$212 THE ZooLoGist—SeEPTEMBER, 1872. 
much interest in Natural History. No doubt new and interesting 
captures of stragglers will be every now and then recorded, and 
perchance new species may become resident during the breeding 
season, as in the case of the fulmar (Procellaria glacialis), which 
first came to Feroe less than thirty-five years ago, and is now 
found breeding abundantly from Suderoe to Fugloe. Again, the 
black-headed gull (LZ. ridibundus) has nested regularly in a colony 
for some years past; and three years ago the little tree sparrow 
(Passer montanus), took up its abode in the islands, and seems 
likely to spread. I fancy the ptarmigan (Lagopus vulgaris), might 
be introduced with success, but the attempts hitherto made have 
failed, the birds having died on the sea-passage. I am much 
afraid that before many years have elapsed the noble skua 
(Lestris catarractes) will be exterminated as a breeding species, 
as the eagle, wild goose and swan have been. 
For the first three weeks of my stay in Faroe the weather was 
almost continuously bad, and a succession of snow storms, varied 
by rain and fierce gales of wind, made travelling from island to 
island difficult and tedious. Towards the end of my visit the 
weather improved, but the hills were generally shrouded in mist, 
though I have seen two or three days in Feroe which, for clearness 
of atmosphere and warmth and brightness, might vie with the best 
of English summer days. 
My first view of the islands, on the evening of the 15th May, 
was exceptionally clear and magnificent. From the deck of the 
steamer the whole group, from Fugloe on the north to Suderoe, 
stood forth clear and bold; scarce a cloud or wreath of mist 
obscured the highest mountain-tops: about ten, the sun disap- 
peared in a blaze of glory, and in a short time the hill-tops were 
covered with a purple glow, the snowy summits of the very 
highest arising above the warm light; the valleys were flooded 
with the purest of amber hues, which, stretching far to seaward, 
were reflected on the ocean. Such a clear view and magnificent 
sunset seldom greet the voyager making the Feroes. 
The traveller through Faroe must be prepared for wet and 
coarse weather in the spring; he ought to be stout of limb and 
sound in wind to scale the steep hills and scramble along the 
rugged tracks which do duty for roads, blessed with a fair stock 
of patience,—a good sailor, or else the boat journeys in heavy _ 
seas will be decidedly disagreeable; but, to counterbalance any 
