[CI] Mr. Dragge observes, in his North West Passage, that when the partridges begin to change colour, the first brown feathers appear in the rump; but this is so far from being a general rule, that an experienced Hudsonian must smile at the idea. That Mr. Dragge never saw an instance of this kind I will not say, but when Nature deviates so far from its usual course, it is undoubtedly owing to some accident; and nothing is more likely than that the feathers of the bird Mr. Dragge had examined, had been struck off by a hawk; and as the usual season for changing their plumage was near, the Summer feathers supplied their place; for out of the many hundreds of thousands that I have seen killed, I never saw or heard of a similar instance.
[179] Lagopus rupestris (Gmel.). This species, first described from specimens sent from Hudson Bay, is more northern in its range than the willow ptarmigan.
[CJ] Besides the birds already mentioned, which form a constant dish at our tables in Hudson's Bay, during their respective seasons, Mr. Jérémie asserts, 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 latitude 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, asserts 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 Cumberland 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 (Müller). 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.