GREAT AUK. NATATORES. ALCA. 433 



flight, a character which indicates a close connexion with 

 the true Penguins. They are strictly oceanic birds, and 

 never leave the water, but for reproduction ; and in powers 

 of swimming and diving they are not inferior to any of the 

 present family. They are (like the Guillemots) subject to a 

 double moult, and the change is perfectly of a similar cha- 

 racter to that which takes place in the last described bird. 



GREAT AUK. 



ALCA IMPENNIS, Linn. 

 PLATE LXXXII. 



Alca impennis, Linn. Syst. 1. 210. 3 Gmel. Syst. 1. 550 Lath. Ind. Orn. 



2. 791. sp. 1 Shaw's ZooL 13. 51. pL 6 Flem. Brit. Anim. 1. 129. 



No. 203. 



Alca major, Briss. Orn. 6. 85. pi. 7- 

 Penguin, Raii Syn. 118 Will. 242. t. 65. 

 Le Grand Pingouin, Buff. Ois. 9. 393. t. 29 Id. PL EnL 367- 

 Pingouin Brachiptere, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 2. 939. 

 Great Auk, Penn. Br. Zool. 2. 507- No. 229. pi. 81 Arct. Zool. 2. 424. 



Lath. Syn. 5. 311. 1 Lewin's Br. Birds, 6. pi. 222 Mont. Orn. Diet. 



Bewick's Br. Birds, ed. 1826, 2. pt. 397 Shaw's Zool. 13. 51. pi. 6 



Flem. Br. Anim. 1. 127. No. 203. 



THE visits of this curious species to the northern islands Very rare 

 of Scotland appear to be very rare, many years frequently V1 

 elapsing without a single individual being seen. Since the 

 account given by Dr FLEMING of a bird taken alive at 

 St Kilda, in 1822, and the one chased by Mr BULLOCK, du- 

 ring his tour to the northern isles, I am not aware of its 

 having been met with, although many excursions connected 

 with ornithological pursuits have been at different times 

 made into those remote districts of the kingdom. It is found 

 throughout the Arctic Seas in very high latitudes, although 

 not in any considerable numbers, or congregated like the 

 Razor-bill, Guillemot, and some others. It is frequent about 

 the coasts of Norway and Iceland, and still more so around 

 the icy shores of Greenland and Spitzbergen; where it breeds 

 VOL. n. E e 



