THE GAEE-FOWL AND ITS HISTOKIANS, 479 



teen years, their numbers annually dwindling, probably not less than 

 sixty of these birds were killed on the newly selected locality, and it 

 is from this source that nearly all the specimens of skins and eggs 

 of the species now exhibited in various collections were derived.* 

 The very last captured (two in number) were taken alive, at the 

 beginning of June, 1844. They were sent to the Eoyal Museum, at 

 Copenhagen, and preparations of their bodies may be seen preserved 

 in spirit in that city. 



Of other localities in the island at which the bird has casually 

 occurred, we may mention Latrabjarg, where, in 1814, seven were 

 killed, and according to M. Preyer, about the time of. the eruption 

 in the sea off* Eeykjanes, of which we have spoken, some twenty 

 were killed on Grimsey, an island on the north of Iceland, which is 

 just cut by the Arctic Circle. Further confirmation of this story 

 would be very desirable, as Mr. Proctor, a most trust-worthy 

 authority, who was weather-bound for several weeks on that wretched 

 spot, in 1837, when there would, of course, have seen mauy eye- 

 witnesses of such a fact still liviug, seems never to have heard of it. 

 It is far, however, from being improbable that the birds which for- 

 merly dwelt upon the now submerged Eeykjanes Geirfugiasker, 

 would on its destruction betake themselves to other quarters, and 

 it is not likely they all went to Eldey. Some venturesome individuals 

 in seeking for a home may have wandered to a place so distant as 

 Grimsey, but it is clearly more probable that the bulk of them would 

 resort to the Geirfugladrangr— about the same distance as Eldey 

 is from their sunken rock — and there, if any where in the nortJiern seas, 

 we believe their successors may still be leading a peaceful existence, 

 for the dangerous surf which breaks upon that lone islet, coupled 

 with its distance from the mainland, has hitherto prevented any Ice- 

 lander from setting foot upon it. Eeports have more than once 

 reached Europe of the discovery of some new haunt of the Gare- 

 fowl — one such is nearly the sole original remark appended by 

 Professor Yon Baer to his paper, but hitherto none have been true. 

 That the islet we have named will be reached at last there can be no 

 doubt, and then — we shall see what we shall see. 



Greenland is the next quarter to which we must invite our 



* With but veiy few exceptions they were sent by the Icelandic merchants, 

 who instigated the tbwling expeditions, either to Copenhagen or to Hamburg, and 

 thence distributed in the ordinary coiu'se of trade. 



