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Home , Cape Freels, Funk Island, Great Auk

HISTORY

The breeding of , : an historical perspective

I. R. Kirkham and W. A. Montevecchi

UNKISLAND, the last and possibly larger (0.8 x 0.4 km) granitic rock ap- risse, 1900). The first descriptivedocu- the only breeding ground of the proximately 14 m at its highest point, mentation was by Cartier during his Great (Pinguinus impennis) in are about 60 km NNE of Cape Freels, voyageto North America in 1534 (Blg- North America, holdsa focal positionin Newfoundland (Fig. 1). Funk Island gar, 1924). The largest rock, Funk Is- ornithological lore and legend. Many was first discoveredby Europeansdur- land, is aptly named as a place of panic popular articles about the island (e.g. ing early voyages to the New World, and/or stifling smell. The enormous Garrlty, 1960; Russell, 1965; Bruem- probably by Cortereal in 1501, and ap- number of murres and amount of guano mer, 1971)and a 1975documentary film pearedon a map in 1503drawn by Pedro producedannually easily satisfytwo of by D.N. Nettleship, have been pro- Reinel, a cartographer, who labelled a the meanings of funk. duced. Although systematictreatments "Y.-dos-Aves" or "Island'of Birds," Funk Island is a low lying rock most of the island's avifauna exist (Lucas, near the location of Funk Island (Har- of which is washed over by the sea 1888a; Tuck, 1961), no report has at- tempted to draw together what is known into an historicalperspective. The writ- ten accounts relating to Funk Island afford a rare opportunity in this regard, since the descriptive material spans a periodof almost450 years from the first in 1534by JacquesCartier to the present day Here we review the literature and much of the unpublished information, primarily that of the late Leslie M. Tuck (see Montevecchi, 1981), concerning the breedingbirds of Funk Island. Many problems arise with an historical av- lfauna analysiscovering a time spanof this magnitude. Past accounts occur in diverse and often obscure literature and are written with varying degreesof uni- ßFumk 18 formity, reliability and precision. Ob- server interests and efforts are not al- ways comparable. We have attempted to standardize our use of all sources of information and as a result have elimi- nated some of them. In the present paper we synthesize what is known Atlamtic about the nesting birds of Funk Island Ocean over the past 450 years.

METHODS

StudyArea.--The "Funks" (49ø 46'N, 53ø11'W), two small bunkers and a Figure1. Map of EasternCanada, showingNewfoundland and Funk Island.

Volume 36, Number 2 111 during the fall and winter. One area of the island, high enoughto afford protec- tion from the waves, supportspredomi- nantly grassy vegetation. In addition to lichens and mosses, at least 16 plant specieshave been identified at one time or another (Lucas, 1888a; L.M. Tuck, unpubl.). Stone huts and pounds were built on the grassy knoll by men who in the summersof the 18thcentury went to Funk Island to kill Great (Cartwright, 1792; Lucas, 1888a.b). A cairn of large granitic slabs now marks this site (Fig. 2). These large rocks have been sculpturedby winter sea ice, leav- ing much of the island's surfacepocked with shallow depressions. The northwesternshore slopesgradu- ally into the sea and was likely a landing spot used by Great Auks (L.M. Tuck, pers. comm.). The southwestern and northeastern sides are precipitous, dropping about 6-10 meters to the wa- ter. The northeastern head of the island is separatedby a fault that runs west to east, terminating in a rugged bight known as Indian Gulch. The favored landing ledge, "the Bench", is about 55 meters west of the island's northeastern tip. An alternative landing site, "Land- ing Rock", in the southwestern cove, has also been used. The cold waters of the Labrador Cur- rent flowing south from the Hudson and Davis straits, surround Funk Island. Primary biotic productivity of thesewa- ters is very high and support an abun- dance of zooplankton, fishes, sealsand whales. This cold, productive water is responsible for the large numbers of seabirdsnesting on the island (see also Tuck, 1961; Nettleship and Tull, 1970; Olson et al., 1979).

