. Labrador [microform] : a sketch of its peoples, its industries and its natural history. Natural history; Sciences naturelles. "PIGEON" GUILLEMOT. 95 very far from land, from the opening of the bay in the spring until the ice closes the last open waters early in December. I have found several stages of plumage (referal)le to the ages) of this bird which takes three years to mature. A very extraordinary form marks the second year's growth. The whole plumage is inky black both below and above, and with white blotches imperfectly rounded, the size of an ordinary thimble head, scattered
. Labrador [microform] : a sketch of its peoples, its industries and its natural history. Natural history; Sciences naturelles. "PIGEON" GUILLEMOT. 95 very far from land, from the opening of the bay in the spring until the ice closes the last open waters early in December. I have found several stages of plumage (referal)le to the ages) of this bird which takes three years to mature. A very extraordinary form marks the second year's growth. The whole plumage is inky black both below and above, and with white blotches imperfectly rounded, the size of an ordinary thimble head, scattered irregularly all over it above and below; the bill is blackish carmine, the legs and feet dusky carmine. The wings with a pure white patch as usual. I think the white tail coverts were present, but am not sure on this point. I cannot learn that this i)lumage appears at any other time than in the fall of the year; tm ,⢠are rare here, and apparently pass this stage in some wild place oi region where they are not easily detected. The hunters abor* the coast told me that they were rare. lu uie early fall the pigeon is quite tame, but grows wilder as the cold weather advances. When pursuing them from a boat they arc at times easy to approach while at other'- difficult and very wild without any apparent reason. It will usually dive " at tlie flash," but often when feeding it allows you to come quite near. In feed- ing, the bird bends its neck fonvard and dips its beak into the wa- ter ; at this time, when the head is turned forward and a little away from the hunter, he is generally sure of hitting his game. Often the pigeon takes wing nearly as soon as it perceives a boat ap- proaching, and it is then impossible to get anywhere within shoot- ing distance of it; the flight is then rapid but easy, generally low and straight. \\ hen tame it usually escapes by diving " at the flash " and swimming a great distance under water, easily and in any direction. When woun
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booksubjectsciencesn
