This curious digestive apparatus agrees very nearly with that described and figured by Sir EVERARD HOME as that of _Alca Alle_. The stomach, it is seen, is excessively large in proportion to the size of the bird; but why it should be so, and moreover be curved in this manner, is not very obvious. Conjectures are easily made, and might run in this form. This little bird, which wanders over the face of the ocean, subsisting upon garbage, oily and fatty substances, small fishes, and even sea-weeds, requires a large stomach for the reception of its heterogeneous fare, which not being always very nutritious or easily digestible, must be very plentifully intermixed with the gastric juices, and detained a considerable time; which conditions are accordingly provided for by the very great number and extensive dispersion of the proventricular glandules, and the curve of the organ. Should any hard substances, as crustacea, be introduced, they are pounded by the gizzard; but as the bird is little addicted to feeding on such substances, that organ is reduced to a very small size. The aperture of the glottis is 1-1/2 twelfth long. The trachea is 1 inch 7 twelfths in length, wide, flattened, its diameter from 2 twelfths to 1-1/2 twelfth; its rings unossified, 82 in number. The bronchi are short, wide, of about 12 half rings. GREAT AUK. _ALCA IMPENNIS_, LINN. PLATE CCCXLI. ADULT. The only authentic account of the occurrence of this bird on our coast that I possess, was obtained from Mr HENRY HAVELL, brother of my Engraver, who, when on his passage from New York to England, hooked a Great Auk on the banks of Newfoundland, in extremely boisterous weather. On being hauled on board, it was left at liberty on the 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. When I was in Labrador, many of the fishermen assured me that the “Penguin,” as they name this bird, breeds on a low rocky island to the south-east of Newfoundland, where they destroy great numbers of the young for bait; but as this intelligence came to me when the season was too far advanced, I had no opportunity of ascertaining its accuracy. In Newfoundland, however, I received similar information from several individuals. An old gunner residing on Chelsea Beach, near Boston, told me that he well remembered the time when the Penguins were plentiful about Nahant and some other islands in the Bay. The egg is very large, measuring five inches in length, and three in its greatest breadth. In form it resembles that of the Common Guillemot; the shell is thick and rather rough to the touch; its colour yellowish-white, with long irregular lines and blotches of brownish-black, more numerous at the larger end. ALCA IMPENNIS, _Linn._ Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 201.—_Lath._ Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 791.