, in second-growth woods, or in
low lying thickets in the neighbourhood of open ground ;
though never in the forest. Patches of alder, a tree that
flourishes in marshy ground, are favourite resorts, and
all low rich black soils, which doubtless abound more
plentifully in food.

During the heat and glare of the day the birds lie
close in the woods and thickets, only venturing forth to
feed in the dusk of evening. At this hour they may con-
stantly be seen on the wing in proximity to open swamps
or along the margins of rivers ; and excepting in bad
weather, when their movements are very uncertain, they
continue to feed all through the night, only betaking

AMERICAN WOODCOCK.

173

themselves at break of day to their shady haunts. These
remarks apply of course to the season of non-migration.

As the Woodcock, generally, revisits the place of its
birth, those that survive the shooting season will probably
return the following year to the coverts in which they
have been reared. The season for cock- shooting is
nominally from the 1st of August to the 1st of March,
but the beginning of November generally sees their
departure. It is the practice in the Upper Province to
commence on the 15th of July; which is too early, for
in some seasons birds are killed not more than three-
fourths grown, and in late years the old ones may be
taken away from half-fledged second broods. Though
a fortnight or three weeks makes a difference in this
respect it does not in the temperature, and August shoot-
ing is anything but easy work in the young woods.
Twining stems of the sweet-scented vine cross one’s path
at every step, while dense briars and rank underwood,
meeting the low spreading branches of the black oak and
maple, render it as difficult to progress as to raise the
gun, or even to get more than a momentary glimpse of
the flapping bird, which suddenly rises and as suddenly
drops oven the bushes out of sight. Add to this the
thermometer at 90°, with myriads of musquitoes, and you
have a fair idea of summer covert shooting in Canada.
In many places I have found these insect torments so

174

SCOLOPACIDiE.

pertinacious and in such extraordinary numbers, that in
spite of a previously well lubricated skin and the aid of
tobacco smoke, I have been obliged to carry a green
bough in the hand and constantly wave it round the face
and neck. However brief a cessation occurred, while
firing or loading, the smallest portion of skin exposed
was at once seized upon by a hundred thirsty blood-
suckers. I have known even a small rent accidentally
made in the clothes to be instantaneously discovered and
occupied by as many as could get their heads in.

In the more dense coverts it is seldom possible to get a
really fair shot; one fires by instinct, aiming rather at
the supposed whereabouts of the bird than at any visible
object. If the nature of the ground permits, or the
thicket is not too large, it is well to have the guns out-
side, and let the dogs hunt it alone; but they must be
well broken in and accustomed to the work, or they will
do more harm than good. For ordinary shooting,
nothing is better than a slow old pointer or setter.
Under favourable circumstances from eight to ten couple
of cock to each gun is considered a fair bag.

At times the birds are so sluggish as hardly to rise,
and when flushed at close quarters will only fly very
short distances, dropping suddenly with closed wings, and
often immediately in front of the dog or gun. This
characteristic White has noticed in his “ Natural History

AMERICAN WOODCOCK.

175

of Selborne” with respect to the woodcock in our own
country, and is of opinion that it may always be
attributed to the effect of a recent fatiguing journey.

On alighting the Woodcock invariably runs a little
distance before squatting, probably with the instinctive
idea of baffling discovery, and is always to be found in
advance of the spot on which it may have been marked
down. When running in this way it carries the tail
erect and spread out.

In the beginning of August old and young suddenly
disappear, as already described, and only a stray bird is to
be found here and there, until about the middle of Sep-
tember, when they return in numbers from their trip up
country. At this time they are in first-rate condition,
and afford excellent sport till the first sharp frost strips
the glowing forest, when they finally depart for their
sunny winter-quarters in the far south.

The American Snipe ( Gallinago Wilsonii) is, like the
preceding, also very generally supposed to be precisely
similar to ours, but there are several distinctions of
habit and plumage between the two birds.

Though delighting, like its English congener, in
swampy grounds, it displays at times a curious pre-
dilection for bushy grounds and the outskirts of woods ;
indeed instances are not wanting of its having been
found within the forest itself. It is said also to have

176

SCOLOPACIDiE.

a peculiar and unsnipe-like habit in the spring of occa-
sionally alighting on rails and branches of trees, to the
great wonderment of the sportsman just arrived from
the u old country,” though I never saw it do so myself.

The plumage is darker than in the European bird,
the entire upper parts being of a very deep brown,
inclining to black, each feather marked and tipped with
light reddish-brown and dirty grey. The neck is a
reddish colour, and the under parts are grey barred wTith
very dark brown or black. The wings and tail are also
brownish black, and the latter, tipped with a reddish
bar, has one or two light coloured feathers on each side.

In point of size also this bird differs from our
snipe. While the latter, as most sportsmen are aware,
measures thirteen inches in length, the former is only
ten and a half inches. These measurements refer to the
male only, the female bird of each species being rather
larger.

The nest of the American snipe is rude and simple,
and is made on the ground without the slightest
regard to concealment. It generally contains four pale
olive-coloured eggs, rather lengthened in form, and
spotted with brown, more thickly so at the obtuse end
of the egg. They breed only once in the year, and
almost exclusively in the higher latitudes.

The most northern limit of these birds is perhaps

AMERICAN SNIPE.

177

the Great Bear Lake, and in October they return through
Canada (their young broods by that time well grown,
and strong enough to accompany them,) en route south-
wards to the rice States, where they pass the winter.

I have occasionally seen a stray snipe during the
months of December and January in the neighbourhood
of St. Catherine’s, on the southern shore of Lake
Ontario, and in the low grounds west of Chippewa,
and have heard of similar exceptional cases in other
parts of the country. These detached birds are com-
monly believed to be permanent inhabitants of the dis-
tricts in which they are thus met with ; but it is much
more likely that they have been from some cause or other
left behind in the autumn migration, possibly because
weak, or hatched very late, and may in that case rejoin
the rest in spring on their reappearance in the north.
These continually recurring migrations are probably,
both with snipe and woodcock, more a matter of neces-
sity than of choice, and may be undertaken either in
search of food, owing to the exhaustion of their feeding
grounds, or in consequence of the extremes of frost at
one season or of drought at another so hardening the
mud in which they find their subsistence as to render
it impenetrable to their long slender bills. Their fre-
quent halts by the way evidently indicate a desire to
travel no further than is requisite, and a succession of

N

178

SCOLOPACIDjE.

favourable spots may, by leading them on from one to
another, be rather the causes of the migration, than,
as is usually supposed, merely halting places for re-
freshment on a previously projected journey to a distant
fixed terminus.

The beginning of August is the legitimate commence-
ment of snipe shooting, and ought to be strictly adhered
to, though their destruction in the early spring (that is,
before the breeding time, instead of after it) is a practice
so general, in the Upper Province at least, and so com-
pletely established by custom, that no one appears ever
to reflect on the fact that for every couple then killed
a whole brood is lost. This practice has contributed in
no small degree to their rapid decrease, aided no doubt
by a more general drainage and improvement of the
land. Many famous snipe grounds in Upper Canada,
which I have in former days found literally swarming
with birds, are now comparatively deserted, and in order
to get good shooting it is necessary to go further afield
almost every succeeding year. Of course birds in a state
of migration are very uncertain in their haunts, and it
may happen that a place which abounds with snipe one
season may not afford more than a couple or two the
next, and even on consecutive days a similar circum-
stance may occur; but there is no denying the fact that
there is nowhere in Canada at the oresent day anything

AMERICAN SNIPE.

179

like the quantity of snipe that there used to be a few
years ago.

Immediately on the break up of winter they make
their reappearance from the south, that is to say, about the
end of March or early in April in the Western Province,
and about the beginning of May in the Eastern. In many
parts of the Niagara district I have at this time seen them
so numerous as to rise in a succession of wisps , in the
marshes and low-lying grounds, while scattered birds were
to be found in every grassy u swale” or hollow of the fields.

Saturated with the rapid melting of several months’
accumulated snow, the country literally steams under
the increasingly powerful rays of the northward journey-
ing sun, and the ground is so soft and deep that mere
walking is of itself severe labour, without the accompany-
ing toil which snipe shooting entails. Sinking ankle deep
in the warm mud at each step, and perspiring at every
pore, the shooter might fancy himself pursuing his sport
in the rice fields of India, were it not for the toil, so
distinctively Canadian, which he has to encounter in
clambering over the ever-recurring “ snake-fences,” eight
or ten feet in height : an exercise which for fatigue sur-
passes anything I have met with in the East.

The Spotted Sandpiper* is common in summer on the

* Tringoides mctcularius.
N 2

180

RALLI DM.

shores of nearly all the lakes, and I have often seen
them on the sands in extraordinary abundance. Other
species of Sandpiper are also common in Canada.

The Long-billed Curlew (Numenius longirostris) is also
very abundant, but it varies so greatly in size, colour,
and length of bill, that different specimens have often
been mistaken for different species or varieties.

The Esquimaux Curlew (N. borealis of Latham, not
of Wilson) is smaller and has a shorter bill than the
above, nor is it so common. The upper parts are
brownish black, marked with dull yellow; the under
parts grey, with a reddish tinge ; the neck, breast, and
sides are barred with dark brown. The tail is brown,
with black bands, and the bill dark and rather yellow at
the base; the legs dirty green.

The American Rail ( Rallus Virginianus) is an ex-
cellent little bird, its flesh much resembling that of the
woodcock, and deservedly ranks among the game of the
country. In size it is somewhat smaller than our Rail,
and its plumage is also rather different. The top of the
head is black, and the cheeks ash- coloured, with two
white marks on them ; the chin is also white. The upper
parts of the body are streaked with black and brown,
the throat and breast are bright brown, and there are
a few white feathers on the sides and wings. The bill
is red and the legs dark coloured.

AMERICAN RAIL.

181

In running the Rail flits up its tail like the water-hen,
and on the slightest alarm hides among the long grass or
reeds, away from which it seldom strays very far. When
forced to rise, it flies only short distances and very
awkwardly and with apparent difficulty, keeping near
the ground, with its legs hanging. Like most of its
order it feeds chiefly on worms, grubs, and insects. The
eggs of this Rail are very beautiful, from eight to ten
in number, and of a cream colour, spotted with purple
and red. It migrates southwards in winter, and, I
believe, breeds in the salt swamps of the States.

FALLS OF MONTMORENCT.

CHAPTER VIII

QUANTITY OF WILD-FOWL ANNUALLY PASSING OYER CANADA — BREEDING

GROUNDS IN THE NORTH BRITISH AND AMERICAN GENERA, SPECIES,

AND VARIETIES THE TRUMPETER SWAN THE AMERICAN SWAN

THE WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE DARK-FRONTED GOOSE THE SNOW

GOOSE THE CANADA GOOSE THE BRENT GOOSE — THE WILD DUCK

OR MALLARD THE DUSKY DUCK — THE SHOVELLER —THE GADWALL

THE AMERICAN PINTAIL — THE AMERICAN TEAL — THE BLUE-WINGED

TEAL THE AMERICAN WIDGEON— THE WOOD DUCK OCEANIC DUCKS

— THE SCAUP — ORIGIN OF NAME — THE AMERICAN SCAUP — NOT

MENTIONED BY NATURALISTS THE RING-NECKED DUCK CANVAS-

BACK DUCK — RED-HEADED DUCK THE BUFFLE-HEADED DUCK — THE

GOLDEN EYE THE HARLEQUIN DUCK — THE LONG-TAILED DUCK-

SURF SCOTER — HURON SCOTER VELVET DUCK — EIDER DUCK RUDDY

DUCK — THE LABRADOR DUCK — THE SMEW HOODED MERGANSER

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER — GOOSANDER.

CHAPTER VIII.

Jht mm.

i COUNTRY like Canada, boasting a far larger extent
of lake and river than any other under the sun, will
be readily supposed to be inferior to none in the abundance
and variety of its waterfowl; and there are, I believe,
not less than thirty-three different species of swans, geese,
and ducks (exclusive of “ divers”) ; while of many of these
genera and species the individual numbers are almost
beyond belief in the districts where they breed, and
whence they are annually dispersed throughout the
country.

Mr. Barnston, of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s
Service,* says, “ It is very difficult to make any just
calculation of the number of geese in the northern breed-
ing grounds ; but it is known that the number killed on
the coast by the Indians and others as food, amounts to
about 74,000 annually; allowing for wounded birds
dying or being killed by wild animals, would make this

# Can. Nat. Geo. Montreal, Oct., 1861.

186

ANAT1DJE.

80.000. Calculating that for every bird killed, twenty
escaped untouched, and that large flocks remain entirely
undisturbed in remote districts, it would follow that the
number of geese leaving their breeding grounds by the
Hudson’s Bay route for the south, must be about

1.200.000. ” Of the numbers that take their flight straight
across the country it is difficult to form more than a very
vague idea, but the writer in question, computing it at
probably two-thirds or more of the former quantity,
estimates the flocks that annually pass over the continent
at not less than 2,000,000, without including the Brent
geese, which are neglected by the Indian tribes generally.

Besides this enormous number of geese, the Swans
and the majority of the two great divisions of True and
Oceanic Ducks, also breed either in the extreme north of
Canada, and the Hudson’s Bay territories, or just within
the arctic circle; and also migrate with their grown-up
families in the autumn to the Southern States and the
Atlantic coast, returning northward again in the spring;
thus traversing the whole of Canada twice annually.
Hence it is that Canadian wildfowl shooting is perhaps
the best in the world, and in the former of these two
seasons especially, no sport could be more delightful.
The autumn forest literally glows with the brightest
crimson, purple, scarlet, and yellow, intermingled with
the dark pine; the atmosphere is warm, yet bracing,

RESORTS OF WILDFOWL.

187

and when the blue haze of the “ Indian summer” spreads
through and over the mellow landscape, the stillness is
such that the boatman’s voice a mile out on the calm
lake, each blow of the distant woodsman’s axe, or the
cry of far-off waterfowl echo through the air with
a distinctness which is perfectly marvellous.

Many localities are noted year after year as being
especially resorted to during these migrations : a circum-
stance which may be accounted for as well by the nature
and abundance of the food and shelter they afford, as by
the fact that the Anatidae generally, unless systematically
disturbed, will annually seek food and rest at the same
halting-places along their route.

As instances, Green Island, Cacouna, and other places
in the Lower Province ; Long Point Island on Lake Erie ;
Turkey Point, nine or ten miles from it ; Burlington Bay,
on Lake Ontario; Baptiste Creek, and last, though not
least, the St. Clair River, have long enjoyed their present
fame. At the latter, Captain Strachan of Toronto, a well-
known sportsman, with only one other gun, lately killed
no less than four wild swans, ten wild geese, and 685
ducks of different kinds in sixteen days. The variety,
too, of the wildfowl in these and a hundred other
places is most remarkable, and whether with the naturalist
or mere sportsman adds immensely to the pleasure of
the day’s shooting.

188

ANATID^E.

Though the quantity of birds is so immense that no
amount of fair shooting will ever seriously affect it, yet
the systematic destruction and removal of the eggs which
the last Report of the “ Montreal Game Protecti6n
Club” states has been carried on annually in the spring
in a wholesale way, especially about lakes St. Francis
and St. Peter, and the marshes adjacent, must in
time do incalculable injury. The public protests of this
body and of the Natural History Society -will probably
put a stop to the continuance of these practices, as well
as to shooting in the spring months, so that the wild-
fowl of Canada may be for many years to come pre-
served from the general destruction which otherwise
threatens them.

Several of the genera and species here enumerated
will be recognised as being also either permanent in-
habitants of, or winter visitors to Great Britain ; and
others as being common to different parts of Europe ;
but many of the most beautiful and highly esteemed are
peculiar to North America.

The first among the numerous host, from its size,
importance and great beauty, is the Trumpeter Swan
( Cygnus buccinator ), known also as the u Hunter’s Swan,”
which is peculiar to North America, and is a magnificent
bird, in size exceeding the European Hooper. Wilson
says it breeds as far south as latitude 61°, but prin-

AMERICAN SWAN.

189

cipally within the arctic circle, and in its migrations
generally precedes the geese a few days.

It is, with the exception of the eagles, the earliest of
all the migratory birds in spring. It arrives in the fur
countries earlier than the Canada goose, and frequents the
eddies under waterfalls, and other spots of open water until
the frozen rivers and lakes break up. They are met with
both in the interior and on the sea-coast, sometimes in small
flocks, but more frequently in pairs. The skins are an im-
portant article of commerce in the Hudson’s Bay territory.

The American Swan ( Cygnus Americanus) is also quite
distinct from any of the swans of Europe. It is less
common than the above, and somewhat smaller, but still
of splendid proportions, its length being about four feet
six inches, and its average weight twenty-one "pounds.
The bill and fore part of the head are black, with a
space of orange at the base of the former. The head
is tinged with yellowish red, but the rest of the plumage
is perfectly white. The female is of similar plumage,
though smaller in size. The legs and feet are black in
both. The young birds are of a bluish tint, with the
bill and feet light coloured.

The food of the swan is entirely vegetable, consisting
principally of the roots and stems of water-plants ; and
the St. Clair Marshes may be named as one of its
favourite haunts within Canadian territory.

190

ANATIDiE.

The White-fronted Goose ( Anser albifrons) of Canada,
is the same bird as that so well known as a winter visitor
to Great Britain, and in both countries goes also by the
name of the “ Laughing Goose.” The latter name it owes
to the peculiarity of its note or call, which somewhat
resembles the sound of laughter. The former of the
appellations refers to the distinguishing band and frontlet
of white feathers at the base of the bill and on the fore-
head. On this account (though generally adopting Baird’s
nomenclature) I have rejected his name of Gambelii , as
the unde derivatur appears less appropriate than that of
Albifrons , by which too it is more generally known.

It appears to be very widely distributed, being equally
well known in Lapland, Sweden, Norway, Russia, Ger-
many, Italy, China and Japan. In North America it
migrates a few days later than the Canada goose, and
breeds much further to the north. The eggs are a dull
blotchy green.

The prevailing colour of the plumage is a brownish
ash; and the lower parts are barred and patched with
black, merging into white nearer the vent. The legs
and feet are orange, and the bill a flesh colour. The
plumage of the female is similar to that of the male —
which is a characteristic of the genus Anser ; but she is
of smaller size. The flesh is excellent.

The Dark-fronted Goose (Anser frontalis) difters

CANADA GOOSE.

191

from the above in having a very dark mark round the
base of the bill in place of a white one. It is found
mostly in the interior of the country, and is believed by
Baird to be a new and undescribed species, not being
mentioned by any other writer.

The Snow Goose (Anser hyypevboreus) is a much
smaller bird than the Canada goose, migrates later in
the season, and is to be seen both inland and on the
coast. It has a high shrill note, entirely different from
either the Canada or the white-fronted goose.

The plumage is perfectly white, with the exception of
the forehead, which is of a reddish brown ; the wings are
marked with black and ash colour. The legs, feet, and
bill are of a purple pink, the mandibles of the latter
being serrated both above and below. The food consists
principally of the roots of reeds and other aquatic plants,
and the flesh is extremely delicate.

The Canada Goose ( Bernicla Canadensis ), which is
the common wild goose of the country, in reality neither
breeds nor resides in it, but passes the summer and
autumn in the Hudson’s Bay country, or even in still
higher latitudes, and winters among the inlets and river
mouths lying along the Atlantic coast, as far south as
the Carolinas.

It is during its migration to and from these opposite
points, namely, in September and October when moving

192

ANATIDiE.

southward, and in April and May on returning to its
northern home, that it makes its appearance in Canada,
halting on the way for rest and food, sometimes for
several days together.

Observing fixed routes, it has been found that unless
prevented by fogs, storms, or the presence of man, these
birds also select the same spots year after year as resting
places, attractive as possessing the important desiderata
of sufficiency of food, solitude, and openness of situation.
They invariably avoid any approach to cover likely
to conceal an enemy, and seldom alight where there is
not a clear space all round, at all times maintaining so
vigilant a look-out that it is exceedingly difficult to get
within range. Among other favourite halting places may
be mentioned Green Island, and Cacouna, in the Eastern
Province, where at these periods they are always to be
found in great abundance. On the wing it is impossible
to reach them except with the rifle : a shot hardly
worth the experiment ; for owing to their mode of
flight, which, according to the number of the flock, is
either in Indian file or in two lines converging to a point,
it is impossible to hit more than a single bird, while the
speed at which they fly and the great altitude invariably
maintained would render this a great chance.

In the thick fogs which so often prevail at the com-
mencement of winter they frequently alight, unable to

THE CANADA GOOSE.

193

distinguish their landmarks and uncertain what direction
to pursue. When this happens they sometimes fall an
easy prey to the gun. I myself on one occasion came
suddenly close upon half-a-dozen of them in a field by
the wayside.

The Crees and other northern tribes, concealed by
temporary coverings of boughs, erected at short intervals
in a straight line across country, attract them by setting
up as decoys on the wide marshes in their course several
of those previously shot, and then imitating the bird’s
clarionet-like call. This they do so correctly as seldom
to fail in bringing the passing flock within range of their
fowling-pieces.

To such an extent are the different methods of de-
struction carried on throughout their perilous route, that
though at its commencement the flocks are large and
numerous, they soon become so broken up that farther
south their passage ceases to be watched for.

The return of the survivors northward, sooner or
later, at the commencement of the following year, is
always regarded as a sign of a late or early spring.
Though on leaving winter-quarters they are in very
poor condition, the change to inland diet appears to fatten
them so rapidly that by the time they reach the northern
regions, where they constitute an important item of food,
and are anxiously watched for, they are in first-rate

o

194

ANATID^E.

order. When resting for the night, these birds, not-
withstanding their excessive caution, do not, like other
wary waterfowl, resort to the open waters of the lakes,
but roost in the middle of the swamps and marshes in
which they have fed during the day.

In form and appearance the Canada goose is widely
different from that universally distributed domestic bird,
the ungainly figure and attitudes of which are so apt to
suggest themselves to the mind as types of the genus.
There is a great difference among them in colour and
size, but the Canada goose is always a larger and heavier
bird than the other; its neck is much more slender, the
form altogether is more symmetrical, and the harmony
of colour more pleasing to the eye than that of any other
of its kind.

