THE GREAT AUK. 
887 
its retreat is cut off from the sea, it quietly allows itself 
to be seized upon, or knocked down with a stick: it will, 
as an early observer states, even permit itself to be driven 
before one, like a sheep to the slaughter-house. When 
laid hold of it defends itself by biting: this mode of 
defence is useless, however, when man is the aggressor; 
though the bite, it is said, is sometimes productive of 
a rather severe wound. 
It would seem that the Great Auk is not fond of the 
company of other rock-fowl, but leads a solitary life, 
consorting only with those of its own species during 
breeding time. As yet this bird has never been found 
breeding anywhere but on small islands standing mid¬ 
ocean, far away from the bustle of human life. These 
islands are, owing to the heavy surf by which they are 
surrounded, safe from intrusive visitors. Here the 
females deposit their single, and most curious egg: 
this latter equals, or even surpasses, that of the Swan in 
size, but looks thicker; it is pear-shaped, with a strong, 
coarse-grained shell, devoid of polish; the ground colour 
is white, spotted with indistinct gray, brown, blackish 
gray, and blackish brown; the spots are usually few in 
number, and not close together. Both male and female 
take part in the duties of incubation: this may be 
gathered from both sexes being found during the breed¬ 
ing season minus the feathers on the belly; and it is 
probable that the germ in the egg is not quickened 
under five weeks’ incubation. It has hitherto been 
impossible to gather information as to the manner in 
which the newly-hatched young are fed and brought up, 
though it is reasonable to suppose that they are led to 
the sea soon after they are hatched, and there fed and 
cared for by their respective parents: at all events, a 
6 a 
