1896-97-] The Great Auk. 239 



An early notice and figure of the Great Auk, by Mr Miller 

 Christie, F.L.S., appeared in the 'Zoologist' for 1894, p. 141. 

 This article is well worth perusal, and gives a quaint repro- 

 duction of a picture of two Aha impennis Linn, as they appear 

 in the ' Fourth Book of John Sellers, English Pilot ' (London, 

 folio), a work which went through a number of editions in the 

 latter part of the seventeenth century and throughout the 

 eighteenth. The first edition, which was published about the 

 year 1673, does not contain the passage, which first appears 

 (so far as I have been able to discover) on p. 17 of the edition 

 of 1728. It occurs among some directions for sailing upon 

 the coast of Newfoundland. 



For many years past alcine remains have steadily increased 

 in value, but the market, probably owing to the high prices 

 such natural history relics realise, is a somewhat limited one. 

 As in all other commodities, an increase in the supply at once 

 depresses the market, and although such increases of supply 

 of Great Auk skins, bones, and eggs must be in the nature 

 of things very slight, still a much more violent fall in prices 

 follows such slight increases than in any other wares I am 

 acquainted" with. For instance, quite recently the market in 

 Great Auk eggs was depressed owing to the supposed possi- 

 bility of a number of eggs in the collection of a deceased 

 collector sooner or later being offered for sale. I have every 

 reason to believe that the collection referred to will remain 

 in the family who at present possess it, and there is no 

 likelihood of its coming on the market. Since the above was 

 written I have a letter from Miss Champley, Scarborough, 

 dated 27th January 1897, who says: "I do not purpose at 

 present selling my nine eggs of the Great Auk, and shall be 

 glad if you will kindly state the fact." 



To most people interested in natural history, it would seem 

 that much more interest attached to skins, skeletons, or 

 individual bones of the bird than to its eggs. The last 

 teach little regarding the habits and structure of the bird 

 compared with the others. Yet the prices obtained for eggs 

 are about as high as those obtained for skins, and quite out of 

 all proportion higher than any price obtained for skeletons or 

 bones. At first sight it is difficult to account for this, but a 

 little reflection will prove that a great many have room for 



VOL. III. R 



