Seem eset, yt

SHG

Ree

Rncaeatee

Freer
Vets yey

CORNELL
LAB of ORNITHOLOGY

LIBRARY

at Sapsucker Woods
a

Illustration of Bank Swallow by Louis Agassiz Fuertes

iin

DATE DUE

Cornell University

Library

The original of this book is in
the Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright restrictions in
the United States on the use of the text.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924090284005

|[Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History.

Vou. 33, No. 7,
p. 277-428, pl. 29.

‘ BIRDS OF LABRADOR.

By Cuartes W. Townsenp, M. D., anp Grover M. ALLEN.

BOSTON:
PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY.
Juny, 1907,

LABORATORY
OF ORNITHOLOGY
LIBRARY

CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

ithology
oratory of Ornitho'
ee Sapsucker Woods Road
nell University
ce New York 4485 '

No. 7.— BIRDS OF LABRADOR.
BY CHARLES W. TOWNSEND, M. D., AND GLOVER M. ALLEN.

INTRODUCTION.

Tue birds of Labrador have been studied by a number of observers
and several lists, mostly partial, have been published. The most
extensive of these appeared in 1891, published by Professor A. S.
Packard. This list of 208 species was originally prepared by L. M.
Turner in 1885 and was brought down to date by Dr. J. A. Allen.

Our own studies of the avifauna of this interesting region include
a review of all the literature on the subject we have been able to find,
and a visit to the Labrador coast in the summer of 1906. Although
this visit was brief, we feel that we have obtained an idea of this
fegion which our previous reading was unable to supply, and also that
we have settled the status of the Horned Lark in Labrador, and
cleared up the erroneous ideas that previously prevailed owing to the
lack of definite information and extreme paucity of specimens. The
study of this question was one of the chief objects of our trip. We
were also fortunate in being able to make detailed observations on
the interesting flight song of the American Pipit and the Horned
Lark. :

Our itinerary was as follows: crossing the Straits of Belle Isle
from the Newfoundland coast in the mail steamship Home on July
10, 1906, we skirted the southern coast of Labrador from Blanc Sab-
lon eastward, stopping at a few places and reaching Battle Harbor
on the next day. Here we spent four days and explored Battle and
Great Caribou Islands and also sailed in a small boat up St. Lewis
Inlet to Mary Harbor where we spent a day and a night. From
Battle Harbor we sailed on the Virginia Lake on July 15th to Nain
which we reached on July 21st, and‘ returned to Battle Harbor on
July 26th. On the way north we dropped anchor at forty-five dif-
ferent ports of call and at about the same number on the return. We
went ashore at as many of these places as possible, spending from
fifteen minutes to three quarters of an hour at most of them, but
having over an hour at Cartwright, and a whole day at Rigolet and
again at Long Tickle. Even during the short stays we endeavored

@

Laboratory of Ornithology
159 Sapsiicker Woods Road
Cornell University

ithaca, New York 14R5F

278 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

to cover as much ground as possible, made notes on the birds observed,
and shot specimens from time to time. On both steamers except
when we were eating or sleeping we were always on deck either on the
bridge or in the bow, making note of all the birds seen, using con-
stantly strong binoculars, and occasionally having resort to a telescope.
On the return trip we pursued the same tactics.

From July 26th to August 2d, we waited for the Home to take us
south, but employed the time in a careful exploration of the bird life
of Great Caribou Island, and the region about Cape Charles. At
the latter place we stayed three days, and extended our trips from
Indian Cove to The Lodge and some miles inland. On our return
trip on the Home we went a little farther west than before, as we had
a short time ashore at Bradore, the most easterly point reached by
Audubon on the Labrador coast. We steamed away from there
on our return by way of Newfoundland on August 3d.

We brought back 58 skins we had prepared and 20 skins we obtained
from the Eskimos.

We gathered as much information as possible about the bird life
from the natives, from Dr. Grenfell’s assistants, and from the
Moravians. Through the latter at Hopedale we obtained most of the
skins made by the Eskimos. To Brother Schmitt at Nain we are
greatly indebted for many interesting notes of arrival of birds and
nesting dates. Although we were so unfortunate as to miss meeting
Dr. W. T. Grenfell in Labrador, we are greatly indebted to him for
his kind offers of assistance and hospitality, and for valuable informa-
tion he has since given us in Boston.

We are also indebted to Mr. William Brewster and to Mr. Outram
Bangs for the privilege of examining specimens in their collections
and for other kind help; to Bowdoin college for the loan of a speci-
men of Horned Lark; and particularly to Mr. Harry C. Oberholser
of the Biological survey at Washington for his study of our speci-
mens of Horned Lark and Savanna Sparrows as well as other kind
assistance. To Dr. Malcolm Storer we are indebted for the loan
of his father’s manuscript journal written in Labrador in 1849.

We are also indebted to Dr. B. L. Robinson, of the Gray herbarium,
for the identification of our specimens of flowering plants and grasses,
and to Dr. W. G. Farlow for the identification of lichens brought
back by us from Labrador.

In the following pages will be found first a description of the topog-

¥

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 279

raphy and faunal areas of Labrador, followed by an ornithological
history, including an account of the expeditions of the ornithologists
who have visited Labrador, and of the destruction of bird life and eggs
there, and lastly an annotated list of the birds of this region as well as
a bibliography.

Many of the ornithological records for Labrador are imperfect and
of doubtful value and we have often found considerable difficulty in
deciding on their merits. It is therefore possible that some of the
species that are condemned to the doubtful or erroneous list (in small
type) may be worthy of a higher position, and that some of the species
in the regular list do not deserve that honor. We have, however,
presented all the evidence we can find in all cases, so that readers can
draw their own conclusions.

We have considered in all 259 species and subspecies, two of
which are now extinct. Of the remainder we have put 44 species in
the doubtful or erroneous list, leaving 213 species and subspecies
whose status for Labrador we have considered certain. Of these,
however, some 15 are of accidental occurrence only. The nomen-
clature and order followed, are those of the Check-List of the American
ornithologists’ union as corrected up to 1906, except in the case of
the Horned Owl. Here we have adopted the name given by H. C.
Oberholser.

TOPOGRAPHY.

Geography.— Labrador is a peninsula on the northeast coast of
North America lying north of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Its eastern
coast, washed by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic current,
is some seven hundred miles in length, extending from Cape Charles
at the entrance to the Straits of Belle Isle in north latitude 52°, north-
northwest to Cape Chidley in latitude 60° 30’. On the north the
peninsula is bounded by Hudson Strait and its offshoot, Ungava Bay.
From Cape Chidley at the eastern to Cape Wolstenholme at the
western extremity of this boundary the distance in a straight line,
which runs about west-northwest, is nearly five hundred miles. The
actual coast line is nearly twice as long. The western boundary
is formed by the shores of Hudson Bay, and its prolongation south-
ward into James Bay. This boundary runs nearly north and south for
about eight hundred miles. The southern boundary is arbitrary,

- but is generally taken, and is so considered in this paper, as a line

280 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

drawn from the south end of James Bay near latitude 51° easterly to
the Gulf of St. Lawrence near Seven Islands in latitude 50°, and from
there along the shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Straits of
Belle Isle to our starting point at Cape Charles. This southern shore
boundary is something over five hundred miles in length and the
line from James Bay to the shore is nearly six hundred miles long.

As will be seen by the map, records from Moose Factory, Godbout,
Point des Monts, and Anticosti Island are excluded as these places are
outside of the limits of Labrador.

The most southern point in Labrador is at the fiftieth degree of
north latitude on the southern coast near Seven Islands. The most
northern station is Cape Wolstenholme at about latitude 63° N.
The most eastern point is Battle Harbor at 55° 32’ west longitude, and
the most western point is Cape Jones on Hudson Bay at longitude 79°
50’ W. ,

The total area embraced within the boundaries given above, accord-
ing to Low, is approximately 511,000 square miles.

Much of this area is practically unexplored. The region lying
north of Clearwater Lake, the Larch and Koksoak Rivers at Fort
Chimo, has never been visited by white men. It extends from the
boundary just mentioned in latitude 57° and 58° to the northern
extremity of Labrador at Cape Wolstenholme, about latitude 63°. In
this northern region it is probable that certain gulls, ducks, and shore
birds may be found breeding that are as yet unrecorded for Labrador,
except as transient visitors.

Geology— To A. P. Low we are chiefly indebted for an account
of the geology of this region. More than nine tenths of the rocks of
the Labrador peninsula are highly metamorphosed Laurentian rocks,
gneiss, and schists. The remainder belong in the Huronian and
Cambrian horizons and occur in scattered areas. “‘Under the
name Huronian are included several widely separated areas of clastic
and volcanic rocks, together with many basic eruptives; these are
represented by various schists, conglomerates, breccias, diorites and
other rocks more or less interfolded with the Laurentian.

“The Cambrian rocks rest unconformably upon the Laurentian
and Huronian, and are made up of bedded sandstones, argillites,
shales and limestones, along with bedded traps and other basic intru-
sive or volcanic rocks” (Low, ’96, p. 196).

Along the southern coast fronting the Straits of Belle Isle extend -

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 281

red sandstone hills and cliffs, showing horizontal strata. The under-
lying Laurentian rocks appear at the eastern end of the Straits. Nar-
row strata of light-colored limestone appear in places. The cliffs
at The Battery near Forteau reach a height of 350 feet; the small
mountains immediately behind are 1100 feet high. The sandstone
is soft and, as at Paroqueet Island, makes excellent burrowing material
for the nests of Puffins.

The exposed rocks of the eastern coast are largely Laurentian, cut
by numerous basaltic dikes. Immediately back of the coast the
land rises gradually from insignificant hills in the south to mountains
of 6000 feet near Cape Chidley.

The coast line itself, although showing in many places evidence of
recent elevation in the form of raised beaches, is characteristic of a
depressed or drowned region. This is shown by the numerous islands
and the deep fiords, called here “tickles,” with which the coast is beset.
These features furnish excellent nesting sites for many water birds.
The largest of the fiords is Hamilton Inlet, which stretches back into
the land one hundred and fifty miles, with an average width of fourteen
miles. Evidences of recent glaciation are shown everywhere, in the
roches moutonées, the glacial grooves and scratches, and the numerous
erratics.

In the interior, much of which is unexplored, are high tablelands,
numerous hills, a few mountains, and a network of rivers, lakes, and
ponds. The most noticeable of these features are the Mealy Moun-
tains, the Hamilton or Grand, Nauscaupee, George, Koksoak, East
Main, Whale, Eskimo, and Natashquan Rivers, and Mistassini, Nichi-
cun, Petitskapau, Michikamau, Clearwater, and Indian House Lakes.

During the long winter from October to June the lakes and rivers
are covered with ice and the ice along the seacoast forms a solid high-
way upon which the inhabitants travel on dog-sledges. Dr. W. T.
Grenfell tells us that the breadth of this strip of solid ice along the
eastern coast every winter is from twenty to twenty-five miles, while
outside of this is the loose “slob” ice, which drifts back and forth
with the winds and tides, varies greatly in thickness and density, and
may extend fifty or more miles out to sea. In the Straits of Belle
Isle, with their strong tides, there are generally a few open places even
in mid-winter, and Cartwright speaks of open places near some of
the outer islands even on the eastern coast. Even in the northern
parts of Hudson Bay open water is to be found in places in winter.

282 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Low in “The cruise of the Neptune”’ speaks of finding Briinnich’s
Murres, Dovekies, and Old-squaws in the open water at Fullerton,
northwest of Cape Wolstenholme throughout the winter. The pres-
ence or absence in winter of such water birds as Glaucous Gulls,
Eiders, Razor-billed Auks, and Dovekies is of course dependent on
the presence or absence of these open spaces.

Mention will be made of the tree growth and other flora under the
following head.

Fauna AREAS.

Three life zones may be recognized with more or less clearness,
in the peninsula of Labrador. These are the Arctic, the Hudsonian,
and the Canadian zones.

Arctic zone— This is the most clearly defined of the three areas.
It includes the barren grounds of the northern portion of Labrador
south to the upper limit of tree growth on a parallel nearly coinciding
with that of the southern shores of Ungava Bay in about latitude 58°
N. Thence the Arctic area extends in a narrowing strip along the
entire east coast and on the south coast as far west as Mingan. On
the Hudson Bay side, according to the observations of Low, the barren
coastal strip extends southward about as far as the mouth of the Great
Whale River (lat. 55° N.).

Elsewhere, in the interior of the peninsula, the Arctic zone includes
the barren tops of the mountains and higher hills, but the precise level
at which the tree growth ends and the barren area commences, varies
from near sea level at a short distance from the coast in southern
Labrador to several hundred feet in the latitude of the Mealy Moun-
tains, as determined by the factors of slope and exposure.

In the vicinity of Battle Harbor at the easternmost point of the
country, the Arctic strip extends from the exposed coasts of the outer
islands, in onto the mainland for from one to three or four miles as a
practically unbroken “barren,” sprinkled with lichen-covered ledges
and carpeted with turf of reindeer lichen, sphagnum, Empetrum,
sedges, creeping willows, and various other species of herbaceous
plants, including the following, kindly determined for us by Dr. B.
L. Robinson of the Gray herbarium, from specimens collected at
various points along the coast: Betula pumila, Salix argyrocarpa,
S. uva-ursi, S. anglorum, S. glauca, Polygonum viviparum, Saxi-
jraga caespitosa, S. rivularis, Cerastium alpinum, Rubus chamaemorus
(“bake-apple”), R. arcticus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Sedum roseum,

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 283

Silene acaulis, Menyanthes trijoliata, Lotseleuria procumbens, Smila-
cina trifolia, Phyllodoce caerula, Kalmia polijolia, Cornus suecica,
Luzula parvifolia, Pinguicula vulgaris, Linnaea borealis, var. amer-
icana, Festuca ovina, Calamagrostis Langsdorffii, Plantago borealis,
Epilobiwm palustre, Potentilla palustris, Elymus mollis, Poa laxa, Poa
pratensis, var. domestica, Carex atrata, C. rariflora, C. rigida, var.
Bigelovit, Eriophorum Scheuchzeri, E. polystachion, Cochlearia offi-
cinalis, Scirpus caespitosus.

In addition to these the common plants of which we did not bring
back specimens were: Empetrum nigrum, Ledum palustre, Lathyrus
maritimus; also much dwarfed and procumbent specimens of Abies
balsamea, Picea Canadensis, Picea Mariana, and Larix laricina. As
proof of the Arctic difficulties with which these trees labored, we
found 54 rings in the cross section of the trunk of a fir 2 inches in

‘diameter whose topmost twig was only thirteen inches from the
ground.

The following lichens we collected, were kindly identified by Dr.
W. G. Farlow: Nephroma arcticum, Buellia geographica, B. petraea,
Parmelia saxatilis, Alectaria ochroleuca, var. nigricans, A. jubata,
Umbilicaria cylindrica, Placodium elegans, Pannaria brunnea, Per-
tusaria sp.?, Stereocaulon coralloides, S. paschale, Cladonia rangi-
ferina, C. deformis, Lecanora bodia, Trentepoplia aurea.

In the latitude of Nain (57° N.) the Arctic area extends considerably
farther in from the sea than at points more to the south. Moreover,
since the land rises gradually with the increase of latitude, this life
zone has a greater extent, inasmuch as the upper limit of the stunted
tree growth is reached at a lower level than farther south.

The avifauna of the Arctic zone in Labrador is limited as to both
species and individuals. Of characteristic Arctic land birds that
breed in Labrador may be mentioned: Rock Ptarmigan, Reinhardt’s
Ptarmigan (in northern portion), American Rough-legged Hawk,
White Gyrfalcon, Black Gyrfalcon, Snowy Owl, Horned Lark,
Snow Bunting, Lapland Longspur, American Pipit, and Wheatear.
Possibly the White Wagtail may be added to this list, although the
presence of this species and of the Wheatear as breeding birds in the
area under consideration is probably sporadic. In the marshy pools
grown up to rushes and sedges Northern Phalaropes are to be found
breeding. The Semipalmated, Least, and Spotted Sandpipers, and
Semipalmated Plover also breed on and near the coast. Along the

284 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.
rocky shores are numbers of seafowl whose breeding area does not of
course closely coincide with that of land birds.

The few species of characteristic Arctic land birds are not evenly
distributed over the barren area. They are most numerous, at least
in point of species, in the more northern part. Thus in the region
about Ungava, Ptarmigan, Rough-legged Hawks, Gyrfalcons, Snowy
Owls, Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, Lapland Longspurs, Pipits, and
Wheatears are all breeding birds, but as we follow the Arctic coastal
strip south, the Ptarmigans, Snow Buntings, and Lapland Longspurs
soon become less common, and over most of the southern portion of
this area, the Rough-legged Hawks, Horned Larks, and Pipits are the
only Arctic birds that seem to be of general distribution. In addition
to these species, however, should be mentioned the Savanna Sparrow,
which, with the Horned Larks and the Pipits, is one of the most
characteristic of the barren-ground birds of Labrador. To us who
are accustomed to seeing this bird in the grassy meadows of the east-
ern United States, it seems strangely out of place on the wind-swept
moors of this bleak coast.

Hudsonian and Canadian zones.— These two zones, inasmuch
as they are separated by no sharp line of demarcation, may best be
considered together. Although the upper limit of the Hudsonian
fauna coincides closely with that of the stunted tree growth, the
transition from the Hudsonian to the Canadian is so gradual that
no definite boundary can be traced between them. At the upper
limit of the Hudsonian, where it borders upon the Arctic zone, the
trees become greatly dwarfed and exceedingly dense and scrubby.
White and black spruces, balsam firs, and larches grow in matted
thickets from three to six feet high with outlying clumps of even less
height occurring in sheltered spots as “islands” within the Arctic
area. Back from the barren coastal strip in the sheltered valleys,
ravines, and river bottoms these trees attain a more vigorous growth
so that along the shores of Hamilton Inlet and southward they reach
here and there the height of twenty-five or thirty feet. In addition
to the conifers, there are occasional clumps of stunted paper birch and
aspen, while along the streams there are thickets of alder and willow.
Inland, ‘‘the forest is continuous over the southern part of the penin-
sula to between latitudes 52° and 54°....To the northward of lati-
tude 58°, the higher hills are treeless and the size and number of the
barren areas rapidly increase. In latitude 55°, more than half the

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 285

surface of the country is treeless, woods being only found about the
margins of small lakes and in the valleys of the rivers. Trees also
decrease in size until, on the southern shores of Ungava Bay, they
disappear altogether. The Leaf River, which empties into the bay
a few miles north of the mouth of the Koksoak River, is the northern
limit of forest trees on the west side of Ungava Bay. Along the east
coast of Hudson Bay, Dr. Bell found trees growing a few miles beyond
the north end of Richmond Gulf..... So that a line drawn a little
south of west, from the mouth of the Leaf River to the mouth of the
Nastapoka River on Hudson Bay, would give a close approximation
to the northern tree limit [and thus to the Hudsonian zone] of western
Labrador” (Low, ’96, p. 31). In eastern Labrador, Low states
that the tree line “skirts the southern shore of Ungava Bay and comes
close to the mouth of the George River, from which it turns south-
southeast, skirting the western foothills” of the treeless Atlantic
coast range, southward at a short distance from the coast, until at the
latitude of Battle Harbor, small trees are found in sheltered places
at a distance of a mile or less from the open sea.

There are comparatively few species of birds in the stunted growth
at the upper edge of the Hudsonian zone. Most characteristic, how-
ever, is the White-crowned Sparrow which is everywhere common
in the small trees and continues to be met with as the trees diminish
in size and abundance even until they finally become mere scattered
clumps or islands reaching into the lower edge of the Arctic zone.
Thus the outpost colonies of one or more pairs of these birds were
often found in barren situations where a few small dwarfed clumps
of fir and spruce gave a little shelter. Such birds of course found
it necessary to extend their feeding grounds into the surrounding
Arctic zone, and it seemed evident that at the upper limit of their
range they should be considered as inhabitants of that area, although
clearly invaders from the Hudsonian zone. In common with the
White-crowned Sparrows, the Tree Sparrows also inhabit the stunted
growth at the upper edge of the Hudsonian area which they appear
to choose in preference to the thickets of taller trees in less exposed
situations.

The more extensive tracts of small trees up to fifteen feet in height
are the home of numerous other characteristic Hudsonian birds.
White-winged Crossbills in small flocks pass occasionally overhead,
or make a brief pause among the tops of the evergreens; Redpolls

286 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

are common among the low scraggly firs and spruces, or fly about
overhead singing. Lincoln’s Sparrows occur in small numbers along
the edges of open barrens or near swamps, and Fox Sparrows and
Alice’s Thrushes sing from the fir thickets. Along the courses of
streams in the tangles of alder and willow, an occasional pair of Ten-
nessee Warblers is established and Wilson’s Warblers delight in simi-
lar situations as well as in the low second growth of bushes and young
evergreens that follows a clearing of the original forest.

The following fifteen species, found breeding in Labrador, may
fairly be considered as typical Hudsonian birds: Willow Ptarmigan,
Pigeon Hawk, Richardson’s Owl, American Hawk Owl, Hoary Red-
poll, Common Redpoll, White-crowned Sparrow, Tree Sparrow,
Lincoln’s Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Northern Shrike, Tennessee War-
bler, Wilson’s Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Alice’s Thrush.

The northern limits of the so called Canadian zone are difficult to
fix in Labrador. A number of land birds that are most common in
the Canadian zone extend their range northward (often more or less
sporadically as in favored valleys or sheltered places) so that they
occur in territory whose inhabitants are for the greater part typical
Hudsonian species. The following 22 species represent this class of
birds whose range includes both the Canadian zone and more or less,
as the case may be, of the Hudsonian: Spruce Grouse, Canadian
Ruffed Grouse, Goshawk, Labrador Great Horned Owl, Arctic and
American Three-toed Woodpeckers, Labrador Jay, Rusty Grackle,
Canadian Pine Grosbeak, Pine Siskin, White-throated Sparrow,
Slate-colored Junco, Myrtle Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Black-
poll Warbler, Yellow Palm Warbler, Northern Water-Thrush, Winter
Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Hudsonian Chickadee, Golden-
crowned Kinglet, Olive-backed Thrush. Of these the White-
throated Sparrow, Junco, Myrtle, Bay-breasted, and Yellow Palm
Warblers, Water-Thrush, Winter Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch,
Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Olive-backed Thrush are more Canadian
in their tendency and do not appear to go much farther north than the
southernmost part of the Labrador peninsula, while others, as the
Spruce Grouse, Goshawk, Labrador Jay, Rusty Grackle, Canadian
Pine Grosbeak, and Black-poll Warbler extend more into the Hud-
sonian zone and occur over much more of the small tree growth.

The following 11 species are more typically Canadian, and barely
reach the southern portion of Labrador, where they occur in favor-

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 287

able localities more especially toward the southwestern portion of
the peninsula, and the region about Lake Mistassini: Saw-whet
Owl, Northern Hairy Woodpecker, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Yellow-
bellied Flycatcher, Purple Finch, American Red Crossbill, Magnolia
Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Canadian Warbler, Black-
capped Chickadee, Hermit Thrush.

In a very general way, the latitude of Hamilton Inlet may probably
be taken as the northern limit for the Canadian species of birds,
though a few such as the Rusty Grackle and Pine Grosbeak extend
their ranges much beyond this. On the other hand, most of the
species that are strictly limited to the Canadian zone do not come
quite so far as this.

The intermingling of these species of the Hudsonian and Canadian
zones was well shown by our experience at St. Lewis Inlet near Battle
Harbor. Here we found Redpolls, White-crowned Sparrows, Lin-
coln’s Sparrows, Black-poll, Wilson’s, and Tennessee Warblers, and
Alice’s Thrush, as well as White-throated Sparrows, and Hermit
Thrushes. The strong-flying, wide-ranging American Robin was also
a common bird here.

Tn addition to these land birds that are characteristic breeding species,
there are others that occur occasionally as stragglers in the southern
part of Labrador, having come from still farther south, and whose
general northern range is limited by the Transition zone. Such are
the Marsh Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Nighthawk,
American Crow, Song Sparrow, and Cedar-bird. The presence of
these birds, however, is more or less irregular or accidental.

MiGcratTION.

The coastwise migration of many of the waterfowl of Labrador
is of interest. Dr. Grenfell has described the ‘‘ceaseless stream
of birds” passing south during the last of October near Battle Harbor.
“Long solemn streams of eider ducks, leisurely, and more graceful
clouds of gulls, more bustling companies of auks and guillemots, and
all the while fringes of fussy murrelets” (Dovekies). These birds
appear to follow along the coast to the southern shores of Labrador
and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, or even farther, to the Nova Scotia
waters. The amount of ice along shore determines largely whether
the ducks, gulls, guillemots, and auks stay during the winter in south-

288 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

ern Labrador. As long as there are stretches of open water near shore
they can obtain food, but when the bays and inlets are frozen and the
ice floes become more or less solid for miles from land, the birds are
forced to keep farther south. ;

Bell (83, p. 54) describes the fall migration to the west of Labrador
in the following words: ‘On Hudson’s Bay in autumn, the geese,
ducks, plover, etc., come from the north, and also gather from either
side, and fly southward along each line of shore, congregating in large
numbers where these two meet at the head of James’ Bay, from which
they fly so as to pass eastward of Lake Superior.”’ Doubtless many
of the water birds that reach the St. Lawrence River basin in Ontario,
during the fall migration, come by this route, overland from James
Bay.

The immense numbers of Eskimo Curlew that formerly migrated
to the south and east shores of Labrador before departing over sea
for the Antilles and South America are elsewhere mentioned, as
well as the migrations of the ptarmigan from the interior to the south-
ern coast of Labrador.

Regarding the spring migrations there is comparatively little known.
Audubon mentions the arrival of the Loons on the south coast, that
had apparently came directly across the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The
passage of the Brant from the southern shores overland to the polar
seas is said to be accomplished at a single flight. Cartwright speaks
of the flights of ducks in early spring looking for water and the
great flocks of eiders in the spring migrations are described by him
and by Stearns.

An interesting wanderer is the Snow Bunting that passes south
in great numbers from the far north during fall. This is a bird of
strong flight but appears often to be carried out to sea by the north-
westerly gales and is known to reach even the Azores. That many
of the smaller land birds do cross the full breadth of the Gulf of St.
Lawrence in their spring and fall migrations seems to be indicated
by the observations recorded by Trumbull (05). It is not clear,
however, to what extent the presence of small birds crossing this wide
stretch of water is accidental.

In addition to the migration of many of the land birds to more
southern climes in winter, there is some evidence of a more restricted
movement on the part of the hardier species, from the interior or
northern part to the coast of southern Labrador. Thus the Labra-

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 289

dor Jay and the Hudsonian Chickadee, perhaps also the Pine Gros-
beak, have been observed moving in fall in a definite migratory way,
but the extent of these movements is quite unknown.

ORNITHOLOGICAL History — ORNITHOLOGISTS.

Although Audubon was the first ornithologist to study the birds
of Labrador, there is much of ornithological interest.to be found in
the writings of an earlier explorer of this region. George Cartwright,
Esq., published in Newark, England, in 1792, three quarto volumes
entitled: ‘A journal of transactions and events during a residence
of nearly sixteen years on the coast of Labrador, containing many
interesting particulars both of the country and its inhabitants not
hitherto known. Illustrated with proper charts.” The abundant
bird life of his times is vividly portrayed in the accounts of the
flights of Curlew in the fall, the great numbers of ducks and geese,
murres, and gulls crowding the islands and furnishing the polar
bears and Cartwright’s company with many feasts of eggs. Some
of these notes will be entered later in the annotated list, but it is
of interest to mention here that Cartwright describes the capture of
a Great Auk. He also speaks several times of shooting pied ducks,
but there is of course considerable doubt as to whether the now
extinct Camptolaimus labradorius is referred to, although there are
reasons to believe that this is the case. ‘The names he uses for other
wild fowl, as Whabby for Red-throated Diver, Hound for the Old-
squaw, Tinker for the Razor-billed Auk, and Bull for Dovekie are
still employed on the coast.

Cartwright’s chief places of residence in Labrador were at Cape
Charles at the eastern end of the Straits of Belle Isle, and at Sandwich
Bay the present site of the Hudson’s Bay company’s post of Cart-
wright. He arrived at Labrador in July, 1770, and left it for the
last time in the summer of 1786.

The earliest definite ornithological investigation of the Labrador
fauna was made by the illustrious Audubon. He departed on a
long-contemplated trip to this region from’ Eastport, Maine, on June
6, 1833, on the schooner Ripley, commanded by Captain Emery.
His party, all young men under twenty-four years of age, consisted

1The observations made by Sir John Richardson and recorded in his ‘ Fauna
Boreali-Americana’’ (1829-1837) were all made in the regions to the north and west
of Hudson Bay. They are therefore outside of the Labrador region.

290 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

of his son, John Woodhouse Audubon, Dr. George C. Shattuck
and William Ingalls of Boston, Thomas Lincoln of Dennisville,
Maine, and Joseph Coolidge. They sailed through the Strait of
Canso, visited the Magdalen Islands, and passed Bird Rock, white
as snow with Gannets. The Ripley came to anchor in American
Harbor, Labrador, near the mouth of the Natashquan River, on June
17th. From this point they cruised easterly along the southern
coast of Labrador, touching at Little Mecatine, Baie de Portage,
and Bras d’ Or. They spent nearly two months in Labrador and
sailed for home on August 11, 1833.

Audubon’s southern blood was chilled by the rough climate, and
his spirits were depressed by the ruggedness and desolation of the
scenery. He accomplished an immense amount of work, however,
rising at three o’clock, and drawing often for seventeen hours almost
continuously in the crowded, wet, and usually very unsteady cabin.
Here he was obliged to protect his work from the water which dropped
from the rigging, as there was no window to the cabin and the only
light was admitted through the hatches. He was often wet to the
skin, chilled by the cold, pestered by the innumerable flies and mos-
quitoes, frequently seasick and worn by the long hours without sleep.
He attributes his fatigue to none of these, but exclaims: ‘No! No!
It is that I am no longer young.” He found the sea birds breeding
in great numbers on the islands, observed the actions of the piratical
“eggers,” and witnessed the great flight of Eskimo Curlew. He
added a new species to science in the Lincoln’s Sparrow, named by
him after his young companion, Tom Lincoln.

His “Journal” states that “twenty-three drawings have been
executed, or commenced and nearly completed.” Among these are
the drawings of the Loon, Puffin, Pomarine Jaeger, Arctic Tern,
Gannet, Common Cormorant, Eskimo Curlew, Willow Ptarmigan,
Labrador Gyrfalcon, Horned Lark, White-winged Crossbill, Redpoll,
Lincoln’s Sparrow, Pipit, Hudsonian Chickadee, and Ruby-crowned
Kinglet. Seventy-three bird skins were prepared, mostly by his son
John. Besides the plates, the results of this Labrador trip are given
in frequent references in Audubon’s written works.

Audubon recorded many birds for southern Labrador that are
unknown there today. Some of these are now more northern, others
more southern in their distribution. In the case of some of the fly-
catchers and other poorly marked birds it is probable that he was

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 291

mistaken in his identification, but we cannot believe that he made
an error in the case of other birds such as the Oyster-catcher, Least
Tern, or Black-throated Loon. It seems probable that some of these
birds were on the frontiers of their breeding grounds in southern
Labrador and that as the numbers of birds were diminished by the
agency of man, the species as a whole withdrew its outposts and the
more favorable central portions of its range were alone utilized. For
example the Least Tern which Audubon found breeding in Labrador,
also formerly bred on the Massachusetts coast north of Cape Ann
but is not found now north of Cape Cod. In a similar way the Black-
throated Loon is not now known to breed in southern Labrador,
but Audubon found it preparing to breed in that part of the penin-
sula.

In the summer of 1849, Dr. Horatio R. Storer with his brother
F. H. Storer, and Dr. Jeffries Wyman, explored the southern coast of
Labrador from American Harbor to Red Bay. They were there
from July 20th to September 25th. Dr. Storer published in the
Journal of the Boston society of natural history the results of his
studies on the Labrador fishes. His manuscript journal, kindly lent
us through his son Dr. Malcolm Storer, contains several interesting
observations on birds which are noted elsewhere in this paper. Dr.
Storer’s bird skins were unfortunately largely destroyed by the damp-
ness of the climate.

Dr. Henry Bryant studied the birds of the Bay of St. Lawrence in
the summer of 1860, visiting Bird Rock and the southern coast of
Labrador from the Romaine River on the west to Chateau on the
east.

Dr. Elliott Coues visited Labrador in the summer of 1860 in order
to procure specimens of birds and eggs for the Smithsonian institution.
He arrived at Sloop Harbor on the southern coast about the 3d of
July. Leaving there on the 6th, he proceeded directly to Esquimaux
Bay, where the greater part of the summer was spent. He was at
Rigolet for a few days. On August 15th, he sailed to Henley Harbor
on the Straits of Belle Isle and remained there two weeks before
sailing for home.

A. E. Verrill, in 1861, studied the natural history of the Bay of
St. Lawrence, particularly the island of Anticosti. He extended his
observations, however, to the limits of Labrador, visiting the Mingan
Islands from July 4th to July 11th.

292 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

In the summer of 1862 the late N. Vickary, of Lynn, went to Labra-
dor, but published nothing on the subject.

Dr. A. S. Packard visited Labrador in 1860 and in 1864, as will be
noted later.

W. A. Stearns spent two summers and one whole year in Labrador,
his explorations being confined to the southern coast. The two
summer months of 1875 were spent within a radius of 60 miles south-
west and 10 miles northeast of Bonne Esperance. He stayed from
September, 1880, to September, 1881, at Bonne Esperance and
explored the coast from Mingan to Red Bay; in July and August,
1882, he again visited the Labrador coast sailing from Boston in a
sloop. He touched at various points between Bonne Esperance in
the Straits of Belle Isle and Triangle Harbor a few miles south of
Hamilton Inlet.

Ludwig Kumlien did not actually visit Labrador, but he has recorded
some interesting observations made while skirting its coast on his
voyage to and from Greenland. He sailed north from Newfoundland
in 1877, going through the Straits of Belle Isle on August 18th. On
August 22d he was off Cape Mugford. His return trip was made
in October, 1878, along the northern coast of Labrador and the
eastern coast of Newfoundland.

William Brewster, in 1881, while exploring the Bay of St. Lawrence
and Anticosti, reached the southern coast of Labrador at the Mingan
Islands. He was at these islands from July 17th to July 22d.

Lucien M. Turner appears to have been the first ornithologist to
reach northern Labrador. He was in Labrador from June 15,
1882, to October 3, 1884, and he stayed at Fort Chimo on the shores
of Ungava Bay from August 6, 1882, to September 4, 1884. His
ornithological notes, including a list of the birds, were first published
in 1885.

In 1891, A. S. Packard republished this list bringing it up to date
by notes written by Dr. J. A. Allen. Professor Packard spent the
summer of 1860 on the southern Labrador coast near the mouth of the
Esquimaux River. In the summer of 1864 he joined the party of
William Bradford, the marine artist, and explored the coast in a
schooner from Henley Harbor to Hopedale. On the return trip he
sailed along the Straits of Belle Isle as far west as Caribou Island.
Although he devoted himself chiefly to the geology and marine inver-
tebrates, he has recorded many interesting observations on the birds.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 293

M. Abbott Frazar spent the summer of 1884 on the southern Labra-
dor coast, arriving at Esquimaux Point on May 15th. From here he
went to Wolf Bay near Cape Whittle, reaching this place June 10th.
He devoted himself to the collection and study of the sea birds and
their eggs. He returned to Esquimaux Point the first week in Septem-
ber and left there for home a week later.

Dr. Robert Bell in the summer of 1884, in the course of the Canadian
geological survey, skirted the coast of Labrador from the Straits of
Belle Isle to Cape Chidley. The expedition entered Hudson Bay
and proceeded as far as York Factory, returning by the same route.
He gives a nominal list of the birds observed.

William Palmer and Frederic A. Lucas, in July and August, 1887,
visited the southern coast of Labrador between Black Bay and Min-
gan Islands in the United States fish commission schooner Grampus.

In the summer of 1891, between July 13th and September 7th, an
expedition organized by Bowdojn college explored the coast from
Red Bay to Hopedale. Two of the party pushed up Hamilton Inlet
about 300 miles. The expedition brought back ninety-five specimens
representing thirty-two species. These were studied and the results
published in a paper by Arthur H. Norton, in May, 1901.

Between 1892 and 1895, the interior of Labrador was explored by
the Canadian geological survey under the leadership of A. P. Low
and the birds were studied and reported on.

In 1892 and in 1897, J. D. Sornborger spent some months at Na-
chvak. He has not yet published the results of his studies there.

In the summer of 1900, July 13th to September 26th, Henry B.
Bigelow accompanied the Brown-Harvard expedition which studied
the Labrador coast from Belle Isle to Nachvak. He spent a month
from August 13th to September 11th at Port Manvers.

The latest published ornithological report referring to Labrador
is by the Rev. C. W. G. Eifrig entitled: ‘Ornithological results of
the Canadian ‘Neptune’ expedition to Hudson Bay and northward,
1903-1904.”” This report is based on specimens and notes furnished
by A. P. Low and A. Halkelt of the expedition. Still more recently
the Rey. Mr. Kifrig has published a few more notes on the same subject
and Low’s report on the Neptune expedition has just appeared
(Low, ’06).

294 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Birp AND Eaa DESTRUCTION.

