.304 



G ARE-FOWL 



merly a native of certain remote Scottish islands, the Great Auk 

 of most English book-writers, and the Alai impennis of Linnseus. 

 Of this remarkable creature mention has been already made 

 (Extermination), but since the species has a mournful history 

 and several egregious misconceptions prevail concerning it, a few 

 more details may not be unacceptable. In size it was hardly less 

 than a tame Goose, and in appearance it much resembled its 

 smaller and surviving relative the RazoR-BILL, A. tarda ; but the 



Gare-Fowl, or Great Auk. 



glossy black of its head was varied by a large patch of white 

 occupying nearly all the space between the eye and the bill, in 



Hebrides, p. 158) gives the correct Gaelic spelling as Gearr hhul or An Gcarra- 

 hhul, meaning "the strong, stout bird with the sj^ot" ; but others may think 

 the word to be a rendering of the old Norsk name. According to Pennant, 

 Carfil is the generic word in Welsh for any of the Alcidas. It may be observed 

 that just as " Penguin " (or Pin-wing), being the first English name applied to 

 this species, on its discover}' in America, has been transferred to birds of a very 

 different Order, so also has Gorfou, the French corruption of Geirfugl, beeu 

 applied to some of the same. 



