THE GREAT-AUK 33 



breeding-place of this species. In 1680 Sir G. MKenzie refers to it 

 as occurring very frequently and breeding there, and Martin, who 

 spent three weeks on the island, says it arrives there regularly about 

 the 1st of May, breeding on the bare rocks, and leaving about mid- 

 June. Macaulay, who visited the island in June 1758, did not 

 actually see the bird himself, but on the authority of the islanders 

 states that " they do not receive annual visits from this strange bird, 

 as from all the rest on the list," from which it is clear that in his time 

 it was already much reduced in numbers. From this point onward 

 its diminution must have been rapid, for the last record from this 

 station is that furnished by Dr. Fleming (Edinburgh Philos. Journal, 

 x., 1824, p. 94). The bird in question was captured during the early 

 summer of 1821, by two young men and two boys, who were in a boat 

 on the east side of the island and saw it sitting on a low ledge of the 

 cliff. The two men then landed at opposite ends of the ledge, while 

 the boys rowed the boat to beneath the rock on which the bird was 

 sitting. Thus hemmed in on all sides, the bird jumped down towards 

 the sea, but fell into the arms of one of the boys, who managed to 

 hold it. The men then parted with the bird to Mr. Maclellan, the 

 tacksman of Glass or Scalpa, who gave it to Dr. Fleming on the eve 

 of his departure on 18th August from Scalpa, while on a tour of 

 inspection in the yacht of the Commissioners of Northern Light- 

 houses. " The bird," says Dr. Fleming, " was emaciated, and had the 

 appearance of being sickly, but in the course of a few days became 

 sprightly, having been plentifully supplied with fresh fish, and per- 

 mitted occasionally to sport in the water, with a cord fastened to one 

 of its legs to prevent escape. Even in this state of restraint it per- 

 formed the motions of diving and swimming under water with a 

 rapidity that set all pursuit from a boat at defiance." This bird is 

 believed to have made its escape near the entrance to the Firth of 

 Clyde while taking exercise in the sea. 



From the Shetlands there seems to be no evidence of its occurrence, 

 though it is said to have been seen on Fair Island. In the Orkneys, 



VOL. III. E 