Before the arrival of the white man, the Indian, the Eskimo, the
fox, and the polar bear levied contributions on the multitudes of birds
nesting along the coast. These contributions of eggs and young were
comparatively small in amount and probably had little effect on the
numbers of the birds. In the day of Cartwright more systematic
efforts were made, yet the number of eggs taken was still comparatively
small. Thus on June 16, 1776, he records: ‘After breakfast I
went in a skiff with two of the people to Swallow and Middle Islands;
we killed nine eider ducks, one black-duck, and a gull, and gathered
five hundred and six eggs. Five hands went after dinner to Beaver
and Speckled Islands; they killed nine ducks and gathered five
hundred eggs; and the skiff which I sent out yesterday returned this
morning with twelve ducks, a lord [o' Histrionicus histrionicus], and
seven hundred and twenty-six eggs.”

On July 6, 1776: “‘Proceeded to Egg Rock where they killed six
ducks and two pigeons, and gathered two hundred and fifty eggs.
This is the fourth time that this rock has been robbed this year, and
we have taken in all, about a thousand eggs off it, although it is not
above a hundred and fifty yards long, and fifteen broad.” And again
on June 18, 1786, he took from the Duck Islands “eighteen eider
ducks and above a thousand eggs.” On June 17, 1777, a female
polar bear and cub were shot on Ledge Island and he says: “On
examining the paunches of the bears they found them well filled with
eggs. I had often heretofore observed that all the nests upon an
island had been robbed, and the down pulled out; but I did not know
till now how those things had happened.”

Audubon, in 1833, was filled with horror and disgust at the destruction
that was then going on. The following is from his Labrador “ Jour-
nal” for June 21, 1833, written at American Harbor:

‘We ascertained to-day that a party of four men from Halifax took
last spring nearly forty thousand eggs, which they sold at Halifax and
other towns at twenty-five cents per dozen, making over $800; this
was done in about two months. Last year upwards of twenty sail
were engaged in ‘egging’; so some idea may be formed of the birds
that are destroyed in this rascally way. The eggers destroy all the
eggs that are sat upon, to force the birds to lay again, and by robbing
them regularly they lay till nature is exhausted, and few young are

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 295

raised. In less than half a century these wonderful nurseries will be
entirely destroyed, unless some kind government will interfere to stop
the shameful destruction.” And again at an island near Cape Whittle
on June 28, 1833, Audubon found two eggers gathering the eggs of
Murres. “They had collected eight hundred dozen, and expected to
get two thousand dozen. The number of broken eggs created a fetid
smell on this island, scarcely to be borne.”

Among the episodes, published in his ‘‘ Ornithological biographies,”
Audubon wrote a highly dramatic one on this subject, entitled, “The
eggers of Labrador,” parts of which are here quoted. He describes
a shallop with a crew of eight men. ‘‘There rides the filthy thing!
The afternoon is half over. Her crew have thrown their boat over-
board; they enter and seat themselves, each with a rusty gun. One
of them skulls the skiff towards an island for a century past the
breeding place of myriads of Guillemots, which are now to be laid
under contribution. At the approach of the vile thieves, clouds of
birds rise from the rock and fill the air around, wheeling and scream-
ing over their enemies. Yet thousands remain in an erect posture,
each covering its single egg, the hope of both parents. The reports of
several muskets loaded with heavy shot are now heard, while several
dead and wounded birds fall heavily on the rock or into the water.
Instantly all the sitting birds rise and fly off affrighted to their com-
panions above, and hover in dismay over their assassins, who walk
forward exultingly, and with their shouts mingling oaths and exe-
erations. Look at them! See how they crush the chick within its
shell, how they trample on every egg in their way with their huge and
clumsy boots. Onward they go, and when they leave the isle, not an
egg that they can find is left entire. The dead birds they collect and
carry to their boat. Now they have regained their filthy shallop;
they strip the birds by a single jerk of their feathery apparel, while
the flesh is yet warm, and throw them on some coals, where in a short
time they are broiled. The rum is produced when the guillemots
are fit for eating, and after stuffing themselves with this oily fare, and
enjoying the pleasure of beastly intoxication, over they tumble on the
deck of their crazed craft, where they pass the short hours of night in
turbid slumber. ... The light breeze enables them to reach another
harbour a few miles distant, one which, like the last, lies concealed
from the ocean by some other rocky isle. Arrived there, they re-act
the scene of yesterday, crushing every egg they can find. For a week

296 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

each night is passed in drunkenness and brawls, until, having reached
the last breeding place on the coast, they return, touch at every isle
in succession, shoot as many birds as they need, collect the fresh eggs,
and lay in a cargo.....

“With a bark nearly half filled with fresh egos they proceed to the
principal rock, that on which they first landed. But what is their
surprise when they find others’there helping themselves as industri-
ously as they can! In boiling rage they charge their guns, and ply
their oars. Landing on the rock, they run up to the Eggers, who,
like themselves, are desperadoes. The first question is a discharge
of musketry, the answer another.....

“The Eggers of Labrador not only rob the birds in this cruel man-
ner, but also the fishermen, whenever they can find an opportunity;
and the quarrels they excite are numberless. .... These people gather
all the eider down they can find; yet so inconsiderate are they, that
they kill every bird that comes in their way. The eggs of Gulls,
Guillemots, and Ducks are searched for with care; and the Puffins
and some other birds they massacre in vast numbers for the sake of
their feathers. So constant and persevering are their depredations
that these species, which, according to the accounts of the few settlers
I saw in the country, were exceedingly abundant twenty years ago,
have abandoned their ancient breeding places, and removed much
farther north in search of peaceful security. Scarcely, in fact, could
I procure a young Guillemot before the Eggers had left the coast, nor
was it until late in July that I succeeded, after the birds had laid
three or four eggs each, instead of one, and when nature having been
exhausted, and the season nearly spent, thousands of these birds
left the country without having accomplished the purpose for which
they had visited it. This war of extermination cannot last many
years more. The Eggers themselves will be the first to repent the
entire disappearance of the myriads of birds that made the coast of
Labrador their summer residence, and unless they follow the perse-
cuted tribes to the northward, they must renounce their trade.”

Dr. H. R. Storer entered in his journal on July 23, 1849, the follow-
ing interesting note: “In the afternoon IJ started in the Englishman’s
whaleboat with part of his crew for the Egg Islands [near American
Harbor]... . It was very rough and we had some difficulty in land-
ing. When we did, however, I was amazed at the immense number
of birds here breeding —we found in places the eggs so thickly

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 297

strewn that some care was necessary to avoid treading upon them —
and to procure birds it was only necessary to knock them upon the
head as they stumbled past. Tiger [the dog] dug out many Puffins,
whose eggs I speedily appropriated, and after I had filled my collect-
ing box I was glad to leave a place where such wholesale murder
is daily committed. Although such great quantities of eggs are
carried away or destroyed by the eggers, it seems as if the number
of birds could hardly have been larger than at present.” He refers
to these birds as Murres, Razor-billed Auks, and Puffins.

Again on July 23, 1849, at the Island of Great Mecatine, he says:
“In the harbor we had now entered we found one of the Labrador
eggers so much talked off — a small schooner from St. John’s, New-
foundland, with a piratical-looking crew. She had just completed
her cargo, only twenty hundred dozen eggs! and was to return home
the next day.”

In 1884, Mr. M. Abbott Frazar found the sea birds much diminished
in numbers owing largely to the “eggers.’ To the Halifax eggers
he attributed the decrease of only one species, namely, the Murre,
and he describes at some length their proceedings. ‘But,’ he goes
on to say, “‘the fishermen should be held responsible for the greatest
general destruction. During the fishing season every bay and sheltered
place will have its proportion of from one to twenty fishing schooners
anchored there for protection. During the week the men are all
busy out in their dories fishing, but their Sundays are their own and
are generally spent on the islands gathering eggs and shooting birds,
and they stop at nothing but shoot everything which flies whether
eatable or not, and shoot just for the sport they find in destruction;
and as they keep it up during the whole season the poor birds have
but a slim show.”

Barnston, writing in 1861, recounts the slaughter of geese of several
species by the natives of Hudson and James Bay. Canada, Snow,
and Blue Geese gathered in vast numbers at the southern shores of
Hudson Bay in both spring and fall; and upon these birds the inhab-
itants, Indians, whites, and Eskimos, depended for much of their
sustenance. Barnston estimated the total yearly kill of geese in
southern Hudson Bay at from 74,000 to 80,000, of which about three
quarters were taken in the fall of the year. He “would place the
Moose Indians as killing, at all seasons, 10,000; Rupert’s River natives,
8,000; Eastmain and to the north, including Esquimaux, 6,000”

298 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

which represent roughly the numbers killed by the Labrador natives.
Brant are less molested, as they keep farther out from shore.

In Canadian Labrador ‘the laws against shooting the nesting birds
and egging are now fairly well enforced, we were told. Our own
brief observations on the small piece of Canadian Labrador we saw,
would seem to bear this out. On Newfoundland Labrador, which
includes a coastal strip extending from Blanc Sablon on the southern
coast easterly to Cape Charles, and thence north along the eastern
coast, there seems to be no pretence of bird or egg protection.

Tt is perhaps natural that the fishermen should consider the eggs
and young and even the breeding parents as godsends to eke out their
scanty larder. Knowing every rock as they do, along the entire coast,
they can easily keep in touch with the birds and rob them of their
treasures. At Windsor Harbor we saw six young Great Black-
backed Gulls cooped in an ancient wreck, for the purpose of fattening’
for the pan. Unless some penalty can be imposed one cannot expect
a man to pass by a nest full of Eider Duck’s eggs, or even leave the fat
mother unmolested if he can shoot her. Young or molting ducks
are easily caught and make very good eating, and are no doubt a
delightful change from the usual course of fish. One of the Moravian
brethren at Hopedale spoke to us with great gusto of the delights of an
omelette made of Eider’s eggs. The Eskimos procure, he said, from
two to three hundred eggs of all kinds for them every spring.

There is no doubt but that the Eskimo dogs destroy a quantity of
eggs and young birds yearly. The dogs are not fed in the summer
and must forage for themselves. We judged by their tracks and
signs that the dogs explored great regions of the coast and some
distance back from it. The eggs and young of Eider Ducks or even
of Pipits and other ground-nesting birds must have but little chance
to escape detection. The manner in which Pipits and Spotted Sand-
pipers flew anxiously about when dogs appeared on the scene, seemed
to point to the truth of this theory. We saw them fly at the dogs
fiercely, almost hitting them in their desire to drive off the intruders.
On going ashore from the steamer for a hasty reconnaissance of the
bird inhabitants, we soon learned to expect a dearth of ground-nest-
ing birds if Eskimo dogs were about. On this account, at least, the
substitution of the reindeer for the Eskimo dog would be of great
advantage.

During the migrations, both spring and fall, the “liveyers” take

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 299

large toll-of the ducks and other water birds. Even gulls are shot
for their flesh as well as their feathers. Ptarmigan are sometimes
killed in great numbers and are barrelled for winter use. The Eskimo
Curlew, that formerly came in vast flocks every autumn to the coast-
wise hills of Labrador, is now all but exterminated there. In the
annotated list a full discussion of the diminution in numbers of the
Eskimo Curlew is given. (See also under Eider for a suggestion as to
the preservation of this species as is now done in Norway and Iceland.)

Single-barrel, muzzle-loading guns are the common weapons used
and large charges of powder and shot are the custom. We were told
that one hundred and twenty-five ducks chiefly Eiders were picked
up at one place near Cape Charles last spring after a volley of five guns.
Twenty-five more were picked up the next morning. The fishermen,
with whom we talked, made no concealment of the fact that they took
all the eggs and killed all the birds that they could. They often
took their guns with them when they visited their fish traps.

What is to be the result of all this if nothing be done to stop the
destruction? There can be only one result, and this is already shown
in places. For example, near Battle Harbor where fishermen are
plenty sea birds are very scarce and the same holds good for much
of the coast, especially in the vicinity of settlements. It is true
that in the deep bays and inlets which are deserted in summer by man,
and given over to the flies and mosquitoes, a number of water birds
breed comparatively unmolested. Many of the water birds, however,
such as Murres, Razor-billed Auks, and Puffins will not resort there
but prefer the islands.

It is sincerely to be hoped that the wonderful nursery for water birds
in Labrador will not be entirely depopulated, but that sufficient pro-
tection for the breeding birds will be given and that speedily, lest it
be too late.

300 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

ANNOTATED List.

Colymbus holboellii (Reinh.).
HOLBOELL’s GREBE.

Rare transient visitor.

According to Stearns (’83, p. 17) this grebe is ‘not rare in spring
and fall” on the southern Labrador coast. He also states that it
occasionally breeds, but this may be considered somewhat doubtful.
He refers to it in one place as the ‘““Whabby” a name given on the
Labrador coast to the Red-throated Diver, as he himself recognizes.

Colymbus auritus Linn.
Hornep GREBE.

Rare transient visitor; possibly breeds.

The only definite record for this bird in Labrador is of a specimen
taken at Fort George, James Bay, by R. Bell (’83). Turner speaks
of having seen a single grebe “‘in a tidepool at the mouth of the Kok-
soak River, September 15, 1882” but he was unable to determine
whether it was this species or C. holboellit.

Gavia imber (Gunn.).
Loon; “Loo.”

Common summer resident.

The Loon is well distributed throughout Labrador, although no-
where very abundant. It is found among the lakes of the interior
and along the entire coast of the peninsula, north into Hudson Strait,
especially in the deeper fiords and inlets.

Cartwright, on his arrival at Cape Charles on July 30, 1770, says:
“As none of these people, who were employed in the boats, had ever
been in this part of the world before, they were greatly terrified with
the continual crying of the loons, believing them to be Indians.”

Cartwright records the first Loons in 1775 on April 14th; Audubon
speaks of having ‘‘witnessed the arrival of some on the coast of Labra-
dor, after they had crossed the Gulf of St. Lawrence, as late as the
20th of June.” Various observers agree that they nest exclusively
on the borders of the freshwater lakes, large and small, that are so
numerous on the mainland. Low and others who have traversed the

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 301

peninsula, report the Loon as breeding commonly in the interior,
and Macoun records a nest July 25th at Clearwater Lake.

Along the east coast, in the latter part of July we saw Loons fre-
quently flying about in pairs, and on some occasions they were gath-
ered in small flocks of three or four. On July 23, 1906, we saw a
flock ef six flying past near Makkovik. Mr. Schmitt, one of the
Moravian brothers at Nain, told us that the Loon bred in that vicinity
early in July.

Gavia arcticus (Linn.).
BLACK-THROATED Loon.

Summer resident, not uncommon in the north, very rare in the
south.

Audubon says: “Whilst in Labrador, I saw a few pairs courting
on wing, much in the manner of the Red-throated Diver.” No nests
were found. Stearns says: “Two....obtained....off the Labrador
coast by one of the French priests at Bersimis, one in 1880.”

Macoun regards the Black-throated Loon as “occasional on the
coast of Labrador but apparently common on the shores of Hudson
Bay, where they breed. Male and female and young, nearly full
grown, shot on Nottingham Island, Hudson Strait, August 28th, 1884.
(R. Bell).” Vow ('06) found it very common in the northern parts of
Hudson Bay where it nests ‘‘on islands or along the swampy edges of
ponds not far from the coast.” Bell also found them on the East
Main coast of Hudson Bay. The record by J. M. Macoun that a few
breed at Lake Mistassini may be open to question.

Gavia lumme (Gunn.).

RED-THROATED Loon; ‘ WHABBY.”

Common summer resident.

Cartwright describes the ““Whabby,” as “a water-fowl of the diving
genus” and he occasionally shot one with his rifle. He probably
referred to this species, for it was so called by Stearns, and the name
is used at the present day by the natives to designate it.

The Red-throated Diver is a common bird throughout Labrador.
Audubon, Verrill, Stearns, Frazar, and Brewster found it breeding
in southern Labrador. Low found it breeding commonly on_ the
upper Hamilton and Koksoak Rivers, and it was common along the

302 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

shores and islands of Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait. Turner found
it breeding plentifully at Ungava. Eifrig found it at Cape Chidley.
It nests in tussocks along ponds or on islets and lays two eggs. Bige-
low states that it nests by small ponds inland and that it appears on
the coast after the young are able to fly. Some individuals may, how-
ever, be found there throughout the summer. It begins to breed in
southern Labrador early in June and leaves the country when the ice
begins to form. At Nain, according to the Rev. Mr. Schmitt it breeds
early in July.

We saw only four of these birds in the Straits of Belle Isle near
Battle Harbor on the 10th and 12th of July, and five between Double
Island and Nain on July 21st. All of these appeared to be adults.

Fratercula arctica (Linn.).

Purrin; “PAROQUEET.”

Abundant summer resident along the southern and eastern coast.

The Puffin or ‘‘Paroqueet”’ as it is universally called in Labrador
breeds in colonies on islands along the southern and eastern coasts.
Turner says it is not known to enter Hudson Strait. Audubon found
fresh eggs on June 28th and young in the nest at Paroqueet Island
near Bradore on August 12th.

H. R. Storer visited Paroqueet Island (near Bradore) on August 18,
1849. He says in his journal: ‘We found the island completely
undermined by the Puffins, every inch of soil and every cranny in the
rocks taken possession of. Audubon says that more Puffins breed
here than on all the rest of the coast — however that may be we found '
an immense number as well as of the Razor-bills. Got some birds
and a few eggs.”

Coues in 1860 met with many thousands of Puffins breeding on the
Paroqueet Islands in Esquimaux Bay, and found eggs nearly ready to
hatch on July 25th. Brewster observed a large colony of many thou-
sands on Paroqueet Island near Mingan Harbor.

Stearns says of Puffin at Greenery Island near Blanc Sablon:
“There could easily have been a multiple, and not a small one of ten
thousand.....They make a harsh, rasping sound, not unlike the
filing of a saw.... Though they appear in large numbers at stated
times, they disappear, or rather disperse after breeding, almost as
suddenly as they came, yet stragglers do not leave until the harbors
are blocked up with ice.”

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 303

Palmer says: “At the Mingan group these birds breed only on an
islet near Mingan or Bald Island, and on the little group of islets to '
the westward called Perroquet Islands.”

Frazar records a large colony—about 1000—nesting at Wolf Island
near Cape Whittle. Of the thousand nests, he found twelve with
two eggs. Macoun says they breed at Gannet Island.

Norton (’01, p. 142) from an examination of specimens brought
back by the Bowdoin college expedition, finds that the Labrador
birds ‘‘differ perceptibly from the European birds in having the out-
line of the culmen less convex — descending directly from the base
of the culmen to its tip — and in having the eminentia symphysis in
relation to the base of the tomia farther back. The bill is heavier
in appearance, being relatively shorter and deeper. The mandible is
in the average deeper, and the keel of the gonys much thicker.”
Temminck described the American bird under the name of Mormon
glacialis. Norton concludes therefore that “‘it is evident that glaczalis
of Temminck is the American subspecies which if not worthy of recog-
nition, must make his glacialis a synonym of arctica.”

As will be seen by the table, we met with Puffins all along the Labra-
dor coast but especially in the Straits of Belle Isle near Bradore. Here
on August 3d, between 5 and 6.30 a. M., we passed within a mile
of Paroqueet Island going in and out from Bradore. The island is
somewhat over an acre in extent, composed of soft red Cambrian
sandstone, which is elevated to the height of 20 or 30 feet with a small
cliff on the seaward side. Puffins were to be seen flying about the
island in large numbers. Many were sitting on the rocks of the
shore below the cliffs, others occupied the flat top of the island. The
surface of the water all about was dotted with them. Singly and in
groups of two or three,— very often the latter number,— and in larger
flocks of seven or eight these birds were flying straight away from the
island, generally close to the water. Others were returning close to the
water or at an elevation of 50 or 60 feet each with a capelin hanging
from its bill. There were at least 500 of them, perhaps many more.

As observed from the steamer all along the coast, Puffins generally
allowed of close approach. After dipping its head nervously into the
water several times, a bird would either fly away with difficulty,
splashing along the water some distance in its endeavor to rise above
it, or it would flop out its wings and dive, using its wings under water
for subaqueous flight. Occasionally the two actions were combined

304 PRO@EEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

in rapid succession. Thus a bird would dive to reappear in a few
seconds flying, only to flop down and fly below the water again. The
red bill and red feet show conspicuously both in flight and in swimming.
The gray patches like spectacles about the eyes, the dark ring
~ about the neck, the stout chubby build, small black wings, and black
backs are all good field marks.

Cepphus grylle (Linn.).
Buack GuILLEMoT; “SEA Pickton”; “Picton”; “Pitsutak” (Eskimo).

Abundant summer resident along the entire coast.

The Black Guillemot breeds on rocky islands in deep clefts in the
rock where it lays one or two eggs, well protected by their position
from the hand of man or the jaws of Eskimo dogs. It apparently
prefers the clefts in the ancient metamorphic rocks of the eastern coast
to those in the softer sedimentary rocks of the southern coast, al-
though it is common there in localities.

Macoun has eggs from Big Island collected on June 20th, and from
Ungava Bay on July 9th. Robert Bell found it everywhere on the
Hudson Bay coast.

Cartwright (1792, vol. 1, p. 233) speaking of an Indian fishing
for salmon says: “He had the skin of the leg of a sea-pigeon, which
is scarlet, fastened on the shank of a cod-hook, tied to a cod-line.
This he threw by hand down the stream, and played it in the same
manner as we do a fly.”

The Eskimo women are said formerly to have cut off the red feet
of this bird, withdrawn the leg bones, and then filled the inflated
skins with reindeer tallow, to provide a confection.

We found the Black Guillemot one of the commonest and most
universally distributed of the waterfowl along the eastern coast, but
with the exception of a few near Battle Harbor, we saw only one in the
Straits of Belle Isle. On our trip north from Battle Harbor to Nain
we counted 464 birds of this species and 563 on the return.

Mr. Schmitt at Nain has found their eggs in the middle of July.

Cepphus mandtii (Licht.).

Manpt’s GUILLEMOT.

Summer resident.
The exact status of this species and its relation to the abundant
C. grylle are somewhat doubtful. It is generally supposed to be

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 305

more northern in its distribution than grylle but Frazar (’87, p. 2)
obtained a specimen taken on its nest near Cape Whittle in southern
Labrador. Turner says it ‘occurs in Hudson’s Strait occasionally
only, according to my own observation. Plentiful on the eastern
coast of Labrador. Specimens procured at Fort George by Drexler,
July 17, 1861.” Low (06) found it ‘common everywhere in Hudson
Bay and in smaller numbers northward.”

As there seems to be no way of distinguishing this species from
grylle in life, we considered all the Black Guillemots we saw as belong-
ing to the latter species.

Uria troile (Linn.).
Murre; “Turre.”

Common summer resident in southern part, a few winter.

The Murre is still common locally on the south and east coasts
of Labrador where it nests in colonies on certain islands. When
Audubon visited the southern coast of the peninsula in 1833 he found
an immense colony breeding on the Murre Rocks near Great Mecat-
tina Harbor, and he gives an account of the destructive work of the
Nova Scotian “eggers” at whose hands the birds were under constant
persecution. In 1884, William Brewster recorded a colony at Paro-
queet Island, near Mingan Harbor, and Stearns speaks of the bird as
then abundant and breeding in vast colonies on the islands, especially
to the south of Esquimaux River. Frazar, in 1887, found them
‘common but rapidly diminishing” along the southeast coast. Bige-
low, in 1900, found them “fairly common to Hamilton Inlet” and
was told of a colony at Eclipse Harbor, slightly farther north.

The form of this species known as U. ringvia occurs with the other
murres in the Labrador colonies. Audubon in his “Journal”? (p. 372)
speaks of drawing a female at American Harbor on June 20, 1833;
Norton (’01, p. 146) records two taken at Herring Islands on August
22, 1891; and there is a male in the Bangs collection taken at L’ Anse
au Loup, on July 1, 1899. Veerrill (62, p. 143) in writing of the birds
of Anticosti, estimated that about one half of the Murres breeding
there represented this phase. It is interesting to recall in connection
with the supposed specific distinctness of the ringvia birds, the state-
ment of S. H. C. Miiller (’62) that it “is certainly only a variety of
Uria troile. I have been an eye-witness that a Ringed and a Common
Guillemot have paired themselves together, and besides have seen a
ringvia feed a young one which a frotle had under its wing.”

306 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Although most of the Murres retire farther south in winter, a mod-
erate number remain in the patches of open water off the southern
coast and Low records that in the open water of Hamilton Inlet they
were common until January 20th in 1894.

We saw but very few Murres on the Labrador coast, namely, one
near Hawke’s Harbor on July 16th, and ten near Indian Tickle on
July 17th.

Uria lomvia (Linn.).
Bruwnicu’s Murre.

Common summer resident, a few winter.

This species occurs with the preceding species in colonies on the
south and southeast coasts, but continues farther north into Hudson
Strait, where Turner obtained breeding birds. Eifrig (’05, p. 235) also
found it common all through this strait and Low (’06) adds that it
breeds in great numbers at Cape Wolstenholme, and remains in the
open water of Hudson Bay throughout the winter. Coues, in 1860,
recorded that great numbers were breeding in early July at Murre
Rocks, a few miles north of the harbor of Little Mecattina. He says:
“The birds at this date [July 6, 1860] were breeding on the islands by
tens of thousands; their number was truly incredible, and yet I was in-
formed that these were rather fewer than usual.”

Mr. Schmitt at Nain stated that they bred there early and in the
middle of July.

Alca torda Linn.

RazoR-BILLED AuK; ‘TiInKER”; “TurRE”’; “Gupps” (Stearns).

Common summer resident; a few winter.

The Razor-billed Auk still breeds, in much diminished numbers,
however, on the numerous rocky islands that line the southern and
eastern Labrador coast. Turner states that it was not observed
in Hudson Straits, and we have no records for it on the western coast.
Kumlien says it “was seen on many occasions and often in close
proximity to the ship from the outer islands of the middle Labrador
coast to Frobisher Straits.”

Audubon in his “Journal” necords the first of this species out of the
egg about July 4th. Cartwright records, on February 11, 1779, that
“during the whole of the winter season, small holes, like ponds, are
kept open on one side or other of most of the outer islands (by the
set of the wind) to which these birds resort for food.” He occasionally

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 307

found them frozen inland or on the ice. Cartwright’s definition of
“Tinker” is: ‘‘A sea fowl. ‘Razorbill’— Pennant.”

The immense numbers of these birds on the southern coast in Audu-
bon’s time are attested in his accounts and have been already referred
to under “Bird and egg destruction.” Stearns says: ‘At the Fox
Islands, off Kecarpin River they are very abundant....I noticed
them in thousands about several other small islands also, and am
informed by the inhabitants that this species was always very abun-
dant about this locality.” Unfortunately at the present day the rapa-
cious fishermen have played havoc in their ranks. We saw about
two dozen only along the southern coast, but in the vicinity of Battle
Harbor not a bird of this species, and scarcely a gull was to be seen.
Only the cautious Black Guillemots that hide their eggs in rocky clefts
and keep themselves out of gunshot flourished. Between Battle
Harbor and Nain fiord north we saw about 84 Razor-billed Auks,
and about 47 on our return south. We saw about 25 flying around an
island between Holton and Cape Harrison, and about 40 near a high
rocky island a little south of Nain. The ‘‘thousands” of bygone
years are no more!

In flight the birds sway from side to side like all the Alcidae and
they generally fly thirty feet or so above the water, not skimming
close to it like the Black Guillemot and Puffin. They are distinguished
from Murres in flight by their short neck, and from Puffins by their
larger size and the absence of the gray patch on the side of the head.
As they fly away, they show white on either side of a black median
line, while the Puffin shows a continuous black back. Swimming
on the water, they sometimes cock their tails at an angle of about 45°
On the rocky ledges they sit bolt upright displaying their white breasts.

Mr. Schmitt at Nain told us they laid their eggs there early and
in the middle of July.

[Plautus impennis (Linn.). Great AuK; “ Prnauin.’”?— Extinct. The
last Great Auk seen alive was in 1852. In 1853, the dead body of one was
found floating in the waters of Trinity Bay, Newfoundland. Like the
Gannet at the present day, it is probable that the Great Auk bred in only a few
chosen places, chief of which was Funk Island, lying 32 miles off the north-
east coast of Newfoundland, and although the bird may have bred on the
Labrador coast we have no evidence of it, either from history or from the
presence of egg shells or bones, such as have been found in numbers at Funk
Island. However, there is no doubt but that the bird, if not a resident, was
formerly a frequent visitor to the Labrador coast.

308 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

An erroneous Labrador record was published on the authority of Alfred
Lechevallier by Ruthven Deane (Amer. nat., vol. 6, 1872, p. 369) viz: that
one was found dead near St. Augustine on the coast of Labrador, in 1870.
This was discredited by J. E. Harting (Zoologist, ser. 3, vol. 8, 1884, pp. 141, 142).

As all contemporary references to this extinct bird are of great interest,
we quote the following from Cartwright’s Labrador “Journal,” although all
the records are at some distance from the Labrador coast (Cartwright,
1792, vol. 1, p. 155). “We were about four leagues from Groais Island
[Newfoundland] at sun-set, [August 5, 1771] when we saw a snow standing
in for Croque. During a calm in the afternoon, Shuglawina went off in his
kyack in pursuit of a penguin; he presently came within a proper distance
of the bird, and struck his dart into it; but, as the weapon did not enter a
mortal part, the penguin swam and dived so well, that he would have lost
both the bird and the dart, had he not driven it near enough the vessel for
me to shoot it.” “This day [June 10, 1774] we saw the first penguin and
several bulls [Dovekies].’”’ This latter was in long. 48°, 42’ W., and lat.
51° 45’ N., during a voyage from England (Cartwright, 1792, vol. 2, p. 7).
His account of Funk Island is classical and prophetic, and was written on
July 5, 1785 (Cartwright, 1792, vol. 3, p. 55). “Funk Island is a small
flat island-rock about 20 leagues east of the island of Fogo, in the latitude
of 50° north. Innumerable flocks of- sea-fowl breed upon it every summer;
which are of great service to the poor inhabitants of Fogo; who make voyages
there to load with birds and eggs. When the water is smooth, they make
their shallop fast to the shore, lay their gang-boards from the gunwale of the
boat to the rocks, and then drive as many penguins on board, as she will hold;
for, the wings of those birds being remarkably short, they cannot fly. But
it has been customary of late years, for several crews of men to live all the
summer on that island, for the sole purpose of killing birds for the sake of
their feathers, the destruction which they have made is incredible. If a
stop is not soon put to that practice, the whole breed will be diminished to
almost nothing, particularly the penguins; for this is now the only island
they have left to breed upon; all others lying so near the shores of Newfound-
land, they are continually robbed. The birds which the people bring from
thence, they salt and eat, in lieu of salted pork.”

It is to be noted that Cartwright says that Funk Island is the only place
where the “Penguins” bred. It seems hardly probable that they would
have been driven off their breeding places on the Labrador coast in his day
if any such existed, and it is equally improbable that he would have failed to
find any such or to record them in his valuable “ Journal.’’]

Alle alle (Linn.).
Dovexie; ‘Turre”; “Lirrne Buu”; “BuLi-Birp”; “IcE-BIRD.”’
Abundant transient and winter visitor.

Cartwright in his “‘Journal’’ (1792, vol. 2, p. iii) says: “Bull. A small
sea bird. I believe it is called the ice-bird.” This bird breeds north

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 309

of Labrador and Audubon was probably misinformed when he states:
“The cod-fishers assured me that they frequently breed there.” He
himself did not see any. Stearns says they are “abundant certain
seasons. Occasional all along the coast,” and (“ Bird life in Labra-
dor’’): “From October 15 until the ice sets in, I found these little
fellows common.” Turner found them “common in Hudson Strait’
and on December 19, 1882, a specimen was taken 100 miles up the
Koksoak River. “Occurs in myriads along the eastern shore of Labra-
dor. Breeds plentifully in certain localities not visited by me.”
Low reports that they were very common in Hamilton Inlet till Jan-
uary 20, 1894. Numbers were found frozen in bushes along the
edge of open water. More recently, Low (’06) found them not
common during winter in Hudson Bay, but rare in the summer.
Bigelow saw one on September 18th off Cape Harrison. Mr. Schmitt,
the Moravian brother at Nain told us that he not uncommonly saw
this species in summer.

We saw none on the Labrador coast, but at Flower’s Cove, New-
foundland, across the Straits of Belle Isle, on July 9th, a bird that was
crippled by the loss of one foot swam up to the steamer’s side and
was captured by the mate with a bucket. The specimen (coll. C. W.
Townsend, no. 1204) is a female in much worn summer plumage.
Its crippled condition undoubtedly accounted for its presence so far
south at this season. Its occurrence on the coast in winter is of course
determined by the ice or rather by the presence of open water. If
there is no open water, water birds are not found.

Megalestris skua (Briinn.).
Sxua; “Sra-HEN.”

Accidental visitor.

There is but one record for this species on the Labrador coast.
Turner (in Packard, ’91, p. 438) states that one was “‘seen near the
vessel, sitting in the water off the north side of the Strait of Belle Isle,
June 22, 1882.” Low (’06) speaks of having seen this bird in the
eastern part of Hudson Strait.

Stercorarius pomarinus (Temm.).

PomaRINE JAEGER; ‘Bo’s’N.”

Common summer visitor; probably breeds in northern part.
Audubon saw some Pomarine Jaegers “not far from shore” at

310 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

about forty miles from Little Mecattina, and in early August noted
twenty or thirty in Bradore Harbor during a heavy gale. Stearns
records a specimen from near the mouth of the Esquimaux River,
Palmer saw a few in the Straits of Belle Isle, and Kumlien found them
abundant from this point to Hudson Strait. It is not unlikely that
this and the following species will be found to breed in northern Lab-
rador.

Jaegers occur off shore in some numbers along the Labrador coast
in summer. More often we found them in pairs or less frequently
in small scattered groups of from four to seven or ten. The first
birds seen on our trip were off Cape Harrison on July 19, 1906, and
after that we noted them almost daily until our return south to
Battle Harbor at the end of July. A number were in the black phase.
We saw none in the Straits of Belle Isle.

The Jaegers were readily distinguished by their easy gull-like flight
with frequently a short sail on set wings which curved sharply down.
They were constantly chasing one another, as well as the gulls and
even the shearwaters.

Stercorarius parasiticus (Linn.).
PaRASITIC JAEGER.

Common summer visitor; perhaps breeds in northern part.

This species occurs along the coast with the preceding in summer
and like it, is not known to breed in Labrador. It appears to be less
common, however, than the Pomarine Jaeger. We saw several
birds whose smaller size seemed to indicate that they were parasiticus
while on our way along the east coast, and Coues, Brewster, and
Bigelow also mention it as observed by them off the southern and
eastern shores.

Stercorarius longicaudus Vieill.
LoNG-TAILED JAEGER.

Rare summer resident.

Off the Labrador coast this bird appears to be less common than
the preceding two species in summer, but is known to breed in the
northern part of the peninsula. Coues (’61) noted a few at sea on the
south coast in July, and Brewster saw one July, 20, 1881, near Min-

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 3ll

gan Harbor. In Ungava Bay, in the northern part of the peninsula,
Turner (’85, p. 252) obtained a specimen in the early part of July and
saw several other birds, and Macoun (’00, p. 30) records an egg of
this species from George River, Ungava, taken by J. Ford, in 1896.
Two other eggs, thought to be those of the Long-tailed Jaeger, were
obtained from the Eskimo at Cape Chidley, Ungava, in 1903, by
Eifrig (’05, p. 235). We saw nothing of this bird during our stay on
the coast.

Pagophila alba (Gunn.).
Ivory Gutt; ‘Icke ParTRIDGE.”

Common winter visitor.

Audubon says: “Old and young [Kittiwakes] leave the coast of
Labrador at the first appearance of winter, or when the Ivory Gull
reaches that country. This, however, I know only from hearsay,
having received the information from a settler at Bras d’Or, who has
lived here many years, and....was in the habit of....shooting the
Ivory Gull when it arrived over his harbour in the month of Decem-
ber.” Low reports that one was shot at Rigolet in winter, and that
the bird was seen in late December at Northwest River. Macoun
says that it was seen by Low on Hudson Bay near Great Whale River
in the spring and winter and Low (06) adds that “occasional birds of
this species are seen in the early summer among the heavy ice on the
Atlantic coast of Labrador and in Hudson Strait.”

Dr. Mumford, Mr. Frank Lewis, and others at Battle Harbor told
us of shooting “Ice Partridges” which came with the ice and seals
in November or December. They stay for about two weeks or a
month and then depart, not to be seen again for a year. At times
they are very abundant and even fly about the houses. These birds
are shot for food and are often obtained in the following manner:
about a gallon of seals’ blood is poured on the ice near the rocks, and
as the birds hover about they are easily shot. Some of the birds in
their eagerness to obtain the blood dash themselves with such force
against the ice as to kill themselves.

We obtained from the Eskimos at Hopedale the skin of an immature
Ivory Gull shot the previous winter at that place. On showing the
skin to our informants at Battle Harbor, they all agreed it was their
“Ice Partridge.”

312 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Rissa tridactyla (Linn.).
Kirtrwake; “TICKLER.”

Abundant summer resident.

The Kittiwake is abundant during the summer all along the south-
ern and eastern coasts of Labrador. ‘Turner says it is rare in Hud-
son Strait but records one seen over 100 miles up the Koksoak River
on October 13, 1883. He says it ‘‘breeds plentifully on northern
portions of the Atlantic coast of Labrador.” The birds seen in the
Straits of Belle Isle and along the southern coast probably come from
Anticosti for Verrill and Brewster found them breeding there in great
numbers. A. P. Low found them common on the edge of the ice at
Great Whale Bay but “not very common in the northern part of
Hudson Bay.”

