A LABRADOR SPRING 
is a bird that appears to be in danger of sacri- 
ficing aerial for subaqueous flight, and illus- 
trates the inconveniences of this line of evolu- 
tion. Nichol # says of this bird, after describing 
its short flights in the air and its diving: “In 
appearance it reminds one forcibly of the little 
auk. . The wings are very small and weak, 
the bird, doubtless, is losing the power of 
flight.”’ 
In the case of the existing auks and of the 
other birds that habitually use the wings alone 
in diving, it would be interesting to determine 
whether they are able to progress under water 
as fast as those birds that use the feet alone, 
for the auks are trying to make the same tool 
work for two purposes, to propel them in the 
air as well as in the water. One is impressed 
with the imperfection of their wings for both 
purposes, when one watches a puffin en- 
deavouring to get out of the way of a stearrer. 
First the bird dives and flies under water. 
Then in alarm it rises to the surface and at- 
tempts to ascend into the air on its wings, but 
unless there is a strong wind to act on its small 
aeroplanes, it soon gives up the attempt and 
*Three Voyages of a Naturalist, London, 1908, p. 160. 
200 
