THE BIRDS OF LABRADOR. 148 
coast appeared what seemed to be hundreds of 
snow-white sails sporting over the waters, bul 
which proved to be masses of drifted snow and 
ice filling every nook and cove of the rugged 
sbores. 
The coast of Labrador, like that of the Flori- 
das, is dotted with numerous islands, the resorts 
of winged creatures. Some hover along the 
huge rocks which there project like a giant bul- 
wark over the sea, others flap their sable wings 
over its surface; the raven spreads her pinions, 
and the golden eagle soars majestically aloft, 
moving in wide circles through the air. 
Before his visit to Labrador, Audubon had 
met with but a single one of the species of the 
Esquimaux curlew. Coming from the north, 
these birds arrive in flocks as dense as the pas- 
senger pigeons, directing their course to the 
sterile mountainous tracts. They feed in Labra- 
- dor on the curlew berry, a small black fruit, 
found on a creeping plant, abundantly covering 
the rocks. While in search of food they fly in 
close masses, sometimes high, sometimes low, 
but always with remarkable swiftness, and with 
the most elegant evolutions. When on wing 
they perpetually repeat a soft whistling note, 
but immediately on alighting become silent, 
They may be seen runing all in the same direc 
tion, picking up the berries in their way, when, 
ra 
