Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/444

416 one only. I noticed that there was only one of the primaries with a white spot.

, Stercorarius catarrhactes. (Skúmur.)—I saw this bird many times, but did not procure any specimens. I ascertained the locality of a breeding haunt, but had no time to visit it.

, S. pomatorhinus. (Kjói.)—I saw a Squa in Seydisfjord with twisted feathers in the tail, which I concluded was this bird.

, S. crepidatus. (Kjói.)—Abundant. I detested the bird for its bullying propensities, but marvelled at its wonderful powers on the wing. I obtained an abundant series of the dark- and light-breasted ones, and every intermediate stage. These are not two forms; I believe it will be found that the white-breasted birds are simply completely adult, and that the bird needs several years to reach that stage. Young birds may mate with adults, and young birds may breed, as with some other Gulls. On dissection I found both males and females amongst both dark and light birds.

, Alca torda. (Alka.)—Very common. I did not trouble to procure more than one specimen, as my series is complete.

, Mergulus alle. (Haftirdill.)—I saw a flock of very small sharp-winged swimming birds on entering Eyjafjord, which must have been of this species.

, Uria troile. (Langvia.)—Very common. I did not need any specimens.

, U. bruennichi. (Stuttnefja.)—I visited some islands off the North coast in search of this bird, and it proved to be one of the most disastrous and unsatisfactory of all my journeys. I was too late for one thing, as the birds had all left the breeding rocks. I saw several on the sea, and recognized them at once by their slightly larger size, and black upper parts, as compared with the Common Guillemot. The fishermen confirmed me that they were Stuttnefja, and not Langvia. I tried to procure them with my 4-bore, but I was so numbed with cold fog, and the swell from the islands was so great, that I missed. In the boat I was almost up to my knees in water for many hours. I landed on one of the islands—a most difficult matter—and explored the top; while the physical features of the second island were so marvellous, that I do not regret having had to grope about a fog-bound sea until near one in the morning. Numbed with cold to the very marrow, soaking wet, and sick with hunger and fatigue, the only accommodation I could get on shore, at the wretched hut of the fisherman, was a basin of cold milk, and, thank heaven! a cup of hot coffee. I had to sleep in a hole in the ground, and next