76 
stated that in a single year, as many as 2,800 narwhal have been taken by 
whalers in and about Eclipse sound. 
This species is so scarce in Cumberland sound that the writer did not 
see a single example, but an Eskimo companion observed two on December 
24, 1925, in an open tide-hole at the entrance to Pangnirtung fiord. 
The Eskimo at Kevetuk and Merchants bay stated that the narwhal 
is entirely absent from these places at all seasons. At Amadjuak bay it 
was said that in late November, 1925, one had been killed near Markham 
bay. 
Kumlien (1879, p. 67) says that in spring and autumn this species 
regularly appears in Cumberland sound, but is by no means abundant. 
Low (1906, p. 275) makes the following remarks: 
“The narwhal appears to replace the white whale in the waters of Ponds inlet, only 
the former being killed there. Numbers are taken in the ice by the whalers of Baffin bay; 
they are not uncommon about Cumberland gulf when the ice still covers its waters. The 
natives of Hudson strait kill numbers of these animals in the early summer, and after the 
shore-ice has formed in the early winter, but none is seen on the south shore during the 
open waters of summer. The narwhal is only found in the northern waters of Hudson 
bay, where it is abundant in the ice-laden waters of Foxe channel and Frozen strait.” 
Birds 
As in the case of the mammals, knowledge of the bird life on Baffin 
island is limited. The eighty-five species composing the following list 
include all those known to occur on the island either as breeders or stragg- 
lers. The Check-List of the American Ornithologists’ LTnion, 1910, and 
its supplements, have been followed. 
The present writer is indebted to A. C. Bent for a list of the birds and 
eggs collected by the MacMillan expedition, in 1921-22, to southwest 
Baffin island. The identification and study of specimens, and the decision 
with respect to matters of nomenclature, were in a very considerable 
measure performed with the aid of P. A. Taverner. 
1. Gavia immer (Briinnich). loon. 
Eskimo: Tudlik; Tullik, - lik , -lit, according to Hantzsch. 
Not observed during the Canadian Arctic Expedition of 1923. On 
July 26, 1924, a large diver, referred to this species, was seen in Pangnir- 
tung fiord. A specimen was taken near the end of the above fiord on 
October 6. In February, 1925, the head skin of one of these birds was 
obtained from Eskimo at Merchants bay, who said the species occurred 
sparingly in that region during summer. 
The first loon was heard at Nettilling lake on June 6, 1925. Specimens 
were collected on June 11, 15, and 19, respectively, after which they were 
observed to be common on Nettilling and small adjacent lakes. Loons 
were especially common in August along the southeast and west shores of 
Nettilling lake to the mouth of Amadjuak river. A few were seen on the 
chain of small lakes between Nettilling lake and fiord, September 10 to 
13, and others in the fiord itself during the next few days. 
The species is recorded by Kumlien (1879, p. 103) 1 as being common 
in Cumberland sound and as breeding there. Hantzsch (1914, p. 165) 
found the loon to be common in eastern and southern parts of Nettilling 
>The date following an author’s name will enable the reader to find the complete bibliographic reference in the 
list of papers quoted at the end of the chapter, page 122, 
