THE LO ON. 



Vol. 1. White Sul., W. Va., Jan'y., 1889 No. L 



The Great Auk. A. impennis. 



Sixty or seventy years ago the birds were exceedingly 

 common along the northern coast, coming as far south as 

 Nahant. Lut warfare was commenced upon them, and, 

 though it hardly seems possible, their extermination is 

 doubtless complete, the last living bird having been killed 

 in 1844 on a group of islands called Funglasker, oft' the 

 southwest coast of Iceland. 



In the last century, these birds, which were large, hand- 

 some, and striking in appearance, were common at the 

 Faroe Islands; and, as they were found to be good eating, 

 they were slaughtered by the boatload, not only for im- 

 mediate use, but to be dried and preserved. They were 

 finally driven to a desolate rock that was considered inac- 

 cessible; but one calm day a Faroese vessel succeeded in 

 making a landing, and the crew destroyed nearly the en- 

 tire rookery. A few birds escaped to sea and returned 

 after the departure of the men, and for a time were safe. 



Then, as if nature herself were in league against them, 

 the rock, a few years later, was engulfed by a submarine 

 eruption. 



