8938 Birds. 
The Eider, throughout Northern Europe the chief friend of man 
amongst birds, inhabits islets, either naturally or artificially constructed, 
which are guarded from intrusion by the lords of the soil as jealously 
as any Norfolk game-preserve or Oriental harem, and testifies, by its 
familiarity, to the effectual means taken for its security. It is, indeed, 
in Iceland, as in other lands over which it ranges, almost a domesti- 
cated fowl, and readily occupies the nesting places prepared for its 
accommodation, paying valuable tithe and toll in down and eggs for 
the protection it enjoys. 
Seawards small parties of gannets may be seen circling over the same 
spot, heavily plunging one after another beneath the surface, and each, 
as it emerges with its prey, shaking the water with its wings, and joining 
its brethren aloft to repeat the same process. That ridge of seaweed- 
covered rocks, left bare by the falling tide, is surmounted by a cluster 
of cormorants, some slumbering in the sunshine, while others are intent 
on preening their feathers. Near the mainland, the great blackbacked 
gull soars in dignified majesty around the intruder, expressing his 
anger in notes of the deepest bass, until the alarm being spread abroad, 
a cloud of kittiwakes, obedient to his summons, hurry from the neigh- 
bouring shallows and awaken the echoes with their petulant exclama- 
tions; which are redoubled, should a skua, that Viking among birds, 
make his appearance. Still and ghost-like in the distance, buoyant 
fulmars wing their way, wheeling round with scarce a beat of their 
wide pinions. 
The insulated stack or precipitous cliff affords a footing, and where 
a footing a nesting-place, to countless razorbills and guillemots, which 
crowd there in numbers even more confusing than may be seen by a 
London excursionist to Flamborough Head or the Isle of Wight. But 
of all the birds of Iceland the greatest interest centres in the gare-fowl, 
or great auk (Alcea impennis, Linn.), the only wingless, or rather flight- 
less, species of the northern hemisphere. There is no doubt that in 
former days it was plentiful enough, at certain seasons, in certain 
localities to which it resorted to breed. From such of these as were 
easy of access to the inhabitants of the nearest villages it has been 
thoroughly exterminated; but until the farthest rock of the group 
called the “Fuglasker,” lying off Cape Reykjanes, be examined, 
I think the question of its utter extinction must not be considered 
settled. Indeed it is probable, from the interest that has now been 
excited on the subject, that no great period will elapse before this 
rock, the Geirfugladrangr, is visited. But the expedition is one of no 
small danger, and during the last five years the weather has not 
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