" IN AUDUBON'S LABRADOR 



A few of the nests on Outer Island con- 

 tained eggs, and it was interesting to notice 

 the small size of these eggs of the cormorant 

 as compared with the large eggs of the much 

 smaller murre. The latter bird builds no nest 

 and lays its one beautiful egg anywhere on the 

 rocks. The egg is curiously tapered so as to be 

 much smaller at one end than at the other. 

 This makes it roll in a circle about the smaller 

 end and tends to prevent its falling from ledges. 

 No two are alike in color or markings. They 

 vary from white to brown and sky-blue and 

 are marked as if by an erratic artist with a 

 great variety of spots, lines, dashes, and 

 blotches. These gems of beauty were, how- 

 ever, often sadly befouled so that no trace 

 was to be seen of their exquisite coloring or 

 marking, for the close crowding of so many 

 birds, particularly of cormorants, produces an 

 indescribable filth. The odor is one that clings 

 to the memory as well as to the clothing. 



The owners of these wonderful eggs were 

 still more interesting, the murres, or marmettes 

 as they are called here, — the foolish guille- 

 mots of Audubon and of English writers. They 

 stood about in crowds and anxiously made 

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