Taxonomy
The head of a mounted Great Auk held in the Museum's collections.
Pinguinus impennis is not a true penguin, however it resembled these flightless birds of the southern hemisphere with its
- small wings
- black back
- white abdomen
- upright posture
The word 'penguin' is derived from the Celtic name for the great auk.
Most of the great auk skeletons in museums around the world are made up of bones from Funk Island, off Newfoundland.