I02 A SUMMER'S CRUISE TO NORTHERN LABRADOR. 



under projecting rocks, or on overhanging shelves on 

 high cliffs, or under blocks of granite. I found one 

 murre's egg which had been laid on the ice under a huge 

 rock, and as I worked my way under the rock to get at 

 the single egg, the stupid bird did not fly, but simply 

 moved a few steps beyond my reach, making an odd 

 guttural noise. It need scarcely be added that the vicin- 

 ity of a murre's or auk's nest is filthy in the extreme. 

 The egg-shell of these nestless birds is very thick, so 

 that they may roll about or drop down without break- 

 ing ; how they came to be so rnuch more conical or 

 pointed at one end than usual is an interesting question.* 

 We also saw a king eider flying with a small flock of 

 eiders, as well as several "shags" and a northern phal- 

 erope. 



Insect-life was now stirring ; the pools abounded in 

 water boatmen (Corz'xa), and whirligig beetles {Gyri- 

 nus), while a species of feathered gnat {Corethra) was 

 just leaving the pupa, the cast skins of the latter floating 

 on the surface of the pools. A lonely humble-bee was 

 flying fussily about, a syrphus-fly was hovering over the 

 flowers of the cloud-berry, and other insects were found 

 under stones, amongst the moss, or in the water. The 

 appearance of insect-life corresponded to that of south- 



* "There was one bird in particular which we watched for some time, the 

 proud possessor of a brilliant green, strongly marked egg— as usual, to all 

 appearance quite out of proportion to her own size — which she arranged and 

 rearranged under her, trying with beak and wing to tuck the sharp end between 

 her legs, but never quite satisfied that it was covered as it should be. But for 

 the wonderful provision for its safety in the shape of the guillemot's egg {a round, 

 flat-sided wedge, which makes it, when pushed, turn round on the point instead of 

 rolling, as eggs of the usual form if placed on a. bare rock would do), most of 

 those we saw would probably have been dashed to pieces long before." (T. 

 Digby Pigott's Birds of the Outer Faroes, 1888.) 



