THE VOYAGE OF ' THE EIEA.' 363 



kies, and some Snow-birds. At Bell Island the same species of 

 birds were seen, and on the south side there was a large loomery, 

 and nests of Kittiwakes, Dovekies, Botches, Snow-birds, and 

 Burgomasters. Bain Geese (Bed-throated Divers ?) and Brent 

 Geese were seen and shot on the cliffs 700 feet high, but no nests 

 were seen. At Cape Flora there was a very large loomery, and also 

 many Botches, Dovekies, Kittiwakes, and Snow-birds. On the 

 lowlands several Snow Buntings and Sanderlings were seen, but 

 no nests were found. The Looms lay their eggs on the bare rock, 

 and the Dovekies and Botches lay them in the crevices of the 

 rocks. The Kittiwake makes a nest of mud and moss. The 

 Snow-bird makes a rudimentary nest of moss and feathers, but of 

 no definite shape. Each species seems to occupy a separate part 

 of the cliff. 



" The Botches and Dovekies left about the first week in 

 September. Looms were very scarce after September 10th. On 

 September 22nd a few Burgomasters, Snow-birds, Mollies, Kitti- 

 wakes, Eider Ducks, and Brent Geese were seen, but were getting 

 very scarce. One or two Snow Buntings still remained on the 

 land on October 13th. Three or four Snow-birds, and occasionally 

 a Burgomaster or Molly, were seen hovering around outside 

 the hut which had been erected, and on October 28th, whilst we 

 were killing some Walruses, two Snow-birds and two or three 

 Mollies and Burgomasters were seen, and remained for two or 

 three days eating the refuse of the carcases. 



" On February 8th a Snowy Owl was seen : this was the first 

 bird to arrive. On February 18th two or three flocks of Dovekies 

 were noticed following to the north-west, and on the 20th there 

 were a great number seen in the water. On March 2nd a lane of 

 water was made close to the land-floe, and it was filled with 

 Botches and Dovekies. On March 9th the first Loom was seen, 

 but it was not until the end of March that they began to settle on 

 the rocks, and then they would only stop on the cliffs for a few 

 hours, and go away for four or five days. We were not able to 

 get up the hill to shoot any until April 16th. On the 20th the 

 first Snow-bird was seen. A Falcon appeared on April 22nd, on 

 which day two Burgomasters were also seen. On April 24th the 

 Molly was seen, and on May 6th the Kittiwakes came. It was 

 not until about June 10th that the Looms remained on the rocks 

 for more than two or three days at a time, but after that date the. 



