GAREFOWL, also known as Great Auk (Alca impennis), a large flightless sea-bird, now ex tinct. Slightly smaller than a tame goose, it resembled its relative the razorbill (A. torda) in appearance, but a large patch of white occupied nearly all the space between the bill and the eye, while the bill itself bore eight or more transverse grooves. Owing to the small size of the wings, the bird was unable to fly.
It is a mistake to suppose that this bird had a high northern range. It bred in Iceland and on islands off Newfoundland, where the French fishermen used both the bird and its eggs for food. Enormous numbers were killed, the birds being driven up a plank into the hold of the vessel (see Ritchie, Animal Life in Scotland). It became extinct about 1844. The egg resembled that of the razorbill in shape and colour, but was larger. (See AUK.)