RANDOM NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY. 



and instead of each time tying tbe speci- 

 men to the spring, a small scale pan may 

 be permanenth' attached. Instead of mark- 

 ing the positions of the spring, a permanent 

 scale can be made on the upiight board. In 

 the Joll}' Balance, of which this is only a 

 modification, the scale is cut on the surface 

 of an upright mirror. 



The determination of the specific gravitA' 

 is especialh' valuable in distinguishing ores 

 of iron, copper, lead, etc., and though it 

 may be roughly approximated by balanc- 

 ing in the hand, the method here described 

 is convenient, easil}' understood, and if 

 properly carried out will give a result 

 which will answer for all practical purposes. 

 H. F. Walker. 



A CollectingJTripin the Magdalens. 



On alighting from the cars at Pictou 

 Landing we are met by the captain of the 

 iron packet "Beaver." The freight is soon 

 on board and with the order to "cast off 

 the bowline," we realize that we are soon 

 to see the land of the Puffins, Gannets, and 

 Razor Bills. 



Late in the afternoon we touch at George- 

 town, Prince Edward's Island, and later at 

 Souris, after which the course is shaped for 

 the Magdalens. 



On the following morning we see the 

 mountains and high cliffs of red sandstone. 

 As we approach nearer we are struck 

 b}' the fantastic forms which the actions of 

 the elements have given to the coast. Here 

 is a vast cave into whose dark mouth flies a 

 Black Guillemot with a small fish for her 

 young. Yonder is a high hill looking like 

 a huge divided sugar-loaf, the side towards 

 the sea being perpendicular from base to 

 summit, a distance of 400 feet or more ; 

 midway, upon a narrow shelf, is a bunch of 

 sticks whose nature is betrayed by the 

 harsh croaks of a pair of ravens. On the 

 shore of a small cape at the base of this 

 hill is the store, and near by several story- 

 and-a-half houses. By far the best accom- 

 modations are oflfered to strangers at the 

 house of Louis Boudreault, mayor, etc., 

 etc., of Grindstone. 



The afternoon was spent in " getting the 

 lay of the land." The islands are extremely 

 hilly, and the greater portion is covered 



with a growth of stunted spruces, whose in- 

 terwoven branches rival a chaparral thicket. 

 In various parts of the islands are sloughs, 

 which, although firm enough in appearance, 

 would, to use my companion's description, 

 " mire a web-footed ghost." In the midst 

 of these sloughs the Rusty Grackleand Wil- 

 son's Snipe lay their eggs in safety. In the 

 large slough on the east point of Grosse 

 Isle Wild Geese- are said to breed. Not a 

 great variety of birds were to be found on 

 Grindstone, so we determined to move to 

 l)astures new. 



A visit to vShag Rock revealed the fact 

 that nothing but Wilson's Terns and a few 

 Black Guillemots are breeding there now. 

 Mr. Maynard informs me that he once found 

 Cormorants breeding there ; but at that 

 time the rock was almost inaccessible, 

 though now it has been made eas}' of ascent 

 by the action of the frost. We found that 

 the waves had formed a large cave, the roof 

 of which in a few 3'ears will fall in and 

 again divide the island. 



The natives told us, in answer to our in- 

 quiries concerning Bird Rocks, that the best 

 thing to do was to go to Br3'on Island and 

 there wait a favorable day to go across to 

 the noted rocks, about twelve miles distant. 

 This we did ; but the favorable day was not 

 forthcoming. In the interval we thoroughly 

 explored " the Bryon." This, in many re- 

 spects peculiar island, has not a spring, and 

 but a single well ; rain-water is used for all 

 purposes. The island is somewhat of a 

 figure eight shape. On the east point a 

 colony of Wilson's Terns have taken up their 

 abode, and on the I'ocks around vast num- 

 bers of Kittiwakes sun themselves, contest- 

 ing for their position with the Eider Ducks, 

 which are in turn driven awa}' by the seals. 



On the northern side are colonies of Puf- 

 fins and Razor Bills which deposit their eggs 

 in natural clefts oftener than in holes of their 

 own excavation ; and in the debris which 

 falls from the cliff are seen the nests of the 

 Black Guillemot. The entrance to the 

 nests is betrayed by the smoothness of the 

 earth at the opening. In various parts of 

 the island are found the burrows of the 

 Leach's Petrel, and farther into the interior 

 the Black Polled Warblers and Winter Wrens 

 build. Several collectors, I am told, have 

 taken nests of the Pigeon Hawk (Falco Col- 

 umbairus) here. Numerous Red-Throated 



