BIRDS. 247 



the only occasion on which an egg is mentioned, showing that 

 the bird actually bred there : 



" In the summer of 1812 Mr. Bullock, of the Loudon Museum, 

 being in Orkney, was informed at Papa Westray that the King 

 and Queen of the Hawks (Auks) had of late years frequented 

 the bays of the island in the summer season. He soon after 

 learnt that the female had been killed with a stone while sitting 

 on her egg, and that the male was still in the neighbouring 

 bay. He had the satisfaction of getting sight of him, and he 

 chased him for several hours unsuccessfully with a six-oared 

 boat. He dived most dexterously, and made great progress 

 under water, so as effectually to elude his pursuers. These 

 facts are stated by Mr. Montague in the appendix to his 

 Supplement to the Ornithological Dictionary lately published. 

 We have now to add that last summer (1813) the King of the 

 Auks again returned to his former haunts ; but he was solitary, 

 having been unsuccessful in procuring another mate. The zeal 

 of the islanders being roused, he was at length killed, and, 

 through the attention of the family at Papa Westray, the 

 specimen was transmitted to Mr. Bullock. This is the only 

 British specimen known to exist. N." 



"EDINBURGH, 28th March 1814." 



[The article was written by Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Patrick 

 Neill, and initialled N.] 



During the year 1858, when Messrs. Wolley and Newton 

 were investigating the question of the Great Auk in Iceland, 

 they met a Mr. Hughes on board the steamer, and, finding out 

 in the course of conversation that he was an intimate friend of 

 Mr. Traill of Holland House, Papa Westray, they asked him if 

 he would kindly interest himself to get all possible information 

 from that gentleman regarding the occurrence of the Great Auk 

 in Orkney. Mr. Wolley at the same time made out a series of 

 questions, which would embrace every part of the subject; as 

 these, however, were never answered in detail we need not now 

 give them in full. Mr. Hughes at once complied with their 

 request, and wrote two letters to Mr. Traill, the answer to 

 which we, thanks to the kindness of Professor Newton, are 

 enabled to give as follows : 



