02 NATURAL HISTORY OF ARCTIC AMERICA. 



to ilio Eskimo as tlie "Slmtook" Islands, in tbe Greater Kingwah, where 

 1 found them extremely abundant. In the IMallukeitu Fjord, accordinj,^ 

 to the I]skimo, is another very much freijuented breeding-place, l)ut I 

 did not visit it. 



Tlutusands of eggs could be gathered on these rocks during the latter 

 part of June and the first three weeks of July. It seems to me that it 

 would pay M'halemen to gather the down which can here be secured in 

 great quantities. The islands are so close together that they could all 

 be worked within two days of each other. There are a great many im- 

 mature birds, both male and female, that do not breed ; they assemble 

 in large flocks, and are often met with at considerable distances from 

 land. I have found such flocks commonly in Cumberland, on the west 

 coast of Davis Straits and Baffin's Bay, and on the Greenland coast 

 abundantly. Many large flocks were seen in the middle of Davis 

 Straits, among the i)ack-ice, in the latter part of July. During the first 

 days of August I saw immense flocks of eiders on the western end of 

 Disko Island, all males, flying southward. The specimens collected by 

 me in Cumberland present certain striking and remarkable points of 

 difl'crence from specimens from the South Labrador and Newfoundland 

 coasts, especially in the form and size of bill. 1 had prepared a series of 

 skulls, selected from over two hundred birds, that was calculated to show 

 the variation among them; but, unfortunately, they were among the 

 specimens that I had to leave behind, in the nmiecessary haste of our 

 departure, of which I was given but a few hours' warning. 



These ducks arc of great use to the Eskimo ; their eggs are eagerly 

 sought after and devoured in astonishing quantities. The birds them- 

 selves constitute a good portion of their food at certain times, and the 

 skins are used for a portion of their foot-gear in winter, and sometimes 

 for clothing. We found the flesh of the young in autumn very acceptable 

 intlrcd : but the adults in spring were rather lank. Some specimens 

 were procured that weighed over five pounds. They become extremely 

 fat by the end of June; and when an Eskimo can get a number, he will 

 eat little else but the fat. I was often sav<'(l mueli laltor by having them 

 ieiii(»\ «' the tat from the skins, m liicli tliev <li(l a\ itli llicir Iretli, and iiiurli 

 more ellectually tlian 1 could have done it with a knife. These birds 

 sufl'er nuieh from the tlei>redations of gulls and lavens. Lams (ilaucu.s 

 even n^sts among the ducks, and the ravens li^e oil the eggs and duck- 

 lings the entire season. 



