266 THE ZOOLOGY OF THE LABRADOR COAST. 



wards the end of October. At time of birth they are 

 the size of a large rat, white in color, helpless, and with 

 closed eyes. They are suckled for five months, the male 

 assisting in rearing them." * 



With the white bear is still associated the walrus?, 

 which was formerly as abundant on this coast, and in 

 the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the Magdalen Islands and 

 certain parts of Nova Scotia, as it now is in the polar 

 regions. 



The Britons and Basques, as well as the English, went 

 to the Gulf of St. Lawrence after morses, during the 

 years 1591-93. How abundant they were is stated in 

 " A relation of the first voyage and discoverie of the 

 Isle Ramea, made by for Monsieur de La 



Court Pre Rauillon, and Grand Pre, with the ship 

 called the Bonaventure, to kill and make Traineoil of the 

 beast called the Morses with great teeth, which we have 

 perfourmed by Gods helpe this yeere 1591." (Hakluyt 



iii- 235-) 



" The coast stretcheth three leagues to the west from 

 Lisle Blanch or the white Isle, vnto the entrance of a 

 riuer, where we slewe and .killed to the number of fif- 

 teene hundred Morses or Sea oxen, accounting small and 

 great, when at full sea you may come on shoare with 

 boates, and within are two or three fathoms water." 



"The 14 [June] we came to the two Islands of Birds, 

 some 23 leagues fro Menego ; where there were such 

 abundance of Birds, as is almost incredible to report. 

 And vpon the lesse of these Islands of Birds, we saw 

 great store of Morsses or sea Oxen, which were a sleepe 



* Miles Spencer, Annual Report of the Geological and Natural History Survey 

 of Canada. New Series, iii. Part 2, 1878-88, p. 76. 



