wm^mmmMmm^^^^ \ y/ '???.ZM Cornell University Library QL 696.C42P24 The Great auk, or garefowl (AIca impennls 3 1924 000 574 222 Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924000574222 THE GREAT AUK, OR GAREFOWL (Alga impennis, Linn.). BY THOMAS PAEKIN, M.A., MBMBEB OF THE BEITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION, FELLOW OP THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, F.E.G.S., &C. [This paper on the Great Auk was read before the members of the Hastings and St. Leonards Natural History Society on June 28th, 1894. The lecturer exhibited several cleverly executed casts of the eggs of A. impennis ; _ and also a life size black and white sketch of the bird, drawn by himself. It is hoped that the inclusion of the plates iu this pamphlet will supplement the text in supplying somewhat of an accurate idea of this extinct bird. — W.C.R.B.] J. B. BUDD, PEINTEE, ST. LEONAEDS-ON-SEA. MDOCCXCIV. 51- INTBODUCTORY NOTE, Believing that this paper will be welcomed by a larger circle of ornithologists than that privileged to hear it, Mr. Parkin has been per- suaded to allow me to relieve him, by seeing it through the press. My only remaining duty is to inform the reader that Mr. Parkin's object throughout, has been to render the subject intelligible to the general reader, as well as scientific and exhaustive. The extermination of the Great Auk (extermi- nation rather than extinction — "extermination" involves the idea of man's influence; while "ex- tinction" is more applicable in those cases where a species has succumbed to the evolution of Natural Law) is significative of a tendency in man to pursue unduly any ascendancy he may have in the feathered world. In many cases, indeed, the resident has given place to the irregular visitor or even to the accidental straggler. The action of the Zoological Society in acknowledging the efforts of some " philornithic " persons to re-establish the regular breeding of such birds as the Osprey and Kite on their estates commands the warmest admiration of all interested in t)ie preservation of our rarer birds. Although the Garefowl is extinct, yet is its memory preserved in the names of those wild Icelandic skerries, its sometime home — a memory that will cling to them, even when the foam- flakes have ceased to cling to their riven rocks. w. c. j. euskin butteefibld. St. Leonaeds-on-Sea, July, 1894. ^ ^*0Z'^'^> THE GREAT AUK, or GAREFOWL. (Alca imi'enn'is, Linn.) THE GEEAT AUK, OE GAEBFOWL (Alca impennis Linn.). The object of this lecture is an endeavour to furnish some idea of what the Great Auk was like when still a living species — of its habits, and habitats; of its decline and extinction. Also, by giving a list of the skins and eggs known to exist (with a few remarks appended thereto) I trust we may arrive at some just idea of its remains. In a subject that has been so thoroughly investigated ; and hence a subject in which there is necessarily little scope for the introduction of much original matter, I have contented myself in collecting in as succinct a form as possible, information culled frpm many books, papers, and pamphlets dealing with the Great Auk ; and for which I must at the outset • express my indebtedness to the authors ; notably to the following ardent scientists and orni- thologists : — The late Mr. John "Wolley,i with whose labours in this direction, Professor Newton is closely identified; Mr. Eobert Gray; ("Birds of the "West of Scotland.") Mr. E. Champley, and Dr. J. A. Smith. Of Continental writers, Professor W. Preyer of Jena, Wh. Blasius of Brunswick and Mons. Victor Patio of Geneva. It is, however, to the elaborate monograph on " The Great Auk, or Garefowl, its History, Archaeology, and Eemains," by Mr. Symington Grieve,^ that I am specially 1 The researches of Mr. Wolley in oonneotion with the Gt. Auk, together with the supplementary notes of Professor Newton have been published in the Ibis, vol iii. pp. 374-99. 2 Published in one volume 4to. London, T. C. Jack, 1885. indebted for much of what I have to say. The value of the remains of this bird is so generally known that it is hardly likely that there are many of importance yet unknown to ornithologists. However, now and again, in divers manners and sundry places one does turn up, and then again the wonder of the world turns to the Great Auk. In this age it seems singular that ornithologists should not have sooner anticipated its destruction ; and that absolutely no precautionary measures were taken to check the senseless slaughter to which it was, through its incapacity of flight, subjected. Much of the strangeness, however, will disappear when we consider the fact that the Garefowl became extinct in an age when interest in birds was not so widespread as it now is ; and especially when we bear in mind that the bird, was unfortunate enough to be a desired article of food, and an easy prey. Mr. Seebohm 3 says, "It was once a British bird ; now it is regarded as an extinct species, like the Solitaire Pigeon of Eodriguez, the Phillip-Island Parrot, the Dodo of the Mauritius, and the Moa of New Zealand. The extinction of the Great Auk has taken place during the lifetime of the present generation. It is scarcely more than half a century since the last British example of this curious bird was killed in the Orkneys ; and when, ten years later, the