1896-97-] The Great Auk. 2 37 



VIII— SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE ON THE GREAT 

 AUK OR GAREFOWL (ALCA IMPENNIS Linn.) 



By Mr SYMINGTON GRIEVE. 



(Read March ,14, 1897.) 



To some of you it may seem a waste of valuable time to write 

 anything more about the Great Auk or Garefowl, so much has 

 been done to record all that is known about it. To those who 

 are only slightly acquainted with the history of this bird, such 

 an opinion would seem, no doubt, quite reasonable. But others 

 who have given more attention to the subject are better in- 

 formed, and are aware that from time to time discoveries are 

 being made of remains under extraordinary circumstances that 

 are of sufficient interest to cause columns to be filled in the 

 daily press and magazines about the Great Auk. In addition, 

 there is a constant change of specimens going on, principally 

 eggs; and these need to be traced to new resting-places or 

 they will be lost sight of altogether. 



Certain purchasers, under some mistaken idea, are very reti- 

 cent about the price they pay for alcine remains. If they 

 fully realised the advantage to themselves should they or their 

 heirs ever wish to sell their collections, they would only be too 

 glad to have all the information that is known recorded, as the 

 value of such rarities is thereby much enhanced. I am glad 

 to be able to say that what I have just remarked refers to°the 

 very few, as in my large correspondence with possessors of 

 such remains I have in the great majority of cases been fur- 

 nished with the fullest information, for which I have to thank 

 these collectors. 



Since I read my last paper upon the same subject to this 

 Society in November 1887, a number of events have occurred 

 that are worth recording; hence I trouble you upon this 

 occasion. 



When the sale of the egg of Alca impennis Linn, which be- 

 longed to Mrs Wise took place on 12th March 1888, the egg 

 was sold for £225, as mentioned in these ' Transactions/ l This 



1 See 'Trans. Edin. Field Nat. and Micro. Soc.,' vol. ii. p. 114. 



