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Elizabeth Simcoe
(1791)
In the 18th century territories in eastern Canada now known as the provinces of Ontario and Quebec were known as Quebec. They were officially separated by the British government into the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada in 1791. Elizabeth Posthuma Simcoe (1762-1850) was the wife of John Graves Simcoe, who was appointed the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada. Simcoe and his family left England to take up his position in September, 1791.
Mrs. Simcoe was a well-educated and knowledgeable amateur naturalist. Fortunately she kept a diary of her sojourn to Canada. Her entries occasionally cited flora and fauna that she encountered. Her notes represent some important early first-hand observations of birds in Upper Canada discussed under 18th century Ontario. Mrs Simcoe also made a few observations during her outbound voyage off the south coast of Newfoundland.
On October 24th she noted in her The Diary of Mrs. John Graves Simcoe:47 a “Number of gulls, shearwaters and Mother Carey's chickens[storm-petrels species] flying about”. The crew captured a shearwater which she describes as follows:
The shearwater is a bird measuring 15 inches in length, 31 inches in breadth. It has a black and yellow bill, white under wings and body, back and tail black, found on waters all over the world.
Given the potential error in confirming the bird’s size it is probably not possible to positively identify this shearwater. Based on the size given, upper and lower body colourization, the description strongly suggests Manx Shearwater. Unfortunately reference books fail to show yellow on the bill in any plumage. The Cory’s Shearwater has extensive yellow on the bill but is a much larger bird without a uniform plumage on the back which tends lighter than the Manx.
While the Newfoundland observations are inconclusive, Mrs Simcoe was a keen observer as noted by other bird records noted here. They are repeated under 18th century Nova Scotia.
On October 26th, east of Sable Island, Nova Scotia, numerous small birds took refuge on the ship (Diary:47). Mrs. Simcoe sketched two of them, clearly identifying them as Snow Bunting and White-winged Crossbill.
On the 27th near Sable Island, she noted a Boreal Owl:
Winds N. E. A beautiful owl, olive colour, with white spots and black about the face, was caught today. He was not larger than a thrush and not wild.
For more details see Simcoe under 18th Century Nova Scotia.
Bibliography
- Robertson, J. Ross. 1911. The Diary of Mrs. John Graves Simcoe. Toronto: William Briggs