EXPLORATIONS IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR. 72f> 



them, and but few were seen, none being breeding birds. Puffius ( Frd- 

 tercula arctica), with well-advanced young, and Murres (Uria troile, 

 were found at thePerroquets, and Guillemots (Ccppli us grylle), in spotted 

 plumage, near Mingan. The Canada Grouse (Dendragapus canadensis) 

 was occasionally seen at Mingan. These birds were extremely tame, 

 and when Hushed from the- ground frequently alighted in low spruces, 

 where they would allow themselves to be approached as near as twenty 

 or fifteen feet. 



The Mingan River is a noted salmon stream, while its tributary, the 

 Manitou, abounds in trout, salmon being prevented by a fall from as- 

 cending this stream for more than 3 miles. The so-called Sea Trout is 

 usually plentiful at the mouth of the Mingan from half flood to half ebb, 

 and many large ones, averaging about two pounds each, are taken in 

 gill-nets by the few Indians residing here. Owing to rough weather 

 and heavy rains few fish were taken during our stay, those at the 

 mouth of the river being the silvery sea-trout, and those up the stream 

 the dull-colored variety. 



The unfavorable weather prevented our obtaining any of the desired 

 seals, and on August 20th the Grampus proceeded to Perce, reaching 

 that place next morning. Perce is a place of considerable interest to 

 the naturalist from the fact that Perce Pock is the abode of a large 

 rookery of Cormorants (Phahierooorax dilophus), while the precipitous 

 seaward side of Bonaveuture Island is occupied by Gannets, this being 

 the third of their breeding-places on the Atlantic coast, and, next to 

 the Bird Rocks, the most extensive. Dr. Bryant in 1860 estimated the 

 number of Gannets breeding at Bonaventure to be 250,000, but this 

 must be considered as entirely too high. Whatever the number may 

 once have been, at the date of our visit it would not apparently ex- 

 ceed 3,000, although this is merely a guess, time being insufficient to 

 make a careful estimate by counting various sections of the colony. 

 Although the cliffs on the seaward side of Bonaventure Island are 

 250 feet in-beight and nearly vertical, it is said that a considerable num- 

 ber of eggs are obtained from the uppermost ledges, some of which may 

 be reached directly from the summit and others by the aid of ropes. 

 The conservatism of the Gannet is well shown by the fact that al- 

 though Perce* Island is only a mile away, and its summit perfectly inac- 

 cessible, not a Gannet breeds there. Favored by a light inshore wind, 

 we were able to approach sufficiently near the base of the cliff to secure* 

 four young Gannets, by shooting them where the character of the ledge 

 was such that a bird when killed would fall into the sea. 



On the 9th of July we had obtained at the Bird Bocks, Gannets from 

 one to four days old, very small and almost naked. Here, forty-three 

 days later, the young were very far from being able to fly, and although 

 they had attained a weight of five pounds were still covered with 

 long, soft down, the wings being so feebly developed that it would 

 evidently be some time before they could leave the nest. The instinct 



