1897-98.] The Great Auk. 339 



one time belonged to Comte Raoul de Berace\ and which 

 was sold for Messrs Jays, Limited, at the sale-rooms of Mr 

 J. C. Stevens, 38 King Street, Covent Garden, London, on 

 27th July 1897, for 160 guineas, to Mr T. G. Middlebrook. 

 On 7th August following, ' Punch ' noticed the sale of the 

 slightly cracked specimen, and published the following poem, 

 entitled — 



"The Lay of the Great Auk's Egg. 



" Oh ! talk not to me of Klondyke, 

 Coolgarclie, Peru, or the Rand ; 

 As investments they're failures alike, 

 Compared with the latest to hand : 



But give me the Egg of the Auk — 



The Great Auk — I ask for no more ; 

 When it's cracked they can fill it with chalk, 



Till it fetches its weight in gold-ore. 



There are only just threescore-and-ten 



Of such eggs in existence to-day, 

 And no longer a live specimen 



Of the fowl any further to lay. 



Each egg has a long pedigree, 



Drawn up from the date of its birth ; 

 They'll be smashed, till at last there will be 



But one on the face of the earth. 



Ah ! then, if that egg were but mine, 



My treasure at once I would float 

 In the City — the chance would be fine 



An unlimited boom to promote ! 



I would turn myself into a Trust, 



With a Board and the rest of the Tribe ; 



The Market we'd nicely adjust, 



While the public would rush to subscribe. 



The world, I am sure, would take shares 



In my single and marvellous egg ; 

 I'd buy up the arch millionaires, 



And reduce them to work or to beg ! 



Alas ! it is merely a dream, 



For I haven't the guineas to spend 

 At these Auk-tions (ahem !) and my scheme 



With my Lay of the Egg's at an end." 



