Notes from Northern Iceland. 45 
legs, and in these respects it also differs from the St. Kilda 
Wren. Two males of Troglodytes borealis which I have 
examined measured as follows :—culmen 065 and 0*63 inch, 
wing 2*1 and 2*05, tail T5 and T52, tarsus 088 and 0*9, 
middle toe without claw 0*45 and 043. Perhaps one of the 
most striking characteristics of the northern Wren is the 
stoutness of its bill, for the two specimens above cited 
measure in width at the base of the bill 028 and 03 respec¬ 
tively, whereas no specimen of Troglodytes parvulus which I 
have examined measures more than 015, the average being 
about O’14, and the two examples from St. Kilda measure 
0T4 and O’15 respectively. I have, as will be seen, taken 
the measurements of the hind toe of the various specimens 
without the claw, as in some of them the claw is somewhat 
worn, and hence, had I taken the measurements with the 
claw, it would not have given so accurate a result. 
IX .—Notes from Northern Iceland in the Summer of 1885. 
By Henry H. Slater and Thomas Carter. 
We started late on our tour to Iceland last summer, and 
were rather afraid, on landing at Sapibarkrokr, June 22nd> 
that' we might find the breeding-season of most of the birds 
far advanced. The season, however, was such an exceptionally 
late one, owing to the enormous amount of snow still 
remaining, even at low altitudes, and to the presence of 
numerous icebergs a little to the north of the island, that the 
birds seemed to be in a state of complete uncertainty. Up to 
the time of our leaving the island on July 20th, we appeared 
equally likely to meet with any given species (Ravens and 
Iceland Falcons excepted) with young birds, with eggs in 
any stage, or not yet breeding. 
It was unfortunately often the case, however (doubtless a 
common experience), that any bird^s eggs which we particularly 
wanted proved to be much incubated. This caused us, in 
moments of irritation, as we sat late into the night painfully 
