NATURAL HISTORY. 



36D 



Impennis (Lat. wingless), the Great Auk. 



The ALCHXE or AUKS are never seen inland, but exclusively 

 inhabit the sea-shores. In this family the wings are small, 

 and in some genera useless for flight. The feet are placed so 

 far back that the birds, when sitting, assume an erect attitude. 



The GREAT AUK is an inhabitant of the Arctic circle, but 

 is sometimes seen in the northern islands of Scotland. The 

 wings of this bird are incapable of raising it into the air, but 

 serve admirably as paddles when diving. It breeds princi- 

 pally on the shores of Iceland and Spitzbergen, laying one 

 large egg on a cleft of a high rock. The eggs are extremely 

 scarce, and fetch a very high price among collectors, a circum- 

 stance which has caused some most ingenious impositions. 

 The length of the bird is nearly three feet. 



