BIRDS OF ICELAND 



5 



[Ruticilla titys (Scopoli). Black Redstart. 



Native name : none. 



Herr Preyer (see his Reise) believed that he saw a 

 pair of Black Redstarts, on June 17, 1860, on the 

 island of ViSey, close to Reykjavik, which appeared 

 to be breeding in the chapel-wall. No one else has 

 had a similar experience. Now most migrants travel 

 in flocks or streams, the males, as is noticeably the 

 case with the Common Redstart (R. Phamicurus), a 

 few days in advance of the females. We are to 

 suppose, therefore, that a single male found its way 

 to the neighbourhood of Reykjavik in that year only, 

 followed, a few days later, by a single female, and that 

 they paired in the usual manner and proceeded to 

 prepare for the cares of a family. I would not assert 

 that such a thing is impossible ; but, when it is looked 

 at in detail, it is, to say the least, ' Jules-Vernesque.' 

 And ViSey is not even a 'coral island ' !] 



Troglodytes borealis, Fischer. 

 Northern Wren. 



Native names : ' MusarbroSir.' Professor Newton also 

 adds ' Musarrindill/ but I have never heard this 

 used, though ' Rindill ' is the ancient Eddaic 

 name. 



This species is confined to Iceland and the Faeroes, 

 the Icelandic individuals being larger than the 

 Faeroese as the wren of St. Kilda marks a faint 



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