BIRDS OF ICELAND 25 



Corvine fringe of bristly feathers, pointing towards 

 the end of the bill, and covering the nostrils. Its 

 bill is, however, slenderer and less raven-like, and the 

 gloss on the feathers is blue, and not purple. Adult 

 Eooks, with bare skin on the throat and forehead, very 

 seldom occur in Iceland indeed, but the same differ- 

 ences hold good in their case also. 



It is somewhat singular to find a bird migrating 

 northwards in autumn in this hemisphere — northwards 

 in spring, southwards in autumn, being the almost 

 invariable rule. 



Asio otus (Linn.). Long-eared Owl. 



Native name: 'Tria-ugia,' according to Grondal. 



A very rare occasional visitor. I have a record of 

 the shooting of an example of this species in the 

 EyjafjoiSr in 1897. I believe it was supplied to me 

 as the history of a stuffed specimen now in the 

 Museum at Eeykjavik. The only other occurrence 

 that has come under my notice is one noted in 

 Professor Newton's letter to the editor {Ihis, 1864, 

 pp. 131-33), where it is stated that the late William 

 Proctor had an example sent to him (from the north 

 of Iceland ?). As the northernmost range of this species 

 in Europe is about 63° N., it affords another instance 

 of a species wandering northwards on the autumn 

 migration, contrary to the general practice, which leads 

 them southwards at that time of year. 



