NORTHERN OCEAN 395 



beautiful than the former ; having a long white bill, plumage 

 on the back and wings black, elegantly tinged with purple 

 and green, and prettily marked with white spots. In size 

 they are equal to the former ; but are so watchful as to dive 

 at the flash of a gun, and of course are seldom killed 

 but when on the wing. Their flesh is equally black and 

 fishy with the former, but it is always eaten by the Indians. 

 The skins of those birds are very thick and strong, and they 

 are frequently dressed with the feathers on, and made into 

 caps for the Indian men. The skins of the Eagle and Raven, 

 with their plumage complete, are also applied to that use, and 

 are far from being an unbecoming head-dress for a savage. 



Red-throated Divers.^ This species are also called Red-throated 

 Loons in Hudson's Bay ; but they are so far inferior to the 

 two former, that they seldom weigh more than three or four 

 pounds. They, like the other species of Loon, are excellent 

 divers ; they always feed on fish, and when in pursuit of their 

 prey, are frequently entangled in fishing-nets, set at the mouths 

 of creeks and small rivers. They are more numerous than 

 either of the former, as they frequently fly in flocks ; but like 

 them make their nests at the edge of the water, and only 

 lay two eggs, which, though very rank and fishy, are always 

 eaten by Indians and English. The legs of those three 

 species of Loon are placed so near [431] the rump as to 

 be of no service to them on the land, as they are perfectly in- 

 capable of walking ; and when found in that situation (which 

 is but seldom) they are easily taken, though they make a 

 strong resistance with their bill, which is very hard and sharp. 



White Gulls.- These birds visit Hudson's Bay in great White GuUs. 

 numbers, both on the sea coasts and in the interior parts, and 



[^ Gavia stellata (Pontoppidan). Abundant in the lake-studded country 

 bordering Hudson Bay.] 



[" Though in all probability several species are included under this heading, 

 the commonest is the widely distributed Herring Gull, Larus argentatus 

 Pontoppidan. The " Grey Gull " following is undoubtedly the young of the 

 same species.] 