survivors of the only colony left were captured, the history of the Great Auk became a legend of the past." 3 " British Birds," vol. iii., p. 371. The Geographical distribution of the Garefowl extended over the Palsearctic and Nearctic regions, where it represented in conjunction with the rest of the Genus Alca, the Pengtiins of the Southern Hemisphere. The total length of A. impennis is * about thirty inches. In the adult summer plumage almost the entire upper parts are black and the under parts white. There is a large, oval patch of white in front of the eye, extending collaterally with the beak ; the extremities of the secondaries are also white. The alcine beak and legs are black, — the former being very powerful and having longitudinal furrows extending from the ^under mandible. The adult in winter has the chin, throat, and front of neck white instead of black. The young (of which there are only two existing specimens known) have much the same plumage jis the adult but the furrows of the bill are not so perfectly developed. No birds in down are known to be in existence. According to descriptions by early writers it would appear that the Garefowls sat in a position even more erect than that of our common Guillemot (Uria troile, L.) or Eazor-Bill (Alca torda, L.) ; but chose a breeding place farther from the water. Unusual noises fTightened them ; but they appeared insensible to strange sights ; or treated them with absolute disregard. The only vocal capabilities of the bird extended to the production of sundry low 4 In the descriptions I have used tlie present tense, generally, as they are taken from existing specimens. Croaks. They walked or ran with quick short steps. They appear to have been extremely stupid, and also insatiate in their appetites. The Great Auk was an essentially pelagic bird, its structure eminently fitting it for rapidity of motion under water. A Great Auk was killed at Papa Westray, Orkneys, by some fishermen, who enticed it within reach by offering fish, and then killed it with an oar. Another was caught at the entrance to Waterford Harbour in May, 1834. It was very probably in a starving condition, as it approached the boat for food. For some days after its capture it ate greedily of potatoes mashed in milk. After keeping it ten days, it was sold to Mr. Davis, who sent it to Mr. Gough, of Horetown, Co. Wexford. Singularly, for about three weeks after its trans- ference to its new home it was not known to eat anything. Mr. Gough fearing it would succumb, caused potatoes and milk to be forced down its throat, and from that time it ate voraciously until within a day or two of its death. It died a little over four months after its capture. When in Mr. Gough's possession its principal food was trout and other fresh-water fish, which it seemed to prefer to fish from the sea. It swallowed the fish entire. After its death it was preserved and is now in the University Museum at Dublin. In 1821 or '22 the late Dr. Fleming had an oppor- tunity of describing a live specimen. The bird was captured near the island of Scalpa, Harris, by a local tradesman. It was presented to Mr. Eoberb SteVehsbn, civil engineer, who took it on board the lighthouse yacht ; but the bird escaped while being indulged in a swim. Audubon mentions the capture of a Great Auk by the brother of his engraver, while on a voyage from New York to England. He says, " The bird was hooked, and on being hauled on board it was left at liberty on deck; it walked very awkwardly, often tumbling over, bit every one within reach of its powerful bill, and refused food of all kinds. After continuing several days on board it was restored to its proper element." It is difficult to ascertain for certain the different breeding places of the Garefowl ; but it is probable that it had stations off the coasts of Newfoundland, Labrador, South Greenland, Ice- land, the Faroes, and on some of the Norwegian islands. Mr. Grieve considers the following pflaces historically well ^ attested, namely, St. Kilda, Orkney, possibly Shetland, Faroe, the three Gare- fowl rocks off the S.W. coast of Iceland. Danells or Graahs Islands (lat. 66° 20' N.). Further west it was met with in the neighbourhood of Newfound- land, on Funk Island, as well as on some of the islands in the Bay of St. Lawrence, and at Cape Breton. Another probable breeding station was Cape Cod, possibly marking the southern limit of the region inhabited by the bird; Mr. Seebohm, on the other hand, is of opinion that the Garefowl was seen in idinter as far soiith as Carolina in the West, and the shores of Jutland in the Bast. In Hakluyt's voyages ^, edited 1600, we find the earliest mention of the Great Auk or Penguin (the two names were often misapplied) and in the description of a voyage to Newfoundland and Cape Breton in 1536 mention is made of the Island of Penguins, and that, " they found it full of great fowls, white and grey, and big as geese, and they ' saw infinite numbers of their eggs." The first account of this extraordinary bird as a British species is that given by M. Martin in a curious little book entitled " A voyage to St. Kilda, the remotest of all the Hebrides." ^ Martin thus describes the birds, " The Sea Fowls are first the Gairfowl, being the stateliest, as well as the largest of the fowls here, and about the size of a Solan Goose ; of a black colour, red about the eyes, a large white spot under each, a long broad bill; stands stately, its whole body erected, its wing short, it flieth not at all, lays its eggs upon a bare rook, which if taken away it layeth no more that year." About the latter end of the fifteenth century a war of extermination was waged against the Gare- fowls, and continued until scarcely any were left. Ships engaged in the fisheries off Newfoundland were provisioned with them, as they proved a valuable article of food. Their stupidity when on land, was so great that they allowed themselves to be driven on board over planks and sails spread 5 " Hakluyt's Voyages," vol. iii,, p, 130. London 1600. 