60 



OLAFSEN* AND POVeLSEN's 



Fisher.* We, however, were not able to distinguish that dif- 

 ference of colour, which is said to exist between the male and 

 female ; but we do not doubt, that this difference does exist 

 between the young and old pelicans. They hunt this bird in 

 spring, when it sleeps upon the surface of the water, with its 

 head beneath its wing, and continually moving its feet, to main- 

 tain its equilibrium. When strangers arrive in Iceland, they 

 see with astonishment these round masses floating with the wind 

 and tide ; for it is not possible to discover what they are, without 

 approaching very near them, or by making a great noise to 

 induce them to raise their heads, as they sleep uncommonly 

 sound. Nature has also given them the instinct, to select such 

 places to sleep on, as do not require much exertion to keep 

 themselves afloat. At night, the inhabitants get into canoes., 

 and row with muffled oars, that they may not wake the birds ; 

 when on coming near them, they stun them by striking them on 

 the head with a stick, and afterwards they ring their necks. 

 After the chace, or if it have not terminated to their satisfaction,, 

 they employ themselves in fishing as they return. Another man- 

 ner of hunting this bird is, to watch it, when it is in pursuit of 

 herrings, because it then raises itself considerably above the 

 water, to discover the fish with its penetrating eye ; and as soon 

 as it perceives a heap of fish, it darts into the sea. Sometimes 

 as many as a hundred pelicans will fall in this manner with the 

 rapidity of an arrow ; when this happens near the shore, where 

 the waters are low, some of them often strike against a rock, 

 and are killed; these are easily distinguished, as they imme- 

 diately float on the water, while the others sink to a considerable 

 depth, and remain submersed, till they have satisfied their ap- 

 petite upon the fish, so that when they re-ascend, they appear 

 heavy and idle, and scarcely able to fly. While the birds are 

 submersed, the hunters hasten to the spot in their canoes, with- 

 out the fear of alarming them; for being hungry, and naturally 

 voracious after their passage through the air, they will even dart 

 down contiguous to the boats. They then watch their risings 

 and at the moment, strike them on the head. The inhabitants 

 procure from these birds a quantity of feathers; they also eat 

 die flesh, which is compact and oily. 



GULLS. 



In the jurisdiction of Borgarriord, there is a number of gulls 

 of the largest size, ( Laurns albus maximus, dorso et alis supe~> 

 rim nigris, L.) It is remarkable that this bird goes to a great 

 distance from the coasts, on which it habitually resides, to arrive 



* Fiscaio?\ 



