466 
Recent Ornithological Publications. 
home without inhabiting some other part of continental Europe. 
These are the Iceland Falcon, the Northern Wren (which, how¬ 
ever, does occur as a resident in the Fseroes), the Iceland Ptar¬ 
migan, the Iceland Golden-eye, and the Harlequin Duck. The 
first is by most ornithologists of the present day recognized as 
distinct from the true Gyr-Falcon; and though the differences 
between them are but slight, I believe no one has ever observed 
the characteristics of the Scandinavian form in an Icelandic spe¬ 
cimen. The second has been but lately separated from our own 
Common Wren, which is a bird as well known throughout the 
greater part of the Continent as in this country; but I believe 
the separation is deserved. The third, the Ptarmigan, certainly 
differs in some respects very considerably from the bird which 
occurs in Scotland and Norway, and much more nearly resembles 
the form found in Greenland. The fourth and fifth are most un¬ 
questionably distinct species; and both are found breeding over a 
good part of the Arctic portion of the New World, while neither 
occurs in the rest of Europe, except accidentally. I am only 
aware of one species which does not properly belong to Europe, 
and which yet occurs frequently in Iceland without breeding 
there; this is the Greenland Falcon.” 
Mr. Newton then gives a brilliant sketch of the more noticeable 
features of the ornithology of Iceland, as they strike the eye of 
the observant traveller, which we would also gladly transfer to 
these pages did space permit. This is followed by a systematic 
list of the birds which have been hitherto recognized with 
certainty as occurring in the country, with notes on each species. 
Mr. Newton enumerates 
Accipitres .... 
. 6 
Passeres. 
. 14 
Gallinse ..... 
Grallse. 
. 21 
Anseres. 
. 47 
altogether 89 species as having 
been observed in Iceland— 
a list which shows at a glance the richness of the Natatorial and 
the poverty of the Passerine Orders in these northern climes. 
Concerning the Gare-fowl (Alca impennis), without doubt the 
most interesting member of the Icelandic avifauna, Mr. Newton 
