190 PALCO LA.BRADORUS. 



standing on the ground at the very entrance of its burrow, apparently 

 quite unaware of the approach of its powerful enemy. The Puffin appeared 

 to form no impediment to the flight of the Hawk, which merely shook itself 

 after rising in the air, as if to arrange its plumage, as the Fish-Hawk does 

 when it has emerged from the water with a fish in its talons. 



" The four Falcons mentioned were all that were seen of this species 

 during our expedition ; and I am inclined to think that these birds must be 

 rare in that part of Labrador. On dissecting them, I found them to be a 

 male and a feinale, and saw that the latter had laid eggs that season. 



" It is probable, therefore, that the two which left the nest at the 

 approach of the party were the young birds. ... 



" From the account which I received from my son and his companions, 

 I would willingly suppose that no one had ever before disturbed their 

 solitude. They flew about and close to them, as if altogether unacquainted 

 with the effects of a gun. The young appeared full-grown, and, as if aw^are 

 of the fate of their parents, alighted only on the highest and most inaccessible 

 parts of the rocks around. . 



" On inquiring of a Mr. Jones, who had been a resident in Labrador for 

 twenty years, I was informed that these Hawks feed on and destroy an 

 immense number of Hares, Rock-Partridges, and Willow-Grouse ; but he 

 could not give me any information as to the change of plumage, never having 

 seen them in any other state than that of the individuals represented in my 

 Plate, which I showed to him. The fishermen called them Duck-Haw^ks ; 

 and some of them reported many exploits performed by them, w'hich I think 

 it unnecessary to repeat, as I consider them exaggerated." 



I may here remark that the present species is not the only Jerfalcon 

 found in Labrador ; for with the three examples forwarded from that country 

 a fine adult Iceland Falcon (^Falco islandus) was also sent, and is now^ in my 

 collection ; and in a collection forwarded to Mr. H. F. Moschler, also from 

 Labrador, was a tolerably old Greenland Falcon (^Falco candicans), which I 