The head and neck, as well as the bill, are black, with
a remarkable white patch on each cheek, meeting under
the chin. The back and wing-coverts are brown, mar-
gined with white; the wings and tail black; the lower
part of the neck white ; and the breast and belly light
brown. The rest of the under parts are of a greyish
white, the legs and feet being nearly black.

The female, which is of precisely similar plumage,
generally makes her nest on the ground, and lays from
six to eight eggs, of a pale green. Though the male
bird does not assist in the task of incubation, he care-

THE CANADA GOOSE.

195

fully guards his mate during that period, and is always
to be seen on sentry in her immediate neighbourhood.
After it is over the old birds moult, and immense num-
bers are chased with dogs and canoes, and killed by the
Indians and others, when unable from this cause to take
wing, and many of their young share the same fate;
so that their whole existence is a scene of danger and
alarm from its earliest moments.

The flesh of the Canada goose is extremely nutritious
and well flavoured, owing doubtless in some measure to
the nature of its food. In the winter months, when on
the coast, this consists chiefly, according to Wilson, of the
broad tender leaves of a marine plant which grows on
stones and shells, and is usually called u sea cabbage
as also the roots of the sedge, which they are frequently
observed in the act of tearing up. During their inland
journeys and at other times they live on grass, various
kinds of leaves, and seeds, with maize and corn when
they are to be obtained.

The Canada goose is often to be seen in a domestic
state among the settlers, and has for many years been
recognised as a valuable addition to our own farmyards,
being found to breed freely with other kinds, but its
superior size and flavour render it well worthy of far
more extensive and special propagation.

Many instances are mentioned in which this bird has

o 2

196

ANATIDJ2.

been met with in a wild state in parts of England — a fact
one can only account for on the supposition either of
its having crossed the Atlantic, or escaped from owners
in this country. I have myself known an instance in
which half-a-dozen, led away by the passing overhead
of a flock of common Brent geese, deserted a farm where
they had been long domesticated.

The Brent ( Bernicla brenta ), although common round
Hudson’s Bay, and migrating annualty, like its congeners,
to the Southern States, performs the whole journey far
out seaward, and is seldom seen in Canada.

The common Wild-duck, or Mallard ( Anas boschus ),
is found during the summer and autumn in nearly every
district of Canada, and being precisely similar to that of
Europe, is of course too familiar to need description.

Though with us most abundant in winter, flocking in
from colder and more northern regions, in Canada they
are similarly compelled by the intense cold and the im-
possibility of obtaining food to migrate further south, and
wend their way, on the first sign of coming snow, to
the Southern States, where they remain throughout the
winter, the majority resorting to the submerged rice
fields, in which they are said to find abundant food.
The vast numbers thus on the move in all quarters of
the country afford excellent sport in the months of
October and November.

THE MALLARD.

197

It is not uncommon in some parts to meet with stray
birds in early spring ; but whether these have passed the
winter in the neighbourhood where they are found, or
have simply returned from their winter migration earlier
than usual, I am not able to say.

Unlike the tame duck, which is polygamous, the wild
one invariably pairs. They breed extensively in the
wilds of northern Canada, and on some of the smaller
and less known lakes and solitary streams are met with
in almost countless numbers, associating there, as else-
where, with pintail, blue-winged teal, and other members
of the family. They are also known to breed in less
remote parts of the country, though not to any extent.

The nest, although generally placed on the ground,
is not invariably so, neither is it always in the vicinity
of water; and the eggs, which are pale greenish, vary in
number from half-a-dozen to a dozen. During the
period of incubation the male assumes the plumage of
the female.

The food of the wild duck is of various kinds : grass,
seeds, corn, small shell-fish, worms, young fry, slugs, and
insects all appear equally welcome.

Duck shooting is much the same sport all the world
over, though there are some plans in Canada which
would not so well repay the trouble in this country,
where ducks are not to be seen in such immense flocks.

193

ANATIDJE.

Sometimes the shooter, lying at his length in a small
canoe, is carefully covered over and concealed by sapins , or
green branches. Having his loaded guns ready pointed over
the bows, he either gently paddles himself, or is borne
along the stream, unheeded or unobserved, to within the
closest requisite range of his unsuspecting victims. In
early winter the stratagem is occasionally varied by the
substitution of a white-painted scow — which is a flat-
bottomed boat, square at both ends — the shooter
therein being either covered over with a sheet or dressed
in flannel. This plan, when the water is studded with
floating masses of ice, answers most admirably.

A good shot may often be got at birds circling over-
head, as they generally do, after the report of a gun, if
ignorant of the point whence the alarm proceeds. On
many open waters wild-fowl may be got at under cover
of the tall grass or reeds growing on the edge, but in
places where this is not practicable and they are equally
unapproachable in other ways, it is a good plan to send
a person round in an opposite direction to drive them
towards the shooter, who carefully conceals himself
beforehand.

I remember on one occasion stalking a pond which
every evening in autumn was known to be covered with
ducks, but lay too low to reconnoitre with the glass, and
in the centre of a bare open plain, with no cover but

THE MALLARD.

199

a few rushes and tufts of long grass close to the water’s
edge. Approaching in a stooping position from the
leeward, a point gained by a considerable circuit, it soon
became necessary to go on hands and feet, then to worm
our weary way, ventre a terre , gazing wistfully in our short
intervals of rest, towards the friendly rushes. Pushing
our guns before us at each length gained, and plastering
ourselves with mud, the pond was at length gained with-
out our having alarmed a single bird. With fingers on
the trigger, we ventured to lift our heads inch by inch
over the coarse grass till the water under our very noses
was scanned, but not a sign of life stirred the face of the
placid pool.

In some parts of the Lower Province decoy ducks
are used, though chiefly by those who make a trade of
duck shooting. A more legitimate practice, common
among sportsmen, is that of building screens of boughs
at spots frequented by the birds for the purpose of
feeding.

At a lagoon or stagnant pool on the southern Cana-
dian shore of Lake Ontario, overgrown with aquatic
plants, a good many ducks and teal were sometimes
to be found during the season, and by constructing
these caches at different points of the wood which
encircled the banks, we were enabled to rake and enfilade
the pool in every direction. Early in the afternoon

200

ANATIDiE.

pintail, teal, and mallard came across from the lake, on
the open waters of which they appeared to pass the
greater part of the day, and circling warily round and
round alighted in successive flocks, apparently finding
abundance of food in the stagnant weed-grown water.

While lying in wait I have sometimes become so
absorbed in contemplation of the animal life around,
as to have forgotten what had brought me there. A
frequent fellow- watcher at our lagoon was a large osprey,
which perched motionless on the bare worn bough of
an overhanging tree, sat for hours peering keenty into
the pool below. On a sudden he would dart with
lightning velocity on his finny prize, and bearing it
aloft sail majestically away to his solitary haunts in
the neighbouring forest. Hundreds of tortoises, called
“ terrapines,”* covered the decaying trunks of the floating
trees, sunning themselves in long rows with outstretched
necks, ready at the slightest alarm or movement to dis-
appear instantaneously under the sheltering duck- weed;

# Terrapene clausa . These small tortoises are of uniform dark colour,
and lay their eggs in May and June in the hollow banks of stagnant
waters ; the very young ones are seldom seen. There is a larger species
found in the lakes ( Gymnopus spinifcrus'), which may be caught with a
hook baited with a bit of fish ; their flesh is very delicate. The eggs of
this species, fifty or sixty in number, are found in nooks of rocks and in
dead trees. It is not nearly so common as the Terrapine, which may be
seen almost anywhere. Terrapine soup is much esteemed in the States,
though it resembles anything rather than turtle.

DUCK-STALKING.

201

enormous bull-frogs* crawled and hopped in the shallows,
and musk-ratsf swam from bank to bank.

None but those who have thus idled away the hours
of a glorious autumn day can form an adequate idea of
the charm and interest attaching to such studies of
animal life.

Stalking ducks, however, affords by far the best sport,
requiring as it often does very great skill, especially when
it is necessary to approach a flock some distance out on
the open water. The landmarks and bearings being
carefully noted, the shooter, after making a sufficient
detour , on arriving at the point of advance, commences,
according to the nature of the intervening ground, to
glide stealthily forward, dodging behind every tree and
bush; sometimes bent nearly double, or in default of
cover crawling on hands and knees through the grass.
If the birds are diving or feeding, the moment must be
watched when two or three are under water together, or
have their tails simultaneously upturned ; then dashing
rapidly forward he should frighten away the rest, to
prevent their giving alarm, and gain the nearest cover
before the divers reappear. If this manoeuvre be suc-
cessfully accomplished, he may pause a moment to re-
cover his steadiness of hand, for the absence of the other

t Fiber zibithecus.

202

ANATIDiE.

ducks will not be regarded, even if noticed. If, there-
fore, he finds himself still too far from his objects,
he may wait patiently for the moment when they
again dive, which they will very soon do, and then
gaining the water’s edge he will get a splendid right
and left, as they return to the surface and when they
rise on the wing; which be it remembered, all wild-
fowl do with their heads to the wind.

The Dusky-duck ( A . obscura ) is purely North
American, and does not appear to be of migratory habit,
having been found to breed in nearly all latitudes of that
continent, in the marshes of the interior as well as among
the rocks of the coast. Their eggs are twelve in number,

uo 7

and white.

The whole plumage is of a dusky brown, the head
and a portion of neck being marked with a few streaks
of buff, and the wings relieved by an iridescent speculum
surrounded by deep black as in the mallard. The
inner or under sides of the wings are pure white, con-
spicuous only when in the air. The bill is a greenish
yellow, and the legs dusky orange.

The female is smaller and rather browner in colour;
but she has the speculum as well as the male.

They do not appear to be particular as to the nature
of their food, and take anything that comes in the way,
notwithstanding which their flesh is considered very good.

THE SHOVELLER.

203

They are a wild and easily alarmed bird, and are not
to be approached without the greatest caution, and under
the most favourable circumstances.

The Shoveller ( Spatula clypeata) which is called
also the Shovel-bill, the Blue-winged Shoveller, and the
Broad-bill, is abundant in some parts of North America,
and its flesh is deservedly very highly esteemed, though
its food is by no means entirely of that vegetable
nature which is supposed to be so conducive to excellence,
consisting, we are told, in a great measure of worms,
leeches, fish, and snails ! Audubon says, “ no sportsman
who is a judge will ever go by a Shoveller to shoot a
canvas-back.” But without going so far as this, there is
no question as to the exceedingly delicate and tender
nature of its flesh.

The Shoveller is called so from the form of its bill,
which is broad and flattened at the end, and if not very
like a shovel in appearance, answers much the same
purpose in the shallow waters where the bird principally
finds its food. In addition to its properties as a spade
it possesses also those of a sieve, the edges of both upper
and lower mandibles being curiously furnished with a
comb-like fringe, adapted to and corresponding with each
other in such a manner as to allow the escape of water,
while retaining the most minute worms, leeches, or
aquatic insects.

204

ANATIDiE.

This admirable formation is not found to exist in
newly-hatched young, or even in those some weeks old,
but is gradually developed with their growth.* In
plumage, the Shoveller is remarkably handsome ; the
head is a fine iridescent green and purple, extending
about halfway down the neck, the lower parts of which
and the breast are white. The belly is chestnut; the
back dark brown ; the smaller wing-coverts, points of the
wings, and tertials, are sky-blue ; the speculum is bright
green margined with white, and the tail is short and
dark. The bill which is so marked a feature, is nearly
black and about three inches long ; the broad end being
an inch and a quarter across. In the female, the under
mandible is a reddish hue, the head is a spotted brown,
and the plumage differs in one or two other minor points.
The young of both sexes are similar to one another in
plumage for some time after they are able to run about,
and the distinguishing plumage of the male is developed
very gradually. This circumstance, common also to other
birds, is naturally accounted for by White, f who says,
“ no doubt the reason why the sex of birds in their first

# Wilson, Amer. Orn ., says, “ The young are at first very shapeless
and ugly, for the bill is then as broad as the body, and seems too great
a weight for the little bird to carry.” He however writes this only on
hearsay, while the contrary fact is vouched for by Yarrell on his own
personal knowledge.

t Nat. Hist. Selb.

THE SHOVELLER.

205

plumage is so difficult to be distinguished is, because they
are not to pair and discharge their parental functions
till the ensuing spring. As colours seem to be the chief
external sexual distinction in many birds, these colours
do not take place till sexual attachments begin to obtain •
and the case is the same in quadrupeds, among whom, in
their younger days, the sexes differ but little ; but as they
advance to maturity, horns, and shaggy manes, and
brawny necks, &c., strongly discriminate the male from
the female. We may instance still further in our own
species, where a beard and stronger features are usually
characteristic of the male sex : but this diversity does not
take place in earlier life; for a beautiful youth shall be
so like. a beautiful girl that the difference shall not be
discernible.”

The periodical assumption by the male bird, of female
plumage after maturity, is not so rationally to be ac-
counted for ; the drake of this species, as with the mallard,
pintail, and other ducks, assuming, at certain seasons, at
least to a great extent, the markings and general hue of
the opposite sex. In summer it entirely loses the green
of the head and neck, and in several other respects
adopts the garb of its mate.

The Shoveller’s nest is never far from the water’s edge,
though always placed above the chance of inundation.
It contains twelve or fourteen pale opaque green eggs.

206

ANATIDyE.

This is the same bird as the European Shoveller, which is
a frequent winter visitor to the eastern coast of England,
though unknown in Scotland.

The Gadwall ( Chaulelasmus streperus ) is a shy and
cunning bird, ever on the watch against surprise, diving
at the slightest appearance of danger, and secreting itself
so effectually in grass, reeds, or other convenient cover,
as generally to elude the strictest search. Even when
forced to take wing it is not an easy bird to kill, its flight
being remarkably swift and strong. These two facts, taken
in connection with the excellence of its flesh, render it an
important and coveted addition to the game-bag.

Its food is chiefly vegetable, though it appears to find
abundance of other matter in the reedy ponds, where it
may be seen feeding during the day, as well as at the
more usual duck hours of evening and early morning.

Its note is harsh and loud, whence its specific name;
the ordinary one of Gadwall, we are told by Yarrell, sig-
nifying Grey duck, though how or why is not clear.

The Gadwall is well known in many parts of Europe,
and is an occasional winter visitor in England, though by
no means common, and McGillivray says it has not
hitherto occurred in Scotland. In North America it
breeds in the Hudson’s Bay country, and migrates like
the rest of its kind to the Southern States in winter.

The female lays six or eight eggs of a clear grey

THE AMERICAN PINTAIL. 207

shaded with green; the nest being composed of dry
grass and lined with down from her own breast.

The head, and upper part of the neck are a speckled
brown, the lower part and breast darker, thickly marked
with semicircles of light grey. The back and sides are
grey, covered with undulating lines; the smaller wing-
coverts are chestnut, and the speculum black and white;
tail-coverts greenish black, and tail grey. The bill is
dusky and the legs and feet orange. In the female the
colours are darker, and the brown more predominant.

The American Pintail ( Dafila acuta) is remarkable
for its flavour and excellence, being even superior in
these respects to the much-esteemed Pintail which in
winter visits our own coasts and inland waters, though
in most other points the two appear to be very similar.

The American Pintail is a handsomely-shaped duck,
of a medium size, weighing about two pounds ; the body
is much elongated, and the neck unusually tapering.
The head is brown ; the back of the neck, which is nearly
black, being tinged with purple. The back is pencilled
over with wavy black lines ; the front of the neck, the
breast, and belly are white, and the wings brown, with
a green spot or speculum. The tail is long and pointed,
and is remarkable for two projecting black feathers, whence
the origin of the bird’s name ; the rest are greyish brown.
The bill is slate colour, and the legs and feet dusky.

208

ANATID.E.

In the female the centre tail feathers are shorter,
and the outer ones darker, than in the male. The neck,
breast, and belly are pale brown, speckled with a darker
shade; the purple tinge on the back of the neck is
wanting, and the upper surface of the body is dark
brown, marked with black and lighter brown.

The Pintail Duck exhibits more remarkably than any
other the singular transformation of plumage already
noticed in the shoveller and mallard, and common to
others, of this family, the male during a part of the
summer exactly resembling the female. Yarrell’s* minute
description of the change will better explain it. He says,
“ This alteration commences in July, partly effected by
some new feathers, and partly by a change in the colour
of many of the old ones. At first one or more brown
spots appear in the white surface on front of the neck ;
these spots increase in number rapidl}7, till the whole
head, neck, breast, and under surface have become
brown; the scapulars, wing-coverts, and tertials undergo
by degrees the same change from grey to brown. I
have seen a single white spot remaining on the breast
as late as the 4th of August, but generally by that
time the males can only be distinguished from females
of the same species by their larger size, and their belly

* British Birds, iii. 259.

THE PINTAIL.

209

remaining of a pale blue colour. In the female the bill
is always of a dark brown.

“ At the autumn moult the males again assume with
their new feathers the colours peculiar to their sex ;
but the assumption is gradual. White spots first appear
among the brown feathers on the front of the neck ;
by the end of the second week in October the front of
the neck and breast is mottled with brown and white,
and at the end of the third week in October a few
brown spots only remain on the white.”

The Pintail, besides the usual productions of muddy
swamps and pond life, feeds largely in autumn on the
mast of the beech, in search of which it is often dis-
covered wandering about under the trees at a consider-
able distance from any water. Pintail are at times abun-
dant on and around the lakes, feeding in all the pools
and marshes in their vicinity, but are excessively cautious,
sleeping far out on the open waters by night; very
generally also they rest there during great part of the
day.

I have seen numbers of them late in the month of
October on Lake Ontario, sometimes in noisy chatter-
ing groups, though more often being lazily rocked to
sleep on the gently heaving surface of the deep blue
waters. Although apparently always dozing, they
evidently keep one eye open; for however many ducks

p

210

ANATIDJ3.

of other kinds may be around, the Pintail is always
the first to give the alarm. They are generally at a
sufiicient distance to be out of range from shore, and it is
useless to attempt to get a shot at them by approaching
in a boat. The only plan, therefore, is to lie in wait,
secreted near the swamp or low ground which they are
noticed to frequent, and to which, late in the afternoon,
they are sure to flock for the purpose of feeding.

As this ambush should be continued so long as there
is any chance of fresh flocks arriving, that is, till after
dusk, it is necessary to mark carefully the spots where
the dead birds fall, in order that they may be afterwards
recovered by the retriever, which, till then, of course
should not be permitted to leave the cache , or place of
concealment, on any account.

The Pintail breeds in the solitary tracts far north,
visiting Canada in the Fall, en route to Mexico. Its
nest is formed amongst thick rushes, and the eggs are
eight or nine in number, and of a greenish blue, and not
u dull chocolate colour,” as certain writers have affirmed.

The immature birds are often mistaken for those of
some other species, as they are without the long tail
feathers, and their plumage displays the characteristics of
both male and female equally.

Wilson, after a careful examination and comparison
of the American Teal ( Nettion Carolinensis ) with that of

THE AMERICAN TEAL.

211

Europe, says that both are undoubtedly of one and the
same species, and that there is no more difference be-
tween them in size, colour, or markings than such as
commonly occurs among individuals of any other tribe.
Yarrell,* on the contrary, in his account of the European
Teal, says that it is quite distinct from that of North
America.

When such two high authorities differ so widely in
opinion, it is unnecessary here to do more than simply
describe the plumage and habits of the one found in
Canada, which generally goes by the name of the u Green-
winged Teal,” and is as prettily marked and as excellent
a bird as the much esteemed teal of our own country.

In the male the head is a beautiful chestnut, with a
broad patch of green running backwards from the eye,
bordered above and below by a line of buff. The sides
and back are closely marked with fine wavy black lines.
The primaries and wing-coverts are brownish ash-colour,
and the speculum light green, with a narrow border of
cream colour above and below, and one of black at either
side. The breast is beautifully marked with black spots
on a pale purplish ground, the under parts are white and
the tail brown. The bill is black, and legs and feet
flesh coloured.

* British Birds, iii. 285.

212

ANATIDtE.

In the female the head is simply white, spotted
with black : the back is a striped brown, and the breast
a speckled brown. The males frequently assume this
plumage.

The green- winged Teal breeds in the northern regions
of Canada, but chiefly in that great nursery of ducklings,
the Hudson’s Bay country, and frequents all the feeding
grounds southward throughout both Provinces during
the autumn. They go south in October, and further so
than most other species. The nest, which is secreted
among the long reeds growing at the water’s edge, and is
not to be found without wading, is very large in propor-
tion to the size of the bird, being composed of an immense
quantity of dead grass, rushes, and leaves, and lined with
feathers. The eggs vary from eight to twelve in number,
and are white, spotted with brown.

Though these Teal are frequently seen in company
with other ducks of various kinds on the water, yet when
flying they keep exclusively together, and generally in
small parties, darting through the air also with great
rapidity.

Their food is almost entirely vegetable, and in search
of it they frequent swampy river mouths, shallows, and
lagoons, the wild rice growing in these localities being
a great attraction to them, as it is to most other ducks.

The Blue-winged Teal ( Querquedula discors ), which,

THE BLUE-WINGED TEAL.

213

if I am not mistaken, is exclusively North American, is
widely distributed through Canada, breeding also in
many parts of it, the rude and simple nest being often
found among the grassy tufts of rough sedgy swamps and
by the rush-grown margins of quiet inlets. It contains
half-a-dozen or more eggs of a dirty white, spotted with
brown.

Its food is chiefly vegetable, and in excellence of
flesh this duck is only equalled by the Canvas-back, to
which, indeed, some even think it superior. It appears to
be always in first-rate condition, though it is a very small
duck, weighing not more than twelve or thirteen ounces.

The Blue- winged Teal is extremely susceptible of
cold, and on the first appearance of autumnal frost
betakes itself to the Southern States and Mexico, where it
passes the winter in a climate more congenial to its frame.

The general plumage is dark, the head and neck being
varied with green and purple reflections, and the breast
and back beautifully marked with buff, while the belly is
a light brown. The smaller wing-coverts are of a bright
sky-blue, from which it obtains its name; the tail is a
rich brown, and rather long. The bill is lead colour,
but the legs and feet are a dull yellow.

In the female there is not much difference of plumage
beyond the absence of the purple and green on the head
and neck.

214

ANATIDiE.

