640 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1889. 



laud, when localities seemiugly quite as favorable exist along the shores 

 of Norway. There were apparently plenty of suitable breeding- grounds 

 for the Great Auk in Maine and Labrador, but had the bird bred in small 

 colonies at localities scattered along this wide expanse of territory, it 

 would have been in existence to-day. 



The most important European breeding place of the Garefowl was 

 an islet 25 miles off Reykjaues, Iceland, where, for many years, it led 

 a somewhat precarious existence, several times seeming to have been 

 so reduced in numbers that expeditions in search of birds and eggs 

 were not worth the risk. Still the bird would have existed in this 

 locality many years longer than it did, but for volcanic disturbances in 

 March, 1830, during which the Geirfuglasker sank beneath the sea 

 compelling the existing Garefowl to seek new-breeding places. Most 

 of them appear to have moved to an islet by the name of Eldey, 

 and this being near the coast and more accessible, the few remaining 

 Great Auks were in the course of fourteen years all killed, the last pair 

 being taken about the 3d of June, 1844, this being the last authentic 

 record of the Great Auk in Europe. It was from this locality that 

 most of the skins now extant were obtained, only one mounted speci- 

 men being recorded from American localities, although nearly all 

 skeletons have come from Newfoundland. The history of the Great 

 Auk in America may be said to date from 1534, when, on May 21, two 

 boat's crews from Carrier's vessels lauded on Funk Island, and, as we 

 are told, "In lesse than halfe an hour we filled two boats full of them, 

 as if they had bene stones. So that besides them which we did eat 

 fresh, every ship did powder and salt five or sixe barrels of them." The 

 Great Auk having thus been apprized of the advent of civi ization in 

 the regular manner, continued to be utilized by all subsequent visitors. 

 The French fishermen depended very largely on the Great Auks to 

 supply them with provisions; passing ships touched at Funk Island 

 for supplies; the early colonists barreled them up for wiuter use, and the 

 great abundance of the birds was set forth among other inducements t» 

 encourage emigration to Newfoundland. The immense numbers of the 

 Auks may be inferred from the fact that they withstood these drains for 

 more than two centuries, although laying but a single egg, and conse- 

 quently increasing but slowly under the most favorable circumstances. 

 Finally some one conceived the idea of killing the Garefowl for their 

 feathers, and this sealed its fate. When and where the scheme origin- 

 ated, and how long the slaughter lasted, we know not, for the matter 

 is rather one of general report than of recorded fact, although in this 

 instance circumstantial evidence bears witness to the truth of Cart- 

 wright's statement that it was customary for several crews of men to 

 pass the summer on Funk Island solely to slay the Great Auks for 

 their feathers. That the birds were slain by millions ; that their bodies 

 were left to molder where they were killed ; that stone pens were erected ; 

 and that for some purpose frequent and long continued fires were built 



