42 THE GREAT AUK 



Gare-fowl and made careful notes of its history. In 

 John Wolley's collection of eggs, which was bequeathed 

 to him, were two eggs of the Gare-fowl : these formed 

 the nucleus of his own famous collection of seven eggs, 

 which are now in the University Museum at Cambridge. 

 It is hardly liecessary to say that the eggs were sold in 

 those days far below the enormous prices they fetch 

 nowadays, but there was a good deal more of romance 

 about it then than there is now in bidding at auction for 

 an egg, every point in whose history for the last fifty 

 years is known. Mr. Gould bought an egg at a toyshop 

 in Regent Street for ten pounds, and, thinking it to be 

 a coloured model, sold it again a few days later. Mr. 

 Yarrell bought an egg in Paris for two francs ! 



The story of Newton's first purchase is graphically 

 told in a letter to Canon Tristram : — 



I dread the consequences of some news I have to 

 impact, especially as regards Salvin and the Godmans. 

 However, it is a punishment on them for their base deser- 

 tion of me, and a reward to me for my patience under 

 adversity. In going about London this very wet day I 

 have picked up the greatest prize an English Oologist 

 can meet with. I stumbled on the scent of it in the 

 subterranean regions of Bloomsbury, and after a briUiant 

 burst in a hansom ran it to ground under the shadow of 

 St. Mary-le-Strand, a locahty already sacred to the gentle 

 memories of poor old Salmon and his great egg. The 

 long and short is I have to-day purchased a Great Auk's 

 egg, one whose existence was previously unknown to me. 

 I felt bound to rescue this Andromeda from being 

 chained in. the sunshine of Gardner's window, but I 

 must confess she is not remarkable for her good looks, 

 though I have seen worse, and I am glad to say her 

 antecedents are likely to prove extremely interesting. 



I expect to hear of Salvin and Percy Godman embrac- 

 ing and then leaping ofE the top of Snoehaetten, and of 

 Fred's drowning himself in the Lake of Lucerne through 



