526 EEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1888. 



1785, Cartwright, George. Journal of Transactions and Events during a residence 

 of nearly sixteen years on the Coast of Labrador. 



Vol. Ill, page 55. "The birds which the people bring from thence (Funk Isl- 

 and) they salt and eat in lieu of salted pork." * * » The poor inhabitants 

 of Fogo Island make voyages there to load with birds and eggs. When the 

 water is smooth they make their shallop fast to the shore, lay their gang- 

 boards from the gunwale of the boat to the rocks, and then drive as many 

 penguins on board as she will hold, for the wings of these birds being re- 

 markably short they cannot fly. But it has been customary of late years 

 for several crews of men to live all summer on that island, for the sole pur- 

 pose of killing birds for their feathers; the destruction which they have 

 made is incredible. If a stop is not soon put to that practice, the whole breed 

 will be diminished to almost nothing, particularly the penguins, for this is 

 now the only island they have left to breed upon." This long quotation is 

 given for the many interesting points it contains. 

 1822. Faber. Prodromus der isliindischen Ornithologie, Kopenhagen. 1822. 



States that when visiting the Westman Islands in August, 1821, he was told 

 that it had been twenty years since a Great Auk had been seen there. 

 1827-'38. Audubon, J. J. The Birds of America ; from original drawings, Loudon, 

 1827-'38. Plate 341. Ornithological Biography, vol. iv, p. 316. 



While Audubon never saw the bird alive, his figure is undoubtedly the best 

 published. The Great Auk was a stout, thick-necked bird, built much on 



* the plan of the Razorbill, yet nearly all plates represent it as a sort of cross 

 between a Murre and a Loon, with a small head, slender neck, and unduly 

 obese body. Audubon's figure was probably made from an English speciii en, 

 and his knowledge of the bird's habits and habitat was derived from hearsay. 

 1837. Blyth, E. On the Osteology of the Great Auk (Alca impennis) in comparison 

 with that of Sphenisci. 



<P. Z.S., V. 837, pp. 122,123. 

 1842. Bonnycastle, Richard, Newfoundland in 1842. 



Vol. 1, page 232, says that " the large Auk or Penguin {Alca impennin L.) which 

 not fifty years ago was a sure sea-mark on the edge of and inside the banks, 

 has totally disappeared from the ruthless trade in its eggs and skin." 

 1854. Lloyd, L. The Great Auk {Alca impennis) still found iu Iceland. 



<Edinb. New Philos. Jonrn., Ivi, 1854, pp. 260-262. 



Extract from his Scandiuavi an Adventures, ii, page 495. 

 1856-57. Steenstrup, J. Et Bidrag til Geirfuglens, Alca impennis Liu., Naturhi- 

 storie, og sferligt til Kundskaben om dens tidiigere Udbreduingskreds. 



<Vidensk. Meddel. Naturhist. Foren. Kjobenhavn, for Aaret 1855, Nr. 3-7, 

 1856-'57, pp. 3.3-116, Kart og Tavle. 



In this paper nearly all the known fads in regard to the Great Auk were 

 brought together for the first time. Stuvitz's visit to Funk Island is quoted 

 at some length and evidence brought forward to show that the Great Auk 

 was not a dweller within the Arctic circle. There are two German and one 

 French translation of this important paper, the most available being the 

 French version in Bull. Soc. Ornith. Suisse, ii, 1 e. pte., 1868, pp. 5-70. 

 1859 ? Charlton, E. On the Great Auk {Alca impennis). 



<Traus. Tyneside Nat. Field Club, iv, 1859 (?), pp. 113 et seq. Reprinted in 

 Zoologist, 1860, pp. 6883-6888. 



Largely a compilation. Interesting as stating that the dried bodies of Aukd 

 and Guillemots are used for fuel on the Westmann Islands. 

 1860. M'Clintock, F. .J. The Great Auk {Alca impennis). 



<Zoologist, XVIII, 1860, 6981. 



Notes that the Great Auk has not been met with by any of the modern Arctio 

 expeditions. 



