306 Proceedings of Metropolitan Societies. | April, 
THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
One of the most interesting papers communicated to this Society 
during this session, was by Mr Alfred Newton, on the discovery of a 
mummy of the Great Auk (Alca impennis), in Funk or Penguin Island, 
170 miles north of St. John’s, Newfoundland. it appears that ever 
since the publication of Mr. Yarrell’s ‘ History of British Birds,’ 
containing his account of the Alca impennis, wherein was cited 
M. Audubon’s statement that that species bred on an island in the 
neighbourhood of Newfoundland, the attention of British ornitho- 
logists has been directed to that colony, in the hope of obtaining 
thence specimens of this rare and curious bird. The Great Auk was 
known to the sailors engaged in the Newfoundland cod fisheries, as 
the Penguin, so far back as the year 1670, and the few that have been 
seen within the last sixty years or so, are spoken of as “‘ Penguins.” 
A Mr. Wolley had ascertained these facts, and feeling convinced that 
specimens of the bird were yet to be obtained, determined to work out 
its history. Meanwhile Professor Steenstrup published (Videnskabelige 
Meddelelser, 1855, pp. 83-116) an account of the Alcea impennis, in 
connection with the discovery of its bones in great abundance on 
Funk or Penguin Island, by Herr Stuvitz. The author of the paper, 
Mr. Newton, feeling great confidence in Herr Stuvitz’s statements, 
immediately set about corresponding with every one he could hear of 
in Newfoundland likely to assist him in obtaining any of these much- 
prized remains of the Great Auk. At last, after considerable delay, by 
the conjoint labours of the Rey. Reginald Johnson, of Fogo, and the 
Bishop of Newfoundland, Mr. Newton has succeeded in inducing Mr. 
N. R. Vail, a gentleman of scientific taste, to make application to Mr. 
Glindon, who is removing the soil from Penguin Island, on account of 
its containing large quantities of phosphatic manure, and who has 
ordered his men there employed to use their best endeavours to ob- 
tain the bones of the Penguin. Amongst numerous other remains, the 
mummy was found which Mr. Newton exhibited. It seems to have 
been deeply buried, being, says the Bishop of Newfoundland, ‘‘ four feet 
below the surface, and under two feet of ice.” The skeleton is not quite 
perfect ; but when it is remembered what a rarity any bones of the bird 
are, and that the nearest approach to a perfect skeleton of the Great 
Auk, viz. that in the Jardin des Plantes, is wanting in many respects, 
the importance of Mr. Newton’s discovery will be appreciated. Be- 
sides the skeleton in the Jardin des Plantes, there are two specimens 
of this bird in the Museum at Copenhagen—dissected with a view to 
show the various organs. In many museums specimens of bones from 
various parts of the body exist—as at Christiania, the Royal College 
of Surgeons, Berlin, and elsewhere. There are altogether sixty-three 
or sixty-four stuffed skins of the Alea impennis known to exist; many 
of these contained parts of the skeleton, which have in some cases been 
removed without injuring the skin. Mr. Newton expressed his inten- 
tion of placing the specimen he had so perseveringly obtained in the 