HistoricalAnalysis.--In the course of our literature review, we restricted our- selvesto written accountsby individu- Figure 2. skulls and assorted bones e_•umedfrom the als who either landed on Funk Island or grassy knoll which sarrounds the cairn on Funk Island (photo: documented the existence of Great WAML Auks in Newfoundland. The singleex- ception is Templeman (1945}, who be- causeof rough seaswas unable to land speciesdiversity and abundance. not mentionedin what appearedto be an on Funk, but made careful observations The data in Table I are presentedas attempt to give a full avifaunal accounta of the breeding birds from about 100 population indicators and not as sys- 0 was recorded. Many estimates were meters offshore. Owing to the popular tematically obtained census figures based on partial counts and subjective fiction that surrounds Great Auks and which may not be strictly comparable. impressions rather than standardized Funk Island, there has been a prolifera- Early accountsoften allowed us to draw censustechniques. tion of accounts in historical and recent inferencesregarding a 'relative The following are a seriesof accounts times which are often based on second- abundance (i.e., large or small num- of all the birds known to have bred or hand information, speculation and ex- bers). When such inference was not presentlybreeding on Funk Island. The aggeration.As a consequencewe were possibleand a specieswas mentioned, it history of the Greak Auk and circum- highly selective in our choice of litera- was recorded as present. Conversely, stances surrounding its are ture and have usedonly direct reportsof when a specieswas noted as absent or treated more extensively.

112 American Birds, March 1982 Figure 3. Great Auks on Funk Island. A Roger T. Peterson watercolor. eomtnissionedby the Newfoundlandgovernment for "The Birds of Ne*•foandland" by Peters and Barleigh (1951). Courtes),of the Department of Tourism Recreation and Culture, Governmentof Neufoand- land.

Volume 36, Number 2 i 13 RESULTS on Funk Island and on other islands around Newfoundland (Montevecchi etai., 1978).

PREVIOUS NESTERS Gannet (Morus bassanus).---Thegannet colony was present Great Auk (Pinguinus impennis).--The Bootbucks, an ex- on Funk Island when Cartier visited in 1534 and was gone tinct race of Newfoundland Indians, apparentlytook eggsof sometimebefore Lucas' visit in 1887. although Gannets were auks and other , making one to two trips annually to still remembered by some local people (Lucas, 1888a). The Funk Island (Cartwright, 1792). Canoe paddles and arrow- reasonfor the extinction of this gannetry is nol documented, heads have been found on the island in lndian Gulch, hence although human exploitation is very possiblesince the Great Auk had been decimated about the same time. Fishermen the name (Lloyd, 1874). Cartier, and M. Hore in 1536(Jame- son, 1906) found the seabirds on Funk lsland a good source used gannets for bait and apparently had little regard for of fresh meat. especially the flightlessGreat Auk {Fig. 3). Sir them, as they were thought to be competitors for surface Humphrey Gilbert (1583, cited in Lucas, 1888a) and Sir shoaling fish, e.g., herring and mackerel {Tuck, 1961). Richard Whirbourne (1620. p.9) both refer to the salting of Wynne-Edwards (1935) passedby Funk Island in 1934and auks. Whirbourne {16201noted that these auks "multiply so saw no indication of nesting Gannets. In July 1936, Gilliard infinitely" on Funk Island that they were often driven "hun- (1937) landed and found seven nesting pairs near the grassy dreds at a time" onto gang planks and into waiting boats. A knoll. Gilllard suspected that because Wynne-Edwards statement by Whirbourne is so frequently quoted, as to serve passednorth of the island, he might not have seen the nest- as an epitaph for the Great Auk. "... God had made the ing Gannets. Since the colony was re-established. the popu- innocency of so poor a creature, to become such an admir- lation has increased substantially from seven to approxi- able instrument for the sustenation of man." This was mately 40(I0 pairs in about 40 years (Fig. 41. The rapid taken on a regular basis by many of the French, English and population growth through immigration was likely related to Spanishfishing ships along the northeastern coast of New- the slight warming of the Labrador Current which led to the foundland. In the English Pilot (1767), Great Auks were more northerly migration of mackerel (Tuck, 1961). illustrated as a navigation indicator of the Newfoundland Grand Banks (see Fig. 4 in Lysaght. 1971: see also Harvey. 1892; Shaw, 1940). Throughout the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries the Great Auks on Funk Island were relentlessly persecuted for their feathers and meat. These birds were herded into stone- walled pounds, then boiled in large caldrons (Allen, 1876L and as there was no wood on the island, fat from the bodies fueled the fires (Harvey, 18921.After the feathers were re- moved, carcasseswere heaped and are now, through decay, the substrate of the grassy knoll (see Fig. 2). In 1785, one of the first warnings of the auk's extermina- tion was made by Captain George Cartwright (1792). Magis- trates in St. John's enforced a ban on egg and bird poaching by publicly flogging offenders (Elliot, 1786). The embargo was too late, and the bird was extinct on Funk Island in the early 1800s.The lasl known pair was killed in 1844 on Eldey Island, (Grieve, 1885).

