On the Glaciers and Climate of Iceland. 299 



tion. Although the spring commences later in the north, and 

 the autumn sets in earlier, yet the growth of grass is there 

 quite as luxm'iant, and there also the cultivation of 'potatoes 

 and other esculent vegetables is perhaps even more exten- 

 sively carried on than in the southern and westei'n parts of 

 the country ; and even Mountain Ashes flourish considerably 

 better at Akureyre than in the neighbourhood of Reykjavik. 



This fact, which cannot be controverted, seems to be attri- 

 butable to local causes, such, for instance, as shelter from 

 certain winds ; and also to be partly due to the somewhat 

 greater industry of the inhabitants in the northern country. 



After this general delineation of the vegetation of Iceland, 

 let us cast a look, even though it be only a cursory one, on 

 the animated creation of this island. 



The inhabitants of the sea, in the first place, are the less 

 deserving of our attention from belonging rather to the 

 Northern Ocean than to the coasts of Iceland. On the wnole, 

 the sea is here compai'ative poor in genera and species, but 

 it is often immensely rich in the number of individuals. This 

 remark applies to Fishes in particular, of which some species, 

 forming one of the chief means of support of the people, are 

 often caught by millions. The class of reptiles, it is a re- 

 markable fact, is entirely wanting. There are no serpents, 

 tortoises, or lizards, of any kind whatever ; and, in all the 

 Icelandic marshes, so far, at least, as we have been able to 

 learn, there exists not a single frog. 



The Class of Birds is represented in Iceland perhaps in a 

 more peculiar manner than any other division of the Animal 

 Kingdom. The plumage of these denizens of the sea is, like 

 all other features of the north, characterized by great unifor- 

 mity ; white, grey, and brown, being the prevailing colours. 

 The interior of the island is often almost destitute of birds ; 

 and one may travel many leagues without seeing even a 

 single individual. The coasts, on the contrary, are every- 

 where enlivened with multitudes. On many estuaries and 

 hills, where these birds usually breed, they swarm often in 

 immense numbers round the rocks, and fill the air with their 

 plaintive cries. The Eider Duck, which, by the Icelanders, 