6 p. 27. Ed. 1753. (The voyage was undertaken in 1697). out from the sides of the ship to the shore. In spite, however of the destruction which had so long gone on, and So greatly diminished their numbers, it was not thought that the species was coming to ah end, and it was not in fact until the thirties in the present century that the ' ' first note of warning was sounded " which came from a writer in a Danish Journal, who in 1838 predicted the /extinction of the the bird. — Six years later the Great Auk had ceased to exist. I shall now give a short account of the last breeding places of the Great Auk ; and of a few of the last of the species. At St. Kilda, one of its breeding stations, the birds had become very irregular in their visits, as far back as 1758. The last specimen captured there was in 1821, having been effected by two men and two ' boys. One of the boys called Donald M'Queen, was still living in 1880, aged 73. A male and female were killed in 1812 at. Papa Westray one of the Orkneys. The female although knocked over by some boys with stones, was not obtained until afterwards washed ashore. Mr. Bullock states that he caused the male to be chased for several hours ; but, although the boat was manned by six swift rowers, the chase had to be abandoned on account of the amazing velocity of the bird through the water. It was killed soon .after, by some fishermen who sent the body to Mr. Bullock. After the death of this gentleman it was purchased by Dr. Leach for £15 5s. 6d. This 10 specimen is now in the British Museum, and is the only authentic instance of the occurrence of A. imj^eninis in the British Isles, with the exception of the two examples caught in Waterford Harbour. Messrs Buckley and Harvie-Brown in their most interesting work on, " A Vertebrate Fauna of the Orkney Islands," supply a good deal of in- formation relative to the capture of these two birds at Papa Westray . In a plate showing the east side of the island, is a marginal arrow indicating the exact spot where the last Great Auk was killed, and there is also a plate representative of the actual crannies between the caves on Papa Westray, in which the last bird lived. The joint authors point out several discrepancies between the ordinary account of the capture of these two birds and to what their own investigations suggested. They interviewed a man named Hourston who well remembered the slaughter of the birds ; — King and Queen of the Auks they were called, and he asserted that the " King" was not killed till 1813, when he was shot on a rock near Fowl's Craig. At the Faroe Islands the Garefowl had become- excessively rare at the beginning of this century. When Mr. Wolley visited the islands in 1849, an old man informed him that he had seen one sitting upon some low rocks about fifty years before. Iceland, however, holds the honour of having ' possessed the last breeding places of the Great Auk, and in order to attain an adequate idea of these stations, it will be necessary to refer to the different THE HAUNTS OF THE GREAT AUK. 11 skerries or stacks of rocks upon which the birds bred. About 24 miles east of the mainland is a tolerably large rock known as Geirfuglasker ( = Garefowl skerry) and to this rock expeditions were regularly made about midsummer to catch Garefowls and seals. Directly to the south of Iceland is a group of islands named Westmanneyar (Westmann Islands) after the monks of the early Celtic Church who sought these remote solitudes to worship in peace. These islands are thought by Mr. Grieve to have been unmistakably breeding places. Off Cape Eeykjane^is a group of Islands called the Fuglasker ( = Bird skerries), and here the persecuted Garefowl made their last stand. One of the rocks, called Geirfuglasker (this must nob be confounded with the others of the same name) was submerged in 1830. It is well known that Iceland and the neighbouring islands lie in a region of volcanic activity, which, when abnormally violent is accompanied by considerable terrestrial dis- turbances. Previous to its submergence, Geirfu- glasker had been one of the principal breeding places of the Garefowls, so that the event doubtless resulted in the hastening of the extinction of the species ; as it compelled the survivors to seek new homes on skerries more easily accessible to man. There are a few other skerries in the Fuglasker group, the one nearest the mainlaind, being about 13 English miles distant. This island is named Eldey (Fire Island) and on it, the very last Great Auk was killed in 1844. 