CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

DISCOVERY OF NORTH AMERICA-EARLY VOYAGES OF THE PORTU-

GUESE, FRENCH, AND SPANIARDS.

First Discovery of North America by John Cabot-Voyages of Sebastian

Cabot-Of the Cortereals-Discovery of Labrador-French Discoveries

-Voyages of Verazzano-Of Jacques Cartier-Discovery of Canada-

Spanish Voyages of Discovery -Cortes-Ulloa

caino

Alarchon -- Vis-

Page 13

CHAPTER II.

RUSSIAN AND ENGLISH VOYAGES.

Behring-Tchirikow-Cook and Clerke-Meares-Vancouver-Kotze

bue

..........

58

CHAPTER III.

HEARNE AND SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE.

Colonization of Canada-French Fur Trade-Rise of Hudson's Bay

Company-Hearne's Three Journeys-North-west Fur Company--

First Journey of Sir Alexander Mackenzie in 1789-His Second Expe-

dition in 1792.......

97

CHAPTER IV.

DISCOVERIES ALONG THE SHORES OF THE ARCTIC OCEAN.

First and Second Expeditions of Franklin-Voyage of Capt. Beechey 149

CHAPTER V

INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY.

Amelioration in the Character of European Intercourse with uncivil-

ized Nations-The Absence of Sandy Deserts a grand Feature in the

Physical Attributes of America-General Boundaries of the Districts

afterward treated of in Detail-Early Sources of Information regard-

ing the Natural History of North America-General View of the Fur-

countries-Passages across the Rocky Mountains-Plains and Valleys

along the Pacific Shore....

CHAPTER VI.

... 210

THE QUADRUPEDS OF THE NORTHERN REGIONS OF AMERICA.

Inaccuracies of some Historical Writers-No Monkeys in North America

-Bats-Shrewmice-Genus Scalops, or Shrewmole-Other Moles of;

America-The Star-nose-Various Bears-Different digitated Quadru-

peds-The Canada Otter-The Sea-otter-The Dogs and Wolves of

America-The Foxes-The Beaver-The Musk-rat-Meadow Mice and

Lemmings-The Rocky Mountain Neotoma--The American Field-

mouse-The Marmots-The Squirrel Tribe-The Canada Porcupine-

The American Hare-The Polar Hare-The Prairie Hare-The Little

Chief Hare-Genus Cervus-The Elk, or Moose-deer-The Reindeer

-The Woodland Caribou-The Rocky Mountain Sheep-The Rocky

Mountain Goat-The Bison, or American Buffalo-The Musk-ox.. 230

CHAPTER VII.

THE BIRDS OF THE NORTHERN REGIONS OF AMERICA.

Turkey-buzzard-Golden-eagle- Bald-eagle-Hawks-Owls-Butcher-

birds-King-bird-Northern Tyrant-American Water-ouzel-Red-

breasted Thrush-Blue-bird-Arctic Blue-bird-Cedar-bird, or Ameri-

can Chatterer-Snow-bunting-Painted Bunting-Pine-grosbeak-

Evening-grosbeak-Scarlet Tanager

-

Cuckoo-bunting Crows

Woodpeckers-Humming-birds-Swallows - Belted Kingfisher ·

Grouse-Passenger-pigeon-Grallatores - Natatores-Gulls-Rocky

Mountain Golden-eye-Bewick's Swan-Trumpeter-swan-White Pel-

ican-Great Northern Diver-Black-throated Diver-Guillemots.. 274

CHAPTER VIII.

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE FISHES AND OTHER ZOOLOGICAL PRODUC-

TIONS OF THE NORTHERN REGIONS OF AMERICA.

Sturgeon-Salmon-Trout-Char-Capelan-White Fish-Blue Fish-

Herring-Pike-Burbot-Perch-Bull-head-Northern Insects-Their

Natural Preservation from Cold-More Northern Extension of Tropical

Forms in America than in Europe-Bees-Extension Westwards of

the Honey-bee-Diptera-Melville Island Spider-Butterflies.... 300

CHAPTER IX.

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES IN THE BOTANY OF THE NORTHERN

REGIONS OF AMERICA.

Mr. Brown's Observations on the relative Proportions of the two great
Divisions of Phænogamous Plants-Beautiful small Willow from East

Greenland-Notices of the more remarkable Species collected by Dr.

Richardson-Galium Tinctorium-Cornus Alba-Phlox Hoodii-Vi-

burnum Edule-Azalea Nudicaulis-Lilium Philadelphicum-Epilo-

bium Augustifolium-Ledum latifolium-L. Palustre-Prunus Virgi-

niana-Pyrus Ovalis-Crepis Nana-Cineraria Congesta-Pinus Nigra

-P. Alba-P. Banksiana-P. Microcarpa-P. Lambertiana-Empe-

trum Nigrum-Myrica Gale-Populus Trepida-Populus Balsamifera

-Juniperus Prostrata-Splachnum Mnioides-Dicranum Elongatum

-Gyrophora proboscidea-Hyperborea Pennsylvanica, Mecklenbergii,

vellea-Cetraria Richardsonii-Fucus Ceranoides-Difficulties in the

Determination of Arctic Species-Plants_recently introduced to the

British Gardens-Lathyrus Decaphyllus-Eutoca Franklinii-Lupinus

Littoralis-Clarkia Pulchella-Gerardia Capitata--New Dodecatheon

-Andromeda Tetragona-Menziesia Empetrifolia-Azalea Lapponica

-Dryas Drummondia..

CHAPTER X.

306

SKETCH OF THE GEOLOGICAL FEATURES OF SOME OF THE NORTHERN

DISTRICTS OF AMERICA.

Frozen Subsoil of Hudson's Bay-Primitive Rocks of Hayes River→

Hill River-Borders of Knee Lake-Remarkable Rock-island of Mag-

netic Iron Ore-Lake Winipeg-Limestone District-Fort Chipewyan

-Carp Lake-Gneiss Formation of the Barren Grounds-Transparent

Waters of Great Bear Lake-Fort Franklin-Bear Lake River- Lig-

nite Formation of Mackenzie River-Spontaneous Fire-Pipe Clay-

Alluvial Islands at the Mouth of the Mackenzie-Copper Mountains-

Coppermine River-Islands of the Arctic Sea-Arctic Shore-Cape

Barrow-Galena Point-Moore's Bay-Bankes's Peninsula-Barry's

Island-Cape Croker-Point Turnagain-General Occurrence of the

New Red Sand Stone-Hood's River-Wilberforce Falls-Gneiss For-

mation-General Summary..

320

APPENDIX.

REMARKS ON A LATE MEMOIR OF SEBASTIAN CABOT, with a VINDI-

CATION OF RICHARD HAKLUYT....

333

ENGRAVINGS.

MAP of the Northern Coasts of America..........To face the Vignette VIGNETTE-Scene near Mount Coplestone, or Western Termination

of the Rocky Mountains.

Portrait of Hernan Cortes......

Group of Esquimaux west of the Mackenzie River

Grizzly Bear......

American Gray Wolf......

Hare indian or Mackenzie River Dog..

v Head of the American Black Elk..

Rocky Mountain Goat, and Rocky Mountain Sheep -Sabine's Gull

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