IN AUDUBON'S LABRADOR 



to harm their young after a tr5ang experience 

 on the first day when I put aluminum bands 

 on the legs of these same youngsters. During 

 this process the parents launched themselves 

 at me, screaming violently, and forgot their 

 usual timidity by approaching within half a 

 gunshot. Morning and evening and at various 

 times through the day the slightly larger male 

 and the smaller female of each pair could be 

 seen standing side by side, looking affection- 

 ately at each other from time to time, and 

 glancing proudly about at their offspring, which 

 were crouching flat on the rocks or in the moss 

 waiting until their last meal should be so far 

 absorbed that nature demanded more. The 

 splendid snow-white heads, breasts, and tails 

 of the old birds contrasted strikingly with 

 their broad blue-black backs and wings. Pairs 

 of these birds in the same attitude were com- 

 mon sights all along this Labrador coast, and 

 they [rose up with their threatening screams 

 whenever we landed. Their nests were often 

 on the highest points, sometimes great shallow 

 saucer-shaped depressions in the moss and 

 turf, sometimes built elaborately with grass 

 stalks, small sticks, feathers, and dry seaweed. 