12 It was at the now submerged Geirfuglasker that there occurred the greatest slaughter of the birds. It appears that this colony had several times been in danger of extermination, as the descents that were made on this particular skerry have been well recorded. The first of these was perpetrated by the crew of a privateer named the Salamine, commanded by John Gilpin. They visited the Garefowl skerry, and remained a whole day, killing many birds and trampling down their eggs. Similar descents succeeded. In 1813 the inhabitants of the Faroes were in an almost starving condition, and while a ship with pro- visions, sent to their relief, was becalmed off Geirfuglasker, a.dvantage was taken of the occasion to visit the skerry. The crew killed all the birds they could lay their hands on, and among the slain were many Auks. After filling the boats, the remainder were laid on the rocks, as they intended returning; but in the meantime the wind got up and they were unable* to re-land. They then had 24 Garefowls, besides what were salted down. It seems likely that after th,e disappearance of Geirfuglasker, a colony of the birds established themselves on Eldey. This island is composed of precipitous rocks, rising vertically from the water's edge all round with the exception of one place, where the rocks slope down to the water, and it was on this incline that the birds laid their eggs. I have given this somewhat lengthened description of Eldey, as it possesses a peculiar interest to 13 naturalists, being as already stated the very last island inhabited by the Great Auk. The last pair were destroyed a little over half a century ago — in 1844. Their internal organs are preserved in the Eoyal University Museum of Copenhagen. What became of their skins and other remains is un- known. The expedition which resulted in the slaughter of this last pair of Auks was undertaken at the instigation of a man who desired to secure the birds. They eventually came into the pos- session of Herr MoUer, at that time the apothecary at Eeykjavik. It may prove of interest to mention that it was from this last brgeding-place of the Great Auk, that most of the specimens in European collections have been obtained ; and it is believed that during the fourteen years they frequented Eldey at least sixty were killed. The island was re- visited in 1846 and again in 1860, but no trace of the Garefowl could be found. Since the commencement of the present cen- tury Garefowls have occurred (and there have also been questionable reports of occurrences) in other places than those already mentioned. A pair is said to have been seen in Belfast Bay on July 23rd, 1845, and this instance is worthy of note as, if authentic, it is a year later that the supposed date of the extinction of the species. The state- ment rests on the authority of a Mr. Bell, a wild- fowl shooterj who relates that the birds were of the size of the Great Northern Diver (birds very fami- liar to him), but with much smaller wings. Mr. Bell's statement must, I think, he taiken cum grano, 14 &c. I have spent part of a winter myself in the North of Ireland wild-fowl shooting, and know what flights of imagination the average Irish duck- shooter is capable of. Thinking that this lecture would be singularly incomplete without some mention of the existing skins and eggs of the Great Auk, I have endeavoured to supply such a list, as will exclude tedious detail, and at the same time not be too brief to be of use. The approximate number of skins may be stated as from 79 to 81. Of this number the British Isles heads the list with 22. Germany comes next with only two less ; France with 8 skins ; the United States 5 or 6 ; Italy 5 ; Austria 4 ; Denmark and Switzerland 3 each ; Holland, Portugal and Eussia each a skin ; and it is supposed that there may be one in Iceland. The number of eggs knowii is about 70, more than half of which (about 60) are in Museums and pri- vate collections in the British Isles. France, how- ever, has 10 eggs, and Germany 3. No other state possesses more than a couple. The most note- worthy collection of Great Auk's eggs is that of Mr. Ghampley'' of Scarborough, Yorks. This gentleman has 9, all in that flawless condition, that is the envy of oologists. The collection was acquired by him in 1864, and a few years preceding that date. The present value of each egg is probably £300. In the summer of 1880, I had the V Papers on the Great Auk, by Mr. Charapley will be' found in the " Annals and Magazine of Natural History." 15 pleasure of inspecting these eggs through the kind- ness of Mr. Champley. They are kept by him in an iron safe, in which is also a fine stuffed specimen of A. impennis. The next largest possessor of eggs is Mr. G. F. Eowley, of Brighton, who has 6. This collection was accumulated by his father, the late Mr. Dawson Eowley the well known ornithologist. Professor Alfred Newton and Mr. Edward Newton have 3 in their joint possession at Cambridge. These eggs I had the pleasure of inspecting when at the 'Varsity, The Hunterian Museum of the Eoyal College of Surgeons contains 3, as does also the Museum of Natural History, Jardin des Plantes, Paris. There are also 3 in the collection of the Count de Barac6, Angers. The Natural History Department of the British Museum has two. Bach of the following Museums contains an egg, viz : — The Liverpool Museum ; Museumi of Natural History, Scarborough ; Oxford University Museum of Natural History; Eoyal Zoological