NORTHERN OCEAN 193 



been their much-frequented paths during the preceding Winter. 1771. 

 There were also many other similar appearances on the hills, "^' 

 and other parts, where the snow was entirely thawed away, 

 without any print of a foot being visible in the moss ; which 

 is a certain proof that these long ridges of dung must have 

 been dropped in the snow as the beasts were passing and 

 repassing over it in the Winter. There are likewise similar 

 proofs that the Alpine hare^ and the partridge^ do not migrate, 

 but remain there the whole year : the latter we found in con- 

 siderable flocks among the tufts of willows which grow near 

 the sea. 



[172] It is perhaps not generally known, even to the curious, 

 therefore may not be unworthy of observation, that the dung 

 of the musk-ox, though so large an animal, is not larger, and 

 at the same time so near the shape and colour of that of the 

 Alpine hare, that the difference is not easily distinguished but 

 by the natives, though in general the quantity may lead to a 

 discovery of the animal to which it belongs. 



I did not see any birds peculiar to those parts, except what 

 the Copper Indians call the "Alarm Bird," or "Bird of Warn- 

 ing." ^ In size and colour it resembles a Cobadekoock, and is 

 of the owl genus. The name is said to be well adapted to its 

 qualities ; for when it perceives any people, or beast, it directs 

 its way towards them immediately, and after hovering over 

 them some time, flies round them in circles, or goes a-head in 

 the same direction in which they walk. They repeat their 

 visits frequently ; and if they see any other moving objects, 

 fly alternately from one party to the other, hover over them 

 for some time, and make a loud screaming noise, like the 

 crying of a child. In this manner they are said sometimes to 

 follow passengers a whole day. The Copper Indians put great 



[1 Lf.pus arcticus caniis Preble.] [* Lagopus lagopus (Linn.)] 



'^ The Alarm bird is probably the Short-eared Owl, Asio flatnmeus (Pontop- 

 pidan), a common summer inhabitant of the Barren Grounds. The Cobade- 

 koock is the Hawk Owl, which seldom goes north of the woods. — E. A. P.] 



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