1887-88.] Recent Notes on the Great Aiik. 119 



it, and it lias found a place in bis collection, no doubt pro- 

 perly ticketed. 



Witb regard to tbe eggs, I may say tbat numerous casts of 

 different eggs bave been taken, and painted so like tbe origi- 

 nals tbat, wben seen lying in drawers, tbey can bardly be iden- 

 tified. It appears to me tbat casts sbould be made of all 

 Great Auk eggs, as tbey are so rare, and eacb egg bas some 

 peculiar difference in tbe markings. Tbe best proof of tbe 

 value of tbis practice is in tbe case of a Great Auk egg wbich 

 was destroyed in a fire a good many years ago, and all know- 

 ledge of its appearance would bave been lost bad tbere not 

 fortunately existed a beautifully painted cast. 



In conclusion, I may be permitted to say tbat tbe tendency 

 is for Great Auk remains in private collections steadily to find 

 tbeir way into public museums, wbere tbey will be more acces- 

 sible to ornitbologists, better cared for, and unobtainable by 

 collectors. Tbis will no doubt in time, to a great extent, 

 remove tbe present necessity for recording cbanges in connec- 

 tion witb alcine remains. 



Note. — The most recent rumoured observation of a Great Auk comes from 

 Iceland. On the 19th September 1888, after this paper was in the printers' 

 hands, I was informed by Mr T. G. Paterson, who had just returned from 

 Iceland, that while there he met an official, a well-educated and reliable man, 

 who stated that nineteen years ago, when he was with a vessel engaged in the 

 white-shark fishing near Mevenklint, he saw what he believed was a Great Auk. 

 Mevenklint is said to be a skerry (about the size of Eldey, off Reykjanes) situated 

 40 miles N.N. W. of Grimsey, in about 67° N. lat. and 18° W. long. It is marked 

 on the chart at the end of my book, but seems a doubtful station for the Great 

 Auk, as it is considerably within the Arctic circle. 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Plate I. — Figure of a stuffed specimen of the Great Auk in the American 

 Museum of Natural History, Central Park, New York. This sjiecimeu at 

 one time belonged to Dr Troughton, and after his death was bought by Mr D. 

 G, Elliot, through the agency of Mr Cook, dealer in natural history wares, 

 for the museum, where it is now preserved. 



Plate II. — Facsimile of the original figure of a Great Auk, reduced one- 

 third, given by the Danish naturalist, Olaus Wormius, iu his ' Museum Wormi- 

 anum sen Historic Rerum Rariorum ' (Copenhagen), Leyden, 1655, p. 301. It 

 was probably drawn from a living Great Auk, as Wormius had one from the 

 Faroes, which he succeeded in keeping alive for some months. The white ring 

 round the neck was evidently intended to bear an inscription, and is not natural 

 to the bird. The Scottish Society of Antiquaries has kindly given me the electro- 

 type from which the figure is printed. 