Museum, Copenhagen ; Musee de la Ville, Angers ; Museum of Natural History, Paris ; Eoyal Zoological Museum, Dresden ; Dusseldorf Museum ; Grand Ducal Museum of Natural History, Oldenberg; Museum of Zoological History, Amsterdam ; Zoological Museum, Leyden ; Museum of Natural History, Lisbon ; Natural History Museum, Lausanne ; Academy of Natural Sciences, Phila- delphia ; Smithsonian Institute, Washington ; and the Museum of the Natural History Society, Newcastle-on Tyne. There is also an egg in the private collections of the following : — Mrs. Eocke, 16 Clungunford House, Aston-on-Clun, Shropshire ; Mr. Alfred Crowley, Waddon House, Croydon; Mr. Tuke, Hitchin, Herts; Mr. Edward Bidwell of Fonnereau House, Twickenham ; The Dowager Lady Garvagh ; Mr. G. L. Eussell, London ; Sir Frederick Milner, Nunappleton, Yorks ; Mr. Walter, Papplewick, Notts; Mr. John Malcolm, Poltalloch, Lochgilphead, Argyleshire ; Mrs. Wise Eeigate, Surrey ; Sir Vauncey Crew, and Mr. Field. Lord Lilford formerly had five eggs, but in answer to an enquiry, his Lordship wrote me recently, stating that he gave four of them to the Cambridge University Museum, some years ago. I think the inclusion of a few particulars of the steady and rapid increase in the value of the eggs of the Great Auk will add to the paper, as being illustrative, in the most cogent manner, of the regard entertained by ornithologists and archaeologists for the remains of this bird. In 1830 four or five shillings was considered a fair price ; while in 1847 this had risen to from £8 to £9. A splendid set of 10 eggs of the Great Auk was discovered in the Eoyal College of Surgeons in 1865 by Prof. Newton. They were found in a box upon which were written the words, "Pen- guins' eggs, Dr. Dick," — when and how they came into the possession of the establishment is not known. In the same year four of these eggs were sold by auction at Stevens's Sale Eooms, Covent Garden ; fetching from £29 to £31 each. In 1869 Dr. Troughton's egg was purchased by the late Lord Gavagh for £64. Two eggs marked ^m - • EGG OF GREAT AUK. (Bought by SiR \'AUNCEY Crew for 300 guineas). 17 "Penguins'" and not previously recorded were dis- covered in 1880 in an old private collection in Edinburgh, and (with the entire collection), were bought by a bird-stuffer named Small for 32s. Upon being sold by Mr. Stevens they were secured by Lord Lilford for £100 and £107 respectively. His Lordship purchased another egg in '83 for £160. In 1887 the beautiful and perfect specimen in the possession of the Eev. Henry Burney was sold to Mr. Field for £160. Mr. Burney bought the egg in 1865 for £33 10s., it being one of the 10 eggs discovered by Prof. Newton. By 1888 the price had'run up to £225. The specimen sold in March of the present year, was purchased by Sir Vauncey Crew for the sum of 300 guineas. This egg, formerly in the possession of Mr. Yarrell, was secured by him for ten francs from a fish-wife at Boulogne, early in this century. It afterwards passed through the hands of Mr. Bond and Baron Louis d'Hamonville, in whose collection it re- tuained until its sale to Sir Vauncey Crew. In April Mr. Stevens also sold two eggs for 260 and 175 guineas respectively. About those eggs the auctioneer told the following tale. " A young collector, stimulated no doubt by the fact that an egg of this kind recently fetched 300 guineas, attended a sale of old furniture somewhere in the country. Among the goods were several boxes of fossils and shells. Espying a curious egg in a box, he examined it minutely and found it to be that of the Greak Auk. Keeping quiet, he watched the boxes of apparent rubbish start at the sum of 18 23. and gradually ascend to 8s. Trembling with- excitement, the young enthusiast joined the fray, and after carrying the bidding to 36s., succeeded in securing the prize. On looking over his ' lot ' he found yet another Auk's egg, and having settled his account he forthwith fastened the two treasures across his bicycle, and made for home some seven miles distant. "s At Mr. Stevens' sale the eggs 8 In the current (July, '94) issue of the Ibis, Mr. Edward Bidwell has an interesting contribution relative to these two eggs. In corroborating the story, Mr. Bidwell informs us that the "young collector" was Mr. Wallace Hewitt of Newirjgton, Kent, who purchased the eggs at Little Hermitage, Rochester. They ware forwarded to Dr. Bowdler Sharpe, who established their authenticity and sent them to Sir. Bidwell. The previous history of the eggs is at present unknown ; but their appearance suggests long neglect, and the lesser bears recent fractures. I subjoin Mr. Bidwell's description. "The larger egg, which measures 4 11-20 x 2 17-20 inches, is a very beautiful specimen — a creamy-white shell of fine texture, streaked and blotched, especially at the smaller end, with rich red-brown. The smaller egg, measuring 4 6-20 x 2 14-20 inches, has a very rough texture, the markings being chiefly ahell-spots. I regret to say that I have been unable to trace the history of these eggs previous to the sale of March 14th. They were sold again by Mr. Stevens at his King Street Auction Eooms on April tho 24th. The large one was pur- chased by Mr. Herbert Massey, and the smaller by Mr. H, Munt. 19 would have fetched a larger sum, had not a flaw in each brought them below the condition of absolute perfection. Of