1144 The Zoologist — November, 1868. 



its escape. Even in this state of restraint it performed the motions of 

 diving and swimming under water with a rapidity that set all pursuit 

 from a boat at defiance. A few white feathers were at this time 

 making their appearance on the sides of its neck and throat, which 

 increased considerably dining the following week, and left no room to 

 doubt that, like its congeners, the blackness of the throat-feathers of 

 summer is exchanged for white during the winter season." In his 

 'History of Animals' (p. 130), Dr. Fleming adds, " When fed in con- 

 finement it holds up its head, expressing its anxiety by shaking the 

 head and neck, and uttering a gurgling noise." 



Macgillivray says (Brit. Birds, vol. v. p. 361), "Another was obtained 

 there [at St. Kilda] in 1829, by Mr. Murdoch McLellan (query, 

 Maclellan), and presented to the late Mr. Stephenson (query, Steven- 

 son, whom Fleming accompanied in 1821), who intended it for the 

 Edinburgh Museum ; but it afterwards made its escape." One is 

 alwavs inclined to question the identity of escaped birds, and in this 

 instance the whole story is confused, and it seems very probable that 

 no second great auk was taken. I suppose this latter is the one men- 

 tioned in Wood's popular ' Illustrated Natural History' (vol. ii. p. 742) 

 as caught in a net by Mr. Adams, of Lewis. 



In Pinkerton's ' Voyages and Travels,' in an account of Hirta, it is 

 staled, " There be many sorts of (these) fowls ; some of them of 

 strange shapes, among which there is one they call the garefowl, 

 which is bigger than a goose, and hath eggs as big, almost, as 

 those of an ostritch." Prof. Newton, commenting upon this, remarks 

 that Pinkerton gives no clew to the date of the communication, or to 

 the source whence he reprinted it. 



Sir Robert Sibbald enumerates, in 1684, in his ' Scotia lllnstrata,' 

 among the birds of North Britain, " Avis Gare dicta, Corvo marino 

 similis, ovo maximo." It is not clear why he likened it to a cor- 

 morant. 



" M. Martin, Gent.," who in 1698 resided three weeks in St. Kilda, 

 for the purpose of investigating its natural curiosities, published a 

 most interesting account of his expedition, in which he says: — "The 

 sea-fowl are, first, gairfowl, being the stateliest, as well as the largest 

 sort, and above the size of a Solan goose, of a black colour, red about 

 the eyes, a large white spot under each, a long broad bill ; it stands 

 stately, its whole body erected, its wings short, flies not at all ; lays its 

 egg upon the bare rock, which if taken away, she lays no more for 

 that year; she is whole-footed, and has the hatching spot upon her 



