104 FOUR YEARS IN THE WHITE NORTH [June 



activity, however, and its voracious appetite were 

 strikingly apparent in the enormous pile of wing and 

 leg bones of the dovekie in the immediate vicinity of the 

 nest. The remains of black guillemots, ptarmigan, and 

 even eider ducks all testify to the strength, the swift- 

 ness, and the aggressiveness of this energetic bird. 



Vivacity is the chief characteristic of the sea-pigeon 

 or Mandt's guillemot (Cepphus mandti). Dabbling, div- 

 ing, and perking their heads, skittering from the water 

 with pattering red feet, these sprightly birds are found 

 in every pool and all along the edge of the ice. With a 

 rush they are off with rocking bodies; but they soon 

 return with a graceful sweep, outstretched feet, and 

 happy-go-lucky splash. A lover of the North and un- 

 mindful of violent winds, stormy seas, driving snows, 

 and freezing slush, the sea-pigeon remains, strange to 

 relate, in the open waters of Smith Sound throughout 

 the dark winter night. This bird has been seen every 

 month in the year. We saw it late in the fall in the 

 semi-darkness and early in the spring in the increasing 

 twilight. Many and many a time it seemed to be the 

 only animate thing outside of our dogs and ourselves 

 in that frozen world. We blessed it for its presence. 



The northern eider duck (Somateria mollissima bore- 

 alls) is of the highest value to the northern Eskimo. 

 Weighing three and a half pounds each and a single egg 

 three and a half ounces, their food value is considerable. 

 Incredible numbers of these birds arrive at Etah about 

 May 13th. The waters, the edge of the ice, and the numer- 

 ous islands about Etah are fairly dotted with their bodies. 

 The soft and melodious mating cry of "Ah-6o. . . . 

 Ah-6o. . . . Coo-c6o. . . . Coo-c6o," is heard day and 

 night. There is a continuous flight of birds around and 



