THE MONTAGNAIS INDIANS 



own. The moderate and natural pruning of the 

 savages did no appreciable harm. It is the 

 white man that has brought the birds so low by 

 systematic egging, and, although the eggs are 

 not exported in schooners to Halifax now as in 

 Audubon's day, a continuous robbery of the 

 eggs by the fishermen is still kept up along the 

 coast. And they can hardly be blamed, for 

 eiders' eggs are easily found and make delicious 

 eating. But, as I have said in another place, 1 

 it is a great pity that these men should be 

 allowed to " kill the goose that lays the golden 

 egg," and that they should not be taught like 

 the Norwegians to protect the birds, and take 

 in return for the trouble a moderate amount of 

 down and eggs. This might be made an in- 

 dustry of immense and increasing value to the 

 entire coast, for there is no region better adapted 

 to the needs of the eider duck, but as long as 

 the reckless methods now employed are con- 

 tinued, and as long as guns are so constantly 

 in use in the nesting season, so long will this 

 war of extermination go on until there are no 

 birds left. Would that a Labrador St. Cuth- 

 bert might arise who would bless and tame 



1 Along the Labrador Coast, Boston, 1904, pp. 263, 264. 

 159 