Physiological preparations of the Great Auk, there are two or three on the Continent, and it is thought there are about 10 skeletons in exis- tence, and 120 to 130 birds are represented by detached bones, collected in various places. Many remains were dug up in Funk Island, and in Denmark remains have been found in some of the old shell-mounds, or kitchen middens. Now as to the extinction of the Great Auk, the primary reason is without doubt attributable to the bird's inability to fly. As Mr. Seebohm says, " It never appears to have entered into the calcula- tion of the earlier generations of Great Auks, that sooner or later evolution would produce a race of sailors to whom no flat coasts would be impreg- nable ; one generation after another of the birds used their wings less than their ancestors had done, each generation left to its descendants the heritage of a neglected and consequently dwarfed wing, until in process of time all power of flight was lost and the wing became a rudimentary appendage, only used as a supplementary aid to the tail in steering under water. There can be little doubt that the small wings of the Great Auk were the During the last It years 6 eggs of the Great Auk have been discovered ; but as three of these, and three others for- merly in private hands have been presented to public institu- tions thg nurnber in private hands has not increased." 20 result of degradation by disuse. It is scarcely possible to imagine any benefit to be derived from a reduction in the size of the wings of the Great Auk from the standard of the ancestors of the genus, nor can we regard the diminution as a case of the survival of the fittest, inasmuch as -the species did not survive. The Great Auk perished because it was unable to fly, and consequently could not find a place where its egg was safe." In conclusion let me say that I hope this paper may have been the means of placing before you samewhat of an accurate idea of the Garefowl as it was ; and of its remains, as we now know them. I cannot close this paper more fittingly than by quoting the graphic words of Mr. Grieve, " The last of the Great Auks has lived and died. The race' was blotted out before naturalists, when too late, discovered it was gone. Eegrets are now useless — the living Garefowl is extinct." POSTSCEIPT. When, unfortunately, too late for inclusion in this pamphlet. Prof. Newton kindly informs me that of the four eggs given by Lord Lilford to the Cambridge University MiJseum (see p. 16), two are those mentioned on page 17 as purchased by Mr. Small at an auction in Edinburgh ; while another was that found in a farm-house near Blandford in Dorset ; and the last was obtained through Mr. Frank from the Museum at Lausanne in Switzer- land. As far as I remember there have been no other recent changes in ownership except what have already been mentioned.— T.P. THE GREAT AUK. A Record of Sales of Birds and Eggs by Public Auction in Qreat Britain, 18Q6-1&10. With Historical apd Descriptive Notes and five Plates, Extra Pap^- to Part 6, of VoL I., Hastings and - East. Simsex Rdturdlist.' ) BY THOMAS PARKIN, M;A., F.L.S., F.Z.S. . (Jifember of the^ British Ornithologists' tMvy)i). HjjkSTINGS: BURFIEL.D & PEKNEI.LS, Ltd. MCMXI. ipRICE two' SHILLmdS]. ^ it MS S3 op it -a SI > b aS .i3'« il o > tfi Ma ^f bo o Odd W3 THE GREAT AUK. A Record of Sales of Birds and Eggs by Public Auction in Great Britain, 1806-1910. With Historical and Descriptive Notes and five Plates. Extra Paper to Part 6, of Vol. I., Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist. THOMA^ PARKIN, M.A., F.L.S., F.Z.S. {Member of the British Ornithologists' Union). HASTINGS: BURFIELD & PENNEI.LS, Ltd. MCMXI. [PRICE TWO SHILLINGS]. INTRODUCTION. The following notes are inteuded to place on perma- nent record the particulars as to date, ownership, price and name of purchaser of the various specimens of the Great Auk fPlautus hnpennisj, and of eggs of this species, which have come to public auction at 38 King Street, Covent Garden, London, and at other Auction - rooms in Great Britain. The Great Rooms, at 38 King Street, Covent Garden, were established in 1760, and afterwards became the business premises of Mr. John Grace Stevens, and will be referred to as Stevens' Rooms throughout, as by this name they are so well known to ornithologists, oologists and collectors of objects of Natural History. There have been — so far as I am able to ascertain, 31 sales in which specimens of the Great Auk or its eggs have been put up for aviction, and at these sales five individual mounted specimens and twenty-six differ- ent eggs have been under the hammer, but, as many of the specimens have come before the public on more than one occasion, and as, with the exception of one bird and two eggs, every specimen mentioned in my brochure, has at one time or another appeared at these Rooms, I think it best to deal first of all wi'th the sales there, taken in chronological order, and then with the sales by public auction, which have taken place elsewhere. The first sale that I have been able to trace in which a Great Auk or an egg of this species came to the hammer by public auction, is that of a mounted specimen of the bird, once the property of Sir Ashton Lever, disposed of at the sale of the Leverian Museum, in the museum build- ing on the Surrey side of