84 Bird-Life in Labrador. 



our heads, silently watching the threatened destruction of his 

 or her treasure. Sometimes he utters a harsh and malicious 

 aw-awk, aw-awk! as he seems to anticipate the destruction and 

 to throw a malediction upon the destroyer. Sometimes this 

 malicious laugh is turned into an impish chuckle of hawc- 

 hawe-hawc ! hawc-hawe-hawc ! hawe-huwc-hawc-hawc ! as he 

 flies swiftly out of sight or remains upon motionless pinion 

 watching his tormentor. I have often noticed a sound like 

 that made by many of our hawks, seemingly proceeding from 

 this species, when sailing high up in the air, sounding like a 

 shrill kce with a much lower aw, as Itee-aw kee-aw. I am sure 

 that I have seen them on the coast in large numbers the last 

 of August and thought they seemed much wilder than more 

 early in the season, perhaps from the fact that they were 

 probably preparing to leave en masse on their trip southward. 

 The hunters shoot the bird in characteristic manner. They 

 thoroughly conceal themselves among the high cliffs of some 

 jutting crag near the sea, and with gun ready fire the moment 

 one appears overhead. They aim to break the wing bone as 

 this cripples the bird, and if not securing him then renders a 

 second shot effective at short range. Many an old as well as 

 young bird have I seen tumble from an almost incredible 

 height by this process. By and by the birds become wary of 

 the locality, then the hunter changes his position. When at 

 sea in a boat or schooner, they are often tolled near to in 

 cloudy weather or just at dusk by throwing offal overboard, 

 especially pieces of cod liver; the birds are attracted by its 

 sight and smell and venture within shot for the sake of the to 

 them palatable prize. The great black-backed gull is a 

 characteristic bird of Labrador. On every clear day hundreds 

 of them may be seen, like so many sentinels, sitting upon 

 every peak or solitary water-bound rock, sunning themselves 

 while yet alert to everything around them. But one must see 

 them in all the grandeur of their native home to fully realize 

 their attractions. I have often dreamed of being wafted about 

 in vast colonies of these snowy creatures, sporting for a mo- 



