TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 309 



of Labrador and Audubon was probably misinformed when he states: 

 "The cod-fishers assured me that they frequently breed there." He 

 himself did not see any. Stearns says they are "abundant certain 

 seasons. Occasional all along the coast," and (" Bird life in Labra- 

 dor"): "From October 15 until the ice sets in, I found these little 

 fellows common." Turner found them "common in Hudson Strait" 

 and on December 19, 1882, a specimen was taken 100 miles up the 

 Koksoak River. " Occurs in myriads along the eastern shore of Labra- 

 dor. Breeds plentifully in certain localities not visited by me." 

 Low reports that they were very common in Hamilton Inlet till Jan- 

 uary 20, 1894. Numbers were found frozen in bushes along the 

 edge of open water. More recently, Low ('06) found them not 

 common during winter in Hudson Bay, but rare in the summer. 

 Bigelow saw one on September 18th off Cape Harrison. Mr. Schmitt, 

 the Moravian brother at Nain told us that he not uncommonly saw 

 this species in summer. 



We saw none on the Labrador coast, but at Flower's Cove, New- 

 foundland, across the Straits of Belle Isle, on July 9th, a bird that was 

 crippled by the loss of one foot swam up to the steamer's side and 

 was captured by the mate with a bucket. The specimen (coll. C. W. 

 Townsend, no. 1204) is a female in much worn summer plumage. 

 Its crippled condition undoubtedly accounted for its presence so far 

 south at this season. Its occurrence on the coast in winter is of course 

 determined by the ice or rather by the presence of open water. If 

 there is no open water, water birds are not found. 



Megalestris skua (Briinn.). 



Skua; "Sea-hen." 



Accidental visitor. 



There is but one record for this species on the Labrador coast. 

 Turner (in Packard, '91, p. 438) states that one was "seen near the 

 vessel, sitting in the water off the north side of the Strait of Belle Isle, 

 June 22, 1882." Low ('06) speaks of having seen this bird in the 

 eastern part of Hudson Strait. 



Stercorarius pomarinus (Temm.). 



Pomarine Jaeger; "Bo's'n." 



Common" summer visitor; probably breeds in northern part. 

 Audubon saw some Pomarine Jaegers "not far from shore" at 



