The Great Auk still found in Iceland. 261 



According to Graba, the Great Auk has not been seen in 

 Greenland, Iceland, or the Faroe Islands of late 3 ears ; and 

 the author of an article in the Edinburgh Cabinet Library, 

 who cites Graba, says that " the race may now be regarded as 

 extinct." English and Swedish naturalists, as respects the 

 countries in question, seem to have come pretty much to the 

 same conclusion. But this is incorrect ; for on parts at least 

 of the coast of Iceland it is still to be met with. This is 

 more especially the case on the so-called Geirfugle-Skyaer 

 (Danish), or Great Auk- Skar ; on which, however, so fearful 

 a surf is said constantly to beat, that it is rarely, excepting at 

 imminent risk to life, that a landing can be effected. 



In the year 1813, a colony of these birds, we are told, 

 were here observed by a passing ship. A boat was at once 

 despatched to the spot, and no fewer than twenty were cap- 

 tured on their eggs, all of which were carried to Reckravig. 

 One of the birds was afterwards stuffed, but the others were 

 eaten. In 1814, again, eight individuals were killed on a 

 flat skar, on the west coast of Iceland. In 1818 a single 

 one was taken at a place in South Iceland, where several 

 others were also observed. In 1823 two old birds were 

 killed on a skar near to Orebakke, and both were sent to the 

 Royal Museum in Copenhagen. In 1829 a pair, male and 

 female, were killed on the Geirfugle-Skyaer, whilst coura- 

 geously defending their two eggs (they usually lay but one). 

 The birds are now in the possession of the apothecary Mech- 

 lenburg, at Flensborg. Still later, in 1832, at least ten were 

 killed on a skar near to Iceland. In the year 1834, three 

 birds and three eggs were brought to Copenhagen from that 

 island. In 1844 two birds and two eggs also reached this 

 city from the same quarter. People whose word is to be 

 relied on, Kyaerbolling tells us, have informed him, that 

 birds have subsequently been seen off the coast of Iceland ; 

 but although a large reward has been offered for both birds 

 and skins, no one has had the courage to land upon the skar. 



From the above account there can be little question as to 

 the Great Auk still existing in some numbers on the coast of 

 Iceland ; and I doubt not that we shall one day hear of some 



