The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-03-02
xAws wAR ON Binds AND sEAsra
Extinetiea o. the Arctic sea Csw. the 0rsst
Ask, Aad the DoAe.


Extinetisn 81 the Arctic Sea Csw. the srsst
Ask. aad the DeAs.
About 100 years ago the voyaHers to the
Arctic seas were familiar with large and pow
erful animal resembling our manatee; In fact.
II was northern representative OF this animal.
called the Rhytina. It was extremely COM
mon. seemingly taking the place OF the cloven-
footed creatures among the milk-givers OF the
sea. In general appearance the Arctic sea COW
was q stupcn dous spectacle. attaining when
full grown a length OF IS feet and weight
Of several tons. Tho general color was n dark
brown: the skin thick and lenthery covered
with thick. bristling hair that matted togeth-
err. forming protection from the Ice and cold.
and was compared In appearances to tho bark Of
n tree. The head OF the sen COW was small In
proportion to the animals size. and. instead
OF possessing teeth. was provided with two
Ss ebs4 n I'M Tbe ,H9
what resemblsd that OF a whale having two
flukes. The fore fms or paddles woro blunt
eral appearance Of the animals that when first
Of ne shos They f
Of the mon. even allowing themselves to he
touches, BY them; but when ono o. was injured %
Its defence. Such was the state. Of things In
the year 1742., At this tirno vessel wac wrecked
Ing their way 10 isehring Island, For. some
time they subsisted upon fish and birds. but
game an became ssace Hna oS on snS 1s
named aftcr, SteI!er. one Of the party. Tho ami.
mails were killed with harpoons. and each was
40 large that forty men could scarcely drag 1t
The. men we're finally rescued from Behring
Russian Ivan Krassilnikoff arrived there. and
destroyed large numbers OF tho animals, In
I'M ttl.pa linn MI n nh Il ~ L.
ooley. seeing that they were about to become
eXterminated laid petition before the author
%rot prot " by law lie feN WAS not Recdad how
eyer; and IN l15I another expedition landed . n!
%a x 1%% 1ias s%s s
seen by a native Of volhyna. Thus In thirty
eight years from tho time those monstrous
animals were discovered they were totally ex:
Terminated and to-day not single ski in. and
only number OF skeletons: remain in tho pos
destruction OF an entire race OF large and pow
erful beasts, Much Interesting information
concerning the Rhytina was Obtained during
and Prof. Sor,ienskiold found numbers OF dc:
posts OF their bones that are now utilized by
Ing used for shooting the runners OF s!edgea
When alive the fur or hide OF tho animal was
mnde by the natives into boats called .i b.ydars
termination OF the great mammoth was has
tened 10y early man who was OF necessity y
the same time with our ancestors il shown, by
tho fact that in France their bones, together
tnct. have been found. "A late at, as 1854, Nut
tall the famous authority on birds. wrote con-
corning tho great aux:
Of Srd. in air Thsy Gre. IN lie Farne Stand. @
an Ss1 ns s n% a s nut d s sa nvi T
nnpro!hc that this egg be DESTROYED other
1%,'F sps H. @ Of k aux asd f%E a.
70 S 1 is s ys"s ''
To-day not single individual Of this species
Of aux Is alive. and tho skin IN the Museum Of
Natural History In Central Park. that is yalnol
College, and several OF hers. probably not over
twelve In all, nro thu only specimens known in
they were extremely commnn along tbs north
ern coast. coming MS fur south ~ Nnhnnt: but
hoash w Rsas a 'S" RS hs 1' nn@
living bird having been Killed N 1871 on =
tury these birds. which were large. handsome,
at the Farce Islands The;v were inund to b.
good eating. and were slaughtered by the
boat load. not only for, Immediate, use.
driven to a desoiate rock that was considered
insccessible. but on calm day y Faroese YES
strosed nearly the entirs rookery. few e es.
capped to sea and returned after the departure
rs an h ss '0s IN ensao asasi
submarine eruption. The few renal ming great
auks assembled and formed a rookery on u
rock call sd Edey. whore for fourteen years
they lived a preoarious existence. During this
time sixty Of their number wore captured. and
tory Of other localities is worry similar. That
the birds were once frequent on the Maine const
is shown by their homes, that are found in tho
oyster shell heaps OF that region. w
At this time there lived in the same localities
the Labrador duck. n iine bird stuffed speci-
mems Of which are quite rare oven in collec-
tions. The last known living specimen was
killed by Col. Weddcrburn Of Haiifax in 1852.
pigeon was extormnated. the sailors who Wis
itod tho island Of Mauritius killing them in
mere wRnton amusement. or to obtain the legs
for Pipe stems. and the curious stones found in
tho gullet. In our own time We have seen the
buffalo crowded to the West. Civilization is
years the buffalo the mountain sheep. the
prong horn. and Nil the noble game animals OF
the great West will be represented only nv the
stuffed skins and dried bones OF our III use ums.