A LABRADOR SPRING 



inches in diameter, was lined with fine grasses 

 and contained three great eggs, olive-green in 

 colour, beautifully decorated with large brown 

 spots. After this we found many of these nests, 

 nearly every island contained several of 

 them. Some of the nests consisted only of 

 depressions in the turf surrounded by rings of 

 particularly green grass, nests that had prob- 

 ably been used for successive years. We were 

 rarely out of sight or hearing of these splendid 

 birds all the time we were in Labrador, even 

 when we were trudging over the inland bogs. 

 Splendid great birds they were indeed with their 

 snow-white heads, breasts and tails, and their 

 black backs and wings, and they recalled 

 slightly by their size, colouring and majestic 

 flight the bald eagle. Their calls were interest- 

 ing and very various. Some were suggestive 

 of human anger or grief or derision. At times 

 their voices appeared to threaten, at times to 

 deride, and again they appeared to be con- 

 versing in low tones to each other as they flew 

 overhead or sailed about gracefully in the 

 strong winds. Hoarse ha, ha, ha, high pitched 

 ki, ki, ki, harsh and croaking caw, caw, caw, 

 were some of their calls I noted, and sometimes 



no 



