47 
Notes from Northern Iceland. 
distributed, in the birch woods. It seems to be the opinion 
of modern ornithologists that L. hornemanni, Holb., is the 
ordinary Redpoll of Iceland. Herr Preyer, both in f Nau- 
mannia' (1857, i. p. 63) and f Reise nach Island im Sommer 
1860 ” (p. 394), speaks of it as u Fringilla linaria , L." 
Professor Newton does the same (App. to Baring GoukPs 
‘ Iceland, its Scenes and Sagas/ 1863), which are all subse¬ 
quent to Holboll's article in f Naturh. Tidsskr.' (iv. p. 398, 
1843). But in the last edition of YarrelPs f British Birds/ 
Professor Newton conjectures that the prevailing form in 
Iceland is the Arctic Redpoll (L. hornemanni ), and Mr. Dresser 
(B. of Eur. iv. p. 42) acquiesces in this view, which is based 
upon an unquestionable specimen from Iceland in Mr. Han- 
cock's possession. We think, however, that the subjoined 
measurements, to which are added those of one or two other 
examples in Slater's collection, will prove that the bird which 
breeds in Iceland is L. Unarm , whilst it is probable that the 
Arctic Redpoll is only a winter visitor. 
Loc. 
Coll. 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Tarsus. 
in. 
in. 
in. 
A. d .... 
N. Iceland. 
H. H. S. 
2*97 
2*25 
0*55 
B. d .... 
V 
)f 
3-00 
2*40 
0*56 
C. $ .... 
tt 
ft 
2-90 
2*33 
0*50 
D. d • • • • 
D 
T. C. 
3*05 
2*55 
0*58 
E. 2 .... 
}) 
tt 
2*87 
2*35 
0*57 
F. $ .... 
tt 
2-90 
2*35 
0*55 
Gr- d- 
Vadso. 
B. Collett. 
2-98 
2*38 
0*55 
H. d- 
Spurn Pt. 
H. H. S. 
2-95 
2*50 
0*55 
I. d .... 
n 
tt 
2-95 
2*40 
0*54 
K. d • • • • 
tt 
2-98 
2*55 
0*59 
L. d- 
a 
2-80 
2*25 
0*52 
M. 9 .... 
V 
a 
2*82 
2*60 
0*54 
Mr. Hancock’s Iceland Arctic Redpoll .. 
3*125 
.. 
0*75 
Snow-Bunting. (Plectrophanes nivalis.) 
Common. We obtained several nests with eggs. The 
nest, placed either in a crevice of rock in some wild ravine 
near the snow-line, or in a heap of loose stones, is clumsily 
made of short sticks and tufts of wool, and is lined, like 
nearly all small birds’ nests in Iceland, with white Ptarmigan 
