42 
REIKEVIG. 
Jungermannia angulosa, all, except the last, 
bearing ripe capsules. On my return, I saw 
plenty of Snipes in the boggy places, and, 
among the rocks, an arctic fox * (Cams Lago- 
pus L.) which was changing its white winter 
dress for a summer one, being partly white and 
partly grey. These animals are extremely nu¬ 
merous in this country, living upon the Ptarmi¬ 
gans and their eggs, as well as upon young 
lambs; their fur is thick, but too short for muffs 
and tippets of the present day, although some 
of the grey-colored ones are exceedingly fine and 
beautiful. They sold in Reikevig for about one 
shilling and sixpence a skin. This fox is pro¬ 
bably not to be considered as originally a native 
of Iceland; for the Icelanders have a tradition^*, 
that one of the ancient kings of Norway, to 
* The dusky appearance of this animal, which I had al¬ 
ways supposed was only the summer coat, (or that of a 
young fox which had not reached its second winter,) I find 
is noticed by Mr. Pennant, in his Arctic Zoology , and con¬ 
sidered as making a distinct species, though for what reason 
I do not see 3 since he himself observes that the color of the 
young fox is dusky. Kerguelen says there are black, blue, 
red, and white foxes in Iceland. It may not be improper to 
observe, in this place, that I never saw the common fox 
in Iceland, nor heard, from any of the natives, of its being 
found there. 
+ This tradition, in all probability, rests upon no better 
authority than one which is prevalent in Ireland, that the 