Arctic Tern (Sternaparadisaea).--First recorded nestingon Funk lsland in 1841 by P. Stuvitz, Arctic is the only tern species known to have bred there {Milne, 18751. During the late 1800s, large numbers were recorded nesting. They have not been observed breeding on the island since 1952 (L.M. Tuck, unpubl. data). The reasonsfor their disappearanceare not clear. although competition for nesting sites with murres and predation by Larus gulls are possibilities.

PRESENT NESTERS

Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis).--The fulmar, the most recent breeding arrival to Funk Island, was first ob- served displaying there in 1959 by L.M. Tuck and J. Fisher. The first breeding pair was found in 1975, and the population increased slowly to nine pairs in 1980. Fulmars are extending their breeding range in a southerly direction on both sidesof the Atlantic {Fisher. 1966: Montevecchi et al., 1978: Lock, 19791.On Funk lsland they nest beneath rocks. in crevices and on low ledges in the rocky habitat •urrounding the Figure 4. Gannet eolony dispersed over the fiat 1• W end oJ Fun• grassy knoll. Fulmar numbers will likely continue to increase Island (photo: WAM).

114 American Birds, March 1982 Great Black-backed(Larus marinus) and Herring gulls (L. 1874 when Milne (1875) visited. Lucas (1889) reported •mall argentatus).--Within the last 30-40 years these two large numbers of murres in 1887 and attributed their decline since gulls began nestingon Funk Island. The populationsseem to 1874 to intensive egging activities. Since then the breeding have increased in recent years. Tuck (1961) and Nettleship population has grown exponentially. In the 1950s, murres (1972) have previously reported that these Ladds do not nested in three distinct colonies at the northeastern and interact in a significant way with other seabirds nesting on southwestern ends and center of the island (Tuck, 1961). Funk lsland. This is no longer the case, and since 1977 we There is now a fairly continuous band of nesting murres from have documented extensive predation of Common (Thin- one end of the island to the other (Fig. 6). Based on the billed} Murres' eggs and chicks (Fig. 5). systematicestimate in 1975, it appearsthat the 1959figure of 500,000 breeding pairs by Tuck and J. Fisher is probably high (D.N. Nettleship, pers. comm.). The 1975 estimate of 396,461 breeding pairs represent about 80% of the North American population(Birkhead and Nettleship, 1980).

Thick-billed Murre ( lomvia).--These murres were first reported breeding on Funk Island in 1951. The only concentration is on a narrow ledge at the mouth of Indian Gulch that can only be seen from one or two locations and may have been overlooked during previous censuses(e.g., Lucas, 1888a; Peters and Burleigh, 1951). Unlike their con- generic relatives, Thick-billed Murres do not appear to have increasedin numbers.The breedingpopulation has remained relatively constant, as Tuck (1961, p.59) statesfor the years 1951-59 they "did not change appreciably" from 250 pairs. The lack of ocean-facingcliff ledges on the island may limit the population, as their selection of nest-sites is much more restricted than that of Common Murres (Tuck, 1961). Thick- billed Murres nest primarily in the Arctic, and Funk Island is close to the southern extent of the breeding range overlap- ping with the more southerly distributed (Tuck, 1961; Brown et al., 1975). ß .. ,• •--'•.•-N•. •

Figure5. Great Black-backedGull caro'ing•ff tl Thin-billed(Com- mon) Marre egg •photo: WAM).

