32 
in the general gallery for many years: they are consequently bleached 
and valueless. Their history is doubtful. I quote Mr. Symington 
Grieve’s account (‘Great Auk or Garefowl,’ App. p. 29) of these 
two specimens:—‘‘British Museum. These two eggs probably came 
from Bullock’s collection. At the sale of Bullock’s collection in 1819, 
two eggs were included in the catalogue (one on p. 31 and the other at 
p. 131). Both were bought by Leach, the keeper of the Zoological 
portion of the British Museum, and these are presumably the two eggs 
now in the Museum. One of them was actually packed in the same box 
in which Bullock’s bird from Papa Westra was; but that does not 
necessarily lead to the conclusion that the egg came from Papa Westra. 
To judge from its age, Newfoundland is probably the place of its 
origin.” 
(The Egyptian Hall having been lately* demolished I give on PI. V. a picture of it as 
it appeared in one of the many editions of Mr. Bullock’s Guides or “Companions 
to the Museum.” I am indebted to Professor Newton’s paper “ Notes on some 
Old Museums,” for the following information. “Everyone in London knows 
the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly but probably very few know that 
it was built for a Museum, and was so used for the best part of ten 
years by the once celebrated William Bullock.(jeweller and 
silversmith to H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester,), of Church Street, Liverpool, 
where for many years he had an exhibition called the Liverpool Museum. In 
1812 Bullock moved his vast collection to the Egyptian Temple, 22 Piccadilly, 
which had been built for its reception. In some of the many editions of the 
guide book or * Companion ’ to Mr. Bullock’s London Museum and Pautherium, 
it is stated that the objects on view were ‘ collected during 17 years of arduous 
research and at the expense of £30,000 [the sum that was said to have been 
spent on the Leverian Museum] and now open for public inspection in the 
Egyptian Temple, just erected for its reception in Piccadilly, London.’ In 1819 
Mr. Bullock determined to sell the contents of his Museum, which now 
comprised nearly 15,000 objects, which for the purpose of sale by auction were 
made up into 7,500 lots : the sale took place in the Egyptian Temple (or Hall as 
it came to be called ). Mr. Bullock was his own auctioneer. The sale lasted 
twenty-six days, beginning on the 29th of April and ending on the 11th of June. 
The sale was a great suceess. Such prices had certainly never been obtained 
before, and perhaps have never been obtained since. The competition was keen. 
There were present at the sale Dr. Leach from the British Museum, Dr. Adams 
attended for the Edinburgh Museum, Professor Temminck for Leyden, Mr. 
Fiehtel for Vienna, while Baron Laugier represented Paris, and Professor 
Lichtenstein, Berlin. Among other buyers occur well known names—Lord 
Stanley, .Sir Walter Scott, Sabine, Swainson, Vigors, Dr. Goodall, Sir Thomas 
Ackland, Capt. Browne, Lord Temple, and amongst the dealers Leadbeater, 
Warwick, etc.”) 
EGGS IX. and X. (Sale number twenty-nine.) 
Two eggs of the Great Auk on May 8th, 1880. 
Eggs IX. & X. Two eggs of the Great Auk were sold at 
Mr. Dowell’s auction rooms in Edinburgh, 
on May 8th, 1880. They were bought by 
Mr. R. Small, a dealer in natural history 
wares in that city, for thirty-two shillings, 
*Mr. J. M, Maskelyne (Maskelyne and Devant) in answer to my enquiries, 
kindly informed me that he “vacated the Egyptian Hall in December, 1504 . 
after an occupation ol nearly 33 years, and that the building was demolished 
the following spring,” 
