M UK RE. 
501 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Eggs, placed on shelves of rocky cliffs, one in number, pyriform in shape, varying from white, through blue, to green 
in color, spotted and blotched with dark-brown and umber. Dimensions from l - 75x2'90 to 2 - 15x3 , 5o. 
IIABITS. 
I did not find the Murres on any of the Magdalen Islands, excepting Bird Rock, hut 
they were remarkably abundant there, thousands nesting on the rocky shelves, sitting side 
by side on the narrow parapets, and, although often crowded together, never making the 
least attempt to quarrel. When we descended the cliffs and approached the ledges on 
which the Murres were nesting, they would crowd together or press against the wall be¬ 
hind them; as we went nearer, the birds would bow the head forward until the bill almost 
touched the surface upon which they stood, and utter a curious, gutteralnote which sound¬ 
ed almost exactly like the syllable murre. This opperation was repeated frequently, until 
at last the males would fly, leaving the females with the eggs or young. When we were 
within a few feet of them, the poor birds would turn their heads right and left, open their 
mouths to pant for breath, shrink as far from us as they could without exposing their charges, 
in fact, evincing by every movement, extreme fear. If taken in the hand, they never at¬ 
tempted to defend themselves, but simply gazed at us piteously with their beautiful, almond 
shaped eyes, or cast imploring glances at their helpless charge left unprotected. The Murres 
migrate southward in November and I have seen them off the coast of Northern Florida. . 
My readers will naturally wonder how we succeeded in getting away from this lonely 
islet, for we had not been on the Rock more than forty-eight hours, when, having collect¬ 
ed quite a supply of birds and eggs, we became anxious to leave, that we might take prop¬ 
er care of our specimens. We therefore asked the light-keeper what signals he used when 
he wanted assistance from vessels. He replied, that he raised the British flay at half-mast. 
Thus we kept this signal flying whenever it was possible for a boat,to land, but it was not 
until the ninth day, that we perceived signs on any of the fishing vessels, which indicated 
that they had observed our call for aid. On this day there had been a slight breeze from 
the west, bringing several small schooners down from Bryon. We waited patiently until one 
of the vessels came within hailing distance, when with the flag still half-mast, we gathered 
together on that side of the rock and discharged our guns simultaneously, at the same time 
displaying a red flag. All this, at last, produced the desired effect and they came to anch¬ 
or. A boat was lowered, and after some delay, we boarded the vessel with our speci¬ 
mens. We did not leave the locality, however, until nearly night, and the last view I had 
of the island, was by the light of the setting sun, when the huge, rocky bastion stood out 
in strong relief against the western sky, with a circling coronet of Grannets over it, form¬ 
ing a picture which will never be effaced from my memory. 
