638 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1889. 



We need oiily suppose that during one unfortunate year nearly all the hroods were' 

 destroyed hy inundations, fires, or frost, to perceive what difficulty the few birds left 

 in the autumn would have in wending their way without getting astray. 



We know that the proportion of birds returning in spring is comparatively small, 

 and the flocks are considerably thinned down. 



Under the circumstances presumed, there will hardly be birds left to form flocks. 

 But birds used to migrate in flocks do not like or can not travel alone; hence they 

 are forced to follow flocks of allied species, which may take them to localities far 

 from their home. In that way a few scattered pairs may survive, and breed here and 

 there, a number of years after the rest are destroyed, and such are probably those 

 few Labrador Ducks which have been captured occasionally during the last twenty 

 years or more. 



There is a possibility that a few such pairs may be in existence, but, however 

 hardy, their fate is sealed, and perhaps not a single one will get into the hands of a 

 naturalist. 



AUTHORITIES. 



The Birds of America. John James Audubon, 1840-1844. 



Standard Natural History, Vol. iv. Birds. Chenomorphae, p. 151. L. Stejneger, 

 Boston, 1885. 



THE GREAT AUK. 



(Alca impennis.) 



The Great Auk, or Garefowl (Alca impennis), was the largest mem- 

 ber of the Auk family, distinguished not only by its size, but by its 

 Sightlessness, enjoying the proud distinction of being the sole bird in I 

 the northeru hemisphere incapable of flight. The name by which the 

 Great Auk was originally and commonly known in America was Pen- 

 guin, and the southern birds, now known by that title, did not receive 

 this appellation until many years after. Garefowl is of Scandinavian 

 origin, and comes to us by way of western Scotland. 



In color the Great Auk much resembled its lesser relative, the Ra 

 zorbill, the head, neck, and back being black, and the under parts white. 

 A peculiar mark of the bird was a large white spot in front of the eye, 

 one old writer with a greater love of the marvelous than of truthfulness 

 stating that this spot was fouud ou the right side only. The wings, 

 although far too small to sustain the bird in the air, formed an admir- 

 able pair of oars, the Great Auk being a most expert swimmer and 

 diver, and performing even longer migrations than many of its relatives 

 that were endowed with the power of flight. (Plate CIII.) Many, possi 

 bly all, of the Auk family use their wings quite as much as their feet for 

 propulsion under water, and they may literally be said to fly beneath the 

 sea as well as over it. It has been noted that the inability of the Great 

 Auk to fly was due to lack of development of the bones of the forearm and 

 hand, the humerus being proportionately as long as in other Auks. 

 This modification of structure was directly correlated with the aquatic 

 habits of the Garefowl, for the resistance of water being vastly greater 

 than that of air, a wing especially adapted for subaquatic flight would 





