4 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



stranded near the observatories, which were 250 paces distant 

 from the sea. The snow was 7 ft. deep in the neighbourhood of 

 the station, and when the thaw commenced in spring all excursions 

 were stopped, on account of moving snow and water, and the 

 cascades leaping from the cliffs were magnificent sights. The 

 party re-embarked on board the ' Pola ' on the 6th of August, 

 1883, after spending over a year on Jan Mayen without any 

 casualty, and having been completely successful in attaining the 

 objects for which it was sent out. — W. E. C] 



Bird-life is comparatively well represented, but only sea-birds 

 breed there regularly, and in considerable numbers. 



Of Birds of Prey only the Iceland Falcon [" der Islanderfalke "] 

 {Falco candicans), the Peregrine (Falco peregrinus), and the 

 Snowy Owl (Nyctea nivea), were observed. 



The Falcons only showed themselves in spring and in the 

 first summer weeks, and appeared to feed on the arriving 

 migratory birds ; later on, after the appearance of the large Gulls, 

 they were driven away by these pugnacious birds appearing in 

 considerable numbers. 



A remarkable phenomenon is the occurrence of some migratory 

 birds at Jan Mayen, particularly the insectivorous birds. The 

 following, Erithacus rubecula, Saxicola cenanthe, Tardus pilaris, 

 T. musicus, Motacilla alba, Anthus aquaticus, were obviously in 

 the act of their spring migration. 



S. cenanthe is known to wander as far as Greenland; the 

 other species (with the exception of Motacilla alba, which is 

 observed singly in Greenland), have so far not been observed in 

 that country, nor in Spitzbergen nor Novaya Zemlya. It is 

 supposed from this that these migrants are driven by storms on 

 to Jan Mayen during their passage to Scandinavia or Iceland, a 

 supposition which is confirmed by the fact that these birds 

 arrived with southerly winds. 



The appearance of a Blackbird at Jan Mayen on the 23rd 

 of December was inexplicable. These birds had without 

 doubt long ago gone south from the northern breeding-places in 

 Scandinavia and perhaps Iceland. Whence, then, could this lonely 

 wanderer in the middle of winter have come ? It is also in- 

 conceivable that the bird could have sojourned for any considerable 

 time on Jan Mayen, for on this island in winter it could not find 



