44 THE GREAT AUK 



he had named, but received no reply. Subsequently I 

 wrote to Captain Burgess, the Secretary of the United 

 Service Institution, to obtain the address of Captain 

 Vidal, whose name was on the label attached to the egg, 

 to whom I also applied ; but that officer having taken 

 up his abode in Canada, it was not till the following 

 summer that I received any reply. When it did come, 

 it was dated Moon River, Canada West, June 12, 1861, 

 and was to the effect that he had never given a Great 

 Auk's egg to the United Service Museum. 



Later in the same year, November 7, 1861, the 

 Council of the Linnsean Society accepted the bequest of 

 Mr. Salmon's collection of eggs, which they had declined 

 some time previously on account of certain conditions 

 attached to its acceptance. 



Soon after it was found that no Great Auk's egg was 

 contained in it, and in its place was a Swan's rudely 

 spotted and blotched with ink. The conclusion then was 

 not difficult to draw. It is obvious, however, that with 

 the view of putting a purchaser on the wrong scent, a 

 label had been removed from some egg out of the United 

 Service Museum and affixed to the present specimen. 

 Whether the substitution was effected with the know- 

 ledge or connivance of the executor, there is no evidence 

 to show, nor can I say whether he may not have had a 

 perfect right to part with this or any other specimen 

 before handing over the collection to the Linnsean Society. 

 He certainly attempted to make a bargain with the 

 Society for it, and I suppose felt justified in doing so. 

 Mr. Calvert became possessed of Mr. Salmon's Egg- 

 Catalogue, which he subsequently sold to Mr. Edward 

 Bidwell, when it was found that the leaf containing the 

 specimen of the Great Auk had been removed ! The 

 mutilated volume was transferred by Mr. Bidwell to the 

 Linnsean Society in 1891.* 



The doubtful origin of the egg and the questionable 



* " Ootheca Wolleyana," pp. 373-374. 



