104 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 

 horizon, for full well he knows that 

 snow snow is all that can be seen. I 

 watched the Eing Plover for some time ; 

 the parents were so intent on saving their 

 young that they both lay on the rocks as 

 if shot, quivering their wings and drag- 

 ging their bodies as if quite disabled. 

 We left them and their young to the care 

 of the Creator. I would not have shot 

 one of the old ones, or taken one of the 

 young for any consideration, and I was 

 glad my young men were as forbearing. 

 The L. marinus is extremely abundant 

 here ; they are forever harassing every 

 other bird, sucking their eggs, and de- 

 vouring their young ; they take here the 

 place of Eagles and Hawks ; not an Eagle 

 have we seen yet, and only two or three 

 small Hawks, and one small Owl ; yet 

 what a harvest they would have here, 

 were there trees for them to rest upon." 

 On his return from Labrador in Sep- 

 tember, Audubon spent three weeks in 

 New York, after which with his wife, he 



