BRITAIN'S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 7 



The last Orkney bird was got in 1813, and the only 

 nineteenth century records from St Kilda are for 1821 or 

 1822, and about 1840. Strange to say, one was obtained 

 at the mouth of Waterford harbour as late as 1834. The 

 1813, 1821, and 1834 birds already mentioned appear 

 to be the only British specimens in existence ; the 1840 

 example was destroyed as a witch by its superstitious 

 captors ! 



Three islets off the coast of Iceland seem to have been 

 the last haunts of the Gare-Fowl. One of these disap- 

 peared during a submarine eruption in 1830, and by 1844 

 one or both of the remaining colonies had been extermi- 

 nated to satisfy the demands of collectors. 



Imagine a Razorbill about the size of a goose, but with 

 absurdly small wings, obviously useless as organs of flight, 

 and with a conspicuous white spot in front of each eye, 

 and you have a good idea of the appearance of the Great 

 Auk. Apart from size, the single egg resembles that of 

 the Razorbill, but is more variable, and sometimes has the 

 greenish ground - colour or the ciu-ious scroUings more 

 characteristic of the Guillemot. The lack of power of 

 flight necessitated the choice of low islets as ' nesting ■•- 

 places. 



Numerous bones and some ' natural mummies' have been 

 found on Funk Island ; but most of the skins or mounted 

 specimens — about eighty are known to exist — are of Ice- 

 landic origin. Very high prices are paid when specimens 

 come into the market. Over seventy eggs exist in collec- 

 tions. One which recently changed hands fetched 210 

 guineas ; but this price has been considerably exceeded. 



It may be mentioned that the name ' Penguin,' or ' Pin- 

 wing,' now applied to an order of flightless sea-birds found 

 in the southern hemisphere, originally belonged to the 

 Great Auk. 



