114 A summer's cruise to northern LABRADOR. 



hill perhaps five hundred feet high, which overlooked the 

 country, we could trace the course of the brook for about 

 two miles, where it ran down a steep ravine, with ponds 

 on either side, from which flowed streams sending thin 

 and broken sheets of water over steep precipices. The 

 lake from which the stream issued was perhaps a mile 

 long, situated on high land, and a foaming stream poured 

 into it from the northwest, while farther on in another 

 depression was probably a second lake like the one in 

 view. Such is an ordinary Labrador stream — a chain of 

 ponds connected by rapids or waterfalls. There was a 

 dreary sameness to the surface of the country, relieved, 

 however, by a few snow-banks. During our ramble we 

 heard the familiar liquid notes of the wood thrush, and 

 saw some coots flying over the pond. In the afternoon 

 the wind hauled into the eastward and was followed by 

 rain. 



The 24th was misty and drizzly ; the wind east veering 

 to the northeast. We dredged all the afternoon, part of 

 the time scraping a coralline bottom. An arctic sea-cu- 

 cumber {Pentacta calcigera) was common in five fathoms 

 in mud, with the largest Serripes yet met with. The 

 most interesting form brought up was a beautiful hydroid 

 {Coryne mirabilis) growing on the red sea-weed {Ptilota 

 elegans). It was anchored by its stalk, with bell-shaped 

 medusae attached, which were provided with four pink 

 eyes and short, thick, knotted tentacles, the pendant 

 proboscis being very long, club-shaped and of a pinkish 

 hue. 



While lying at anchor a few boat's lengths from shore 

 we were visited by two or three weasels, which must 

 have swum off to the vessel. They were exceedingly 



