58 



ten miles, a desolate wilderness of alternate moss-covered upland 

 and reed-grown swamp, quite uninhabited, and a splendid breed- 

 ing ground for birds. 



The islands have a bleak aspect, and climatic conditions 

 render agricultural pursuits fruitless. The weather does not 

 become warm until the last of June, and the ice comes early in 

 September. The flora of the islands is meagre. Bayberry is 

 abundant, as is also a sort of low, stunted spruce with which 

 the hills are covered. In many places on the barren uplands are 

 found several mosses, and in sheltered places during the brief 

 warm summer several varieties of small flowers grow. Cat- 

 tails are found in the swamps, and grasses and flags in the 

 ponds. 



The Magdalen Islands are interesting from an ornithologist's 

 standpoint chiefly for four reasons : 



First: On account of the Bird Rocks, — desolate crags rising 

 sheer out of the sea 24 miles north of the other islands, — which 

 are inhabited by one of the largest colonies of sea birds on the 

 eastern coast of North America. 



Second: The islands form almost the southern limit of the 

 breeding range of several Shore Birds. This was one of the 

 leading factors that drew us to the islands. We found six 

 species of Shore Birds breeding there, all commonly save the 

 Semipalmated Sandpiper. 



Third : Lying as they do between Labrador on the north and 

 Nova Scotia on the south, they afford a resting place for many 

 of the more northern birds during their migrations. 



Fourth: Owing to the greatly varying character of the 

 country, a large number of birds of wide dissimilarity may be 

 found breeding in a very narrow compass: on the rocky head- 

 lands of North and East Capes, Ravens and Guillemots; in the 

 dense reedy swamps of East Point, American Bitterns, Carolina 

 and Virginia Rails, Short-eared Owls, and Rusty Blackbirds; 

 in and around the ponds on East Point, Red-breasted Mer- 

 gansers, Black Ducks, Green-winged Teal, and Horned Grebes; 

 and on the islands in the ponds. Common Terns. The swampy 

 meadows on Grosse Isle support breeding Wilson's Snipe, 

 Least Sandpipers, Mourning Warblers, and Savannah Sparrows, 



