Objects Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
98.20.1 |
Object Name |
Auk |
Description |
One Great Auk. Plautus impennis. It is know as Champley's Auk. A flightless upright bird that swam effortlessly in the water, the Great Auk thrived in northern Atlantic coastal areas and lived in large colonies. Overhunting in the early 19th century resulted in its extinction by around 1850. The bird is purportedly from Iceland and was owned by Auk collector Robert Champley. Thomas Cochran purchased "Champley's Auk" in 1929 and donated it to Phillips Academy. About 80 specimens are known to exist. |
Material |
Faunal Material |
Date |
1800-1900 |
Lexicon sub-category |
Biology |
Place |
Iceland |