250 The Great Auk. [Sess. 



pondenee with Count David de Biocour about the purchase of 

 his collection. He informed Mr Frank, in letters written 

 from Vitry-le-Ville, Marne, and dated 19 th, 22 nd, and 27th 

 September 1887, that he had only lately made up his mind 

 to sell his collection if he got a suitable price. The collection 

 contains 3000 specimens, but there is no catalogue. He says 

 the specimens are thought very fine ones, and a considerable 

 number served as type specimens to the naturalist Vieillot, 

 who also partly aided in the formation of the collection. He 

 was a friend of the family, and left by will to the grandfather 

 of the present Count Eiocour his unpublished manuscripts, 

 which are still in the library, and are not for sale. 



Among the other very rare specimens in the collection is a 

 stuffed Great Auk. The price wanted for the collection is 

 40,000 francs. The collection was begun about the year 

 1819 by the great-grandfather of the present Count, who was 

 aided by Vieillot, and was continued and augmented by the 

 father of the present Count, who was a distinguished naturalist. 

 Vieillot died about the year 1839, and his books are now said 

 to be rare and much valued. The collection was at one time 

 visited every year by M. Verreaux, who came to study the 

 rarities it contained. At the foot of the stands on which the 

 stuffed skins are mounted are said to be drawers which contain 

 manuscript notes by different well-known naturalists regarding 

 the specimens. The original letters are in French. Writing 

 me on 25th October 1887, Mr G. A. Frank says, "The Count 

 Eiocour wishes to dispose of his fine collection, including one 

 of the finest Great Auks known." This skin of the Great 

 Auk came into the hands of M. Boucard, 225 High Holborn, 

 London, who sold it to the Hon. W. Eothschild, who now has 

 it in his museum at Tring. 



France. 



Paris. — At pp. 79 and 95 of the ' Great Auk or Garefowl,' 

 the skin in the collection of European birds belonging to M. 

 Jules Vian, Eue de Petits Champs 42, Paris, is referred to. I 

 only recently obtained the address of M. Jules Vian, through 

 the kindness of Prof. Dr W. Blasius of Brunswick. I placed 

 myself in communication with M. Jules Vian, and on the 27th 



