ANIMAL LIFE IN LABRADOR 427 



ice, I noticed a belated dovekie cheerfully diving after food 

 among the slob, while the waters froze to our oars as we 

 rowed. His pluck and contentment in such a lonely place 

 made us feel very warmly toward him. As we watched he 

 rose to wing, apparently to follow his friends to their more 

 southern home. He had not risen a hundred yards, how- 

 ever, when a hawk swooped on him like lightning from the 

 cliff, and returned leisurely to his eyry with the struggling 

 little fellow, there to tear to pieces alive our poor little 

 friend. 



Moreover, now, man, their main enemy, is increasing in 

 numbers. Besides his accumulated experience and his new 

 destructive methods and weapons, he is continually en- 

 croaching more and more on their territory. Every single 

 animal lives in terror of man, yet none ever attacks him if 

 there be any other alternative, unless it be his own half-fed 

 dogs. All their efforts are directed towards escape. To 

 afford themselves protection some of the weaker, such as 

 the caribou, hare, partridge, and ermine, change the colour 

 of their coat with the seasons. Nearly all grow longer hair 

 and put on their best fur against the terrible cold of winter. 

 The fat in the skins of the out-of-season fur is due to this 

 effort, and is so sure a sign of poaching out of season that 

 pelts showing fat on the inside are not allowed by law to be 

 sold or to pass customs. Our seals and birds acquire cor- 

 responding coats of fat, so that the former will float when 

 killed. They are able to enjoy the bitterest weather div- 

 ing under the ice while the birds have energy enough 

 stored in that form to enable them to accomplish their long 

 journeys to South America, the Antilles, and even to Asia 

 and Europe, without needing to stop to replenish their 



