We found that camping out at night was extremely uncomfortable, on account of the annoyance caused by flies and musquitoes, which attacked the hunters in swarms at all times, but more especially when they lay down, unless they enveloped themselves in thick smoke, which is not much more pleasant. Once when camping, the weather became very bad, and the party was twenty miles distant from Whapatiguan as night threw her mantle over the earth. The rain fell in torrents, the north-east wind blew furiously, and the air was extremely cold. The oars of the boats were fixed so as to support some blankets, and a small fire was with difficulty kindled, on the embers of which a scanty meal was cooked. How different from a camp on the shores of the Mississippi, where wood is abundant, and the air generally not lacking heat, where musquitoes, although plentiful enough, are not accompanied by carraboo flies, and where the barkings of a joyful squirrel, or the notes of the Barred Owl, that grave buffoon of our western woods, never fail to gladden the camper as he cuts to the right and left such branches and canes as most easily supply materials for forming a lodging for the night! On the coast of Labrador there are no such things; granite and green moss are spread around, silence like that of the grave envelopes all, and when night has closed the dreary scene from your sight, the wolves, attracted by the scent of the remains of your scanty repast, gather around you. Cowards as they are, they dare not venture on a charge; but their howlings effectually banish sleep. You must almost roast your feet to keep them warm, while your head and shoulders are chilled by the blast. When morning comes, she smiles not on you with rosy cheeks, but appears muffled in a grey mantle of cold mist, which shews you that there is no prospect of a fine day. The object of the expedition, which was to procure some Owls that had been observed there by day, was entirely frustrated. At early dawn, the party rose stiffened and dispirited, and glad were they to betake themselves to their boats, and return to their floating home.
Before we left Labrador, several of my young friends began to feel the want of suitable clothing. The sailors’ ever-tailoring system was, believe me, fairly put to the test. Patches of various colours ornamented knees and elbows; our boots were worn out; our greasy garments and battered hats were in harmony with our tanned and weather-beaten faces; and, had you met with us, you might have taken us for a squad of wretched vagrants; but we were joyous in the expectation of a speedy return, and exulted at the thoughts of our success.
As the chill blast that precedes the winter’s tempest thickened the fogs on the hills and ruffled the dark waters, each successive day saw us more anxious to leave the dreary wilderness of grim rocks and desolate moss-clad valleys. Unfavourable winds prevented us for a while from spreading our white sails; but at last one fair morning smiled on the wintry world, the Ripley was towed from the harbour, her tackle trimmed, and as we bounded over the billows, we turned our eyes toward the wilds of Labrador, and heartily bade them farewell for ever!
THE HERRING GULL.
Larus argentatus, Brunn.
PLATE CCXCI. Male.
On the 22d of May 1833 I was kindly received with my party on board the United States revenue-cutter the Swiftsure, commanded by Captain Cooledge, and on the morning of the next day was landed on White Head Island, at the entrance of the Bay of Fundy. This island is the property of a worthy Englishman of the name of Frankland, who received us with great hospitality, gave us leave to ransack his domains, and invited us to remain as long as we pleased. The Herring Gulls, he said, were breeding in great numbers, and we might expect good sport. We immediately set out in search of them, directing our course toward the pine woods, in which we were informed we should find them, and in approaching which we passed over an elevated marsh of great extent. As we came up to the place I observed that many of the Gulls had alighted on the fir-trees, while a vast number were sailing around, and when we advanced nearer, the former took to wing, abandoning their nests, and all flew about uttering incessant cries.
I was greatly surprised to see the nests placed on the branches, some near the top, others about the middle or on the lower parts of the trees, while at the same time there were many on the ground. It is true I had been informed of this by our captain, but I had almost believed that, on arriving at the spot, I should find the birds not to be gulls. My doubts, however, were now dispelled, and I was delighted to see how strangely Nature had provided them with the means of securing their eggs and young from their arch-enemy man. My delight was greatly increased on being afterwards informed by Mr Frankland that the strange habit in question had been acquired by these gulls within his recollection, for, said he, “when I first came here, many years ago, they all built their nests on the moss and in open ground; but as my sons and the fishermen collected most of their eggs for winter use, and sadly annoyed the poor things, the old ones gradually began to put their nests on the trees in the thickest parts of the woods. The youngest birds, however, still have some on the ground, and the whole are becoming less wild since I have forbidden strangers to rob their nests; for, gentlemen, you are the only persons out of my family that have fired a gun on White Head Island for several years past, and I daresay you will not commit any greater havock among them than is necessary, and to that you are welcome.”
