Show I IONE ONE EGG WORTH 1500 An egg of the great auk or gare- gare fowl a bird now extinct was sold at auction in London for a sum equivalent ent to to 1500 Not all great auks auk's eggs are alike In length they vary from four and on one eighth inches to five I Inches The greater number found have a white ground but others are of various shades or buff burt In some cases the markings are spots shown In blotches or lines It Is said that no living auk has been seen since 1844 The birds were exterminated exterminated ex ex- te terminated by the ruthless traffic in their eggs and skins although their numbers were greatly reduced by their wholesale slaughter for food Many misconceptions have survived as to the great auk which for years has been regarded as a sort of fabled tabled bird like Uke the roc or the dodo In s size ze the creature creature crea cren ture did not differ much from the tame goose and Its title of great was given given given en to It distinguish it from the smaller small small- er er or razor billed auk The most remarkable remarkable remarkable re re- re- re characteristic of the great auk was its inability to fly Its wings were scarcely more than fins which aided the bird Id In swimming |