THE GREAT AVE IN ART. 



59 



be useless in flight, four inches from tip to first joint Pennant, 1812. Great, 

 feathers exceed not 3 inches in length, cannot raise into the air Buffon, 1812. 

 Very small in proportion to other birds, for subaquatic progression Cuvier, 

 1817. Extremely small but perfectly formed Audubon, 1840. Very small 

 although formed of regular feathers, serve as fins when diving Dallas, 1867. 

 Like small duck Seebohm, 1886. Rudimentary, useless fur flight; used in 

 swimming and diving Duehaussoy, 1897. 



Feet. She is whole-footed Martin, 1697. Placed far behind, but very 

 st rong Audubon, 1840. 



Smithsonian Great Auk Skeleton. 



Altitude and Mode of Progression. Stands stately, its whole body erected 

 Martin, 1697. Can scarcely even walk; pace heavy and sluggish; lies 

 stretched out on rocks and ice; erect attitude is painful Buffon, 1812. Stood 

 very erect, never flapped along water surface Wooley, 1858. Only shuffled 

 along Seebohm, 1S86. 



After having compared the above descriptions, one is not inclined 

 to criticize harshly the illustrations based upon them, except in cases 

 where the author, after having carefully noted an important specific 

 marking, entirely omits it in his drawing. The white spots on either 

 side of the head of the great auk seem to have been a most serious 

 stumbling-block to writers and artists alike. Martin, in 1697, states 

 that the white spot is under the eye. ~No other description agrees with 

 this, and the photographs of mounted skins show no such phenomenon 



