AUKS. 71 



LITTLE AUK. Alca alle, Linnaeus. 



A winter visitant, but somewhat irregular in its 

 appearance. 



GEEAT AUK or GAEE-FOWL. Alca impennis, Linnaeus. 



Formerly met with in the British Islands, but now 

 believed to be extinct, no examples having been pro- 

 cured or seen since 1844 or 1845. 



In Martin's 'Voyage to St. Kilda,' published in 

 1869, this bird is spoken of as formerly breeding on 

 St. Kilda; and as recently as 1840 Mr. John Mac- 

 gillivray found that it was well known to the inhabi- 

 tants of that remote isle, although it had not been 

 observed to breed there for many years previously. 



The records of its occurrence in Great Britain are 

 so few that they may be shortly enumerated here as 

 follows : 



One seen off Fair Isle, Orkney, June 1798. Baikie & Heddle, 

 Hist. Nat. Orcadensis, p. 88. 



Two, Papa Westra, Orkney, 1812, one of which was sent to the 

 late Mr. Bullock. At the sale of his collection in 1819 it was pur- 

 chased for the British Museum, where it is still preserved. Montagu, 

 Orn. Diet. Suppl. (1813) ; Latham, Gen. Hist. Birds, vol. x. ; Yarrell, 

 Hist. Brit. Birds, vol. iii. p. 480. 



One taken alive off St. Kilda, 1821 or 1822, and examined by Dr. 

 Fleming; afterwards escaped. Edinb. Phil. Journ. vol. x. p. 97, 

 and Fleming, ' Hist. Brit. Animals,' p. 130. 



One taken alive off St. Kilda, 1829, which afterwards escaped. 

 Macgillivray, Hist. Brit. Birds, vol. v. p. 361. But this statement 

 must refer to the last-mentioned specimen. 



One picked up dead off Lundy Island, 1829. Moore, ' Cat. "Web- 

 footed Birds, Devon.' 