In the months of April and May the Blue-wing teal
reappear from their southern sojourn, and are again
dispersed over the country. Their flight, like that of
many other of their kind, is very rapid ; but they have a
habit peculiar to themselves of alighting with great
abruptness, dropping through the air like a stone over
the spot on which they intend to rest. Their favourite
resorts are sheltered mud banks, where, after feeding,
they sit preening their feathers and enjoying the warmth
of the early summer sun. At such times it is not diffi-
cult to get within shot ; indeed they are habitually less
wary and cautious than any of their kind.

The American Widgeon ( Mareca Americana ) differs
from that of Europe in several respects, the most im-
portant being in the formation and smaller size of the
trachea. The external differences are also sufficiently
marked, for it is a larger bird, and its neck and
cheeks, in lieu of chestnut, as in the latter, are yellowish
white, speckled with black ; the top of the head is cream
colour and on either side green. The bill is longer, more
slender, and of darker colour than that of the European
bird. They migrate to the Middle and Southern States
in small flocks in October, but return generally in pairs
at the break-up of winter to the Hudson’s Bay districts,
where they breed. They are not so common as many of
the above kinds.

THE WIDGEON.

215

The Widgeon feeds entirely by day, and though
found during their inland life to subsist on worms
and insects of diiferent kinds, their food while on the
coast is principally the valisneria , for the purpose of
obtaining which, Wilson tells us, they frequent the
company of the Canvas-back duck, and being themselves
less able to dive for the much-prized root, live by plun-
dering the latter the instant they reappear on the surface
of the water with the hard-earned morsel; much in the
same way that the white-headed eagle robs the osprey.

The general description of the plumage is as follows :
the forehead and crown are dull yellowish white; the
neck and sides of the head brownish white, speckled
with black. Behind the eye is a streak of green; the
breast is brown and the lower parts white, the back
being covered with close zigzag lines. The tail is light
brown ; the wings are white and black, with green
speculum ; the legs and feet dark brown.

In the female the breast is much lighter than in the
male, and the back is a dark brown.

The Wood-duck ( Aix sponsa ) which is called also the
“ Summer duck” and u Tree duck” is not only one of the
most beautiful of all its family, but is excelled in plumage
by few of the feathered race. It obtains its name from
its singular and characteristic habit of frequenting and
building in forest trees, on the lofty branches of which,

216

ANATIDiE.

its sharp hooked claws enable it to sit and move about
with perfect ease.

It is common enough in the neighbourhood of the
Lakes of Upper Canada, and may constantly be seen
during the summer months, darting noiselessly and
swiftly through the water-side belts of wood, or
emerging from the hollow of some old gnarled trunk in
which it has its nest; for it breeds throughout these
districts as well as in many parts of the Lower Province.

Though they are sometimes seen in small flocks, I
have myself only met with them either singly or in
pairs; and it is a striking sight to watch them cleaving
the air with the grace and speed of the hawk, and
alighting suddenly on the branch of a tree. The first
time I ever saw one, I was excessively astonished, never
having heard of such a bird, and was divided between
anxiety to obtain the specimen and reluctance to shoot
anything so curious and beautiful.

The head of the male bird is ornamented by a pen-
dent tuft of green, white and purple feathers, about
two and a half inches in length, which he has the
power of elevating : a fact which does not appear to be
noticed by any naturalist. In the female this is merely a
rudimentary crest. The bill, which is a reddish orange,
is hooked ; the sides of the head are white and purple ;
and a band of pure white encircles the neck. The

THE WOOD-DUCK.

217

back is a greenish bronze, the tail dark green; breast
rich brown spotted with white ; the wings blue, green,
black, and silver-grey ; and the under parts white, tinged
with delicate violet. Many of these feathers are highly
valued by artificial-fly makers.

The female, besides the above difference in the crest,
is a smaller bird, though both are below the average size
and weight of most ducks. She is less brilliant in the
colouring of her plumage, and is also less careful of it
than her mate, freely stripping her breast of its soft
down to line her nest. She lays generally about a
dozen eggs, which are of a rich cream colour and highly
polished.

When the young are sufficiently fledged, the mother
carries them in her bill, one by one, from their compara-
tively lofty nest to the water, in which they begin to
swim about at once in search of food. From this time
until they are able to fly they live among the reeds and
long grass, carefully watched and defended by their
parent.

The Wood-duck appears to be less dependent for food
on aquatic productions than any other of its tribe ; insects,
seeds, grain, and acorns forming the most important part
of its sustenance. The flesh is well flavoured, though not
equal to that of the teal, and some others.

They breed during the months of May or June,

218

ANATIDiE.

according to the latitude they inhabit ; and though
common in Mexico and the most southern of the States
of America, do not appear to venture further north than
the latitude of Nova Scotia, leaving again in the be-
ginning of winter for the warmer regions.

Though evidently unable to endure cold, it thrives in
even tropical heat, and is found — as in Ceylon — within a
very few degrees of the equator.

The Wood-duck is frequently domesticated in Canada
and is very easily tamed. A more beautiful and
interesting bird can hardly be found for such an object,
and it is to be regretted that it is not more generally
known and introduced on ornamental waters in private
grounds, being perfectly hardy in every way.

We come now to the Fuligulince which principally
frequent the sea coast or its vicinity, though many of
them are scattered through the interior of the country,
and found in the most remote lakes and inland waters.
They differ from the foregoing or true ducks, in having
the feet larger and the legs placed further back, and in
being altogether more especially formed for swimming
and diving. We may begin with the Scaup (Fulix
marila) which is precisely similar in all respects to that
of Europe, and like the latter feeds on shell-fish,
sea- weeds of several kinds, young fry, and many other
aquatic pickings, the greater part of which are obtained

THE SCAUP.

219

by diving. It frequents salt and fresh water indifferently,
and is invariably in good condition at all seasons of the
year, which circumstance is, however, a matter of small
importance, seeing that its flesh is held in small esteem,
on account of its coarseness and indifferent flavour.

The origin and meaning of the term Scaup have been
variously accounted for, and we have no less than three
different derivations given by as many naturalists, though
that of Yarrell is no doubt the true one. He says,* “beds
of oysters and mussels are in the north called ‘oyster-
scawp’ and 1 mussehscawp,’ and from feeding on these
shell-covered banks the bird has obtained the name of
Scawp-duck.”

The Scaup, or as it is generally called in America, the
Blue-bill and Black-head, breeds a long way north. Its eggs
are six or seven in number and of a pale chocolate colour,
and are generally found either simply laid on the bare
ground or but slightly raised from it, on what can only
by courtesy be termed a nest.

The Scaup has a black head, neck, and breast, the
former being glossed with green reflections. The back is
mottled green, the wings are chiefly grey and white, the
under parts are white and the tail brown. The bill,
which is broad at the end, is of a light blue.

# British Birds, iii. 344.

220

ANATIDiE.

In the female the darker parts are brown instead of
black, and the bill is slate colour, as are also the legs and
feet in both sexes.

The Scaup is a very difficult bird to get within range
of, for though it only rises from the surface of the water
slowly and with difficulty, on account of the shortness of
its wings, it is extremely wary, and dives with extra-
ordinary rapidity.

The Little Blue-bill ( Fulix affinis) of Baird, the
American Scaup of Yarrell and Audubon,* by whom it
is correctly described as a distinct species of the above,
was apparently unknown to Wilson, and is simply men-
tioned by Sir John Richardsonf and other naturalists
as a variety. The following are, however, remarkable
points of difference between the two : the inferior
size of the present bird as compared with the other ;
the lesser depth of its bill at the base, its smaller
head, the darker colour of its legs and feet, and the
deeper hue of the undulating mark on the back. The
breast and under parts are mottled grey instead of
being pure white; there is less grey on the former
part, and the plumage of the head and neck are plum-
coloured in place of black, as in the other. It is even
more difficult to obtain a specimen of this than of the

* Ornith. Biog.

f Fauna Boreal. Amer.

THE CANVAS-BACK DUCK.

221

former, for while equally difficult of approach it is far
less common.

The Ring-necked duck ( Fulix collaris) I imagine to
be the same bird as that called by Wilson the Tufted
duck, in which name, however, he is evidently wrong,
for the “ Tufted duck” is not found in North America.
Though the Ring-necked duck undoubtedly has a small
tuft, it is principally distinguished by a ring or band of
chestnut which encircles the neck about half-way up : a
characteristic which is entirely wanting in the Tufted
duck, properly so-called, of Europe and Asia.

The head of the Ring-necked duck is a glossy black
with purple reflections ; the bill broad and partially blue.
The neck above and below the chestnut ring described is
also black, as are the back and vent, the wings being
brown. It is a small duck, but the flesh is very tender
and excellent. It passes through Canada about the same
time of the year as the generality of other ducks, but in
fewer numbers.

The Canvas-back Duck ( Aythya valisneria ), so well
known in this country as an article of luxury, is a species
exclusively North American.

The excellence of flesh to which it owes its value
and celebrity, is due in a great measure to the nature of
its food during the autumn and winter months, which
at that season consists chiefly of the Valisneria Americana ,

222

ANATIDJU.

an aquatic plant growing in rather shallow and brackish
waters within the influence of the tides, and having
long narrow leaves growing to some height above the
surface. The root is white, and its flavour is said to
resemble that of celery. This, which is the only part
of the plant eaten by the bird, it obtains by diving, and
when abundant all other kinds of food are passed un-
heeded. So attractive is it, that wherever the plant is
found, there the Canvas-back is sure to congregate ;
though the converse does not always hold good, as has
been asserted. Flocks are frequently met with on parts
of the coast where the plant does not exist, and they
are then found to subsist on molluscas, different marine
plants, and alga3 : a diet which generally deteriorates the
flavour and delicacy of the flesh to a greater or less
extent.

The most noted resorts of the Canvas-back have
always been Chesapeake Bay, the mouths of the Potomac,
and James River, with several other lesser streams and
river mouths in the same quarter, all which abound with
the valisneria . The recent warlike operations in those
districts must however have completely driven away so
shy a bird ; and we may have to add to the other results
of the late American war the scarcity, and inferiority —
owing to its banishment to less favourable waters — of one
of the most delicious birds known.

THE CANVAS-BACK DUCK.

223

As most persons are probably aware, the Canvas-back
derives its name from the resemblance which the marking
of the back bears in its appearance to that of canvas,
being of a light grey, curiously covered with fine
dusky lines closely intersecting one another like crossed
threads.

This peculiarity occurs also in the common Pochard or
Dun bird,* which being somewhat similar in many other
respects (though not in flavour or delicacy) is often sold
by London game-dealers as the genuine Canvas-back.
The following points of difference, however, if attended
to, would prevent any one from being so deceived. When
in good condition the male Canvas-back weighs about
three pounds, and the female about two pounds and
three-quarters, while the pochard averages only one
pound and three-quarters. The bill of the Canvas-back
runs high up on the forehead, is perfectly black, and
an inch longer than that of the Pochard; or three
inches instead of two. In the latter it is also narrower
and slighter, and generally of a slate colour, with black
base and tip only. Further, the legs and feet of the
Canvas-back are larger, and of a much paler ash colour
than those of the other. There are likewise minor dif-
ferences in the colour and markings of the plumage,

* Fuligula ferina , Yarr.

224

ANATIDiE.

but the above distinctions are sufficient to enable any
person to tell the one from the other.

The following is the plumage of the Canvas-back.
The forehead and cheeks are a dusky brown, all the
rest of the head, as well as the neck, being of a bright
chestnut. The upper portion of the breast is black, ex-
tending round to the canvas-like marking of the back,
which has been already described. The lower plumage
is white, marked somewhat similarly to the back, though
more faintly, the sides being dusky freckled. The
wing-coverts are grey speckled, the wing feathers slate
colour, with a narrow edging of deep black on the inner
ones; underneath the whole are white. The legs and
feet, the latter of which are rather large in proportion
to the size of the bird, are of a pale ash colour. The
tail, which is short and sharp-pointed, is a brownish
roan, and the tail-coverts are black.

The female has the sides of the head and the throat
of a buff colour, and in lieu of chestnut her neck is
brown, which colour extends down to the breast and
replaces the black of the male bird. In other respects
there is no difference excepting in that of size as already
noticed.

The Canvas-back appears in Canada, like nearly all
the rest of the order, only at two periods of the year :
in autumn, on its way south, and in spring, on its

THE CANVAS-BACK DUCK.

225

return. At these times, though it is a very shy and
difficult bird to approach, a great many are killed on
the lakes and rivers along their route, though of course
nothing to be compared with the numbers killed at the
great rendezvous along the Atlantic coast, where they are
slaughtered merely as a matter of trade and without any
regard to sport. Wilson gives the following description
of some of the various modes practised to get within
gunshot of them. “The most successful way is said to be
decoying them to the shore by means of a dog, while the
gunner lies closely concealed in a proper situation. The
dog, if properly trained, plays backwards and forwards
along the margin of the water, and the ducks, observing
his manoeuvres, enticed perhaps by curiosity, gradually
approach the shore, until they are sometimes within
twenty or thirty yards of the spot where the gunner
lies concealed, and from which he rakes them, first on
the water and then as they rise. If the ducks seem diffi-
cult to decoy, any glaring object, such as a red handker-
chief, is fixed round the dog’s middle or to his tail, and
this rarely fails to attract them. Sometimes, by moon-
light, the sportsman directs his skiff towards a flock whose
position he has previously ascertained, keeping himself
within the projecting shadow of wood, bank, or head-
land, and paddles along so silently and imperceptibly as
often to approach within fifteen or twenty yards of a

Q

226

AN^TIDjE.

flock of many thousands, among whom he generally
makes great slaughter.”

Their habit of thus collecting together towards evening,
and of sleeping all night on the water, exposes them in an
especial degree to this danger ; but they generally abandon
a neighbourhood where they have been fired into at night.

They pass through Canada in great numbers on their
flights north and south, and are mostly shot in the Detroit
river and the St. Clair Flats, but are not so easily got
at in the latter. The American Widgeon is almost
invariably to be seen feeding in company with them,
attracted also by the valisneria , as already explained.

The Red-headed Duck {Ay thy a Americana ), called
also the “ Grey-back,” very strongly resembles the Canvas-
back in general appearance, but on examination it will
be seen that it has a shorter and broader bill, that the
brown is absent on the head, and that the canvas-like
markings on the back are much darker.

It is also very similar in appearance to the F. ferina
of Yarrell above referred to, but is, I believe, a different
bird altogether. It is found both on the sea-coast and
on inland waters, and feeds chiefly at night. Its eggs
are twelve in number and of a greenish white.

The Buffel-headed Duck {Bucephala albeola) is as
common in the Gulf of St. Lawrence as on the inland
lakes and rivers, and is generally seen in pairs.

THE GOLDEN EYE.

* 227

It is easily identified by the extraordinary and even
marvellous quickness with which it dives at the slightest
alarm.

On this account, as well as from its extremely rapid
flight, it is not an easy bird to kill, and as the flesh is not
remarkable for excellence the two facts together secure
it a comparative immunity from destruction, so that it is
very abundant.

The feathers of the head and upper -portion of the
neck are considerably inflated, and give these parts the
appearance of being much larger than they are in reality ;
this and their somewhat woolly look have obtained for
the bird the appellation of “ Buffalo-head/’ of which
BufFel-head is a corruption. The green and purple of
these feathers is varied by a white patch behind the eye ;
the back is black, the wings black and white, and the
breast and under parts pure white. The bill, legs, and
feet are a bluish slate colour.

The BufFel-head breeds in the north of Canada, and
up to much higher latitudes, and its nests are not
unfrequently found in hollow trees by the water side.

An exceedingly pretty bird, though not superior to
the above in a gastronomic point of view, is the Golden
Eye ( Bucephala Americana ;) which also frequents both
salt and fresh water. It is a most active and vigorous
bird, constantly diving and swimming about very rapidly,

Q 2

228

ANATIDiE.

and when in the air flies with such force and velocity
that the sound of its wings is heard at a great distance.

With all this apparent dash and boldness it is a very
wary and cunning bird, and one of their number is in-
variably on sentry while the rest of the flock are feeding,
so that they are not easily approached.

They do not migrate regularly at set seasons, like
other ducks, but seem to move in a very partial and
uncertain manner; and as they are evidently indifferent
to the most rigorous winters, their migrations at these
times would appear to be occasioned solely by the
necessity of finding fresh feeding grounds.

The nest of the Golden Eye is found among rocks and
stones, and even at times in the trunks of hollow trees,
at some height from the ground. In this case the young
must of course be carried by the mother to the water, as
with the wood-duck already described. The eggs are
about ten in number and perfectly white ; they are
generally covered over with down, which the female takes
for that purpose from her own breast.

The plumage of the head and neck in the drake is
green, with a violet gloss ; a small but conspicuous patch
of pure white near the bill has a singular appearance.
The feathers on the crown of the head are lengthened
into what may be called a crest, and the eye is a beau-
tiful golden yellow, whence the bird’s name. The lower

THE HARLEQUIN DUCK.

229

portion of the neck, the breast and under parts are white.
The back is nearly black, and the wings are prettily
marked with black and white. The bill is black, deep
at its base, and rather short.

In the female the bill is brown, lighter towards the
tip ; the head and upper part of the neck are also brown,
with a ring or collar of white encircling the latter about
the middle. The lower part of the neck and the back are
ash-coloured, and the wings white and grey. The legs
and toes in both sexes are orange, with the intervening
membrane or web of a dark colour. The plumage of
young males for the first few months of their existence
resembles that of the female.

The Golden Eye is a winter visitor to Great Britain,
and is well known in many parts of Europe, especially in
the north. In Canada it is abundant on Green Island
in October, and in the month of May congregates on
Sixteen Island Lake in great numbers.

A still more beautiful bird than the above is the
Harlequin Duck ( Histrionicus torquatus) which is tolerably
abundant on the northern coast of the Gulf of St.
Lawrence, where it breeds on the low lands lying between
the numerous fresh- water lakes that are met with a few
miles inland. A few are found on the Restigouche, but
its head-quarters are rather north of Canada.

Its neatly made and warmly lined nest is hidden in

230

ANATIDiE.

the long grass at a short distance from the water’s edge,
and the eggs are five or six in number, and of a very
pale greenish white.

During incubation the female is left entirely alone,
the males returning in flocks by themselves at that season
to the salt water.

The Harlequin Duck is not only of excellent flesh
and beautiful appearance, but is singularly as well as
handsomely marked. The head and upper part of the
neck are black, tinged with a bluish colour and purple
reflections ; the former having on either side two white
patches of unequal size, the smaller behind the eye, the
larger in front of it, ending in a semicircle of white and
red that extends over the eye, and nearly meets a perpen-
dicular line of white running down the neck. The
lower part of the neck and the breast are curiously and
very prettily encircled by two bands of white edged
with black, the breast itself being a bluish ash colour.
The sides are chestnut, and the back and wings nearly
black, the latter marked with white. The bill is slate
colour, with a reddish point, and the legs and feet are
dark.

The female is much smaller than her mate, and of
more • sober plumage, its prevailing colour being a
uniform brown. She has in addition to the two white
spots on the side of the head a third one on the fore-

THE LONG -TAILED DUCK.

231

head. The young males, as in some other species,
resemble the females so closely in their colour and
markings as to be with difficulty distinguished from
them.

The Harlequin Duck has been met with in England,
though more frequently in Scotland, and especially on
its more northern shores ; I have a specimen which was
shot on the coast of Aberdeenshire, equal in beauty of
plumage to any that I have ever seen.

The Long - tailed Duck ( Harelda glacialis ) inhabits
principally the coast north of Labrador, and passes
through Canada southward generally in November,
though more irregularly than most other ducks.

It may be termed almost exclusively a marine bird,
and its flesh is hard and fishy. The plumage, which is
exceedingly pretty, varies very much at different seasons
of the year and at different ages of the birds. Two
long projecting black feathers in the tail of the drake
are, however, always a distinguishing feature, and from
them the bird’s name is derived. The bill is black, with
a deep yellow patch near its base. In the normal
plumage the head is buff-coloured, and on either side of
the throat, which is white, is a large spot of black,
extending down the lower part of the neck. The back
and breast are black; and the wings, which are chestnut
and dark brown, are prettily covered by the drooping

232

ANATIDJ3.

scapulars and tertials of pure white. Its eggs, five in
number, have been described as of a dull chocolate colour ;
but are, according to Dr. Hall, a pale greenish-grey.

The Long-tailed Duck, which by the way, is common
in the north of Scotland in the winter, bears a near
affinity to the mergansers : a genus distinguished by their
large body, and great length of head and bill, the latter
of which, besides being rather pointed, is armed on
both mandibles with saw-like teeth, and terminates in
a hook curved downwards.

The Scoters, of which four kinds are found in
Canada, feed on fish and large molluscs, and are rank
and oily in flavour, and almost uneatable when killed.
So strong is the flesh of the common Scoter that Yarrell
says it is allowed by the Roman Catholics to be eaten in
Lent, as being so completely identified with fish.

These birds have the bill rather elevated at the base,
and the body large and bulky ; and they fly heavily, and
very close to the surface of the water.

The first, or common Scoter of North America,
though named Oidemia Americana by Baird, appears
to be precisely similar to the common Scoter of Europe
( Oidemia nigra , of Yarrell), which according to that
author, differs from every other species of the Anatidce
in having no bony enlargement of the trachea or wind-
pipe : a singular and unaccountable peculiarity.

THE SCOTERS.

233

The male is entirely black, the knob at the base of the
bill alone being yellow; the female is of a brownish
tinge. During the time of incubation the males associate
in flocks together.

The Huron Scoter ( Oidemia bimaculata) is a smaller
bird than any of the other three. The upper plumage is
a dead black; the breast and throat being a dark grey,
and the under parts a lighter shade of grey. There are
two white spots on the side of the head, and the wings
are white and grey. The bill is a dark slate colour, and
the legs and feet orange.

The Surf Scoter ( Pelionetta perspicillata ) Wilson
considers to be peculiar to North America; and though
Yarrell* and M‘Gillivrayf mention instances of speci-
mens having been killed in England, Scotland, and the
Orkney and Shetland Isles, as well as in other parts of
Europe, these can I think, only be considered as ex-
ceptions ; moreover it is always seen in America in large
flocks, and never alone as in the instances narrated.

The male is black, with the exception only of two
white marks on the head, one on the forehead, the other
behind the crown. The bill and legs are red.

