A Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort in Hudson's Bay to the Northern Ocean Part 41

[CJ] Besides the birds already mentioned, which form a constant dish at our tables in Hudson's Bay, during their respective seasons, Mr. Jeremie a.s.serts, that during the time he was Governor at York Fort, the bustard was common. But since that Fort was delivered up to the English at the peace of Utrecht in 1713, none of the Company's servants have ever seen one of those birds: nor does it appear by all the Journals now in the possession of the Hudson's Bay Company, that any such bird was ever seen in the most Southern parts of the Bay, much less at York Fort, which is in the lat.i.tude 57 North; so that a capital error, or a wilful design to mislead, must have taken place. Indeed, his account of the country immediately where he resided, and the productions of it, are so erroneously stated as to deserve no notice. His colleague, De le Potries, a.s.serts the existence of the bustard in those parts, and with an equal regard to truth.

[This is explained by the fact that the early French writers referred to the Canada goose under the name _Outarde_.]

[180] _Ectopistes migratorius_ (Linn.). This short account of the habits is evidently founded on Hearne's experience with the species in the c.u.mberland House region, where at that time it was doubtless abundant.

The present record for Fort Churchill, as well as other early notices of its occurrence at York Factory, probably represent the northward wandering of flocks after the breeding season.

[181] _Planesticus migratorius_ (Linn.). The American robin is rather common in the Hudson Bay region north to the tree-limit. At Fort Churchill, in late July 1900, I saw flocks composed of old birds and young just from the nests.

[182] _Pinicola enucleator leucura_ (Muller). Found throughout the region north to the limit of trees, but, as Hearne intimates, not abundant.

[183] _Plectrophenax nivalis_ (Linn.). This name was based on a Hudson Bay specimen. The bird is abundant throughout the region in migration, and breeds from the vicinity of Neville Bay (near lat. 62), northward.

[184] _Zonotrichia leucophrys_ (Forster). First described from specimens taken at Severn River, Hudson Bay. An abundant species throughout the region north to the limit of trees.

[185] _Calcarius lapponica_ (Linn.). A common species, as Hearne says.

It breeds from the tree-limit northward.

[186] Apparently referring to the Redpoll, _Acanthis linaria_ (Linn.), which is, of course, not closely related to the Lapland longspur.

[187] Hearne apparently refers to the Sh.o.r.e Lark, _Otocoris alpestris hoyti_ Bishop, which breeds abundantly on the small barrens along the west coast of Hudson Bay as well as on the main area of the Barren Grounds.

[188] _Penthestes hudsonicus_; first described by Forster from specimens taken at Severn River, Hudson Bay. It inhabits the region north to the limit of trees.

[189] This account of the nesting habits seems to refer to the Barn Swallow, _Hirundo erythrogastra_ (Bodd). I am not aware that this bird now nests at Fort Churchill, though it is not unlikely that it did so formerly. The cliffs in the vicinity would afford ideal natural nesting sites.

[190] Here Hearne undoubtedly refers to the Bank Swallow, _Riparia riparia_ (Linn.), which inhabits the region in myriads. As it nests only in banks of clay or sand its local abundance is dependent on their presence. The eggs are unspotted.

[191] _Grus americana_ (Linn.). Though specimens from Hudson Bay figured in the original description of this magnificent species, it was rare even in Hearne's time, and is now probably extirpated in that region.

[192] The Brown Crane (_Grus canadensis_), was described by Linnaeus from Hudson Bay specimens, and is still rather common on its marshy plains, and on the Barren Grounds.

[193] The American Bittern, _Botaurus lentiginosus_ (Montagu), is fairly common in the marshes about Hudson Bay north to the vicinity of York Factory.

[194] The Esquimaux Curlew of Pennant ("Arct. Zool.," ii. p. 461, 1785) is really the Hudsonian Curlew, _Numenius hudsonicus_ (Latham), and Hearne of course follows Pennant in this error. It is still a common species on the west coast of Hudson Bay. The smaller one, which is the real Eskimo Curlew, _Numenius borealis_ (Forster), was formerly very abundant, but is now, unhappily, nearly or quite extinct.

[195] Apparently the common Snipe, _Gallinago delicata_ (Ord.).

[196] The Hudsonian G.o.dwit, _Limosa haemastica_ (Linn.). This name was based on the drawing of a specimen from Hudson Bay. It breeds in the marshes on the west coast of the Bay, probably nearly throughout its length.

[197] The Spotted G.o.dwit of Pennant ("Arct. Zool.," ii. p. 467, 1785) is the Greater Yellowlegs, _Tota.n.u.s melanoleucus_ (Gmel.).

[198] _Arenaria morinella_ (Linn.). The Turnstone is abundant along the west coast of Hudson Bay in migration, and doubtless breeds about its northern sh.o.r.es, though I am not aware that its nest has actually been discovered there.

[CK] They exactly correspond with the bird described by Mr. Pennant, except that they are much longer.

[199] _Charadrius dominicus_ Muller. Formerly very abundant, as Hearne intimates, but now very much reduced in numbers. It breeds about the northern sh.o.r.es of Hudson Bay.

[200] _Cepphus mandti_ (Mandt). This Guillemot is abundant on Hudson Bay and the neighbouring waters to the northward.

