IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC 45 



landed and made collections. On June 14 they ap- 

 proached the famous Bird Rock, which at a distance 

 seemed to be covered with a mantle of new-fallen snow, 

 an illusion soon dispelled as their vessel bore them nearer 

 and a vast concourse of Gannets rose in great clouds 

 from the rock; "all stood astonished and amazed," said 

 Audubon, and he felt that such a sight had of itself fully 

 repaid them for their journey. On June 17, the twelfth 

 day out from Eastport, they passed Anticosti Island, 

 and soon began to see what appeared like white sails on 

 the horizon ; these proved to be snow drifts on the Lab- 

 rador, and on the 18th they landed at the mouth of the 

 Natashquan River. Ducks, Geese, Auks and Guille- 

 mots were there in great multitudes, as well as Gulls 

 and Terns ; many were breeding, and all seemed wilder 

 than at points farther south, a circumstance which was 

 explained as soon as they discovered the astounding pro- 

 portions which the traffic in eggs of sea fowl had at- 

 tained even at that time. 15 



On June 27 they procured a new bird 16 which Audu- 

 bon named after his young companion, Thomas Lincoln 

 of Dennisville, Maine, and which is still known as "Lin- 

 coln's Finch." This reference is found in his journal for 

 the 4th of July: "I have drawn all day, and have fin- 

 ished the plate of the Fringilla lincolnii, to which I have 

 put three plants of the country; to us they are very 

 fitting to the purpose, for Lincoln gathered them." 



The Ripley left its anchorage at American Harbor 

 or Natashquan on June 28, and stood out to sea, their 

 usual recourse to avoid the intricacies of the coast. After 

 proceeding fifty miles or more they touched at numerous 



15 See "The Eggers of Labrador," Ornithological Biography (Bibl. No. 

 2), vol. iii, p. 82. 



"Lincoln's Finch, Fringella lincolnii, now Melospiza lincolni. 



