552 ALCID^. 



THE GREAT AUK. 



ALCA IMPENNIS. 



Wings very short, not adapted for flying ; head, neck, and upper parts, black : 

 a patch between the eyes and bill, tips of the secondaries, and all the under 

 parts, white ; bill black, marked by several transverse furrows ; irides and 

 feet black. Length tliirty-two inches. Egg dirty yellowish white, curiously 

 marked with black spots and lines. 



The Great Auk is a bird of so rare occurrence that a 

 history is attached to every specimen that has been observed 

 by persons competent to write a detailed account of what 

 they have seen ; and the occurrence of a genuine egg (for 

 artificial ones are not unknown) being offered for sale is an 

 incident of some importance. The price demanded would 

 probably equal the cost of two or three cows.* A specimen 

 of the adult male is to be seen in the British Museum, 

 where, Yarrell informs us, it is " carefully preserved." 



The Great Auk is exclusively a sea bird, about the size 

 of a Goose, with a beak like that of the Razor-bill, and 

 wings so small that they are wholly inadequate to support 

 the bird in the air ; consequently, it never attempts to fly. 

 But their very insufficiency for flying purposes tends to 

 increase their fitness for swimming under water, and the 

 rapidity with which they advance by this mode of progres- 

 sion is said to be astounding. Little is known of the 

 habits of a bird so rare. It is considered to be a northern 

 bird ; but it is not known to be common anywhere, nor 

 has any one observed in it any habits which would not 

 readily be inferred from its structure. 



* A cracked specimen was sold in 1854 for £20, and some months 

 later a perfect one for £30. 



