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,' 
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 
