The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1867-08-16

ed blythe frost, when it becomes delicious;
the bog .bilberry, favorite food for bears
and geese, which grows 10 greater perfec-
ton here than In more southern Attitudes;
the emporium the salmon berry, resem-
bling a large yellow raspberry, but of in
sipid flavor; and blue moss-berry, grow
ing in great quantities on o small ever
green moss.
About tho middle of April the feather
ed visitors begin to arrive. The snow
birds come first, followed BY the ospreys
gerfalcons, eagles and gulls. Then comes
the geese of every variety, the ducks, and
the swans. The white and black geese
keep on their course until they reach the
Arctic Sea, and the others settle on the
rivers and marshes of the interior. As,
summer advances, other birds arrive, and
proceed at once to the work of nesting and
raising their broods. Fincbes of various
kinds, the American robin, the yellow
poll, black and yellow warblers, the tree
bunting, and other small birds of nuner-
GUS species, enliven tho woods during the
summer months, and become the prey to
endless variety of hawks. Swallows come.
in great numbers, stay short time, and
leave early in August. Our cherished ac-
quaintance, the snow-bird, on its arrival
from the south, puts on gayer plumage,
and sings melodiously the whole season
through, although utterly innocent of mu-,
steal execution when with US. We have
before mentioned the discovery made by
Maj. Kennicott, in the vicinity of Fort
Yukon, of the breeding pieces of the can
vas-back duck, previously mystery to
naturalists. On the margin of a marshy.
lake, having depth of from fifteen to
twenty inches of water, they had spread
platforms of sedge, and on these deposit
their eggs. Major Kennicott saw acres.
literally covered with these eggs. Lieu
tenant Pease says the natives reported
that the marshes along the Yukon for
hundreds of miles afforded breeding places
for these, ducks.
All the birds fatten rapidly on the juicy
berries so plentiful in the interior. The.
geese especially become SO fat, that du-
ring the moulting season they are scarce
ly able to fly, and are knocked down with
sticks by the Indian children, who speed
lily fatten as well as the geese. 1t is a
season of fsasting from the Rocky Noun
tains to the Strait, from the North Pa.
ciGc to the Icy Sea.
With the first indication of coming
winter the summer birds take their flight,
tho uiIus vr Uh0 -.UiunUi~ ...a I,~.:cv
slopes each taking the right direction.
with unerring instinct, leaving the ptar.
migan, the spruce-birds, ohicadee, and
red birds to keep each others company in
the long winter months. With the first
SHOWS come the winter visitors the Arctic
owls, and large white hawk, seeking
refuge from the more intense cold of the
polar region.
While animal and bird life abound,
there is no dearth of insects Mosquitoes
are more plentiful than pleasant, and af-
ford food for the swallows and other small
birds that flock thither to prey upon
them. Hsrd-winged insects, beetles of
several kinds, are numerous, and several
Of butterflies were seen by Lieut..
Pease and by Major Kenuicot lowering
over the flowers that abound among the
long grass and on the river banks. Nei-
Their snakes nor frogs have been reported
on the line of the Yukon.