60 THE GREAT AUK 



(the Starlings) having put an end to the indigenous 

 insectivorous birds by consuming their food, had turned 

 their attentions to the settlers' orchards, so that a crop 

 of fruit was only to be looked for about once in five 

 years — when the great periodical cyclones had reduced 

 the number of the depredators ? that the Goats had 

 destroyed one half of the original flora and the Rabbits 

 the rest ? that the Pigs devastated the potato gardens 

 and yam-grounds ? This is no fanciful picture. I 

 pretend not to the gift of prophecy ; that is a faculty 

 alien to the scientific mind ; but if we may reason from 

 the known to the unknown, from what has been and 

 from what is to what will be, I cannot entertain a doubt 

 that these things are coming to pass ; for I am sure there 

 are places where what is very like them has already 

 happened. 



None of those who were present are likely to forget 

 the occasion, one evening in Newton's rooms, when a 

 young man interrupted an interesting talk about the 

 fate of (it may have been) Moas with the rather large 

 question : " Why do birds become extinct ? " The 

 Professor replied without hesitation, " Because people 

 don't observe the Game Laws ; see Deuteronomy xxii. 

 6." The conversation languished after that and we soon 

 returned to our various colleges, where we looked up his 

 reference and read — 



If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way 

 in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young 

 ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or 

 upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the 

 young. 



But thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, and take 

 the young to thee ; that it may be well with thee, and that 

 thou may est prolong thy days. 