Black-leggedKittiwake (Rissatridactyla).--Kittiwakes have nestedon Funk Island for at least the past 45 years and may have begun nesting there when the foreign fishery on the Funk Island Banks expanded. Breeding pairs and nestswere Figure 7. A Common Puffin outside a bar- first counted in 1978 and recounted in 1979. All previous row near the cairn on Fank Island (photo: IRK). figures were simple estimates. L.M. Tuck (pers. comm.) found that kittiwakes nesting in the northern fault of the Common Puffin (Fratercula arctica).--Puffins were first re- island occasionally lost nests during severe storms, which corded on Funk Island aboul 75 years after the Great Auk's may have contributedto the varied numbersreported. With demise (Milne, 1875). The population appears to have re- the exception of Thick-billed Murres, kittiwake is the only mained constant in recent years around 1000breeding pairs, speciesthat nests exclusively on the island's cliffs. although owing to difficulties with censusingno systematic counts have been made. Nest burrows are dug in soil made (Alca torda).--These crevice- and cliff-nesters, up mostly of humus from decomposedGreat Auks (Fig. 7)• were first observed nesting on Funk Island by Milne in 1874. Available nesting habitat is limited by the humus deposits, the same year puffins were first reported. Funk Island and and the presentpopulation is likely close to an upper limit. elsewhere in Newfoundland lie near the southern limit of the Four of the five eastern North American Alcids nest on Razorbill's breeding range, where populations are usually Funk Island. Black (Cepphus gt?lle), the fifth, small. , like Thick-billed Murres, breed most com- are not unexpected. These birds have been observed in the monly farther north in Labrador where some colonies ex- immediate vicinity of the island, although there are no nest- ceed several thousand pairs (Lock, 1979). The fluctuating ing records. populationestimates on Funk Island probably reflect in part the difficulty in locating breeders and varied observer effort Common Raven (Corvuscor•).--Although not reported as over the years. a breeder on Funk Island prior to 1978, it is possible that a pair, whose nest was observed in the same spot in the north- Common (Thin-billed) Murre (Uria aalge).--These murres ern fault near Indian Gulch in 1978 and 1979, may have were present on Funk Island when Cartier arrived in i534 previously nestedon the island. We found no evidence of a (Tuck, 1961, p.57), although they were not noted again until raven's nest in 1980.

Volume 36, Number 2 115 Figure6. Thin-billed(Common) Mtm'es on Funk !shredin July 12. 1972(photo: Le,die M. TuckL

DISCUSSION Funk Island into a landmark and while of Newfoundland and Labrador pose not threatened by the usual predators, new potential problems for the birds of VERTHE YEARS Funk Island has the birds became easy prey for human Funk Island. At present many oil com- beenvisited by Indians, explorers, beings. After human disturbance panies have permits for exploration fishermen, merchants, sealers, natu- ceased, there has been an increase in along the coast. Biologists are currently ralists and biologists. The initial reason arian predators (gulls, ravens). For in- surveying movements and col- for going to Funk Island was to obtain stance in 1969, Nettleship (1972) used onies in an attempt to assess potential fresh eggsand meat. Once a commercial Funk Island as his predator-free (gulls) hazard areas if a blowout or oil spill market was established for feathers, ob- control in his study of puffins. In recent were to occur (e.g., Brown, 1979; Lock, jectives changedand the large, flightless years the gull population has produced a 1979). All seabirds are vulnerable to auks were exploited to extinction. Even significant predatory effect on murres surfaceoil, but Alcids are most suscep- the soil from their decomposed bodies and possibly puffins. tible becauseof their fishing and diving was taken from the island in 1863 and In 1964, Funk Island was established habits (Tuck, 1959; Brown et al., 1973; sold as fertilizer in St. John's, as a Provincial Wildlife Sanctuary and is Nettleship, 1977: King and Sanger, and Washington D.C. Later, naturalists presently protected from all unau- 1979; Mudge, 1979). The most critical went to Funk Island to obtain bones. thorized human activity, There are time of year is during fiedging, from Most visitors have produced long last- other factors, however, that bear di- mid-July to early August. Murre chicks ing effects which largely determined the rectly on the success of the breeding fledge before flight feathers are fully species composition (•., Ainley and birds of Funk Island. Since 1976, cape- developed and are accompanied by the Lewis. 1974). lln stockshave sharplydeclined (Ak- flightless adults which are then in a Seven of the nine seabirds presently enhead et al., 1979). apparently a result simultaneous postnuptial molt. Over breeding on Funk Island usually nest on of the increased offshore fishery. These 1,000,000 murre adults and fledglings cliff ledgesor steep grassy areas. The fish are the Alcids' most important food from Funk Island swim north in the relative inaccessibility of such nest- during the breeding season, and short- Labrador Sea and are all highly suscep- sites is a deterrent to predators. The ages may adversely affect their success tible to oiling. During this time, a single remotenessof Funk Island provides the in the near future. spill or the deliberate flushing of oil by needed inaccessibility of nest-sites and vessels,even if hundredsof miles away, five of these seven species nest on the could easily cause incredible devasta- flat groundareas of the island.The pres- HECOMMERCIALLY viable reserves tion. While external oiling is likely the ence of the Great Auk, however, turned of petroleum in the offshore regions major cause of petroleum-related mor-

