IN AUDUBON'S LABRADOR 



deavored to sail out, but calms, head winds, 

 and heavy seas compelled a resort to sweeps 

 and to towing in the small boat to keep us off 

 the dangerous reefs and bring us back safely 

 to our haven. Our time was not wasted, as 

 both of us were adding to our knowledge of 

 the fauna and flora. (Mr. Dooley said that 

 he should think the wife of a certain explorer 

 would be jealous, as her husband was continu- 

 ally talking of Fauna and Flora.) If the delay 

 continued much longer we decided to change 

 the name of the harbor from Romaine to Re- 

 main. It was one of the occasions when a 

 gasoline motor would have been useful, but I 

 am very glad we were able to accomplish the 

 trip without this unpoetic adjunct. 



The great black-backed gull, which is an 

 abundant breeder all along the coast, is my 

 ideal of a noble-looking bird. It is true that 

 it is a pirate of the worst sort, and takes every 

 opportunity to eat the eggs of terns, eiders, 

 and other water-birds and even to kill and eat 

 the young. On one occasion I saw a gull swoop 

 at a family of eider ducklings, which promptly 

 dived and escaped. On another occasion a gull 

 pounced on a young eider and seized it in its bill, 



