in Iceland respecting the Gare-fonl. 389 



We now come to the most modern period in the Great Auk's 

 history. In 1830, as I have before said, the Geirfuglasker off 

 Reykjanes disappeared beneath the waves. Whatever motive 

 prompted him, it is certain that in that year one Brandur 

 GuSniundsson, an inhabitant of Kyrkjuvogr, who died in 1845, 

 bethought him of making an expedition to Eldey, or the Meal- 

 sack, the high rock which stands between the sunken island 

 and the Cape. All the dwellers in the district concur in saying 

 that before that time no rumour of the birds breeding there had 

 ever reached them. It seems that in that year he led two 

 voyages to this new-found locality, in one of which twelve or 

 thirteen, and in the other eight examples were captured. Six 

 of these were purchased by Adnor Gunnarsson, and as many 

 more by Holgeir Jacobseus, two merchants living at Keblavik, 

 while the remainder are unaccounted for. On the first occasion 

 the weather was fine, and all the party but two landed. Besides 

 the Gare-fovvls they took a great many other birds, Razor-bills 

 and Guillemots. The second time the weather was bad, and 

 only four men went up. They had to come away very quickly. 

 These and many other particulars of interest which I could give, 

 were I not afraid of extending these notes to an unreasonable 

 length, were related to us by two men (bi'others), Stephan and 

 Jon Gunnarsson, the only survivors of those who were present. 

 The following year another voyage was undertaken by the same 

 foreman, and whether that the birds were more numerous, or 

 that their persecutors had learned experience (for on the pre- 

 vious occasions several had escaped), twenty-four were captured, 

 of which one was brought off alive, and so taken to Keblavik, 

 where, however, it was killed, or at least died. These two dozen 

 Gare-fowls were all skinned by one person, a woman, Sigrida 

 Thorlaksdotter, who told us that she perfoi-med the operation 

 in her accustomed way, opening them under the right wing, 

 and stuffing the skins with fine hay. The same merchants as 

 before, with the addition of Dethlef Thomsen, shared them. 

 It is not very easy for me to reconcile the various conflicting 

 statements about the captures of the next two years, but in 1833, 

 thirteen birds were probably taken, and in 1834, nine birds, 

 with eight eggs, seem to have been obtained, of which one 