116 American Birds, March 1982 TABLE 1. Historical compilation of the counts and estimates of the breeding birds of Funk Island. 1

Previous nesters Present nesters Great Black- Black- Thin- Thick- Great Arctic Northern Northern backed Herring legged billed billed Atlantic Year Auk Tern Fulmar Gannet Gull Gull Kittiwake Razorbill Murre Murre Puffin Sources 2

1534 large # + + 1, 12 1535 large # + ? 1, 12 1615 large # ? ? 2 1767 + ? ? 3 1785 small # ? ? 4

1818-23 + ? ? 5

1826-31 + ? ? 6

1841 0 + ? ? 7 1874 large # 0 small # large # + 7 1887 large # 0 0 0 0 0 small # small # large # 8 1936 ? 0 7 + ? + + 10,000 + 9 1940 ? ? >100 ? ? + small # large # + 10 1945 0 0 200 0 0 1,000 250 15,000 1,000 11 1951 0 0 150-500 ? small # <1,000 500 40,000 >75 1,000 12, 13 1952 17 0 6-800 ? + + + 50,000 + + 12, 13 1953 0 0 6-800 ? + + + 25-60,000 200 + 12, 13 1956 0 >1,204 5 25 500 50 60-150,000 250 1,000 12, 13 1958 0 2,601 + + + 200 400,000 + + 12 1959 displaying 2,768 + + 175 + 500,000 250 1,000 12 1967 displaying 2,960 + + 175 >200 + 250 1,000 13 1969 0 2,796 <.... 15 ...... > >100 200 + + 500-1,000 13, 14, 15 1970 ? 2,760 + + + + + + 13 1972 0 4,051 + + + 396,461 '• + 15, 16 1975 1 3,933 >lO0 + + + + + 17 1977 3 + + + + + + + + 18 1978 6 3,871 + + 608 + + + + 19, 20 1979 7 + + + 810 + + + + 20 1980 9 + >100 >100 + + + + + 17, 20

1All numbersrefer to pairs. + refers to a breeding species, whenno indication of population size was given in the original account. ? refers to a species as possibly breeding, when an original account was ambiguousor lacking. See text for further explanation. 2(1) B•ggar 1924; (2) Whitbourne1620; (3) Lysaght1971; (4) Cartwright 1792; (5) Forbush1912; (6) Allen 1876; (7) Milne 1875; (8) Lucas1888a, c, 1889; Palmer 1890; (9) Gilliard 1937 a, b; (10) Templeman1945; (11) Peters & Burleigh 1951; (12) Tuck 1961, Garrity 1960; (13) L.M. Tuck unpubl. reports & files; (14) Nettleship 1972; (15) Brownet al. 1975; (16) Birkhead & Nettleship 1980; (17) D.N. Nettleship pers. comm.; (18) Montevecchiet al. 1978; (19) Montevecchiet al. 1980; (20) This report.

tahty, there are also other lethal and breedingareas, is urgently needed. 16th through 18th centuries Funk Island sub-lethalaffects, such as toxic hydro- was visited regularly by foreign shipsto carbons, dispersantsused in oil spills SUMMARY obtain Great Auks for provisionsand by and ingestion of oil through preening local boats for the auk's commercially and feeding. Funk Island is a most im- AND HISTORICALANALYSIS of the valuable feathers. Human activity has portant breeding site and although now reeding birds of Funk Island over partly shapedthe speciescomposition protectedfrom humanexploitation and the past 450 years is presented.Funk seen today. Three species became disturbance,the birds cannot be pro- Islandis especiallysuitable for this type locallyextinct (onecompletely) and one tected from the deliberate dischargeor of study owing to the lengthy time span (the Gannet) eventually re-established accidentalspillage 6f oil. Enforcement for which nesting records exist. The During this century five new species of effective legislation, to restrict negli- Great Auk caused this small and remote beganbreeding on the island, probably gent shippingactivities in the vicinity of island to become widely known. In the because of minimal human disturbance

