38 
VOYAGE TO GREENLAND. 
twenty specimens of the little Auk. These birds 
fly with great swiftness against the wind, and waver 
from side to side in their flight, like snipes. I was 
much amused at the pleasure expressed by the boat’s 
crew, on seeing me kill twelve of these swift-winged 
birds, without missing. They have a short, black, 
convex and thick bill, its upper part black ; cheeks, 
and lower part, white ; legs, dirty greenish white ; 
webs, black ; head and neck, black ; weight, five 
ounces ; length, nine inches ; extent of wing, fifteen 
inches. They dive wonderfully quick, frequently 
putting their beak to the water, as if to drink. They 
live on shrimps, many of which I took from the 
stomach: their voice is singular, resembling the 
forced laugh of punch in a puppet-show. 
This morning I came on deck at four 
o’clock, and was much gratified by a re- 
markable bright land blink, and by the sight of our 
destined northern object, Spitsbergen, which was 
