VOL. XV.] NOTES ON THE GREAT AUK. lOS 



gather from the description of it by the sailors from whom 

 he received it. And as in none of the former writers on Birds, 

 at least in none of those whose works I have had access to, 

 is a similar bird to be observed, I have thought that it would 

 in no way be displeasing to those who study the birds of 

 foreign lands if in reproducing it in a picture I should place 

 it under this heading. But any further account of the bird 

 I cannot give beyond that which I have been able to gather 

 from the mere picture just as it is with not a few of these 

 birds that follow of which I have only seen the picture, and 



MERGUS AMERICANUS OF CLUSIUS. 



I therefore trust that the kindly reader will take in good part 

 that which I have to offer. I gather then that this bird is 

 somewhat smaller than a goose or equal in size to a wild 

 goose, having a long body but small and short wings out of 

 all proportion to the size of its body, and on that account I 

 opine not very well suited for flying. Its head, neck and back 

 are as I gathered from the picture covered with black feathers, 

 there are black feathers also in its tail and wings. On its 

 breast, however, and the whole of its stomach they are white. 

 It has a sharp beak (or a beak which is eagle-like) fairly large 

 and not flat in which no traces of teeth are shown. The beak 



