The Sportsman and Naturalist in Canada, or notes on the Natural History of the Game, Game Birds, and Fish of that Country ... Illustrated with coloured plates and woodcuts

Front matter

THE SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST IN CANADA. WILD TURKEY, .* tHojauyo) London Hurst -ScEUxikeU. THE SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST IN CANADA, #r loses OH 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, OHANDOS 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 primæval 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 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 would 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.

. VII 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 sufficiently 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.

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 — Hunting — 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 Inoffensiveness — 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 concerning 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 — X GENERAL CONTENTS.

Chapter III

The Moose — Parts of Canada in which it is found — Derivation of Name — Compared with Elk of Europæo-Asiatic Continent — Its early Distribution — Pleistocene and Prehistoric Remains — Gradual Diminution of the Moose — Wanton Destruction — Erroneously confounded 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 necessary — 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 Shooting — Moose Flesh — Manufacture of Pemmican — Probable Longevity 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 — Intractability 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 Œstrus — 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

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 Delicacy — Their Resemblance to Ortolan — Arrival of Birds in Spring — Blue-Bird, Harbinger of Spring — Scarlet War-Bird — Orioles — Humming-Birds — Familiar English Birds — Characteristics of Country — Canadian Forest — " May-Apple" — Woodpeckers — Red-winged Starling — Absence of the Common Sparrow — Principal Feathered Inhabitants 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 Alteration pp. 107 — 117 CHAPTKR 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 — " Drumming" — 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 — 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 — Diminution 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 passing over Canada — Breeding Grounds in the North — British and American Species and Varieties of Anatidæ — The Trumpeter Swan — Peculiar to North America — The American Swan — The Canada Goose — Annual Migration — Cautious Flight — Lost in Fogs — Domestication 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 — Appe.arance of Young — Assimilation of Plumage — Similarity to European Shoveller — The Gadwall — Its Shyness and Cunning — Swiftness of Flight — Signification of " Gadwall" — 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 — Rudeness 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 The — Spring Return in Pairs — Habit of Feeding by Day — Fondness for the Valisneria — 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 Nam.? — 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

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 Consumption of Eels — Torchlight Spearing .... pp. 245 —

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. Lawrence — 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 Gaspe1 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 Appearance — 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

Chapter XII

The " Tom-Cod" — Its annual Arrival in the Gulf of St. Lawrence — Fishing 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 Acclimatization — 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 Sheepshead — Confined to the Upper Lakes — Its Resemblance to the Perch — An excellent Fish — The Sturgeon — Its immense Growth — Abundance 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." ILLUSTRATIONS. COLOURED PLATES. THE WILD-TURKEY Frontispiece. THE PRAIRIE-HEN to face page 144 THE CANADA, AND RUFFED-GROUSE 156 THE WHITE-FISH 290 THE MASQ'ALLONGE- „ 308 THE BLACK-BASSE ,318 WOOD ENGRAVINGS. PAGB FALLS ON THE OTTAWA 22 CANADIAN LAGOON 38 THE MOOSE 69 THE CARIBOU 79 AMERICAN DEER 102 THE THOUSAND ISLES 117 FORT MISSISSISAUGDA 164 FALLS OF MONTMORENCI 181 WOOD-DUCK 239 EEL SPEARING, LAKE ST. FRANCIS 252 THE CEDAR RAPIDS 297 NIAGARA RIVER, AND LAKE ONTARIO 312 LOWER NIAGARA RIVER DIVISION I. JHammate. H

Chapter I

|hpria. 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 BETWi EN IT AND EUROPEAN OTTER HABITS OTTER-TRAPPING TRADE IN OTTER SKINS YOUNG CUBS. B

CHAPTER I.

Carmixora. /~\F 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 TJRSIDÆ. 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. summer and autumn months it has a habit of scratchino the trunks of the trees with its claws, by frequently stretching 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 URSIDÆ. 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 B.ay Company's Service, alluding to the extensive use of the fat as a pomatum, does not coincide with 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 widely separated from each other by geographical position." 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 URSIDÆ. 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 barkino 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 set a shot at it. The flesh is said to be excellent. THE WOLF. 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 naturalists, 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. Bairdf 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. CANIDÆ. 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.