''°18%"'1 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 261 



40. Arenaria inteipies (Liuu.). Tiiriistoue. 



A few fouud at Mingaii with other shore birds aud evidently migra- 

 ting; they were very shy and watchful. 



B.— LAND BIRDS. 



In addition to the sea birds, such opportunities as were incidentally 

 afforded were improved to observe and collect land birds, many of 

 which were interesting, while one species had not previously been ob- 

 tained for the collections of the National Museum. 



The following is a list of those seen and collected : 



Dendragapus canadensis (Linn.). Cauada Grouse. 



Several young birds of this species were seen by some of the party 

 on two occasions in the spruce at the mouth of the Mingan River. They 

 were very tame and permitted one to a})proach within a few feet. 

 We were informed that the}' were generally very abundant, but that 

 great numbers had been destroyed by the severity of the previous win- 

 ter. 



Lagopus welclii (Brewst.). Welch's Ptarmigan. 



Called Rock Partridge by the natives of Canada Bay, but this name 

 would seem to be applied to other species of the genus. The Willow 

 Ptarmigan, which is the common species, is readily distinguished by 

 Newfoundlanders from the other species, and is atways fouud on much 

 lower ground. Two liirds, a pair, were collected on the high rocks near 

 the Cloud Hills in Canada Bay, at an elevation of a thousand feet. 

 Here the bird breeds and is abundant, according to the account given 

 us by the fishermen. 



Buteo borealis (Giiiel.). Red-tailed Hawk. 



Two were sern at the Miugan Islands. 



Buteo lineatus (GiiieL). Rcd-shonldered Hawk. 



While passing through the Straits of Canso on our return, a bird of 

 this species made several ineftectual attempts to perch upon the truck 

 of the main-topmast. 



Falco columbarius (Linn.). Pigeon Hawk. 

 Very abundant at the ]\Iingan Islands, but not seen elsewhere ; though 

 a small hawk seen at Black Bay may have been of this species. Their 

 abundance may have been owing to the presence of numerous flocks of 

 white-rumped sandpipers and other shore birds, upon which they to a 

 great extent subsist. While lying at anchor in Mingan Harbor, we 

 witnessed the eftbrts of a hawk to capture a sandpiper. For fully five 

 minutes the sandpiper tried by sudden twistings and turnings to evade 



