IN AUDUBON'S LABRADOR 



United States, but Audubon in 1833 found 

 it breeding in Labrador. There is some con- 

 fusion about it, however, and it is probable 

 that the European mew gull, which he also re- 

 ported as breeding, was in reality this species. 

 Frazar in 1884 found a few moderate-sized 

 colonies of the ring-billed gull in the vicinity 

 of Cape Whittle. Aside from these records 

 very little is known of this interesting bird in 

 Labrador, and my delight at finding a breed- 

 ing-place may be imagined. 



Off Grand Romaine I first saw a group of 

 these birds, and Captain Joncas at once recog- 

 nized them and called them mauves. Near 

 Pointe au Maurier was one of the very numer- 

 ous lies des GoSlands, or Gull Islands, and I saw 

 ring-billed gulls flying over our little harbor 

 on their way to and from this spot. Galibois 

 called the island his poulailler, or poultry-yard, 

 where for many years he had obtained every 

 spring a supply of fresh eggs for the table. The 

 birds had not been disturbed in any way after 

 the first eggs were taken; they laid a second 

 set and brought up their families in peace, so 

 that their numbers had increased rather than 

 diminished. 



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