Notes from Northern Iceland. 45 



legs, and in these respects it also diflFers from the St. Kilda 

 Wren. Two males of Troglodytes borealis which I have 

 examined measured as follows : — culmen 065 and 0'63 inch, 

 wing 2*1 and 2*05, tail 1'5 and 1'52, tarsus 0*88 and 0*9, 

 middle toe without claw 0*45 and 0'43. Perhaps one of the 

 most striking characteristics of the northern Wren is the 

 stoutness of its bill, for the two specimens above cited 

 measure in width at the base of the bill 0"28 and 0-3 respec- 

 tively, whereas no specimen of Troglodytes parvulus which I 

 have examined measures more than 0*15, the average being 

 about 0'14, and the two examples from St. Kilda measure 

 0*14 and 0"15 respectively. I have, as will be seen, taken 

 the measurements of the hind toe of the various specimens 

 without the claw, as in some of them the claw is somewhat 

 worn, and hence, had I taken the measurements with the 

 claw, it would not have given so accurate a result. 



IX. — Notes from Northern Iceland in the Summer o/1885. 

 By Henry H, Slater and Thomas Carter. 



We started late on our tour to Iceland last summer, and 

 were rather afraid, on landing at Sapi^arkrokr, June 22nd, 

 that we might find the breeding-season of most of the birds 

 far advanced. The season, however, was such an exceptionally 

 late one, owing to the enormous amount of snow still 

 remaining, even at low altitudes, and to the presence of 

 numerous icebergs a little to the north of the island, that the 

 birds seemed to be in a state of complete uncertainty. Up to 

 the time of our leaving the island on July 20th, we appeared 

 equally likely to meet with any given species (Ravens and 

 Iceland Falcons excepted) with young birds, with eggs in 

 any stage, or not yet breeding. 



It was unfortunately often the case, however (doubtless a 

 common experience) , that any bird^s eggs which we particularly 

 wanted proved to be much incubated. This caused us, in 

 moments of irritation, as we sat late into the night painfully 



