410 FOUR YEARS IN THE WHITE NORTH 



northern shore of Grant Land during the light period. 

 Nest found July 5th, two miles from coast on the summit 

 of a projecting mass of rock above a river-bed, contained 

 four young, surprisingly unequal in size, and two eggs. 

 Remains in the far North throughout the year. Seen at 

 Floeberg Beach by Nares Expedition on March 29, 1876. 

 Food consists of lemming, ptarmigan, and Arctic hare. 

 Necessarily diurnal in habits during the long light period, 

 but more active as the sun swings low in the north. Bright 

 sunshine aflFects its sight but little, if any, as shown by the 

 fact that the Arctic owl is extremely wary and difficult to 

 approach within gun-shot. 



During the dark period its sole food must be the Arctic 

 hare, which are very numerous in North Greenland, 

 EUesmere Land, and all lands west. 



An extract from my field journal: 



November 17, 1915. — When driving around Cape Kendrick to- 

 night in a regular blizzard — drifting snow, heavy wind, tempera- 

 ture -30° F. — my dogs suddenly leaped ahead, dashed right, then 

 left, stopped, and began to fight. To my astonishment, they 

 were tearing a hare to pieces. As it is well known that no dog 

 could possibly capture an Arctic hare, I was puzzled for a mo- 

 ment. It is the opinion of the Eskimos who were with me that 

 an owl had captured the hare and was eating it upon the ice as 

 we arrived. The mad dash of my dogs from place to place was 

 it pursuit of the owl and his six to eight pound burden. 



31. Corvus corax principalis. Northern raven. Eskimo name, 

 Tood-a-waq. During the early spring and summer months 

 the raven is found as far north as land extends (Lat. 83° 

 40'). Winter resident at Etah. Majority migrate south 

 about September 15th. Nests about April 6th on cliffs. 

 Nest often inaccessible. Young found in nests near Etah 

 June 3d and June 15th; seen flying August 25th. Food 

 during winter months consists of the excrement of dogs, 

 foxes, wolves, and Arctic hare. From May 15th to Sep- 

 tember 1st the raven feeds largely upon dovekies, which 