Blackfriars Bridge, on May 5th, 1806. The bird was bought by Mr. Edward Donovan, for his Museum in Catherine Street, Strand; and the first specimen of the Great Auk, or of an egg, sold by auction at S'teven's Rooms, is, curiously enough, the same bird bought by Mr, Donovan at the Leverian Museum sale, and which was then disposed of by auction at the dispersal of Donovan's Museum, at the above-mentioned Rooms, in 1818. In this brochure I make no attempt to give a history of the Great Auk and its eggs, confining myself simply to historical descriptions — so far as possible up-to-date — of the specimens which have from time to time been put up for sale by public auction. T have found it necessary to quote somewhat freely from Mr. Symington Grieve's " Great Auk or Garefowl, Its History, Archaeology and Remains," and also from his "Supplementary Notes," which appeared in the "Transactions of the Edinburgh Field Naturalists and Microscopical Society," Vols. II. and III. (1887-8 and 1897-8), as any notice dealing with the Great Auk and its eggs would be incomplete and valueless without reference to Mr. Grieve's exhaustive researches. I here wish to acknowledge my great indebtedness to Mr. Edward Bidwell, for kindly lending me his complete set of Stevens' catalogues, dealing with the sales of which I write, priced and with names of purchasers, also for the picture of Mrs. "Wise's egg, sold on March 12th, 1888, (PL III.) ; and for much kind help in the preparation of this little work. My best thanks are also due to the authori- ties at the University Museum of Zoology, at Cambridge, for giving me access to the — I might say — unique set of Leverian and Bullock Museum Guide Books and Catalogues, once the property of Professor Alfred New- ton, F.R.S. — which had, under the Newton Bequest, been taken over with the late Professor's library and papers. To Mr. Henry Stevens I am particularly obliged for allowing me the use of his photograph of the bird and egg (the property of iSir William Milner, Bart.) sold at his Auction Rooms, on April 23rd, 1895 (PI. IV.), and for giving me permission to have a photograph taken at the sale of the egg belonging to Mr. Evelyn Shirley, on June 7th, 1910, which forms the frontispiece of this pamphlet (PI. I.). My best thanks are also due to Mr. W. H. Mullens, for drawing my attention to the Leverian and Donovan sales, to Mr. Rowland Ward for information about the Champley eggs, and to Dr. Norman F. Ticehurst and^Ir. L. A, Curtis Ed^vards, for going through the proof sheets. Fairseat, High Wickham, Hastings, July, 1911. Sales at the Great Auction Rooms 38, King Street, Covent Garden, London. MOUNTED SPECIMEN L (Sale number one.) A mounted specimen of the Great Auk, on May 6th, 1818. At the sale of the contents of •Mr. Edward Donovan's Museum- known as the "London Museum and Institute of Natural History," Mr. King being the auctioneer. The sale lasted from April 30th to May tjth, the hircj coming to the hammer on the latter date, being described in the sale catalogue as : Bird I. "Lot 6,494. GEEAT AUK {Aloa impennis). Extremely rare, in the most remote Scottish islands : this is a British specimen, and the original bird described by Pennant, Dr. Latham, and all later authors." No recoi-d is given either of price obtained, or name of purchaser, in Professor Newton's sale catalogue, the only one I have been able to get access to, and the late 'Professor in his note book on the "Garefowl," writes of this specimen "I know not at present what became of it." It seems to have completely disappeared, and I should be glad to get some further trace of it. This is the bird which was obtained by Mr. Donovan at the sale of the contents of the Leverian Museum, in the Museum Building, on May 5th, 1806, when it formed Lot 47 in the sale catalogue {of. Sales otherwise than at Stevens' Rooms, p. 30). Donovan figm-es this specimen in his British Birds, PI. CCXLIIL, and the letterpress, which is unpaged, states that " Our figure of this scarce and interesting bird is copied from the well-known specimen originally in the collection of Sir Ashton Lever, and which was obtained by purchase for our Museum at a price not verjr inconsiderable," a foot-note recording "Ten guineas at the public auction." • Mr. Donovan in the preface to his sale catalogue states that "The formation of this Museum has been the labour of nearly thirty years, the proprietor having commenced his course of collectingr before the year 1788. The formation of the Establishment, including every expense attendant, has cost the proprietor upwards of ;^15,000 sterling." EGGS I. and II. (Sale number two.) Two eggs of the Great Auk, on May 34th, 1853. Described in the sale catalogue as from "The Collection of Birds' Eggs formed by Thomas H. Potts, Esq., of Kingswood Lodge, Croydon, including two specimens of the Great Auk." Egg I. . . " Lot 50, Great Auk." Sold to Lord Garvagh, of Garvagh Hall, Londonderry, Ireland, for £30 O O Egg II. . -'"Lot 100, Great Auk." Bought in at £29 O O For previous history, vide p. 30. EGG II. (Sale number three.) An egg of the Great Auk, on April 7th, 18.54. The catalogue stated that the sale was of " a Collection of Birds' Eggs, it includes a specimen of the Great Auk." Egg 11. . "Lot 101. The Great Auk." Purchased by Lord Garvagh, of Garvagh Hall, Londonderry, Ireland, for £20 O This is the