BIRDS OF ICELAND 45 



extremely rare. Evidence from Iceland on critical 

 points in ornithology is usually so much muddled up 

 by native collectors that it has to be received with 

 great caution; we want a few goose-skins shot off eggs 

 by a trustworthy collector. I saw three undoubted 

 specimens of the short-billed Pink-foot which had been 

 shot by the farmer at J)ingey, on the lower reaches 

 of the Skjalfandafljot, in August 1894. Tliey w^ere 

 making their way to the sea at the time, and were still 

 in a partially flightless condition, and when I saw^ 

 them they were in the possession of some young men 

 who had bought them and were unwilling to part with 

 them — to my great regret. 



The eggs of the Pink-footed Goose are nearly 3J 

 inches long by a little less than 2J inches, and are 

 quite white. 



The bird is specially noticeable by its short bill, 

 which is but little over l-J inches in length, and a good 

 deal shorter than the head. It is of a greyish brown 

 all over, except under the tail, which is white, and the 

 belly lighter than the rest. The shoulder is greyish, 

 but more of a lead-grey than the corresponding part of 

 the Grey Lag. The short bill is pinkish with black 

 edges and ' nail,' and the feet and legs are pink. 

 Length 27 to SSJ inches, the gander rather the larger; 

 winGj 16 to 17 inches. 



