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Bird - Lore 



coast, I want to mention a few water birds, which are of special interest as game 

 or food birds, with brief notes as to their present status and need of protection. 



i. Loon (Gavia immer). Loons were fairly common all along the coast, 

 from the Straits of Belle Isle to Okak, and were frequently seen flying inland 

 to the ponds where they were breeding. They are shot regularly by the Eskimos 

 for food, and I learned, by personal experience, that they are not bad eating 

 when properly cooked. They ought to be on the protected list, at least during 

 the breeding season, though they are fairly well able to take care of themselves 

 and are not in immediate danger. 



2. Red-throated Loon {Gavia stellata). The same remarks would apply 

 equally well to this species, though we saw comparatively few of them. 



H0PEDALE BAY, LABRADOR 



3. Puffin (Fraiercula arctica arctica). I saw a large breeding colony on a 

 small island near Bradore on July 5, but I did not see a single Puffin north of 

 the straits. Puffins formerly bred at least as far north as Davis Inlet, and Dr. 

 Townsend saw quite a number of them all along the coast in 1906. Probably 

 they are not all gone yet, but there cannot be many left as we did not see any. 



4. Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle). I am glad to report that this 

 species is still abundant all along the coast, though I presume it is decreasing. 

 It is the only one of the Alcidae that is not practically exterminated. Its eggs 

 are persistently hunted and highly prized for food. The poor birds are kept 

 laying all summer; we found plenty of fresh eggs in August, but no young birds. 

 I doubt if any of the birds which lay their eggs within reach of human hands 

 ever succeed in raising a brood. Fortunately most of the birds lay their eggs 



