274 THE GANNET 



TRANSLATION BY PROFESSOR NEWTON. 



" . . . . The Hafsula commonly comes to the Sonder- 

 land* early in spring ; otherwise it has no certain time, for it 

 follows the Sild and other small fishes which make for the 

 shore in shoals : the Cod also seeks these fishes and therefore 

 the inhabitants hold the Hafsula for a good and lucky fowl, 

 which always brings tidings of fish. In the spring of the 

 year when the Sild (by which term is understood not only 

 the true Herrings, which in Iceland are called Havsild, and 

 do not come every year, but also all kinds of small sea 

 fishes, such as the Kopsild, Clupea lata quadruncialis, the 

 Lodnu Sild, Clupea villosa fcetens, and others) run into the 

 Hvalfiord, the Hafsula follow after them and are caught at 

 Akrenaes in two ways : First in the spring nights [Vaarnaet- 

 terne] when they sit and sleep on the sea keeping their 

 head under one wing, continually working with their feet 

 to keep the body balanced. It is very pretty for strangers 

 to see how these white bundles drift before wind and 

 tide on the sea, as one cannot know what they are 

 until one comes near to them, for the bird, which is 

 tired with its day's work and satiated besides, does 

 not wake from its sleep before one gives the alarm. 

 Besides Nature has taught them the precaution not to 



* South part of Iceland. 



