2 Duchess of Bedford : AUne D(/>/s on Gr'imsey 



by fog for twelve hours when we ought to liave been in 

 sight of Icehaud. I afterwards noticed that during the 

 whole of my visit this heavy belt of fog lay some miles off 

 the north and east coasts of Iceland when the coast itself 

 was in bright sunshine. I am of opinion that could we 

 have gone nearer land on arrival we should have run 

 through the fog which delayed us, but the risk of such a 

 proceeding was too great. 



There are very few birds out at sea at this time of year. 

 Puffins were the first to shew ns that we were approaching 

 land, then Fulmars, Arctic Skuas, Arctic Terns, and Kitti- 

 wakcs. 



1 s[)ent a few hours at an anchorage at the entrance to 

 Seydisfjord, and left for Grimsey at 9 p.m. 



Early the following moi'uing we wei'c off Jjangancs Point, 

 the extreme nortli-east point of the mainland, and had a 

 beautifully clear view of the snow-covered mountains of 

 Northern Iceland. 



We reached the Island of Grimsey at noon on July 10th. 

 Fortunately the wind was E.N.E., an ideal one for this 

 anchorage. Grimsey is about 2^ miles long and 1 mile 

 wide at the broadest part. The highest cliffs are on the 

 north and east co.ists. A narrow^ promontory slopes almost 

 down to sea-level on the extreme N.W., and I imagine 

 that a landing could l)e effected there in a S.E. wind. 

 The chief landing-places are on the S,W. and W., and 

 in the absence of a swell are perfectly easy, but on the 

 E. and N.E. of the island landing could only be effected 

 Avith the assistance of a rope. The ground is very luidu- 

 lating and covered with the hummocks so characteristic of 

 Northern Iceland (see text-fig, 1, p. 3). 



There are a number of small freshwater lochs, which 

 should be a great attraction to passing migi-ants. At the 

 time of my visit snow was still lying in drifts on the shore, 

 but it had melted on the higher ground. 



The first birds that I saw on arrival were Snow-Buntin<Ts. 

 They are as tame and as common round the houses in (irimsey 

 as the Ilouse-Sparrow is at home. I found one nest with 



