264 The Great Auk. [Sess. 



Plate I., 'Revue et Magazin de Zoologie,' 1863, and the one to which 

 des Murs refers in the text as having been broken and restored. That 

 des Murs had three eggs of the Great Auk is extremely improbable, as he 

 states that he never even saw more than the two in his possession, and the 

 reference to three is either a slip of the pen or of memory. The egg seems 

 to have been washed since it was figured, and the freshness of the markings 

 thereby impaired. 



The foregoing statement seems to dispose of the story that 

 des Murs had at one time three eggs of Alca impennis Linn, 

 in his possession (see also ' The Great Auk or Garefowl,' &c, 

 p. 89, and App., pp. 32 and 34). 



SUMMARY of EXISTING REMAINS of the GREAT 

 AUK or GAREFOWL (Alca impennis Linn.) 



Number of birds represented by the following remains : — 



Skins 



Skeletons (more or less complete) 



Detached bones 



Physiological preparations . 



Eggs 



79 or 80 



23 or 24 



850 or 861 



2 or 3 



70 or 72 



PRINTS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS. 



The photographs from which the illustrations have been 

 prepared were obtained as follows, and I desire to acknow- 

 ledge my obligation to those kind friends for supplying me 

 with these photographs, as otherwise it would have been out 

 of my power to give the illustrations : — 



Plate I. This interesting photograph is the work of Mr 

 Joseph Jobling, photographer, 1 Shakespeare Street, New- 

 castle-on-Tyne, who has copies for sale. 



