CXLV. 

 ALCA IMPENXIS. (linn.) 



Great Auk. 



We know little further with regard to the Great Auk, 

 than that it is an inhabitant of more northern regions than 

 ours, and that it has become entitled to a place on our list of 

 Birds by having been once captured within the limits of the 

 British Islands. It breeds, like the Guillemot, on the ledges 

 of those precipitous rocks which overhang the sea, resorting 

 to high latitudes during the season of incubation. 



The egg, which it will be seen, very closely resembles 

 that of the Guillemot, is from the collection of Mr. Yarrell. — 

 Fig. I. 



MERGULUS MELANOLEUCOS. (ray.) 



Little Auk. Rotche. 



Althou€JI a more frequent visitant of our shores at other 

 seasons, the Little Auk is, like the preceding species, an 

 inhabitant of polar regions during the season of incubation. 

 It is then abundant on some of the shores of Greenland, from 

 whence specimens are brought home by the sailors employed 

 in the whale fishery. The only egg which I have seen, is in 

 the possession of Mr. Gibson, of North Shields, who obtained 

 it from one of the Greenland ships. The colouring is very 

 slight, and is probably faded from exposure to the light. A 

 drawing of the egg sent me by Mr. Yarrell is more tinted 

 with blue, wliich I have no doubt will be the case with fresh 

 specimens. 



