EXPEDITION TO THE NORTH OF ICELAND. 415 



I got adult males and females and fledged young, but with the heads 

 still covered with down. The young in first plumage have not been 

 properly described. Those which reach our shores in the autumn, 

 with the pale margins to the feathers, and which Seebohm describes 

 as first plumage, are practically the third stage, and acquired by 

 moult. There are two stages in the plumage of the young bird after 

 the downy stage, acquired without a moult, and which are quite dis- 

 tinct from the autumn bird. 



Eedshank, Totanus calidris. (Stelkur.) — In fair numbers in many 

 districts. I obtained adult male and female and downy young. My 

 adults are very heavily barred, more so than any I have ever seen 

 before, and have practically no white under parts. 



Whimbrel, Numenius phcBopiis. (Spoi.) — Another of the commonest 

 of Iceland birds. Very bold and very noisy. I have seen these birds 

 mobbing the Iceland Falcon. I made some fine studies of this bird, 

 and shall be able to produce some striking pictures. The series I 

 obtained is a very complete one, from eggs, and every stage of young, 

 just hatched and grading up to full-fledged. 



Arctic Tern, Sterna macrura. (Kria.) — Very abundant every- 

 where, and in some parts of the North in vast colonies. I found it far 

 away in the interior — in the Reindeer districts. I made many studies 

 of this bird, but must not touch upon them, as I am occupying far too 

 much space already. I obtained adults, every possible stage of young, 

 and a series of eggs. 



Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus. (Svartbakur.) — Very 

 common in the North, and sparingly in the interior. I did not 

 trouble to procure any specimens. 



Lesser Black-backed Gull, L. fiiscus. — I saw this bird at Thors- 

 havn, in the Fseroes, and, in Iceland, one only in Nordfjord. I attached 

 no importance to this, as again I did not know at the time that the 

 bird had not been recorded for Iceland. It need not be suggested that 

 my eyes deceived me, or my ears either, as I carry the Zeiss binocu- 

 lars. I did not procure any specimens, as my guns were not un- 

 packed. 



Glaucous Gull, L. glaums. (Gramafur.) — It will strike some as 

 being curious when I say that throughout all my wanderings I met 

 with three specimens only of this bird, and they were immature. It is 

 a bird not to be mistaken. 



Kittiwake Gull, Pdssa tridactyla. (Eita.) — Very abundant — in 

 some places in vast numbers. As my series of this bird at home was 

 complete, I did not trouble to procure many specimens. I brought 