The female is brownish black, and has little or no
appearance of the enlargement on the base of the bill.

# British Birds, iii. 324.

t Man. Brit. Orn., ii. 181.

234

ANATIDAB.

The Surf Scoter, or Surf Duck, as it is sometimes
called, may be seen in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in great
numbers, and generally in the stormiest weather, cresting
the waves in evident enjoyment, but it is very difficult of
approach.

The Velvet Scoter ( Melanetta velvelina) which is
precisely similar to that so well known on the eastern
and northern coasts of Scotland during the winter
months, is black, , with a white band across the wing
and a small white spot under the eye. The bill
and legs are orange. The female is browner, and has
more white feathers than the male.

The Eider ( Somateria mollissima) is at times to be
seen in considerable numbers on the north shore of the
Gulf of St. Lawrence, but it breeds much further north.

Though generally known only as furnishing the
valuable down which goes by its name, it is by no means
to be despised on the table, notwithstanding that it is
strictly a marine duck and is never met with inland.

Its habits, and the mode of procuring the celebrated
down with which the nest is lined and filled, are too well
known to need repetition. The plumage and appearance
of the bird itself however may not be familiar to every
sportsman who may have the luck to kill one, and may
therefore be described, for there is a greater difference in
appearance between the male and female of this species

THE PIED DUCK.

235

than is found in almost any other: so wide indeed, as
frequently to lead to the belief that the two are different
species or varieties.

The male is considerably larger than the female, being
a bird of upwards of six pounds’ weight, and his bill,
which is a dusky greenish yellow, runs up very far on
the forehead. The top of the head is black, with a white
streak, its sides light green, and cheeks white ; the front
of the neck is also white, as well as the back, the wing-
coverts, and sides ; the breast, under parts, and tail being
black. In short, with the exception of the two small
green patches on the sides of the head, the whole plumage
is black and white.

The female, on the contrary, is a reddish brown
marked with streaks of a darker hue ; the whole back is a
dusk}^ brown ; and the bill does not extend so far up into
the frontal plumage as in the male.

The legs and feet in both sexes are a dusky clouded
yellow.

The Pied Duck or Labrador Duck ( Camptolcemus
Labradorius) is common in the Gulf of St. Lawrence,
and breeds on its northern shore, a short distance inland.

It derives its name from its magpie-like plumage;
the head and throat being white, with a black stripe at
the back of the head, and a band of black encircling
the neck and extending over the back; while the rest

236

ANATIDiE.

of the plumage is alternate black and white. This cha-
racteristic is extended even to the bill and legs, the former
being buff and black, and the latter white and black.

Its flesh is dry and fishy, and as an addition to the
bag it is not worth shooting.

The Ruddy Duck ( Erismatura rubida ) Wilson says is
extremely rare and an entirely new species, while Baird
asserts it to be quite common; so that we may perhaps
consider it ordinarily plentiful. I have only seen one
specimen myself, and believe it to be very unequally
distributed, which might account for the discrepancy
between two such eminent authorities on American
ornithology. It is found in the Gulf of St. Lawrence,
and on many of the rivers flowing into it.

This is rather a small duck. The bill is blue and
somewhat peculiar in form, being broad at the end, some-
thing like that of the Shoveller, and having the under
mandible much narrower than the upper. The head is
black, with a white patch on either side of it. The front
of the neck, the back, the sides, and the tail-coverts, are
a bright reddish-brown, from whence it has its name.
The breast is covered with curious bristly feathers, of a
grey hue striped with dark brown, the under parts being
very similar in colour and marking, though the feathers
are of the ordinary description. The wings are of a
stone colour, and the tail black, and sharply pointed.

THE MERGANSERS.

237

The female is about the same size as the male, and
has the same peculiar bill and sharp-pointed tail; but
differs slightly in the colour of the plumage, the cheeks
being buff, and the neck and breast a dull brown and
grey; the under parts white, shaded with ash colour.
The feet and legs are dusky in both.

The Smew ( Mergellus albellus ) is well known in our
own country, and in the form of its bill, its general
appearance, and habits, may be considered intermediate
between the above sub-family and the mergansers,
which follow. It is a handsome and beautifully marked
bird, although simply black and white.

It breeds in the far north, and appears in the Gulf
of St. Lawrence only in winter. It is a difficult bird to
get near, but is of no value except to the naturalist or
collector, the flesh being poor and fishy.

The Hooded Merganser ( Lophodytes cuculiatus ) is
also a very handsome bird, but its flesh is very little
superior to that of the other.

This merganser, though an accidental visitor to
England, is really a North American bird, breeding in
the extreme north of that continent, and migrating to
every part of it in winter; appearing rather to prefer
inland waters to the sea. It has a beautiful crest of
black and white feathers, which it has the power of
elevating and depressing at will. The head, neck, and

238

ANATIDiE.

back are black, the wings barred with black and white,
and prettily covered by the long drooping tertial feathers,
which are black, with a white streak down the centre.
There are two semicircular black marks on either side
of the white breast, which have a very pretty effect.
The under parts are white, and the sides covered with
fine lines of black. The legs are flesh-coloured.

The female has also a crest, though she is smaller,
and far less striking in size and marking. Her nest is
more carefully made than is usual with the order gene-
rally, and contains six or eight white eggs.

The Red-breasted Merganser ( Mergus serrator) is
more common than the above, and appears to prefer fresh
water to salt, though frequenting both.

The Goosander ( Mergus Americanus) feeds on fish,
and is very wary and difficult of approach, diving long
before the shooter can get within range. To an ordi-
nary observer, or one not acquainted with its habits, it
appears to remain under water altogether ; for it is
cunning enough, when obliged to come up for air, to
raise only its bill as far as the nostrils above the sur-
face, so as to be all but invisible even in perfectly
open water. When among grass or aquatic plants,
which it always resorts to if practicable, it defies
detection, owing to its singular faculty of keeping the
body submerged close to the surface of the water.

THE GOOSANDER.

239

The Goosander is a handsome bird; but, like „ all
the rest of the sub-family to which it belongs, has no
culinary qualifications, the flesh being lean and fishy.
It breeds in the north, and migrates in the autumn
to the Southern States.

This bird affords another instance of the stupid mis-
nomers bestowed by the Yankees on the animal creation
of their country, where it goes by the name of the
“ Water Pheasant” !

WOOD-DUCK.

DIVISION III.

jftsftrs.

CHAPTER IX

Jfisfrmes.

THE FISHERIES OF CANADA — IMPERFECTLY KNOWN IN THIS COUNTRY

THEIR GREAT EXTENT AND VALUE NUMBER OF SALMON RIVERS — -

LARGE TRADE IN DRIED AND SALTED FISH EXPORTATION — IMMENSE

TAKES — IMPORTANCE OF LESSER WATERS— VARIETY OF FISH IN

THE LAKES AND RIVERS FORMER GREATER ABUNDANCE CAUSES

OF THE DIMINUTION LEGISLATIVE PROTECTION REVIVAL OF

FISHERIES — CONSUMPTION OF DRIED EELS — TORCHLIGHT SPEARING.

CHAPTER IX.

JSsjjmea*

f 1 1HE immense value and importance of the Fisheries
of Canada are very imperfectly known and in-
sufficiently estimated in this country, for it is only few
who have ever visited them, and fewer still who care to
take either the time or trouble necessary to inform them-
selves on a subject of which the following is a mere
outline.

In Upper Canada, the coast-line of the great lakes
and the higher St. Lawrence, entirely excluding the
smaller lakes and all tributary streams, is estimated
at about 5000 miles in extent. In Lower Canada,
the river and gulf of St. Lawrence alone add 1000
miles more of coast-fisheries for salmon, cod, mackerel,
and herring, including upwards of seventy salmon rivers
which are under the immediate care and protection of the
Government; the whole affording employment to many
hundreds of hands, and sustenance to thousands of
inhabitants, while forming one of the most lucrative and
important branches of trade in the country.

246

FISHERIES.

From the Report of the Fisheries of the Upper
Province it appears that a large portion of the fish taken
on the east coast of Lake Huron, from Point Edward
to Cape Hurd, including the Fishing Islands, is sent to
the United States in barrels, and paid for partly in cash
and partly in American goods. The fish taken at Point
Edward, Goderich, Cape Rich, and Collingwood, is prin-
cipally packed in boxes with ice and sent by rail to
regular agents in Canada and the States, and is paid for
in cash. The remainder and far greater portion, taken
in Lake Superior, Georgian Bay, at the Duck, Manitou-
lin, Cockburn, and St. Joseph Islands, Mississisaugua
Straits, and Sault Ste. Marie Rapids, in fact excepting
only the Hudson Bay Stations and one or two others, is
also sent to the States and paid for with American goods,
paying no duties. A large quantity is also sold at the
fishing stations to the captains of American schooners,
and paid for with smuggled goods and whisky, three-
fourths of the fish taken in Canadian waters never
entering a Canadian port.

From the Report of 1859 it appears that the Lake
Huron Fisheries yielded in 1856 upwards of 27,037
barrels; or, at 120 fish to the barrel, 3,244,520 fish.
The take in Lake Ontario is also equally abundant, and
in some cases has been even prodigious. In the above
Report mention is made of 47,700 White-fish (nearly 400

FISHERIES.

247

barrels) being taken two years previously at Wellington
Beach at a single haul. At Burlington Beach, during
1856, 1,900,000 Herrings and 86,400 White-fish were
taken. At Port Credit, 470,000 fish were captured,
two-thirds of them being Salmon, and at other fishing
stations on Lake Ontario, 200,000 to 300,000 fish. The
entire take for the year, according to the lowest esti-
mate, amounting in value to $500,000. Although as
above stated all the less important lakes and streams are
excluded from these Returns, their aggregate quota is an
item of no inconsiderable importance to the inhabitants of
the districts in which they are situated. In the Western
Province the up-country lakes and their feeders are ex-
ceedingly numerous, and abound with fish of great
variety. In the Eastern townships, which are the
English-speaking portion of Lower Canada, lying south
of the St. Lawrence and between the French country
and the States, these minor waters are also as prolific as
they are numerous.

The variety of fish inhabiting this vast extent of
waters, which are for the most part of great depth and
extraordinary clearness, is as great as their quantity is
extraordinary, comprising, in addition to nearly all the
fresh-water species of Great Britain, several altogether
unknown in our country.

About thirty or five-and-thirty years ago most of the

248

FISHERIES.

rivers in Upper Canada abounded with Salmon and other
fish to an extent which we in this country can hardly
conceive. Mr. McCuaig, writing from Hamilton, says, he
himself saw salmon from 1812 to 1815 swrarming the
rivers so thickly, that they were thrown out with a
shovel and even with the hand. But the ignorant
destructiveness of one class, and the selfish cupidity of
another ; the erection of mill-dams which prevented
salmon from ascending the rivers to spawn ; the system of
choking the streams with sawdust and refuse from the
mills, of spearing by torchlight, of over-netting, and of
fishing out of season, gradually produced their inevit-
able results. So serious became the prospects of the
fisheries, that about eleven years ago the necessity for
interference on the part of the Government, and for
stringent legislative enactments, w^as brought by Mr.
Nettle, the present Superintendent of Crown Fisheries
for Lower Canada, under the notice of the then
Governor- General* (himself an ardent lover of salmon
fishing), to whom both New Brunswick and Canada are
much indebted for the interest he took in their fisheries.
This eventually resulted in the passing of the present
Fishery Act, prior to which there was no law or regu-
lation on the subject. Every person fished when, where,

# Sir Edmund Head.

FISHERIES.

249

and how he chose ; and the principal rivers were in the
hands of the Hudson’s Bay Company, whose agents were
continually embroiled in dispute and strife with other
fishermen. Some idea of the extent to which over-fishing
was carried, may be gathered from the fact that on one
river alone no less than twelve thousand fathoms of net
were found set, besides appliances for sweeping every
pool of its upper waters. The Government, at the
suggestion of Mr. Nettle* re-entered into possession of
all the salmon rivers flowing through the Crown pro-
perty— fisheries which each succeeding year will increase
in value — and the existing system of “ leave and licence ”
was thereupon organized : the former for the season, the
latter for a term of years, the one applying to rivers, the
other to fishing stations along the shores of the Gulf.

These measures were adopted not so much with a view
to benefit the revenue as for the purposes of protection
and increase, for the enforcement of which fishery over-
seers were subsequently appointed in each district.

The result of this system, the working of which has
now been fairly tested, has been the complete preserva-
tion of the salmon fisheries from impending destruction,
an increase in the take of fish of at least fifty per cent. ;
and a reduction of their price in a corresponding ratio,
besides an addition to the revenue which far exceeds the
whole expense of the supervision.

250

FISHERIES.

In the lakes and rivers of the Upper Province fish
of the most valuable kinds are now increasing per-
ceptibly, while the salmon rivers of the Lower one, bid
fair to surpass those of Scotland, and are yearly inviting
over our countrymen in growing numbers.

Important and valuable as are the above fish, there is
one which neither figures in the Returns nor attracts the
lovers of the gentle craft, and yet deserves mention before
proceeding to the higher groups, on account of its use-
fulness to a large class of Indians, habitans, and settlers,
by whom it is taken in very great quantities. This is the
“Longbec” or Common Eel ( Anguilla vulgaris ), which
both when freshly caught or when dried forms a most
important article of food in many parts of the country.

Though more generally taken in traps with fascine
leaders, they are often speared by torchlight on a large
scale, a sight which one evening in the month of July I
had an opportunity of witnessing at Coteau-du-Lac on
Lake St. Francis.

Darkness had barely descended when, as if by magic,
the whole lake, which is twenty miles in length and six
broad, was suddenly dotted over with bright flaming
lights proceeding from the canoes engaged in spearing.
The extraordinary number of these lights, and the vast
space over which they were spread, produced a most
strange and beautiful effect.

FISHERIES.

251

The blazing torches of birch-bark in the nearer
canoes, brightly illuminating the picturesque dress and
and attitudes of the French Canadians that manned them,
completed the picture. In each canoe were two men
equipped in blue shirt and loose trousers, with Indian
sash round the waist: one sitting in the bottom using
a broad paddle, and the other standing upright, spear in
hand, in a cranky little craft, which, even to sit in*
requires as much skill and caution as a Cambridge
outrigger.

After we had watched the scene for some time, the
blue heaven with its glittering stars was quickly over-
spread with black angry clouds, a sighing wind moaned
through the woods, followed by bright flashes of rose-
coloured lightning, revealing for an instant the dark
outlines of the swift canoes, which, with extinguished
lights, were deserting the roughening waters, and
leaving all in deeper darkness. The lake was soon
covered with white breakers, and the low rumbling of
the thunder grew louder, till it burst in terrific claps
overhead. For an instant or two a distant rushing sound
was heard, and then down came a perfect deluge of
rain.

One is at first surprised that spearing could be carried
on at all in a lake of dimensions which would lead one to
suppose it of considerable depth ; but on the u eel

252

FISHERIES.

grounds,” or flats, the water is not more than four or five
feet deep, and these shallows occupy a very large portion
of the lake ; the main channel, which is about five fathoms
in depth, being very narrow.

Though eels usually migrate twice in the year, that
is, to and from the sea, wintering in the brackish water of
its estuaries, and returning in early summer, they will
live and breed perfectly well in inland lakes and rivers at
a distance, or under circumstances rendering it im-
possible for them to have any access to the coast.
Therefore it is not easy to determine the question,
whether the eels of this lake and of the upper parts
of the river St. Lawrence — of which there are more
than one species — pass up and down the rapids which
lie between them and the Gulf.

EEL SPEAKING, LAKE ST. FRANCIS.

CHAPTER X

Ifalittopieri.

THE SALMON’ DISTANCE FOUND FROM SEA ASCENT OF RAPIDS BREED-

ING IN FRESH WATER— SCARCITY OF SALMON IN ONTARIO — IRREGULAR
DISTRIBUTION PREFERENCE OF SALMON FOR COLD RIVERS — PRO-
POSED RESTORATION OF RIVERS OF ONTARIO “OPEN SEASON ” NO

ROD-FISHING IN UPPER PROVINCE FISHING LICENCES RENTALS OF

FISHERIES — GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT OF RIVERS HOW TAKEN

THE JACQUES CARTIER RIVERS NEAR QUEBEC MODE OF REACHING

LOWER SALMON STREAMS — SALMON FLIES FISHERIES OF NORTHERN

SHORE OF GULF THE SAGUENAY AND TRIBUTARIES — PRINCIPAL

SALMON RIVERS BELOW THE SAGUENAY — LISTS OF FISH KILLED IN

THE GODBOUT AND MOISIE — SALMON RIVERS OF SOUTHERN SHORE

GASPE DISTRICT — ITS RIVERS — SIZE OF FISH — THE TROUT VARIA-
TION OF COLOUR INSTANCES OF TRANSFORMATION — FISHING SEASON

— AVERAGE SIZE OF TROUT TROUT NOT TO BE NETTED IN CANADA

ARTIFICIAL FLIES TROUT STREAMS IN NEIGHBOURHOOD OF QUEBEC

THE LAKE TROUT — ITS SLUGGISHNESS THE MACKINAW TROUT- —

PECULIAR TO NORTHERN LAKES — THE SEA TROUT — ARTIFICIAL FLY

FOR THE WHITE-FISH PECULIAR TO NORTH AMERICA — DESCRIPTION

OF — DELICIOUS FLESH — DIFFICULTY OF TRANSPORTING.

CHAPTER X.

JUbffiramalts.

rjlHOUGH rarely taken by the rod higher up the
St. Lawrence than the mouth of the river Ottawa,
the true Salmon (Salmo salar) is netted as far inland
as the western extremity of Lake Ontario, a distance
from the open sea which may be roughly estimated at
about a thousand miles.

In the case of small rivers, it is well known that
Salmon generally wait in the vicinity of the mouth until
the waters are sufficiently swollen by the rains, when they
run up in great numbers, seldom resting in the pools
along its course as long as the water continues in spate ,
their instinct teaching them to advance while it is possible
to do so. In large rivers like the St. Lawrence, how-
ever, they run up in greater or less numbers almost daily
throughout the usual season, entering it as soon as the
ice begins to melt along the shores of the Gulf, which
they usually leave with the reflux. The sooner the ice
disappears from the river, therefore, the sooner the
Salmon enter it. They are said to arrive in greater

256

SALMONJDiE.

numbers as the wind and tide are stronger. It would
be difficult to find a more interesting example of the
wonderful instinct, perseverance, and strength for which
the Salmon is noted, than this long and difficult journey,
in which, stage after stage, they succeed in surmounting
rapids, which man, with all his boasted skill and science,
and the mighty aid of steam, is powerless to ascend.

The apparent impossibility of any living thing swim-
ming up the rapids of the St. Lawrence led, not un-
naturally, first to the conjecture and then to the belief,
that the Salmon of Ontario must be entirely confined to
the lake and its tributaries. The argument that these
fish, when restricted solely to fresh water, cease to be
reproductive, led in the same manner to the story of the
existence of tracts of water in the lake itself so impreg-
nated with salt springs as to obviate the necessity of the
fish visiting the ocean. But the breeding of Salmon in
fresh water, if not common, is at any rate a fact of ascer-
tained occurrence. Scrope says, tl It appears that salmon
will live and even breed in fresh water without ever
making a visit to the sea at all and in support of this
opinion quotes Mr. Lloyd, who, in his work on “ Field
Sports of the North of Europe,” says, “ Near Katrineburg
there is a valuable fishery for Salmon, ten or twelve
thousand of these fish being taken annually. These
salmon are bred in a lake, and in consequence of cataracts

THE SALMON.

257

cannot have access to the sea.” They are however, it
must be added, small in size and inferior in flavour. Not
long ago, an instance was published in the Field in which
salmon smolts, after seven years’ confinement in a fresh-
water pond near Bedale, were found full of ripe roe. As
was remarked on this occasion, Salmon have been known
to grow to six or seven pounds weight in other parts of
our own country without visiting the sea; so that this
convenient combination of salt and fresh water is not
necessary in order to prove the permanent residence of
the Ontario Salmon, and its existence — though fully be-
lieved in by many at this present moment — is in reality
purely imaginary.

Another suggestion was that these fish were not
salmon at all, but simply Bull-trout.* The difference, how-
ever, between the two is unmistakeable. In the latter
the spots on the gill-covers are larger and more numerous
than in the former; it has a greater number on the back
and shoulders; the scales are proportionately smaller, and
the teeth longer and more powerfully made ; while the
flesh is of a fainter pink and inferior flavour. There are
other and more minute differences in the fins and in
the form of the tail, as well as in the number of the
vertebrae, which is one less than in the salar , or fifty- nine

* Salmo eriox.

S

258

SALMONIDiE.

in place of sixty, so that it is not easy to confound the
two fish.

Though Salmon fresh from the sea is found in Lake
Ontario, and is taken with the gill-net at the Humber
mouth, and occasionally even at the ultima thule of the
bar of Hamilton Bay, as well as at Bond Head and the
mouths of the Credit and Trent (to the extent in all of
between one and two hundred fish in the course of the
season) it is never induced to take either fly or bait.

How fish travelling such distances are enabled to find
their way back so unerringly to the waters they had left,
is a marvel that can only be accounted for by supposing
them to be endued with powers of memory sufficient
to recal the various waymarks on their course.

The fact of their being more plentiful along the
northern shore of the lake than the southern is attri-
buted to the greater coldness of the streams entering on
that side; but it is singular that the only river of either
shore in which they are entirely unknown should be the
one of greatest volume, in fact the chief tributary of the
lake, namely, the Niagara : a river, too, not merely free
from impurities and clear of all mill-dams and other
obstructions, but of unusual clearness and transparency.
Its strong current, deep abrupt sides, and want of
shallows or gravelly beds suitable for spawning, are per-
haps sufficient to account for fish not breeding there;

THE SALMON.

259

but as it affords abundance of food, their marked absence
is a negative corroboration of the truth of the propensity
or habit attributed to them of always revisiting the place
of their birth.

I am intimately acquainted with every part of the
Niagara, from the bar up to the foot of the Falls, and
have fished it, and been on it at all seasons of the year,
but never saw or heard of a single parr, smolt, grilse, or
salmon being taken, or even seen in its waters.

