The Expedition to Funk Island, with Observations upon the 

 History and Anatomy of the Great A.uk. 



By Frederic A. Lucas. 



Note.— la 1885 the writei- suggested to Professor Baird the desirability of visiting 

 Fuuk Island for the purpose of obtaiuiug remains of the Great Auk, but in view of 

 the attendant expense and many difBculties to be surmounted, the project was uot 

 then carried out. 



lu 1887 Professor Baird decided to send the U. S. Fish Commission schooner Gram- 

 pus to northeastern Newfoundland and Labrador to investigate the truth of the many 

 reports of the abundance of mackerel in the adjacent waters, and since the route pro- 

 posed would take the vessel to the vicinity of Funk Island, the writer was detailed 

 to accompany the expedition. 



The Grampus left Gloucester, Massachusetts, on July 2, andreturnedto Wood'sHoll, 

 Massachusetts, on September 2, having visited the following places: the Magdalen 

 Islands, Bird Rocks, St. Johns, Newfoundland ; Funk Island, Penguin Islands, off 

 Cape Freels; Seldom-Come-By, Fogo Island; Toulinguet, Canada Bay, Black Bay, 

 Labrador; Mingau Islands, and Perc^, Canada. 



So far as possible collections were made at these localities, aqd while In many the 

 fauna was exiremely scanty, the material obtained was extremely valuable. 



The collection of bones of the Great Auk obtained at Funk Island equaled in ex- 

 tent all other existing collections combined, and the opportunity was afforded for 

 thoroughly exploring this interesting spot for the first time. 



Professor Baird never knew of the complete success of the expedition, and the sad 

 intelligence of his death reached the party at Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, while 

 on its return. 



A. — The Bird Books and Funk Island in 1887. 



It is now about fifty years since the Great Ank succumbed to the 

 incessant persecution of man, disappeared almost simultaneously from 

 the shores of Europe and America, and became extinct. 



Found along the coast of Newfoundland by the early explorers, the 

 countless myriads of this flightless fowl had been hunted to the death 

 with the murderous instincts and disregard for the morrow so charac- 

 teristic of the white race. 



While from a strictly utilitarian stand-point there may be no reason 

 to mourn for the Great Auk, the naturalist can but regret its wanton 

 destruction and deplore the loss of so interesting a bird. 



As the buffalo contributed to the opening of the great West, and the 

 Ehytina aided in the exploration of the northwest coast, the Great Auk 

 played its part in settling Newfoundland, and we may derive what con- 

 solation we can from Richard Whitbourne's dictum thut ^^ God made 

 the innocency of so poor a creature to become such an admirable 

 instrument for the sustentation of man." 



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