The Birds of Angmagsalik. 249 
termed С. g. delicata Ord.; it differs from the other species in having 
14 rectrices, of which the outermost is very much smaller than on the 
other species. An examination of the skins sent home by Petersen shows 
that all three races seem to be represented, five of the skins clearly 
being of the species faergensis, which as a matter of fact might have 
been expected to exceed the others in numbers, whereas two are of the 
typical European form, and one seems to be of the North American race. 
WOODCOCK (Scolopax rusticola rusticola L.). 
Skovsnezppe. 
Petersen writes on October 5th, 1906: “Today I received from a 
Greenlander from Sermilik a Woodcock which he had found on the shore 
of one of the large lakes on the road here. The bird had apparently 
only recently died, for it was still quite fresh and the eyes were not. 
wholly sunken in. As it was very emaciated, I suppose it starved to 
death. The natives did not know the bird and had never seen it before.” 
The appearance of this species is quite accidental, and this is the 
first time it has ever been seen in Greenland. That it died of hunger 
is reasonable enough, as it is true of this bird as of the Common snipe 
and the Curlew that it is hardly possible for it to secure food very long 
at Angmagsalik. 
It has its nearest breeding places in Norway and in Scotland, 
whereas it has not been found on Iceland. Strangely enough, it has been 
met with in North America, although it is difficult to understand how 
this not particularly good flyer has been able to get over the Atlantic 
Ocean. 
The very well preserved skin of an old bird was sent home. 
GREAT |BLACK-BACKED GULL (Larus marinus L.). 
Svartbag. Е. Gr.: Kusernak (probably from the cry). 
The Great Black-Backed Gull breeds in the district around Ang- 
magsalik, but only sparsely; it only very rarely comes into the Colony 
itself, Petersen having seen it twice. Eggs have been brought to him 
in June and July, so that the bird appears to be later with its hatching 
than on the west coast. 
In East Greenland the Great Black-Backed Gull has not been seen 
farther north than at Angmagsalik; in West Greenland it breeds up as 
far as Upernivik. On Iceland it is a common breeding bird, as well as 
in Northern Europe and a part of Northern Asia. 
