4(> Bird-Life w Labrador. 



in either of the two latter places, while it is quite common in 

 the former. We had several alight on our vessel, both going 

 and coming, and found still other evidences of its occurrence 

 on the Gulf coast. It is apparently a shore bird, not going 

 far is'and. Yet in this supposition I may be wrong as we 

 saw it hunting land birds principally. The testimony every- 

 where was that it was not at all rare. It probably breeds. 

 These same remarks may also apply to the sparrow hawk, 

 but we have no absolute proof that such is the case from rec- 

 ords or specimens. 



SPRUCE PARTRIDGE CANADA GROUSE 



Cftnace ea-nadenxis. (L.) REICH. 



THIS is another bird of which I have most pleasing recol- 

 lections; as it served me for dinner on more than one occasion. 

 I do not consider them the be?t of eating ; but they are most 

 certainly delicacies when placed beside corned pork and a 

 steady diet of codfish. The flesh is rather bitter and its odor 

 quite strong though not unpleasant. Both these facts are 

 accounted for by the nature of the berries, buds, and seeds 

 which the bird feeds upon. I am not aware that their flesh 

 is at any time poisoned by the poisonous nature of any of the 

 berries or other food eaten, as too often occurs with our ruffed 

 grouse of the States ; and, as far as I could learn, it was eaten 

 with impunity by the natives at all seasons of the year. Re- 

 garding the bird and its habits, strangely, my notes furnish 

 very little material. This is the more peculiar to me. as I had 

 occasion to see the bird quite often and ought to have learned 

 considerable regarding it. My first note was written on Oc- 

 tober 28, at Old Fort Bay. I seem to have made a few notes 

 at that time and none whatever afterward. This species ap- 

 pears to be common everywhere along the coast. I found 

 them in the evergreens bordering the lake and in small patches 

 of tangled growths of fir, spruce, and other low shrubbery on 

 the tops of the hills. They were very tame. They will sel- 