Volume 36, Number 2 117 All present breeders have stable or R G B 1979 Offshore Labrador Biological 1888-89 709-728 ß LYSAGHT, A M 1971 slightly increasing populations Past, Studies (OLABS), Part I, The Canadian Joseph Banks in Newfoundland and Lab- Wildlife Service contribution to the OLABS presentand future ecologicalfactors re- rador, 1766. Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley ß program in 1978. Canadian Wildlife Service MILNE, J. 1875. Relics of the Great Auk on lating to the success of the breeding Unpubl. Rep. for Total-Eastcan ß--, D.I. Funk Island. The Field, March 27:296 ß birds of Funk Island are discussed. GILLESPIE, A.R. LOCK, P.A. PEARCE, MONTEVECCHI, W.A. 1981. In Memori- and G.H. WATSON. 1973. Bird mortality am: Leslie Mills Tuck. Auk 98:606-609 ß ACKNOWLEDGMENTS from oil slicksoff easternCanada, February- --, E. BLUNDON, G. COOMBES, J April 1970. Can. Field-Nat. 87:225-234 ß PORTER, and P. RICE. 1978. Northern Ful- --, D.N. NETTLESHIP, P. GERMAIN, mar breeding range extended to Baccaheu EARE VERY GRATEFUL toDrs. W. C.E. TULL, and T. DAVIS. 1975. Atlas of Island, Newfoundland. Can. Field-Nat 92 Earl Godfrey and H. Ouellet of Eastern Canadian Seabirds. Information 80-82 ß --, I.R. KIRKHAM, R. PUR- the Canadian Museum of Natural Sci- , Ottawa ß BRUEMMER, F. 1971. CHASE, and B.D. HARVEY. 1980 Col- onies of Northern Gannets in Newfound- ences for reviewing the manuscript, to Funk Island. Nat. Hist., June-July:52-56 ß CARTWRIGHT, G. 1792. A Journal of land. Osprey 11:2-8 ß MUDGE, G.P 1979 Dr. D.N. Nettleship of the Canadian Transactionsand Events During a Residence The cliff-breeding seabirdsof east Caithness Wildlife Service for commentingon the of Nearly Sixteen Years on the Coast of in 1977. Scot. Birds 10:247-261 ß NETTLE- population estimates and for providing Labrador, Vol. III. Newark, ß EL- SHIP, D.N. 1972. Breeding successof the an unpublished population estimate for LIOT, J. 1786. Proclamation to His Majes- Common Puffin (Fratercula arctica L ) on ty's Trustees of the Peace. St. John's, New- different habitats at Great Island, Newfound- the Gannets, and to J. Porter and R. foundland, 20 August ß FISHER, J. 1966. land. Ecol. Mongr. 42:239-268 ß -- 1977 Purchase for field assistance. The De- The fulmar populationof Britain and Ireland, Seabird resourcesof eastern Canada: status, partment of Tourism, Recreation and 1959.Bird Study 13:5-76 ß FORB U SH, E.H. problems and prospects. ln--T. Mosquln Culture, Government of Newfoundland 1912. A History of the Game Birds, Wild- and C. Suchal (eds.). Canada's Threatened fowl and Shore Birds of and kindly allowed us to reproduce the Speciesand Habitats. Canadian Nature Fed- Adjacent States. MassachusettsState Board eration Publ., pp. 96-108 ß ---, and C E Great Auk figure, which was photo- of Agriculture ß GARRITY, D.A. 1960. TULL. 1970. Seabird transects between graphed for us by B. Hansen of Memo- Fabulous Funk Island. Mass. Audubon, Valleyfield and Funk Island Newfoundland, rial University of Newfoundland, and to Sept.-Oct.: 1-9 ß GILLIARD, E.T. 1937a. summer, 1969. Can. Field-Nat. 84:369-376 ß the artist for consent to publish. The gannetsof Funk Island. Auk 54:379-381 OLSON, S.L., C.C. SWIFT, and C ß --. 1937b. Bird men courageous. Nat. MOKHIBER. 