254 TPIE ZOOLOGIST. 



ledge, the only previous one being a somewhat hazy report of 

 a bird of this species having killed itself against the telegraph- 

 wires on the L. & N.W. Kailway, near Thorpe, aboiat forty 

 years ago. 



April 16th. My falconer wrote : — " I have ten young Wild 

 Ducks hatched off on the 2nd, and since then two more sittings, 

 all doing well. I heard young Eooks in the nests last evening, 

 for the j5rst time this year." 



NOTES ON THE FAUNA OF ICELAND. 

 By Uno von Troil, D.D. 



[On taking up lately a somewhat scarce little volume entitled 'Letters 

 on Iceland,' containing observations made during a voyage in 1772, by 

 Sir Joseph Banks, Dr. Solander, Dr. Lind, and Dr. von Troil, we were 

 struck by the remarks therein contained on the mammals and birds of 

 Iceland, some of which, although written more than a century ago, are still 

 of much interest at the present day. The alleged existence of the Wild 

 Cat (doubtless a mistake), the herbivorous habits of the Fox, the intro- 

 duction of the Reindeer from Norway in 1770, the breeding of the Wild 

 Swan and the " Eider-bird," and the annual exportation of Eider-down, and 

 of Iceland Falcons purchased by royal falconers, are matters on which some 

 of our readers may be glad to have information. We accordingly give the 

 following extract (pp. 140—147, ed. 1780) for their benefit. The " Letter " 

 from which it is copied is addressed to Chevalier Ihre, and is dated 

 " Stockholm, Oct. 3, 1774."— Ed.] 



Besides these [domesticated] animals, they have three kinds 

 of dogs in Iceland, Jiar hundar, or Iwmbar, shag dogs ; and 

 dyrhundar and dv erg hundar. As also tame and wild cats, which 

 last are called tirdarkettir ; rats, white and brown foxes, some of 

 which eat grass, and are on that account called gras tofur. To 

 root out these animals, the king has set a premium of a rix- 

 dollar upon every ten fox- skins that are sold to a merchant. 

 The natives have likewise made an agreement, that whosoever 

 destroys a fox's hole, together with the fox, the she fox, and their 

 young, is to receive one rix-dollar, which the neighbours collect 

 among themselves. 



Eeindeer were not known here formerly; but by Governor 

 Thodal's order thirteen heads were sent from Norway in 1770, 



