LIFE AND HISTORY OF THE ESKIMOS 



Besides hunting on the sea, there is also extensive bird- 

 hunting. The whole coast, from Cape Melville up to Etah, is 

 with very rare intervals the breeding-ground of millions of Sea- 

 kings, which herd together in such great numbers that they are 

 easily caught in ketches from hiding-places between the stones. 



The Sea-kings are small birds of the auk family, about the 

 size of a starling ; they generally live on mountains which go 

 right out into the sea, and here they gather like an enormous 

 floating raft, diving and tumbling after having made those little 

 trips which provide them with food. Their breeding-places lie 

 on the even slope of the mountains, where they make all stone- 

 heaps alive. They sit in close flocks, covering the stones, and 

 their tuneful chirping and merry whistling merge into one 

 mighty tone which makes the whole landscape resound. And 

 when all these flocks do occasionally lift and shoot up into the 

 air, they sweep over land and sea like a tempest. 



This little bird plays an important part in the household 

 economy of the Eskimos, as everybody with a little energy can 

 collect here a winter-store which will last all through the Polar 

 night ; and the soft little skins can be made into underclothing 

 which, worn next to the skin, is warm and comfortable. 



Besides the Sea-kings mountains there are three big auk- 

 mountains — two by Parker Snow Bay and one by Saunders 

 Island. Great flocks of auks, gulls, black guillemots, and 

 fulmars hover round the shelves of the steep fells, and the meaty 

 auk particularly is caught here by the hundreds in ketchers and 

 put away for the dark period (October 1 to February 1). 



Finally, in certain districts, the eider-duck gives its welcome 

 contribution to the household stores of summer and autumn. 



The great abundance of Sea-kings mentioned above is also 

 put to good account in other ways, as these birds attract many 

 blue foxes which find their food on the breeding-ground, not 

 merely in summer but during a great part of the winter as well ; 

 for the wise fox thinks not only of to-day : he also collects his 

 store for the winter, especially during the egg-laying season and 

 before the young are able to fly. During visits to the moun- 

 tains it is not unusual to see a fox coming along very carefully 



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