TOWNSEND AND ALLEN: LABRADOR BIRDS. 
303 
Palmer says: “At the Mingan group these birds breed only on an 
islet near Mingan or Bald Island, and on the little group of islets to 
the westward called Perroquet Islands.” 
Frazar records a large colony—about 1000 — nesting at Wolf Island 
near Cape Whittle. Of the thousand nests, he found twelve with 
two eggs. Macoun says they breed at Gannet Island. 
Norton (’01, p. 142) from an examination of specimens brought 
back by the Bowdoin college expedition, finds that the Labrador 
birds “differ perceptibly from the European birds in having the out¬ 
line of the culmen less convex — descending directly from the base 
of the culmen to its tip — and in having the eminentia symphysis in 
relation to the base of the tomia farther back. The bill is heavier 
in appearance, being relatively shorter and deeper.’ The mandible is 
in the average deeper, and the keel of the gonys much thicker.” 
Temminck described the American bird under the name of Mormon 
glacialis. Norton concludes therefore that “it is evident that glacialis 
of Temminck is the American subspecies which if not worthy of recog¬ 
nition, must make his glacialis a synonym of arctica .” 
As will be seen by the table, we met with Puffins all along the Labra¬ 
dor coast but especially in the Straits of Belle Isle near Bradore. Here 
on August 3d, between 5 and 6.30 a. m., we passed within a mile 
of Paroqueet Island going in and out from Bradore. The island is 
somewhat over an acre in extent, composed of soft red Cambrian 
sandstone, which is elevated to the height of 20 or 30 feet with a small 
cliff on the seaward side. Puffins were to be seen flying about the 
island in large numbers. Many were sitting on thfe rocks of the 
shore below the cliffs, others occupied the flat top of the island. The 
surface of the water all about was dotted with them. Singly and in 
groups of two or three,— very often the latter number,— and in larger 
flocks of seven or eight these birds were flying straight away from the 
island, generally close to the water. Others were returning close to the 
water or at an elevation of 50 or 60 feet each with a capelin hanging 
from its bill. There were at least 500 of them, perhaps many more. 
As observed from the steamer all along the coast, Puffins generally 
allowed of close approach. After dipping its head nervously into the 
water several times, a bird would either fly away with difficulty, 
splashing along the water some distance in its endeavor to rise above 
it, or it would flop out its wings and dive, using its wings under water 
for subaqueous flight. Occasionally the two actions were combined 
