Birds. 7749 



present species, the ceutral part by both, and the southerly by llie 

 common species only. Though so early in the season, there was 

 hardly a trace of the crest remaining on any of the birds. Their nests 

 were apparently as bulky as those of the common species, and as they 

 are certainly occupied for more than one year, I am inclined to think 

 it not uncommon for the nest built by one species to be occupied by 

 the other the next season. As a general rule they preferred the 

 lowest hedges, where the two species were breeding in common ; but 

 the highest nest of all was one of the present species. Where the 

 ledge was long enough to admit of several nests, they were generally 

 occupied by the same species ; where there were only two or three, 

 much more frequently by the two. In one or two places near the 

 summit, where the rock was broken in such a way as to present a 

 series of little niches, they seemed to alternate, as if by design. The 

 two species were evidently on terms of perfect friendship, and when 

 not sufficiently near to be distinguished by colour or size, no dif- 

 ference could be detected in their habits or motions. The nests con- 

 tained the same variety of eggs and young as those of the preceding 

 species ; if anything, the number of newly laid eggs was proportion- 

 ably less. The eggs, four in number, were of a more regular oval, but 

 otherwise similar in appearance, and the difference in size by no 

 means proportioned to that of the birds themselves. At the time of 

 Audubon's visit none of the present species were seen at Wapitaguan, 

 and he says that he never found them breeding on precipices, but 

 always on flat rocks. I was unable to visit the breeding- place men- 

 tioned by him, near Cumberland Harbour, though 1 passed near, both 

 going and returning, and even remained two days at Tete de Baleine, 

 in hopes that the sea might go down suflSciently to make it possible 

 to land on the rock. 



Leach's Petrel {Thalassidroma Leacltii). These birds were fre- 

 quently seen, but do not breed iu numbers or in many places on the 

 north shore. I found them but at two places — on Gull Island, at Ro- 

 maine, and on a small island between Mecattina and Bras D'Or. As 

 the opposite shore of Newfoundland is lower, and the islands less 

 rocky, it probably breeds there. On the Atlantic shore it is found 

 breeding everywhere that a suitable island exists, from MountDesert, 

 in Maine, to the Straits of Belle Isle. At Romaine the eggs were but 

 just laid on the 26lh of June. 



Shearwater [Puffinus ?). Shearwaters were very numerous in 



the Straits, and as at that time thej must have been feeding their 

 young, their breeding-places were probably at no \ery great distance. 