[201] _Gavia immer_ (Brunn.). This is perhaps the least abundant of the Loons found on Hudson Bay, though common in the lakes of the interior.

[202] _Gavia adamsi_ (Gray). Hearne's statement that the bird has a white bill shows that he refers to the present species, though a Black-throated Loon, _Gavia pacifica_ (Lawrence), is common there.

Perhaps he confuses the two. At any rate, _G. adamsi_ is abundant over much of the country traversed by him on his Coppermine journey, but I am not aware that it has been detected as far east as Hudson Bay.

[203] _Gavia stellata_ (Pontoppidan). Abundant in the lake-studded country bordering Hudson Bay.

[204] Though in all probability several species are included under this heading, the commonest is the widely distributed Herring Gull, _Larus argentatus_ Pontoppidan. The "Grey Gull" following is undoubtedly the young of the same species.

[205] Jaegers, _Stercorarius_, of which perhaps the commonest, and the one suggested by Hearne's description, is _S. pomarinus_. It is probable, however, that both _S. parasiticus_ and _S. longicaudus_ (the former of which is the more abundant) also came under his observation.

[206] Plainly referring to the Arctic Tern, _Sterna paradisaea_ Brunn. An excessively abundant species on the west coast of Hudson Bay.

[207] _Peleca.n.u.s erythrorhynchos_ Gmel., has been taken on Hudson Bay only as a rare straggler, but is abundant in the c.u.mberland House region.

[CL] In the Fall of 1774, when I first settled at c.u.mberland House, the Indians imposed on me and my people very much, by selling us Pelican fat for the fat of the black bear. Our knowledge of the delicacy of the latter induced us to reserve this fat for particular purposes; but when we came to open the bladders, it was little superior to train oil, and was only eatable by a few of my crew, which at that time consisted only of eight Englishmen and two of the home Indians from York Fort.

c.u.mberland House was the first inland settlement the Company made from Hudson's Fort; and though begun on so small a scale, yet upon it and Hudson's House, which is situated beyond it, upwards of seventy men were now employed.

[208] _Mergus serrator_ Linn. This species is still very abundant on the coast of Hudson Bay, as well as in the interior.

[209] The smaller Swan is _Olor columbia.n.u.s_ (Ord.), formerly very abundant on Hudson Bay, and still occurring in some numbers during migrations. It breeds on the islands in the northern parts of the Bay, and in other parts of the far North.

The larger Whooping Swan, _Olor buccinator_ (Richardson), formerly bred about the southern part of the Hudson Bay region, and also far northward. In the wholesale destruction of these magnificent birds, this species has suffered most.

[CM] Mr. Pennant, in treating of the Whistling Swan, takes notice of the formation of the Windpipe; but on examination, the windpipes of both the species which frequent Hudson's Bay are found to be exactly alike, though their note is quite different. The breast-bone of this bird is different from any other I have seen; for instead of being sharp and solid, like that of a goose, it is broad and hollow. Into this cavity the windpipe pa.s.ses from the valve, and reaching quite down to the abdomen, returns into the chest, and joins the lungs. Neither of the species of Swan that frequent Hudson's Bay are mute: but the note of the larger is much louder and harsher than that of the smaller.

[210] _Branta canadensis_ (Linn.). This large goose is the earliest to arrive in spring, and is the most southern breeder, nesting throughout the wooded country.

[211] _Branta canadensis hutchinsi_ (Richardson). This smaller form of the Canada Goose was named in honour of Thomas Hutchins, a Hudson's Bay Company officer who made natural history collections on Hudson Bay, and was the first to call attention to this race. It breeds on the Barren Grounds.

[212] _Chen hyperboreus nivalis_ (Forster). This larger form of _C.

hyperboreus_ was first described from Severn River specimens. Though much reduced in numbers, it still breeds about the northern part of Hudson Bay, and is an important food species in the region.

[213] _Chen caerulescens_ (Linn.). First described from a Hudson Bay specimen. According to the natives it breeds in the interior of northern Ungava; west of Hudson Bay, it is known only as a straggler. It winters in the Mississippi valley and on the Atlantic coast.

[214] This is the first account of _Chen rossi_, formally described by Ca.s.sin in 1861 from specimens taken on Great Slave Lake. It is almost unknown on Hudson Bay, but is abundant in migrations about Great Slave and Athabaska lakes. It breeds somewhere to the northward of this region, but its summer home is unknown.

[CN] Mr. Moses Norton.

[215] _Anser albifrons gambeli_ Hartl. An inhabitant of the west coast of Hudson Bay, but more common in the Mackenzie valley.

[216] Probably referring, as Hearne suggests, to abnormally large and perhaps barren individuals of the Canada Goose (_Branta canadensis_).

[217] _Branta bernicla glaucogastra_ (Brehm). Still occurring in some numbers along the west coast of Hudson Bay, in migrations, and breeding about its northern sh.o.r.es.

[218] Both _Somateria mollissima borealis_ (Brehm), and _S. dresseri_ Sharpe, occur about the north-west coast of Hudson Bay in summer, and doubtless both breed there. The King Eider also, _S. spectabilis_ (Linn.), migrates down the coast, but probably breeds farther to the north.

[219] The Bean Goose, _Anser fabalis_ (Latham), is of very doubtful occurrence in the Hudson Bay region.