668 
Proceedings of the Boyal Society 
4. On two unrecorded Eggs of the Great Auk (. Alca impennis) 
discovered in an Edinburgh Collection ; with remarks on 
the former existence of the bird in Newfoundland. By 
Bobert Gray. [Specimens exhibited.] 
The two eggs of the Great Auk which I now exhibit were bought 
in Dowell’s Auction Rooms rather more than a month ago, and 
formed part of a collection of “ birds’ eggs, shells, and other natural 
history specimens” which was disposed of among a lot of mis- 
cellaneous property belonging to a legal gentleman of this city. 
This small collection of eggs had been in the possession of the 
owner for about thirty years, and the two eggs in question had 
been purchased by his father from another collector in Edinburgh — 
a Mr Little — in whose possession it is thought, from collected and 
trustworthy evidence, the specimens had been at least other thirty 
years. These eggs, therefore, have probably not changed hands 
more than once during a period of fifty or sixty years. The present 
owner of the specimens, Mr Small, animal preserver, George Street, 
purchased the lot at the sale for £1, 12s., and has since taken great 
pains to establish the few facts I have stated regarding their 
history.* * * § 
The chief interest in the eggs of the Great Auk arises from the 
circumstance of the bird itself being now regarded as an extinct 
species. In the early part of the present century it was reckoned 
a very rare bird, although it appears to have lingered in Scotland, 
where it was confined to the Orkney Islandsf and St Kilda,f until 
1821 ; in Ireland § until 1834; in Newfoundland, || which country 
may be regarded as having been at one time the stronghold of the 
species, until probably 1837; and in Iceland IT until 1844, since 
* The two eggs have since been sold by auction in London ; one specimen 
realising £100, and the other £107, 2s. Both are now in the collection of Lord 
Lilford. 
t Montagu, “ Ornithological Dictionary,” Appendix to Supplement, 1813. 
J Fleming, “ Edinburgh Philosophical Journal,” vol. x. 1824. 
§ Thomson, “ Birds of Ireland,” vol. iii. p. 238. 
|| Audubon, “ Orn. Biog.” 1838. 
IT Newton, “Ibis,” 1861, pp. 390-392. 