We saw Kittiwakes in large numbers along the coast, but saw no
breeding places. It seems probable that most of the birds on the
eastern coast breed on the lofty cliffs to the north of Nain. On July
10th we saw a flock of 200 near Blanc Sablon; on July 16th, 6 birds
near Frenchman’s Isle; on July 17th, 5 near Pack’s Harbor; on July
18th, a flock of 5000 at the mouth of Hamilton Inlet; on July 19th
to 21st from Holton to Nain we saw 466 Kittiwakes. On the return
we saw between 2000 and 3000 Kittiwakes between Nain and Pack’s
Harbor; none between Pack’s Harbor and Battle Harbor; about
2500 in the Straits of Belle Isle. The large flocks were of exceeding
grace and beauty. At Hamilton Inlet thousands of Kittiwakes cov-
ered the water, and, as we steamed on, they rose in bodies of five
hundred or more and whirled about like gusts of snow driven by the
wind, their pure white plumage lit up by the rays of the setting sun.
Silent for the most part, they occasionally emitted cries of kae kae,
or ka-ake and at times one could imagine the syllables of kittiwake.
On our return trip we ran into a flock of nearly the same size near
Cape Harrison. The appearance of a snowstorm here was more
perfect, for there was a thick fog bank on the edge of which the Kitti-
wakes played. The sun shining on the birds before the fog shut them
out was very striking. They were occasionally plunging for capelins,
at times disappearing entirely under water with a splash. One could
often be seen flying with a fish hanging by one end from its bill. A
Jaeger suddenly appeared on the scene and the twisting and turning
of pursuer and pursued was interesting to see. The Kittiwake finally
dropped his prey, and the Jaeger settled on the water to pick it up.

,
TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 313

Larus glaucus Briinn.
Guaucous GULL; BurGoMasTER; “WHITE WINTER GULL.”

Common summer resident in northern Labrador, rare in southern
Labrador; a few winter.

Audubon speaking of the southern coast says: ‘‘I found this species
on the coast of Labrador in very small numbers, all paired, in the
month of July.” They were very shy and he found no nests. Coues
saw but few though. he was told there was a colony at Esquimaux
Bay. Packard stated that the bird “‘breeds plentifully on the eastern
and southern coast of Labrador.” Frazar said: “Occasionally up
to the last of May, I would see one of this species, but saw none later
than that. Doubt if it ever breeds where I was” (Cape Whittle).
Bigelow found the bird common north of Cape Harrison, and partic-
ularly abundant at Port Manvers. Young birds appeared in num-
bers about the end of August. Macoun says that large numbers
bred on the cliffs at Richmond Gulf in July, 1898. Low found it
“common throughout the interior; seen May 19th; eggs June 14th.”

We first met with the Glaucous Gull several miles up St. Lewis
Inlet on July 12th. Here we saw two or three with a flock of about
40 Herring Gulls and 15 Great Black-backed Gulls. When first
seen they were standing on a ledge of rocks near the water. On our
way north from this point we saw a dozen or more of these birds, and
the same number on the return trip. We saw none on the southern
coast. A pair appeared to be breeding on Sloop Island off Hopedale.
On one high crag rising for some hundreds of feet from the sea, near
Nain, we saw at least four pairs of these snowy birds, evidently nest-
ing. In each case, one, of the pair seemed to be sitting on the ‘nest
where a slight ledge made possible a growth of green plants, while
near by stood the mate, basking in the afternoon sunlight. Several
times we saw them flying about the ice floes or perched on the shelf
of an iceberg. Most of them showed the pearl gray mantle of the
adult, while several, presumably immature birds, were of a uniform
white with a slight but distinct buffy tint and the plumage showed
dirty brownish patches in places. They gave the impression of
slightly soiled white birds. Their call note which we heard only on
one occasion was a sharp hitk kik. Mr. Schmitt at Nain had found
the eggs of this species from the end of June to the middle of July.

314 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Larus leucopterus Faber.
IcELAND GULL.

Rare transient or winter visitor.

No definite record of the presence of this species in Labrador
has been found, but it is doubtless of general occurrence coastwise
in the colder months of the year. Reeks states that it is common in
autumn and winter from Greenland to Newfoundland. We found
on Great Caribou Island the wing feathers of a white gull, the measure-
ments of which correspond closely to those of the Iceland Gull. The
bird had evidently been killed during the previous winter (1905-6).

Audubon, in 1833, “was surprised to find but very few on the coast
of Labrador, and these did not seem to be breeding,”’ but it is open to
considerable doubt whether Audubon was right in identifying the
birds that he saw, with this species.

[Larus kumlieni Brewst. Kumtren’s Gutt.— We have no record for this
gull but as it is believed to breed in Cumberland Gulf it doubtless is found
as a transient visitor along the Labrador shores.]

Larus marinus Linn.
Great BLACK-BACKED GULL; “SADDLE-BACK.”’

Common summer resident.

These fine birds are found breeding along the entire southern
and eastern Labrador coasts; on the Hudson Bay side we have no
record of them, and the only interior record is that given by Macoun
of an egg taken by A. P. Low on the Hamilton River in 1894.

Cartwright refers to the ‘““Saddle-back,” and so long ago as 1833,
Audubon found that “the parents were so shy and so wary that none
could be shot,” and the constant persecution of the fishermen has
not served to lessen this wariness during the intervening years. Audu-
bon also adds that they “suck other birds’ eggs like Crows, Jays, and
Ravens.” Audubon caught some young as early as June 18th but
according to Coues these gulls are said to arrive in the latter part of
May, and eggs are found on the south coast in the middle of June.
He speaks of finding young birds on July 4th. Stearns, Coues, and
Verrill found this gull common along the southern coast and among
the Mingan Islands. Frazar was served at breakfast with the eggs
of this species by the people with whom he was staying.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 315

We saw about 43 Great Black-backed Gulls on our trip north,
generally scattered pairs or single birds about the rocky islands, but
on July 12th we saw a flock of about 15 in St. Lewis Inlet. On the
return trip from Nain we counted only 25 until we neared Bradore
when as many as 200 were seen flying about our vessel. Mr. Schmitt
at Nain had found eggs of this species from the end of June to mid-
July. At Winsor Harbor on July 22d we saw four young birds about
the size of large pigeons caged in the hull of an old stranded boat,
where, as we were informed by the fishermen, they were being fat-
tened for the table. They were fed with capelin, which they swal-
lowed whole.

Larus argentatus Briinn.
Herring GULL.

Common summer resident.

This is the most abundant gull in Labrador and it is more or less
common along the entire coast, and about the large lakes and ponds.
Verrill and Palmer record it as abundant at the Mingan Islands,
nesting on the ground; Turner states that it is “excessively abundant
in Hudson Strait,” and Macoun says it breeds along the shores of
Hudson Bay.

Audubon relates that at the time of his visit, the young birds were
caught by the Labrador fishermen and salted down for winter use.
The depredations of the fishermen on this and on other seabirds still
continue with the result that these birds are much diminished in num-
‘bers at the present day.

We saw only single birds and scattered pairs or small flocks on the
Labrador coast except on one occasion when we observed about a
thousand Herring Gulls on July 18th at the mouth of Hamilton Inlet.
Aside from this we counted only 42 Herring Gulls on our trip north
along the southern and eastern coasts of Labrador and about 60 on
our return trip.

Larus delawarensis Ord.

RING-BILLED GULL.

Uncommon summer resident locally in southern Labrador.

Colonies of this gull have been found breeding in southern Labra-
dor, but very little has been ascertained in a definite way, concerning
the distribution of the species on these coasts. Audubon records

316 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

that in a large colony of Herring Gulls that were breeding on a rocky
island on the southern coast, a small number had the bill marked with
a black ring. Presumably these may have been Ring-billed Gulls.
Frazar found a few moderate-sized colonies in the vicinity of Cape
Whittle, and refers to their frequently changing location owing to
their being so often disturbed. Three eggs was the largest number
he found in a nest. According to A. P. Low, these gulls nest at Lake
Mistassini and in the vicinity of Hamilton Inlet. Coues records
three young of the year shot at Henley Harbor, on August 21, 1860,
from a flock of gulls. The most northern record is of a young speci-
men taken by H. B. Bigelow at Port Manvers (lat. 57° N.) on Sep-
tember 6th.

[Larus canus Linn. Mew Guui.— The following is from Audubon’s Lab-
rador “Journal” under date of June 18, 1833. ‘John and Co. found an
island [near Little Mecattina] with upwards of two hundred nests of the
Larus canus, all with eggs, but not a young one hatched. The nests were
placed on the bare rock; formed of sea-weed, about six inches in diameter
within, and a foot without; some were much thicker and larger than others;
in many instances only a foot apart, in others a greater distance was found.
The eggs are much smaller than those of Larus marinus.” Elliott Coues adds
the following note after Larus canus: ‘‘Common Gull. This record raises
an interesting question, which can hardly be settled satisfactorily. Larus
canus, the Common Gull of Europe, is given by various authors in Audubon’s
time, besides himself, as a bird of the Atlantic Coast of North America, from
Labrador southward. But it is not known as such to ornithologists of the
present day. The American Ornithologists’ Union catalogues L. canus as
merely a straggler in North America, with the query, ‘accidental in Labrador?’
In his Notes on the Ornithology of Labrador, in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila.,
1861, p. 246, Dr. Coues gives L. delawarensis, the Ring-billed Gull, three
specimens of which he procured at Henley Harbor, Aug. 21, 1860. These
were birds of the year, and one of them, afterwards sent to England, was
identified by Mr. Howard Saunders as L. canus (P. Z. 8., 1877, p. 178; Cat.
B. Brit. Mus., XXV, 1896, p. 281). This would seem to bear out Audubon’s
Journal; but the ‘Common American Gull’ of his published works is the one
he calls L. zonorhynchus (i. e., L. delawarensis), and on p. 155 of the Birds of
Am., 8vo ed., he gives the very incident here narrated in his Journal, as per-
taining to the latter species. The probabilities are that, notwithstanding
Dr. Coues’ finding of the supposed L. canus in Labrador, the whole Audubon-
ian record really belongs to L. delawarensis.— E. C.”’]

Larus philadelphia (Ord).
BonapPaRTe’s GULL.

Common transient autumnal visitor in south.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 317

There is no evidence to show that this species breeds in the Labra-
dor peninsula. The migrants appear to come from the westward
of Hudson Bay and in the fall of the year are found in large flocks
along the south coast and the east coast south of Hamilton Inlet
(Bigelow, 02). Palmer in 1887 found the immature birds “abundant
at the mouth of Mingan River, together with a limited number of old
birds.”

Xema sabinii (Sab.).

SABINE’s GULL.

Rare transient visitor.

Kumlien says: “On the 6th of October, 1877, on the passage from
the Kikkerton Islands northward, a pair of these birds kept close to
the stern of the schooner for many miles.” Turner reports that ‘‘a
single male was obtained in the middle of July, 1884, near the mouth
of George’s River, flowing into the eastern side of Ungava Bay.”
Robert Bell records that one was shot at Port Burwell in September,
1884. In the Bang’s collection is a specimen (no. 9740) taken at
Okkak in 1894.

Sterna caspia Pallas.
Caspian TERN.

Very rare summer resident in southern Labrador.

Audubon in his Labrador “Journal” mentions finding on an island
near Little Mecattina on July 18, 1833, the eggs of the Cayenne Tern,
and “‘a single pair of these remarkable birds, which could not be ap-
proached.” Later, on August 16th, in St. George’s Bay, Newfound-
land, he notes ‘‘several pairs of Cayenne Terns on their way south.
The Cayenne or Royal Tern, Sterna maxima, is more southern in its
distribution than the Caspian Tern, which was unknown to Audubon
and could easily have been mistaken by him for the Cayenne Tern.
Coues states under this latter bird: ‘“Audubon’s Labrador record
belongs to S. caspia.”

More recently Frazar has found this bird in Labrador and he reports
as follows: ‘‘This majestic Tern is but a sparing resident along the
Labrador Coast, as I met with but one colony, which was located
about twenty miles to the westward of Cape Whittle, where I found a
colony of some two hundred pair mixed with a larger settlement of
Ring-billed, and a few Herring Gulls. Their nests were built upon

318 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

the ground, and generally contained two eggs, never more.” One of
Frazar’s specimens from Cape Whittle, dated June 24, 1884, is no.
1164, Bangs collection.

[Sterna forsteri Nutt. Forstrer’s Tern.— There is an erroneous record
by Low (’96, p. 323) who says it is “common throughout the interior; seen
June 13, Hamilton River, June 1st Mistassini.’”” We are informed in a letter

from Macoun under date of March 13, 1906, that Low referred to the Com-
mon Tern.]

Sterna hirundo Linn.
Common Tern; Witson’s Trern; “STEERINE.”

Common summer resident in southern Labrador.

Audubon observed it in the ‘‘Straits of Belle Isle, May 18, 1833, in
great abundance about American Harbor, Labrador. Breeds here.”
Coues says: ‘‘A good many seen at Rigolet but not elsewhere.”
Macoun records it “common from Moose Factory to Richmond Gulf,
Hudson Bay (Spreadborough).”

It must of course be remembered that careful scrutiny is necessary
to distinguish this bird from the Arctic Tern and it is possible some
of the records, especially the northern ones, refer to the latter bird.

Sterna paradisaea Brinn.
Arctic TERN.

Common summer resident locally.

Audubon found this bird breeding at American Harbor in June,
1833, and old and young about Bras d’Or harbor on August 5th.
Frazar found a few colonies on the small grassy islands near Cape
Whittle. Stearns speaks of them as only a spring and fall migrant.
Turner says they “breed plentifully on islets in Ungava Bay,” and
Eifrig says they were taken at Cape Chidley in June, 1903. Macoun
records eggs from Green Island, Sandwich Bay. Weiz says they
breed at Okkak.

We saw but one tern while we were in Labrador and this was at
Bradore on August 3d.

Sterna antillarum (Less.).

Least TERN.
Extirpated.

The only record for this tern whose breeding range has rapidly

TOWNSEND ANT ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 319

retreated southward, is that of Audubon (’38, p. 175) who says: “It
is to be supposed that it is not met with beyond the western shores
of Labrador, where, however, I found it in abundance and breeding,
in the beginning of June, 1833,” and he obtained specimens.

Fulmarus glacialis (Linn.).

FULMAR.

Common visitor.

Fulmars are very abundant along the north and east coasts of
Labrador at times. They are usually met with off the Straits of Belle
Isle, northward, in summer, and according to Audubon are “regularly
observed in spring moving northward in files” opposite the entrance
of these Straits. They appear to enter the Straits rarely, if at all, but
keep out to sea, and approach land during storms only. In our voy-
age along the east coast, we observed them but once, when on July
19th, during a violent northeast storm, a few came about the vessel
off Cape Harrison. In all about eight birds were seen, of which but
two were in the light phase. The species is not known to breed in
Labrador.

Puffinus gravis (O’ Reilly).

GREATER SHEARWATER; “Hac”; “Hacgpon.”

Abundant summer visitor.

This bird, breeding in the Antarctic summer, avoids winter alto-
gether by spending the non-breeding season in the summer of the
northern seas. It is found at sea off the southern and eastern coasts
of Labrador, rarely approaching very close to land except in storms
and fog. In one of the frequent storms of this coast we were so
fortunate as to run into a great flock of these birds on July 15th not
far from Spear Harbor. As westeamed along we first passed single
birds, then groups of from 50 to 300, and later great flocks of 1000.
It was impossible to count them but we roughly estimated from five
to ten thousand shearwaters. Among them were only three Sooty
Shearwaters. It was a rare sight and had a fitting setting in a
background of rough and broken granitic rocks, a stormy sea, and
scudding drifts of fog. With outstretched and almost motionless wings
slightly decurved, the shearwaters glided over the waves, following
them so closely, that we momentarily expected to see the birds
disappear in the foam. Again they swing about in graceful curves,

320 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

turning from side to side, so that sometimes one, sometimes the other
wing almost touches the great surges. All their motions on the wing
are graceful in the extreme and devoid of any appearance of effort.
Again they ride the water lightly in companies of a hundred, or
swim rapidly over the surface to seize some delectable morsel, holding
their heads up, their wings partly spread. In rising from the water,
the birds show less grace, and a large flock makes the water foam
as they try to push away the surface, paddling vigorously with alternate
feet.

(Puffinus puffinus (Briinn.). Manx SHearwater.— As this European bird
is exceedingly rare on the North Atlantic coast, and as Kumlien makes no
mention of the abundant Greater Shearwater, this author’s note that the
Manx Shearwater is ‘abundant from Belle Isle to Resolution Island” can
be disregarded. There is no other mention of this bird for Labrador.]

Puffinus fuliginosus (Strick.).
Sooty SHrarwater; “Bruack Hae” or “Hagpon.”

Common summer visitor.

This shearwater generally accompanies the Greater Shearwater
but in much smaller numbers. Palmer found them common in the
Straits of Belle Isle, and saw a few as far west as the Mingan Islands.
Coues and Bigelow note them on the eastern coast in company with
the other species.

We saw one in the Straits of Belle Isle and three in an immense
flock of over 5000 of the greater species not far from Spear Harbor.

[Puffinus tenuirostris (Temm.). SLENDER-BILLED SHEARWATER.— R. Bell
records the capture of one at Port Burwell on September 28, 1884. This was
an error. The bird was in fact a Fulmar (J. Macoun in litteris, March 13,
1906)].

[Puffinus kuhlii (Boie). MrprrerRANEAN SHEARWATER.—Kumlien records
this as ‘‘common from Belle Isle to Grinnell Bay,” evidently a mistake. See
note under P. puffinus.]

Procellaria pelagica Linn.

Stormy PErret.
Rare summer visitor.
It is possible that after the breeding season, this species wanders
to the American shores more often than is supposed. It is well known
to occur off the Newfoundland coasts, but the statement of Reeks

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 321

(see Macoun, ’00, p. 62) that it breeds on the islands about Newfound-
land seems quite without foundation. The only specific record for
the Stormy Petrel in Labrador is that of Turner who obtained one in
the “middle of July, 1882,” twenty miles up the Koksoak River, in
Ungava, and saw another seventy miles up that river, October 9, 1882.
Possibly these birds had been blown inland by a storm and become lost.

Oceanodroma leucorhoa (Vieill.).
Lracu’s PETREL.

Common summer resident in south.

Bryant saw this species frequently off the southern coast but found
it breeding only on Gull Island near Romaine, and on a small island
between Mecattina and Bradore. Bigelow speaks of finding it com-
monly. He says: “‘ We visited several islets where the turf was riddled
with their holes and the air reeked with their sharp musky odor.’
North of Hamilton Inlet Bigelow says it is very rare.

We saw none on the Labrador coast, although a petrel (possibly
of this species) was described to us, that flew aboard the vessel one
night in southern Labrador, and was captured but afterwards released.
Dr. Grenfell told us it breeds at Peter’s Island near Henley Harbor.

Oceanites oceanicus (Kuhl).
Witson’s PErTret.

Common summer visitor.

Apparently this species does not often reach the offshore waters
of Labrador in its summer wanderings from the southern hemisphere.
Coues and Brewster both observed it in fair numbers in the Gulf of
St. Lawrence in July, but the former states that he saw none off the
Labrador coast. Turner records that he saw it off the “Atlantic
coast of Labrador,....mostly in spring and fall,” but it is not clear
that he distinguished carefully between this and Leach’s Petrel. No
other observers report it. On Battle Island, we found the wings of a
Wilson’s Petrel, August Ist, but saw no living birds.

Sula bassana (Linn).
GANNET.

Uncommon summer resident, locally, on southern coast.
Formerly the Gannet was a common bird on the southern coast of

322 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Labrador, although its breeding area appears to have been confined
to one locality. Constant persecution has greatly diminished its ranks,
although it still breeds in the same places.

Audubon said that the Gannet arrived at Chateau Bay about the
middle of May, but he did not find any breeding birds. Bryant, in
1860, said that the Gannet was known to breed at only three places
in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, namely, at Bird Rock, at an island near
Gaspé,’ “and at Gannet Rocks near Mingan, which will soon be
deserted by those birds in consequence of the depredations of the
fishermen.”

Coues, in 1860, refers to Gannet Rocks as follows: “On the first
of July our proximity to the celebrated Gannet Rocks was clearly
indicated by the numbers of these birds seen flying in every direction,
engaged in seeking for food, which consists principally or wholly of
fish....Again, on the 11th of September, on our return we saw many
Gannets; but though on both these occasions we passed within fifty
miles or less of the rocks, I was denied the pleasure of observing the
birds at their great breeding place.”

Brewster, in 1881, visited this same colony near Mingan which he
states bred on Paroqueet Island. He says it “was despoiled the
day before we landed by Indians, who did their work so thoroughly
that only empty nests and occasional broken eggs remained to mark
the spot where less than a week before we had seen hundreds of birds
sitting in fancied security.”

Frazar, in 1884, states that with the exception of this colony, there
were ‘‘no other colonies at least as far as the Straits of Belle Isle.”
Lucas, in 1887, visited this colony and found ‘“‘a few Gannets... .in
spite of the incessant persecution of the Indians who regularly make
a clean sweep there.”

Near Indian Tickle just south of Hamilton Inlet, is an island which
bears the name of Gannet Island. Neither Cartwright nor Coues
who were familiar with this region, mentions any Gannets there.
We saw a few Gannets on the southern side of the Straits of Belle Isle,
but none on the Labrador coast.

Phalacrocorax carbo (Linn.).
CoRMORANT.
Common summer resident locally in south.

1Byrant inadvertently located this colony at Percé Rock instead of the nearby
Bonaventure Island.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 323

On the south coast, colonies of Cormorants still breed, but we find
no definite evidence that they do so north of Belle Isle. Audubon,
in 1833, found a large colony on the cliffs near Wapatigun, and on
the nearby Shag Rocks, off the St. Mary Islands, thousands of both
species nested.

In 1860, Bryant visited this colony and estimated the number of
breeding cormorants to be from four to five thousand. He thought
there were about four Common Cormorants to one of the Double-
crested species.

In May, 1881, Stearns visited these Shag Rocks. He speaks of
thousands of cormorants. The two species were equally represented.
“At a distance these rocks present the appearance of being covered
with snow, but a nearer approach shows that this is a covering of
guano from the continual droppings of the birds.”

What was probably the remnant of this colony is described by
Frazar who visited Labrador in 1884. He found about 200 pairs
of both species together, and states that many nests contained large
young on June 19th, “which went to prove what the natives said,
that they commenced to build long before the snows of winter had
disappeared.” He also mentions finding a set of six eggs in one nest.
Another colony was recorded by Stearns at the Mecattina Islands.
Weiz (66) lists the Cormorant as found at Okkak, but no evidence
is adduced to prove this. It is certainly rare or even accidental on
the northeast coast.

Phalacrocorax dilophus (Swains.).
DoUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT; “‘WAPATIGUN.”’

Common summer resident locally in south.

In general the remarks under the preceding species apply also to
this. Both are found nesting together in colonies at certain chosen
spots on the southern coast of Labrador. Audubon found large
colonies on islands near Great Mecattina and at Cormorant Island,
near Cape Whittle. Wapatigun Island, near the latter point, appears
to be named after this bird. Frazar who visited this same region in
1884 speaks of the Cape Whittle colony as consisting of but 200 or
so pairs of birds, of both species; he also mentions a colony found
June 2d, about 75 miles east of Esquimaux Point. We have been
unable to find any good evidence to show that this species breeds on

324 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

the east coast, but Coues, in 1860, was informed of a colony at Sloop
Harbor, just north of Hamilton Inlet. After the breeding season
the birds scatter and may be found in small numbers along the south-
ern coast.

Merganser americanus (Cass.).

AMERICAN MERGANSER; GOOSANDER.

Rare summer resident in the interior.

This merganser is not so fond of salt water as its red-breasted cousin,
and is rarely seen on the coast. Stearns, however, says that he has
“‘seen one....taken near Fort Island” and Palmer says that ‘‘one
was seen at Mingan.” Low says: ‘‘Common throughout the interior;
seen May 28th; eggs June 25th.” He gives precisely the same record
for M. serrator. Macoun says that “Mr. A. P. Low found it breed-
ing on the shores of small lakes in Labrador; eggs were taken with
the bird from under small spruces on the upper part of the Hamilton
River, in the summer of 1896.” As the habit of the American Mer-
ganser is to nest in a hole in a tree or cliff it seems reasonable to sup-
pose that M. serrator was confused with this species.

Merganser serrator (Linn.).
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER; “SHELLDRAKE”; ‘“SHELL-BIRD.”’

Common summer resident along the coast and in the interior; more
common transient visitor.

Cartwright and Stearns both speak of this bird as the ‘‘Shell-bird.”
It is widely distributed both in the interior and along the seacoast.
lt breeds preferably on the shores of freshwater ponds and rivers.
Coues found nearly fresh eggs on July 4th, and Low records eggs
for June 25th.

At Mary Harbor on St. Lewis Inlet we observed several of these
birds on July 12th and 13th flying back and forth from the salt water
to the pond-like expansions of the Mary River. It is probable that
they were breeding in the latter locality. They emitted a harsh
quacking croak as they flew. These were the only birds of this species
we saw in Labrador except one near Cartwright.

Lophodytes cucullatus (Linn.).
Hooprep MERGANSER.

Rare summer resident.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 825

Stearns says it is ‘rather rare but occasional.’’ Macoun says that
a pair was seen by Spreadborough in the interior of Labrador on
July 16, 1896.
Anas boschas Linn.

MALuarp.

Rare transient visitor.

According to Cooke the Mallard breeds west of Hudson Bay and
also in Greenland. In Labrador it is found only as a migrant. Pack-
ard mentions specimens from Davis Inlet and from the mouth of the
Koksoak River and says it is “rare at Fort Chimo. Common on
eastern and more plentiful on southeast coast.” Coues saw a pair
offered for sale by one of the natives.

Anas obscura Gmel.
Buack Duck.

Common summer resident.

It is of course impossible to separate most of the records of obscura
from those of rubripes, a subspecies established by Brewster in 1902.
Examples of both forms have been obtained from Labrador. Here
a general account of the species in Labrador will be given without
attempting to subdivide it.

The Black Duck breeds throughout Labrador, more commonly
away from the coast, on the shores of inland ponds. Cartwright
shot one in Sandwich Bay, containing a hard egg on May 28, 1778.
Mr. Schmitt at Nain told us they bred in that vicinity from the end
of June to mid-July.

Audubon found them incubating in Labrador June 17, 1833, and
with young on July 5th. Brewster said they bred along the coast
near Mingan. Frazar found a few breeding on the islands near Cape
Whittle. Palmer found them abundant at Mingan. Coues says it
“breeds very plentifully” but is more common away from the coast.
Half-grown young were seen with parents on August Ist. Low found
them not common throughout the interior. They were seen May Ist
on, the upper Hamilton River and eggs found on May 23d. Spread-
borough found them breeding in northern Labrador on July 7, 1896,
but not commonly. Packard says it is ‘‘not common in Hudson
Strait. Doubtless breeds there.” Wallace in the “Lure of the
Labrador Wild” speaks of seeing Black Ducks as late as October

326 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

2d north of Hamilton Inlet. Again he says (’07, p. 434): “From the
day we entered the George River (Sept. 14, 1905] until we were well
down the stream they were plentiful. .... This is apparently a breed-
ing ground for them.”

We obtained the skin of a typical obscura from the Eskimos at
Hopedale. The bird was undoubtedly killed in that vicinity. We
have presented the skin to Mr. Brewster in whose collection it now is.
Brewster (’02, p. 187) says that a female in the Bangs collection taken
in the Straits of Belle Isle on April 25, 1900, must be referred to obscura.
“Another, belonging to Mr. J. D. Sornborger, which, with her brood
of ducklings, was captured on July 8, 1896, at Okkak, on the north-
eastern coast of Labrador, is intermediate in certain respects between
obscura and rubripes, but on the whole perhaps nearer the former.”

Anas obscura rubripes Brewst.
ReEp-LeaceD Buack Duck.

Common summer resident.

See remarks under obscura. There is only one specimen of this
form from Labrador, namely, one taken at Ungava by Turner on July
1, 1884. One from Okkak is intermediate as already noted. A
good deal can be said in favor of the view that Red-legged Black
Ducks are merely old Black Ducks (see Townsend, “Birds of Essex
County,” pp. 127, 128).

Mareca americana (Gmel.).
BaLpPaTE; AMERICAN WIDGEON.

Rare transient visitor in southern Labrador.

Stearns says it occurs “as far as Natashquan; said to occur inland
at Esquimaux River” and, “‘a single female of this species was shot |
in Old Fort Bay on November 27, 1880... .Said to breed.’’ Packard
says: “Mr. John Ford assures me it is common in Hamilton Inlet
and on the southeast shore of Labrador.” ‘‘Widgeon” is a name
so loosely applied to various species of ducks that the last record at
least is of very doubtful value.

Nettion crecca (Linn.).

EvRoPEAN TEAL.
Accidental visitor.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 327

This is a straggler from the Old World, for which there are two
Labrador records. The first is that of Coues (’61, p. 238) who states
that he “was so fortunate as to procure a well characterized specimen”
on July 23, 1860. He does not mention the locality. Norton (’01)
records the skin of a male which was obtained in 1891 by the Bowdoin
college expedition, near Eskimo Island, Hamilton Inlet. It was
purchased of a half-breed Eskimo woman by whom it had been pre-
pared.

Nettion carolinensis (Gmel.).
GREEN-WINGED TEAL.

Rare summer resident.

Cooke states that the “regular breeding range extends from New
Brunswick, through northeastern Quebec and Newfoundland, to
Ungava Bay, Labrador, latitude 58°”. Turner records that “‘fully-
fledged young females were obtained at Fort Chimo late in July.”
Coues saw a skin in a collection at Rigolet. Frazar mentions two
specimens which had been killed “early in September” from a bunch
of six, near Esquimaux Point. Further than these there are no exact
records for Labrador.

Querquedula discors (Linn.).
BLUE-WINGED TEAL.

Very rare summer resident in northern Labrador.

The only record is that of Macoun (’00, p. 83) who states that a
pair, evidently breeding, was found July 11, 1896, by Spreadborough,
at Clearwater Lake in latitude 56° N. The principal summer home
of this teal is the interior of North America between the Rocky Moun-
tains and the Great Lakes (Cooke).

Spatula clypeata (Linn.).

SHOVELER.
Accidental visitor.
We are enabled to add this species to the list of Labrador birds on
the evidence of Dr. W. T. Grenfell who stated that he shot two speci-
mens near Cartwright in September, 1901.

328 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Dafila acuta (Linn.).

PINTAIL.

Very rare transient visitor.

The only records are the following. Turner records a female
young of the year taken at the mouth of the Koksoak River and an
adult at Davis Inlet. Presumably both are fall records. Stearns
records the capture of one specimen of a pair seen at Old Fort Island,
and adds that another was taken near the same place a short time
before.

We obtained the skin of a young male prepared by the Eskimos
at Hopedale and saw the skin of another. Both birds were believed
to have been taken the previous autumn.

[Aix sponsa (Linn.). Woop Duckx.— Stearns (’83) states that this
duck is “not rare in the interior” of Labrador, but it seems doubtful if this
report is based on good evidence.]

Aythya americana (Eyt.).
REDHEAD.

Very rare transient visitor.

This duck is probably a rare fall migrant to the coast of Labrador.
None have been reported by those who have penetrated to the interior
of the peninsula. The only definite record is that of Stearns who
saw one on September 23, 1880, at Baie des Roches on the southern
coast. Cooke (’06, p. 42) says: “An individual was taken in the fall
in southeastern Labrador.” He perhaps refers to this record.

Aythya marila (Linn.).
GREATER Scaup Duck.

Rare summer resident in northwestern Labrador.

According to Macoun (’00), a few were observed by Spreadborough
in James Bay and in the interior of Labrador in 1896, and a set of
six eggs was taken June 16, 1896, near Whale River on James Bay.
The only record for the east coast is that of a specimen shot near
Nain in October, 1899 (Bigelow, ’02). Dr. R. Bell gives the Lesser
Scaup Duck as breeding in large numbers on Nottingham Isle in
Hudson Strait and at Churchill and York Factory in Hudson Bay,
but as Macoun says, it is more probable that the birds were A. marila.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 329

(Aythya affinis (Eyt.). Lasser Scaup Ducx.— Dr. Robert Bell’s (’83)
record of the breeding of this species in Hudson Strait probably refers to A.
marila.]

Clangula clangula americana (Bonap.).
AMERICAN GOLDEN-EYE; ‘“WHISTLER”’; ‘“‘ WHISTLE-DIVER.”’

Common summer resident in central and southern parts.

The Golden-eye breeds along the large streams and lakes of the
interior of Labrador from the upper Hamilton River, southward.
Farther north, Spreadborough saw none in the barren regions of the
upper part of the peninsula in crossing from Whale River to Fort
Chimo. Doubtless the birds are confined in summer to the timbered
portions of stream beds owing to their choice of hollow trees as nesting
sites. Low saw them at Lake Mistassini on May 3d, and found a
few flocks in June on the upper Hamilton River. Brewster saw a
large brood of young accompanied by what was probably a female of
this species, near the mouth of Mingan River, July 20th. The
Bowdoin college expedition, on August 9, 1891, came upon a female
and brood of young supposed to be of this species, some 200 miles up
Grand River, Hamilton Inlet. They were originally reported as
Labrador Ducks! In autumn the Golden-eye is common on the coast
and doubtless remains until driven south by the closing of the bays.

Clangula islandica (Gmel.).
Barrow’s GOLDEN-EYE.

Rare transient visitor and summer resident.

According to Turner who obtained specimens from Davis Inlet,
it is ‘‘plentiful” in fall on the coast. Stearns records it from the
south coast where it is said to occur in Esquimaux River in mild
winters. Cooke states that “‘a few breed in eastern Canada from the
Gulf of Saint Lawrence (Point des Monts) to northern Labrador
(Davis Inlet).” Merriam states that it breeds at Point des Monts
(outside of Labrador) but we have not found any record of breeding
birds in Labrador except this record of Cooke.

Charitonetta albeola (Linn.).
BuFFLE-HEAD; “SLEEPY DIvER.”

Rare transient visitor.
Stearns says this duck is a common migrant in the fall on the south

330 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

coast. No other observers have recorded it. Cooke says: ‘‘Undoubt-
edly some pairs breed in Quebec and southern Labrador, though it
is as yet unrecorded from there. ...except as a rather rare visitant.”

Harelda hyemalis (Linn.).
Otp-squaw; ‘Hounps”; “Coc-caw-wEE.”

Common summer resident.

Besides spending the summer commonly, especially in the northern
parts, the Old-squaw is an abundant transient visitor, and a few
winter in patches of open water off the southern coast, if such occur.

Cartwright, in 1770, describes this species as follows: ‘‘Hounp.
A water-fowl rather larger than a teal. These birds migrate to the
north in large flocks in the spring, and as they fly, make a continual
noise, than which nothing can more resemble the cry of a pack of
beagles when in chase. When, and how they return to the south
again I am unacquainted.” Gurdon Trumbull in “Names and
portraits of Birds’”’ published in 1888, gives as one of the synonyms
of this bird, ‘“‘Hounp, a name applied in Newfoundland (the musical
gabble of a flock being likened to the cry of hounds).’”’ We found the
name “‘Hound”’ still in common use along the Labrador coast.

Cartwright gives May 16th at Sandwich Bay for the date of arrival
of Old-squaws in 1776, which means simply that open water appeared
about that time.

On July 28, 1833, Audubon found several broods of Old-squaws on
a large freshwater lake at Bradore, but it is doubtful if many breed
there at the present day owing to constant persecution by the natives.
Frazar (’87) observed it at Cape Whittle as a migrant only, and saw
none after the first week of June. In Ungava, Turner found it breed-
ing, Weiz (’66) gives it as breeding at Okkak, and a pair was seen
in June, 1896, by Spreadborough, at Cape Jones, Hudson Bay. Low
(06) found it very common in the northern parts of Hudson Bay; it
breeds “‘on the islands of the ponds.”

Mr. Schmitt at Nain told us that the Old-squaw breeds in that
vicinity early in July.

7 Histrionicus histrionicus (Linn.).
Haritequin Duck; “Lorp anp Lapy.”’

Common summer resident in northern, common transient visitor
in southern Labrador.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 331

The quaint definitions of Cartwright are worth quoting: ‘“Lapy,
A water-fowl of the duck genus, and the hen of the lord.” ‘Lorp.
A water-fowl of the teal kind.” These names are still used on the
coast for this species.

On July 29, 1770, he enters in his journal: “TI shot four eider ducks
and seven lords and ladies; the latter being in full moult could not
fly, but they were very fat.” This was at St. Peter’s Islands in the
Straits of Belle Isle.

According to Turner, the Harlequin Duck is abundant in Hudson
Strait and ‘‘ceriainly breeds at Ungava.” It is uncommon on the
southern coast and its presence there in winter is probably dependent
upon the extent of open water, for Brewster (’84) says that it occurs
at Anticosti in winter only, where ‘“‘hundreds sometimes collect in the
tide openings.” Stearns found it “rather rare” on the south coast
in spring and autumn, but a few immature birds and an occasional
adult were found in summer by Frazar about the outer islands and
exposed ledges near Cape Whittle. These, however, were not breed-
ing birds. We saw but a single bird on our trip, an immature speci-
men swimming among the cakes of pack ice near Makkovik. As
the vessel passed, it dove several times opening its wings at it went
under. In swimming it cocked its tail slightly up.

Mr. Schmitt at Nain said that some were to be seen in that vicinity
all summer while Mr. Frank Lewis at Battle Harbor was familiar with
the bird during the spring and fall migrations only.

