Auk
the name given to several sea birds, especially the great and the little auk. The great auk is the alca impennis of Linnæus. Its bones left behind show that it was formerly abundant on the shores of Iceland, Greenland and Denmark. The little auk of Pennant and AULD LANG SYNE others, called also the common rotche, and the little white and black diver is the mergulus melanoleucos of Yarrell's "British Birds," the M. alle of Carpenter and Dallas, and the alca alle of Linnæus .
It has the breast, the belly, a dot above the eyes, and a stripe on the wing, white; the rest of the plumage black. Its length is 9 inches, and the extent of its wings 16. Its dimensions are thus about those of a large pigeon. It nestles in holes or crevices on the bare rocks, laying one bluish-green egg. It is abundant in the Arctic seas. It is found also in Great Britain.
AULD LANG SYNE (awld läng zin), a Scottish phrase meaning, literally "old long since"; hence the times of long ago, etc.