72 NATURAL HISTORY OF ARCTIC AMERICA. 



sustaining a good growth of grass and plants. The ascent to the Cum- 

 berland coast on the east and the Fox Channel on the west is so gradual 

 that it is hardly perceptible, the coast-line in both instances being pre- 

 cipitous. This is especially true of the western slope, where it is so 

 gradual that it is with the greatest astonishment one suddenly finds 

 himself on the summit of an enormous cliff, with the breakers of Fox 

 Channel dashing on the rocks below him and an expanse of water stretch- 

 ing to the westward as far as the eye can reach. 



The western outlet of the lake is larger than the eastern, and is said 

 to empty through a deep gorge near Point McDonald. 



A far less satisfactory time to go is after the breaking-up of the ice. 

 There is no doubt it could be performed with less labor and fatigue at 

 this time, but for the naturalist the best season would be over. 



When the collections are ready, they can be safely cached till winter, 

 and brought down in comparative safety on dog-sledges. A very inter- 

 esting station for a naturalist would be near the mouth of the gulf, in 

 the vicinity of the Kikkerton Islands ; at this place there would be open 

 water in April or May, and many valuable birds could be secured before 

 they scatter over the country to breed. When the birds arrive at 

 Annanactook, the season is already so far advanced that they immedi- 

 ately begin nesting. I have concluded to retain in the present list many 

 species on very slight evidence in the hope that it may in some degree 

 assist future explorers and put them on the lookout for some species 

 that might otherwise escape their notice. 



The birds do not congregate in large numbers on the islands in 

 Cumberland to breed, the way they do to the southward and on the 

 Greenland coast. There is an exception with Somateria mollissima. 

 Some species that breed by myriads two hundred miles to the southward, 

 and are equally numerous on the coast of Greenland to 73 N. lat., 

 are found only as occasional stragglers in the Cumberland waters. 



Some idea of the barrenness of the islands around Annanactook may 

 be arrived at from the fact that from October to July one hare and 

 two ptarmigans were brought in, and there were twelve Eskimo that 

 hunted the greater part of the time, and I was out on every occasion 

 when I thought it at all likely that such game could be procured. Scotch 

 whalers have told me that near Nugumeute they have had as high as 

 two hundred ptarmigans during the winter, and hares in abundance. 



I have added the Eskimo names of the birds in such instances as I 

 could do so with certainty. The Greeiilanders' names are often quite 