(Camptolaimus labradorius (Gmel.). Laprapor Duck; Piep Duck.—
Extinct. Very little has come down to us concerning the former presence of
this now extinct species in Labrador. Cartwright in his journal probably
refers to it when he speaks of having killed “only » pied-duck” on October
26, 1770, at Charles Harbor; and again, under date of July 16, 1771, when
he writes: ‘Killed a whabby [Red-throated Loon] with my rifle, and a
pied duck with shot.” Again on October 6, 1773: ‘One of my people killed
a pair of pied-birds.”” Audubon, when he visited southern Labrador in 1833,
did not see the Pied Duck, but in his “Journal,” writing from Bras d’ Or,
July 28, 1833, speaks of it as breeding “on the top of low bushes, but the
season is so far advanced we have not found its nest.” In his “ Ornithological
Biography” he also states that nests, said to be those of Labrador Ducks,
were pointed out to his son on this same date, at Blanc Sablon. When Coues
visited southern Labrador in 1860 he was “informed that, though it was
very rarely seen in the summer, it [was] not an uncommon bird in Labrador
during the fall.” This statement is thought by Dutcher (Auk, vol. 11, p. 10)
to indicate a fall migration northward, though it may quite as well mean

332 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

that birds from the interior or even from the heads of inlets moved to the
coast in the fall migration southward. Probably, however, the birds were
nearly extirpated by the time of Coues’ visit, and his testimony is based
merely on hearsay. Dutcher also corrects the statement that a female with
a brood of young was observed by members of the Bowdoin college expedition
in 1891, 200 miles up the Grand River, Hamilton Inlet. The birds were prob-
ably Golden-eyes.

There appear to be but three Labrador specimens of this duck extant,
according to Dutcher; one in the American museum of natural history, an
adult male (no. 3739) from the Wied collection; and a pair formerly in the
possession of Sir Joseph Banks that came from Labrador (Latham, Gen.
hist. birds, 1804, vol. 10, p. 318).]

Somateria mollissima borealis (Brehm).
GREENLAND EIDER.

Abundant summer resident on the eastern coast and on the west
coast of Richmond Gulf, north of Hamilton Inlet; transient visitor
in the southern part.

Packard says: ‘‘Abundant in Hudson Strait. Eggs, young,....
adults procured in Ungava Bay.” It is probably the common breed-
ing Eider on the Hudson Bay coast north of latitude 56°. Bigelow
says it is abundant north of Hamilton Inlet on the east coast, breeding
near most of the fiords.

At Nain, Mr. Schmitt told us that the eiders bred during the latter
part of June and early in July.

Dr. Grenfell tells us that north of Nain, where the summer or
“‘oreen”’ fishermen rarely penetrate on account of the ice, the Eider,
undoubtedly the Greenland Eider, still breeds in great numbers.
On the Metik Islands between three and four thousand Eider’s eggs
were taken off by a man in 1905. He stated that the man could
hardly find a place large enough, free from eggs, to place his sleeping
bag. Dr. Grenfell is anxious to employ a keeper for these islands,
and says that the down alone would pay his salary. He fears, and
with reason, that the advent of steam trawlers would allow the fisher-
men to penetrate to these regions, and that the birds would be doomed.

Somateria dresseri Sharpe.

American Ermer; “Seta Duck”; ‘Layine Duck”; ‘‘ SHOREYER ”;
“Esximo Duck”; ‘“Moraac” (Indian); ‘““Mrrix’” (Eskimo).

Common summer resident along the south coast and south of Hamil-

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 333

ton Inlet on the east coast and of Richmond Gulf on the west coast
(Macoun, ’00).

The northward range of this species is not fully known. Low ('06)
found it “common everywhere in Hudson Bay and to the northward.”
He speaks of shooting a number of this species and the Greenland
Eider at Cape Fullerton at the northwest part of Hudson Bay.

The American Eider has been much more persecuted than the
Greenland Eider as its home country is visited every summer by the
large fishing fleet, bearing 30,000 egg-loving individuals, from New-
foundland. Besides these most of the 3,000 permanent inhabitants of
Labrador live in its breeding range.

The presence of Eider Ducks or indeed of any water bird in winter
is dependent upon the presence of open water. This is clearly shown
by Cartwright in his “Journal.” Stearns also speaks of it. In the
Straits of Belle Isle with its strong tides, there are generally a few
open places even in midwinter and here Eider Ducks are almost
always to be found.

The date of arrival of the Eider Duck in the spring depends on
the season. Cartwright, at Cape Charles, notes March 7, 1771,
two pairs of ducks; March 23d, ‘“‘a flock of ducks looking for water”’;
April 26th, ‘thousands of ducks flying north.” In 1775 he notes that
the spring is about three weeks late and he saw the first ducks (King
Eiders) at Cape Charles on April 7th.

Stearns says of the American Eiders: “They remain in this region
{near Red Bay] until the last waters of the bay freeze over, and are
then seen no more until spring returns and thaws the ice, when they
appear in company with the King Eider....which are also found
in immense flocks, but distinct from, that is not mingling with the
others.” Again he says: ‘The King Eider came first, then the Com-
mon Eider. .... The birds at first fly in large flocks often thousands
in a flock, and generally the different species do not mingle.” (This
was about the first week in April.) In another place Stearns speaks
of shooting Eiders in the spring from the edge of the ice first on April
12th. The birds are called by whistling and there are often thousands
in a flock. Early in October snow and ice appear on the eastern
coast. Thus Cartwright, writing at Sandwich Bay on October 11,
1778, says: “Winter begins to appear; the Mealy Mountains have
put on their new liveries, and every downfall whitens the heads of
the high hills. The deer [caribou] are beating out to the barren

334 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

headlands on the sea coast; the Eider, and King-ducks are hastening
southward; and the grouse [Ptarmigan] are chattering in great flocks
upon the hills,”—-a vivid picture, truly! At the same place on October
8, 1783, he writes: ‘The first flight of Eiders went up the river this
evening. As those birds trim the shore along in the flight-times,
great numbers of flocks go up this river as high as Friend’s Point,
and sometimes higher, but on finding their mistake, they commonly
return again along the opposite side,....in general they keep over
salt water.”

On May 10, 1771, near Chateau Bay, he records the following
interesting observation: ‘‘I measured the flight of the eider ducks
by the following method: viz. on arriving off Duck Island, six miles
distant from Henley Tickle, I caused the people to lie on their oars;
and when I saw the flash of the guns, which were fired at a flock of
ducks as they passed through, I observed by my watch how long they
were in flying abreast of us. The result of above a dozen observa-
tions ascertained the rate to be ninety miles an hour.” Bryant in
1860 says of the Eider: ‘‘ Though constantly harassed by the fishermen
and inhabitants, [it] still breeds in great abundance along the whole
extent of the north shore.” On Greenlet Island in the Straits of Belle
Isle he found over 60 nests. On this island was a stone hut used
“for the purpose of concealing the hunters in the spring, at which
time they shoot immense numbers of the Eider or Sea Ducks, as they
call them.”

We have already given in a previous chapter, accounts of the
taking of Eider’s eggs on the Labrador coast. The earliest date
given by Cartwright for the eggs of this duck is June 3, 1778. On
June 12, 1779, he writes: “But the ducks had only scraped out their
nests yet.” This was in Sandwich Bay. Some of his men, however,
found a few duck’s eggs the same day.

Eiders are shot in great numbers by the “‘liveyers” as the ducks pour
along the coast both spring and fall. They are less wary than the
King Eider and their tameness or stupidity leads to their destruction.

Our experience with Eiders in Labrador was as follows. In the
Straits of Belle Isle we saw none on the Labrador side except near
Battle Harbor, and about 30 on the Newfoundland coast. In three
days, July 11th to 13th, about Battle Harbor and St. Lewis Sound we
saw 71 Eiders, some of which we may have counted twice. We saw
one in Hamilton Inlet, 38 near Hopedale, and 32 between Double

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 335

Island and Nain. On the return we saw much fewer birds, but in the
same localities. It is evident that the constant persecution of these
birds by the liveyers, summer fishermen, and Eskimo dogs has sadly
thinned their ranks. It is also apparent that many of them when
driven off from the exposed coast and outer islands continue to breed
in lessened numbers in the deep bays and inlets which are shunned
by man in summer on account of the flies and mosquitoes.

The Eiders we saw were generally in small flocks, some in male
others in female plumage, although once or twice we saw single birds,
and occasionally we saw small flocks all in one plumage. Thus we
saw a flock of 4 adult males on July 9th; a flock of 18 adult males
and 6 brown birds on July 11th; a flock of 7 adult males and 4 brown
birds on July 13th; a flock of 11 adult males and 11 brown birds on
July 21st. On July 21st off Nain we saw 2 adult males, one appar-
ently adult female and five young, three of whom fluttered along
the water seemingly unable to fly. These were probably the Green-
land species. ‘The next day we saw four Eiders fly by, the first two
brown birds, the third an adult male, and the fourth was evidently
an immature male showing white only in the middle of the back and
part of the wings. These observations are interesting as it is generally
stated that as soon as the eggs are laid the male Eiders flock by them-
selves at sea. We discovered a field mark of considerable value in
recognizing these birds, and with its help we could distinguish this
species even when the light was so poor we could not make out the
colors. We refer to the characteristic manner during flight in which
the bill is held, pointing obliquely downward at a considerable angle,
instead of straight out in front as is the case with most ducks.

The Eiders generally flew in Indian file close to the water. The
strikingly marked adult males with their black bellies and white
breasts, necks, and backs are easily recognized. The female is a
great brownish bird, looking very dark in some lights, and entirely
lacks distinctive markings. In the sunlight the back of the female
looks a lighter brown than the belly. The wings are of the same
color as the back. The young looked a lighter brown than their
mothers.

In Norway and Iceland the very similar European Eider is thor-
oughly protected and has become very tame, nesting freely close to
the houses. The eggs and down are taken under careful super-
vision and are the source of considerable profit. The birds are

336 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

allowed to rear a few young so that their numbers are not diminished.
If the people of Labrador could be made to understand this, a new
industry would arise and the Eider instead of being a vanishing race,
would again populate the numerous islands along the southern
coasts of the peninsula. At present the people are actively engaged
in killing “the goose that lays the golden egg.”

{[Somateria v-nigra Gray. Paciric E1per.— Stearns referred to this
species as abundant in large flocks. It is of course conceivable that a few
western birds may have strayed to the eastern coast and that Stearns shot
one or two out of a flock of Common Eiders. The following note on the sub-
ject by Leonhard Stejneger (’85) is interesting: “‘ Mr. W. A. Stearns, in a paper
entitled ‘Notes on the Natural History of Labrador,’ published in the ‘Pro-
ceedings of the U.S. National Museum,’ Vol. VI, 1883, says (p. 121) that
the Somateria v-nigra, the Pacific Eider, is ‘abundant in large flocks in
spring,’ and that he himself ‘obtained specimens that had the decided ‘V-
shaped black mark’ on the chin.’ The statement has been doubted, and
critics have considered it a mild expression when saying that it ‘seems to
require confirmation.’ It is not my intention to defend Mr. Stearns’ identifi-
cation, but having found a notice which seems to point in the same direction,
I think it safer to postpone a final decision in the matter. The notice to which
I allude is found in Degland and Gerbe’s ‘Ornithologie Européenne (Paris,
1867), II, p. 557, where, under the head of Somateria mollissima, Mr. Gerbe
writes: ‘Three or four specimens received from Newfoundland had under the
throat two black lines similar to those of Somateria spectabilis, but of a color less
deep. May they not be mules between the latter and the female Hider? Mr.
de Sélys-Longchamps, in his second note on the hybrids of the Anatidae, in
quoting this example, remarks that Prince Ch. Bonaparte and Mr. W. Jardine
consider these specimens as a distinct species, which they name Somateria
v-nigrum, but that there is occasion to wait for new observations before decid-
ing.’ 7]

Somateria spectabilis (Linn.).

Kine Erper; “Kine Duck”; ‘‘Kine-pirp”; ‘Passine Duck.”

Abundant transient visitor; not uncommon summer resident in
the north.

The King Eider breeds from Nachvak north. The greater portion
breed ‘on the west coast of Greenland. Stearns refers to a breeding
record of this species on an island opposite Mingan, an exceptional
and rather doubtful southern instance. Macoun records the taking
of a set of three eggs of this species at Nachvak by G. Ford in 1897.
Low mentions the shooting of one in the interior at Lake Mistassini.

The King Eider is generally an earlier arrival in the spring than the

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 337

American Eider. They both fly in flocks, and as a rule the two
species do not mingle (Stearns). Under date of April 7, 1775, at
Charles Harbor, Cartwright records: “Also one flock of King-ducks,
which are the first I have heard of this year.” It is found in winter
if there is any open water.

We saw only two King Eiders on the Labrador coast. The first
was an adult male on the shore at the mouth of St. Louis Inlet on
July 13th. As we approached in a sail-boat he waddled down to the
water and swam off. His light color and cocked up tail suggested a
gull, but with glasses we could make out the characteristic spectacle
side-face markings and projection over the bill. In flight he showed
dark on his back posteriorly and light wings. In diving he opened
his wings for subaqueous flight. The second bird, apparently in
immature plumage, was seen between Fanny’s Harbor and Nain.

Oidemia americana Swains.
AMERICAN Scoter; “ BurrerR-BILL Coot.”

Common transient visitor, rare summer resident.

As all the Scoters are frequently found in summer sometimes in
considerable numbers far south of their breeding grounds even to the
Massachusetts and Rhode Island coast, it is never safe to record the
breeding range of these birds except by the discovery of their nests,
eggs, or ducklings. Cooke (’06, p. 59) says of this bird: ‘The lack of
information in regard to the breeding of this species in northeastern
North America is surprising. The species was described from the west
shore of Hudson Bay, and occurs on the coasts of Labrador and the
Gulf of St. Lawrence, but there seems to be no record of the discovery
of the nest in this region. Nonbreeding birds are known to occur far
south of the breeding grounds. The species is unknown from the
whole vast interior of North America, between Hudson Bay on the
east and the Yukon Valley on the west, and south almost to the
United States boundary; it ranges north to Ungava Bay, Hudson
Strait, and Fort Churchill, Hudson Bay, and apparently does not
breed south of Newfoundland, nor in Labrador south of about latitude
52°; so that it follows by exclusion that the multitudes of these ducks
that winter from the Gulf of St. Lawrence south along the Atlantic
coast must breed in northern Ungava.

“The American scoter is much more abundant on the Pacific coast,

338 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

and breeds from the Aleutians and Near Island north to Kotzebue
Sound and northeastern Asia.”

The breeding records of this species that we have been able to obtain
for Labrador are few and only one is positive. This is Audubon’s
record of a nest and eight eggs nearly ready to hatch found a mile
inland from the southern coast on July 11, 1833. He says: ‘“‘A few
pairs breed on the shores of Labrador, but the great body of these
birds proceed further north.” Stearns says it is ‘abundant. Breeds
by inland ponds’’; but he gives no evidence of finding the nests.
Frazar found a few, apparently not breeding, in summer about Cape
Whittle. Coues did not meet with it. Low says it is common as a
migrant on the Hamilton River from May 26th into June. Packard
records that it is ‘“‘obtained at the mouth of the Koksoak River.
Abundant in Hudson Strait and eastern shore of Labrador, where it
is reported to breed sparingly.”

The absence of more records of the breeding of this scoter in Lab-
rador would lead one to think that the majority of the migrants on the
eastern North American coast nest farther north. The bird is com-
mon during the migrations along the Massachusetts coast but less
common than the other scoters.

Our experience with the three species of scoters in Labrador was as
follows: we saw a flock of 82 scoters of all three species in St. Lewis
Inlet near Mary Harbor on July 12th. Of these the White-winged
species was by far the most abundant, the American appeared to be
next in abundance, the Surf Scoter least. On the same day we saw
a flock of 14 American Scoters, and another flock of 30 White-winged
Scoters. Near Francis Harbor on July 15th we saw 4 scoters, appar-
ently Surf Scoters. On July 16th near Hawke’s Harbor we saw
31 White-winged Scoters, 1 American Scoter, and 8 scoters whose
species we could not determine. On July 17th near Cartwright
we saw 4 White-winged Scoters and 2 doubtful American Scoters.
On the 18th at the mouth of Hamilton Inlet we saw 42 White-winged
and 8 apparently Surf Scoters. On the 21st near Hopedale we saw
a flock of over 500 mostly White-winged Scoters, although the other
species were represented. Near Fanny’s Harbor on the same day
we saw two flocks of White-winged Scoters each containing about
30 birds. On the return trip we saw very few scoters.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 339

Oidemia deglandi Bonap.
WuITe-wincED Scorer; “Brass-wine Diver.”

Abundant summer resident.

This scoter is abundant in summer as well as in the migrations along
the Labrador coast. Audubon found great numbers on the southern
Labrador coast in mid-June, but he says that few stay to breed. He
found nests June Ist to 10th and young several days old on July 28th.
Stearns on the other hand, who found them common in the fall and rare
in the spring, says they are not known to breed. Frazar says they are
common in summer about Cape Whittle but apparently-none breed.
Palmer saw several flocks at the Mingan Islands. Coues and Bigelow
report them as abundant on the eastern coast and Spreadborough
found them abundant from Moose Factory to Richmond Gulf in June,
1896. Audubon’s record is the only definite one we can find of the
breeding of this scoter.

Cooke (’06, p. 61) says: ‘‘This scoter breeds along the north shore
of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and north to Nachvak Bay, Labrador,
about latitude 59°.” Like most sea birds the scoters are not found
in Labrador in winter owing to the absence of open water, except
occasionally on the southern coast and near the outer islands.

We found this the most abundant of the three scoters as already
recorded.

Oidemia perspicillata (Linn.).
SurF Scorer; ‘“ BoTrLE-NoSsED DIVER.”

Abundant summer resident.

From the time of Cartwright to the present day this bird has been
called ‘‘Bottle-nosed Diver” by the Labrador men. It is an abun-
dant migrant all along the Labrador coast. It is common there in
summer and breeds. Audubon saw “millions” in southern Labra-
dor passing north. A few stayed and he found one nest near Little
Mecattina. Neither Stearns nor Frazar found it breeding. Coues
found it abundant along the eastern coast “where many breed.”
Packard says it is “rare in Hudson Strait. Abundant on the eastern
coast of Labrador, where it breeds sparingly.” Spreadborough
found it common from Cape Jones to Richmond Gulf in June, 1896.

Our experience with this bird is related under O. americana.

340 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Erismatura jamaicensis (Gmel.).
Ruppy Dvucx.

Uncommon summer resident on eastern shore of Hudson Bay.

Macoun states that it breeds “sparingly from Richmond Gulf to
Ungava.” <A female with four young about a week old was taken on
June 21, 1896, in northern Labrador by Spreadborough.

(Chen hyperborea (Pall.). Lzsszr Snow Goosz.— The record of Eifrig
(705, p. 237): ‘‘ They breed mostly on islands along the eastern shores of Hud-
son Bay,” refers probably to nivalis; hyperborea is more western in its
distribution than nivalis.]

Chen hyperborea nivalis (Forst.).
GREATER SNow Goose; “Wavy”; ‘Kaneox” (Eskimo).

Very rare summer resident, but common transient visitor on the
eastern shores of Hudson Bay.

Packard says: “Occasionally a straggler is seen in the western
portion and along the western end of Hudson Strait. Eskimo from
the eastern shore of Hudson Bay reported it to be very plentiful during
the migration.” Macoun records a set of 3 eggs irom one of the
Twin Islands, James Bay, in 1898, from A. P. Low. Weiz records
it from Okkak, but the record is to be doubted. Cooke says that the
‘Greater Snow Goose ‘‘is enormously abundant on both the eastern
and western shores of Hudson Bay during spring migration.”

Chen caerulescens (Linn.).
Bivuz Goose; “Biur Wavy.”

Common transient visitor on east coast of Hudson Bay; said to
breed in northern Labrador.

Nothing is known in a definite way of the breeding of this species
in Labrador. George Barnston (’61), formerly of the Hudson’s
Bay company, has given an account of the geese as observed by him
in the southern portion of Hudson Bay. He states that the Blue
Geese are found mostly on the east (Labrador) side of Hudson Bay
in both spring and fall migrations, and comparatively few are to be
observed on the southwest shores. Rae (Can. rec. sci., vol. 3, 1888,
p. 136) corroborates this statement.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 341

In regard to the breeding of this goose, he adds that “according
to Indian report, a great breeding-ground for the blue wavy is the
country lying in the interior of the north-east point of Labrador,
Cape Dudley Digges. Extensive swamps and impassable bogs pre-
vail there; and the geese incubate on the more solid and the driest
tufts dispersed over the morass, safe from the approach of man.....
In May it frequents only James’s Bay and the Eastmain of Labrador,
and it is probably the case that its hatching-ground is on the north-
west extremity of that peninsula, and the opposite and _ scarcely-
known coast of Hudson’s Straits. In the autumn their bands, in-
creased six or sevenfold by the young, return by the same route.”

The region indicated as the breeding ground of the Blue Goose is
still, as then, a terra incognita. The slaughter of geese of this and
other species by the natives of the Hudson Bay shores is mentioned
under the heading “ Bird and egg destruction.”

Anser albifrons gambeli (Hartl.).

AMERICAN WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE.

Accidental visitor.
The only record is that of Bigelow (’02, p. 28): an adult male
received from Dr. Heltasche, shot near Hopedale, May, 1900.

Branta canadensis (Linn.).
Canapa Goose; ‘“ NEKLEK” (Eskimo).

Common summer resident; April 30 to November 25.

The Canada Goose once bred abundantly throughout the length
and breadth of Labrador but the depredations of the fishermen along
the seacoast have caused it to desert this vulnerable region, and it is now
found breeding in the interior only or in the remote north and west.
Along the southern and the southern part of the eastern coast it occurs
now only as a migrant, but in Cartwright’s day it was a common
summer resident in these regions. Cartwright has a good deal to
say about this species, and we have obtained from his journal a num-
ber of interesting records. As to date of arrival he records on May 4,
1775, at Charles Harbor: ‘I saw a goose this afternoon for the first
time. The spring is about three weeks later than usual.” In 1776,
he records the first geese on April 30th. In 1779, the first geese flew
over on May Ist, and in 1786, on May 8th.

342 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

As to nesting, the following records are of interest: “Found [May
28, 1771, near Cape Charles] the trap which was lost on Saturday
last, with a good, fat goose in it, full of hard eggs.” On July 10, 1771,
he found a nest of this species with seven eggs in it at Mary Harbor
off St. Lewis Inlet. On May 30, 1776, in Sandwich Bay he found
two eggs. On June 25, 1774, he caught five young but a few days
old. On July 24, 1774, at Cutter Harbor he caught a young goose
alive, and saw three broods. He speaks of two geese in full molt
being killed on July 20, 1775. At Sandwich Bay on July 8, 1776,
he records: “The geese are beginning to moult,” and again on July
25, 1776: ‘‘In the course of our walk to Dove Point, we gathered
above a hundred excellent goose quills, which were lately shed, this
being the moulting season.” On August 26, 1777, he says: “Great
numbers of geese have appeared lately, as they are getting the use of
their wings very fast now.” On November 15, 1775, he saw several
geese and on November 21, 1774. On November 25, 1777, he says:
“T had an opportunity of shooting at a goose today, although it is
very late in the year for those birds to be seen.” ,

Over half a century later Audubon found the Canada Goose still
a common summer resident in southern Labrador, breeding in every
suitable marshy place. He speaks of seeing several hundred young
geese at Great Mecattina killed before they were able to fly and salted
for winter use. Their gizzards contained fir leaves. In 1860, Coues
did not see any until the second week in August, when several small
flocks appeared flying southward. Stearns (’83, p. 13) observed it
only asamigrant. Frazar (’87, p. 20) found none breeding in southern
Labrador, but heard that one or two pairs bred on a large island off
Wolf Bay. Low noted it at Mistassini on May 2d. Weiz (’66, p.
268) records that it breeds at Okkak. Bigelow (’02, p. 28) says it is
abundant in the spring and common in fall after August Ist. Palmer
(’90, p. 259) records: “‘A small flock was seen flying southward on
August 11 at Mingan.” Packard states it breeds along Hudson
Strait near the mouth of the George River. Low says it breeds in
the marshes throughout the northern interior and he gives the average
date of arrival for the Northwest River as May 10th. Macoun says
that two eggs were taken on Whale River, Ungava Bay, on June 11,
1896. On July 27, 1905, Wallace came upon two adult and three
young geese near Lake Nippisish. The ‘‘old ones had just passed
through molting, and their new wing feathers were not long enough

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 343

to bear them, and the young ones though nearly full grown, had not
yet learned to fly.”

On August 18, 1902, Hubbard and Wallace, on their unsuccess-
ful attempt to find Lake Michikamau observed two young geese
unable to fly. On September 24th, they saw geese flying south.

Mr. Goldsby, one of the Moravians at Hopedale, told us that this
goose breeds in the inlets near the Mission and lays its eggs about the
first week in June, or even during the last of May. At this time the
men go on dog sledges to obtain the eggs. In the middle and latter
part of July the Moravians catch the young geese and fatten them for
Christmas. ,

Branta bernicla glaucogastra (Brehm).
WHITE-BELLIED BRANT.

Rare transient visitor.

The Brant breeds far to the north of Labrador and is apparently
but rarely seen there during the migrations. Stearns observed it
on the southern coast. Turner saw it only in the spring at Fort
Chimo. Low says it is very rare in the interior; a sick bird was
killed at Lake Mistassini on July 2d. Bigelow says it is reported as
very rare. He obtained a specimen from Dr. Grenfell that was shot
at Nain in October, 1899. In Hudson Bay also Bell states that it is
very rare.

{Branta leucopsis (Bechst.). BarnactE Goosr.— This is recorded by
Weiz at Okkak, but the record is open to doubt for Weiz reported many
Old World birds there, perhaps because he was more familiar with their names.
There is no reason, however, why a straggler should not be taken there, and
Cooke (’06, p. 82) accepts the record.]

Olor columbianus (Ord).
WHIstTLina Swan.

Very rare summer resident in the northwest part.

Packard says it is “‘an occasional straggler over the southern por-
tions only of Labrador.” Weiz records it from Okkak. Robert
Bell says: ‘The Whistling Swan breeds near Churchill and on the
islands towards the eastern side of Hudson’s Bay. Their skins con-
stitute an article of trade, but only a small number of them are col-
lected annually.”

344 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Cooke states that ‘‘a few nest on Southampton and Nottingham
Islands in Hudson Bay.”’ The latter island is not far from the north-
west coast of Labrador.

{Olor buccinator (Rich.), Trumpeter Swan.— The statement of Robert
Bell (’83) that this species breeds on the islands off the East Main coast
of Hudson Bay, doubtless applies instead to O. columbianus.]

Botaurus lentiginosus (Montag.).
AMERICAN BITTERN.

Very rare summer visitor.

In all probability the Bittern occasionally breeds on the southwest
shores of Labrador as it is well known to do on Anticosti, but no
positive evidence on this point has as yét been obtained. Coues
found a wing in the possession of a hunter in southern Labrador,
and Bigelow speaks of seeing two or three birds at Cape St. Francis,
north of St. Lewis Sound. Robert Bell states that this species ‘‘is
found on both sides of Hudson’s Bay.”

Ardea herodias Linn.
Great BuuEe Heron.

Accidental visitor.

This species is a straggler in Labrador, for which we have found
but a single record, viz., that of one seen near Whitefish Lake, Fort
Chimo, Ungava, by John Saunders of the Hudson’s Bay company,
in the summer of 1880 (Turner, ’85).

Florida caerulea (Linn.).
Litrte Buue Heron.

Accidental visitor.

“On May 23, 1900, a Little Blue Heron.... was brought to Mr.
Ernest Doane at Lance au Loup, Labrador, by a man who had shot it
there a day or two before..... The specimen (No. 4433, Coll. of E.
A. & O. Bangs) is a young male just emerging from the white plum-

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 345

age, having some blue feathers in the wings, a few long blue black
plumes, and the back, neck and head much intermixed with grayish”’
(Bangs, 00a).

Nycticorax nycticorax naevius (Bodd.).
BLAck-cROWNED Niautr Heron.

Accidental visitor.
This heron is also a straggler to southern Labrador and has been
once recorded from Lake Mistassini, August 6, 1885 (Macoun, ’00).

Rallus virginianus Linn.

VirGinia Ratu.

Accidental visitor.

The claim of this species to a place among the birds of Labrador
rests on none too substantial a basis. The only record is that of
Turner (’85) who writes that “a single specimen was taken in Hamil-
ton Inlet a few years ago and submitted to M. Fortesque, esq. (of the
Hudson Bay Company), who identified it beyond question.”

Porzana carolina (Linn.).

Sora.

Accidental visitor.

Dr. W. T. Grenfell has added this species to the list of Labrador
birds, as he secured a specimen in Sandwich Bay in 1898. The skin
was sent to Cambridge, England.

Fulica americana Ginel.

AMERICAN Coot.

Accidental visitor.

That this species occasionally strays north into Labrador is attested
by Turner who records that a specimen was shot about 1880 on a lake
near Nain, and was described so accurately to him by several persons
who saw the stuffed bird that he was enabled to identify it ‘beyond

346 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

possibility of doubt.” Dr. W. T. Grenfell informed us that he took
a specimen of this species at Longstretch, Sandwich Bay, in August,
1899.

Crymophilus fulicarius (Linn.).
Rep PHALAROPE.

Common transient visitor off the coast; rare summer resident.

Packard says that this bird is abundant north of Davis Inlet, and
that it breeds sparingly in Hudson Strait. One specimen was obtained
in Ungava Bay. Coues shot three at sea off Belle Isle from a flock
of six. Frazar obtained a fine adult male killed at Cape Whittle on
June 25th. Bigelow saw it several times in small flocks off shore.

We saw three on July 20th off Long Tickle. We also obtained
the skin of a fine bird in full adult plumage at Hopedale from the
Eskimos. Mr. Schmitt at Nain told us that this species as well as
the Northern Phalarope breeds in that vicinity.

Fr
Phalaropus lobatus (Linn.).
NorTHERN PHALAROPE; ‘‘GALE-BIRD.”’

Common summer resident.

The Northern Phalarope breeds along the entire Labrador coast
in freshwater marshes on the borders of ponds and lakes. Audubon
found them and their nests on the southern coast. Low saw some
on the upper Hamilton River on June 13th. Bigelow states that they
breed “‘in almost all the suitable marshes; occasionally very abundant
off shore.” Turner found them common and breeding on the islets
in Ungava Bay, and Spreadborough found about a dozen on a small
pond on an island in James Bay on June 16, 1896.

_ We had an interesting experience with this species at Great Caribou
Island, on July 27th. At the small freshwater pools only a few yards
in extent, partly grown up with sphagnum and sedges we saw four of
these birds and shot two, both males. It was evident from their
actions that young were concealed in the sedges, as they flew about us
uttering a harsh scolding twitter, shortened occasionally to a quip.
This twitter sounded at times sweet like that of a Barn Swallow. At

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 347

times a gentle little note like ee-ep was emitted. The birds frequently
swam about gracefully, nodding their heads like doves. Once or
twice they stopped to scratch their heads with a foot, again they would
circle about quickly on the water, or they would swim forward and
continue their progression by walking up onto a rock. Among the
reeds they skilfully threaded their way, bending low their heads.

[Philohela minor (Gmel.). AmERIcAN Woopcock.— Turner (’85) was
assured by several persons “that they had killed Woodcocks on the eastern
portions of the Labrador shore” but we know of no more positive evidence
that the bird actually occurs there.]

Gallinago delicata (Ord).

WILson’s SNIPE.

Rare summer resident.

Wilson’s Snipe probably breeds sparingly in suitable localities
throughout Labrador. Turner “heard and saw a male making the
peculiar noise with its wings, in early June, over a swamp to the north
of Davidson’s Lake, a few miles from Fort Chimo,” Ungava. Low
also saw and heard a male performing its flight song at Lake Petit-
sikapau, on the Hamilton River, on June 28th; Macoun records a
bird with a young brood in July, 1896, seen at Great Whale River,
Hudson Bay, by Spreadborough. Turner also says that specimens
were procured at Rupert House on June 15, 1860. Coues met with
the bird but once on the southeast coast and Bigelow saw three or
four near Cape St. Francis.

Cartwright records seeing on September 10, 1772, a snipe “which
is the first I have seen in this country’; again on September 19, 1775,
he says: “Saw a snipe; which is the second that I have seen in the
country.” This was in Sandwich Bay; the first near Cape Charles.

(Gallinago major (Gmel.). GreraTER Snrpe.— Coues called attention to the
specimén of this species from Hudson Bay in the collection of the British
museum but there is nothing to show whether or not it came from the Labrador
side of Hudson Bay.]

348 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Macrorhamphus griseus (Gmel.).

DowiITcHeER.

Rare transient visitor.

This species may breed in Ungava but the evidence at hand does
not prove that it is more than an uncommon migrant on the Labrador
coasts. Turner speaks of it as rare at Fort Chimo, and mentions
specimens from that place and from Davis Inlet. Coues also obtained
an immature bird in southern Labrador on August 23, 1860.

The coast of Labrador is largely rocky, and in most places bold
and precipitous. Salt marshes, sand beaches, and even pebbly beaches
are few and far between; most of the shore birds, therefore, are not
tempted to tarry long on the coast during the migrations.

Tringa canutus Linn.
Knot.

Uncommon transient visitor.

Stearns found it an uncommon migrant on the southern coast and
in his account of “‘Bird-life in Labrador” records having obtained a
specimen on September 30th. Coues also shot a few immature birds
after August 21st on the south coast (Henley Harbor) and Palmer
secured two females from flocks of White-rumped Sandpipers on the
Mingan Islands.

Arquatella maritima (Briinn.).
PurpLe SANDPIPER.

Rare transient and winter visitor.

The only positive record we have for this species is that of Audubon
who speaks of shooting specimens at Bradore on August 4, 1833.
Turner did not observe them. As they breed in Greenland and re-
main off the coast in winter if the sea be open, it is probable that they
occur more commonly in Labrador than our records would ‘admit.
It is possible that they may yet be found breeding in northern
Ungava.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 349

Actodromas maculata (Vieill.).
PECTORAL SANDPIPER.

Common autumnal transient visitor.

This species is a common migrant on the east and south coasts of
Labrador after the middle of August. It is not known to breed in the
peninsula. We obtained the skin of one from the Eskimos at Hope-
dale.

Actodromas fuscicollis (Vieill.).
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER.

Common transient visitor.

Stearns was probably mistaken in supposing that ‘“‘a few breed” in
southern Labrador, as this species is not known to nest even in Ungava
(Turner). The fall migration is under way early in July. Stearns
notes a specimen as late as October 8th, on the south shore. We saw
two flocks of these birds of twenty or thirty each at Battle Harbor on
August Ist and 2d. One of the flocks was waiting quietly for the fall
of tide on the weed-grown ledges. .

Actodromas minutilla (Vieill.).
Least SANDPIPER.

Common summer resident and abundant transient visitor.

Low found the Least Sandpiper nesting commonly on the upper
Hamilton River, and Turner supposed that a few might breed about
the mouth of the Koksoak River. Audubon found a nest and four
eggs in southern Labrador on July 20, 1833, but as he says, this is
probably a late date for eggs, since full-grown young in flocks are
seen already moving south in the first week of August. Frazar found
small flocks “all through the summer” in southern Labrador. Coues
states that they were still abundant on the south coast on September
1st. At Battle Harbor, where no birds were found breeding, we
saw the first migrant on July 26th, a single bird feeding on the edge
of a little pool.

350 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.
Pelidna alpina sakhalina (Vieill.).
RED-BACKED SANDPIPER; AMERICAN DUNLIN.

Uncommon transient visitor.

Bigelow records “a few at Port Manvers in early September.”’
Weiz (66) includes it as breeding at Okkak, but this is probably an
error.

Ereunetes pusillus (Linn.).
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER.

Common summer resident locally; abundant transient visitor.

Audubon found this species nesting in early June in southern
Labrador. He also adds this note (’42, vol. 5, 277): ‘‘About the
period when these birds prepare to return southward, they congregate
in large flocks, the young separate from the old. In Labrador this
takes place from the beginning to the middle of August.” Bigelow
found them breeding locally and describes the downy young. Turner
notes their breeding at the mouth of the Koksoak River.

We saw only a few migrants on July 27th at Great Caribou Island.

Calidris arenaria (Linn.).
SANDERLING.

Common transient visitor.

The Sanderling has been noted by several observers during the
migrations in various parts of the peninsula. Audubon says: ‘Some
young birds were seen at Bras d’ Or, in little parties of four or five
individuals....early in August, and they were already on their
way southward”; and Packard says: “Three seen (2 taken) at
mouth of Koksoak River.” Macoun reports that a pair was seen by
Spreadborough on a small island in James Bay, June 16, 1896, and
adds, “doubtless breeding.” As shore birds occasionally linger on
the New England coast on their way north as late as this, and as non-
breeding birds sometimes spend the summer considerably south of
their breeding range this note should be received with caution.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 351

Limosa haemastica (Linn.).
Hupsonian Gopwit.

Very rare transient visitor; July 30 to September 30.

There are only three records of this bird. “Drexler obtained a
specimen near Rupert House, July 30, 1860” (Packard, ’91, p. 430).
Stearns (’90) says that one was shot at Bonne Esperance on September
30, 1880. He states that this was the only one taken on the coast.
Again he refers in this same publication to a single specimen taken
on September 10th, at Old Fort Island.

Totanus melanoleucus (Gmel.).
GREATER YELLOW-LEGS; WINTER YELLOW-LEGS; “ AUNTSARY.”’

Common summer resident; May 7 to October 19.

Cartwright defines ‘“‘Auntsary” as ‘“‘a bird of the wading genus,
resembling a redshanks.”’ He shot one on the late date of October
19, 1770, near Cape Charles.

Audubon found it breeding in Labrador in June. Frazar found
a pair breeding at Esquimaux Point. Palmer reported it as “very
abundant at Mingan.”’ Low says it is “occasional throughout the inte-
rior, breeds’; he saw a pair at Lake Mistassini, May Ist. Coues
found it ‘‘very common along the coast during summer and early
fall.” Bigelow saw a few late in September at Port Manvers. ‘Turner
says: “‘Not common in Ungava district. Specimens in fall only at
mouth of Koksoak River.”

