ICELAND. 



85 



crevices of rocks. Towards the end of June, Preyer saw many young ravens 

 grown to a good size, and but little inferior to the old ones in cunning. 



In the gloomy Scandinavian mythology the raven occupies a rank equal to 

 that of the eagle in the more cheerful fables of ancient Greece. It was dedi- 

 cated to Odin, who, as the traditional history of Iceland informs us, had two 

 ravens, which were let loose every morning to gather tidings of what was go- 

 ing on in the world, and which on returning in the evening perched upon Odin's 

 shoulders to whisper the news in his ear ; the name of one was Hugin, or 

 spirit ; of the other, Mumin^ or memory. Even now many superstitious no- 

 tions remain attached to the raven ; for the Icelanders believe this bird to be 

 not only acquainted with what is going on at a distance, but also with what is 

 to happen in future, and are convinced that it foretells when any of the family 

 is about to die, by perching on the roof of the house, or wheeling round in the 

 air with a continual cry, varying its voice in a singular and melodious manner. 



The white-tailed sea-eagle is not uncommon in Iceland, where he stands in 

 evil repute as a kidnapper of lambs and eider-ducks. He is sometimes found 

 dead in the nets of the fishermen ; for, pouncing upon a haddock or salmon, he 

 gets entangled in the meshes, and is unable to extricate himself. The skins of 

 the bird, which seems to attain a larger size than in Great Britain, most likelj^ 

 from being less disturbed by man, are sold at Reykjavik and Akureyre for from 

 three to six rix-dollars. 



The jyrfalcon {Faleo gyrfalco)^ generally 

 considered as the boldest and most beauti- 

 ful of the falcon tribe, has its head-quarters 

 in Iceland. As long as the noble sport of 

 falconry was in fashion, for which it was 

 highly esteemed, the trade in falcons was 

 worth from 2000 to 3000 rix-dollars annually 

 to the islanders, and even now high prices 

 are paid for it by English amateurs. 



The rarest bird of Iceland, if not entirely 

 extinct, is the Giant-auk, or Geirfugl. The 

 last pair was caught about seventeen years 

 ago near the Geirfuglaskers, a group of sol- 

 itary rocks to the south of the Westman 

 Isles, its only known habitat besides some 

 similar cliffs on the north-eastern coast. 

 Since that time it is said to have been seen 

 by some fishermen ; but this testimony is extremely doubtful, and the question 

 of its existence can only be solved by a visit to the Geirfuglaskers themselves 

 — an undertaking which, if practicable at all, is attended with extreme difiiculty 

 and danger, as these rocks are completely isolated in the sea, which even in 

 calm weather breaks with such violence against their abrupt declivities that 

 for years it must be absolutely impossible to approach them. 



In 1858 two English naturalists determined at least to make the attempt^ 

 and settled for a season in a small hamlet on the neighboring coast, eager to 



THE jrRFALCGN. 