With regard to their evident preference for the colder
rivers, it is perhaps hardly necessary to mention the fact
that a high temperature is fatal to the salmon, which
has no power of resisting heat, and is indeed limited to
countries lying north of the forty-first parallel of latitude.
Dr. Davy’s experiments proved that a continued tempera-
ture of eighty degrees is sufficient entirely to destroy the
vitality of its ova. Injurious, however, as is the effect of
heat, the most extreme cold seems to have no such effect,
for the eggs may be packed in ice without danger.

It has been proposed, with a view to restoring the
salmon to the rivers of Lake Ontario, which the spear of
the savage, and the saw-mills and lumber establishments
of civilized man, have almost destroyed, that two of the
most suitable streams should be set apart as nurseries,
in which netting should not be allowed : the rivers Credit
and Moira being those recommended for the purpose.

s 2

260

SALMONIDiE.

Were this carried out, and, as the Superintendent says,
all the mill-dams removed, or fishways constructed
adjacent to them, protection being also afforded to spawn-
ing fish, most of the rivers in this district would ere
long be plentifully stocked with salmon once more.
The complete removal of the standing weirs along the
south side of the St. Lawrence, from St. Thomas Mont-
magny to Three Rivers is however a matter of equal
importance, as there is no doubt they have hitherto
greatly impeded fish ascending the river.

When the tributaries of Ontario again abound in
salmon it will be interesting to know whether the Niagara
continues to remain deserted by them.

The Canadian Salmon does not differ at all from ours
either in form, flavour, or habits, and the two may be
said to be identical, the salar being the only species of
the Salmonidae which is common to both the Old and
New World.

The “open season” is from the 1st of March to the
1st of August, and though the period of fly-fishing
extends to the 1st of September there is little sport to
be had during the last fortnight; nor is it at its best
earlier than the first week in June. At that time also
the fish are in their highest condition, of which there is
perhaps no better criterion than that of their colour, for
it will invariably be found that the deeper the red of

THE SALMON.

261

the flesh is, the greater is the proportion of curd or
albuminous fat, as well of course as of the rich oil which
contains the colouring matter.

From what has been said above it will be manifest
that there is no salmon fishing to be had with the rod
in Ontario or its feeders, nor indeed is there any to be
found above Quebec, except in the Jacques Cartier,
which is not far from it, and the intending fisher should
lose no time in shaping his course towards that an-
cient city, which commands all the salmon fishing of the
country.

Though I shall ever regard the sail down the St.
Lawrence as one of the most enjoyable reminiscences
of my sojourn in Canada, it is not necessary here to
describe the lovely “ Lake of the Thousand Isles,” reflect-
ing on its glossy surface the grey rocks, sombre pines,
and waving foliage of the countless islets, which, of every
size and form, stud the glassy stream for miles; nor the
glorious Rapids, down which the passive steamer is borne
like a dancing straw on the headlong rush of waters ;
the calm beauty of Lake St. Louis; Montreal, with its
bright tin roofs and spires ; or the first view of the far-
famed citadel of Quebec on its lofty eminence.

Arrived in this city, it is only necessary to go to the
Crown Lands Office in order to get leave to fish, and
obtain ail requisite information on the subject. A

262

SALM0NIDJ2.

licence is either granted for some river specially named
therein, or carte blanche is given to fish in all or any
that may not be let already.

The rentals vary from $50 to $400 per annum, the
fish taken being of course the property of the lessees,
the generality of whom preserve their surplus take, by
salting, smoking, or pickling. The rivers are usually
leased for periods of five years, and are divided into net-
fishings and fly-fishings, no net being allowed above tidal
water. The Government exercises the sole right of
management, and keeps all the rivers in its own hands,
so that there are no conflicting interests to contend with,
as must be the case whenever there are proprietors of
upper and lower waters.

Many resident gentlemen rent rivers and make their
own party each succeeding year, according to the size of
the river and the state of the fishing, which is of course
very much affected by the depth of water in different
seasons. In arrangements of this nature the expenses
of rent, catering, boat-hire, and attendants, is divided
among the party, and this is not only the most congenial
mode of procedure, but has the additional advantage of
considerably lessening the cost. Other rivers are rented
by English sportsmen.

The Jacques Cartier, a glorious morning’s drive from
Quebec, is a lovely and picturesque river, abounding in

THE SALMON.

263

beautiful pools and rapids. At Dery’s bridge, which is the
general rendezvous of amateur fishermen, and about twelve
miles from the mouth of the river, is a fall of about ten
feet in a narrow gorge, at the bottom of which is a fine
pool in which the fish congregate before ascending.

There are other salmon streams within easy reach of
the city, as the St. Anne, St. Charles, Port Neuf, &c. ;
but being on that account a good deal frequented, it is
better to proceed at once to some of the rivers below,
where one may revel in unfished pools and the undis-
turbed enjoyment of wild life. Formerly, and indeed
till very lately, the only way of reaching these rivers
was by means of a pilot boat or fishing smack : a mode
of transport still preferred by many, and in fact in-
dispensable for getting access to the more remote rivers.
These boats are always to be hired at Quebec, either by
the month or by the week, crew and all; or a simple
passage may be negotiated for to any particular point.
The chief drawback attending sailing boats, namely, the
uncertainty of reaching one’s destination in a given
time, is greatly aggravated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence :
the dead calms and contrary winds which seem always
to prevail there at this period of the year, frequently
detaining the impatient passenger a prisoner on board
his boat for many days together in the height of the
fishing-season.

264

SALMONID^E.

A more convenient and certain passage is afforded
by the Government steamers, which in the beginning of
June take the half-yearly supplies and stores to the diffe-
rent lighthouses in the Gulf, and will convey the holders
of licences to the mouth of any river on which they
may have taken fishings. Coming back is however a
matter of more uncertainty, though at most of the rivers
it is generally possible to find some schooner or other
vessel in which a passage may be obtained to Quebec.
The Ste. Marguerite is easily reached by steamer twice
a week from Quebec, as are also the Gaspe rivers on the
opposite shore.

It is of course necessary to be well provided with
everything for the bivouac, not forgetting a small tent,
though on many of the principal rivers sheds of bark
will be found, which have been erected by former fisher-
men and repaired from time to time by their successors.

As to the kind of flies best adapted to these rivers,
medium-sized ones, with bright brown or claret bodies
are as a general rule the most killing. The following,
taken by permission from Mr. Nettle’s book, are known
and tried flies, and no one can do wrong in providing
himself with any or all of them.

“ No. 1 . Drake wing ; fiery red mohair body ; red and
claret hackle mixed; twist of green peacock lierl; an-
tennae same as wing.

THE SALMON.

265

“ No. 2. Grey mallard wing ; orange body, gold tinsel
and ginger hackle. Same with black hackle very good.

“No. 3. Grey mallard wing; body, dark green; black
hackle, silver tinsel.

“ No. 4. Grey duck wing; body, grey; ginger hackle,
silver twist, antenae same as wing.

“No. 5. Dark turkey wing; yellowish brown body;
red hackle ; peacock’s herl and head ; antennae, green pea-
cock herl.

“No. 6. Mallard wing ; dark green body, turkey’s
green and brown herl intermixed, tipped with red ; an-
tennae black.

“No. 7. Grey turkey wing; body, straw coloured;
black hackle, silver tinsel ; antennae, long, straw coloured.

“No. 8. Wing, turkey, or mallard and bustard mixed ;
claret and orange mohair body ; black hackle, gold tinsel.

“No. 9. Wing, English jay; distended lightish green body;
silver tinsel, black hackle ; antennae, green peacock herl.

“ No. 10. Wing, grey goose ; body, claret, tipped with
red ; a twist of peacock’s green herl ; black hackle ; an-
tennae, thin herl of peacock green.

“No. 11. Wing, grey goose; body, peacock’s green
herl and yellow tip, black hackle ; body large.

“No. 12.. The ‘Nettle fly.’ Wing, brown bittern;
body, yellowish brown mohair ; red hackle ; twist of pea-
cock’s greep herl around the body ; antennae same as wing*”

266

SALMONIDiE.

To this list I must add, what is perhaps of all others
the best and most generally successful, viz., the “ Saturday
a fly tried to perfection by Alexander MacKenzie, Inver-
ness, who is well acquainted by personal experience with the
salmon fishing of Canada. The body of the “ Saturday”
may be either red, blue, green, or black, or of a very
favourite brown, which is best described as a cow-dung
colour, with a twist of red at the shoulder. The wings
are double, one pair of golden pheasant topping, and the
other having one side of mallard and the other of teal
or wood duck. A very small golden pheasant neck-
feather is laid flat over the wings, to which is added a
pair of antenna3 of blue and yellow macaw. A pair
of blue kingfisher feathers is sometimes considered an
improvement.

The northern shore of the St. Lawrence is divided
by the Superintendent of Fisheries into the following
districts, viz. : from the St. Anne River to the St. Charles ;
from the St. Charles River to Murray Bay; from Murray
Bay to the Saguenay; the Saguenay River and its tribu-
taries ; and from the Saguenay mouth to Ance au
Sablon.

There are several good salmon streams above the
Saguenay, and that river itself, which is an outlet of
Lake St. John, a hundred and fifty miles up country,
and one of the wildest and grandest rivers imaginable,

THE SALMON.

267

has many tributaries which abound in salmon, the prin-
cipal one being the Ste. Marguerite, in which thirty fish a
day may be taken by a single rod, but unfortunately
these waters are now let on a long lease. It is a
curious fact that no salmon are found in the main stream,
although it is one of the largest rivers flowing into the
Gulf.

The best and most important salmon rivers lie below
Saguenay mouth, and are as follows: the St. Pancras,
Misissiquihak, the Grand and Petite Bergeronne, the
Escoumins, Portneuf, Blanch, the lovely Bersimis (now
given up to the Indians), the Papinachois, Outardes,
Manacouagan, St. Austin, Manitou (or u Great Spirit”),
the Godbout, Trinity, Pentecost, Ste. Marguerite en bas,
the Moisie, Trout, St. John’s, the Mingan (fished by
Prince Alfred), the Natashquan, the Musquarroo, the
Esquimaux, and lower part of the Netagamu. In such a
variety of rivers it may be well imagined that every kind
of ground is encountered, trying the piscatorial skill, and
the bodily energy, of the most experienced fishermen, and
presenting a succession of truly beautiful scenery: the
soft and picturesque as well as the wild and grand.

Sometimes the banks are clothed with dense wood, so
close to the water’s edge that it is necessary either to
force a passage through the tangled forest, or, at the risk
of being swept away by the rapid current, to leap from

268

SALMONID^E.

rock to rock in mid-stream. There lies a sunny gravelly
reach, here a dark circling pool teeming with rising fish,
while foaming waterfalls, sombre woods, bright open
glades, and still sweeps that lie eddying and darkling
below bold rugged cliffs, meet the eye at every point,
rousing to admiration even the most stolid mind.

The coast is for the most part stern and wdld, and
except at the mouths of the rivers, where a few dwellings
are generally clustered, is uninhabited. The interior, and
indeed even at a comparatively short distance inland, is
almost an unknown country, being trodden only by a few
wandering Indians, or the trappers of the Hudson’s Bay
Company in the hunting season, and can be but little
altered in its aspect from the days when it was first
visited by the Norsemen and Icelanders under Biom
Heriolfson eight hundred years ago.

On these tenantless banks, where the splash of leaping
salmon is often the only sound of life that breaks the still-
ness, the anglers form their bivouac after their day’s sport ;
and stretched on the greenswrard enjoy their evening meal,
followed by the musquito-dispelling clouds of the fragrant
weed, literally the “ pipe of peace,” (for without it there
is none). As the shades of evening descend on the sur-
rounding forest the night-hawk* commences its wfild evo-

# Caprimulgus popetue.

THE SALMON.

269

lutions, and the murmur of the river, and the plaintive
cry of distant waterfowl soothe the mind into a state of
tranquil repose unknown to the denizen of the busy world.

A fair idea of the sport to be had in some of the best
rivers may be gathered from the averages on the fol-
lowing pages, for 1862 and 1863, in the Godbout.

This river is also let at the present time, as well as
the Moisie, but there are abundance of good rivers
still available to the visitor.

The following is a list of salmon killed by Lieut.-
Colonel Drummond Hay, late 42nd Highlanders, at the
first Rapids on the Moisie river, at the end of July and
in the beginning of August, in the space of a single
fortnight, to his own rod.

1st

day,

Nine

fish,

Weighing

9 lbs., 9, 9, 10, 21, 8, 18, 19,

2nd

Three

77

77

10, 12, 20.

3rd

»

Three

77

77

9, 8, 13.

4th

>>

Three

»

77

10J, 10J, 10.

5th

»

Seven

77

77

8, 8, 8, 9, 8$, 8|, 16.

6th

?)

Six

77

77

9, 17, 25, 8J, 9J, 11.

7th

77

Seven

77

77

15, 7 1, 9, 8J, 111-, 7, 8|.

8th

77

Seven

77

77

10, 12, 18J, 11J, 11J, 10, 10.

9th

>>

Four

77

77

Si, 11, 23, 8i .

10th

Three

77

77

8, 10, 15.

11th

»

Four

77

77

11, 9J, 8|, 7|.

12 th

77

Three

77

77

14|, 8|, 10.

13th

5)

Six

77

77

7J, 8, 8J, 7J, 104, 18-

14th

77

Two

77

77

9, 8J.

In all, 67 fish, weighing 754J lbs.

270

SALMONIDA3.

Salmon taken with the Fly hy Three Rods in the
River Godbout ,

During June and July, 1862.

DATES.

NO. 01
FISH

WEIGHTS.

PLACE AND OBSERVATIONS.

June 12

2

6, 11

Glassy ; one a Kelt.

13

14

3

7,8,11 ....

.

Kate, Belle ; one a Kelt.

15

...

Sunday.

16

9

10, 14, 17, 8, 10, 10,
11, 10, 10 . . . .

}

Glassy, Belle, Kate and Camp.

17

5

11, 13, 8, 8, 11 . . .

Belle, Shea, Indian.

18

4

21, 18, 16, 11 . . .

Camp, Belle, Indian.

19

10

7, 8, 10, 21, 7, 7, 9, 9,
11, 15 . . . . .

}

Camp, Elbow and Upper Pool.

20

5

14, 11, 11, 8, 19 . .

.

Glassy, Shea, Kate, Indian.

21

5

20, 11, 21, 9, 9 . . .

Shea, Elbow, Cayley’s Stone.

22

...

Sunday.

23

11

18, 15, 18, 13, 10, 10,

Kate, Camp, Indian, Upper,

10, 10, 10, 10, 10 .

Bear, Connop.

24

4

10, 10, 13, 11 . . .

Shea and Upper.

25

3

12, 10, 10

Haworth and Upper.

26

9

9, 9, 9, 9,8, 6, 19, 11, !

E>

Upper, Haworth, Kate.

27

9

13, 13, 7, 9, 20, 9, 10,]

[

Fall Eddy, Belle, Upper,

11, 14 J

\

Haworth.

28

7

8, 11, 17, 9, 19,11, 16 .

29

...

Sunday.

30

18

11, 9, 8, 11, 10, 12, 8, j

Belle, Kate, Fall Eddy, Island

12, 9, 19, 16, 11, 8,

Eddy, Upper, Shea, Haworth,

11,9,13,9,12 . J

Indian.

July 1

14

12,11,11,11,16, 12, 9, j

Fall Eddy, Belle, Upper, Shea,

11,10,10,11,11,9,8.1

Haworth, Indian.

2

6

12, 9, 4, 13, 10, 10 .|

River rising; Haworth, Shea,
Belle, Eagle, Charteris.

THE SALMON.

271

June and July, 1862 — continued.

DATES.

NO. OF
FISH.

WEIGHTS.

PLACE AND OBSERVATIONS.

July 3

14

13, 10, 10, 9,11, 18,7,1

Glassy, Island Eddy, Belle,

10, 12,11, 12,9, 10>[

Upper, Shea, Haworth, In-

11 J

dian.

4

6

10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 .

Belle, Upper, Eagle.

5

20

9, 13, 16, 17,8,11, 19,1
10, 16, 10, 9, 9, 9, 8, [
10, 10,10, 10,11,9.)

Upper, Shea, Haworth, Indian,
Connop.

6

...

Sunday.

7

18

10, 10, 12, 10, 10, 10, \
10, 9, 13, 5, 8, 8, 10, [
12,10,10,9,11 .)

Shea, Indian, Kate, Eddy,
Upper Pool.

8

17

9, 9, 10, 4, 10, 11, 11,]
21, 12, 10, 12, 9, 10, [
10,13,12,9. . .)

Island Eddy, Haworth, Indian,
Connop, Upper.

9

4

10,10,11,10. . . .

Shea, Upper.

10

12

11, 12, 9, 12, 10, 10,)

Eddies, Shea, Indian, Connop

10, 10, 10, 10, 9, 12 j

and Upper.

11

8

10,8,11,8, 8, 13, 12,20

Shea, Haworth, Indian, Upper.

12

11

10, 13, 9,11, 10, 12, 4, |

Shea, Haworth, Indian, Upper ;

9,10,19,8 . . J

torrents of rain , river rising.

13

...

Sunday.

14

10

12,10,11,11,4,10,10,)

Belle, Shea, Indian, Connop,

10, 11,8. . . J

Upper; River rising.

15

17

11, 11, 10, 10, 11, 11, \

9, 6, 10, 11, 11, 11,
8, 11, 10, 10, 10 .)

Shea, Belle, Fall, Glassy, Upper.

16

5

9, 11, 11, 17, 9 . . .

Shea ; Storm and rain.

17

5

9, 12, 12, 10 10 . . .

Belle, Upper, Eagle.

18

8

12, 13,11, 11,4,4, 8,1

Upper, Eagle, Indian, Ha-

10 J

1 worth ; two Grilse.

Total number of fish 279

Total weight . . . .. .. .. . .3116 lbs.

Average weight Ill lbs.

272

SALMONIDiE.

Salmon taken with the Fly by Three Rods in the
River Godbout ,

During June and July, 1863.

NO. OF

•pT APP A V~n V & TTnvfl

FISH.

xLALL ADU UDOLiV V o.

June 8

1

8 lbs

Cayley’s Stone.

9

1

16

Sandbank.

10

2

8, 10

Bear and Camp.

11

1

9

Camp.

15

3

13, 9, 9

Bear and Glassy.

16

2

21, 10

Fall, Bear.

17

4

24, 12, 9, 9 ....

Eddy, Belle, Cayley.

18

8

11, 10, 10, 13, 13, 10,)

7, 10 J

Glassy, Belle.

19

2

9, 9

Camp, Glassy.

20

3

10, 11, 12

Camp, Cayley.

21

...

Sunday.

22

6

26, 18, 12, 12, 11, 12 .

Kate, Belle, Upper, Bear.

23

5

22,8,10,10,24 . .j

Belle, Glassy, Kate, Upper,
Cayley.

24

6

24, 12, 13, 12, 12, 11 .

Fall, Belle, Upper.

25

7

12, 12, 12, 14, 11, 11, 8

Cayley, Shea, Upper.

26

10

14, 12, 14, 9, 11, 9, 8,)

Doctor, Indian, Kate, Bear,

12, 10, 9 ... J

Cayley, Upper.

27

17

13, 12, 15, 12, 13, 12,)
11, 12, 24, 10, 9, 12. [
12,14,10,10,9 J

Kate, Belle, four in Haworth,
Upper.

28

...

Sunday.

29

12

12, 9, 13, 9, 10, 8, 10, |
11, 9, 9, 12, 8 . J

Upper, Shea, Haworth.

30

8

12, 11,9,8, 12, 10, 13,)
14 J

Belle, Upper, Haworth, Indian.

July 1

9

11, 12, 13, 12, 12, 11,)
11,13,11. . . J

Shea, Upper.

US.

7%

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

THE SALMON.

273

June and July, 1863 — continued .

WEIGHTS.

PLACE AND OBSERVATIONS.

12, 12, 24, 13, 10, 9, )
13, 12 lbs. . . . /

Indian, Upper.

12, 12, 10, 10, 11, 10, 10

Fall, Upper, Haworth.

12,11,9, 9, 10, 12, 10,)
10, 9, 8, 10, 12 . ./

Upper, BeHe, Shea.

Sunday.

11, 11, 10, 12, 8 . . .

Upper.

11, 10

Haworth, Upper.

Thunder and rain, fish

down.

13, 11, 13, 9, 9 . . .

Upper, Shea.

8, 12, 8

Indian, Upper.

4, 8, 10, 12, 14, 14, 10, |
10,9 )

Upper.

Sunday.

11, 10, 8, 11, 9, 12, 9 .

Upper, Haworth.

14, 10, 16, 12 . . . .

Upper,

Haworth, Indian, Shea.

7, 10, 12, 12 ... .

Haworth, Indian, Upper.

14, 12, 10

Upper, Belle.

6

Upper.

-

12, 8

Indian, Upper.

Sunday.

12, 7, 10

Upper ''I

10, 8

V

12, 9

V

•river rising.

10

Shea ,

13, 5, 21, 11, 4 . . .

Fall, Eddy, Haworth, Upper.

Sunday.

12
8 .

Shea.

Upper.

;al number of fish 194

;al weight 2,190 lbs.

erage weight llg lbs.

274

SALM0N1D/E.

Though similar lists might be multiplied to almost
any extent, the above are sufficient to illustrate the nature
of the sport, and with these practical results before one,
it is only necessary to add that equally good fishing is to
be had in many of the rivers before mentioned, and in
some of them even better; though much injury has been
caused in several instances by Yankees, who have been in
the habit of coming, as I am informed, regularly each
season, and setting their nets by force in preserved and
protected waters. In other waters equal injury has
been done by the Indians, whose inveterate habit of
leistering does incalculable mischief ; far more fish being
driven away by the blood-stained water than are mangled
by the cruel spear. No amount of supervision will
effectually prevent this practice, so long as these poachers
continue to find a ready sale for their fish among the
small traders in the remote districts.

The rivers on the southern shore cannot be better
described than in Mr. Nettle’s* own words.

“ Approaching the eastern shores and rivers of the
county of Rimouski, are the following rivers : the
Rimouski, which is formed by the confluence of two
tributaries, and is a river of considerable size ; the
Great and Little Metis, the Tartigo, Blanche, Matane,

* Nettle’s “ Fisheries of the St. Lawrence.”

