Birds observed in Iceland. 239 



Northern Divers had eggs upon a small detached rock. 

 Arctic Terns were plentiful ; and, as we generally found else- 

 where, a few pairs of Richardson's Skua were in attendance 

 on them to profit by their work. Two nests of the Snow- 

 Bunting, with eggs, were found in the lava close to our 

 tent. Red-necked Phalaropes were the commonest birds 

 there, and so very tame that we often had 20 or 30 within 

 a few yards of us, apparently as little disturbed by our 

 presence as a group of London Sparrows would be; they 

 are certainly one of the most charming and graceful species 

 to be found in northern latitudes. 



The Purple Sandpiper, Rock-Ptarmigan, Greater Black- 

 backed Gull, White Wagtail, and Meadow-Pipit complete 

 the list of birds we observed there ; and when most of these 

 varieties were in sight at one time, on the only fine evening 

 we had at Audavatn, they formed a very interesting orni- 

 thological picture. The list of birds seen on this lake in- 

 cludes all the species we saw in the district. The fish also 

 were good ; the first night that Kristofer set his net in a 

 narrow channel under the '^ Eagle'' rock he caught six char, 

 the longest of which was 22 inches and the shortest 17 

 inches. Several other lakes contained fish and had birds on 

 their islands, but not in nearly the same number or variety. 

 About half the lakes, however, were without life ; nothing 

 green on their shores, no fish in tliem, and no birds on them. 

 Stgrisjor, a lake in this district, formed an especially striking 

 picture as we saw it from the summit of a low hill. It 

 stretched away into the distance for about three miles, the 

 mist concealing the end from us, and was bordered on either 

 side by hills, composed of black sand and small fragments of 

 lava, rising to the height of two or three hundred feet. The 

 outlines of the nearer hills were broken in a few places by 

 dark volcanic rock projecting through the sand. Beyond 

 them rose the white masses of the Vatna Jokull. Below us 

 were a wild Swan and two Arctic Terns ; a few coarse grasses 

 growing near formed the only green. Round Audavatn flies 

 were in force, and were such a nuisance during the few fine 

 warm hours we had there as to almost reconcile us to the 



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