VOL. VI.] BIRD-LIFE OF ICELAND. 239 



alarm-note, which is uttered by both sexes, in rather 

 different tones, the male has a little song of about seven 

 notes, which he utters in rather a low tone, and is by 

 no means unpleasing. So far I have failed to find any 

 reference to it in the literature on the subject. 



As there is much difference of opinion with regard 

 to the species of Geese which breed in Iceland, we watched 

 every bird which we came across with great care, and 

 came to the conclusion that they were all Grey Lags 

 {A7iser anser L.) One bird had a nest on a rocky islet 

 in a river, and at least two other pairs had nests with 

 eggs on another island not far away, while we flushed 

 other birds from marshy moorland where they were 

 no doubt breeding, but failed to find any other nests. 

 Two of the nests above referred to contained three eggs 

 and one egg respectively, but as they were on the point 

 of hatching there is little doubt that the farmer had 

 removed the eggs as laid, for the purpose of food, earlier 

 in the season. 



Of the ducks the ordinary MaUard {Anas y. platy- 

 rhynclia L.) was common. Teal {A. c. crecca L.) were 

 seen several times, while Scaup {Nyroca m. marila (L.)) 

 were generally to be seen on the larger pieces of w^ater, and 

 a party of Barrow's Goldeneye drakes {N. islandica) 

 was seen. We also found Long-tailed Duck [Clangula 

 hyemalis (L)) breeding on islets together with the Scaup. 

 We captured one duck on her nest well in among some 

 boulders on an islet in a river, and found her to be a 

 female Red-breasted Merganser {Mergus serrator L.). 

 The nine eggs on which she was sitting were typical 

 Merganser eggs, but the down, of Avhich there was a 

 plentiful supply, was the well-known white down of the 

 Goldeneye ! Close examination showed that the down 

 was that of the previous year from which a brood had 

 been hatched off, but the Merganser had not added a 

 particle of her o\\\\ down, but was quite contented with 

 that provided for her. As the fact is not generally 

 known, and the bird is not mentioned in Slater's Manual, 



