I 8 A NATURALIST IN THE MAGDALEN ISLANDS. 



Even when perfectly calm, it is no easy matter to pilot a 

 boat safely among the partly submerged rocks in front of 

 the beach. As we approached " Little Bird," which is sit- 

 uated about a quarter of a mile from its larger companion, it 

 presented the appearance of being covered with snow. "Des 

 moineaux," remarked the captain, and so it was. The rock 

 was covered with birds, literally packed, hardly a spot 

 was left uncovered. Thousands of Gannets and Puffins 

 were perched upon every conceivable projection. 



As we passed close to them, many of the Gannets, which 

 were constantly passing and repassing from one rock to the 

 other, sailed within a few yards of us, their black-tipped 

 wings and pure white plumage giving them a very pretty 

 appearance. Every few moments some one of them would 

 suddenly close its wings and descend with the speed of an 

 arrow, disappearing completely beneath the water, and they 

 generally reappeared holding some unlucky fish in their 

 beaks which had allowed itself to approach too near the 

 surface. 



Bird Rock rises in a nearly perpendicular cliff to the 

 height of one hundred and two feet, and has about four 