We heard the note of one of these birds at Battle Island on August
2d.

Totanus flavipes (Gmel.).
YELLOW-LEGS; SUMMER YELLOW-LEGS.

Uncommon transient visitor.

There are but few records of this bird for Labrador. The fact that
it is so extremely rare on the New England coast in the spring while
abundant in the autumn, and the fact that it goes north by a more
inland route would lead one to infer its absence or great rarity on the

352 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

eastern and southern coast of Labrador in the spring. Audubon says
he found ‘‘a few on the coast of Labrador.” Packard reports ‘‘one
seen Oct. 8, about 50 miles above Fort Chimo on the Koksoak River.”
Low says: ‘‘Seen only after August 1st, on Hamilton River and at
Mistassini.”” On the west coast, however, it is reported in the spring
by Spreadborough who saw a number on the shore of James Bay,
June 15, 1896.

Helodromas solitarius (Wils.).
So.irary SANDPIPER.

Uncommon summer resident.

Packard reports that ‘one was obtained near Fort Chimo in July
whose actions indicated breeding.” Spreadborough shot one from
the top of a spruce at Seal Lake, northern Labrador, on July 24, 1896.
Low says: ‘‘Common throughout the interior, especially south of
latitude 54°. Breeds. Seen May 27th. Eggs, June 19th.”

(Heteractitis incanus (Gmel.). Wanprerinc TatTtEer.— An erroneous
record of this western bird was made by Bell (’83, p. 51): “I obtained a
specimen of the Wandering Tatler (Heterocelus brevipes Vieill.) supposed to-
be a western species, on the East Main coast.”

In reference to this Dr. J. Macoun writes us under date of March 13, 1906:
“We are all satisfied that it is 4 mistake to consider the Wandering Tatler
as having been taken on the Labrador peninsula.”’]

Tryngites subruficollis (Vieill.).
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER.

Very rare transient visitor.

Coues records the capture of a specimen near Henley Harbor on
August 20, 1860, and Robert Bell records one at Port Burwell on
September 28th.

Actitis macularia (Linn.).
SPOTTED SANDPIPER.

Common summer resident.
This familiar bird finds suitable nesting places all along the rocky

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 353

shores of Labrador from Ungava to Mingan, and along the courses
of the numerous rivers and the shores of lakes in the interior. The
eggs are laid during the latter part of June or early in July and the
young appear in July.

Audubon in his Labrador journal speaks of finding a nest ‘made
of a quantity of dried grass, forming a very decided nest, at least much
more so than in our middle states.”

We observed this bird only at Battle and Great Caribou Islands
and at Cape Charles, four or five birds in all. At Battle Island on
July 18th, we watched the manoeuvers of a pair of these birds in their
efforts to drive a couple of Eskimo dogs away from the vicinity of their
young which were probably hidden in the grass. The birds alter-
nately attacked the dogs and then allowed themselves to be chased
by them. In the first instance the birds flew furiously at the dogs,
almost striking them and whistling loudly. In the second instance,
the birds flew away slowly close to the ground so that the dogs were
tempted to chase them. The incident illustrated the dangers of
Eskimo dogs as destroyers of eggs and young birds.

[Numenius longirostris Wils. Lonc-BILLED CurLEw.— Coues was assured
of the occurrence of this bird in Labrador by hunters, but Audubon and Turner
both state that they could obtain no evidence of its presence. As old female
Hudsonian Curlews, with their long bills are often mistaken by gunners for
this species, we have placed this bird in the doubtful list. It is western in its
distribution.]

Numenius hudsonicus Lath.
Hupsonian CuRLEW.

Uncommon autumn transient visitor.

Coues saw a few and states that they were shy and were most numer-
ous at the time N. borealis was taking its departure. Turner saw three
at the mouth of the Koksoak River in September, 1882. Weiz records
it at Okkak, and Stearns aud Frazar both state that it is not a rare
migrant in the autumn. Audubon, on the other hand, says: ‘“En-
tirely unknown. Even Mr. Jones and his sons, who had probably
killed thousands [of N. borealis]... .had never seen it in the course
of their long residence at Bras d’ Or.’’ On September 3, 1776, Cart-
wright says that a curlew he had shot ‘weighed 15 oz. (the common

354 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

sort but nine and a half) and the wings extended are longer by five
inches.” It is very possible that this may have been a Hudsonian
Curlew.

Numenius borealis (Forst.).
Esximo CurLew; “THE CurLew”; “THe C’Lew.”

Formerly an abundant but now a very rare autumn transient visitor;
July 28 to October 24.

The Eskimo Curlew was formerly the most characteristic bird of
Labrador, where it was found in great multitudes during the autumn
migrations.

Cartwright makes frequent reference to them in his journal, and
recorded their arrival and departure for many years. ‘Thus on August
26, 1770, at Charles Harbor, he writes: ‘‘On some low hills, partly
barren, and the rest covered with small bad spruce-bushes were many
large flocks of curlews feeding on the berries, which were very plentiful
there; but could kill only one. The berries of the Empetrum Nigrum,
and likewise some delicious blue berries which grow on a small shrubby
plant, called Ground Whortle, both of which are now ripe, are what
the curlews delight to feed on. These not only make them uncom-
monly fat, but also give their flesh a most delicious flavor.” In
another place he indulges in rhyme:

“When August comes if on the Coast you be,
Thousands of fine Curlews, you’ll daily see.”

The dates he gives of arrival and departure are as follows: August
4 to September 10, 1770; August 3, 1771; August 5 to October 2,
1772, and one which he shot near Chateau on October 24, 1772;
August 4, 1774, at Mary Harbor; August 6 to September 18, 1776;
July 28, 1777, this date he notes as being a few days earlier than usual;
October 3, 1778; August 3, 1779; September 9, 1783; August 1,
1785; August 2, 1786. He gives no record of their appearance in
the spring, and as he was constantly in the field with gun in hand it is
probable that he would have noticed them if they were ever to be seen
at that season. It is well known that these curlews go north by the
Mississippi valley route. As Cartwright generally killed single birds
with his rifle, by knocking their heads off, his influence on their num-
bers could not have been very great.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 355

Chappell in the beginning of the nineteenth century, while on his
voyage in the ship Rosamond notes “a sort of Curlew makes its
appearance here about the middle of August, and as suddenly takes
its departure towards the end of September; they move in flights
containing many thousands; and when gorged with food, it is not
unusual to kill ten or twelve at a shot; at such times they are found
to be exceedingly plump and delicate, and far surpassing any of our
English Game in richness and flavour.”

Audubon first met with this bird at Bras d’ Or on August 3, 1833,
when it arrived from the north. His description in his Labrador
journal is as follows: “This afternoon we all went ashore, through
a high and frightful sea which drenched us to the skin, and went to the
table-lands; there we found the true Esquimau Curlew, Numenius
borealis, so carelessly described in Bonaparte’s Synopsis. This species
here takes the place of the Migratory Pigeon; it has now arrived;
I have seen many hundreds this afternoon, and shot seven. They
fly in compact bodies with beautiful evolutions, overlooking a great
extent of country ere they make choice of a spot on which to alight;
this is done wherever a certain berry, called here ‘Curlew berry’
proves to be abundant. Here they balance themselves, call, whistle,
and of common accord come to the ground, as the top of the country
here must be called. They devour every berry, and if pursued squat
in the manner of partridges. A single shot starts the whole flock;
off they fly, ramble overhead for a great distance ere they again alight.
This rambling is caused by the scarcity of berries.” And again on
August 4th: ‘‘This species of Curlew, the smallest I ever saw, feeds
on the berries it procures, with a rapidity equalled only by that of the
Passenger Pigeon; in an instant all the ripe berries on the plant are
plucked and swallowed, and the whole country is cleared of these
berries as our western woods are of the mast. In their evolutions
they resemble Pigeons also, sweeping over the ground, cutting back-
ward and forward in the most interesting manner, and now and then
poising in the air like a Hawk in sight of quarry.”

On August 10th he notes: ‘‘Curlews have increased in numbers,
but during two fair days we had they could not be approached; indeed
they appear to be so intent on their passage south that whenever the
weather permits they are seen to strike high in the air across the har-
bor.”

Tucker, who visited Labrador in 1838, says: ‘The curlews are

356 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

extremely abundant. They appear on the coast in the beginning of
autumn in vast flocks.”

Dr. J. H. Storer records in his manuscript journal that he saw the
first curlews on August 3, 1849, at Red Bay. On August 7th he
makes the following entry: ‘‘The Curlews began to come and in
immense flocks though very shy.”

Packard writes of the Curlew as follows: “‘On the 10th of August
[1860] the curlews appeared in great numbers. On that day we saw
a flock which may have been a mile long and nearly as broad; there
must have been in that flock four or five thousand! The sum total
of their notes sounded at times like the wind whistling through the
ropes of a thousand-ton vessel; at others the sound seemed like the
jingling of multitudes of sleigh-bells. The flock soon after appear-
ing would subdivide into squadrons and smaller assemblies scattering
over the island [Caribou Island] and féeding on the curlew-berries
now ripe.”

Coues, who was in Labrador in 1860, says that the Curlew “‘arrived
on the Labrador coast from its more northern breeding grounds in
immense numbers, flying very swiftly in flocks of great extent. These
immediately broke up into smaller companies, and proceeded at once
in search of food. They remained but a very short time. .... For two
or three days before their final departure, we had noticed them all
moving directly southward, flying very high in the air in loose strag-
gling flocks, with a broad extended front.”

Stearns says the Eskimo Curlew were “formerly abundant; now
common in the interior in the fall.” Turner, whose investigations
extended from June 15, 1882, to October 3, 1884, states that they
are “plentiful in the fall in the southern portions and as far north
as Davis Inlet; they do not halt above this latter place while on their
way southward.”

The Bowdoin college expedition brought back the skins of two
males and one female from Holton Harbor taken on August 20, 1891.

Bigelow in 1900 ‘heard of only about a dozen, which were seen
on the coast this fall.” Of these he saw five. He states that he
“made careful inquiries among the settlers and obtained the following
rather interesting information: (1) the Curlew remained in their
former numbers in spite of the persecution to which they were sub-
jected until eight years ago [this would be 1892]. (2) They then
appeared no more.”

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 357

Dr. Wilfred T. Grenfell wrote us under date of March 10, 1906:
“Eskimo Curlew (borealis) are getting very scarce. I hear only of a
few dozen a year being killed. I didn’t see one last year.’ Again
in September, 1906, in answer to further inquiries he wrote: ‘There
were Labrador Curlew this year on the coast about Hare Islands,
Sandwich Bay, in small numbers. ...The Curlew became scarce in
the end of the eighties. In 1892 when I came on the coast I saw only
a few flocks of any size. Of late years I never saw more than five or
six.’ In a conversation with Dr. Grenfell during his visit to Boston
in January, 1907, he stated that in 1892 he saw two flocks each con-
taining two or three hundred, but he had not seen any numbers since.

We met with none during our visit to the coast. We talked with
many natives and summer residents on the coast and they all agreed
that the Curlew though formerly very abundant, suddenly fell off in
numbers, so that now only two or three or none at all might be seen
in a season. Capt. Parsons of the mailboat Virginia Lake said that
they were very abundant up to thirty years ago. So abundant were
they that he often shot a hundred before breakfast during the season,
often killing twenty at a single discharge. The fishermen killed
them by the thousands. He thought that they diminished in numbers
rather rapidly between twenty and thirty years ago, and at the latter
date [1886] there was a great and sudden falling off. Now he saw
from six to twenty only during a season. Mr. William Pye at Indian
Cove, Cape Charles, told the same story, except that he put the sudden
diminution in numbers about 15 years ago or about 1891. He said,
and this was confirmed all along the coast, that the fishermen kept
loaded guns at their fish stages and shot into the flying masses of these
birds often bringing down twenty or twenty-five at a discharge. The
birds frequented the beaches and hillsides. On the hills they ate the
“black-berry” (Empetrum nigrum). They were exceedingly fat and
good eating. He advanced the theory, which we heard commonly
along the coast, that the shooting had nothing to do with the diminu-
tion in the numbers of the Curlew, but that they had troubled the
farmers in the “States” by eating their corn, and hence had been
poisoned by the wholesale. One fisherman even went so far as to
back up this statement by saying he had seen corn in their stomachs!

To sum up the evidence, we can state that the natives of Labrador
persistently harassed the Eskimo Curlew but did not realize that there
was any diminution in their numbers until about 1888 to 1890. After

358 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

1892, but a small remnant of this formerly abundant bird has visited
the shores.

It is possible that the sudden falling off in the nungbers of this
Curlew may have been because they were overwhelmed by a storm
in their long ocean trip to the Antilles, but it is evident that the con-
stant persecution to which they were subject was largely responsible
for their decrease. It is apparent that they are now a vanishing race
—on the way to extinction.

Squatarola squatarola (Linn.).
BLACK-BELLIED Piover; “Grey Plover” (Cartwright).

Common transient visitor.

Audubon found some young birds in southern Labrador in the
beginning of August; Stearns reported it as “common in spring and
fall.” It was not observed in the Ungava district by Turner, but
Weiz reported it from Okkak.

Charadrius dominicus Miill.
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER.

Uncommon autumn transient visitor.

Packard says it ‘‘occurs in fall only, at Koksoak. Common on
south and west coasts.” Weiz observed it at Okkak. Coues says it
appeared in small flocks the last of August, and Bigelow found it ‘‘not
common. Several flocks, mostly young birds, after August 22.”

Aegialitis semipalmata Bonap.
SEMIPALMATED Plover; RING-NECK.

Common summer resident; May to September.

The Ring-neck is found throughout the length and breadth of
Labrador, breeding all along the coastline and on the outlying islands,
as well as on the shores of lakes in the interior. Audubon, Coues,
Stearns, Brewster, and Palmer found it on the southern coast. Coues,
Weiz, and Bigelow found it on the eastern coast. Turner found it

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 359

breeding abundantly at Ungava and Davis Inlet. Low found it
common on the upper Hamilton River and Spreadborough saw it
throughout the interior wherever there were large lakes with sandy
shores.

We found a pair at Battle Island, three pairs at Great Caribou
Island, and a pair each at Long Tickle and Hopedale. Their actions
suggested the presence of young.

Arenaria morinella (Linn.).
Ruppy TuRNSTONE.

Common transient visitor.

Stearns found it along the southern coast in small flocks; Frazar
saw one flock late in May at Esquimaux Point; Palmer found a few
at Mingan; Coues saw it “commonly from August 20 to September 1
at Henley Harbor.”’ Packard records it as “occasional at Ungava.
Not rare on east coast.”

Haematopus palliatus Temm.
AMERICAN OyYSTER-CATCHER,

Extirpated; formerly summer resident.

There is no question but that this interesting bird formerly extended
its breeding range much farther north than at the present day when
it is found breeding only as far north as New Jersey while stragglers
are occasionally taken on the coast as far north as Grand Manan.

As recently as Audubon’s day, however, the Oyster-catcher occurred
on the southern coast of Labrador, as the following extracts from his
writings clearly show. In his Labrador journal under date of July
6, 1833, when he was near Cape Whittle, he writes: ‘‘Coolidge and
party shot two Oyster Catchers; these are becoming plentiful.”
Again (’35a, p. 181): “It occurs all the way to Labrador, in which
country I found that several were breeding in the month of July....
In Labrador, I met with it farther from the open sea than in any other
part, yet always near salt-water.... I have seen it.... knock off
limpets from the rocks on the coast of Labrador, using its weapon
[bill] sideways and insinuating it between the rock and the shell like

360 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

a chisel. ... I saw them at Labrador until the 11th of August.” Again
(42, vol. 5, p. 237) he says: “On the coast of Labrador, and in the
Bay of Fundy, it lays its eggs on the bare rock.” He also states that
he procured a specimen.

Canachites canadensis (Linn.).
Hupsonian Spruce Grousg; “Spruce GAME”; “Spruce PARTRIDGE.”

Common permanent resident.

Low says this species is common throughout the wooded and semi-
barren areas and he found eggs on June Ist. Coues found several
broods on July 24th; Stearns says they are common in southern Labra-
dor all the year round; Turner describes them as abundant throughout
the wooded tracts and says they breed at Fort Chimo. Palmer, who
visited the south coast in 1887, says: ‘We were informed that they
were generally very abundant, but that great numbers had been
destroyed by the severity of the previous winter.”

Audubon (’35, p. 439) says: “‘The females of the Canada Grous
differ materially in their colour in different latitudes. In Maine, for
instance, they are more richly coloured than in Labrador, where I
observed that all the individuals procured by me were of a much
grayer hue than those shot near Dennisville.”

The subspecific difference indicated by Audubon and previously by
Brisson was not formally recognized, however, until 1899 when Bangs
described as a new subspecies some birds obtained at Rigolet. Norton
(01) has shown, however, that the Labrador bird is the true cana-
densis. ,

At Indian Cove, Cape Charles, we saw a pair of this species that
had been caught near there and were confined in the upper story of a
boat house.

Bonasa umbellus togata (Linn.).
CanaDian Rurrep Grouse; “ BrrcH ParTRIDGE”’; “Frencu HEN.”

Not uncommon permanent resident in southern half.

Brewster records that this bird was reported from Mingan Harbor
and to the northward. Packard says it is rare at Hamilton Inlet and
only on the south side; rather common at Paradise River, Sandwich

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 361

Bay; abundant in valleys to southward where white birch is plentiful.
Low states that it is common at Mistassini and not rare at the mouth
of Hamilton River, but that it is not found on the upper Hamilton
River.

Lagopus lagopus (Linn.).
WILLow Prarmican; “ BRowsE PartRIDGE”’; “Grouse” (Cartwright).

It is often difficult to separate in the records of travelers and even
in those of ornithologists the three species of ptarmigan found in
Labrador. In general the Willow Ptarmigan is an abundant resident
throughout Labrador south of the tree line. The Rock Ptarmigan
is found on the barren treeless areas of the Arctic zone especially from
Hamilton Inlet northward, while Reinhardt’s Ptarmigan is found in
the extreme northern parts of Labrador.

The Willow Ptarmigan breeds in the interior of Labrador in the
forested region and migrates in great flocks to the barren seacoast
in winter. Cartwright’s observations on this bird, which he calls
“‘Grouse,” are so acute and interesting that we quote some of them
in full here. He entered in his journal at Cape Charles on September
28, 1773, the following: “This morning I took a walk upon the hills
to the westward, and killed seven brace of grouse. These birds are
exactly the same with those of the same name in Europe, save only in
the colour of their feathers, which are speckled with white in summer,
and perfectly white in winter, (fourteen black ones in the tail excepted
which always remain the same). When I was in England, Mr. Banks,
(now Sir Joseph Banks) Doctor Solander and several other naturalists
having enquired of me respecting the manner of these birds changing
colour, I took particular notice of those I killed, and can aver, for a
fact, that they get at this time of the year a very large addition of
feathers, all of which are white; and that the coloured feathers at the
same time change to white. In spring most of the white feathers
drop off, and are succeeded by coloured ones; or, I rather believe, all
the white ones drop off, and that they get an entire new set. At the
two seasons they change very differently; in the spring, beginning
at the neck, and spreading from thence; now, they begin on the belly,
and end at the neck. There are also ptharmagans in this country,
which are in all respects, the same as those I have killed on some high

362 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

mountains in Scotland.” On April 19, 1776, he enters that the
ptarmigan on the hills are “beginning to change colour now.”
Audubon says that they are abundant at Bras d’Or in winter, con-
gregating ‘in flocks of immense numbers, now and then mixed with
the smaller species....(Lagopus rupestris). Their flesh is then
salted for summer use.” He found the bird with young just out of
the shell on July 5, 1833. Frazar says that this ptarmigan visits the
southern coast regularly in winter, but retreats into the interior in
summer. It was unusually abundant in the winter of 1886-7. In
February, 1885, two or three invoices of ptarmigan from Labrador were
offered in the Boston markets (Ornith. and oologist, vol. 10, 1885,
p- 82). Low found eggs on the upper Hamilton River on June 25th.

Lagopus rupestris (Gmel.).

Rock Prarmican; “Mountain Partriper”; “Rocker”;
“ AKKIGIK”’ (Eskimo).

Common permanent resident in the treeless region except in the
extreme north.

The Rock Ptarmigan is found in summer in the treeless region and
on the hilltops except in the extreme north where it is replaced by
Reinhardt’s Ptarmigan. In winter it migrates to the southern parts
of the peninsula. Low says it is common in the valley of the Hamilton
River during the winter, and that it leaves for the northward about
April 15th. Audubon was informed by Mr. Jones that when the last
of the Wild Geese had passed, the Rock Ptarmigan came in numbers
about Bras d’Or and spent the winter on the wind-swept hilltops,
repairing in the beginning of summer to the open grounds of the
interior to breed. In another place he says: ‘They keep in great
packs [in winter], and when disturbed are apt to fly to a considerable
distance, shifting from one hill to another, often half a mile off.”
Frazar says: ‘Mr. Jones, with whom I lived at Cape Whittle, and
who was a very reliable man, told me that several years before he was
on the shore of the Straits one day in early winter, and that flock after
flock of these birds were flying in from across the water and that they
lit upon the first land they could reach, evidently being greatly fatigued.”

Dr. Grenfell told us that ptarmigan sometimes alight on vessels
in the Straits of Belle Isle. Ptarmigan are easily killed and form an
important food supply for the fur trappers in winter.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 363

Lagopus rupestris reinhardi (Brehm).
REINHARDT’s PTARMIGAN.

Common permanent resident in the extreme north.

Bigelow says that it is probably this race that is found north of
Okkak. They migrate back and forth across Davis Strait in spring
and fall.

Dr. Grenfell told us that they gather at Cape Chidley in multitudes in
the spring just before their annual migration across the Hudson Straits.
They are killed by the Moravians and Eskimos in great numbers and
barrelled. He illustrated the abundance of this bird in winter as well
as its tameness and the skill of the Eskimos with the whip by the
following anecdote. During a three-day sledge trip made in winter
by the Rev. 5. M. Stewart from the George River to Fort Chimo his
Eskimo driver succeeded in killing 500 ptarmigan by cutting off their
heads with his long whip.

Pedioecetes phasianellus (Linn.).
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE.

Uncommon permanent resident in southwestern Labrador.

Low says that it has been killed in winter at Great Whale River,
and states that its northern limit in Labrador is at lat. 57°. He took
a set of eggs on May 20, 1889, at Fort George, on James Bay. Spread-
borough states that it is said to be common at Fort George in winter,
and one was shot on June 18, 1896, a short distance south of Fort
George, James Bay. Fleming (’06) records, that according to Bishop
Newnham, there is a fall migration of these birds from the northeast,
to be observed at Moose Factory, “usually when the marsh hay is
being gathered.”

Ectopistes migratorius (Linn.).
PassENGER PIGEON.

Formerly very rare, now extirpated.
Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway say of this bird: “On the coast of
Hudson’s Bay it reaches no farther than the 58th parallel, and only in

364 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

fine summers, but in the interior or in the warmer central districts it
attains to the 62d degree. Mr. Hutchins mentions, as a remarkable
occurrence, that a flock of these Pigeons visited York Factory and
remained two days.” Low’s record is: “Very rare. Eggs obtained
at Fort George, 1887.”

Cartwright on August 22, 1775, in Sandwich Bay enters in his
journal this note: “‘Near the mouth of the brook we saw a pair of
doves, and I killed one with my rifle; it was much like a turtle dove
and fed on the berries of the Empetrum nigrum. I never heard of
such a bird in the country before, and I believe they are very scarce.”
These may have been either Passenger Pigeons or Mourning Doves.

Zenaidura macroura (Linn.).

Movurnine Dove.

Accidental visitor. :

There is only one record, that of Norton: “ A badly mutilated speci-
men....taken at Red Bay, Labrador, September 7,” 1898, by the
Bowdoin college expedition. .

Cathartes aura (Linn.).

TurRKEY VULTURE.

Accidental visitor.

We are enabled to add this species to the list of Labrador birds,
having received a letter under date of November 18, 1906, from Mr.
Ernest Doane of West St. Modest to the effect that a Turkey Vulture
was caught in a fox trap at that place on November 10, 1906.

Circus hudsonius (Linn.).

MarsH Hawk.

Very rare summer visitor in southern Labrador.
Audubon says: “I have met with it in Newfoundland and Labra-
dor.’”’ Stearns obtained one specimen at Dead Island Harbor.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 365:

Accipiter velox (Wils.).
SHARP-SHINNED Hawk.

Very rare summer resident in southern Labrador.

Verrill said that one was seen “evidently nesting” near Salmon
River on July 3, 1861. Macoun says that Spreadborough saw only
one in northern Labrador and this on July 8, 1896.

Accipiter cooperii (Bonap.).
Cooprr’s Hawk; “Partripce Hawk” (Stearns).

Rare summer resident in southern Labrador. i

Stearns is our only authority for this species. He says that he saw
the bird “‘several times’; and again: “I saw the tail of a Cooper’s.
Hawk in the possession of one of the natives, a few miles in the interior:
up Esquimaux River... .He did not regard it as at all rare.”

Accipiter atricapillus (Wils.).
AMERICAN GosHAWE; “ Partripcre Hawk.”

Uncommon permanent resident.

Packard states that this hawk is resident in Ungava, breeding near-
Fort Chimo. A specimen was obtained in early December, 1882.
Coues obtained an immature bird from the natives. Low says that
a specimen was killed near Cambrian Lake, Koksoak River; also on
the lower Hamilton River, ‘‘not common.” Spreadborough noted
one at Seal Lake, Ungava, on July 24, 1896; another a short distance.
above Ungava Bay on August 23, 1896. He took a set of two eggs of”
this species at Great Whale River on June 18, 1896.

Buteo borealis (Gmel.).

Repb-TAILED Hawk.

Very rare summer visitor.
Audubon in his journal under date of July 11, 1833, near Cape

366 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Whittle says: “A tail feather of the Red-tailed Hawk, young, was
found; therefore that species exists here.” Palmer records that “two
were seen at the Mingan Islands.”

(Buteo platypterus (Vieill.). Broap-winceD Hawx.— One was obtained
at, Moose Factory in 1862, but there is no record for Labrador.]

Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis (Gmel.).
AMERICAN RovuGH-LEGGED Hawk.

Very common summer resident.

Macoun says this is the common hawk of Ungava and the barren-
grounds. It was observed by Spreadborough at the mouth of Great
Whale River. It breeds on the high cliffs from James Bay to Ungava
Bay and also on the east coast. Three incubated eggs were found
July 13th, and a nest with half-grown young at Seal Lake, Ungava, on
August 3d. Macoun also reports a set of eggs from Hamilton Inlet
on May 17th, and from Fort Chimo on June 20th. Bigelow found
it very common on the east coast where it nests on cliffs some distance
from the sea. Packard says that both light and dark phases breed
at Fort Chimo, and that it is more abundant on the east and north,
than on the south shores. Norton mentions two specimens brought
back by the Bowdoin college expedition from the south coast, one
from Chateau the other from Red Bay, taken in mid-July. Dr. H. R.
Storer records in his journal that on August 15, 1849, he found the
nest and young of this species at Red Bay. On August 16th he found
a nest, egg, and fledged young at Bras d’Or. The account of this last
nest is given in detail by Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway (’74, vol. 3, p.
309).

We saw one of these birds at Long Tickle on July 20th, one at
Pack’s Harbor on July 24th, one at Great Caribou Island on July
27th, and one near Battle Island on August Ist. They were all in
the black plumage. We also obtained the skin of one from the Eski-
mos at Hopedale. This was very black including the rump, which
was no lighter than the rest of the back. The bird seen at Pack’s
Harbor poised motionless for several minutes about a hundred feet
above a high hill over which a strong wind was sweeping. He was
suspended like a kite in the strong air currents, heading into the wind.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 367

He seemed to be looking down, but occasionally turned his head
from side to side. Once he dropped momentarily his heavily feathered
legs.

Aguila chrysaétos (Linn.).
GOLDEN EAGLE.

Very rare permanent resident.

Audubon records one of these birds for southern Labrador in these
words: ‘At Labrador, we saw an individual sailing, at the height of
a few yards, over the moss-covered surface of the dreary rocks.”
Packard says that specimens of the Golden Eagle have been procured
in the Ungava district, and that it breeds in the northeastern portions
among the hills. A pair also bred at the “Forks” in the Ungava
district. Low states that it “breeds at head of Lake Michikamau.
Seen in several places along upper Hamilton River.” Spreadborough
thought he saw one near the “Forks” above Ungava, and, at Fort
Chimo, in September, 1896, he saw a skin of one shot a few days before
on the river. Bryant saw a single Golden Eagle at Bradore in 1860.

(Haliaeetus albicilla (Linn.). Gray Sea Eacie.— Weiz stated that this
bird breeds at Okkak, but he was probably in error and confused this species
with the Bald Eagle.]

Haliaeetus leucocephalus alascanus C. H. Townsend.
NortTHERN BAtp HAGLE.

Rare summer resident.

Frazar saw one at Cape Whittle on the southern coast and states
that it is “‘not a rare summer resident, as I heard of about six pair that
bred at different places along the coast and always in trees.”” Low
saw a pair on the Hamilton River below Grand Falls on April 28th.
Cartwright obtained three eagle’s eggs on April 30, 1775, near Cape
Charles. On May 30, 1776, in Sandwich Bay he records two eggs
of eagles, and again on June 11, 1778, three eggs. The species is not
mentioned. A pair of this species was seen on August 17, 1896, by
A. P. Low near Ungava Bay.

368 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.
Falco islandus Briinn.
WHITE OR IcELAND GYRFALCON.

Common permanent resident.

There is great confusion as to the specific status of the gyrfalcons,
and it is thought by some that there may be only one species with
various color phases. The four forms have all been observed and
specimens taken in Labrador. ‘Two, the white and the black forms,
have been found breeding. Our own observations of this class of
falcons in Labrador were very meager. They will be referred to
later. We have entered here all the records for Labrador we could
obtain.

Audubon describes a pair of adults of this species shot on August
6, 1833, eight or ten miles from Bradore on the south coast of Labrador.
Their full-grown young escaped. The nest was on a cliff and was
surrounded by remains of Puffins, Murres, and Ptarmigan.

Packard says it is “common at Fort Chimo and east coast of Labra-
dor. Resident in northern portions, breeds at Fort Chimo.” Weiz
says it breeds at Okkak. Harvie-Brown says a specimen was shot
at Ungava Bay by Thomas Mackenzie in 1890. Robert Bell says
that two were killed at Port Burwell in August and September. The
following specimens of islandus are in the Bangs collection: no. 9742,
Hopedale, 1898; no. 9743, Okkak, 1895; no. 9744, Okkak, October,
1896; no. 9741, Makkovik, late autumn, 1900.

At Henley Harbor on August 2d, we saw a bird evidently of this
species circling about some high cliffs half a mile distant. It sailed up
to a deep cleft into which it disappeared, soon to re-appear and alight
on a shelf. Here it hopped and fluttered a few paces before again
taking flight. The bird was noticeably white, somewhat mottled
with darker color, especially on the wings whose primaries appeared
white at the ends.

Falco rusticolus Linn.

Gray GYRFALCON.
Rare winter visitor.
The only record is that of Packard ('91, p. 423): “Winter specimens
only obtained at Fort Chimo. Not known to breed in the Ungava
district.”

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 369

Falco rusticolus gyrfalco (Linn.).

GYRFALCON.

Rare visitor.

The A. O. U. check-list for 1895 records this form for “Arctic
America, from Northern Labrador and Hudson Bay to Alaska.”
There is a specimen in the Bangs’ collection, no. 9745, from Okkak,
taken September, 1896. We obtained a good skin of this form of
gyrfalcon taken by the Eskimos at Hopedale in the winter of 1905-06.
It was identified by Mr. William Brewster. Of considerable interest
in this specimen is the presence of a white and mottled tail feather,
the first to the left of the center. This feather is entirely different
from the others being nearly white with considerable mottling and
spotting of dark brown on the outer web, and eight fairly distinct
half bars on the inner web. The markings are more distinct in the
distal half of the feather and are fainter on the lower surface. Feathers
similar to this occur in the tails of some specimens of islandus and
suggest that the bird may have been changing from one to the other
color phase. Both the white feather and the dark ones appear to be
of the same age, however, all being slightly brown. The case may
have been one of partial albinism only. The observations of Hagerup
(‘The Birds of Greenland,” edited by Montague Chamberlain,
Boston, 1891) are of interest in this connection. He obtained speci-
mens of the white form with dark spots on the thighs and ventral re-
gions, that resembled in this respect specimens of rusticolus. He
says: ‘As Holbéll and Flucker repeatedly observed mated pairs, one
of which was white (F’. islandicus), and the other dark (F. rusticolus),
and as Holbdéll also found light and dark-colored young in the same
nest, I conclude with these observers that there is but one species of
Gyrfalcon found in Greenland.”

Falco rusticolus obsoletus (Gmel.).
Buiack GyRFatcon; LABRADOR GYRFALCON.

Common permanent resident.

This is the variety labradorius of Audubon. He found a pair of
these birds with two young on August 6, 1833, eight or ten miles from
Bradore. Stearns found the Black Gyrfalcon in southern Labrador

370 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

and thought it was nesting. It was reported to Coues and said to
be commoner in winter. Turner found it abundant at Fort Chimo
in summer, but very rare in winter. He found eggs-on May 24th.
Low shot a specimen at Cape Chidley. Spreadborough found it
common below Fort Chimo on September 18, 1896. A set containing
three eggs was taken at Fort Chimo in June, 1897. Bigelow states
that the Black Gyrfalcon is “rare. One at Port Manvers, September
4.” .Eifrig in a recent note (’05, p. 239) says that this species is ‘‘re-
ported by Mr. [A. P.] Low as common near Cape Chidley and over the
whole of Ungava, where they also breed in numbers.”

There are two specimens in the Bangs collection from Labrador:
no. 9747, Hopedale, November 4, 1898, and no. 9746, Hopedale,
August 9, 1898. Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway mention a female
from Rigolet, and two females from Fort Nescopec [= Nascopee].

Falco peregrinus anatum (Bonap.).
Duck Hawk.

Common summer resident.

The Duck Hawk has been reported as breeding from Cape Whittle
to Cape Chidley. Audubon found a nest and young about one week
old near the former cape on July 5, 1833. Turner says it is abundant
at Fort Chimo and he found eggs on May 24th. Macoun records two
sets of three eggs each from Fort Chimo taken in June, 1898. Weiz
says it breeds at Okkak. Low found it ‘‘not uncommon throughout
the interior,” and Bigelow says: “Fairly common, especially wherever
the sandpipers were flocking.”

Falco columbarius Linn.
Pickton Hawk.

Common summer resident.

Audubon found three sets of five eggs each of this hawk in southern
Labrador. They were all laid about June Ist. On July 1, 1833, he
found a nest containing three eggs and two young just out of the shell.
Coues, Stearns, Frazar, and Palmer also report it for the southern
coast. Weiz says they breed at Okkak, and Spreadborough reports

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 371

them off Cape Chidley, and across Ungava from Great Whale River
almost to Fort Chimo.
We saw one bird of this species near Long Tickle on July 20th.

Falco sparverius Linn.
AMERICAN Sparrow Hawk.

Rare summer visitor.
The only record we have is that of Coues (’61, p. 216): “A single
individual. ...was observed during my stay in Labrador.”

Pandion haliaétus carolinensis (Gmel.).

AMERICAN OSPREY; FIsH-HAWK.

*

Common summer resident in the southern parts of Labrador.

Audubon records: ‘‘Many Fish-Hawks are found here, and I saw
several of their nests, placed on the low fir trees.” Frazar found
them ‘‘common and breeding all along the coast as far east as Cape
Whittle.” Palmer saw several pairs at the Mingan River. Low
states they are ‘common throughout southern interior, to lat. 54°.
Seen May 27th. Eggs June 12th.” Spreadborough did not see any
of these birds in Labrador north of Moose Factory. Macoun records
eggs found by Low on the upper Hamilton River on June 10, 1894.
Turner was assured by John Ford that four or five pairs bred some
four miles above the Hudson’s Bay company’s post on the Northwest
River. Dr. Grenfell noted a Fish-hawk at Nachvak in the spring of
1900.

While we were in Labrador we saw two hawks of this species, one
on July 12th near St. Lewis Sound, the other on July 18th at Rigolet.

Asio accipitrinus (Pall.).
SHORT-EARED OWL.

Common summer resident.
One specimen was taken in southern Labrador on October 16th by
Stearns. Brewster saw two on July 22d on one of the Mingan Islands.

372 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Low saw the birds on the upper Hamilton and Romaine Rivers.
Bigelow reported it ‘rather common at Port Manvers and Nachvak
in September.” Weiz says it breeds at Okkak and Packard states
that it is ‘“ common and breeds at Fort Chimo. Plentiful on east shore
of Hudson Bay. Not known to winter.” Mr. Schmitt of Nain told
us that he had found this species breeding near that mission, and we
obtained a specimen from the Eskimos at Hopedale.

Syrnium varium (Barton).
BaRRED OWL.

Very rare summer visitor in the south.
The only record is that of Audubon (’39, p. 386): “A few were seen
by myself and my party in Labrador.”

[Scotiaptex nebulosa (Forst.). Great Gray Ow1.— A specimen of this”
species was taken by James McKenzie at Moose Factory close to, but just
outside of the western boundary of the Labrador peninsula. Its occurrence
in Labrador is doubtful, notwithstanding Weiz’s assertion that it breeds in
Okkak, and Audubon’s poetic mention of this bird in his journal written
evidently during a state of depression brought on by the hard work and arctic
environment. He does not mention the occurrence of this owl in Labrador
in his ornithological writings. In his journal, however, under date of July
10, 1833, written near Cape Whittle, he describes “one of these dismal gales
which blow ever and anon over this desolate country ....the Great Gray
Owl is perched on the southern declivity of some stupendous rock, and the
gale continues as if it would never stop.”