I was much pleased with the humanity of our host, and requested him to let me know when all the Gulls, or the greater part of them, would abandon the trees and resume their former mode of breeding on the ground, which he promised to do. But I afterwards found that this was not likely to happen, because on some other islands not far distant, to which the fishermen and eggers have free access, these Gulls breed altogether on the trees, even when their eggs and young are regularly removed every year, so that their original habits have been entirely given up. My opinion that, after being thus molested for some time longer, they may resort to the inaccessible shelves of the high rocks of these islands, was strengthened by Mr Frankland’s informing me that many pairs had already taken refuge in such places, where they bred in perfect security. The most remarkable effect produced by these changes of locality is, that the young which are hatched on the trees or high rocks, do not leave their nests until they are able to fly, while those on the ground run about in less than a week, and hide themselves at the sight of man among the moss and plants, which frequently saves them from being carried away. The young on the trees are shaken out of their nests, or knocked down with poles, their flesh being considered as very good by the fishermen and eggers, who collect and salt them for winter provision.
Some of the nests which I saw were placed at a height of more than forty feet on the trees, others, seen in the thickest parts of the woods, were eight or ten feet from the ground, and were placed close to the main stem, so as to be with difficulty observed. It was truly curious to see the broad-winged birds make their way to and from them in these secluded retreats. The nests placed on the ground were several yards apart, and measured from fifteen to eighteen inches in diameter, their cavity being from four to six. The lower stratum consisted of grass, plants of various kinds, moss, and grey lichens, and the whole was lined with fine bent, but without any feathers. Those on the trees measured from twenty-four to twenty-six inches in diameter externally, and were composed of the same materials, but in greater quantity, the object of which I thought might be to allow more space to the young while growing, as they could not enjoy the pleasure of running about like those hatched on the ground. Perhaps, however, the smaller size of the nests placed there may be owing to their belonging to the younger Gulls, as I have often observed that the older the individual the larger is its nest. Mr Frankland informed me that they frequently repair the old nests at the commencement of the breeding season, and I found the assertion proved by my own observation. The eggs, which are three, measure three inches in length, by two in breadth, have an oval somewhat pyriform shape, are rough though not granulated, and are of a dull yellowish earthy colour, irregularly blotched and spotted with dark umber. They are nearly as large as those of the Great Black-backed Gull; but they differ considerably in size as well as in colour, some being more or less rounded or elongated. The yolk is bright orange, the albumen bluish-white; and they are excellent eating.
About the beginning of May the Herring Gulls collect into great flocks for the purpose of reproducing, and betake themselves to large sand-bars or mud-flats at low water, where their cacklings may be heard at a great distance. With the aid of a glass you may see them going through their courtships; the males swell their throats, walk about proudly, throw their heads upwards, and emit their love notes. These general meetings take place at all hours of the day, according to the state of the tide, and continue for about a fortnight, when they all depart and betake themselves to the islands on which they breed. Several of these are situated near the one mentioned, and there is one near Cape Sable, a few miles from the most southern point of Nova Scotia, on which we saw thousands alighted on the trees as we were sailing along that coast on our way to Labrador. Some individuals begin to lay about the 19th of May or a few days earlier, while others have not finished the process until the middle of June. During this period they resort at certain hours to bare rocky islets, on which they copulate. At White Head Island, while we were seated on the edge of a beautiful sand-bar eating our dinner, we saw, on one of these rocks, a vast number forming as it were a dense mass, which covered about half an acre. At twelve o’clock, we observed that all those which were not sitting on their eggs, flew over us and alighted on the sea, about half a mile from the shore, where they remained upwards of an hour, swimming gracefully but in silence all the while. A seal happening to raise its head above the water frightened them, and all raised their wings as if about to fly. Soon after they rose all at once, separated, and went off in search of food, but returned in less than an hour to the island, flying high and cackling loudly. A little before sunset all those unoccupied with incubation went off to the same rocky islands to roost, flying in silence, and mostly in files. It was curious to observe that, whenever a large flock made towards the sea cackling, all the ducks about immediately flew off to a considerable distance, as if afraid of them; and we saw that these Gulls, although timorous in the presence of man, shew great courage in attacking predatory birds, such as Jays, Crows, Ravens, and even Hawks, which they pursued and forced into the deep woods, or drove away from the vicinity of their nests.