EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 91 



Russia it is a summer migrant. Its northern range in South 

 Russia has not been accurately determined ; but it is common at 

 Sarepta, and may range up to lat. 50°. 



The bird makes no attempt at a nest, a slight hollow being- 

 made in the ground. 



The eggs of the Stone-curlew, two in number, vary from pale 

 huffish or creamy-white to rich clay-buff in ground-colour, 

 spotted, blotched, and streaked with light and dark brown, and 

 with underlying markings of lilac or grey. Some specimens are 

 very boldly spotted and blotched, chiefly at the large end ; others 

 are evenly marked with spots and blotches, many of the latter 

 being connected by streaky lines of paler brown. On some eggs 

 most of the markings are underlying ones ; on others very few 

 of these are to be seen. The intensity of the brown colour also 

 varies considerably, some of it being almost black. The eggs 

 vary in length from 2*2 to 2'0 inches, and in breadth from 1'6 to 

 1'49 inch. The only eggs with which they are at all likely to be 

 confused are those of the Oyster-catcher, but the eggs of the 

 latter bird are larger and the markings are darker and much 

 bolder and more decided. 



FAMILY ALCIDM, 

 OB AUKS. 



Of the seven species of Auks enumerated below, four are 

 resident in some portion or other of the British Islands, the 

 Great Auk is now extinct, and two are winter visitants. 



THE GREAT AUK. 



(A lea impennis.) 



Plates 27, 28. 



Two hundred years ago the Gare Fowl or Great Auk was 

 known as a regular summer visitor to St. Kilda. 



It was always a semi-Arctic Atlantic species, breeding on the 

 islands off the coasts of Newfoundland, Labrador, South Green- 

 land, Iceland, the Faroes, and probably on some of the islands 