In Cartwright’s “ Journal” under date of October 29, 1773, the following
record occurs: ‘‘ Walked upon Lyon Neck, and there broke both the legs of
a large grey ow].”” This he did with his rifle. Lyon Neck isa rocky neck
devoid of trees, at the northern entrance to The Lodge. It is not a place
where one would expect to find « Great Horned Owl, hence it is possible
that Cartwright refers to the Great Grey Owl.]

Cryptoglaux tengmalmi richardsoni (Bonap.).
Ricwarpson’s OwL.

Rare permanent resident.

The only record we have for this ow] is a specimen in the Bangs
collection taken by Doane at Lance au Loup on March 1, 1899. It
will probably be found breeding.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 373

Cryptoglaux acadica (Gmel.).

Saw-wHET OWL.

Rare summer resident.
The only record, is that of a specimen reported by Low as shot near
Lake Mistassini. It probably breeds.

Megascops asio (Linn.).
ScrREEcH OWL.

Audubon (’39, p. 392) states explicitly that this species “‘is....met
with abundantly in....Labrador, where I procured it.” It does not
seem possible that he could have mistaken the Hawk Owl or any other
small owl for this species especially as he ‘procured it.” No other
ornithologist has met with it in Labrador, yet we cannot disregard
this record of Audubon which apparently points, as in the case of the
Oyster-catcher to a wider range in former times for this species, as
it is now rarely found north of New Brunswick on the eastern American
coast although it is reported as a summer migrant to Newfoundland.

Asio magellanicus heterocnemis Oberholser.

Lasprapor HorNnepD OWL.

Common permanent resident.

Oberholser’s Labrador form of the Horned Owl seems to be so
distinct that we have recognized it here. Previously considerable
confusion existed as to the status of this bird in Labrador, and it has
been reported under the head of Bubo virginianus, B. virginianus
saturatus, and B. virginianus pacificus.

Stearns states that it is not rare about the Esquimaux River in
southern Labrador; Macoun reports a skin and two eggs taken on
May 1, 1896, at Sandwich Bay by W. Raine. Coues reports a single
bird seen at Rigolet. Low says it is “common about Northwest
River during winter. Common in the interior.” Norton records a
bird in juvenal plumage taken at Cullingham’s Cove, Hamilton Inlet,
on August Ist. Spreadborough saw none while crossing Ungava.
Packard says it is a resident and not rare at Fort Chimo. Downy
young were obtained there on June 20, 1884.

374 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Oberholser describes this form as considerably larger than virgin-
ianus and darker; grayish and blackish tints predominate over rufous
ones. It differs from satwratus in having a larger bill; posterior
lower parts paler; feet lighter colored and less heavily spotted; upper
parts with usually less ochraceous. He gives the distribution as
“Labrador, including at least the north coast of the Territory of
Ungava.’’ He has examined specimens from Okkak, Makkovik,
Hopedale, Turnavik, Lance au Loup, Fort Nascopee, Fort Chimo,
and near Forks.

We obtained a very good skin from the Eskimos at Hopedale. The
Moravians said it must have been shot near there sometime during
the previous winter. The measurements are: wing, 380 mm.; tail,
225 mm.; exposed culmen, 43 mm.; culmen without the cere, 31 mm.
The measurements are those of a female of this race and the coloring
is characteristic.

[Bubo virginianus, B. v. saturatus, B. v. pacificus. See Asio magellanicus
heterocnemis.]

Nyctea nyctea (Linn.).
Snowy Ow.

Not common permanent resident.

The Snowy Owl occurs apparently only in winter on the southern
coast but breeds in the northern parts. Stearns found it not rare in
winter all along the southern coast ‘“‘to Red Bay, at least.” He speaks
of a single bird that stayed about Old Fort Island all winter and could
not be stalked. He says that the Indians hunt this owl in pairs, one
Indian going in one direction and attracting the bird’s attention,
while the other crawls up to shoot it. Packard says it is common
and breeds at Fort Chimo. Bendire mentions eggs in the National
museum from Labrador. ,

Mr. W. B. Cabot, who has made a number of trips into the interior
of Labrador, tells us he has only once seen this bird. Mr. Schmitt
of Nain told us that the Snowy Owl breeds in that vicinity. Low (’06)
records that ‘‘at Cape Dufferin on the east side of Hudson Bay,
upwards of thirty of these birds were caught by placing fox traps on
the top of short poles, at intervals along the coast, during the southern
migration of the birds in October, 1901.” At Dead Island on July
26th, we found the dried and disintegrated body of a Snowy Owl.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 375

Surnia ulula caparoch (Miill.).
AMERICAN Hawk OWL.

Uncommon permanent resident.

Turner found the Hawk Owl rare at Fort Chimo, and he took its
eggs on June 8, 1884. The young were ready to leave the nest on
June 20th. Low saw the bird several times on the upper Hamilton
River and Macoun reports a set of five eggs from Hamilton Inlet
taken on May 24, 1896, by Raine. Macoun says it is rare at Lake
Mistassini where it is found in winter. In the Bangs collection is a
specimen from Black Bay on the Straits of Belle Isle taken on Novem-
ber 18, 1898, by Doane.

We saw three or four skins of this bird in Dr. Grenfell’s hospital
at Battle Harbor and obtained one. The bird had been killed at Fox
Harbor. We also saw the skin of one at Hopedale.

(Coccyzus americanus (Linn.). YELLOw-BILLED Cuckoo.— Although Au-
dubon says: ‘Even in Labrador....I saw a few,’ we think he must
have confused this species in his memory with the Black-billed Cuckoo of
which he gives a more definite record.]

Coccyzus erythrophthalmus (Wils.).
BLACK-BILLED Cuckoo.

Very rare summer visitor in the southern part.

Audubon’s is the only record; he says (’39, p. 524): “We saw a
few in Labrador, amid the clumps of low trees a few miles from the
shore of the Gulf in secluded and pleasant valleys.”

Ceryle alcyon (Linn.).
BELTED KINGFISHER.

Common summer resident in the southern part of Labrador.

Audubon, Stearns, Brewster, Frazar, and Palmer found this bird
on the southern coast of Labrador. Low says it is “not found north
of the vicinity of the Grand Falls, Hamilton River. Common on
Romaine River and at Lake Mistassini.” He records its arrival at

3876 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Lake Mistassini on May 14th. Frazar reports its arrival at Esqui-
maux Point on May 22d. Packard says it breeds at Northwest River.

Dryobates villosus leucomelas (Bodd.).
NorTHERN Hatry WOoDPECKER.

Uncommon resident in southern Labrador.

Stearns found it “common inland in winter at least about Esqui-
maux River.” Packard says it is “resident in southern portions.
Probably absent north of ‘Height of Land.’” Low, however, “ shot
[it] in valley of Hamilton River in March,” where it was “not rare.”
Spreadborough found none farther north in Labrador than the foot
of James Bay.

We saw no Hairy Woodpeckers in Labrador and were unable to
obtain any specimens. ,

Dryobates pubescens medianus (Swains.).
NortHern Downy WoopPEckeEr.

Common permanent resident in southern half of Labrador.

Audubon and Stearns found this woodpecker in southern Labrador.
Packard states that it is a “common resident in southern portions;
probably does not range north of 56°.”” Low states that it is common
on Hamilton River throughout the year and that it is seen at Lake

Mistassini throughout the winter.

Picoides arcticus (Swains.).
Arctic THREE-TOED WOODPECKER.

Common resident north to tree limit.

Frazar found a pair at Esquimaux Point in early September and
Brewster heard one at the mouth of the Mingan River in southern
Labrador. Packard states that it is a common resident throughout
the wooded portions, and Low found it common along the lower

Hamilton River. Bangs lists a specimen from Bechoine and one
from Makkovik.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 377

Picoides americanus Brehm.
AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER.

Common permanent resident north to tree limit.

Packard says it is ‘common and resident throughout the wooded
portions” and Norton records a bird in juvenal plumage from the
Northwest River.

Bangs (’00, pp. 138, 142) characterizes the Labrador bird as Picoides
americanus labradorius, type from Okkak; range, Labrador peninsula
north to tree limit; intergrades in Quebec. He bases this on 24
specimens as follows: from Okkak, 8; Nain, 4; Hopedale, 3; northern
Labrador, 1; Black Bay, 2; Lance au Loup, 2. We obtained the
skins of two from the Eskimos at Hopedale which Mr. Bangs recog-
nizes as of the same type. In the article referred to above, he charac-
terizes labradorius as “the blackest of the American black-and-white-
backed three-toed woodpeckers.” ‘‘Crown patch of & darker yellow,
about ochre yellow.” This form has not, however, been recognized
by the American ornithologist’s union.

Colaptes auratus luteus Bangs.
NorTHERN FLICKER.

Uncommon summer resident in southern half of Labrador, occa-
sional as far as Hudson Strait.

Stearns on the southern coast found it “‘not rare, at least as far as
L’Anse Claire.”” Low says a single specimen was seen near the
Grand Falls of the Hamilton River on May 30th. Spreadborough
reported a few as far north as Fort George, James Bay, in June, 1896,
and Packard states that a ‘‘straggler was procured from the mainland
near Akpatok Island, Hudson Strait, October, 1882. Reported com-
mon summer resident to Northwest River.”

Chordeiles virginianus (Gmel.).
NIGHTHAWK.

Common summer resident in southern Labrador locally.
Stearns says it is “common at Natashquan.” Low reported:

3878 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

“Very rare on upper Hamilton River. Single specimen seen near the
Grand Falls, May 31st. Common at Mistassini and along Romaine
River.” He records its arrival at Lake Mistassini the last of May.

Trochilus colubris Linn.

RuUByY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD.

Very rare summer visitor.

Audubon states that ‘“‘a few were seen by me in Labrador.”
Turner records that a male was seen on July 17, 1882, on the hill-top
(825 feet elevation) back of the station at Davis Inlet.

Tyrannus tyrannus (Linn.).

KINnGBIRD.

Rare summer resident in southern Labrador.

The only record we have of this bird for Labrador is Audubon’s
statement (’39, p. 420): “I have found it breeding in... .Labrador.”’
As this species is common locally in Newfoundland and Cape Breton
it might be expected in southern Labrador.

Sayornis phoebe (Lath.).
PHOEBE.

Very rare summer resident in southern Labrador.

The only record we have for this bird is Audubon’s statement
(’39, p. 424): “TI have found it in Labrador [where] it breeds.” There
is no reason why this species should not occur in southern Labrador
as Macoun records it for Newfoundland and Quebec.

Nuttallornis borealis (Swains.).
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER.

Very rare summer resident in southwest portion.
Audubon again is the only authority for this species. He says,

Laboratory of | ornie 1ngy
459 Sapsacker Woods Road
Cornell University

Ithaca, New York 1485 +

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 379

(35, p. 425): “I found this species....on the Magdalen Islands, and
on the coast of Labrador.’”’ We should expect to find this species
in southwestern Labrador where the trees were of any size. Spread-

borough observed one near Moose Factory just outside the limits of
Labrador.

{Contopus virens (Linn.). Woop Pewrr.— Audubon states (’40, p. 232):
“T have seen them in Labrador,” but in his Labrador journal his only mention
of this bird is on June 22, 1833, at American Harbor, where he enters: ‘I
heard a Wood Pewee.” As he was not familiar with the Yellow-bellied Fly-
catcher some of whose notes suggest those of the Wood Pewee, and as the
latter bird is more southern in its distribution, we have omitted it from the
list.]

(Contopus richardsonii (Swains.). Wrstern Woop Prwrr. — Audu-
bon’s account of flycatchers in Labrador is considerably confused. He speaks
(35, p. 93) of a species smaller than Muscicapa acadica as abundant in Labra-
dor and described in the “Fauna Boreali-Americana” as Tyrannula richard-
sonii, And again (’39, p. 300): ‘Whilst in Labrador, I examined several
nests of the Short-legged Pewee.” It is reasonable to suppose that these
were either the Alder or the Yellow-bellied Flycatchers.]

Empidonax flaviventris Baird.
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER.

Common summer resident in southwestern Labrador.

Frazar picked up one dead at Cape Whittle in early July. Low
states that it is ““common at Lake Mistassini. Not seen at Hamil-
ton Inlet.””. At Lake Mistassini Low noted their arrival between the
1st and 15th of June. Macoun records it as breeding. It is prob-
able, as already stated, that Audubon found this species but gave it
another name.

Empidonax traillii amorum Brewst.
ALDER FLYCATCHER.

Not common summer resident in southwestern Labrador.

We have ventured to include this species on the strength of Audu-
bon’s statement (39, p. 289) that he found Muscicapa pusilla “on
the coast of Labrador in considerable numbers.”’ One nest was found

380 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

in July in a bush. It contained five speckled eggs. Since the nest
of the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher is usually built on the ground, the
presumption is that Audubon’s nest was that of the Alder Flycatcher.

Otocoris alpestris (Linn.).
SHore Lark; Hornep Lark; “SkyLark”; “Mup Larx.’’

Abundant summer resident throughout the Arctic zone, especially
on the coast.

This race of Horned Lark is found breeding wherever there is
barren ground in Labrador. Thus it is found on the southern coast
from its eastern extremity to the point where the forest growth comes
down to the shore near the Mingan Islands; and on the entire eastern,
northern, and western coasts. Low states that it is common on the
barrens of the upper Hamilton River, where he obtained eggs on June
19th. Macoun says it is common and breeds on the rocky islands of
James Bay from Moose Factory to Richmond Gulf. Breeding birds
have been examined from Fort Chimo and Davis Inlet. A set of
three eggs was taken at Great Whale River, James Bay, in June, 1899,
by A. P. Low; another of three eggs on an island in James Bay on
June 18, 1896, by Spreadborough. The latter explorer failed to find
it, however, between Richmond Gulf and Ungava Bay.

Audubon records in his Labrador journal the drawing of three
young Shore Larks ‘‘the first ever portrayed by man” at Bras d’Or
on July 29, 1883. He adds: “I saw one beautiful male in full sum-
mer dress which I secured and have drawn with a portion of moss. I
intend to add two drawn in winter plumage.”

We found Horned Larks common in the Arctic coastal region all
along the Labrador shore, and we obtained ten specimens from Cape
Charles on the south to Fanny’s Harbor, between Hopedale and
Nain, on the north. We observed them on the southern coast near
Cape Charles and also at Flower’s Cove in Newfoundland on the
southern side of the Straits of Belle Isle, where we obtained two more
specimens. ll our specimens and all the birds observed were of the
same type, with nearly pure white superciliary lines and pale yellow
throats. The superciliary lines although nearly pure white, all show
on close scrutiny a very faint tinge of yellow, especially just above
the eye. This tinge of yellow varies in amount in our specimens and

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 381

is never pronounced. In some it is nearly absent. On the throat
the yellow tinge is present although faint in all the specimens and
is most marked medially and close to the bill. The edges of this
patch below and behind the black markings and therefore well on the
side of the head, are in all the specimens nearly pure white. In the
color of these markings, therefore, the birds resembled praticola, not
alpestris.

Two specimens in the Bangs collection from Lance au Loup on
the southern Labrador coast taken on May 3 and May 14, 1899,
although both females, have a more pronounced yellow tint in both
the throat and the superciliary markings. Examination of specimens
in Mr. Brewster’s collection shows a fainter yellow in the specimens
taken in April in Massachusetts than in those taken in October.

As to measurements it will be seen from those given below that the
birds are large and correspond in size to the northern race, alpestris,
and not to praticola.

All our specimens show considerable wear in the feathers, for all
were taken just before the annual August moult.

Measurements in millimeters of Otocoris alpestris.

Bill
from Exposed
No.! Sex. Locality. Date. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. nostril. culmen.

1164 o Cape Charles, Lab. July 30, 1906 111.3 72 22.5 11.8 13.9
1162 S§ Battle Harbor, Lab. July 14,1906 109 73 23 11.5 12.8
1165 Ce July 14, 1906 111.2 69.2 21.8 10.5 12
1167 - July 11, 1906 109 71 23.4 11.5 13
1166 CG Pack’s Harbor, Lab. July 24, 1906 112.8 76 22.5 10 12
1163. oO Fanny’s Harbor, Lab July 21,1906 111.5 74 20 10 12
Average of six adult males 110.8 72.5 22.2 10.9 12.6
1161 Q Flower’s Cove, NF. July 9,1906 104 65 19.6 11 13
1168 Q Battle Harbor, Lab. July 27,1906 105 64.2 20.5 10.8 12.2
1169 @ Holton, Lab. July 19,1906 101 60.4 20.8 10 11.8
1170 Q Long Tickle, Lab. July 20,1906 102 61 20 10.5 12
Average of four adult females 103 62.6 20.2 10.5 12.2
1160 Gjuv. Flower’s Cove, NF. July 9, 1906 96 51.8 18 9.5 10.2
1171 @juv. Cape Charles, Lab. July 30,1906 104 64 21 9.9 12
Average of two young males 100 57.9 19.5 9.7 11.1

From these considerations we have concluded that the Horned

1Collection of Dr. C. W. Townsend.

382 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Lark of the Labrador coast, both eastern and southern, is the northern
race, Otocoris alpestris. alpestris, and that the difference observed in
the tint of the yellow in the plumage is due largely to fading, and to
some extent to wear as the bases of the yellow feathers are white.
The fading is least where the feathers are most shaded under the chin.

We have measured ten worn feathers taken from the throats of our
July birds and ten unworn feathers taken as nearly as may be from
the same region of birds shot on the Massachusetts coast in October
and December. The average length of the first set is 5.95 mm., of
the second set 8.25 mm. showing a loss of 26 percent in the length of
the feathers by wear. ;

It is evident that besides changing the color of the plumage of the
bird, a fact which is well known, wear must make a great difference
in the warmth of the plumage. The Horned Lark wears its thinnest
clothes during the time when its love passions are at their summit
and when the thermometer is highest. As its love cools and the days
begin to grow shorter and cooler it dons its thick winter clothes which
do not begin to show much wear until the days are growing warmer
and love begins to stir the blood with its old heat.

Although part of the southern coast of Labrador is of a different
geological formation from the eastern coast it belongs in the same
life zone, namely, the Arctic, as shown by the same flora and by the
presence of the American Pipit as on the eastern coast. ‘To the west
of Mingan the Hudsonian region as shown by the forest growth
reaches the coast, and the country beyond is not suitable for either of
these birds except possibly in limited areas. Thus Merriam (Bull.
Nuttall orn. club, vol. 7, 1882, p. 234) says of the Pipit at Point des
Monts, near Godbout on the Gulf of St. Lawrence (about 50 miles
southwest of the Labrador boundary): ‘“‘Tolerably common summer
resident and doubtless breeds.” Of the Horned Lark he says: “First
seen April 21, 1882, after which they were common for about three
weeks and then disappeared. I found a young one, dead, at Godbout
in July, 1881.” With the exception of this record no larks have been
found breeding west of Mingan. Between Montreal and Quebec the
Prairie Horned Lark is found breeding, and as far as we can discover
this is the most eastern breeding place on the north side of the St.
Lawrence for this bird.

Macoun says of the Prairie Horned Lark: “A common summer
resident in the Montreal district. They have been found breeding

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 383

here before the winter's snow has melted off the ground; they arrive
in February and leave in November. (Wintle.) Occasional at
Quebec. (Dionne).”

Our brief examination at Flower’s Cove on the Newfoundland side
showed an Arctic flora and the presence of the same Horned Larks
as on the opposite side of the Straits, some fifteen miles distant.

We have discussed this subject at some length for H. C. Oberholser
(702, p. 828 and map) has extended the breeding range of the Prairie
form (praticola) along the whole south coast of Labrador to the en-
trance of the Straits of Belle Isle. This he has done on the strength
of one specimen obtained by the Bowdoin college expedition to Labra-
dor in 1891, which certainty seemed to belong to this race (praticola).
This view was fortified by Audubon’s description and by his plates
of a bird taken at Bras d’Or, southern Labrador, in 1833. Here the
throat and frontal band are white. These facts were noted by Mr.
A. H. Norton in his report on the birds collected by the Bowdoin
college expedition. The one specimen on which so much was made
to depend, was taken on J uly 14, 1891, at Chateau Bay, but a few miles
to the westward of Cape Charles where we obtained specimens and
considerably to the east of Lance au Loup, the locality of the Bangs
specimens. Mr. Norton says: “It is a female in somewhat worn
nuptial dress and is quite typical [of praticola], though nearly reach-
ing the maximum measurements of its sex. The wing measures 99
mm.; bill from nostril 9.9 mm..... Though the characteristics of
this specimen are so well marked that its identity is not questionable,
yet on account of the interest attached to it, it was forwarded to the
United States National Museum for verification. Mr. Richard Rath-
bun, Assistant Secretary, informed me that it had been determined
by Mr. H. C. Oberholser as being of this form [praticola].”

We forwarded all our specimens, together with the two from the
Bangs collection from southern Labrador, to Mr. Oberholser and he
identified them all as alpestris. We have also examined the Bow-
doin college specimen and find that it corresponds to ours. In fact
although it is rather a small specimen of a female alpestris its mark-
ings are no whiter than those of our female specimens. We find it to
measure: wing, 99 mm.; tail, 62 mm.; tarsus, 19 mm.; bill, 13 mm.;
from nostril, 10 mm.

Mr. Oberholser under date of January 8, 1907, writes us as regards
our specimens: “They prove to be alpestris as I have indicated on

384 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

the labels. This is simply another proof of the difficulty and danger
of attempting to identify specimens of Otocoris from new localities!
As I remember, Mr. Norton’s female was rather small and unusually
grayish; but your good series leaves no room for doubt.”

Of the Bowdoin college specimen he writes (February 4, 1907):
“Tt is certainly only a specimen of alpestris, probably somewhat
aberrant.”

In this connection we wish to speak of the recent extension of the
breeding range of praticola to the east. This was a subject about
which one of us wrote in “The birds of Essex County” (Townsend
1905, p. 235) and the Auk (vol. 21, 1904, p. 81). In the Auk (vol. 23,
1906, p. 225) Mr. Norton controverted this view basing his argument
primarily on what he believed to be evidence of the existence of this
form even in Audubon’s time on the southern Labrador coast as well
as its occurrence there today. As we have just shown, Mr. Norton
was in error as regards this. He also refers to Maynard’s record for
eastern Massachusetts in July, 1869. A single case is of course of
trifling value and when we consider that the numerous ornithologists
in the well studied part of eastern Massachusetts have only within
recent years found this bird breeding, it seems probable that some
recent change in its range has occurred. The evidence in New Hamp-
shire and Vermont is also strongly suggestive.

We observed the flight song of the Horned Lark at various places
along the coast, and made an especial study of it at Great Caribou
Island, Battle Harbor. The bird suddenly mounts high into the
air, going up silently in irregular circles, at times climbing nearly
vertically, to such a height that he appears but a little speck in the
sky, several hundred feet up. Arrived at this eminence he spreads
his wings and soars, emitting meanwhile his song, such as it is — one
or two preliminary notes and then a series of squeaks and high notes
with a bit of a fine trill. The whole has a jingling metallic sound -
like distant sleigh bells, although the squeaks remind one strongly of
an old gate. The whole effect, however, is not unpleasant,— even
melodious. Having finished one bar of his song, he flaps his wings
a few times, closes them and sails again, repeating the song. One
bird repeated his song twenty-four times and remained in the air one
and a half minutes; another remained in the air three minutes, during
which he repeated his song thirty-two times. During all this time
the bird is flying in curves or irregular circles, sometimes in straight

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 385

lines, or if the wind be strong, he heads up into it and remains in the
same place. The performance ended, he plunges head foremost
down to the’earth, reaching it in a marvelously short space of time.
The descent is as silent as the ascent.

Several times we heard the birds singing above us out of sight in
the fog, and occasionally they sang from a rock the same song, but
with less energy and abandon. In one case the bird appeared to be
singing as he went up, and he disappeared into the fog but it is possible
he had already attained the summit of his flight.

The familiar sibilant squeaking call note was commonly used, and
also a note which we do not remember to have heard during the migra-
tion in Massachusetts. This sounded like zzurrit and was often
preceded by another note thus, whit-zzurrit. These notes were occa-
sionally so soft and sweet that they recalled the trilling whistle of the
Least Sandpiper.

At Frenchman’s Isle on July 16th, we found the nest of a Horned
Lark composed of dried grass and a few large feathers, deeply sunk
into the reindeer lichen and moss in a level piece of ground. There
was no shelter or covering of any sort. It contained three dark-
skinned young, clothed sparingly in sulphur-yellow down. Their
eyes were not yet open. There was also one egg containing a large
embryo. The egg was gray in color, thickly spotted with fine dots,
especially at the circumference of the larger end, where they formed
a distinct brown ring. Birds in juvenal plumage, of which we saw
a number, with their spotted backs were difficult to distinguish among
the lichen-covered rocks. In the adults the ‘“‘horns’’ of the males
could be seen at a considerable distance and distinguished them from
the females. The Horned Lark is not so confiding as its arctic com-
panion the Pipit, and unlike that bird it was never seen among the
tilts and fish stages.

[Otocoris alpestris praticola Hensh. Prairie Hornep Larx.— Erroneously
recorded for southern Labrador by Norton (see O. alpestris).]

Perisoreus canadensis nigricapillus (Ridgw.).
LaBrapor Jay.

Abundant permanent resident in forested regions.
Wherever there is. tree growth there this jay is found in Labrador.

386 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Its tameness and thieving qualities are noted by Cartwright. He
makes frequent complaint of its robbing his traps of bait and occa-
sionally he catches one in a trap. On November 5, 1770, he caught
two with bird lime. On November 7, 1770, he notes: ‘‘The two jays
which I caught on the fifth instant, I have hitherto kept confined in
a cage; but they now have the liberty of the room; and I was greatly
surprised to see them fly to me for food, and familiarly perch upon
my hand; they even suffered me to stroke them with one hand,
while they were eating some pork fat out of the other.”

In another place (vol. 2, p. 151) on March 12, 1776, he speaks of
the jay ‘“‘ which chants its short coarse tune every mild day through
the whole winter.” And he says this is the only song he had heard
that winter until the day when the ‘‘cross-beaked linnets” sang. It
is probable that the song of the Labrador Jay is very similar to that
of the Canada Jay which is thus described by O. B. Warren (Auk,
vol. 16, 1899, p. 14): “On pleasant days the male trilled from a
spruce top a song of sweetly modulated notes wholly new to my ears.
He always sang in sotto voce, and it required an acquaintance with
the songster to realize that he, though so near, was the origin of those
notes which seemed to come from somewhere up in the towering
pines which surrounded this strip of swamp, so lost was the melody
in the whispering, murmuring voices of the pines.”

Seebohm (‘Birds of Siberia,” 1901, p. 33) speaking of the Siberian
Jay (Perisoreus infaustus) says: “Their song was by no means
unmusical, a low warble like that of the starling, but not so harsh.”

Spreadborough found the Labrador Jay throughout Ungava to
Ungava Bay. ‘Turner says it is a resident and breeds at Fort Chimo;
Weiz says it breeds at Okkak; Low found it very common throughout
the interior and he records a nest with four eggs at Rigolet, March 24,
1894, and one with three eggs from the Northwest River about the
same date. The young were able to fly from the nest at Grand Falls
on May 18th. Audubon says he found the young following their
parents on June 27, 1833, in southern Labrador.

Frazar noted in the second week of September an “immense migra-
tion” of jays. Flocks of a dozen to fifty were constantly passing.
The direction of flight is not stated but it was apparently to the south.

Bendire (’95, p. 392-393) gives an interesting account of this bird
copied from the manuscript notes of L. M. Turner from which we
extract the following:

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 387

“This Jay is an abundant resident throughout the entire region
wherever timber is to be found. I observed this bird at Rigolet,
Davis Inlet, George’s River, Whale River, Fort Chimo, and far in the
interior. At certain seasons it is more plentiful than at other times;
after August it is very abundant until the next May, and is then very
scarce until the following September. .... The Indians will not be
tempted to procure the eggs of this bird under any circumstances.
They believe that if a person sees the eggs in the nest, and especially
if he counts them, some great misfortune will befall him. Repeated
inquiry among them elicited the statement that they had never seen
the eggs, and knew nothing about the number laid.

“Its general habits are similar to those of the other members of this
family. It is one of the greatest nuisances the trappers have to con-
tend against, and one of these assured me that he had taken fifteen
of these birds from a line of less than forty traps in a single day, and
with good reason he called this bird a ‘wolverine’ with feathers on!

“IT have never found the Labrador Jays in flocks, although several
may be in the neighborhood, and on a single occasion only I saw five
perched in one tree. If a gun be fired it is certain to cause a Jay to
investigate it, and I think experience has taught him that food may be
procured at such times.”

We saw the Labrador Jay only at Rigolet on July 18th, about six
individuals in all, and we procured an adult male and one immature
bird. The habits and notes appeared to be the same as in canadensis.
We heard them emit a considerable variety of squeaks, whistles, and
groans. The young are dark plumbeous in color, and look very
much like a large Cat-bird; and they frequently acted in a similar
manner, hopping about with their tails cocked up between their wings.

A young @ taken by us at Rigolet on July 18th, appeared blacker
below than a young 9 canadensis taken at Hawke’s Bay, Newfound-
land on July 8th. In the young canadensis the white cheek line was
noticeable, while in nigricapillus it was confined almost entirely to one
point at the base of the bill. In canadensis there was a faint white
mark on the forehead close to the bill. This was absent and the
region almost black in our immature specimen of nzgricapillus.

[Perisoreus canadensis (Linn.). Canapa Jay.— The earlier records of the
Labrador Jay were entered under this heading and Macoun refers the bird of
interior and western Labrador to this form, but in the absence of specimens
we have placed it in the doubtful list.]

388 PROCEEDINGS; BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Corvus corax principalis Ridgw.
NorTHERN Raven; “Crow.”

Common permanent resident.

While the American Crow is rare and limited to the southern part of
Labrador the Raven is a common resident everywhere. It breeds
along the entire coastline and in the interior. Cartwright complained
that Ravens stole the bait from his traps, but occasionally were caught.
Audubon found a nest at Little Mecattina Harbor in July, 1833, with
full-fledged young on July 29th. He speaks of seeing flocks of 40 or
50 or more after the breeding season. Coues found a nest at Henley
Harbor and Turner found them breeding at Fort Chimo. Low says
they are a common resident throughout the interior and Spreadborough
found them in pairs throughout the country. He shot one at Lake
Mistassini on May 30, 1885.

We saw two Ravens at West St. Modest, one at Henley Harbor,
one at Snug Harbor, three at Great Caribou Island, and two or three
at Cape Charles. At Great Caribou Island on July 27th, we found
the nest of a pair of these birds on a cliff on the westerly side of the
island. The nest was in an inaccessible recess about 80 feet above
the base of the cliff and 20 or 30 feet from the top. It was as
large as a great clothes-basket and made of twisted and weather-
bleached branches of fir and spruce. The rocks about were painted
white with excrements. A full-fledged young was clinging to the
rocks near, fluttering its wings to be fed, while the old ones which at
first flew about croaking at our intrusion, carefully kept out of gun-
shot and disappeared. The old birds were everywhere very wary.

Mr. Schmitt has recorded the breeding of Ravens at Nain in mid-
April.

Corvus brachyrhynchos C. L. Brehm.
AMERICAN Crow.

Uncommon summer resident on the southern coast.

Audubon noted a few Crows on the southern coast. Stearns said
a few were occasionally to be seen as far north and east as Esquimaux
River. Frazar said Crows were not rare along the southern coast
and that none wintered. Palmer considered them “quite common”

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 389

at the Mingan Islands. Unlike the Raven, the Crow in these northern
regions where no corn is grown, is very tame. Both Verrill and Brew-
ster noted this in Anticosti, and it is a marked characteristic at Cape
Breton.

(Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Linn.). BoBotink.—It is erroneously stated
by Nuttall that this bird is found “from Labrador to Mexico.”’]

(Molothrus ater (Bodd.). Cowsirp.— An erroneous record was made by
Low (96, p. 326) that the Cowbird is “common at Lake Mistassini.”” Dr. J.
Macoun states in a letter to us, dated March 13, 1906, that this record referred
to the Rusty Grackle.]

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus (Bonap.).

YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD.

Accidental visitor.

We are able to add this species to the list of Labrador birds on the
strength of the following note sent us on November 18, 1906, by Mr.
Ernest Doane of West St. Modest: “About the 15th of September
this year I saw a female Yellow-headed Blackbird. About the same
date eight years ago I shot one, they being the only two I have ever
seen here.”

Euphagus carolinus (Miill.).
Rusty Buackpirp.

Common summer resident except in the Arctic zone.

Audubon says that many breed in Labrador, beginning to lay eggs
about the middle of June. Frazar recorded that “five, evidently
just arrived, were seen in a swamp at Esquimaux Point the latter
part of May. They did not remain.’”’ Coues found the young just
from the nest on July 24th. Turner says: “Common. Breeds
at Fort Chimo.” Young, July 10 1884. Low says: ‘‘Common
throughout the interior.’ Macoun adds: ‘“Tolerably common in
marshes from Richmond Gulf to Ungava; seen in flocks in the interior,
July 24th. (Spreadborough);.... Common and breeding at Lake
Mistassini. (J. M. Macoun.)’’ Low gives the date of arrival at
Lake Mistassini as May 14th. Frazar mentions that this species
occasionally builds its nests in the tall wigwam-shaped woodpiles.

390 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

We did not see any Rusty Grackles in Labrador, but obtained the
skin of a bird from the Eskimos at Hopedale.

Pinicola enucleator leucura (Miill.).
CANADIAN Pine GrosBEeak; “More”; “Spruce-BirD”; “ BULLFINCH.”

Common summer resident, wintering in southern forested portions.

Coues, Weiz, and Bigelow speak of this bird as common in summer
back of the coast where there are woods. Packard records it as ‘‘abun-
dant in summer only at Fort Chimo, where it breeds; resident south of
‘Height of Land’.” Stearns found it common in fall and winter on
the southern coast. Low found it common on the upper Hamilton
River and records one seen on May Ist. Macoun says: “One seen
at Richmond Gulf, July Ist, 1896; not again observed in Labrador.
(Spreadborough.) .... Common in the winter at Lake Mistassini,
Que. (J. M. Macoun.)”

Cartwright on March 20, 1776, says in his journal: ‘I shot an
American bullfinch, which is as large as an English thrush. They
come here in spring to breed and leave us at the latter end of the sum-
mer; this bird was full of partridge-berries.” Also on March 30,
1778: ‘I saw a bulfinch for the first time this year.”

We saw the skin of a Pine Grosbeak taken near Hopedale by an
Eskimo, and Mr. Schmitt at Nain told us it bred there.

Carpodacus purpureus (Gmel.).
Purpie FIncH.

Common summer resident in southern Labrador.

Audubon “found this species from Labrador to Texas.” Kumlien
observed it off Resolution Island. Packard says it is “plentiful in
southern portions.”

Loxia curvirostra minor (Brehm).
AMERICAN CROSSBILL.

Uncommon summer resident; may winter.
This species is more southern in its distribution than leucoptera.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 391

Audubon says: ‘While in Labrador I was much disappointed at
not finding a single bird of this species, although the White-winged
Crossbill was tolerably abundant there.” Macoun says that a set
of 4 eggs was taken by L. Dicks at Cartwright on April 20, 1895, and
that a bird of this species that had flown on board ship was taken in
Hudson Strait.

Loxia leucoptera Gmel.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL.

Common permanent resident.

Weiz found it breeding at Okkak. Packard states that it is “‘resi-
dent and breeds in central portions; seen at Fort Chimo in winter
only.” Low found it ‘‘common on Hamilton River in March and
April.’ Macoun says it is found in winter at Lake Mistassini and
that a set of 4 eggs was found at Sandwich Bay on April 9, 1894.

On March 12, 1776, Cartwright records in his journal: “I was
pleasingly entertained with the melodious singing of the cross-beaked
linnets; they remain all winter with us, and feed on the seeds of the
black spruces. What made their music more agreeable, was the
novelty; this being the first time that I have heard the note of any
bird this year, except the jay.” Again on March 29, 1778, he says:
“TY heard some crossbeak linnets sing for the first time this year.”
He probably referred to the White-winged Crossbill. The full song
of this bird is certainly very “melodious,” and one of the most delight-
ful of bird songs.

Acanthis hornemanni (Holb.).
GREENLAND REDPOLL.

Abundant winter visitor in the northern portions.
Turner found this species “very abundant in winter,” in Ungava
occurring from September Ist to May 15th.

Acanthis hornemanni exilipes (Coues).
Hoary Reppo.z; “ Progwak” (Eskimo).

Abundant permanent resident in northern Labrador.
Turner found it breeding plentifully at Fort Chimo and obtained

3892 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

nests and eggs. Macoun says that a large series of eggs of this species
was taken at Nachvak in 1895. Also one set of five eggs and nest were
taken there by G. Ford in 1897, and two eggs at Fort Chimo on June
13, 1896.

Acanthis linaria (Linn.).
ReEppoit; “ ALDER-BIRD”’ (Stearns).

Abundant permanent resident.

The Redpoll is found and has been noted breeding throughout
the length and breadth of the Labrador peninsula. During the fall
and winter it collects in large flocks. During the summer it is not so
gregarious.

