﻿314 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



already pointed out, in these species worked upon, black is 

 combined with each of the other colours in turn, and appears as 

 ground colour, as spots, as blotches, as lines, as bands, and as 

 tips, besides being in several instances the sole colour. As further 

 exemplifying its chemical inaccessibility, I may especially instance 

 the case of Epinephele hyperanthes. Since this species is by no 

 means of a pure black, and is so closely allied genealogically to 

 the very accessible chestnut-coloured species, I had entertained 

 strong hopes that it might prove a welcome exception. But no ! 

 pure black or impure, E. hyperanthes is still black ; and black is 

 immovable — " Semper ubique et in omnibus ! " 

 Erratum. — Page 286, omit footnote. 



(To be continued). 



THE WESTMANN ISLANDS. 

 By Bev. F. A. Walker, D.D., F.L.S., &c. 



The small group of islets known by this name (Vestmann- 

 eyjar in Icelandic) is situate south of the S. coast of Iceland, 

 between 63 and 64 deg. N. lat. and 32 and 34 deg. W. long. The 

 names of the islets are as follows : — Drangar, Einarsdrangr, 

 Erlendsey, Alsey, Geirfuglasker, Geldingasker, Sulusker, Hellirey, 

 Bjarnarey, and Heimaey. By far the largest island, and the only 

 inhabited one of the group, is Heimaey, or Home Island, distant 

 possibly ten miles from the mainland ; all the rest are rocks and 

 skerries, or more strictly speaking, groups of rocks and skerries. 

 These Westmann Islands derive their names from<fche ten Irish 

 thralls (men of the West as opposed to Norwegians,-^men of the 

 East), who after murdering their Norwegian master, one of the 

 earliest settlers, Hjorleifur, in his dwelling on the mainland, 

 betook themselves, with his wife and all the women they could 

 lay hands on, to Heimaey, and were slain in their turn, as an 

 act of vengeance, by Ingolfur, Hjorleifur' s brother, a.d. 874. In 

 after years Algerine pirates made two descents on the islands, 

 slew some, and carried off several into captivity, whence, after a 

 long time, they were rescued by the king of Denmark. 



It is by no means on every occasion that a steamer in 

 passing the Westmann Islands is able to anchor off this group, — 

 which is situate eighty miles east of the south-west point of 

 Iceland, — in consequence of their exposed situation, high cliffs, 

 and strong gales. Occasionally, also, it happens that a steamer, 

 having come to anchor is, in consequence of the wind rising 

 suddenly, obliged to continue her voyage without loss of time. 

 Last autumn the Danish steamer from Beykjavik, being unable 

 to make Heimaey owing to stress of weather, some ill-starred 



