THE GREAT AUK

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 14 February 1930, Page 9

THE GREAT AUK

MAY NOT BE EXTINCT. Is ill© Great Auk, the world's most valuable bird, still aliveP A contributor to the journal of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds states that while staying recently on the Lofoden Islands, a lonely group off Norway, the discovery of an unknown bird was reported: to him by two Norwegians. Their description tallied with that of the Great Auk, and when shown a picture of one. both said it was identical with the bird they had seen. The last known Great Auk was killed in 1843. Since then the species lia.s been considered extinct. A stuffed) specimen sold in London this year realised £660. Lord Rothschild, the naturalist, commenting on the supposed discovery, said:—

“There has always been a doubt whether a Great Auk still existed on an island qf Iceland. This island has not been visited since 1833, and it is just possible that some of the birds might still be there. But it is a very faint possibility.” Mr Edward Vatpv, F.Z.S.. who rented 50,000 acres of Lofoden Islands for some years, said “Almost anything ©quid exist on these islands. They are unutterably lonely and desolate. I would like to believe that the Great Auk was still there.” “If the Auk is still alive it might bo worth iso to £5000.” said another naturalist.