gorge between vertical walls. It was of the kind called by Audubon
_Falco Labradora_, concerning which Professor Baird, of the Smithsonian
Institute, who has had the kindness to write to me, doubts whether it
may not be an immature stage of _Falco Candicans_, one of the two
undoubted species of Arctic falcons. Captain Handy, however, a very
observant and intelligent man, was sure, from the feeling of the bones,
that it must be an old bird.

Once more only I will ask the reader to accompany me. We had gone ashore
in a place called Stag Bay, not to hunt stags, but to seek a bear, to
whose acquaintance we seemed to have obtained a preliminary introduction
by trustworthy informations. Bruin, however, positively declined the
smallest approach to intimacy, refusing even to look at our cards, and
sending out the most hopeless "Not at home." Separating, therefore, we
strolled on the beach,--for a beach there actually was at this
place,--and observing some Piping Plovers, tiny waders, I made for them.
One of them stood as sentinel on a rock, and, thinking the ornithologist
might like him for a specimen, I fired. The large shot scattered around
him, the distance being considerable, without injury; but I insisted on
his being dead, and searched as if enough of searching would in some way
cause him to be so. It wouldn't, however; and I was about turning away,
when, a rod or two off, I saw him evidently desperately wounded. "Ah!
there is my bird, after all," I muttered, and started with a leisurely
step to pick it up. Terrified at my approach, the little wretch began to
hobble and flutter away, keeping about his original distance. I
quickened my pace; he exerted his broken strength still more, and made
out to mend his. I walked as rapidly as I could; but new terror lent the
poor thing new wings, and it contrived--I could not for my life
conjecture how--to keep a little beyond my reach. It would not do to
leave him suffering thus; and I coaxed myself into a quick run, when up
the little hypocrite sprang, and scudded away like a bee! Not the
faintest suspicion of its being otherwise than at death's door had
entered my mind until that moment, though I had seen this trick less
skilfully performed before.

Returning, I went to the top of the beach and began examining the coarse
grass which grew there, thinking that the nests must be hereabout, and
desirous of a peep at the eggs. I had hardly pushed my foot in this
grass a few times, w