14 Bird- Life in Labrador. 



sion or of triumph, and the little fellow had appeared and dis- 

 appeared without my even having caught a sight of him. 

 Their favorite resting plaee was on the roofs of houses. The 

 people of the coast are very fond of them and call them wood- 

 peckers. They would frequently caution me with u now 

 don't you go and shoot my little woodpeckers." I found them 

 all about the islands among the low, stunted growths of fir 

 and spruce. If I pretended to watch them they would hide in 

 the evergreen, not even chirping, and remain there sometimes 

 for nearly an hour, while I walked about softly and peered 

 around to se * them they running or creeping out of sight 

 or remaining perfectly still behind some bough until forced 

 to fly. Sometimes they would give me the slip entirely, and 

 otten the most successfully when there was apparently the 

 least chance of their escape without detection. They were on 

 the mainland in low growths, and in the woods when no other 

 apparent living creature was about ; in midday ; at early morn 

 or late evening. They were everywhere, where you least ex- 

 pected to see them, and when you were looking for them not 

 one could be found, search high or low. Veritable " Brown- 

 ies/ 7 always around, when lo ! in a second, the places that 

 teemed with them were as silent and deserted as the grave. 

 In my residence on the coast 1 grew very fond of these little 

 fellows. If at times they were shy and retreating, they as of- 

 ten displayed the inquisitive side of their nature. In wander- 

 ing listlessly about, with no apparent object but to kill time, 

 we have passed most delightful hours together. If in the heat 

 of midday or the cool of the evening I have sought me out a 

 convenient and sheltered retreat, I had not long to wait be- 

 fore several would appear. We will remain still for a mo- 

 ment and see what they will do. At length one, bolder than 

 the rest, jumps upon a sprig of spruce \vithin five feet of my 

 body. As the bough bends and tilts the little fellow to and 

 fro, which operation he appears to love amazingly, he balances 

 himself deftly, peers up and down and around cautiously, then 

 launches into a most furious tirade of dee-dee-dee's that wake 



