Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/441

Rh breeding haunts are amongst some of the wildest and most romantic spots in Iceland. I had some narrow escapes from drowning in trying to recover downy young which I had shot. The female is a noble duck in the defence of her young. I obtained adult male in breeding dress, and in the rare eclipse stage—hitherto unknown; adult females, a good series of downy young, eggs, and down.

Somateria mollissima. (Ædur.)—Simply swarming everywhere along the North coast. A strictly protected bird. I got adult male and female, a good series of downy young, nest, eggs, and down.

S. spectabilis. (Ædarkóngur.)—A very intelligent farmer, who could speak English fluently, knew this duck perfectly, and described the peculiarity of the bill. He assured me that it bred frequently, but occasionally, amongst his other Eiders; it had not appeared the season I was there. However, I saw some small darklooking Eiders which puzzled me, and wanted to secure one, but Sugurdur would not let me, as he was afraid of this farmer. If I had seen the farmer before I did the ducks, I am afraid I should have accidentally killed one of them.

Œdemia nigra. (Hrafnsönd.)—Not plentiful, in my experience. I procured adult female, downy young, eggs, and down.

Mergus merganser. (Toppönd.)—I did not meet with this bird, and only saw the skin of an adult male which had been shot on Lake Myvatn. I was told that the bird formerly bred in the district, but has now deserted it.

M. serrator. (Litla toppönd.)—Fairly abundant. I got downy young only.

Lagopus rupestris. (Rjúpa.)—Very common, some of the moorlands in the North swarming with them. I saw broods of twenty. This is altogether the most stupid bird I have ever met with. It trusts so blindly to its protective colouring that I really think it believes itself to be invisible. This was far from the case to my eyes, for I could detect them far more quickly than the Icelanders could. I saw some very fine instances of protective mimicry, however, in this bird. I obtained males and females in summer, autumn, and winter plumages, every stage in the growth of the young bird, from just hatched up to nearly full-grown, nest, and eggs. The little chick can fly when about three days old.

Ægialitis hiaticula. (Sandlóa.)—Fairly abundant. The first of these birds I saw puzzled me exceedingly, as their upper parts were of a light chocolate colour. I could not procure specimens,