PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 5 



(W. Evans), and Saxby confirms this, having found an egg with living young 

 after 30 days' incubation ; while F. G. Paynter estimates it as 32 days. The 

 first eggs are laid about 20th May on the Yorkshire coast, and are regularly 

 collected till July. Only one brood is normally reared in the season, but if the 

 first egg is destroyed, a second, and a third if necessary, are laid at intervals of 

 about fourteen, or, according to E. W. Wade, nineteen days. [F. c. E. jr.] 



5. Food. Chiefly small fishes, also crustaceans. The species drinks salt 

 water. The young are fed by both parents on small fish. [F. B. K.] 



GREAT- AUK \_Alca impennis Linnaeus. Penguin, garefowl, pinwing, northern 

 auk. French, grand pingouin ; German, Eiesen-Alk ; Italian, gran pingouino}. 



I. Description. The great-auk closely resembled the razorbill, from which, 



THE GREAT-AUK. 



however, it differed in its much greater size and the vestigial condition of the wings, 

 which were useless for flight. The sexes were alike, and there were distinct 

 "summer" and "winter" plumages. (See Fig. above.) Length 32 in. [933 mm.]. 