Macoun says: “During the last week of May and early in June,
1899, Mr. A. P. Low found this bird breeding abundantly at the
mouth of the Great Whale River, Hudson Bay, and I secured close
upon 150 eggs of this species that were then collected. The nests
were built low down in stunted willows, not more than two or three
feet from the ground and contained five or six eggs each. I have also
several sets that were taken at Cartwright, Labrador, by the late
Lambert Dicks during June, 1895..... (W. Raine).” Kumlien
says that “off Kikkertarsoak Islands, on the Labrador coast, as much
as one hundred miles from land, these birds came aboard of the
schooner in a gale. They were all young birds.” Mr. Schmitt at
Nain told us that two kinds of Redpolls nested there.

We noted 57 Redpolls on our trip north and 77 on our return, most
of them at Great Caribou Island, Cape Charles, St. Lewis Inlet, and
Rigolet. ‘They were seen singly or in pairs, and occasionally in small
loose flocks up to 8 or 10. Their most frequent call note was a rough
chug or chee resembling very closely the call note of the White-winged
Crossbill. They also frequently emitted a sweet Goldfinch-like note
deé-ar. They were constantly singing either from the top of a spruce
or fir or in the air, flying in irregular circles, flitting about from place

_ to place, and frequently dropping suddenly into a tree where they
continued their song. The song recalls the song of the White-winged
Crossbill but is much inferior in quality. It is a succession of chugs
interspersed with deé-ars and chee-chee-chees, with every now and
then a fine rattling trill.

-”

a

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 393

They were difficult birds to observe not because they were shy,
for the reverse was the case, but because they were so restless. We
saw several full-fledged young on July 28th at Cape Charles.

[Aegiothus fuscescens.— This “new species’? described by Coues (’61, p.
222-223) from Labrador specimens was evidently Acanthis linaria.]

Acanthis linaria rostrata (Coues).
GREATER REDPPOLL.

Common winter visitor; rare summer resident in north.

Macoun gives this note: ‘‘A few pairs breed in northern Labrador,
though its summer home is in Greenland. I have three sets of eggs
of this bird that were collected by Mr. Ford at Ungava Bay, northern
Labrador, June 15th, 1894. The nests were built in willows two or
three feet from the ground and contained five eggs each, which are
easily distinguished from [those of] the common redpoll by their
larger size.....(W. Raine).”

Eifrig (05, p. 240) says: “A specimen of what seems to be this
species was taken on the vessel off the Labrador coast, Sept. 4, 1903.”

Astragalinus tristis (Linn.).

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.

Accidental visitor in southern Labrador.
The only definite record is by Kumlien of “an adult male caught
on shipboard, August 22, 1877, off Cape Mugford, Labrador.”

Spinus pinus (Wils.).
Pine SIsKIN.

Uncommon summer resident in southern Labrador.

Audubon found the Pine Siskin abundant in Labrador. He says:
“At the Harbour of Bras d’Or, on the coast of Labrador, in the end
of July, we met with a great number of these birds. They were then
accompanied by their young, and moved in flocks composed of a single

394 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

family, or at most of two.” Bigelow saw a few south of the tree line.
Macoun records several nests with sets of eggs taken at Hamilton
Inlet; one set was taken on June 17, 1895.

We saw only one Pine Siskin in Labrador, a single bird that flew
over Battle Island on July 15th.

Passerina nivalis (Linn.).
SNOWFLAKE; SNow BunrTING.

Abundant summer resident in the north; winter visitor in the south.

Packard says that the Snow Bunting is abundant at Fort Chimo
and breeds on the islands in Ungava Bay, occasionally on the main-
land. Weiz says it breeds at Okkak. Macoun records a large series
of eggs from Nachvak taken by Mr. Gray, in 1897. Bigelow says
it appeared at Port Manvers on August 10th, after which it was abun-
dant. J. M. Macoun noted that it left Lake Mistassini for the north
about May 10th. Between August 10th and May 10th would then
be the season when the Snow Bunting is found wintering in the south-
ern half of the peninsula.

We saw no Snow Buntings although we were told by Mr. Schmitt
at Nain that a few spent the summer and bred there. Most if not all
of this species go farther south in winter. He said they arrived from
the south early in March and were abundant until the end of May.
A few remained and bred in mid-June.

Calcarius lapponicus (Linn.).
Lapitanp Lonaspur.

Abundant summer resident in the north; winter visitor in the south.

Packard says of this species: “Abundant at Fort Chimo. Breeds
near the mouth of the Koksoak River and on the larger islands in
Ungava Bay.” Weiz found it breeding at Okkak. Bigelow says
it breeds from Nachvak, northward. Macoun records three sets
of eggs from Nachvak. Stearns found it rather common in winter
in southern Labrador, and Low says it is common on the Hamilton
River in early spring. Spreadborough saw one on an island in James
Bay on June 15, 1896, and not again until September. He found
it in large numbers on the barren-grounds below Fort Chimo.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 895

We saw a pair of these birds evidently breeding at Holton, just
north of Hamilton Inlet, on July 19th. Mr. Schmitt at Nain told us
that the Lapland Longspur arrived at that place early in May and
bred in mid-June.

{Passerculus princeps Mayn. Ipswich Sparrow.— The only known
breeding place for the Ipswich Sparrow is Sable Island. We were unable to
visit the sand dunes at Blanc Sablon and near Bradore Bay where it seems
possible this bird may be found. We have learned that there are dunes at
L’Anse aux Dunes, sand banks at the mouth of the Mingan River, a sand
beach six miles long from Mingan west to Long Point; also a sand beach at
Cape Porcupine south of Hamilton Inlet, but as yet there is no evidence of
the presence of this species at such places on the Labrador coast.]

Passerculus sandwichensis savanna (Wils.).
Savanna SPARROW; “‘CHIP-BIRD.”

Very common summer resident.

The Savanna Sparrow breeds everywhere in the open treeless
regions of Labrador especially near the coast. Frazar speaks of it
as the commonest land bird in southern Labrador. Low found it
“very common” on the upper Hamilton River and obtained eggs on
June 24th. Audubon found a nest with two eggs near Cape Whittle,
on June 30th. Packard says it is “common throughout the region.
Breeds at the mouth of the Koksoak River and at Davis Inlet.” Coues
says it is abundant in meadows and near the seashore, and it was still
in Labrador on September Ist. Bigelow says it leaves Labrador the
last of August and first of September. Audubon says it leaves early
in September. Spreadborough found it common on the shores of
James Bay to Richmond Gulf, but no more were seen in crossing
northern Labrador till Fort Chimo was approached.

We found this sparrow common all along the southern and eastern
coasts. At Battle Island there were two pairs with their young. On
Great Caribou Island we saw four or five pairs. In the forested
region of Rigolet we saw none. We were struck by the dark, almost
black backs of the Labrador bird and the dark and clear-cut spots
on the pure white of their breasts. We shot half a dozen specimens.
Stearns (’90) says of the Savanna Sparrow: ‘‘ White very clear, the dark
inverted arrowpoints quite distinct... .. One specimen alone had the

396 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

buffy suffusion covering the breast.” He mentions examining thirty
specimens. He also speaks of a small tuft of white feathers at the
base of the primary coverts.

Reginald Heber Howe, Jr., gave the Labrador bird a subspecific
rank as Passerculus sandwichensis labradorius but this form was not
recognized by the American ornithologists’ union. His description
is as follows:

“Type, from Lance au Loup, Labrador, No. 4479, adult male.
Collection E. A. & O. Bangs. Collected May 17, 1899, by Ernest
Doane.

“Geographical Range: Labrador.

“Subspecific Characters: The largest of the Passerculus sandwich-
ensis races. Wings, tail and tarsi longer than in savanna. Bill shorter
and thicker. Upper parts uniform grayish black, with but little trace
of rufous. Distinct white median line on crown, and with a great
deal of bright yellow about the head. The eye line and ring, forehead,
lores and auriculars being strongly tinged.

“Remarks: There is no difficulty in separating the two races
savanna and labradorius on account of the greater size of the latter,
their wing measurements showing no overlapping.”

He had at this time two adult birds from Labrador.

We sent our specimens to Mr. Oberholser, at Washington, who
kindly examined them and wrote us as follows, under date of February
4, 1907: ‘‘The Savanna Sparrows I have compared carefully with
a large series in the collections here in Washington, and I cannot find
any substantial difference worth recognizing by name. It is true they
average very slightly darker and very slightly larger than more southern
birds, but the differences are altogether too slight and too inconstant,
in my opinion, to warrant their subspecific separation. Their dark
color is due in part to their worn condition, and in both this respect
and in size I can match them with southern breeding birds. I am
somewhat surprised myself, for I have always entertained a suspicion
that labradorius was a good race, though I have never before made
any actual comparison.”

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 397

Zonotrichia leucophrys (Forst.).
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW.

Abundant summer resident.

This is probably the most common sparrow in Labrador, as, al-
though it is a bird of the Hudsonian zone it encroaches on the Arctic
zone, breeding contentedly among the stunted fir and spruce bushes
in sheltered ravines along the entire wind-swept coast as well as in the
forested region of the interior. Audubon, Stearns, Frazar, and Palmer
speak of it on the southern coast. Coues, Weiz, Packard, and Bigelow
found it along the eastern coast. ‘Turner found it “very plentiful” and
“breeding abundantly at Fort Chimo.” Low says it is “very com-
mon” on the upper Hamilton River and Spreadborough found it
‘very abundant from Richmond Gulf across Ungava to Fort Chimo.”

Audubon says they reach Labrador about June Ist. Frazar
observed them first at Esquimaux Point on May 18th, and Low noted
them on May 16th on the upper Hamilton River. Audubon found
a nest and five eggs on July 6th at American Harbor. Low obtained
eggs on June 25th on the upper Hamilton River. Macoun records
eggs from Whale River in June, four sets of four eggs each; one set
of four taken at Fort Chimo in June; one set of four taken at Nachvak,
in June, and one set of three from an island in James Bay on June 23d.

We found the White-crowned Sparrow everywhere in Labrador
not only on the bleak coast, wherever there were sheltering ravines
but also in the forested region at Cape Charles, St. Lewis Inlet, Cart-
wright, and Rigolet. It was the common dooryard bird and was
frequently to be seen hopping about the fish stages and tilts, where,
without their shelter, we should not have expected to have found this
bird of the Hudsonian zone. We even saw one singing from the
cross-stay at the main-mast head of a schooner anchored close to the
shore at White Bear Island, one of the bleakest outer islands. Mr.
W. B. Cabot told us of seeing one hopping along the body of a sleeping
Eskimo dog, picking at the flies that surrounded him. The call note
of this bird as we heard it in Labrador was characteristic and easily
recognized, a metallic chink. Its alarm note was a sharp chip. Its
song we often heard even in foggy and wet weather. When singing
in a tree the bird generally sat concealed near the trunk several feet
from the top. We also heard the song from the sod-covered roofs
of the houses and, as just mentioned, from the rigging of a schooner.

398 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

There is a long and somewhat mournful stress laid on the first note
of the song and a buzz, not easily expressed in words, comes in near
the end. We wrote the song down in various ways to memorize it as
more, wet-wetter-wet chézee, or wheéa, sorg a lét-zee or whee whit,
whittle-wee-déwhee, all of course very unsatisfactory. We saw full-
fledged young on July 28th. They are very plain, spotted birds with
but a faint grayish streak to suggest the glorious white crown of the
adult.

Mr. Schmitt at Nain told us that this species arrived there on May
18th and laid eggs by the middle or end of June.

Zonotrichia albicollis (Gmel.).
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW.

Common summer resident in southern part.

Frazar thought this species arrived at Esquimaux Point on the
southern coast about May 20th. Stearns found them everywhere
common on the southern coast. Low reported them common at
Lake Mistassini where they arrived on May 20th, and on the Romaine
River. He heard them at Grand Falls, Hamilton River, which is the
farthest north of which we have record.

We found four of these birds in the shelter of the woods at and near
Mary Harbor, St. Lewis Inlet, on July 12th, and three in the woods
near White Bear Bay, Cape Charles. In the woods of Cartwright
and Rigolet we did not find them. The birds we observed were in

full song.
Spizella monticola (Gniel.).
TREE SPARROW.

Common summer resident.

Audubon failed to find the Tree Sparrow in Labrador and Stearns
speaks of it as occurring on the southern coast only in spring and fall.
He records the latest date as October 12th. Packard says it is ‘‘com-
mon throughout the entire country. Breeds plentifully at Fort
Chimo.”’ Coues says it is “common in all wooded districts.” Low
states that it is “common everywhere. Breeds in great numbers on

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 399

upper Hamilton River. Seen May 8lst, eggs June 21st.” He records
its arrival at Lake Mistassini on May 15th. Macoun says that none
were seen 6n James Bay till reaching Fort George when they became
common, across Ungava (Spreadborough). Quite common at Lake
Mistassini (J. M. Macoun). Eggs in June, 1898, at Whale River.
Bigelow records “a good many at Port Manvers.” Mr. Schmitt
told us that this species bred at Nain early in July.

Our experience with this bird in Labrador was rather peculiar.
Although we were constantly on the lookout for it we failed to find
it in such favorable localities as St. Lewis Inlet, Cartwright, and
Rigolet, and we met with the bird only at Great Caribou Island near
Battle Harbor, and at Cape Charles. On July 27th at Great Caribou
Island which is almost entirely arctic in its characteristics we found
some three pairs of these birds in small thickets of balsam fir and
black spruce which in sheltered localities managed to reach a height
of three or four feet. At and near Cape Charles on July 28th we saw
4; on July 29th, 10; on July 30th, 8; and on July 3lst, 1. On
Great Caribou Island the males were in full song and we saw no young
birds. At Cape Charles the males were singing less frequently and
we saw several immature but fully grown birds, one of which we took.
The chestnut caps of the adults appeared to be very bright and the
spot on the breast a deep black. The song was a simple one and
easily expressed in words, and unlike, it seemed to us, the song of
these birds heard in Massachusetts in the spring. We noted the
song as seet-seet, seetiter-sweet-sweet, the last two notes lower than
the first two. The birds were unsuspicious and allowed of close ap-
proach.

(Spizella socialis (Wils.). Cuippinc Sparrow.— This bird is not found in
Labrador, although Nuttall makes the loose statement that it is found “from
Labrador to the tableland of Mexico.”’]

Junco hyemalis (Linn.).
Junco; Buack SNow-BIRD.

Generally uncommon summer resident throughout the peninsula;
y co) P ’
but common in some localities. :

Palmer records ‘‘but one at Mingan.” Stearns found it not rare

400 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

in southern Labrador in spring and fall but did not find it in numbers.
Coues says: ‘Not as abundant as might be expected.” Low says
it is “common at Lake Mistassini, and upper Hamilton River. Seen
May 29th. Eggs June 27th.” Packard recorded that it is not seen
in the Ungava district, but is common in eastern and southern portions
of Labrador and breeds at Davis Inlet and Rigolet. Macoun records
a “pair breeding at Fort George; only seen twice in crossing Ungava
from Richmond Gulf to Fort Chimo (Spreadborough). ....Abun-
dant in summer at Lake Mistassini.” Bigelow says it is “locally
common as far as the tree line, particularly at Aillik,” and Kumlien
records ‘‘one obtained on shipboard off Belle Isle, October, 1878.”
Mr. Schmitt told us that a few bred at Nain the end of June.

We saw very few Juncos in Labrador and only at Cartwright and
Rigolet. At the former place on July 17th, we saw two, at the latter
on July 18th, we saw about eight, one of which, an adult male, we
procured. We submitted this bird to Dr. J. Dwight, Jr., who found
it a typical hyemalis.

Melospiza cinerea melodia (Wils.).
Sone SPARROW.

Uncommon summer resident in southwestern part.

The only locality recorded for this bird in Labrador is Lake Mistas-
sini. Low states it is ‘“common at Lake Mistassini’ and that it
arrives there the last of May. Thinking that Lincoln’s Sparrow
might have been mistaken for the Song Sparrow, we wrote to Dr. J.
Macoun who replied under date of March 13, 1906, as follows: ‘‘My
son who was at Lake Mistassini.... says that the Song Sparrow was
a common bird there and not Lincoln’s Sparrow.”

The Song Sparrow probably occurs elsewhere in southwestern
Labrador as Merriam lists it as “a rather common summer resident”’
at Point des Monts.

Melospiza lincolnii (Aud.).
LINCOLN’s SPARROW.

Common summer resident in southern part.
The discovery of this sparrow is recorded by Audubon in his Labra-

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 401

dor journal for June 27, 1833. The locality was American Harbor
near the mouth of the Natashquan River. He says: ‘‘We shot a
new species of Finch, which I have named Fringilla lincolni1; it is
allied to the Swamp Sparrow in general appearance, but is consider-
ably smaller, and may be known at once from all others thus far
described, by the light buff streak which runs from the base of the
lower mandibles, until it melts into the duller buff of the breast, and
by the bright ash-streak over the eye. The note of this bird attracted
me at once; it was loud and sonorous; the bird flew low and forward,
perching on the firs, very shy, and cunningly eluding our pursuit;
we, however, shot three, but lost one. I shall draw it to-morrow.”
He named the bird after one of his party, Thomas Lincoln, of Dennis-
ville, Maine.

Bigelow says the Lincoln’s Sparrow is common as far north as
Hamilton Inlet on the wooded parts of the coast. Turner, however,
found it as far north as Fort Chimo where he states it is rare. He
obtained a male there on June 10, 1883. This is the only record we
have for the north of Hamilton Inlet. The bird does not seem to be
found in the interior. Dr. John Macoun writes us, under date of
March 16, 1906, that it is not found at Lake Mistassini, and that he
has no record of its occurrence in the interior of northern (Labrador)
Quebec.

We found Lincoln’s Sparrow only at Mary Harbor on July 12th
where we saw four; and at Cape Charles where on the 28th, 29th,
and 30th of July we saw 4, 10, and 4, respectively. We had previously
found it common at Bay of Islands, Newfoundland. It was every-
where very retiring, skulking among the thick growths of evergreens
and only a few times did we hear it sing in Labrador. It sang as late
at the 29th and 30th of July. In singing it keeps concealed so that
it is very difficult to see the performer. The song that we heard was
a wild, hurried warble, somewhat like that of the Purple Finch but
quicker, ending at times with a fainter trill suggestive of a House
Wren. Its call note was a sharp chip and it also occasionally emitted
a smack, probably an alarm note.

402 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Melospiza georgiana (Lath.).
Swamp SPARROW.

Common summer resident in southwestern Labrador.
Audubon “found it plentiful in Labrador.” In Anticosti just
south of the Labrador region it was found in abundance by Brewster.

Passerella iliaca (Merr.).

Fox Sparrow; “RussInceu’’; “Rep SINGER”;
“Rep TuHrusH” (Stearns).

Common summer resident in southern Labrador; May 20 to Sep-
tember 1.

Audubon says: “They leave Labrador about the Ist of September
in small groups, formed each of a single family. When in that coun-
try....I frequently observed them searching along the shores for
minute shell-fish, on which they feed abundantly.”’ Frazar says they
“arrived at Esquimaux Point on May 20th, soon becoming common
and rare again, evidently passing farther north to nest; but at Hegaska,
on my return in August, I saw a pair with their young.” Packard
says: ‘Common along southern portions; young at Rigolet in June.”
Bigelow found a few at Aillik. Macoun says it is common from
Moose River to Richmond Gulf; not seen crossing to Ungava; July
1, 1896, young able to fly (Spreadborough).

We found the Fox Sparrow common at Forteau, Cartwright, Rigo-
let, and Cape Charles. At Forteau we found them directly on the
coast. The other three localities are all farther inland and Hudsonian
in character. The bird was everywhere in full song even as late.as
July 30th at Cape Charles. The song seemed richer and fuller than
the best song given by this species during the spring migration in
Massachusetts. Its clear flute-like notes are somewhat ventriloquil
in character, and as the bird sings generally from a concealed perch
inside of a spruce or fir tree a foot or two from the top, it is often
difficult to find the performer. We have written down the song very
inadequately in words thus: cher-ee, hear-her, hear-her, tellit. Or to-
whip, to whee, oh-whee buzz tellit, the last note short and faint and the
main stress on the second and third bars.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 403

The long drawn call note stssp so commonly heard in Massachusetts
during the migrations, was rarely heard in Labrador. A short chip
chip was occasionally emitted, and the bird when disturbed some-
times gave the usual alarm note, a loud smack, richer than that of
the Junco and more like that of the Brown Thrasher. One individual
who was smacking in a fir tree emitted faint sneezy notes with motions
of swallowing between the smacks.

[Pipilo erythrophthalmus (Linn.). TowHrs. — Audubon states that this
bird occurs northward to Labrador, but gives no further note of it for Labrador.
J. A. Allen’s note in Packard (’91, p. 419) is: ‘Doubtless an error.” We
shall let it stand as doubtful.]

[Zamelodia ludoviciana (Linn.). Rosr-BrEasTED GrosBEak. — Nuttall
says: ‘On the dreary and desolate coast of Labrador Mr. Audubon found
this species breeding commonly.” This must be a mistake for Audubon
(35, vol. 2, p. 167) says: “I saw none in Labrador ” although he found them
in Newfoundland.]

(Petrochelidon lunifrons (Say). Curr Swatitow.— Verrill found this
species breeding in large numbers at Cape Eagle, Anticosti, in July, 1861.
We have no records, however, for Labrador although it has doubtless visited
that country.]

Hirundo erythrogaster Bodd.
Barn Swattow.

Very rare summer resident.

The only record is that of Packard (’91, p. 416): ‘Breeds at North-
west River at the head of Hamilton Inlet.” The absence of barns
and farms in Labrador perhaps accounts for the rarity of this bird.
The locality mentioned above is the only one where cattle are kept.

Iridoprocne bicolor (Vieill.).
TREE SWALLow.

Common summer resident locally.

Packard says it is “abundant throughout northern portions”’;
breeds at Fort Chimo. Low states that it is “common throughout the
interior. Seen May 25th.” He records it on May 10th at Mistassini.

404 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Frazar says he saw two when he arrived on the coast on May 22d.
Later in July, several passed his house at Cape Whittle. Palmer
states they were “seen at... .Mingan Islands though not abundant.”
Kumlien wrote that two followed the schooner for two days in suc-
cession off Belle Isle in August, 1877, and adds the query: “Where
were they during the night?”

Cartwright records the arrival of two swallows on May 18, 1778.

We saw not a swallow of any kind in Labrador.

Riparia riparia (Linn.).
Bank SwatLow; Sanp MarrtIn.

Common summer resident in a few localities.

Audubon (’35) says that “many Sand Martins” were seen in Labra-
dor and ‘‘it rarely begins to breed before the beginning of June.”
Weiz reported that it bred at Okkak. Mr. Goldsby, one of the
Moravians, told us of finding a Sand Martin’s hole with two eggs in
a sand bank at Ogjuktok Inlet near Hopedale.

Ampelis cedrorum (Vieill.).
CreparR Waxwine.

The only record for Labrador we have is that of Low: ‘Rare at
Lake Mistassini.”’ He found it there after the middle of June.

Lanius borealis Vieill.
NorTHERN SHRIKE; “ BUTCHER-BIRD.”

Not uncommon summer resident.

Packard says that it is not common at Fort Chimo, where it breeds;
young out of nest June 30, 1884. It is said to be common in more
southern parts. Low records that it is “common on Hamilton River;
seen April 16th.” Norton records a young female from Lake Melville,
July 29th, in faded juvenal plumage. Cartwright records that on
May 14, 1779, at Sandwich Bay he took “an egg out of a butcher
bird’s nest, which is in the top of a spruce tree.” On May 20th he

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 405

took six more eggs and shot and stuffed both the male and female
birds.

(Vireo olivaceus (Linn.). REp-EyED VirEo.— We have no exact record
of this bird for Labrador although Verrill found it common at Anticosti.
Nuttall says it “appears to inhabit every part of the American continent
from Labrador to... .Jamaica.’’]

(Vireo philadelphicus (Cass.). PHILADELPHIA VirEO.— One was obtained
at Moose Factory in 1860, but there is no record for Labrador.]

(Vireo noveboracensis (Gmel.). WuHtrr-ryep Vireo.— The only record
of this bird for Labrador is that of Audubon (39, p. 431): ‘A few were seen
by me in Labrador.” As this is a bird of the Upper Austral zone, the record
has been discredited by J. A. Allen (Packard, ’91, p. 415), yet it breeds regu-
larly as far north as Essex County, Massachusetts, and stragglers have been
recorded from New Brunswick, Cape Breton, Ontario, and Newfoundland.
It would perhaps be no more remarkable than the record of the Little Blue
Heron. It is possible, however, that Audubon confused the Philadelphia Vireo
with this species.]

(Mniotilta varia (Linn.). Brack anp Ware Creeper.— Drexler took
this bird at Moose Factory and Brewster found it at Anticosti, but we have
no records for Labrador.]

Helminthophila rubricapilla (Wils.).
NASHVILLE WARBLER.

Very rare summer visitor in the southern part.

The only record is that of Audubon (’39, p. 461): ‘‘A few were
procured by us in Labrador.” Cooke (’04, p. 37) does not record
this bird northeast of Gaspé Bay. Audubon’s record is unique, but
can hardly be doubted.

Helminthophila peregrina (Wils.).
TENNESSEE WARBLER.

Not uncommon summer resident in Hudsonian zone.

Packard states that it was obtained by Drexler at Fort George,
James Bay, in June and July, 1860. Low says it is “not rare at Lake
Mistassini’”’ where it arrived between the Ist and 15th of June.

406 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Our experience with this bird was interesting but decidedly tanta-
lizing. At Mary Harbor, St. Lewis Inlet, on July 12th, at Rigolet on
July 18th, and at Cape Charles on July 28th and 29th, we heard the
song of a warbler which we are convinced was of this species, although
we were unable to catch a glimpse of the performer except on July 28th.
This was but a glimpse only of a small neat warbler, nearly white
below and darker above. We were unable to procure the bird. The
song was similar at all three places, and we had heard it on July 8th
at Lark Harbor, Newfoundland, but were unable to see the shy per-
former. Any attempt to discover the bird resulted always in the ces-
sation of the song. At Cape Charles when the song ceased on one
occasion the bird began emitting a sharp chipping alarm note which
it kept up almost constantly. We followed the bird about for nearly
three quarters of an hour in a thicket of spruces, fir, alders, and wil-
lows but only twice did we catch momentary glimpses of him. Finally
the bird became silent and we were obliged to give up our quest. On
the 29th we did not once see the bird in a two-hour search.

The song appeared to be the same in all cases and to consist of three
parts, although the last part was occasionally omitted. The middle
part suggested the song of the Nashville Warbler. We have written
the song thus: ¢sit, tsit, tsit — wot, wot, wot — tsee, tsee, tsee.

[Compsothlypis americana usneae Brewst. NorTHERN PaRULA WARBLER.
— Brewster saw this bird at Anticosti but we have no records for Labrador.]

(Dendroica tigrina (Gmel.). Carr May Warsier.— Drexler obtained
this bird at Moose Factory but we have no record for Labrador.]

Dendroica aestiva (Gmel.).
YELLOW WARBLER.

Common summer resident locally in southern parts.

Drexler obtained one July 12, 1860, at Fort George, James Bay.
One was seen by Frazar on June 4th and another in August at Kegaska
on the southern coast. Low states that it is ‘“common at Lake
Mistassini; seen near Grand Falls, Hamilton River, May 31st.”
Macoun states that it is common up James Bay to Richmond Gulf;
nest June 26, 1896, on an island in James Bay; none seen crossing
Ungava (Spreadborough).

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 407

Dendroica caerulescens (Gmel.).
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER.

The only record is that of the finding of a dead bird by Audubon
(’35, p. 309): “In Newfoundland I saw none, and in Labrador only
a dead one, dry and shrivelled, deposited like a mummy in the fissure
of a rock, where the poor bird had fallen a victim to the severity of the
climate.”

Dendroica coronata (Linn.).

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER; MyrtLE WARBLER.

Common summer resident, chiefly in the Canadian zone.

Audubon states that this was among the first birds observed by him
in southern Labrador. Stearns says it is “common in interior.
Breeds.” Frazar saw four on one day in July at Cape Whittle, and
Low records a “specimen from Grand Falls, Hamilton River, May
3lst.”

Dendroica maculosa (Gmel.).
Macenoitia WARBLER.

Common summer resident in the Canadian zone.

Audubon found a nest with five eggs of this species in southern
Labrador in the beginning of July, and in the first days of August he
saw many young following their parents. Low says it is “not rare
at Lake Mistassini,” where it arrives the last of May.

Dendroica castanea (Wils.).
Bay-BREASTED WARBLER.

Very rare summer resident.

Turner records that “three individuals were seen at Black Island,
Hamilton Inlet, by me July 9, 1882. Two were shot, but lost in the
thick undergrowth; one of the birds was actually in my hand, but
escaped.” It is a bird of the Canadian zone and has been taken
just outside of the limits of Labrador at Moose Factory.

408 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.
Dendroica striata (Forst.).
BLAcK-POLL WARBLER.

Very common summer resident.

The Black-poll Warbler frequents all the wooded region of Labrador
in summer and advances well to the borders of the Arctic zone taking
advantage of islands of the Hudsonian zone in the form of dwarfed
firs and spruces. Audubon says it arrives in southern Labrador from
the Ist to the 10th of June. Low found it on the upper Hamilton
River on May 31st. Spreadborough saw it at Fort George, James
Bay, on June 20th and he found it common throughout Ungava, where
he noted the last one at Fort Chimo on August 23d. Turner found it
breeding at Fort Chimo and Macoun notes two sets of eggs from this
point.

We found the Black-poll Warbler common at Mary Harbor, St.
Lewis Inlet, also at Cartwright and Rigolet, and at Cape Charles;
that is, wherever we came in contact with the Hudsonian fauna. The
males were singing commonly.

Dendroica blackburniae (Gmel.).
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER.

Very rare summer resident in the southern part.
The only record of this bird of the sub-Canadian and Transition
zone for Labrador is that of Audubon (35, p. 208): ‘In Labrador

we saw several individuals of both sexes.”

Dendroica virens (Gmel.).
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER.

Very rare summer resident in southern Labrador.

Frazar records: “A bird of the year, which I killed at Esquimaux
Point on September the 4th, was all I saw of this species.” Palmer
referring to this species says: “Two birds were taken at the Mingan
Islands.”

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 409

Dendroica vigorsii (Aud.).
PinE WARBLER.

Very rare summer resident.

Coues obtained on August Ist in dense fir woods, a young bird just
able to fly. This was apparently at Esquimaux Bay and constitutes
the only record of this species we have for Labrador.

Dendroica palmarum hypochrysea Ridgw.
YELLOw Patm WARBLER.

Rare summer resident in southern Labrador.

Audubon says: “I found it abundant in Newfoundland and Labra-
dor, where I seldom passed a day without searching for its nest,
although I am sorry to say, in vain.”

According to Cooke (’04, p. 95), Hudson Bay is supposed to be the
dividing line between the summer home of the western Palm Warbler
and hypochrysea. He adds: ‘“‘The northern limit of its range is not
yet clearly determined, but is probably in Quebec, southern Labrador,
and Newfoundland.”

Seiurus aurocapillus (Linn.).

OVEN-BIRD.

Rare summer resident in southern portions.

The only record we have for this bird is from Stearns who said it
was ‘“‘not uncommon in the interior. Breeds.” Verrill and Brewster
observed it at Anticosti.

Seiurus noveboracensis (Gmel.).

Water-THRUSH.

Not uncommon summer resident in wooded portions.
The Water-Thrush is generally distributed throughout the wooded
portions of Labrador. It has been seen even at Fort Chimo and at

410 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Koksoak according to Macoun, who also says it is common at Fort
George, James Bay, and that one was seen a short distance inland
from Richmond Gulf. It breeds commonly at Lake Mistassini
where Low notes its arrival on May 20th. Turner took several,
including young of the year, at Davis Inlet in August, 1884. Bigelow
says it is locally common as far north as Aillik. Low says it is com-
mon about the Grand Falls, Hamilton River.

We did not find the bird in Labrador even in the places where the
Black-poll Warbler was common.

Geothlypis trichas brachidactyla (Swains.).
NorRTHERN YELLOW-THROAT.

Common summer resident in southern Labrador.

Stearns found it common at Natashquan and records it at this point
on May 26, 1881. Packard states that it is ““common in southern
portions.” These are the only records.

Wilsonia pusilla (Wils.).
Witson’s WARBLER.

Not uncommon summer resident in southern Labrador.

Audubon in his Labrador journal speaks of finding the nest and
four eggs of this species at Little Mecattina Harbor on July 14, 1833.
Stearns noted it near the Esquimaux River. Low saw it near the
Grand Falls of the Hamilton River on May 31st and states that it is
not rare at Lake Mistassini. Spreadborough saw one at Fort George,
James Bay, on June 20th.

We saw two Wilson’s Warblers among the alder and fir thickets
at Mary Harbor, St. Lewis Inlet,on July 12th, and three at Cape
Charles on July 29th and 30th. They were in song at this time.

Wilsonia canadensis (Linn.).
CANADIAN WARBLER.

Rare summer resident in southern Labrador.
Audubon says: “I have traced it from Pennsylvania to Labrador’’ ;

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 411

and again: ‘Nor did I see any in Labrador after the first of August.”
Bigelow noticed it in the extreme south of Labrador.

Setophaga ruticilla (Linn.).

REDSTART,

Rare summer resident.

One was obtained by James McKenzie at Rupert House, September
3, 1860; Brewster (’84, p. 372) reported that “several [were] seen at
Fox Bay [Anticosti] and others near Mingan.” Eifrig says that “a
poor skin of one was shown to Mr. Halkett at Port Burwell by the
factor of the station, showing that this species occasionally reaches
the north of Labrador.”

Motacilla alba Linn.

Waitt WacrTaAIL.

The only record for this bird is by Turner: ‘‘Four individuals of
this species were seen by Alex. Brown and James Lyall (of the Hudson
Bay Company), August 29, 1883, at Hunting Bay, 4 miles south of
Fort Chimo. These persons described the bird accurately, and de-
clared they were the two parents and two young of the year. I must
add that I place the fullest reliance in their assertion.”

Anthus pensilvanicus (Lath.).
AMERICAN Prrir; TirtarK; “ WaaGratt.”

Abundant summer resident throughout the Arctic zone.

Everywhere in Labrador within the limits of the Arctic zone this
bird is found breeding. Stearns reported it as common along the
southern coast as far west as Mingan. Beyond this the forest region
of the Hudsonian zone comes down to the shore. Audubon met
with them abundantly, and found a nest with a set of five eggs near
Cape Whittle on June 29, 1833. On the eastern coast this species is
everywhere to be found in summer and it has been reported there by-
Coues, Packard, Weiz, and Bigelow. Macoun records a set of eggs
taken at Hamilton Inlet on June 30, 1895, and another on June 15th

412 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

at Nachvak. Turner found them breeding plentifully at Fort Chimo
in the extreme north, and Spreadborough found them common on
the rocky islands in James Bay, and on all the hills between Richmond
Gulf and Ungava Bay. He took a nest with five eggs on June 18,
1896.

We found Pipits commonly wherever we landed on the Labrador
coast, and we frequently saw or heard them as we steamed along the
shores. We noted 49 individuals on our way north, and 103 on our
return trip. Their slim graceful forms and quaker-gray and brown
plumage make them very attractive birds. We frequently saw them
walking on the roofs of the tilts and fish houses as well as on the rocks
close to the dwellings of the inhabitants. There were about eight
pairs on Battle Island. They frequented commonly the rocky and
pebbly shores of the sea. During our visit they appeared to be busy
feeding their young, and could frequently be seen with their bills full
of insects. We found a full-fledged young at Battle Harbor on July
15th.

The habit of wagging the tail up and down is shared even by the
young that are able to fly but a short distance, birds whose tails are
only half grown. In walking, Pipits thrust their feet well out in front
and nod their heads gracefully in a dove-like manner.

Their call note tseé-ket, so familiar on the Massachusetts coast in
the autumn migrations was occasionally heard, but the common note
at this season, and one constantly repeated by reason of the solicitude
for their young was a loud whistling tswit, resembling at times very
closely the alarm note of the Spotted Sandpiper. Once or twice we
heard a churr like that of a Red-poll.

The flight song of the American Pipit is an interesting performance.
One was observed at Great Caribou Island on July 11th under espe-
cially favorable circumstances. He was standing on a rock in a
valley about 150 feet nearly vertically below us. He suddenly sprang
into the air, mounting nearly vertically, but circling slightly. As he
went up he sang repeatedly a simple refrain, che-whée, che-whée
with a vibratory resonance on the whée. Attaining an eminence of
some 50 feet obliquely above us, perhaps 200 feet from the ground,
he checked himself and at once began the descent. He went down
faster and faster, repeating his song at the same time faster and faster...
Long before he reached the ground he set his wings and tipped from
side to side to break his descent. After remaining quiet on the ground

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 413

for a few moments he repeated the performance and we watched him
go up four or five times. On one occasion he was twenty seconds
going up, emitting his refrain forty-eight times. In the descent he
was quicker, accomplishing it in ten seconds and singing thirty-two
bars of his song. Most of the birds had stopped singing by the middle
of July, but we occasionally heard a rapid repetition of the call notes
tsée-ket, suggestive of a Barn Swallow and almost forming a song.

(Troglodytes aédon Vieill. Housz Wren.— There is no record for this
bird in Labrador except this sentence of Nuttall: ‘Its northern migrations
extend to Labrador.” For this there is no real foundation.]

Olbiorchilus hiemalis (Vieill.).
WINTER WREN.

Uncommon summer resident in southern Labrador.

Macoun says it is not rare at Lake Mistassini. Audubon saw the
bird in southern Labrador on July 20th. ‘‘They leave Labrador by
the middle of August at the latest.” Frazar said it was ““not common,
though regularly heard in the thick woods about Esquimaux Point.”

Sitta canadensis Linn.
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH.

Uncommon summer resident in southern Labrador.

