will eat any creature whatever, from the frog to: the buffalo; whether it be carnivorous, graminivorous, or amphibious. Yet, for aught that I. know to the contrary, the Urchin's flesh may be very savoury and excellent. In its habits of life, it resembles the Wood-chuck, whose flesh is greatly superior to Canadian mutton.

The SEAL has been frequently seen in Lake Ontario; although its existence in this country was for a long time a matter of doubt. In February, 1821, one of them was caught upon the ice, in the neighbourhood of Kingston, and was exhibited in that town as a great curiosity.

The SEA-HORSE and SEA-cow are said still toexist in the Gulf and River of St. Lawrence.

LETTER XIII.

VARIOUS KINDS OF BIRDS AND AQUATIC FOWL THAT VISIT THE CANADAS THE SWAN-GOOSE-LOON-HERON-CRANE-REDSHANK

WILD-TURKEY

QUAIL-PIGEON

MOCK-BIRD THE BLUE JAY-WHIP-POOR-WILL, AND WHET-SAW-KING-BIRD, AND RED-BIRD THE WAR-BIRD, YELLOW-BIRD, AND SNOW-BIRD THE HUMMING-BIRD, THE RAVEN, OWL, EAGLE, &c.

IN Summer there is a great variety of birds in Canada; but from the beginning of Winter to the opening of Spring, the forest is almost wholly deserted by the feathered tribe. The Pheasant, Blue Jay, Snow-bird and Wood-pecker, with one or two smaller birds the names of which I do not recollect to have ever heard, are all that appear sufficiently attached to Canada, to try the severity of its Winter climate.

It is remarkable, that, among this immense assemblage of" winged fowl" that frequent Canada during the Summer, there are no singing birds. Though this is undoubtedly the case, the Canadians do not think so; for, being ignorant of those countries in which every tree is vocal, and "every bush with nature's music rings," they imagine that all birds which

can chirrup and chatter, like a sparrow or a jay, are entitled to the appellation of " singing birds." I once heard an English gentleman, who was greatly prejudiced against the Canadas, assert, that, in his opinion, the country bore evident marks of having incurred a particular degree of the Divine displeasure; and, for the enforcement of this eccentric notion, he urged, that the birds of Canada could not sing, the flowers emitted no scent, the men had no hearts, and the women no virtue.

Water-fowls are very numerous on the lakes and large rivers. The SWAN and CANADIAN GOOSE are constant frequenters of the lakes.

Ducks of various kinds are to be found in every part of the country. There are, I am confident, more than fifteen different species of these birds in the Upper Province. Many of them have a disagreeable fishy flavour; and some are entirely unfit for use. The quality of the Grey Duck's flesh is much superior to any other which I have tasted. The Wood Duck breeds in the tops of the highest trees.

HERONS, BITTERNS, CRANES, and REDSHANKS, though not very numerous, are frequently seen in Lower Canada: But in the Upper Province I have only observed the Crane and Redshank, and even these but very seldom.

WOODCOCKS, which are not much larger than the Snipe, are very numerous in the Western parts of Upper Canada.

The WILD TURKEY is a very fine bird, and often weighs 40 lbs. and upwards. They are frequently seen in large flocks in various parts of the Upper Province; but I have never observed more than eight or ten of them together. In the Winter they sometimes light in the farm-yards in quest of food, which they fearlessly pick up, in partnership with the poultry.

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The PHEASANT, or "Partridge," as it is sometimes called, is, I believe, a bird peculiar to the American Continent. It is, however, quite different from the English Pheasant and Partridge. Its flesh is as white and as tender as that of a chicken; and it is at all times in excellent condition and well-flavoured. In colour, it bears a greater resemblance to a Partridge, than to a Pheasant; but it has a long tail, which it elevates and spreads like the Peacock. It never appears in the corn-fields, but delights to pick about in the wilderness, out of whose precincts it seldom wanders. In Winter, it subsists on the buds of trees; and, in Summer, on fruits and nuts. When sprung, it always flies up into a tree; where it remains for a considerable time, unless it be brought down by the gun. During the months of April, September, and October, the cock spends at least two-thirds of the day in drumming on some decayed log: This he does by striking his wings against his sides,' which produces a noise similar to that of distant thunder, a peculiarity, affording to me strong

presumptive evidence, that he is of the Pheasant kind.

QUAILS are common in the old settlements, and are exactly similar to birds of the same name in England.

In the Spring of the year, PIGEONS arrive in vast Blocks from the Southern country. They continue. here all the Summer, and are taken in great numbers in nets similar to plover-nets. Five hundred are sometimes taken at a spring, and 30 or 35 are frequently killed by a single shot. The Canadians salt and barrel the breasts of these birds, reserving the other parts for immediate use. Wilson's Ornithology contains a calculation relative to the flocks of these birds which annually move Northward from the back of the central and Southern States: It appears incredible, but my own personal observations have satisfied me of its correctness. He says, he observed a flock passing between Frankfort and the Indian territory, one mile at least in breadth : It took up four hours in passing, which, at the rate of one mile per minute, gives a length of 240 miles; and supposing three pigeons to each square yard, -which is certainly an exceedingly moderate supposition, there must have been the immense number of 2,230,272,000 in that single flock,

TURTLE-DOVES, whose beautiful plumage, delicate shape, and innocent looks, are well calculated to attract attention, are also very numerous.

There are five different kinds of WOOD-PECKERS in Canada; two of which are very beautiful both in