THE SALMON.

275

and Chatte : all with extensive and valuable salmon
fisheries.

The whole of the Gaspe district is intersected by
numerous and splendid rivers, the principal of which are
the St. Anne, the Magdalene, York, St. John’s, Malbaie,
Grand Eiver, and the Great and Little Pabos. These
rivers receive many valuable tributaries, and are all
more or less noted for their vast quantities of fish, but
the fact of there being a direct steamboat communication
between Quebec and Gaspe causes rather too great an
influx of fishermen.

In the Bay of Chaleurs are the Grand Bonaventure,
the Great and Little Nouvelle, and the Great and Little
Cascapediac; and ascending the Restigouche — which is a
noble stream abounding with rapids and flowing for two
hundred miles through a beautiful and picturesque
country, — are the Matapediac, Patapediac, Mistouche,
and other tributaries on the Canadian side, which teem
with salmon. Formerly much larger fish were taken
than now. A few years ago a salmon was taken in this
district, measuring four feet eight inches in length.
Thirty and forty pounds was not an uncommon weight,
and instances have occurred of the capture of salmon
weighing sixty pounds. Now the average is from twelve
to fifteen pounds.”

Several of the tributary streams entering on the

t 2

276

SALMON ID,®.

opposite bank of this magnificent river abound equally
in salmon, but as the Restigouche is the boundary of
Canada, I must leave the rivers of New Brunswick to
others to describe.

The rivers and lakes of both provinces abound in a
Trout (Salmo fontinalis) so similar to the common trout
of our own streams, that I am rather inclined to consider
it a variety than specifically different.

They have been considered by some as a more inactive
fish, and as affording less sport to the angler than ours,
but the readiness with which they take the fly varies in
different streams, this propensity being, as is well known
to fishermen, as much affected by the nature of the
waters they frequent as their colour is. In very dark
still rivers they are often so sluggish that it is difficult
to induce them to rise; a sombre tinge also pervades
the body and their hues are wanting in brilliancy.
In other streams, which, though equally dark, are rapid,
the fish, while retaining the same dull appearance, are
more lively; but in clear pebbly, sunny, swift rivers,
especially if affording abundance of insect food, they
combine the most brilliant hues and silvery brightness
with the highest degree of activity.

It is well known in Scotland that moss-water dulls
and deepens the tints, as in the so-called “ bog-trout;” and
the following instance mentioned by Lord Home shows

THE COMMON TROUT.

277

that one and the same fish may go through all these
changes of appearance in succession, according to the
water it inhabits at the time. He says, “when fishing
in the height of the season for trout in the Tweed, it has
often happened, that out of two or three dozen I have
caught, there should be five or six, differing not only
from the common trout, but from each other. These
trout come down into the Tweed during winter and
spring floods from its different feeders, viz., the Ettrick,
Yarrow, Jed, Trale, Eden, Leet, &c., all differing com-
pletely from each other. These trout retain enough of
their original appearance to distinguish them from Tweed
trout, but after a few months’ stay they gradually lose
their original marks, and excellence of flavour, and
become like the common Tweed trout in every respect.
There can be no doubt that the nature of the soil through
which the different streams flow is the cause of the dif-
ference of appearance, not only as to colour and size, but
also particularly in the superior excellence of their flesh
to that of the Tweed trout. I have also ascertained that
the Tweed trout after having been a month or two in the
Leet change their colour and assume the appearance of
those of the Leet; while again, not only the Leet trout,
but those of the other small burns, soon lose their beauty
and other good qualities after they have been any time in
the Tweed. I may mention that the food in the two little

278

SALM0NID2E.

rivers Leet and Eden afforded the trout, is in my opinion
the principal cause of their superior size and excellence.
This food consists of small shells, cadis-bait, and clouds
of flies;’

These chameleon-like transformations are not, how-
ever, always so rapid as in the above cases: in many
waters the change is much more gradual. Sir Humphrey
Davy, for example, in his “Salmonia,” mentions an
instance in which trout, from a lake in Scotland, remark-
able for their deep red flesh, being introduced into
another lake where the trout had only white flesh, retained
their peculiar redness for many years. They appear to
have all associated together in spawning in the burn which
fed the lake, those newly introduced being easily known
by their darker backs and brighter sides ; but by degrees,
from the influence of food and other causes, the change
gradually commenced, the young fry of the imported
variety were less red in flesh than the parent fish, but
not till about twenty years had elapsed was the variety
entirely lost. Similar variations and changes are inci-
dental to trout in every part of the world where they
are known, and those of Canada are no exception to
the rule.

The spawning time, though varying a little between
the extremes of the two Provinces, is about September,
and the young fry make their appearance in the shallows

THE COMMON TROUT.

279

and smaller streams in early spring. The fishing season
also differs in the two Provinces, extending from the 1st
of April to the 20th of October in the Upper, and from
the 1st of February to the 20th of October in the Lower.
The height of the season is from the latter end of May to
the end of J une ; during this period too the trout are in
their finest condition.

Their usual run is from two or three ounces to two
pounds, size depending always less on age than on
the abundance and nature of their food. In respect to
the latter point, the most fattening is undoubtedly flies :
a fact which has been satisfactorily proved by an interest-
ing series of experiments made for the purpose of testing
their nutritious effect as compared with that of worms,
minnows, and other objects.

The minnow is commonly considered the most
successful bait in the earlier months of the season,
though the fly is the best later. In the beginning of
May there is such an extraordinary visitation of insect
life on the surface of almost every water, that for the
short period during which it lasts no fish will look at an
artificial fly. These May flies, if not identical with ours —
a point which I regret I did not investigate at the time, —
very much resemble them, and alight in such myriads on
the water, that it is often literally kept in continual
agitation by the rising fish.

280

SALMONIDiE.

Whilst the trout is one of the most voracious it is also
one of the most cunning and wary of all fish. In the
nature and quality of its food it is far less particular than
the pike, but at the same time its extreme caution and its
wonderful keenness of sight demand the utmost craft and
address of the angler: a fact which applies in no less
a degree to bait fishing.

Warm and rather dull weather is undoubtedly the
most favourable, and the fish appear to take more freely
during the forenoon than later in the day. In the very
hot weather trout do not rise freely, except in the early
hours of the morning, though they will occasionally take
again in the evening; but by far the best time is from
daylight to about 7 a.m.

The trout in Canada enjoys all but complete immunity
from the deadliest of the visitations incident to fish life,
namely, the ruthless net; for except only in that part of
the river St. Lawrence which flows through the Lower
Province, it is unlawful to fish for them at any time of
the year with any kind of net whatever.

With regard to the flies best adapted for trout fishing
in Canada, it is impossible with so great a variety of
streams — some clear as crystal, others darkly coloured,
some still and deep, others again swift and shallow — to
name particular flies applicable to all, but as a broad
general rule, black and red hackles, arid middle-sized

THE COMMON TROUT.

281

hooks (1 to 12 Limerick) may be used for both lake and
river. The following list by the Superintendent of the
Lower Province Fisheries may be considered superior to
most, having been selected by so excellent a practical
fisher, and tested in the waters of both Provinces.

1. The red-hackle and red-palmer ; these are flies
that invariably kill in the early seasons.

2. The Dun fly — bittern wing, brown body, and red
hackle, tinsel gold.

3. Brown fly, for June — English partridge wing;
body brown mohair ; red hackle, twist of green peacock’s
herl.

4. Grey-drake-wing, black body and hackle, with
silver tinsel.

5. The Orange-dun — starling’s wing; body, squirrel’s
fur ; red hackle, and gold tinsel.

6. Black-ant — light coloured wing; ostrich black
herl ; black hackle, twist of peacock’s green herl.

7. English partridge wing ; fur of hare’s ear for body ;
dirty red hackle, silver tinsel ; antennas, partridge wing
fibres.

8. Blue-bottle — pale wings; body, of peacock’s green
and copper herl mixed ; hackle, black.

9. Guinea-fowl wing ; blue body, black hackle, and
silver tinsel.

10. Green- drake — mallard’s mottled wing, stained

282

SALMONID.E.

olive; head and tail, coppery peacock’s herl; body,
yellow floss silk, ribbed with brown ; antennae, rabbit’s
whiskers.

11. Grey -drake — mallard’s mottled feathers, to stand
upright ; body, white floss silk, ribbed with brown ;
antennae, rabbit’s whiskers.

12. Partridge- wing ; body, of peacock’s green and
coppery herl mixed ; red hackle ; antennae, red hackle
fibres.

13. Grouse -wing; body, claret, pig’s down, red
hackle, gold tinsel (a deadly killer).

All these, as well as the before-mentioned salmon
flies, may be obtained of Mr. Farlow, 191, Strand.

As to the best trouting waters, it is only possible,
where a fish is so widely distributed, to mention a few of
the chief, leaving of necessity a vast number of excellent
streams unnoticed. All, be it remembered, are deserted
in the winter, at which season the trout resort to the
deep water of the lakes.

In the Western Province, the Sault Ste. Marie, on the
outlet of Lake Superior, affords a plentiful supply of trout,
and excellent sport, while the surrounding scenery, with
its foaming rapids and beautifully wooded islands, is
most romantic. The angler will find the village on the
American side a convenient resting place, and may easily
kill here two or three dozen fair sized fish in the course

THE COMMON TROUT.

288

of a morning. In fact, all the rivers of Lake Superior
swarm with trout.

The Manitoulin Isles, on the broad expanse of Lake
Huron, themselves contain many small lakelets, most of
which are stocked with trout, and in the principal lake,
as well as in the rivers on the largest island of the group,
they are very abundant. The Manitoulins, which are
exclusively inhabited by Indians, may be reached from
Penetanguishene, and are well worth visiting.

The Upper St. Lawrence also affords fair trouting.
No way inferior is the Upper Ottawa already de-
scribed, and indeed the whole course of that beautiful
river ; also the Gatineau and its tributaries.

In Lake St. Philip a party of three of the Rifle
Brigade, from Quebec, last year took upwards of 700
trout with the fly in fourteen hours’ fishing. The
greatest abundance of fine trout is met with in the upper
part of the Montmorenci, a river renowned both for its
splendid cataract and picturesque scenery.

With the exception of the drive to Jacques Cartier,
I know few more agreeable than that from Quebec to the
Falls of Montmorenci in one of those antique and most
comfortable vehicles called a u calashe.”

After leaving the steep and narrow streets, with their
lofty rows of quaint old houses, the road is shaded by fine
trees, and affords at many points beautiful views of the

284

SALMONIDiE.

noble river covered with shipping ; the purple mountains,
and the distant sea. The constant “ Hi dories' and
sacres of the driver ; the priests and nuns moving
in all directions; and the ever-recurring Virgin Marys
and shrines by the wayside, are suggestive of Southern
Europe; while the wooden houses and bright tin roofs,
the rough snake-fences, and towering hickories are
forcible reminders of America.

The Montmorenci Fall is one unbroken sheet of water,
higher than that of Niagara, and is lost in a cloud of
spray, which far below the feet of the spectator is
spanned by a rainbow down among the sparkling trees
that spring from the clefts of the rocks. The dark
eddying pool into which one looks, is covered with what
appear from the height to be sticks or straws spinning on
the boiling surface, but are in reality large pine trees
which have been carried over the cataract.

There is abundance of trout fishing in every direction
within a few miles of Quebec, as the following list taken from
Mr. Nettled* description of the lakes and rivers affording
this sport will show: “ Lake St. Joseph, Lake St. Charles,
Lake Laurent, Lake Joan, Lake McKenzie, Lake Beaufort,
Lac Sagamite, and other less important lakes ; rivers St.
Charles, Joan, St. Pierre, and many inferior streams.

# Fisheries of the St. Lawrence.

THE COMMON TROUT.

285

Lake St. Joseph, distant about twenty miles from
Quebec, is a most magnificent sheet of water, and has
excellent fishing for both trout and basse; the trout
fishing in June and July. The other lakes abound in
trout, but those that are nearer to Quebec have been
much injured by fishing during spawning time.

Lake St. Charles has long been famous for affording
splendid sport. This lake is in shape like an hour-glass,
narrowing at the centre; immense fish are occasionally
taken in it, though formerly they were much more
abundant. The Narrows is a favourite spot for fishing.
At the head of the lake there is a different species of
trout caught — called the Silver- trout — owing their pecu-
liarity solely, I believe, to the existence of fine sand
banks in that locality. Some persons prefer fishing in
the lower lake. The large fish are generally taken at
day-break with bait lines.

Lake Beaufort is my favourite lake, and here the
finest fish in Canada are taken. In shape, colour, and
flavour no other trout can equal them. It is indeed a
fairy spot, embosomed on all sides by woods, with here
and there a farm. I can conceive no -enjoyment equal to
a day or two spent in the month of July at this lovely
place. I consider one Lake Beaufort trout to be worth
half-a-dozen from any other lake, and any evening in
the months of June, July, or August, you may chance to

286

SALMONID^E.

get some very good sport. The green drake is the fly for
this lake in July, though I have killed some fine fish with
the black fly, the body tipped with red or yellow ; and
with the yellow wing, with brown body and red hackle.’’
The river Etchemin, on the southern shore of the
Gulf, and the lake of the same name, from which it issues,
afford excellent trout fishing. Also on the northern shore
the inlets of the Saguenay, and the small river, the name
of which I have forgotten, which debouches close to the
mouth of the Moisie, abound in very large trout : instances
which might be multiplied to almost any extent. Col.
Drummond Hay, with one friend, killed a little above
the fishing station of Coudre, on the Moisie, in nineteen
days, 200 dozen of trout, weighing 3,800 lbs. ; one of the
days producing no less than 226 fish, the weight of
which amounted to 390 J lbs. The greater part of these
fish were 3 lbs. and 3 Jibs, weight, and a few weighed
4J lbs. A letter which I have just received from
Quebec reports an excursion to Snow Lake, fifty miles
from that city, on which occasion two rods alone killed in
seven days about 90 fish, lake trout and speckled trout,
twenty of which weighed from 7 to 12 lbs. each, and
one 14 lbs., the majority being from 2 to 4 lbs. They
were taken with the minnow, through holes in the ice ;
the larger ones were almost as black as ink on the back,
being bronzed and speckled on the sides, and very fat.

THE LAKE TROUT.

287

The Common Lake Trout ( Salmo confinis ), which
inhabits the deepest waters of the Great Lakes, is the
least to be commended of all the Salmonidae, and is indeed
an unworthy member of the family to which it belongs,
never taking the fly, and even when hooked with the
minnow, or a bait of fat pork, ignominiously allowing
itself to be hauled passively into the boat. The flesh, too,
which is of a dirty yellow tinge, is poor and tasteless.
To complete its list of bad qualities, it is a voracious
destroyer of the young of the Coregonus albus ; pamper-
ing its own worthless carcase with the most delicious
and valuable fish of the Lakes.

It is dark coloured, mottled over with greyish spots,
and is rather broad in proportion to its length ; it com-
monly averages from eight to nine pounds in weight,
though I have seen cuts on the table, at Toronto, which
must have come from fish of far larger size. Fish of five
pounds’ weight up to fifteen may be caught with “the
spoon” in Lake Superior almost as fast as they can be pulled
out. In winter they are caught weighing as much as sixty
pounds, in some of the Lakes, through a hole cut in the ice.

There are several varieties of Lake trout, though
very similar to one another in habit and qualities; the
Mackinaw-trout ( Salmo amethystus ) being the chief in
point of excellence as it is in size; attaining frequently
enormous proportions.

288

SALM0N1D,E.

Though unknown in either Erie or Ontario, it is
found in all the great lakes lying north of them, and is
most abundant near the outlet of Lake Superior. Ex-
cepting in the autumn, when it resorts to shallow water
for the purpose of spawning, it inhabits only the deepest
parts of these immense reservoirs.

The flesh is red, and very superior to that of the
common Lake-trout, though by no means equal to
either sea-trout or salmon.

The Mackinaw-trout will not look at the fly, indeed
living at such a depth he is not very likely to see it, and
“ the spoon” is the only certain attraction. This fish
is not always proof against a well-played minnow; but
as a rule, does not take any bait very readily. The
only successful mode of fishing for it is from a boat,
which must be rowed very gently through the water.

The Sea- trout ( Salrno trutta marina ), in all respects
precisely similar to that of our own waters, and like it
called indiscriminately Salmon-trout, White-trout, or
Sea-trout, is found plentifully in most of the bays and
salmon streams below Quebec, and often in extraor-
dinary abundance. In the Ste. Marguerite, already
spoken of as a tributary of the Saguenay, in the Port-
neuf, the Netagamu, and the mouth of the Manitou-
river, on the northern shore of the St. Lawrence; in the
Mount Lewis river on the southern ; in the rivers flow-

THE TROUT.

289

ing into Gaspe Bay and the Bay of Chaleurs; in the
Tartigo, Blanche, Matanne, Chatte, and in many others,
they are abundant, weighing from four to seven pounds.
The angler can hardly fail in obtaining magnificent
sport in any of them from the commencement of the
season, and indeed until the salmon fishing begins he
need not wish for better. Mr. Nettle in four hours’
fishing has taken from 150 to 200 lbs. weight of Sea-
trout, averaging from one to five pounds each.

They may be fished for from the 1st of February
to the 15th of November, and will take freely most
of the bright medium-sized or smaller salmon flies; too
freely indeed for salmon-fishers, who often find their
sport interfered with by them. A scarlet fly is in high
estimation at Quebec, and may be got at any of the
tackle shops there, which for the bays and salt water
is the best that can be used. The body is of scarlet
wool, ribbed with gold tinsel, and the wings of scarlet
ibis feather. In the brackish water within the rivers,
and as far up as the tide extends, there is nothing better
than a yellow or bright brown salmon-fly, though the
two following are much used: — 1. Body, red mohair,
claret hackle ; tail of claret hackle, with gold tip ; wings,
blue-jay wing feathers. 2. Body of green silk, ribbed
with gold; dark or pale green hackle; hook No. 4.

By far the most favourable time is when the tide is

u

290

SALM0NIDJ3.

at the flow; it is then easy to capture a basketful
of these handsome and delicious fish, which, averaging
three pounds in weight, and not unfrequently running
up to seven, afford no inconsiderable sport.

They feed on small fry, minnows, and shrimps, the
latter forming in spring a large portion of their daily
food, and contributing no doubt in a great measure to
the fine flavour of the flesh, which is very firm and pink,
and thickly curded. In the month of June, when they
are in their best condition, the flesh is not to be dis-
tinguished from the very best salmon.

The Salmon-trout is an exceedingly handsome fish,
partaking, as its name indicates, of the qualities and ap-
pearance of these two different members of the same family.
According to Yarrell, the gill cover is intermediate in
its form between that of the salmon and the grey trout.
The back is a dark bluish tint, and the sides and belly
are of a silvery brightness, only to be compared to that
of the salmon, but beautifully marked with bright scarlet
and pale yellow spots, the fins being of a lighter colour
than those of the salmon. In the smaller fish the tail
is forked, but in those of three years old and upward
it is square.

The White-Fish ( Coregorms albus ), though a beauti-
ful fish, is unfortunately very deficient in those game-
like qualities so essential in the eyes of the angler, rarely

WHITE-FISH. ( Corejforwus : <xM?~

THE WHITE-FISH.

291

rising to the fly, and caring little for any bait ; but it de-
mands more than a mere passing notice, on account
of its delicious flavour, its importance as an article of
food, and its commercial value, in a trade the importance
of which can only be estimated by a perusal of the
official returns. That for 1860, for instance, gives 50,000/.
sterling as the value of the White-fish alone, which passed
through the Customs for exportation from a few fishing
stations on Detroit river and Lake Erie, to say nothing
of the enormous quantity consumed in the country, to
which I shall refer presently.

The White-fish, which is peculiar to North America,
is of a pure bright pearly hue, without spot or mark, the
upper part of the back only, being of a slightly darker
tinge. It is in form and general outline very like a
grilse, only that the snout is more obtuse. Its ordinary
weight is from two to four pounds; but in some of the
more northern lakes, in the colder water of which it seems
to thrive better, five and even eight pounds is not an
uncommon weight.

It is not only gregarious, but swims in immense
shoals, and is strictly speaking a lake fish. It sometimes
enters the rivers in autumn, generally in October, for the
purpose of spawning, but perhaps more frequently deposits
its ova on the gravelly shallows of the lakes, in either case
immediately afterwards returning to the deep water.

u 2

292

SALMONIDiE.

It has been erroneously asserted that the White-fish
is only found in the Lakes above the Falls, but it hardly
requires my testimony to having seen them taken with
the seine-net by hundreds in Lake Ontario, and having
eaten them fresh from its waters month after month.
This Lake in fact ranks among the most productive
of these fisheries, as already shown in a former chapter,
in which it was stated that no less than 47,000 White-
fish were on one occasion taken at a single haul.

When it is remembered that it thus abounds through-
out the whole chain of lakes as far as Lake Winnipeg,
penetrating also to the mouths of the rivers emptying
themselves into the Arctic Sea, its importance may be
duly appreciated. Great quantities are taken at the
Rapids of Sault Ste. Marie, until lately a fishery of the
Chippeways, who in their frail canoes ran the fall, which
is about eighteen feet high, and in the eddies at its
foot took the fish in scoop nets ; but now, as Mr. Catlin
says, “it has been found by money-making men to be
too valuable a spot for the exclusive occupancy of the
savage, like hundreds of others. The poor Indian is styled
an intruder, and his timid bark is seen dodging about
in the coves for a scanty subsistence, whilst he scans
with envy the insatiable white man filling his barrels
and boats, and sending them to market to be converted
into money.” These scoop-nets are unfortunately still

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y

THE WHITE-EISH.

293

in use, and according to the evidence of the Overseer
of Fisheries for Lakes Huron and Superior, two men
in a canoe, with poles and one scoop-net, can during the
season catch two barrels of White-fish per day; the
average value of each barrel being about $10.

