THE ORNITHOLOGIST. 



Vol. I. SEPTEMBEE, 1896. No. 7. 



OKNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM ICELAND. 

 By Chaeles D. Head. 



The first peculiarity which will strike the visitor to this 

 remarkable island is the total absence of forest trees and the 

 great scarcity of all vegetation. It is a land of slumbering 

 volcanoes, ice mountains, lakes and rapid rivers. So much of 

 the interior is composed of sandy deserts and volcanic moun- 

 tain ranges, where no vegetation — not even grass — can grow, 

 that bird life is condensed, as it were, around the lakes and 

 on the adjacent moorlands, where vegetation is produced in 

 sufficient abundance to provide food for themselves and their 

 young. 



About 30 miles from the sea coast, in the north, is situated 

 Myvatn, or Midge Lake, the second largest lake in Iceland. 

 It covers an area of about 30 square miles, stands at an alti- 

 tude of 900 feet above sea level, and is studded with many 

 volcanic isles, all now green with vegetation. In the east, 

 south and south-west it is surrounded by ancient lava, and 

 this forms the bed of the lake in many places. During my 

 tour in Iceland last year I spent nearly three weeks around 

 this lake, and in no other place have I seen birds breeding in 

 greater numbers. I brought back with me eggs of the follow- 

 ing birds, and skins of many of them. 



Redwing (Turdus iliacus). — Scarce. I only saw one bird, 



