50 APPENDIX: NO. XLI. 
saw specimens in the Royal Society’s Museum, and also in Trades- 
cant’s. There are four islands marked in Olsen’s large and beautiful 
map of Iceland, which are called after the Geirfugla; namely, 
Geirfugla Sker and Geirfugla Drangr, off Cape Reikianes, the south- 
‘west point of Iceland, Geirfugla Sker, to the south of the West- 
manna Isles, and another Geirfugla Sker, to the east of Iceland. 
This last is also called Hvalsbak, and the form of a whale’s back 
would be a very convenient one for the Alca impennis to climb up 
and breed upon. I give all these particulars as the Alea impennis 
is now looked upon by ornithologists with so much interest as so 
very rare a bird—so rare indeed, that it has even been suggested 
that it is extinct. This, however, is not likely to be the case, even 
without considering the probability of its being found on the La- 
brador coast. A friend of mine!, who visited Iceland three years 
ago, met with the same fear amongst the natives, about trying to 
reach these far seaward and whirlpool beset rocks, that the Faroese 
found on their visit in 1813. But small numbers, both of the eggs 
and birds, have from time to time been sent from Iceland to 
continental Europe. 
Of birds which are said formerly to have bred in Iceland 
[qu. Faroe ?], I heard of the Eagle, the Wild Goose, and the Swan. 
The Eagle, no doubt the Sea Eagle, A. albicilla, which is the 
ouly one found in Shetland and in Iceland, :and which still occasion- 
ally is killed in Faroe in the winter. The point of rock on the 
Tindholm was pointed out to me where the Eagle had its nest, to 
which it carried off the child, according to tradition, as related by 
Landt. I think it probable that these stories, so prevalent in all 
countries where Eagles are found, are many of them true, and not 
referable to one common tradition as has been supposed. I have 
heard in the Highlands several coufirmatory particulars. 
Wild Geese formerly bred in Faroe if not now, and Wild 
Swans by tradition in two places, each called Oknadal, from this 
circumstance. 
I will not ow attempt to compare the ornithology of Faroe 
more closely with that of the north of Scotland and its islands. 
Numerous species are absent, and even the ubiquitous Sparrow 
is there unknown, but there are no doubt many stragglers beyoud 
those which we happened to see. 
We cannot conclude this subject better, than by deriving a lesson 
from the simple and happy people of the Faroe Islands, in their 
treatment of the birds which surround them. It is a melancholy 
thing, to see how at almost all the great breeding places of sea- 
fowl! round Britain, the numbers are rapidly diminishing every year, 
in consequence of the pitiless persecution which afflicts them— 
slaughtering parties visit them by. trainfuls. The rights of the bird 
climbers established by long usage, require the assistance of the 
law; and all persons concerned in the coast navigation should 
1 (Mr. Henry Milner.—Ep. ] 