The food of the White-fish is stated by a Canadian
gentleman, whose authority I do not presume to question,
to be entirely vegetable, and to consist mainly of an
aquatic moss and of a species of Alga conferva , with
which a considerable tract of the bottom of some of the
lakes is covered, intermediately between the shallows
and deep water. It is believed by others to feed largely
on an aquatic worm about an inch and a quarter in
length, which is found in immense numbers in places
where shoals of White-fish appear ; numbers of these
worms, which are also found in the stomach of the fish,
are brought up adhering to the nets, from which circum-
stance it would appear as if they swTam in mid-water, and
in shoals. But from personal examination of the contents
of the stomachs of different specimens, and from inquiry
made of Ontario fishermen, I incline to believe that its
chief subsistence is on molluscse of various kinds.

As an article of food the White-fish is invaluable.
Up country it affords the chief sustenance of hosts of
Indians, squatters, fur- traders, and voyageurs, who without
this inexhaustible resource would be unable to remain

294

SALMONHLE.

in districts where they now live in comfort and plenty.
Owing also to its peculiarly delicate, gelatinous, and
nutritious qualities, its constant use is not productive of
the distaste or dislike which under similar circumstances
would no doubt be produced by almost any other con-
tinuous diet. Settlers and travellers always before accus-
tomed to a variety of food, have lived on this solely, for
twelve months together without tiring of it, and have
declared themselves able to stand more fatigue than when
living on flesh.

Were it possible to introduce this fish into some
of our larger Scottish Lakes, and find suitable sub-
sistence for it, it would indeed be an acquisition to our
waters.

A fish of another family, which is exceedingly abun-
dant in the Upper Lakes, and is becoming in many
other parts of the country, is the so-called u Lake-
herring,” otherwise Shiner, Moon-eye, or Shad-waiter.
Yet beyond the fact of its great abundance, its readiness
to take any bait, at almost any season or hour, and its
very close resemblance in general appearance to the
common herring, less is perhaps really known about it
than of many other less common kinds.

It would be difficult to persuade most of those who
know the fish by sight that it is not a herring; and the
few who have troubled themselves at all with any inquiry

THE “ HERRING SALMON.” 295

as to its family and genus will probably tell you that it is
a Hyodon, quoting Cuvier as their authority.

It is true that the Hyodons have the form of the
herring; and that the above naturalist describes under
the name of Hyodon claudalus the Lake-herring, Shiner,
or Moon-eye. It is, however, not the least of the dis-
advantages and inconveniences arising from the use of
such local names, which are generally bestowed in the
first instance by fishermen, farmers, and uneducated
persons, that they are applied to more than one object,
as in this instance, where the fish named by some local
authority to Cuvier as the Lake-herring, &c., is of a
totally different family to the Lake-herring of which we
are treating, and which is generally known as such.

The absence of teeth (exceedingly abundant in the
Hyodontidce ), and the presence of the adipose fin in this
fish, place it among the Coregoni , and I believe it to be
the C. Clupeiformis described by Cuvier under the local
name of “Herring Salmon.” He says:* “Cette espece,
tr&s commune en Amerique, a re£u, comme la plupart des
poissons qui sont observes successivement par plusieurs
naturalistes, plusieurs noms. Les riverains du lac
l’appellent ‘Herring Salmon;’ on voit par consequent,
que les pecheurs des differentes contr^es du globe ont

# Cuv. et Yal. Poiss., tom. xxi. Paris.

296

SALMON IBM.

tous 6te frapp6s de la ressemblance qui existe entre ce
poisson et le hareng, non seulement dans leurs formes, mais
dans les habitudes de se reunir en bandes considerables.”

This latter propensity is frequently the cause of
embarrassment and annoyance to the angler, from the
greediness with which they seize the bait intended for
fish better worth taking.

When fishing for Basse in Lake Ontario, either with
the fly or minnow, but especially with the latter, I have
been constantly engaged in taking “ Lake-herrings” off my
hook, and replacing the bait, and when unlucky enough
to fall in with a shoal of these fish, it was difficult to
get a chance of hooking anything else.

A Lake-herring just caught, cut into portions and
used as a bait, was instantly darted at by the shoal of
which it had a moment before formed a part. It is in
fact one of the best baits that can be used. These fish,
though good enough when freshly caught, are not much
esteemed, and are not preserved to any extent, the few
that are annually dried being chiefly for local con-
sumption.

With the exception of the above-mentioned two
characteristics, the appearance and size of this fish are,
as already stated, so similar to that of the common
herring that it is unnecessary further to describe it.

Though a few years ago confined to the Great Lakes

THE HERRING SALMON.

297

and Upper St. Lawrence, the “ Lake-herring, ” like
several other fish, has latterly become more widely dis-
tributed by means of the canals, and is now found in
parts of the country in which it was previously unknown.

THE CEDAE EAPIES.

CHAPTER XI.

Iltatatoptcri — continued.

THE CANADIAN SHAD COMPARED WITH THAT OF EUROPE — EXCELLENCE

OF ITS FLESH CONFINED TO LOWER ST. LAWRENCE ITS SIZE AND

APPEARANCE — THE PIKE SPECIFICALLY IDENTICAL WITH OURS

NATIVE OF NORTH AMERICA — WIDELY DISTRIBUTED — METHODS OF

TROLLING — HABITS OF PIKE THEIR PRESENCE IN ISOLATED WATERS

— THE MASQ’ALLONGE — DERIVATION OF NAME — RESEMBLANCE TO THE
PIKE — ITS ENORMOUS SIZE — HABITS — CAPTURE OF — WATERS IN-
HABITED BY — THE CARP THE CHUB THE AMERICAN BREAM THE

DACE OR “SHINER” — THE ROACH — THE SUCKER — THE CAT-FISH —
ITS UGLY APPEARANCE.

CHAPTER XI.

Jibhaminaleg — continued .

fTIHE Canadian Shad ( Alosa prcestabilis) differs mate-
rially from our fish of the same name, and is much
larger. In shape and appearance it resembles both the
bream and the herring, being of a somewhat oval form
and having large silvery scales. Its average weight is
from 2 to 4 lbs., and though rather bony it is an excellent
and delicately flavoured fish, especially when freshly taken.
It is cured in large quantities, and the roe is preserved as
a bait for other fish, for which purpose it is in high repute.

The Shad is said to take readily almost any bright
fly in the months of April and May, but I think this is
an error; they are seldom taken with the rod, and can
barely be classed among the game fish of the country,
for they are chiefly taken in “ brush fisheries.”

They leave the salt water and ascend the rivers in
spring for the purpose of spawning, and at that time are
abundant in the lower St. Lawrence, though not found
higher up than the mouth of the Ottawa, and even at
that point only in small numbers.

302

CLUPEID^.

The common herring,* generally called in Canada
the Gulf Herring and Labrador Herring, constitutes one
of the most important articles of commerce in the
country, and therefore demands a passing notice, though
not included in the category of either game or fresh-
water fish. They generally appear on the coast in
October, at which time they leave the depths of the
northern seas, in large shoals, for the purpose of de-
positing their spawn ; the increased temperature obtained
in the shallower waters being a necessary condition to its
coming to maturity. These shoals are often miles in
extent, and from two to three feet in depth. Having
spawned, they retire to deep water again, and the fishing
ends for the season.

For the encouragement and development of the
herring and other fisheries, Canadian owners of Canadian
built vessels employed therein, are, under certain other
conditions, entitled to a bounty of so many dollars a
month per ton.

The trade in these fish is immense, but might be
even more considerable than it is, were greater care
exercised in their curing than is sometimes the
case.

The common Pike of Canada (Esox Lucius) is pro-

* Harengus marina.

THE PIKE.

303

nounced by Cuvier to be specifically tbe same as the
European one.

The Pike is one of the native fish of North America,
which country has been not inaptly termed the head-
quarters of the family, for while we in Europe have
only one species, it has several, and among them one that
may well be called the chief of the clan, and of which I
shall speak presently.

The common Pike abounds in all the waters of
Canada from east to west, and many have supposed
from its identity with ours, that the latter, which is
an importation into Britain from some other country,
may have been brought over from Canada; but Yarrell
tells us that pike are mentioned in an Act of the sixth
year of the reign of Eichard the Second, viz., in 1382,
or long before North America was even discovered. It
is, I think, more likely that our fish originally came
from Germany.

Though spread over a very large area of the globe,
being it is said geographically distributed with the spruce-
fir, the pike undoubtedly arrives at its greatest perfec-
tion in the cooler regions. Its average weight in Canada
is from five pounds to ten pounds in ponds and rivers,
but in the Great Lakes it often attains a much more
considerable size, possessing also when taken from these
clear and beautiful waters the advantage of being per-

304

ESOCIDiE.

fectly free from the earthy taste which is in general so
great a drawback to its flavour.

August, September, and October are the best months
for trolling, as the pike are then in first-rate condition,
and take most freely ; for though they may be captured
with the natural bait throughout the summer, either
morning or evening, and if the sky is at all cloudy at
almost any hour of the day, they are generally lazy and
indifferent to food in hot weather, and not easily moved.
In winter they will take readily any ordinary bait
dropped through a hole cut in the ice, darting on it at
once, from beneath the overhanging stones and stumps
to which they retire at that season.

On the lakes it is best to fish from a boat, which
should be stationed over the weed-grown bottom of
some quiet bend or inlet where there is no current, and
where the surface of the water is comparatively smooth.
The boat should not be too close to the shore, and the
greater the length of line the better consistently with
convenience in casting the bait, which it is hardly neces-
sary to remark cannot be too lightly dropped into the
water. The best sized hook is No. 5 salmon hook. In
river trolling, where slow running streams are bordered
by reeds, or covered with patches of surface weed, it is
better to fish from the bank.

During the Fall pike appear generally to prefer

THE PIKE.

305

deeper water than in summer, at which season they
frequent the middle depths or bask in the sun under
floating water-plants. Though the pike is not gregarious,
yet where one is taken others will always be found in
the same neighbourhood, and the troller should by no
means abandon his ground under the impression, which
is a very common one, that it is a solitary fish : an error
first propagated by Isaak Walton, who says, “ the Pike
is observed to be a solitary, melancholy, and a bold fish :
melancholy because he always swims or rests himself
alone, and never swims in shoals or with company, as
roach, and dace, and most other fish do; and bold be-
cause he fears not a shadow, or to see or to be seen of
anybody, as the trout, and chub, and all other fish do.”

Yarrell however, mentions the fact of an annual
migration of this fish taking place in spring in the Cam,
into which river he says “ they come in great shoals,
doubtless, from the fens in the neighbourhood of Ely,
where they are bred.” I have myself often seen pike in
company ; and it almost invariably occurs that when one
is taken from a hole he is succeeded at once by another.

The most successful lure, when it can be procured,
is the u pickerel frog,” a small and singularly marked
creature. A minnow, or a small “lake-herring,” bream,
or any other similar fish will however always answer.
Artificial bait or flies seldom attract, and the angler

x

306

ESOCID2E.

need not waste his time or patience in experimenting
with them.

A large pike will frequently run the whole line off
the reel, darting away with a strength and velocity which
call into play all the skill of the angler, "who should he
provided with a good rod with a stiff top, and plenty of
strong silk line, the nature of his other tackle being
matter of choice and preference, though gorge-tackle is
undoubtedly the most simple and efficacious.

Pike are also taken in other ways, as by spear-
ing, which in winter is effected through a hole cut
in the ice, to which the fish are attracted by bait ; and
in summer by torchlight from a canoe or a scow , and by
other means even more uninteresting to the sportsman.

Though the finest pike are found in the Great Lakes
and in the St. Lawrence, some one or other of the various
species belonging to North America, exist in almost every
stream and pool throughout the country. All these are
indiscriminately called “ Pickerel/’ and are popularly sup-
posed to be one and the same fish at different stages of
growth. The distinctions between them however are not
sufficiently important to render any separate description
necessary. I have thought it more desirable to notice
the abundance of the Common Pike (L. Lucius ), as its
existence in North America has been denied by more
than one writer.

THE MASQ’aLLONGE.

307

The small lakes on the Manitoulin Islands contain
many large pike ; and in the lagoon on the shore of Lake
Ontario, before alluded to as the resort of wild ducks,
I have frequently seen large ones sunning themselves;
but in this place they are not easily tempted by any
bait, probably on account of food being so plentiful, for
the water literally swarmed with frogs and young fish.

It is not easy to account for the presence of pike in
many of these isolated pools and small lakes, where, as
in the case of this lagoon, there is no stream whatever
flowing into or out of it. Yet it is conceivable that in
some instances by ordinary causes, such as floods or the
alteration of land level, fish may have found their way
into such places, without jour supposing with Gessner
that they are bred from aquatic plants by help of the
sun’s heat!

One of the most remarkable inhabitants of the Great
Lakes belongs to this family, namely, the celebrated
Masq’ allonge ( Esox estor of Cuvier) generally but erro-
neously called Maskinonge, Mascalonge, Muskalinge, Mas-
kalunge, and other barbarous corruptions of two simple
French words, signifying “ long face.”

It bears a very strong resemblance to the foregoing,
though on examination several specific differences are to
be observed in addition to the very obvious ones of its far
greater size, and the deepness of the body in proportion

x 2

308

esocidje.

to its length. Its habits are nearly identical with those
of the pike, though it is very seldom if ever to be seen
basking, and appears generally to inhabit only the deepest
waters.

The back is of a very dark and somewhat greenish
hue, and the under parts of a beautiful silver-grey,
the two colours meeting and blending together on the
sides, which are marked with a few irregular patches.
The scales are very small and extend over, and cover
the cheeks.

Masq’allonge of twenty pounds weight are common,
and instances are recorded in which they have been
captured with the rod as heavy as sixty and even
seventy pounds. The voracity of these monsters appears
to be proportionately enormous, for it is no uncommon
occurrence to find fish of several pounds weight in the
stomach.

The sport afforded by the capture of such leviathans
may be easily imagined, and as they are neither rare
to find nor difficult to tempt if properly dealt with,
masq’allonge trolling may lay claim to considerable
attractions.

According to the provisions of the Canadian Fishery
Act it is unlawful to take them between the 15th of
March and the 15th of May, but they may be fished
for at any other time of the year.

g gi' q.qsyo-er a; -5? 1 uo-p-uoi

the masq’ allonge. 309

The natural bait is not often found to answer, perhaps
from the insignificance of the size ordinarily employed,
and the fly is never successful ; in fact, as may be
supposed, it would be quite useless to try it with a fish
habitually keeping at so great a depth. The usual and
most deadly lure is the aspoon,” which, though resembling
nothing in nature, and devoid of taste or smell, appears,
for what reason it is difficult to imagine, to be perfectly
irresistible to this as well as to many other fish. This
attractive instrument, which is simply a piece of brass
or other bright metal shaped like the bowl of a spoon,
with a large hook fixed on it, is made to spin by
means of the swivel, in the same manner as the
minnow in ordinary trolling. The angler, provided
with this simple and enduring bait, with a stout rod and
very strong tackle, is pulled gently and slowly along in
a scow over the weedy depths of the lake, having out
sufficient length of line to keep his hook as far as possible
away from the oars or paddle, which are otherwise apt to
scare away the fish.

In this way Masq’allonge of 30 or 40 lbs. may often
be taken, not of course so plentifully as trout or salmon,
yet the amount of time and excitement involved in a
single capture is almost equal to an ordinary day’s fishing.
I do not of course allude in any way to the practice of
affixing the bait, as is sometimes done, to a sea-line or

310

CYPRINIDiE.

stout cord wound round the wrist, and so hauling in the
fish by main strength : an uninteresting and unsportsman-
like business of two or three minutes.

Masq’ allonge inhabit chiefly the “ Great Lakes,” pro-
perly so called; but abound in the Upper St. Lawrence,
especially in the quiet and less frequented channels of
the Thousand Isles, in Rice Lake and Clear Lake
north-west of Kingston, in the Ottawa, Gatineau, and
in many other waters.

The common Carp ( Cyprinus carpis) is found in
most of the lakes and rivers throughout Canada. The
Chub ( Cyprinus cephalus ) is common, as is also the
Bream ( Abramis versicolor ), which I have killed on the
Niagara River and creeks, with the worm, a bait they
take readily. The Dace ( Leuciscus argeniatus ), which,
in common with one or two other fish, as already men-
tioned, goes by the name of the “ Shiner,” and the Roach
(Leuciscus rutilus), are also abundant, all the above differ-
ing very slightly, if at all, from those of Britain.

Unimportant, and generally despised as these minor
fish are in Canada, where there are so many far superior
ones, some of my old comrades who may read these pages
will recal the amusement, rather than sport, that they
afforded us on various perch-fishing expeditions. How,
when our horses were unsaddled and picketed, and a fire
lighted at the water’s edge, we commenced to pull out

COMMON FISH.

311

first one kind and then another as fast as the most
unreasonable angler could wish ; and how, as they were
caught they were split open, fried on the wood- ashes,
and eaten with a relish which their own merits never
deserved.

A very common and inferior fish, belonging also to
the Cyprinidce is the Sucker ( Catostomus communis ), the
body of which is from eight to twelve inches in length,
rounded and tapering, the colour varying at different
seasons. The head is smooth, and the mouth protracted
in order to enable it to grovel in the sand, where it is
very destructive to the ova of other fish.

A frequent source of annoyance to the angler for
pike and basse is the Cat-fish ( Silurus pimelodns ), which
is continually taking his bait. This is an ugly looking
ill-shaped fish, covered with a greenish yellow skin devoid
of scales ; about the mouth are some six or eight fleshy
horns or filaments, from one to two inches or more in
length, according to the size of the fish. These probably
serve the purpose of feelers, for I have more than once
observed the fish in shallow water swimming round a bait
at the full extent of these tentacles, and suspiciously
touching it with them before, venturing nearer. This
reconnoissance however, if such it be, does not appear to
avail them much, for there is no fish more easily taken.

They are of all sizes, from the length of a finger to

312

SILTJRIDiE.

that of an arm ; very large ones are sometimes brought up
in the lakes by the fishermen’s nets, for they keep mostly
at the bottom, being what is termed a “ ground fish.’’
They are said only to leave their depths when boisterous
weather is impending, a curious instinct causing them to
approach the surface some hours in anticipation of the
coming storm. It is not true, as has been stated, that
when taken they make a noise resembling the purring
of a cat ; this peculiarity belongs to a totally different fish.

The flesh is very fat and said to be excellent; but
though I have caught them in scores, involuntarily, I was
never tempted to try the taste of one.

NIAGARA RIVER, AND LAKE ONTARIO.

CHAPTER XII

; |UEmi(j0pferi ; (^irttoibn.

THE “ TOM-COD” ITS ANNUAL ARRIVAL IN THE GULF FISHING THROUGH

THE ICE FREEZING AND RESUSCITATION THE YELLOW PERCH

VARIETIES THE BLACK-BASSE FLY-FISIIING FOR BLACK-BASSE

PECULIAR TO NORTH AMERICA — ITS COLOUR, FORM, AND WEIGHT,

WHERE FOUND GREGARIOUS CHARACTER EASILY TRANSPORTED,

WORTHY OF ACCLIMATIZATION THE ROCK-BASSE ITS SIZE AND

COLOUR ITS QUALITIES AND ABUNDANCE — THE WHITE-BASSE — COMMON

IN UPPER LAKES — A BOLD BITER — THE STRIPED-BASSE — COMMON TO

SALT AND FRESH WATER ITS GREAT SIZE — MARKINGS AND COLOUR

THE OSWEGO BASSE ERRORS CONCERNING IT THE COMMON LAKE

SHEEPSHEAD — THE BLACK SHEEPSHEAD CONFINED TO THE UPPER

LAKES ITS RESEMBLANCE TO PERCH — EXCELLENT FISH THE

STURGEON — ITS IMMENSE GROWTH ABUNDANCE IN ONTARIO —

ABSENCE IN NORTHERN RIVERS STURGEON MEAT.

CHAPTER XII.

; (&umxbn.

FT1HE Tom-Cod, sometimes also called the Frost-fish
( Gadus tom-codus ), the Petite Morue Fraiche,
Tacaud, and Gode Mollet of the French-Canadians, is
peculiar I believe to North America. It is best known
in the Lower St. Lawrence, along the shores of the Gulf,
in the Bay of Chaleurs, and on the coast of Gaspe,
especially at the mouths of the rivers and barachois.

These fish make their annual appearance in the
above waters, in autumn and early winter, at which time
they leave the sea for the purpose of spawning, and are
taken for some distance up the St. Lawrence in great
abundance during December and January. In the lower
part of the Eastern Province they are taken with lines
and nets, and also in boxes made for the purpose. This
last named apparatus is used with much success at
Champlain and the neighbouring parishes on the north
shore, where the fish are not unfrequently used for
feeding cattle.

At Montreal and Quebec they afford a very favourite

316

GADIDA5.

winter pastime to large numbers of all classes, who fish
for them with a bait and line through holes cut in
the ice. Huts or cabans are built for this purpose on
the frozen surface of the river, and to these the
good citizens resort at night in friendly parties. Many
jovial gatherings of this kind will be recalled by
the sojourner, especially the military one, at Quebec,
where they are held on the St. Charles river, at its
junction with the St. Lawrence and just opposite the
city.

Sometimes as many as eighteen or twenty dozen fish
are killed in one night. A great proportion are cooked
and eaten in the cabans there and then, but those in-
tended to be preserved are thrown outside on the ice to
freeze, the excessive tenderness of their flesh rendering it
impossible to preserve them in any other way. Thus
treated they soon become stiff* and hard, and so brittle
that they may be snapped in two like glass ; but it is a
curious fact that the fish thus frozen will, on being taken
home and immersed in cold water, recover their vital
powers and shortly begin to swim about. This singular
suspension of animation is entirely dependent on the
freezing being allowed to take place immediately on their
withdrawal from the water, for naturally they are by no
means tenacious of life.

In the frozen state they may be preserved in an eat-

THE TOM-COD.

317

able condition for a long time, provided the air be
carefully excluded from the vessels in which they are
kept.

The Tommy-Cod varies in length from six to ten
inches, and in weight from a quarter of a pound to a
pound. It is a very pretty little fish, and in appearance
so much resembles the common cod, that were it not for
the fact of its coming up the river to spawn, it would be
difficult to persuade the ordinary observer of the fact of
its being a full-grown and distinct species.

The Common Perch of our own country is not found
in Canada, but the Yellow Perch ( Perea flavescens ),
which is a variety, is a very handsomely marked fish, the
under parts being of a golden yellow, the back a dull
green, the dorsal fins dark, the pectoral and anal ones
red. It is common in almost every lake and river, and
takes both minnow and worm very boldly.

