THE GREAT AUK. 405 
The food of the Dabchick consists of insects, molluscs, little fish, and the 
smaller crustaceans. 
The CRESTED GREBE is found in some of the fens of the Midland counties 
of England, and also inhabits parts of Scotland. ‘This bird, together with the 
other Grebes, builds its nest of a mass of roots and reeds, among sedges, 
The female, like the water-hen, covers up her eggs when she leaves her nest, 
which, unlike the nests of most of the aquatic birds, floats upon the 
surface of the water. F 
THE sub-family of the Alcinze, or Auks, has several British representatives, 
among which the GREAT AUK is the rarest. 
This bird, formeriy to be found in several parts of Northern Europe, in 
Labrador, and very rarely in the British Islands, has not been observed for 
many years, and is as completely extinct asthe Dodo. Almost the last living 
specimens known were seen in the Orkneys, and were quite familiar to the 
inhabitants under the name of the King and Queen of the Auks. 
DABCHICK-—( Podicips minor.) 
According to Mr. Lloyd, this bird formerly frequented certain parts of Ice- 
land, acertain locality called the Auk-Skar being celebrated for the number 
of Auks which nested upon it. The Skar, however, is so difficult of approach 
on account of the heavy surf which beats upon it, that few persons have the 
daring to land. In 1813 a number of Auks were taken from the Skar, and, 
horrible to relate, they were all eaten except one. 
The eggs are veriable in size, and colour, and markings, some being of a 
silvery white, and others of a yellowish white ground ; and the spots and 
streaks are greatly different in colour and form, some being yellowish 
‘brown and purple, others purple and black, and others intense blue and 
green, 
