1S99-] Knowxes. — Great Auk, \V hit cp ark Bay, Co. Antrim. 5 



the bones, except the four humeri first obtained, were 

 determined by Professor Newton and Dr. Gadow, of the 

 Museum of Zoology, Cambridge. 



The first remains of Great Auk from Whitepark Bay were 

 obtained during a careful excavation of a portion. of the black 

 layer. Remains of Bos longifrons, Cervus claplms, Sheep or Goat, 

 Susscrofa, Fox, small form of Goose, small Gull, and a vertebra 

 of Cod were found with them. These were determined b> 

 Mr. E. T. Newton, of London, Palaeontologist to the Geological 

 Survey. Among other bones since determined by Prof. 

 Newton and Dr. Gadow were remains of Gannet, Falco, Dog 

 or Wolf, Hare, and Little Auk. There were also associated 

 with these remains flint-flakes, cores, hammer-stones, and flint 

 scrapers, together with edible molluscs. On another occasion 

 I found a humerus, ulna, radius, metacarpus, and two phalanges, 

 which had just dropped from the old surface. At the time I 

 could only identify a humerus, but from finding.all the bones so 

 close together, though not attached, I suspected that they be- 

 longed to the same wing, and on submitting them to Professor 

 Newton my suspicion was justified, as they were all found to 

 be Great Auk's bones. The scapula shown as fig. 8, PI. 2 

 was observed protruding from the old surface, and putting in 

 my trowel carefully I brought out along with it an imperfect 

 humerus. A number of the bones were found lying exposed 

 on the surface, some greatly weathered, and others com- 

 paratively sound. Like other bone-remains they harden after 

 a little drying and exposure. I believe that they and all those 

 obtained directly from the old surface are of the same age as 

 the flint implements which were found associated with them. 

 I have not found Great Auk remains in any of the other pre- 

 historic sites along the coast of Ireland which I have examined. 

 Whether the bird had breeding-places near W T hitepark Bay or 

 any other parts of the Irish coast in prehistoric times or was 

 only a seasonal visitor I cannot give a decided opinion. 

 Professor Newton, in a pamphlet he has sent me, supports the 

 belief that there was a breeding-place in the Orkneys. 1 



Mr. F. C. Lucas in his " Animals recently Extinct or 

 threatened with Extinction " (1891), says that the Great Auk 

 was confined to the North Atlantic, ranging on the*European 



1 On the Orcadian home of the Garefowl {Ale* imptnnis). From The 

 Ibis for October, 1898. 