egg that was "bought in" at Mr. Potts's sale on May 24th. 1853, The late Jlr. Alfred Newton. F.R.S. (Professor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy at the University of Cambridge) made a note to this effect, in his copy of the sale catalogue, " I was present at the sale ; Lot 101 was said to have been Lot 100 in Mr. Potts' sale," After the death of Lord Garvagh in 1871, these two eggs were sold to Mr. G. Dawson Rowley, of Brighton (who died on November 21st, 1878). and with another purchased by him at Stevens' on July Uth, 1865 (Egg V, p. 7) formed three out of a collection of six eggs of the Great Auk, which were inherited by his son Mr. G. Fydell Rowley. Lord Garvagh died possf ssed of three Great Auks' Eggs, the above two now owned by Mr. Fydell Rowley and another, which came to the hammer in these Rooms on May 19th, 1904. The full history of this egg is given on pp. 36 and 27. Besides these two eggs of the Great Auk Mr. Potts owned another which he took with him when he left this country and went to live at Ohinitahi, Canterbury, New Zealand. After his death in 1888 this egg came back to England and was sold at Stevens" on April 18th, 1897. vide, p. 20. O w H O o B 1-1 w O tn * o S ""s ■ K cd y " -s Sfo^ -» S m a P bo 52 > §5 ■tirn V 1 s ,;^ a, O . !2 lu m Uf) )-• u) ai •-^•i^M - H+j'oJ ^ 3 ,B.2fe 5^ " O ^B » 2 3 (u "S rt 5S^* ring's MS S'^ j3 OJ « * EGG III. (Sale number four.) A Great Auk's egg, on December 5th, 1856. According to the sale catalogue, from " Collections of objects of Natural History, etc., of the late WilUam Yarrell, Esq., V.P.L.S:., F.Z.S., Birds' Eggs, amongst them, one of the Great Auk." Egg III. - " Lot 399, The Great Auk." Bought by Mr. James Gardner, for Mr. Frederick Bond, F.Z.S., of Kingsbury, Middlesex, afterwards of Staines, for' £21 O O This egg again came to the hammer in these rooms on February 22nd, 1894. when it realised £3l5-'yide pp. 12-14, where its previous history will be found. EGGS IV., v., VI. and VII. (Sale number five.) Sale catalogue No. 2478. Four eggs of the Great Auk, on July 11th, 1865. Egg IV. " Lot 140. A very fine and beautifully marked, example of the egg of the Great Auk very rare." — [vide PI. II.] Bought by the Eev. G. W. Braikenridge, of Clevedon, Somerset, for £29 O O After his death in 1 882, the egg became the property of his sister who sold it in 1884 to Mr. Edward Bidwell. of Fonnereau House, Twickenham, in whose possession it remained for twenty-seven years, when it was disposed of in April, 1911, to Mr. Thomas Parkin, of Fairseat, High Wickham, Hastings. Egg V. "Lot 141. Another differently marked." Purchased by Mr. John Gould, for Mr. G. Dawson Rowley, of Brighton, for £33 O O Now (1911) in the possession of Mr. G. Fydell Rowley, being one of six eggs inherited by him from his father, Mr. G. Dawson Rowley. Egg VI. - - " Lot 142. Ditto." Bought by the Rev. Henry Burney, of Wavendon Rectory, Bucks, for £31 10 O This egg was again sold at Stevens' rooms on December 13th, 1887, when £168 was given for it— vide p. 11. Egg VII. - "Lot 143. Ditto." Purehasel by Mr. A, W. Crichton, of Bi-oadwater Hall, Shropshire, for £29 O O This egg passed afterwards into the collection of his brother-in- law, Thomas, 4th Baron Lilford, and formed one of the five eggs which were at one time in Lord Lilford's possession. *For a further account of two others of these eggs c/. sale on July 3nd, 1880, pp. 9 and 10. The late Professor Newton's copy of the sale catalogue contains a note in his handwriting, stating that " the four eggs at the above sale were from the set of ten eggs discovered in the Royal College of Surgeons." These ten unrecorded eggs of the Great Auk, were discovered in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, London, on December 13th, 1861, by Professor Newton. When or how they came into the establishment, there was no record, "^he College of Surgeons retained three, three of the eggs were sold or exchanged to Mr. Robert Champley, of Scarborough, and the remaining four formed the above sale in these rooms. EGG VIII. and MOUNTED SPECIMEX II. (Sale number six.) An egg of the Great Auk, and a mounted specimen of the bird, on April 37th, 1869. It is stated in the sale catalogue No. 3187 that they were "from the well-known Collection of British .Bird Skins and Eggs formed by N. Troughton, Esq., of Coventry." Egg VIII. "Lot 253. The Great Auk, a magnificent Specimen." Sold to Lord Garvagh, of Garvagh Hall, Londonderry, Ireland, according to Mr. Bond, for £60 O O according to Professor Newton for £84 O O I am quite unable to say which of the two amounts is the right one. Mr. Frederick Bond's copy of the sale catalogue (now in Mr. Edward Bidwell's set) mentions sixty pounds as the price paid for the egg, and Mr. Bond was present at the sale and bought some of the smaller lots. Professor Newton, however, who was well known for his extreme accuracy in all matters of detail, records the price as sixty-four pounds. Mr. Henry Stevens is unable to throw any light on the matter, informing me that when he took over the business, now many years ago, he found the old records of the sales in such a dilapidated condition from damp and neglect, that he was forced to have them destroyed. *[I have aa iatere^tiiiff picture [sl photograph) of theses egfg-s, grouped together, which r purchased of Rowland Ward, I