Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/446

418 birds, and the physical features of the wonderful land I was passing through, and the interesting type of people I met. These daily observations covered 530 pages of note-books. When it is remembered that several of my journeys after one particular species of bird occupied two and three days, and that I was constantly in the saddle, and covered great distances almost daily, it will be readily understood that I had not a single idle moment. Indeed, I gave myself only about half my usual time for sleep. The unbroken daylight was of great assistance to me, and I was strong and vigorous for each day's labours, although I might have been hard at work until 3 or 4 a.m. Towards the close, however, I became so utterly worn out with the unceasing strain, that I felt that I could not continue without a period of rest, and, as previously stated, resolved to return home. The whole journey was studded with stirring adventure, and I had several narrow escapes from losing my life, both by drowning and other causes.

It is a pleasure to me to be enabled to state that the bodies of every bird I shot and recovered are made into good skins or mounted specimens, and were needed for the series I was preparing. Not a single bird was needlessly shot; and never for only cooking purposes. I regret that many bodies were lost, but through no fault of mine. This was when birds fell through cracks in the lava, or, in the case of the Harlequin Ducks, when they were carried away by the mad rush of water in the rapids.

The careful mounting of the 330 birds occupied me, after my return, together with other work intervening, over twelve months; another important and laborious task in connection with the Baylis collection occupied still another twelve months; hence the delay in publishing this report.

I feel that I ought not to bring this paper to a close without tendering my earnest thanks to those who assisted in my expedition; and, first of all, a tribute to the memory of F.W.W. Howell, who, alas! lost his life this year (1901) while crossing one of the treacherous Icelandic rivers. I met Mr. Howell quite accidentally about two months prior to my departure for Iceland. We were total strangers, but it was through his kindly and generously tendered advice that many obstacles which others had magnified into insurmountable ones were smoothed away,