Among other varieties is P. acuta , which is found in
Lake Ontario, and in other waters, but among so many
larger and better fish none of them attract much notice.

Except the salmon, there is hardly any other fish
that affords more thorough sport, or deserves to rank
higher in every way, than that prince of fresh-water
fish, the Black- Basse ( Huro nigricans ).

Though not particularly difficult to tempt, it is yet
sufficiently so, and must be approached only with a fine

318

PERC^Ml.

line and a skilful hand. Well-made tackle is however,
equally indispensable, for when hooked it will run a lot
of line off the reel at once, shooting away with extraor-
dinary fury and impetuosity, leaping madly out of the
water, darting in towards the angler, and not unfre-
quently under the boat, and with such strength and
activity as demand all the care and address of its
captor. Last, though not least, game as it is in its own
sphere, its firm flesh and extreme delicacy and richness
of flavour, rank it as high in the estimation of the epicure
as in that of the angler.

Exclusively North American, the Black-Basse is a
perch-like fish, averaging from three to five pounds in
weight, and with a depth proportionate to its length as
one to three; it has, I believe, been taken weighing as
much as eight pounds.

In colour it varies very considerably at different
stages of its growth, the young fish being a dull light
green, changing year by year in hue till full grown,
when the head, back, and shoulders are almost black,
shaded off on the sides into a dull bronze, which again
merges imperceptibly into a bluish-white belly. The
young, besides their difference in colour, have a smaller
proportionate depth of body.

They are fished for from the 15tli of May till the
15th of March. During their spawning time they will

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ioTv3o:a; Hurst &l Blackett .1866

THE BLACK-BASSE.

319

not touch the most tempting bait, nor are they fit for
food even were it otherwise, but they may be taken with
the rod from the commencement of the proper season
till the cold weather begins, when they can only be ob-
tained by means of the net.

During June and July they will not only take the
minnow or the u shiner,” but rise freely to the fly, and
so long as they are in the humour to take this, no true
fisherman would think of trying anything else. The
best and most successful flies, according to my own
experience, are the following : —

Body of scarlet wool, ribbed with silver ; with two
pairs of wings, one of silver pheasant, the other pair of
scarlet ibis; or,

Scarlet wool body, with wings composed of two white
feathers from the goose, and under wings of the same
dyed scarlet. Either of these flies may be varied by
the substitution of very light mottled turkey feather
wings.

With these two I have enjoyed many splendid days’
sport in the Niagara, anchored in a scow on the bar of
the river : a soft warm air gently rippling the surface of
the water; the blue Ontario stretching to the horizon on
the one hand ; and on the other a lovely reach of seven
miles up stream, the lofty wooded banks terminating in
the cedar-sprinkled heights of Queenstown, and the dark

320

PERCiEDiE.

gorge in which the river is lost. In a single after-
noon I have taken as many as eight or ten magnificent
fish, weighing from four to six pounds each, and afford-
ing even more sport than salmon of similar weight would
have done.

After three years’ experience in Basse fishing at
Niagara, I would recommend any one angling there, to
take his boat across to the American side of the river
in preference to remaining on the Canadian shore, and
to anchor under the fort, not too far from* the bank, as
these fish always take more readily in-shore than in mid-
stream.

In a place such as this, it is best to anchor, but
ordinarily the boat should be pulled gently along, the
angler having out a line of considerable length, as the
passage of the boat over the feeding-grounds disturbs
the shoals, which will not again return to them until it
is some thirty yards away.

The best hours for fishing are from daylight to about
eight a.m., and again about three in the afternoon ; at
the latter hour they begin to feed, and up till dusk
may generally be taken in abundance.

In very deep water they are rarely to be moved at
all. I have tried every kind of bait and fly out on
the Lake, but never succeeded in hooking a single fish
at any distance from land.

THE BLACK-BASSE.

321

In addition to the Niagara bar, the best waters for
Basse are the Lake of the Thousand Isles, Lake Erie
and the rivers emptying themselves into it (especially
the Detroit river), the St. Joseph river, the principal
tributaries of Lakes Michigan, Huron, Simcoe, and
Ontario; also along the shores of those Lakes themselves
in about three fathoms of water, and in the Upper St.
Lawrence. Though found abundantly in many other
places besides these, they are not known north of the
Great Lakes. They love stony bottoms, and reefs of
rock, especially where there is an eddy. In large
rivers they will generally be found to lie near the sides,
and in smaller streams only in the deepest pools.

The Black- Basse appears to be gregarious, at all
events it is seldom taken singly, and the angler may be
pretty sure of capturing several in the same place. I
have heard of two officers at Niagara taking with the
rod as many as thirty-six fish in the same place in the
course of a few hours.

I have not the smallest doubt that the Black- Basse
is quite capable of acclimatization in our own country,
and that it would thrive in any suitable waters; and I
believe that this might be accomplished with less amount
of trouble and expense than would be incurred in the
transport of most other foreign fish, or their ova, and
certainly with the amplest reward in the event of success.

Y

322

PERCiEDE.

Placed in a bucket or tub of water, covered over with a
cloth, large fish bear removal very well, and in instances
where they have been transferred to American waters
in which they were not previously known, they have
multiplied with extraordinary rapidity.

Besides the Black- Basse, there are the Rock-Basse,
the White-Basse, and the Striped-Basse. The former
( Centrarchus ^Eneus ), which is found in all the Great
Lakes, is smaller than the Black-Basse, attaining not
more than half its weight, and is of a greenish bronze
colour above, and of a bright coppery hue below, with
a few dark spots on the belly. By the latter markings it
is readily distinguished from the immature Black-Basse,
the appearance of which, as already remarked, varies
so much at different periods.

The Rock-Basse bites very freely at the minnow
or cray-fish, or at a piece of “ lake-herring,” which is
the bait commonly employed by the Ontario fishermen
on their set-lines, and I have taken them with the rod
in this manner almost as fast as I could bait my hook.
They are caught plentifully by the inhabitants of all
the towns and villages around the shores of Ontario, but
are very inferior in flavour to the Black-Basse.

The White-Basse ( Labrax albidus), which is gre-
garious, is common in some of the Upper Lakes, and
especially so in Lake Erie. It is not only a bold biter,

THE STRIPED-BASSE.

323

taking the minnow even greedily, but gives plenty of
play when hooked, and is tolerably well flavoured. It
is smaller than the Black-Basse, weighing from 1^ lbs. to
3^ lbs. The under parts and sides are white, slightly
streaked, the back being of a dark semi-transparent hue.

The Striped-Basse (Labrax lineatus ), which in Canada
generally goes by the name of Bar, or Barr, though
belonging rather to the sea than the river, frequents
alternately salt and fresh water. It is a most excellent
fish, and frequently attains a very large size; several
weighing thirty pounds and upwards, have, I am in-
formed, been taken in some parts of the St. Lawrence,
especially at the Sorel Islands and Crane Island.

The Striped-Basse is so called on account of its
having seven or eight dark lines or stripes on its sides,
running parallel one with another from head to tail.
The general colour of the body is brown above, with a
blue tinge, the sides being bright and silvery. It breeds
in spring, in the St. Lawrence and several of its tribu-
taries, in the Restigouche and other rivers emptying
themselves into the Bay of Chaleurs, and in several more
on the southern shore of the Gulf.

“ Oswego Basse” appears to be only a local American
name for the above fish, although it has been described
as having larger scales and a more forked tail, with
other imaginary differences, and I have met many per-

y 2

324

PERCiEDiE.

sons in Canada who regard it as a distinct species, and
expatiate on its great superiority over all other Basse.
Having, however, very carefully inquired into the
matter, I am satisfied that the two are identical, and
am glad to learn by a private letter from the Fisheries
Superintendent of Lower Canada that he is likewise
of this opinion.

Though Pickerel is a term often applied to young
Pike, it is also used to designate a fish properly called the
Pike-perch, or Sandre ( Lucioperca Canadensis ), the
Piccarel of the French Canadians, which partakes, as its
name indicates, almost equally of the appearance of the
pike, and perch, though it belongs to the latter family,
and has really nothing to do with the other.

Ifc is a dark green colour on the back, and is marked
with a few yellowish irregular spots on the sides, those
on the fins being dark. In form it is shorter and deeper
than the pike, and the scales are rough; it has also in
addition a spiny dorsal fin, like that of the perch. It is
taken by trolling, but though exceedingly voracious,
and feeding almost entirely on young fish, it does not
take the bait freely. It grows rapidly, is met with plenti-
fully in many waters, and is much esteemed.

The Sheepshead ( Corvina oscula) also belonging to the
Perch family, is a dry insipid fish, of a grey colour, with
bluish tints on the back. It is common in Lakes Erie

THE BLACK SHEEPSHEAD.

325

and Ontario, and is often taken with the rod, though
hardly worth putting into the basket.

The Black Sheepshead ( Corvina Richardsonii) which
is only found in Huron and other Upper Lakes, more
resembles the ordinary perch in colour and markings, and
unlike the former is a most excellent and highly esteemed
fish.

Besides the monsters already described as inhabiting
the depths of the Great Lakes, are immense Sturgeon
( Acipenser sturio ), quantities of which are taken, measur-
ing from eight to ten, and even twelve feet in length, and
weighing from 75 to 100 lbs.

On the southern beach of Lake Ontario, near the
entrance of the Niagara river, I have seen as many as
fifteen such fish brought in at one time by the boats.

An account of the Sturgeon in the latest edition
of the u Encyclopaedia Britannica,” states that it u does
not inhabit any of the North American rivers which
flow into the Arctic Sea, and therefore is not found
to the north of the water-sheds between the 53rd
and 54th parallels of latitude, where the mean tem-
perature of the year is about 33° of Fahrenheit’s scale.
It seldom enters clear cold streams, but at certain
seasons ascends muddy rivers in vast numbers, so that
many populous native tribes subsist wholly on the
Sturgeon fishery during the summer. In most localities

326

ACIPENSERIDiE.

two forms are readily recognised, by the comparative
length and acuteness, or the shortness and bluntness of
their snouts; but almost every water-shed has its own
species, varying in more or less important points.”

The “ meat” as it is called, which, when stewed,
somewhat resembles veal, is much eaten both by Indians
and settlers, and up country affords the chief means of
sustenance to large numbers, by whom it is also dried
and preserved for winter use. The “sounds” form a
considerable article of trade among the tribes of the
Northern Lakes.

LOWER NIAGARA RIVER.

327

APPENDIX.

Extrait des Lois relatives a la Peehe et a la Chasse ,
dans le Bas Canada.

F1P0QUE DURANT LAQUELLE IL EST DEFENDU DE PRENDRE LE POISSON ET LE
GIBIER CI-DESSOUS MENTIONNES, DANS LE BAS CANADA.

GIBIER, ETC.

ENTEE

Cerf rouge ou gris, Orignal,* Elan,* Che-'
vreuil,f Caribou

1 Fevr. et 1 Sept.

Becasse et Becassine

1 Mars et 1 Ao&t.

Coq de bruyere, Perdrix, Ptarmigan, ou Faisan

1 Mars et 20 Aout.

Cygne sauvage, Oie sauvage, Canard sauvage, '

i

Mallard, Canard gris, Canard noir, Canard

20 Mai et 20 Aoftt.

branche, Sarcelle ou macreuse K

i

Saumon

1 Aoutet 1 Mars.

Truite

20 Oct. et 1 Fevr.

Truite Saumonnee

15 Nov. et 1 Fevr.

Masq’allonge, Truite de ruisseau ou Achigan.

15 Mars et 15 Mai.

* Both applied to the Moose.

+ The Long-tailed Deer of North-West Territory, C. Leucurus.

328

I. — Table of Large Game .

ORDER,

FAMILY.

SUB- FAMILY.

GENUS.

SPECIES.

1. Eapacia.
Sub-Order )
Carnivora, j

Felidae

Canidae

Mustelidae

Ursidae

Lupinae

Yulpinae

Lutrinae

Felis

Lynx

Canis

Yulpes

a

Lutra

Ursus

Procyon

Concolor.
Canadensis.
Occidentalis,
var. Griseo albus.
Fulvus,

var. Decussatus.
var. Argentatus.
Canadensis.
Americanus.

Lotor.

3. Eodentia

Sciuridae

Castorinae

Castor

Canadensis.

Leporidae

....

Lepus

»

J5

Americanus.

Campestris.

Sylvaticus.

6. Euminantia

Cervidae

Cervinae

Cervus

?>

»

Alces.
Tarandus,
var. Caribou.
Canadensis.
Yirginianus.

II. — Table of Game Birds .

ORDER.

FAMILY.

SUB- FAMILY.

GENUS.

SPECIES.

4. Easores.

Sub-Order

Columbae

Columbidae

Columbinae

Ectopistes

Migratoria.

Sub-Order

Gallinae

Phasianidae

Meleagrinae

Meleagris

Gallopavo.

Tetraonidae

Tetrao

Canadensis.

Cupidonia

Cupido.

Bonasa

TJmbellus.

Lagopus

Albus.

Perdicidae

Ortyginae

Ortyx

Yirginianus.

5. G-rallatores

Sub-Order }
Herodiones j

Ardeidae

Ardeinae

Ardetta

Botaurus

Exilis.

Lentiginosus.

Sub-Order ]
Grallae j

Charadriidae

....

Charadrius

Yirginicus.

iEgialitis

Semipalmatus.

Scolopacidae

Scolopacinae

Philobela

Minor.

Gallinago

Wilsonii.

Totaninae

Numenius

Longirostris.

Borealis.

Eallidae

Eallinae

Eallus

Yirginianus.

329

III .—Table of Wildfowl.

ORDER.

FAMILY.

SUB-FAMILY.

GENUS.

SPECIES.

6. Natatores
Sub- Order j
Anseres J

Anatidse

Cygninse

Cygnus

Americanus.

Buccinator.

Anserinse

Anser

Albifrons.

a

55

Frontalis.

a

55

Hyperboreus.

Bernicla

Brenta.

55

Canadensis.

Anatinae

Anas

Boscbus.

55

Obscura.

Spatula

Clypeata.

Chaulelasmus

Streperus.

Dafila

Acuta.

Nettion

Carolinensis.

Querquedula

Discors.

Mareca

Americana.

Aix

Sponsa.

Fuligulinse

Fulix

Affinis.

55

Collaris.

55

Marila.

Aythya

Americana.

55

Yalisneria.

Bucephala

Albeola.

55

Americana.

Histrionicus

Torquatus.

Harelda

Glacialis.

Camptolaemus

Labradorius.

Melanetta

Yelvetina.

Pelionetta

Perspicillata.

Oidemia

Americana.

55

Bimaculata.

Somateria

Mollissima.

Erismaturinse

Erismatura

Eubida.

Merginse

Mergellus

Albellus.

Mergus

Americanus.

55

Serrator.

Lophodytes

Cucullatus.

330

IV. — Table of Fresh-water Fish.

ORDER.

FAMILY.

SUB-FAMILY.

GENUS.

SPECIES.

2. Malacopteri

Sub-Order. )
Apodes )

Anguillidae

....

Anguilla

Y ulgaris.

Sub-Order. )

Salmonidae

Salmo

Salar.

Ab dominates j

}5

Eontinalis.

55

Trutta Marina.

55

Confinis.

55

Ametbystus.

Coregonus

Alb us.

a

Clupeiformis.

Clupeidae

.

Alosa

Praestabilis.

Esocidae

....

Esox

Lucius.

ii

Estor.

Cyprinidae

.

Cyprinus

Cepbalus.

ii

Carpis.

Abramis

Versicolor.

Leuciscus

Argentatus.

ii

Eutilus.

SiluridaB

Silurus

Pimelodus.

Anacantbini

Gadidae

....

Gadus

Tom-codus.

Acantbopteri

Percaedae

Perea

Acuta.

55

Elavescens.

Huro

Nigricans.

Centrarcbus

iEneus.

Labrax

Albidus.

ii

Lineatus.

Lucioperca

Canadensis.

Scienidae

Corvina

Oscula.

55

Eicbardsonii.

Ganoidei

Acipenseridae

Acipenser

Sturio.

SCIENTIFIC INDEX

TO

LARGE GAME, GAME BIRDS, WILDFOWL, AND
FRESH-WATER FISH.

Abramis versicolor, 310.
Acipenser sturio, 325.
iEgialitis semipalmatus, 168.
Aix sponsa, 215.

Alosa praestabilis, 301.

Anas boschns, 196.

,, obscura, 202.

Anguilla vulgaris, 250.

Anser albifrons, 190.

„ frontalis, 190.

„ hyperboreus, 191.

Ardetta exilis, 168.

Aythya Americana, 226.

„ valisneria, 221.

Bernicla brenta, 196.

„ Canadensis, 191.
Bucepbala albeola, 226.

„ Americana, 227.
Bonasa umbellus, 155.

Botaurus lentiginosus, 167.

Camptolsemus Labradorius, 235.
Canis occidentalis —

var. griseo-albus, 11.
Castor Canadensis, 33.
Catostomus communis, 310.

Centrarcbus aeneus, 322.
Cervus alces, 41.

„ Canadensis, 85.

,, tarandus —

var. caribou, 73.
„ Virginianus, 87.
Charadrius Virginicus, 168.
Chaulelasmus streperus, 206.
Coregonus albus, 290.

„ clupeiformis, 294.
Corvina Ricbardsonii, 325.

„ oscula, 324.
Cupidonia Cupido, 143.
Cygnus Americanus, 189.

„ buccinator, 188.
Cyprinus carpis, 310.

„ cephalus, 310.

Dafila acuta, 207.

Ectopistes migratoria, 121.
Erismatura rubida, 236.

Esox estor, 307.

„ lucius, 302.

Felis concolor, 16.
Fuligulinse, 218.

332

SCIENTIFIC INDEX.

Fulix affinis, 220.

„ collaris, 221.

„ marila, 218.

Gadus tom-codus, 315.
Gallinago Wilsonii, 175.

Harelda glacialis, 231.
Histrionicus torquatus, 229.
Huro nigricans, 317.

Labrax albidus, 322.

„ lineatus, 323.
Lagopus albus, 154.

Lepus Americanus, 25.

„ campestris, 32.

„ sylvaticus, 31.
Leuciscns argentatus, 310.

„ rutilns, 310.
Lophodytes cncullatus, 237.
Lucioperca Canadensis, 324.
Lutra Canadensis, 18.

Lynx Canadensis, 15.

Mareca Americana, 214.
Meleagris gallopavo, 125.
Melanetta velvetina, 234.
Mergellus albellus, 237.
Mergus Americanus, 238.

„ serrator, 238.

Numenius borealis, 180.

„ longirostris, 180.

Nettion Carolinensis, 210.

Oidemia Americana, 232.

„ bimaculata, 233.

Ortyx Yirginiana, 159.

Pelionetta perspicillata, 233.

Perea acuta, 317.

„ flavescens, 317.

Philohela minor, 169.

Procyon lotor, 10.

Querquedula discors, 212.

Rallus Yirginianus, 180.

Salmo amethystus, 287.

„ confinis, 287.

„ fontinalis, 27 6.

„ salar, 255.

„ trutta marina, 288.

Silurus pimelodus, 311.

Somateria mollissima, 234.

Spatula clypeata, 203.

Tetraonidae, 140.

Tetrao Canadensis, 140.

Ursus Americanus, 5.

Yulpes fulvus, 13.

„ var. argentatus, 14.

„ var. decussatus, 14.

333

INDEX.

Basse, Black, 317.

„ Oswego, 323.

„ Bock, 322.

,, Striped, 323.

„ White, 322.

Bear, Black, 5.

Beaver, American, 33.
Bittern, American, 167.

„ Little, 168.

Bream, 310.

Caribou, 73.

Carp, 310.

Cat-fish, 311.

Chub, 310.

Colin, 159.

Curlew, Common, 180.

„ Esquimaux, 180.

Dace, 310.

Deer, American, 87.

Duck, Buffel-headed, 226.
,, Canvas-back, 221.

„ Dusky, 202.

„ Eider, 234.

„ Gadwall, 206.

„ Golden Eye, 227.

„ Harlequin, 229.

,, Labrador, 235.

„ Long- tailed, 231.

„ Mallard, 196.

„ Pintail, 207.

„ Red-headed, 226.

Duck, Ring-necked, 221.

„ Ruddy, 236.

„ Scaup, 218
„ Scaup, American, 220.
„ Shoveller, 203.

„ Wood, 215.

Eel, Common, 250.

Fisheries, 245.

Fox, Cross, 14.

„ Red, 13.

„ Silver, 14.

Goose, Brent, 196.

„ Canada, 191.

„ Dark-fronted, 190.

„ White-fronted, 190.

„ Snow, 191.
Goosander, 238.

Grouse, Pinnated, 143.

„ Ruffed, 155.

„ Spotted, 140.

Hare, American, 25.

„ Prairie, 32.

,, Wood, 31.

“ Herring,” Lake, 294.

Lynx, 15.

Masq’allonge, 307.
Merganser, Hooded, 237.

334

INDEX.

Merganser, Red-breasted, 238.
Moose, 41.

Otter, Canadian, 18.

Perch, Pike, 324.

„ Varieties, 317.

„ Yellow, 317.

Pickerel, 324.

Pigeon, Passenger, 121.

Pike, Common, 302.

Plover, Golden, 168.

„ Ring-necked, 168.
Prairie-hen, 143.

Ptarmigan, 154.

Puma, 16.

Racoon, 10.

Rail, American, 180.

Roach, 310.

Salmon, 255.

Scoter, Common, 232.

„ Huron, 233.

„ Surf, 233.

„ Velvet, 234.

Shad, Canadian, 301.
Sheepshead, Black, 325.

„ Common Lake, 324.
Smew, 237.

Snipe, American, 175.

Sturgeon, 325.

Sucker, 310.

Swan, American, 189.

„ Trumpeter, 188.

Teal, American, 210.

„ Blue-winged, 212.
Tom-Cod, 315.

Trout, Common, 276.

„ Lake, 287.

„ Mackinaw, 287.

„ Sea, 288.

Turkey, Wild, 125.

Wapiti Deer, 85.

White-fish, 290.

Widgeon, American, 214.
Wildfowl, 185.

Wolf, Grey, 11.

Woodcock, American, 169.

THE END.