1979. An attempt to determine We are especially indebted to the Hist., Sept.: 480-490 ß GRIEVE, S. 1885. the prey of the Great Auk (Pinguinustmpen- late Dr. Leslie M. Tuck for his The Greak Auk, or Garefowl (AIca impennis, nis). Auk96:790-792 ß PALMER, W 1890 knowledge of and enthusiasmfor Funk Linn.), its History, Archaeology, and Re- Notes on the birdsobserved during the cruise Island, and for initating the first of our mains. Grange PublishingWorks, Edinburgh of the United States Fish Commission ß HARRISSE, H. 1900. Discouverte at Evo- research visits there. Transportation to schooner Grampus in the summer of 1887 lution Cartographiquede Terre-Neuve et des Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 13:249-265 ß PE- Funk Island was provided by the Cana- Pays Circonvoisins 1497-1501-1769. Ste- TERS, H.S., and T.D. BURLEIGH 1951 dian Coast Guard and Department of vens, Son and Stiles, London ß HARVEY, The Birds of Newfoundland. Riverside Fisheries and Oceans. Our research was M. 1892. Romance of the Great Auk. St. Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts ß RUS- supported by a Natural Sciences and John's Trade Review (Christmas issue): 5, 8 SELL, F. 1965. Life and death on the Funks ß JAMESON, J.F. 1906.Original Narratives Horizon 7:32-38 ß SHAW, H.S. 1940 An Engineering Research Council of of Early American History: Early English early figureof the Great Auk. Auk 57:112-113 Canada Grant (No. A0687) and a Memo- and French Voyages 1534-1608. C. Scrib- ß TEMPLEMAN, W. 1945. Observations of rial University of Newfoundland Vice- ner's Sons, New York ß KING, J.G., and some Newfoundland sea-birds. Can. Field- President's Grant to WAM. G.A. SANGER. 1979. Oil vulnerability in- Nat. 59:136-147 ß TUCK, L.M. 1959 Oll dex for marine oriented birds. ln--J.C. Bar- pollution in Newfoundland. Proc. Intern tonek, and D.N. Nettleship (eds.). Conserva- Conf. on Oil Pollution of the Sea, Copenha- LITERATURE CITED tion of Marine Birds of North America. U.S. gen, 3-4 July, pp. 76-79 ß --. 1961 The Fish and Wildl. Serv., Wildl. Res. Rep. 11: Murres. Canadian Wildlife Service Rep AINLEY, D.G., and T.J. LEWISß 1974ßThe 227-239 ß LLOYD, T.G.B. 1874. On the Series No.l, Ottawa ß WHITBOURNE, R history of Farallon Island marine bird popu- .J. Royal Anthro. Inst. Gr. Britain 1620. A Discourse and Discovery of New- lations, 1854-1972. Condor 76:432-446 ß and Ireland 4:21-135 ß LOCK, A.R. 1979. found-land. Felix Kyngston, London ß AKENHEAD, S.A., J. CARSCADDEN, H. Offshore Labrador Biological Studies WYNNE-EDWARDS, V.C. 1935 The LEAR, G.R. LILLY, and R. WELLS. 1979. (OLABS), Part II; Report on the 1978survey Newfoundland gannet colony: with recent On the - interaction of northeast of breeding seabirds in Labrador. Canadian information on the other North American Newfoundland and Labrador. Symposium Wildlife Service Unpubl. Rep. for Total- gannettles. Ibis 5:584-594 ß on Multispecies Fisheries Management. Eastcan ß LUCAS, F.A. 1888a. The expedi- St.John's, Newfoundland. Nov. 26-29, 28 tion to Funk Island, with observationsupon the history and anatomy of the Great Auk. pp. ß ALLEN, J.A. 1876. The extinction of ---Department of Psychology Memorial the Great Auk at the Funk Islands. Amer. U.S. Nat. Mus.Rep. 1887-88:493-529ß -- Nat. 10:48 ß BIGGAR, H.P. 1924. Voyages 1888b. Great Auk notes. Auk 5:278-283 ß University of Neufoandland, St. John's, of Jacques Cartier. Publ. Public Archives ß 1888c. The home of the Great Auk. Newfoundland AIB 3X9, Canada Canada No. 11, Ottawa ß BIRKHEAD, Pop. Sci. Monthly 33:456-464 ß ---. 1889. Present Address (Kirkham) T R., and D.N. NETTLESHIP. 1980. Cen- Explorations in Newfoundland and Lab- --Department of Biology, Dalhousie sus methods for murres, Uria species: a rador in 1887 made in connection with the unified approach. Canadian Wildlife Service cruise of the U.S. Fish Commission Univ., Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4JI OccasionalPaper, No. 43, 23 pp. ß BROWN, schooner Grampus. U.S. Nat. Mus. Rep. Canada

118 American Birds, March 1982