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THE POMARINE JAGER, 



Lestris pomarinus, Tkmm. 



PLATE CCmi. Female. 



This bird I never had an opportunity of examining until I visited 

 Labrador ; nor am I able to give you much information respecting its 

 habits as obtained by my own observation, and therefore I shall take the 

 liberty of adding to my description such notices as I may judge interest- 

 ing, taken from the works of authors who, having seen for themselves, are 

 entitled to credit. 



While saihng towards the harbour of Little Macatina, and yet about 

 forty miles distant from it, although not far from the shore, we observed 

 a bird of this species approaching the vessel. It flew in the manner of the 

 Pigeon Hawk, to my account of which I may refer you, alighted on the 

 water like a Gull, and fed on some cod-fish's liver that had been thrown 

 overboard for the purpose of attracting it. Several small Petrels joined 

 it, but it did not come within shot, and the sea was too rough for even 

 our whale-boat. On the 30th of July the young men of my party brought 

 me a fine adult female, in excellent order, from which I drew the figure 

 in the plate. A few days after we experienced a very heavy gale while 

 in the harbour of Bras d'Or, during the continuance of which twenty or 

 thirty of these birds came about us, although none of them approached 

 within shot, and no boat could have ridden the furious waves without im- 

 minent danger. On that occasion, however, I was enabled to observe 

 some of their habits. They flew wildly about, yet with much grace, mov- 

 ing rapidly to and fro, now struggling against the blast, now bearing off 

 and drifting to a considerable distance. Many Gulls were flying about, 

 having also made for the harbour to obtain some shelter from the storm. 

 The Lestris chased the smaller species with effect, but never approached 

 the Great Black-backed Gulls, nor even their young, which were also fly- 

 ing with the rest. The Kittiwakes and the Ring-billed Gulls were the 

 species which we saw them attack, although they did not procure much 

 food from them, the weather being such that they could not fish. They 

 were therefore contented, as was the Lestris, with the fishes that had been 

 thrown on shore. At times the Jagers would ramble over the land, 