Audubon ‘“‘saw....only one in Labrador, which had probably
been blown thither by a gale.” Frazar “saw several broods with
their parents at Esquimaux Point the first week of September.” Pal-
mer says: ‘I captured a young bird with a dip-net, on board, when
about 12 miles south of Natashquan Point, Labrador, on August 9.”

We heard one in a small grove of spruces near Indian Cove at Cape
Charles on July 30th.

Parus atricapillus Linn.
CHICKADEE.

Not uncommon summer resident in southern Labrador.
The records for this species are very few. J. M. Macoun found it

414 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

rather common at Lake Mistassini. Turner says: “I am informed
by credible persons, long resident in the country, that two species of
Chickadees occur at Northwest River [Hamilton Inlet].” Bigelow
(702) says: ‘Locally abundant in timbered regions.” This note is
probably intended for P. hudsonicus as the latter bird is not mentioned
in this first paper but is listed in his second paper (Bigelow, 02a) on
the ornithology of the Brown-Harvard expedition, which omits men-
tion of atricapillus.

Parus hudsonicus Forst.
Hupsonian CHICKADEE.

Abundant permanent resident.

Audubon found a nest of this species with young in southern Labra-
dor on July 18th. Frazar says he saw two in the spring at Esqui-
maux Point but “none others until my return in September, when
they were migrating in abundance along with the Labrador Jays....
They passed in fifties and hundreds, and the two mornings that I was
out I must have seen as many as twenty such bunches.” Stearns
said they were abundant along the coast all the year. Low says they
are abundant on Hamilton River from April 1st. Spreadborough
observed them about 75 miles inland from Richmond Gulf and at the
George River. Turner says they are abundant in the wooded tracts;
young of the year were seen at Davis Inlet on July 19th and at Fort
Chimo in early August.

Rhoads (’93, p. 328-330) quotes Forster that the type locality of P.
hudsonicus is Fort Severn at the mouth of the Severn River, and
describes Parus hudsonicus ungava on the basis of specimens from
Fort Chimo collected by Turner. Another specimen from Rigolet
is referred to this form, and one from southern Labrador is inter-
mediate.

We saw only three Hudsonian Chickadees in Labrador and these
were in the woods near Rigolet.

As there has been some discussion of the song of this bird, the pres-
ent status of the question is given here. The Hudsonian Chickadee
was not known to have any song, and no mention seems to have been
made of it until 1905 when H. W. Wright (Auk, vol. 22, 1905, p. 87)
in speaking of a Hudsonian Chickadee he had seen at Ipswich, Massa-
chusetts, on November 12, 1904, stated that “(he] was very finely seen

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 415

while he gave a sweet warbling song.” Of another bird, seen on
November 25th, he said: ‘‘The Belmont bird was also well seen and
gave a few notes of the warbling song.” At Cape Breton Island in
August, 1905, Dr. Townsend heard in four different places a pleasant
warbling song emitted by this. species. “It was a low, bubbling.
warbling song, which I vainly attempted to describe in my notes.
It began with a pset or tsee; followed by a sweet but short warble”
(Auk, vol. 23, 1906, p. 178). While this was in press, C. H. Clark
wrote as follows in the Journal of the Maine ornithological society (vol.
8, 1906, p. 27): “I ran into a flock of Hudsonian Chickadees (ten or
twelve), and these, too, were exercising their voices, and mingled with
the ‘dee, dee, dees,’ and ‘chick-a-dee dees’ was a sweet litile song
of three or four notes and new to me, but I was not long in doubt as
to what it was, for soon a Hudsonian came out on a limb not over
three feet from my face and sang it right at me.” This was at Lubec,
Maine, on February 11, 1906. Again in the same Journal (vol. 8,
1906, p. 83) Dana W. Sweet records a pair of Hudsonian Chickadees
on Mt. Abraham, near Phillips, Maine, on June 22, 1906. He says:
“Twice I heard the song of the Hudsonian Chickadee.” Dr. Town-
send wrote to Mr. Sweet asking for fuller particulars. Mr. Sweet kindly
replied as follows under date of December 8, 1906: “I have never
read anything about the notes of the Hudsonian Chickadee... . Janu-
ary 19, 1905, I heard what I am very sure is the warbling song that
you mention. At the time I was unable to describe it in my notes... .
It was, however, entirely different from any other notes of either
species. As I remember, it was a clear, sweet soprano, and was
quite a remarkable performance from a musical standpoint.”
Although we did not hear the song in Labrador, we heard at Bay
of Islands, Newfoundland, on July 6, 1906, a song which Dr. Townsend
recognized as the warbling song of this species he had heard the
previous summer in Cape Breton. We are both agreed that it should
be classed as “a warbling song’ of considerable merit. We had
been watching a pair of Hudsonian Chickadees with the hope of
hearing them sing, but as the birds were concealed in the spruces at
the time the song was heard, we could not be absolutely sure that one
of these was the author. In speaking of the song Mr. Brewster
(‘Birds of the Cambridge region,” 1906, p. 379) says: “I have never
heard anything of the kind from the Hudsonian Chickadee, although
I am reasonably familiar with that species, having had abundant

416 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

opportunities for studying its notes and habits in the forests of northern
New England where I have met with it on many different occasions
and during every month of the year excepting April.”

Regulus satrapa Licht.
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET.

Common summer resident in southern portions.

Low found this bird “common on Hamilton River between Grand
Falls and Sandy Lake; rare to northward; seen May 19th.” Bigelow
says it is ‘fairly common in patches of spruce timber as far as Aillik.”
Macoun records a set of seven eggs from Cartwright taken on June 15,
1895. ‘‘Nest suspended from a branch of a spruce tree 15 feet from
the ground (W. Raine).”

Regulus calendula (Linn.).
RuByY-cROWNED KINGLET.

Common summer resident in southern portion; May 11 to October
11.

Audubon and Stearns found this bird on the southern coast; Coues
found it at Rigolet; Low says it is ‘‘very common along Hamilton
River between Grand Falls and Sandy Lake.” J. M. Macoun says it
breeds commonly at Lake Mistassini where Low noted its arrival on
May 11th; Spreadborough found it at Fort George, James Bay, and

it was common at Richmond Gulf.

(Polioptila caerulea (Linn.). Buivue-Gray GwatcatcHer.— Audubon
(39, p. 551) says: “A pair were observed in one of the valleys of Labrador.”
It seems improbable that this bird of the Austral zones should have wandered
thus widely. As Audubon does not state that he saw the bird himself it is
possible that a kinglet was confused with this species.]

. [Hylocichla mustelina Gmel. Woop Turusu.— Stearns (’83, p. 9) re-
ported that this species was “heard” by him ten miles up the Esquimaux
River in late July. This record was discredited by Ridgway and by J. A.
Allen, and was omitted by Stearns from his “Bird life in Labrador.” It is
probable that the song heard was that of the Hermit Thrush.]

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 417

Hylocichla fuscescens (Steph.).
Witson’s THRUSH.

Rare summer resident in southern part.

The only record of this species for Labrador is by Audubon (35,
p. 362). He says: ‘‘On the 20th of July, while in the latter country
[Labrador], I saw the young of this species following their mother.
They were then almost full grown, and could fly a hundred yards or
so atatime. By the 12th of August none were seen, although during
my stay they were as common as any other bird.”

Brewster (’84, p. 368) closely observed a pair at Ellis Bay on the
island of Anticosti, a few miles south of the Labrador region.

Hylocichla aliciae (Baird).
ALicre’s THRUSH.

Common summer resident; rare in the northern portions.

Stearns says this bird is everywhere abundant in the interior. Coues
found it breeding abundantly, the young flying on July 24th. Bigelow
saw it as far north as Aillik. Macoun records a set of three eggs
from James Bay taken in June, 1896. Turner found it “rare in
Ungava, common in southeastern and southern portions. Breeds
wherever found in summer.” He records a nest and eggs taken at
Fort Chimo on June 28, 1884.

We saw and heard Alice’s Thrush at various places in Labrador
as follows: 1 singing at Forteau on July 10th; 3 at Mary Harbor on
July 12th and 2 on July 13th; at Cape Charles on July 28th, 7 were
seen or heard, 12 on July 29th, 16 on July 30th, and 2 on July 31st at
the same place. Some of these were of course the same birds counted
more than once on successive days. They were still in song the last
of July. The call note is a phéu, at times faint and at times loud,
often resembling closely the call note of the Veery. What appears to
be an alarm note is a loud speé-a with a vibratory character, resembling
at times closely the note of the Night-Hawk and at times that of a
Veery.

The song when heard at close range is sometimes introduced by
faint and curious sounds as if the bird were breathing through its

418 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

nose. Then. there is a single or double first note followed by a long
Veery-like vibration, sweet yet mournful. As would be expected,
the song is not noticeably different from that of Bicknell’s Thrush
as heard in the White Mountains of New England and does not, as
has been stated, resemble that of the Hermit Thrush.

We obtained only one specimen of this species, a worn female at
Cape Charles in July. The measurements of this specimen which
are as follows: wing 92 mm., tail 64 mm., bill 14 mm., tarsus 24
mm., correspond to those of a large Bicknell’s Thrush or a small
Alice’s Thrush. A series of specimens from Labrador might throw
interesting light on the standing of Bicknell’s Thrush.

Hylocichla ustulata swainsoni (Cab.).
OLIVE-BACKED THRUSH.

Common summer resident in the interior and on the southwestern
coast.

Specimens were obtained by Drexler at Rupert House on June 13th
and in July, 1860. Low says that it was very common along the
upper Hamilton River; it was seen May 16th and eggs were found on
June 30th. A set of four eggs was taken on the Hamilton River on
July 3, 1894. Spreadborough observed it as far north as Fort George,
James Bay, in.June, 1896.

We did not observe the bird but our observations extended but a
short way from the Arctic coastal zone. It is a bird of the Canadian
zone pushing its way in places into the Hudsonian zone.

Hylocichla guttata pallasii (Cab.).
Hermit Truss.

Common summer resident in southern part.

The Bowdoin college expedition brought back a specimen of this
thrush from Chateau Bay taken July 14th and there is another in the
Bangs collection from Lance au Loup taken June 1, 1899. Low says
it is “not rare at Lake Mistassini.’” Spreadborough says he observed
it only twice, on July 4th and 24th, 1896, in the interior of the penin-
sula.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 419

We found the Hermit Thrush only at Mary Harbor, St. Lewis
Inlet. Here we heard two or three singing in the afternoon and
evening of July 12th and the morning of July 13th.

Merula migratoria (Linn.).
AMERICAN Rosin.

Abundant summer resident throughout Labrador; April 26 to
October 10. '

The strong-flying Robin disregards the boundaries of faunal zones
and is found breeding everywhere in Labrador. It was the first land
bird seen by Audubon on reaching Labrador. Cartwright notes the
finding of a Robin’s nest with three eggs on June 29, 1779. He states
that they seldom lay more than three eggs in Labrador. He records
the first arrivals in 1786 on May 8th.

All writers describe the Robin as common or abundant and it is
unnecessary to give all the records. Stearns says they are never seen
in winter and gives the earliest and latest dates as above. Spread-
borough found them common across Ungava from Moose Factory
to Fort Chimo. Eggs were taken at Fort Chimo on June 13th, and on
the upper Hamilton River on July 5th.

We found 1 Robin at Lance au Loup, 6 or more at Mary Harbor,
4 at Cartwright, 4 at Rigolet, 2 at Hopedale, 12 or more at Cape
Charles, and 1 at Henley Harbor. We found a nest containing three
eggs at Rigolet on July 18th. It was placed about seven feet up ina
spruce, near the houses of the Hudson’s Bay company’s post, and was
constructed of twigs, lichens, and mud, lined with finer material.

At Hopedale the birds were seen in the Eskimo village and they
were said to have a nest there. We were told that a pair of Robins
had nested at Battle Island the previous year. Mr. Schmitt records
the arrival of the Robin at Nain on May 10. It was interesting to
see this familiar bird in such wild and arctic surroundings, and to
hear its beautiful morning hymn in the wilderness at Mary Harbor.
As far as we could see, specimens of Labrador Robins in the Bangs
collection did not differ from those from Massachusetts; we did not
shoot any specimens.

420 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.
Saxicola oenanthe leucorhoa (Gmel.).

GREENLAND WHEATEAR.

Rare summer resident.

Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway say of the Wheatear: “Dr. H. R.
Storer of Boston found them breeding in Labrador in the summer of
1848, and procured specimens of the young birds which were fully
identified by Dr. Samuel Cabot as belonging to this species. In the
following year Andrew Downs, of Halifax, gave me the specimen
described and figured by Mr. Cassin. This was secured late in the
summer near Cape Harrison, Labrador, where it had evidently just
reared its brood.....IJts occurrence in considerable numbers on the
coast of Labrador is further confirmed by a writer (‘W. C.’) in the
‘Field’ for June 10, 1871.”

A specimen was brought to Coues by a sailor at Henley Harbor on
August 25, 1860. It was said to be in company with two others.
Coues thought it might be S. oenanthoides of Vigors, an incorrect view
for Vigors’ measurements showed that he referred to the small form
8. oenanthe. Bigelow says that the Hudson’s Bay company’s factor
at Nachvak had three nests.

This Wheatear that breeds in Labrador reaches its summer home
from Africa by way of England, Iceland, and Greenland. It is a
larger race than oenunthe which is found in Alaska.

Stejneger’s (01, p. 477) remarks on the wheatears in North America
are here worth quoting. He says: “We have, consequently, in
America both forms, Sazicola oenanthe in Alaska and Sazicola
leucorhoa in Greenland and adjacent parts of northeastern North
America. As all the birds found in the latter part of the continent
belong to the large race, it is settled beyond the shadow of a doubt
that the Wheatears which breed in Alaska do not migrate by way
of Greenland or Labrador, but that they retrace their steps into the
Tchuktchi Peninsula and farther south into Asia, as indicated by
me fifteen years ago.

“The Wheatear, the most widely distributed species of the genus
Saxicola, thus extends its range across the entire palaearctic continent
from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. At both extremities of its
home continent, however, it has expanded its range into the New
World, and no one who follows on the map the route of the retreating

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 421

winter migrants can for a moment be in doubt that these routes really
represent the way by which the species originally invaded America.
It would be difficult to find a more beautiful example to illustrate
that now well-known law which was first formulated by Prof. Johan
Axel Palmén, of Helsingfors. Moreover, no better example could be
found for demonstrating the necessity of minute discrimination in
ascertaining the characters by which these ‘migration route races,’
as Palmén calls them, are characterized.

“Tt seems that one more lesson can fairly be drawn from the differ-
entiation of the Greenland race, viz, that the Greenland-Iceland-
England route must be considerably older than the Alaska-Tchuktchi-
Udski route, since it has resulted in the establishment of a separable
race. A consideration of the further fact that no regular migration
route could have been effected between Greenland, Iceland, and
Great Britain during the present distribution of land and water in
that part of the world also leads us back to a period when the stretches
of ocean now separating those islands were more or less bridged over
by land. For such a condition of affairs we shall have to look toward
the beginning of the glacial period. At that time it must, therefore,
be assumed that the Wheatear extended its range into Greenland.
The advent of the typical form into Alaska, on the other hand, is
probably one of very recent time, an assumption corroborated by the
somewhat uncertain and erratic distribution of the species in that
northwestern corner of our continent.”

SUMMARY.
Authenticated species and subspecies é : , 213
Extinct species ; ‘ : : : : : 2
Doubtful and erroneous species ; 44
Total, 259

The following table presents in the form of a summary, the approxi-
mate numbers of the different species of birds observed by us during
our journey along the coast, and is of interest as showing what species
are most likely to be met with on these shores, and at what points we
found them in greater or less abundance.

’

PROCEEDINGS BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

422

adorvpeyg per

¢
; ae 8 8 ee JapOog JANG
ele : g zg9 GIT : 19}00g posULM-97 1
an Pe i ral cP ees 19}009 UBOLIOULy
ee I I fas Jopiny SULST
ee T 06 OL LE GE lop, UvOLEUry
ae ena I nek eas re yong umbepreyy
a0 8 ; Bek eae g ee IgSUBsIo], poysvoiq-peyy
ope aut I Sani sees ae vee Jarqoq 8, UOSTIM
. T ra : g I royemarvayg £4009
4 j LZ0S 61 IOPVAAVOYY 194V9L1)
ceed cae 8 ae ves vw]
I i. : sais ula, W4OIY
GZ &T (a4 S101 FE 02 TN) SuLey
602 Or 9 8 66 9 TMD poxyvq-yovyg year)
ie I SL OL ¥ ane [IPD snooneypy
O9E% og 19ST GOPS II 006 OYCATFIINT
as P See nae ee IOBOVP OYISVAU T
Lg &% Jodovp SULIBUIOT
06 }j ch 69 SI L YNY pel[tq-10zey,
a pene Dake d 0 Il mee ads a1in yy
v LET GIP 19% 861 T QOUdTIINY Yue
LOOT or && if at LLT uynd
aad a Eek Z e ¢ 1 u00'T
nee , ve 8% L ia JOAI, poyworyy-payy
e-g°8 Tanw—S Ato | gc ‘z- “2T-aI Ane
open sopivyo advp pur ue mae Tone Jo[UT Sima] ‘I | Lior Aine
04 ISI Noquivg “15 UO4TTWIe ET surpnpur PUR "TST NOYNV)) LOGIE, oye Ssaissde
IOqIVA apr Surpnyour oy UCN OF yD Surpnpur oq uopqug ouvypg, SoTod Ss
s}svoo ULoy NOG MOIRA IIIT OF UItN jopuy uO ype ET] PMT UOUTUr AT |:Jsvoo WLeYINOS

yoTUT UOFfUUe

0} Loqiuy op eg

“QO6I ‘e “snony OL OT AToOL ‘qoavudv'y] NI NaGS Saulg JO SUMH#NNN ALYWIXOUdd

423

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS.

at

“ANN

(Ord

HOManwHOoON

1o

HO

Th.

“ADU
: i

N

anor)

UIqOY UvOLOUWy
Ysny, yy, Wap]

USO 8.29
sopeyprYyH uvimospuyy
yoywyINN peysvoiq-poy.
yidig uvorrowy

AOTCAT AAS UOSTEAA,

ratque Ay [fod-yprg
Jd[QIB AA VSS9TUD J,
MoLedg XO

Modiedg s,upooury
oounr

MoLIvdg 901],

MoOIINdg pozyVoryy-O MA,
MOIIVAG POUMOL-9F1Y MA
MOMEAG BUUBABG
indssuoT puvydey

ULSIG SUL

Tredpoy

Titqssor9 posura-o7ty A
UdARY UIOY}ION

Ave IOpBqey

yarery pous0yy

YMCA USM

YMEPT woastg

UOdTVJIAY OFT AA

YMBPL possoy-ysnoy “wy
JIAOCTT poyeurpedrurag
radidpurg poyjodg
SBo[-MOT[A A I04very
sadidpurg payeuredrarag
sadidputg 4svarT
sodidpueg podumi-oqty A.
adorepeyg U19y}AI0 NN

424 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

LITERATURE.

Audubon, J. J.

35. Ornithological biography, or an account of the habits of the birds
of the United States of America; accompanied by descriptions of the
objects represented in the work entitled The birds of America, and
interspersed with delineations of American scenery and manners.
Vol. 2, Boston, 8vo, xxxii + 588 pp.

’85a. The same. Vol. 3, xvi + 638 pp.

38. Thesame. Vol. 4, Edinburgh, xxviii + 618 pp.

39. The same. Vol. 5, xxxix + 664 pp.

140-44, The birds of America, from drawings made in the United States
and their Territories. New York and Philadelphia, large 8vo, 7 vols.

Audubon, Maria R.

97. Audubon and his journals, with zoological and other notes by

Elliott Coues. New York, 2 vols., 8vo, illustr.
Baird, S. F., Brewer, T. M., and Ridgway, R.

74, A history of North American birds. Land birds. Boston, 4to, 3
vols., illustr.

184, The water birds of North America. Mem. mus. comp. zool., vols.
12, 13, illustr.

Bangs, O.

99. The Labrador Spruce Grouse. Proc. N. E. zool. club, vol. 1, p.
47-48.

00. A review of the Three-toed Woodpeckers of North America. Auk,
vol, 17, p. 126-142.

(The Labrador bird is described as a new subspecies.)

00a. Occurrence of the Little Blue Heron in Labrador. Auk, vol. 17,

p. 386.
Barnston, G.

61. Recollections of the swans and geese of Hudson’s Bay. Canadian
naturalist, vol. 6, p. 337-344; also Zoologist, ser. 1, vol. 20, 1862, p.
7831-7837.

Bell, R.

83. Notes on the birds of Hudson’s Bay. Proc. and trans. roy. soc.
Canada, ser. 1, vol. 1, sec. 4, p. 49-54.

85. List and notes of birds of the vicinity of Hudson’s Bay and Labra-
dor. Rept. of progress, geol. and nat. hist. surv. Canada, 1882-83-84,
app. 3, p. 54 DD-56 DD.

Bendire, C.

92. Life histories of North American birds with special reference to
their breeding habits and eggs. Smithsonian contr. to knowl., vol.
28, x + 446 pp., 12 pls.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 425

‘95. Life histories of North American birds, from the parrots to the
grackles, with special reference to their breeding habits and eggs.
Smithsonian contr. to knowl., vol. 32, ix + 518 pp., 7 pls.

Bigelow, H. B.

02. Birds of the northeastern coast of Labrador. Brown-Harvard
expedition of 1900, under the leadership of Professor Delabarre. Auk,
vol. 19, p. 24-31.

02a. IX. Report on ornithology. E. B. Delabarre’s Report of the
Brown-Harvard expedition to Nachvak, Labrador, in the year 1900.
Bull. geogr. soc. Philadelphia, vol. 3, p. 202-206.

(This list gives a few additions and corrections to the previous one.)
Brewster, W.

’84. Notes on the birds observed during a summer cruise in the Gulf of
St. Lawrence. Proc. Boston soc. nat. hist., vol. 22, p. 364-412.

02. An undescribed form of the Black Duck (Anas obscura), Auk,
vol. 19, p. 183-188.

(A. 0. rubripes from Labrador.)
Bryant, H.

61. Remarks on some of the birds that breed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Proc. Boston soc. nat. hist., vol. 8, p. 65-75.
Cartwright, G.

1792. A journal of transactions and events during a residence of nearly

sixteen years on the coast of Labrador. Newark, England, 4to, 3 vols.
Chapman, F. M.

’95. Handbook of birds of eastern North America. New York, 12mo,
xiv + 431 pp., illustr.

(Distributional notes including Labrador.)
Chappell, E.

118. Voyage of His Majesty’s ship Rosamond to Newfoundland and the

southern coast of Labrador. London.
Comeau, N. A.

’81. Bird-nesting in Labrador. Canadian sportsman and naturalist,

vol. 1, no. 7, p. 51.
Cooke, W. W.

704. Distribution and migration of North American warblers. U. 8.
dept. agric., biol. surv., bull. 18, 142 pp.

06. Distribution and migration of North American ducks, geese, and
swans. U.S. dept. agric., biol. surv., bull. 26, 90 pp.

Coues, E.

’61. Notes on the ornithology of Labrador. Proc. acad. nat. sci. Phila-

delphia, 1861, p. 215-257.
Dionne, C. E.

06. Les oiseaux de la Province de Quebec. S8vo, Quebec, viii + 414

pp., illustr.
Eifrig, C. W. G.

05. Ornithological results of the Canadian ‘Neptune’ expedition to

Hudson Bay and northward. 1903-1904. Auk, vol. 22, p. 233-241.

426 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

Fleming, J. H.

06. Range of the Sharp-tailed Grouse in eastern Canada. Ontario nat.

sci. bull., no. 2, p. 19.
Frazar, M. A.

87. An ornithologist’s summer in Labrador. Ornithologist and oolo-

gist, vol. 12, p. 1-3, 17-20, 34-35.
Howe, R. H., Jr.

’01. A new subspecies of Passerculus sandwichensis. Contributions to
No. Amer. ornithol., vol. 1, p. 1-2.

02. The Labrador Savanna Sparrow. Auk, vol. 19, p. 85-86.

03. A further note on the subspecies of Passerculus sandwichensis
inhabiting Labrador. Auk, vol. 20, p. 215-216.

Kumlien, L.

‘79. Contributions to the natural history of Arctic America, made in
connection with the Howgate polar expedition, 1877-78. Bull. U.S.
nat. mus., no. 15, 171 pp.

(Birds seen along Labrador coast, p. 69-105.)
Low, A. P.

’90. The Mistassini region. Ottawa naturalist, vol. 4, p. 11-28.

’96. Report on explorations in the Labrador peninsula along the East
Main, Koksoak, Hamilton, Manicuagan and portions of other rivers
in 1892-93-94-95. Ann. rept. geol. surv. Canada, vol. 8, part L, 387
pp., 4 pls.

(List of birds, p. 323-328.)

06. Report on the dominion government expedition to Hudson Bay
and the arctic islands on board the D. G. S. Neptune. 1903-1904.
Ottawa, xvii + 355 pp., illustr.

Lucas, F. A.

’90. The expedition to the Funk Island, with observations upon the
history and anatomy of the Great Auk. Rept. U. S. nat. mus. for
1887-88, p. 493-529, pl. 71-73.

Macoun, J.

00-04. Catalogue of Canadian birds. Geol. surv. Canada, nos. 692,

822, 883, 733 + xxiii pp. Part 1, 1900; part 2, 1903; part 3, 1904.
Miller, 8. H.C.

62. Faeroernes fuglefauna med bemaerkninger om fuglefangsten.
Vidensk. meddelels., 1862, p. 1-78.

(Review in Ibis, vol. 5, 1863, p. 469.)
Norton, A. H.

01. Birds of the Bowdoin college expedition to Labrador in 1891. Proc.

Portland soc. nat. hist., vol. 2, p. 139-158, pl. 2.
Oberholser, H. C.

‘02. A review of the larks of the genus Otocoris. Proc. U.S. nat. mus..
vol. 24, p. 801-883, pl. 43-45, 4 maps.

04. A revision of the American Great Horned Owls. Proc. U. S. nat.
mus., vol. 27, p. 177-192.

TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 427

Packard, A. 8.

‘91. The Labrador coast. A journal of two summer cruises to that
region. New York, 8vo, 513 pp., illustr.

(List of birds by Lucien M. Turner, revised by J. A. Allen, p. 406-442.)
Palmer, W.

’90. Notes on the birds observed during the cruise of the United States
fish commission schooner Grampus in the summer of 1887. Proc. U.S.
nat. mus., vol. 13, p. 249-265.

Rhoads, 8. N.

93. The Hudsonian Chickadee and its allies, with remarks on the
geographical distribution of bird races in boreal America. Auk, vol.
10, p. 321-333.

(Describes Parus hudsonicus ungava subsp. nov.)
Schubert,— von.

’44, Correspondenz-nachrichten aus Labrador. Verzeichniss der be-
kanntesten wasservogel in Labrador. Land-und strandvégel. Gelehr-
te anz. bayer. akad. Miinchen, vol. 18, no. 52, col. 421-422; no. 53, col.
425-430.

(Birds listed by native names with an occasional note.)
Stearns, W. A. :

’82. The American Pipit, its habits in Labrador. Amer. field, vol. 17,
p. 35.

83. Notes on the natural history of Labrador. Proc. U. 8. nat. mus.,
vol. 6, p. 111-137; also separate, New Haven, 74 pp.

(List of birds, p. 116-123.)

’84. Labrador. A sketch of its peoples, its industries and its natural
history. Boston, 12mo, viii + 295 pp.

’90. Bird life in Labrador. Amer. field, vol. 33, p. 390, 415-416, 438-
439, 462, 486-487, 511, 535, 559-560, 583-584, 611-612; vol. 34, p.
6-7, 31, 55, 79, 104, 128-129, 153, 176, 199, 223-224, 247, 271, 295,
319, 344-345.

Stejneger, L.

’85. On the alleged occurrence of the Pacifie Eider in Labrador. Auk,
vol. 2, p. 386.

101. On the wheatears (Saxicola) occurring in North America. Proc.
U.S. nat. mus., vol. 23, p. 473-481.

Townsend, C. W.
’07. Along the Labrador coast. Boston, 8vo, xi + 289 pp., illustr.
Trumbull, J.
05. Notes on land-birds observed on the North Atlantic and Gulf of St.
‘ Lawrence, 1904. Zoologist, ser. 4, vol. 9, p. 293-306.
Tucker, E. W.

39. Five months in Labrador and Newfoundland, during the summer

of 1838. Concord.
Turner, L. M.
’85. List of the birds of Labrador, including Ungava, East Main, Moose,

428 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY.

and Gulf districts of the Hudson Bay company, together with the island
of Anticosti. Proc. U.S. nat. mus., vol. 8, p. 233-254.
91. See Packard, A. S., ’91.
Wallace, D.
02. The lure of the Labrador wild. New York, 12mo., 339 pp., illustr.
07. The long Labrador trail; chap. 13. Outing mag., vol. 49, p. 656-
664.
Weiz, S.
’66. List of vertebrates observed at Okak, Labrador, with annotations
by A. S. Packard, Jr., M.D. Proc. Boston soc. nat. hist., vol. 10, p.
264-277.
(List of birds, mainly nominal, p. 267-269.)

Printed July, 1907.

TowNSEND AN» ALLEN. — Labrador Birds.

PLATE 29.
Map of the Labrador peninsula.

e

Townsenp inp ALLEN. — LaBRapor Brrps.

PLATE 29.
[yes =e Te
ae eF cue Ny o «ie
| yo afte i

a wyRESVLVS

Proc. Boston Soc. Nar. Hist. Vou. 33.

Price list of recent memoirs. 4to.

Vol. VI, No. 1. The anatomy and phylogeny of the Coniferales. Part 2.

‘ The Abietineae. By E. C. Jeffrey. 37 pp., 7 pls. $1.50.

Vol. V, No. 11. Fossil’ footprints of the Jura-Trias of North America. By
R. 8. Lull, Ph. D. ae ,1-pl. $2.00.

No. 10. The ‘anatomy an phylogeny of, the Coniferales, Part 1. The
genus Sequoia. By E.C. Jeffrey. 19 pp.,4 pls. $1.00.

No. 9. The skeletal system of. Necturus maculatus Rafinesque. By H. H.
Wilder, Ph.D. 53 pp., 6 pls. $1.00.

No. 8. Observations on living Brachiopoda, By Hazard S: Morse. 73 pp.,
23 pls. $2.00. i

-No, 7. Sieaceiption of the human spines showing numerical variation, in the

Pp, Se a of the Harvard medical school. By Thomas Dwight.

P
The anatomy and development. of Cassiopéa awamachana, By Robert

Payne Bigelow. 46 pp., 8 pls.

No. 5. The development, structure, and affinities: of the genus Equisetum.
By E. C. Jeffrey. 36 pp., 5 pls. $1.00.

No. 4. Localized stages in development i in plants and animals. By Robert
T. Jackson. 65 pp., 10 pls. $2.00.

No. 3. Synapta vivipara: A contribution to the morphology of Echinoderms,
By Hubert Lyman Clark. 35 pp., 5 pls. $2.00. -

No. 2. Notes on the dissection and brain of the Chimpanzee “Gumbo.”
By Thortias Dwight. 21 pp., 4 pls. $1.00.

No. 1. On-the reserve cellulose of the seeds of Liliaceae and of some related
orders. By Grace E. Cooley. 29 pp., 6 pls. $1.00.

Vol. IV, No. 14. A bibliography of vertebrate eanbryoleey. By Charles
Sedgwick Minot. 128 pp. $2.50.

No. 13. Fusion of hands. By Thomas Dwight. mais olay 75 cts.

No. 12. The insects of. the Trnasle beds at inplay, olora By Samuel
H. Scudder. 16 pp., 2 pls.

No. 11. Illustrations of the Carboniferous Arachnida of North America, _
the orders Anthracomarti and Pedipalpi. By Samuel H. Scudder.

: 2 pls.

No. sti New Carboniferous Myriapoda from Illinois. By Samuel H.
Scudder. 26 pp., 6 pls.

No. 9. New types of cockroaches from the Carboriiferous deposits of the
United States. By Samuel H. Scudder. 16 pp:, 2 pls. Nos. 9-12,
$3.25.

No. 8. Phylogeny of the Pelecypoda; the Aviculidae and their allies. By
Robert Tracy Jackson. ‘ 124 pp., 8 pls. $3.00.

No. 7. ie flora of the Kurile Islands. By K. Miyabe. 74 pp., 1 pl.

$1.
No. 6. ‘the Entomophthoreae of the United States. By Roland Thaxter.
o pp., 8 pls, $3.5
; The Taconic of Georgi and the report on the geology of Vermont. .
By Jules Marcou. nw 1 pl. $1.00.
No. ri A study of Nort American Geraniaceae. By William Trelease.
34 pp., 4 pls. $1.25.
No.3. The introduction and spread of Pieris rapae in North America, 1860-
1885. By Samuel H. Scudder. 18 pp.,1 pl. 50 cts.
No. 2. The development of the ostrich fern, Onoclea struthiopteris. By
Douglas H. Campbell. 36 pp., 4 pls. $1.50.
No. 1. The significance of bone structure. a Thomas Dwight. 17 pp., 3
pls. $1.25.

Boston Society of Natural History.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS.

Proceedings. 8vo. (For price list of Memoirs, see third page of cover.)

Vol. 33, No.6. Paleontological types in the collections of the Boston
society of natural history. By J. A.Cushman. 27 pp. 15 cts. _

No. 5. Drainage modifications in the Tallulah district, By D. W. Johnson.
38 pp., 2 pls. 50 cts. : ea .

No. 4. Coline studies on polymorphism of Hymenomycetes. By G. R.
Lyman. 85 pp.,9 pls. $1.25... .

No. 3. Spermatogenesis of the Butterfly, Papilio rutulus. By J. P. Munson.

_ 82 pp., 6 pls. $1.25. J aie

No. 2. Tarren of the West River, Brattleboro; Vt. By E. F. Fisher.
34-pp., 11 pls. 75 cts.

No. 1. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting, May 2, 1906. 8 pp. 10 cts.

Vol. 32, No. 12. ~The annulus ventralis. By E. A. Andrews. 53 pp., 6

Is. 75 cts,

No. iL Squamosal bone in tetrapodous Vertebrata. By F. W. Thyng.
39 pp., 4 pls. 50 cts: ;

No. 10. Marine Ostracoda of Vineyard Sound and adjacent waters. By
J..A. Cushman. 27 pp., 12 pls. 50 cts. .

No. 9. Circulatory and respiratory systems of Desmognathus fusca. By A.
B. Seelye. 23 pp.,4 pls. 35 cts. ?

No. 8. Anatomy of Boophilus annulatus Say. By 8. R. Williams. 22 pp.,

5 pls. 50 ets. .

No. 7. Birds of the southern Lesser Antilles. By A. H. Clark. 110 pp.
$1.00. ; -

No. 6. Alimentary tract of the mosquito. By M. T. Thompson. 58 pp., 6
pls. 75 cts. :

No. 5. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting, May 3, 1905. 29 pp. . 20 cts.
No. 4. Development of ascus and spore formation in Ascomycetes. By J. H.
Faull. 37 pp., 5 pls. 50 cts. :
No. 3. General anatomy of Typhlomolge rathbuni. By E. T. Emerson, 2d.
33 Pp P Be. 50 cts. :
No. 2. List of shell-bearing Mollusca of Frenchman’s Bay, Maine. By:D.
Blaney. 19 -pp.,1 pl. 25 cts. :
No. 1. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting, May 4, 1904. 21 pp. 20 cts.
Vol. 31, No. 10.’ The anatomy and ge a of the terrestrial nemertean
peli agricola) of Bermuda. By W. R. Coe. 40 pp., 3 pls.
cts. i ; :
No. 9. North American Ustilagineae. By G. P. Clinton. 200 pp. $2.00.
No. 8. Pyenogonida collected at Bermuda in the summer of 1903. .By L. J.
Cole. 14 pp., 3 pls. 25 cts.
No. 7. _Trichomes of the root in vascular Cryptogams and Angiosperms.
By R. G. Leavitt. 41 pp., 4 pls. 50 cts. ze
No. 6. Contributions from the Gray herbarium of Harvard university.. New
_ series.— No. 27... By B. L. Robinson. 25 pp. 25 cts.
No. 5. Observations on the cytology of Araiospora pulchra’ Thaxter. By
C. A. King. 35 pp., 5’pls., 50 cts. ;
No. 4. ae ey ogee ce tne hermit.crab. By M. T. Thompson. 63
pp., 7 pls. cts. site
No. 3. Systematic results of the study of North American land mammals
cre ee = 1901 and 1902. By G.S. Miller, Jr., and J. A. G. Rehn.
pp. cts. ;
No. 2. Pioesadinsa of the Annual Meeting, May 6, 1903. 37 pp. 20 cts.
No, z - rare Thalassinid and itslarva. By M.T.Thompson. 21 pp., 3 pls.
cts.
Vol. 30, No. 7. The life history, the normal fission and the reproductive.
organs of Planaria maculata. By W.C. Curtis. 45 pp., 11 lee 75 ets.
No... 7 PLOHOEEEE of the Actasiese. By E. W. Olive. 63 pp., 4 pls.
cts.
No. 5. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting, May 7, 1902. 15 pp. 1 i
No. 4. Memorial of Professor Alpheus re att. 50 pp. 10 cba a
No. 3. The origin of eskers. By W.O. Crosby. 36 pp. 30 cts.
No. 2, The Medford Dike area. By A. W.G. Wilson. 21 pp., 4 pls. 35 cts.
No. 1. Systematic results of the study of North American land mammals to:
the ae of the year 1900. By G.S. Miller, Jr., and J.A.G. Behn, 352
pp. 25. ;

x

Se
So Seay

NEA aetye weet

See RN et