"PIGEON" GUILLEMOT. 95 



very far from land, from the opening of the bay in the spring until 

 the ice closes the last open waters early in December. I have 

 found several stages of plumage (referable to the ages) of this bird 

 which takes three years to mature. A very extraordinary form 

 marks the second year's growth. The whole plumage is inky 

 black both below and above, and with white blotches imperfectly 

 rounded, the size of an ordinary thimble head, scattered irregularly 

 all over it above and below ; the bill is blackish carmine, the legs 

 and feet dusky carmine. The wings with a pure white patch as 

 usual. I think the white tail coverts were present, but am not 

 sure on this point. I cannot learn that this plumage appears at 

 any other time than in the fall of the year ; they are rare here, and 

 apparently pass this stage in some wild place or region where they 

 are not easily detected. The hunters about the coast told me that 

 they were i*are. 



In the early fall the pigeon is quite tame, but grows wilder as 

 the cold weather advances. When pursuing them from a boat 

 they are at times easy to approach while at others difficult and very 

 wild without any apparent reason. It will usually dive " at the flash," 

 but often when feeding it allows you to come quite near. In feed- 

 ing, the bird bends its neck forward and dips its beak into the wa- 

 ter ; at this time, when the head is turned forward and a little away 

 from the hunter, he is generally sure of hitting his game. Often 

 the pigeon takes wing nearly as soon as it perceives a boat ap- 

 proaching, and it is then impossible to get anywhere within shoot- 

 ing distance of it ; the flight is then rapid but easy, generally 

 low and straight. When tame it usually escapes by diving " at the 

 flash " and swimming a great distance under water, easily and in 

 any direction. When wounded, they often dive, and, I think after 

 the manner of many ducks, swim to the bottom and clinging to 

 the seaweed die there. I have often watched them dive thus, but 

 have not seen them arise. They stay around near the land feed- 

 ing, on still warm days, often many together. In flying low over 

 the water, if fired at I have often seen them suddenly drop down 

 and dive, disappearing almost instantly. The flesh, especially of 



