‘18 The Official Guide to the 
in July, 1873. It consists of thirty-six large uniform 
cases of British Birds, and two of British Mammals, all 
preserved and cased by the celebrated Leadbeater, of 
London. There are 289 species of British birds, 
represented by 540 specimens remarkably well pre- 
served, and frequently exhibiting adults of both sexes, 
as well as immature examples. The gem of the collec- 
tion is the Great Auk, or as modern ornithologists 
prefer to call it, the Gare-fowl, which will be noticed 
under a separate glass shade; unfortunately the 
history of this particular bird is not known. ‘The 
species, however, is now extinct, and comparatively 
few examples are in existence. The Gare-fowl was 
quite incapable of flight, but fully at home on and in 
the water, which it seldom left. Its chief home in 
the breeding-season, when it visited the land, was 
certain islands off the coast of Newfoundland; the last 
of which it resorted to was Funk Island, where it was 
most ruthlessly exterminated. ‘The final resort of the 
species was a small group of rocky islands off the south- 
west point of Iceland, where it became extinct in 1844. 
As may be imagined, these birds are exceedingly 
valuable, the last which changed hands was accom- 
panied by an egg, the two selling by private contract 
for £600; whilst the eggs alone have produced by 
auction almost fabulous prices, one which formerly 
belonged to Mr. Yarrell, selling in 1888 for £225 ; 
and two others, accidentally discovered amongst 
some fossils of little value, which were purchased 
for 36s., although both somewhat damaged, one 
more so than the other, sold on the 24th April, 1894, 
for. 7,273 and £183 15s. Fespectively 
_ A bird hardly less interesting than the Gare-fowl, 
although very inconspicuous, will be found in Case 7, 
No. 35. It is a male of a small warbler known as 
Savi’s Warbler, of which the Museum is the fortunate 
